Create multitrack synth patterns in the LXR-02. Demo and tutorial

video upload by Richard DeHove

"Last time we looked at programming synth sounds on the LXR. This time we take a synth-heavy custom kit of four synth sounds and two drum sounds and team it up with the Midicake Arp. The Arp plays the four synth channels. Later we feed all four synths tracks into the LXR in one pass over 64 steps. While the Midicake is ideal for this you could use any sequencer or arp that can satisfy a few basic requirements: It needs to be able to send note information on different MIDI channels and be able to act as the Midi clock master - pretty basic powers. One tiny caution if you're going to use a Keystep-37: When you press the stop button for the arp or sequencer it sends a value '0' on Midi CC51 - which also happens to be the Midi command on the LXR for amp envelope decay on voice 1.

Feeding pattern data into the LXR is a good idea imo given how many options there are on the Midicake. One of the strengths of the Midicake is that it constantly saves its state as you work so there's no need to ever actively save anything. The downside is that there's no saved version to revert to in case you wander off on some promising but ultimately unsuccessful adventure. The lesson is to copy your patch to a new slot as you go. Same holds for the LXR - I've lost many interesting sounds in furious twiddles or too-confident "save kit" actions that turned out to be 'load kit' instead. Stay organized. For my honoured Patreon friends the LXR kit used here is available for download.

The synth sounds on the LXR are really starting to grow on me. They're pretty harsh and digital but respond well to effects. They're also not like your standard synth sounds so you tend to end up in odd places. It makes a good partner for the Midicake. Another obvious partner-candidate would be the Roland 4D. Not a fan of the superb blandness of Roland sounds but spec-wise it seems like a perfect fit. I only have one criticism of the Midicake Arp: They're now made in black and I've got a white one :/

As usual there is absolutely no extra effects, EQ, compression or alteration of the sound other than what you see.

0:00 Example arp
2:20 Drum pattern
2:45 Each synth sound
4:04 Midicake tracks demo
6:50 How to input data
10:02 LXR playback

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