Arp Omni 2 with external ensemble FX (Wersivoice)

video upload by ohm_studi_ohm

"if you've watched some of my videos you know I love string synth and string ensemble FX, I collect the former and build the latter.
I wanted to test how an Arp Omni would sound through a Wersivoice unit.
To do so I used the synth section of the Omni and plugged it to the Wersivoice, since the waveshape of the synth and string section of the Omni are basically the same.
In the first part I A/B the 2 chorus sounds by using a foot switch. It's quite obvious which is what so you'll figure out. As you'll probalbly find out the Omni built-in chorus sounds mellower than the Wersi, which is brighter and harsher. Not better or worse, just a different taste. It's worthy to note the Omni 2 chorus is build around Reticon SAD512 BBD chipsets (so is the Moog Opus 3 btw) and this Wersivoice is build around Panasonic MN3004 (the same used in Roland Jupiter 4 / VP330). Early Wersivoice units (FM76s and WV3 / WV7 pcb) are build around philips TDA1022 and sound mellower. I'll make a demo with the Arp and one of those at some point.

Then in the second part this is when it gets really interesting... Since we use the synth section of the Omni we have access to a full ADSR enveloppe and a resonant filter with control over it by enveloppe, LFO and external pedal.
And this allow for a much wider sound palette.
Thanks to the enveloppe shaping the VCA you can get some string articulations that are not possible in the string section since it has a ASR enveloppe (meaning you can control Attack and Release but there is no Decay and Sustain is always maxed). Great for swell, staccatos, stabs etc
It's also worth mentionning that the release of the ADST (synth) enveloppe is tied to the string section release, this one being the "master" or final release. If you want a long release on the ADSR you have to bring the String release up. This is not an issue, it is the way it is designed and that's one of the drawback of paraphonic design.
And then comes the resonant filter... with it you can shape the tone of the sound to almost choiry / vocaly ones. And you can bring this more lively by using the LFO or an external pedal to open the filter like I did at some point.
And of course you can always run the string section through the Wersivoice, which I did in the last part. And that, when the builtin Omni's chorus is set to phaser mode gives a very thick (sick ?) sound.
Hope you like the video.

00:00 builtin chorus / Wersivoice comparision
02:48 quick discovery of ADSR and filter
05:19 example of ADSR use for string articulation
08:19 example of Filter use for tone shaping
10:56 use of external swell pedal (not on screen) to control filter and then LFO
14:41 BONUS string section in phaser mode through Wersivoice"