Beat Thang - the Future of Multi-Touch Synths?

Comments are coming in as usual in this Beat Thang post. I know some of you will roll your eyes when you read the title of this put, but think about it for a sec.

When I first saw the virtual instrument version of Beat Thang, I wondered how ergonomic it might be with a mouse. It reminded me of why I prefer hardware. I then remembered Windows 7 with multi-touch support is just around the corner and there's rumor Apple will be coming out with a tablet by end of this year.

Think about it. With a tablet slate device we will be one step closer to software synths being actual dedicated harware synths. Except... they will be more customizable, you will be able to have multiple synths per hardware, and... battery power.

This isn't a new concept and tablets are available now, but they are not yet ubiquitous and multi-touch technology really is just beginning. It will be interesting to see what sort of impact tablets have on the hardware manufacturers. When I look at the Beat Kangz Beat Thang, and think of it on that screen, I think of a cool piece of dedicated hardware that I can play anywhere. Think of that in your backpack.

BTW, any photoshop artist out there, feel free to mock up the Beat Thang with a tablet.

New Roland CONNECT Website - New Gear Coming September 1st

"ROLAND TO REVEAL FALL 2009 PRODUCT LINEUP
Worldwide Product-Launch Event Scheduled for September 1, 2009

Los Angeles, CA, August 3, 2009 — Roland Corporation U.S. is pleased to announce an exclusive online launch event, Roland Connect.

On September 1, 2009, all worldwide joint ventures of Roland Corporation will simultaneously announce a new and innovative lineup of musical products via a unique web exhibition at http://www.RolandConnect.com. This coordinated effort across all branches of Roland Corporation, with headquarters in Hamamatsu, Japan, is meant to promote worldwide brand awareness and cohesion across the entire company.

“We are very excited to be part of this global effort to promote Roland’s exciting new lineup of products,” says Dennis Houlihan, President of Roland Corporation U.S. “Customers all over the world will be able to visit one website to learn about all of our new offerings.”

The web exhibition is currently staged at http://www.RolandConnect.com. On September 1, RolandConnect.com will be transformed into an interactive, engaging experience for musicians seeking to learn about the latest Roland products."

Zenhiser Ultra Minimal Beats and Nu Disco Fundamental Kit 01

"Ultra Minimal Beats Hits The Zenhiser Shelves

Brand new to our hugely successful minimal samples catalogue is 'Ultra Minimal Beats'. An outstanding collection of the finest and grooviest minimal drum loops to date. We can't praise these minimal beats and minimal tech beats enough, they are simply fantastic! These chunky, deep, expanding and swing tastic minimal drum loops delve well past all programming corners and venture into a new domain sonic and groove heaven.

Every minimal tech beat within this collection comes as a full drum loop, without kick drum pass and a stripped down version suiting all parts of your minimal productions from your driving main section through to the drop downs and end of bar fills.

All 100% copyright free and cut perfectly for easy drop ins to your sampler or sequencer. This is one minimal beat selection you can not miss, just check out the previews and you'll agree, they are that bloody good !!!

Link: http://www.zenhiser.com/products/Ultra-Minimal-Beats-01.html"

The Nu Disco Fundamental Drum Kit 01

With Zenhiser's drum sounds reaching nearly every part of the clubbing globe we thought it was time to bring you a brand new drum kit from one of our highest profile producers. 'Nu Disco Fundamental Kit 01' delves deep into the nu disco sound with the pre-requisite air of quality only a very few dance drum kits posses.

Over 220 funky, twisted and eclectic nu disco drum sounds ranging from a broad spectrum of superbly compressed kick drum sounds through to an amazing collection of heavily processed percussive drum sounds. It's a drum kit no serious producer should be without and a drum kit in a world of it's own that every producer should own.

This lovebox of nu disco samples is available exclusively from Zenhiser and sits perfectly within the clubbing realm of Cosmic Disco, Italo Disco, Nu Disco & Punk Funk.

Link: http://www.zenhiser.com/products/Nu-Disco-Fundamental-Kit-01.html

Puremagnetik Releases Phazeform Volume 1

"August 3rd, 2009 - Brooklyn, NY

Phazeform for Ableton Live, Kontakt and Logic comes loaded with a captivating library of instruments and phrases based on Casio's classic Phase Distortion technology. Phazeform also contains a comprehensive sound set from the VL-Tone pocket synth/calculator guaranteed to pack your DAW with the sound of Casio synthesis.

Additionally, Phazeform includes a collection of looped phrases from the SK-1 and VL-Tone drum machines, giving Live, Logic and Kontakt users instant access to this unique collection of sounds.

Phazeform Features

• Complete palette of famous Casio Phase Distortion sounds
• Multi-sampled CZ library with advanced DAW integration
• A collection of expertly programmed clips
• Sound set of percussion menus
• Custom Kontakt KSP GUI and native Kontakt effects

System Requirements

• Requires Ableton Live 7/8, Kontakt 3 or Logic 8
• 500 MB of physical RAM
• 600 Megabytes (MB) of free hard disk space

Please visit www.puremagnetik.com for more info."

You might recognize this from this post

Bazille Sneak Preview I

YouTube via UrsHeckmann. Also see this post on Zebra.
"Here's a sneak preview of the first synth inside the upcoming Berlin Modular System. This synth combines FM-Synthesis, Phase Distortion and subtractive in a rack-like appearance. In this video I'm showing teh layout and the basic oscillator functions.

It's nowhere near to be finished but I thought I'd post it anyway."

Bazille Sneak Preview II

"I know this one is boring, but I need to demonstrate the muitiples to some people. Skip to another video for something impressive :oops:"

Bazille Sneak Preview III - Patched Up!

"Here are some early examples for unusual patches. Note that the soundquality here is really bad, but I guess you catch the drift. No fx used of course, just raw output of the synth."

neil's webbly world - Voltage Controlled Dual Sine Very Low Frequency Oscillator

via Neil Johnson on the SDIY list: "I've just finished characterizing my latest module - a dual sine VCLFO based on an SSM2164. One VCLFO produces three sinewave outputs, 120 degrees apart, over a range of around 100Hz down to 12 minutes, and a second auxiliary VCLFO with a diode-shaped single sine output from 300Hz down to around 7 minutes.

By changing the capacitors this could also comfortably work in the audio range, but there is no temp.compensation so I wouldn't recommend it for stable VCO usage. Alternatively, a couple of component changes and this will go down to an hour or more per cycle."

You can find samples and more modules at Neil's Webbly World.
PCBs are available.


Specs on the Voltage Controlled Dual Sine Very Low Frequency Oscillator
" * Main oscillator
o 3 high-purity sine waves
o 120 degees apart - 0°, 120°, 240°
o 12 minutes per cycle up to 170Hz
* Auxiliary oscillator
o Single sinewave output (diode-shaped triangle) - triangle available via component substitution.
o 7 minutes per cycle up to 300Hz

* 100k input impedance
* short-circuit protected output buffers
* output levels ±5V

* operates from regulated ±15V supplies through 0.156" (3.96mm) 4-pin header (compatible with MOTM, Oakley)
* signal pads suitable for HE14 industrial connectors, dual-row 0.1" headers, or direct wire connection

* high quality fibreglass PCB, through-hole plated, soldermask, silkscreen legend, with full ground plane
* 80mm x 80mm (3.15" x 3.15") PCB with 70mm x 70mm (2.75" x 2.75") fixing centres"

Polygons - Live at Whartscape 2009

YouTube via Grox
"the last bit of polygons' set at whartscape 2009 (at the load of fun space on the night of july 12). their music is entirely improvised.

http://www.myspace.com/poly..."


Some synth spotting:
Dual TR-707s
TR-606
Akai VX-600
Moog Source
Roland SH-101
Ekdahl Moisturizer
EH Memory Man
Eventide ModFactor

The Human Comparator CGS in Serge Format

The Human Comparator
(note 10 panels were for sale)
"VCO PANEL INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING MODULES:
2 X CGS48 VCO
1 X CGS01 SUB OSCILLATOR
2 X CGS64 VCA
1 X CGS29 WAVE MULTIPLIER
2 X CGSXX VCS
1 X CGS34 ASR"

"SEQUENCER PANEL INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING MODULES:
1 X CGS59B PROGRAMMER / SEQUENCER
8 X CGS59A PROGRAMMER / SEQUENCER
1 X CGS09 VOLTAGE CONTROLLED DIVIDER
1 x CGS39 QUAD LOGIC GATE
1 X CGS13 GATED COMPARATOR
1 X CGS31 DIGITAL NOISE
1 x CGS36 PULSE DIVIDER"

cgs modular on funkbass!
YouTube via enapa1apa "modular on bass waldorf rack attack on drums, skrittmacher sends drumnotes and gate klock to modular, and the modular patch makes it step back and do some funk!!! Also a waldorf miniworks 4pole on the aux to make it more funky, the filter is trigged on step 4." cgs modular patch "Modular built by http://www.thehumancomparat... Includes: Topp 281 Quad Function Generator CGS64 CGS38 CGS39 CGS36 CGS59 CGS09 CGS31"

USB reader for SNES game carts

YouTube via JSBasss
"NOTE: Before you ask about writing pirated (or other, but most likely pirated) ROMs to cartridges, please read the FAQ:
http://www.snega2usb.com/wordpress/FAQ

More info on this little website:
http://www.snega2usb.com

To the best of my knowledge, this is the world's first USB interface for Super Nintendo / Super Famicom games.

Note: This is one of the few LEGAL ways of playing a commercial SNES game on an emulator. Just because you own a game cart doesn't mean you are allowed to download the corresponding ROM somewhere."

snega2usb Demo #2: Genesis cartridge and SNES savestates


"This is a video showcasing some of the new features: support for Sega Genesis games and SNES savestates.

You will find that I am having trouble getting two of the games to run (Zelda and Yoshi's Island). These cartridges are in really bad shape; they wouldn't even boot on the console. As always, wearing off the oxide/gunk layer by repeated re-insertion helps. The final version of the snega2usb will come with proper connectors that are made especially for video games.

http://www.snega2usb.com

Frequently Asked Questions:
http://www.snega2usb.com/wordpress/FAQ"

Circuit Bent Casio SA-5 Keyboard - HD

YouTube via carpeteria
"It's not much to look at, but this thing can crank out some serious glitches (and crashes as well). Since it's not incredibly stable, here is a short montage of some interesting sounds (between crashes) that the SA-5 can produce. The pot on the far right is an overload/distortion dial, with corresponding blue LED (the better to blind you with). Enjoy!"