Buchla rhythm - Buchla 208 / Buchla Easel Aux Card
"My new card, the Triple Sequential Voltage Source. I wanted to make something similar to the Buchla system 100 model 123.
It's basically three 8 step sequencers with variable step length and slew.
Step length control can be linked (like on the model 123) and un-linked (each sequencer can have a different length setting).
Price will be 460 euro ext VAT (if applicable). For more info and availability, mail me at rklinkenberg(at) gmail(dot) com stating 'Triple Sequential Voltage Source' in the description."
And a video from Todd Barton:
"Signal routing switch is modulated by the 208 5 step sequencer via the Mod Expander Card.
What you hear is an alternation between the MOD oscillator, the Complex oscillator & a noise source...
For more info and availability, mail me at rklinkenberg(at) gmail(dot) com stating 'Mod Expander Card' in the description."
"An update on the development of the Great Conjunction 2op FM synth based on the YM2413 sound chip from the 1908s.
I’ve been working on a new mode where any or all of the three sequencers can respond to meeting notes on specific channels. Sequencer one and sequencer two are both monophonic, but sequencer three has seven notes of polyphony.
Playing in MIDI note mode sounds pretty bizarre when running against some of the sequencers. I’m pretty much trying this for the first time here so the sounds are abrasive and weird, but I’m sure with some fine-tuning the sequencers can become incredible modulators."
"Intellijel Cascadia is sequenced by Metropolix which in turn is synced to Ableton Live via the Midi 1U module. Output A of Metropolix (CV A) has been patched to modulate the ENVELOPE A time. It is used to shorten the envelope right when the sequence is doing a faster ratcheting. The Metropolix clock output is patched to the Cascadia S&H trigger which is used to modulate the filter cutoff.
The second Pitch output of Metropolix (PITCH B) is used to sequence VCO B of Cascadia. VCO B SAW is mixed into the first channel of the Mixer as an additional melodic layer.
The Strymon Timeline is connected to the final output for some added delay fx."
"My opening set for electronic jam band Chachuba at Kenny's Westside Pub in Peoria IL May 5 2023.
Since I was opening for a high energy (not to be confused with Hi-NRG) electronic jam band, I decided to keep my set as low-key as possible. My personal gravity is extremely strong with ambient dub, so I went with that. I would really like to explore this dynamic more in these circles. Hopefully this gig wasn't the end of it.
Something that has bothered me about my live music over the past 15 years or so is that I have wanted an extemporaneous approach, but the tools I chose were more suited to improvisation than composition, because flexibility is more important to me than structure.
What this means is that with very specific exceptions, I've been playing electronic free jazz for 15 years and the stress level hit a point where I just didn't even enjoy playing any more. I would spend my entire gig having a slow-motion panic attack, terrified that what I was doing was boring and made no sense whatsoever.
I started using a tool called The Force by a brand which used to be a division of a legendary Japanese home audio company but is now in the brand basket of an MI corporation that has many faces. I spent years working with it as a sound design tool but never live, and late last year I threw up my hands in frustration with a Very Complicated live rig I spent years building and chucked it all in favour of this thing ... and I can now do TUNES again. This silly looking, horribly typecast box lets me finally interact with an electronic composition in a way that I could do as a bandleading organist with tight relationships with a drummer and a guitarist.
I have some plans to re-incorporate "electronic free jazz" into my sets but I have to build a new (smaller) live rhythm section and it will require that I design and engineer at least three new products.
In the meantime, I'm pretty happy. I had no music-related anxiety about this gig. All of my visible stress was because my Suburban suffered a transmission failure right after leaving my studio, which delayed me 2 hours, but I still started on time. I also had forgotten how to use the Pigtronix Infinity 3 loopers, because their UX sucks, and they should be ashamed of themselves. I'll be designing my own MIDI controller for them soon which will solve some of its problems but those clowns need to get their act together. I think I wasted the first five minutes of my timeslot trying to figure out why they weren't doing what they were supposed to do. (I cut that part out. It was embarassing.)
Like all of my sets, there is an intro, incidents, and interstitials. This is a tracklist:
0:00 - Intro - Suitscape in Abm 4:00 - National Suicide: Military Aid to the Soviet Union (Ebm 70 BPM) 23:00 - Suitscape in Bbm 24:53 - Dub Force Rising (70 BPM Fm) 37:55 - Suitscape in Cm 40:33 - Summertime: Temporary Love (80 BPM Gm) 50:58 - Outro - Suitscape in Dm
I'd like to thank Chachuba for insisting that I open for them, and Kenny's Westside Pub staff for being so hospitable and their owner for being gracious and generous to me. Kenny's also shot and recorded this gig, and livestreamed it. That is so damn cool.
Also, I am contractually obligated to mention periodically, but not constantly, that I am a Hammond USA company artist. They make great stuff like the XK-1c I'm playing at this gig and if you're using anyone else's products for digital Hammond sounds you should probably re-evaluate your choices. I have been playing vintage Hammond consoles since 1998 and ever since I got the XK-1c I haven't felt that hole in my electronic music that existed before, where I had no connection to my roots. I could write paragraphs about this but I need to go to bed.
"Drew showcases the sonic polyphony of this vintage Sequential Prophet-5 rev2 16-voice poly-synth, now available at the Synth Exchange! The Prophet rev2 16-voice features twice the polyphony as the rev2 8-voice synths, plus twice the mod matrix, waveshape modulation on all waveforms, and digital effects per layer in stacked or split voice mode—all of which make this Prophet-5 an analog powerhouse!
Following in the footsteps of the original Sequential Prophet-5 released in 1978—the first electronic music synthesizer to employ microprocessors for storing sounds, making it possible to recall previous patches with ease—the Prophet-5 rev2 16-voice synth represents the second iteration of Sequential’s microprocessor-controlled polyphonic synth. Boasting the highly resonant, slightly more mid-rangy sonic characteristics of the Dave Rossum-designed SSM 2040 filter, this synth became so beloved by musicians and producers that Sequential incorporated its sounds into its latest rev4 update, both to appease Sequential enthusiasts who preferred these earlier versions and to let modern users access all the quirks of previous iterations!"
"Here's what I saw / wanted to see at #Superbooth 23, plus some impressions of the event itself. I talked with @AodyoInstruments about their line of hardware modeling synths, Anyma PHI, Sylphyo and #Anyma OMEGA (thanks again for taking so much time to walk through the features!). Also a presentation of the @GamechangerAudio #Motorsynth MKII, which I already filmed last year but never got around to turn into a video. Please forgive me if I mispronounced names / got them wrong entirely. I lost some of the business cards on the way back. My bad.
Also (not in the video), https://www.manikin-electronic.com/ - they gave me an extensive demo of their Memotron Keyboard, which as a Mellotron clone with a great keyboard. It was super fun to play, but they talked so fast and enthusiastically that I had no time to restart and set up audio recorder and camera. ;-)
Table of contents: 00:00 hello 00:38 getting there, location impressions 02:09 Aodyo Anyma 11:20 more impressions! 12:09 MPMIDI controller 13:05 more impressions! 13:40 OK200 DEGREE Eurorack Performance Controller 15:15 more impressions! 16:17 some thoughts 16:44 Motor Synth MKII (of course). 26:15 thanks! :-)"
"At Superbooth 2023, we spoke to the legend that is Scott Jaeger from Industrial Music Electronics (formerly Harvestman) about the new products he has on display. First up is the Stilson Hammer Mark III, a redesigned version of the Mark II sequencer with improved reliability and added features such as gate buttons for each track, extra gate or CV outputs per track, and an OLED display. The Mark III also boasts an improved quantizer, the ability to back up sequences to SD card, and an enhanced song mode and preset chaining. Jaeger explains that the OLED display provides immediate feedback of the internal memory states and helps with chaining patterns into a song, allowing for more powerful performance gestures and individualized style of playing.
Jaeger also demonstrated the Andre Jr., a VCA-based analog low-pass gate circuit with a dual digital envelope generator that can be modulated to develop the dynamics of a sequence through careful modulation of the envelope's velocity. However, the most significant module on display is the Volkmire's Inferno, a granular synthesizer that can load WAV files from an SD card or record from a live input. With independent pitch and playback speed control, the grain generation can be further modified with various parameters such as density and turbidity, providing a unique and customizable sound. The prototype also features a diffuser effect with a feedback loop, assignable CV inputs, trigger inputs for transport control, and a stereo spread control. Industrial Music Electronics is hoping to produce these prototypes by the end of the year.
"For the next episode in this series, I take a closer look at voltage controlled filters or VCFs. Filters are one of the most important sound shaping components within a synthesizer."
"The truth is born in the experiment! We took the most of the legendary Korg Opsix synthesizer, using sophisticated modulation techniques and FM synthesis circuits to produce outstanding, vibrant sounds that can take musical compositions to the next level! Now we can safely state that we succeeded!
This unique soundbank is full of flowing arpeggios, deeply immersive pads, non-trivial effects, piercing plucks, bright and memorable leads and much more! These 50 exclusive presets were created by the well-known sound designer, Otto K. Schwarz, and suitable for both hardware and software versions of the synthesizer.
Each preset has modwheel and LFOs assigned, which allows you to deeply modulate and customize the sounds, to meet the needs of your own musical works. These sounds are suitable for both studio work and live performances, and may be used in the different styles of music.
We wish you an amazing sonic experience! Use your favourite Korg Opsix synthesizer to let your musical compositions reach a new quality level!
"We ride along O'Shaughessy Boulevard, which runs along the west side of Glen Canyon Park from an intersection with Bosworth San Francisco (in the Glen Park neighborhood) to Portola Drive (in the Twin Peaks neighborhood). It provides views of wooded hillside, the canyon, and Sutro Tower. This scenic road was built in the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the great depression. It is named for Michael O'Shaughnessy, the Chief Engineer of San Francisco from 1912-1934 who developed Muni and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir along with other infrastructure for the city.
Original music by Amanda Chaudhary, featuring the following instruments:
Arturia Jun-6 V and Mellotron V (software)
Arturia MiniFreak and MiniBrute (hardware)
Cherry Audio GX-80
EastWest Hollywood Solo Cello Gold, Hollywood Woodinds Gold (contrabassoon)
RMI Electra Piano (Kontakt instrument)
AudioThing / Hainbach Wires
Big Fish Audio Grindhouse
"A new Bud app! Binarhythmic, from Cem Olcay. Binarhythmic, which seemingly has far too many H's in the name because I keep leaving some of them out, is a combination of binary and rhythmic (and I only said combination because I can't spell portmanteau LOL). It's a really interesting sequencer app as instead of beats and measures it counts in binary, with each digit (potentially) being a trigger. This opens up all sorts of possibilities, because instead of "simple" patterns of four or eight notes you're counting in binary, so 1, then 2, then 4, then 8, 16, 32, etc. So you could use three binary digits to have a kick on 1 and a snare on 4, but you can go way beyond that to have some notes be conditional on others or to "gate" notes so they play for a while until a trigger hits and then they stop, to start up again at the next trigger. Endless possibilities. And that's only with three digits. If you use eight digits your sequences can now have 128 beats. And it doesn't stop there because you're transmitting MIDI notes, so you can use them to trigger other events, such as starting/stopping other sequencers, say.
When I first tried out Binarhythmic it seemed very random—flashing lights, things happening at odd times and unpredictably. But once I got the hang of it it all started to make sense. We generally work in even measures, all with the same length for the most part, but in Binarhythmic each measure can be twice as long as the last. The beauty of this is that you can use it to trigger seemingly random events because humans just can't keep track of large numbers like 32 or 64, so if something happens once every 32 or 64 notes it feels like it might be a little out of the blue.
So a couple of video housekeeping notes. Seems I was a little careless with where I ran my headset cable and picked up a bit of hum along the way. It's not terrible, but let this be a lesson to us all. But mostly to me. Also, there's a bit of chord noise as the headset mic too easily picks up the vibrations if one is not paying attention. Again, "one" being me. And lastly, reasonably sure I was able to avoid picking up any playground wailing children noise but just in case I missed any it won't be too much of a surprise. Hopefully.
And finally, the quote intended use unquote for Binarhythmic is rhythm. So of course I did not do that and instead headed out towards some sort of ambient generative territory LOL. But fun was had along the way, and of course that just shows how usable and flexible Binarhythmic can be. Definitely worth a look.
Stuff used Binarhythmic - http://keybudapp.com/binarhythmic Arturia iSEM - https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-stor... Atom Piano Roll 2 - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/atom-pi... Pipa - https://klevgrand.se/products/pipa Ravenscroft 275 - https://www.vilabsaudio.com/ravenscro... Velvet Machine - https://phonolyth.com/products/velvet... AUM - https://apps.apple.com/app/id1055636344 ScreenFlow - https://www.telestream.net/screenflow... Audio Technica BPHS1 broadcast headset - https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/...
"Original vintage SERVICED SCI Prophet 5 rev 3.2 in absolutely gorgeous playing condition, freshly recapped, and calibrated, action regulated with new bushings, and performing better than ever. THE definitive 80’s analog poly monster, absolutely mind blowing, chewy analog fatness. There is nothing like the real sound of the real thing. Grrrrrrrr."
"Original SERVICED vintage Roland RS-505 string synthesizer, WITH original fitted guitar case, AKA the greatest analog string synth... ever.
This is the real deal OG Japanese non-export 100v model, just been gone over by the tech, and sounds lush, squishy, swirly, and just magical. A must for the pro player, studio, or collector.
Enjoy!"
"Original vintage SERVICED Roland HS-60 synth plus (Juno 106) with on board speakers. THE definitive 80’s analog poly, freshly serviced, tuned and calibrated, brand new speakers and battery, sounds and plays better than ever. My favorite Juno. Perfect for the pro player, or studio. -Enjoy!"
"Soundmachines presenting their growing product line during this Gesprächskonzert at SUPERBOOTH23. Here Soundmachines show the t-generator, t-formant, t-spectrum, t-quadstrip and more!"
"Thinstone show us their new Track8 prototype audio recorder and sequencer."
"Track8 helps you to capture your creative ideas without the distractions of modern Digital Audio Workstations. All features are right at your fingertips and accessible without menu diving.
Lay down a basic beat via the USB Audio import. Record one track at a time. Rearrange your song structure afterwards. Undo if you need to. In the end, export your Song either as a Mixdown to share as a demo tape, or export raw Stem files for further processing and mixing in the DAW of your choice."
Audio Record to up to 8 stereo Audio Tracks, via Mono/Stereo 1/4” Input or XLR Microphone Preamp. Cut, copy, paste your Music. Merge and bounce your Tracks.
Midi Connect your Midi Devices using full size Midi in/out. Or connect up to 16 USB Midi devices to the USB-A Port. Record and Edit Midi Events.
More Use selected Effects on each Audio Track. Send each Track to a Delay and Reverb Bus. Import WAV Files and Loops into your arrangement. Export individual Stems or whole Tracks.
"I recently had the chance to catch up with Jasper from Majella Audio at Superbooth 23 to discuss the fantastic Implexus. He previously sent me one to Review and I ended up doing a complete Track with it. You can check it out below."
"Stephan Bobinger from Synth Studio Berlin was playing the Yamaha CS-80 to get our attention - it worked right?
Their new business is offering the opportunity to rent vintage and modern synthesizers by the hour or day. Their studio is equipped with an impressive array of classic analog synths like the CS80, Jupiter-8, System 700, and Moogs, as well as new synthesizers like the Hydra synth, Quantum, and C15 from Nonlinear Labs. The studio is also designed with a room-in-room construction, ATC speakers, and top-notch acoustics to ensure the best possible recording experience.
The hourly rates are very reasonable, with three models available: hourly, three hours, or the whole day, priced at €80, €200, and €600 euros, respectively.
Synth enthusiasts can now have the opportunity to play and record on the best synths in the industry. Synth Studio Berlin has been open for just a month, but it's already proving to be a must-visit destination for synth lovers from around the world.
"We spoke to Marc Berendes from Sucofunk about the Beatmaker Sketchbook. This device is a sampler, sequencer, and groovebox that is completely portable and is available in two different versions. The Beatmaker Sketchbook is 100 % open source and can be found on GitHub.
It has a workflow of sample, sketch, arrange, and play, which means users can sample, arrange parts of the sequence, and perform live. The sampler has 24 keys and three banks, which means 72 buttons and keys in total, and each key can be assigned to a sample.
The device can record something or sample from the internal microphone and the line-in connector, or resample something like sequences played back. Sucofunk offers workshops for the device, which takes two days to build and offers pre-order for the devices.
Beatmaker’s sketchbook houses a microphone, a fader, four rotary encoders, 24 keys for two octaves, 12 functional buttons, a display and a via USB rechargeable battery. It can sample through a line-in or the built in microphone, playback via headphones or the line-out connector and communicates with external devices via MIDI.
Beatmaker’s sketchbook comes in different flavors:
Beatmaker’s sketchbook mini
Beatmaker’s sketchbook custom and unique handmade devices
PCB “mainboard” to use it as the base for your own project
"We spoke to Andre Sklenar of VectorSynth about their new product, Tempora. Tempora is a granular synthesizer and sampler that has a total global pool of 4000 samples, with 16 voices of polyphony, per-voice filters, and per-voice modulators.
The basic operation is that you have eight tracks or samples that can be short or up to 10-12 seconds long, and you put in a note and an emitter that tells it what pitch to play and where the grains come from. Each emitter can have a different size, density, and color coding, and you can modulate the parameters of each.
The interface provides good utility in terms of where the grains are pulled, and there is no waveform, so users are encouraged to listen and explore with their fingers. The Tempora is PC powered, and if you want, you can use a power bank. VectorSynth plans to start doing pre-orders as soon as possible, and the price is yet to be determined.
"We spoke to Tomas Haller from Vermona at Superbooth 2023 about their new expansion module for the meloDICER, a random-based sequencer. The new module allows users to control every parameter of the meloDICER via MIDI, enabling automation for every parameter and MIDI output. The meloDICER has a basic note value with a random variation, legato probability, and rest probability.
The probability for each note can be set by adjusting the faders, and the higher the fader, the more probability for the note. The module also adds a second and third voice with accent probability, new rhythms, and melodies. The start and end points for the sequence can be set, and there is a free-running mode with complete random melodies within the scales. The expansion module is expected to be released in summer 2023 for around 200 euros."
"At Superbooth 2023, Sonicstate.com spoke to Chris Barth, representing Raw Yaw Media, about the three modules the company has on show. First up is the Dizigo, a digital oscillator with two voices - one based on square wave FM synthesis and the other on sine wave phase modulation. It has a modulation depth knob for different pitch shifting and a frequency knob that affects the FM modulator oscillator. The second module is Taurus, an overdub looper that is currently in beta. It features pattern chaining behaviors, different pitch shifting techniques, and a harmonic knob that influences the recorded buffer. Taurus supports up to 16 note steps, with the harmonic knob allowing users to play those notes at different speeds. It also offers clock in and out, reset gate out, and up to an 8x clock multiplier. Lastly, Monolith is a digital reverb with pitch shifting based on exponential FM.
dizygote is an a-side/b-side digital oscillator with a built-in envelope generator. the a-side builds harmonies with a square waveform and frequency modulation. the b-side distorts a sine waveform with phase modulation.
Input:
trig - button and gate in to trigger oscillator amplitude envelopes switch - button and gate in for toggling between the a and b sides length - knob and cv in for changing the envelope length mod - knob and cv in for changing the phase and fm modulation amounts mfreq - knob and cv in for changing the phase and fm modulation frequencies freq - knob for setting the oscillator frequency v/oct - voltage per octave cv for modulating the oscillator frequency
Output:
out l and out r - audio output env - cv envelope out
"Tatsuya Takahashi (Tats) continues to innovate from his labs at Korg Berlin, he revealed their latest innovation - acoustic synthesis. Tats explained that Korg Berlin has developed metal resonators that are designed to contain frequencies that are pleasing to the ear. The resonators move in complex ways when stimulated, with the fundamental frequency creating a sense of pitch. Korg Berlin uses an electromagnetic system to move the resonators, similar to the hammer in a piano. The company then uses capacitive pickups to capture the movement and feed it into a feedback control system, allowing them to manipulate and sustain specific overtones and frequencies. Korg Berlin showcased an early prototype of the technology, which they called the acoustic"
"Herr Doepfer - the man who started it all! He showed us their latest polyphonic systems. The first one is a polyphonic portamento controller that allows the glide function to be available in a polyphonic system. It has three CV inputs and four CV outputs which are already internally wired to the oscillators.
The other polyphonic module they showed is a polyphonic mixer that can mix several polyphonic VCOs to obtain a fatter sound. It has three polyphonic channels with four voices each, and internally it's made of 12 VCAs arranged in a matrix of 3 by 4. It has a very special feature where if channel B is not used, the module generates the sub-octaves of the channel A.
They also showed a phaser module which is a copy of a phaser from the 70s called Schulte Compact Phasing A that was used by famous musicians such as Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Kraftwerk and more. In the meantime, these units are available second-hand at very high prices, so Doepfer decided to build a copy of this phaser."
"We spoke to Aditya, the founder of Animal Factory Amplification, who showcased their new prototype synthesizer, the Asura, at Superbooth 2023. The Asura is a standalone synthesizer that features two wavetable oscillators that can be summed or set to modulate each other, which then goes into a distortion circuit, instead of a filter, allowing for idiosyncratic sound creation.
Aditya also revealed that they spent time during the pandemic to develop the definitive versions of their pedals, including the Pit Wiper, Chemical Burn, Baron, Gaudi, and their new analog phaser called the Phasier. The new pedals are designed in-house, including the metal casting, and will feature extended controls and level boosts for certain settings.
The Animal Factory Amplification pedals come with soft switches for true bypass and have improved features compared to their previous models. Aditya mentioned that they are still working on the production of the pedals, with die casting being one of the biggest challenges they faced. Nonetheless, they expect the pedals to be available in about three to six months. For more information on the Asura and Animal Factory Amplification's pedals, check out their website at https://animalfactoryamps.com/."
"We spoke to Devin from Weston Precision Audio at Superbooth 2023. He showed us his new module called the H1 Analog Harmonizer. It features two digitally controlled analog oscillators with a pitch tracking input, generating instant analog chord stabs. The module also has dual quantizers and analog through zero FM, making it a great addition to any modular rig. It's in the final stages of development, with user-updatable firmware and a target price of $395 US.
Devin also mentioned an additional Chord Mode where users can save and address 12 chords with CV inputs. The goal of this module was to simplify the process of achieving basic polyphony in a modular rig without having to tune multiple VCOs. Overall, the H1 Analog Harmonizer is a unique and affordable module that will be a great addition to any modular synth setup.
"Adam from Venus Instruments showed us the Rev2 of the Veno Echo, a digital stereo delay unit. It includes two separate channels with independent time and feedback controls and a wide range of delay times that are derived from the bass tempo. The Vino Echo also features a handful of tools to colour and sculpt the delay, such as high pass and low pass filters and a saturation drive algorithm, which couples nicely with the filters to create interesting tones. Additionally, there are reverse buffers on each side, which can be independently triggered, and gate inputs to allow sequencing externally. The Karpus strong algorithm is also included, which allows for two sides to be controlled with a volt per octave input to create a nice plucked synth sound with some sustain. More info about the Vino Echo can be found on the Venus Instruments website. https://www.venusinstrumentsaudio.com/"
"We spoke to ILya from Gamechanger Audio at Superbooth 2023, who introduced the Motor Synth MKII, which has been in production and available for purchase. Gamechanger Audio also presented a new concept that they have been working on – the Plasma Voice. The concept is a car battery-powered module that generates electrical sounds through the modification of the Plasma Tube Circuit. The interface is intentionally vague as it is still in the experimental stage, but the concept is to create a companion instrument for the Motor Synth that can be used for performances and demonstrations, featuring strange and unconventional sound sources. The Plasma Voice Concept has been designed to generate rhythmical and percussive elements with sound effects and glitchy elements, creating a set of sounds that can be used together with the motor voices.
For more information on the Motor Synth MKII and the Plasma Voice Concept, visit the Gamechanger Audio website."
