Patch from Scratch: "Eurorack Ambient"

Published on Nov 21, 2018 MAKEN0ISE

"Relax.

The patch for this video was inspired by classic ambient and furniture music, as well as by currently popular ambient modular composers here on YouTube.

Erik Satie first introduced the notion of “furniture music”, music specifically made not to be the center of attention.

He made some other musical innovations that are pertinent to ambient music, including;

1. The removal of bar lines from sheet music. (The experience of playing pieces in this style, such as the 6 Gnossienes, is that of finding the meter that arises between the note durations rather than having it dictated by the outward structure of the piece.)

2. The notion of exact temporal durations in minutes and seconds being prioritized as the main structural element of pieces.

In a letter, John Cage once wrote: “the importance due [Satie] [is], I believe, to have consistently structured his music on lengths of time rather than harmonic relations. I’m sure he was aware of doing this but I doubt whether he knew its real importance, which is real: liberation from the Beethoven yoke, far more real than that granted by S[choenberg] with the 12-tone row.”

The best known pioneer of “ambient music” *as such* is Brian Eno.

For Eno, Ambient music should function equally well in the background and the foreground. “It must be as ignorable as it is interesting.”

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Dreadbox Nymphes Synthesizer - Sounds Only

video upload by Bloom Music

Patches: 0:09
Oscillator: 6:49
Filters: 9:21
Modulation: 11:43
Reverb: 15:18
Voice Modes: 17:58

Dreadbox Nymphes Synthesizer Review

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan's review of Dreadbox's Nymphes.

Intro: 0:09
Architecture: 1:51
Oscillator: 3:10
Filters: 5:58
Modulation: 8:20
Reverb: 12:46
Voice Modes: 15:41
Interface: 17:43
Conclusion: 20:42

All synth sounds and music in this video were created using the Nymphes, with no external effects or processing."

Harmony Bloom VST by Mario Nieto

video uploads by Isotonik Studios

"Harmony Bloom, revolutionizes music creation with polyrhythmic MIDI generation and stunning visuals. Compatible with Windows and MacOS, it offers unmatched creative freedom for musicians and producers. An essential tool for innovative musical exploration.

AVAILABLE HERE: https://isotonikstudios.com/product/h..."

"Harmony Bloom, crafted by Mario Nieto, is a groundbreaking MIDI generator that seamlessly integrates polyrhythmic patterns with stunning visuals. Compatible with Windows and MacOS as a VST3, AU plugin, and standalone app, it revolutionizes musical creativity by enabling MIDI data transmission to compatible devices, enhanced by its visual experience.

Distinct from typical MIDI generators, Harmony Bloom offers unique functionalities. The standalone version’s ability to generate audio, with five selectable sounds, broadens its usability. It features a comprehensive control set for musical creation, including a Scale Selector with 57 options for melodic consistency, and various offset controls for sequence customization.

The software’s visual component, the Sequencer Visualizer, displays intricate patterns of notes, enhancing the creative process. Key features like MIDI Capture and Export simplify the integration of sequences into digital audio workstations, making Harmony Bloom a valuable tool for music production.

Its adaptability is a core strength, with features like ‘Use Input Notes’ and ‘Root Mode’ ensuring dynamic musical responses and coherence. ‘Global Randomization’ allows for exploratory creativity, offering a blend of technical control and artistic freedom.

Harmony Bloom emphasizes user experience, providing easy installation, intuitive preset management, and up to three activations per purchase. This focus on accessibility and flexibility makes it an ideal choice for musicians, producers, and composers eager to explore new musical dimensions.

In essence, Harmony Bloom is not just a MIDI generator but a comprehensive tool for musical exploration and creation. Its combination of polyrhythmic generation, visual feedback, and detailed musical control positions it as a standout instrument for creative and professional applications."

Impaktor vs Bloom iPhone iPad Music Session

YouTube Published on Sep 18, 2012 by mysoftmusic

"http://mysoftmusic.com
MUSIC FOR ALL THE SENSES
Experimental play around to create trance like music with the music apps Impaktor and Bloom played on the iPhone and iPad."

iTunes:
Bloom - Opal Limited
Impaktor - The drum synthesizer - BeepStreet
iPads on eBay
iPod Touch on eBay

June-60 Follow-Up: Internal Trim Pots

Published on May 18, 2019 Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan tears down the June-60 chorus to investigate the effect of the internal trim pots.

For your (and your pedal's) safety, do not attempt this unless you are comfortable working with electronics!

Intro: 0:00
Disassembly: 0:47
Tweaking the Trimmers: 4:58
Summary: 16:03"

Bloom Music June-60 videos

Synth Tracks on the Amiga by Peahix

Published on Feb 22, 2017 peahix

Two playlists, one featuring the Amiga Aegis Sonix synth above, and one featuring the Amiga Deluxe Music Construction Set below. Don't miss the first track and it's description below. It's pretty funny - some musique concrete for you. Many of you might recognize the name Peahix from one, his Optigan.com endeavors, and two some of his many videos and covers posted here on MATRIXSYNTH.

1. Amiga - Aegis Sonix - CARS - Gary Numan

"Here's a rendition of CARS by Gary Numan that I made on my Amiga around about 1987 or so."

2. Amiga - Aegis Sonix - BREAKER

"I don't know who created this track for Sonix on the Amiga, but I always liked it as a teenager, so I figured I'd share it here for posterity."

3. Amiga - Aegis Sonix - Little

"I don't know who created this track for Sonix on the Amiga, but I always liked it as a teenager, so I figured I'd share it here for posterity."



Published on Feb 22, 2017 peahix

1. 1987 Amiga Deluxe Music Construction Set - Music for Bloom County Contest

"Here's something I dug up today that I haven't thought of in years and figured was loooong gone. In 1987, Bloom County had a contest where you could submit your own original song for Billy & The Boingers, the band in the comic strip. Well, this is what I came up with on my Amiga. A couple of the sounds had gone missing, so I had to replace them with other sounds, but, well, I don't think that matters very much. Needless to say, I didn't win the contest."

2. Amiga Deluxe Music Construction Set - Fugue in D Minor

"This is an original fugue in D minor more or less in the style of JS Bach that I wrote on my Amiga when I was a teenager, around 1987. I wrote this before I'd had any formal music theory training, so I'm sure the counterpoint and voice leading is all wrong wrong wrong, but oh well, it sounded authentic enough to me back then."

Roland GAIA SH-01 Review

Published on Jun 7, 2019 Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan's review of Roland's GAIA SH-01.

All synth sounds and music in the video were created using the SH-01, with no external effects or processing.

For music made with the SH-01, watch this video - https://youtu.be/sJGJQXgWsZA

Intro - 0:09
Architecture - 1:52
Oscillator - 3:31
Filter - 8:12
Modulation - 11:12
Effects - 15:53
Multi-Timbrality - 19:11
Patches - 22:23
Conclusion - 24:13"

Toy Synthesizer Case - Toy Box Demo

YouTube Uploaded by radlers on Apr 22, 2011

"A project long time coming. Dubbed, 'Toy Box' Synthesizer, this do it yourself toy synth case allows me to take the gear on the road. All keyboards are powered via power supply, so no batteries are used. Everything is velcro-ed in place so you can literally carry this around without worrying about stuff falling out. Song demo uses Korg's DS-10 demo music as well as the Bloom music app on the Apple iPod touch. Items that make up the keyboard: Casio SA-1 / PT-1 / SK-8, Nintendo DSi with Korg DS-10 plus, Korg Monotron, Apple iPod with music apps, Behringer mixer with effects on board."

A New World in Synthesis

YouTube via Pic2008Lex

Note the above video does not feature any synths. It is a concept video for a tablet UI. The hardware looks like the majority of artist renders for the upcoming Apple iPad/iSlate. If you haven't heard, tomorrow, Apple will announce their new tablet device. Rumor is it will essentially be an iTouch with a 10" screen, more power, memory and may have the ability to run multiple apps at the same time. [Update: it most likely will]

Why is this a new world in synthesis? In short this is a new hardware platform for synthesis. Yes it is an extension of the iTouch platform, but the obvious key difference and game changer in my opinion will be the size of the screen. For example, imagine controlling all of your synths running Numerology on the device in that video. Imagine interfacing with your modular with a UI optimized version of VOLTA or Expert Sleepers. Imagine running Way Out Ware's iSample, or how about an ARP2600 emulation with sliders. Imagine running Audio Damage's tattoo on one, etc. And don't forget the accelorometer. Processing power, additional memory, and potentially running multiple apps at once will only add to the advantage the slate will have over the iTouch.

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"EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONIC MUSIC EXPERIENCE" - PIOTR GARBACZONEK (FULL LIVE PERFORMANCE AT BERKLEE)

video upload by Piotr Garbaczonek

"Thank you all so much for watching my performance!
Date: December 14th, 2021
Location: B54 at Berklee College Of Music, EPD Labs
(Electronic Production and Design)

This show was my showcase as part of my EP-491's final project for my major. Aside from finishing a 5-track EP in a semester, I also was preparing this set for a very long time along with all the music. I decided to pull in a few songs from my previous EP: Experimental EP, Vol. 01, to spice up the performance a bit. The songs included were: Conformity, as the first song after the modular-only section; Time, which was the song at the end of the set with the QR code to my social media links. Everything else was songs from the past 4 months.

All the visuals were edited beat by beat, a song by song in Adobe Premiere Pro, and then rendered and then put into an Ableton Session to be played in a specific earlier-defined order.

I divided the show into 2 sections: Ambient Experimental, and Glitch Experimental.

The first part included rhythm-free elements only and primarily played on various modular synths, up until the 13th minute, where modular synths were supporting all the songs played in order.

The second part included various drum elements, as well as glitch music and frequency spectrum bending polyrhythms.

In terms of gear used, I used my Zoom L-12 Multitrack Mixer, to record all of the individual inputs directly into Ableton. Ableton had different effects in the effects chain of each track depending on what was necessary for each one.

For all the weird clock-driven, laser-sounding fast atonal sounds, I used the CMS MR-15 Modular System based off of the ARP 2500. For some chords and mild sawtooth progressions, I used the Blue Marvin 2600, which is based on the ARP 2600 with built-in Spring Reverb. The Blue Marvin was sequenced by one of my Qu-Bit Bloom Sequencers running in the minor key.
The master clock for everything was the ALM Pamela's New Workout, and it was clocking the CMS, Blue Marvin, 2x Qu-Bit Bloom, Qu-Bit Chance, Moog Subharmonicon (which was doing all the background pads), and Mutable Instruments Rings.
There were various other sequenced sounds, including Mutable Instruments Plaits as a 32-step arpeggio in minor, as well as Mutable Instruments Rings, going through Clouds as a textured effect.
Cwejman VCO-2RM was running through Qu-Bit Tone's LPF, and directly out as a very low analog sub.
The E340 Cloud Generator was my analog Wavetable synth, which I played directly on the Arturia Keystep MIDI-Controller, by sending it pitch information only, and running it through MI Ripples, and out.
The Instruo Arbhar was running in stereo mode, and that one was doing all of the tapping and scratching noises in left and right channels. It has a built-in condenser mic, so I was tapping it on the spot to fill up some space in transitions for some ASMR effects haha.
That's pretty much it in terms of gear used.
If you have any questions about anything, please don't hesitate to ask in the comments. I will happily answer.

Again a huge thank you to Wiggz for doing some cool action shots while I was playing.
This is his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCItL...

And thank you to Dr.B for being an amazing professor, and leading me through the last stretch of my EPD Journey, as well as opening new doors for me for the future.
-
Here are some links of mine:
https://linktr.ee/pgarbaczonek
-
Go follow my Patreon here:
https://www.patreon.com/pgarbaczonek?..."

itouch guitar 2.0 + Ableton

"This video is a quick demonstration of my guitar with 2 itouch ipods mounted onto the body of the guitar.

The ipod closest to the guitar pick ups is running Itouch Midi's Martix app which im using to send midi to Ableton Live on my Macbook via wifi.

And the itouch near the bottom is running Bloom designed by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, Bloom is a generative music application.

Note: in this video bloom is just being run through my mixer when i play live it is run through various patches to alter it a bit.

The reason i shake the guitar is to clear bloom and start a new pattern, each time i shake it, it clears the boards and lets you start again.

Note: this video is just me messing around with a quick live set i through together just for the video its nothing real special but it shows kinda what im doing for my live sets, one thing that im not using in the video that is in my live setup is various Pd(puredata) patches.

More Videos Soon.
Thanks

-Brian Green"

Scape by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers - Video Demo

Scape by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers - Available for iPad

Published on Sep 25, 2012 by generativemusicapps
follow-up to this post

"Scape
Available now for iPad [Scape - Opal Limited]
http://www.generativemusic.com

Scape makes music that thinks for itself. From Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, creators of Bloom, Scape is a new form of album which offers users deep access to its musical elements. These can be endlessly recombined to behave intelligently: reacting to each other, changing mood together, making new sonic spaces.

Can machines create original music? Scape is our answer to that question: it employs some of the sounds, processes and compositional rules that we have been using for many years and applies them in fresh combinations, to create new music. Scape makes music that thinks for itself.

- Brian Eno, Peter Chilvers

Includes 15 original scapes
Scapes can be saved into a gallery and added to a playlist
Plays in background of other apps (excluding iPad 1)
Generates random scapes
Scapes can be shared by email
Supports AirPlay and Retina display

Headphones or external speakers recommended


Brian Eno
Synthesiser, found sound, bells, bass guitar, strategies, images, art direction

Peter Chilvers
Synthesiser, chapman stick, structures, probability networks, additional images, software design

℗ & © Opal Ltd. 2012
Images © Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, Opal Ltd. 2012"

iTunes:
Scape - Opal Limited
iPads on eBay

Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers Scape for iPad

"Scape makes music that thinks for itself. From Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers, creators of Bloom, Scape is a new form of album which offers users deep access to its musical elements. These can be endlessly recombined to behave intelligently: reacting to each other, changing mood together, making new sonic spaces.


Can machines create original music? Scape is our answer to that question: it employs some of the sounds, processes and compositional rules that we have been using for many years and applies them in fresh combinations, to create new music. Scape makes music that thinks for itself.

- Brian Eno, Peter Chilvers

Includes 15 original scapes
Scapes can be saved into a gallery and added to a playlist
Plays in background of other apps (excluding iPad 1)
Generates random scapes
Scapes can be shared by email
Supports AirPlay and Retina display

Headphones or external speakers recommended"


iTunes:
Scape - Opal Limited
iPads on eBay

Moog Mavis Synthesizer Review & Sounds

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan's review of Moog's Mavis.

Intro: 00:00
Architecture: 1:47
Oscillator: 3:11
Filter: 5:20
Wave Folder: 7:44
Modulation: 13:02
Patchbay: 16:08
Eurorack Use: 22:16
Patches: 24:03
Conclusion: 27:36

All synth sounds and music in this video were created using the Mavis."

Moog Mavis Synthesizer - Sounds Only


"The sounds only companion video to Donald Jordan's review of the Moog Mavis.

Patches: 00:00 Oscillator: 4:25
Filter: 6:35
Wave Folder: 8:57
Modulation: 12:36
Patchbay: 14:40
Mavis Jam: 18:22"

Sequential Take 5 Synthesizer - Sounds Only & Review

video upload by

"The sounds only companion video to Donald Jordan's review of the Sequential Take 5.

Patches: 0:10
Oscillators: 8:57
Filter: 12:55
Modulation: 18:05
Effects: 25:10"

Sequential Take 5 Synthesizer Review

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan's review of Sequential's Take 5.

Intro: 0:10
Architecture: 1:14
Oscillators: 3:07
Filter: 7:05
Modulation: 12:15
Effects: 19:20
Conclusion: 22:29


All synth sounds and music in this video were created using the Take 5, with no external effects or processing."

Is the Arturia MiniFreak Good for Classic Style Synth Sounds?

video upload by

Sounds only video below.

"Donald Jordan explores the Arturia MiniFreak to see if it's a good synth for more classic style synth sounds.

All synth sounds and music in this video were created using the MiniFreak. The synth audio was recorded direct and zero post processing or external effects were used."

Intro: 00:00
Architecture: 3:03
Oscillators: 4:28
Filters: 10:42
Modulation: 15:02
Sound Design: 20:48
Classic Style Patches: 26:45
Conclusion: 36:54

Classic Style Synth Sounds on the Arturia MiniFreak (NO TALKING)
video upload by Bloom Music

"The sounds only companion video to Donald Jordan's exploration of the Arturia MiniFreak."

Classic Style Patches: 00:00
Oscillators: 10:15
Filters: 15:06
Modulation: 19:26
Sound Design: 23:21
MiniFreak Jam: 28:43

How To Prep Your K.O. II Samples for Lo-Fi Grit

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan walks through prepping lo-fi samples for maximum grit on the Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II.

All sounds and music in this video were created using the K.O. II.

This video is not sponsored and all featured gear was purchased at full price.

If you enjoyed this review and want to see similar content in the future, please like and subscribe.

Intro: 00:00
The Theory: 1:18
The Process: 4:47
The Results: 11:03"

The K.O. II is More Than Just a Groovebox

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan explores the Teenage Engineering EP-133 K.O. II and its old school sampling methods.

All sounds and music in this video were created using the K.O. II.

This video is not sponsored and all featured gear was purchased at full price.

If you enjoyed this review and want to see similar content in the future, please like and subscribe.

Intro: 00:00
Quality: 1:56
Drop Test: 2:38
Concerns: 5:04
Workflow: 7:31
The Killer Feature: 13:02
Conclusion: 17:05"

The Arturia MiniFreak Has a Synth Superpower Hiding in Plain Sight!

video upload by Bloom Music

"Donald Jordan's exploration of the Arturia MiniFreak's polyphonic effects."

Intro: 0:00
Polyphonic Effect Examples: 1:58
Patch Examples: 4:36
Conclusion: 8:44

"For a free MiniFreak patch bank, click here - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CuyN..."

Also see Is the Arturia MiniFreak Good for Classic Style Synth Sounds?

Candle In The Night by Jay Wires

A new release from supporting member Jay Wires.

Available on various streaming platforms here.

On first listen, ‘Candle In The Night’ seems to present a hopeful, reassuring tone to its lyrics and synth structures. Listen closely and you find Jay Wires vividly documenting the ups and downs of life, the track being subtly divided into individual segments that reflect the changing seasons of a year. Inspired by a weekend trip to the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts in the fall of 2019, the track finds Jay reimagining the full bloom of lush summer scenery; the subtle color shifts and death of the autumn leaves; the treacherous ice and snow of the winter freeze; the melting and rebirth of spring.

This song is never static. Its lyrics rest atop a bedrock of glistening electronic tones and textures that shift gracefully as we move between the seasons, reflecting back the changes in the weather – and in life. "‘Candle In The Night’ is about being there for your partner to help guide them through the dark times we sometimes experience in life,” explains Jay. “It’s about love, dedication and trust.”

Jay Wires bio from Spotify:

"NYC-based synthesist Jay Wires dials up catchy electrosongs infused with emotion - synthpop art with a human heart. By day, Jay works for a well-known vintage synth shop, selling the finest synthesizers ever made to the world's most discerning electronic musicians. Now he's finally releasing music of his own.

“For many years I've systematically tested and played the most incredible gear”, says Jay. “This has given me a great understanding of synthesis, so dialing up unique soundscapes from scratch is 2nd nature to me. This skill's been invaluable to me as an electronic music maker, but the song always comes first."

Jay Wires will begin releasing songs from his debut EP, ‘Kaboom!’, in Aug 2022, through Yes Trigger Music.

Two years in the making, the EP contains 4 songs freighted with intense emotion and epic electronic arrangements. ‘Kaboom!’ is an expression of what Jay calls “electro-pop therapy” and was inspired by a painful break-up during the isolation and loneliness of COVID lockdown. “My songs often come out of sadness or anger or an uneasy feeling,” he reflects. “When I’m happy, I usually don’t feel the need to lock myself away in a dark room to write songs. Sometimes I don’t even understand what I’m feeling, but as the words come out, it all starts to make sense. I try to base the sound of the song not just on the feelings I had at the time, but also the environment. It’s all about painting an actual picture that takes me back to that particular place and time.”