Bad Gear - SERUM for OLD PEOPLE

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. In times like these when normal people try to steer clear of questionable spending habits, true synth nerds are still stockpiling esoteric Eurorack modules, vintage restoration projects and overpriced VST plugins in a box.

Speaking of which, today we are going to talk about the Waldorf Iridium range. While young producers with an actual history of releasing music are currently benchmarking a Serum 2 torrent, these futurist top shelf instruments based on German technology seem to be the last missing piece in every middle-aged synthesist collection before their careers are destined to take off.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:03 Overview Waldorf Iridium Core
01:59 Iridium Core vs. Iridium Desktop vs. Iridium Keyboard
02:22 Wavetable Synth Engine
02:32 Virtual Analog Synth Engine
02:49 Particle ( Sampler , Granular Synth )
03:15 Resonator ( Physical Modeling Synth Engine )
03:26 Kernel ( FM , Modular )
04:05 Filters, Digiformer
04:43 FX Section
04:52 LFOs, Envelopes, Mod Matrix
05:20 Bitimbrality, Touch Screen, Buttons
05:53 Sequencers, Arpeggiator
06:05 Connectivity, Pricing
06:25 Hate Screen
06:51 Jam 1 ( Fast Techno )
07:43 Jam 2 ( Drum'n'Bass )
08:52 Finale ( Melodic Techno )
09:23 Verdict
10:34 Patreon Sound Design Shoutout"

Bad Gear - The END of Maschine+ ???

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Presumably I’m not the only one who made a handful of Native Instruments “backup copies” a core part of his personality back in the zero years so it goes without saying that my mid-forties self is yearning for an overpriced yet tangible take on these plugins for the sole purpose of reminding me of a time when all it needed was sleep deprivation and a PC from Aldi.

However, all we got was Maschine+. This 2020 standalone version of NIs software MPC ripoff ecosystem offers DAWless access to a small selection of these now-iconic plugins, it boasts the processing power of the aforementioned Aldi PC and will disappoint you with more broken promises when it comes to major updates than the GTA franchise.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:12 Overview Maschine+
01:21 How Standalone is Maschine+?
01:50 Current Update Situation ( April 2025 )
02:18 Included Instruments, VST Integration (or lack thereof)
03:10 Workflow, USB Midi
03:46 Ribbon Controller
03:59 NO TOUCHSCREENS!!! (and UI Concept)
04:22 Internal Structure, Hierarchy
05:08 Sampling , Sample Chopping , Autosampling
05:23 What else? (Pricing, CPU Consumption, Workflow Hacks,...)
05:53 Hate Screen
06:22 Jam 1 ( Techno )
06:49 Jam 2 ( Electro )
08:25 Finale ( Dubstep / Brostep )
08:53 Verdict"

Bad Gear - Wavestation

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Instruments featured on this show usually come with at least one of the following three characteristics: corny sounds that didn’t age so well, a super nerdy concept people who actually have a life wouldn’t even try to comprehend and an impenetrable UI gatekeeping the sonic goodness.

Today we are going to talk about Korg’s iconic Wavestations. These early 90s wave sequencing synths are undisputed top performers in each of the aforementioned categories and while the standard versions already require a certain willingness to suffer I - a trained professional - upped the difficulty level a bit and opted for the Dark Souls-like SR edition. Don’t try this at home or at all!


Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:08 Overview Wavestations
01:51 Wavestation Comparison
02:21 PCM Waves ( Samples )
02:50 Vector Synthesis
03:07 Synth Engine
03:36 FX Section
03:41 Multi Mode
03:54 Wave Sequencing
05:02 What else? ( UI, Pricing, Alternatives,...)
05:23 Hate Screen
05:55 Jam 1 ( Nature Documentary Type Beat )
06:49 Jam 2 ( Electro )
07:47 Finale ( Arty Techno )
08:17 Verdict"

Bad Gear - SERUM 2 by Xfer

video upload by AudioPilz

"Today we are going to talk about XFER SERUM The Second Coming edition so synth manufacturers - be prepared to get humbled by a true musical and technical visionary with a history of working with the Nine Inch Nails , unique 21st century marketing skills and a sense of integrity that has become a rare feat among successful business people.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:08 Overview XFER SERUM 2
01:22 Oscillator ( Wavetables , SFZ , Sample Chopping , Spectral , Granular )
02:16 Warp, FM Synth Features, PD, Unison, Sub & Noise Oscillator
02:50 Dual Filter Section, Clean Mode
03:18 FX Section, New Routings & Algos
03:34 Big LFO, Chaos and Envelope Upgrade
03:59 Mod Matrix, Mixer
04:17 Arpeggiator
04:25 Clips View (DAW-in-a-plugin)
04:36 More Improvements (Undo/Redo, Wavetable Editor , Scales)
04:57 Browser, Patches, Macros + a few Factory Sounds
05:36 Pricing , Splice , Upgrade Policy
05:53 Hate Screen
06:19 Jam 1 ( Modern Hard Techno )
07:12 Jam 2 ( Drum'n'Bass )
08:22 Finale ( High Tech Minimal )
08:52 Verdict
10:20 Patreon Shoutout"

Bad Gear - MBase

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Frequent viewers of this channel are well-aware of the fact that I - personally - love all gear, that this show is merely a reflection on the hate of others and that even some of my favorite electronic musical instruments aren’t safe from the relentless ridicule of the Bad Gear treatment.

Today we are going to talk about Jomox MBase. This synthesizer with a strong focus on the nether regions of the percussive backbone of an arrangement is not only an integral part of my sonic arsenal - most of the criticism is also well-deserved."

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:56 Overview Jomox MBase
01:35 Analog Synth Engine
02:02 Jomox MBase11 vs. MBase01 Comparison ( Metalizer )
02:35 LFO
03:01 EQ
03:08 Workflow, Trigger Input, Menu System
03:33 Chromatic Bass Synthesizer Mode
03:42 More Additional Features of the MBase11
03:56 Hate Screen
04:25 Jam 1 ( Techno )
05:15 Jam 2 ( 808 Bassline )
06:15 Finale ( Bass Drum ONLY House )
06:45 Verdict

Bad Gear - Sequential Pro 4

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. There are countless reasons to get a synth created by the one and only Dave Smith: the gravitas of early Prophets, the mind-boggling sound design potential of the Evolver or the intuitive UI concept of vector synthesis in general - just to name a few.

However, he also made the Tetr4 .

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:42 Overview Dave Smith Tetra
01:57 Synth Engine, Oscillators
02:37 Filter Section
03:01 Envelopes, LFOs
03:18 Mod Matrix
03:29 Polyphony Features, Arpeggiator, Sequencer
03:58 Workflow
04:28 What else ( Multitimbrality, Limitations, Pricing, Thanks)
05:06 Hate Screen
05:30 Jam 1 ( Pro-1 meets 80s Poly Synth )
06:19 Jam 2 ( Classic Analog Poly Sounds )
07:22 Finale ( PsyTrance )
07:49 Verdict"

Ninja Gaiden "Act I" Improv on Modular Synth

video upload by Biopower Audio

"Here's a Eurorack modular synthesizer interpolation of the 'Act I' theme from NES' 'Ninja Gaiden.' After the tune as you know it, an extended generative improvisation using quantized LFOs controlled by the Biopower Audio Hi Five and Dig It! joystick controller and Axe & Razor ribbon controller. Never Ninja Alone!

Find more information and both synth modules for sale at https://www.biopoweraudio.com"

Bad Gear - Cold as Ice???

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. In a musical landscape dominated by the oftentimes characterless clarity of modern digital technology synth fans are yearning for the organic warmth of analog instruments.

Today we are going to talk about the 2019 Modal Argon-8 wavetable synthesizer which - no pun intended - offers the exact polar opposite.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:44 Overview Modal Argon 8
01:37 Wavetable Oscillators
02:00 Special Oscillator Features (Modifiers, FM Synthesis )
02:33 Filter Section
02:55 Modulators
03:10 Workflow, Mod Matrix
03:20 FX Section
03:43 Menu Structure
03:53 Arpeggiator , Sequencer
04:12 Patches
04:47 What else??? ( Software Editor , MPE Midi, Pricing, Thanks)
05:09 Hate Screen
05:33 Jam 1 ( Arctic House )
06:25 Jam 2 ( Polar Electro )
07:17 Finale ( Below-zero Downtempo )
07:48 Verdict"

Drum Beats for AMATEURS

video upload by AudioPilz

"Hey everybody, in this video we are going to talk about how to make drum beats if you - like me - have no music theory or formal composition skills. We will discuss how to create the rhythmic framework of electronic music but some of these methods might also be helpful to real musicians."

00:00 Introduction
00:31 Chapter 1: Düsseldorf, 1981
02:17 Chapter 2: Gimme a Break
03:53 Chapter 3: It's a Trap !!!
05:09 Chapter 4: The Soundtrack for Self-Medication
07:16 Chapter 5: The One that didn't age so well
08:23 Chapter 6: Cheat Codes - Swing
08:59 Chapter 7: Cheat Codes - Euclidean Patterns
09:39 Outro

Bad Gear - The Game Changer

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Back in the day when synth nerds had to walk 10 miles in the snow uphill both ways to get wasted and find a place for music production the term game changer had a completely different meaning.

Today we are going to talk about the very first E-mu Proteus. This 80s synth and dumbed-down offspring of the Emulator sampler range not only made their iconic tones more accessible, its presets also burned themselves into the global pop cultural consciousness.

Bad Gear - The Game Changer
The Gamechanger
Emu Proteus
E-mu Proteus 1
E-mu Proteus/1
meme video

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:52 Overview Emu Proteus 1
01:22 Famous Sounds and Samples
02:14 How does Proteus Work?
02:38 Envelopes and LFOs
02:52 Pseudo-Chorus
03:06 Why Proteus was a Game Changer back in the day
03:32 Modulation Section, Midi Implementation, Studio Integration
04:00 What else??? (Pricing, Proteus Generations,...)
04:45 Hate Screen
05:12 Jam 1 ( Retro Console Game Music )
06:08 Jam 2 ( 90s Jungle , Drum'n'Bass , Whatever... )
07:04 Finale ( Synthwave , 90s TV Show Soundtrack )
07:34 Verdict"

Bad Gear - Texture Lab

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. If sound synthesis in general was a family, granular synthesis would be the basement-dwelling and terminally online distant music producer cousin who listens to the sounds of humpback whales and lives off a diet of - depending on the moon phase - stone age keto or vegan MREs.

Today we are going to talk about Liven Texture Lab. This 2023 Sonicware synth and sibling of the Sonicware Liven Ambient takes granular synthesizer out of its natural software synthesizer habitat, its UI is devoid of any proper visual cues to make the technique somewhat controllable for music production and comes with two goldfish brains of sample memory."

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:59 Overview Liven Texture Lab
01:46 Short Granular Synthesis Tutorial
03:12 LFOs, Envelopes
03:24 Resonant Filter
03:33 Reverb Effect ( Shimmer Reverb )
03:52 Lack of USB
04:08 Processing of External Audio, Freeze Effect
04:17 What else? ( Sequencer , Internal Speaker , Arpeggiator , Thanks!!!)
04:52 Hate Screen
05:18 Jam 1 ( Downtempo Weirdness )
06:07 Jam 2 ( More Downtempo Weirdness )
07:05 Finale ( 128 BPM Weirdness )
07:35 Verdict
06:46 Patreon Granular Shoutout

Bad Gear - The Gold Standard

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Senior synth citizens like me might get the impression that the technical evolution is going backwards: the mass market returned to the dark ages of analog, there’s an obvious disconnect between traditional manufacturers and their customers and sampling hardware is slowly reapproaching the tech specs of 1991.

Today we are going to talk about the Korg EMX-1. This 2003 Electribe is considered to be the gold standard for groovebox design by many - and a gimmicky hotchpotch of cheap-sounding late dance sounds for more or less everyone else.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:00 Overview Electribe EMX1
01:31 Korg Electribe EMX-1 vs. Korg Electribe ESX-1
01:49 The Synth Engines
02:31 Sample Playback
02:50 Filter Section
03:08 Modulators and their Limitations
03:23 FX Section
03:31 Drum Parts
03:50 Workflow ( Arpeggiator , Sequencer )
04:23 Additional Features, External Input
04:52 Tubes / Valves / Toooooooooooooobs
05:20 What else??? (Pricing, Thanks,...)
05:38 Hate Screen
06:01 Jam 1 ( House )
06:59 Jam 2 ( Drum'n'Bass )
08:07 Finale ( Electro )
08:37 Verdict"

Bad Gear - The Y2K Bug

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. While we - the inhabitants of this post-everything dystopia - live in the best times for being a synth nerd, our ancestors and younger selves who just survived the Y2K Bug had to deal with a much bleaker market for electronic musical instruments .

Today we are going to talk about the SH-32. This unholy offspring of a JP-8000 and an MC-303, 2002 not-a- synth not-yet-a groovebox and Buchla Easel for kids design abomination is not only peak Roland Music but also seems to be the blueprint for the Roland SH-4D .

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:02 Overview Roland SH-32 Synthesizer
01:24 Oscillators
02:24 Filter
02:51 FX Section
03:10 Groovebox Features
03:29 Drum Samples
03:43 Performance Mode, Multitimbrality
03:54 Pros & Cons of Performance Mode (mostly cons)
04:09 Arpeggiator / Sequencer / Chord Mode
04:55 What else? (Polyphony, Presets, Low Boost)
05:56 Hate Screen
06:23 Jam 1 ( DIY Trance )
07:23 Jam 2 ( Downtempo )
08:24 Finale ( Retro Techno )
08:54 Verdict"

HOW TO WIRE A COFFEE POT INTO A SYNTHESIZER

video upload by LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER

"Thats right. its time to get an analog brew on!
watch/download the WAV of the full brew, and also support these videos over here :- / lookmumnocomputer"

A Brief History of 80s Synths - SynthForceAlpha!

video upload by Memetune Studio

"Some prep for the next episode of The Memetune Programme.."

Bad Gear - The Legendary D-50

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Every now and then this show needs some blasphemy, a little slap in the face of iconic music history milestones and one of these 'he’s obviously trolling' moments true Bad Gear fans crave at least once a year.

Today we are going to talk about the legendary D-50. This LA synth and Roland’s answer to the Yamaha DX7 not only had a huge impact on the sound aesthetics of the late 80s, it is also still relevant for Enya Orinoco Flow Covers, creating high end General Midi Kontakt Libraries, channeling your Reagan Era soap opera PTSD AND I might have a point here…

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:02 Overview Roland D-50
01:11 WTF is Linear Arithmetic Synthesis ???
01:57 Virtual Analog before we called it that way
02:32 Splits and other Multitimbral Pleasures
02:48 Effects (Reverb, Chorus, Chase)
03:05 Idiosyncrasies of an 80s Synth
03:24 The Joystick
03:40 Controllers, Flagship Synth Features
04:04 Presets ( Fantasia , Pizzagogo , Soundtrack )
04:23 What Else??? (Pricing, Thanks,...)
04:46 Hate Screen
05:12 Jam 1 ( LoFi Beats )
06:03 Jam 2 ( Elektro )
07:10 Finale ( Epic Techno )
07:40 Verdict"

Catch Them Hanz (prod by saywordstaz)

video upload by saywordstaz

Bad Gear - Nightmare before CHRISTMAS

video upload by AudioPilz

"If you liked the finale video you will certainly like Siriusmo - Itchy/Cornerboy" Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:24 Overview Elektron Octa track II
01:03 Engines ( Live Looping , Sample Slicing , Mixing ,...)
01:53 Why choose Octatrack over Digitakt
02:26 Flex vs. Static Engines ( Disk Streaming )
02:55 Synthesizer Features, Effects
03:21 Sampling
03:46 Elektron Sequencer
04:20 Parts, Scenes, Crossfader Assignment
04:46 Arpeggiator
05:00 What else? (Pricing, Thanks,...)
05:24 Hate Screen
05:54 Jam 1 ( Techno for Facebook Dads )
06:46 Jam 2 ( Dawless Downbeat )
07:52 Finale ( Techno for TikTok Kids )
08:20 Verdict

Tonverk at 9:03.

Bad Gear - The END of Volcas

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Volcas are awesome: the original meme synths that kicked off an ongoing trend of miniaturization in music technology and turned countless promising musicians into irredeemable gear addicts.

However, everything must come to an end, so today we are going to talk about Volca Sample New Generation. You might be surprised that my original Volca Sampler - although prominently featured on this channel - never actually received the Bad Gear treatment, that this is the very last member of the existing Volca family to be reviewed here and let’s discuss why I don’t think there’s ever going to be another Volca as we know it.

Volca Sample is not a sampler

Bad Gear - The END of Volcas

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
01:02 Overview Korg Wolca 2
01:57 How to play tonal stuff
02:12 UI, Workflow
02:49 Reverb Effect, Analog Isolator
03:12 Sequencer (Step Jump, Active Step, Motion Seq)
04:00 Sample Import, Computer Integration
04:27 What else??? (Connectivity, Pricing,...)
04:50 Hate
05:15 Jam 1 ( Lo-fi House )
06:11 Jam 2 ( Drum'n'Bass )
07:16 Finale ( Proto Bass Music )
07:46 Verdict"

Bad Gear - Just because YOU want one...

video upload by AudioPilz

"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world’s most-hated audio tools. Just because you want one doesn’t mean it’s good.

At the first glance Muse is ticking all the “Moog clones the Behringer yamaha CS-80” boxes.

Bad Gear - Just because YOU want one...

Moog One
Polymoog
Moog Model D
analog synthesizer
analog synth
polyphonic
synth keyboard
flagship synth

Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:26 Overview Moog Muse
01:14 Tuning (or lack thereof), Calibration, Boot Time
01:25 Oscillators
02:17 Dual Ladder Filter
02:45 Modulators (Envelopes, LFOs)
03:03 Mod Map, Mixer
03:29 Delay Effect , Low Cut
03:41 Polyphony , Binaural , Bitimbrality ( Layers , Splits )
04:09 Arpeggiator , Sequencer , Chord Mode
04:30 Controllers
04:40 Focus, Menu Structure
05:02 Presets
05:24 Connectivity, Pricing,...
06:01 Hate
06:24 Jam 1 ( Techno or House or Whatever )
07:21 Jam 2 ( Epic Stuff )
08:35 Finale ( Mainstream Melodic Techno )
09:05 Verdict"