Grendel - RA-99 Grenadier

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via this auction

The Grenadier RA-99 is the successor of the Grenadier RA-9, a semi-modular analog synthesizer with variable waveform VCO, triple resonant filter (2x bandpass and 1x lowpass), sub oscillator and pink noise and audio input for external signals. Midi is still omitted and the control is done via CV/Gate.

Compared to the RA-9, the Grenadier RA-99 is enhanced by the following features:

14 instead of 10 parameters for sound control
20 instead of 14 Patchpoints
The switchable oscillator (square/triangle) was replaced by a variable waveform oscillator (trapezoid)
Pink noise source
Instead of a single decay envelope there is now a variable AR or two decay envelopes (depending on the settings)
The filter was changed from 3x bandpass to 2x bandpass and once lowpass
The oscillator can now be controlled with 1v/oct (x2), 5V/oct, 15V/oct
The housing is no longer made of coated steel but of extruded aluminium
Therefore the sequencer and the mini-keyboard had to give way

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Waves Grendel Drone Commander

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via this auction, also on Reverb

"Red faceplate! No longer being manufactured! Like New Condition, Beautiful And Eerie Drone Synth built in an old Ammo Box..what’s not to love!

With a total of 9 knobs, the Drone Commander offers two manually-tuned oscillators and two LFOs, plus an unusually colorful and nasty filter. LFO1 is an analog variable-shape oscillator, and LFO2 is a pulse waveform that auto-synchronizes to LFO1 at a ratio of 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x. Both LFOs can be routed to the filter for rhythmic patterns. A line-level output jack is provided for connection to amplifiers or effects."

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Frost and Guest : Blast!

Published on Apr 8, 2020 Stefano Bertoli

Drone Commander II Vs. Voltage Memory

Published on Apr 7, 2020 Stefano Bertoli

"Drone Commander controlled by Voltage Memory, some reverb, delay and flanger here and there"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier - Contaminate Your Speakers (official synth demo)

Published on Feb 10, 2020 EA78751

"In-depth demo of the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier analog synthesizer. All sounds in the track are made with the RA-99, except the synthetic speech which was made with Rare Waves MIDI Narrator.

0:00 Part 1 - Contaminate Your Speakers (music track)
4:37 Part 2 - Making the distorted kicks
6:24 Part 3 - Making pink noise percussion
7:55 Part 4 - Making acid tones
9:25 Part 5 - Making the synthesized speech
10:06 Part 6 - Making the lead voices


Demonstration and Music by Eric Archer, 2020
Rare Waves LLC (rarewaves.net)"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier – Official synth demo

Published on Jan 24, 2020 EA78751

"The Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is new for 2020 and continues boldly into the sound territory of the original RA-9 from 2015. This is an original and excellent all-analog synthesizer from Rare Waves that implements parallel formant synthesis with a triple-VCF filter bank (1x LPF, 2x BPF). Voice-like vowel tones, stabby and juicy alien acid sounds, eerie drone incantations, filtered noise percussion, dark electro basslines, pitched Miami bass drums, wispy analog leads and more are at the producer’s fingertips. This synth uses CV-Gate control and gives you multiple v/oct inputs to creatively stack the CV sources from your sequencers to elevate its melodic potential. The accurate single VCO has voltage-controlled wave shape, a sub-octave square wave, and a pink noise source for furry warmth. RA-99 also features a pair of multi-function modulation sources that change from envelope generator to LFO by pushing a button. As envelopes, they can be either Decay or Attack-Release, with precise exponential curves. As LFOs, they have variable symmetry for triangle-sawtooth shapes, also pulse wave and clock outputs. LFO rate and envelope time can be voltage controlled. A pushbutton lets you assign either modulator to the main volume VCA. Both of RA-99’s modulators include bipolar attenuators to add animation to the filter bank, plus patchable modulation outputs to drive the synth’s other parameters. Its assembled in the USA by Rare Waves LLC (Texas). Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is designed and supported by Eric Archer."

Grendel RA-99 posts

Rare Waves / Grendel synth demo: Soul Grenadier (official)

Published on Jan 11, 2020 EA78751

"In this video sound track we feature tones from the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier, Rare Waves Hydronium, and Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal. With emphasis on the RA-99 Grenadier! At this point we’re still waiting for the graphic print job on its case, so in this video the new Grenadier is ugly and naked.. Its case is grey anodized aluminum with shiny chrome handles and soft touch knobs. Barring an unforeseen delay, Grendel RA-99 Grenadier will be ready in a couple weeks, and the price will be under $500. Available soon! Different demos to come... w/ smashing gabber bass"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier Sounds

Published on Nov 14, 2019 EA78751

Also see: Grendel RA-99 Grenadier + 2TAC Sequencer

"Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is in production! More details coming soon at rarewaves.net. This is an audio demo with nasty bass drums, growling arpeggios, and wobbly formant synthesis tones. It’s a dry recording with no FX. RA-99 Grenadier is a true analog synthesizer with 14 sound parameters controlled by rotary knobs and 6 pushbuttons. It has a 20-point patch bay that greatly expands your options for creative CV, gate, and audio signal routing. This is a one-oscillator monosynth with VC waveshape, subharmonic generator, plus a pink noise source. Its accurate and FM-able VCO has 2x 1V/oct inputs, a 5V/oct input thats great for octave trills, plus a 15V/oct input for vibrato and narrow pitch bending. The RA-99 filter bank has 3 VCFs in parallel, tunable with its Alpha, Beta, and Filter parameters for a wide range of tones including vowels and vocal-like sounds. Its modulation section can be configured as 2x envelope , 2x LFO, or one of each. The envelopes can be either Decay or Attack-Release and have bipolar depth. As LFOs, they have variable symmetry and can act as frequency divider or stair-step voltage sources. The synthesizer is housed in a tough anodized aluminum case and features protective hand grips just like the original Grendel RA-9 Grenadier. Manufactured by Rare Waves (Texas). Thanks for checking us out!"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier + 2TAC Sequencer

Published on Oct 17, 2019 EA78751

"We’re in the Rare Waves shop, demoing tones from the first prototype of a Grendel RA-99 Grenadier with help from a Grendel 2TAC analog sequencer. Fun! The RA-99 is based on the unconventional Grendel RA-9 Grenadier we produced back in 2014. It’s a true analog synthesizer with CV-Gate control. It has a formant filter bank with 3 VCFs for those guttural vowel tones and alien beatbox sounds. Its filter bank is animated by a pair of voltage-controlled modulation sources that can work as either LFOs or envelope generators. Its tone comes from 1 oscillator with VC waveshape + subharmonics and a pink noise source. And it has 20 patch points for semimodular control.

The original RA-9 Grenadier had a very basic 4-step sequencer built in - after revision, it spawned the 2TAC. So in a sense, the original RA-9 Grenadier evolved into the two units which you’re hearing."

Electro doom with synthetic alien death voice

Published on Aug 6, 2018 EA78751

"This video demonstrates vocal formant synthesis with some new hardware we're developing. The voice is synthesized with analog filters and oscillators. Created by Eric Archer / Rare Waves LLC 2018. Rare Waves manufactures the Grendel Drone Commander, Grendel Formant Filter, and other unique analog music equipment. Our website is rarewaves.net"

ESK- Piano Sample with Modular Effects

Published on May 30, 2018 Metunar

"In this video i am testing my effect modular case. I used only the mono piano from the Sledge synth as tonal source.
I used modules from DIY Ken Stone Real Ring Modulator, Doepfer Sampler A-112 and A-127 VCRF, Mutable Instruments Clouds and Ears, DIY Diodeclipper, Grendel Formantfilter, ...

I didn't put much effort in the piano playing and sadly also not in the correct focusing of the camera."

Grendel Drone Commander V2 Pedal

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via this auction

"Handmade in the US by the same company that made the original Ammo Can version. Oscillator and LFO are the same as in the original except for where the circuitry and build quality have been improved. Unique and extremely fun and playable synth for the drone enthusiast or to add one of the most beloved modern synth voices to a guitar or bass pedal board. Features and specs include:

-2 independent oscillators with square and triangle waveforms
-PLL (phase locked loop) tracking for LFO and Pulse waveforms
-Through-hole construction
-Knurled aluminum knobs, all aluminum body
-LFO and Pulse controls with variable controls of pulse mods (2/4/8/16 per LFO cycle)
-Varable control of filter sweep and direction
-Extensive control of oscillator volume and blending-- Independent volume control for each oscillator, separate crossfader for osc 1/2 blending, final level output for whole mix of oscillators, LFO and pulse
-Envelope control for stomp-switch and external audio gate
-External audio input
-External gate input
-External filter CV input
-Powered via ext 9V center-negative AC input (supplied) or 9V battery"

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Trishift

Published on Mar 10, 2018 UncertainMusicCorps

"Self-contained generative system.

Disting 4(1) is in quantised ASR mode providing the shifting sequence. Disting 4(2) in dual random trigger mode providing clocks for 4(1) and the drumming.
Shuttle Control provides master clock with divisions.
Warps picks out a top line. Drone Commander does what it does. I try not to intervene."

Grendel Grenadier RA-9

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via this auction

"One of the most unique drone synths ever made. No longer in production.

The Grenadier is a 1-oscillator analog drone synthesizer with cv-gate control.

The Grenadier can be played stand-alone by using its keypad with 4 independently tuneable keys, or you can activate its onboard sequencer for rhythm loops and tone sequences."

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Rare Waves Eurorack Grendel Drone Commander 2 + Expander

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via this auction

"Wonderfully thick and lush analog synth module with filters, LFO's, envelopes and more!
Push or pull the knobs (with a very satisfying "click!") for dual function - e.g filter 1 and 2.
This module is built like a tank, very heavy! No plastic here, solid premium feel all over.
Perfect for drones, pulsating rhythms, techno, Prodigy-like synth leads, dubstep..
Can go from soft and lush to distorted and brutal to plain experimental weirdness..
Most of all this is a insanely FUN, no-nonsense module to use!
* Dual VCO which are completely independent, with great bottom end.
* 12 Ins including 1 In to process external audio with its filters etc.
* 6 Outs"

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Grendel Drone Commander - Classic Pedal (official)

Published on Aug 18, 2017 EA78751

The Grendel Drone Commander in classic guitar pedal format.

"Coming soon from Rare Waves LLC USA ... the original circuit, the classic sound, plus gate control, and external audio In! Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal. rarewaves.net"

Sync Explorations - Grendel Drone Commander and Metasonix D1000

Published on Jun 18, 2017 Wein Glas

"Just a proof of concept, that it is (somehow) possible to sync two strange instruments: The Grendel Drone Commander analog drone synthesizer and the Metasonix D1000 Tube Drum machine.

However the result is more than strange: The D1000 syncs to the clock of the Drone Commander, but it sounds and behaves unexpectedly. Or maybe expecedly strange! But see and listen for yourself!

And for modular nerds: Further explorations showed that the Grendel Drone Commander Clock Out is a gate signal and not a trigger signal. So an envelope generator after the drone commander clock signal solves this problem!"

Insane Synths: GRENDEL DRONE COMMANDER (rare pulse drone synthesizer)

Published on Apr 20, 2017 daleturner

"GRENDEL DRONE COMMANDER: One of the coolest mono synths ever designed. In this video, you're hearing it totally 'dry,' with no effects (and, of course, in mono). Typically, I 'jam out' on this thing for quite a while, recording literally everything. Then I edit out all but the coolest bits and (if it will be used as a foundation for a track) "beatmap" them in Logic, so they're to a grid, then add effects (at the very least, timed delays). But, as you'll hear, with the few clips I included, the unit by itself is great for "precursor to event" tension-building sounds. It's one of my favorite gear pieces--and perhaps that's surprising, since I'm mainly a guitar dork!

This is one of about 750 that Eric Archer made (he has since created a modular version; check rare waves dot net). Indispensable for its beautiful, resonant sounds and very “playable” pulse drones. It has nine knobs--two manually-tuned oscillators and two LFOs, plus an unusually colorful and nasty filter. The manual details all knob functions, but here are a few: LFO1 is an analog variable-shape oscillator, and LFO2 is a pulse waveform that auto-synchronizes to LFO1 at a ratio of 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x. Both LFOs can be routed to the filter for rhythmic patterns. A line-level output jack is provided for connection to amplifiers or effects. YUMMY!

Song: 'Grendel Drone Commander Improvisations'
© Dale Turner 2017
http://www.intimateaudio.com"

Noise Techno With Drone Commander Siren Drone

Published on Apr 1, 2017 NoizeHack

"Frequency shifting, drone commandering, serge resonant eqing, plague bearing onto 1/4 inch tape."

Little Desktop Jam February 23, 2017

Published on Feb 23, 2017 David Bivins

"Grendel Grenadier RA-9 sequencer, clocked by Boss DR-55, also sequencing Makenoise 0-Coast. Malekko Ekko 616 Analog Delay on the DR-55. Short and sweet."