Medeli MK61 review - a General MIDI keyboard for piano beginners

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The Medeli MK61 https://medeli.eu/ is a beginner's keyboard that offers a good keyboard action and some good sounds and a music teacher at a very attractive price. In this video, I play a lot of sounds and examine the firmware features. Table of contents:

00:00 teaser: If you know how to, you can get massive sounds out of this
00:11 Hi, what's this?
00:54 Playing the piano: 3 demos
03:27 Hardware overview
06:07 playing patches:
06:40 Romantic Electric Piano 2
07:02 Piano & EP
07:26 Harpsichord
07:49 Synth Music Box

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Testing an old VCO - Livewire Audio Frequency Generator & a simple melodic drone

video upload by DreamsOfWires

"I've been tinkering with some of my older, discontinued and obscure modules recently, so I decided to share some of my experiences. Not technical or user guides, just self-indulgeance. This time it's the Livewire Audio Frequency Generator that gets the perpetual noob treatment, an huge, flexible, and pretty damn good saounding VCO with wave-shaping, sub oscillator (both square and triangle), and a bunch of fixed or variable waveforms.

Key features of this are the 'Animated Pulses' and 'Alien Saws', which are both affected by the 'animation section'. Each consist of two waves overlapping eachother, and the 8 pots to the right control the pulse width and phase position of both, but on the higher and lower portions of the waveforms separately... which of couse can all then be modulated! Bonkers! It sounds great though, and you could lose yourself for some considerable time just listening to how these 8 controls affect the timbre of the two waveform outputs.

As always, running the module through my AJH Synth modules never dissappoints - totally vintage charcter and warmth, with no shortage of functionality and physical control. A great-sounding VCF based on the Musonics (pre-Moog) Sonic V, and a VCA based on the early Minimoog, complete with amp-like overdrive when driven hard. The Ring SM is also based on the Moog CP-3 mixer, with -1 & -2 sub-octave generator, and 3-axis ring modulator based on the EMS Synthi/VCS3.

Gear used:
Livewire Audio Frequency Generator V2
AJH Synth Sonic XV diode filter, Dual LFO, Sample Hold & Noise, Ring SM, Discreet Cascaded VCA.
Cosmotronic Cosmix Pro
Happy Nerding FX Aid (as reverb)
Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4 (as WAV recorder)
CASA Modular acrylic case powered by Konstant Lab StrongPWR.
No post-processing, just the audio straight from the modular."

Modal COBALT8 VST? Someone Actually Emulated It

video upload by Autodafe

"Someone has recreated the Modal COBALT8 in software… and this thing is seriously promising.

This is an early look at a 1:1 software emulation of the original COBALT8, developed with the help of AI and vibe coding by someone on the web.

At the moment it’s still pretty heavy on the CPU, so there’s definitely room for optimization — but sound-wise? It already sounds very, very good.

In this quick NO TALKING video I’m just taking it for a spin and checking out a few sounds.

I can’t provide a direct download link publicly, but hey… if you’re curious, you might want to have a look around my website. There may be a bit more information there. 😉

As always: this is an unofficial project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Modal Electronics."

SIDE FX – Quad Eurorack Multi-Effects Module | Granular, Reverb, Glitch & Pitch Demo

video upload by RYK Modular

"SIDE FX: 14HP Eurorack multi-effects module. Reverb, delay, granular, pitch shift and glitch in four chain-able blocks, with CV, clock and MIDI control.

IDE FX is a QUAD ALGORITHMIC FX PROCESSOR, using four effects BLOCKS in parallel / serial combinations for ultimate creative flexibility."

0:00 Introduction
0:15 Big Spaces, Tiny Spaces, Dirty Spaces, Doomed Spaces !
0:44 PRESET: "Behind You"
1:25 PRESET: "Pitch Swirl"
1:37 Dual Pitch Shift
1:59 PRESET: "Melancholia"
2:21 Pitch Shift Delay, & Glitch !
2:50 PRESET: "Old Tape Echo"
3:15 Modulators
3:49 Preset Edit
4:16 Granular - Vocal Crowd Generator
4:32 PRESET "Ghost Trails"
4:50 Multi Tap Delays
5:33 PRESET "Follow Echoes"
5:43 FX Send Mutes !
6:21 FX Process Blocks List

Explaining and testing RYK Side FX
video upload by Stazma

"Today we check out the newx multi effect module by RYK Modular: Side FX

This one seem to draws a lot of inspiration from the H 3000 "Ultra Harmonizer" by Eventide even tho it's not a clone at all. It let you use four effects and route them in many different ways using algorithms that look very much like the ones you would find in a 4-OP FM synthesizer (who said Algo?!). It's a great module, very powerfull and quite easy to use even for someone like me who does not like screens on modules."

via RYK

Want a Pitch Shifted delay into some lush Reverb, with a bit of Chorus for good measure ? How about some Phaser action into a Glitch effect, and a dollop of Bit Crush to taste !

SIDE FX lets you process up to four effect BLOCKS via different algorithms, to create complex, deep evolving effects to envelop your music in a rich syrup of your choosing.

It comes with loads of PRESET FX chains, from ear-mangling grit, to subtle presence, to brain-melting time-space freak-outs.

Or you can create your own PRESETS and save them to the internal SD Card, share with friends and impress your enemies.

Four user-definable CV inputs are available for modulating any parameter, along with a Clock Input for keeping things tidy and time-synchronised, oh, and a MIDI input for all of the above!

Don't have a spare LFO ?

CLICK FOR MORE »

Perfect Partners: How to hook up your M-Vave FM-1 to Circuit Tracks

video upload by Guinan

You can find part 2 further below.

You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon. See dealers on the right for Circuit Tracks.

"I bought an M-VAVE FM-1 to add to my Circuit Tracks.

I love Yamaha DX sounds (checkout my previous MiniDEXED build and songs to see how much) and I think they work well with the Circuit Tracks. Building an equivalent MiniDEXED (like this one) now has ballooned to over $100USD* so at around $60 or so this is a much cheaper and interesting option.

Better screen
Bluetooth MIDI
Rubber keyboard
Easier interface
NO DIY

The numerous daily new firmwares adding new features and the very tempting price on the FM-1 was too much to resist so - here we are.

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Mutable Noise Mutations | Plaits alternative firmware by iNit-Crioxica

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"OK, trust me on this. ‪@init-crioxica‬ has released a firmware for Plaits that's completely dedicated to Noise Music, and it can/could be used for making noise. However, it offers 28 presets - or banks with tons of insanely cool sounds. Sure, there's noise, but I found countless leads and textures which are too good to be true, but entirely true. I am not a fan of noise music so I explored the 'sweeter' side of the firmware, which comes down to using the knobs differently. At first I thought it didn't track pitch, but it does V/OCT when the preset allows it. Some are mutated, modulated, randomized, etc so pitch is useless. But tonal voices just track beautifully. Here, Plaits gets some help from Bruxa and Plexlphon, a combo I am starting to love a lot.

Here's the link to the firmware.
https://archive.org/details/i-nit-cri..."

Live at Home II (Elektron Digitone // MFB Tanzbar // Roland S1 // Teenage Engineering KO Sidekick)

video upload by 2-Minute Warning

"It's been almost a year since I last used my Elektron Digitone. The knobs had gradually become sticky, making the instrument pretty unpleasant to use. Since this seems to be an issue other people have experienced too (and I've had similar problems with other gear), I eventually decided to buy replacement knobs and swap them myself.

And honestly, this machine is too good to stay on the shelf!

To celebrate its return, here's a second "Live at Home" session: a 14-minute live set built mainly around patterns I recorded on the Digitone before I stopped using it.

The setup:
Elektron Digitone : the heart of the setup, sequencing the Roland S-1 and sending program changes to switch its sounds throughout the set.
Roland S-1 : mainly handling the bass.
MFB Tanzbär : adding some extra analog drums, using its own internal sequencer.
Teenage Engineering KO Sidekick : processing the Tanzbär (Channel 1) and the Digitone (Channel 2), with onboard effects for breaks, transitions, and a bit of hands-on sound shaping.

The Digitone acts as the master clock, with MIDI running from the Digitone to the S-1 and then to the Tanzbär. While the Digitone sequences the S-1, the Tanzbär keeps its own patterns running in sync with the rest of the setup.

No elaborate concept this time, just a chance to revisit some old patterns, bring the Digitone back into the mix, and see where the machines take me.

As always, the performance was recorded in a single take. I mixed and mastered the individual tracks afterwards in Ableton Live, but the musical performance itself wasn't edited or fixed.

00:00 Track 01 01:21 Track 02 03:04 Track 03 05:06 Track 04 06:26 Track 05 07:55 Track 06 09:07 Track 07 10:37 Track 08 12:28 Track 09 12:52 Track 10"

GROOVE OS - NEW FIRMWARE (third one) WHICH CHANGES FM-1 INTO A BEAST!

video upload by Grzegorz Bojanek

"There is a third alternative firmware for the FM-1 and it is called GROOVE OS. It offers so much, including up to 8 tracks! And you know what? I made this video right after installing the firmware, without even looking at the manual. It looks so good and sounds simply amazing.
___PL___
Jest już trzeci alternatywny firmware do FM-1 i nazywa się GROOVE OS. Oferuje naprawdę bardzo dużo, między innymi aż 8 ścieżek! I wiecie co? Nagrałem ten film zaraz po zainstalowaniu firmware'u, bez zaglądania do instrukcji. Wygląda świetnie i brzmi po prostu niesamowicie.

GROOVE OS is here ➡️ https://www.groove-os.com/." Click through for additional details including an interactive website.

See the M-VAVE label below for more.

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

Monster Man: Riding The Rails

video upload by John L Rice

"This started as just a sequencer experiment on my large 5U modular and eventually I tuned it into another low effort installment for my 'Monster Man' series [previuos post] since the vibe was mostly there.

Using two Moon Modular 569 sequencers in 4x8 mode I patched all 8 CV outputs into a Modcan Scanner 69B set to switch mode and patched the Scanner's mono output to a Modcan Quantizer 55B. An Oakley/Krisp1 Slim VCO is the master clock with a SSL V-Gates divider providing a divide by 8 pulse to switch the Scanner to move to the next sequencer row and also reset both sequencers to ensure synchronization. This created a 64 step sequence but unfortunately I didn't take the time to create a recognizable melody so it just sounds random! 🙄🤦‍♂️😅 The patch is still up, maybe I will work out a better demo?

The output of the quantizer goes to a somewhat basic voice: a Noise Engineering Cursus Iteritas Magnus VCO to a Grove Audio LP VCF to a Synthesizers.com VCA2++. A Marienberg Devices VC Envelope Generator modulates both the VCF and VCF with a Marienberg Sine Phase Oscillator modulating both the VCO and the EG.

I played an Expressive-E Osmose keyboard along with the sequencer track, and then later added a second Osmose track fir the very low notes that you might not be able to hear unless you have a sub woofer or very good headphones or monitors?

Everything went through my Allen & Heath MixWizard and used Strymon BigSky and timeline effects pedals and a Roland RSP-550 rack effects unit.

Thanks for watching, liking, and commenting! 😎💖🤗

#modularsynth #modularsynthesizers #electronicmusic"

Master Your Modular Rhythms! // SIGMA from Vostok Instruments

video upload by DivKid

"Sigma from Vostok Instruments takes clocks, triggers, gates, even audio (good destructive fun) and turns them into gates you can control and modulate the length of. Sounds simple, but the ability to control gate length, add NOT outputs as gate delays and the logic section which takes Sigma to a whopping 23 outputs is fantastic!"

"Sigma is a multi-channel gate processor with a strong focus on rhythm and time-event manipulation.

The module generates up to 23 simultaneous gate signals directly related to the four gate inputs, allowing you to fire an entire array of synced events in your patch by just moving pots and connecting cables.

The core of the module is composed of four identical CV-controlled gate-length processors that create exact copies of your gate signals with adjustable length.

The Logic section creates new events from each length-processed pair using analog Boolean circuits.

Pair Sigma with a trigger sequencer or clock generator, and a bunch of drum modules or voices to get a vast amount of new rhythmical patterns on the fly.

- Four CV-controlled Gate Length Processors.

- Fully adjustable Length from 1ms to infinite.

- Dedicated NOT Output per channel.

- Dedicated Logic section adding 15 extra gate outputs with AND, NAND, OR, NOR and XOR operations for each pair of channels.

- Hybrid design combining a digital length processor with fully analog logic circuits to ensure minimal latency."

CLICK FOR MORE »

FREEDOM by Davide Micheli

video upload by Davide Micheli

You can find an English translation of the following video description further below.

"Freedom è un brano di musica elettronica prodotto da Davide Micheli utilizzando sintetizzatori elettronici tra cui alcuni Italiani moderni come il 'GRPA4', ma anche vintage anni 80 come 'Elka Twin61' e 'CRB Diamond 910 Gold M'. Altri sintetizzatori utilizzati sono il 'Moog Voyager XL', il 'Waldrof Quantum', e per ultimo 'Oberheim OB-X8'. La Drum Machine è una Drum degli anni 80 molto famosa ai sui tempi la 'Dynacord P20' 8-Bit Drum Machine.

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Yamaha - EMT 10 AWM Sound Expander - Sound Demo

video upload by Runningonair

"In this video I demo sounds from the Yamaha EMt-10 AWM sound expander, released in 1989. The patterns vary in usefulness but the lofi digital sounds (8/12bit) could be good for sampling. The individual sounds can apparently be played via a midi utility, but I've not looked into that so far.

All patterns are at 120BPM, for those that would like to try them out."

Music/Support:

Bandcamp:https://runningonair.bandcamp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fNUf...

Merch: https://runningonair-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd

Paypal: https://paypal.me/runningonair

DMGo! is OUT! New music program for the good old Game Boy

video upload by AudioWanderer

"Drum Machina Go!
Finally released at audiowanderer.com
A new complex drum machine for the good ol' classic Game Boy
DMGo! is the ultimate music tool for your japanese handheld
With DMGo! you can make your own music fast and easy
with its simple to use step sequencer,
and they are going to sound
cool with the FX dedicated section
EKO, STUTTER, DISTORTION, and KAOS!!!

CLICK FOR MORE »

Yamaha EMR-1 Digital Drummer Sound Demo

video upload by Runningonair

Note: this appears to be the first demo featuring the EMR-1 on the site. There was one previous post featuring the EMR-1 in Yamaha's half rack series here.

"In this video I demo patterns from the Yamaha EMR-1 Digital Drummer, released in 1988. The patterns vary in usefulness but the lofi digital sounds (8/12bit) could be good for sampling. The individual sounds can apparently be played via a midi utility, but I've not looked into that so far.

All patterns are at 120BPM, for those that would like to try them out."

Music/Support:

https://runningonair.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5fNUf...

https://paypal.me/runningonair?

Oberheim Teo 5 The Edge of Midnight Vol.2 Preset Bank

video upload by Reginald "Regg" Smith

Oberheim Teo 5 The Edge of Midnight Vol.1 Preset Bank

"This preset bank includes 48 Presets for the Oberheim Teo-5

Purchase Link: The Edge of Midnight Vol.2 https://reginald-regg-smith-sounds.se...

The Edge of Midnight Bundle (Vol.1 & 2) https://reginald-regg-smith-sounds.se...

Designed by Industry Producer Reginald 'Regg' Smith for the OBERHEIM Teo-5

Visit www.soundstoinspire.com for more of my preset banks!

Being primarily a music producer and songwriter, the focus of these presets were to design presets that sound good in a music production. Most of the presets contains additional modulation via mod wheel, so one preset almost feels like 2.

These presets are to be installed using a Sysex Library Manager (Free)"

Moog Taurus Bass Pedals in Genesis Songs and more - The Legendary Prog Rock Sound!

video upload by RetroSound

"The legendary Moog Taurus Bass Pedals played a huge role in the powerful low-end sound of progressive rock — and Genesis used that sound in some truly iconic songs.

In this video, we take a closer look at the Moog Taurus bass pedal and its role in the Genesis and the Phil Collins, Steve Hackett solo works, exploring those deep, massive bass frequencies that became a signature of progressive rock.

From the classic Genesis era to the unmistakable sound of the Taurus pedals, we'll look at how these legendary analog bass pedals were used and why the Moog Taurus became such an important instrument in rock music.

If you're a fan of progressive rock, Moog synthesizers, analog synths, bass pedals or classic 1970s rock sounds, this video is for you.

🎧 Listen with headphones or a good sound system to really hear those deep Taurus frequencies!"

The song list: 0:06 Afterglow 0:47 I Don`t Care Anymore (P. Collins) 1:16 Dance On A Volcano 1:54 Squonk 2:22 Clocks (S. Hackett) 2:50 Los Endos 3:10 Musical Box 3:35 Mama 4:31 Entangled 4:56 Firth Of Fifth 5:20 I Know What I Like 5:42 Shadow Of The Hierophant (S. Hackett) 5:55 Suppers Ready 6:18 Tonight Tonight Tonight

New Maschine 3.7 update and Expansions | Native Instruments

video upload by Native Instruments

"Maschine is alive and evolving. The latest update packs in a host of fresh features. To celebrate, we’re launching three special Expansions, including Thirty – a Native Instruments 30th birthday addition.

Check it out: https://www.native-instruments.com/pa...

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:30 New Paris Heat Expansion
00:55 Generate tab
02:45 Melody generation
04:21 Chord generation
05:43 Variation tab
07:33 New Rage Circuit Expansion
07:56 Euclidean generation
10:12 New Thirty Expansion
10:29 Note probability
11:53 Probability lock
12:25 Free update
12:47 Outro"

Update: press release follows:

A MAJOR UPDATE FOR MASCHINE 3

Maschine 3 is Native Instruments' beat-making and music production software, usable on its own or with Maschine hardware. It's built to keep musical ideas flowing at every step, letting producers lay down beats, sample, arrange, and perform with virtual instruments or their own sounds, solo or inside a DAW. Maschine 3.7 adds a set of creative sequencing tools designed to get producers out of a blank grid and into a groove faster than ever.

Key Update Features

RANDOM NOTE GENERATOR: Let Maschine write the notes. Set the odds and start from an idea instead of an empty grid.

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The Crow Hill Company Announces Availability of Utterly Terrifying CHILDREN’S CHOIR

Utterly Terrifying Choir - WALKTHROUGH video upload by CROW HILL

Press release follows:


The Crow Hill Company announces availability of CHILDREN’S CHOIR, crafting terrifying sounds from school-age children to deliver broad spectrum of timbral possibilities

EDINBURGH, UK: The Crow Hill Company is proud to announce availability of CHILDREN’S CHOIR — crafting terrifying sounds from a school-age troupe of boys singing with just the right amount of ‘beautiful menace’ and an ability to be creative while working with the Edinburgh-based enterprise in support of delivering an instrument based around an expertly curated sample-set with a broad range of timbral possibilities designed by media composers with other media composers in mind — as of September 21…

Asked about the task of crafting CHILDREN’S CHOIR, The Crow Hill Company co-founder and media composer Christian Henson has his tongue not entirely out of his creative cheek in response, resurrecting the famous showbiz warning usually credited to American comedian W.C. Fields, effectively, by way of opening: “Never work with animals and children! So what’s this going to be like? Getting kids to be slightly demonic, evil, scary… they love it! And they totally seem to get making it so pretty that it’s scary. So we thought we’d try and nurture that spirit in a children’s choir library designed particularly for media composers — people who write for film, TV, and computer games. Why are these guys going to be wanting to use a children’s choir? Maybe there’s something set in a boarding school, maybe there’s something slightly choral and religious, but, more times than not, something unsettling is needed, and that’s where we’ve gone with this one. There are limits to how long children should be asked to perform. So, we thought we’d use the time thoughtfully, curating a selection of singing styles that capture this spirit. As opposed to giving you yet another library with ‘AAs’, ‘EEs’, ‘Ahs’, ‘Ohs’, and ‘MMs’, etcetera, AHOH, OHEH [and many more singing styles are available using the EXPRESSION wheel]. There’s some lovely WAVERING stuff where the pitch centres change. They sound great and scary when you cluster up, but on their own — or just a couple of notes — they have all sorts of childlike menace. There’s terrifying RISES and FALLS. And we’ve got a whole bunch of SHORT [singing styles].

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roma Modulare 2026 | Tyler Walks Through the Chase Bliss Pedal Lineup

video upload by Malvinus

"At Roma Modulare 2026, I sat down with Tyler to go through a run of Chase Bliss pedals: Onward, Generation Loss II, Mood, Lossy, Big Time, and Clean.

Tyler breaks down what each pedal does and where it fits, from granular textures to degraded tape sounds to reverb and delay — a good look at how Chase Bliss thinks about effects.

No demo, just a conversation with someone who knows these pedals inside out — sometimes that's the best way to understand a piece of gear.

📍 Filmed at Roma Modulare 2026, Rome
#RomaModulare #ChaseBliss #Onward #GenerationLossII #Mood #Lossy #BigTime #Clean #Pedals #ElectronicMusic #SynthGear"

Journey's Jonathan Cain Roland Jupiter 8 & Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev3.3 Listing for Charity

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Retro Gear Shop

This one is in via Vince Ascoli.

via this eBay listing

"Jonathan Cain & Retro Gear Shop present the ultimate Journey fan package:

- Receive two historic synthesizers: Roland Jupiter 8 & Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 Rev 3.3

- Receive two Multi-Platinum Journey records signed by Jonathan Cain: Escape & Frontiers

- Meet Jonathan Cain for lunch!

- A portion of proceeds go to St. Jude’s Charity

CLICK FOR MORE »