Instruō Lúbadh & Cš-L // Tape Looper as a Glitch Ambient Machine

video upload by Dexba

"This video follows the live stream from two days ago!
A single voice from the Instruo Cs-L is being fed four different sequences coming from the TipTop Buchla 245t, passing through the two mixers of the 257t, being once again mixed into the Instruo [1]f before entering the Instruo Harmonàig. A touch of reverb coming from the Strymon Starlab, and the recording stereo into the Lubadh, using both the decks.
Tape emulation is cranked up, as the input volume, to get all the tape flavour even while passing through, and after a good amount of recording, you will hear the modulations ready to mangle the tape, overlaying some glitchy madness to the otherwise relatively calm background.
I hope you'll enjoy it! 🧡"

Teenage Engineering OP1 Field // Sound Quality You Can Finally Trust?

video upload by Dexba

"Yes, no, overpriced toy, saviour of all the portable jams, we will probably never know (and to each their own opinion). I got one, I was sceptical, because I already had four original OP1 in the past, and I was always tempted more by the idea, rather than any particular characteristic other than the portability.

The sound quality on the previous iteration was risible, the output used to hiss like a cat, it lacked dimension, character (other than being toyish) and practicality.

OP1 Field changes almost everything: it now features control over the quality of the tape and some other parameters, different projects we can save and recall, and sound quality is now at least up to par the job of not sounding like the Casio common ancestor, the new Mother Reverb sounds like a reverb and the Spring has become useful! WOW, and I am not sarcastic.

I would have never imagined a jam on my huge speakers with the previous OP1, and now here I am, with one track of the new Dimension analogue-ish synth through the cow (yes!) and the other three tracks coming from Strings, with an increasing number of overdubbing, always through the Grid effect.

Yes, it still lacks some features (I am not talking about the Undo, but for example the possibility of recording on tape while recording the master: it would have been handy to push the overdubbing even further), and the maximum sample length is a bit... old school, but I am so happy I can finally welcome an instrument I won't sell out of frustration in a matter of weeks 🧡"

Elektron Digitone and Meng Qi Wingie 2 // Starbucks Challenge @Betehatve

video upload by Dexba

"This is what I had to do to earn me some drinks as a struggling psychologist, I mean, musician!
My friend over at @Betehatve challenged me and other people to get creative with a chord progression in order to win some drinks, and I obviously couldn't resist.
Must be noted that I converted that prize into a TocoToco order because that granted me 12 drinks instead of 2 from the already [too many times] mentioned Starbucks.
I think I am also kinda legally obligated to state that Starbucks is not affiliated in any way with this, even though that would have been rad.
Anyway, here it is. Some silly content, with my trusty (now gone 😥) Elektron Digitone and my even more trusty (now I have two, thank you @MengQiMusic ) Wingie 2, used as a surprisingly good microphone!
Enjoy the silliness 🧡"

Instruō Arbhar and Säich // Granular Hulusi 葫芦丝

video upload by Dexba

"Here it is: I am coming out with my modular setup, constantly evolving, and heavily biased on the Instruo (or better: Instruō) side.
Very few modulation sources, since they're kinda hard to come by, and let's admit it: it is more fun buying stuff like Arbhar, Lubadh or even the Strymon Starlab, rather than splurging one thousand euros on some VCA. Or not?
Anyway, here I am back in the eurorack, and this time I am here to stay.
There will be a lot of educational videos too, especially focusing on the Buchla - Tip Top module series, and obviously Instruo too :)
Hope you'll enjoy, and be excited like I am!"

Strymon Starlab & Magneto #eurorack #ambient #strymon

video upload by Dexba

Make Noise 0-Coast // First Ambient Approach

video upload by Dexba

"Almost 5 years after my first Make Noise 0-Coast, I got one again.

I don't even know why: I am slowly moving back to eurorack, but the 0-Coast is only marginally modular or rackable, so yeah, I got just struck by a lightning of GAS.

Anyway, this is my little welcome jam.

I only had three cables, the bare minimum for sequencing, and I decided to expand the sound with the help of the Hologram Microcosm.

I've heard a lot of experimental, noise, and harsh-sounding demos on YouTube, so let's see how it will work with something more gentle."

Meng Qi Wingie 2 // Unattended Under the Rain 🌧️

video upload by Dexba

"PLEASE - DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK
[it is specifically recommended to keep the instrument away from moisture, let alone leaving it under the rain]

You'll probably have noticed that already: I really like the Wingie 2.
The microphone especially was a new spark for creativity and curiosity, the sheer joy of messing around with gear.
Combine that with my fascination for rainy days, and I couldn't waste the opportunity to try it under some watery plic ploc.
This was just a first attempt: I will try again, implementing midi, for a broader variation, but the "ambient-feeling" from the ambience sounds turned out to be lovely, and I've listened to this literally for hours, hidden behind the camera, peeping the world through my new resonator.
Hope you'll enjoy it! 🧡"

Meng Qi Wingie 2 // Blippoo Box New Firmware Demo

video upload by Dexba

"What a fantastic addition!
As a beautiful homage to Rob Hordijk's legacy, Meng Qi has just released a new firmware, featuring a recreation of the Blippoo Box.
It sounds incredible, it will provide hours of sonic exploration in the ultra-compact, battery-powered Wingie form factor, what could we ask for more?
Can't wait to see what other firmware will come for the Wingie platform!!!
In this video, you will find a bit of a demo and a rough tutorial.
Hope you'll find it useful! 🧡"

Wing Pinger, Wingie2 and Digitone // Living on a Cloud

video upload by Dexba

"I am super happy about this setup, and this video is actually coming from a bit of practice for some live events (both online and offline).
Everything is chained, starting from the Elektron Digitone, an incredibly versatile and compact digital synth, going into the Wing Pinger, used here as a quirky and mysterious stereo filter;
The Wing Pinger is going into the Wingie2, used also as a bit of a mixer, being sequenced by the Digitone, but with the flip of the Line/Microphone switch, I can quickly jump to vocal interaction.
Glueing everything together, the Hologram Microcosm.
I am currently loving the Microcosm not only for the dreamy sounds but also for the versatility of being a looper (like here, reversing and pitching a snippet from the Digitone), reverb, delay, filter and granulator at the same time.
Obviously, it's not as good as dedicated pedals for each task would be, but it helps me keep everything compact. The next step would be to provide MIDI for the Wing Pinger and Microcosm too, but I currently don't own any midi splitter.
I am also eyeing the 1010Music Lemondrop to go even more compact, any insight about that?
In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed it, maybe with your eyes closed or as background, dreamy, noise ✨"

Meng Qi WINGIE 2 Resonator // Demo Tutorial Walkthrough

video upload by Dexba

"It's here, I love, and I hope I can spread some extra love with this video about the @Meng Qi Wingie 2, or Wing 2, as YouTube keeps suggesting.
It is a lovely, tiny, portable, stereo resonator, that is giving me more joy and exploration than a lot of many, 20 times more expensive, other instruments.
I am demoing it both with the onboard microphones and some samples coming from the Digitakt.
All the demo is the dry sound of the Wingie, except for the last part, where it is also stated I have added a reverb to the demos you've heard at the beginning.
I hope you will find something useful here, and as always I am more than ready to answer your question, if I can 🧡

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Demo of the 4 algorithms
0:46 What is this?
2:01 Noise
2:44 Proper notes
3:40 3rd and 5th are your friends
4:18 Sinewaves?
4:49 MIDI sequencing
6:12 Instrument Overview
7:18 Poly mode
8:42 Strings and Note Cycling Threshold
10:25 Bar mode
10:49 Cave mode
12:44 Microphone Gain
13:56 Line Input Gain
15:09 Connectivity
15:24 Careful, always careful
15:57 Demo with Valhalla reverb"

SOMA Pulsar-23 + Meng Qi Wing Pinger // Synthetic Forest

video upload by Dexba

"I can feel it: it's the sensation of moving in the right direction with my setup and my musical scope.
I'm no producer, I think you already grasped that from my channel's general vibe, so what I really like to do is as little planning as possible and just follow the stream, the dialogue between me and the instruments.
And this is like... the goal! I can finally see the end of the tunnel, now I only have to work on the relationship with my gear, learn, practice, and improve.
This idea was born after stumbling upon some recordings of birds in a song from Pere Ubu, and I was pretty sure they were doable with a synthesizer too!
The Pulsar-23 by SOMA was the closest thing to a modular I had, so I went for that, but it wasn't without challenges, since there is only one LFO and the polarity/wave shape has no modulation control, so a simple task like alternating rhythmically up and down pitch synchronized with the gates got way more challenging than it sounds :) Wing Pinger is my new crush, no need to hide it, and even though (surprisingly enough) it doesn't pair well with the Hologram Microcosm, I really wanted to give more ambiance, a more washed feeling to the lonely upper filter playing. I think you'll see this setup again and again, so I hope you enjoy ✨"

Meng Qi Wing Pinger // Pingless Lullaby

video upload by Dexba

"IT'S HERE! I GOT IT!

I've probably never wanted an instrument so much like the Meng Qi's Wing Pinger (and I can't wait to get the Wingie2 and expand everything with some modular gear in the future)

I am both a sine guy and a ping guy, I love sines, sweet curves, blipblops, perforating my ears with awesomeness!

So, I had to start somewhere, and I started from a... pingless little tune, on an instrument called PINGER: life's strange.

Recordings don't make justice to the experience; for a distracted listener it would probably sound like some strange phone tone moving around, but there is something magical about the approach, the experience of touching and subtle movements required to create delicate balances, both for the pinging and the FM interaction. But we start here today! Only a very minimal drop of Chase Bliss' CXM1978 for the reverb, conveniently cutting the booming basses, but I wanted to keep it clean!"

Korg OpSix // Emotional Soundtrack

video upload by Dexba

"Who would have thought?
The more I used the OpSix, the more I started to like it. And this is my own patch I called DEXBA.
Super simple, but it has all what I need: hands-on controls via the drawbars over subtle modulation, the right FX, and the right filters.
FM is always seen as complex, but we don't always have to go to the extreme crazy territories, and we can also stay away from bell sounds and still use some F modulation here and there :)
Since I sold the OB6, and sold the Matriarch, I was missing some pad synth I could just make love with, and I found a little, very little, substitute in this OpSix on loan.
Unfortunately, I am at a point in life where I can't spend what would be needed for some of the big names, but I had my emotional moment with this one, and I am grateful for that.
Enjoy ✨"

Korg OpSix // Glitch Ambient [no external FX]

video upload by Dexba

"I have always been curious about the new line from Korg, including the OpSix, Wavestate, and Modwave, but I've never had the chance to try one in person.
A friend of mine came to the rescue, and he lent me his OpSix (while he got the chance to keep my Digitone, a sort of FM Exchange Program, if you will).
At first, I wasn't impressed by the raw sound quality.
Many of the FX are so so, the basic filters are plain out garbage, and the general accessibility is still not my favorite, especially coming from a PRO3 or the aforementioned Digitone.
BUT, I decided, as my usual, to just completely MISUSE the instrument, so I tried to create a 'modular' patch, to let the Poly-6 filter shine, move stuff with LFO, granularize with the more than welcome FX, and in the end have fun. I can't say I am ready to change my (mostly negative) opinion on the instrument, but it sure has some sweet spots here and there, and I'd like to share them with you.
Hope you'll enjoy ✨"

Elektron Digitakt // Sampling a Buddhist Vietnamese Mantra

video upload by Dexba

"I haven't had that much fun making a beat in ages!
When I heard these little boxes playing in small shrines inside houses, I knew I had to buy one.
It took me a while to get a model featuring both a high number of chants to choose from and an output jack, but here we are, and I couldn't have been happier with the result.
The ABSURDLY lo-fi quality of the recordings adds a lot of character, and when I got it I was afraid the bad sound was only due to the onboard awful speaker; turned out the bad quality was from the recording itself, so... win?
First quick video here, but I will be using it a lot more in the future, and I'm trying to find creative ways for ambient music too :)
Hope you'll enjoy ✨"

Elektron Digitone + CXM1978 // Feedback Waves

video upload by Dexba

"Just having fun here!
Two arpeggiators (T1 and T2) with different length arpeggios, modulation going into the CXM1978 via midi for some 'hardware' warbling effect, and T3 (with that swooshing noise coming in) is played by me in real-time, jumping from tonality to tonality because I like to make my own life pretty hard when it comes to musical boundaries. Nothing to learn this time, so I really hope you'll enjoy spending some musical time with me 💝"

Elektron Digitakt + Hologram Microcosm // Infinity Bells

video upload by Dexba

"Another soothing afternoon.
Digitakt is sequencing 7 bell tracks, each with a different track length and a per-track LFO randomizing the volume of the steps, in order to furtherly increase the slowly evolving feeling.
Track 1 is the only one with strings, meanwhile, the Microcosm is recording, then looping everything one octave down, while some parameters are sequenced by the Digitakt to increase the movement.
Hope you enjoy ✨"

SOMA Pulsar-23 // Exploring the Filters

video upload by Dexba

"Welcome to another little tutorial.
Pulsar is MASSIVE, and it took to its creator around 5 hours of video to explain some basic functions, so I will never get even close to that level of comprehension of the instrument.
What I can do is offer you some little insights on how I use the Pulsar, and lately, I've been mostly using it way less as a drum machine and way more as a tonal instrument, like a more capable, 4-voices Lyra.
In this video, we're gonna explore a little bit what we can do with filters, while I collect some more ideas for other little tutorials on specific topics.
I hope you'll find it at least a bit useful and inspiring.
Enjoy ✨"

Hologram Microcosm & Casio CT-S1 // Enjoying the Rain

video upload by Dexba

"As soon as it started raining, I switched on the camera, the Hologram Microcosm and my cute Casio CT-S1, on the Rhodes preset.
Yeah, I cheated, because I used both a Rhodes sound AND the Mosaic algorithm, but hey, what not to enjoy, am I right?
Anyway, happy birthday to me! Today's the day, and I am proud to be celebrating it with you and some music together.
BTW video on more useful and less cheesy patches for the Microcosm coming soon ⚡️
Enjoy 🧡"

LYRA-8 // Tutorial for Calm Ambient Tracks

video upload by Dexba

"Many of you asked for it, and finally, here it is!
At first, I wasn't sure about what to put inside a basic tutorial like this, but then I realized it was more about the APPROACH, rather than the technical side, a little bit like nobody watch Bob Ross strictly because of his painting skill.
I had so much fun doing that, and I can't wait to make more, and... get better at it!
Hope you'll enjoy it and find it useful enough 🧡"

LYRA-8 // it's not the destination, it's the journey

video upload by Dexba

"This is the jam I ended up with, following the process I described in the previous video.
This time we're taking it slower, calmer, less creepy, and I felt like that was the case, especially during these challenging times.
Enjoy ✨"