PatchArena loves the DSI Evolver. Here is a sweet demo track to get your Evolver juices flowing:

Description of this video demo:

Short demo track made with the DSI Evolver + 2 additional sounds.
Bassdrum : Roland Jupiter 4, additional snare : Roland TR 808. As always multitrack recording with some external fx. I also used the internal delay from the evolver.

DSI Resources and Links

If you are new to the Evolver be sure check out these points of interest on the web:

All of the official banks, OS upgrades, firmware, support documentation, and downloads:
Dave Smith Instruments Support & Downloads

One of the most amazing resources for DSI audio demos and patches, an inspiration:
STrippler's Sounds and Patches Page!

DSI online community, very active, discussions for all DSI synths!
EX5 - DSI User Forums

The definitive DSI resource page. Make sure to download Anu Kirk's PDF there.
Carbon111's DSI Resource Page

Rozzer.net - Studio Blog with DSI Cubase MIDI Device Panel & Patches
Rozzer.net

Darren Richard's Evolver Wave Dump Utility. The easiest way to transfer custom oscillator shapes to your Evolver!
Darren Richard's Wave Dump Utility

(screen shot of the wave dump utility here)

Evolver Programming Tips Excerpts:

  • "Warmer" Sounds
    • The Evolver can make many ultra-bright and buzzy sounds due to its extensive feedback and distortion stages but sometimes people miss the subtler side of the beast. For a warmer sound use little or no distortion, close the filter just a bit and turn off the feedback and delay lines. I've managed to get dead-on Prophet5 timbres this way.
  • Adding "Punch"
    • Set the envelopes to linear, and use a Mod to modulate AmpEnv All by itself (lin through log responses with positive and negative self-modulation). This is of course fun on the filter envelopes as well.
  • Fatter Bass/Pad Sounds
    • Set the same sound in both channels (detuned saws, for instance). With the filters at the 24dB setting, increasing resonance cuts the passband as on the Moog filters. Set Envelope 3 to minimum attack, maximum decay and release, and sustain to maximum. This "creates" an offset, a continuous "on" signal while the keys are gated. Modulate one filters' resonance up (just one), or of the overall resonance level is high, us it to modulate one filters' resonance to its minimum. You get the resonant character plus the size of the non-resonant filter. Use Tri and Sine waves on that side too.
  • Don't forget the Noise!
    • Adding subtle amounts of the noise generator can add another dimension to your patch. Also if you are using a sequence patch try experimenting with a variety of noise gen levels for each step, works wonders when used with the built in Delay.

DSI Evolver Patches, Downloads

Ugo DSI Set

Rozzer Evolver Sound Bank

DocT Evolver Banks

Evolutionaries 2003

Happy Sequencing and Programming your Evolver!