Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-1b Walk-Through

Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

"Richard Nicol walks through all the features of the Lifeforms SV-1b and answers questions from the live chat."

You can find additional posts on the SV-1b here.

Roland Announces Model Expansions for the ZENOLOGY Software Synthesizer

Introducing Roland JX-8P Model Expansion for ZENOLOGY Software Synthesizer


Press release with additional expansions below. Above is a video for the JX-8P. Description follows:

"Launched in 1985, the innovative JX-8P took analog a step further with capabilities that could generate tones associated with digital synthesizers, making it highly versatile. With the JX-8P Model Expansion, we reintroduce the unique voice of this sought-after classic for the first time ever. The hands-on editing functions of the companion PG-800 programmer are also included, thoughtfully integrated into the user interface.

• Model Expansion for ZENOLOGY and compatible ZEN-Core hardware
• Authentic JX-8P sound and behavior
• Integrates PG-800 programmer functions
• Clear, intuitive interface for free-flowing production
• Expanded polyphony versus the original hardware
• Swap Model Expansions and load sounds instantly
• Set the condition of your virtual JX-8P to ultra-vintage or pristine"

"Series Debut Includes JX-8P, SH-101, JUNO-106, and JUPITER-8 Model Expansions, Available Through Roland Cloud in Q3 2020

Los Angeles, CA, June 30, 2020 — Roland introduces Model Expansions, the latest additions to Roland Cloud and the ZEN-Core Synthesis System. Each Model Expansion transforms the ZENOLOGY Software Synthesizer into an entirely different instrument with its own sonic personality, features, and preset tones. From rare and sought-after classics to the designs of tomorrow, Model Expansions give musicians and producers unprecedented access to the historic and ever-evolving world of Roland synthesizers.


The series debuts with the JX-8P Model Expansion, with releases of SH-101, JUNO-106, and JUPITER-8 Model Expansions to follow soon after. Model Expansions are hosted in ZENOLOGY for macOS and Windows. Later in 2020, these titles will also be supported by ZEN-Core hardware instruments like the JUPITER-X and JUPITER-Xm.

Offering expanded polyphony and boldly modern interfaces, vintage-inspired Model Expansions capture the essence of legendary Roland instruments with astonishing realism and authenticity. Each delivers the unique sound and experience of the original hardware—without the expense and maintenance.

For future Model Expansions, the possibilities go far beyond vintage. The power of the ZEN- Core Synthesis System allows for the creation of exciting new Roland synthesizers, from next- generation designs to hybrid instruments inspired by vintage synths or current hardware.
When hosted in ZENOLOGY, Model Expansions provide speedy operation and intuitive performance for music production in modern DAWs. Clear, re-sizable, touch-friendly interfaces are coupled with efficient CPU usage and high polyphony. Users can swap Model Expansions and load sounds instantly, with no disruption to their creative flow.

The first Model Expansion titles represent four of Roland’s most influential analog synthesizers from the 1980s:

• JX-8P Model Expansion—Launched in 1985, the innovative JX-8P took analog a step further with capabilities that could generate tones associated with digital synthesizers, making it highly versatile. Scheduled for release on June 30, 2020, the JX-8P Model Expansion reintroduces the unique voice of this sought-after instrument for the first time ever. The user interface also includes the hands-on editing functions of the PG-800, a companion programmer unit that was available for the original synth.

• SH-101 Model Expansion—Small and mighty, the SH-101 monosynth has been a key ingredient in shaping electronic music styles from the mid ‘80s until today. It’s been reborn as a polysynth with the SH-101 Model Expansion, bringing new and exciting possibilities to today’s music creators. The SH-101 Model Expansion is scheduled for release on July 16, 2020.

• JUNO-106 Model Expansion—Introduced in 1984 as an affordable polysynth for the masses, the JUNO-106 has risen from humble beginnings to become an all-time favorite of synth lovers everywhere, and its built-in chorus is the stuff of legend. The JUNO-106 Model Expansion is scheduled for release on August 8, 2020.

• JUPITER-8 Model Expansion—One of the most revered polysynths of all time, the JUPITER-8's lush, complex sound is part of countless hit songs over the last four decades, and its massive voice is simply unmatched when it comes to warm pads, strings, and lead tones. The JUPITER-8 Model Expansion is scheduled for release on August 31, 2020.

Model Expansions for ZENOLOGY are included with the Pro and Ultimate membership levels of Roland Cloud. All paid levels—including Core—start with a free 30-day trial of Ultimate, allowing users to try out software-based Model Expansions and other Ultimate features. In addition, any Roland Account holder can purchase Lifetime Keys for individual Model Expansion titles. This provides unlimited access for as long as their account is active, even if they don’t have a Roland Cloud membership.

ZENOLOGY, Roland’s expandable plug-in version of its ZEN-Core Synthesis System, is offered exclusively through Roland Cloud. Depending on the membership level, other Roland Cloud perks include access to Legendary and SRX instrument collections, ZEN-Core Sound Packs, Wave Expansions, and much more.

To learn more about Model Expansions, ZENOLOGY, and Roland Cloud, visit Roland.com."

Roland JX-03 sound demo

SynthMania

Demo of the Roland JX-03 Boutique - emulation of Roland's own JX-3P synth from the '80s.

00:04 String I
00:30 String II
00:58 Organ I
01:36 Organ II
01:55 Organ III
02:22 Brass I
02:53 Brass II

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Nord Modular 25-Key Virtual Synthesizer SN 99040924

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"Nord first revolutionized the synth industry with the world's first purely "virtual analog" instrument (afaik they invented the term). Then came the MODULAR! Truly amazing instrument with virtually endless possibilities. Nord Modular owners will attest to the fact that risk of massive sleep deprivation after bringing one of these home is VERY high. Don't let the small footprint fool you, this is one seriously powerful synth."

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Oberheim Matrix 6R Polyphonic Synthesizer w/ Jeff Burger Manual

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VINTAGE ENSONIQ SQ80 CROSS WAVE SYNTHESIZER

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via this auction

"The SQ-80 is basically a reved-up ESQ-1 with a total of 75 waveforms, a 61-note keyboard with velocity & aftertouch, floppy disk drive for storing patches and sequences, and an enhanced sequencer. Great for organs, analog-type sounds, pads and sound effects. Like the classic ESQ-1, the SQ-80 functions in providing analog-type 4-pole lowpass filtering and editing of digital waveforms.

As for playing the SQ-80, it is a dream! Its 61-note keyboard is full, responsive and has polyphonic aftertouch. Polyphonic aftertouch simply means that each key pressed will respond to aftertouch independently of the other keys. The aftertouch can be used to control a variety of modulation parameters such as the LFO. Pitch and mod wheels and plenty of front-panel buttons and a few sliders make accessing and editing fairly easy and hands-on. The keyboard can be split or layered. The pattern-based 8-track multitimbral sequencer is great for creating short to complex sequences live, or in step time with quantization, bounce-able tracks, 60 sequence patterns and 20 songs. And they can be saved to disk along with any patches you've created and any SysEx Midi data. Unfortunately, the SQ-80 has no built-in effects. The SQ-80 is certainly a classic analog/digital hybrid of the late eighties which still holds up well today. It has been used by filmaker/composer John Carpenter. This thing is heavy like an analog Synth with the sounds to match."

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Sequential Synth Tips Episode 9 With Fred Everything: Prophet-6 Unison Mode

Sequential

"Welcome to “Sequential Synth Tips,” where some of our favorite artists share their tips, tricks, and techniques on Sequential synths. In this episode, we feature electronic musician and producer Fred Everything demonstrating how to use Unison mode on the Prophet-6.

Follow Fred Everything here:

https://linktr.ee/fredeverything"

Sequential Synth Tips

Birror

zack dagoba on vintage Buchla 100

PPG wave 2.2 Wavetable Synthesizer (1982) RetroSound Soundscapes II - sound demo

RetroSound

"(c)2007-20 by RetroSound
supported by UVI: http://bit.ly/retrosound-uvi

PPG wave 2.2 Synthesizer from the year 1982

The PPG Wave 2.2 is the direct successor of the Wave 2 but with 2 oscillators. Only 500 Wave 2.2 were manufactured.

The sound character is different to the later Waldorf Microwave synths and different to the Wave 2.3.

- 8 Voices
- 2 to 16 Oscillators per voice
- 30 Wavetables with 64 waves per table
- analog 24 dB/oct lowpass SSM 2044 VCF
- Curtis CEM 3360 VCAs
- micro processor (6809)
- 8Bit DACs

Used by: Trevor Horn (Propaganda, Art Of Noise, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Grace Jones), Ultravox, Depeche Mode, Robert Palmer, Talk Talk, Tears For Fears, Thomas Dolby, The Fixx, Thompson Twins, Tangerine Dream, Gary Numan and much more


RetroSound synthesizer demo videos since january 2007.
All is for free. If you like my work, so can you support me with a donation or a purchase of my music albums. Thank you!

Donations: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr..."

SoundsDivine 'Original Score' - U-he Diva Soundset

SoundsDivine111

"This is a demo of the presets from the 'Original Score' soundset for U-he Diva.
For more information, please follow the link below:
https://soundsdivine.com/product/diva...

00:00 Intro
00:10 Digital Cascade
01:10 Cinematic Scope
01:55 Hollywood Strings
02:31 Celestial Dance
03:05 Temporal Gate
03:48 Spirit Calls
04:48 Kharon's Domain
05:26 Harmonic Oscillations
06:07 Delicate Balance"

Noise Engineering Blog: Creating unique CV with unity mixers

Noise Engineering

"From the blog: https://www.noiseengineering.us/blog/...
Here, we're using Extra Mullet as a unity mixer to mix polymetric envelopes from Pons Asinorum to modulate Loquelic Iteritas."

Sound Design with Polyend Dreadbox Medusa (Ep.6) - Making Drums (+ MIDI Sync with Polyend Tracker)

Miltos Schimatariotis

"This episode is my take on making Drum sounds with the Medusa. I am demonstrating a workflow that may help you build a basic kit quite fast and I also describe how to use the sequencer with them. Since the Medusa is not a dedicated drum synth the sounds that we can achieve aren't like the usual 808, 909, etc sounds but I think we are able to have some drums and percussion with their own personality. As you will see in the sound design process something that will help us a lot to achieve some punch for the sounds is the FM feature of the synth. Furthermore, as an outro of the video, I have a demonstration of MIDI syncing the Medusa with the Tracker. It is a small song with the Medusa playing the drums and the Tracker adds some music around the rhythm.
I hope you 'll find this video helpful, feel free to leave your comments and thanks for watching!

Find me also on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/miltos_schima/

0:00 Intro
0:27 Kick / Bass drum
3:46 Snare drum
5:47 Hi-Hats
7:18 Toms
8:34 Programming the Sequencer
10:13 Demo song with Tracker"

An overview of new modules and collections in VCV Rack - June 2020

Omri Cohen

"If you like what I do and want to support my work, consider joining me on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/omricohen

I also created a document full of patching techniques and ideas that I will continue updating - https://www.patreon.com/posts/documen...

Here are the patches - https://patchstorage.com/an-overview-...

00:00 - Sckitam Waveguide Delay
01:46 - Admiral Divisions
03:59 - nysthi TZOP, TZEN, Ambuance
06:24 - Mindmeld Bass Master
09:36 - Ahornberg Metronome
11:15 - Studio 6+1 TE, LALA, EVA, Zazel
14:43 - Modular Fungi Lights Off
16:34 - SV Modular Personal Modules
17:14 - Non Linear Instruments
18:51 - Voxglitch Grain Engine MK2 Expander
20:33 - Nano Ona Oscillator
22:09 - Frequency Domain Grains of Wrath
23:05 - Oxidlab Entferner collection
24:56 - KautenjaDSP RackNES"

Creamware Prodyssey ASB

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via this auction

Pic of the Japanese manual below.

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Korg VC10

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Pics of the inside below.

Serviced:
- All electrolyte and tantalic capacitors are replaced by HQ capacitors.
- All pots, jacks, switches have been serviced.
- The keyboard contacts have been serviced.
- Calibration.

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Elta Music Polivoks-M Analog Synthesizer

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The grey side panels look 3D printed.

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Korg Monologue, MicroFreak, Novation Circuit, Volca FM, NTS-1, Lone Rider part 3

Waveformer

All parts here.

"Third and final part of a three-part jam, featuring the Korg Monologue, Arturia MicroFreak, Novation Circuit, Volca FM, and with Zoom MS-70CDR and Korg NTS-1 on effects.

My music on Bandcamp: http://waveformer42.bandcamp.com/

See the two previous videos for part 1 and 2. The tree jams use the same instruments and effects, but with different themes.

The Monologue is used for 3 solo parts - one bright synth-y lead in the beginning, one grumpy distorted lead sound in the middle, and one theremin-like sound at the end. All based on the same custom patch, but with modified envelope, oscillator mix and filter to give each solo a unique character.

The MicroFreak is doing chords with a simple super saw patch and lots of chorus, delays and reverb from the MS70. In the section from 7:30 to 9:30, I'm using a nice "trick" to get from a C minor to a Eb minor in a smooth way. I go from Eb to G7, and then to B diminished 7 (just move the low G note a half step up to a G sharp), and then on to Bb7 (move the B one half step down to a Bb). The Bb7 is the dominant chord for an Eb minor, so the transition to Eb minor feels very natural. To my ear, all these transitions feel very smooth, and still we end up on a Eb minor chord three half steps from the C minor root. And the G minor note in the Eb minor chord is definitely not in the C minor scale. It's even a tritone. The diminished 7th chord of a scale is a very nice gateway to other scales. If you're in C (major or minor) scale, you can use the B diminished chord to go to Eb, to Gb and to A - minor or major. All of these are just a half step up from a note in the diminished chord, so the tension in the diminished chord resolves nicely to any of these.

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ELKA SYNTHEX - Sounds, Patches & Ambient Soundscapes | Synth Demo

synth4ever

"Elka Synthex analog synthesizer demo, featuring various sounds, patches and ambient soundscapes. This Elka Synthex synth demo showcases various Elka Synthex sounds including pads, leads, resonant sweeps, organs and more. Filmed at the Vintage Synthesizer Museum in Oakland, CA.

Manufactured from 1981-1984 in Italy, the Elka Synthex is a lush sounding classic 8-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer. It was conceived by independent Italian designer Mario Maggi and has 30 knobs, 6 sliders, 80 switches and a joystick, as well as a 4 track sequencer. Later versions implemented basic MIDI functions.

The Elka Synthex utilizes 2 DCOs per voice, each with multiple waveshapes: triangle, saw, square, pulse, PWM and ring mod. It also has a lovely multimode filter with frequency, envelope control, resonance and keyboard tracking, as well as lowpass, two bandpass options, and highpass filter modes.

The Elka Synthex also has 2 LFOs, multiple envelope generators, multiple chorus modes as well as oscillator cross-modulation and oscillator sync capabilities. LFOs can be routed to osc1, osc2, PW1, PW2, filter or amp and waveshapes include triangle, saw, ramp and square. Voices can be split, dual or layered, and it also supports footswitches for advance, glide, hold and release and direct onboard glide/portamento.

The Elka Synthex sequencer offers four different tracks which can have different length and sounds (Upper/Lower can be allocated to different tracks), and supports rests between notes as well as length of notes. In addition, 2 of its tracks can output MIDI data.

Instead of traditional pitchbend/modulation wheels, the Elka Synthex has a joystick which provides real-time control over the two LFOs, oscillator and filter modulation. The 6 sliders beside the joystick assign what (LFO, osc and filter) goes to the joystick.

Overall, the Elka Synthex is an extremely lush sounding synthesizer with many famous artists such as Tangerine Dream, Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) and Jean Michel Jarre having used it. It is probably most famous for its "laser harp" sound.

The Elka Synthex is a beautiful machine, quite large in size, and can put out some amazing pads and timbres. The chorus and ensemble effects are particularly lovely, as they add an incredible shimmer to the sounds. The Elka Synthex is quite rare these days and commands hefty prices on the second-hand market, but if you have the opportunity to try one, do not hesitate as it is an experience like no other."

Novation Circuit vs Roland MC-101

Gabe Miller Music

"This video is a comparison of the Novation Circuit vs the Roland MC-101 (covering workflow, sound quality, and sound demos) to help you decide which groovebox is right for you."

Gabe Miller Music Circuit videos

Gabe Miller MC-101 videos

Play CHORDS with the Moog Subharmonicon - A HOW TO lol

Noir Et Blanc Vie

"I like the Subharmonicon to make many notes, not just one. Here's how I do it! I honestly don't think I'm great at showing musicians how to make music, but people kept asking, so Noir's here's with a how to, it may help wrap your head around harmony on this lovely instrument. If it helps great, if not, meh haha."

IMPROVISATION ONE GTP A 4 ANTONUS SYTEM PRO 3 P 6

JOSEF KLANG

Update: one more:

IMPROVISATION TWO GRP A 4 ANTONUS SYSTEM AND OTHER FRIENDS

Excerpt from Gravestone in Święciechowa | Waldorf Quantum, OTO BIM

HEAD DRESS

"Self-sequencing Waldorf Quantum output through OTO BIM and Elektron Digitone Keys effects. Live multi-cam 'performance' of Excerpt from Gravestone in Święciechowa. Long, repetitive and intentionally minimal ambient music with patch notes."

App Sound ASM Hydrasynth Hydra Galaxy

APP SOUND

"Walkthrough - Sound pack 'Hydra Galaxy': Get 80 new patches for the ASM Hydrasynth Keyboard and Desktop!"

Keyboard Mag. March '86 | What Was In It?

Espen Kraft

"A great interview with Jean Michel Jarre right after his release of the Zoolook album. OMD, Mr.Mister and lots of colorful ads of now classic gear!"

Espen Kraft What Was In It? posts

Lyle Mays lead

wedream2

"One of my favorite albums--As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls, with Pat Metheney and Lyle Mays. I created the synth lead sound used by Mays on the album. I routed the song, "It's for You" into the external input of the Arp 2600, and played the lead along with it."