[SynthTalk]

Question regarding Unisons, if anyone can assist. Here’s what I don’t quite understand:

When Unison Voices is on 2, why is it that the sound is the same regardless of (a) I only have Osc 1 on and (b) when I have both Osc 1 and Osc 2 on?

Shouldn’t having both Osc 1 and Osc 2 on sound like 4 voices (since Unison has 2 voices, multiplied by 2 Oscs?)

Ditto for when Unison Voices is on 4. The sound is the same whether I have one or both oscillators on.

What am I missing about “voices”?

[Joe Hanley]

If Osc 1 and Osc 2 are both set to Saw with their Fine and Semi knob set to 0 then they are identical. Moving the Mix knob to a setting between them won’t change the sound, regardless of whether you’ve enabled Unison or not.

Each Unison voice is copy of all 3 oscillators. The oscillators within each unison voice are all equally detuned away from the oscillators in the other unison voice. Therefore the oscillators within each voice still maintain their original inner relationship to each other. So if Osc 1 and Osc 2 are identical (and the Mix knob has no effect on sound), that fact will remain when Unison is enabled.

[SynthTalk]

Thanks Joe!

Sorry, but can you elaborate on what a “voice” is? I’m not sure what you mean when you say “oscillator within each unison voice.”

Shouldn’t the sound at least be louder because the unison is copying each oscillator?

[Joe Hanley]

“Voice” is used in a couple different ways in synthesis, which can make it a little confusing. In Unison’s case, a Voice represents a set of oscillators. So in Primer’s case, Unison set to 2 voices, will have two complete sets of 1/2/Sub Oscillators. If you set it to 4 voices, it will have four sets of 1/2/Sub Oscillators.

Yes it would be louder, but Primer compensates for this by bringing each Unison voice’s volume down. Some synths may or may not do this.