SynthFest 2026 Walkthrough

video uploads by Molten Music Technology

"I visited SynthFest for the day in Sheffield and these were the bits of synth and modular that caught my attention."

You can use the player controls to skip around once started.

Playlist:

1. SynthFest 2026 Walkthrough

Sound On Sound magazine brought back SynthFest this year to delight us with synthesisers, modular and electronic music technology. It was filled with gear, seminars and a good dollop of community. Here's my walkthrough of the main expo in the hope of giving you some of the vibe of this fabulous show. Check out my handful of other videos getting closer in on some of the interesting bits that caught my attention. https://www.synthfest.co.uk/

2. SynthFest 2026 Noise Lab Beat Designer

To go along with their Drum Designer module, Noise Lab has come up with a fully featured drum machine called Beat Designer. https://www.noiselab.se/

3. SynthFest 2026 Orbiton

A remarkable new prototype instrument called Orbiton. It uses these twangy lamellas to physically modulate the sound. Currently the sound source is a DSP internal synth, but the intention is to be able to use the lamella vibrations as oscillators as the instrument develops. https://orbitonsynth.com/

4. SynthFest 2026 Delia Derbyshire Day

Grabbed a few moments at the Delia Derbyshire Day booth who are using Delia's legacy to empowered women in electronic music and technology. This was juston the Insta360 camera so the video and audio are a bit ropey, but it's a wonderful charity who deserve a shout-out. https://deliaderbyshireday.com/

5. SynthFest 2026 Half-Time Modular 8TR, 2TR and a Looper

Half-Time Modular are released a stereo, 2-track recorder module that will capture your performance at the touch of a button. Very neat in 2HP but also useful as a 1U tile. They also had a prototype looper - one to watch out for. https://www.halftimemodular.com/

6. SynthFest 2026 MidiCake Una

Una is a sort of build-a-band, hardware interactive composer that responds to what you play and jams around it. https://midicake.com/

7. SynthFest 2026 Rides in the Storm Rhythm Rides

Rides in the Storm were showing their not-quite-working drum machine Rhythm Rides. It's a massive source of modular drums, pattern generation and percussive grooving. Should be running at Superbooth next year. https://rides-in-the-storm.de/

8. SynthFest 2026 Bradshaw Instruments Drumkid

Sample-based drum module that's a whole kit to play with and includes lots of probabilistic messing about. https://bradshawinstruments.myshopify.com

9. SynthFest 2026 CLIP Photon Smasher

CLIP are a community-led project that brings people together over the generation of sound, and making and listening to music. They had two different Photon Smashers to show us. https://www.clipsoundandmusic.uk/

10. SynthFest 2026 Ian Helliwell

Discovered a superbly dressed man, showing some wondefully put together boxes, making some fascinating noises. That man is audio/visual artist Ian Helliwell. https://www.ianhelliwell.co.uk/

11. SynthFest 2026 F*ck With Sound

F*ck With Sound were showing three modules including a Ring Modulator, Distortion and Spatial mixing thing. https://www.fwithsound.com/

12. SynthFest 2026 Wonkystuff FluxMEMORY/h

Wonkystuff has pulled the FluxMEMORY out of the AE Modular format and put it into your hand. The handheld FluxMemory/h gives you four sample playback heads that you can mix and mess with. https://wonkystuff.co.uk/

13. SynthFest 2026 Eternal Research Demon Box

Strange triangulaar box that feeds of electromagnetic fields and outputs MIDI notes and other bits of data. https://eternalresearch.com/

14. SynthFest 2026 Transistor Sound Labs Bitloader

Bitloader is a sample-based drum module that's the perfect companion to the Stepper Drum which been in development for a very long time. However, Nina seemed to think that January could be the moment to get both of these modules released! https://www.transistorsoundslabs.com/

See the labels below for additonal posts on each.

NOODLERACK Comes to iPad

video upload by Molten Music Technology

NOODLERACK featured in the Molten Music Monthly June 2026 above is now available for the iPad with a different feature set. Note the thumbnail above is not it. Click play and it should start with NOODLERACK. If not jump to the nine minute mark.

Details follow:

"NOODLERACK is a modular synthesizer where users add modules and patch audio, pitch, gates and modulation with cables. The iPad app includes a standalone rack for offline use and a native AUv3 instrument for compatible hosts such as GarageBand.

Standalone supports MIDI, saved patches, Files export/import and WAV recording. The native AUv3 instrument includes 31 module types, host MIDI and clock, 16 automation macros and rack state saved with the host project. Standalone and AUv3 have separate module sets and patch formats.

Available on the App Store for US$19.99 as a one-time purchase.

Product details



There's also a free browser version at https://noodlerack.com/ with a different feature set."

AJH Synth Gemini 2412 Dual Vintage State Variable Filter Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Two lovely 12dB SEM-style filters baked into a configurable dual or cascade architecture with interesting modulation and a ridiculous resonance feedback option. Here's my full review and what I like about it."

Sequential Trigon-6 Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Trigon-6 is Sequential's take on the polyphonic Minimoog, with 3 oscillators, a ladder filter, overdrive and bags of character. It has some great modulation options, a fridge full effects and has everything out on the front panel.

If you like the sound but think it's a bit pricey, I've sampled a bunch of sounds into a virtual instrument that's available on Patreon. Free to all Patrons, or $10 to anyone else. / robinvincent"

Morphor Echon 6 BBD Synthesizer Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"The Echon 6 is a strange synthesizer that uses bucket brigade chips in a complex delay network to generate 6 voices of extraordinary feedback that transforms into epic soundscapes."

Index:
Intro/Overview - 0:00
Preset Demo - 18:04
Layout - 25:28
Exciter - 25:56
Modulation - 33:44
Resonator - 40:24
Voices - 54:00
Key Follow - 1:03:43
Conclusions - 1:12:30

Shakmat Lancer's Lash Snare Module Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Lancer's Lash is all sorts of snare with all sorts of variation and hands-on control."

Index: Intro - 0:00 Overview - 4:48 Analog Model - 7:22 Slap Model - 8:41 Modal Model - 10:33 Physical Modelling Model - 12:15 FM Model - 13:45 Grains Model - 14:44 Blend Model - 17:14 Randomization - 20:23 Pitch 1V/Oct - 25:27 Other Settings - 29:07 Conclusions - 29:59

Shakmat's Lancer's Lash Charges into Battle

video upload by Metamyther

"We take an in-depth look at Shakmat's Lancer's Lash, exploring how this powerful snare module creates everything from tight techno snaps to industrial percussion to glitchy IDM rhythms. I'll demonstrate the module's sound engine, modulation possibilities, tone shaping controls, and how it plays with other effects modules. Whether you're building a modular drum machine or producing industrial techno, EBM, IDM, or experimental electronic music, this review breaks down whether Lancer's Lash deserves a place in your rack."

Knobula Drum Farm Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Drum Farm is a percussion production machine that let's you grow synth and sampled drums and then harvest them into vats of groovy goodness. Shove sounds about, sample, resample and then plough through effects. It's massively versatile, full of great sounds and is fun to use. Here's my review of exactly how that all works."

Introducing the Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2

video upload by Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

Pics and details via Perfect Circuit.

[You can find additional demos by Starsky Carr, BoBeats, and Molten Music Technology further below.]

Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2
Lifeforms SV-2 from Pittsburgh Modular is a duophonic analog semi-modular keyboard synthesizer that honors classic East Coast subtractive architecture while packing a punch of flavorful twists afforded by modern technology. A full-blown revamp of the SV-1, it features updates to nearly every aspect of the instrument: new oscillator core, classic PGH filters updated with new character modes and overdrive stages, new spring reverb, new response curves and range modes on the ADSR envelopes, a custom 37-key keyboard with pitch-bend and mod wheels, and a redesigned interface with eighty-four patch points along the top. Moreover, a 24hp Eurorack expansion bay with three power headers sits alongside them, so external modules of your choosing can be dropped into the signal path at any point.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Mylar Melodies Random8 Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"In collaboration with Befaco, Mylar Melodies has forged an 8-channel random CV generator called the Random8. From the starting point of random voltages you can scale, offset, time divide, quantize, slew, loop, evolve and save it all as a preset. I do a deep dive into what's going on and have a lovely time in the presence of so much fabulous voltage."

Index:
Intro - 0:00
Overview - 6:37
Menu Options - 11:24
Offset - 12:19
Scales - 14:00
Grabbing a loop - 18:30
Steps - 19:02
Evolution - 20:33
Time Division - 22:40
Probability - 23:41
Slide - 25:35
Modulation - 27:12
Some Thoughts - 30:41
Presets - 33:09
It's all in the prep - 35:57
Deeper into Presets - 37:56
Styles - 48:32
Wot no triggers? - 56:15
Conclusions - 1:01:31

Wandering with the Befaco Oneiroi

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Just playing with the Oneiroi, with medody, with looping, with droning and lots of pushing into its effects."

Forge Time Vhikk X Adventure & Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"An experimental wander through the Vhikk X looking for a fight."

Forge Time Vhikk X Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Like a cinematic car crash I plow through the dark depths of the Vhikk wavetable explosion in search of a tune."

Gentle Jam with OTTer and the MC2VQ

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Two remarkable soul mates riffing in their voltages and bleeping into the cosmos. OTTer from Otter Mods generates unexpected repeating patterns around 8 notes while Trilling's MC2VQ dual voice quantizer generates two melody lines from the same input to the same scale while you push the distance between them. From here on in this is going to be the middle 5 minutes of any future live set. Full reviews to come."

Introducing Cre8audio Programm - MIDI and CV Sequencer

video upload by Cre8audio

Check with dealers on the right for availability.

"As electronic musicians, we’ve used every sequencer under the sun. We loved the speed of some and the randomness of others, but we hated having to choose. So, we built PROGRAMM.

It’s a creative playground that bridges the gap between human performance and algorithmic generation. Whether you’re meticulously stepping in/playing a melody or using real-time randomization to find new textures, PROGRAMM keeps up with your brain. And for those moments where you accidentally forgot to hit record before playing the best sequence you’ve ever written? We built an always-ready recall function to save your soul (and your track)

Total Versatility: Step it in, play it in, or let the machine take the lead.

Controlled Chaos: Dive into deep generative tools and real-time randomization that stay musical.

Are you bilingual? Programm is: MIDI and/or CV Programm loves both!

Be hands-on (and quickly) - with its 6 orange knobs you can tweak the main parameters per step with speed and without menu diving.

PROGRAMM is built for the sketch and the deep dive. Fast enough for your first idea, deep enough to take you the whole way."

User videos:


Playlist:

1. The Ultimate Compact MIDI & CV Sequencer? Cre8audio Programm - Starsky Carr
2. Cre8audio Programm Sequencer Review - Molten Music Technology
3. The Perfect Compact Sequencer?! Cre8Audio PROGRAMM REVIEW - BoBeats



"Cre8audio Programm - Intuitive Performance MIDI and CV Sequencer

We get it, because we’ve been there.

As electronic musicians, we’ve used every sequencer under the sun. We loved the speed of some and the randomness of others, but we hated having to choose. So, we built PROGRAMM.

It’s a creative playground that bridges the gap between human performance and algorithmic generation. Whether you’re meticulously stepping in/playing a melody or using real-time randomization to find new textures, PROGRAMM keeps up with your brain. And for those moments where you accidentally forgot to hit record before playing the best sequence you’ve ever written? We built an always-ready recall function to save your soul (and your track)

Total Versatility: Step it in, play it in, or let the machine take the lead.

Controlled Chaos: Dive into deep generative tools and real-time randomization that stay musical.

Are you bilingual? Programm is: MIDI and/or CV Programm loves both!

Be hands-on (and quickly) - with its 6 orange knobs you can tweak the main parameters per step with speed and without menu diving.

PROGRAMM is built for the sketch and the deep dive. Fast enough for your first idea, deep enough to take you the whole way.

MSRP $399.99 - Estimated Street $349.99"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Playing with Parting - Old Blood Noise Endeavors & Emily Hopkins

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Running a simple bass line through the stunning Parting glitch/ambient machine and exploring the sounds. It's a very touchy feely pedal that's wasted on guitarists and really should be a Eurorack module. Full review coming soon from a synth perspective.
I bought this pedal myself."



"Parting is a box of pleasant surprises. Moments of chance will give bursts of a glitch delay that can smear into a reverb, modulated by tremolo or vibrato, filtered, and, most importantly, dissolved into lofi aliasing or stretched out reverse. All of this may jump around in halves and octaves of itself - it’s up to you and Parting, together.
Controls

Dissolve has two functions. Below noon, it reduces sample rate, creating an increasingly degraded version of the signal. Above noon, it reverses the signal, and repeatedly cuts the reverse clock in half as the knob is turned, creating an increasingly long and degraded reverse.

Rate sets the rate of the modulation LFO, which is also the frequency of triggers for moments of chance.

Depth sets the depth of the LFO.

Shape sets the LFO shape: Sine, Square, Reverse Saw, Saw, Random Sine, Random Square, Envelope

Chance allows random bits of signal to enter the delay/reverb buffer during an LFO cycle.

Smear adds diffusion and feedback to the delay lines, turning them into a lush reverb as the knob is turned up.

Glitch creates various clock subdivisions.

Time sets the timing of the delay/reverb, as well as the reverse.

Filter sets the cutoff point of the post-dissolve filter.

Mix sets the blend of dry and wet signal.

Aux switch for tap tempo, half speed, or preset switching.

Soft-touch On/Off footswitch with relay switching for minimal switch noise"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Shakmat Modular Ballista Blast Synth Voice Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Ballista Blast is a hybrid synth voice with classic waveforms, wavetables and some funky FM with multiple algorithms. It has a great filter, useful envelope and lots of CV for modulation. There's also an expander which adds a hardwired LFO that can modulate a whole bunch of stuff simultaneously. There is a tiny screen and some menu diving but it's very playable and sounds pretty awesome to me. Let's have a poke!"

Xaoc Devices Kamieniec II - new features!

video upload by Xaoc Devices

Check with dealers on the right for availability.

XAOC Devices Kamieniec II Phaser and Allpass Expansion Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology




"KAMIENIEC II
ANALOG RESONANT PHASE ROTATOR

ALLPASS EXTENSION

MODELS OF 1977

Introducing two new Xaoc Devices products: Kamieniec II and its Allpass Expansion sidekick. Kamieniec II is an updated and extended revision of Kamieniec - our analog module inspired by a range of classic phaser effect units from the 1970s. We aimed to preserve the classic sound while making Kamieniec versatile enough to shine with any modular sound source. The newly released module shares the basic specifications with its predecessor: 4 and 6-stage outputs, built in triangle LFO (with a separate output in the true modular spirit), manual resonance control (up to extremely high values), and spicy feedback routing modes. On the other hand, Kamieniec II is a truly new beast with redesigned circuitry and new features, such as voltage control over resonance, a third feedback mode, and an LFO reset input. We have retained the chaining feature and we are glad to say Kamieniec II is fully compatible with the original Kamieniec, so you can easily mix and match both generations of the module should you develop a craving for more stages.

Want even more stages without sacrificing precious HP in your case? We've got you covered. Enter the Allpass Expansion - an optional circuit board installed at the back of Kamieniec II. It adds up to 16 sweepable stages for a total of 22 (!), making Kamieniec II one of the most multidimensional and versatile analog phasers available in Eurorack.

Oh, and one last thing - Kamieniec II is 10HP.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Synth East 2026 Highlights & Performances

video upload by Molten Music Technology

Playlist:

1. Synth East 2025 Highlights

As the dust and electrons settle on another Synth East it's good to spend a little time reliving those moments of synthesizer loveliness. Here are your Synth East 2026 highlights.

2. Synth East 2025 Norwich Synth Club Performances

Two performances from members of the Norwich Synth Club. The first group are called A Vector in Hilbert Space and the second group are called D A C 3.

For more information about the club go here: / norwichsynth [Facebook]

3. Synth East 2025 All-Star Patch-Off

Draw two modular artists out of a hat and persuade them to improvise live on stage - that is the Patch-Off and these are your stars:
Paulee Bow - / @magicalsynthadventure3216
Finlay Shakespeare - https://finlayshakespeare.bandcamp.com/
Nicki from Dots - https://www.iamseeingdots.co.uk/
Gaz Williams - / gazwilliams
Steve Davis - https://theutopiastrong.bandcamp.com/
Robin Vincent - https://moltenmusictechnology.com/
Visuals by Sloon - / sloon_visuals

4. Synth East 2025 Magical Molten Modular Synth Adventure

Saturday night performance by Paulee Bow and Robin Vincent posing as the Magical Molten Modular Synth Adventure.

Paulee Bow - / @magicalsynthadventure3216 Robin Vincent - https://moltenmusictechnology.com/
Visuals by Sloon - / sloon_visuals

And one from Robin Rimbaud-Scanner's channel:

Live at Synth East Norwich (21 Feb 2026)

video upload by Robin Rimbaud-Scanner

"A selection of the opening sequence of music I performed at Synth East in Norwich recently, supporting my old sonic pals Cabaret Voltaire."

Molten Music Monthly February 2026 - Synth East Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"A compact show for you this month but still full of exciting happenings and quirky bits of gear. I'll have a full report on Synth East next week all being well and do come along to the Live Stream on Sunday night at 8pm."

Index - 0:00
Intro - 0:12
Synth East - 0:31
Look Mum No Computer Eurovision 2026 - 5:55
FlatSix Modular Shroud of Turing - 9:35
Musical Beings Tembo - 11:10
GRM Tools Atelier - 14:29
Eventide Music Mouse - 16:35
NOMN FOAM - 18:12
Gooey Audio Next - 20:03
Safari Audio Superkeys Cubby - 21:!5
Cherry Audio SH-MAX - 22:28
Waldorf Protein - 24:13
Infinite Digits Ezeptocore - 25:32
Otter Mods - 26:50
Tembra Modules - 28:49
York Modular - 30:24
Sonic RetroCast - 33:15
Synth South West - 35:03
Synth Picnic - 37:46
Coming up - 39:53

Sequential Fourm Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Does this compact 4-voice analogue synth have what it takes to be a serious synth? The Fourm is neat, capable, sounds like a Sequential synth and has an elegant simplicity that really appeals to me."

The Transparentsea effects comes from here - https://gintronic.io/

MIDI SysEx Transfer Utility - https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9pf...

Index:
Intro and sounds demo - 0:00
Physicality - 17:59
Front Panel Overview - 26:06
Patch from Scratch - 34:24
Conclusions - 1:00:04

Arturia Introduces KeyStep 37 mk2

Playlist:

1. Tutorial | KeyStep 37 mk2 | Overview
2. Arturia KeyStep 37 MK2 // All the new features it unlocks // Review & Tutorial - loopop
3. Arturia KeyStep 37 Mk2 Review - Molten Music Technology
4. Arturia KEYSTEP 37 MK2 — My New Favorite MIDI Keyboard! = BoBeats
5. Arturia Keystep 37 Mk2 Review and Demo - Starsky Carr

Check with dealers on the right on pricing and availability.

KeyStep 37 mk2 is the go-to compact controller and sequencer. Combining extended playability, enhanced hands-on control, visual feedback, and deep connectivity. It makes it ideal for jamming, live performing, and finding new musical ideas with any hybrid setup.

_Features

KeyStep 37 mk2 builds upon the original with new generative tools like Mutate, a clearer OLED interface, extended connectivity, a more powerful sequencer and arpeggiator and a refreshed design.

_Sequencer with pattern chaining and unquantized recording

From live feel to locked grooves, edit or evolve your ideas

_Mutate, Spice, Phrase Arpeggiator

Transform sequences instantly without stopping the music.

_Scale and Chord Modes

Stay musical, create harmonies, or keep it experimental.

_What’s new?

KeyStep 37 mk2 has more physical controls:

5 more keys, 2 additional buttons and 4 knobs to control sub-menus.

This drastically enhances the overall playability of the instrument while keeping the same amount of functionality.

Users also get additional visual feedback on the Keystep 37 mk2 compared to the KeyStep mk2 as there's a strip of 39 LEDS over the keybed that indicates notes played by the keyboard.

CLICK FOR MORE »