MATRIXSYNTH

metasonix wretch machine processing jomox 999

"there is also a wiard noise ring plugged into the filter cv near the end....thanks grant!" Also note that "the last few seconds of the video is just the noise ring sending cv to the filter tuning."

Another via companyofquail.

Circuit Bent Boss Dr Pad III

YouTube via zioaxiom, aka Luca of Progsounds.

Midisticks

This one not via NAMM. It was sent in on the Synthsights alias, and I thought it was interesting. I couldn't find an image on site, so if you know of one feel free to comment.

What is it?

"Midisticks : A drum kit without drums. When you use the sticks, the World around you becomes the drums.

Confused? You're not alone. Children accept something out of the ordinary or unexpected as magic, and get on with the important task of playing.

Midisticks are an innovative electronic percussion MIDI trigger.

Midisticks are drumsticks that detect the material that they are being played on and generate MIDI messages.

Midisticks are sensitive: The softer you hit a material, the lower (quieter) the triggered MIDI velocity.

Midisticks are programmable. Many different materials can be programmed and mapped to MIDI triggers. Many of the materials recognized are found in the typical studio, household, rehearsal room or bar.

After programming, when a recognized material is struck again, the pre-assigned MIDI trigger is generated.

Example:

Tap on a drum practice pad, and train the sticks to generate a Snare Drum MIDI trigger.
Tap on a pad of paper and assign that to a tom tom.
Tap on a mouse mat and assign that to be a cowbell.

Each of the Midisticks behaves as a separate instrument - That's to say that each stick can be assigned to generate a different MIDI trigger for the same material.

Korg R3

Another nice image of the new Korg R3. Title link takes you to the product page on Korg US.

"A powerful yet compact synthesizer with sounds, form, and features that will attract all manner of musicians and producers. Introducing the new R3.

The R3 is a full-fledged synthesizer that provides an easy and affordable way to enjoy sophisticated synthesis and advanced sound creation. In a compact and light-weight body, it packs 37 full-size, velocity sensing keys, along with two-timbre/eight-voice performance power.

The sound generator section uses the same acclaimed MMT (Multiple Modeling Technology) used by the KORG RADIAS, delivering thick, gutsy, and crisp analog sounds. With quality that will satisfy both professionals and beginners, the R3 is a great choice for adding synth sounds on stage or in music production."

Korg M3 Karma Demos

Click here to launch video. Title link takes you to more.

SubtleNoiseMaker Ts

SubtleNoiseMaker has Ts. Title link takes you to them.

Also check out sascha's free cd, "seroton."

Waldorf Stromberg Plug-ins

I finally got around to looking at the Waldorf pdf in more detail. There's been a bit of buzz around the plug-in capability. This image shows you two hardware plug-ins in the back of the synth, the valve and the a-filter. According to the brochure these are fully analog, not digital VA plug-ins. Title link takes you to the pdf in case you missed it.

PDF and new Waldorf gear previously posted here.

Casio SK-1 Video Out

Title link takes you to the post on GetLoFi.

What Makes an Envelope Snappy

Florian posted the following to AH. I thought it was probably the most detailed explanation I've come across on what makes an envelope snappy. I asked him if it would be ok to put it up here for others and the archives, and he gave the thumbs up. He also mentioned that the following is basically a short resume from some chapters of his book "Synthesizer." You can find it on amazon. Unfortunately for those of us who do not speak German, it is in German only. I wonder if there's pictures. : )

What Makes an Envelope Snappy:
"There are several aspects:
1.) Speed, shape, of envelope
2.) envelope amount and offset value destination of destination
parameter, sustainlevel (in case of ADSR),
3.) characteristics of modulation,
4.) synchronisation with waveform.

First aspect:
In analogue envelopes (created by loading unloading a capacitor) speed
and shape are related to each other. If whe look at decay, the same
decay value at the beginning of the decayphase causes a much faster
change than at the end of the decay phase, because of the exponential
unloading characteristics of the capacitor.

Second aspect (All values in the following examples from
0=shortest/lowest to 100=longest/highest):
If we now modulate a filte with such an envelope like A=0, D=10, S=0,
R=0. If the cutoff frequency is already at 500Hz), and the envelope
amount is very high - lets say 5 octaves. THis will cause the filter to
open up to 16000 Hz and back to 500 Hz. The most noticable change will
happen between 2000Hz and 500Hz, all above is simply "bright". So all
the fast part of the exponential envelope will happen whil you don't
realize it. And only the slow end of the decay curve will cause a
noticable change. So even if your envelope in general is "fast like
hell", you will destroy this, by wrong modulation settings on the
destination.

Third aspect:
Next question is: how does the destination react on the envelope. A good
example are VCAs, which are available with linear and exponential
characteristics. Our loudness recognition is basically logarithmic. So
We need exponential controls for volume. Since analogue envelopes
already have exponential characteritics, you can use a linear VCA, which
translates the exponential change of the envelope direct to the signals
amplitude change. But for linear changing LFO waveforms you need a
exponentiator, which translates the linear changing waveform to a
exponentially changing waveform and then modulates the amplitude.
Now: If you use a exponential VCA for envelope modulation, you will have
a double exponential function, which will increase the "snappyness" of
the envelopemodulation (but will increase also the effect, which is
described in the second aspect).

Fourth aspect:
Whether a envelope is felt as snappy or has a click in the beginning,
depends also very much on the synchronisation with the waveform of the
VCO(s). Especially if the VCOs tend to eliminate by interference its
often a good idea to patch the gate to the Hardsync in, which causes the
VCO to start at each keypress at a dedicated point of the waveform.

Florian"