MATRIXSYNTH

Take 5 At the Beach - Jam #2 5/4/2025 - Sequential Take 5, Walrus Qi Etherealizer

video upload by I Love Cats and Synths

"Another jam at the Surfside Beach Hotel in Surfside, SC using my Sequential Take 5 and Walrus Qi Etherealizer pedal. Includes video and audio footage of the surf."

Sonicware LoFi-6, Make Noise Strega & Ableton MODE

video upload by Akihiko Matsumoto

DIY eurorack modular synth | MOD2 Kick Drum : RP2350 based drum module

video upload by HAGIWO

"Thanks to AI-friendly hardware design, it's easy to create software variations using generative AI. With general-purpose components and a simple circuit, this module is affordable and DIY-friendly.

Kick:
Sin wave base , 6 parameters kick drum.
Pressing the button will change the assigned parameter.

working documents
https://note.com/solder_state/n/nce8f...
https://note.com/solder_state/n/nbdea..."

Frap Tools Magnolia, 8-voice analog thru-zero FM polyphonic synthesizer | Project update

video upload by Frap Tools

Click CC at the bottom of the player for subtitles.

"Magnolia will be an 8-voice analog through-zero FM synthesizer, which we built to create sounds from the modular world through a classic keyboard interface.

Waveshapers, wavefolders, and, most importantly, analog linear through-zero FM unlock every sound associated with the 'West Coast' synthesis world. But that's not all! Fat resonant filters and powerful analog oscillators allow more traditional subtractive synthesis sounds as well.

A vast and flexible modulation section encourages complex patches with the twist of a knob, but it is always easy to keep track of what's going on thanks to LEDs on every source and destination. An arpeggiator and a sequencer complement the machine.

We are announcing and showcasing two pre-production units. We aim to release the final version at the end of summer, and it will show some differences. It may have a more refined interface, it will feature digital effects, and some of the features currently under evaluation may disappear.

We've been working on it for the last year, and we're eager to show it to the world!"

Follow-up to this post where you'll find additonal pics.

Update: press release follows:

Frap Tools to take on high-end keyboard synthesizer market with ‘West Coast’ MAGNOLIA making its public debut at SUPERBOOTH25

MEDOLLA, ITALY: Frap Tools, hitherto known as a manufacturer of Eurorack modules and accessories alongside professional audio compressors in the 500-Series format, is proud to venture into the world of high-end keyboard synthesizers with its introduction of MAGNOLIA — announced as an 8-VOICE ANALOG THRU-ZERO FM SYNTHESIZER built to unlock every sound associated with ‘West Coast’ modular synthesis through a classic keyboard interface — anchored around showcasing two pre-production units at SUPERBOOTH25, May 8-10, FEZ-Berlin, Germany…

As an 8-VOICE ANALOG THRU-ZERO FM SYNTHESIZER, MAGNOLIA unlocks every sound associated with the so-called ‘West Coast’ modular synthesis world with waveshapers, wavefolders, and, most importantly, analog linear TZFM (Through-Zero Frequency Modulation) Indeed, its intentions are made clear from the outset by the on point wording worked tastefully into its (initial) top panel design. No need to necessarily remain there, though, for fat resonant filters and powerful analogue oscillators also allow for more traditional subtractive synthesis sounds. And although a deep and flexible modulation section encourages complex patches with the push of a button and twist of a knob, switching modulations on and off with the TOGGLE function, it is always easy to keep track of what is going on thanks to the inclusion of LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) on every source and destination.

Digging deeper, MAGNOLIA features eight analogue voices with two oscillators — carrier and modulator — and 24 dB/oct resonant HIGH-PASS and LOW-PASS filters; the carrier oscillator has a through-zero core for precise, sideband-rich analogue FM (Frequency Modulation) sounds, so crystal-like pads to growling basses are available to all with the greatest of ease, while FM can be applied to the filters. Furthermore, sculpting sounds that have not been heard before on analogue polysynths are now perfectly possible, thanks to MAGNOLIA’s unique signal flow — think continuously variable waveform shapes and a wavefolder circuit per voice!

Those two oscillators are derived from Frap Tools’ BRENSO (https://frap.tools/products/brenso/), a Euroack module readily representing its creator’s primary analogue source of articulated waveforms whose degree of entanglement can be precisely set by the musician. MAGNOLIA’s Oscillator 1 is the ‘West Coast’ one with TZFM, wavefolder, and FLIP SYNC, while Oscillator 2 is the ‘East Coast’ one, with PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and fine-tune. Whether wanting experimental FM sounds or punchy synth brass, they are always at anyone’s service. Speaking of Frap Tools’ unique modular soul, MAGNOLIA’s filter section is derived from CUNSA (https://frap.tools/products/cunsa/) — itself a quadruple analogue ping-able multimode resonant filter, saturator, mixer, and oscillator, no less!

Musically, MAGNOLIA sports a keyboard from fellow Italians FATAR, with polyphonic aftertouch capabilities for enhanced expressiveness, while a per-part ARPEGGIATOR and per-part 16-step SEQ (sequencer) serve to creatively complement the synthesizer still further. Features briefly worth drawing attention to here by way of ending on some more high notes include MAGNOLIA’s bi-timbral programs (with SINGLE, MORPH, DUAL, and SPLIT MODES); all-analogue signal path; three loop-able DAHDSR (DELAY, ATTACK, HOLD, DECAY, SUSTAIN, and RELEASE) envelopes; three digital LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators); and 512 preset memory slots.

Anyone attending SUPERBOOTH25, May 8-10, FEZ-Berlin, Germany can get up close and personal with two MAGNOLIA pre-production units by swinging by Booth B049 there. Their creators will be showcasing them personally, eager to show the results of their hard work, while providing a passionate warm welcome. Frap Tools aim to release MAGNOLIA as a production product by the end of summer, albeit with some differences evident by then. The interface will likely be more refined, featuring digital effects, while some features currently under evaluation could conceivably be removed."

Polyphony Without Spaghetti: TipTop Audio ART Modular

video upload by HAINBACH

"I love new music technology. When I heard about TipTop Audio's new ART system that allows for polyphonic pitch, gate and velocity information to be transferred via regular patch cables and their own multi-tip USB style cables, I was intrigued. I never thought of Eurorack as being a fun tool for polyphony, as it requires a lot of modules and a spaghetti mess of connections. Can this tech change that?"

Full Bucket Introduces Fury-68 - Virtual KORG Poly-61

video upload by Elektronick Musick

Full Bucket · 68

via Full Bucket

"The Fury-68 is a software instrument for Microsoft Windows (VST2/VST3/CLAP/AAX) and Apple macOS (VST2/VST3/CLAP/AU/AAX) simulating the KORG Poly-61 polyphonic synthesizer from 1982. It is written in native C++ code for high performance even on 'lighter' systems. Main features are:

Close simulation of the original hardware

Extended polyphony and Unison mode

Increased parameter resolution

Optional enhancement parameters (VCA envelope generator etc.)

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ZicBOX - DIY open source modular scalable groovebox

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

"The #ZicBOX Pixel is the smallest example built in the ZicBOX ecosystem. The idea here is modular hardware meets modular software, so you can quickly scale up or down your #synthesizer and #groovebox ideas with a couple of JSON files and some 3D printed enclosures. Sponsored by #PCBWay. Table of contents:

00:12 concept
00:45 PCBWay https://pcbway.com/g/4nkLCf
01:49 parts needed / costs
02:13 building the thing
06:30 installing the software
06:56 UI overview
07:15 using the thing
11:09 conclusion, and call for papers (coders and designers)
12:10 if you find my videos useful, please consider supporting this channel (building DIY devices and learning how they work and then making a video is expensive and time consuming)

Relevant links
ZicBOX gitHub https://github.com/apiel/zicBox
Bill Of Materials https://github.com/apiel/zicBox/wiki/...
PCBWay - https://pcbway.com/g/4nkLCf - you can upload the ZIP folder from the GitHub page there; the measures are 100x84,5mm - price is $5 per board with a minimum of 5 boards per order

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/"

Additional designs:

Erica Synths Steampipe + Intuitive Instruments Exquis

video upload by The Green Man(TGM) + sound.report by Heiner Kruse

"Those two can work together very well.
The video mainly focusses on Steampipe's sound generation and is played in between via Exquis and MPE and Exquis own Arpeggiator"

Timestamps
00:00-00:45 Intro + playing via Exquis
00:45-01:18 MPE On/Off/ internal Play Button
01:19-05:22 Playing around with the Default Sound
05:22-07:08 Playing other presets
07:08-10:36 Different Saturation Symmetry Modes + Summary

Elka Rhythm-Machine - Ultra Rare Analog Drum Machine made in Italy in 1975!

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

via this Reverb listing

You can find a demo of one here.

"Super rare, mid-70s Italian gem! Great rhythms and independent control of the volume of the sounds (as with the Elka Drummer One) make it useful as well as a curiosity.

It has 16 types of rhythms that can be combined (maximum of 2 together at a time):

• Slow R. • Waltz • Tango • March • Paso D. • Swing • Rock • R. Blues • Shake • Afro • Beguine • Samba • Mambo • Rhumba • Cha Cha • Bossa N.

The front panel includes 2 main controls: Volume and Tempo Speed.

Then 8 sound generators are built in, these are: Bass Drum, Conga, Bongo 1, Bongo 2, Claves, Snare Drum, Maracas, Cymbal. To adjust the overall sound-balance an eight-channel mixer is provided. This is where the machine comes into its own, the percussion simulation is excellent!

In many ways this is a smaller version of the Elka Drummer One, and a stand-alone of the beat boxes Elka were building into their organs at the time. It's all analogue and the sounds are certainly in the same vein as the Drummer One, if not identical, and, as with other Elkas, the superior rhythm programming is again in evidence.

Super collector’s item! Due to the small number of units made and their limited distribution area, at present it’s really difficult to find one of these small pieces of vintage drum machine.

The Rhythm-Machine is super rare, even in Italy - which is its country of origin - you can’t find one like this! If you buy it, you are going to have in your hands a real treasure!"

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