Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

[Matt]

Has anyone attempted this? is it possible? looking at what is on offer with the ms2000b it kind of should be?

[GeeJee]

no,

the thing that makes the eminent sound so typical is the 3-band chorus.
the basic string sound without this ensemble effect is just a basic saw waveform which can be produced on any synth, but without the chorus it doesn't sound like the eminent.

[GeeJee]

I read this discussion and have not much to add to this, except that I remembered what someone who purported to be a musical critic wrote in his review of the concert JM gave in my city. He said that if he had been in Jarre's shoes he probably could have done the same with less instruments on the stage.

That's a common one. I bet he would say something like "tsk, I could do all that with just a laptop and a MIDI-keyboard"

[JPQ]

Its really pure saw ? i mean some string synths i think uses stepped saw. Sorry bad translation what i mean.

[GeeJee]

Well at least its a very basic waveform, basic ENV setting, perhaps slightly filtered (but not much, otherwise you would lose the grainy sound and the filter sweep on the phaser wouldn't be that phat). The characteristics of the sound really depend heavily on the chorus

[Jakob BC]

The Microkorg has an ensemble effect, so perhaps the MS2k has it too. Otherwise Gee pointed out the issue. That "3D" chorus is not something you'll find anywhere. There has been produced an expensive effectunit for the purpose. I don't know about any useable alternatives.

[GeeJee]

I don't know about any useable alternatives.

Using three different chorus pedals and put them out of phase of each other (but you probably won't be any cheaper than the aforementioned unit and you will have significantly less programming options)

[Matt]

hey thanks so much for the advice.

when you say a dedicated unit do you mean a 3d chorus pedal like the BEHRINGER - CC300 CHORUS SPACE-C? should i seek a three band chorus or 3d chorus pedal to add to the sawtooth?

[Jakob BC]

I remember a debate about it on VSE. Those beringer ensembles was said not to have the right effect, but I haven't personally tested it.
The dedicated unit I had in mind is the 'Elkorus'.

[GeeJee]

If you want to have THE eminent sound, you can only do so by getting the real thing and wank it through a smallstone phaser. A Solina String Ensemble sounds slightly grainier, which makes it sound less smooth: the phase will be even more noticable (as much as in the low register of the eminent).

If you want to get close, the Élkorus will do very fine. There's also a few VST's that are said to get close, but I haven't been able to test these personally.

If you want to get your own Ensemble sound, combine any Synth saw waveform with any multiband chorus. Don't forget the phaser..

[Matt]

do you think these products could work?

Boss CE20 Chorus ensemble twin pedal by BOSS?

Carl Martin Chorus xII chorus pedal?

[GeeJee]

Nope. They have a different sound.

[JPQ]

Its even true we need old version Smallstone phaser ? sometimes heared something like this i think.

[Matt]

No. this much i do know. buy an E/H small stone phaser with a an adapter that has a function to decrease the voltage. turn the voltage down from 9 to about 7 and you have the right amount of smoothness. am i wrong?

[Pete]

As far as I know for the Solina-like Ensemble sound the only chorus effect to have...hem... THE EFFECT is the one brought to our attention by SynthX.
It is called JH Triple Chorus and it is aimed exactly at this.

http://www.jhaible.de/triple_chorus/triple_chorus.html

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/2007/10 ... le_22.html

Edit: I just watched a couples of videos on Youtube and also the Elkorus seems to get close... but it costs what I paid for a real Solina String Ensemble...