Showing posts sorted by date for query exploring-notes. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query exploring-notes. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Saturday, November 14, 2026
Mutable Dreams for MPC | Product Preview · 3 Songs, 271 Biomes & a Playable Garden
video upload by Kid Bunka
"A garden that makes music — and an instrument you can play.
This product preview introduces Mutable Dreams for MPC by Kid Bunka: six generative tracks, playable instruments, performance pads and a botanical interface that moves with the music. This walkthrough follows three original short pieces rather than one repeated loop.
00:00 Night Garden — presets, macros and playable keys
00:33 Performance pads — textures and space
00:47 Shape, echo, hall and movement
01:20 Worlds That Think — WORLDS, LOGIC and SYNTH
02:21 Biomes and the engine-tone browser
02:36 Mutable Machines — Plaits, Braids, Rings and Elements
03:13 Modules and resonators
03:23 Clouds, Spectral and Beads
03:39 Freeze, final notes and credits
INSIDE THE PREVIEW
• 271 Biomes, 48 Worlds and 121 programs in the MPC preset list.
• Six generative tracks, or engine tones played with up to six voices.
• Playable Plaits / Braids, plus Rings and Elements instruments. Plaits offers up to 12 voices; the voice limit depends on the instrument and available DSP time.
• 16 performance pads for harmony, textures, space and form; velocity / pressure input where delivered by the host.
• Gesture capture, looping, overdub and six recallable Moments.
• Seven LOGIC rules and eight SYNTH engines.
• Warps, Rings, Clouds / Beads and Marbles integrations.
• Deep mode with stereo hall, ensemble and FM / VA unison, plus Classic mode for the earlier sound and saved projects.
• Main stereo mix and six dry track stereo pairs (14 output channels), subject to the host’s routing support.
• MPC transport, Q-Link control, MIDI input, project state and context help.
PRODUCT PREVIEW / COMPATIBILITY
This is a development preview. A public MPC release and download will be announced separately.
0.9.13 is a preview intended for Akai Gen 2 MPC models. Kid Bunka has tested and approved 0.9.13 on his Gen 2 MPC (confirmed 14 November 2026). This is not a claim that every Gen 2 model has been tested individually. Compatibility with older MPC models is still being investigated. A 32-bit file in a package is not a confirmation of older-model support. Use only a package and installation procedure confirmed for your exact MPC model and OS.
HOW THIS VIDEO WAS MADE
All music comes from the actual C++ plugin engine, rendered offline with scripted notes, pads and parameter moves. The interface is rendered on the Mac from the built plugin skin and synchronized parameter states. This is not a recording of an MPC screen or a filmed hardware performance. No voice-over.
THANK YOU
Every useful report, curious question and kind message has helped shape Mutable Dreams. I’m a beatmaker and producer building the instruments I want to play, and it means a lot that you’re exploring them with me. Thank you for helping this little garden grow.
Project: https://kidbee85-beep.github.io/mutab...
Instagram: / mutabledreams
GitHub (public FM-1 project): https://github.com/kidbee85-beep/muta...
Support development: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?busine...
Donations go into updates, new firmware and synthesizer-software development.
A friendly invitation to @Akai_Pro / @akai_pro to explore this independent community project. No Akai affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Credits: Mutable Dreams by Kid Bunka. Mutable Instruments DSP by Emilie Gillet and contributors, under the included licences. Built with the MPC Plugin SDK. Full licence notices accompany the plugin package.
#MutableDreams #AkaiMPC #GenerativeMusic
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
PLEASE SUPPORT MATRIXSYNTH.
LABELS/MORE: Akai, MATRIXSYNTH Members, Mutable Instruments, New Updates, News
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LABELS/MORE: Akai, MATRIXSYNTH Members, Mutable Instruments, New Updates, News
Friday, November 13, 2026
Scaler 3.4 – Discover a New World of Harmony | What's New
video upload by Scaler Music
"Scaler 3.4 is here! Discover a whole new world of harmony.
Our latest FREE update introduces a completely redesigned Discover & Variations experience, Dynamic Sketch Lanes, 30 new Explore chord constellations and powerful new creative tools to help you discover, develop and transform your musical ideas.
🎹 What's New in Scaler 3.4?
🔹 Discover & Variations – Explore inspiring chord possibilities with intelligent Diatonic, Borrowed and Adventurous suggestions.
🔹 New Chord Voicing Modes – Explore Dynamic, Inversions, Open, Guitar, Drop 2 and Drop 3 voicings & edit chords in the Variations Page
🔹 30 New Explore Constellations – Discover 10 new genres, including Neo Soul, Afro House, UK Speed Garage, Melodic Techno and Indie & Dream Pop, each with Bright, Dark and Neutral variations.
🔹 Dynamic Sketch Lanes – Create, audition and develop multiple chord progression ideas with improved chord editing and flexible arrangement workflows.
🔹 Enhanced Chord Editing – Refine individual chord notes, explore alternative harmonies and take advantage of improved MIDI editing.
🔹 More Creative Freedom – Enhanced MIDI Bind, Motion drag-and-drop, custom default presets and numerous workflow improvements.
🔥 BLACK FRIDAY – OUR LOWEST PRICE EVER!
There's never been a better time to get Scaler 3.
✅ New customers: Just $69 USD (normally $99)
✅ Scaler 2 owners: Upgrade for just $29 USD
✅ Existing Scaler 3 owners: Version 3.4 is a FREE update!
🎹 Get Scaler 3: https://scalermusic.com
Whether you're starting a new track, exploring fresh harmonic possibilities or refining an existing arrangement, Scaler 3.4 makes it easier to turn inspiration into music."
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
PLEASE SUPPORT MATRIXSYNTH.
LABELS/MORE: New Updates, News, Scaler Music, Soft Synths
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LABELS/MORE: New Updates, News, Scaler Music, Soft Synths
Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Mutable Dreams 2.0 | From a Biome to a Piece — M-VAVE FM-1
video upload by Kid Bunka
You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.
"Thank you for the love you’ve shown Mutable Dreams. I started it because I wanted to make an instrument I could get lost in. Hearing the music you’ve made with it, reading your suggestions and seeing people take the time to test a build on their own FM-1 has meant more to me than I can put into a version number. I’m grateful to every person who has played it, shared it, reported a bug or sent a kind word.
You asked for sound worlds that felt further apart, clearer ways to build patterns and more room to make the instrument your own. Those conversations shaped 2.0. In this film you’ll hear the FM-1 moving between Biomes, keeping a voice alive as a Journey changes section, and turning a simple pattern into something you can keep exploring. The sounds and screens come from the instrument.
What’s new in 2.0
• 272 factory Biomes including Blank and 632 tone presets
• Journey Arranger, six-track Sequencer Grid and MIDI Learn
• Living Links, Biome Drift and USB Screen Mirror
• Six individual USB audio voices plus the stereo mix
Play in your browser, hear the examples or read the illustrated guide:
https://kidbee85-beep.github.io/mutab...
Download, source and hardware test notes:
https://github.com/kidbee85-beep/muta...
Mutable Dreams is free and open source for the M-VAVE FM-1. I’d love to hear what you make with it. Thank you for being part of this.
Kid Bunka
#MutableDreams #MVAVEFM1 #GenerativeMusic"
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
PLEASE SUPPORT MATRIXSYNTH.
LABELS/MORE: Kid Bunka, M-VAVE, MATRIXSYNTH Members, New Updates, News
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Tuesday, November 10, 2026
ARP Foundation - Starpath Vol.1 - 200 Exclusive Patches for Korg ARP2600 VST
video upload by
"These will not be sold on my normal site, they are available to purchase directly from The Arp Foundation Store, Ensuring all proceeds to directly to them. - https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/p...
I would like to give special thanks to Korg for donating the 2600 vst licences for James & I to carry out the programming of this bank!
STARPATH VOL.1 – 200 Sounds. One Cause. Endless Inspiration!
Scott McAuley & James Dyson are incredibly excited to announce the release of STARPATH VOL.1 – an exclusive, custom-designed sound bank featuring 200 carefully crafted sounds, created to inspire your next musical journey.
Packed with an extensive collection of sounds, STARPATH VOL.1 brings together everything from deep, powerful Basses, atmospheric Pads and expressive Leads, to evolving Arps, driving Sequences, cinematic Strings and so much more. Whether you're looking to spark a new idea, add something special to your productions or discover your next signature sound, there's plenty here to explore.
The demo showcases just a selection of what's included, with 50 sounds demonstrated to give you a taste of the collection. But that's just the beginning – the full STARPATH VOL.1 bank contains 200 exclusive sounds, ready for you to drop straight into your next big production.
But this release is about more than just music.
100% of all proceeds from sales of STARPATH VOL.1 will go directly to The ARP Foundation, a non-profit organisation. This means every purchase helps support a cause that matters, while giving you access to a completely custom collection of sounds.
We're incredibly proud to bring this project to life and grateful to everyone who chooses to support it.
Thank you!
© Scott McAuley. All rights reserved."
And via the Alan R Pearlman Foundation
ARP Foundation Releases Starpath Vol. 1 for the KORG ARP2600 VST
Scott McAuley Sounds and James Dyson created 200 patches for the software synthesizer, with all proceeds supporting the Foundation’s archives and ARPs for All program.
Kingston, NY, November 10, 2026 —The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation announces Starpath Vol. 1, a collection of 200 original patches for the KORG ARP2600 VST. Created by Scott McAuley Sounds and James Dyson, the sound bank will be sold exclusively through the Foundation for $39.99. All proceeds benefit the Foundation’s work to preserve Alan R. Pearlman’s legacy and expand public access to his instruments.
Purchase STARPATH
The original ARP 2600 laid out its signal path on the front panel so players could see how its modules worked together and use patch cables to change those connections. Starpath Vol. 1 gives musicians 200 ways into that same architecture in KORG’s software instrument. Each preset can go straight into a session or serve as a starting point for tracing a signal path and reshaping the sound.
The collection spans basses, leads, pads, keys, arpeggios, sequences, and strings, with sounds for electronic dance music, film scoring, and other productions. Most patches are programmed for polyphonic aftertouch, so players using a compatible controller can shape individual notes by varying the pressure on each key. The bank takes advantage of KORG’s software recreation, which offers up to 16 voices of polyphony.
The Foundation will receive 100% of the proceeds to support its archiving work and ARPs for All, a program that gives musicians hands-on access to rare vintage ARP synthesizers.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: ARP, ARPFoundation, Korg, MATRIXSYNTH Members
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Tuesday, November 03, 2026
Getting Started with Quantizers in Eurorack
video upload by Noise Engineering
"A quantizer takes control voltage and maps it to musical notes, making it easy to create melodies that stay in tune.
This video is part of our Getting Started blog post:
https://noiseengineering.us/blogs/loq...
Gamut Repetitor is a great example of quantization in action.
Here, Gamut is generating a n evolving melody. Every voltage it creates is quantized, so each note stays within one of 27 different scales. Change the scale or note range using the three switches, Spread, and Down/Up controls, and the melody takes on a different character while remaining musical.
Quantization isn't limited to traditional Western scales, either.
Here, Mimetic Digitwolis is set to generate microtonal notes. Instead of quantizing to the familiar 12-note scale, it snaps voltages to a different tuning system, opening the door to entirely new melodic possibilities while still keeping the notes intentionally related.
Quantizers aren't just for sequencers, though.
Any control voltage can be quantized. That means random voltages, LFOs, or analog sequencers can all become musical pitch sequences by snapping their voltages to specific notes.
That's what makes quantizers such an essential utility in Eurorack. They let you experiment freely while keeping your melodies in tune, whether you're writing traditional sequences, exploring microtonality, or creating generative music.
Join us on Discord! Invite link: / discord"
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: eurorack, MATRIXSYNTH Members, Noise Engineering
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Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Mutable Dreams 1.2 — Warmer Worlds, Your Own Sequences | M-VAVE FM-1
video upload by Kid Bunka
You can find the M-VAVE FM-1 on Amazon.
"Mutable Dreams 1.2 for the M-VAVE FM-1: warmer voices, personal sequences and a living interface — shaped by your feedback.
PLAY, EDIT, INSTALL & BACK UP
https://mutable-dreams.sugarypixie10....
Firmware, browsable source and release notes:
https://github.com/kidbee85-beep/muta...
Update and return-to-stock guide:
https://mutable-dreams.sugarypixie10....
WHAT'S NEW
• 15 freely assignable sound engines, including Velvet Keys, Spectral Bloom and Breath Texture.
• 288 tones and 92 musical Biomes plus Blank: 64 additional tones and 16 additional Biomes, with refined existing sounds.
• 32-step sequences per track: notes, rests, velocity, gate and chance; phrase generators, keyboard/MIDI step entry and monophonic live recording.
• Four optional chord journeys across selected tracks.
• Smoother shared granular transitions, filtered Air noise and a more diffuse room.
• Reactive landscapes, clearer lettering and sequence views; hold function buttons for help.
• Keep your own worlds with 16 User Biomes, 64 user sound slots, JSON patch exchange and .mddb bank backups.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Shaped by listening
00:14 A gentler palette
00:44 Make the phrase yours
01:14 Room to breathe
01:34 A living interface
01:54 Keep exploring
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
PLEASE SUPPORT MATRIXSYNTH.
LABELS/MORE: Kid Bunka, M-VAVE, Mutable Instruments, New Updates, News
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Elektron Tonverk is a Granular Ambient Machine - Sound Pack by A Force Truly Evil
video upload by A Force Truly Evil
"Available here: https:https://sci-fiaudio.com/product/granu...
EVOLVING MULTISAMPLED INSTRUMENTS AND PURPOSE-BUILT GRANULAR SOURCES FOR AMBIENT, ELECTRONICA & EXPERIMENTAL SOUND DESIGN.
Granular + Ambient contains 64 multisampled instruments — 16 Basses, 24 Pads, 16 Polyphonic instruments and 8 Arpeggios — built from 380+ carefully selected samples, together with 99 dedicated Granular Sources specifically created for Tonverk's granular engine.
The pack is built around two complementary approaches to sound design: rich, playable multisampled instruments and purpose-built material for granular synthesis**. The 64 multisampled instruments provide a broad collection of musical and atmospheric sounds, while the 99 Granular Sources are designed to give Tonverk's granular engine the detailed, varied material it needs to produce deep, evolving textures.
99 Granular Sources
The granular material is a central part of the pack. **These are not simply conventional samples intended to be processed afterwards. Each source has been specifically created with granular synthesis in mind**, combining internal tonal movement, evolving timbres, transients, harmonic variation, tonal shifts and contrasting textures.
This gives the granular engine plenty of interesting material to work with. A single source can be transformed into **long, evolving ambient passages, atmospheric soundscapes and complex textures**, with enough internal variation to remain interesting over time rather than becoming static or repetitive.
The sources can range from subtle, slowly moving atmospheres to dense, ethereal and highly animated granular textures. They are particularly effective for creating **long-form ambient sounds and evolving soundscapes from a single sample**, making them ideal for exploring Tonverk's granular synthesis capabilities.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Elektron, MATRIXSYNTH Members
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Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Arturia Introduces the MiniFreak 49
Check with dealers on the right on pricing and availability.
Playlist:
1. MiniFreak 49 | Explore the unconventional | ARTURIA
2. MiniFreak 49 | Playthrough | ARTURIA
3. MiniFreak 49 | Overview | ARTURIA
4. Arturia MINIFREAK 49 is an Absolute BEAST! Sound Demo |No Talking| @ArturiaOfficial - Davide Puxeddu and Arturia
5. Arturia MiniFreak 49 - More Control - SonicLAB Presentation - sonicstate
6. MiniFreak 49 vs MiniFreak // There’s nothing mini about it // Review & tutorial - loopop
7. I Called the MiniFreak Synth of the Year in 2023. It Just Grew Up. - Vulture Culture
8. Arturia MINIFREAK 49 — An Almost Perfect Synthesizer - BoBeats
9. The not so Minifreak // Arturia Minifreak 49 - Starsky Carr
10. Arturia MINIFREAK 49 | MUSIC DEMO (No Talking) | Spontaneous SYNTH Patches played by Jalvac 🎹🔥 - FutureMusic.es
11. Arturia MiniFreak 49 Review: Still a Game Changer? - Sineway
12. The New Minifreak 49 Goes Hard! Exploring What Makes it Special - The Midlife Synthesist
Press release follows:
49 full-size semi-weighted keys, expanded panel controls, and a pressure-sensitive XYZ touch matrix bring a new physical dimension to the Freak architecture, while Audio-rate Filter FM and Voice Panning extend its sonic reach - making shaping a patch and playing it feel like the same act.


_Explore the unconventionalTwo digital engines. Analog Filters and VCAs per voice. A restless appetite for experimentation. MiniFreak 49 puts the familiar and the unruly within reach, from rich polyphonic textures to fractured rhythms and abrasive harmonics. Play a chord, reach for a control, press into the matrix. Playing a patch is only the beginning.
_Touch, press, transform
The new XYZ touch matrix brings performance, modulation, and navigation onto one surface.
Assign modulation with direct, color-coded feedback, swipe through presets, or watch reactive visualizers follow your playing.
Switch to Freak Control and put the sound under your fingers.
Push a Macro further, tighten the Gate, or use Spice to introduce variation.
Bipolar and vector layouts let you move between contrasting settings and blend across four corners, with pressure adding a third dimension of expression.
_That's not all
Room to play
49 full-size semi-weighted keys with velocity and mono aftertouch give chords, melodic lines, and two-handed performances room to breathe. Aluminum pitch and modulation wheels keep expression under your left hand.
Push every sound further
Audio-rate Filter FM from either engine adds harmonics, grit, and vocal-like textures. Dedicated Type, Wave, Timbre, and Shape controls, plus three selection shortcuts per oscillator, make sound shaping more immediate.
Six voices in stereo
Voice Panning spreads individual voices across the stereo field, adding width to chords and spatial movement to sequences.
MiniFreak 49
Three FX slots, each with a dedicated access button and 13 algorithms, cover everything from chorus and reverb to distortion and vocoder processing.
The Freak architecture
Two digital engines offer 30+ oscillator modes, with algorithms from Arturia, Mutable Instruments and Noise Engineering. Blend their sounds or use Engine 2 to process Engine 1, then shape each voice through its own resonant analog filter.
Shape every step
A 64-step sequencer and four modulation lanes keep notes and timbres in motion. Long-press a step to adjust its length and velocity on the touch matrix. Add arpeggiator ratchets and repeats, or introduce fresh variations with Spice & Dice.
Your Freak in the DAW
Included MiniFreak V brings the hardware’s sound and architecture into your DAW, with preset management and bidirectional control. The MiniFreak 49-compatible version is exclusive to registered MiniFreak 49 hardware owners.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Arturia, New Synths, News
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Wednesday, August 12, 2026
What if every voice modulated its neighbor?
video upload by Vadjuse
"What happens if you take four identical timbres, make them exchange signals, and make each track change not itself, but its neighbor?
The idea behind this patch is a ring interaction between the tracks. This has nothing to do with ring modulation.
I created four identical saw waves. Each track has its own volume envelope length and melodic sequence length, so the notes and rhythms are constantly mixing. All four tracks are tuned to Just Intonation, which makes the resulting frequency relationships sound more stable and, at the same time, more pronounced than in equal temperament.
I connected the four tracks in a ring with modulation.
The volume envelope of each track reduces the MIDL parameter of the next one. The louder one voice becomes, the less energy its neighbor receives: it loses high harmonics and becomes less saturated, so even the filter resonance can no longer emphasize an individual harmonic as effectively.
All Modulation Envelopes operate in Envelope Follower mode. EF1 opens the filter of the neighboring track, EF2 changes the rate of the next volume envelope. Volume Envelope destination 2 increases release time of the previous voice.
Thus, one voice simultaneously affects the brightness, volume, rate of volume change, and decay time of another. In addition, the tracks modulate each other through FM synthesis: FM changes the spectrum, the spectrum affects the Envelope Followers, they change the parameters of the next and previous tracks — and the change returns to the system again.
This creates a closed system with multiple paths for energy transfer.
I became less interested in creating a beautiful sound and more interested in exploring its behavior: which actions amplify the dynamics, which suppress them.
Even more interesting is what happens when one voice is turned off. The feedback almost immediately collapses: the ring system requires all participants to be active, and turning one off breaks the chain of energy transfer.
You can recreate this system on your own hardware — I’d be very interested to see what you come up with.
The system from this video can be loaded into your own Kaleidoscope and explored yourself.
http://vadjuse.ru/kaleidoscope_en"
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Vadjuse
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Sunday, August 02, 2026
GLX BALSAM #1 | Winterdagen
video upload by Winterdagen
"Welcome BALSAM!
The first time I heard about BALSAM was when I was writing a review for a blog about an amazing record by an artist called Chorusing. On that record I heard absolutely gorgeous, slowly drifting synth tones, which I later found out had been made with the artist's home-built synthesiser, beautifully named BALSAM.
A little later (I think), I found out that the synth was being further developed for release, and I came across its website, which featured the most beautiful music. The warm tones, slowly gliding from note to note and moving through the stereo field, were absolutely mesmerising. I kept coming back to the website just to listen to this gorgeous music. That was the moment it became a dream of mine to play this synth, if it were ever actually released.
Fast forward a year or four, and here it is! I'm so happy to have this synth in my studio. It's been a constant source of inspiration from the moment I took it out of the box.
In a nutshell, BALSAM is an eight-voice hybrid synth (VA with analogue VCAs and an analogue stereo filter at the end of the signal chain), with eight buttons and sliders instead of a keyboard. You pick a tuning from eight banks of tunings and use the buttons to trigger the voices. The real superpower lies in the sliders and a unique feature called viscosity. Each voice is assigned a pair of notes, and the sliders let you glide between them. Viscosity acts a bit like a slew limiter, slowing down the movement of the sliders. What makes it truly special is that you can set different viscosity amounts for each of BALSAM's two oscillators, making them glide to their new notes at different rates. Hearing BALSAM slowly detune and gradually find its way back to target notes and intervals is unlike anything I've experienced with any other synth.
BALSAM's the perfect combination of familiar subtractive synthesis - so familiar that you don't even need presets - and a truly unique way of triggering and gliding between notes.
This first piece is full of slowly drifting sawtooth pads with stacked fifths in the oscillators, along with some LFO movement on the filters that speeds up over time because the LFO rate is controlled by the modulation envelope.
There's a lot more to explore with BALSAM, including its second superpower, which turns the sliders into an amazing polyrhythmic sequencer. I'll definitely be exploring that in future videos.
Find out more about BALSAM at: https://glx.ltd/"
Also see: Introducing the GLX BALSAM 8-VOICE MODAL SYNTHESIZER
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: GLX
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LABELS/MORE: GLX
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Genki Instruments Katla #8 (MPE update!) | Winterdagen
video upload by Winterdagen
"Can a perfect synthesizer be made any better? Well yes, apparently it can :) The amazing people at Genki Instruments just made Katla even more expressive by adding MPE capabilities in a firmware update.
I have to say I always thought MPE was a bit gimmicky. I even had a Roli Seaboard Rise in my studio which I'd never properly used. The new Katla update was the perfect reason to change that. And oh boy have I missing out! I absolutely love being able to slide between notes and add expression with pressure and slides. I thought it'd be too complicated to play, but it actually really isn't.
It seems the team at Genki Instruments have hit a home run again. Without any real setup I got the MPE controller hooked up, and in no time I came up with this patch, which feels so expressive to play! I'm looking forward to exploring more MPE patches on Katla ❤️
A second batch of Katlas is available now at https://genki.is/"
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Genki
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Wednesday, June 03, 2026
Curves & Membranes - Software Bézier Monosynth w. Orbital Modulators & Membrane Filter
video uploads by Unusable Engineering
Note this is the first post to feature Unusable Engineering. You'll find additional plugins by them below.
Playlist:
1. Curves & Membranes - Software Bézier Monosynth w. Orbital Modulators & Membrane Filter - Walk Through
2. Curves & Membranes - Sound Demo and Patch Ideas - No Talking
3. Curves & Membranes | Synthesizer Patch Creation & Sound Design Walkthrough
4. Curves & Membranes v1.1.0 | New Features and Sound Examples
5. Curves & Membranes Filter Walkthrough | Understanding the Membranes
6. Unusable Engineering Jam | Curves & Membranes in a Different Context
7. Unusable Engineering Update | Curves & Membranes Features and Grain Discharge
8. Unusable Engineering Breakfast Jam | Curves & Membranes + Full Bundle
"Curves & Membranes is a focused mono synth built around a shapeable Bézier oscillator, two visual modulation systems, and a membrane-based filter. In this full walkthrough I go through the core ideas behind the instrument, how the oscillator works, how the preset morphing and orbital modulators create movement, and how the membrane filter shapes the sound.
The goal with Curves & Membranes was not to make a do-everything synth, but to build something more specific: a synth where sound, shape, and motion are tightly connected, and where the structure stays easy to understand while still allowing a lot of character and timbral movement.
More info: https://www.unusable.net/"
And a playlist of addtional plug-ins by Unusable Engineering:
Playlist:
1. Synaptic Resonance | Neural Vocoder Walkthrough
Synaptic Resonance is a neural vocoder-style effect where incoming audio, or an optional sidechain, excites a two-dimensional neural simulation. That simulation is then read back somewhere else and used to animate a bank of forty steep resonant band-pass filters.
In this walkthrough I go through the basic idea behind the plugin, show how the Stim Plane and Read Plane shape the behavior, and explain how the neural controls affect the way the model reacts, spreads, remembers, recovers, and settles.
The core idea is fairly simple: the input excites the model, and the output is affected by reading the model. That is what gives the plugin its character. It can behave like a vocoder, a resonant filter instrument, or something more unstable and alive depending on how it is set up.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
PLEASE SUPPORT MATRIXSYNTH.
LABELS/MORE: New Makers, New Soft Synths, New Synth Effects, News, Soft Synths, Unusable Engineering
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LABELS/MORE: New Makers, New Soft Synths, New Synth Effects, News, Soft Synths, Unusable Engineering
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Ellitone Fn_block01 & 02: Ambient Improv & Tech Demo
video upload by Andre Bregegere
"Exploring the unique sonic world of the Ellitone Fn_block series. In this video, I take an improvised dive into the Fn_block01 Polysynth and the Fn_block02 Notepad, running them through the lush, expansive algorithms of the UAFX Golden Reverberator.
The video begins with extensive annotations detailing the architecture of these two unique devices. The performance itself was recorded live as a single take to capture the raw, semi-modular character of the Ellitone hardware.
Recorded live from the Golden Reverberator output on one stereo track, then lightly mixed and mastered in Pro Tools.
GEAR:
• Ellitone Fn_block01 Polysynth: A mini, highly minimalist 8-bit digital synthesizer featuring 4-voice polyphony, 25 waveforms, and 6 preset amplitude envelopes. Instead of traditional knobs, it utilizes touch plates for control and features a unique semi-modular architecture that allows for physical patching using crocodile clips on its hardware spacers.
• Ellitone Fn_block02 Notepad: A compact, handheld MIDI controller designed to interact seamlessly with the Fn_block series. It features 12 touch-activated note keys, 12 selectable musical scales, a 5-octave range, and a built-in phrase looper that can record, loop, and layer up to 50 notes in real time.
• Universal Audio UAFX Golden Reverberator: a premium stereo reverb pedal featuring studio-grade emulations of classic hardware, including vintage spring, plate, and lush 1970s digital halls. Here I am using the Hall setting."
00:00 Introduction
00:35 Ellitone Notepad
02:01 Ellitone Polysynth
03:18 UAFX Golden Reverberator
03:47 Performance Continues
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LABELS/MORE: Ellitone
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Thursday, May 07, 2026
Warping time with ADDAC's Clock Bender
video upload by Electrum Modular
"Exploring ADDAC's new module, Clock Bender, by way of three very different patches. Patch notes included as usual."
00:00 Introduction and Acceleration Study, no.1
02:34 Granular Flow
03:56 Piano Phase (Steve Reich)
See the announcement post here.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: ADDAC, eurorack
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Modal Electronics Introduces Element One
video upload by Davide Puxeddu
"Put on your headphones 🎧. This is a pure, no-talking sound demo of the brand new Modal Electronics ELEMENT ONE synthesizer, an 8-voice virtual analog powerhouse.
I had the incredible honor of participating in the development and sound design of the Element One (created alongside the Hartmann Design team). In this video, I am jamming with the factory presets—which are actually the very patches I designed for this synth! I’m exploring random sounds, tweaking them on the fly to show you the true sonic potential of its 64 oscillators, morphable filters, and stereo FX. Everything is played live using the 37-key aftertouch keyboard and 4-axis joystick."
Modal Element One: a sophisticated synth 'repackaged' in an accessible keyboard – Sound demo
video upload by MusicRadar Tech
THE SYNTH FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO PLAY
You’re a musician, not a computer programmer. Whether you’re a keyboard player who wants to fire up a searing solo, a guitarist looking for that perfect atmospheric pad, a drummer wanting to trigger massive electronic textures, or a vocalist needing a lush harmonic bed, you shouldn’t have to learn “synth science” just to get a great sound. Meet ELEMENT One—the 8-voice virtual-analog synthesizer designed to feel like an instrument, not a science project.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Modal Electronics, New Synths, News, Superbooth
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LABELS/MORE: Modal Electronics, New Synths, News, Superbooth
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Patching Exciting Modulation for Filters // FIRST PATCH with Swell from Bartola Instruments
video upload by DivKid
"Here we have the new Swell Eurorack filter and valve gain stage from Bartola Instruments. We'll be exploring this in the usual in depth DivKid demo style in the future but wanted to share our literal first patch playing around with saturating, character oozing valve distortion and filtering ... and in doing so, share some modulation tips about how we like to patch modulation, mixing sources and making things feel exciting and dynamic. I hope the patch notes below are useful and let us know what you'd like to see more of with Swell."
"*PATCH NOTES*
The simple bit first - AUDIO PATH - two saw wave oscillators, changing the octaves between them at points, mixed into 'Swell' and then output into some stereo FX for background ambience.
The modulation is where this gets exciting going into the FM input (which modules filter cut off frequency) is my main envelope, a simple decay envelope. Resonance is modulated by a step sequence (external attenuation is the key here). Then the v/oct input is used as a place to input a mix of modulation. The first is an accent envelope, patching a less dense gate rhythm into a second envelope and patching that into a mixer. Then outputting the mixer into the v/oct input of the filter. The second is then the same step sequence as the resonance.
So with the mixer into the v/oct and the FM input I have 3 modulation sources modulating the filter frequency - main envelope, accent envelope & step sequence.
Modules used - Thonk Synth VCO, Joranalogue Cycle 5, TINRS Next Tuesday, Making Sound Machines Multiplikand, Bartola Instruments Swell, WMD + Infrasonic Audio Cosmis Debris, Vostok Instruments Fuji, Apollo View IOU, Thonk Synth dual VCA.
THIS VIDEO IS SPONSORED BY BARTOLA INSTRUMENTS* they have funded the creation of this first patch video and future demo video with Swell. Any questions just ask."
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LABELS/MORE: Bartola, eurorack, New Makers, New Modules, News
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Friday, April 24, 2026
-CALC- Les daims aux bois III - Atrium study- Whimsical Raps,
video upload by -CALC-
"I've been sitting with this piece for a good few weeks.
It was originally recorded on holiday as audio in a forest in France but I wanted to capture the patch in video form too. The original audio take has more magic than this version to me (perhaps it was the time and place) but the core is still there in this take.
Atrium is using a sub-selection of 31EDO notes with 5 clusters forming the harmonic basis and freqs is also mapped to notes to give another 5 subset of offset chords based on the clusters. These subsets are controlled by a sustain lower limit control to give an easy access performance control. The voice is mostly exploring simple use of the Form synth and the overtones/multiphonics give several other harmonies to explore.
Initially the LFO is muted but creeps in mapped to voicing to add movement.
There is some additional reverb from a TX-6 mixer but other than that its all Atrium.
I find this patch incredibly meditative and love journeying through the consonant world it inhabits. Atrium is capable of so much more sonically but this is a place that feels safe and content and I keep returning.
The patch is shared in the Atrium Discord for those interested to try it out."
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Whimsical-Raps
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LABELS/MORE: Whimsical-Raps
Monday, April 20, 2026
Introducing Plinky 12 Blocks, Chords and Toadstep
video upload by Making Sound Machines
Additional videos below.
"We are super excited to introduce 3 new instruments today! Plinky 12 is a family of expressive polyphonic touch synthesizers. The three instruments are built around a shared synth engine. Designed by mmalex, it evokes the unmistakable melancholic sounds of the original Plinky. https://plinky12.com
Each instrument is designed in collaboration with a different synth maker, lending each panel a distinct playability and unique character.
Plinky 12 Chords is a harmonic inspiration machine. It lets you improvise melodies and chords, with expressive control over voicings, progressions, and immediate musical play. Created by Making Sound Machines, Chords is the panel for finding beautiful harmonic movement quickly.
Plinky 12 Toadstep is a 4-track step sequencer built for super funky riffs, experimental self-generative melodies, and good ol' Acid. Created by Toadstool Tech, the designer behind the Ectocore Eurorack module, Toadstep is fun, immediate and easy to jam with!
Plinky 12 Blocks is an open panel built for experimentation, with monome-grid compatibility, Plinky style touch synthesis, and a browser-based coding environment just a click away. While it comes with a fully playable design out of the gate, creator mmalex invites you to build your own adventure with this panel. If you can imagine it, you can make it!
In this video, Enrica and Roland from Making Sound Machines explore the three new Plinky 12 instruments: Blocks, Chords and Toadstep from left to right.
The track builds on a repeating loop created with the built-in sequencer on Plinky 12 Toadstep. The short sequence uses rhythmic step repeats, track step length and animated synth parameters to create an ostinato that keeps sonically evolving over the length of the track.
As the piece continues, Roland plays a progression of harmonies from the rainbow chord palette on Plinky 12 Chords, before launching a sequence that reharmonizes the loop heard from Toadstep. Enrica joins in playing sparkling arpeggios with her fingertips on Plinky 12 Blocks, the surface with the sunset colour-fade print.
As the track progresses, Roland plays a melodic line on Chords, then Enrica takes over with a melody on blocks. The Plinky 12 polyphonic play surface reads both play position and pressure of the touch. It enables bends and glides on the horizontal axis, while allowing for discrete arps in the vertical direction.
They end the piece with a tempo transition showcasing the septuplet feature on the internal sequencer."
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LABELS/MORE: Making Sound Machines, New Controllers, New Synths, News, Plinky
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LABELS/MORE: Making Sound Machines, New Controllers, New Synths, News, Plinky
Monday, April 06, 2026
Analog oscillators hit different: exploring the SED-CSM and QSQ
video upload by SynthDad
"I dive deep into the raw sounds and harmonic richness of the SED-CSM, a complete analog synth voice from Rides in the Storm. With its dual oscillators, sub-octave generator, ring modulator, and a dedicated noise source, this module provides a massive foundation for everything from earth-shaking bass to evolving drones.
SED-CSM has two LFOs which can go into audio-rate, reaching up to 6.6 kHz and a VCF equipped with a dedicated overdrive switch. The SED-CSM offers endless possibilities for aggressive textures and squelchy, acid-inspired leads.
Complementing this is the QSQ; an 8-channel performance sequencer and MIDI-to-CV interface that serves as the brain of the operation. I show how the QSQ’s 16 analog-style rotary encoders allow for intuitive, hands-on melodic creation. Leveraging features like Euclidean rhythms, per-step probability, and integrated LFO/envelope generation, the QSQ compliments SED-CSM’s raw oscillators.
Timeline:
00:00 Sound demo
00:48 Overview of SED-CSM
04:50 Making a gritty bassline
08:11 Dub-techno chords
10:56 Doombient drones
16:46 Percussive sounds and hihats
17:56 Use LFOs to add hihat ratchets
19:23 Metallic tones and wavefolding
24:41 QSQ sequencer overview
25:34 Adding probability to notes
29:34 Using a sequencer for modulation
30:48 Adjusting a track's playback speed
31:28 MODulation amount
32:23 Using nudge to vary melodies
33:37 QSQ as a MIDI to CV converter
35:22 Mapping velocity from keyboard
36:34 QSQ is a MIDI recorder
38:48 Wrapping up"
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LABELS/MORE: eurorack, Rides In The Storm
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LABELS/MORE: eurorack, Rides In The Storm
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Genki KATLA - THE VOLCANO SYNTH!! Now Available
video upload by Starsky Carr
"What happens when a synthesizer completely breaks the rules?
In this video, we explore the Genki KATLA — a truly unique polysynth inspired by Icelandic volcanoes, featuring a rotating voice architecture, hybrid signal path, and some of the most unpredictable sound design possibilities I’ve come across.
This isn’t your typical analog polysynth. Each of the five voices can run independently with different waveforms, octaves, and modulation — creating evolving textures, harmonic movement, and generative-style sounds that feel closer to modular synthesis than traditional keyboards.
🎛️ What makes the KATLA special?
• Rotating voice polyphony (round robin-style synthesis)
• Independent per-voice oscillators & tuning
• Digital oscillators + analog filter signal path
• Looping envelopes reaching audio-rate modulation
• Phase distortion, wavefolding & multiple distortion types
• Tape-style wow, flutter & pitch instability effects
• Stereo voice movement & evolving spatial modulation
• External inputs for processing other gear
From lush ambient pads to aggressive, evolving sequences — this synth can go places most instruments simply can’t. It’s not about recreating vintage sounds… it’s about discovering entirely new ones.
💸 At around €5000, this is definitely not a beginner synth — but for sound designers, and anyone looking for something truly different, it well worth a look."
Genki Katla Sound Design: Making sounds from scratch and exploring
video upload by MR TUNA Music
Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 0:16 - Init patch 0:44 - Filter sounds 1:26 - Raising 1 voice 1:43 - Creating a basic pluck sound 2:24 - Aftertouch controls 2:45 - Bring in a little reverb 2:56 - LFO to filter cutoff 3:16 - LFO to reverb mix 3:46 - Keyboard cutoff 4:00 - Osc 3 Square wave 4:23 - Sub oscillator 4:54 - KATLA parameters 5:01 - Rústir wavefolder 6:08 - Rökkur stereospreader 6:37 - Skriða envelope randomizer 7:27 - Aska random modulations 7:57 - Glóð tape stops and flutters 8:35 - Skjálfti ??? 9:14 - Kvika slow tape modulations 9:38 - dark pads 10:20 - Móða voice detuning 11:20 - Katla sounds with aftertouch 13:28 - Thanks for watching
"Hey guys! Very very excited to be presenting the Genki Katla to you all... I am truly in awe of the sound of this very unique and powerful instrument.
I thought the best way to get to know the synth is to start from scratch so in this video we'll go full hands-on with the Genki Katla, exploring (almost) every parameter and building sounds from an initialized patch.
From some raw drone layers and gritty textures to evolving pads, rhythmic sequences, and atmospheric beds, we will see just what this instrument can do, discover new sounds, and maybe make some friends along the way 🙏
If you're into sound design, unique synths, or just love discovering new instruments, this one is for you!
HUGE thanks to Genki for letting me a part of this with them and showing off this super cool synth.
No money was paid, no agreements were made... these are my real thoughts on this very premium synthesizer and I will be sharing lots more."
Press release follows:

Genki Instruments announces availability of Katla as Voice Rotating Polyphonic Synthesizer inspired by its natural namesake
REYKJAVIK, ICELAND: having twice blown European musical minds thanks to show-stealing showcases at SUPERBOOTH25, May 8-10, Berlin, Germany and Machina Bristronica 2025, September 27-28, Bristol, UK, before adventuring across the pond for a repeat performance at Buchla & Friends 2026, January 24-25, LA, CA, USA, Reykjavik-based instrument developer Genki Instruments is proud to announce availability of the eagerly-awaited Katla as a Voice Rotating Polyphonic Synthesizer inspired by Iceland’s largest subglacial volcano as its natural namesake — readily representing the company’s first foray into analogue synthesis, albeit one that uniquely utilises a set of wildcard parameters to infuse it with organic, unpredictable behaviour as an instrument that is worthy of that legacy, excelling at generating rich, evolving, multi-layered textures, where each note stirs, swells, and erupts in its own distinct way — as of March 31…
Clearly Katla’s inspiration runs through its ‘volcanic’ veins. After all, it is framed by side panels and knobs forged from authentic Icelandic lava, giving each instrument a tangible connection to the volcanic forces that inspired it. That this synth should surely roar is a given. Genki Instruments inevitably chose, therefore, to kit Katla out with four independent distortion destinations, the most unruly of which is a stereo CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) Drive effect — a characterful saturation stage, pushing tones from warm and rounded to fractured and snarling.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
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LABELS/MORE: Genki, News
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LABELS/MORE: Genki, News
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MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH





























