Prague, Czech Republic, June 23, 2026: Beetlecrab Audio announces Tempera Firmware v2.3, a firmware update introducing cross-modulation, audio envelope follower, quad-macro control, per-emitter pitch sequencing, and numerous community-driven workflow enhancements.
Tempera is a hardware granular synthesizer built around a simple idea: eight samples laid out on a surface, with grains roaming across. At its core is a granular engine with a global pool of 4096 grains, shared across voices, and any single voice can claim the entire pool if needed. Tempera is just as happy chopping breaks and sequencing tight rhythmic patterns as it is building massive drifting clouds. Since launch it has found its way to musicians in over 60 countries, growing steadily through firmware updates shaped and steered by a community that has lived with the instrument long enough to know it inside out.
0:00 Quick Overview 1:43 Afterlife Lead 2:28 Dark Wave Bass 3:17 IDM Triangled Lead 4:18 Noisy Arp Cross Mod 5:51 Electro Pulse (short envelopes) 6:51 EBM Bass 7:46 Console Pulse Lead 8:05 Paraphonic Magic 9:34 Killah Bass 9:48 Indie-Cade 10:39 7th Pad 11:36 Psy Alert (FX) 12:06 Kick Bass 12:19 Sonar Noise 13:12 Bubbles 14:20 Paraphonic Outro
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"Behringer JT-2: My 2 Cents With all the available 'heavily-inspired-but-not-clones' from Behringer, I’m starting to wonder when the company will introduce original synths again. Anyhow... This time, I’m taking a closer look at the Behringer JT-2, a paraphonic synth inspired by Roland’s Jupiter-8. It comes in similar colours but certainly doesn’t carry over the visual aesthetics of the '80s flagship synth. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Behringer can keep costs down by using one chassis for a plethora of different models. At a budget-friendly price point, you get a lot of synth in a unit that doesn’t take up too much valuable studio real estate, either. But first things first...
"Listen the new Radical Frequencies Dual Retro VCO playing an arpeggio , showing all waveforms and making Pulse with modulation and Hard Sync between the vcos . It goes through the RF Mixer and then to Diode Dream Vcf as it suits this oscillator perfectly! #eurorack #modularsynth #radicalfrequenciesmodular #dualretrovco #drvco #diodedreamvcf #analogsynth"
"Handmade Dual VCO of discrete core capable of internal FM cross modulations - Hard sync and Ring Modulator
• Analog discrete saw core oscillators with Saw, Pulse, Triangle and Ring Modulation wave outputs.The sound is warm and fat, emphasizing odd harmonics for this big retro sound. My purpose here is to approach the sound of classic synths from 70s, that we all loved. • The SAW wave produces rich bass frequencies, sweet mids and smooth highs but overall, it is still well balanced across the full frequency range. The Triangle wave is almost perfect in shape with no buzzy hum sound. The pulse wave can produce that chorus-like phasing effect, when using an LFO to modulate the PWM input and does so in a very unique way, as it changes the phase of the signal as well. • Two identical VCOs : VCO ALPHA and VCO BETA, with the ability of hard sync as each VCO syncs internally with the other. Using the attenuator knob for SYNC, you can go from zero to soft sync(11-12 o’clock) to hard sync when the knob is fully CW. For syncing you just need to turn CW, the sync knob of the VCO you want to be the slave. Don’t open both the sync knobs at the same time unless you want to make some weird sounds. • There are external sync inputs for each VCO as well. External oscillators can be used as masters, just feed the output of the oscillator of your preference, into the sync input or either ALPHA or BETA. Just remember to feed a saw or a square wave, into the SYNC input. This is very important in order to sync the oscillator. A ramp wave it will not sync at all! (The RF DPVCO for example is a ramp out VCO and if you want to use it as master you must invert the signal first.) • Both ALPHA and BETA track 5 octaves accurately, tempco resistors are attached to the tuning ICs CA3046 on both VCOs. Separate voltage regulators for each oscillator can achieve the best sounding results without drift or bleed pitch, between VCOs. • Both VCOs go from a relative fast LFO range with the coarse tuning knob fully CCW, up to high frequency oscillation. • Octave Switches of 3 positions: 1 octave down - , zero , 1 octave up +, are available and make patching, fast and intuitive. • There are internal normalisations for exponential as well as linear FM and both have independent EXP FM and LIN FM, attenuators. • You can select the wave for the internal FM buss via the front panel switches .Options are Triangle and SAW. The internal FM wave, is independent per VCO as well. • There are also internal normalisations for PWM, where each VCO modulates the pulse width, of the other and both use the triangle waveform. • There is a PW offset, per VCO - negative phase pulse width at CCW to + positive phase at CW and 50-50 duty cycle square wave, in the middle of the knob. • Ring Modulation section is a separate feature where X and Y inputs are internally connected with the VCOs as well. It has 2 inputs, X and Ψ and one out, RM. The inputs are internally connected to the internal FM buss switch of triangle - saw selector. VCO ALPHA is internally connected into Ψ input and VCO BETA, into X input. You can feed the RM inputs any wave you desire from other VCOs as well . • An external patch cable breaks the normalisation of all internal connections, via input jacks. (EXP FM, LIN FM, PWM, SYNC, X Ψ)
• Important note about tuning : The vcos need at least 30 minutes warm up before using it for good tracking. Also when you have to tune the vcos it’s better the octave switches to be in the middle position and all the fm and sync knobs must be closed (CCW)
• Large range of sounds with countless sweet spots - ultra stable tuning for FM sounds by using the FM and SYNC knobs simultaneously - fat basses, classic leads and drones. Feed the DRVCO into a good filter and you will enjoy it as it was meant to be! The VCF that I suggest is the RF Diode Dream VCF as it is a ladder filter and suits it perfectly! Of course any other filter of your taste can be used with great results."
I made a DEMO VIDEO to show how sounds this beauty (check it below on the gallery)
100% perfect working conditions
SERVICED by pro tecnician
comes with
- its original case
- cartridge
Technical Info:
The Keytek CTS 2000 is a digital synthesizer with analog resonant filters. It has 2 oscillators per voice with 8 voices and analogue CEM 3389 filters. The same as in the Waldorf Microwave I or Prophet VS. A mix of Ensoniq and PPG Wave.
Additionally it features Cross Table Synthesis which is described as wavetable synthesis with 333 digitally sampled waveforms. You can control up to 6 wavetables per voice with complete analog processing for each voice including 24db per octave filter. 2 envelope generators with up to 5 parameters and 3 LO's. 6 data entry slider for real time editing of all parameters."
"We say... A pre-owned Oberheim OB-X8 (Desktop) in very good condition. It comes with original packaging and power cable.
Manufacturer's description NEW functionality now available with OB-X8 OS v2.0 featuring:
Instant binaural mode pans individual voices hard left and right for true stereo operation Simultaneously selectable waveshapes for each oscillator extends timbral variety New 4-Pole low pass filter type with fuller bass at high resonance New VCO 1 and 2 level LFO modulation destinations for independent timbral mixing Arpeggiator clock sync now has selectable note division values for expanded rhythmic control Twice the Split and Double memory locations, including program storage directly in the new banks for 512 more stored sounds Separate MIDI channels for lower/upper split bi-timbral operation Poly chain for up to 32 voices with 4 connected instruments MPE for new levels of expressiveness
I just bought this for myself for Xmas but I don't need it. I have over 20 other synths. I just never had this one and wanted to check it out. It's awesome. Stack multiple sounds at once, multiple filter cut offs, the MS20 low pass and high pass filters in an awesome joystick, aftertouch, and the best cross mod ever. Everything works great. Just got it from a shop from Japan. Comes with the original Japanese manual and a hard case. It works perfect with a Kenton Pro Solo too so you can easily use it with your midi gear if you want to do that. Tons of jacks on the back give it even more potential. One of the nicest ones you will find and now it's in the states. It uses Japanese power so you should use a power converter. They're very cheap. Do not use this synth in the US without a converter."
"everything is from the synth to the zoom recorder, twin t drums, xor snare, pt2399, and cmos stuff.
attiny85 reseting the phase of 40106 oscilators, the digital control accepts 1voct from keysetp and go to the 40106 inputs through resistors, a little rc for filtering the pwm, and for this reason when you change the oscillator frequency you can get intervals and crazy stuff. is not orthodox but suits my need for Rich timbres. the dco goes to 40106 buffers , and then 4040 dividers, twin t filters, one for each of the two voices, one goes to env, vca, filter, delay, and the other one to clock divider and filter, to get the sub osc.
firmware super simple only for checking the conversion from filtered frecuency of the attiny85 to my 40106 non exponencial vcos.
currently is tracking 10 octaves really good, the trick is put a voltage divider in the cv in of the attiny because keystep has 0 to 10v and the attiny accepts 0 to 5v tehn the tracking inside the attiny converts o.5v oct to 1 volt oct. i dont know anything about coding but i made it with chat gpt and my design .
source code will be in the coments ."
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.
"The word 'aggression' is used in this video to express a certain quality of sound and music. It's not indended and should not be associated with any form of violence. In music, it can emphasize the emotion or reveal what's happening in an actor's mind. It's an element of storytelling. Use it wisely.
For some reason, people love aggressive sounds and we wouldn't be having heavy metal, noise muisic and industrial grunge without it. Some brands, not calling names, specialize in it. So I've been thinking. Does an 'aggressive' VCO exist? Modules like Three-Body, Plasma Voice, Loquelic Iteritas Percido and WaveRazor came to mind, but the level of rudeness completely depends on who's patching it. Not calling any names again. I think 'aggression' - it's a bad word, I know - is a recipe where you'd drive your gear into distortion, self oscillation and cross modulation. However, it's often about grit, dirt, filth and grunge. You don't need violence to enjoy it, it's just 'colors' and many of these colors are all over mother nature.
The ultimate showcase would be Noise Music, but I think that noise doesn't tell a story and emotions need to develop. So it needs some kind of storytelling. In this video, I'll explore some VCO's and combos that will balance the edge of noise, and then try to manage it. Even the most brutal noise becomes percussion when you sculpt it, and even the most civilized module can reap havoc and bring chaos."
New relaxing music and video from supporting member, Saul Stokes. Links below.
"I've lived in the Bay Area for 20 years and only recently discovered that there's one of only about 20-30 black sand beaches in the world right here in the Bay Area. A little search online says that this is due to ground-up volcanic rock. It's a stunning, yet somewhat challenging location to reach. My wife and I opted to take a little beach picnic while recording. Over the course of about 2 hours, only 2 people made it down to the beach. One of the more amazing stories about this area is that there's a Cold War nuclear launch site just up the road, which you can now tour. If you ever come to San Francisco, make sure to cross the Golden Gate and take a little afternoon hike down to the Black Sand Beach.
As for the music, a few long-time listeners might be a bit disappointed, expecting the entire Radiate album, as shown by the album cover. While compiling the music for these videos, I have discovered that sometimes certain songs don't quite fit the feel I'm going for. For Radiate, I opted to replace a few of the darker songs with some of my favorite tracks from my first demo tape, Burning Igloo, which was released in 1993. The song 'Haight Pacific' was a name I pulled from the MUNI bus I first rode on a trip to the ocean while visiting San Francisco in the 1990s. I still find it fascinating that the city of San Francisco is literally right on the ocean. Radiate was performed in Sausalito when I first moved here in the early 2000s. I don't remember much other than it was by a dock with many beautiful boats. Additionally, a few beautiful studio pieces were added to the CD to fill it up. Radiate was released on Databloem, a CDR label based in the Netherlands. I almost forgot, as a closer, I opted to add a single titled Collision, which was written many years later. If you want to hear the entire Radiate album, jump over to the Bandcamp link below.
"The Moog Liberation (because it is a “keytar”) is probably the most criminally underrated synthesizer in the history of the Moog brand. Forget about keytars for a sec...
"Ever wished your synth could sound like the legendary *Roland Jupiter-8*? In this video, I’ll show you how I built over 80 authentic Jupiter-8 style patches—from lush pads to classic leads and basses —and how you can design your own vintage synth tones step by step.
*What you’ll learn in this video*:
How to create Jupiter-8 inspired patches on Novation Summit & Peak
Tips for getting authentic vintage analog tones
Tricks to restrict modern features for a true retro sound
Ways to shape oscillators, LFOs & envelopes for classic synth vibes"
0:00 Intro - taking things a little futher
1:23 You don't need a clone clones
4:01 Cross Mod/FM - They're not the same Linear vs Exponential
5:25 PWM - Check the LFO range
7:54 Sync - The SUMMIT & Peak are unique here
9:59 LFO - Don't go too fast!
12:58 Don't worry about the Cross Mod
13:48 Keep the filter within limits and you'll be fine
20:50 A Patch Form Scratch
22:16 A Word on the Envelopes
24:32 Adding Performance Features
30:15 Some Thouhgts
31:54 A QUICK JAM
"The Frap Tools BRENSO is more than just a dual oscillator—it's a modern homage to the west coast synthesis tradition pioneered by Don Buchla in the 1970s. As a complex oscillator, BRENSO offers a dense web of internal modulation, wave shaping, and signal routing options that invite experimentation, creativity, and highly expressive sound design.
Let’s break down what makes BRENSO special—and why it’s a standout tool for modular synthesists and the perfect place to start Happy Mag's Synth Month 2025 journey!
🧠 What Is a Complex Oscillator?
In synthesis terms, “complex” usually refers to waveforms that go beyond simple shapes like sine, triangle, square, or sawtooth. These richer, more dynamic tones are achieved through audio-rate modulation—one oscillator affecting another at high speed to produce new, harmonically rich content.
To that end, BRENSO includes two triangle-core analog oscillators, each with four outputs. These oscillators are designed to interact, cross-modulate, and shape each other in ways that transform simple waveforms into entirely new sonic terrain.
🎨 We Love the Colour-Coded Interface!
One of BRENSO’s most elegant features is its colour-coded layout. This isn’t just for show—it reflects functional sections of the module, making navigation and patching intuitive:
🟢 Green Section – Frequency control for oscillator one 🟡 Yellow Section – Frequency control for oscillator two ⚪ White Section – Timbre shaping (via wavefolders and shapers) 🔴 Red Section – Amplitude control (via a four-quadrant multiplier for AM/RM)
These sections are organised spatially and visually, so once you understand the color scheme, you're halfway to mastering the module.
🔄 Modulation Without the Patch Cables
BRENSO encourages semi-normalled patching. Many modulation paths are internally routed by default using dashed lines on the panel. For example, the green sine wave is often pre-routed as a modulator for the yellow oscillator—no cable required.
This internal routing makes it easy to get rich interactions going quickly, but BRENSO never limits you: patching a cable into a jack overrides the normalization, giving you complete flexibility.
"A simple but interesting song not much known by the early days of The Human League V2 (when the female vocalists joined). If you don't know the original version, check it out. I found it catchy, specially the chorus. So I decided to pick my two analogues plus the JP8000 and give it a try
Gear used.
Left:
Roland MRS2 Promars: single VCO bass (and extra sub bass on backtrack)
Roland JP8000: Cross Mod lead
Right:
Korg Polysix: Sawtooth lead
Backtrack previously recorded, instrument by instrument, on Pro Tools (just drums and the extra sub bass, plus a JX-8P on final pads).
Original song composed by Phil Oakey, Ian Burden.
Performed here by DX5 Jose Maria Bara"
"Making this patch, I imagined traversing immense distances between galaxies through the voids in deep space. I used multiple Sapphire Elastika modules tuned to produce an ever-shifting drone chorus. Then I added a few extra voices to round out the bass. There is plenty of slow-flowing chaotic modulation for interesting variation and texture.
"Tonight I made a complex synth voice from several voices, but all tuned to the same V/OCT signal. Then I decided to play that synth voice using a virtual keyboard (Impromptu Twelve-Key). Usually I do generative stuff, but it was fun to make something more in the spirit of a custom synth, and then to perform that synth.
"Chaops is a new 'chaos operators' expander module in the Sapphire plugin for VCV Rack:
https://library.vcvrack.com/CosineKit...
Here I show how to use Chaops to store/recall the state of Frolic, Glee, or Lark. Chaops also allows you to morph the 3D vector output on a spectrum between position and velocity, which provides a new range of 3D chaotic curves. Finally, Chaops can freeze/thaw the movement of the attached chaos module. All of this functionality can be operated manually or by input voltages."
Create, Customize, and Export Wavetables Like Never Before!
Save 40% - just €25 (normal €40) , until January 10, 2025
Ocean Swift is excited to announce the launch of the Wavetable Creator, a powerful tool that empowers everyone to create custom wavetables for high-end synthesizers, modular environments, and audio production tools.
The Problem: Today's wavetable synths, modules, and apps often require wavetables with specific frame sizes and cycle counts, making cross synth compatibility difficult. No existing app or wavetable pack guarantees seamless compatibility across all platforms.
The Solution: Ocean Swift’s Wavetable Creator – a powerful tool to design morphing wavetables that work anywhere! From Serum to Eurorack, this tool lets you craft wavetables with innovative crossfade, morphing, and blending techniques, and robust compatibility export options. Whether you're producing music, designing game audio, or developing synth plugins, this app is built to unleash your creativity with an easy intuitive interface.
Pricing and Availability The Ocean Swift Wavetable Creator is available now at a regular price of €40. As a special introductory offer, you can purchase it at €25, a limited-time price valid through the Black Friday, Christmas, and Winter Holiday season until January 10, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your sound design toolkit at an unbeatable price, with a unique product!
"A complete demo and tutorial of the Buchla and tiptop audio 259t. The father of all the complex oscillator will show you all its secrets. So you'll can play with and understand all its sons, they work the same...DPO Brenso Further generator and more.
How complex oscillators work.
Waveshaping
Wavefolding
FM
Internal and external modulations
Cross modulation
Hard and soft sync
