MESSE 2018: Exodus Digital Valkyrie Synthesizer Sound Demo | SYNTH ANATOMY

Published on Apr 10, 2018 SYNTH ANATOMY

"Exodus Digital presented at MESSE 2018 the Valkyrie Synthesizer, a Access Virus style Synthesizer. It has virtual analog, wavetable synthesis, up to 128 voice polyphony and 8 part multi-timbral engine. Here is a sound demo. A presentation coming soon."

See this post for additional details on the Exodus Digital Valkyrie including specs.

New Exodus Digital Valkyrie Desktop Hardware Synthesizer Coming to the Musikmesse

It looks like we have a new maker with a new hardware synthesizer coming to the Musikmesse this year. Launch the player above and read on.


"Exodus Digital is a UK company that has built an exciting new virtual analogue hardware synthesizer. Here at MusikMesse, we’re unveiling Valkyrie. It’s here on stand F46 in hall 4.1. See and hear Valkyrie for yourself. When you play it, you’ll soon find out Valkyrie really is the next level in sound synthesis. With guaranteed 128 voice performance, 8 independent parts, each with a nine-module effects unit, Valkyrie is a true powerhouse.

Sound generation is all done in custom designed hardware at an incredible 32x oversampled rate and there’s ten oscillators per voice (1,280 in total) which can be doubled to twenty by combining two voices. There’s two wavetable oscillators available each offering 4,096 perfectly looped single cycle waveforms. Valkyrie’s filters are also implemented in hardware and are accurate emulations of classic two and four pole filters. Valkyrie has all the features you’d expect of a virtual analog synthesizer but takes it to the next level; there’s hard synchronisation, ring modulation, frequency modulation, wavetables and the hypersaw from heaven waiting for you to experiment with.

With four stereo 32 bit 96kHz outputs and 8 part streaming over USB 2.0 at 96kHz, physical and USB MIDI, Valkyrie integrates into your setup perfectly.

Valkyrie is perfect for live performance as well as studio-based producers. With a comprehensive control surface with real knobs and buttons as well as high-resolution OLED display, Valkyrie is a pleasure to work with and it comes complete with a full interactive editor/librarian application for Windows and Mac.

Valkyrie is the new standard in synthesis. See and hear the difference for yourself – we look forward to seeing you at MusikMesse !

Processing: 32x oversampled 32-bit hardware sound generation. 96kHz floating point sound processing.
Analogue outputs: 4 balanced stereo pairs using 32 bit DAC at 96kHz sample rate.
USB audio: USB Audio Class 2.0 - 8 stereo 24-bit streams at 96kHz with 48kHz downsample mode available.
USB 2.0 and legacy (5-pin DIN connector) MIDI
Display: High resolution 256x64 pixel graphic OLED
Polyphony: Guaranteed contention-free 128 voice channels. A Dual Mode or Dual Filter Patch uses two voice channels per note played. Up to 32 notes (single or dual) per multitimbral part.
Multitimbrality: 8 independent Parts each with dedicated 9 module multi effects with dedicated audio stream via USB. Each Part can be mixed to one of the four analogue stereo line outputs.
Full keyboard microtuning capability with MIDI Tuning Standard (MTS) support.
Oscillators: Two primary virtually alias-free Oscillator Groups per voice each with sawtooth, pulse, wavetable and noise available simultaneously. Each oscillator group also has an independent detunable suboscillator with four selectable shapes and two selectable pitches. Real Hard Sync, Ring Modulation and FM (frequency modulation) is available between the oscillator groups.
Hypersaw: 6 or 12 real oscillator hypersaw with adjustable geometric detuning and intensity algorithm.
Wavetables: 4096 18-bit linear PCM single-cycle oversampled wavetables covering a huge range of synthetic and emulated sound sources. Two independent wavetables per voice.
Filters: Accurate emulations of classic analogue ladder filters with low pass, band pass and high pass configurations. 2-pole (12dB/octave) and 4-pole (24dB/octave) responses are available for all three filter types. A Patch can be configured to have linked or independent parallel filters.
Envelope Generators: Three fast-response ADSR envelope generators.
LFOs: 3 LFOs with 64 wavetable shapes. Monophonic, polyphonic, random, antiphase and quadrature phase settings.
Modulation Matrix: 6 channels with up to 3 destinations per channel.
Effects: Nine module stereo effects unit per Part with a 3-band shelving EQ, a Formant Filter, 5-mode Distortion module, dual Limiters, stereo Delay module, 6-stage Phaser, Chorus/Flanger module and a Reverb module. All 72 effects modules can be used simultaneously without affecting polyphony.
Arpeggiator with 128 preset patterns, chord mode, MIDI clock.
Patch storage: 3,328 in total all of which are user programmable.
Free Editor/Librarian app for Windows and Mac."

Access Virus Update in the Works?

NAMM 2018 - Christoph Kemper - KUCR Published on Feb 1, 2018

This one was spotted and sent in via Soviet Space Child.

Comes in right at the beginning and some talk at 9:15. Not clear what it might be, or when it might happen, but I can state this: I finally ordered a Virus TI2 desktop back in January and am still waiting to hear back. There is no word if they have been discontinued, if more are being produced, or if orders are on hold for an updated model. I'm hoping for an updated model myself. We'll see if anything is mentioned at the upcoming Musikmesse or Superbooth.

Video description:
"We speak with the legendary programmer Christoph Kemper who designed the Access Virus, the Kemper Profiling Amplifier, and much more."

Update via bacizone in the comments:

"As he mentioned, it will not happen these days. I expect around 3-4 years later, once the current DSP technology will not be is really available anymore.
See: https://synthmorph.com/blogs/news/access-virus-future-kemper-amp-virus-ti3"

Waldorf Wave & TSi Musikmesse Flyers From 1992 &1993

Scans for the following, in via swissdoc, have been added to yesterday's post on Waldorf at at the 1992 and 1993 Musikmesses.

Messe.1992.TSI.Messeinformation
Messe.1992.Preliminary.Wave.Info
Messe.1993.TSI.Show.Information
Messe.1993.Wave.Flyer

I believe this is the first time some, if not all, have appeared online. They include a flyer for the Waldorf Wave, a Preliminary Wave info sheet, and TSI Musikmesse flyers. TSi GmbH were the distributors for Waldorf. They later distributed Access Music and Novation as well. Wolfgang Düren, the chairman of Waldorf, was the man behind TSi. He partnered with PPG before Waldorf. See this post for some additional details on him.

You can find a handful of posts featuring TSi here.

Waldorf Demos with Saga's Jim Gilmour at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 1992

Saga - Jim Gilmour Demo - Musikmesse Frankfurt 1993 1992 Published on May 12, 2013 MadSevenFilms

"Jim Gilmour ( Saga keyboardist) in a demo at the Waldorf stand during the musikmesse in Germany.
Humble Stance, Wind Him up, Don't be late, Careful where you step, On the loose,etc ...."

Update: according the swissdoc, these videos are actually from 1992. That would make the appearance of the prototype Wave in 1992, not 1993. This post has been updated to reflect that. Note swissdoc's write-ups are from 1993 as you can see in the datestamps for the links, and I believe the production model Wave was indeed released in 1993.

Here's a blast from the past featuring a bit of Waldorf history in via swissdoc. This may very well be the only Waldorf footage from the event. Check out the non-working prototype of the Waldorf Wave in the background. 1992 was the year it made its first appearance to be released in 1993. Note the Microwave rack was released earlier in 1989. Further below you will find some notes on Musikmesse 1993 (the following year after these videos) from swissdoc, followed by a transcription of the Wave flyer. This is a fascinating look back on synth history. But first, one more video from the 1992 Musikmesse.

Update2 via swissdoc: "In addition, for those who can read and understand German, there is a big series of three articles available for download (email has to be provided) from the German Keyboards magazine. Inside Wave. Amazing level of detail plus in part three an interview with developers and users plus additional interviews with the people behind the Wave.

https://www.keyboards.de/heftarchiv/1994-10/inside-wave-1-wave-intro/
https://www.keyboards.de/heftarchiv/1994-11/inside-wave-2-tech-talk/
https://www.keyboards.de/heftarchiv/1994-12/inside-wave-3-wave-story/"

Update3: The following scans have been added to the bottom of this post:
Messe.1992.TSI.Messeinformation
Messe.1992.Preliminary.Wave.Info
Messe.1993.TSI.Show.Information
Messe.1993.Wave.Flyer

Saga - Jim Gilmour Scratching the surface - Musikmesse Frankfurt 1993 1992

Published on May 13, 2013 MadSevenFilms

"Jim Gilmour ( Saga keyboardist) in a demo at the Waldorf stand during the musikmesse in Germany.
Scratching the surface"

---

The following is a Musikmesse 1993 recap via swissdoc aka George Mueller, who attended, from way back in 1993 (you'll find a transcript of the Waldorf Wave flyer text further below). P.S. for a quick look at the gear released at the 1993 Musikmesse see here and here, both from swissdoc.

"Before I go into this Wave stuff, I'd like to tell you a little about the Frankfurt Musik Messe. Those restless gear junkies, skip the next 24 lines.

The Frankfurt International Music Fair was held for the 14th time and was attended by a record number of exhibitors: 1194 from 40 contries. So it's the leading event for the music business.

The Messe Frankfurt has 10 halls of different sizes, three of them are used by the Musik Messe. Hall 9.0 is the most interesting, it's for electronic instruments, 9.1 is for guitars and amps, 9.2 is for stage light, sound and mixers. These halls are middle in size, rows range from A to F, with booth numbers up to 90 each. Hall 8 is for acoustic instruments and publishers; it's funny, all that noise from test-playing violins, flutes and so on. This is the biggest hall, rows from A to P. The monster booth of Yamaha is in the back of this hall with all their synths, FXs and personal keyboards. So it's a long walk to Yamaha. It's a bit risky in this hall, if you enter one booth, browse thru the pages of some book, after talking to the salesman you probably lost your orientation. Hall 10.1 is reserved for grand pianos and uprights. No elctricity allowed there.

It's funny, when you change from 9.0 to 9.1, all those long haired heavy metal guys. One amp or guitar company has a Hard Rock Cafe at their booth, evertime overcrowded with guys drinking cocktails or beer.

So, here we are, the promised report on the TSI shows WAVE MUSIC DEMO and INSIDE THE WAVE.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Waldorf Quantum - Musikmesse 2017

Published on Apr 11, 2017 Sound On Sound magazine

"8-Voice Analog/Digital Hybrid Polyphonic Synthesizer"

Update: some key points from the video captured by Soviet Space Child and a couple of feature suggestions:

1) the digital processing section can be put pre or post analog filter, this is huge for me.

2) the analog filters are lowpass only.

3) the oscillators are freely routable between the analog filters, digital processing section, or can bypass them all together and go straight to the VCA. This adds a lot of flexibility to the synth, in that a single patch effectively becomes a 3 timbre synthesizer, with each oscillator comprising of its own timbre. In theory, one oscillator can go to the analog filters, another can go to the digital processing section, a third can go straight to the amp section. This, combined with the various oscillator types, makes the Quantum an incredibly flexible synthesizer. Now, with all that taken into consideration, add the split/layering mode and you have yourself a party.

4) FM is not yet decided upon, bummer. Here's hoping for linear FM between the oscillators.

5) You can analyze audio files and convert them into wavetables (!!!)

5) 40(!!!) modulation slots.

Suggestions:

1) Addition of linear FM
2) Internal resampling for the wavetable and granular/sample oscillators would be great.

Musikmesse 2017 WALDORF Quantum Synthesizer Features and Sound Demo (english)

Published on Apr 10, 2017 MusicStoreTV

Musikmesse 2017- impression

Published on Apr 9, 2017 Moogulator

"Frankfurt, Musikmesse 2017,
(C) sequencer.de"

Waldorf Quantum: primer contacto

Published on Apr 8, 2017 Hispasonic

Waldorf Quantum

MESSE 2017: Pepperdecks Stick on iOS Knobs

Published on Apr 8, 2017 sonicstate

"A couple of neat products from Pepperdecks - stick on knobs to control touchscreen apps, and a couple of compact 2 channel mixers"

MESSE 2017: Synthesizer.de Booth - Lots of Lovely Modulars

Published on Apr 7, 2017 sonicstate

New GEM Promega 2+ - Musikmesse 2017

Published on Apr 6, 2017 Sound On Sound magazine

Musikmesse Frankfurt 2017 - Waldorf Quantum Synthesizer

Published on Apr 6, 2017 sonic-vision.TV

"Rolf Wöhrmann presents the Waldorf Quantum Synthesizer at the Musikmesse 2017 in Frankfurt.
Rolf Wöhrmann präsentiert den Waldorf Quantum Synthesizer auf der Musikmesse 2017 in Frankfurt."

Hartmann 20 - exklusiver Synthesizer mit Waldorf Engine - Musikmesse 2017

Published on Apr 6, 2017 musotalk

Audio demo at 3:15.

"Das Designser-Studio studio design box feiert 20 igstes Jubiläum mit einem auf 20 Stück limitierten Synth für je 20.000 € !
Axel spielt das High-End Teil für mich an!"

MESSE 2017: NonLinear Labs C15 €4k FM, Waveshape and Modelling Instrument

Published on Apr 6, 2017 sonicstate

"From the founder of Native Instruments - Stefan Schmidt - its a brand new concept instrument capable of of some really unique but playable sounds. Designed for the player and unashamedly hi resolution."

New Waldorf Quantum 8 Voice Hybrid Synthesizer - Musikmesse 2017 Videos

Published on Apr 5, 2017 musotalk

"Entwickler Rolf Wöhrmann führt mir den Quantum von Waldorf vor."

Waldorf Quantum Hybrid Synthesizer Overview at Musikmesse 2017

Published on Apr 5, 2017 Gear4music

"An overview of the Waldorf Quantum Hybrid Synthesizer at Musikmesse 2017."

MESSE 2017: Arturia KeyLab Essentials 49 and 61

Published on Apr 5, 2017 sonicstate

Details here.

MESSE 2017: Softube Modular Doepfer LPG A101-2

Published on Apr 5, 2017 sonicstate

"A new module for Softube's Modular system, available now at an introductory price of @€29.
Modelled on the Doepfer LPG A-101-2 Eurorack module

Offers 3 Vactrol models, VCA or LPG modes."

Details here.

MESSE 2017: Nord Stage 3 Piano

Published on Apr 5, 2017 sonicstate

"Clavia introduce a new Stage piano with a full A1 synth engine inside and many other new features."

Details here.

MESSE 2017: Axel Hartmann's 20k Synth

Published on Apr 5, 2017 sonicstate

"The 20 is really something special as a design object, milled from a massive block of aluminium with custom hardware - even down to the knobs, only 20 will be made, its got the Blofeld based synth engine with high-end DA convertors too. Yummy. But not for the monetarilly challenged."