Where did Andy Robins and his synths go?

I was strolling through the top 100 Reaktor ensembles today as I like to do from time-to-time, and I noticed that Andy Robins' synths were missing from the list. So I searched on Odyssey and Axxe -- nothing from Andy. Then I searched on "Robins" here in the Reaktor Forum and found a thread on global warming. Those wonderful ARP emulations seemed to have disappeared. What happened?

 

wasn't there a problem with copyright/legality ... ?

sowari, keeper of the library, fill us in.

 

i have no idea what happened, but i do know that his ARP Synth was based on:-

http://www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?id=userlibrary_us&type=0&ulbr=1&plview=detail&patchid=575

which is the old non-sexy Reaktor GUI version.

sowari

 

Many thanks for your responses.

A quick look at the VCF structure reveals that Andy incoroporated the Anderson/Clarke 2600 filter for his 2600 and his Odyssey emu as well. I also noticed that the filter design in his Axxe was borrowed from Thomas Chronz' Odyssey emu.

I happen to have a need for classic monosynth sounds, and have turned to NI's Reaktor 3 Premium Library as well as Andy's orange ARP synths. It's a shame the sexy gui's have disappeared.

 

i could never use use Andy's version because the GUI was far to large for my screen.

however, i did make a non Andy GUI version (but using his structure that did fit on my screen). and that is still one of my favourite "analogue" synths.

sowari

 

So the 'original' Andy Robins' ensembles are gone for good? Any suggestions on how to get them?

DiegoM

 

i have the arp2600 from 2003 last edited 17 June 2005 (for R5).
you can send me your eMail adress.

ciao herw

 

I enabled email in my profile!
(I hope email-harvesting robots don't look in there...)

THANKS!!

DiegoM

 

If ever you could send it to me as well , I'll appreciate.

Thx

Phil A.

 

arp2600 from 2003

herw,

please email the arp2600 from 2003 last edited 17 June 2005 (for R5).

my email address is ccaniglia@gmail.com

do you have any leads on the complete Andy Robbins Arp Collection?

thank you.

 

so if someone did a "mod" of it, would that be "kosher" to add to the UL?

 

better then nothing...

If credit is given where it needs to be...sure why not...it is better then nothing at all...at least that is my opinion.

 

i am uploading it here, why? because, i don't want to spend any time making it look sexy for the UL.

so, here it is.... note that there is a reverb instrument as well, although at the moment it is not visible.

if someone else wants to do more mods and upload it, it is up to them ;-)

fwiw, (for me) this version is easier to understand in terms of signal flow and possible modulations.

anyway, have fun with it becuase it is a very nice "traditional" analogue style synth.

the snaps are from the version that i downloaded, and only give a small flavour of the possibilities.

the "Ensemble" has the "master" snaps, so change here.

sowari

 

Is Andy alright though? He hasn't been taken out by the Native Instruments filter-plagiarism police, has he?

 

the ONLY reason i can see its a problem is if:
1) andy has a problem with this (and who knows where he is)

OR

2) the ensembles were removed for a reason by NI or whatever. i hope this is not the case, they were really nice (i used to have them all, not any longer since a reformat).

hell, one of them was even in a magazine review of Reaktor 4, in Future Music if memory serves me (which it rarely does these days, unfortunately!).

i would try it, if we stop hearing from you here we'll just assume you are being held by NI along with Andy, we'll send Sowari in to try and bargain for you back, although i make no promises, we are a very poor bunch!

i would say to contact NI about this, but i dont think it will get you anywhere. just do it!

 

this is a good opportunity for newbies to try their hand at very very simple "building." robin's odyssey is a 98% copy of chronz' arp odyssey 2600 (which can be found in the ul) with two major and one minor exceptions: 1, as bktormey indicated above, andy's filter is a 100% copy of the filter in anderson/clarke filter from THEIR odyssey (also in the ul); 2, andy's has fewer snaps; 3, andy's doesn't have a saturator in front of the vca (that last one a minor point, i know).

None of this matter's though. Read through all the comments of moises' "version" of ni's juno in the ul at

<a href="http://www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?id=userlibrary_us&type=0&ulbr=1&plview=detail&patchid=3554">clicky</a>

to see the extent to which people rely on the gui to decide 'how good' an instrument sounds. which is why chronz/anderson/clarke's versions will always collect dust in spite of being excellent ens in their own right. 570/300 downloads after 7/6 years in the ul respectively proves my point.

 

thanks for pointing this out...i was quite sure that Andy's version used
bits from previous versions but was not sure. whatever all version are worth looking at.

"you can't always judge a book by looking at its cover"

sowari

 

Might someone be able to email me Andy's emulation? I hear it's great -- I'm at naiveteenidol@gmail.com.

Thanks!

 

I should add, not simply his 2600 emulations, but the others. Thanks!

 

After looking at these post again I decided to take another peek at the Clark version of the Arp 2600. (Note this is made by Fergus Anderson. He at least gave credit. I don't remember Mr Robbin's doing that, but I don't think it was mean't to be harmful. Perhaps thing were different back then...?) I will most likely seem like a fool, despite all the raving about his synth here, but I found it annoying this morning after I downloaded it. The keyboard play seems completely impossible for me. I can't play a single legato line, just repeating notes. Is that how the originals worked or is that a Reaktor thing due to the builder? Is it something I missed in programing it? What a pain in the ass none the less.

I have never really played an Arp niether the Axxe, Odyssey, or 2600. A bit odd I guess that I would try and make emulation of these, however loosly I based them. However, I have always wanted to play and own them. Despite the fact that Odyssey's are fairly cheap, I don't feel like spending the money to have a busted up synth from over 20 yrs ago. This is my solution I guess...no repair keys and slider for me thank you.

It would be nice to see Herw build a 2600 with his connection wires, maybe mr Davies could help make some stuff as well, Please? I was playing with idea myself, but I know that I don't have the patience or knowledge for that, see my vintage suitcase for proof. Could you do an Odyysey so I could see & play a really good emulation?

Lastly, I don't really think anyone relies on the graphics for the user vote in the UL. I don't think anyone here is that foolish or vain. Look at the quality of the instruments that have been up here in the UL the last year alone. I personally feel nervous and a bit terrified to post to the UL...and yes I focus heavily on graphics. I don't worry about my graphics they are just fine, it is the quality of the instrument that I worry about. It maybe fine for me, I already know I like it, and it the best that I can do. But the more knowledgable or rather those that would scan the UL for instruments to make music with what would they think of it. I don't worry to much abouth those that are knowledgable I think they understand that people don't know everything and are in the proccess of learning. Yet, It sucks to get a low score...always say don't pay attention to that, but its true, it sucks to get a low score from the users, your peers. None the less, even for the stuff I don't share I do make complex graphic for it. Personally, IF IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE AN INSTRUMENT, IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE AN INSTRUMENT. AND THAT DOES EFFECT THE WAY I PLAY. I am visual and musical, its important to me. The build is for the quality of sound. The graphics to make looking at it for weeks in its birthday suit worth the effort...a sense of having completed it all the way through.

Of course I understand the point that was made. the JUNO issue is that no one seems to give a dawm that the graphic designer didn't make the instrument, but honestly...The ones that made comments don't care. It looks nice! AND sounds great just more appealling then the plain jane version in the R3library, of course they never really looked there either. New users go straight to the top 100. So be it, thats the breaks I guess. Perhaps the point should be that he never made any comment as who the builder is or amended it when no realized. If he did intend to sell to the UL as his own I feel sad for him, that is fairly desperate and empty of any real gratification...

PS I do use the plain jane version of the JUNO & SH-101 emulation they are the best that I have heard from Reaktor yet. Of course, I made my skins as well, just never use them. With those two they are sexy the way they are.