I love my Oberheim SEM Pro Hardware!

[etheory]

This is exceptionally self-indulgent, and horribly over-due, but forgive me - man I love my Hardware SEM Pro!
I tried the plug-in but ended up buying the real deal, because unlikely seemingly the rest of the entire Internet, I can actually hear a difference :-X

Just had to share an afternoons twiddling on the pristine little sucker:

https://soundcloud.com/evolutionarytheory/evolutionary-theory-oberheim-2

Love it. If you want to know more about how it sounds, here is some more SEM fiddling around:

https://soundcloud.com/evolutionarytheory/evolutionary-theory-oberheim-1
https://soundcloud.com/evolutionarytheory/evolutionary-theory-oberheim-4
https://soundcloud.com/evolutionarytheory/evolutionary-theory-oberheim

Here is a tune I produced where the SEM is used for the bassline:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI6nACHMYwA

And a little story about my experience with the man himself, Tom Oberheim, along with some internal pictures of when I fixed the MIDI implementation that shipped with the original under the guidance of Tom (he even gave me a screwdriver to do the work - what a guy!):

http://www.evolutionarytheory.com/2011/09/updating-a-legend-sem-transplant/

 

[rob_gould]

Sounds good. I don't know the plug in but I have no doubt that the hardware sounds better! But for me, just having a proper control surface rather than clicking with a mouse seems to make a big difference to my creativity.

I'm interested to have read about your midi fix too. I've never been able to make the 9090 drum machine clone I built trigger when connected directly to the soundcard I use, but when connected via the midi thru of a synth, it works fine. I always suspected that the issue was caused by something like what you've outlined on your website, but I've never got round to testing / proving it

 

[Axelerator]

nice trance ! like the overall sound aethetics very much.
the sem bass is true a winner !

i have just bought myself a bassbot tt303 and every time it turns my tunes  to meh-meckedie-meh ! ;D

 

[etheory]

I'm interested to have read about your midi fix too. I've never been able to make the 9090 drum machine clone I built trigger when connected directly to the soundcard I use, but when connected via the midi thru of a synth, it works fine. I always suspected that the issue was caused by something like what you've outlined on your website, but I've never got round to testing / proving it

As per http://www.midisolutions.com/faqs.htm
The RME Fireface 800 is reported not to conform to the MIDI specification. It does not connect the power pin to the required +5V to power devices requiring this voltage.
Measure the voltage between pin 4 (+5V) and 2 (ground). If you see on a scope that this does not reach +5V that could be your issue.
However this pin may be completely disconnected and give 0V, which, depending on the connected device could also be the issue.

This was the issue I had connecting my Fireface 800 to my SEM, and the replacement MIDI board corrected this issue. You should be able to check this is wired correctly from the sound-card, or, alternatively, you could modify your 9090 not to require this voltage....

 

[etheory]

nice trance ! like the overall sound aethetics very much.
the sem bass is true a winner !

Thanks! Glad you like it ;-)

i have just bought myself a bassbot tt303 and every time it turns my tunes  to meh-meckedie-meh ! ;D

I just started researching this little beast and it looks very very interesting....

 

[rob_gould]

I'm interested to have read about your midi fix too. I've never been able to make the 9090 drum machine clone I built trigger when connected directly to the soundcard I use, but when connected via the midi thru of a synth, it works fine. I always suspected that the issue was caused by something like what you've outlined on your website, but I've never got round to testing / proving it

As per http://www.midisolutions.com/faqs.htm
The RME Fireface 800 is reported not to conform to the MIDI specification. It does not connect the power pin to the required +5V to power devices requiring this voltage.
Measure the voltage between pin 4 (+5V) and 2 (ground). If you see on a scope that this does not reach +5V that could be your issue.
However this pin may be completely disconnected and give 0V, which, depending on the connected device could also be the issue.

This was the issue I had connecting my Fireface 800 to my SEM, and the replacement MIDI board corrected this issue. You should be able to check this is wired correctly from the sound-card, or, alternatively, you could modify your 9090 not to require this voltage....

Thanks for this info. My soundcard is an Echo Audio fire 12, but it certainly sounds like the same issue. I'll try the test you have suggested.

 

[etheory]

Thanks for this info. My soundcard is an Echo Audio fire 12, but it certainly sounds like the same issue. I'll try the test you have suggested.

Your Echo Audio fire 12 is actually also listed in the previous link of offending sound cards. My fingers are crossed that this is it for you.
I remember how intensely frustrating it was to have something that ALMOST worked but not quite.