MATRIXSYNTH

at 4/12/2007 08:20:00 PM

Title link takes you there.

via Ray

at 4/12/2007 07:59:00 PM

"Dear all,
more than a year ago we were proud to announce the general availability of what was to become quickly a quite desirable piece of gear.. says the continuous feedback we get about the Octopus.

Needless to say, we are not only proud, but deeply satisfied to see that what has started as a labour of love and passion has found greatest appreciation by users and users-to-become alike, many of whom we knew and respected highly long before they knew about us.

The feedback, ideas, thoughts and commitment that we have seen in return have helped build a machine that today we are ready, proud and thankful to present to you. We are ready to launch Octopus OS v1.00

This is a key moment in the life of Octopus, and one much anticipated, by many, and for many reasons. Once again, our sincerest thanks go to all who have contributed to the effort that went into creating Octopus what it is today - we leave the description out but would explicitly like to get your feedback on what you feel that
Octopus is to you!

Now - we are listing below an exerpt of our list of new things in OS v1.00..

All the other details are up on our web site.

Enjoy!!

Gabriel Seher + Marcel Achim
________________________
http://www.genoqs.net

In the following, we use the following mark convention:
(***) for new features,
(**) for evolved functionality, and
(*) for minor changes.

FREE TRACK CHAINING (***)
Tracks in a Page may be chained according to any
configuration desired by the user.

TRACK PROGRAM CHANGE (***)
Tracks now retain the MIDI program change information
as a track specific value.

EDIT TRACK DIRECTIONS (***)
Directions 6-16 are freely editable by the user, including
re-trigger and randomize options.

STEP GROOVE ATTRIBUTE (***)
A step may be delayed at playtime by a random amount
of time in multiples of 1/192 of a note.

GRID-TRACK MODE (***)
Up to 90 tracks are mapped to Matrix buttons and act as
virtual track selectors allowing for direct track operation.

STEP-NOTE RECORDING (***)
Notes may be recorded directly on pre-selected positions
in a page, irrespective of timeline and chase-light position.

PAGE SCALE CAD (***)
Changes to a scale may be set to affect the pitch values of
the tracks in the page. Whenever the scale is modified, the
track pitches are aligned to the new scale, modifying the
harmonic structure of a page in a musical way.

VAST MIDI-IN CONTROL (***)
Apart from recording MIDI data, MIDI IN ports can be
used to control various functions of the machine via MIDI IN
signals. This includes selecting grid sets and toggling grid pages
via program change messages, or even creating and modifying
scales on the Octopus - all at runtime of course.

VIRTUAL MIDI CHANNELS (***)
Provide an internal wiring of tracks to the Octopus MIDI in.
In this way, Octopus tracks may be used to leverage the
capabilities of MIDI IN control, right on the Octopus.

MAP FACTORS (***)
Each relevant attribute map now has a map factor, which indicates
the amount to which that map is applied to the current output.

EXPORT CONTENT TO SYSEX (***)
Memory content may now be exported as MIDI system exclusive
streams, providing a means to store machine state data outside of
the Octopus.

PITCH BEND HANDLING (**)
Now pitch bend data can be recorded and worked with, similarly
to any other MIDI controller data.

TRACK FLATTENING (**)
The FLT mutator has evolved to new semantics. It is now applied
to two or more tracks to create a "stacked" version of that track
selection into a single track.

NEW EFFECTOR STATE (**)
Tracks can now take on an additional state with regard to the
Effector. In addition to being unaffected, a sender, or a receiver,
tracks may now be receiving senders.

CC MAP LEARNING (**)
In addition to programming CC maps, you can now have them
learn by listening to MIDI IN input. Saves time and comes in handy.

FORCE TO SCALE INPUT (**)
Externally played notes can be passed through the Octopus and
forced to the scale of the current page.

TRACK SPEED MULTIPLIERS (**)
Octopus now features additional track speed multipliers.
These include: 1.5 (for direct creation of triplets), as well as the
following: 1/1.5, 1/8, 8, 1/16 and 16.

BANK CHANGE MESSAGES (*)
In addition to sending program change messages Octopus now
also sends bank change messages."

at 4/12/2007 07:41:00 PM

YouTube via waveshaper. Via Dennis.

at 4/12/2007 06:54:00 PM

Many on the Waldorf mailing list have been discussing what the new Blofeld and Stromberg synths will be as well as OS updates for the previous Waldorf synths. As for the Blofeld, the consensus was it was either and updated Micro Q or a new synth based on the Nano plug-in for the CME plus more. If you caught the Gearwire interview with Wolframe Franke (posted here), you might have caught a few details on the new synths. One, the Blofeld is basically an updated Micro Q, and two, the Stromberg will support both the architecture of the Q and the XT/Microwave in addition to the hardware plug-in capabilities with an analog filter in line. Check out the video for yourself.

Wolfram popped by the Waldorf list today with the following on the Blofeld and addressed support for previous Waldorf products:

"Regarding the Blofeld: yes, the Blofeld basically has the architecture of the Micro Q. This can easily be seen when you look at the spec list on the Blofeld product page. It will certainly have some new features, among them more than 1000 sounds or the cascade filter types. We might add further features but I won't go into detail about them right now.

Colors: the Blofeld is almost white. We chose this color because it simply looks cool combined with the aluminum controls.

Updates for old products: we really understand the need for taking care of some issues that are bugging you, like the Aftertouch bug in the XTk. But please give us a chance to get a financial foundation first. We are, however, *talking* about the bugs. Only, finding a time slice to work on that is not possible right now. I hope you understand that. And please, no emotional discussions about that. We are aware of it and we try to find a way to take care of it."

at 4/12/2007 06:46:00 PM

Title link takes you there.

at 4/12/2007 06:38:00 PM

"Messe proved a feeding frenzy for synth lovers – at least those who’ve followed the career of John Bowen – and you’d need to have been around some to be there from the start!

Starting in the 1970’s as a fresh faced Moog clinician, John presented himself at the door of another legendary synth designer Dave Smith – you know Prophet 5, MIDI, that sort of thing – on a mission to blag some free gear to feed his own musical needs – and use in his work as the Moog clinician. From there a fruitful relationship ensued, with the outcome being many classic Sequential Circuits Inc synths, sequencers and drum machines, and the rest as they say, is history.

In a brief lull between Musik MESSE and pre flying back to the US to continue development of the new hardware synth the Solaris, we talked to John about the past, the present and the future."

Title link takes you to the podcast.

at 4/12/2007 06:24:00 PM

Vid via tardis454.

at 4/12/2007 06:02:00 PM

"The OB-X saw the light of earth in 1979 and was the first fully programmable polyphonic synth built by Tom Oberheim. It's the direct successor to the famous SEM based units. The secret of the OB-X is that it still has the old discrete 12db SEM-filters. All later units such as OB-Xa, OB8 and Matrix as well as many competing products made the use of the more sterile Curtis filterchips. This fact makes the OB-X one of the best sounding polyphonic synths of all time. Experts put the OB-X in the same league as the Memorymoog. We love this synth!!

The secret of analog behaviour: OB-X Voiceboards Various methods have been used in the plugins world to copy analog behaviour. SonicProjects has made a new and different approach. By extensive exploring of the real device it became obvious that a big part of the organic feeling comes from the minor differences in sound between the voices. This has nothing to to with random behaviour but with device tolerances and slightly different trimpot settings. SonicProjects has implemented this behaviour into the virtual device. There are four global buttons which let you control the detunings of the oscillators, filters, envelopes and portamento times."

Title link takes you there. Via this VSE post where you will find a couple of samples by , chnarles, also mirrored here.

Previous OP-X posts

at 4/12/2007 12:06:00 AM

Click image for a bigger shot.

at 4/12/2007 12:05:00 AM

Gotta have Goldfrapp.

Image via link. Also see this image.

Another via daddio.

EDP Wasp.

at 4/12/2007 12:05:00 AM

Click here for shots via this auction.

Details:
"Pearl Syncussion synthetic drum module. Renowned or notorious (depending on your point of view) for some of the classic 70's and 80's synth drum sounds. Should work with triggers using standard 1/4" plugs, or, as the original brochure says "microphones can be connected to either input", with a 1/4" connector of course. Mono output.

More information on this unit is available here and a download of the original product brochure is available here which gives an overview of the various functions."

at 4/12/2007 12:04:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

BTW if you are on the look out for an MS20 also check out this auction.

at 4/12/2007 12:03:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Details
"The Korg MS-50 - modular in design and at the height of the MS-series synthesizers. This keyboard-less expander type module is completely patchable and uses Korg's Hz/V type of CV and Gate for control with other synths like the MS-20. There are lots of knobs and patch points on this one... The MS-50 is still a single VCO monophonic analog beast but offered more patchability and power than any other MS synth. Other features include a ring modulator, voltmeter and sample & hold. It was also designed to complement the SQ-10 sequencer."

at 4/12/2007 12:02:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

at 4/12/2007 12:01:00 AM

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Details:
"Odyssey III (Models 2810-2823) produced from 1976-81 and featuring the new Model 4075 filter design. The rest of its specifications are virtually identical to the Odyssey II except that the overall look and quality are further updated to match the look of the latest ARP synths with the orange & black color-scheme."

at 4/12/2007 12:00:00 AM

Title link takes you to the track, "A Beginning, But Not the Beginning" featuring the MOOG Source arpeggio. Via redchapterjubilee, via this Matrixsynth forum post.