Contraption

video upload by nbor

"Gearing up for Wednesday's monthly in dt San Jose. I've been trying to make the most of the small synths, as it makes for a very portable situation. With only one effect on one sound, it is all very close to the circuits and raw.

Production notes: A dawless jam run on battery power alone. Roland SH-01A, Korg Volca FM, Meeblip Geode, @1010music Blackbox, and Sensel Morph. The Roland is going through a @MerisUs LVX delay. I found the cheap and compact "G-MARK" mixer from AliExpress for frighteningly cheap. It does a darn decent job, and is crazy small.

There are a couple battery packs - a 150Wh and a 99Wh. I ended up using the 2nd because the blackbox was making too much USB noise when everything was plugged into the 150Wh. There was still quite a bit of noise, but the Izotone RX-8 does a good job cleaning that out."

Chaotic ambient ramblings w/ Meebleeps freaq fm + Dirtywave m8 + Phantasmal Force

video upload by Arman Bohn

"Testing out a newly built @Meebleeps freaq fm synced to the m8 tracker. Mutes on the m8 are being handled by the Phantasmal Force.

Not sure if this setup will make it onto the soundtrack EP I’m working on for @bradkerr6376 … but there is something here……

I need to dig a little deeper into the manual for the freaq.

Loving the matrix led display. I was trying to incorporate one one those into my next project but couldn’t tame the noise for the multiplexed output.

Beep boop.

#diy #midicontroller #arduino #synth #generativemusic #tinystudio #ambient #ambientmusic #electronicmusic #fmsynthesis"

The Tale of The Ondioline: Music's Oldest Synthesizer?

video upload by The Lemon Master

0:00 Intro
1:21 Design
5:50 History
7:46 Rise
10:39 Downfall
12:47 Revival?
14:24 Outro

Note the first "synth" is debatable. The Telharmonium (1897), Ondes-Martenot (1928), Mixturtrautonium (1936), Novachord (1939), amongst others predated it. The Theremin, although not a keyboard instrument, but the inspiration if not the basis for Bob Moog's creations arrived in 1921. For a timeline of electronic instruments see https://120years.net, and for more synth centric, as we know them, see The First Synth to.....

For reverything Ondioline see https://ondioline.com

And related posts:

Jean Jacques Perrey & Dana Countryman - The Good Old Days

New Website Dedicated to the Ondioline

Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline (pics of my copy here)

And of course, see the Ondioline label for additional posts.

nbor Live In Studio 6 22

pt 1 HD 1080 video upload by nbor

"A live performance, prepared for a livestream for Piqued program #33. The initial seed was a sequence I wrote on the Model:Cycles, which I then built around with some melodies on a MeeBlip Geode, and improvisations on the Korg Minologue and Buchla Easel Command. Additional guitar work was overdubbed."

Live In Studio 6 22 pt 2 HD 1080p

video upload by nbor

"A live performance, prepared for a livestream for Piqued program #33. This was built around some sound designs in Bitwig, and a simple drum beat. The beat was expanded and made more complex with note modifiers and randomness. Additional layers from guitar solo and Buchla improvisations round out the composition. Video feedback effects were created using a 19" CRT and some image modifications in Max/Jitter."

A Bass Moment with meeblip geode

video upload by nbornbor

"I recorded this to demo on a FB group, but goddamn, I love the sound of this thing, so it's in my catalog here. Sending a simple MIDI bass line to the Geode and playing with the knobs is so satisfying. There's a very odd transient in the attack on this synth that sounds almost mechanical, like there some spring loaded mechanism in this box that triggers the sound. I love it.
No compression or eq on this, just raw crud from the synth."

New MeeBlip cubit duo: USB MIDI interface and MIDI thru

via Create Digital Music

"We’re pleased to introduce our latest addition to the MeeBlip line – the simple but essential interface and thru box for MIDI we needed ourselves. Here’s cubit duo.

You know the need. You’ve got some MIDI gear, and you need to connect it to your computer – or your iPad, or a phone, or a Raspberry Pi. You want it to work via USB. You want it to be reliable and for the timing to be solid. You don’t want to have to install drivers – or you’ve got a device (like a phone or Linux) that doesn’t work with Windows or Mac drivers.

Or you’ve got some cute compact synths and drum machines and boxes and… huh. They’ve got MIDI IN, but no MIDI out.

cubit duo solves all of this in one device. And it’s two gadgets in one (literally, because it replaces two devices we used to make separately).

Standalone, it’s a 4-port MIDI splitter – also known as a MIDI thru box. Plug MIDI into the MIDI IN jack, and whatever is sent to that input is sent simultaneously to all four OUT jacks – with near-zero latency, so it’s perfect for clock signal or anything needing ultra-tight timing.

Connected via USB to a computer or (with adapter) mobile device, it’s an interface and a thru box. It appears to the connected device as a 1×1 MIDI interface, but – here’s the twist – the MIDI OUT is sent to all four output jacks. Since MIDI has up to 16 channels, that can still work for four separate MIDI signals – but what you don’t get is the software lag some devices introduce. It’s a perfect way to connect four outputs without worrying about the interface adding any lag. (The usual lag and jitter the OS and computer add apply, but the four outputs will be in sync with one another.)

This replaces two separate devices – cubit splitter and cubit go – with all the benefits those devices offered. We got great feedback from all of you on those, but you clearly wanted them to be one device. We found a way to engineer that and add a simple switch to let you choose modes.

And you get all of this for US$79.95 / €79,95 (including VAT), shipping now."

Meeblip Anode Synthesizer and Roland TB-3

video upload by Paul Yap

"Just a quick play of the Meeblip Anode and the Roland TB3. 🎛️"

Yet Another Big Sound

video by nbor

"Another sampling of the Meeblip Geode yields some really luscious soundscape. I just want to float on this stuff."

Using Expressive play with Hardware [Tutorial]

Sensel

"Expressive play is not just for software! Here, we uncover how to get real with your machines, using the X, Y, and Z controls from any pad on the Sensel Morph. Inspired by the multiple dimensions of MIDI Polyphonic Expression, we find some clever ways to control hardware synths. We create special maps that directly control the knobs and sliders on hardware to get sounds that you would otherwise not. Turn your hardware into flexible sound design machines by playing, not turning knobs and sliders (as fun as that is!)."

MIDI Mod on the iPhone as a Performance Utility - an AN1x style patch on the Prophet Rev2

Published on Jan 9, 2020 thesrabbit

MIDI Mod Overview video further below. You can find it in the App Store here.

Spotted this one on discchord.

"I love the sound of the AN1x, but programming it is not the quickest experience. The Rev2 has similar capabilities from a sound design perspective (plus a whole lot of things that the AN1x can't do). However, the AN1x has an awesome effects section that blows away that of most modern synths. In this video, I use MIDI Mod to do some fairly simple routings, just using the Mod Matrix. No LFO's, envelopes, arps, or anything else.

MIDI Mod is running on an iPhone X, hooked up to the MeeBlip Cubit Go via USB. MIDI out of the Cubit Go is running to the MIDI In on the Rev2. And MIDI Out of the Rev 2 is going to MIDI In on the Cubit Go. This gives MIDI Mod 2-way communication with the Rev2. Now this could easily be done without DIN cables at all, just connecting MIDI Mod directly to the Rev2 over USB. But later in the video, external effects are added to level the playing field with the AN1x on that front, somewhat. One of the pedals (Ventris Dual Reverb) has a MIDI input and so there's a MIDI DIN cable running to that as well.

The idea behind the patch isn't to recreate the exact patch on the Rev2, but to create a similar patch from a structural point of view. 2 layers, one as a pad, and 1 as an arp spanning multiple octaves. With the ability to fade the arp in and out via the modwheel. "Program Volume" is not a modulation destination on the Rev2 itself, but we can easily access it with MIDI Mod (or almost any other of the bazillion parameters on the Rev2).

In addition, Note (MIDI Note) is routed to Layer A Pan Spread and Layer B Pan Spread on two different slots. Layer A has the arp, and so the range is set to 63-127 to throw the voices out wider. Layer B is the pad, so the range is restricted to 0-12 to keep things more centered, which makes that aspect of the sound a little more meaty, especially the lower notes. This can easily be adjusted to taste.

Finally, the modwheel is assigned to the pre-delay time of the Ventris later on in the video when the external effects are brought in.

The point of this is to illustrate what you might do with MIDI Mod in a pinch, to get that little extra something. Made even easier now that you can do it just by using your phone!

Starring:
- MIDI Mod for iOS (on an iPhone X)
- Sequential Prophet Rev2
- Yamaha AN1x
- MeeBlip Cubit Go MIDI Interface
- TC Electronic Flashback II Delay
- Source Audio Ventris Dual Reverb"

MIDI Mod for iPad - Full Overview with the Yamaha Reface CS

Published on Jul 6, 2019 thesrabbit

"This video uses the Yamaha Reface CS and Arturia Keystep to provide a full rundown of MIDI Mod's major features, including:

LFOs
Envelopes
Arpeggiator
Mod Matrix
Sync and App Settings

MIDI Mod's Main Features:
4 LFOs
3 Envelopes (delay and hold, loopable, 2 ADSR, one 4-stage with individual level controls)
Arpeggiator with an auto-transpose sequencer (sequencer of a sequence) and modulation capabilities
32-slot mod matrix with fine tune value ranges for each assignment and inversion (negative)
Mod sources include the LFOs, envelopes, arp note on, arp note off, and when used with an external keyboard, you get Aftertouch, Velocity, note (key tracking), Pitchbend, Modwheel, and expression as mod sources.

What sets MIDI Mod apart is ease of use when making assignments. It comes with over 50 pre-defined device mappings. So there's no need to dig through your user manual or midi implementation chart. Just select the manufacturer, model, and parameter name from the menu. Additionally, you have a ton of internal routings that can be made. For example, LFO 2 could modulate LFO 1's rate, Envelope 2 could control LFO 2's mod depth, and so on."

Korg Monologue demo: Roikat Cartoon 4 stop motion animation

Published on Dec 23, 2019 Roikat

"Korg Monologue synthesizer tracks accompanying a stop motion animation made with iStopMotion. One voice utilizes the Monologue's modulation sequencer, with the other voices demonstrating the Monologue's penchant for simple vintage-ish subtractive synth patches if you neglect the more 'modern' features. The stop motion animation stars a MeeBlip anode, but it was not used in the soundtrack."

meeblip thru5: MIDI splitter kit

via meeblip

"We're giving it away with all geode sales (and throwing in free standard shipping) in a special intro sale for 48 hours. It's Black Friday in October, basically."

thru5 is an affordable kit that’s invaluable in your studio. It's a 5-port MIDI splitter (thru box) that copies MIDI messages received at the MIDI IN and passes them to the five MIDI OUTs. Each output is processed through a low-latency active circuit.

The thru5 kit comes with all the tricky components pre-installed. You simply solder the MIDI and USB jacks. No cables are included - use your own, or get them in our shop.

Features:

This is an easy-to-build kit; some through-hole soldering required

Passes MIDI data from the MIDI IN to five MIDI OUT jacks

Low latency hardware MIDI pass-through

Runs on 5V Power from a computer USB port or USB wall wart (power only, does not pass data)

Opto-isolated MIDI IN to eliminate ground loops

Individual active signal processing for each MIDI OUT

Size: 125 x 40 x 25 mm (4.9" x 1.6" x 1"), weight: 72 g (2.5 oz)

Don't forget cables - get a four pack of MIDI cables for just US$19.95.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Additional Details on Meeblip's cubit go

I wasn't sure exactly how Meeblip's cubit go handled MIDI IN, so I reached out to Peter Kirn for some clarity. Scroll down to the red updates in this post for some additional details on how it works - what it does, and doesn't do.

MeeBlip cubit go: easy USB MIDI interface, ultra-tight timing

via MeeBlip:

"Today, we’re announcing MeeBlip cubit go - a unique USB MIDI interface with incredibly tight timing.

It’s got the ports you most often need when mobile - one input, so you can perform, and four outputs, for sending notes and/or clock.

Here’s the twist: we’ve integrated hardware MIDI thru circuitry on the four outputs. Anything you send to the interface’s output goes to all four jacks simultaneously. There’s no software delay - you get rock-solid, ultra-tight timing.

That makes cubit go the perfect follow-up to our cubit splitter, introduced earlier this year. You still get four outs with identical timing - but now in a USB MIDI interface you can connect to your computer or mobile device.

cubit go is driverless and USB powered, so it works with any desktop OS, but also on phones and tablets (with the appropriate cables, sold separately). And the jacks are top-mounted for convenience.

Just plug it in and use it - there’s nothing to install, no separate power supply needed, and nothing to worry about. cubit go is palm-sized, lightweight, rugged, performs perfectly, and is easy to use.

Features:

1x1 USB MIDI interface with integrated hardware MIDI Thru
Class-compliant USB MIDI - no drivers needed
Four hardware-mirrored output jacks - no software lag
High performance 32-bit ARM Cortex processor
Bright green MIDI light flashes when sending or receiving data for easy troubleshooting
Size: 108 x 76 x 25 mm (4.25 x 3 x 1 inches), weighs 110 g (3.9 oz)
Includes 1 m (3 ft) USB cable
USB powered
Works with macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android*
Made in Canada, available only direct

cubit go is available now for $59.95 US.

Find the product page here.

Through August 23, we’re offering free worldwide shipping on cubit go and MeeBlip geode. Local tax and import duty may apply to international customers.

Also, if you missed it, we visited the amazing Hainbach last week [posted here], and our little MeeBlip geode got to meet his giant wall of sound. It was really fun to do."

Update: I reached out to Peter Kirn of Meeblip and Create Digital Music for some additional clarity on the cubit go. Here's what he had to say:

"It's a 1x1 USB MIDI interface.

The 1 input port is straightforward - that goes to the computer (or iPad or whatever).

The computer then *sends* MIDI to the output port.

That single output port's data is mirrored across all four MIDI output jacks, simultaneously - that's the MIDI thru circuitry. So for something like MIDI clock, it means all four output jacks have essentially zero timing variance from one another. (James likes to be precise - it's a maximum of 44 *nanoseconds*, so billionths of a second.)"

You can find some additional info on Create Digital Music here. Via the FAQ at the bottom:

Should I get cubit go or cubit splitter?

cubit splitter is the device for you if you want to take data sent to one MIDI input jack, and transmit that to four output jacks. (This is also called a “MIDI thru” box – they’re the same thing.)

cubit go is what you want if you need to get MIDI into and out of a computer or supported phone/tablet.

USB on cubit splitter is for power only. USB on cubit go carries both power and data.

Update2: If this is still conceptually foggy, I sent the following to Peter Kirn and he confirmed this is correct. In the most simplest terms, the MeeBlip cubit go is a USB only MIDI interface:

"The MIDI IN jack on the cubit go does not go directly to the MIDI OUTs but rather to the connected computer/USB device, which then does whatever you tell it to do (pass through or process). The USB device then sends to the four OUTs simultaneously as one OUT. The only messages going to the OUTs on the go come from the USB In. The MIDI OUT is just there so you can use external MIDI gear through the connected USB device. An example of how this is useful would be running multiple MIDI tracks on your software sequencer or DAW. The entire output would be transmitted to the four outs on the cubit go. If you have four tracks running you can assign a different MIDI Channel to each and then set each of your four MIDI devices to a corresponding MIDI channel. You can assign the incoming MIDI device coming through the cubit go a specific MIDI channel or channels either on the device itself or your software if supported (pass through or processed)."

Meeblip Geode - Tiny Synth Big Sounds

Published on Aug 12, 2019 HAINBACH

"In which I am joined by Peter Kirn, one of the brains behind the Meeblip Geode, a dual wavetable synthesizer with a screaming analog filter. He demos the synth and then I get a turn, with to me surprising results.

Meeblip: http://meeblip.com"

MeeBlip geode - one USB cable to make music

Published on Jul 25, 2019 cdmtv

"MeeBlip geode now does power and MIDI over USB. Here it is connected to an iPad for both electricity and music control, with Arpeggionome Pro."

New MeeBlip geode synth: hands-on demo

Published on Apr 1, 2019 cdmtv

"This is geode, the new monophonic synth from MeeBlip and CDM. Get your hands dirty with this instrument - and be the first to check it out in our first play."

Update: some info and pics via CDM (click through for additional details and audio demos):

"What we love most about synths is wild, weird, dirty sounds – and getting our hands on them. Our new MeeBlip geode focuses on what we think is the best of our synth line.

The goal, as always: make a box that’s easy to play, and that adds a unique sound and personality that doesn’t exist elsewhere. And then make sure it’s fun to twist knobs and make sounds. That’s geode – coming soon, with an intro price of US$149.95 (plus tax/shipping as applicable)...

geode is the fourth major generation of the MeeBlip line created by engineer James Grahame (Blipsonic), as a collaboration with CDM. We’ve been humbled by the response – the original/SE, anode, and triode have all seen critical acclaim. And users have gotten creative, from mods and hacks (including using open source code and circuits), to musical uses in clubs and experimental shows alike.

MeeBlip geode is the culmination of all of the best features of all those different generations. It’s got the sound features and extra controls from the original (including bringing noise back), the anode/triode filter that remains unlike what’s on other synths, the most cutting waveforms, and all the subtle improvements James has cooked up over the years. It’s still compact, but expands to a palm-sized rectangle with more controls. It’s got great-feeling new knobs and some new tweaks.

And for the first time, we have USB MIDI support, so you can connect and power geode with any computer or compatible mobile device. (MIDI DIN is still there, so your gear from the 80s works, too.)"

Update2: and the official press release with specs:

"MeeBlip geode synthesizer is the newest from Blipsonic, CDM

Raw and digital, dirty and analog - in one compact box.

MeeBlip geode is the latest in a line of award-winning synthesizers from engineer James Grahame (Blipsonic) and CDM (createdigitalmusic.com).

geode has one goal: to let you plug in a box and dial in edgy, cutting, grimy sounds you won’t mistake for anything else. Building on the MeeBlip line’s digital sound features and unique Twin-T analog filter, geode adds more control, more sound twists, and now both USB MIDI and MIDI IN operation.

CLICK FOR MORE »

CDM MeeBlip SE - origial version with more controls

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"2 osc digital subtractive synth. Programmable from front panel without laptop.

MIDI DIN input, 1/4” line out. Needs 9volt
Hack port for hacking - this is factory fresh not bent/hacked."

CLICK FOR MORE »

ambient_02 delay_repeat: rhodes, meeblip, nanoloop, count to five, H9

Published on Sep 23, 2018 Chris Randall

"Some Sunday afternoon vibes. The Rhodes is running through the Montreal Assembly Count To Five pedal, where I grab that initial chord that provides the bed of the song. From there, to an Eventide H9 Max for some reverse delay action, and then in to the iPad.

The Gameboy (running the nanoloop mono cartridge) goes in to the Field Kit, and the Field Kit's aux output is running to a Radio Shack Reverb, and back in to the Field Kit. From there, in to the iPad.

The synth sound is coming from an original MeeBlip, which is driven via MIDI from Bram Bos' Particle MIDI plugin (part of his Rosetta suite of MIDI plugs) running on AUM, which provides the mixing duties and also hosts Audio Damage Eos 2, Rough Rider 2, Dubstation 2, and Discord 4 plugins."

Chris Randall of Audio Damage.

Done Deal (tiny desk performance with Volca Beats, Meeblip, OP-1, Ableton Push)

Published on Mar 19, 2018 Le Solitaire

"Original song performed with tiny instruments on a giant desk.

instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesolitairemusic/
twitter https://twitter.com/lesolitairesf
soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/le_solitaire

Thanks to Riz & Carly for their help with this video!"