This thread collects all my sounds for the PC3 I have made public so far. Feel free to post comments. I'll try to update this thread if and when I have new sounds but the original thread on the Mastering V.A.S.T. forum might be more up-to-date.

Floccati Heaven

My first noteworthy, original patch on the PC3. A fluffy guitar and pad. Demo sequence included.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: FLOC_HVN.PC3

PercusvProgLead

Starting from the recipe here, I piled on a few layers and did my magic. Result is, as you can guess from the name, a mono lead sound for prog rock/metal. Works best for slow lead lines.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: PPRGLEAD.PC3

Big Jupiter

Conversion of the K2000 preset "Big Jupiter".

User "90125" did the manual porting of all the values from the K2000, since the sound wouldn't load on the PC3 (apparently with the newest beta OS it does). I tweaked it by A/B-ing with the original on my K2500. I had to lower the level of layer 3 by -50db, so assigned slider A to bring it up again, if you need it. I also made a custom effect chain to emulate the original digitech effect preset "Chorus Med Hall". Also has full INFO on controllers.

Download: BIGJUPTR.PC3

Makro

This is a an old-school trance stab/pad inspired by the Yamaha SY85 factory preset I-A1 "SP Makro".

It uses the "kSyn Vox" keymap, so you'll probably need OS 2.0. BTW, what's the difference between this keymap and "186 Synth Vox" - apart from the level? Has full INFO on controllers.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: MAKRO.PC3

Wolldecke

As the name suggest ("Woollen blanket"), this provides a thick padding, though it's sometimes a bit scratchy!

For those cuddly moments, you can apply a generous dose of fabric softener via Slider A. If you touch the right buttons - or rather sliders - you will leave the bedding all messy and crumpled (Program has full INFO on controller assignments.)

Download: WOLLDCKE.PC3

Padcifier IV

Yet another pad. Peaceful and drowned in a washy delay. Uses a custom mangled ROM sample, so OS 2.0 is required. Has full INFO on controllers.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
(lead sound: #420 "Lead Oboe")
Download: PADCFIER.PC3

Memorymoog

A faithful conversion of the K2500 preset #18 "Memorymoog".

The PC3 file contains two versions of the sound and a FX chain used by both.

The first version is a straight conversion of the original sound, but without a direct translation of the rather complicated KDFX studio used by the sound. Instead I assigned a simple FX chain with some chorus and a medium hall, whose dry/wet ratio can be set through slider I. Due to the limitations of the PC3 in this version the slider A (data) doesn't have the same effect as in the original sound, since on the PC3, ENVCTL doesn't affect ENV2, which is used as the filter envelope here.

So I did another version of the sound which adds a cascading layer, so that the AMPENV could be used on layer 1 to control the filter and be controlled by ENVCTL and slider A. Since AMPENV is unipolar but ENV2 bipolar, this required some modifications to how sound parameters interact, and I had to tweak this version by ear A-B-ing with the original. It's rather close though there are some subtle differences in the filter envelope behavior. But now you can use slider A to make the sound a bit duller and more percussive. Since layer 2 was largely unused, I also added a parametric equalizer, which you can control through sliders B (frequency) and C (gain). The same effect chain is used as for version 1.

Both versions have full INFO on controllers.

Download: KMEMMOOG.PC3

Pad Nine

Conversion of the K2500 preset #999 "Pad Nine"

This is a very basic pad included in the factory ROM sounds for the orchestral expansion board, which uses an ensemble strings keymap and two SAW+ oscillators. It's simple but nice and versatile.

This was a fairly straightforward conversion, but the KDFX studio used by this sound was rather complex. I made a custom FX chain that includes the features of the FX busses and the Aux bus of the KDFX studio used by the sound and it's fairly close. The 2POLE LOWPASS filter of the PC3 doesn't sound as soft as the LOPAS2 filter of the K2500, so I added a bit of chorus (controllable by slider F) to soften up the sound and make it more "airy". I also added the possibility to control resonance through slider B and drop the pitch of oscillators 2 & 3 a fifth with slider C (the latter feature was used in the audio demo). The rest of the controllers are the same as in the K2500 version and all controllers are listed in the INFO.

Audio demo: Café Nine (MP3)
Drums, Bass and rhythmic effect are factory presets, the Vibraphone is from the DLN sound set.
Download: KPADNINE.PC3

Dyno Synthkeys

This is an FM-based e-piano program, which sounds like a mix between a Wurly, an RMI piano and a CP 80 with a slightly synthetic touch. It uses only two sine wave layers, one with an FM-algorithm for the bellish key sound and another filtered sine for the "body". It reacts very dynamically to velocity and you can further change the timbre with sliders by varying the FM and filter envelope amount. For a full list of controller assignments see the INFO.

Audio demo: MP3
(Sequences taken from the factory demo songs #16 CP80 2 and #15 CP80 1)
Download: DYNSKEYS.PC3

3Saw>MoogLP VA

Inspired by the VA tutorial I have built a program, which simulates a classic analog, subtractive synth structure:

- 3 Oscillators (sawtooth)
- LP filter with resonance (Moog LP)
- Filter Envelope
- Post-filter Distortion
- Amp Envelope
- Chorus/Reverb

The most important parameters can be controlled through these controller assignments in real-time:

ModWheel: Vibtrato
SW: FX (Chorus+Reverb) on/off
Slider A: LP Filter Cutoff
Slider B: Filter Resonance
Slider C: Filter Envelope Amount
Slider D: Filter Attack
Slider E: Filter Envelope Decay
Slider F: Distortion Amount
Slider G: Attack
Slider H: Decay
Slider H: Release

(Program has full INFO on controller assignments.)

This allows to create a great number of different sounds by just using the sliders. When you like a sounds, go into EDIT mode, use the SetCtls function and save under a new name.

Unfortunately, even the PC3 doesn't have unlimited real-time controllers, so some choices about basic sound properties had to be made. You can of course still change these through the normal edit mode.

- All the oscillators use a low-aliased KVA sawtooth wave.
- The two first oscillators (layer 1) are set to -12 pitch and tuned +/- 7 cents apart.
- The third oscillator (layer 2) is set to pitch and fine tuning +/-0.
- All are mixed together with equal volume.
- The amp and filter envelope do not have a sustain stage and attack, decay and release have a limited range.
- The filter envelope release is fixed at 2 sec.
- The effects can only be turned on/off and the mix of chorus/reverb is fixed.

Audio demo: see the K26 OB Pad sound below.
Download: 3SAWLPVA.PC3

A Kind Of Minor / Minor Planet

These sound were inspired by a sound called Diamond Grain programmed by our own Cowzar more than a decade ago for the Korg Wavestation!

A Kind Of Minor is a simple filtered-string pad with octave, minor third and fifth layers, which gives a melancholic sound character and reminds a bit of the final sound in "Who Wants To Live Forever?" by Queen.

Minor Planet is a variation of the previous sound by changing the keymap and level of some layers and using a pitch envelope one one of them, so it's more of an ambient effect sound.

As always, complete INFO on controllers is available.

Here's a short audio demo of both sounds:

Audio demo: MP3
Download: MINRPLNT.PC3

K2600 Best Of V.A.S.T. OB Pad

This is a very faithful port of the OB Pad Sound from the Best Of V.A.S.T. factory sound set for the K2600/K2661. Despite the name this a powerful synth brass, at least with the default controller settings. You can turn it into a mellow in-the-air-tonight-ish pad very easily with the slider controls, though.

I have taken great care to recreate the KDFX studio as PC3 insert and aux effect chains and make almost the same controller assignments as on the K2600. There are a few differences in the controller setup. Although the K2600 doesn't have a default slider for MIDI13 it was assigned to the level of one layer but not in a very useful way, IMHO. So I assigned Slider B on the PC3 to control the filter envelope amount. Also the switching between different effects via the SW button (MIDI29) doesn't work exactly the same way, due to the differences in the structure of KDFX studios and the PC3 effect section. Apart from that, I can only hear very minor differences to the original when A/B-ing with my K2500.

Please note that there is already a different port of this sound available in the download section at sonikmatter by user Togakure, which was probably created before the time when the PC3 could import K26 files. This is also very usable and I took inspiration from it to make an even closer port. One problem with it is that it uses one-block SAW oscillators, so there's very noticeable aliasing in the upper registers.

Here's a short audio demo where the sound is used as a typical 80's synth fanfare. You can also hear the 3Saw>MoogLP VA sound used as a resonant sweep bass and for the arpeggiator phrase in this piece:

Audio Demo: MP3
Download: K26OBPAD.PC3

Prophet Horns

Another synth brass type sound, of the softer variety, similar to the well-known Toto "Africa" sound, but with a little more squelch. I used a little random pitch modulation to emulate analog oscillator instability. Aftertouch and Modwheel control vibrato, sliders A, B, C, and control resonance, filter env amount, amp env attack and vibrato speed, slider H and I chorus and reverb respectively. All controller assignments are described in the INFO as usual.

Here's an audio example, based on the ROM song #109 "Slow Rock". Please forgive the somewhat uninspired noodling. Thanks to MoodyBluesKeys for the "Rufus Wurly" sound and EvilDragon for "ED TronMorph".

Audio demo: Prophet Horns Demo (MP3)
Download: PHORNS.PC3

Spaced Out

Spacey string pad with a high sinus "singing" voice above. I was trying to create a flat, compressed synthetic string sound similar to string samples on early romplers but couldn't quite nail it. So I experimented with some effects and extra layers and ended up with this sound. Couldn't think of a more original name for it, sorry.

SW switch turns on a rotary speaker for some extra warble and spaciness, for the other controller assignments see the INFO.

I did a little audio demo for this as well, this has just this one sound:

Audio demo: Spaced Out Demo (MP3)
Download: SPACDOUT.PC3

Deep Space

This sound is inspired by a preset program of the Akai Miniak of the same name.

Below is a little demo track. Here are the sounds I used for the demo:

Intro sound: Distorted View (personal, see below)
Pad / LFO sound: Deep Space (personal)
Drums: Anazlog Machine (factory preset)
Bass: Mini Bass (from Cunka/Sonikmatter)
Leads: Moogy Lead, Dinosaur's Lead (from Cunka/Sonikmatter), Whistle DLN

Done completely with the PC3 sequencer. All sounds and effects from the PC3, except some light compression on the master bus in the DAW.

Audio demo: Deep Space Minor (SoundCloud)
Download: DEEPSPCE.PC3

Distorted View

A pad with some distortion inspired by similar sounds on the Waldorf microwave and Blofeld. I'm not completely happy with the harshness of the V.A.S.T DSP block distortion, I'll have to experiment with the distortion in the FX section. In the second part of the audio demo the resonance is cranked up for even more harshness.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: DISTVIEW.PC3

Oriental Magic

This sound was inspired by a combi sound from the "World" (SR-JV80-05) expansion card for the Roland JV/XP line of synths. A Koto-like string instrument combined with a Shamisen (in the original, on the PC3 I use a clav and guitar sample) over a phasing pad. Perfect for creating a magical, oriental athmosphere like in the demo.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: ORTLMGIC.PC3

House Chord

Dissonant, bandpassed chord hit as used in some house styles. Use the sliders to tweak the bandpass and phaser frequencies and the level of the chord tones.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: HOUSCHRD.PC3

Arp Pro Soloist "Trumpet"

An emulation of the Arp Pro Soloist "Trumpet" preset

For more information, please see this thread on the Mastering V.A.S.T. forum.

Audio demo: "The Cinema Show" Solo Part I
Download: ARPTRMPT.PC3

Buttercup

A bellish sound made from the Clav keymap and some higher partials (only ROM keymaps, fully compatible with the PC3).

Controllers:

ModWheel: Vibrato
SW Switch: Choir layer on/off
Slider A: Bandpass Filter Frequency
Slider B: Bandpass Filter Width
Slider C: Choir Layer Pitch
Slider D: Vibrato Speed
Slider H. Reverb Aux Send Level
Slider I: Delay Level

Audio demo: Buttercup Demo
Download: BUTRCUP.P3K

Corona Borealis

This was made with a combination of bandpass filtering and shapers. The INFO lists all the controllers, which can totally transform the sound.

Audio demo: Corona Borealis Demo
Download: CBOREAL.P3K (no user samples used)

Matrix Mellostr

This is a port of the K2500 factory preset #183 of the same name to the PC3(K). Contains two custom FX chains (insert and aux) to simulate the KDFX studio used for the original and a sequencer song for the demo below.

Audio demo: Matrix Mellostr
Download: MMELOSTR.P3K (no user samples used)

Elka II

This is a port of sound #267 from the K2500 farm disk ANACOMPS to the PC3(K). A very cool plucky synth sound with a dramatic reverb effect.

Audio demo: MP3 | Ogg Vorbis
Download: ELKAII.P3K (no user samples used)

Messier 1 + 33

The Kurzweil UNIVERSE might not be as big as that of other synth manufacturers, but its sound is certainly galactic!

Audio demo: Messier 33 (MP3) | Messier 33 (Ogg Vorbis)
Download: MESSIER.PC3

Korg Polysix

A few years ago I sampled some raw waveforms from a Korg Polysix, among them the pure sawtooth wave in four steps per octave and also the sawtooth with the ensemble effect enabled. I used Session 2 WAV and Endless WAV to cut and loop the samples and Kurzfiler to built keymaps and a basic program for the K2500. I imported these into the PC3K and made some useful sounds from the keymaps. The sounds allow basic programming of the filter and some envelope parameters via the sliders (see the INFO) and can be used as templates for your own sounds.

The P3K file contains the samples, two keymaps, 8 sounds and 5 demo songs. The audio demo is a recording of these demo songs.

Audio demo: Polysix Demo
Download: POLY6.P3K (ca. 4.7 Mb)

Rain & Thunder

I took some thunder samples from the Kurzweil 2x00 sample library and some rain sounds from the the Kurzweil K2x00 program library and from my personal collection, converted them to PC3K format and packaged them together in this collection.

The original samples were about 10 Mb in total so I reduced them a bit to about 7 Mb by converting them to use a 32k samplerate. If you only want the main thunder sample used in the demo track, it will about 2 Mb sample RAM.

The P3K file contains the samples and keymaps, some thunder, rumble and crackling sounds based on the included samples, some rain programs based on ROM samples, a setup laying out a few of these together on the keyboard and a "song" made with this setup. The audio demo is a recording of this track. When you listen to it, don't turn up the volume to high, or you're in for a surprise!

Audio demo: Thunderstorm MP3 | OGG (better quality)
Download: LIGHTNIN.P3K (ca. 7 Mb)

Share & Enjoy!

Chris