Talk:Ensoniq ESQ-1

Corrected the part on the analog envelopes. The ESQ1 has none. They are purely digital. As in case of DCA1-3, they are even DOC registers (directly driving the internal multiplying D/A converter), for DCA4 a CV is generated from the modulation value and fed into the CEM3379 final VCA. Doesn't make it an analog envelope, though. The formerly cited CEM3360 is *not* used for synthesis at all but is used for the overall volume control (volume slider). Check the schematics, if you don't believe me ;)

84.163.190.36 (Rainer Buchty) 09:09, 27 April 2012 (UTC)

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No mention of its excellent built in sequencer?

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I am not so naive I can say the difference between polyphony and multitimbrality. This definetely has Max 8 parts multitimbrality. Look anywhere in the internet. After all how else it could use a 8 track sequencer with one timbre?


 * There seems to be confusion on your end, what multitimbrality means. In fact, the ESQ-1 *is* 9-times multitimbral. If "anywhere on the internet" tells 8-times multitimbral, then "anywhere on the internet" is plain wrong. Yes, it's that easy.
 * The ESQ1 can be set to receive on 9 different channels, 8 coming from the sequencer plus one from the keyboard. In fact, OS-wise the ESQ1 treats the keyboard as track 0 whereas the sequencer provides track 1-8. Since the ESQ1 is only 8-times polyphonic, of course you cannot play 9 different sounds at the same time. Never the less, it is 9-times multimbral while being 8-times polyphonic.
 * If you don't believe me, check the OS sources. Or just the manual, which will easily show you how to set *9* different tracks, i.e. the general midi channel (keyboard) and the 8 sequencer channels...
 * 84.163.190.36 (Rainer Buchty)

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No it hasn't. The ESQ1, although 8-voice polyphonic, is 9-times multitimbral. You have indeed 9 logical "channels" you can assign individual sounds to which are the 8 sequencer tracks (Track 1-8) and the keyboard (Track 0 as the ESQ's operating system treats it).

I just fixed the part about the analog envelopes; that's just not true. The only analog parts (synthesis-wise) are the 8 CEM3379 analog voice processors (i.e. 4-pole LPF, final VCA and panning). The oscillators are provided by the DOC ASIC, anything else is (LFO, ENV, computation of modulation matrix) is done in software -- which is also the weak part, as the update frequency of this very matrix is about 80Hz which is not enough to give real "punch" like pure analog and later digital machines are able to.

Oh, and whoever linked my site -- thanks :)

87.177.143.13 21:09, 22 May 2007 (UTC) Rainer Buchty, 2007-05-22

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There's no mention of pressure sensitivity/aftertouch. I'm pretty sure the ESQ has poly-aftertouch.. I can even remember using it myself not too long ago... I think. Can I go right ahead and slot this into the article somewhere?

Sydnisaurus (talk) 10:49, 19 October 2008 (UTC)

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Nope, unlike later machines the ESQ1's keyboard is not pressure-sensitive. The ESQ1, however, can process pressure information fed in via MIDI.

84.163.143.221 (talk) 23:39, 7 January 2009 (UTC) Rainer Buchty, 2009-01-08

Unsourced list

 * Adamski
 * Front Line Assembly
 * Jean Michel Jarre
 * Roxette (Per Gessle)
 * Skinny Puppy
 * Winter Palace
 * Welle:Erdball
 * Koto (Michiel van der Kuy)
 * Ceephax Acid Crew
 * John Carpenter
 * James Ting
 * Depeche Mode

I moved the list of "notable users" here because it was wholly unsourced. If these musicians' association with the instrument was important, a secondary source will note it, and we should cite it in reference. Until then, let's keep unsourced stuff out of mainspace. czar 14:57, 6 February 2016 (UTC)

"The rest of the signal path is analog"
Is this true? I thought the LFOs were digital. Drsmoo (talk) 17:37, 6 September 2017 (UTC)