Official Xils3 LE V2 Analog Modular ( The EMS VCS 3 Emulation )( CM version Released )

[dwozzle]

Thanks Lotuzia, good news

[Lotuzia]

Thanks Lotuzia, good news

You're welcomed.

I should add that, to be totally fair play, a small promo offer will be launched when the Soft Ilok offers for Xils 3/4 will be officially released, so, except if you want to get them at once, it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks at the longest to upgrade.

Also, the fact that non hardware dongled versions of Xils 3 and Xils 4 will soon be available might be considered as a good opportunity to get the Xils 3 LE V2 now, because the upgrade prices will be permanent, and one will be able to upgrade at any time with a nice bargain, and without any dongle considerations to alterate the decision ( though HW dongled Elicencer and Ilok versions will still be available as well for those who prefer this solution for its convenience, like myself )

Anyway, meanwhile ... a few musical bytes for those who still dont know what the LE can do for them :

Xils3 LE V2 demo 1
Xils3 LE V2 Demo 2
Xils3 LE V2 Demo 3
Xils3 LE V2 Demo 4
Xils3 LE V2 Demo 5

LtZ

[dwozzle]

Thanks for the heads-up. Already got XILS 3 LE V2, but I'm seriously cooling it on musical purchases for a while, good to know that the upgrade price from there is good forever.

[Numanoid]

And don't forget:

Xils 3 CM shipping on Wednesday

[dwozzle]

And don't forget:

Xils 3 CM shipping on Wednesday

Interesting, didn't know that. You're talking about a freebie with Computer Music magazine, right?

Is it more like the LE version, or the full one?

Where did you find out about it?

[BlackWinny]

And don't forget:

Xils 3 CM shipping on Wednesday

Interesting, didn't know that. You're talking about a freebie with Computer Music magazine, right?

Is it more like the LE version, or the full one?

Where did you find out about it?

A few pages ago in this thread you have the differences:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 1#p5899301

So it is much more worth it to get the standard version (only three days left to get it for only 4 or 7 euros) rather than the CM version.

[Lotuzia]

And don't forget:

Xils 3 CM shipping on Wednesday

Interesting, didn't know that. You're talking about a freebie with Computer Music magazine, right?

Is it more like the LE version, or the full one?

Where did you find out about it?

Like Black Winny Said (except there's barely two days left, last day beeing tomorrow for the intro price )

You can also click on the Xils 3 LE V2 "UPGRADE" button, and it will display a grid I've made summarising the main differences between the SE versions ( or Mag versions like the CM one), the Xils 3 LE V2, and its big brothers, the Xils 3 V2, and the indredibly powerfull Xils 4.

[dwozzle]

Thanks guys, never mind the CM version then.

Will keep an eye out for the discount on the non-LE upgrade, or even better, XILS 4.

[Lotuzia]

So it's the last day for the intro price

And, while we're at it, I thought that the best thing to do was to let you listen to these little gems found by BlackWinny

Big sounds, not so big sounds, organic, always, true music, true analog sound, all made with Xils 3 , by .....
Mr Sweep

Sound tells better than words.

LtZ

....
Here are splendid examples of things that can be done with this incredible synth. All the songs of this post are made using the XILS 3! Not the original EMS VCS 3 or Synthi... not another emulation either... but the XILS 3!

.........(note: all the things written in blue are not from me but from the website that I quote, and of course I give the URL at the end)

The Red Book - by Sweep
Using XILS 3. This was done using the XILS 3's sequencer, with changes made to the patch while playing. The musician makes extensive use of the different patch-pin values made possible in the upgraded version of XILS 3. The title refers to C.G. Jung's written record of his active imagination experiences, which had just been published when the musician recorded this piece.

Bleak Landscape - by Sweep
Using XILS 3 and Technics KN750 (piano). The XILS 3 was played through two Classic Delay VSTs and then a Lexicon MPX550, and edited extensively while playing. The synthesizer part was recorded in one take, and then the piano part added in a second take. So all the sounds which are not the piano come from the XILS 3.

Awakening - a Hawkwind track from Space Ritual
Performed by Sweep using XILS 3.

Kurosawa - by Sweep
Song in a modern Japanese style using XILS 3 and Technics KN750 (for the koto sound).

Zylis - by Sweep
Using XILS 3 and Lexicon MPX550 reverb, plus a short lead line from the Arturia MiniMoog V.

Georgina Watson - by Sweep
This track uses an unusual development of the EMS Synthi idea. What if EMS had continued into the 1990s and - this will be sheer heresy to some people - created a Synthi with PCM WAV sounds instead of analogue oscillators, but with the more usual Synthi modulation options?

The musician simulated what this might have sounded like by taking one of his V-Synth EMS emulation projects and replacing the Synthi samples with equivalent sounds played on a Technics KN750. Some sounds were sequenced, while others were played using unusual keyboard techniques. The result was a set of PCM versions of typical Synthi modulations, which were then modified with the V-Synth using manual operation of the control knobs, much as a Synthi might be played.

The PCM Synthi emulation occurs in the central section, along with the harp. The Synthi sounds in the first section, accompanying the piano, are from the Rehberg Synthi Av, with the addition of some modified Synthi sounds from the V-Synth which have more compex modulations than would be possible with a Synthi. The last section uses the XILS 3. The other instruments are: piano (Casio CTK900 and Technics KN720 layered), harp (Casio CTK900), Direct Wave sampler, shakuhachi, and violin.

Sacred Yew - by Sweep
The Sacred Yew was inspired by an ancient yew tree in the village of Hope Bagot, England. It stands in a churchyard over a holy well and is most probably older than the twelfth century church. Comparing it with other ancient yew trees I've seen I'd guess at possibly ninth or tenth century. There's no guessing how ancient the well is, and possibly the tree was planted at an already sacred site due to the presence of the well.

The music is performed by Frank Spears on EMS Synthi A, and Sweep on shakuhachi and sampler. Frank recorded a lengthy Synthi performance, and then the Synthi and shakuhacki were both played from the sampler (Direct Wave software). The full performance by Frank Spears was played and layered by holding keys, with other parts brought in selectively here and there. The shakuhachi was sampled in relatively small sections and played looped through the Classic Delay software.

Sweep made extensive use of the ChorX spacial delay software from XILS 3 in this piece. All the Direct Wave sampler performances were processed through ChorX, giving movement and three dimensional depth to the sounds. This was a vital part of the earthy, living quality of the final piece.

All these songs above are from this webpage The Synthi Music Site Beyond EMS where you will listen to many other songs made with other emulations of these EMS instruments and even some of them made the the original hardware instruments.


But for me the world best virtuoso and composer on the EMS synths is and has always been Tim Blake, who lives in France at Usson-Du-Poitou, close to the village where I was born. I know this incredible keyboardist from his participation during several years in the franco-english prog-rock/fusion-jazz band called Gong in the first half of the 70's (with another ultra-famous musician, the guitarist Steve Hillage, among several other great french and english musicians). Here is a recent album from Tim Blake, on his own website. The album is titled "Noggi 'Tar". It says perfectly what it want to say... No guitar! And however it is a powerful guitaristic album! There is even no hardware synth! There is nothing else that VST synths! So... what does he use in this album? Tim's Virtual Gtr uses AMPLITUBE , virtual amplification.( Turned-up to 11 ) Tim uses the XILS synth (XILS 3) to play all the EMS parts. Tim's Theremin is midi-fied by the i2m Musicport by Sonuus, and uses the Minimonsta plug-in by G-force. You can hear (and download) the full album here (click the picture):

If you love Tangerine Dream, Ashra Tempel, Klaus Schulze and musicians of this style... you will certainly love the albums made by Tim Blake, especially in the second half of his very long career where his music is much less jazz and much more "cosmic", "Ambient"... and coooooool.


Many people think that the EMS VCS 3 was an instrument made only for effects. It was true... only for the first version which was called the "Putney" when used without the DK2 keyboard (which was sold apart). Jean-Michel Jarre for example made an extensive use of the Putney without the keyboard, and that's probably a strong reason why the EMS VCS 3 is so much known as an "effects synthesizer".

But in fact, as some other musicians (like Tim Blake, Klaus Schulze, Edgar Froese, Eddie Jobson (Jethro Tull, Frank Zappa, Roxy Music, Yes...), Miquette Giraudy (Steve Hillage's girlfriend), Ozric Tentacles (one of my preferred band ever), Kraftwerk...) show in their use, the EMS VCS 3 (and the suitcase declinations called "Synthi", "Synthi A" and "Synthi AKS") was a comprehensive synth, capable of all what was possible to do with all the other synths of these 70's years (the Minimoog, the ARP 2500 and 2600, etc.) and 80's years as soon as it was used with the keyboard (and even several keyboards connected to it!). It is even one of the most comprehensive modular synths ever made able to produce incredible modulations for complex leads as well as the smoothest long pads ever.

Enjoy!

[uselessmind]

and without any dongle considerations to alterate the decision ( though HW dongled Elicencer and Ilok versions will still be available as well for those who prefer this solution for its convenience, like myself )

My vote goes to simple serial number protection.
To support your efforts to bring this to the full Xils4 i just bought the LE version.

[BlackWinny]

and without any dongle considerations to alterate the decision ( though HW dongled Elicencer and Ilok versions will still be available as well for those who prefer this solution for its convenience, like myself )

My vote goes to simple serial number protection.
To support your efforts to bring this to the full Xils4 i just bought the LE version.

A simple serial number protection would obviously not be imaginable for such work to make a product of this league. A simple serial protection would be as giving the synth to the full world without any protection.

[Numanoid]

No doubt Xils is the cover star

[uselessmind]

and without any dongle considerations to alterate the decision ( though HW dongled Elicencer and Ilok versions will still be available as well for those who prefer this solution for its convenience, like myself )

My vote goes to simple serial number protection.
To support your efforts to bring this to the full Xils4 i just bought the LE version.

A simple serial number protection would obviously not be imaginable for such work to make a product of this league.

It's not obvious to me.

A simple serial protection would be as giving the synth to the full world without any protection.

Maybe. Or maybe not. Its possible for other companies (who have similar prices) and it seems its possible for Xils-Lab with Oxium.

Anyways, i didn't want to argue. I avoided Xils-Lab because of their dongle even though i still am interested in Xils4 (not LE actually) .
I just have some hope they consider offering a third cp option.

[uselessmind]

double post

[Lotuzia]

and without any dongle considerations to alterate the decision ( though HW dongled Elicencer and Ilok versions will still be available as well for those who prefer this solution for its convenience, like myself )

My vote goes to simple serial number protection.
To support your efforts to bring this to the full Xils4 i just bought the LE version.

A simple serial number protection would obviously not be imaginable for such work to make a product of this league. A simple serial protection would be as giving the synth to the full world without any protection.

Xils 3 V2 and Xils 4 will use the Soft Ilok protection, wich requires no HW dongle. Elicencer and Ilok 1/2 protection will still be available for those who prefer this solution. Hope it answers the quastion.