Waldorf STVC

The Waldorf STVC is more than just the keyboard version of the Waldorf Streichfett. Besides the added Vocoder, the solo section got more voices (now 16) and two additional sounds ("Mono" and "Full"). The effect section got two knobs per FX and not just one. So you can for example change the reverb mix and the reverb time individual. There are 3 banks of 42 memory slots to name and save your settings. There is a 5 slot tweak menu to change or modulate many available parameters seen on the front panel and also some not user changeable at all (like for example ensemble FX LFO rates and depths).

There are these modulation sources for the 5 modulation slots available:

• SET allows you to change a parameter value by setting a new value
• ADD and SUB are used to change a parameter by adding or subtracting a constant
• TOUCH+ and TOUCH- stands for positiv or negativ modulation via aftertouch
• MODW+ and MODW- stands for positiv or negativ modulation via the modulation wheel
• BEND+ and BEND- stands for positiv or negativ modulation via the pitch wheel
• EXPR+ and EXPR- stands for positiv or negativ modulation via a connected expression pedal
• VELC+ and VELC- stands for positiv or negativ modulation via the key velocity
• CTRX+ and CTRX- for positiv or negativ MIDI CC modulation. You set the CC number in the system settings.
• LFO-V, LFO-T and LFO-C use the vibrato, tremolo and chorus LFOs to modulate other parameters
• LFO-S and LFO-2 use the two ensemble FX LFOs to modulate other parameters
• LFO-P is the phaser FX LFO
• RAND1 is a random function
• RAND2 is a random value on each new note

But keytracking is not available as modulation source. I would love to use just a bit of keytracking on the Register parameters of the String section sometimes to adjust the sound character over the keyboard range.

These modulation destinations are available:

• VIBRATO
• VIB.RATE (virbrato rate = VIB-V source)
• REGISTR. (= register knob position: changes EQ and waveshape of the string and vocoder)
• REG.EQ (register EQ position without changing the waveshape)
• REG.SHAPE (register waveshape without changing the EQ)
• CRESCENDO and RELEASE to modulate the string sections envelope
• BALANCE to change the Solo to String volume balance
• VOLUME (obvious)
• PITCH (obvious)
• PT.STRING and PT.SOLO change the pitch of the sections individually
• TONE (like the knob with this name in the Solo section)
• CUOFF and EMPHASIS change the filter parameters of the Solo section
• ATTACK and DECAY/REL change the Solo section envelope parameters
• TREMOLO (like the knob with this name in the Solo section)
• TRN.DEPTH and TRM.RATE set the tremolo depth and rate individually
• MIN.GLIDE R set the glide rate for the monophonic Solo section sounds
• REV.SIZE and REV.MIX (like the knob with these names in the Reverb FX section)
• PHS.RATE and PHS.DEPTH (like the knobs with these names in the Phaser FX section)
• ANM.RATE and ANM.DEPTH (like the knobs with these names in the Animator FX section)
• CHR.RATE and CHT.DEPTH change the chorus FX parameters of the string section
• STR.RATE, STR.DEPTH, ST2.RATE and ST2.DEPTH change the ensemble FX parameters of the string section. The ST2 is the higher modulation LFO also named LFO-2 in the modulation source list. The other is the LFO-S named slower LFO (hence "S") in the source list.
• V.FORMANT shifts the Vocoder formant bands
• V.JITTER (Jitter of vocoder carrier, String section only)
• V.SPEED (Vocoder input adaption speed)
• V.IN LEAK (mixes the modulating signal into the Vocoder output)
• FRZ.SPEED (speed of the frozen vocoder phrase)
• FRZ.POS (postion of the frozen vocoder phrase)
• TWEAK#5 changes the modulation amplitude of the modulation slot #5. By using this, you can for example use one LFO to change another parameter depending on the played aftertouch.
• BOTTOM adjust the audio low end

As you can use the modulation source SET to change a parameter, you can actually tweak the sound in way more parameters as on the Streichfett. But as there are only 5 slots available, you have to limit your modulation and tweaking ideas sometimes. But hey, 5 slots like this are way better than no such function at all.

In the System Settings are the basic as Global Tune, MIDI channel settings, Local Off mode and more. Additionally there is a setting to adjust the microphone gain and a low-cut filter for the microphone signal with the values off, 10 Hz, 100 Hz and 200 Hz. The later two values are very helpful on stage to keep the monitor signal a bit off the vocoder mic.

The full metal housing is the same as used for the Blofeld keyboard version and feels very long lasting. The Fatar keybed as used on the Blofeld keyboard feels good. But waterfall shaped keyends would have been more string machine like, just for the look.