Oberheim can sooth the synth soul 🕊 #oberheim #synth

video upload by Will Blaze

Rare Folktek Micro Garden - Electro Acoustic Drone Synthesis

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

via this eBay listing

You can find demos in previous posts here.

"For sale is one of the rarest and most sought after in the Folktek Garden Series, The Micro Garden. It is signed by the developer and artist Arius Blaze. It is in very good cosmetic, and 100% operational condition, with no noisy pots, etc. The Micro Garden will ship to include the Power Supply. Insured shipping is $ 40 within the Continental U.S., and all sales are final. Listed below is some information provided by Folktek.

The Garden is a conceptual sound art work and a phenomenal instrument for extending micro sounds into waves or generating odd sounds based on an acoustic source. The sound very much reflects the aesthetic - an electric garden with waves growing from the sound field they're created from. The sound board and spouts of wire extending from it are picked up with high sensitivity and run through a digital delay with a very warm sound. This delay can be as tight as possible or extend to about one and a half seconds. Every sprig of string has a unique sound and the Garden can be played as a percussion piece or soundscape generator. The feedback can be adjusted to generate long extensions of micro sounds to become waves then captured in long format if desired. There is as much musical potential as there is a potential for strange sounds - bits of waves can be stretched in real time and become distant-relative abstractions of themselves."

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Saul Stokes - Frequensea 4k California Waterfowl Refuge Video with Positive Vibes Electronic Music

video upload by Saul Stokes - Frequensea

"On first pass, this 4k video of a Northern Waterfowl preserve (Coyote Hills Nature Preserve in San Leandro, to be exact) might come off as being pretty static. However, watch closely and you'll see a fantastic variety of animal life. Duck formations, White Swans, varieties of birds arcing in and out. Dragonflies will also make appearances, as well as other insects. All happening while the sun slowly moves up into the afternoon sky. It's pretty exciting to set up a camera and have it actually record for a solid hour without something affecting it. GoPros are famous for overheating, but I was lucky to get to 60 minutes before it shut down on me.

Villa Galaxia is a special album to me. Written in 2008, and released on Hypnos Binary as a CD, It was one of the few albums that I had funds to master. I somehow found a technician/musician named Jeff Bowron in Oakland, and after a brief email exchange, he invited me over to master the album with him. To keep the price down, we opted for me to actually haul my large CPU tower over and work directly in my files. We ended up really hitting it off that night. He kept remarking about how unusual yet listenable Villa Galaxia was. He was a great guy who had an excellent ear for music. He had at least 5 different sets of speakers, with the final ones being huge rave-sized speakers. I remember him tuning the base levels and hearing the base drum go from very "flabby" to all of a sudden, precision. His final tweaks really changed the dynamics and feel of Villa Galaxia. A year or so ago, I learned that Jeff had passed away in 2018.

I hope you enjoy Villa Galaxia with this accompanying 4k Nature Preserve video.

Thank you,
Saul

00:00- Intro / Hello Radar
05:30- Vapor Trails
12:43- Blaze
18:56- Night Painting
24:05- Eta Car is a Massive Star
31:21- Future Gamma
36:29- Embedded in Amber
42:15- Interrupted by Time
48:37- End"

📀 Apple Music
🎧 Spotify
💿 Bandcamp

Moog Labyrinth 50 Modular Patches & Sequences + WAV Samples

video upload by Anton Anru

"'Circuit Maze' is a collection of 50 patches for the semi-modular synth Moog Labyrinth. Dedicated to the modular spirit, the bank of presets embraces the analog warmth, experimental mindset, and rich sonic possibilities provided by Moog Labyrinth—an instrument that challenges traditional sequencing, offering fresh ways to shape sound and inspire creativity.

🎛 While crafting this soundset, I wanted to fully explore Labyrinth's capabilities, dive deep into its unconventional workflow, and have fun with its distinctive sequencing approach, which is unavailable on other synths. The result is a collection of 50 patches designed to inject unique and evolving patterns into any track or performance.
Each preset—or fragments of it—can function as bass, percussion, melody/lead, pluck, or FX, making this collection highly versatile.

📦 Get these patches: https://antonanru.sellfy.store/p/laby...

💽 The presets explore a wide spectrum of tones, from warm, clean, soft, and deep to noisy, metallic, distorted, punchy, and bright. Some sounds are bold enough to take center stage, while others work best as supporting elements, adding texture and movement to your compositions.
You can use the patches as they are, but I strongly encourage real-time tweaking, allowing you to shape and evolve the timbres throughout your performance for a dynamic and immersive experience.

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United Plugins introduces Instant Audio’s QuickMuse Multi-Effect Plug-in

video upload by United Plugins

Press release follows:

"United Plugins introduces Instant Audio’s QuickMuse as ultimate plug-in to ignite creativity powered by magic of randomness

'QuickMuse is my to-go inspiration muse as one of the easiest and best multi-effect plug-ins in my arsenal; two to three clicks and you have a vital, spacey sound with multi-faceted textures.'

- Future Bass- and Future Pop-specialising songwriter, composer, and producer Flashback One, 2023

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: independent development teams federation United Plugins is proud to announce availability of Instant Audio’s QuickMuse as another cross-brand collaboration between founding partner SounDevice Digital (forever fine-tuning tools based on longterm experience of mixing many recordings in its namesake SounDevice Studio) and FireSonic (famed for its always-searching-for-a- shortcut attitude) — duly delivering a multitude of instant yet unique results, injecting fresh and unpredictable elements into compositions, productions, and sound design as the ultimate plug-in for igniting creativity powered by the magic of randomness — representing the latest in a series of tools to instantly assist anyone in achieving their desired sound, as of November 1...

FIRE, EARTH, AIR, WATER, and AETHER
It is unfair to simply call QuickMuse an audio plug-in since there are five unique effects — FIRE, EARTH, AIR, WATER, and AETHER— at its creative core. Combining to unlock a world of sonic possibilities, all are inspired by their elemental namesakes. Needless to say, QuickMuse is simple to use as a smart randomising multi-effect; quickly clicking on the centralised ‘random button’ instantly generates inspirational settings using all five elements, as well as rearranging the ORDER in which they are processed in the effect chain. Thankfully, the random algorithm at its heart is ‘smart’, so it intelligently selects combinations of settings that work well together to give good results — read: no nasty or weird results. Repeatability is far from likely, however, given the sheer volume of hidden parameters it controls. (Ultimately, users can choose to manually control that ORDER by simply dragging and dropping those elements’ symbols accordingly, as well as bypassing their corresponding effect by double-clicking on any element, so random single effects are also achievable.)

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Synclavier Digital's Regen Gets Wider Release

video upload by Synclavier Digital

Regen Tutorials


Regen Quickies


You can find additional posts featuring demos of the Regen here.

Press Release follows:

"Synclavier Digital releases regenerated Synclavier® II trailblazer as timeless Regen desktop synthesizer bolstered by present-day DSP developments

NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA: soft-launched late last year to widespread critical acclaim at the Synthplex® synthesizer expo and electronic music festival hosted at the Marriott Convention Center in Burbank, CA, USA with pre-orders opening for fulfilment in 2023, timeless synthesis product manufacturer Synclavier Digital is proud to announce wider availability of Regen — released as a desktop synthesizer that is, in short, a real regeneration of New England Digital’s seminal Synclavier® II digital synthesizer that took the pro audio industry by storm when introduced in its initial incarnation in 1980 (evolving beyond that to blaze more technological trails with polyphonic sampling and, ultimately, DAW — Digital Audio Workstation — capabilities well before that term was invented, even), extended and enhanced to take advantage of the increased computing power available today to make it as compelling in a modern setting as the prohibitively pricey original did during its time (finding favour with top-tier film composers, record producers, and recording artists), while the considerable cost and size reductions associated with Regen’s present-day design criteria conversely position it well within reach of (almost) anyone — as of June 29…

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New Nanobox Mini Synths Coming from 1010Music

video upload by 1010music

Looks like the price will be $399 for each. Note the Line In for each for processing external gear. Curious if sampling will come to the lemondrop.

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Folktek Impossible Box rare big modular synth art thing by Arius Blaze

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

via this auction

Original offered by Folktek for $1 million dollars. It went up for auction in 2013 and reached $39,100 with 55 bids at the time of this post. You can find previous posts featuring the Folktek Impossible Box including some demos here.

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Folktek Limited Edition Resonant Garden #1 of 10

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

via this auction

"This edition of the ResonantGarden is limited to 10 and only 8 will be sold currently (all on auction oncea week).

The differences betweenthis Resonant Garden and the standard edition Resonant we sell:
- The panel art isdifferent and has been created by Arius Blaze
- The wood is not bamboobut cherry and has been routed around the top
- there is a plaque onthe back which indicates special edition number (this is Nano SE1),number within the edition (this is #1 of 10) and it is signed by theartist Arius Blaze

There will be ongoinglimited special editions of both this and the Nano garden with different artdesigns. To see the current auction for the Nano Garden please see our otherauctions.

This includes a powersupply, a manual, four 3.5mm jumper cables and a Folktek box."

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Folktek Limited Edition Nano Garden #1 of 10 acoustic electronic synthesizer

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

via this auction

"This edition of the Nano is limited to 10 and only 8 will be sold currently (all on auction once a week).

The differences between this Nano Garden and the standard edition Nano we sell:
- The panel art is different and has been created by Arius Blaze
- The wood is not bamboo but cherry and has been routed around the top
- has a plaque on the back which indicates special edition number (this is Nano SE1), number within the edition (this is #1 of 10) and it is signed by the artist Arius Blaze

There will be ongoing limited special editions of both this and the Resonant garden with different art designs. To see the current auction for the Resonant garden please see our other auctions.

This includes a power supply."

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Folktek Resonant Garden

Published on Oct 29, 2017 Sir Folktek

"The Folktek Resonant Garden is an acoustic-electronic hybrid instrument. See/read more on Folktek.com
In these first videos, the cv functions are never used and there is no external processing. Videos to come will cover the use of cv as well."

via Folktek

"The Resonant Garden is an acoustic-electronic hybrid designed to create anything from beats and oddities to dense sound scapes. From its inception in 2006, the original garden has gone through many changes and refinements; micro garden, luminist garden and illuminist garden and finally this latest and likely final version.

The garden essentially utilizes three Alter circuits but each equipped with a mic pre-amp, and 4 garden (stringed) panels for generating acoustics. By plucking, rubbing, tapping or even bowing, those micro-acoustic sounds become amplified and effected by the Alter in any number of ways. In essence, the garden is a large microphone designed to pick up vibrations."

EFFECTS
There are two Alter 1 designs and 1 Alter 2. Each Alter 1 has seven different DSP effects which is selected by touching the copper hexagon:

1; long delay (capable of near infinite feedback looping)

2; tight, notated granular delay

3; huge plate reverb

4; shimmering reverb

5; distortion and multi-filter

6; pitch delay

7; stutter glitch

Alter 2 has the following effects:

1; analog delay

2; reverb with infinite capture and lp + hp filters

3; choral reverb

4; palindrome reverse delay - backward/forward repeat

5; time stretch

6; pitch shift (notated semi-tones

7; time stretch glitch

CONTROL
On each of the Alter sections, the following is present:

- control for the gain of the mic pre-amp or any incoming audio.

- controls for mix, X, Y and filter as well as clock.

- all effects have a variation of a filter which may change effect to effect.

- X and Y control various rates.

- clock control adjusts the rate which controls the DSP which can drastically change the effect. In doing so it does slightly lower the quality of the output signal but the results are fantastic. This clock is not for synchronization.

- mix, X, Y and filter all have CV control inputs.

- Each control level or cv input is visualized on the control panel.

ACOUSTICS
Each garden panel is equipped with a contact mic. A contact mic is designed to pick up vibration. The mic pre-amp is specifically designed to deal with the frequencies of the contact mic by boosting certain frequencies and dulling others in order to optimize the sound quality. The mic pre-amp has a gain control so the level can be adjusted according to how you intend to play.

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New Folktek Alter 1 & Alter 2 Eurorack Effects Modules

Folktek Alter 1 eurorack effects module - description and demo

Published on Jun 10, 2017 Sir Folktek

Folktek Alter 2 eurorack effects module: desciption and demo

Alter 1

"Alter is an effects processor for eurorack format. There are two versions which are visually identical except the name "Alter 1" and "Alter 2". This is Alter 1. Internally each has an entirely different set of effects from the other. Each features 7 different DSP effects meticulously designed over the course of a year by Arius Blaze with digital programming, additional design and input by Nico Raftis of Macro Machines.

These design will also be available in pedal format and three Alters with slightly different design and mic amplification will be built into the new garden. The pedals and the garden will be here on display and ready for preorder in June.

Note that these are currently available for preorder at a discounted price until sometime in July. The normal price will be $279, currently offered for $239. These will be shipping at the start of August if not sooner."

See Folktek here for additional details and how to order.

Alter 2

"Alter is an effects processor for eurorack format. There are two versions which are visually identical except the name "Alter 1" and "Alter 2". This is Alter 2. Internally each has an entirely different set of effects from the other. Each features 7 different DSP effects meticulously designed over the course of a year by Arius Blaze with digital programming, additional design and input by Nico Raftis of Macro Machines.

These design will also be available in pedal format and three Alters with slightly different design and mic amplification will be built into the new garden. The pedals and the garden will be here on display and ready for preorder in June.

Note that these are currently available for preorder at a discounted price until sometime in July. The normal price will be $279, currently offered for $239. These will be shipping at the start of August if not sooner."

See Folktek here for additional details and how to order.

New Folktek Mescaline - Desktop or Eurorack Patchable Sem-Modular Synthesizer

Published on Mar 22, 2017 Sir Folktek

"Details of the folktek synthesizer system called 'Mescaline'. On Indiegogo 2/22/2017 until 3/05/2017"

Playlist:
Folktek Mescaline synthesizer system Described
Folktek Mescaline, first patch, live play edit *
Folktek Mescaline little clicky beats I enjoy. live sounds, live patch (2)
Folktek Mescaline Drones and slow reverberated sequence
Folktek Mescaline live play, live patch long sequence

Details via the Indiegogo campaign:

"Mescaline is a synth design by Folktek which merges art, design and synthesis into a tool which encourages exploration and experimentation in sound. A synthesizer system with a different approach which works standalone or within the eurorack modular system.

This work is created by Arius Blaze and has been continuously developed and revised for two years.

Mescaline is a 3 part synthesis and sequencing system designed for experimentation.

Our offer of this price is lower than the dealer price for the complete system or individual parts. By helping us to pay for the completion of this system, you're becoming a part of the production.

The price of the complete system will normally be $699usd beyond this campaign!!!

If you missed this campaign, preorder will be on the folktek site at the regular price."

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New Folktek Conduit Eurorack Module

Published on May 6, 2016 Sir Folktek

Playlist:
Folktek Conduit eurorack module (video1)
"Conduit working with Folktek's Matter. Simple sequence via Octone, triggering via Varigate4. Processing two of the three Conduit signal paths toward the end. Utilizing the Folktek 'Resist' module for Matter triggering as well as Conduit oscillation."

Folktek Conduit eurorack module (video2)
"Conduit working with Folktek's Matter. Simple sequence via Octone, triggering via Varigate4. Utilizing the Folktek 'Resist' module for Matter triggering as well as Conduit oscillation."

Folktek Conduit eurorack module (video3)
"Conduit working with Folktek's Matter. Simple sequence via Octone, triggering via Varigate4. Utilizing the Folktek 'Resist' module for Matter triggering as well as Conduit oscillation.

Folktek Conduit eurorack module (video4)
"Conduit getting random. Single oscillation processing with Folktek's Matter. Some random LFO stuff. Processing with a light amount of reverb. Utilizing the Folktek 'Resist' module for Conduit oscillation."

Conduit was also released as a desktop synth. You can filter through previous posts here for more info and demos.

via Folktek

"*note that due to an error in manufacturing, the mounting holes have had to be routed - the oblong holes are slightly longer than standard.

Conduit is a delay, filter, and 9 point harmonic oscillation module which creates three independent signal paths that can be inter-mixed how you like. It's also capable of jumping directly into the circuitry of Matter for processing. The root circuitry is based on the conduit desktop piece which is no longer in production.

Delay

At it's root Conduit is a delay with a warm, analog sound which is clean at tight times and tending toward something disgusting and noisy and slower times. External audio or internal oscillation can be processed by the delay. When multiple oscillation points are mixed, the delay feedback gets distorted and noisy. As a delay it serves best as a source of texture.

Filter

The Delay travels into a state-variable filter with fixed resonance. A clean signal passing by the delay will still be filtered. The filter has a vactrol-based cv in to control the cutoff. So this filter receiving voltage control is very wormy in nature. It's best to multiply and mix a signal going into Conduit if it's to be used for processing - giving you the filtered and unfiltered version.

Oscillation

The purpose of this module is not simply as a delay or a filter - these are just components to a greater whole. With Conduit, aspects of the giant delay IC processing are accessed as a series of sound sources - harmonic oscillations based on the clocking of the delay. Therefore, delay time is the same as master pitch for these oscillations (also represented by "time cv"). There are a total of 8 harmonic oscillations and one noise source. All 9 points representing audio level harmonic oscillations are represented by a 9x4 female header so that each of these points or multiple points can be used as a sound source. Using Resist alongside allows one to control the level of the oscillation.

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Introducing the Folktek "Matter" Eurorack Module

Published on Dec 11, 2015 Sir Folktek

"Matter - the first Eurorack module by Folktek. Available on folktek.com:
http://folktek.com/instruments/modula...

Here it's played as a drum synth to create little sounds and big sound.
This video is a little pointless as a visual and better treated as a sound presentation of Matter. Matter has the same synthesis as Folktek "Materia". The patch being played is simple and intended to showcase Matter...if it were a song it could certainly use a few things. I'm also just a few weeks new to modular and have no oscillators to speak of.

All sounds coming out of Matter except the reverberated and filtered wave part which is Aether (Folktek instrument) being lightly sequenced by the tiptop z8000. Matter is treated with reverb and delay in a few parts (which are self evident) but otherwise straight to the mixer. All triggers by the arturia beatstep pro, two of which are triggering 4ms peg with the adsr cv being sent to Matter - the end cycle for the adsr is being sent to intellijel adsr and triggering another Matter patch and another end cycle is being sent through Matter's vactrol modulation and jumpered. Otherwise, straight gate signals from the Arturia and direct to Matter patches.

Matter modulation is sending cv to the koma filter."

"Matter is the first of an ongoing series of modules and what will become an entire folktek system. This one starts from the dirt - the beats.

Officially up for sale now. One video is presented here and sound files to come (currently having some recording issues). The video is definitely not the greatest thing in the world. The initial price includes shipping worldwide. Each module comes with jumper cables, power connector, screws, manual and a special something.

**Note that each individual module is treated with a patina (aging) of the copper which results in the blue and green coloring. Givin that each is hand patinated, the look of each module with differ.

***There will be future add-ons available for this module which plug in to the front panel and direct the sound and function to a specific purpose. Future add-ons are discussed below.

*The first folktek module for the eurorack system will be hated for its standing at 23hp.
______________

"Matter" is drum wave synthesis. While it could simply be called a drum synthesizer, the method of play is designed equally as much to make the analog drum-based synthesis playable as waves as it is to make triggerable drum sounds. This means Matter can take a "kick" oscillator, for example, and use it to generate a bassline, a "snare" can create washes of noise with peaking resonance and so on. This allows for a very broad complexity of rhythm because triggering is not confined to a single point. That said, this module specializes in clicks and cuts style beats - little clicky sounds.

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FOLKTEK = TIME MACHINE

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

via this auction

"Only 15 of these have ever been made. A small number of these remain and there are no plans to make more.

This time machine created by Arius Blaze is a small series of identical works featuring patchable keys via magnetic patchbay (folktek original).

Capable of everything the other time machines are but quite a bit more refined and with added connection possibilities so for the time being, sounds and videos will reference older models. More will be added when possible. For more reference, read up on the other models on the time portion of the site.

The Time Machine is an "on the fly" remix machine. 8 patchable keys determine timing change ups and odd granular effects/ring modulation of either a sampled sound (from extremely tight to up to about 5-8 seconds (becoming more lofi after a few seconds) or a direct incoming signal. Time is selectable between 3 ranges to allow for more range on the timing knob.

After a sample is captured, bits and pieces of the incoming signal can be added to or replace parts of the original. With the "add" jack, external CV can add/replace sound to/from the loop.

As a delay it's exceptionally Dub heavy with feedback ranging from singular to swelling, infinite repeat..

This is a digital piece with a very warm sound and very analog characteristics. A sample can be slowed to grumbles or sped up a great deal. The patches are magnetic - a thing we at folktek came up with so there is no need for plugging - you simply set your patch plug on whatever point you like. Patches are assigned to each key and pressing more than one key at a time creates a matrix affect allowing for more complicated effects and resampling. With the use of a magnet, a key can be depressed to act as a switch. The result is high and simple playability with thousands of possibilities.

Connections on the back allow the time machine to act as a master clock - with three 1/8" clock outputs and a tap tempo out. Using the tap tempo out and connection to a midi footswitch controller makes for an easy and inexpensive method of using the time machine as the master clock over midi as well.

CV input controls global pitch so among other possibilities, you can capture tight samples as synthesis from any source and play them with a sequencer or keyboard.

Custom Oak box, custom switches and keys and custom patchbays with cloth covered cables. The time machine has controls for mix, feedback, time one and two, level controls, sample on, delay on, 1/4" input, 1/4" output, and runs on a standard 9v-12v power supply."

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FOLKTEK TIME MACHINE

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

via this auction

"Only 15 of these have ever been made. A small number of these remain and there are no plans to make more.

This time machine created by Arius Blaze is a small series of identical works featuring patchable keys via magnetic patchbay (folktek original).

Capable of everything the other time machines are but quite a bit more refined and with added connection possibilities so for the time being, sounds and videos will reference older models. More will be added when possible. For more reference, read up on the other models on the time portion of the site

The Time Machine is an "on the fly" remix machine. 8 patchable keys determine timing change ups and odd granular effects/ring modulation of either a sampled sound (from extremely tight to up to about 5-8 seconds (becoming more lofi after a few seconds) or a direct incoming signal. Time is selectable between 3 ranges to allow for more range on the timing knob.

After a sample is captured, bits and pieces of the incoming signal can be added to or replace parts of the original. With the "add" jack, external CV can add/replace sound to/from the loop.

As a delay it's exceptionally Dub heavy with feedback ranging from singular to swelling, infinite repeat..

This is a digital piece with a very warm sound and very analog characteristics. A sample can be slowed to grumbles or sped up a great deal. The patches are magnetic - a thing we at folktek came up with so there is no need for plugging - you simply set your patch plug on whatever point you like. Patches are assigned to each key and pressing more than one key at a time creates a matrix affect allowing for more complicated effects and resampling. With the use of a magnet, a key can be depressed to act as a switch. The result is high and simple playability with thousands of possibilities.

Connections on the back allow the time machine to act as a master clock - with three 1/8" clock outputs and a tap tempo out. Using the tap tempo out and connection to a midi footswitch controller makes for an easy and inexpensive method of using the time machine as the master clock over midi as well.

CV input controls global pitch so among other possibilities, you can capture tight samples as synthesis from any source and play them with a sequencer or keyboard.

Custom Oak box, custom switches and keys and custom patchbays with cloth covered cables. The time machine has controls for mix, feedback, time one and two, level controls, sample on, delay on, 1/4" input, 1/4" output, and runs on a standard 9v-12v power supply.

I can only provide US and EU power supplies (EU only provided upon request), but if that doesn't suit you, one will be very easy to find. 9v +tip, 2.1mm, 1000ma. A simple voltage converter will work as well."

FOLKTEK ARTS Triad Breakout Boxes

via FOLKTEK ARTS

"Two new additons to the Triad; Materia/Mentalis/Aether by Arius Blaze.

The breakout boxes for the Materia and Mentalis send all of the breadboard circuit, sequencer and modulation parts to banana plugs. In addition, the breakout for Materia also adds patchable knobs.

Of the Triad, Mentalis has yet to be officially released.

These breakout boxes are the first that will turn the Triad into a much larger multidimensional work. Aside from these breakout boxes (which are passive), all of the additions will be powered from the same source, all will be capable of acting as standalone units (either as controllers for modular works or as effects) encased in their own boxes.

Currently ten more additions are being prototyped and when complete, will fully surround the Triad. They will all, ultimately, come together to create a music and sound design workstation.
These additions are pre-planned into the original design and can be added one by one with included brackets like a modular synthesizer.

The plan is for each to be released over the coming year.

Alongside what's currently available, these will likely be the last synthesizer works created by Arius Blaze.

More to come as things come together.

More info on the Triad is on the folktek site"

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New Folktek Arts Aether

via Folktek Arts

"Aether, created by Arius Blaze, is a touch based work with a very sweet and rich sound similar to that of the Euphonos Field (though not as broad). It features 20 oscillators and a 20 note polyphony, is capable of connecting with anything that accepts control voltage and also has a set of touch "keys" that transmit CV.

Two touch panels contain 10 responsive "keys" each that represent the primary low oscillators and higher decay oscillators. When the global pitch is dropped, the low oscillators go into a synchronized LFO mode where each key represents a different time signature. The decay section is made to have a natural decay where attack and sustain are controlled by touch. Another panel integrates a more subtle set of oscillators that replicate the decay panel and are made to influence the other oscillators. Finally, the amp section alters the sound of the low oscillators and provides everything from deep, filtering swells to subtle pitch change.

These oscillators travel to a reverb/delay (switchable) that provides an enormous reverb or a nasty tape style delay. Additionally, an external signal can utilize these effects as well. In fact, the synthesis of Aether can be made to pass through the player, into the upcoming synthesizer "Materia" which is then sent into the effect section of Aether where it can be mixed with the original signal how you like.

*This piece is made to connect with an upcoming synthesizer called "Materia" which greatly expands the possibilities and sounds. Materia will be available when Aether is officially released (not preorder). Materia provides its own clicky poppy deliciously odd drum sounds and rhythms via trigger-based sequencing, touch-based wierdness, CV sequencing to control and synchronize with Aether as well as more touch panels that allow the synthesis of Aether to be heavily altered. It also allows the oscillators of Aether to pass through the user without any audio cables connecting the two(!). Materia has a second power jack and if both pieces are purchased, a jumper cable will be provided to eliminate the need for two power supplies.

Aether Control Voltage is as follows;
Global CV input
Clock output (to synchronize Materia or anything else with the rhythmic clicking/popping of the low panel when the pitch is dropped.

CV out transmits 0-5v based on touching the decay "keys". Each key outputs a dedicated voltage in .5v increments."

Happy New Year! The Year in Synths 2013

Happy New Year Everyone!

What a busy year it has been in the world of synths.

This is going to be one doozy of a post, so bear with me. This post is a review of the year in synths for 2013. We begin with Tributes to Those We Lost This Year, followed by New Manufacturers & Makers, Older Manufacturers Added to the Site, New Gear Announcements, Top 10 Posts by Traffic,  My Standout Posts for the Year, and finally This Years' Synth Events. I did my best to keep things as short and concise as possible.

Let's begin with the hardest part of the post.

Tributes to Those We Lost This Year

RIP Bernard Parmegiani - Electronic & Acoustic Composer
Lou Reed RIP
RIP Dick Raaymakers aka Kid Baltan
RIP George Duke - DreamWeaver
RIP Ralph Dyck, Sept 28, 1941 – May 20, 2013
RIP Ray Manzarek

All missed and never to be forgotten. Take a moment to remember them.

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New Manufacturers & Makers

Starting last January, I decided to keep a running list of every new manufacturer and maker introduced to the site during the year.  This is something I haven't done before and I thought it would be interesting to see how many there were in the year.   It's easy to focus on the big synth announcements throughout the year, but what about all the new makers and brands? I shouln't have to go considerably into the significance of new designers on the scene, so I'll just say two things regarding them.  One, the number of new makers is a direct reflection on the interest in our scene, and two, these are the creators of new gear which directly translate into new designs not previously available to us.  Think about that for a moment.  These are makers and designs that did not exist before.  They are part of our synth history.  So what is the total count of new synth designers for the year? A whopping 113. Think about that a bit. One hundred and thirteen new synth designers and brands this year alone.

Here they are (note a handful date back to 2012, but 2013 marked their momentum and availability):

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