Big Synth News Coming From Behringer (& KORG's Hiroaki Nishijima)?

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

Per the description: "I am in beutiful Japan together with Luigi Scarano, our Synthesizer Innovation leader.

Stay tune from some big news - and i mean BIG news.

Uli"


Note who looks like KORG's Hiroaki Nishijima in the back left. I thought that might be Korg's Fumio Mieda on the right, but I'm not sure. You can find a pic and interview with Hiroaki Nishijima and Fumio Mieda here. Some of the other faces look familiar as well, especially the gentleman on the front left. If you can ID them, please comment.

Could this be the Behringer DS80 / CS80, a partnership with KORG, or other?

Behringer meeting with any representatives of another large scale synth company is a big deal. It will be interesting to find out what this is all about.

You can find an interview with Luigi Scarno here.

Update: Announcement below with a new pic, also in via Soviet Space Child. It looks like Hiroaki Nishijima is indeed joining Behringer.

“Synthesizer Icon Hiroaki Nishijima to Lead Behringer’s New Synthesizer Innovation Center in Japan

Behringer announced today that Hiroaki Nishijima, synthesizer icon and inventor of the famous Korg MS-20 Synthesizer, will lead Behringer’s new high-tech innovation center in its Tokyo headquarter.

Behringer’s vision is to build a large research and development center and invite many talented Japanese engineers to focus on flagship synthesizers, samplers and other innovative product designs.

About Hiroaki Nishijima

“Ever since I was a child, I was always excited to disassemble toys and explore how they work. My father and grandfather helped nurture that side of me by teaching me electronics and how to solder while attending third year of elementary school.

During that time, I got into music. I started playing with my brother’s classical guitar and eventually got lessons from an actual classical guitar teacher. I continued to play and improve until I noticed I was becoming better at it than my brother.

As my skills grew more diverse, so did my taste in music. Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis, ELP and I Pooh became my inspirations. In junior high school, I bought an electric guitar and formed a band. That’s when I saw a synthesizer for the first time. It was amazing and I wanted one for myself, but it was just too expensive for a student like me.

When I entered university, I studied electronic engineering and played in a band. While that was going on, I’d also repair my friends’ amps and would design effects on the side. After graduation, I joined Korg to develop synthesizers like the MS-20 series, Sigma, KES and PME-40X series, Z3 and even Korg’s component modeling technology.

Over the past few years I have watched Behringer deliver high-quality synthesizers and pursue a very strong mission to deliver impressive instruments to musicians around the world. I reached out to Uli Behringer because I wanted to be part of his mission and help Behringer design world-class musical instruments. This is my dream, too.

These days, it’s difficult for current Japanese companies to create the types of synths that I used to develop. This is why I joined Behringer because my ambition to create professional analog synthesizers coincides with Uli Behringer’s love of musical instruments and with that I’m very excited to see what we can dream up.

I am currently looking for experienced embedded software leaders and engineers for our new Innovation center in Tokyo. Please can contact us at yuka.ishigami@musictribe.com.”

About Music Tribe

Uli Behringer, Founder of Behringer and Music Tribe commented: “I am extremely proud to have Nishijima San on our team. This man is a legendary synth icon with decades of experience.
Ever since I designed my own synthesizer in 1977, I have always been obsessed with synthesizers and today, Behringer is on a mission to bring back classic synthesizers as well as design completely new instruments and make them available at prices everyone can afford. We at Behringer believe that everyone should have access to the amazing synthesizers and sounds of the 70’s and 80’s.”

Uli continues: “We are currently recruiting experienced synthesizer engineers from all over the world to join us in our synthesizer mission. People interested can directly contact me at uli.behringer@musictribe.com.”

Behringer Model D Demos by DivKidVideo

Published on Jan 24, 2018 DivKidVideo

Behringer Model D #06 - Filter
Behringer Model D #05 - Mixer, Feedback, Noise Generator & LFO Outputs
Behringer Model D #04 - Oscillator Bank
Behringer Model D #03 - Eurorack Patching Sequence & Modulation
Behringer Model D #02 - Eurorack Case Installation
Behringer Model D Jam #08 - CV Over LFO Rate & High Pass Filter
Behringer Model D Jam #07 - Chords & 3 Way Filter Modulation
Behringer Model D Jam #06 - Bassline & Drive
Behringer Model D Jam #05 - FM & Mixer Feedback
Behringer Model D Jam #04 - Filter Oscillation, Percussion and FM
Behringer Model D Jam #03 - Arpeggio Exploration
Behringer Model D Jam #02 - Bass & Acid
Behringer Model D Jam #01 - Feature Wiggle & Eurorack Modulation
Behringer Model D #01 - Features Sounds & Patches

Behringer RD-8: Classic Patterns & Beats

Published on Sep 1, 2019 benanderson89 & BEHRINGER

These spotted and sent in via Soviet Space Child. Note the first three videos are by benanderson89, and the rest by BEHRINGER. You can use the player controls to skip around.

Playlist:

1. Behringer RD-8, Deep Mind 12, Casio CZ-1: Electro improv

Improvised electro clip using a Behringer RD-8, Behringer Deep Mind 12 and Casio CZ-1

1:07 to hear the drums soloed from the rest of the mix.

2. Behringer RD-8: Classic Patterns

Unprocessed MP3s: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgdyCglJtL5fga50U...

Three classic 808 patterns redone using the RD-8. Reverb, EQ and compression used.

3. Behringer RD-8: Classic Patterns 2

Four more classic TR-808 patterns recreated on the Behringer RD-8. After a few more days with the machine I've gotten a better understanding of how it works, and I can get it so close to an original machine that Gear Slutz forums have started splitting hairs.

Egypt, Egypt uses the cowbell trigger out for the "click" sound.
Hanging on a string has a full effects and mastering chain.
Voodoo Ray and Planet Rock are captured raw from the RD-8.

4. Classic Beats RD-8 Episode1 - BEHRINGER
5. Classic Beats RD-8 episode 2 - BEHRINGER

Featuring Loose Ends - Hanging On A String (1984)

Recorded with RD-8, Xenyx 2442, FX 2000, Klark Teknik 1176-KT

6. RD-8 Tips Part 1: Step & Note Repeat - BEHRINGER
7. RD-8 Tips Part 2: Pattern Chaining - BEHRINGER

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behringer#FCC_dispute

Behringer Neutron Testing

Published on Feb 10, 2018 DivKidVideo

1. Behringer Neutron Testing - Feature Jam

"Here's my first video of seven (to kick things off, more to come) with the Behringer Neutron. This is a little feature jam with the Korg SQ-1 sequencing the pitch and gate and a few eurorack modular drums mixed in for good measure."

2. Behringer Neutron Testing - Paraphonic VCO & Filter Workout

Here I have a Korg SQ-1 sending a 4 note sequence to the first Curtis CEM 3340 VCO and a 3 note sequence to the second VCO. This gives us some overlapping polymeric (not polymeter, that's conversation for another day) patterns. The VCOs sound great playing overlapping patterns then mixing through paraphonically into the filter/VCA/drive/delay.

3. Behringer Neutron Testing - Synth Drone

Here's a synth drone for the third video of seven from my time testing the Behringer Neutron. There's the BBD Delay, lots of modulation from the LFO and sample and hold as well as the two ADSR envelopes.

4. Behringer Neutron Testing - BBD Delay Workout

PLEASE NOTE - the final version has two BBD chips and a longer delay with less noise until much longer delay times. I'll have that unit coming soon to make more fulsome content.

In this patch from my time testing the prototype Neutron unit from Behringer I'm playing around with the BBD delay chips. The delay can be used completely standalone with input and output and also a CV input for the delay rate (it will with modulation make a great chorus). In the default signal path it comes at the end of the signal path after the overdrive.

5. Behringer Neutron Testing - Acid Patch

Here's an acid style patch with the Behringer Neutron. You can hear the filters snarl and raw character as well as the richness of the oscillators coming through. There's the output overdrive and BBD delay in play at points too.

6. Behringer Neutron Testing - Cosmic Synth FX

While these little teaser videos for the Behringer Neutron are coming to and end (one more video, the seventh uploaded this weekend) here's some Cosmic Synth FX making use of the patchbay and on board delay to create some more abstract and experimental drones and noises. Perfect "sample fodder" to record and cut up for more "conventional" uses as percussion or little noise and FX hits.

7. Behringer Neutron Testing - Sync, Drive & Character

With the sync mode between the oscillators you can get all sorts of overbowing, guitar feedback, plucked string like twang extra harmonics into the core sound on the Neutron before going through the filtering, drive, VCA and delay. So this video is just that, testing out the sync between two oscillators and playing around. It's also the last video in the 7 I made for test patches.

Is it Time to Ban Behringer on the Site?

Last night I received an email from Nan Tang, the founder & CEO of Chinese computer music portal Midifan and co-founder of plugin vendor 2nd Sense Audio. He wrote in to let me know that Behringer apparently sent him a letter threatening legal action for defamation in some posts critical of them. Peter Kirn of Create Digital Music has a write-up on the situation here, and Synthtopia just published a humorous report here.

So, most of us know that there are essentially two camps when it comes to Behringer:

1. Those that love that they are reproducing vintage analog synths and offering them at super affordable prices.

2. Those that perceive them as ripping off others.

Midifan falls into the second category, and Behringer has a problem with how they are communicating that. I have no problem with either of them. What I do have a problem with is when a company threatens legal action to shut someone up.

So... what do we do...

Considerations on my end as a publisher:

1. As a site dedicated to capturing what is happening in the synth community on a daily basis, should I continue to post new Behringer product announcements at a minimum?

2. I don't want to ban content my readers create. If readers submit content featuring Behringer products, I will post them. Not for Behringer, but for my readers.

3. I usually do my best to remain neutral.

That said, I can definitely scale back on Behringer content that doesn't meet 1 and 2 above. I don't want to get sued, and if Behringer threatens publishers that voice their opinions, then why bother supporting them?

If you have an opinion feel free to leave a comment below.

Update: I asked Nan of Midifan what he planned to do regarding Behringer coverage on his site. He replied with the following:

"I will continue reporting all the news and new products from Behringer as usual, give them applause for the good products, give them a shit for the bad products. As an online media, we have to report everything for our reader, whatever someone sued us or not."

Update2: MUSIC GROUP COMMERCIAL BM LTD (Behringer's parent company) sued TONY KARAVIDAS, ET AL, including Dave Smith Instruments, for defamation, and lost. Tony is an engineer for DSI. He is also the man behind Encore Electronics, and he has an extensive history in the synthesizer industry, including work on the original Oberheim OB-Xa. The case is covered in detail by Create Digital Music here.

What surprised me was the following:

"The twist here is that in addition to Dave Smith Instruments, the manufacturer, and employee Anthony Karavidas (an engineer at DSI), the lawsuit added as defendants an additional twenty individuals posting in the same forum thread. Since the identity of those individuals is unknown, they’re named as 'DOES 1-20.' In the words of the lawsuit, 'the true names and capacities, whether individual, corporate, associate or otherwise … are unknown to Plaintiff.'"

Did Behringer go after individuals as well, or were they trying to discover if the 20 individual accounts were actually the same person or persons?

Update3: worth a read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_public_participation
And discussion on reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/8sb3a0/behringer_sues_dave_smith_instruments_and/

You can read the original filing of the lawsuit here, the judgement here.

Behringer Winter Of Love 2019 TD-3 Announcement Video - TB-303 in Blue, Red, or Silver

Premiere in progress. Started 4 minutes ago - Behringer

Enjoy that intro. Wait for it...

Update2: new user videos coming in below. Bookmark this post and be sure to check back.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Behringer SPICE - The Polyrhythmic Inspiration Machine

video upload by Behringer

Follow-up to this post where you'll find a pic of the front panel.

"Introducing Behringer SPICE, the new semi-modular polyrhythmic synthesizer that brings new depths to live music creation."

Behringer SPICE - Let's Make Music

video upload by Behringer

"In this video we'll breakdown how the music was made for the Behringer SPICE launch video."

Upcoming videos:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vince Clarke Studio For Sale

LINK via Alex.
"Due to Relocation... Vince Clarke from Erasure is Auctioning over 160 items of Audio Equipment from his UK Studio. All have been regularily serviced. Most have documentation. Five items a day will be Auctioned starting from Wednesday 24th October.

Items that will be sold:
Gentle Electric Model 101 ---------Ear 822Q --------Drawmer DS201 Gate -------Drawmer DS201 Gate-------- DBX 166A Comp------- DBX 166A Comp----- Yamaha SPX90-------- Roland SDE3000A --------Eventide H3000-D/SE------ Bel Electronics BD-80-------- Lexicon PCM70-------- Bel Electronics BA40-------- Korg Stage Echo----- DeltaLab Effectron ADM1024------ Orban/Parasound 106CX------ Korg Signal Delay----- Roland Space Echo----Lexicon Primetime-------- Peavey Reverb -----Ear 823MQ------- Drawmer DL221---- Roland GS 6 --------Otari DTR-7-------- Aiwa XK007 Excelia------ Denon DCD 595----- Furman Sound RV-1------- Astorias Classical Accoustic GTR JM155------- Martin&co Steel String Accoustic---------- Yamaha NS-10 Pair--------- Yamaha NS-10 Pair------ Ear 509mkII Amplifier-------- Ear 509mkII Amplifier ----------Ear 549 Amplifier------ Ear 549 Amplifier------- Ear 549 Amplifier-------- Ear 549 Amplifier-------- Un-named Studio Control Speakers-------- SAE P50 Amplifier----- SAE P50 Amplifier------- NAD 3020A Amplifier------- Akai S1000------ Roland A110 Midi Display-------- Alesis DATA DISK-------- Dual 505-2 Turntable------- Revox 1/4 inch 2 Track Recorder --------David 9000 Speakers ---------Studer C37 Type828 2 Track Recorder----- Studer A80 24 Track Recorder ---------EMT 140 Plate Reverb ------UMI Computers x 8 with drive and memory cards-------- Optikenetics Solar 250 Light --------Speaker Stands 45cm High --------AS Filter Bank FB3----- EMO RackLight RK1-------- Sycologic AMI------- Sycologic M16x ---------Sycologic PSP------- FriendChip SRC-------- FriendChip SRC/AT ----------Ensoniq KMX-16 ---------DAC High Capacity Storage System------- Amek Mixing Console -------Groove Electronics MC-Lites Midi Box---------- JBL M553 Crossover --------Tascam DA-P1 DAT-------- Arun Oxley Pin Patch--------- Otari Radar 24 Track Hrd Drv Recorder Plus SCSCI Drive--------- Otari RE-8E Controller--------- Amek Mice Controller----- Studer A80 VU Remote Control----- Studer AutoLocator-------- Bantam Jack Patch 6 1U units of 96 inputs--------- A/DA GTR Flanger ----------ProCo GTR FX RAT------ DaneElectro Tuner---- Signex CPM22 MIDI Patch--------- Symetrix Headphone Amplifier SX204-------- Fairlight C.M.I--------- Erasure MIDI/Gate System --------Beckmann9020 Oscilloscope------ Roland PMA-5----------- Roland PMA-5------ Roland MC-4 Micro Composer---------- Roland MC-4 Micro Composer------- Roland MC-4 Micro Composer------- Roland MC-4 Micro Composer --------Roland MC-4 Micro Composer---- Roland MC-4 Micro Composer--------- Roland CV Interface 0P-8M ----Roland CV Interface 0P-8M -----Roland CV Interface 0P-8M---- Roland CV Interface 0P-8M ------Roland CV Interface 0P-8M-------- Roland Digital Cassette Recorder MTR100------- Roland Digital Cassette Recorder MTR100 --------Roland Digital Cassette Recorder MTR100 ------Roland SBX-80 Midi Sync Box ------Roland MC-300 Micro composer-------- Roland MC-500 MKII Micro Composer---Behringer Ultra X crossover---- BSS DPR522 Gate----AB 215 EQ--- Behringer ULtra Q Pro--- BSS FCS 926 Varicurve--- BSS FCS 926 Varicurve--- BSS FCS 920 Varicurve--- Klark Teknik DN514 Auto Gate--- Behringer Multicom 4ch Compresser--- Behringer Composer Pro 2ch Compresser---- Roland SDE 3000--- AB 215 EQ--- Roland SDE 3000---Yamaha SPX90---Yamaha R1000 Reverb--- DBX 120-DS--- BSS Soundweb 9088i Signal Processer--- BSS FCS 920 Varicurve---- Yamaha SPX90MkII---- Behringer Composer Pro 2ch Compresser--- Behringer Virtualizer Pro--- Behringer Multicom 4ch Compresser---- BSS DPR502 Midi Noise Gate---- DBX 500 SubHarmonizer---- DBX 160 2ch Compresser VU Meter Version---- AB 215LT EQ---- Yamaha PM180 Rack Mixer---- Behringer Tube Ultra Q---- Behringer Tube Ultra Q---- Behringer Tube Ultra Q---- AB 231 EQ---- Roland Dimension SDD-320---- Citronic V-4.5 Conquest 2ch Amplifier---- White Parametric EQ---- White Parametric EQ--- Crest Century 24ch Mixing Console---- Crest 32ch Mxing Console---- Duke Box----"

Pictured above: Roland Space Echo RE-201 and Korg Stage Echo.
Vince Clark's hobbit / mushroom looking studio.

Former MODE MACHINES CEO Michael Thorpe Joins Behringer

The press release:

Former MODE MACHINES CEO Michael Thorpe joins Behringer to lead its German synthesizer team

Michael Thorpe — former CEO of MODE MACHINES — has joined Behringer to lead its German synthesizer, lighting, and accessory divisions in his newly-appointed role as Customer Solutions Leader (CSL).

Michael has been in the audio industry since 1996 and successfully ran his own company, MODE MACHINES, which designed and manufactured products for the music industry. During more than 20 years Michael gained tremendous experience in product design, manufacturing, and also marketing, which he will now bring to Behringer.

Michael commented: “I am so excited to join the Behringer team and be part of the synthesizer revolution. For decades my passion has been with synthesizers, as well as the music industry in general, and in February 2018 I had the chance to personally meet Uli Behringer. I was immediately inspired by the vision and energy behind the company and the man, and it became clear that I wanted to join the team and help execute this vision which is so close to my heart.”

Uli Behringer commented: “For 30 years, Behringer has had only one mission — to carefully listen to our customers and deliver great products at prices they can afford. As a musician and engineer myself, my passion has always been with synthesizers. At Behringer, we are extremely dedicated and passionate about bringing incredible instruments to the market and helping musicians to fulfill their musical dreams. We are on the constant lookout for amazing talent, and when I met Michael Thorpe I was greatly impressed by his tremendous experience and love for the industry. I am very happy for Michael to lead our German synthesizer team, whose purpose is to design classic as well as innovative new analog synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers, etc. He will also lead our recently-founded lighting and accessory divisions, where we will deliver equally-innovative and extremely cost-effective products and solutions.”

Michael continues: “During just two years, Behringer has become a leader in the synthesizer market and we will now deliver the same success related to lighting equipment and accessory products. My team and I are very excited and we will go the extra mile to deliver amazing results for our customers. We are constantly looking for new Customer Solution leaders and Product Category Managers, as well as engineering talents to join our other divisions. We encourage you to join this incredibly creative and powerful team — just like I did!”

Does the Behringer Model D Stack Up Against the Original?

Behringer D - Let's Talk Synths - With Mr CowFood

Published on Mar 3, 2018 Marshal Arnold

Discussion starts at 6:29, below is a comparison.

"Behringer D - Let's Talk Synths - With Mr CowFood

Now that the Behringer D is available and I have had a chance to play around with it I wanted to invite back Mr CowFood to discuss this new release from Behringer. The Behringer D, or "Boog" as it's being referred to by many online is a clone of the famous Moog MiniMoog Model D. Mr CowFood and I chat about some of the differences between this clone and the MiniMoog Reissue of which the Boog is based on. There was some discussion also about the High-Pass Filter, apparently there have been some complaints about it so I setup a quick test and all is well with the unit I own. We also chat briefly about the teaser photo from the Midas Team in the UK, possibly getting ready t teardown a Roland Jupiter 8."

Behringer D Vs MiniMoog Model D - THE REMATCH - Technical Video

Published on Mar 4, 2018

You can find the previous video mentioned along with a Roland SE-02 vs. Minimoog comparison here.

"Behringer D Vs MiniMoog Model D - THE REMATCH - Technical Video

Following the first “Shootout” video I made between a MiniMoog Model D and a Behringer D or “Boog” as it's being called online I have taken some feedback from the community and with the suggestions made I have spent an entire evening doing a much more technical comparison of these synthesizers. NOTE this video will probably be very boring for some viewers, my apologies, I do not know how to spice up a video like this, but if you are curious how these 2 synths stack up on a deeper level and have about an hour to burn then give it a spin! In this video I will be covering the following

1- Comparing individual oscillator wave forms one by one (1, 2 and 3).
2- Comparing oscillators with stacked wave forms
3- Some low-pass filter sweeps with varying amounts of resonance
4- Tested the Overdrive circuit
5- Tested the high-pass filer on the Behringer D – (is not a feature on the MiniMoog, but I had questions about it)"

Behringer Introduces the POLY D - 4 Voice Paraphonic Polyphonic Minimoog Keyboard Synthesizer

Published on Nov 24, 2019 BEHRINGER

Apparently Behringer is on Amazon now.

Update2: Playlist with three user videos (you can skip around on the top right or bottom left):



Sonic Lab: Behringer Poly D! - sonicstate
Behringer Poly D -solo sonidos / only sounds - FutureMusic.es
Behringer POLY D - MrFirechild
Behringer POLY D: Review, Tutorial and Patch Ideas // Auto-damp explained - loopop

Update: post updated with larger pics. Click them for the detail.

Note the POLY D is more like a Mono/Poly in how you stack/route the oscillators. There are 4 VCOs, so you can set them to trigger one at a time for 4 voice paraphonic polyphony. Paraphonic in that they share the same filter, envelopes, etc. You can't have a fully separate voice with independent filters, envelopes, etc like on a truly polyphonic synth. This is not a Memormoog or Moon One. That said, it is a step ahead of a standard Minimoog - 4 vs 3 VCOs with the ability to play paraphonically. If it's light enough, you might even be able to kick back on a couch with it. An original Minimoog on the lap would get heavy fast.

Side note: Apparently Behringer is on Amazon now.

Details from Behringer:

"Analog 4-Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer with 37 Full-Size Keys, 4 VCOs, Classic Ladder Filter, LFO, BBD Stereo Chorus, Distortion, 32-Step Sequencer and Arpeggiator"

The 1970s spawned the first truly portable analog synthesizer, and while it was quickly adopted by lots of renowned musical artists including Jan Hammer, Chick Corea, Rick Wakeman, Jean-Michel Jarre, Isao Tomita and Keith Emerson to name a few, it was somewhat temperamental and very expensive. An ultra-affordable homage to that iconic synthesizer, with all the features of the original and then some, the Behringer POLY D lets you conjure up virtually any monophonic or polyphonic sound imaginable with incredible finesse and ease. The pure analog signal path is based on authentic VCO, VCF, VCA and ladder filter designs in conjunction with a dedicated and fully analog triangle/square wave LFO. Owning a POLY D is like having your own personal time machine, enabling you to freely embrace the past – or shape the future!

CLICK FOR MORE »

Behringer Neutron Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer Demos by SYNTH ANATOMY

Published on Apr 23, 2018 SYNTH ANATOMY

Remember, you can use the player controls to select and/or skip through videos.

Playlist:
Behringer Neutron Synthesizer (Prototype) - First Try
Behringer Neutron Synthesizer (Prototype) - Experimental Patch I
Behringer Neutron Semi-Modular Analog SYNTHESIZER - First Look | SYNTH ANATOMY
Behringer Neutron Synth Feature: Analog Wavefrom Stepping vs Blending | SYNTH ANATOMY
Behringer Neutron SYNTHESIZER - What A Semi-Modular Patch Mess! | SYNTH ANATOMY
Behringer Neutron Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer Sound Quickie I | SYNTH ANATOMY
Behringer Neutron Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer Sound Quickie II | SYNTH ANATOMY
Behringer Neutron Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer Sound Quickie III | SYNTH ANATOMY

GliGli and Behringer Announce Partnership

First Fingersonic's Luigi Scarano, then Korg's Hiroaki Nishijima, now GliGli has joined Behringer.

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

“GliGli and Behringer announced today that they have entered into a collaboration to develop classic analog synthesizers.

Fabrice, aka. GliGli stated: 'Behringer reached out to me to help them bring iconic synthesizers back to life. For many years it has been my passion to create a much improved firmware for the Sequential P-600 and to design my own poly synth projects. Uli’s synthesizer Vision provides a fantastic opportunity for me to contribute to the re-imaging of some of the best synthesizer designs from the 1970’s, and to make them accessible to everyone - a Vision I profoundly believe in and want to be part of.'

GliGli continues: 'My goal with P600fw was to have the vintage polysynth of my dreams. I used my computer science and electronics knowledge to make something that was both easy to install, capable of getting the most out of the analog hardware and most of all, fun to make!'

Uli Behringer, Founder of Behringer and Music Tribe commented: 'It’s an honor to have GliGli on our team - Fabrice is an amazing synth designer and I am so proud that we could win him for our ambitious Vision.

Ever since I designed my own synthesizer in 1977, I have been passionate about synthesizers and today, Behringer is on a mission to bring back classic synthesizers as well as design completely new instruments and make them available at prices everyone can afford. We at Behringer believe that everyone should have access to the amazing synthesizers and sounds of the 70’s and 80’s.'

Uli continues: 'This partnership also demonstrates that we welcome collaborations with boutique manufacturers as we believe we can perfectly coexist and complement each other. We are currently recruiting 70 experienced synth engineers from all over the world to join us in our synthesizer mission. People interested can directly contact me at uli.behringer@musictribe.com.'”

Polivoks Creator Vladimir Kuzmin Teams up with Behringer

Another synth legend joins Behringer. You might recall KORG's Hiroaki Nishijima joined back in 2019. PPG's Hermann Seib joined in 2020. Luigi Scarano of fingersonic joined back in 2019 as well as Mode Machines Michael Thorpe. Robin Whittle of Devilfish fame almost worked out a deal to bring the Devilfish mods to the TB-3 but that fell through and Behringer moved forward without him. Not sure what the story was behind the Jasper WASP and then there's the Swing. It is interesting to see who is willing to work with Behringer and who isn't. You might recall Behringer sued Dave Smith Instruments/Sequential along with 20 forum members, they threatened to sue an online publication, and they created the Cork Sniffer. That said, here's the news:

"Vladimir Kuzmin and Behringer announced today that they have entered into a collaboration to develop a new Polivoks synthesizer.

Vladimir Kuzmin stated: “With great interest have I followed Behringer’s Vision to bring back iconic synthesizers and make them affordable for musicians. For all my life, I have been extremely passionate about synthesizers and I decided to contact Uli to see if Behringer would be interested to design a new Polivoks as I would love to see my legacy live on.

I designed the Polivoks in 1980 at the Urals Vector plant in Russia, while it was produced by the Formanta Radio Factory. The Polivoks has features that are very unusual on most analog synthesizers, which creates this very unique and distinctive sound, often referred to as “Russian synthesizer sound”. For many years it has been my dream to create a new and much improved Polivoks. Uli’s synthesizer Vision provides a fantastic opportunity for me to contribute to the reimagining of my Polivoks and to make it accessible to everyone - a Vision I profoundly believe in and want to be part of.”

Uli Behringer, commented: 'It’s an immense honor to have Vladimir Kuzmin on our team as he is a legendary synth designer. We are extremely proud, we could win him for our ambitious Vision.
This partnership demonstrates again that we welcome collaborations with boutique inventors and manufacturers, as we believe we can perfectly coexist and complement each other. We invite anyone interested in a possible collaboration to contact us at joinus@musictribe.com.'

Here is a great article about Vladimir Kuzmin and his amazing Polivoks story."

New Behringer RD-808 & RD-909 Knobcon Videos

Behringer RD-909 (Roland TR-909 Clone) Sneak Preview

Published on Sep 10, 2018

Update: looks like the RD-808 video was pulled. Moved it below in case it comes back.

"At Knobcon 2018, we talked with Behringer about their upcoming RD-909 drum machine, an updated clone of the classic Roland TR-909.

Behringer was showing their initial 3D-printed model for the RD-909, which is used in the process of validating their design choices, and for testing out the 'feel' of the box. It has circuit boards in it - but they were not demoing it because the circuity and firmware are are still early in development.

Behringer was showing the RD-909 to get feedback on their initial design."

More:
Behringer RD-808
Behringer RD-909
Knobcon

CLICK FOR MORE »

Superbooth 2017: Behringer Model D Intro, Demos & Interview on Upcoming Synths

Superbooth 2017: Behringer Model D - First Look +Listen

Published on Apr 21, 2017 sonicstate

"Literally straight out of the box after the courier delivered it to the show, we get a first look at the new Model D. Sorry about the lighting conditions, but it was a bit of a hurried shoot."

Side note: You might remember Behringer mentioned two new synths were going to be launched at the Superbooth. So far we have the Model D, the DeepMind6, and the DeepMind rack. So, unless another synth is announced, I'm guessing the DeepMinds were the two new synths, as they are launching for production, while the Model D is still in the prototype stage.

Superbooth 2017: Behringer D Synthesizer Sound Demo

Published on Apr 21, 2017 SYNTH ANATOMY

Behringer MiniMoog Model D Hands-On Sound Demo at Superbooth 2017

Published on Apr 21, 2017 Ask.Audio

"We got hands-on with the first prototypes of the the upcoming $400 Behringer Minimoog Model D analog synth clone.

High-quality audio.

This is well worth watching!!!"

Amazona.de - Superbooth 2017 Interview with BEHRINGER about upcoming Synthesizers

Published on Apr 21, 2017

"Short Interview with Pete Sadler and Rob Belacham from BEHRINGER about upcoming Synthesizers"

Behringer Introduces TD-3-MO - 'Modded Out' Edition

video upload by Behringer

Update: Note there is no mention of Devil Fish in regards to the mods. Additional vids added below.

"Taking the TD-3 to a whole new level, introducing the TD-3-MO 'Modded Out' edition.

Fitted with brand new circuitry introducing a club shaking sub-oscillator, all new parameter controls, patching capabilities, a midi cc controllable cutoff filter, and much more!

In this video, Dan takes us through what new features the TD-3-MO brings to the table and shows how the 'modded out' edition adds a brand new character to this already iconic sound.

Silver Edition - TD-3-MO-SR
Amber Edition - TD-3-MO-AM

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro
00:18 - Overview
00:47 - Sub Oscillator
01:35 - New Parameter Controls
01:50 - Sound Demo
02:45 - Connecting to Eurorack
03:09 - Midi CC Controllable Filter
03:17 - LED Case Lighting
03:25 - TD-3-MO-AM"

Behringer TD 3 MO Modded Out Sound Demo (no talking)

video upload by Bonedo Synthesizers

Shout at the Devil: First Time with the Behringer TD-3 Modded Out

video upload by Honeysmack

"Here’s my first walk around the block with the new Behringer TD-3 Modded Out. Jamming it with some old and new friends. Totally unrehearsed improvised Acid Techno jam recorded in one take.

Gear used in this video:
Behringer TD-3 MO
Behringer RD-8 MkII
Behringer RD-9
Roland TB-303 Devil Fish modified
Roland TR-808
Roland TR-909
Playdifferently Model1 DJ Mixer
Eventide Space
Eventide Timefactor
Elektron Analog Heat MkI
(no other sound sources used except those listed above)

Much respect to Robin Whittle and his wife Tina who have been doing the Devil Fish modification for the Roland TB-303 for many years. Check out their other modifications and work here: https://www.firstpr.com.au/rwi/dfish/"

Two Takes on Behringer - Which Do You Fall Under?

The following videos feature two perspectives on Behringer. I was going to skip both of them, because honestly, I'm kind of tired of the whole thing, but I figure it was worth posting for those unaware of the toatality of it. Jorb does a good job summarizing it all. Note, this will be the last post on the topic, unless something else new and stupid happens.

I do want to clarify what goes up here on MATRIXSYNTH and why. Firstly this site is about the gear, not people. People can have whatever opinions they want. Secondly, this site does factor in how people including manufacturers treat each other. I post what I want to post, and after running this site for over 18 years, I've come to appreciate those who appreciate the site and what I do. Supporting members let me know they appreciate the site by supporting the site. Banner sponsors on the top and right of the site let me know they appreciate the site by sponsoring the site.

Behringer does not support or sponsor the site, and I am aware that they pose a significant and existential threat to some of my supporters and sponsors. So, why do I sometimes feature Behringer? Because this is a synth news site and is meant to be an archive of synth gear over time. I can't just ignore that. So what do I feature? I limit Behringer posts to new product announcements, significant news, and supporting member videos and content only. I skip everything else.

As for sponsors and supporting members, I share whatever they want me to share, within reason, as a thank you for supporting the site. As for non supporting members and sponsors, I share what I want to share. Some clarity on that: when I first launched the site in 2005 I posted everything anyone sent in and everything I came across. Everything was new. YouTube launched in 2005. This was the first time we were able to see people messing with their synths, and this site was the first to cover it. Eurorack and modular was in it's infancy back then and botique manufacturers had limited exposure, mainly on forums and email lists. I remember going to NAMM and someone working for one the manufacturers asked me if I thought eurorack would take off or was just a fad. It was that new. I thought it would take off, and it did. That said, it's no longer possible to post everything that goes up as it would just become too much noise in the end. I'm sure the amount I post daily is already noise to many. So, now I post what I want to post, and yes, how a manufacturer treats others is always factored in.

That said here are the two takes on Behringer. Where do you stand?

Let's Talk About Behringer.

video upload by Jorb

0:00 Intro
3:27 The Clones
10:17 Antagonism
19:52 Wasted Potential

LET'S TALK ABOUT BEHRINGER SYNTHESIZERS... AND JORB | THAT SYNTH SHOW EP.45

video upload by SYNTH SAMURAI

Introducing the Behringer Crave Synthesizer

Published on Jan 27, 2019 BEHRINGER

Priced at $199.

Update: two more videos added to the end of the playlist. You can use the player controls to skip to them.

"We had a blast at our Music Tribe Experience Center Pre-Namm Event this past Wednesday, but we've got one more special surprise for you all...

The Behringer Crave!"

Playlist:

1. Introducing the Behringer Crave Synthesizer
2. Brand New: Behringer Crave Synthesizer
3. Behringer Crave Synthesizer - Track by MrFirechild
4. Behringer CRAVE First Demo - No Talking!
5. Behringer Crave - Feat. Moot Booxlé

Roger Linn, Creator of the Original Namesake LinnDrum on Behringer's New LmDrum

The following is Roger Linn's statement on Behringer's LmDrum, written Jan 4, 2025, saved here for the MATRIXSYNTH archives:

In December 2024, Behringer released their "LmDrum", which is described on their site as:

"If you are looking for a drum machine that can recreate the classic sound of the 80’s, look no further than the Behringer LM DRUM. This amazing drum machine features an authentic 8/12-bit sampling sound engine that captures the essence of a hundred legendary 80’s drum sounds including those designed by Roger Linn such as the LM1*, LM2*, LM9000* and more. You can even record and store your own samples using the integrated line input."

Uli Behringer kindly sent me an LmDrum in August of 2024, giving me a chance to try it out. What do I think? I think it's a bit of a head-scratcher. It is clearly intended to evoke my 1982 "LinnDrum" drum machine, borrowing its visual style, control layout, colors and logo style, as well as copying its sounds and those of my LM-1 and Linn9000 drum machines. I took it apart and it even copies much of my LinnDrum sound generation circuit, even my bad ideas like the inability to tune any drums except the snare, toms and congas.

However, it uses an entirely different operating system and user interface, one that is based on earlier Behinger drum machines. Personally, I found it somewhat confusing and difficult to use, though I was given an unfinished manual. I'd imagine they will improve both the software and manual over time. I suspect the designers found it difficult to find a balance between 1) the impression of a LinnDrum clone, and 2) the addition of modern features, given that the 1982 LinnDrum's feature set is woefully inadequate by today's standards.

It's worth noting that Uli never asked my permission to either copy my visual design or my drum sounds. Though in 2020, he did kindly invite me to collaborate on a future drum machine, and I respectfully declined because of concern about Behringer's past business ethics and legal practices.

How do I feel about the LmDrum? My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, it's not unusual for companies to borrow ideas from older products in order to inspire a new and innovative design, which I've done in past. Plus, my old drum sounds are all over the web, controlling copying is difficult, and I don't enjoy legal stuff so I've generally ignored the issue so far. Also, the value in those old sounds is probably due more to Art Wood (the drummer who played the sounds, and my friend of many years), and to artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, and others, who made those sounds famous on their hits. Finally, I must admit that I've never cared much about the past, because I find the future far more exciting.

On the other hand, even if we discount the copying of the visual design, logo style and sound circuit of LinnDrum, the LmDrum copies my sounds. So I'd have preferred for Uli to ask my permission. Even if he thinks it is legal, I question whether it is ethical.

I find it interesting that the LmDrum is being sold in the U.S. for only $399. Having taken it apart and seeing how complex the copied old circuitry was to reproduce, I doubt Behringer is making any money from it. I suspect that they originally intended to sell it for much more, then discovered that while many people may say they want a LinnDrum clone, few are willing to pay more than a low price for it.

On a related topic, GForce Software has recently released their "IconDrum" software drum sound generator. Like the LmDrum, it copies the LinnDrum's visual design, logo style, and drum sounds, but has no sequencing. Unlike Behringer, GForce did say they wouldn't release the product if I objected, but they seemed like good people so I turned a blind eye. They also offered to pay me an insignificant royalty for my association with the product and perhaps to use "LinnDrum" name, but I declined because of the low compensation and because I thought it was misleading to call a product "LinnDrum" that wasn't a drum machine but rather only played my copied drum sounds.

One last comment. What's the big deal about nostalgia? I can understand that some people value analog synthesis, though I find the many types of innovative software synthesis created in recent decades to be far more capable, versatile and interesting. But even if people value vintage analog synths, why vintage digital drum machines? I ask this because an old bit is no different than a new bit. Our collective love of nostalgia brings to mind an old Douglas Adams quote from Salmon of Doubt:

"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

As a guitarist, I recall having endless discussions in my youth about "good distortion". :)

- Roger Linn