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

Nord Lead 2 // Are 90's Synths Still Relevant?

video upload by Jorb

"One of the keyboards I can hardly imagine ever getting rid of, been meaning to do a bit on it for awhile but could never find the right angle, it just does so much.

Watching now, after rendering, the zoomed in view of the controls is a bit out of focus, if I plan on doing that, I'll look into my options to record in a higher quality on the camera.

I left in more than normal flubs, because they're funny.

Following up soon with a less-talking walkthrough of the built in prophet patches, stay tuned.

This was the 4th attempt at recording this, trying to tighten it up each time, and its STILL 40 minutes and I feel like there was plenty left out.

I still don't feel like I gave ring mod a fair shake, and there's an insane diversity of analog patches I didn't have time to demo.

A few things I should've highlighted but didn't:

-Oscillator sync
-The insane range available on the second oscillator
-LFO shapes and their insane range
-The dx7 imitating power of combining FM with extremely high LFO rates
-Loads of others

I intentionally left out the other products in the Lead line, there are enough differences that I would rather not touch on it without first hand experience.

Appreciate the time, thanks for watching."

16 VOICE PROPHET 5?! (Under $1000!)

video upload by Jorb

"Something About Us" // Live Looped Daft Punk Cover


"'Something About Us' off of Daft Punk's 'Discovery'' has always resonated with me.

I view it as a truly timeless love song, and is one of the tracks that proves that the duo was so much more than dance music.

Bit unusual content for me, so as a compromise I'll talk about the gear involved.

Drums are samples on the mpc, first chords are the Yamaha Reface CP on its wurlitzer sounds, controlled with part D of the Nord Lead 2 which is programmed to make no sound.

This is routed through the Mpc 1000, running jjos, receiving multi timbral midi, so different midi channels in, get routed to different tracks on the mpc.

Each of the other 3 synth parts are from the nord, you'll see my left hand quickly change parts (b, c, a) throughout.

I mute the drums for a bit on the mpc, and other parts at the end.

Appreciate the watch, back to more educational synth content on Sunday!"

Why Aren't These Everywhere? // Sequential Take 5 // Six Month User Review

video upload by Jorb

0:00 Intro
2:57 Oscillators
5:24 Filter
11:53 Envelopes
14:48 Mod Matrix
19:12 Effects
25:19 Sequencer & Arp
27:09 Skillshare!
28:28 Sound Demos / Patches I've made
37:07 Compared to Other Sequential Synths
44:10 Short mention of other poly synths
46:33 Why Aren't These Everywhere?

Sequential Take 5 Patch Pack // Prophet 5 Factory Sounds

video upload by Jorb

Dave Smith's Mopho Keyboard // First Impressions & a Comparison to the Novation Bass Station 2

video upload by Jorb

"Decided I would break the camera out and bring you along for my first sit down with this keyboard, the DSI Mopho.

You'll probably see it as a recurring theme in what I choose to share, I want to do my best to find and share gear that is either under-appreciated, or wrongfully out of people's discourse and recommendations.

Essentially every positive thing people say about the bass station 2 can be said about the mopho keyboard, and the prices aren't dissimilar, yet, it's almost never brought up.

If you have one, stick around and you'll see some more coverage.

If you're looking for a new mono synth, maybe keep it in mind as you browse Reverb.

Thanks for watching, always more to come."

Mopho Keyboard v Bass Station 2 // The Value of Intuitive Design

video upload by Jorb

"Frankly, if this was a less busy week I would've reshot this.

This topic is something I would like to explore more, but only with examples that I would consider to be close. What's the value in comparing a matrix programming synth to one with knobs over and over, right? I want a fair fight, how about that."

JX-3P Keygroups // MPC Expansion

video upload by Jorb

"Keygroups & Patch Packs : https://jorb.gumroad.com/

0:00 Sound Demos
1:18 He Speaks for too long
5:13 Outro

Packaged as a .zip file with one .xpn file, which can be installed as an expansion via the MPC software, and also the programs and samples on their own, if you don't use the software at all, or don't use a modern MPC and want to try the samples.

9 Keygroups, sampled from on original Roland JX-3P.

Mostly custom sounds, i believe 2 are slightly changed presets.

Each is made up of multi sampled keygroups, some are mono with MPC chorus added after the fact, some are stereo with the JX3P chorus as part of the sample.

Simple Sawtooth is just a looped raw wave, with amp and filter envelopes built into the program, so you can synthesize however you want."

AKAI AX73 & AX60 Overviews

Akai's AX73 // Modern Features, Vintage Sounds // 1986 Seems Dope video upload by Jorb

"An overview of my new favorites analog poly, Akai's AX73.

Akai AX73 Parameter Magnet : https://reverb.com/item/45506569-akai...

0:00 Intro / Overview
3:40 Patch Demos
11:42 Oscillator Programming
14:14 CEM3394 Mention
14:43 Pulewidth on EVERY WAVEFORM?!
18:14 Filter Programming
22:11 Envelope
25:13 Amp & LFO
28:05 Voice Modes
31:25 Midi Splits
34:03 Chorus
35:36 Conclusions"

Akai AX60 // What Makes it So Unique? // Patch Walkthrough & Breakdown

video upload by Jorb

"A hands on patch breakdown of the Akai AX60, one of my personal favorites.

Its a powerful, yet finnicky keyboard, and I do my best to demonstrate some of its most interesting qualities to help any interested parties. Hope it is of use to you!

I consider this to be sort of a technical companion piece to my Horror movie special, Resonant Screams : [posted here]

I mention the Tauntek mod, here's a link to where you can get it. I'm thinking of getting this, if you have any insight please share it! : http://www.tauntek.com/AX60.htm

I mention the sampler connectivity, here's a link to a video where espen craft covers this synth, and that function in detail : [posted here]"

GS e7 // 7 Voice Analog Synth //

Just Sounds, No Talking video upload by Jorb

The Best Analog Polysynth You Haven't Even Heard Of...

video upload by Jorb

See the GS Music label below for more.

Why Jorb is (Probably) Selling the Moog Matriarch

video upload by Jorb

"The @sonicstate video I mentioned : [posted here]

0:00 Intro
1:51 Hands on
3:14 Voice Modes
7:12 Oscillators
9:03 Mixer
11:00 Filter
15:47 Delay
19:44 VCA modes
21:07 xxxxx
23:22 Mod Bus
27:15 Arp / Seq
32:09 PATCHING (its bed time ill keep doing chapters tomorrow.)
54:13 Long Conclusions"

Sequential Take 5 // First Impressions

video upload by Jorb

"Quick wrap up of my initial impressions. I'm not sold on first impressions as a video format, but once I sat down to record it felt like I had good things to talk about.

https://www.sequential.com/product/ta...
https://soundcloud.com/ecobeige


0:00 Intro
2:06 My Acquisition
3:55 Why Did I want one?
5:59 Lets Talk interface
10:44 Prophet 5 Filter & Other Similarities
13:13 He's Got Complaints
15:33 Effects Chatter & Whining
19:34 Wrap it up, jeez"

Artist Picks: Best Music Gear of 2023 Part 2

video upload by Perfect Circuit

Part 1 here

"2023 is soon drawing to a close—so, we're taking a look back at the year, and taking account of all of the weird and wonderful instruments that gave us some inspiration this year. Synthesizers, drum machines, and Eurorack modules to samplers and effects, this year had no shortage of inspiring instruments.

So, we reached out to some of our friends and content creators to fill us in on their year, asking one simple question: what was the coolest piece of gear you got this year? For some, that meant brand new releases, but for others, it meant sitting down and digging into classic instruments.

In this video, we hear from:
00:00 Red Means Recording on the Elektron Syntakt
01:07 Midlife Synthesist on the Akai MPC X SE
03:20 DivKid on the Intellijel Cascadia
06:30 Jorb on the Roland S1
09:13 Bo Beats on the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field
12:45 Trovarsi on the Anti-Kulture Precision Disruptor

Read more about all of this gear on our blog, Signal: https://bit.ly/3MEhpfE"

Good Gear - Juno 106 - Can Gear be Good?

video upload by Jorb

A take on AudioPilz Bad Gear

"This was another exercise in learning to edit, tons of respect for the creators that nail it.

I cant imagine spending this much time on a 7 minute result ever again.

I don't plan on doing any more of these, and other than it not being my own personality, copying his style, especially this thoroughly, beyond a joke would feel like plagiarism."

AudioPilz Bad Gear posts

Korg Poly 61 // Underappreciated or Undervalued?

Korg Poly 61 // Why I'm Selling // Underappreciated or Undervalued? video upload by Jorb

"The second installment of "Why I'm Selling", this time focused on the Korg Poly 61. A keyboard that in today's market, can feel like a compromise, but never short on sounds.

I'll be sad to see it go, but can't justify a slow to program midi-less keyboard taking up any precious realestate.

Here's the link to the reverb page for the reproduction boards, what an excellent service : https://reverb.com/shop/andrej-shensh...

Here's a link to a website with details on the filter mod : http://voiceofsaturn.blogspot.com/200...

A quick search of 'Poly 61 Mods' will yield plenty of other strategies for inspiration.

Thanks again, and cheers."

Bass Station 2 // AFX Mode // 3 Practical Examples

video upload by Jorb

"Wanted to demo some more grounded ways of using this wonderfully deep feature, hope it gets you thinking differently about the tools at your fingertips."

RE-202 Space Echo with Vintage Roland Synthesizers // Sounds Only

video upload by Jorb

0:00 SH101
5:38 Juno106
13:43 JX8P
21:44 D50
25:02 SC88 Pro

Introducing the Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

"Standalone Modern Analog Synthesis Laboratory
Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers’ long-anticipated successor to the Voltage Research Laboratory is filled to the brim with interesting new inventions, such as several new wave-shaping technologies, an addictive tactile performance controller, and more…"

The New, Experimental Synthesis of the Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Jorb

0:00 Intro
2:27 Hands on Begins
4:58 Oscillator One
11:01 Oscillator Two
16:29 Quick Look at Function Generators
18:26 Quick Look at Dynamics Controllers
19:04 FX
21:02 Chance Sequencer
22:37 Touch Controller Begins
26:56 Step Conditions
28:10 Step Jump Explained

Geek Chic // Sonic Experiments from the Voltage Lab2

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Dusting the cobwebs from my vintage 1950's lab coat - it was all the rage once honest.

Going into lab rat research mode and seeing where the maze takes me..

... and here's the results.

Just a little taster while I open the lab book to record apparatus, method, results, discussion and conclusion.

0:00 Bunsen Burner Big Beats
2:15 Plucking Pipettes (no pipettes were harmed)
3:06 Test Tube Techno (it's not techno)
5:59 She's Alive
7:44 Naked Flame
10:00 Medical Skeleton (its the Bare Bones)"

Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 - Just Jammin'

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Fascinating new modular system from Pittsburgh with a decidedly West Coast bent. Too soon for a review, but here's half an hour of playing with the rather remarkable sequencer, the timbre of the oscillators and other bits and pieces. I added some reverb via the Chroma Console but otherwise it's all the VL2."

The Sweet Spot: Voltage Lab 2 Semi-Modular Synthesizer
video upload by HAINBACH

"As anyone who has ever tried to assemble a modular synthesizer, it is not easy to create a cohesive instrument, especially if you try to narrow it down to a portable case. In comes The Voltage Lab 2 that Pittsburgh Modular send me to play with (thanks for that!) - it is a semi-modular self contained synthesizer, and to me it hits the sweet spot between functionality and musicality."

Also see The Lab Report Episodes for audio demos.



Press release follows:

May 14th, 2024 - Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers today announced Voltage Lab 2, a standalone dual oscillator analog synthesizer synthesis laboratory with a unique integrated touch-sensitive performance controller.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Microfreak Oscillators // Visually Explored and Explained

video upload by Jorb

"Microfreak Oscillators // Visually Explored and Explained // Part 1

0:00 Intro 1:36 | Oscilloscope Intro X axis is time, y axis is amplitude. The more vertical a change is, the more harmonic content you'll hear. Think about that difference you hear between harmonically rich saws & squares, as opposed to the even low end & strong fundamentals of a sine or triangle.

4:59 | Basic Waves - Does what it says on the box, one oscillator & a sub MORPH will blend between wave types ; Square, saw, and a double saw PULSE will change your pulse width, or change the relative position of the 2 saw waves(this will change volume of relative harmonics.) SUB controls the volume of a sine wave one octave below your normal oscillator.

*Apologies for the lower volume

8:45 | Super Wave - Several duplicates of your original wave shape, all mixed WAVE switches (doesn't blend) between Saw, Square, Triangle, and Sine waves DETUNE increases the amount of pitch variation between all the oscillators VOLUME increases the volume of your duplicate / higher frequency oscillators

*My example of relative pitches interacting gets a little muddied with the actual behavior of the detune in this algorithm. I merely mean to highlight how interacting pitches look and sound, and how that can help us understand detuning.

12:55 | WaveTable - Offers different tables of multiple waves, that can be smoothly blended between TABLE switches (not blends) between tables, which are separate collections of waves POSITION blends (not switches) between the waves in your selected table CHORUS introduces a vibrato'ed copy of your original signal.

22:40 | Harmonic - Allows you to blend in higher order harmonics, and shift the bias of those harmonics higher or lower. CONTENT lets you decide which harmonics are going to be controlled by sculpt. The higher you turn the parameter, the more upper harmonics and fewer lower harmonics will be present in your final output SCULPT will increase the volume of your chosen harmonics CHORUS introduces a vibrato'ed copy of your original signal.

26:51 | Karplus Strong - Simulates the physical interaction of a resonator (drum head, string of a guitar or violin etc) and an exciter (pick, finger, mallet, etc) holy shit BOW constantly excites the resonator. This is complex. Introduces more distinct frequencies, has their volumes increase and decrease relative to eachother and change, and eventually will lead to overdrive. POSITION simulates the position of your exciter, close to the edge of the drum head, or nearer to the bridge of your 'guitar'. Introduces more high frequency content DECAY will increase the decay of the sound, not just an amp of filter change over time, the waves / harmonics decay as part of the algorithm

34:34 | Virtual Analog - 2 virtual Oscillators, implemented in an interesting way DETUNE (on the WAVE KNOB) changes the pitch of your first oscillator, range is a few octaves up from your keypress SHAPE (on the TIMBRE KNOB) intrudeces, and changes the shape of your second oscillator, low pulse through squares, through weird high frequency sync stuff WAVE (on the SHAPE KNOB) blends your first oscillator between saw square and pulsewidth. *The manual is honestly hilariously bad at explaining this, and is less of a standard VA than basic waves, for example. Should be named differently and explained better.

40:34 | Wave Shaper, complex waves available by means of wave folding and variable asymmetry. WAVE bends between a "popov wave"(real name?) through a sine, into what I called a super sine, but might be better described as an already-folded sine wave. FOLD AMOUNT introduces wave folding. Think of this as a complex overdrive, in that the harmonic changes happen when your wave moves beyond a specified 'headroom' but instead of clipping, the portion of the wave beyond the threshold comes back down over the top of your wave, subtracting that portion of its shape (The scope is great for helping to explain this) the folded portion of a wave can even reach the bottom of its headroom, and be folded upwards again. This is more dramatic with lower pitches, and is something I might revisit in a part two. ASYMETRY will shift your wave to one side, sine eventually becomes a sawtooth

I found the oscilloscope to be invaluable while working through the oscillator types, and more than worthy of sharing.

Microfreak has really impressed me, and I haven't even spent much time with it yet.

If there's anything else you want to see in a format like this, I'd love suggestions.

I've had this little fantasy where I have a hardware oscilloscope and hardware spectrum analyzer on screen in every video...we'll see if its worth it!

Wish the microfreak's screen was in focus, but my eyes are too bad to notice on the camera display. I'll work on it!"

The Hydrasynth's Defining Feature // Oscillator Mutants Explained

video upload by Jorb

"I knew it would be long, still surprised by how long it turned out to be.

I purposely avoided any other creators' mutant deep dives, for fear I would steal their ideas or their explanations.

My complaints about the manuals chosen descriptors is probably just an issue for me, but it felt worth while to mention it.

0:00 Intro
2:47 Wave Stack
6:29 Harmonic
10:58 Phase Diff
16:32 Oscillator Sync
28:59 FM
36:15 PW Orig
43:20 PW Squeeze
46:54 PW ASM | Warp
51:57 Closure"

Roland's SK-88 Pro // A Sleeper 90s Synth, & a Gift from Early Gaming

video upload by Jorb

"I really do love this sucker, want to hang it on my wall.
**Yamaha did a lot of CARDS based on FM, and a good share of Modules based on samples, like the MU I show on screen. My caption correcting that was lost by upload, and I do not want to reupload the whole video.


0:00 Intro / The Sound Canvas Line
3:03 General Midi Introduction
5:45 Horrible Sub Pitch, you can skip it if you sub
6:41 The SK-88 Pro In Detail
16:05 SK-88 Instrument Examples
23:34 Drum Kits?
25:30 Layer Too Many Sounds
26:40 MultiTimbre Jam (its fine)
29:05 Price / Alternatives"

Enter the Moog Labyrinth

video upload by Moog Music

Labyrinth | Moog Demo Library
video uploads by Moog Music

User videos:



Playlist (use the player controls to skip around):

1. Perfect Circuit: Moog Semi-Modular Comparison 2024: Labyrinth, Mother-32, & More (feat. Sarah Belle Reid)
2. Sarah Belle Reid: Moog Labyrinth Semi-Modular Synth: Overview + Explorations
3. Loopop: Moog Labyrinth // A Synth that’s a Generative Idea Machine // 13 patch ideas, review & tutorial
4. mylarmelodies: Moog Labyrinth Demo: Explanation & Generative Techno Jams
5. Reverb: Exploring Generative Synthesis with the Moog Labyrinth
6. Jorb: Moog Labyrinth // Generative Synthesis At It's Best
7. SUTURE SOUND: A ton of Moog Labyrinth sounds (no talking)
8. Bonedo Synthesizers: MOOG Labyrinth Sound Demo (no talking) - Preset Sheets
9. Limbic Bits: MOOG Labyrinth Sound Demo (no talking): 6 Improvisations on the Labyrinth
10. Starsky Carr: Moog Labyrinth // 3 Minute Manual + Full Review & Demo

AN UNEXPECTED PATH FORWARD

Labyrinth introduces a classic West Coast sound into the Mother Ecosystem experience rich analog synthesizer history in both surprising and recognizable sonic textures. Two generative sequencers bring to life sounds that bloom over time, letting you control their evolution and scale, then play them off of each other for striking polymetric melodies.

With parallel analog signal paths, this adventurous instrument shines when adding color to the steady backdrop of a drum pattern or bassline.

GENERATIVE SEQUENCER
The beating heart of Labyrinth is a robust dual sequencer, which uses chance calculations to generate two unique eight-step paths which twist and curve around one another.

SONIC WANDERING
A parallel voice processing path with a voltage-controlled blending allows you to morph sounds over time.

VOLTAGE-CONTROLLED WAVEFOLDER
A fresh interpretation of the Moog sound via a voltage-controlled wavefolder. Two oscillators drive duophonic melodic counterpoints, metallic FM tones, and analog synthetic drums.

Moog's semi-modular lineup expands to include the Labyrinth, a generative synthesizer that brings you two parallel sequencers, two oscillators, and endless possibilities. Based around a core sine VCO and a triangle Mod VCO, these sound sources have independent level controls, as well as a Ring Mod and Noise level control that all feed a saturating mixer that can add a touch or grit. From the mixer, we have the switchable option to go into a voltage controllable wave folder then into a classic Moog filter, the opposite with our filter going into the wave folder, or have both of these run in parallel.

The heart of the Labyrinth is the sequencer section. A dual 8-step sequencer gives you interactive quantized melodies that can affect various parameters, based on the labeled trimmers. These sequencers send out both notes CV and triggers and with a Trig Mix you can get rhythmic interplay that is quite satisfying. Each sequencer has a Length settings and a Bit Shift when adjusts the position of activated steps. The Bit Flip and Corrupt parameters present gives you more randomness and serendipity allowing you to create evolving patterns.

As with all of their semi-modular synths, Moog gives you access to 32 patch point patchbay with 12 outputs and 20 inputs. This gives you the option to self-patch and integrate it into your existing Eurorack ecosystem. Moog's Labyrinth is the perfect expansion to your existing system or a great starting point as an entry to modular synthesis, especially for those who are looking to get expressive rhythmic patterns quickly.

LABYRINTH FEATURES

- Parallel generative analog synthesizer

- Two oscillators, a sine-based and triangle-based

- Switchable wave folder to filter, filter to wave folder, or parallel processing

- Diode-transistor hybrid wavefolder with smooth Fold and Bias control

- Morphable Low pass to Band pass 2-pole filter

- Adjustable decay time for both decay envelopes

- Blend Sequence 1 and Sequence 2 triggers for complex rhythms

- Each sequencers has options to adjust length, per-step adjustments, adjustable randomness (Corrupt), and shifting the pattern on-the-fly

- Quantizable pitches to 16 different scales

- 32-Point patch bay, 12 outs 20 ins

CLICK FOR MORE »

The MG-1 // An Actually Affordable Vintage Moog // Demo & Walkthrough

video upload by Jorb

"Made by Moog, sold at radioshack in the early 80's. What a cool one.

I can't justify keeping it around, but it does sound pretty damn good."