Ambient ghosts - Vhikk X, 4ms Ensemble and SMR, Elta TSC 12

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Two ambient songs performed live with a eurorack case.

Buy these songs on an album here: https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/album...

This is why eurorack exists to me. I would never come to these sorts of results through any other workflow or gear, would never stumble on these harmonies or gently cascading notes, would never feel out the song progression on a computer or even with a more traditional hardware setup. There are many things eurorack doesn't do as well, but moments like this make me realize why it's so special.

Please go give the album a spin.

Three voices: Forge TME Vhikk X, 4ms Ensemble, 4ms SMR
Control surface: Elta TSC 12
Effects: Intellijel FX 1U, Strymon Magneto, Noise Engineering Versio, Happy Nerding FX Aid XL
Modulation: ALM Pamela's Pro Workout
Mixing: Intellijel Mixer 1U, Befaco STMix

Thanks for listening.

jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Echo Fix EF-X3 - Five Synth Sketches with Tape

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
Five song sketches featuring the EF-X3 tape delay, chorus, and reverb.

00:00 - Ambient, with Take 5
02:57 - Drums, with LXR-02
05:47 - Brooding, with SH-101
07:20 - Acid, with TT-303
09:41 - Ambient, with MS-20

Fair warning: MAS Distribution sent over the EF-X3 for me, not quite for free (I had to pay some significant customs/duty/taxes from the border) but for far less than the full retail price.

Here, I explore the Echo Fix EF-X3, a real tape delay with analog chorus and spring reverb. My favourite feature of the EF-X3 is that it has discrete outputs for each of the four tape heads plus another output for chorus/reverb, which means you can get some incredibly stereo tape delay mixes with it. Here, I usually panned two heads full left/right, and two heads 50% left/right, with the dry out and chorus output slightly panned and near centre. Ages ago, I had an Akai Headrush and I always loved having such a ludicrous amount of outputs; it's exactly the same delight here.

But I have to say, using a real tape delay is unlike any digital emulation I've tried. It's less behaved and has more texture than I had expected. And while it shouldn't matter, seeing the tape running is a thrill. It's an incredible physical presence on the table, super solid and with beautiful wood on the sides.

No one needs a real tape delay, of course, just like no one needs an analog synth and no one needs hardware. But for someone who has loved those records with long, cascading tape delays, for someone who loves the physicality of hardware, I've felt incredibly lucky to have the EF-X3 up on the table.

Thanks for listening.

Recorded to a DAW as a multi-track (dry channel, chorus/reverb channel, and channels for each of the heads) and mixed afterward. No external effects on the sound. EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Donner L1 | Three Synth Sketches

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
Three song sketches featuring the Donner L1 synthesizer.

00:00 - Ambient
04:38 - IDM-ish
10:48 - Video game music

Fair warning: Donner sent this one along for free. The only stipulation I agreed to was to post this link so you could find out more about the synth, and they would know that you came from my video:
https://datasink.rantion-admin.com/t/zy

It's hard to overstate how much this one appeals to me. A budget analog synth that sounds remarkably like my Roland SH-101, but has a triangle wave, second envelope, velocity options, stored sequences, MIDI, a removable keyboard, and a bunch more. The SH-101 is a simple synth, but it's one of my favourite subtractive sounds, and the L1 is the best modernized version of it that I've played. It's the kind of thing I wish Roland were making in 2025, and I would have bought it even if Donner hadn't sent it to me.

Here, I explore the L1 from a few different perspectives, showing off how I'd use it in making music, how it sounds on its own, with effects, and with other instrumentation.

Everything performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

Thanks for listening.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Dreadbox Artemis | Six ambient sketches

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
Exploring the Dreadbox Artemis in my way. All sounds from the synth, with no additional effects on the master (other than a little compression and limiting for volume).

00:00 Super slow envelopes
03:29 Exploring bass sequence w/ effects
05:08 Modulated osc drone magic
11:06 Stereo bass arp
15:30 ???
15:38 Cover song on modulated pad
17:24 1980s pad

Full disclosure: while I have bought many, many Dreadbox synths over the years, Dreadbox did send this one to me for free.

Here, I explore the Artemis for the first time, mainly initializing patches and seeing where they lead me. I find that while other demos have done a great job of showing off the wild and weird, the Artemis mainly leads me to two places: slow beautiful expansive pads, and bouncy unison basses.

There are a few things that elevate this device over other table-top modules, like the Nymphes: the spread of stereo voices (for both unison and polyphonic patches), effects (very decent sounding delay and reverbs, for example), and an internal drive for shaping the character/personality. Plus, all of these patches took just a minute or two to set up; the Artemis has a fast and friendly interface for exploring.

There are at least three ideas here that I might potentially develop further, which is quite a high hit rate for a first exploration of a synth. I can't wait to get back to the city and put the Artemis on the table with some friends.

There is one notable shortcoming to the Artemis as of today (4th July 2025): its envelopes have something that occasionally makes them get very clicky at onset of gate/note. I'm not sure what's causing it, but contributing factors seem to include using the internal drive, and not just at very fast attack rates. In any case, it's a bummer. I've read online that Dreadbox are currently working on this in terms of a firmware update, but I don't personally have any firsthand information. The clickiness really can interfere with a project, so know if you're thinking of buying, you should plan to work around this shortcoming. (My personal opinion: don't buy gear for promised or hoped-for firmware updates, because they may never come, and they may never solve the problem.)

But otherwise, Artemis is a great synth. Lots of personality, strangely well behaved at times, very good at bouncy basses, and very easy to design interesting sounds with.

Thanks for listening.

The cover song is one of my very favourites, "Poor Edward" by Tom Waits."

Torso S-4 album | IDM/DnB/glitch | Not even a poet can speak the whole truth

video upload by Jay Hosking

"An album of IDM, Drum & Bass, and glitchy electronic music, for the more intense parts of your day. Songs were composed and performed on the Torso S-4, with additions and polish added in the box.

Buy the album here: https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com

00:00 - Imaginary countries
03:48 - Dreams must explain themselves
07:21 - Very far away from anywhere else
12:24 - The farthest shore
17:28 - The unreal and the real
20:57 - The word for world is forest
26:06 - Dancing at the edge of the world
29:33 - Always coming home

I recently posted a workflow video about why the Torso S-4 was an inspiration to me. Here's the proof.

I started sketching on the S-4, and before I knew it, I found myself writing song after song after song. Most of the songs needed a little more after the fact (the four tracks of the S-4 are not enough for full arrangements, for me), but the inspiration of the S-4 was enough to get me performing even before the song was finished.

So here you have eight songs, performed on the S-4, and then added to in the box as necessary to get them to the finish line. Many of the samples come from my Patreon community's sample pack from last year; a number of the samples come from a DJ Crystl sample pack, especially on the Drum & Bass tracks (2, 5, 7); and some of the samples are from the factory sounds.

Overall, this album is a showcase of how and why hardware can inspire, can surprise, and can lead to performance. It's wonderful to use hardware synths and drum machines, but sometimes audio loops and mangling is where the performance really comes alive. I'm extremely proud of this record and how spontaneous, energetic, and cohesive it is.

Thanks for listening."

Torso S-4 | Pure inspiration (walkthrough)

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A walkthrough of how I'm making songs on the Torso S-4.

00:00 - Song
02:24 - Intro, tape machine
04:38 - Granular
07:36 - Resonator
11:45 - Drive, noise, colour
13:11 - Delay and reverb
15:32 - Drums and performance effects
19:18 - The magic of TEMP
19:56 - Pitched drums
22:43 - Making a pad
27:24 - Fourth track
28:56 - Performing with four tracks
31:14 - Concluding thoughts, USB multitrack out

I bought the Torso S-4 last month, thinking it would be an interesting device for playing with granular ideas with a few loops. As soon as I started playing with it, it was clear I had underestimated just how much more the S-4 is, and how inspiring it is. In fact, I basically never use it as a granular device!

This is probably the single most inspiring piece of hardware I've tried since I discovered the Octatrack. It transforms sounds, it is incredible for performing, and it has that perfect feedback loop between musician and instrument. In just a couple of weeks, I've recorded a whole album with it, which I'll release soon.

This is a walkthrough of how I'm making full songs on the S-4. In reality, four tracks is not quite enough for me to be making full songs, and in the final performances I add extra layers. But as a device to create new sounds, glue tracks together, sketch out a song arrangement, and perform some interesting parameter changes, the S-4 is nothing short of an epiphany for me.

Note that I'm using the 2.0 firmware beta, which is largely the same as the recently released 2.0 firmware. I'm well aware of the internet conversation on the previous firmware of the device, of hardware buttons not having any function and triggering a "coming soon" message, etc. I'm also aware of some quality/build concerns from some S-4 owners. I don't want to discredit any of those complaints, and I'm sure they are valid; but I can only tell you about my individual experience, which was largely flawless aside from a few bugs along the way.

Please also note that this isn't my usual sort of video, but rather one I originally recorded for my Patreon community. I'm having such a good time with the S-4, though, that I really wanted to share it more broadly. I hope you find it useful.

I look forward to sharing the album soon!

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Vongon Replay | Seven Synth Sketches

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
Exploring the Vongon Replay with... another Vongon Replay.

00:00 - Galloping and ghosts
02:34 - Solo, dry then wet
04:18 - Solo, cascading weird arp
05:07 - Solo, sentimental nostalgia
07:15 - High arp, low chords
10:49 - Slow arp, bass notes
15:28 - Rolling bassline, major-minor

I bought a Replay with my own money, a year or so ago. I find it useful to have around, and to travel with: it's small, what-you-see-is-what-you-get, sounds good, has a keyboard, and generally fits into a variety of setups.

Recently, MAS Distribution asked me if they could send over the new black Replay for me to play with. It's the exact same synth, but I thought it might be fun to get two Replays up on the table and just explore.

So that's what this is: seven improvisations or written-on-the-spot ideas using two Replays. For effects, I tried out the Ultrasheer (Vongon's reverb/vibrato combo) and my trusty Chroma Console (for colour/saturation/delay). The performance was recorded live to a stereo output with extremely gentle EQ & compression, plus limiting on the master.

I think it showcases why I like this synth: you sit down and noodle on it and you come up with ideas. It evokes nostalgic, sentimental sounds that are uncomplicated but pretty. I know there's a whole world of internet discourse about this synth, but ultimately what matters to me is how something works as an instrument. I think the Replay does its job pretty well.

Thanks for listening."

Moog Minimoog Model D | The archetype for a reason

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
Exploring the classic.

00:00 - Intro
00:50 - One oscillator, then two, then three
03:58 - Ghost lead
04:24 - Triangle beauty
05:14 - High fifth bass
05:58 - Noise and glide
08:33 - Oscillator 3 drone 1
09:45 - Oscillator 3 drone 2
10:25 - Oscillator 3 drone 3
13:00 - Subdued single square
13:58 - Fifth arp with key tracking
15:31 - LFO finale

This is an exploration of the Moog Minimoog Model D, no goals other than to have fun. The Walrus Slöer adds reverb and sounds beautiful. There was no additional processing to the sound. And what a beautiful sound it is.

The Minimoog Model D is one of the two main instruments that started my love of synths in the first place. I've long wanted one, and the reissue's wood looked especially beautiful, but I had to wait until I saw it at the right price. That happened last week, and here we are.

Yes, I know there are clones, and I know those clones can sound very very good. I'm not telling you that this is somehow magically better; it probably isn't. But I can tell you it feels like an instrument, it's beautiful to the touch, it has a heft to it, and the wood makes it feel like an installation piece or furniture or something that occupies physical space in the environment. I feel like I'm sharing the room with it, a creative environment, and that's a harder thing to quantify.

Some full songs will be coming with it at some point. How could they not? It's just incredible.

Thanks for listening."

Hypnotic Vhikk X OP-XY synth album | Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drone

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live synth album for your workday, performed on a small setup.

00:00 - Relatively abstemious
07:21 - Occulta semina
13:39 - Trees under Venice
22:15 - Anthropodenial
25:38 - Walsham

Buy the album here:



Sometimes you try something so inspiring that you have to record everything you can from it, as fast as you can. SKETCHES FOR MY SWEETHEART THE DRONE is a collection of songs all recorded live within a 48-hour period.

For all songs, it's the same hardware setup: the FORGE TME Vhikk X (our titular drone) with Teenage Engineering OP-XY (drums, bass, and synth). The goal was to keep the songs simple, hypnotic, and most of the synth parts are played live over simple drum and bass sequences.

The end result is (I hope) a simmering background album, perfect for your work, emails, reading, or otherwise living your life. Thanks for listening."

Also see: The most incredible drone synth ever played | Vhikk X by FORGE TME

The most incredible drone synth ever played | Vhikk X by FORGE TME

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Exploring the most remarkable, evocative hardware drone/synth voice I've played in memory.

00:00 - intro interval drone
01:36 - another interval drone
03:02 - bass pulses
04:34 - bass ghosts
05:43 - sentimental interval drone
07:04 - happy accidents
08:01 - wavetable drone
09:01 - evil machine pulses
10:46 - deep dark drone
11:41 - ghostly drone
13:55 - beautiful melodic drone

Don't let the patch points and eurorack format fool you: the Vhikk X is a mostly standalone drone and synth voice that has oscillators, filter, and effects, and outputs at line level if you want it. The only thing it's really missing is a modulation source, which can be your fingers turning the knobs or, here, the Pamela's New Workout. I think Vhikk X and Pam's in a 32hp case would be the most interesting and unique drone synth I've ever heard, period. And then you can patch v/oct CV in, like with a Keystep, and play it like a mono synth!

This is a series of explorations on the Vhikk X, to show you the range of sounds it can produce. The Vhikk X is known for brutal or crushing sounds, but I think it has a lot of subtlety and beauty throughout it, and I've tried to show that here. Hopefully you agree.

I'm planning on turning the last patch into some sort of live performance with a bit of extra synth, so hopefully that will be up soon. For now, I hope this gives you an idea of why I'm so blown away by the Vhikk X.

Recorded to a stereo output with no additional audio processing."

See the Forge TME label below for more.

Check with dealers on the right for availability.

Resynthesizer by Make Noise - Ambient performance

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on the Make Noise Resynthesizer.

This might be the most beautiful instrument I own.

Eurorack is traditionally about choice, about configuring a case to your preferences or imagination. The Make Noise Resynthesizer is the antithesis of this, in many ways. It's a crafted case from only one manufacturer, from their imagination, and with a specific philosophy and goal in mind. In this respect, it is an instrument, with the strengths and limitations inherent in any instrument. And when you embrace those strengths and limitations, it's truly incredible what it can create.

This is the very first patch I made with the Resynthesizer, with no goals in mind, without any sample content loaded onto the Morphagene (sampler). I didn't even know how to use half of the modules going in, and still don't know how to use many of them in any depth. But it's a testament to the Resynthesizer that it has a unified philosophy, and that its two main sound-creating voices (the Morphagene and the Spectraphon, a dual stereo oscillator) work so well together. What a synth.

I learned how to quickly sample the Spectraphon into the Morphagene, learned how to use the basics of René, and away I went. Within minutes I was making sounds and music I hadn't approximated with any other gear before.

Not only am I pleased with the musical results, I'm truly excited about the depth of this machine, to learn more of what it can do, to embrace its strengths and limitations and see what comes out of it, free of expectations.

Performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

Thanks for listening.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Cinematic intergalactic - live synth performance with Prophet Rev2, Walrus Qi, piano, strings

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Here, I used the 5-pin MIDI out of the M-Audio Keystation 61 Mk3 to control the Sequential Prophet Rev2, and used the Keystation's USB MIDI out to control a number of plug-ins at the same time. What you're hearing here is a single MIDI line that's being split to multiple instruments that get layered on top of each other. I'm really happy with the final result.

This song was inspired by exploring the Walrus Qi Etherealizer, which is adding granular, reverb, and delay to the Prophet Rev2. Once I had the basic idea on the Rev2, I realized that I could use the Keystation's USB MIDI out to control software instruments at the same time. Mostly what you're hearing are a collection of Spitfire plug-ins (piano, strings, mandolin) being stacked on top of the Rev2, using the same live MIDI data that I'm sending to the Rev2. It's a neat effect.

Thanks for listening.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Walrus Qi Etherealizer - exploration w/ hardware synths (SH-101, Prophet Rev2, 303, Nymphes, OP-XY)

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Trying out Walrus's new multi-effect with some hardware synthesizers.

Full disclosure: Walrus sent this pedal along for me to try for free. I'm a big fan of their Slöer pedal and also really like the Meraki (both of which I bought with my own money), so I was happy to give the Qi a spin. Happy to report that I am super impressed with this one. You can think of the Qi as kind of complementary to the Hologram Chroma Console: if the Chroma Console gives everything grit, colour, and texture, the Qi gives everything space, width, and ambience.

Here, I use it with a few synths I love and found myself lost for my entire Sunday exploring what the Qi could create with the right synthesizers. In fact, one of the improvisations (not in the final video here) has turned into a full song, which I'll put up as soon as I have time to record a performance. It's a really inspiring pedal and works very well with hardware synths.

00:00 - with Prophet Rev
04:25 - with Cyclone Analogic Bassbot TT-303
06:34 - with Dreadbox Nymphes
10:02 - with Teenage Engineering OP-XY
12:33 - with Roland SH-101


Recorded live to a stereo output, with only limiting on the master (no compression, EQ, or other effects).

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Elektron Octatrack and Roland SH-4D - Live energetic performance

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on hardware.

This is a remix/reimagining of "Suantrai" by Jan Steiner, which is on his new EP. Jan is a friend, and a member of my Patreon community, and he reached out about the idea of a remix. The song itself is quite sparse, but beautiful and melodic, and the whole EP is a little hard to predict; I tried to take the beauty and melody, and add my own type chaos into the mix.

I started with altered versions of four of Jan's instruments (string thing, bass drone, Rhodes, light percussion) and went wild with my own additions (my own orchestra sound, off the top; mangled drum breaks; glitched percussion). This left me with some audio files I could work with in the Octatrack.

Once in the Octatrack, I realized I wanted additional melodies and sounds, so I hooked up the Roland SH-4D. The SH-4D is a four-part multi-timbral synth with a fifth layer for drums, very useful for making songs. The melody, arpeggio, extra bass, and midrange distorted drums all come from the SH-4D.

Altogether this left a pretty full arrangement, and the scenes/fader—the magic of the Octatrack—helped to bring out the performance. Most scenes were to alter the drum breaks, by reordering, repitching, and/or retriggering the drum slices, plus with additional effects like phaser, sample- and bit- reduction, distortion, etc.

The end result captures what I loved about Jan's track, and his EP in general: beautiful and melodic, sprawling but intentional, but with a little chaos thrown into the mix. I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for listening.

Elektron Octatrack MkII - Six audio sample tracks playing eight or nine audio sample parts across the song, plus effects, plus sequencing of everything (including MIDI), plus mixing of the audio from SH-4D, plus scenes

Roland SH-4D - Three synths (melody, arpeggio, bass) plus minimal drums in the finale

Performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Motor Synth MkII and Synthstrom Deluge | downtempo synth performance

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on hardware.

Full disclosure: Walrus sent me along the R1 MkII for free. I'm a big fan of their Slöer pedal and also really like the Meraki (both of which I bought with my own money), so I was happy to give the R1 MkII a spin. It's a decent workhorse pedal with full stereo, some cool algorithms (including a sort of granular-delay-reverb thing), and an easy interface. I think the Slöer is still the better pedal if you're choosing based on character/personality, but if you need versatility and a small footprint, the R1 MkII might be for you. I look forward to exploring it more!

Once again, the incredible Miles Away leant me some of his gear to try out. This time, it's the Motor Synth MkII. It's hard to justify at the price point and with a technology that is less known in terms of longevity, and it certainly has some quirks that won't be for some. But man alive, the Motor Synth sounds absolutely incredible: warbly, rich, binaural, capable of mellow lofi ambient all the way up to overdriven bananas cyberpunk. It's incredible.

Check out Miles Away's exploration of the Motor Synth MkII here, and be sure to check out the second jam (heavy industrial electro): • Is This The Most Unique Synth EVER???... [posted here]

Here, I leveraged the mellower side of the Motor Synth and paired it with the Deluge, which is a natural fit in terms of complementary sounds. The R1 MkII was the reverb on the Motor Synth and also was a perfect fit; there's something about the R1's algorithms that makes the good for fitting in a mix. And to glue the Deluge sound together and add a little more personality, I added the Chroma Console doing saturation, doubling, delay, and tape.

Thanks for listening.

Gamechanger Audio Motor Synth MkII into Walrus R1 MkII - Main synth, played on keyboard, with reverb
Arturia KeyStep 37 - keyboard for Motor Synth
Synthstrom Deluge into Hologram Chroma Console - drums, bass, synths

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Teenage Engineering OP-XY - portable synth performance

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on the Teenage Engineering OP-XY.

The OP-Z was perhaps my biggest "so close, but not close enough" piece of gear from the last few years. Its sequencer and performability and portability were great, but the build quality was terrible was terrible (of my unit, anyway) and the internal synths and effects weren't for me. I was exactly that person who wanted the upgraded, more robust version of the OP-Z.

And we got it. Yes, I recognize the price is high. But so far I am very, very happy with the OP-XY and what it does. It's sturdy, it feels great, its synths and samplers sound great, its effects are great, its sequencer and arranger are powerful, its Punch-In FX are useful.

And most importantly of all, it's fun. When I'm using it, I'm having fun.

Considering you can get an absolutely superb portable groovebox in the Tracker Mini for far less money, it's hard to recommend unless you're the type (like me) who just loves grooveboxes. But I'm loving my time with it so far.

Thanks for listening.

Performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Sequential Take 5, Moog Subharmonicon, Walrus Slöer - cinematic synth performance

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on hardware.

I'm on a big kick right now in just playing the gear in front of me. Here, I brought out my favourite all-arounder, the Sequential Take 5, and paired it with the Moog Subharmonicon to create a little rhythm and arrangement. The Walrus Slöer adds reverb to the Subharmonicon; the Take 5's delay and reverb are both from its internal effects.

It's incredible how the Subharmonicon can quickly inspire some chords, and how the Take 5 can take you from an idea to a finished song with just a little tweaking.

Thanks for listening.

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Neutral Labs Scrooge – sequenced malfunction generator

video upload by nyppy

"Available as a DIY kit or assembled desktop synth or 42 HP Eurorack module."

Check with dealers on the right for availability.

User videos:



1. Neutral Labs Scrooge and Digitakt II - live electronic performance - Jay Hosking

2. So…is it a drum machine?" The Neutral Labs SCROOGE Demo - mylarmelodies

00:00 Don't call it a drum machine!
01:06 What is Scrooge?
02:02 How it works.
04:07 Panel Controls
06:49 Making a Pattern From Scratch
08:42 Step Knob Automation
13:09 Adding More Voices
14:25 Ratcheting for Tone Creation
15:25 ...Then Adding 808
16:39 Funky Oizo Jam
17:17 'Control All' Feature
19:00 'Random Pattern' Generator
20:55 Manually Editing It.
22:17 A Techno Ending.

3. What's a Sequenced Malfunction Generator // Neutral Labs Scrooge Review and Demo - Starsky Carr

0:00 What's A Scrooge
2:00 Demo with TR606 and Elmyra2
4:04 Quick Start Guide
12:20 CTL ALL FTW
13:58 How to Create a Pattern
21:18 Creating Variations with CTL ALL
25:12 Randomisation
25:51 Function Buttons
27:41 Microtiming
30:24 Evolving Patterns with Random Variation
32:13 Playing with Perkons



"Scrooge is a sequenced malfunction generator, available as a 42 HP Eurorack module or semi-modular desktop synth. While you can convince it to deliver boomy kick drum sounds, clicky hi-hats or metallic snares, it would much rather be making glitchy artifacts, hollow crackles and horribly distorted growls. It contains a sophisticated and performance-oriented step sequencer with parameter locking and the possibility to control all steps across multiple tracks at once. Its 5 distinct and fully analog voices are made up of special circuits that work without dedicated power supplies, scrounging power from the sequencer control signals instead, which gives them an organic and unstable quality. As a bonus, it means you won’t have to power the unit itself if you sequence it from external gear.

5 distinct analog voices
device can work passively without a power supply if sequenced from external gear
each voice can be routed to either of 2 main outputs (headphone compatible)
individual voice outputs
individual voice CV inputs that respond well to audio signals
2 modulation tracks, individually routable to voices
2 modulation CV inputs
onboard step sequencer
parameter locking per step
"control all" mode (change parameters for several steps and tracks at once), great for interactive playing
arbitrary step length per track (up to 64 steps)
generative algorithm builds random variations on patterns (available while performing), or creates random patterns from scratch
pattern chaining (up to 32 patterns)
stores up to 128 patterns in 16 banks
microtiming
CV slew limiter per track
can sequence external gear
sync output
sync and reset inputs
MIDI input (TRS type A)"

Synthstrom Deluge - classic downtempo synth with Zeptocade, Chroma Console

video upload by Jay Hosking

See this post for additional details on the Zeptocade.

"Please support my work on Patreon: / jayhosking
A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on hardware.

Full disclosure: Ian from Synthstrom got in touch and we were discussing my older Deluge videos. I mentioned I had been missing the Deluge since I sold it, and he kindly offered to ship one to me so I could try the new screen and community firmware. I didn't pay for this Deluge, although I did pay taxes and duty on it (O, Canada). In short, while I bought my original Deluge, this new one was sent by Synthstrom.

But I have to say it's so good to have it back. The updates to the hardware (i.e. the screen) and the firmware have fixed basically every shortcoming I felt in the device, and they did so without compromising what makes the Deluge so great. Thanks to the screen, I can finally learn how to better use the device without resorting to YouTube searches, I can easily adjust patches and use samples effectively, and I can see all the new effects and other changes. And thanks to the community firmware, I can now bust out of the one-endless-loop mentality with grid mode, and have stereo chorus, and so much more. And somehow, all these new additions don't seem to get in the way of what made the Deluge so great in the first place: great synth sounds, feeling like a sketchpad space where it's fun to quickly draft ideas, buttons that feel really great to the touch, and a complete groovebox package with endless sequencing plus MIDI and CV out.

Here, I relied on some of those well-known Boards of Deluge preset packs (go check them out!) to drum up some inspiration. From there, I started to explore looped audio stretching, which I'd never done in the Deluge but was now so easy, as well as resampling. And finally, I switched into the new grid mode for some easy arrangement and clip launching. It's just awesome.

I wanted some more drums, and something with a few more buttons to play, so I added in the Infinitedigits Zeptocore/Zeptocade. It's an audio loop slicer and player with a strong emphasis on performability, which is right up my alley. It's also imperfect, which I discuss more in the Patreon behind-the-scenes video. In short, I adore the performance aspect and think it sounds so good (especially through the Chroma Console for saturation, compression, and delay), but I also struggled to keep it in tempo and not bugging out.

Ultimately, I was surprised where this one ended up. I thought it was going to be a busy fast song, but it fell into a more contemplative and interesting backbeat.

Thanks for listening.

Synthstrom Audible Deluge - Many synth voices, percussion loops, effects, sequencing
Infinitedigits Zeptocore/Zeptocade into Hologram Chroma Console - Performed sliced drum loops

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Solar 42F synth - First impressions and composing ambient music

video upload by Jay Hosking

Solar 42F synth - Cinematic performance


"A live synthesizer jam performed entirely on the Elta Music Solar 42F.

This is the final performance I made after my first day with the Solar 42F. Really pleasing device to just have sitting on a table and exploring!

Elta Music Solar 42F - drone synth voices, melody synthesizer
Walrus Slöer - reverb
Walrus Meraki - delay"