What is The Vanilla Synthesizer? It's Ready, That's What

via the STG Soundlabs/muSonics Electronic Newsletter:

Is it The Vanilla Synthesizer or the muSonics TVS?

I started working on this project a year and a half ago.

Originally my thought process was to make a new American format synthesiser that could be sold as modules, kits, and bare boards. I was concerned about the future of the format, and I felt a new line of basic modules and infrastructure at a variety of price points was important. I still do.

STG Soundlabs was a failure because I made things that ultimately the eurorack market simply did not want. Yes, I sold some, and will continue to maintain the line as best as I can, but it's very hard to find photos of eurorack installations with STG Soundlabs modules in them, but rare to find a nice big man-sized synthesiser without my modules in it.

Another thing I wanted to do was teach myself how to do my own engineering. It didn't start that way, but it became that way. I'd been a hardware product developer since 2005 but never actually laid out a circuit board. That is no longer true, and I've done things beyond this project that I haven't even talked about.

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Yamaha SY35 Demo: The Presets | No Talking | Moot Booxle

video upload by mootbooxle

"A quick (but not brief) stroll through most of the internal presets of the Yamaha SY35 Vector Synthesizer. I had just gotten the thing that day and I always feel like that is the best time to demo the presets in order to capture my first reaction to them. Some interesting spontaneous music in a myriad of genres and moods was the result!"

Yamaha PS-55 | Moot Booxle

video upload by mootbooxle

"Here's a fun little ditty on the Yamaha PS-55 keyboard from 1983. This instrument was made before FM synthesis took over Yamaha's entire lineup. Instead of FM, this keyboard is apparently entirely based on short PCM samples, giving it a sound unlike anything that would come later. This was the first Yamaha keyboard to include PCM sampled drums and percussion. A rather odd and fun machine!"

Programming the Yamaha DX1 with Moot Booxle

video by mootbooxle

"I am thankful for great friends who allow me to spend time with instruments such as this. I've been on a BIG FM synthesis kick lately, so expect more of that type of thing!"

Second Sound UniSyn: The Ultimate Pitch Tracker

video by mootbooxle

"Hey I'm alive!
Remember that raw circuit board looking thing that I was demoing a while back? It's now a commercial product and it's incredible. This little video barely even scratches the surface.

via Second Sound

"Greetings Second Sound Fans, Demo Artists, Current and Future Customers!

I am happy to report that I have finalized the re-design of my DACO160EVK with a more ergonomic layout, extra features, and — best of all — in a sturdy aluminum enclosure! This will be a consumer product which I have tentatively named the UniSyn, short for Universal Audio to Synth Interface.

The UniSyn employs the same pitch and envelope tracking technology of its prototype predecessor, converting audio from any monophonic source to CV and MIDI. The UniSyn also creates a dedicated sine wave as well as filtered square or sawtooth waves which can be optionally pitch-shifted over a +/-2 octave range with semitone resolution.

The new features include:

24v Phantom Power
Firmware upgrades/modifications available via SD card
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) for the input preamp
A new analog 3:1 input compression mode that works together with the AGC to make the synth dynamics really “pop”
1/4″ jack sustain pedal interface
And, of course, what turned out to be my most requested feature while I was selling the DACO160EVK units — a high-quality aluminum enclosure
I am still in the process of establishing the MSRP for the UniSyn. In the meantime, I will be offering a 20% discount on the remaining DACO160EVK units until they are all sold.

Thank you all for your valuable feedback and help evaluating the earlier prototypes. I’ve tried to accommodate all of the great suggestions I received and believe, and hope you agree, that as a result we’ve made a great product together!"

Presenting the E520 HYPERION PROCESSOR from Synthesis Technology | Moot Booxle Demo

Published on Jan 28, 2020 mootbooxle

"Using the humble Casio SK-1 to demonstrate how powerful the #E520 #HyperionProcessor multi-effects unit can be on some (arguably) bland source material! This will be available very soon in Eurorack format (48HP).

For more info visit: https://synthtech.com/eurorack/E520/"

mootbooxle E520 posts

E520 Hyperion Processor + Yamaha W5 = Ambient Space Music | "Indigo Ray" by Moot Booxle

Published on Jan 21, 2020 mootbooxle

"Let's go to OUTER SPACE! The Shimmer reverb on the #E520HyperionProcessor from #SynthesisTechnology can take any sound to outer space, but it's especially nice when it's sweetening an already lush pad.

This sound I've come up with on the forgotten 90's ROMpler, the Yamaha W5, is gorgeous on its own...With the E520 it's otherworldly!

Take a little quiet time, still the mind, vibe out to this #ambient soundscape! I thank you for listening!"

Synthtech E520 Hyperion Processor with GUITAR | Moot Booxle Sound Demo | No Talking

Published on Jan 3, 2020 mootbooxle

"Moot Booxle demonstrates the #SynthesisTechnology #E520 processor with an electric guitar. No other effects have been used, except a stereo cabinet simulator via IK AmpliTube 3. I wanted to have a bit more typical electric guitar sound than just a DI sound.

So the signal path is Peavey Strat w/ EMG pickups ; Mono input of E520 ; ART TPS II tube preamp ; Tascam DM-4800 console ; Logic Pro X ; AmpliTube 3 ; Limiter.

Check out the E520 at https://synthtech.com/"

Synthtech E520 Hyperion Processor | Poly D Meets Lush FX! | Moot Booxle Sound Demo

Published on Dec 13, 2019 mootbooxle

"Back the Synthesis Technology E520 Hyperion Stereo Effects Processor on Kickstarter before it ends Sunday! http://kck.st/356J297 .

This will be an actual Eurorack module - not the bare-bones prototype you see here! I'd been wanting to do another Poly D sound demo, but with FX, and this was the perfect opportunity.

So much more to come...and not just Behringer! I'm practically swimming in cool stuff to show you. I'm so glad you watched my video and shared your time with me! I hope you have a wonderful day!"

BEHRINGER WASP DELUXE | Moot Booxle | No Talking. Demo

Published on Nov 24, 2019 mootbooxle

"Happy to finally be able to present...the Behringer WASP Deluxe! This has ALL MANNER of quirky charm, just like the synths it's based on. Here is a demo in which I attempt to try every function at least once. And I say nary a word.
Except I love you. I say that with every tweak of those knobs.
....anyway.
I'm glad you're here. Thank you for watching my video!"

Green. Onions. | The MOOTS Live from Space

Published on Nov 23, 2019 mootbooxle

What the hell am I seeing? Why are they dancing so fast. Note Moot and Darrell are playing in real time. Strange mysterious power of the synths I guess. That or they ate too many green onions.

"We really wind 'em up whenever we play some old school Booker T & the M.G.'s.

Moot Booxlé: Keys (Odyssey, Minimoog, Roland RD-700SX)
Darrell Nutt: Drums and Percussion

This video and audio was produced by Darrell Nutt at defMEDIA Studios. http://defmediagroup.com
Recorded Live at Space 39, Fort Myers, FL on 10/16/2019."

Behringer Winter Of Love 2019 TD-3 Announcement Video - TB-303 in Blue, Red, or Silver

Premiere in progress. Started 4 minutes ago - Behringer

Enjoy that intro. Wait for it...

Update2: new user videos coming in below. Bookmark this post and be sure to check back.

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Behringer K-2 Short Demo (No Talking) | Moot Booxlé

Published on Oct 12, 2019 mootbooxle

"Soooo...I've been beta testing this very early prototype of the Behringer K-2 for several months, and I'm really sorry that it's taken until now to show you anything on it. With so many products on their release "radar", I've had to wait until I got the go-ahead from them, and then once they did finally give me the green light, things in my personal life took some 'challenging' turns and I just haven't had the time or mind to do this. So, here you go!"

Moot Booxle "Galactic Matriarch" | Moog MATRIARCH, IK UnoSynth and UnoDrum

Published on Sep 25, 2019 mootbooxle

Follow-up to this post.

"Here's another jam from my session at STG Soundlabs!
This one takes off into outer space...I call it "Galactic Matriarch".
Thanks to Suit and Tie Guy for making this possible!
Thanks to Geoff White for the multi-coloured trippy visuals he sent me from his travels!
Thanks to IK Multimedia for making a million cool things, especially these UNO boxes!
Thanks to Moog for making my life what it is through your legacy of sound and inspiration."

Moot Booxlé on MOOG MATRIARCH with IK UnoDrum and UnoSynth

Published on Sep 18, 2019 mootbooxle

"Recorded live at STG Soundlabs! Special thanks to Suit & Tie Guy for making this all happen.
I call this one 'Uno Mama'. I really really like the UnoDrum...a very inspiring little box!
Everything is synced to a MIDI clock.
There might even be more content! :O

Video and audio filmed and recorded by STG.
Edited and mixed by Moot."

THE MOOTS play "Golden" by Jill Scott

Published on Aug 31, 2019 mootbooxle

Full ARP Odyssey on bass demo. The Minimoog doesn't get touched in this one.

"In case you ever wondered what exactly I do, well, here's one of the things! I have a jazz-funk duo called The MOOTS which consists of myself on a pile of keyboards and vocals and effects, and Darrell Nutt on drums and electronics/loops etc.

This was the end of the night and the club was pretty much empty, then Reese 3Piece came and rocked it on a couple. He's a serious piano player himself! Anyway we had fun...we always do in The MOOTS!"

BEHRINGER PRO-1 DEMO (No Talking)

Published on Jun 17, 2019 mootbooxle

"Here’s the Pro-1, in the raw, by itself, with just a touch of reverb, nobody talking, nothing fancy, just some quick programming and noodling. Have a wonderful day!"

Behringer CRAVE, Odyssey, and Mystery Synth Jam!

Published on Mar 5, 2019 mootbooxle

"Playing a little ostinato sequence on the Crave, adding some bass on the Behringer Odyssey, and playing some Rhodes on top...then using the Second Sound Pitch-to-Synth converter to use the Rhodes to play that mystery synth under the towel! WHAT COULD IT BEEEEE?!?!?"

Playing Minimoog From Guitar | Second Sound Audio-To-Synth

Published on Feb 25, 2019 mootbooxle

"The Second Sound ACO160 Audio-To-Synth System is a new development that I’m very excited about. They’ve been nice enough to let me borrow their prototype unit to demonstrate...Here it is being used to play the Minimoog from my guitar!

This is a Pitch to CV/Gate and MIDI convertor that is very early in development but is already promising to be the best pitch tracking device yet created! This is reaaaaaally just scratching the surface. Any audio source can be used to play any CV or MIDI instrument! More to come."

Behringer CRAVE Does Acid!

Published on Feb 11, 2019 mootbooxle

"When I was playing with the Crave the other day, I heard some tones that made me think, 'I wonder how 303-eqsue I can make it sound?' Just add distortion (this is an EHX Big Muff w/Tone Wicker) and it’s ACID TIME. You have to imagine the crazy patterns because that ain’t really my genre. But it’s fun, and I just put out a vinyl record of it!

The sound is then going through the Strymon El Capistan delay for some 'space', then straight into the Roland Go:Mixer Pro which is connected to iPhone X which shot this video."