MATRIXSYNTH

Korg VC-10 Vocoder

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Sound Semiconductor Announces New SSI2140 Filter Chip Based on the Classic SSM2040

The SSM2040 was used in the original Prophet-5 Rev 1 & 2.

Press release:

SOUND SEMICONDUCTOR UPDATES ICONIC FILTER CHIP

Retains Classic Sound and Adds Significant Features

May 26, 2020 - Sonora, California - Sound Semiconductor today announced a major addition to its product family with the SSI2140, an update to the revered SSM2040 by original designer Dave Rossum.

The SSM2040 Voltage Controlled Filter is considered by many to be the best-sounding synthesizer filter IC produced, which helped establish a place in history for Sequential Circuit's Rev. 1 and 2 Prophet 5.

Following completion of the SSI2144, which is an update to SSM's other famous filter, Sound Semiconductor turned its attention to the SSM2040. First and foremost, the basic transconductance core was left unchanged to retain its sound characteristics. However, process technology and design know-how advances permitted the addition of new features.

Like the SSM2040, the SSI2140 contains four independent transconductance cells that can be connected for a wide variety of filter pole and mode configurations such as low-pass, high-pass, all-pass, band-pass, Sallen & Key, State Variable, Cauer, and many others. To improve temperature sensitivity, gain core cells are temperature-compensated.

Similarly, optional temperature compensation is available for the exponential port that provides a wide range of control using the SSM2040's same constant of -18mV/OCT.

A major addition is an on-chip "Q-VCA", also temperature compensated, that allows easy control of resonance ("Q") and supports numerous optional Q compensation schemes to overcome attenuation of passband frequencies as resonance increases. Should the Q-VCA not be needed for resonance or compensation, it can be put to work for traditional VCA or VCF applications such as, for example, a single-pole high-pass filter.

Finally, like the SSM2040, the SSI2140 has an input overdrive characteristic that many believe contributes to the filter's coveted sound.

Due to a different package type and pin connections, the SSI2140 won't directly retrofit SSM2040 PCB positions, but third parties are already developing adapter boards. One outfit has even developed a single board to adapt the SSI2140 to Rev. 3 Prophet 5's.

The SSI2140 is offered in a 20-lead Shrink Small Outline Package (SSOP). Priced at $1.18 for 1000 pieces, the SSI2140 is in stock for immediate shipment. Samples are available to qualified OEMs; hobby and DIY enthusiasts are served through a growing network of Sound Semiconductor's authorized resellers.

"When we started this enterprise, a SSM2040 update was on our short list," stated Dan Parks, President of Sound Semiconductor. "Dave Rossum was anxious to take this on, and as the project progressed he devised new ways to improve functionality. Early users have attested to preservation of SSM2040 sound, and some claim that Q Compensation 'sounds huge'."

Sound Semiconductor is composed of musicians and technologists with the goal of developing affordable, high-performance integrated circuits for music creation. For more information, please visit www.soundsemiconductor.com.

Pulsar Base-One Soma Labs Pulsar 23 with 0-CTRL Novation Summit all controlled by Novation SL MKIII

Published on May 26, 2020 -CALC-

"Second recorded jam using the mighty Pulsar 23 drum machine from Soma Laboratories.

This time it is joined by 0-CTRL with 0-Coast, SH101, Beatsqueezer through Rossum Electro Panharmonium - recorded into Chase Bliss Blooper, Yamaha Reface CP and the don of synthesisers Novation Summit.

The whole thing is clocked and sequenced by the the Novation SL MKIII easily my favourite performance sequencer of all time.

This was created in realtime as it was recorded, I'd filmed something else but carried on rolling with a little idea and this turned out."

Journey into the Jungle on the Yamaha QY70 (A Tropical LoFi Beat)

Published on May 26, 2020 Audio Wanderer

"With the help of the rare loop machine 'Sound~Relax' we made a mysterious trip into the jungle with the Yamaha QY-70... What we heard will surprise you..."

Roland Jupiter X "1983"

Published on May 26, 2020 synthartist69

"This is part of my composition on the Jupiter X called "1983". The keyboard is split so that only the bass is being arpeggiated on the lower notes. The bass is a Jupiter patch called "Tight Bass". It is a very impressive bass and has a very MOOGISH sound. The right hand is playing a layer I created of synthbells and a portamento pad. Hope you enjoy!"

Live coding the Model:Cycles with ORCΛ

Published on May 26, 2020 EZBOT

"This live coding session was really something special. I think the Model:Cycles and ORCA are the best companions I have found so far. The way control all works with 6 different synth engines is just unbelievably fun with ORCA running the show."

Sequential Synth Tips #5 with Noir Et Blanc Vie

Published on May 26, 2020 Sequential

"Welcome to 'Sequential Synth Tips,' where some of our favorite artists share their tips, tricks, and techniques on Sequential synths. In this episode, we feature keyboardist and videographer Noir Et Blanc Vie demonstrating the poly-mod section on the Prophet-6."

Sequential Synth Tips

Noir Et Blanc Vie on MATRIXSYNTH

EP265 Sensel Morph and Animoog

Published on May 26, 2020 CatSynth TV

"We demo the Sensel Morph (with Buchla Thunder overlay) with the Animoog synthesizer app for iPad.

The Animoog is a software synthesizer from Moog based around the Anisotropic Synthesis Engine - the sound morphs among 8 different timbres along a user-defined path. Animoog also supports Midi Polyphonic Expression (MPE), making it an ideal pairing for the MPE-compabile Sensel Morph + Thunder overlay.

0:14 Introduction to Animoog
1:11 Setting up the Sensel Morph for MPE
1:49 Demo of Animog Presets set up to support MPE
5:11 Custom preset
6:00 How to create your own presets"

Let's build the MOOG Subharmonicon in VCV Rack

Published on May 26, 2020 Omri Cohen

"If you like what I do and want to support my work, consider joining me on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/omricohen

More synths in VCV Rack - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Here are the patches and strip file - https://patchstorage.com/lets-build-t...
00:00 - Sequencer
05:15 - Oscillators
15:00 - Filter+Envelopes
17:49 - Sound Test"

New VITAL Wavetable Based Soft Synth in the Works

Published on May 25, 2020 Matt Tytel

First some demos. Additional details below.

Playlist:

Smear: a spectral oscillator morph mode in Vital

Adding some new ways to change oscillator sounds and added this "Smear" mode. It creates a lot of high frequency content so you can create interesting percussive sounds with just the oscillator.

Inharmonic Stretch: New spectral oscillator morph mode in Vital

It's hard to complete, polish and release a large software project like a synth.

It's even harder when you can be creating and playing with new spectral-morphing oscillator modes instead.

This "Inharmonic Stretch" mode moves oscillator harmonics up the spectrum in a non-linear way.

Stereo LFOs and parameter modulation

All modulation source (LFOs/envelopes/etc) in Vital run in stereo and can modulate parameters separately for left/right channels. You might need to put on some headphones.

Modulating the phase of an oscillator's phase distortion.

Here's a feature I made early in Vital's development.
Distortion phase moves where an oscillator's phase distortion happens. Moving the 'Bend' position can make infinitely rising or falling sounds. It also looks pretty cool!

Spectral formant morphing text generated wavetables (feat. Mashed potatoes and gravy)

Added a spectral wavetable morphing mode that removes unintended formant shifts from playing higher notes (like chipmunking) and allows you to control the amount of shift instead.

It pairs well with Vital's text-to-wavetable, but it sounds cool with other wavetables as well.

Physical modeling with a band-spread comb filter

Shepard tone wavetables

Sometimes you don't want your risers to end, so I added Shepard tone wavetables to Vital. I would have uploaded a 10hr video but I figure when Vital comes out you can generate it yourself.

Harmonic Stretch: Spectral morph mode for wavetables in Vital

This "Harmonic Stretch" mode scales harmonics up the frequency domain, leaving the fundamental where it is.

Effects UI design and colors (no sound)

Now that I've worked on the effect design/layout I can finally start playing with colors :D

Effects UI design and colors (no sound)

Now that I've worked on the effect design/layout I can finally start playing with colors :D

Spectral Time Skew

Added this 'Spectral Time Skew' oscillator effect that scrolls through your wavetable a different amount for every harmonic.
Hard to describe, but fun to experiment with!

Spectral oscillator warping + wavetable phase warping

Combining Vital's spectral oscillator warping with more standard wavetable phase warping. All sounds were made with the same waveframe (with no wavetable movement) to show how many different sounds you can get with pairs of warp modes.

Audio rate filter modulation with saw wave input

Modulating different filters with keytracked LFOs in Vital here. Just a saw wave at a constant pitch as input so all the sound you're hearing is mostly from the filter modulation.

via https://vital.audio

"Create Your Own Wavetables
Turn your own samples into wavetables by using Vital's pitch-splice or vocode wavetable import options.

Create wavetables from scratch using the built-in wavetable editor. Interpolate single cycle waveforms, warp existing wavetables into new ones or even generate wavetables from text!

GPU Optimized Graphics
Get real-time synth feedback from Vital's wavetable, filter, LFO, envelope, and modulation animations that run at a clean 60 frames-per-second.

Vital motion blurs LFO and envelope animations to show those ultra fast modulations. All animations are GPU optimized which leaves your CPU to do its real job, the audio processing.

High Quality Oscillators
Generate clean sounds using Vital's oscillators that have an extremely low noise floor and have a sharp cutoff at Nyquist for almost no aliasing.

Worried about CPU usage? There are some clever SSE optimizations to keep the oscillators easy on your CPU, so crank up the unison on both oscillators!

Full Stereo Modulation Chain
Stereo modulate almost any control in Vital. Modulate filter cutoffs and resonances in opposite directions for your left and right ears. Tweak an envelope so the decay time varies in stereo.

If all the stereo modulation gets too crazy, blend it back to Dual-Mono mode and have both stereo channels playing their separate controls in the center for a full stacked sound."