Frap Tools: BRENSO | Full Demo and Review

video upload by Happy Mag

"The Frap Tools BRENSO is more than just a dual oscillator—it's a modern homage to the west coast synthesis tradition pioneered by Don Buchla in the 1970s. As a complex oscillator, BRENSO offers a dense web of internal modulation, wave shaping, and signal routing options that invite experimentation, creativity, and highly expressive sound design.

Let’s break down what makes BRENSO special—and why it’s a standout tool for modular synthesists and the perfect place to start Happy Mag's Synth Month 2025 journey!

🧠 What Is a Complex Oscillator?

In synthesis terms, “complex” usually refers to waveforms that go beyond simple shapes like sine, triangle, square, or sawtooth. These richer, more dynamic tones are achieved through audio-rate modulation—one oscillator affecting another at high speed to produce new, harmonically rich content.

To that end, BRENSO includes two triangle-core analog oscillators, each with four outputs. These oscillators are designed to interact, cross-modulate, and shape each other in ways that transform simple waveforms into entirely new sonic terrain.

🎨 We Love the Colour-Coded Interface!

One of BRENSO’s most elegant features is its colour-coded layout. This isn’t just for show—it reflects functional sections of the module, making navigation and patching intuitive:

🟢 Green Section – Frequency control for oscillator one
🟡 Yellow Section – Frequency control for oscillator two
⚪ White Section – Timbre shaping (via wavefolders and shapers)
🔴 Red Section – Amplitude control (via a four-quadrant multiplier for AM/RM)

These sections are organised spatially and visually, so once you understand the color scheme, you're halfway to mastering the module.

🔄 Modulation Without the Patch Cables

BRENSO encourages semi-normalled patching. Many modulation paths are internally routed by default using dashed lines on the panel. For example, the green sine wave is often pre-routed as a modulator for the yellow oscillator—no cable required.

This internal routing makes it easy to get rich interactions going quickly, but BRENSO never limits you: patching a cable into a jack overrides the normalization, giving you complete flexibility.

0:00 - Intro
0:04 - Review"

Tenzin Choegyal x Matt Corby - Improvised Session (Live from Happy)

video upload by Happy Mag

"✨ Matt Corby & Tenzin Choegyal Improvise for Live from Happy ✨

We’re still floating after this magical improvised session with the legendary Matt Corby and Tenzin Choegyal 🎶🔥

Two worlds collided, Matt’s soul-stirring harmonies met Tenzin’s transcendent Tibetan melodies, and wow, did we witness something special.

A raw, meditative, genre-defying moment that only these two could create. 🌀🙏 (And yes, we’re still recovering.)

Huge thanks to Pig Hog Cables for powering the magic behind the sound. ⚡️🔌

#LiveFromHappy #MattCorby #TenzinChoegyal #ImprovMagic #OnceInALifetime #MusicHeals #PigHogCables

0:00 - Live Session
6:11 - Interview"
Sequential Prophet-6

Synclavier: Regen | Full Demo and Review

video upload by Happy Mag

"Dive deep into the world of synthesis with the Synclavier Regen! This isn't just any synth; it's a revival of a legendary brand that shaped the sound of music.

We unbox and explore the Regen, a digital FM powerhouse packed with the DNA of the iconic Synclavier II.

From Frank Zappa to The Church, this synth has left its mark on countless classics. Discover how additive and subtractive synthesis blend together to create otherworldly sounds.

We'll show you how to harness the power of 24 harmonics, create massive super saws, and explore the vast library of presets and samples.

Watch as we craft an entire song using only the Regen, from drums to bass, strings, and everything in between.

This is a must-watch for synth enthusiasts, sound designers, and anyone curious about the history of electronic music."

Weston Precision Audio: SV1 & SF1 | Full Demo and Review

video upload by Happy Mag

"Tasteful design and even tastier tone — that’s Weston Precision Audio! 🎛️
Met Devin at Buchla and Friends earlier this year and it was an absolute treat 🙌

Starting with the SV1: a dual stereo VCA with both vintage and clean paths — four VCAs in total 🔥
Vintage brings warm saturation with discrete transistors, while the clean side is modern, transparent, and tight 🎯
Run it in mono or stereo, link controls, bias your CV, and boost gain up to +6dB.
Need grit? Crank the input or flip the Overdrive switch for creamy distortion or sharp clipping 💥
And yes — zero-crossing detection eliminates clicks from fast envelopes. Smooth as 🧈

Next up: the SF1, a stereo or dual-mono VCF with two identical 4-pole filters.
Switch between LP, HP, BP — or tap into notch, all-pass, and phaser outputs too 🌈
Link the filters or keep them independent. Modulate everything, shape stereo motion, or use it as a sine oscillator with 1V/oct tracking 🎶
It’s a filter, it’s an oscillator, it’s a full-on sound design weapon 🧪

Head to WestonAudio.com to dive deeper.
And shoutout to Pig Hog for keeping the patch bay clean 🐗⚡️

Special thanks to Pig Hog for the cables!

#WestonPrecisionAudio #ModularSynth #VCAmagic #EurorackLove #SynthDesign #FilterFreaks #StereoModulation #PatchPerfect #ZeroCrossing #SynthCommunity #EngineeringTheSound #ETS

0:00 - Intro
0:04 - Overview
0:15 - SV1
1:21 - SF1"

Erica Synths: Hexinverter Mutant Drums | Full Demo and Review

video upload by Happy Mag

"The Mutant Drum Line lives on! When Hexinverter shut its doors in 2022, the future of those gloriously twisted Mutant modules looked bleak — but Erica Synths swooped in, reverse‑engineered every circuit, and gave the whole lineup a second life with modern muscle.⁠
⁠
🥁 Mutant Bassdrum — pure 808 thump or fuzzed‑out speaker‑ripper thanks to batteryACID distortion. CV everything, stay clean or filthy.⁠
⁠
🎯 Mutant Snare — twin bridged‑T oscillators + snappy noise + switchable HP/BP filter = crack, glitch, or full‑roar chaos. External audio input turns it into its own percussion synth.⁠
⁠
💥 Mutant Rimshot — three oscillators, multimode VCF, and HI/LO/CLV voicing. Flip the range switch for deep FM clangs or classic 909 clicks.⁠
⁠
👏 Mutant Clap — LFSR‑driven 909 clap that mutates into bleeps, broken textures, or lush analogue‑reverb tails. Dedicated NOISE out and Drive for extra crunch.⁠
⁠
✨ Mutant Hihats — true analogue open/closed hats with per‑voice Drive, choke switch, resonant BPF, and external noise input. Classic shimmer to future grit.⁠
⁠
🎚️ Drum Mixer Lite — six channels, LED metering, switchable AUX send, plus a vactrol compressor that glues (or crushes) your kit into one punchy monster.⁠
⁠
Hexinverter’s DNA, Erica Synths’ engineering — same mutant attitude, new‑school reliability. Ready to patch, perform, and terrify your neighbours. 🔊⚡️⁠
⁠
#MutantDrums #EricaSynths #Hexinverter #Eurorack #ModularSynth #808 #909 #DrumMachine #SynthCommunity #GearHeads #BeatMaker #SoundDesign #ElectronicMusic #HardwareSynthesis #SynthLife #ModularMadness #StudioGear #AnalogDrums #VoltageControlled #AussieMusician #HappyMag #EngineeringTheSound #ETS

0:00 - Intro
0:04 - Overview
0:38 - Mutant Bassdrum
1:42 - Mutant Snare
2:44 - Mutant Rimshot
3:53 - Mutant Clap
4:53 - Mutant Hihats
5:46 - Drum Mixer Lite"

Gamechanger Audio: Plasma Voice | Full Demo and Review

video upload by Happy Mag

"⚡ Meet PLASMA VOICE — the synth module that literally plays with lightning 💥

Gamechanger Audio have taken their famous Plasma distortion and cranked it to 11… then turned it into a full-blown high-voltage synth voice.

Inside? A real Xenon tube zapping over 3000 volts ⚡
The sound? 🔊 Harmonic, gritty, alive.

🧠 49 engines across 7 sound banks:
Bass, Lead, Pluck, Drum, Metal, Static, Spark
Each one totally tweakable with onboard sliders, drive, EQ, filter & CV control.

🎚️ 5 trigger modes
🎛️ 7-octave jumps
🔁 CV modulation madness
🔥 Accent inputs that perform like a beast

This isn’t your grandad’s oscillator — it’s controlled chaos in a rack-sized box. And it looks wild doing it.

👁️ Watch it spark.
🎶 Hear it scream.
💡 Build your next track around it.

#PlasmaVoice #GamechangerAudio #ModularSynth #Eurorack #SynthLife #HappyMag #SynthCommunity #MusicTech #HighVoltage #PlasmaSynth #GearHeads #SynthDemo #ModularMadness #HappyGearDrop #SynthPorn #EngineeringTheSound #ETS

0:00 - Intro
0:04 - Review
0:54 - Demo
1:19 - Outro"

Happy Birthday Commodore Amiga!

The Amiga Demoscene Mixtape Vol. 1 - mixed by DJ Arvy (The Old-School Classics Edition)

Published on Jun 11, 2013 DJ Arvy

The Commodore Amiga turns 30 today! via Boing Boing

Playlist:

1. The Amiga Demoscene Mixtape Vol. 1 - mixed by DJ Arvy (The Old-School Classics Edition)
"A non-stop DJ Continous Mix featuring some of the greatest and most popular Soundtracks from the early 90s Old School Amiga Demos.

Playlist:
0:05 "Deep Space" by Greg (from "Odyssey" by Alcatraz, 1992)
0:45 "Stardust Memories" by Jester (from "World of Commodore" by Sanity, 1992)
4:15 "Part6" by Greg (from "Odyssey" by Alcatraz, 1992)
6:35 "Hyperbased" by Firefox & Tip (from "Enigma" by Phenomena, 1991)
11:19 "Checknobankh" by Laxity (from "Desert Dream" by Kefrens, 1993)
14:25 "Elysium" by Jester (from "Elysium" by Sanity, 1991)
17:50 "Vite and Plack" by Virgill (from "Interference" by Sanity, 1993)
21:41 "Part3" by Greg (from "Odyssey" by Alcatraz, 1992)
23:21 "Overload" by Firefox & Tip (from "Voyage" by Razor 1911, 1991)
29:30 "Nagual Dance" by Jugi (from "Paradigma" by Complex, 1993)
33:35 "Demomodul#3" by Laxity (from "Desert Dream" by Kefrens, 1993)
37:55 "Cyberride" by Jester (from "Extension" by Pygmy Projects, 1993)
42:16 "A nice Day for a Walk" by Julius / Mad Freak (from "3D Demo II" by Anarchy, 1992)

Free MP3-Download at soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/deejay-arvy/th..."

2. The Amiga Demoscene Mixtape Vol. 2 - mixed by DJ Arvy (Old Skool) ft. Mods by Moby, Laxity and more

CLICK FOR MORE »

Black Jeans 'No Safety'

Black Jeans 'No Safety' from AMDISCS: Futures Reserve Label on Vimeo.

"from upcoming 'Black Tourmaline' LP (AMD010) coming 22nd February on exclusive marble-like texture vinyl.

Listen to Black Jeans 'Librarian' on ∜♡MDISCS 2K13 compilation here: http://bit.ly/UzcRbR
Listen to Black Jeans 'Lover' on ∜♡MDISCS: Futures Reserve Label soundcloud here: http://bit.ly/UM5v25

We are very happy to announce debut LP release by San Francisco based futuristic-synth-goth-bass producer Black Jeans (Russell Butler). The 'Black Tourmaline' LP has been in thorough preparation for over a year and now it va be spread above and beyond through shining light cast in the darkest corners of the shadows, raised within within elusive beat & bass tempos of a pulsating rapturous existence, beckoning its analogue desires. Rado Z. (∜♡MDISCS: Futures Reserve Label)

"Messenger from another world" - Dummy Mag

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Packrat Comes to MATRIXSYNTH!

I'm happy to announce that starting with the December issue, The Packrat has found a new home here on MATRIXSYNTH!

The Packrat has been featured on MATRIXSYNTH many times in the past (and of course the MATRIXSYNTH Packrat on the right has been a staple of the site since 2006), but now it will be a bit more official. You'll find some words from Dave, the creator of The Packrat, below.

But first, click the image for the full size comic. You can find previous issues on Dave's Packrat site here, and be sure to check out The Packrat Book! It's a great bit of synth history and it makes a great stocking stuffer. MATRIXSYNTH and a few other names in the synth community are featured in the book.

Regarding the future of The Packrat, Dave has the following to say:

"The Packrat is by all accounts among the smallest, most niche-y comic strips in the entire universe. Nevertheless, it has its fans, and just in case they have any curiosity, they are owed the backstory of the events of the past few months.

I came back from my August, 2014 camping trip through the Canadian back woods with a hot, steaming case of Lyme Disease (I'm fine now!). I was covered in a rash for several weeks and ended up submitting one comic strip too late for print. The following month, specifics too unexciting in which to delve (exclusively involving the publication's administration, going higher than Keyboard Magazine itself) created problematic logistics preventing the print of the next two installments.

I bear the magazine itself no ill will at all, and consider the matter unfortunate only for the fans who had perhaps thought that the Packrat had been retired (by me or the mag). Indeed, those of its followers who are wise enough to follow it on Facebook or my own personal art site umop.com have been able to see monthly synth-tastic adventures at the usual periodic times, so hopefully the notion that the Packrat went to Synth Heaven wasn't too widespread.

Comic strips are trifles in this world, and this one is damn near the, uh... trifliest? So the details about how this strip gets made surely must consist of the silliest orts of minutiae ever to cross anyone's plate. But here they are anyway, every last crumb of them.

Anyway, inasmuch as the break from the magazine was unintentional on the part of everyone directly involved with its creation, I'm using the resultant reality of things as an excuse to move onward with the Packrat. It will now be available online on all the aforementioned sites, and Matrixsynth has agreed to be the exclusive first link to it every month (and possibly, in installments of a more timely fashion!). Neither he nor I are currently making any money at all from any of this; we're both in it for synth-love alone right now (and for me, exceedingly rare book sales). While I was formerly earning enough for a couple of tanks of gas a pop from the magazine (and was lucky to get it in this economy), even that modest honorarium will be gone.

This comic strip has somehow survived ten years of life come February, and I have no plans of slowing down any time soon. In order to help keep it going, I plan on setting up a Patreon page this week. I would consider even $100 per month a major victory, since that would at least cover its own dodeca-annual creation. Details about the page will follow once it's all set up.

Thanks for reading the Packrat comic! Enjoy this first Matrixsynth-exclusive episode, featuring an appropriately green synth to start off the maiden voyage."