I love the new version just as much as any of the other new synths that come with V Collection 11
But I was wondering if Arturia would be willing to come up with a way to enable a “legacy import” option just so I can import all my older patches from V2 into SEM V3. That would be great!
They haven’t done anything like that in a long time. I think new versions are probably different enough under-the-hood that they don’t think the results would be worthwhile.
Hi @dreikelvin and welcome to The Sound Explorers Forum!
To echo what @Talahamut said, it’s extremely unlikely as this does come up from time to time when a new version of an existing V-Col instrument is released.
AFAIK their frameworks and underlying programming are just too different… although there’s nothing to stop someone manually copying what settings are ‘the same’ between versions.
Thought so. I had similar issues with my Jupiter-8 patches. It’s a shame really - how am I going to be able to maintain a consistent patch library like this? Furthermore, you could emply AI-driven conversion technologies to make it reproduce the patch on the new platform. It can’t really be that hard… It’s just a bit lazy imho
It would be nice if some of the basic settings were convertible such as osc/ filter/effect type, and associated envelope/LFO settings to get a starting point. But I wonder how would fx translate underlying differences. Even subtle changes can redefine a preset. Perhaps they are taking the safest route so people don’t complain about their presets sounding different.
there seems to be an additional new modulation module, called the Mod Seq - it does exactly the same thing as the voice modulator except with some of the looping modes that are now missing in the voice modulator - what’s the point of still having it?
voice modulator sequencer can’t assign different parameters to modulate like in V2
thanks to only 3 modulation slots, I cannot modulate up to 6 different parameters anymore which made SEM a very unique synth for me and reason to build complex sequences
modulation parameter in the VCF section does not AMP-modulate when the filter is set to notch or HP - resulting in sustained notes from the SUB oscillator even though ENV1 and ENV2 are set to a very short decay
imho, V3 is a step back except the sound is better and we have effects. but is it really worth it?
I have to partially walk back my statement about the VCF section - something seems to be off here. Could this be a bug? I tried modulating the filter frequency using the mod-seq and all the envelopes were set to a very short decay. And yet, I could still hear the SUB coming through as soon as I modulated the frequency. Now at a second attempt, it seems fine again and this issue is just gone…very strange. Seems like Arturia still needs to do some bug hunting
Hi @dreikelvin. Welcome to the community from me too.
Please note, that you in the V2 version have 6 voice modulators that each can modulate only one parameter.
In the V3 version each modulator can modulate many parameters, and all the modulated parameters have their own polarity and amount setting.
Also note that you in the V3 version have multiple modulators that’s not existing in the V2 version.
You for example have 16 step Mod sequencers. And 8 step Voice modulators that also work great when used with Unison mode. Both this modulation modules have multiple play modes.
You have 5 different modulators. Each for example have multiple retrigger modes.
The V3 version also have a 4 module multi Arpeggiator. Each module can play it’s own arpeggio.
You also have the Vintage module to create voice variations in the V3 version.
You can say, that in the V2 version you could create a 8 note sequence with the voice modulator, where you could set up to 5 parameters exact for each step beside a Pitch modulator.
This is not possible in the V3 version to create such an static sequence modulating 5 parameters with exact settings for each step.
But because of the above you have many other options. And perhaps using the modulation polarity/ amount possibilities you can have nearly the same exact settings for much more parameters than in the V2 version, and that for a 16 step sequence instead of 8 steps.
yes but they are all tied to the same one single modulation sequence. the voice mod in V2 had one individual step sequence with different values for every assigned parameter
You for example have 16 step Mod sequencers. And 8 step Voice modulators that also work great when used with Unison mode. Both this modulation modules have multiple play modes.
The voice mod in the V3 has only a limited amount of play modes compared to the voice mod of V2 and even the step mod has more play modes. for example, it does not have the FWD-BWD / FWD/BWD modes
You can say, that in the V2 version you could create a 8 note sequence with the voice modulator, where you could set up to 5 parameters exact for each step beside a Pitch modulator.
Actually 6, not 5
With the V3, I have only 3 modulators in total (which can be used simulatenously) - in V2 it’s 6 modulators. This feels a bit like a “devolution” of the synth modulation features honestly
I would appreciate at least if Arturia improved the voice mod in a future update by adding back those play modes and also bringing back those 6 assignable sequencers instead of just one.
The modulation options in V3 are just as versatile in many cases. However, I find it concerning that some features have been simplified or removed. Over the past 10 years, I’ve created numerous patches across my Arturia synths, and I worry that they may not function in future updates or redesigns. It’s essential to keep consistency in mind when rebuilding a platform like this.
Understandably, if the architecture changes, you would find it hard to rebuild an old patch on it - but at least It would make sense to pull a “Synplant” hat trick and employ something like an AI to reinterpret these patches as a compromise to the user. I don’t mind a patch sounding a bit different - that comes with upgrading an architecture and is completely fine. In many situations, it can make these patches sound even better.
The Mod Sequencer modules in the V3 version have them and even more options as Playback mode and Retrig mode is separate. And it’s 16 steps.
The V3 Multi ARP is far more advanced than in V2.
The V3 Voice Mod for example offer the possibility to add different modulation amounts for each voice in a Unison.
So it offer more options.
Beside that you have other new modulators in the V3 version.
I believe 5 + a pitch track equals 6.
I believe i have described there are some differences in my post above.
It’s fair to bring critique. I also see the V2 Voice modulators 6 separate accurate setting option as a speciel thing.
Having 6 modulation slots instead of 3 would include even the few very specific static things from V2 that you can’t do.
I don’t know how many presets you have made that actually use very accurate settings for more than 3 parameters though.
You can modulate far more parameters now - each with different amount and polarity settings for the modulation applied. In most cases many probably used the V2 Voice mods
to simulate similar.
I have quite a few bassline/synthline patches that are run through the arpeggiator and make heavy use of the voice mod - I use it to modulate decay time, panning, cutoff frequency, VCO2 coarse (for sync effects) and other destinations.
I find these help me to create very unique and almost modular-like sound which I haven’t been able to create in any other VST. BTW, I originally made some of these on the iPad version “iSEM” and then 1:1 rebuilt them on the V2 in the Desktop version - unfortunately a patch exchange between iOS and Desktop version is also not possible…
If you used it much, then i understand you probably will miss it more than others.
You can always make a feature request for more mod slots and other behaviors.
I would for example like a an option to the multi ARP slot to choose a dedicated pitch SEQUENCER that can have the option to set the pitch for the OSC’s individually.