Page 1 of 2
New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 12:26 am
by Roland Kuit
Dear forum,
I've switched to
Kyma and the
Pacarana.
Despite the awesome Modular sound of the Xite-1.
I have to explore new horizons in sound design.
I still have a whole bunch of patches I would like to share with you and I will sort them out as soon as possible.
About this forum, just a big
THANKS!
Thank you all for your support and taking time explore my thoughts on Modular Synthesis.
And your thoughts!
Gary, Dante, Kensuguru, Faxi, fra77x, Hubird, jksuperstar, yaya, erminardi, jhulk, Immanuel ,nestor, Mr Arkadin and many others! (except Anabele, she's only cooking - but no food for thoughs) to name a few.
I will drop by from time to time but I can't patch the Xite-1 any more. It found a good lovin' home in Canada.
I will explain my new horizons to you.
As a composer I'm going to write for acoustic instruments again.
Like with MAX/MSP, the Pacarama hardware and Kyma program can be used as a sound and composition world.
I was asked by Renee Baker(
http://reneebakercomposer.com/) of the Chicago Sinfonietta Chamber Ensemble for a work for viola and electronics.
As you see, new ways.
ps: If you like to know more about this system, just ask.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 5:22 am
by Immanuel
Enjoy your next journey

Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 6:19 am
by Mr Arkadin
Well glad you are still around here occasionally. Still following your electronic poineers thread.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 7:42 am
by kensuguro
Really curious how Pacarana works for you. After my scope system died, my choice was between xite-1 and Pacarana, but still haven't made my decision. Kyma stuff is difficult to assess since I don't know a single person who uses it, nor is there an easy way to go demo one myself. (and you can't really just "demo" something that deep and get a sense) But anyway, it's funny since Nord Mod we seem to end up in a similar pool. Maybe I'll run in to you in the Kyma circle some day.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:24 am
by garyb
all the best to you Roland!
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 12:29 pm
by jksuperstar
Funny, when I moved on from the Nord G2, I had balanced the XITE-1 vs. Kyma also.
Ultimately, I chose XITE, for the balance it offered between complete studio & instruments (ready to use), Virtual Modular Synth (that offers complexity way beyond Nord does), the SDK, and integration with a host PC.
Kyma offered uncompromising sound design techniques, incredible support direct from the developers/owners, but wasn't the studio-in-a-box I was also looking for.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 2:34 pm
by hubird
Good luck Roland.
zal wel lukken denk ik

Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 9:40 pm
by Roland Kuit
Thanks all!
XITE-1 vs. Kyma.
After discontinuing the NMG2 this was the question of many NMG2 users.
Both have their intrinsic qualities.
I didn't stop to be a NMG2 user. I even bought a few spare ones.

Re: New horizons
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 2:38 pm
by kensuguro
Hey Roland,
I remember during my last research into Kyma, the big turn off was that I needed to get a firewire IO box, and also needed firewire going into the computer, and that my signal would go from DAW->audio IO out->firewire IO in->pacarana->kyma. (very expensive loop back) Symbolic Sound website still says so, but is that still really the case?
Re: New horizons
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:45 am
by Roland Kuit
To use the Xite-1 I had to buy an expensive eCard for my laptop.
A FireWire card is nothing compared to this.
A 2nd hand FW interface is quickly found. I found a TC Impact Twin cheap.
Also you can ask Symbolic Sound to buy one of your choice.
They will only charge you when they succeed making a driver for it.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:24 am
by fra77x
I'm not sure kensuguro is talking about money expense. I think he talks about latency issues.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 5:04 am
by Roland Kuit
I was combining both
kensuguro wrote:the big turn off was that I needed to get a firewire IO box?
I haven't DAW'd yet.
PS: I don't want to defend or attack either system.
I hope that we can take it clean.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:16 am
by fra77x
I think its normal to support the platform you are currently interested on. Each one has pros and cons but also each one is unique and a world of sound on its own. I hope you will find some new unexplored places to make some research on. Good luck!
Re: New horizons
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:21 am
by dawman
Say hello to Carla for me. I have been a fan of hers since Champaigne, Ill. and Symbolics beginning back in the '90s.
Please let me know how well the realtime stuff is going with the Paca and new DSP chips.
It's the only other piece of gear I would want besides another rack mounted analog Euro style.
Cheers and thanks again for everything..
Re: New horizons
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:00 pm
by Roland Kuit
Thanks Dawman, I will do.
Scratching the surface for a few days now, I think this is the perfect set up.
Years back I was thinking "Why not Reaktor in a hardware box?".
Symbolic Sound did. This is Reaktor and more.
The software doesn't look smart. Typically Mac
But don't be mistaken by this.
Some scratching the surface pics:
Re: New horizons
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:04 pm
by Roland Kuit
Two more:
Re: New horizons
Posted: Sun May 18, 2014 9:17 am
by Roland Kuit
After a few weeks scratching the surface of this, here some music with the Kyma X/Pacarana:
"Etude Violinesque":
https://soundcloud.com/roland-kuit/etude-violinesque
"Rajlich Rebits I - III":
https://soundcloud.com/roland-kuit/sets ... bits-i-iii
Re: New horizons
Posted: Wed May 21, 2014 4:41 am
by dawman
Nice....
I was A/B ing the Apollo DSP rack with Scope FX and found there's not much difference in quality, but their development teams are 24/7, then again so are ours in Modular, where one actually needs to be IMHO for FX creation and synths, etc.
The SS Paca on a laptop sure looks sweet, I wonder if Scope and Kyma X could play alongside of each other.
Still have never heard a Harley /Lion morph done so well from chips and code...that one sold me years ago, but real time was far away still in '99.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 2:26 am
by Roland Kuit
Hi Dawman,
I like the RAW sound of the Modular IV.
The Pacarana, or the TC Electronics DA/AD converters, sounds more sophisticated.
The RT processing, back then the Capibara, has improved beyond comparison.
The processing power of the Pacarana fits my needs well.
Few times I kicked it over the limit but then I could find ways to rearrange things.
ATM, I've been asked by cutting edge NY/Chicago performers to write pieces for them.
So what you hear on my Soundcloud is research for this.
We want to give concerts in NY September 2014. All with live use of the Pacarana.
December 2014/January 2015 I will be in Stockholm as a composer in the residence and lecturer at EMS.
There I will be doing a piece with their Serge modular analogue synthesiser and my Pacarana.
Re: New horizons
Posted: Thu May 22, 2014 11:19 pm
by Roland Kuit
As I wrote before, I want to compose more for a acoustic instrument-electronics combination.
For example:

One Piece for Two Imaginary Piano's:
https://soundcloud.com/roland-kuit/one- ... iry-pianos