Editor (Moog Minitaur // DFAM // Waldorf Protein // Roland JU06A // TR6S // Squarp Hapax)

video upload by 2-Minute Warning

"This time, I'm keeping the same setup as my previous jam... [below] with one new member joining the party: the Moog Minitaur. 🎸

But the real star of this experiment is probably the Squarp Hapax.

I've been pushing its sequencing capabilities a little further this time, using a combination of its MIDI effects, automation and LFO modulation to make the different parts evolve throughout the performance.

I'm using several of the Hapax MIDI effects, including Euclid, Harmony, Random and Swing, as well as LFOs to continuously modulate MIDI parameters (using CC).

And I also wanted to explore the FILL feature a bit further.

For example, I use a Fill to create a drum break, while simultaneously triggering an LFO that sends CC messages to the TR-6S, increasing the level of its internal reverb during the break.

So the Hapax isn't simply telling the synths which notes to play anymore... it's also changing their behaviour while the music is happening. Quite a lot is happening behind the scenes, even if hopefully it doesn't sound like a Hapax having a nervous breakdown. 😄

The performance was recorded in a single take. I mixed and mastered the individual tracks afterwards in Ableton Live, but the actual performance wasn't edited or fixed."

176▶️ 808 (Waldorf Protein // Roland JU06A // TR 6S // Moog DFAM // Squarp Hapax)
video upload by 2-Minute Warning

Waldorf Kyra Demo

video upload by Panu M Savolainen

"Multitracked demo of Waldorf Kyra. Only preset patches and effects used."

Michael Whalen's Synth Jam. "SHREDDING! Unapologetically…"

video upload by Michael Whalen

"Here’s some shredness—which, apparently, works best at slower tempos.

I absolutely LOVE this factory sound on the Waldorf Quantum MK II. This :90 romp features some crazy pitch-wheel work, polyphonic aftertouch, and my (patented 😂) hand-over-hand technique.

As ever, the backing track was created entirely by me (no AI BS) and the solo was played LIVE, in one continuous take, for the cameras. No edits. No assembling the 'best bits.' Just playing... Enjoy. M"

Poly Rave 👾 (Waldorf PROTEIN // Roland TR-6S // JU-06A // Moog DFAM // Squarp HAPAX)

video upload by 2-Minute Warning

"This time, I'm introducing a new instrument to the setup: the Waldorf Protein, used here for the CHORDS 🎹

The rest of the setup is made of a Roland JU-06A for the BASS, a Roland TR-6S for the DRUMS (no samples used, only ACB analog behavior engine with mainly the TR-808 model) and, for some additional percussion, the only analog instrument in the setup: the good Moog DFAM 🤩

Everything is sequenced by the Squarp Hapax, with quite a few things happening behind the scenes as usual.
MIDI LFOs are used to modulate some parameters of the TR-6S, while automation takes care of changing parameters on the JU-06A during the performance.

This time I also decided to use the Hapax's physical MIDI ports rather than relying on USB MIDI:
MIDI A : Roland TR-6S
MIDI B : Roland JU-06A
MIDI D (TRS) : Waldorf PROTEIN

And then there's the DFAM... which, as usual, refuses to speak MIDI. 😄
Since the DFAM doesn't have a MIDI input, I sent very short Gate pulses from the Hapax (Track 11) to simulate an audio clock, allowing its internal sequencer to advance in sync with the rest of the setup.

So, quite a lot going on behind what hopefully sounds like a relatively simple piece of music!

Another little experiment in making several machines behave together without making the whole thing look like a NASA control room 😄

As always, the performance itself was recorded in a single take. I do the mixing and mastering afterwards in Ableton Live."

Tempera Quirks and Foibles by Benge

video upload by Memetune Studio

"I’ve been exploring granular synthesis since around 1997, when Native Instruments brought out Reaktor, because it was the first system I knew of that had a granular synthesis engine built into it

But even before that I was experimenting with certain samplers that could do a sort of proto-granular thing where you could control the loop start and end end points of a sample independently, and use sliders to scroll through the sample by hand (for example on the Fairlight CMI 2X and also the Akai S612)

But nowadays we have it so easy, as there are a whole slew of desktop granular devices coming out, often based on ARM chips, such as the Tasty Chips GR units, the recent Waldorf synths, the Torso S4, Endorphines Evil Pet, not to mention the Mutable Instruments Clouds and its many derivatives

And then there's this little monster, The Beetlecrab Tempera - a strange and tiny box which takes granular synthesis and does something completely unique with it

It’s got 8 stereo granular samplers at its heart, but the way you interact with them is using the 8x8 touch-points. They are called emitters, and you play them either over midi or using some of the touch-points. You can change and trigger emitters in x - y directions, and it's all extremely complex, and things can get really wild very quickly, so as this is my first patch on it, I decided to keep it simple by using just 2 of the 8 grain samplers

I captured the samples myself using the built in mic (sample 1 is just tapping the box with my fingers, and sample 2 is me humming

It also has comprehensive mixing and FX processors, so here is a little ambient sketch done in real time, using just the Tempera

I’m going to have fun exploring this thing - especially when I integrate it into some of my modular systems, once I have got my head round its many quirks and foibles"

Wavetables on the Akai MPC: OS 3.9 Turns Keygroups Into a Wavetable Synth

video upload by Keith Crosley

"The Akai MPC just became a wavetable synth! With the MPC OS 3.9 update (and the new MPC 3 desktop software), Akai added oscillators — including a wavetable oscillator with custom wavetable import — to Drum and Keygroup tracks. In this video, I walk through how wavetables actually work on the MPC: enabling the oscillator, installing your own wavetables, the format.json quirk, and a deep dive into sound design across more than a dozen wavetable categories.

To make this painless, I built the KRC MPC Wavetables Collection — 2,156 wavetables preformatted for the Akai MPC, just $10 — and added a free Akai MPC version of my Free Wavetables collection (1,600+ wavetables). Everything in the intro track (besides most of the drums) was made with these.

─── WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ───
How to enable oscillator/wavetable layers in MPC key groups (OS 3.9 / MPC 3)
How to install custom wavetables on standalone MPCs and the MPC 3 desktop software
The format.json requirement (samples-per-frame + frame count) and how to work around it
Designing sounds with up to 8 oscillators, crossfade-as-time morphing, and the mod matrix
A tour of 13 wavetable categories: Bézier, choir, split, polygonal, M-series, microwaved (Waldorf-style), phase distortion & more

─── GET THE WAVETABLES ───
🌊 KRC MPC Wavetables Collection (2,156 wavetables, $10): https://www.wavetables.lol/l/mpc-wave...

🌊 FREE MPC Wavetables — snag the free version of KRC Mathwaves wavetable sampler, then scroll to the bottom of the product page for the Akai MPC version: https://www.wavetables.lol/l/free?lay..."

SUONOBUONO POLYVERA [01] // LØSTLVLS

video upload by LØSTLVLS

"Meet the Suonobuono Polyvera, a very special polyphonic hybrid desktop synth released in 2025.

I've been wanting a synth that uses samples as oscillators for quite a while, but it's a fairly barren market. The Prophet X was at the top of my wishlist, but other than the cost, I don't need a keyboard and I'm not fussed about analogue oscillators. Vintage samplers with analogue filters were considered, but I don't fancy implementing that 'charming' workflow into my studio!

The Polyvera is a versatile instrument, a perfect modern fusion of classic wavetable and sample-based synths like the Waldorf Microwave and Ensoniq Mirage respectively, but very much its own thing. As you'll hear in this clip, the Polyvera sounds rich and 'fulsome', with gritty textures easy to achieve throughout the signal chain.

This was recorded during my first session with the Polyvera, straight after unboxing. Enjoy and thanks for watching!

Check out my sample packs on Bandcamp - loads of vintage and modern gear (leaning towards drum machines) with kits, sample chains and presets. All ethically-sourced and locally-grown here in the lab in Bristol, UK: https://lostlvls.bandcamp.com/"

You Only Think Vintage Synths Sound Better

video upload by Noir Et Blanc Vie

"So I was playing my Waldorfs, just making some music and looking for inspiration, and a thought came to me... Am I only using my Waldorf XT because I 'like it' not because it's actually better in anyway? While there are so many videos comparing synths online, I keep wondering....WHY? Like, what's the actual goal with this. I personally wonder if there's psychology behind why some can't just move forward and make sound instead of thinking 'I wonder if X makes sounds like Y' when the shortest answer would easily be 'why not just get the X?'. When I think about music I'm often confused by the idea of all this... so maybe ask yourself this.... 'What's your goal'. When you see life as only one constant stream, you cannot go back, only forward, I think so many of the choices I make to create come from that. Rather than compare, rather than spend my time purchasing, why not be content, why not just create....? A question for you today."

氏家克典のコレがオススメ！ Vol.35 "Waldorf Protein"

video upload by KATSUNORI UJIIE

"Today I'm introducing the Waldorf Protein.
Based on the original Waldorf Microwave 1’s ASIC oscillator, the Waldorf Protein is an affordable, compact 8-voice polyphonic wavetable synthesizer equipped with the latest features—including advanced arpeggiators, a step sequencer, chord mode, and effects—that incorporate technology from the Iridium.
While returning to the roots of Waldorf’s early instrument design, it evolves that philosophy into a form suited for the modern era.
Measuring 252 × 170 × 48 mm (including knobs) and weighing 0.9 kg, its portable, compact chassis houses performance that exceeds its class.
The Protein makes a strong statement as the first release in an upcoming new product line.
I introduce its superb sound and features through live performances!"

Pirin V1 for Waldorf Protein by NatLife

video upload by NatLife Sounds

"Download Link: https://natlifesounds.com/product/pir...

[Since I'm not a professional keyboardist, forgive me for my poor performance]

Pirin V1 for Waldorf Protein is my new soundbank for this powerful little Microwave-based synthesizer. It features 40 complex presets & patches, most of which utilize multiple Layers for maximum sonic impact.

This bank is full of atmosphere:

11 full-fledged sequences created with the internal sequencer
10 deep pads that convey a mountainous atmosphere to your Protein
2 Arpeggios, 4 forest noise effects, 2 Lead sounds, 1 Pluck, and 10 diverse synth sounds, from piercing to Synthwave. Installation instruction includes."

Starsky Carr's Studio: Vintage & Modern Synth Setup Explained

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Welcome to a full synth studio tour — a look inside my hardware setup featuring vintage analog synths, modern wavetable instruments, modular gear and classic drum machines.

See how a mix of vintage synths, modern instruments, modular gear and drum machines all come together in one integrated setup. In this video I walk through the studio, explain how everything is connected, and show some of the instruments that regularly appear on the channel.

The studio is constantly evolving as new synths arrive, others get repaired, and different setups are tested for videos. In this walkthrough you'll see how classic gear like the Juno-60, Prophet series, Minimoog, TR-808, TR-909 and Jupiter synths sit alongside modern instruments such as the UDO Super 8, Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave, Waldorf M, Arturia PolyBrute and Roland System-8.

I also explain how everything is routed through the studio — from CV-controlled vintage synths integrated with MIDI, to the AudioFuse interface and Neve summing mixer that handle the audio side of things.

If you've ever wondered how to organise a hardware synth studio, integrate vintage CV instruments with modern DAWs, or just want to see a room full of iconic synths and drum machines, this video gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the setup behind the channel.

You’ll also hear a few stories along the way — including the slightly ridiculous “six degrees of separation” link from my studio gear to Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon through the Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels soundtrack.

Whether you're into analog synthesis, wavetable synths, modular gear, or classic drum machines, this studio tour is packed with gear, ideas and inspiration.

Gear featured (selection)

• Roland Juno-60
• Roland Jupiter series
• Moog Minimoog, Voyager % Sub37
• Sequential Prophet synths
• Oberheim OBX8 and OB6
• UDO Super 8
• Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave
• Waldorf M
• Arturia PolyBrute
• Roland System-8
• TR-808 / TR-909 drum machines
• Analog Solutions Leipzig & Fusebox
• Modular & Eurorack gear"

DiscoDSP Releases Retromulator Based on The Usual Suspects dsp56300 Engine

via DiscoDSP

[Note: although DiscoDSP gives credit to The Usual Suspects, it's my understanding TUS is not happy about it. From a forum:

"He basically took our source, put his own wrapper on it and is trying to sell it and use it to promote his own business. Can't prevent it, but frankly this is reprehensible IMHO.

Yes. He knows he cannot legally "sell" it due to the licensing model our code is published under. Therefore he sells "support" of "his development efforts" to include difficult things like "git clone" and other Arcane and extremely difficult stuff. sigh... I'd strongly advise anyone using it not to actually pay him for it, but that is just my opinion.]

What isn't clear is whether the UI is just the player above or includes the full editors by The Usual Suspects. I'm hearing it's just the player, which in effect might be an upsell for the full editors by The Usual Suspects.

That said:

"Retromulator brings legendary hardware cores back to life through authentic low-level emulation. The virtual analog synths are powered by a faithful recreation of the Motorola DSP 56300 processor, the Yamaha DX7 runs a full emulation of its original chip set, and the Akai S1000 sampler plays your SF2, SFZ, and Bliss sample banks with studio-quality interpolation. Each core runs its actual firmware or sample data — delivering the unmistakable character of hardware that defined electronic music from the early 80s through the 2000s.

Unlike traditional software emulations that recreate synthesizer behavior by approximation, Retromulator emulates the original integrated circuits at the hardware level. The virtual analog synths run on a cycle-accurate Motorola DSP 56300, the Yamaha DX7 runs a full emulation of its Hitachi HD6303R sub-CPU and Yamaha YM21280/YM21290 EGS/OPS chip set, and the Akai S1000 sampler runs on the SFZero v3.0.0 engine with 8-point sinc interpolation supporting SF2, SFZ, ZBP, and ZBB sample banks. Each core executes its authentic firmware or sample data exactly as intended.

Load the ROM firmware from your own hardware or sample banks from your library, place them in the designated folder, and Retromulator takes care of the rest. The result is not an approximation — it is the real hardware running inside your DAW.

Retromulator is built on Gearmulator, an open-source synthesizer emulation project by the dsp56300 team. We are grateful for their extraordinary work in bringing these classic instruments back to life."

You can find demos of the dsp56300 engines in previous posts here.

Featured synths:

CLICK FOR MORE »

RetroSound Studio Tour: Vintage Digital Synthesizers

video upload by RetroSound

"RetroSound Studio Tour:
Legendary Vintage Digital & Hybrid Synthesizers of the 80s and early 90s

In this episode of RetroSound Studio, I explore classic digital synthesizers that revolutionized electronic music production during the 80s and early 90s. From FM synthesis and wavetable synthesis to vector synthesis, PD synthesis, vitual analog and Roland’s LA synthesis, these instruments introduced a new generation of sound design and defined the sonic identity of an era.

The Yamaha DX7 became one of the best-selling synthesizers of all time, defining FM electric pianos and metallic digital textures. The PPG Wave pioneered wavetable synthesis, laying the foundation for modern digital sound engines. The Sequential Prophet VS introduced vector synthesis, allowing dynamic blending between digital waveforms. The Roland D-50 shaped late-80s pop and film scoring with its LA synthesis architecture, while the Roland JD-800 brought hands-on control back to digital synthesis in the 1990s.

These digital synthesizers shaped genres such as synth-pop, new wave, ambient, house, techno, trance, and film music. Today, they remain highly sought after by producers, collectors, and sound designers researching vintage digital synthesizers, 80s keyboard sounds, virtual analog, classic FM synthesis, and wavetable history."

The Digital & Hybrid Synths:
0:07 Sequential Prophet VS
4:39 PPG wave 2.2
10:36 Yamaha DX7 II FD
14:56 Yamaha DX11
16:39 Casio CZ-101
19:29 Casio VZ-1
21:21 Roland JD-800
26:40 Roland D-50 / D-550
28:00 Korg Wavestation EX / SR
31:24 Korg DW-8000 / EX-8000
32:42 Roland M-VS1
35:57 Kawai K5000R
38:57 Waldorf Microwave
39:44 Waldorf Microwave II XT
41:15 Clavia Nord Modular
41:59 Yamaha AN1x
44:36 Roland JV-1080
45:33 Ensoniq SQ-80
46:23 Quasimidi Raven Max
47:42 Korg Z1

Full Studio Tour playlist:

Waldorf M Wavetable Synthesizer Desktop Module

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this listing

Additional Perfect Circuit listings

CLICK FOR MORE »

Waldorf Protein in the hands of a beginner makes "Bang!"

video upload by Nicolai

"I just bought the Waldorf Protein. They said it is their entry level, so I unboxed it, did a test drive, created some own patches and guess what: "Bang!" a tight techno track was born.

🎧 Original "Bang!" track (the one born from frustration): [below]


It is a lovely wavetable synth: portable (fits my setup perfectly), flexible and most importantly: accessible! Sure, there are menus and a shift button for deeper tweaks, but most of the time you just coast on the sound, dialing it in directly with the tons of hands-on knobs. How cool is that?

Watch the full video: unboxing, preset demos and evolution, honest critique, Nicolai patch building which lead to the 'Bang!' track."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Waldorf Protein Synth Demo Part. 3 | Pure Patches & Ambient Textures (HQ Audio, No Talking)

video upload by DKS SYNTH LAB

"Welcome to DKS Synth Lab! In this video, we discover the sounds of the Waldorf Protein Synth. In this sounds only session, we explore the power of the Waldorf synthesis engine through ambient patches, granular textures, and crystal-clear digital timbres.."

Timeline
0:00 Intro
0:09 KingSync
1:03 Lunare
2:18 Nietrop
3:05 ID Mallet
3:47 Perc
4:30 Dune
5:30 Queen Bass
6:06 Magic Protein
7:15 Pro Vibes
8:08 Ey Piano
9:08 Komplex
10:58 Digilog

Waldorf Protein Synth Demo Part. 2 | Pure Patches & Ambient Textures (HQ Audio, No Talking)

video upload by DKS SYNTH LAB

Timeline

0:00 Intro
0:09 Distance
1:00 Humble
1:33 Soft Dist
2:05 Kaputt
2:52 Apo
3:50 Dist
5:20 Dings
5:53 Hellp
6:34 No Reason
7:28 Small M
8:21 T-Bass
9:17 String Me
10:29 Cathedr

Part 1 here

Waldorf Music M TouchOSC Bidirectional Editor by synth_nyc (firmware v1.11)

via synth_nyc:

"I have updated my Waldorf Music M bidirectional TouchOSC editor for M firmware v1.11, please find here some screenshots highlighting the changes:

SPECIFIC FEATURES (FW v1.11):
- 2 Editor Pages per M Part (total of 8 Pages for the 4 M Parts)
- 1 Editor Page for M Multi
- 1 Editor Page for M Global
- All Single (Program) (258 x4 = 1032, for each of the 4 Parts) parameters implemented in the editor. Program parameters are bidirectional using SYSEX
- All Multi parameters (130) parameters implemented in the editor. Multi parameters are bidirectional using SYSEX
- Most Global parameters (65) have been implemented. Global parameters are unidirectional using SYSEX
- Automatically imports M current Single / Multi bank / program numbers (3 parameters) when the editor is started using SYSEX
- MIDI Channel selection slider
- Bank (change) + Program (change) selection slider + buttons
- Buffer Request, Buffer Init, Buffer Write and Program Write buttons using SYSEX
- Multi (Arrangement) change buttons using SYSEX
- Multi (Arrangement) Buffer Request, Multi (Arrangement) Write buttons using SYSEX
- Single (Program) Part 1, 2, 3 and 4 Request (in Multi editing) using SYSEX
- Part 1, 2, 3 and 4 to Single (Program) Write buttons (in Multi editing) using SYSEX
- Automatically switches M to Single or Multi for operations described above

FEATURE REQUESTS / BUG FIXES:
- Go to the video Description on Vimeo"

Waldorf M 1.11 Update Adds Varysaw VA Oscillator, CS80 Based Oscillator, Extensive FM & More

You can find the update here

Details form the release doc follows:

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial add-on to the M user manual, describing some of extra features added from firmware 1.05 up to firmware 1.11. This add-on also covers some complex aspects of the Multi Mode, which remains somewhat unusual.

Author: Vladi Salnikov aka VladiS.

Algorithms of FW version 1.11:

Varysaw: A VA oscillator ranging from SAW through PULSE to TRI.

Wave (red encoder): Mixes from 0 to 31 from SAW to PULSE; 32 is pure PULSE, and 33 to 63 mixesfrom PULSE to TRI.

Meta parameter: Pulse width for PULSE, adjustable from 5% to 95%.

CSAW: A famous Yamaha CS-80 saw oscillator with mutation towards a parabolic oscillator.

Wave : Controls the amplitude of the “step” component of the saw wave.

Meta parameter: Mixes between this saw wave and the parabolic saw wave.

Waveshpr: A SAW to TRI oscillator fed into a mild waveshaper.

Wave : 0 is pure SAW, 1-62 mixes between SAW and TRI, and 63 is pure TRI.

Meta parameter: Depth of the waveshaper.

TriplSaw: A stack of three SAW oscillators; two are detuned slightly higher and lower than the third.

Wave : Controls the amplitude of the “central” SAW oscillator relative to the two “side” SAWs.

Meta parameter: Detuning factor, from 0 to maximum detune.

S/T Fold: A SIN wave folding oscillator that folds the chosen crossmixed wave between SIN and TRI waves.

Wave : 0 is pure SIN, 1-62 mixes between SIN and TRI, and 63 is pure TRI.

Meta parameter: Folding depth.

FM 2 OP: Classic simple two-operator FM synthesis. OP1 (modulator) generates a sine wave that modulates the phase of OP2 (carrier). Both operators generate sinewaves; the algorithm's output is the carrier signal.

Wave: Maps values from 0 to 63 to harmonics ratios of 1 to 8 in stepped increments.

Meta parameter: Amount of phase modulation applied to the carrier.

CLICK FOR MORE »

FIRST TOUCHES OF Sonicware ELZ_1 PLAY Synth/ INCREDIBLE SOUNDS AND FEATURES

video upload by Maria Calfa-DePaul

"This was recorded right after I unboxed this amazing instrument that just got a huge update to include original waverables by Waldorf
I am very impressed with this synth. I have many Livens by Sonicware and love them but this is in a whole other category
I know I’m going to enjoy this synth and it will take me a long time to do all that it’s capable of."

Batchas "Polynomial" just for fun

video upload by batchas

"Music as therapy.
As usual can't beat the amazing original by Aphex Twin and it's not the goal anyway, cause I'm doing these session as therapy. No-brainer and fun.
One unique take und tschüss...
Instruments: Mos-lab 2500 (Scrotum Lab matrix), Oberheim Matrix 1000, Roland Juno 60, Waldorf Q, Waldorf Pulse +. Efx: Audiothingies Doctor A, Valhalla Supermassive.
The images are excerpts from a movie by Georges Méliès called 'Un Homme de têtes' released in 1898."