Waldorf Crema | More than Meets the Eye

video upload by Starsky Carr

Check with dealers on the right for pricing and availability. See the announcement post with additional videos here.

"Waldorf's Crema Ensemble looks like a simple string machine — it isn't. Under that beige lid there are 24 oscillator types: the Streichfett string engine, 17 of Waldorf's famous wavetables and 6 FM algorithms, plus a resonant filter, three ADSR envelopes and three LFOs — almost all of it hidden behind the display.

In this review and deep-dive demo I go through the whole architecture: both synth engines, the modulation nobody tells you about, the shimmer reverb, and how to get at the buried parameters over MIDI CC. Plus plenty of just playing it, because it sounds gorgeous.

If you've had enough of the same old synth design over and over again, this one is worth a proper look."

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro — Waldorf Crema Ensemble
02:08 Two engines: Texture and Lines
04:41 Texture engine — the Streichfett
05:12 The hidden parmeters
10:58 Why I built a full control panel
11:38 The Lines engine
14:18 Detune, PWM, vibrato and tremolo
18:28 Shimmer and reverb Shift functions
22:12 Mapping MIDI CCs
23:46 Verdict
23:57 Preset demos
27:41 Outro

How does the FLpad work with FL Studio?

video upload by Novation

"Discover our first ever grid controller range for
FL Studio - https://novationmusic.com/fl/flpad?ut...
FLpad - https://novationmusic.com/products/fl...
FLpad Mini - https://novationmusic.com/products/fl...

Explore our full FL range - https://novationmusic.com/fl?utm_sour...

In this video, we're going to show you just how our new FLpad works in FL Studio, with a deep dive into FLpad's features and how to use them with FL Studio.

Vini walks you through how you can physically sequence beats in the channel rack, composing melodic elements, fine tuning your individual elements, diving deeper into some of the ways FLpad can speed up your overall workflow within FL Studio, plus we’ll even look at how you can customise the FLpad to do whatever you want it to do inside and outside of FL Studio.

FLpad Mini and FLpad were created for fast, hands-on beatmaking in FL Studio’s Channel Rack, co-developed with the creators of FL Studio themselves, Image-Line."

Chapters:
00:00 - A deep dive into how the FLpad works in FL Studio
00:50 - How does the FLpad work with FL Studio?
02:13 - How to use the FLpad Sequencer
05:12 - Note view keyboards on the FLpad
07:35 - Recording with Note View with the FLpad
10:18 - Graph Edit on the FLpad
13:16 - Workflow and Navigation on the FLpad
16:31 - Custom Modes for the FLpad
18:56 - FLpad Overview

Previously:

The New FLpad: the FL Studio grid controller range
FL Studio 2026 and the NEW FLkey - The perfect match!

"SEQUENTIAL Trigon-6" Short Live !

video upload by KATSUNORI UJIIE

"Short live performance by SEQUENTIAL's Trigon-6.
The Trigon-6 is a 6-voice analog polyphonic synthesizer that carries on the classic sound of three VCOs and a ladder filter."

Expressive E Ctrl-e Update - Hear it in action

video upload by Expressive E

Explore Ctrl-e with Sam Gutman

video upload by Expressive E and Sam Gutman

"🎹✨ Explore Ctrl-e with Sam Gutman. Built around Osmose, Ctrl-e brings different synth engines and expressive presets together in one simple environment, making it easy to move across very different sonic worlds without thinking plugin by plugin.

In this video, Sam explores the platform, plays through a range of sounds, and takes a look at the latest additions to Ctrl-e:
🌊 Serum 2. 50 new expressive presets designed around its latest features
🎛️ GForce Prophet-5. A new expressive take on an analog icon

From analog tones to more modern and experimental sound design, Ctrl-e brings it all together in one expressive playing experience on Osmose and Osmose CE."

"🎹✨ The Ctrl-e sound universe keeps growing.

This new update brings fresh expressive sounds to Ctrl-e, expanding the platform across Serum 2 and GForce Prophet-5..

Hear a selection of the new presets in action:
🌊 Serum 2. 50 new free presets built around Serum’s latest features and designed to push its expressive potential further.
🎛️ GForce Prophet-5. 25 new presets bringing a more expressive dimension to the character of this analog icon.

Different synth engines, different sonic worlds — all brought together in Ctrl-e and designed to respond naturally to the expressive gestures of Osmose.

CLICK FOR MORE »

A small monster from Berlin

video upload by TheGrimRapper

"Dark beats and slightly ridiculous music tools for Halloween.

Monster Maker is a browser beat machine for dark, Memphis-inspired beats, built just for fun. It's free and will stay free.

Have a play:
https://thehumants.com/monster-maker/

Runs in desktop Chrome, Edge or Brave.
For personal, non-commercial projects and experiments.

Questions or feedback:
thegrimrapper@thehumants.com

Keep cookin'."

Additional details via the developer:

"You can build a whole track in it: lay down drums and 808s, play or draw melodies with the Horror Keys, record your voice and chop your own samples. There's a song arranger, mixer, live vocal FX with a talkbox mode, tape echo, reverb and a step-sequenced glitch rack. MIDI keyboard input and clock sync are in there too, and you can record or render the result to WAV.

I also added a few skins and hid some Easter eggs. Curious if you'll find them."

Behringer Introduces the Open Source SP1200X

via Behringer

"You asked. We listened. And we may have gone a little crazy. 😎

Meet the Behringer SP1200X — our tribute to the legendary E-mu SP-1200.

We’re still developing this beauty, but we’re pushing hard to get it into your hands soon.

The crazy part? We’re aiming for just $200.

And yes, we’re making it open source. Because creativity should have no limits, and iconic instruments shouldn’t cost a fortune.

We’re not just bringing back a legend. We’re setting it free.

Who’s ready?"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Viral FM1 - An Access Virus Based Big Synth Engine for M-Wave FM-1 - First Showdown

video upload by J0kerpack

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

"This are the first tests of my new viral FM1 synth engine on my new FM1. It is still in a very early state. The first sign of life and it sounds very promising

The video is not so great, but you get an impression of the sound quality.
This engine was made with high fidelity in mind pushing the device to its max 😀

After the very long measurement and matching phase of the synth sections i still need a lot of tweaking for the perfect virus like sonic character. My goal is to make this thing patch compatible to the original..
I do my best to make this synth a main reason to buy an FM1..or 3😉

Note: this is not a Osirus based approach. No original firmware involved ( beside the legal aspects this alone would eat up 512 Kb of the FM1s rom leaving only a few Kb for the Rest)
That’s why everything is done from scratch trying to come as close to the original s as possible.

Features:

CLICK FOR MORE »

1010 Music Blackbox Sampling Workstation

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

via this listing

Additional Perfect Circuit listings

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Yamaha SU10 Sampling Unit Portable Sampler

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

via this listing

Additional Perfect Circuit listings

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Akai MPC 2000 MIDI Production Center / Sampler SN A9825-01574

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

via this listing

Additional Perfect Circuit listings

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Akai Professional MPC Key 37 Gen 1

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

via this Reverb listing

Additional CONTROL Listings

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Roland SP-606 Sampling Workstation [Three Wave Music] SN ZV27185

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

via this Reverb listing

Additional Three Wave Music Listings

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VINTAGE ‘73 Early Minimoog Model D SN 6642

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

via this eBay listing

"***Original vintage Moog, Mini Moog, Model D*** Serial #6642 manufactured by Moog Music, Inc. in Williamsville, New York, dating to approximately 1973 or 74 This is an original 1970s Model D—not a reissue—and a genuine piece of analog history! ***It needs a full service & restoration*** These early ones with the “good” oscillators are quite sought after..."

Note the listing mentions it has the first oscillators for the Minimoog, but I beleive these are Rev2 based on the serial number and date. A quick search on Minimoog Oscillator Revisions online brings up the following:

The Three Main Revisions

Revision 1
(Early Discrete) 1970 – 1971
(Serial #1001 to ~1210) 100% discrete design featuring no operational amplifiers (op-amps). Utilizes a single temperature-compensated resistor ("tempco") shared globally across all three oscillators. Known for a raw, unpredictable, and remarkably "beefy" character. However, it suffers from notorious environmental drift, scaling issues, and poor tuning stability.

Revision 2
(The "Old" Board) 1972 – ~1979
(Serial ~1211 to #10174) Transitioned to utilizing early Integrated Circuits (ICs) while preserving discrete transistor sub-circuits. Features 7 calibration trim holes exposed on the rear panel. This is the most common version found in vintage units. It introduced individual scaling adjustments per oscillator. It successfully retains the classic organic texture and phasing behavior while improving baseline reliability.

Revision 3
(The "New" Board) ~1979 – 1981
(Serial #10175 to end) Completely redesigned to use modern, highly accurate uA726 heated differential pairs (or specialized tempco configurations) for exceptional tracking stability. Features 17 trim holes on the back panel for ultra-precise high-frequency calibration. Delivers rock-solid tuning stability. Purists sometimes debate that its tighter tolerances alter the classic oscillator-phasing behavior, making it sound slightly cleaner or "thinner" compared to its older siblings—though it remains vastly thicker than most standard analogs.

So this one appears to be a REV 2.

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PolyArp + Nord Stage 3 | Shaping an Expressive Pattern & 1.5 Update

video upload by Iris Orbit

"I’m playing my Nord Stage 3 with PolyArp, my dual polyrhythmic MIDI arpeggiator. The pattern follows the chords I hold.

Expression shapes the dynamics of the phrase, and Articulation changes how long the notes last. I can shape the phrase without editing every MIDI note.

In this demo I’m using only the right-hand arpeggiator. PolyArp sends MIDI, and the Nord makes the sound."

"PolyArp 1.5: a new preset browser and more arpeggio directions

PolyArp is a dual polyrhythmic MIDI arpeggiator by independent developer IrisOrbit.

Play a chord on a MIDI keyboard, or send chords from a MIDI track in your DAW. PolyArp turns each chord into two related, expressive arpeggios. Each arpeggiator has its own settings. The two parts can have different note lengths, rhythm patterns and arpeggio directions, but they stay at the same tempo.

The 1.5 updates introduce a new preset browser with separate factory and user sections and support for folders. Preset changes keep the current MIDI ports, channels and mappings by default.

Three new arpeggio directions start around the middle of the chord. With C, E, G and B in one octave and Repeat off, Center Down plays E, C, G, B; Center Up plays G, B, E, C; and Inside Out plays E, G, C, B. Each part can use a different direction.

The latest version, 1.5.3, also adds First Steps setup instructions and a clearer keyboard split-point marker.

PolyArp is available as a plug-in and standalone app for macOS, Windows and Linux. Updates are free for existing 1.x owners. A seven-day trial is available.

Product: https://irisorbit.io/polyarp/
Download: https://irisorbit.io/polyarp/download/
Release notes: https://irisorbit.io/polyarp/updates/"

Roland JD-XI - "Berlin Legacy" Soundset 64 Presets & Sequences

video upload by LFOstore

"BUY: https://lfo.sellfy.store/p/roland-jd-...

♬ DESCRIPTION

LFO Store’s professional sound designers, Nick Klimenko and OttO K. Schwarz, have joined forces to create a massive soundset for one of the finest digital synthesizers of the last decade, Roland JD-XI - as you asked for a long time.

The 'Berlin Legacy' soundbank – a set of universal sounds that are suitable for writing ambient, cinematic music, classical electronics, and classic Berlin electronica with the spirit of sir Klaus Schulze!

Classic Leads
Modular Arps
Complex Berlin Sequences
Beautiful Polys
Evolving Pads
Massive Strings

♬ SPECIFICATIONS
Presets are suitable for Roland JD-XI synthesizer
In the product pack you will find 64 exclusive patches
All presets are royalty-free! And they are suitable for both studio work and live performances;.

♬ INSTRUCTIONS
Installation instructions are included in the product pack – how to load &hints of using our sounds with JD-XI controllers."

SovietWave | Synthwave with real Soviet Synthesizers | Polivoks, Alisa 1377, Rmif Opus

video upload by RetroSound

"Step into a dark retro-futuristic synthwave world of cold analog sounds, haunting melodies and vintage Soviet synthesizers like Polivoks, Opus or Alisa 1377. 🌌

This SovietWave track was created using real Soviet-era synthesizers, blending gritty basslines, atmospheric leads, analog strings, and cinematic chords into a journey through an alternate electronic future.

🎹 SYNTHESIZERS
• Formanta Polivoks — Basslines, gritty textures, and experimental effects
• Rodina Alisa 1377 — Melodic leads and atmospheric effects
• RMIF Opus — Analog strings, rich chords, and cinematic harmonies

No ordinary presets. Just vintage hardware, raw analog character, and the unmistakable sound of Soviet synthesizers. Imagine driving through a deserted city behind the Iron Curtain, surrounded by concrete architecture, flickering neon lights, and the echoes of a forgotten future.

If you love SovietWave, dark synthwave, analog synthesizers, retro-futurism, and vintage electronic music, this track is for you.
🎧 Listen with headphones for the full analog experience."

Waldrof Introduces Crema String Machine

Check with dealers on the right on pricing and availability.

Playlist:

1. Waldorf Crema - Trailer
2. Waldorf Crema - Deep Dive with CTO - Rolf Wöhrmann
3. In the Studio with Maria Chiara Argirò ft. Waldorf Crema
4. Waldorf Crema // I’m having a hard time describing what kind of synth this is // Review and tutorial - loopop
5. Waldorf Crema Ensemble Synth - Sound Demo (no talking)
6. Waldorf Crema (Ambient improvisation and sound design walkthrough) - Martin Stürtzer

"Waldorf Music releases Crema, a compact polyphonic string and pad synthesizer designed for creating string ensembles, layered pads and evolving sound textures.

Based on the synthesis architecture of the Waldorf Streichfett, Crema expands this concept into the digital era.

While Streichfett captures the character of the analog string machines of the 1970s, Crema adds the digital pads of the 1980s and 1990s.

It enlarges the sound palette through wavetable, FM synthesis and dual effects, including a dedicated shimmer reverb."

Additional details and pics (click on them to enlarge and zoom in):



"Meet Crema – The Finishing Touch For Every Sound

Meet Crema, the compact polyphonic string and pad synthesizer that expands the iconic sound of Waldorf Streichfett to the digital era.

While Streichfett captures the character of the analog string machines of the 1970s, Crema adds the digital pads of the 1980s and 1990s, enlarging the sound palette through wavetable and FM synthesis, dual effects and a dedicated shimmer reverb.

Classic string ensembles, rich pads, evolving textures and the Waldorf touch. All in one little synth.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Yaeltex V3: Our Custom MIDI Controllers system just got better

video upload by Yaeltex

"New brain, new displays, new software. Yaeltex V3 is here. Build your custom MIDI controller in The Factory → http://factory.yaeltex.com

Yaeltex V3 is a full redesign of our modular MIDI controller platform. New main board, new elements, new software. Built for musicians, VJs and lighting designers who’ve outgrown off-the-shelf gear.

What’s new in V3
→ Kilomux V3: a brand-new main board, the brain of every controller
→ Display module: see what each control is doing, right on the hardware
→ Endless potentiometers: endless rotation, with no detents
→ Innofader crossfader: contactless, top-notch optical crossfader
→ New case size: Long case in lenga wood
→ Kilowhat V3: configure every element, displays included, without writing code, in our new cross-platform standalone software.

What didn’t change
Designed in Buenos Aires, assembled and tested by hand. Open-source firmware. 1,000+ controllers shipped to 40+ countries since 2016. And yes, V2 controllers keep getting firmware updates.

Design yours: http://factory.yaeltex.com (from a computer, runs in your browser)
Watch more about the Yaeltex V3 system: http://yaeltex.com/system

First batch (with few limited seats) ships late December.

Happy designing!"

WMDevices Introduces Modbox MKII - In Depth Overview / Tutorial

video upload by WMDevices

"In this video, Alex walks through every mode and shift function on Modbox MkII. He also covers clock and reset assignment, switching outputs between unipolar and bipolar, and resetting the module. There are patch demos for each section, ending with a patch that uses the entire module.

Modbox MkII carries on the legacy of the original Modbox, a collaboration between WMD and SSF. It keeps everything from the original, including the three-phase LFO, the skew LFO, and the sample and hold, and adds much more. The three-phase LFO morphs smoothly between waveforms, has adjustable phase spread, and gives each output its own independent frequency ratio. That makes it work like three separate LFOs, with phase modulation and frequency spread modes on top. The skew LFO adds phase offset and log/exponential shaping. Both LFOs can be clock synced and reset, with beat-synced behavior that keeps the frequency knob full of sweet spots. The sample and hold now includes track and hold and a Turing Machine-style looping mode with adjustable length and probability."

Video Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:26 The original Modbox
1:07 Three-phase LFO: phase spread mode
2:14 Frequency and waveform
3:17 Spread knob
4:22 Shift functions: output attenuation
5:16 Output ratios
7:14 Phase modulation mode
9:43 Frequency spread mode
10:20 Three-phase LFO patch example
11:16 Skew LFO
12:44 Skew LFO phase and shape
13:42 Clock sync
15:00 Reset
16:15 Assigning clock and reset
17:36 Beat-synced LFOs
18:43 Synced LFO patch example
19:46 Sample and hold
21:02 Sampling external sources
22:14 Track and hold mode
23:27 Turing Machine mode
25:18 Unipolar and bipolar outputs
26:29 Resetting shift functions and the module
27:15 Full module patch example
28:26 Outro

"Modbox MKII is a deeply modulatable dual-LFO and multifunction tool. The Three Phase oscillator generates three interrelated outputs across phase, modulation, and frequency-spread modes. The Skew oscillator delivers a continuously morphing ramp / triangle / saw with curve warping and a beat-locked rhythmic LFO when clock synced. Add a three-mode sample & hold with a 32-step probabilistic Turing-style sequencer, an analog noise source, and full V/Oct calibration, and you've got a complete modulation lab in a single Eurorack module. Patched in seconds, explored for years."

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Hidden Sounds of an Arcade | Photon Smasher Nano Listening Walk

video upload by Clip Sound and Music CIC and Frazer Merrick



"What does an arcade sound like when you listen to its light?

🔊 Music by Dayshade

Join us for an electromagnetic listening walk through Walton Pier Arcade, exploring the hidden rhythms and unexpected sounds of its colourful machines, flashing lights and illuminated displays using the **Photon Smasher Nano**.

The Photon Smasher Nano is a small, highly directional device that transforms changing light into sound. Unlike a conventional microphone, it listens to light rather than vibrations in the air, revealing a hidden world of pulses, patterns, rhythms and textures that would otherwise go unheard.

Over this 11-minute soundwalk, we get curious with the electromagnetic landscape of the arcade, moving between machines and discovering how different light sources create their own distinctive sonic signatures.

*Explore more about the Photon Smasher Nano:* https://www.shop.clipsoundandmusic.uk/

Created by CLIP Sound and Music, a social enterprise developing curious tools for creative exploration through sound, technology and play.

#PhotonSmasher #Soundwalk #ElectromagneticListening #SoundArt #FieldRecording"