Picotracker as a MIDI sequencer (with Yamaha MU2000 EX)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

Floyd Steinberg Picotracker posts

"A short video on using Picotracker ( https://xiphonics.com/ ) as a MIDI sequencer. It's quite good, until it isn't. Plus some hopefully useful tips. Table of contents:

00:00 hi
00:21 basics, velocity and cc
04:21 the chord command
06:34 drum track tips
08:26 conclusion / demo track
10:36 bye

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Improvising On Some Self Made Montage M Patches

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

Here are some patches I made on the Yamaha Montage M8X, making good use of poly aftertouch. You can grab these patches here: https://soundmondo.yamahasynth.com/us...

Table of contents:

00:00 Sine Piano (FM-X)
01:32 Goblins (AWM2)
03:45 Stunted / Metropolis (keyboard split - AN)
05:06 Press Arp (AN)
06:45 August Rain (AWM2)
08:27 FS EP (AN)

#synthesizer #yamahamontage #improvisation

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Alesis Samplepad 4 - hit thing with stick, thing makes noise

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"In order to unclutter my room, I replaced my full e-drum kit with this small box. Not unhappy with this decision. The Samplepad 4 can be found on ebay and other used market sites for under $100 if you're lucky. Table of contents:

00:00 demo (with Motorsynth)
00:38 hi, what is this?
01:20 hardware overview
02:18 sd card contents and recommendations
03:13 sd card performance comparison
03:31 create a drum kit
04:08 velocity layers
05:26 mute groups
06:39 rebound
07:08 MIDI capabilities
07:53 ambient sounds with some hang drum samples and enormous synth pads
09:40 conclusion
10:30 bye

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Donner Essential L1 Synthesizer (multitracked sound examples)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Here's my take on the #donnermusic #donnerl1 L1 Synthesizer. The L1 is Donner's take on the classic SH 101 synth, but it has some modern extras. Here, I'm showing some dry sounds and also some that were somewhat processed in a DAW. Table of contents:

00:00 hi, what is this?
00:12 what's in the parcel? / hardware overview
01:58 example 1: a punchy bass
02:54 a brassy lead
03:30 a sparkly arpeggiator sound / demo
04:00 all those tracks combined (dry)
04:24 all those tracks combined, but full DAW treatment (reverb, compressors...)
05:19 demo track 2: using the sequencer to create a bass line, drum patterns and so on (full DAW treatment)
08:29 conclusion
08:59 frequency sweep (example)
09:09 sound of warm air decompression ;-)
09:17 flute-like arpeggiator demo
11:36 summary, bye"


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Clockwork PI, ESI XSynth - when these work together, it's awesome (lots of sound examples)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The ClockworkPI u console is a so-called Cyberdeck (think oversized Blackberry) powerful enough to run DAWs. The ESI XSynth is a digital synthesizer that registers both as an audio interface and as a MIDI keyboard. Now this should be the perfect match, right? Table of contents:

00:00 sound example
00:05 hi
00:20 what on earth is this
01:19 what is the XSynth?
02:07 hello linux
03:13 patch examples: A001 XSynthGo (Poly AT demo)
03:37 A006 LoFiPicks
03:54 A008 Fatness
04:13 A009 Whales
04:26 A015 On Clouds
04:47 A028 7Flower
05:42 A074 Pianism
06:05 A102 LeGrand
06:45 B060 EP Pad
07:18 B075 RevPad
07:48 some patches I made: C001 Nostalgia
08:40 C002 David
09:07 C003 Warm Pad
09:42 C004 Chaos
10:00 C005 TR909L
10:14 XSynth Architecture: Creating a patch with FM, PWM and Ring Modulation, Mod Matrix, Effects, ...
15:25 Layering tracks on the ClockworkPi to create this track (XSynth only)
17:16 some thoughts on this setup
18:35 bye, subscribe, support

Links:
ClockworkPI https://www.clockworkpi.com/home-ucon...
Clockwork OS https://wiki.clockworkpi.com/ClockworkOS
Reaper https://www.reaper.fm/

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A $20 MIDI synthesizer based on the SAM2695 chip (#seeed #XIAO-MIDI-Synthesizer)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Here's the #seeed 'XIAO MIDI' #synthesizer, a $20 box based on the #SAM2695 synth-on-a-chip and the XIAO ESP32-C3 MCU. You can get it here: https://www.seeedstudio.com/XIAO-MIDI... Table of contents:

00:00 quick sound impression
00:12 hi
00:38 hardware overview
00:57 default firmware
01:50 creating a firmware that actually supports MIDI (shoutout to @SimpleDIYElectroMusicProjects )
03:12 build a 5 pin MIDI in plug
05:23 some sounds: piano
06:20 saw wave pad
06:34 "crystal ep"
07:13 analog pad
07:27 'glass pad'
08:05 synth brass
08:23 drum kit
08:33 on NRPNs and SYSEX using @intechstudio 's GRID controllers
09:13 NRPN explained (Filter cutoff frequency control)
10:54 SYSEX explained (Reverb time control)
11:38 calculating the checksum
12:20 live tweaking demo
13:01 same, but using multiple tracks
14:25 conclusion; some feedback to SEEED

Also check out https://github.com/kinoshita-lab/MIDI... which uses the same chip but already has a MIDI capable firmware. https://www.tindie.com/products/kinos...

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Features 1: Zero-Barrier Creation, Perfect for Music Beginners

With three preset modes and plug-and-play functionality, you can dive straight into music creation—no complex setup required. Built-in speaker and four tactile buttons deliver an intuitive, self-contained experience that eliminates external dependencies. Start making music from the very first note, no prior expertise needed.

Features 2: All-in-One MIDI + Metronome – Smarter, Smoother Workflow

XIAO MIDI synthesizer comes with a pre-set Metronome Mode, where you can press the buttons to change your BPM and toggle the drum track to effortlessly sync rhythms and control your entire beats with one single device. No need for extra devices or apps.

Features 3: Pro-Grade Performance for Advanced Players

Open-source hardware/software architecture supports deep customization and advanced sound design. With 64-note polyphony and 128-note capacity, unlock limitless sonic possibilities—craft your own signature sound engine, whether you're a beginner or an audio hacker.

Features 4: Ultra-Portable & Fully Hackable

Pocket-sized design (71mm × 49mm × 28.5mm) lets you capture inspiration anytime, anywhere. The 3D printed enclosure is fully open-source for you to remix and customize—not just an instrument, but your personal music canvas.

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Zynthian V5: create your first song on this open source groovebox #tutorial

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

In this video, I'm creating some patterns on #zynthian ( https://zynthian.org/ ) and arrange them into a song (ok, a fragment of a song). This video might show some helpful basics like the UI workflow, synths, samplers, patterns, arrangements, recording acoustic instruments, adding samples, adding effects, and much more. Table of contents:

00:00 this video is about...
00:30 basics
01:33 drum track
05:42 bass track
07:24 chord track
10:50 vocals
13:47 guitar
16:59 arranger
19:08 some thoughts - where are we now?
20:50 demo (so far)
22:27 bye

Get Zynthian here: https://zynthian.org/
Join the community: https://discourse.zynthian.org/


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Turning a rare Yamaha EX5/FDSP effect in a DIY guitar pedal with Plugdata / Hothouse (tutorial)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"I try to turn the Yamaha #EX5 's 'Water' effect into a guitar pedal using the #HotHouse pedal, #plugdata, and the EX5's manual.

Table of contents:

00:00 introduction / water effect example
00:32 what was FDSP?
01:48 examining the "water" effect and digital waveguide synthesis
02:22 example patch: "Asian Rain"
02:38 but... that's brilliant!
04:50 quick recap: plugdata principles
05:27 adding all modules step-by-step: noise
05:48 resonant filters recap
06:20 how to build a sample-and-hold lfo in puredata
07:04 a big bang theory
07:37 resonant band pass filter 1, and controlling it with the sample-and-hold lfo
07:59 wait, ... what?
08:44 mathematical operations in plugdata (multiplier)
09:16 transmitting numbers with float objects and bangs
09:37 a first result!
09:50 resonant band pass filter 2 and audio input/output
10:25 resonant band pass filter 3 and high pass filter 1
10:45 envelope follower for the audio input, and some math to make it work
12:11 abs object
12:24 building a recursive delay with delwrite and vd~
14:00 some fine tuning (adjust cutoff frequencies, resonance and volumes)
14:54 audio example
15:00 compile it and install it on the HotHouse pedal!
15:38 debugging (warning, unpleasant noises)
16:27 outlook, demo of progress so far
17:55 bye

Links:
Plugdata https://plugdata.org/
Pure Data https://puredata.info/
Hothouse Pedal https://clevelandmusicco.com/hothouse...
Electrosmith Daisy Seed: https://electro-smith.com/products/da...
Hothouse examples https://github.com/clevelandmusicco/H...
Visual Studio Code https://code.visualstudio.com/
Zadig https://zadig.akeo.ie/

This video was sponsored by Brilliant.

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Startone MK400 review: $170 beginner's keyboard with HIDDEN features

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The Startone MK400 (aka Medeli MK401) is a 61 keys 64 voice 16 part multitimbral keyboard with long feature list, including a sampler. It can record MIDI and audio directly to SD card and send audio over USB to your DAW. It also has some undocumented but powerful features that I briefly show in this video. My review of the MK300 still is one of my most popular videos with over 100.000 views - the MK300 is a go-to keyboard for kids who want / are encouraged by their parents to learn the piano because of its note stand, a good sounding piano patch and a sustain pedal plug. The MK400 is built on the same ideas, but adds a lot of functionality, upping the price to $170, which still is an incredible bargain.

Table of Contents:

00:00 introduction
00:57 unboxing, hardware overview
03:19 how does the piano sound?
04:26 sample yourself
05:01 stay in touch
05:59 keyboard splits
06:30 layering
06:47 Twinova (four handed mode)
07:12 harmony (one finger chords)
07:30 arranger functions: songs, styles and mixes
08:15 muting / unmuting tracks (and sidechaining)
08:52 midi and audio recording to sd card
09:01 daw integration: midi and audio over usb
10:25 playing a vst plugin synth (air opx4)
10:52 undocumented features: it can synth
12:29 conclusion
14:23 my demo track
15:06 bye

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MOSS 101 RISC V Synthesizer demo and walkthrough

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"This is the MOSS 101 VA mono #synthesizer , created by Andrew March, a 2 oscillator #instrument that can create and stack pulse- and saw waves and also modulate them with an XOR logic module. There's a successful Kickstarter campaign https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... that's still on for some days if you're interested. In this video, I play 2 demos and walk through the manual.

00:00 hello
00:23 sound demo 01
02:01 MIDI setup
03:15 oscillators, stacking wave shapes
03:57 tuning
04:20 filters & resonance
06:07 LFO
07:24 Amp & Envelopes
08:13 Octave shift, Noise
08:43 XOR
09:32 Delay effect
10:16 glide / portamento
10:33 pitch bending
10:43 routing & UI (yes, it does PWM)
11:09 storing and loading patches
11:43 envelope triggering
11:54 UI details
12:29 MIDI learning
13:03 envelope inversion
14:46 sound demo 02
16:09 bye

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See the MOSS 101 announcement post here.

Zeptocore - a live looping sampler

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The Zeptocore (https://zeptocore.com ) is a sample looper and live remixing device based on the RPI2040. I bought this as a DIY kit a year ago and somehow managed to read to build instructions incorrectly. :-) But I finally picked myself up to repair it, so here's the video. Table of contents:

00:00 hi / what is this?
00:32 what's in the DIY kit
00:52 assembling (do not copy what I did there)
01:58 firmware updates available
02:06 basic workflow
02:38 UI layout
02:55 walking to some of the basic functions
03:38 jump, mash and bass mode
04:43 loading a very basic drumloop to play single drum sounds
05:06 extracting the zip file correctly
05:26 loading your loop on the Zeptocore
05:44 playing seperate samples
05:53 walking through more functions (retriggering, relooping, randomizing, recording sequences, effects, layering, etc etc)
09:22 improvisation with Montage M8X, Zeptocore
10:48 conclusion (please support this channel)


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Another Montage M8X piano and strings improvisation

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"My apologies for that USB noise. All sounds are from the Montage M8X, piano is the one you get when booting this machine. Added some strings and harp sounds I picked from the list. And yes, I may have been playing the Oblivion remaster a bit in the last couple of days ;-)

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Some superb SuperBooth booths (2025 edition)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Here's a walkthrough of SuperBooth '25!"

Table of contents:

00:00 Berlin-Wuhlheide
00:33 Polyend MESS
01:23 Some booths so busy you can never talk to anyone, ever
01:53 Wavy Industries Monkey (Updated)
02:33 Error Instruments Loopman
03:17 Zoom H5 Studio
03:41 Instruo Seashell
04:30 Storm Summoner
05:35 Chase Bliss Onward
06:34 GS Music Bree6
07:12 Gamechanger Audio Motor Pedal
07:34 Teenage Engineering
07:51 Waldorf Iridium
08:09 OXI2 Sequencer
08:58 Playtronica Orbita
10:08 Eternal Research Demon Box
10:48 Wildword Soundworks Express & Lightning
11:29 beetlecrabs Tempera
11:59 Torso S4 Firmware V2
13:07 Yamaha's Booth Montage M V3
13:40 napkey chord
14:42 flowfal
15:21 Zynaptiq
16:18 quray
17:13 Red Dot Audio Grand Blue
17:43 Soma Labs Flux
18:20 First Love Synthesizer Update
18:59 Dato Synths
19:14 Leaf Audio
19:53 MOOG Messenger
20:22 Trails
21:30 Conclusion

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ZicBOX - DIY open source modular scalable groovebox

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The #ZicBOX Pixel is the smallest example built in the ZicBOX ecosystem. The idea here is modular hardware meets modular software, so you can quickly scale up or down your #synthesizer and #groovebox ideas with a couple of JSON files and some 3D printed enclosures. Sponsored by #PCBWay. Table of contents:

00:12 concept
00:45 PCBWay https://pcbway.com/g/4nkLCf
01:49 parts needed / costs
02:13 building the thing
06:30 installing the software
06:56 UI overview
07:15 using the thing
11:09 conclusion, and call for papers (coders and designers)
12:10 if you find my videos useful, please consider supporting this channel (building DIY devices and learning how they work and then making a video is expensive and time consuming)

Relevant links
ZicBOX gitHub https://github.com/apiel/zicBox
Bill Of Materials https://github.com/apiel/zicBox/wiki/...
PCBWay - https://pcbway.com/g/4nkLCf - you can upload the ZIP folder from the GitHub page there; the measures are 100x84,5mm - price is $5 per board with a minimum of 5 boards per order

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Additional designs:

Folding MIDI Controllers tested! (Carry-on / Blackstar 25 / 49 and Digital Wind Instrument 2 Pro)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

I was always curious about foldable MIDI controllers. Does that concept really hold benefits? I've got the chance to test both a 25 keys and a 49 keys foldable keyboard and here are my impressions.

00:00 hello
00:35 Folding Controller 25
07:04 Folding Controller 49
11:11 Digital Wind Instrument 2 Pro
14:41 some example sounds
16:11 short conclusion (longer conclusions are in the review chapters!)"

You can find these controllers here: Carry-on von Blackstar FC-49: Amazon DE | Amazon US Carry-On FC-25 Klappbarer Midi-OTB-Keyboard-Controller: Amazon DE | Amazon US
Digital Wind Instrument 2 Pro: Amazon US [not findind this one on Amazon DE]

https://us.carryonplaying.com
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Electric Grand Loop (w/ ‪@LanthanOIde‬ on Montage M, FGDP-50, J-6, Fender)

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Lanthan and me recorded this in around 4 hours using a Montage M keyboard and an FGDP50 finger drum computer and a Fender DG4 acoustic guitar, on a Zoom R20 multitrack recorder. The whole thing was mixed and mastered in Reaper afterwards, as can be seen in the video. Hope you like this.

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Why not use Smartphones instead of hardware / DIY synths? They're cheap and ubiquitous

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Whenever I post one of my '[low price] DIY synth' videos, there's a couple of people asking 'but why not use an old tablet instead? It's equally cheap and more flexible/powerful'. Here are my thoughts on that."

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Yamaha Montage M AN-X virtual analog engine walkthrough

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"Here's me going through all the screens and controls of #Yamaha's #AN-X synth engine (found in the Montage M #synthesizer keyboard). So if you found yourself asking "can I fold that slightly beveled saw wave there?" recently, you will find answers here.
Table of contents:

00:00 intended audience for this video
00:47 user interface basics
01:43 create a new patch
02:16 AN-X architecture
02:42 basic wave forms
03:12 wave shaping
04:09 fm and ring modulation
04:56 pulse width modulation (pwm)
05:31 oscillator sync
06:17 noise
06:47 wave folding
08:25 filters
10:12 filter envelope, lfo, drive, velocity
11:39 amplitude envelopes, lfo and panning
12:30 global effects send
12:57 pitch envelope and lfo, portamento
14:30 modulator modulation
15:03 per-voice effects
15:50 global effects
16:41 per-voice equalizer
17:04 motion sequencer
18:58 polyphonic aftertouch (poly at)
20:24 oscillator drift, aging and spreading
22:01 my thoughts on the AN-X engine
23:22 some favourite sounds (23:53, 24:24, 24:55, 25:26, 25:45, 26:22, 26:53, 27:22, 27:53, 28:17)
28:48 do the youtube thing!

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Modulox Brain - an Open Source modular synthesizer platform

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"This is a preview of Modulox Brain by raspiaudio ( https://raspiaudio.com/modulox/ ). Designed as a center piece for MIDI modules that snap together with magnets, this can run multiple firmwares transforming it into virtual analog, granular, FM synthesizers or samplers. Table of contents:

00:00 what is it?
00:26 hardware overview
01:06 firmwares / apps
01:51 granular synth overview
04:00 midi controls / live tweaking
05:33 demo: warping a metallophone sample
06:47 ... with external effects
07:42 virtual analog synth overview
08:44 ... demo: VA synth
09:41 sampler / transfering samples via WI-FI
10:29 this is a prerelease version / my impressions
11:39 ... another demo
11:53 conclusion

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JamCorder - record all your MIDI data, all the time

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"JamCorder ( https://www.jamcorder.com/ ) is a 'blackbox' or #midi #backup solution for your studio. Just add it to the end of your MIDI chain and it will capture all your MIDI data - or the improvisations / jams you play on your #synthesizer or piano #keyboard , all the time, so you'll never ever loose an idea or arrangement again. (No table of contents needed this time)

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Introducing Jamcorder

video upload by Jamcorder

"Jamcorder is a new transformative way to record your digital piano. truly set & forget, you never need to hit record. instead, just open the app to rewind & listen to any moment in time, ever. and we really mean ever, because jamcorder's included 16GB sd card can store 25,000 hours of music. that's 3 straight years of 24/7 playing – a lifetime's worth. jamcorder's unique hands-off approach & ease of use makes it perfect for reviewing practice sessions, tracking how many hours you've practiced, and effortlessly capturing your fresh new jams. it's the ultimate companion for every piano musician at every level."