9/7/26 (triple VCF test) EML 200 + acVOKS VCF + muSonics + STG + FSFX + Corsynth + CXM 1978

video upload by Cfpp0

"9/7/26 (triple VCF test) EML 200 + Analog Craftsman acVOKS VCF + muSonics Vanilla Envelope & Vanilla Filter + STG soundlabs Sea Devil’s Filter + FSFX Lopass Gate & Dual Trigger Processor + Corsynth Frequency Divider / Multiplier + CXM 1978

Sometimes the camera won’t focus, not sure why. We ordered a second Analog Craftsman acVOKS VCF and this was a test of how three of our 5U filters sound together with the ElectroComp EML 200. I like how old it all sounds. And I like the limitations of the EML 200, but just wish it had voltage-controllable filters. The two EML 200 sawtooth VCOs are running through the acVOKS VCF (Polivoks), the STG soundlabs Sea Devil’s Filter (Synthi), and the muSonics Vanilla Filter (Oberheim). VCO1 runs through the Vanilla Envelope, modulated by the right LFO on the Free State FX dual trigger processor (in dual LFO mode). The EML master triangle and both of the FSFX LFOs are modulating all the filters. The EML VCO2 runs through the EML VCA, modulated by the master triangle, and then into the acVOKS VCF, which is modulated by a copy of the FSFX right LFO. The acVOKS VCF audio lowpass output is panned left on the Mackie Onyx 1640 mixer. The acVOKS bandpass audio output is modulating the Vanilla Filter, which is panned right. The Vanilla Filter is also modulated by the left FSFX LFO and the EML master triangle. The EML VCA processing VCO2 also runs through the Corsynth Frequency Divider / Multiplier, and that is sent to the FM input on the Sea Devil’s Filter, which is filtering the EML VCO2 gated by the FSFX Lopass Gate, modulated by the EML master square. The master square is also controlling the pulse for the EML sampler. At first the EML sampler is fed noise, then later it’s fed VCO2 for the S&H modulating VCO1 on the EML 200. The reverb was blended on the CXM 1978."

matrix note: trumpets!

8/26/26 (26 MU) EML 200 + .com + FSFX + STG + muSonics + SSL + Corsynth + Trouby + CXM 1978 + (…)

video upload by Cfpp0

"8/26/26 (26 MU) ElectroComp EML 200 + Synthesizers.com Q124 & Box11 + Free State FX 103 Lopass Gate & Dual Trigger Processor + STG soundlabs Sea Devils Filter + muSonics Vanilla Filter + Synthetic Sound Labs 1520 Segwencer + Corsynth c103 Frequency Divider / Multiplier + Trouby Modular Trigger Decay + CXM 1978

Synthesizers.com had a 4th of July sale, right after we moved our ElectroComp EML 400 above the 401, so we got two Box11 cases to house 5U modules to aid the EML system. I covered the ugly Box11 logos with electrical tape, connected the two cases with a metal brace, then attached a Box4 case to the right side, which perfectly fills the whole gap between racks on either side of the EML system. Anyways, this was the first test. The EML 200 master square wave is controlling the tempo, and I switch the range at 0:22. The EML Sampler is sampling noise, and the Sampler out is multiplied on the Box11, modulating both EML VCOs, which run to the Synthetic Sound Labs 1520 Segwencer IV, modulated by the Sampler output. VCO 1 also runs to the EML VCA, modulated by the master sine wave, and that goes straight to the Mackie Onyx 1640 mixer, panned left. The 1520 audio out goes through the STG soundlabs Sea Devils Filter, modulated by the Free State FX Dual Trigger Processor in LFO mode, and the Sea Devils Filter is FM’d by the EML 200 VCO2. A copy of VCO2 is processed by the Corsynth C103 Frequency Divider / Multiplier, which drops the pitch an octave lower, and that detuned version runs through Free State FX Lowpass Gate, modulated by the EML 200 master square wave through the Trouby Modular Trigger Decay. Both the Sea Devils Filter output and the FSFX Lopass Gate output are mixed in the muSonics Vanilla Filter, modulated by the other LFO output on the FSFX Dual Trigger Processor (Modulation in) and the EML Sampler output (v/o in). At the end I pull the cable from the sampler. Reverb was blended on the CXM 1978."

Mos-lab & Scrotum Lab "The 2500 adventure"

video upload by batchas

"I skipped the part about making my matrix and the all process which took weeks and weeks behind the choice of pins instead of switches, but I might come back to it and do a video next year. Time will tell. Meanwhile here I'm looking back at the nice and positive moments I had with this 2500 clone, from receiving the modules up to the latest patch I did this year."

11/22/25 Ace Tone FR-1 + muSonics Wave Folder + .com Q118 Q125 + Oakley ADSR/VCA + (…)

video upload by Cfpp0

"11/22/25 Ace Tone FR-1 + muSonics Wave Folder + Synthesizers.com Q118 Q125 + LWSS Oakley Modular ADSR/VCA + DeltaLab Effectron II + Alesis MIDIVERB II

Bossa Nova and Slow Rock. Ace Tone FR-1 Rhythm Ace drum machine audio output to the Synthesizers.com Q118. The Q118 amplifier output to the muSonics Wave Folder. The Q118 gate output to the LWSS Oakley Modular ADSR/VCA gate input. The Q118 envelope output to the control input on the muSonics Wave Folder. The Oakley VCA output to the Mackie Onyx 1640 mixer, with Alesis MIDIVERB II gated reverb. The Wave folder output multiplied on the muSonics Mutliples, then sent to the DeltaLab Effectron II delay, overloading the preamp, and then to the Mackie with the same gated stereo reverb on the MIDIVERB."

Lyle Four Voice Vanilla Synthesizer by muSonics

You might recall muSonics Lyle featured in previous video posts here on MATRIXSYNTH.

The following are some addtional details and pics of the system in via muSonics.

Lyle is a four voice Vanilla Synthesizer with a polyphonic envelope generator system, four voice mixer, MIDI allocation, and utility modules. It is the first polyphonic modular synthesizer with master control of time and timbre since the Oberheim Four Voice, whose circuits it is based on.

Anyone can throw four voices in a box and call it a polyphonic synthesiser, so what makes Lyle so special?

The Polyphonic Envelopes network has its own set of 8 envelope generators, bringing the system total to 16. Its EGs are normaled to the filters, oscillators, and output amplifiers of the system. The Vanilla Envelopes are still available and can be patched to interrupt the Polyphonic Envelopes.

The Polyphonic Envelopes control module is the only one of 7 in the network which is on the front panel. It gives you attack, decay, and sustain control for the VCF and VCA EGs, amount controls to route the VCF EG to the VCF and VCO modulation inputs, and an offset control for the VCF EG to the VCF modulation input (think global filter cutoff.)

There have been a few stabs at aggregate polyphony since Tom Oberheim built Lyle Mays and Pete Namlook their favourite synthesizer, but no one has done this.

Another nice feature of this instrument is the Vanilla Stereo Mixer, which not only gives you level and pan for each voice but also an additioinal gain stage to overdrive if you wish, bringing the total number of manageable gain stages (and potential distortions) to four per voice.

The instrument can be operated without any patch cables on the front panel. MIDI control and audio output happens on the back of the instrument. Patch points are for timbre authoring beyond the default patch, similar to an ARP 2600.

The module complement includes:

- 4 Control Distributor
- 4 Vanilla Modulation
- 4 Vanilla Oscillators
- 4 Vanilla Filter
- 8 Vanilla Envelope
- 4 Vanilla Mixer
- Vanilla Stereo Mixer
- Polyphonic Envelopes (8 additional envelopes)
- Japanese Modulation
- Transistor Logic
- Active Multiples
- Active Attenuators
- 4 MIDI Interfaces plus polyphonic MIDI allocator

Lyle also includes a road case, which is required because there is no other way to ship it assembled.

Lead time of 6 months or so. I need to finish the backlogue of current orders first.

The deposit is 50%. When your instrument is ready an invoice for the balance and shipping will be generated.

A page of demonstration audio and video is at https://musonics.com/lyle_videos.htm

If you're interested in purchasing Lyle please visit https://musonics.com/ and it can be found at the top of the page.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Lyle visits the Lost Ant Cafe

video upload by suitandtieguy

"Monday night I went to a very tiny bar in Lostant IL called the Lost Ant Cafe for fried chicken because the third shift clerk at the Tonica Casey's had a long conversation with Squiche and I about a bunch of stuff on the way back from Knobcon and I asked her what local fried chicken she liked. This was the only place I can remember from the conversation, and it's about a quarter mile down the road from a legendary upper Illinois River valley supper club called The Bull's Head which has been closed for too long. If you don't understand the relationship with the upper Illinois River valley, Italian supper clubs, and fried chicken then I don't know what to say other than you need to touch grass.

I came back to the studio and did this with Lyle. I think it demonstrates how absolutely fried this thing can sound. EBM guys are gonna want to save their pennies for the heaviest (by weight) bass machine they've ever played.

There is a modest amount of distortion on this example, in addition to slow LFOs from each voice controlled by each voice's auxiliary VCAs whose level is set by the Active Attenuators generating a simple voltage offset (something it does if you plug nothing into it) then multiplied to all four voices with the Active Multiples. These LFOs are fed into the second control input of the Vanilla Filters.

Each voice is panned across the soundfield with the output mixer.

In this example I only tweak the gate time on Continuo, global filter frequency and envelope amount, and the amount of the LFO to the filters from the Active Attenuators on the right side of the synthesizer.

As usual with Lyle videos, no effects or mastering at all, simply normalised.

Audio Verité, just like The Drive To 1981. I think it sounds great."

muSonics Lyle vs Continuo - Too Short for Oktoberfest

video upload by suitandtieguy

"This is an eight stage sequence of dyads within a minor 7th chord from the Continuo. It's in E minor and gets modulated to the fourth a couple of times. It's not a composition, it's just a demo.

I really like demonstrating this instrument without any patch cables at all but decided to use each voice's sine LFO to slowly modulate their filters, attenuated by the Control Distributor and fed into the secondary control input of the Vanilla Filters so they're still getting pitch voltage from the sequencer and modulation from the Polyphonic Envelopes.

The curve ball I throw into this is taking the left pulse wave from voice one and sending it into the clock input of Transistor Logic's flip-flop. The data input is normaled to the negative output of the flip-flop so with this simple routing it becomes an octave divider, but since it's a logic module the output is 0-5V. This is fed into input two of the Vanilla Filter of voice one, and partway through I turn that knob up so you can hear it, bringing in a four note bass element."

muSonics Lyle: Deep Note

video upload by suitandtieguy

"Deep Note on Lyle, the first properly polyphonic modular synthesizer since the Oberheim Four Voice.

If you have a Moog One, the preset is TK-421 and yes I programmed it. (the very competent marketing department wouldn't let us tag authorship in the patch description.) Page McConnell, you're welcome!

This was a bit more rough-and-tumble than that preset, but might be cooler. It uses polyphonic glide AND envelopes, and I had to do this over and over again to set the voices up to start on the right notes and get the timbre where I wanted it. Amos had to update the firmware for the MIDI-CV modules so the glide time was long enough!

The envelopes are used on 3 of the voices to spread them an octave, a fifth, and a third. the upper voices start on G below middle C and the lower voices start on G above middle C.

I referred back to the score that was published back in 2018 and approximated the notes, but there just isn't enough oscillators to do the whole thing.

There are enough to make it sound good though.

I still used the new Sony camera but recorded it via SDI with one of my Ki Pro recorders because the audio inputs sound MUCH better and it records in Apple ProRes format which Digital Performer can handle without conversion. This is a really cool setup and is so easy to crank this stuff out with. Expect more."

Experience the massive muSonics Four-Voice Vanilla Synth! #Knobcon

video upload by CatSynth TV

"Moot BooxLe demonstrates the massive new Four-Voice Vanilla Synthesizer from muSonics, which is making its debut at Knobcon 2025. This instrument is a beast, both in terms of size and sound - it is a polyphonic four-voice version of muSonics Vanilla Synthesizer, which gives us four independent analog subtractive synth voices to play simultaneously. They can be set to the same timbre, or set and modulated individually.

To find out more, please visit https://musonics.com

00:00 Introduction
00:10 Moot BooxLe demonstrates the Four-Voice Vanilla Synthesizer
04:30 Amanda of CatSynth takes a turn on the synth
05:51 Conclusion"

STG MuSonics Vanilla Voice (5U MU Dotcom Large Format!)

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

via this Reverb listing

You can find demos in previous posts here.

From the listing:

"If you have not been following the 5U scene, you may or may not know that Suit and Tie Guy's eurorack company, STG Soundlabs, was acquired in a private equity trade valued at 6 million $DOGE by America's oldest synthesizer company, MuSonics (makers of fine musical instruments). You may also not know that this new and revitalized MuSonics then set about completing the work that Tom Oberheim started and created the "Vanilla Synthesizer" -- the culmination of all of the circuit and synthesis ideas of the Oberheim Two Voice. This is the first version of that synthesizer.

If you want SEM type sounds, this is the best sounding SEM that it is possible to introduce into your studio in the year of our lord 2025. Arguably, it is the best sounding analog monophonic synthesizer that currently exists. Set aside that it obviously looks beautiful and amazing and ergonomic and that it invites you to play it; it simply sounds better than any other monosynth made in this millennium.

Including STG's unique backplane CV/Gate cables to pre-patch control signals between modules, making these modules something like an Oberheim SEM with Arp 2600 pre-patchability -- this thing is a true modern classic. :)"

CLICK FOR MORE »

An Update from muSonics via Their Electronic Newsletter

via muSonics

It's Independence Week and while I had intended for this to go out on the 4th itself, I put a bit more work into something special for you which delayed it a few days. I hope that's okay with you.

I wanted to give everyone a status update on how things were going over here and also offer a couple of specials to celebrate. Out of respect for the dozen or so people who have been patient and trusting of me I'm going to let you know how things are going and then share a few cool deals.

CLICK FOR MORE »

6/24-27/25 .com Q173 Gate Math + Metasonix D-2000 + ZI 6550-99 + TR-606 + (more in description)

video upload by Cfpp0

"6/24-27/25 Synthesizers.com Q173 Gate Math + Metasonix D-2000 + Zerosum Inertia 6550-99 + Roland TR-606 + STG muSonics Vanilla Envelope + MFB dual ADSR + Intellijel LPG + Birdkids Unicorn Boom + Peavey 1300 + CorSynth C102 VC LFO + Synthetic Sound Labs 1660 + Alesis MIDIVERB II + Ace Tone MP-4 + Oakley Modular ADSR/VCA + MXR 136 dual limiter

Sort of reminds me of 'Goodbye Horses' by Q Lazzarus. The Synthesizers.com Q173 Gate Math has been very underutilized, so it’s been moved, and this was the first time I used it on the Metasonix D-2000. ALM Pamela’s New Workout is driving the Q173, which is triggering the D-2000. The D-2000 mix output runs through the Intellijel Passive LPG, which is controlled by the MFB dual ADSR, which is driven by Pamela’s. A copy of the Intellijel LPG runs through the Peavey 1300 delay, panned left, with gates reverb from the Alesis MIDIVERB II. The bass drum is from the Birdkids Unicorn Boom, triggered by Pamela’s, and limited by the MXR 136. The high pitched 16th note claves that sound like crickets are from the DSP 808, modulated by the MFB dual ADSR. The snare is from the Roland TR-606, processed by the Ace Tone MP-4 spring reverb. The hi hat is also from the TR-606, processed by a reversed reverb from the MIDIVERB II. The synth line is the Synthetic Sound Labs 1660 audio out through two Zerosum Inertia 6550-99 oscillators through the STG muSonics Vanilla Envelope and the Oakley ADSR/VCA, with additional modulation from the CorSynth C102 VC LFO."

6/24/25 (doubled demo) Zerosum Inertia 6550-99 oscillators (gear in description)

video upload by Cfpp0

"6/24/25 (doubled demo) Zerosum Inertia 6550-99 + SSL 1660 + Oakley ADSR/VCA + muSonics Vanilla Envelope + Corsynth C102 VC LFO + Paia 6740

I recorded a couple takes of a short looping sequence from the Synthetic Sound Labs 1660 The Matrix Algorithmic Composer to demonstrate some of the strange sounds you can glean from the Zerosum Inertia 6550-99 Thyratron Oscillator. In this video, two of them are overlaid. The SSL 1660 pitch is at a different setting in the two takes, but the patch is the same. The SSL 1660 audio output is controlling the pitch of two 6550-99 VCOs. The right 6550-99 is running through the STG muSonics Vanilla Envelope (panned center) and the left 6550-99 is running through the Oakley Modular ADSR/VCA (panned left). The right 6550-99 is also receiving an LFO from the Corsynth C102 VC LFO. This was just to hear the 6550-99 VCOs, so no filter or processor was used on either 6550-99 and very little spring reverb from the Paia 6740 was applied (with the 6740 slightly feeding back on itself via the aux send)."

06.17.2025 Man Machine for fun

video upload by batchas

"Music as therapy...
As usual I'm recording directly to one stereo track and I noticed while watching the video that the Minimoog is too loud (still I love its sound!) and the 808 bass drum a bit too low, but as I currently want to spend as less time as possible on the same project, I won't record another take and I'll move on to something different.

Sounds: Mos-Lab 2500, muSonics Minimoog, Roland Juno 60, Waldorf Q, Waldorf Pulse +, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Roland TR-808, Ace Tone Rhythm Ace.
Effect: Eventide H9, Hologram Microcosm, Audiothingies Doctor A."

06.17.2025 Man Machine for fun [The instruments I used]

video upload by batchas

06.15.2025 Erik Satie - Gnossienne for fun

video upload by batchas

"Music as therapy...
Sound source: Mos-Lab 2500, muSonics Minimoog, Roland Juno 60, Waldorf Q, Oberheim Matrix 1000. Waldorf Q and Oberheim Matrix 1000 are producing the kind of strings/guitar higher melody.
Effect: Eventide H9, Audiothingies Doctor A."

06.11.2025 Erik Satie Gymnopédie for fun

video upload by batchas

"Sound source: Mos-Lab 2500, muSonics Minimoog, Roland Juno 60, Waldorf Q, Oberheim Matrix 1000 and Mellotron plugin with choir voices (Valhalla Reverb on it).
Effect: Eventide H9, Audiothingies Doctor A, Hologram Microcosm.
One single take. Keeping its imperfections."

06.11.2025 Erik Satie Gymnopedie [The instruments I used]

video upload by batchas

Flim for fun (remixed by Jean Métro)

video upload by batchas

"As usual can't beat the amazing original by Aphex Twin and it's not the goal anyway, cause I'm doing these session as therapy. No-brainer and fun.
One unique take und tschüss! Peace.
Mos-Lab 2500, muSonics Minimoog, Roland Juno 60, TR-808, Waldorf Q, Oberheim Matrix 1000.
Effect: Audiothingies Doctor A."

05.22.25 Blade Runner for fun - Take 1

video upload by batchas

"Like with the precedent video, this one is to me therapeutic. And of course it's far to be comparable to Vangelis' masterpiece. I like synth sounds and I like the exercice of spending one hour a day per session.
It took only three sessions to get there, which makes me think that in two or three more sessions there'd be enough room to make a really cool song. If and only if I decide to spend more time on this piece. This I don't know. Time will tell!
Audio sources: Mos-Lab 2500, muSonics Minimoog, Roland Juno 60, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Waldorf Q.
Effects: Audiothingies Doctor A, Hologram Microcosm (very tiny bit of this one on one 2500 voice).
One take. Direct out to stereo."

5/11/25 Slope generator and sub oscillator sequence (modules listed in description)

video upload by Cfpp0

"5/11/25 (Slope generator and sub oscillator sequence) SSL 1240 + LWSS CGS01 + Synthesizers.com Q123 & Q125 + muSonics Attenuators & Multiples & Wave Folder + Happy Nerding FM AID + Zerosum Inertia The Scorpion Tail + Blue Lantern Mixer + Alesis MIDIVERB II + ElectroComp EML 200

I spliced two takes one after the other. In the first, the 440 Hz tone from the Synthesizers.com Q123 Standards module, gated by the Blue Lantern mixer, is the constant bell-ish sound panned left. Throughout the whole video I am selecting divide or multiply on the Lower West Side Studios CGS01 Sub Oscillator, which varies the sequence. The Synthetic Sound Labs Dual Slope Generator bipolar output to CGS01 input A. CGS01 output A to .com Q123 to muSonics Multiples to Free State FX Macro Digital Oscillator V/OCT input and to Happy Nerding FM Aid CV input and to .com Q125, with Q125 output to muSonics Wave Folder CV input. Macro output to FM Aid carrier input. Macro sine out to muSonics Wave Folder to Multiples to Zerosum Inertia Scorpion Tail audio in and to Blue Lantern Mixer input 4, with spectral wave folder switched on, triggered by SSL 1240 fall gate out. CGS01 output B to CV in on Scorpion Tail. FM Aid saw out to Mackie Onyx 1640, panned right, with reverb from Alesis MIDIVERB II. Blue Lantern mixer VCA output to Mackie, panned left, with MIDIVERB II. Zerosum Inertia output panned center, dry. The drone is four VCOs on two EML 200, with internal spring reverb, modulated by their master sine waves."

Vanilla Synth by muSonics – Boutique Analog Beauty at Superbooth 2025

video upload by Jonathan Knightsnare

"At Superbooth 2025, I had one of those “stop in your tracks” moments when I stumbled across muSonics' Vanilla Synthesizer — and luckily, got to hang out with the incredibly thoughtful creator, Amos, who walked me through the philosophy and craftsmanship behind this stunning instrument.

The Vanilla Synthesizer is a 5U modular analog synth, but don’t let the minimalist look fool you — under the hood, this thing is loaded with sonic personality and beautifully engineered references to vintage legends:

🎛️ The filter takes inspiration from the SEM/Oberheim lineage, offering that sweet, musical, slightly gritty character that feels alive at every knob turn.

🎚️ The mixer section is modeled after a vintage Moog CP3, giving your waveforms a subtle analog saturation that glues sounds together in a way no plugin can touch.

🔁 Normalized patching means you can play without any cables, but every section can still be overridden, so it's flexible for both beginners and modular veterans.

🌰 All of this is housed in a gorgeous solid walnut enclosure, handcrafted and finished in Illinois — it’s a tactile joy that looks like a piece of mid-century art as much as a synth.

What struck me most wasn’t just how good it sounds — which it does — but how thoughtful the whole instrument feels. It’s clear that Amos isn’t just an engineer, but a true musician and synth lover who’s building tools meant to inspire.

This isn’t mass-market gear. It’s boutique, handcrafted, analog music woodwork. And if you’ve ever wanted a synth that feels like an heirloom, this is it."