Bert’s CR 26 blends a vintage poly synth, arranger, input-played solo voice, early-digital hall and three drum kits inspired by forgotten late-70s/early-80s rhythm machines—Godwin-style electronics, CR-78 grooves and compressed jazz textures.
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Description
Bert’s CR 26 is a two-layer performance instrument for Polyend Endless that combines a vintage-style poly synth, arranger accompaniment, drum machine, solo synth, modulation, and early-digital reverb. The main SOUND layer gives direct access to 37 Upper/Poly presets, 37 Lower/Accompaniment presets, and 37 drum presets, including dedicated mute zones and a three-kit drum selector. The Solo Synth is played only from the audio input and stays audible even when the Upper/Poly section is muted, with a fixed reverb send and gentle ducking of the other synth buses. Three drum kits are available: Godwin/CD2, CR-78 Style, and Compressed Jazz, with selected presets adding subtle tape hiss, oxide/splice artifacts, or print-through. The MIX layer provides independent level control for Upper/Solo, Lower/Accompaniment, and Drums, each ranging from true silence to +2 dB. A short footswitch press advances through the 37 factory melodies, while a long press switches between the SOUND and MIX layers.
| Control | SOUND Layer | MIX Layer |
|---|---|---|
| K1 | Upper / Poly — 37 presets. P37 = Gimmick Glass. Far right = Upper/Poly mute. Presets can include different Godwin Modulator settings, tonal shaping, aging, and reverb send. | Level Upper / Solo — Upper level from −∞ to +2 dB. The Solo Synth remains audible when input is present. |
| K2 | Lower / Accomp — 37 presets using Bass, Chords, Arp, and combinations. P37 = Gimmick Accomp. Far right = true Lower/Accomp mute. | Level Lower — Lower/Accompaniment level from −∞ to +2 dB. |
| K3 | Drums — 37 rhythm presets. P37 = Gimmick Break. Far left = Drum Kit Select; far right = Drum Mute. | Level Drums — Drum level from −∞ to +2 dB. |
| K3 Kit Select | Re-enter the far-left zone to cycle: A Godwin/CD2 → B CR-78 Style → C Compressed Jazz → A. | — |
| Solo Synth | Played only from the audio input. Fixed reverb send around 75%, level-matched solo presets, different Godwin Modulator flavors, gentle ducking of Upper/Lower while solo is active. | Always remains available independently of Upper mute. |
| Reverb / Modulation | Shared bright early-digital hall with MPS-Lite stereo spread; shared Godwin Modulator. Long tails continue across preset changes. | — |
| Footswitch | Function |
|---|---|
| Short Press | Advance Factory Melody: M01 → M37 → M01 |
| Long Press | Switch layer: SOUND ↔ MIX |
| Startup State | M37 + K1 P37 + K2 P37, with K3 P1 selected separately |