MATRIXSYNTH

Friday, October 30, 2026

Craig Padilla - SURFACE ASCENT (Live) - MST/Division6, Mattson Mini Modular, MPC ONE, MODX M

video upload by Craig Padilla

"Trick or treat once again with another live performance in the studio! it's also inspired by the spirit of Halloween! And, once again, it's been captured on video by Colleen Padilla.

'Surface Ascent' is a long piece of music in four parts. It was performed in front of a few of my friends, Donny and Romy Oster, and Skip Murphy. Their energy during the performance was inspiring.

This song features heavy use of many synthesizers and effects:
Akai MPC ONE
Yamaha MODX M7
Synthrotek MST & Division 6 Modular with Source Audio Collider
Mattson Mini Modular with Source Audio Nemesis
ARP 2500 Sequencer
Arturia MatrixBrute
Hologram Microcosm
TC Electronics Ditto X4

The Mattson Mini Modular and ARP 2500 Sequencer modules create an underwater sonar-like vibe before the first rhythmic sequence begins.

Huge THANKS to George Mattson for building the MST / Division 6 Modular and Mattson Mini Modular.

This epic song will be available on my new live album 'First Light Over Aurora'. It will be available at www.CraigPadilla.com .

Please consider donating a much appreciated monetary tip to the performer to: PayPal.me/CraigPadillaMusic"

70 Years Of FATAR Keybeds - Music China 2026

video upload by sonicstate

"A pleasure to talk to Marco Ragni - CEO of Fatar - his grandfather founded the company in 1956 - He took us through the various Fatar keyboard actions. This year, the company marks its 70th anniversary and traced its roots back to electronic keyboard mechanisms developed in Italy's 'music valley'.

The range covers digital piano, synth, organ and church organ actions. The TP-19 is a synthesizer action with polyphonic aftertouch, while the TP-400 digital piano action uses a sandwich key construction with plastic, a weighted inner material, side veneer and an ivory-textured top surface. Other models include the TP-40 and TP-110 piano actions, plus TP-8 and TP-9 semi-weighted actions with no hammer mechanism.

The synth range includes the compact TP-7 and TP-8 variants used in instruments such as the Waldorf Quantum, alongside organ actions found in products including Nord Electro models. Church organ actions include a "snap" feel that reproduces the force and drop of an acoustic valve mechanism.

Great to chat to Marco about the challenges and technology behind most of the synth keyboards we play.

More Info: https://fatar.com"

Clarii Pro: Robkoo - Music China 2026

video upload by sonicstate

"Oscar from Robkoo showed us Clarii Pro C20, the company's pro wind controller at the large Robkoo booth - electronic wind instruments are very popular here in China. The current range includes the Clarii Mini and Clarii Pro C20, with the Pro model having a larger selection of controls and features.

A recent addition is the 3D glider function. When a key is touched from the edge towards the centre, the instrument generates a slight glide, giving bend-style control for sounds such as whistle or recorder.

Clarii Pro includes a sampler, an analog synth models, around 100 internal sounds, and 100 user sets for stored patches. It uses sax-style fingering, with extra keys for articulations, set switching, octave control, glide, pitch bend up and down, plus an internal gyro sensor. The mouthpiece supports bite control and breath pressure for volume. A dual-driver speaker is built in.

Connectivity includes USB MIDI and wireless MIDI over Bluetooth, with support for DAWs and software instruments. Wireless audio is not included because of latency. More sounds can be installed via the app. Pricing is around US$700, depending on region, with dealers in the US, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and other countries.

More Info: https://www.robkoo.com/"

See the Robkoo label below for additional posts.

A Simple Complex VCO

video upload by Dylan B.

0:00 - Intro
0:23 - Feature Overview
4:51 - Background
5:39 - Outro Jam

M-VAVE FM-1 with KARMA firmware: four tracks, stems and MIDI into Ableton

video upload by SLEAZTEK

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.

"And Karma is out… I can’t wait to see what you’re all gonna do with it.

"KARMA is free, open-source firmware for the M-VAVE FM-1. It turns the FM-1 into a four-track groovebox: an acid bass or a Juno-style polysynth, physical modelling, two dozen synthesis models and a drum synth, with a 64-step sequencer, song mode, generators that write parts on one chord plan, and a pixel cast that reacts to every note.
Everything you hear in this video was played on the FM-1 and recorded straight into Ableton Live over one USB cable: six separate stems, the MIDI of every track, and the FM-1 following Ableton's clock and play button.
Install it from your browser in about a minute (Chrome or Edge, a USB data cable), try it first in the browser simulator, or edit your sounds and back up your projects with the web editor:
https://eatyourgreensstudio-dotcom.gi...

Source code (GPL-3.0): https://github.com/eatyourgreensstudi...

KARMA is built on the work of the FM-1 open-source community: SLOOP by isod89, Felucca by Hügelton Instruments, and code from X0X, FM-106, Melodee, JIANT FM and Mutable Instruments' open-source modules. Full credits are on the website. Not affiliated with M-VAVE.
#mvave #fm1 #synth"

Additional notes from the developer:

"It turns the FM-1 into a four-track groovebox:

- Track 1: an acid bass or a Juno-style polysynth

- Track 2: physical modelling, built on Émilie Gillet's open-source Elements (Mutable Instruments): strike, pluck, bow or blow a resonator

CLICK FOR MORE »

Upcoming at MMT

video upload by Todd Barton

"Two great livestreams coming up at the Museum Of Music Technology.

Howard Moscovitz & Friends livestream link: https://tickets.themmt.org/events/mmt...

Steve Horelick livestream link: https://tickets.themmt.org/events/mmt...

More livestream links for future talks/concerts https://tickets.themmt.org/events/mmt

And more about MMT and EMEAPP https://themmt.org/ https://emeapp.org/"

Also see His Instrument Gave Me Wings: An Evening with Suzanne Ciani and Her Buchla

New Controllers And Interfaces: Synido, MIDIPLUS, Topping - Music China 2026

video upload by sonicstate

Synido on Amazon

"Millie from Synido showed us their products - W25 Play, TempoKey K32 Play, Scale Pocket, Gaming A7 and LiveDock A20 Pro. Synido is a Shenzhen-based company with a focus on compact music tools, MIDI controllers and small audio interfaces.

W25 Play works without a computer for setup. It includes scale mode, chord mode, an arpeggiator, MIDI, and MIDI In, Out and Thru. It costs $169.

TempoKey K32 Play includes 128 sounds, 10 drum keys, a speaker, battery, 32 MIDI keys, eight knobs, eight pads, Bluetooth MIDI and USB-C. It costs $149 and is released in mainland China, with overseas release planned through the website and Amazon.

Scale Pocket includes 132 scales, 12 sounds, a speaker, headphone jack, USB-C MIDI and 24 velocity-sensitive keys. Gaming A7 is a low-latency gaming audio interface due in December at $53. LiveDock A20 Pro includes instrument input, mic, output and Type-C, and costs $60."

X-Max And Many New Products: MIDIPLUS - Music China 2026

video upload by sonicstate

MIDIPLUS on Amazon

"YK from MIDI Plus gave us a tour of the massive booth they had in hall N1 covering products across many areas. YK showed us the flagship X-Max keyboard, and several new products in the company's range. We heard about the brand's history, including early Chinese digital keyboard development, portable MIDI keyboards for personal computers, and MIDI-to-USB work with MIDI Man. They collaborate with many brands to bring products to us.

*X-Max *is the flagship keyboard. It comes in an 88-key Fatar-touch version, with three semi-weighted versions also available. It includes hundreds of sounds, supports split mode, and offers DAW control for Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Pro Tools, Live and others. Features include Chinese instruments, velocity-switched sample layers, expression control, smart scales, a learning mode, arpeggiator mutation and chord pads. Pricing is over RMB 6,000.

The Titan Q4F audio interface is a new 8-in/8-out model with a self-developed FPGA platform, screen metering, Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX HD and LDAC, plus Dante, ADAT, S/PDIF and OTG support.

Portal is a broadcast-focused interface with EQ, effects, pads, sampling, presets, mix-minus and loopback. We also saw a *folding AI smart guitar*, a Bluetooth MIDI wind instrument, and an expandable DAW controller with up to 32 channels.
More Info: https://www.midiplus.com.tw/"

KB22 and M62: Topping - Music China 2026

video upload by sonicstate

Topping is primarily known for their DACs.

"Marie from Topping Pro gave us a look at KB22, a mechanical keyboard with a built-in 2-in/2-out audio interface, alongside the portable M62 interface. The KB22 is a recent release from the Guangzhou company, which has its roots in hi-fi products and is now moving further into pro audio. This while at first glance might seem like a gimmick, actually makes a lot of sense.

The KB22 includes mic and high-impedance instrument inputs, line output, USB hub, OTG for phone connection, and 6.35mm headphone output with monitor volume control. The keyboard comes in two switch-feel options, and a small screen shows basic data.

Its control panel offers three modes: pro audio, gaming and hi-fi. Pro audio mode includes 80 dB gain, six loopback channels, DSP effects, noise reduction, reverb and ducking. Gaming mode includes voice boost and monitoring tools, while hi-fi mode includes EQ adjustment for playback tuning.

The M62 offers similar functions in a portable format, with a built-in battery rated at about 6.5 hours, dual mic inputs, aux input, headphone output, charge, OTG and USB-C ports. It supports phone and computer connection, including two-phone live streaming, and comes in seven colours. KB22 is priced at $269, while M62 is $249, with availability via Topping's global store, distributors and Amazon.

More Info: https://www.toppingaudio.com/"

'Escape from New York' Theme (Prophet-10 Rev4 + Drums) Cover - John Carpenter

video upload by PKN Synth

"Main Theme by John Carpenter in association with Alan Howarth. I had covered this a long while ago, but always intended to revisit it. This updated version is a combination of my favorite elements from each released version of the theme.
/ pknolan

A huge thank you to my friend Javier Puretz on drums.

Keyboards & Production by Paul Nolan

Filmed by Paul Nolan and Daniel McConnell
Editing and 80s graphics by PN in Davinci Resolve.

Hardware Synths used:
Sequential Prophet-10 Rev4
Ensoniq ESQ-1 (stereo bass)

Other gear used:
Yamaha Stage Custom Birch Kit
Ludwig 70s Acrolite Snare
Zildjian K Cymbals
Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 MIDI Controller
Fender Sunburst Strat ...(didn't show this on camera since I'm not a great player) It's playing chord layers.

Software:
Korg Arp Odyssey
Cherry Audio Quadra
NI Scarbee Rickenbacker Bass
NI Session Guitarist - Electric Mint (for chord layers)
Shreddage 3 Stratus Free (for wide strat)

If you read this far.. did you catch the hints of the Escape From L.A. theme I threw in, or the EFNY end credits outro? Let me know in the comments!"

matrix note: giving this one the Halloween label, not for the movie, but for John Carpenter, and for the mood.

A Nightmare on Elm Street Theremin version

video upload by Gear Anxiety and Stylophone

"Stylophone Theremin - A Nightmare on Elm Street theremin cover originally by Charles Bernstein

MUAJAJAJAJA 💀"

His Instrument Gave Me Wings: An Evening with Suzanne Ciani and Her Buchla

This one was sent my way via Todd Barton.

Suzanne Ciani will be performing live at the Museum of Music Technology in Harleysville, PA. The concert will actually be livestreamed for free. If you are in the area you can purchase tickets to attend. You can find full details on the event here.

"Suzanne Ciani, a groundbreaking composer and performer who got her start by building Buchla’s instruments in the 1960s and eventually became one of the world's foremost Buchla artists, brings her unique voice and history to this exhibition.

After receiving her master's degree in composition at UC Berkeley, where she collaborated with John Chowning and Max Matthews, Ciani began working with synthesizer designer Don Buchla in the early 1970s. Using a Buchla Analog Modular Synthesizer, she founded her own company, Ciani/Musica, and created iconic sounds for commercials for Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, AT&T, and General Electric. In 1981 she became the first woman to score a major full-length Hollywood release with Lily Tomlin's The Incredible Shrinking Woman. She went on to release a series of albums blending electronic and acoustic instruments, earning five Grammy nominations. She was the first woman to receive the Moog Innovation Award in 2017, and her life and work were the subject of the documentary A Life in Waves. Today she performs solo quadraphonic Buchla concerts, bringing her work full circle to its experimental electronic roots.

This event offers a rare chance to see Ciani perform and speak in a small intimate venue."

See the event pages (in person, livestream) for additional details.

Syntheus 1001: a double-suitcase full of vintage modular synthesis

video upload by manmade madman

"If you could pack everything you ever wanted into a modular synth, and then put it in a suitcase, chances are it would reference the EMS Synthi AKS/VCS from the 1970's. Recently companies have released hardware editions that sound glorious. There's even a monster ultimate reissue called Analogue Solutions Colossus which I'm sure sounds incredible. The original was notorious not only for its clean look and capabilities but weird sounds even Brian Eno said "...great for bug noises" but he used it for decades as an effects processor as well. We've taken issue with this... it CAN be musical!

Here we have the ultimate version: 6 free range oscillators, dual patch panels, vintage spring reverb, a joystick that lets you record motion and play it back, and a snapshot sequencer that gives you your sound-per-step, or bug noises if you'd rather! Vintage circuitry all along the way, down to the opamp modelling. You'll hear the crunch and occasional bleeding of the original 70's wiring. Thanks to our db-cell technology, you'll hear a vintage drift everywhere, but well under control. It's not static-- in fact its always surprising and always different, just like the originals.

Best of all, its actually FUN to use. Drop a pin and watch the patch cable show you the connection! Modulate where you couldn't before. EZ rolls in different sections, including the patch matrix. Make sounds, snap them to the clocked sequencer, and get going.

Make vintage inspired sounds from the future that surprise you. Make something musical.

Prove Eno wrong!

https://store.denversynth.com/syntheu..."

SYNTHEUS 1001

An unobtainable synth that’s a double-briefcase full of awesome.

Famously used by a ’70s producer who called it “great for bug noises.” Prove him wrong!

Two EMS Synthi-style synths strapped together in one case: six oscillators, two 16×16 pin matrices, two diode-ladder filter/oscillators, two envelope shapers, a random voltage generator, ring mods, a spring reverb and an octave filter bank. There are no menus to patch. Push a pin into a hole, and the sound goes there. Pull it out, and it stops.

CLICK FOR MORE »

ESK - Pekons and Friends

video upload by Metunar

"A kind of techno jam with the Erica Synths Perkons, Analogue Solutions Leipzig SK and the Haken Continuum Slim 21. Direct recording with DAW mastering."

http://www.metunar.ch

He made a real Sampler for FM-1 (and a mobile app)

video upload by ferluht

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.

"My attempt to FM-1 collective madness. Yesterday got mine and was a bit upset by how shitty it sounds. So I thought what if we take LOOPA DSP, offload all the audio processing to a phone, use FM-1 as a control surface and send audio back over USB? Here it is, a fully-featured sampler + looper PoC which doesn't sound like a toy

https://github.com/ferluht/fm1-sampler

0:00 Sounds
0:18 Sampling
0:28 Granular sampler
0:40 Making a loop
0:48 Adding drums and bass
1:07 Doubling loop
1:14 Melody
1:30 Tape speed"

"A sampler + audio looper (8 tracks) for Android with the M-VAVE FM-1 as its hardware front end. The phone does all the sound; the FM-1 is the control surface (keys, buttons, 7 encoders), the second screen (240x240, drawn with SysEx commands) and the audio output (USB audio). All DSP is original code in engine/dsp (no third-party audio engine); the only library is KissFFT (BSD) for the Paulstretch mode."

CLICK FOR MORE »