"rare machine, made to store, read, and transfer midi data files. and also can play them back via it's midi output to other devices, or via it's own sound engine.
it's also made to work with general midi, and it has a general midi playback sound engine inside, which is fully configurable, tracks can be muted, instruments selected, etc. it even has audio effects per track.
nice for a journey into general midi research, and old video games soundtracking. or as a midi sequences orchestrating playback device.
it has floppy emulator installed instead of a floppy disk drive, which makes it way easier to operate, and midi files can be easily transferred from a computer.
comes with original box, original manual and original power supply.
"Unfortunately, this unit was damaged in shipping. The power transformer has come unmounted from inside of the chassis, and while it was knocking around inside the synth it managed to damage two PCBs as well as the connector that ties it to the power PCB. We assume that several traces on both damaged PCBs have been broken. This was a great synth, and this could be a good project for anyone willing to dig into it. The synth was working perfectly before being shipped. At this juncture it's in poor working condition."
"A walkthrough of how I'm making songs on the Torso S-4.
00:00 - Song 02:24 - Intro, tape machine 04:38 - Granular 07:36 - Resonator 11:45 - Drive, noise, colour 13:11 - Delay and reverb 15:32 - Drums and performance effects 19:18 - The magic of TEMP 19:56 - Pitched drums 22:43 - Making a pad 27:24 - Fourth track 28:56 - Performing with four tracks 31:14 - Concluding thoughts, USB multitrack out
I bought the Torso S-4 last month, thinking it would be an interesting device for playing with granular ideas with a few loops. As soon as I started playing with it, it was clear I had underestimated just how much more the S-4 is, and how inspiring it is. In fact, I basically never use it as a granular device!
This is probably the single most inspiring piece of hardware I've tried since I discovered the Octatrack. It transforms sounds, it is incredible for performing, and it has that perfect feedback loop between musician and instrument. In just a couple of weeks, I've recorded a whole album with it, which I'll release soon.
This is a walkthrough of how I'm making full songs on the S-4. In reality, four tracks is not quite enough for me to be making full songs, and in the final performances I add extra layers. But as a device to create new sounds, glue tracks together, sketch out a song arrangement, and perform some interesting parameter changes, the S-4 is nothing short of an epiphany for me.
Note that I'm using the 2.0 firmware beta, which is largely the same as the recently released 2.0 firmware. I'm well aware of the internet conversation on the previous firmware of the device, of hardware buttons not having any function and triggering a "coming soon" message, etc. I'm also aware of some quality/build concerns from some S-4 owners. I don't want to discredit any of those complaints, and I'm sure they are valid; but I can only tell you about my individual experience, which was largely flawless aside from a few bugs along the way.
Please also note that this isn't my usual sort of video, but rather one I originally recorded for my Patreon community. I'm having such a good time with the S-4, though, that I really wanted to share it more broadly. I hope you find it useful.
"90-second with the Ginkosynthese SampleSlicer MKIII. A real-time sampling and looping Eurorack module that lets you record, slice, and CV-modulate your sounds live. With CV over start point, length, and pitch, the SampleSlicer MKIII transforms static audio into evolving rhythms and textured loops. It’s a memory machine with an ear for now."
"A piece created with the @teenageengineering OP-1 field and @KORG_INC volca fm2. Rubbing stones and bells mix with airy synth tones and fine, grain-like fragments.
OP-1 field: Records the scraped stone and bell sounds, then layers live playing on the internal synth. On NIGHTSKY, adding reverb while adjusting the filter.
volca fm2: Runs a simple sequence; I shift octaves and tempo on the fly, while the @ChaseBlissAudio MOOD MK II adds delay and pitch-shifting."
"A new musique concréte improvisation with Buchla 700 emulations and my very own samples triggered with the Buchla Thunder as 8 simultaneous midi channels👌🏽
The album with recordings done only with both the Buchla Thunder and Lighting sets is happening💫
"rare machine, made to store, read, and transfer midi data files. and also can play them back via it's midi output to other devices, or via it's own sound engine.
