Hexinverter Mindphaser At SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"The Mindphaser is a new type of complex oscillator with analog phase modulation. The first part of this video you can hear the Mindphaser as the synth voice with some of the Hexinverter drum modules. This is all sequenced by a Digitakt and Mutant Brain combo which is a powerful way to sequence your eurorack modules. In the second part of this video you can hear the Mindphaser droning and modulating itself.

Hexinverter products available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/hexinv..."

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Mystic Circuits Pfrsilator LoFi Video Oscillator SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"Mystic Circuits is working on a new lofi and glitchy video oscillator called the Pfrsilator that made all of these beautiful color patterns in this video. The sounds in the video also feature Mystic Circuit modules including the new Portal which is a wave wrapping distortion/waveshaper.

Mystic Circuit modules available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/mystic..."

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LambdaSpeak & LambdaDrum for the Amstrad CPC

LambdaSpeak 3 - Simple 10 Track Pattern Sequencer / Drum Sequencer

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Michael Wessel

You might remember the Next-Generation Speech Synthesizer for the Amstrad / Schneider CPC 464 from Michael Wessel. Here are a three new videos featuring the LambdaSpeak & LambdaDrum for the Amstrad CPC, in via Michael Wessel. The LambdaDrum is a High Quality 10 Track 4 Channel PCM Pattern-based Drum Computer for the Amstrad CPC (a feature of the LambdaSpeak 3.0 Speech Synthesizer).
Related: Also check out the Amstrad CPC - Vocal synthesizer by Techni Musique (1986).

Video description for the above:
"A simple 10 track pattern-based drum computer for LambdaSpeak 3 (written entirely in BASIC).

This is a demo of 4channel polyphonous PCM sample playing with LambdaSpeak 3. Here, up to 4 channels of 8 Bit 16 kHz PCM are being played in parallel.

The LambdaSpeak 3 board has a socket for an (optional) vintage GI SPO256-AL2 speech chip, which is being used in this demo as well. The SPO256-ALs has its own channel (8) and track (11), and is being used for random allophones here."

LambdaDrum CPC Drum Computer Demo - 4 Channels of 8 Bit PCM @ 16 kHz

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Michael Wessel

"Spent some more time optimizing the PCM playback capabilities of LambdaSpeak 3. By now I have 4 channels of high quality 8 Bit PCM.

In this video, 16 kHz drum samples are being used. 16 kHz are a good compromise between size and quality. The samples are from the Boss DR 660 drum computer, and can be found online. Combined, these 10 samples are about 120 KBytes in size - a good fit for LambdaSpeak's 128 KBytes of PCM EEPROM sample memory!

Some ome pre-processing needs to be applied to the samples before they can be used with LambdaSpeak - first I am using Audacity for PCM editing (cutting, fading, normalizing, ...), then the Switch Sound File Converter for conversion to 8Bit 16 kHz PCM, and finally a program to remove all file and PCM headers from the PCM files.

The resulting PCM files are then put on a standard CPC DSK file and being uploaded into LambdaSpeak's EEPROM memory using a simple CPC BASIC program (a MC program would do the 120 KByte upload in a few seconds).

The drum computer program shown here is a simple BASIC program - all the actual PCM playback is done by LambdaSpeak, not by the CPC. The CPC would be incabable of serving PCM of that quality over its databus (insufficient CPU band width and clock speed)."

LambdaDrum Pattern Sequencer in BASIC

Published on Mar 25, 2019 Michael Wessel

"A simple pattern-based drum computer in BASIC, demonstrating the polyphonous high quality PCM sample playing mode of LambdaSpeak 3.

The PCM samples are from the Boss DR-660 drum computer and have been been uploaded from the CPC into the 128 KB SPI EEPROM of LambdaSpeak 3, from which they are also being played back in realtime. The EEPROM is a standard, inexpensive 25LC1024.

The recording is direct line-out; no further audio post processing. The DAC is done by the ATmega and a simple RC; no further audio circuitry is being used.

The on-the-fly mixing of different PCM channels (for polyphony) still requires some fine tuning; there are still some artifacts."

Update: also see: LambdaSpeak 3 - Amstrad / Schneider CPC MIDI IN Synthesizer Demo

See the Amstrad label below for more.

Intellijel Tête (Tetrapad Expander), Quadrax & Palette At SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"Intellijel showed us the Tête expander for the Tetrapad which adds features including sequencing and motion recording. They also had an updated version of the Quadra, the Quadrax which is a quad envelope and LFO with CV controls and a built in modulation matrix. All of this is housed inside of their new Palette case which is a compact 4U 62HP case with a few built in utilities and connections.

Intellijel products available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/intell..."

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Analogue Solutions Impulse Command Stereo Synthesizer Demo

Published on Apr 1, 2019 rezfilter

"Here's another (extended) demo of the Analogue Solutions Impulse Command synthesizer. This demo shows the extreme stereo capabilities of the synth, so headphones are required (naturally).

Yes, we're talking DUAL filters and the ability to modulate these across the stereo field in ferociously musical ways!

Impulse Command is a stereo analogue synth / sonic realiser. Perfect for melodic and percussion loops. Very easy (and fun!) to create modular style analogue loops. It’s a complete sound track all by itself!

It’s wrong to call it a synthesizer (in fact a new word needs to be invented) because then you get preconceived ideas about what it does. It’s a whole lot more than a synth. It’s also part drum synth, part pattern generator, part modular loop producer.

All its unique features plus the 2 independent LPFs give this machine the ability to produce stereo loops that sound like multiple synths playing at once."

Analogue Solutions Impulse Command

SoundForce introduces MIDI controller for u-he’s Repro-1 plugin

via SoundForce:

"SoundForce presents a new model to its dedicated USB-MIDI controllers product line: the SFC-1, a controller especially designed for the fantastic u-he’s Repro-1 plugin.

Features
With a whopping total of 51 pots, 41 slide switches and 6 tactile switches, you can control every single MIDI-mappable parameter of the plugin in analog fashion. The awesome effect chain is also fully-covered on the bottom section of the controller.

Every control is assigned to a default CC number, but that can be changed using our control panel app in Google Chrome. A shift button unlocks an alternative channel for each pot, allowing you to control potentially 51 extra parameters. Even more user-specific controls are possible with the extra set of user-assignable switches and pots.

Build quality
The enclosure is made of 100% sheet metal. The case is made of bent steel and powder coated in black. The front panel is aluminium, also powder coated and screen printed with scratch-proof white ink. Please note that the final product will have a plain black powder coat, not structured like the pictures are showing. Discrete and minimalistic wooden pieces of 6 mm thickness are added to the sides. Dimensions are: 380 mm x 173 mm x 55 mm (Length x Width x Height).

The SFC-1 is a boutique controller manufactured in small batches in the Netherlands. A lot of operations are still performed by hand and automation is used when possible to improve quality and processes.


Shipping & pricing
The controller will start to ship in June. You can come check it out at Prolight+Sound/Musikmesse in Frankfurt (on Thursday and Friday only, in Hall 8 Booth B10 - Audio Maker Square) and Superbooth in Berlin (Booth O501). 100 pieces will be made in the first batch. The price will be 329 euros including VAT for EU-customers and 271 euros outside the EU. Pre-order now on the webshop: http://sound-force.nl

3 other SoundForce MIDI controllers are still currently available : SFC-Mini (for Minimoog plugins), SFC-60 (for the TAL Juno 60 emulation plugin) and SFC-5 (for the P5 plugins)."

Soundtronics MIDI Ultimate DIY Analogue Synth Based on the MFOS Sound Lab Ultimate

Published on Jan 8, 2019 Soundtronics Ltd

Related posts:
2018: Who are Soundtronics? 5U Modular with MFOS Yusynth & more // Synthfest 2018
2016: Soundtronics to Partner with MFOS on Bringing Synth DIY to the Masses & Other Formats

Video description for the above:
"In January 2019, the UK electronics magazine EPE published the first of 6 articles written by Paul Cooper of Soundtronics Ltd on how to build the MIDI Ultimate. The MIDI Ultimate is an analogue synth based on the MFOS Soundlab Ultimate. The soundtrack was produced entirely on the MIDI Ultimate using overdubbing and the Reaper DAW software. Whilst it is not that close to the original Stranger Things theme, a studio full of classic 80's synths was not going to be replaced by one 'home made' synth but it was fun to try!"

Midi Ultimate DIY Synth Demo 2

Published on Feb 24, 2019 Soundtronics Ltd

"At the time of publishing this video, 2 of the 6 installments of the build guide for the MIDI Ultimate synth have been publish in the EPE magazine. So why you are busy with your soldering iron, here is another taster of a track from the 80's using only the synth and the Reaper DAW software for recording the individual sound layers."

MIDI Ultimate Patch 1 - Pulsing Filter

Published on Mar 11, 2019

"We have named this patch the Pulsing Filter and this recording was done in one take using only the MIDI Ultimate and a MIDI keyboard for the key changes. The patch is based on three VCOs tuned to sub octave and sub sub octave. Their square wave outputs feed into the VCF, the VCA is bypassed and onto the echo effects section. The VCF has both LFO and ADSR modulation for the cut-off frequency. The LFO rate is very slow and gives the underlying cyclic sound. The ADSR is triggered from two sources, the sample and hold clock to give the main beat and also from the MIDI keyboard to give emphasis to note changes. During the course of the track, echo is added, then white noise and then lots of filter resonance."

via Soundtronics

"The MIDI Ultimate project is a fully-featured analogue synth with a performance comparable to many commercially available instruments. The MIDI Ultimate is an evolution of the musicfromouterspace.com (MFOS) Sound Lab Ultimate design by the late Ray Wilson who is credited for much of the design which has been reproduced with kind permission of Synthcube.com in the US.

This project will appeal to both those whose primary interest is in electronics and those whose interest is purely making music. This is quite a large build to take on with nearly 700 components (fig 1) and may initially be seen as rather daunting. However, the construction is covered in 6 issues of the EPE magazine with cover dates from February 2019 to July 2019. With care and with our detailed constructional articles, it is quite achievable. The two essential skills needed to undertake this construction are soldering and component identification. If these are new to you then numerous guides and videos can be found online. If you are a first timer or relatively inexperienced in electronics, practice your soldering before starting on this synth. Whilst the component count is high, the PCB is assembled systematically with each individual section tested before moving onto the next.

Synth Features
Three Musically Accurate Voltage Controller Oscillators (VCOs) with sawtooth and variable width pulse wave forms, pulse width modulation, hard-sync, log CV inputs.
Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter (VCF) 12db/Oct doubles as a sine wave oscillator
Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA)with log response
White Noise Generator
Active 8 Channel Mixer for all VCO waveforms, noise and external input
Two Attack, Decay, Sustain & Release Envelope Generators (ADSR)
Two Low Frequency Oscillators (LFO) with square, ramp, triangle and sawtooth waveforms
Repeat Gate Generator that can also double as another square wave LFO)
Sample & Hold (S&H) with variable sample rate and glide
Toggle Switch Patching with potentiometer mixing
Echo Effect Sound Processor
MIDI to CV Interface with 1-16 channel selector switch, responds to all 128 MIDI note keys
Headphones and Line output
Integral +/- 12Vdc Power supply Regulator (needs external 12Vac 500mA plug top adaptor)
DIY Construction with through hole components
Single board design with PCB mounted pots and switches eliminates panel wiring"

Noise Engineering New Modules At SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"Noise Engineering showed us some of their new modules at SynthPlex 2019. This patch uses the Vox Digitalis as a sequencer, Cursus Iteritas Percido as the voice, Sinc Bucina low pass gate and Kith Ruina distortion. Noise Engineering also let us know that all of their modules will start coming with black panels.

Noise Engineering available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/noise-..."

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1010 Music Blackbox Desktop Sampling Workstation SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"1010 Music showed off their tiny and powerful Blackbox. The Blackbox is a sample based sequencer workstation with a touch screen with audio inputs and multiple audio outputs. It also features midi in/out and DC coupled audio so it is capable of recording and sending out CV.

1010 products available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/1010-m..."

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WMD Crucible Metallic Percussion Eurorack Module SYNTHPLEX 2019

Published on Apr 1, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"WMD showed the Crucible at SynthPlex 2019, the next module in their lineup of drum modules. The Crucible is a metallic percussion synthesizer which uses physical modeling synthesis techniques with delay lines and filters. The Crucible is designed to produce cymbal and gong sounds, but you can get other interesting sounds out of it as well.

Crucible available here: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/wmd-cr..."

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