Thinking of iMS20

gkillmaster

And have been for years. That complex modular architecture stuff is daunting for me so I would just want to find great patches and tweak a bit. Is it good for that, or do you really need to delve? (Secretly, I'd just like to know its on my iPad cause I have so much historical appreciation of it.)

[Deleted User]

I've owned a hardware MS20 for over 30 years, so I bought the app on release mainly because I'm so familiar with the UI. So for me I know exactly where everything is, and find it very intuitive.

Saying that, I hardly ever use it. But like the iVCS3 I just like to know it's there...

gsm909

You can download songs inside the app that other users have shared,you can then save any sounds as new presets on your iPad and build from there. The interweb has lots of online resources particularly relating to the MS20 and modular synthesis in general. I'd say you don't have to delve in, but why wouldn't you? It's addictive

John from Berkeley shared this link previously in another MS20 discussion
http://www.pearltrees.com/johnfromberkeley/ims-20/id13829217

1P18

Don't think, just buy. Also:

https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/6713/ims-20-patch-panel-come-and-learn-just-how-awesome-the-ims-20-is

The patching isn't that complicated once you understand what's going on. In short you alter the default signal flow by re-routing outputs to different inputs.

JohnnyGoodyear

I live in Texas but I still keep flannel pyjamas in the cupboard.

Will

It's a great app. The only problem is Korg's MIDI nonsense (same in most all of their apps... Port hungry, fixed channels...). I'm borrowing a friends icMS20 USB controller and it makes the whole experience so much more fun.

I love that it mimics the original but with regard to the patch panel, it could have been interesting if they allowed their UX people to offer an (additional) alternative UI that made the inputs and outputs clearer, made preset paths clearer, allowed for more space and logical grouping, perhaps with icons... As it is, it's artificially under the same constraints as the physical object was in the 70s (area, jack color, single color labels, electrical mechanics and positioning under the hood...) which is really sort of silly in software. A least as the only option.

JohnnyGoodyear

@syrupcore said:
It's a great app. The only problem is Korg's MIDI nonsense (same in most all of their apps... Port hungry, fixed channels...). I'm borrowing a friends icMS20 USB controller and it makes the whole experience so much more fun.

I love that it mimics the original but with regard to the patch panel, it could have been interesting if they allowed their UX people to offer an (additional) alternative UI that made the inputs and outputs clearer, made preset paths clearer, allowed for more space and logical grouping, perhaps with icons... As it is, it's artificially under the same constraints as the physical object was in the 70s (area, jack color, single color labels, electrical mechanics and positioning under the hood...) which is really sort of silly in software. A least as the only option.

Great idea. Optional simplified/re-organized skinning. I'd buy that IAP.

Will

@JohnnyGoodyear What's somewhat amazing is that the USB controller has a physical patch panel with jacks and patch cables. When you plug something in, the app updates! It must be communicating patch panel state via MIDI somehow which means someone with a MIDI monitor and a good deal of tenacity could create an alternative interface for it by sending the correct sysex or whatever it is. I'm pretty comfortable with the patch panel at this point but still got 5 just-cause dollars for anyone who tackles it.

firejan82

I love the character of the HP/LP filter pair. No need to use the cables to have fun with those.

DeVlaeminck

Does IMS20 work with the current version of AB?

JohnnyGoodyear

@DeVlaeminck said:
Does IMS20 work with the current version of AB?

Works for me, but you have to use the 'turn it upside down' trick to make the AB panel work.

Air 1/latest.

DeVlaeminck

Thanks for the information, Johnny.
Not quite shure what that implicates, though it could be awkward with i Ipad docked...
Strange that the remarks in the appstore regarding latest update (1.6.4) states IOS 9 compatibility as its more than a year old.
Wonder if this is actually a rather expensive piece of abandonware ?

JohnnyGoodyear

DeVlaeminck said:

Thanks for the information, Johnny.
Not quite shure what that implicates, though it could be awkward with i Ipad docked...
Strange that the remarks in the appstore regarding latest update (1.6.4) states IOS 9 compatibility as its more than a year old.
Wonder if this is actually a rather expensive piece of abandonware ?

Dunno about that. Maybe. But as it's Korg I wouldn't be so certain. Maybe they see it as legacy piece at this point...I do hope they're working on something and I suppose I've got a few other Korg things I might like to see first, but iMS20 still does what it says on the tin...

Phil999

monzo said:

I've owned a hardware MS20 for over 30 years, so I bought the app on release mainly because I'm so familiar with the UI. So for me I know exactly where everything is, and find it very intuitive.

Saying that, I hardly ever use it. But like the iVCS3 I just like to know it's there...

when you're familiar with the UI it's a nice app. I have an original MS-20 since 20 years, and it is indeed a good thing to have it on a tablet, although I also use the app very rarely. But also don't want to miss it; it's always a joy to have this familiar synth surface in pocket size form.

u0421793

Also, the iMS sequencer has more steps than the real thing.

I used to have an SQ10; MS10 and MS20 (and pair of KPR-77 machines with hat trigger outs) (and a KMS-30 midi-din sync box — that’s still up in the attic somewhere). The SQ10 only has 12 steps in reality. I often found I’d use the MS10 extensively and ignore the MS20 (the opposite of what I initially imagined). I think it because of the PWM (that the MS10 has and the MS20 doesn’t). 

They really aren’t complicated synths. The MS20 is a fairly standard 2VCO into VCF into VCA normalised architecture, except that it has a pair of VCFS (first, a high pass and then the usual low pass). The jack panel lets you alter the patching away from normalised, but not by much really. It probably looks more complex than it really is.

Will

u0421793 said:

The jack panel lets you alter the patching away from normalised, but not by much really. It probably looks more complex than it really is.

Precisely the idea behind an alternate UI for it. 

JohnnyGoodyear

syrupcore said:

u0421793 said:

The jack panel lets you alter the patching away from normalised, but not by much really. It probably looks more complex than it really is.

Precisely the idea behind an alternate UI for it. 

Yeah. I would like it to be more complicated than it looks.

Hafta say that I spent a couple of hours with it this afternoon (mostly stumbling) and between that and some nice and simple Thor had James Blake in my pocket. 

Ollimac73

Lately I m using it a lot....with some Reverb, Delay, and Space Echo....those two filters, wow!
I m still on the learning phase for the patches, it seems more complicated than what actually is.

ps...the idea, is to get a real MS20 Mini, after a bit of training with the app itself, worth it?

KDub

Ollimac73 said:

ps...the idea, is to get a real MS20 Mini, after a bit of training with the app itself, worth it?

Totally. I run my MS-20m through some effects and it can kill.

[Deleted User]

I tested out WOW filter with Fugue driving the iMS20 last night, and it sounded the nuts. Only thing that's always bothered me is the accuracy of the controls - the knobs are very fiddly and I often find they whizz back and reset to zero. Had it about 4 years and I still can't get the hang of them.

AndyPlankton

monzo said:

I tested out WOW filter with Fugue driving the iMS20 last night, and it sounded the nuts. Only thing that's always bothered me is the accuracy of the controls - the knobs are very fiddly and I often find they whizz back and reset to zero. Had it about 4 years and I still can't get the hang of them.

I found the on screen knobs very fiddly when trying to make accurate adjustment to tempo in particular,  but only recently i found in the manual the answer to my frustrations.

If you 'flick' left or right on a control it will do an adjustment of 0.1 value.  On the odd occasion the 'flick' causes a big adjustment, but for the most part it works, and makes fine adjustment much easier.

P.S. The same trick works in iPolySix

[Deleted User]

AndyPlankton said:

monzo said:

I tested out WOW filter with Fugue driving the iMS20 last night, and it sounded the nuts. Only thing that's always bothered me is the accuracy of the controls - the knobs are very fiddly and I often find they whizz back and reset to zero. Had it about 4 years and I still can't get the hang of them.

I found the on screen knobs very fiddly when trying to make accurate adjustment to tempo in particular,  but only recently i found in the manual the answer to my frustrations.

If you 'flick' left or right on a control it will do an adjustment of 0.1 value.  On the odd occasion the 'flick' causes a big adjustment, but for the most part it works, and makes fine adjustment much easier.

P.S. The same trick works in iPolySix

Thanks Andy, I'll give this a try

JohnnyGoodyear

monzo said:

AndyPlankton said:

monzo said:

I tested out WOW filter with Fugue driving the iMS20 last night, and it sounded the nuts. Only thing that's always bothered me is the accuracy of the controls - the knobs are very fiddly and I often find they whizz back and reset to zero. Had it about 4 years and I still can't get the hang of them.

I found the on screen knobs very fiddly when trying to make accurate adjustment to tempo in particular,  but only recently i found in the manual the answer to my frustrations.

If you 'flick' left or right on a control it will do an adjustment of 0.1 value.  On the odd occasion the 'flick' causes a big adjustment, but for the most part it works, and makes fine adjustment much easier.

P.S. The same trick works in iPolySix

Thanks Andy, I'll give this a try

Me too....thanks. Following up on the effect ideas, anyone got any other favorite things to run this into?

[Deleted User]

JohnnyGoodyear said:

monzo said:

AndyPlankton said:

monzo said:

I tested out WOW filter with Fugue driving the iMS20 last night, and it sounded the nuts. Only thing that's always bothered me is the accuracy of the controls - the knobs are very fiddly and I often find they whizz back and reset to zero. Had it about 4 years and I still can't get the hang of them.

I found the on screen knobs very fiddly when trying to make accurate adjustment to tempo in particular,  but only recently i found in the manual the answer to my frustrations.

If you 'flick' left or right on a control it will do an adjustment of 0.1 value.  On the odd occasion the 'flick' causes a big adjustment, but for the most part it works, and makes fine adjustment much easier.

P.S. The same trick works in iPolySix

Thanks Andy, I'll give this a try

Me too....thanks. Following up on the effect ideas, anyone got any other favorite things to run this into?

I was running it through WOW, AUFX dub and reverb, and it sounded pretty good. Adding some distortion via WOW gave it a bit of extra grunt.

AndyPlankton

Overdriving the filter sounds wicked on this thing (patch phones to signal in on the External Signal Processor, and then one of the outs from ESP to the Ext Signal in for the VCF, use Signal Level in ESP to control amount of drive,  if you use the second out from ESP you can use the low and hi cut within ESP to sculpt the sound further)
....also running it through Tonestack with an amp and speaker on the end of the chain can really make it come alive.

JohnnyGoodyear

AndyPlankton said:

Overdriving the filter sounds wicked on this thing (patch phones to signal in on the External Signal Processor, and then one of the outs from ESP to the Ext Signal in for the VCF, use Signal Level in ESP to control amount of drive,  if you use the second out from ESP you can use the low and hi cut within ESP to sculpt the sound further)
....also running it through Tonestack with an amp and speaker on the end of the chain can really make it come alive.

Innarestin'. As a result of recent hyperbole was planning on digging out The Flying Haggis again, maybe I'll run the iMs through it and see what skwirling tones can be found...

[Deleted User]

JohnnyGoodyear said:

AndyPlankton said:

Overdriving the filter sounds wicked on this thing (patch phones to signal in on the External Signal Processor, and then one of the outs from ESP to the Ext Signal in for the VCF, use Signal Level in ESP to control amount of drive,  if you use the second out from ESP you can use the low and hi cut within ESP to sculpt the sound further)
....also running it through Tonestack with an amp and speaker on the end of the chain can really make it come alive.

Innarestin'. As a result of recent hyperbole was planning on digging out The Flying Haggis again, maybe I'll run the iMs through it and see what skwirling tones can be found...

JohnnyGoodyear - I'm finding the WOW filter to be good at this sort of thing - as well as the obvious filter sweep thing you can also introduce a range of distortions. Not sure if it's just because it's a new thing, but everything I put through it seems to sound better.

JohnnyGoodyear

monzo said:

JohnnyGoodyear - I'm finding the WOW filter to be good at this sort of thing - as well as the obvious filter sweep thing you can also introduce a range of distortions. Not sure if it's just because it's a new thing, but everything I put through it seems to sound better.

Yes, of course, sweeps. Makes sense. Can't believe it's Monday again and I can't just lay back on the rainy-morning couch and noodle for a living...

[Deleted User]

JohnnyGoodyear said:

monzo said:

JohnnyGoodyear - I'm finding the WOW filter to be good at this sort of thing - as well as the obvious filter sweep thing you can also introduce a range of distortions. Not sure if it's just because it's a new thing, but everything I put through it seems to sound better.

Yes, of course, sweeps. Makes sense. Can't believe it's Monday again and I can't just lay back on the rainy-morning couch and noodle for a living...

It's frustrating me today, because I have lots of new shiny things I want to play with. In my lunch break I had TC-Data powering Thumbjam, iFretless Guitar and iM1 in a Zappaesque wig-out. 

I've also been sent some stems from band mates, which I'm expected to import into Logic in a sensible manner for editing and mixdown - so that's my spare time earmarked. When all I really want to do is my SOTM December jazz hands entry.

JohnnyGoodyear

monzo said:

Yes, of course, sweeps. Makes sense. Can't believe it's Monday again and I can't just lay back on the rainy-morning couch and noodle for a living...

It's frustrating me today, because I have lots of new shiny things I want to play with. In my lunch break I had TC-Data powering Thumbjam, iFretless Guitar and iM1 in a Zappaesque wig-out. 

I've also been sent some stems from band mates, which I'm expected to import into Logic in a sensible manner for editing and mixdown - so that's my spare time earmarked. When all I really want to do is my SOTM December jazz hands entry.

Band mates. Yes. I used to have them....The Inhalantes. Sticky little bunch...

Will

@JohnnyGoodyear Have we decided if the guy in the back is peeing into a bag or not? ¿Para mas inhalantes, quizas? Also, I'm pretty sure that's Jerry Blank in the orange sweater tee.