Dystopian Space Ambient (GR1-Kalimba)

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is a dystopian space ambient, featuring a GR-1 granular synthesizer from Tasty Chips Electronics for soundscapes, generated from my own sound samples. In addition a Kalimba running through a DigiTech Genesis 3 were used for the solo plays, a Stylophone Theremine were used for the radio-like background tweet, the Dimmed Light Devices Radio Module for another radio-noise and the Spitfire Audio LABS for the deep bass

I used for the recording the following effects devices: DigiTech Genesis 3, Gamechanger Audio Motor Pedal, Boss Slicer SL2, Hologram Microcosm, Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe and a GFI System Specular Reverb². Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track using iZotope Ozone. The picture in the video I created with Midjourney."

Space Ambient - Gymnopédie No. 1 (Satie, 1888)

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"I had the idea of ​​transforming classical music into space ambient. This one is Gymnopédie No. 1 composed by Eric Alfred Leslie Satie in 1888.

I used for the recording the EMU Planet Earth with the following effects devices: Hologram Microcosm, Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe and a GFI System Specular Reverb². Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track using iZotope Ozone. The picture in the video I created with Midjourney."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #147: Sony DPS-F7 - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

A synthesizer from Sony. You might remember the DPS-F7 & other units in the series from this previous post.

This video appears to be the first demo of the Sony DPS-F7 featured on the site.

"This is the first recording with the Sony DPS-F7. As far as I know, it's the only synthesizer ever made by Sony. However, it's only part of the DPS-F7, which can also be a percussion synthesizer, as well as a fading parametric equalizer, dynamic filter, compressor/limiter, sub-harmonic generator, vocoder, and saturator.

The features sound interesting for a monophonic digital synthesizer. It has two oscillators with classic waveforms AND two Karplus-Strong oscillators, which can be routed to any of the four filters (LPF, HPF, BPF1, BPF2). You can optionally connect the HPF and the two BPFs in front of the LPF. Six ADSR envelopes are available as VCAs and VCFs. The (unfortunately) only LFO is permanently linked to the pitch. The audio signal then passes through a stereo delay and a soft clipper.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #146: Wersi M.A.X.1 - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first recording with the Wersi M.A.X.1. Almost nothing is known about this small desktop sound module. It's 16-voice, 8-way multitimbral. The minimal, somewhat non-self-explanatory UI allow you to adjust a few parameters, as long as you have access to the manual, which unfortunately isn't available online. However, the 96 preset sounds are simple but surprisingly useful. The drum sounds are clearly ROM-based, but everything else sounds like a real FM synth to me.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Hologram Microcosm, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)

Check out my Best Ambient Synth Shootout Playlist:"



Additional Wersi M.A.X.1 posts here.

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #145: Modal Skulpt - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first, quite relaxing recording with the Modal Skulpt. It is a unique sounding, little 4-voice polyphonic virtual analogue synthesizer. The size of the Modal Skulpt is somewhere between the Korg Volca and the Sonicware Liven.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #144: Behringer WASP Deluxe - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first, quite relaxing recording with the Behringer WASP Deluxe. It is a gnarly, little monophonic synthesizer with two digital oscillators, an analog filter switchable between LPF, HPF, notch and bandpass filters, an LFO with 6 waveforms, including random and noise, and two envelope generators with repeat function.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals: Gamechanger Audio AUTO Chorus, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #142: Roland V-Synth - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second (lazy sunday) recording with the Roland V-Synth. The V-Synth was Rolands flagship synthesizer released in 2003. It is 16-part multitimbral with up to 24-voices polyphony, featuring analog modeling and PCM waveforms with user sampling that can independently manipulate pitch, time and formant thanks to Rolands VariPhrase technology.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb², Sony DPS-V77

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #141: Roland JD-08 - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first (lazy sunday) recording with the Roland JD-08. It is a recreation of the revered, 90s synth JD-800.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb², OTO Boum

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #140: Mega MIDI - Song 3

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third song with the Mega MIDI by Aidan Lawrence. It's an FM synthesizer based on either the YM2612 yamaha chip (used here and in SEGA Genesis / Megadrive home consoles and various SEGA arcade game systems, including the Mega-Play, System 18, and System 32) or the cleaner sounding YM3438 chip without the crossover distortion in the output. Both sound chips has six channels with four operators per channel.

In contradiction to the Kasser DAFM Synth you can program the sounds only via Midi CC but it can load via SD card opm-file game sounds from the SEGA Genesis / Megadrive games (currently more than 9500 opm-files available). The game music composers did a great job to programming the best out of the 4 OP FM synth. So it's a lot of fun to dive through all the game sounds.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Line 6 DL4 MkII, Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb², OTO Boum.
Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase 13. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #139: Hartmann Neuron VS - Song 3

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the third recording with the Neuron VS. It's the software (VST) version of the Hartmann Neuron, a novel hardware synthesizer introduced in 2001 based on artificial neural networks used for sound synthesis. The software version of the instrument, was released in 2005.

I still have a Windows XP computer, which I use like a hardware synthesizer. Using the built-in M-Audio Audiophil 2496 sound card, I can control the "old" VST plug-ins via MIDI from my Cubase 13 and record them via the analog stereo audio output.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb², OTO Boum.
Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated. The FX from the Neuron VS are always deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase 13. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #138: cre8audio West Pest - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second song recording with the West Pest. It's a monophonic semimodular analog synthesizer based on the Buchla philosophy using a wavefolder to create overtones to the VCO sound.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Behringer Bode Frequency Shifter 1630, Line 6 DL4 MkII, Pigtronix Echolution² Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb², OTO Boum.
Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase 13. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #137: SammichFM - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second recording with the SammichFM. It is a streamlined, compact version of the MIDIbox FM synthesizer DIY kit. Designed around the OPL3 chip YMF262 (4-Operators with 4 different waves), which was a famous sound chip from the 8 bit computer era (e.g. Sound Blaster 16 soundcard), it can play 4-sounds with 6-voice polyphony each.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Line 6 DL4 MkII, GFI System Specular Reverb 2, OTO Boum.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase 13. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #136: Roland JP-08 - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first (lazy weekend) recording with the Roland JP-08. It is a 4-voice, virtual analog synthesizer that recreats the sound of the revered Jupiter 8.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Line 6 DL4 MkII, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Evening Synths Challenge #2 - Modal Skulpt, VXXY DCM8, Teenage Engineering PO-16 factory

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This session was quite challenging. A VA synth, a rare digital chiptune drum machine and a small bare bone synth. Overall, I'm very happy with the result. The most fun part was playing the melody line live with the PO-16. Although you really have to concentrate to play everything correctly with the very small buttons.

The Setup was:
Synths: Modal Skulpt, VXXY DCM8, Teenage Engineering PO-16 factory
Effects: Oto Machines BOUM, Beetronics FX Seabee, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, Beetronics FX Swarm
Freely selectable effects: GFI Systems Specular Reverb 2

Recordings:
Drums: VXXY DCM8 - Beetronics FX Seabee - Oto Machines BOUM
Pads: Modal Skulpt - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI Systems Specular Reverb 2
Melody: Engineering PO-16 factory - Beetronics FX Swarm - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI Systems Specular Reverb 2

The Reason:
How do you deal with having too much gear (like me)? It can hamper creativity, but for me there is also a way to use it to boost creativity. Challenge yourself with it!

Here is my challenge:
1. Random selection of three sound generators to use (plus drums can be added with the EZdrummer and a rhythm sample)
2. Random selection of four effect devices to use (plus another two freely selectable effects can be used)
3. Everything has to be finished in one evening (after work until bedtime).

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #135: Sonicware LIVEN Ambient Ø - Song 2

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the second recording with the Sonicware LIVEN Ambient Ø. It is a 10-voice, 4-layer synthesizer focussing on ambient, drones, soundscapes, etc. It shares the same platform than the other LIVEN.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals (FX from the LIVEN Ambient Ø are deactivated): Gamechanger Audio Auto Chorus, Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #134: Sonicware LIVEN Ambient Ø - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first lazy afternoon recording with the Sonicware LIVEN Ambient Ø. It is a 10-voice, 4-layer synthesizer focussing on ambient, drones, soundscapes, etc. It shares the same platform than the other LIVEN.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals (FX from the LIVEN Ambient Ø are deactivated): Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone."

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #133: EMU Carnaval - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first lazy afternoon recording with the EMU Carnaval. It is a 32-voice, 16‑part multitimbral synth module focussing on Latin music sounds. It shares the same platform than the Planet Phatt und Orbit 9090V2.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals:
Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, GFI System Specular Reverb 2.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Ambient music using a Kawai K5000R

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This synthesizer is still so amazing whenever I use it! I bought it on sale and, along with my Ensoniq Fizmo, it was the first real synthesizer I ever owned. My only regret is that I don't use it much more often because this synth deserves it. Maybe I'm just worry that it might break at some point. It has been upgraded with a Nalbantov USB port so I can load and save sounds without needing floppy disks.

I used for the recording the following FX chain: Kawai K5000R - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Ambient music using a Kawai K4r

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This synthesizer is still a lot of fun even after many years.

I used for the recording the following FX chain:
Kawai K4r - Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe - GFI System Specular Reverb 2. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. On some tracks Compressor and EQ where added in Cubase. The final song was then mastered using iZotope Ozone.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)"

Best Ambient Synth Shootout #130: ASM Hydrasynth - Song 1

video upload by Christian's Sonic Spaces

"This is the first song with the Hydrasynth. It is an 8 voice digital wave morphing synthesizer. It has an advanced wavetable synthesis engine, 3 Oscillators, dual Wave Mutants, and 2 filters that can be configured in series or parallel.

I used for the recording the following FX pedals: Pigtronix Echolution 2 Deluxe, Tasty Chips Electronics Integral, Meris Polymoon and Beetronics Seabee. Depending on the recorded track some FX are deactivated. On the bass track is also a Fairfield Circuitry Roger That, to give it some slight extra brittle.

The signal went through a Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 into the PC via USB for recording. To create the complete song I recorded consecutively several stereo tracks. The final song was then mastered with a bit EQ and compression on some tracks and some limiting on the master track.

Well, I decided to go back to the basics, but at the same time make something useful for the synth community and do a kind of competition (I like competitions;-). What's my best synth for ambient music :-)

Check out my Best Ambient Synth Shootout Playlist:"



Use the player controls to skip around.