Wednesday, September 09, 2026
VAV X-Wave: Wave-Crosser
"X-Wave is a crossover-synched signal switcher for the Eurorack modular system. It's simple to use (no knobs in sight), but it's also very powerful!
X-Wave has two Signal Inputs (conveniently named SIGNAL 1 IN and SIGNAL 2 IN). It has only one OUT, though, so it is forced to choose between the two signals you give it. To do this, it listens to SIGNAL 1 and decides if SIGNAL 1 is positive (as indicated by the little +).
If SIGNAL 1 is positive, it sends only itself to the OUT jack.
However, if SIGNAL 1 is negative, only SIGNAL 2 is sent to the OUT jack (as indicated, again, by the little -).
So, if you feed two different waveforms from a VCO into SIGNAL 1 and 2 IN (pulse on 1 and saw on 2 work very well together, for example), the result will be a wave shape that cycles between half of each waveform you provided. If you use a pulse for SIGNAL 1, you can also create wavetable-like effects by varying the pulse width of your pulse wave on your VCO.
There are two other functions on the X-Wave that greatly expand its capabilities:
You can connect a third signal to the + DETECT IN jack as an external control of the switching action. This will make X-Wave stop listening to SIGNAL 1, and listen only to the 3rd signal This is very useful for using a pulse wave with PWM to "scroll" between two other waveforms from the same VCO, inserting sub oscillators to toggle between full cycles of SIGNALS 1 and 2, hocketing effects via use of a sequencer or gate divider, non-synched interleaving and switching effects, and voltage-controlled A/B switching or muting.
You can also invert the polarity of SIGNAL 2 using the provided toggle switch. This can be used to correct unfavorable polarity alignments between SIGNALS 1 and 2 or can also be used to turn X-Wave into a full wave rectifier or external-voltage-controlled inverter if you plug the same signal into both SIGNAL IN jacks.
X-Wave can pass signals down to 0hz (DC) so it can also be used to process LFOs, Envelopes, CV Sequences, and 1V/Octave signals. It probably has other uses I haven't thought of!
X-Wave is 4HP and uses Burr Brown op amps for the main signal path alongside other high quality Texas Instruments ICs for other duties. X-Wave is not a bi-directional switch, so please be aware that the IN and OUT jack labels should be followed when patching. X-Wave uses a high impedance of 1M (10x the typical 100k) for all inputs, so multiple units can be connected via stacking cables/passive splitters (up to 10 inputs can be paralleled while still maintaining traditional Eurorack input impedance standards)."
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, New Modules, News, VAV
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, New Modules, News, VAV
VAV N-Wave: Middle-Out Waveshaper
video upload by Magical Synth Adventure
"Join me as I take the @control_voltage VAV N-Wave Middle-Out Waveshaper for a spin!
The N-Wave is a really imaginative waveshaper. Some waveshapers might fold over the peaks of an incoming waveform, some might rectify them - squaring things off like a fuzz pedal. N-wave keeps the peaks of waveform - like the top and bottom of a saw wave - intact, and instead lets you shape and turn up on the volume on a section in the middle of the waveform - leading to unique tones. This is especially true, as you can vary the width of this middle section!"
video uploads by control_voltage
Playlist:
1. VAV N-Wave: Step Sequenced Threshold
One fun live performance (or studio) use for the N-Wave is to connect a Step Sequencer on the Threshold CV and generate different timbres for each step in a sequence. These act as accents and add a lot of life and feel to your sequences and the feel can easily be changed on the fly using something like a Joranalogue Step 8 as your source of steps.2. VAV N-Wave: Threshold Ring Modulation
In Part 2 of the VAV N-Wave Video Manual, we look at using the threshold control and bipolar vca cv to create new waveforms that have a mixture of normal and ring modulated (quadrature) segments.3. VAV N-Wave Mangles a Triangle
Here, the N-Wave does quite a number on an unsuspecting triangle wave with the help of some nearby modules. N-Wave is kind of like that one kid's house where everyone hung out and cooked up weird DnD campaigns or something. But for modular signals.
"N-Wave is a novel waveshaper for the Eurorack modular format. Unlike traditional wavefolders and clippers, which operate on the peaks of a waveform, N-Wave leaves peaks intact. All you need to expand your sound palette greatly is a VCO signal and a few twists of the knobs!
Using its internal bipolar VCA (aka four quadrant multiplier, aaka ring modulator) you can apply gain reduction and polarity inversion to an inner portion of the wave slope that you define with the THRESHOLD and OFFSET controls.
All functions can also be controlled via control voltage inputs. LFOs, Audio Rate VCOs, ADSR Envelopes, 1V/Oct signals, sequenced voltages, sample and hold signals, noise, and sub octave signals are all very good choices and can produce results ranging from very musical to very strange. An external detector signal can also be applied if you don't want to trigger the detector on the waveform you're modifying.
If you like, you can also use N-Wave as a high quality bipolar VCA, attenuverter, or ring modulator with the THRESHOLD set to maximum and dynamically mute the effect by applying 0V or a negative voltage to the threshold either using a sequencer or manual control, which allows for hocketing and rhythmic effects.
N-Wave can also operate all the way down to 0hz (DC), so, in addition to audio, it can process LFOs, envelopes, 1V/octave sequences, and any other signal that varies amplitude over time (Sorry, square waves and pulse waves. Your super-sonic rise times are hard to shape in an audible way, but you do work well as control signals).
N-Wave is 10HP and uses Burr Brown op amps for the primary signal path alongside high quality Texas Instruments ICs that are carefully chosen to best fit their roles in the circuit."
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, New Makers, New Modules, News, VAV
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, New Makers, New Modules, News, VAV
Brooklyn Synth & Pedal Expo Set for October 17–18
Press release follows:
BROOKLYN, NY — The Brooklyn Synth & Pedal Expo returns October 17–18, transforming a 7,000-square-foot Greenpoint warehouse into an immersive playground for electronic music creators.
Presented in partnership with the legendary Three Wave Music, the Expo offers a strictly in-the-headphones experience — letting attendees demo the latest synthesizers, effects pedals, and modular gear from over 100 brands in a noise-friendly environment.
Nestled in one of Brooklyn's most vibrant musical corridors, the show is expected to draw more about 2,000 visitors, a mix of musicians, producers, and gear enthusiasts.
"Intro to Synthesis" Workshops
This year, the Expo expands beyond its large exhibition floor with a new lineup of educational workshops focused on synthesis — from hands-on patch-building sessions to deep dives into modular workflows, led by working artists and builders. A schedule of the workshops will be announced soon.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: Brooklyn Synth Expo, events, News
LABELS/MORE: Brooklyn Synth Expo, events, News
The 10-Coast Celebration is THIS WEEKEND! | Make Noise
video upload by MAKEN0ISE
"Enjoying a patch with GTE, Spectraphon, and Plexiphon!
Also, come join us on Saturday, September 12th for 10-Coast, celebrating ten years of the 0-Coast!
There will be events throughout the day along Haywood Rd. in Asheville, NC including:
—the Make Noise shop will be open for demos from 2-4:30 (414 Haywood Rd.).
—a tape loop installation by Chris Hamilton and Steve Pescatore — featuring the 0-Coast— will be activated at Lamplight Studios from 2-5pm (2 Westwood Pl., across the street from Make Noise)
—starting at 6pm, the 10-Coast Concert will be held at the AyurPrana Listening Room , featuring a night of live music by the Make Noise Crew made on the 0-Coast! (312 Haywood Rd.)
These events are all free, although the 10-Coast concert requires an RSVP: https://link.dice.fm/Pb9bdbd5ffd2?pid...
We hope to see you there! Happy birthday 0-Coast!!
http://www.makenoisemusic.com"
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, events, Make Noise, MATRIXSYNTH Members, News
LABELS/MORE: eurorack, events, Make Noise, MATRIXSYNTH Members, News
The Electric Weasel Ensemble Strange/Buchla/Ruppenthal/Morse 2LP/2CD
"Below you'll find a press kit for a historic 2LP/2CD from The Electric Weasel Ensemble, a touring group of electro-acoustic musicians including Donald Buchla and Allan Strange.
Why is this group so important, you ask? Because they were playing Donald Buchla's instruments straight off his workbench and these instruments have gone on to help define the modern modular synthesizer era and business. Thankfully, the music is incredible, too."
Press release follows:
The Electric Weasel Ensemble
Strange/Buchla/Ruppenthal/Morse
2LP/2CD
EPK
Release date: Nov 27, 2026
Shifting continuously between minimalistic patterns, intricate soundscapes, and evolving textures of overlapping electronic sonorities, The Electric Weasel Ensemble presents a missing link in the history of electronic music. It is a series of previously-unreleased live recordings from a little-known but trailblazing ensemble of improvisers—equipped with a unique embrace of invented instruments and distinctly 1970s avant-garde sensibilities. This historic music is available on both double LP and double CD.
Founded in 1974 by composer Allen Strange and now-celebrated instrument designer Donald Buchla, The Electric Weasel Ensemble explored new directions in live performance with electronics, using Buchla’s sophisticated and unusual instruments as a launching pad.
Maintained for decades by Ensemble member Stephen Ruppenthal, these recordings include some of the best-preserved examples of Allen Strange’s pioneering compositions: graphically-notated directed improvisations for electronic and electronically processed acoustic instruments. They also offer rare insight into the radical sonic aesthetic that Buchla’s inventions enabled in the Bay Area music scene.
Focused on performance and DIY music distribution, the Electric Weasel Ensemble never widely released their music. Transferred from the original quarter-inch reels at Imprec, mastered for vinyl by Tom Eaton at Sounds and Substance, and pressed at Optimal in Germany, this record is a glimpse into the raw creativity and inventiveness that fueled the early decades of electronic music performance.
Who is the Electric Weasel Ensemble?
How do you build a new type of music from the ground up? The Electric Weasel Ensemble continually orbited this very question: inventing new instruments and, through collective play, learning to communicate in their unfamiliar, emergent languages.
The Weasels operated along the fringes of Northern California’s 1970s music scene, drawing equally from avant-garde and electronic composition, free improvisation, cybernetics, and the Bay Area’s psychedelic-fueled, countercultural spirit. A group of self-proclaimed “music outlaws,” their eclectic, anything-goes approach eschewed traditional notions of harmony, melody, form, and virtuosity—informed by their evolving relationships with new technology.
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: Buchla, News, Synth Albums
LABELS/MORE: Buchla, News, Synth Albums
Elektron OUTBOX 8 is Finally Here!
video upload by EZBOT
See the announcement post here.
"Elektron has finally released the Elektron Outbox 8. An 8 channel audio/CV interface for Overbridge supported devices and OTHER DEVICES!? The interface is honestly fantastic and it's quite easy to get started with. Let's dive in and I'll tell you all about it wit the Digitone II, Octatrack, and a small modular synthesizer."
EZBOT resources: https://www.patreon.com/ezbot, https://ko-fi.com/ezbot/, https://www.modbang.com
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: Elektron, MATRIXSYNTH Members
LABELS/MORE: Elektron, MATRIXSYNTH Members
Feel the sound, not the screen: TERRA synth
video upload by SOMA Laboratory
"Do you want to lose yourself in a direct, intuitive interaction with sound where every touch shapes the tone?
SOMA TERRA gives that. No screens, no menus, no obstacles between you and the music. Just a pure physical interaction, like with an acoustic instrument.
Follow an idea as it appears in your mind, shape it into a phrase, and make it part of your music.
Watch Tim Kroker turn this direct connection into a composition.
Video by @maks.alokhin (Inst)
#synthesizer #synth #musicgear #electronicmusic #somasynths"
Additional posts featuring Tim Kroker
DREAMER SOUNDSET - 75 VINTAGE PRESETS - Crumar Bit 99 / Bit 01 Sounds
video upload by Synth Cloud
Also see Crumar Bit 99/01 - Custom Ambient & Vintage Sounds
"▬▬▬ Download Link ▬▬▬▬
🚀 https://www.synthonia.com/marketplace...
📩 Mail: info@synthonia.com
Dreamer Soundset for Crumar Bit 99 / Bit 01 & Bucket ONE brings 75 fresh organic sounds to one of the most distinctive Italian synth families of the 1980s.
This video focuses on the original Crumar Bit 99 / Bit 01 hardware, showing the vintage character of the instrument through a new sound bank designed for ambient music, retro electronic productions, synthwave, cinematic textures and classic analog-style arrangements.
The Crumar Bit series has a rare and unmistakable sound identity: deep, warm, slightly raw and full of vintage character. Dreamer Soundset is designed to bring that personality back into modern productions with a musical and highly usable selection of new sounds.
The soundset includes deep basses, bright leads, huge PWM strings, deep pads, plucks, keys, FX and percussive textures. These sounds are ideal for producers, collectors and synth lovers who want a boutique sound bank for a niche vintage instrument with a strong sonic identity.
A small amount of Valhalla Supermassive reverb is used in the demo to add space while keeping the original hardware character clear.
Compatible with:
Crumar Bit 99
Crumar Bit 01
Bucket ONE Emulation
Sound Categories:
Deep Basses
Bright Leads
Huge PWM Strings
Deep Pads
Plucks & Keys
FX & Percussive Textures
Vintage Ambient Sounds
Retro Electronic Tones
#CrumarBit99 #VintageSynth #SynthPresets #AmbientSynth #HardwareSynth"
Behringer JT-2 Jupiter-8 Infused Analog Power! Roland JP8 Synthesizer Rik Marston
video upload by Rik Marston Official
"Analog Synthesizer Demo by Rik Marston
*Watch in HD!* *NO Talking!* *Turn it UP!*
My Etsy store: AhnyxianSoundDesign
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AhnyxianSou..."
See dealers on the right for pricing and availability on gear.
LABELS/MORE: Behringer, MATRIXSYNTH Members, Roland
LABELS/MORE: Behringer, MATRIXSYNTH Members, Roland
Chris Liebing | Roland 909 session
video upload by Chris Liebing
"Happy 909 day!
I’m the proud owner of a machine without which the evolution of Techno would be almost unthinkable. Rarely has a drum machine had such a profound impact on an entire genre, and far beyond it.
Over the years, friends have stopped by my studio, and sometimes even met me on the road, to sign it. I keep getting it signed whenever possible. Maybe someone can make a list of all the names that have made their way onto it so far! 😄
Some people might not know what a raw 909 actually sounds like, the kick, the toms, the hats, and all the other sounds that make this machine so unmistakable. So, I decided to have a little session on the 909 and hit record, enjoy! 909 forever!
And thank you, @rolandglobal for creating this machine and making billions of people happier along the way."
PREVIOUS PAGE
NEXT PAGE
HOME
© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH




























