Comments 5

The Panoptigan is one the most important instruments in my studio. I appreciate that it’s not locked up to a DAW …. Otherwise just use samples if that’s what you want to do. I want instruments that rely on performances that I can’t recreate.
That’s where the magic is …. In spontaneity. .
I’m grateful to Pea Hicks and team for
Creating this instrument. It’s total
Inspiration.

Making it not compatible with current and past Optigon discs and creating a new 10" disc format seems to create a whole new problem. Unless my Optigan discs will still be usable on the new smaller machine? I can't imagine having to buy the whole library of discs again. You would have created an even more "niche" machine.
Honestly the ONLY request I would have is #4, to lower the cost. Utilize cheaper chinese made parts if possible. $4k for the current Panoptigon is only for the elite music producers out there. Hell, even $2K or $1k would still be too expensive for most to justify.
Can you remove ALL options and just have a speed pitch wheel that is solid and a midi out for a keyboard? That would be a dream machine for me. I'd love it for under $750.
Or, thinking out loud, how about coming up with a solid drive motor for the exisiting Optigans, that we could drop in for stable speed?
That would also be a dream for me.

Seconded re: cheaper option. I have a lot of original and reissue Optigan discs and currently no Optigan. Unfortunately, I can’t justify the price of the current version of the Panoptigon as cool as it is.

I like the idea of MIDI/usb – there's a ton of MIDI controllers that aren't USB.
ADSR – of course.
Sync to DAW – not necessary but if so, it would get used a lot more.
Keyboard – no, for your reasons above.

Question: Tabletop with top controls, rack?

Seems almost like the discs themselves are a huge limitation/cost; it would sell so much better as a built-in sample set but using hardware (like the digital Mellotrons do), plus your hardware software control.

I think a keyboard version of the Panoptigon is not necessary. Most users have enough master keyboards, or synths. A smaller disc format is also not useful as 'GB' already mentioned.
What I could imagine would be 3 versions of the Panoptigon a 'simple' version without DSP FX, sync and servo motor, only with a 'simple' motor, as suggested above by 'GB'.
Then the version as it already is and as an upgrade a version with additional ADSR's and synchronization of a DAW with the Panoptigon as master, if that seems somehow possible.This would likely require 60 ADSRs and an additional CCD sensor that reads a digital code copied to an additional digital track copied on the disc. Of course, this would make the device more expensive.
However, all three versions can have the same housing, which reduces the manufacturing costs for this.
As an alternative, a plugin with a simulation of the Panoptigon might be possible. However, then the analog charm of the original is lost. But it would be a less expensive entry into the 'Optigan' and 'Orchestron' world. Maybe some people would prefer to buy the 'original' afterwards.

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