Sonicware Liven XFM Prototype - Demo 5 - Dub Techno

video by ChrisLody

"Time for another XFM demo. I built a very glitchy preset pattern for the XFM last week so I went into the studio intending to make something like that, but as soon as I made the filter pad chords I got distracted into making some Dub Techno. Not a genre I've really tried before but it works really well on the XFM

Both the percussion tracks on this have lots of modulation of their source sounds and some probability thrown in so the hits won't always trigger so there's plenty of glitchiness there. They are both filtered so a bit of tweaking adds some interest there too.

The other two tracks are both built from the DSTR (Distorted Pad) and B.TRP (Bright Trumpet) sounds that I made which creates a nice noisy waveform. The pad is filtered with the band-pass filter opening and closing with the envelope while the noisy lead sound uses the high-pass filter which almost gives a distorted electric guitar sound to my ear. It makes for a nice dark mood but with a worn sound to it somehow. The pan control is automated on both of these tracks too to widen the sound. Lovely stuff"

Sonicware Liven XFM Prototype demos

Sonicware Liven Bass & Beats Prototype, XFM, Behringer Neutron - Unfriendly Electro _ Song-a-day 2022

video upload by ChrisLody

Liven Bass & Beats Prototype posts

"Right, getting back on the jams with Song-a-day 2022 which a challenge not unlike Jamuary, but in February obviously.

I've been super busy on development of the Liven Bass & Beats (prototype shown here) as well as other things which is why things have been so quiet here recently. I'm determined to make more spare time in February but it remains to be seen if I'll have enough time to make a track everyday in February. This is also one of my first chances to play around with the Behringer Neutron that I found second hand recently at a very good price

In this jam the Bass & Beats is playing an Electro rhythm on a kit I made as well as a gritty sounding bass patch. The Liven XFM is sequencing the Behringer Neutron (via midi) on a muted track and also playing strings on a separate track. I imagine this combo will appear more over the month. Not the most amazing bit of work arrangement wise this but I was pushed for time today. I'll probably warm up as the month goes on, fingers crossed."

SONICWARE Liven XFM Generative Melody Trick Tutorial

video upload by ChrisLody

"Here is another quickie for the Sonicware Liven XFM that i've been meaning to record for a while. Using a couple of different features we can get the XFM to create generative melodies based on chords we've entered both on the internal synth engine and on external gear."

Liven Lofi-12 as a Synth - Free Oscillator Banks

video upload by ChrisLody

"Just a quickie this time. The Lofi-12 is quite a useful mini synth with oscillator shapes loaded into it's slots so you can download 2 banks here in the Sysex Files/Sonicware/ Liven Lofi-12 folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l6c592egul...

Don' worry if you accidently overwrite any of the factory sound as they can be restored from the download section on Sonicware's website in the Lofi-12 tab: https://sonicware.jp/pages/downloads"

Liven MEGA SYNTHESIS - Tutorial Part 2 - FM Edit Deep Dive

video upload by ChrisLody

Part 1 here

"Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Sonicware on an hourly rate producing synth & sample sound design, beta testing, checking English text and videos like this. Any other shorter videos on my channel containing Sonicware products are not paid content.

As promised, here is part 2 of the tutorial for the Sonicware Liven MEGA Synthesis, this time covering everything you need to know about using the FM Eit mode with a bit of FM theory thrown in to get you going.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Sonicware Liven 8 Bit Warps - Incredibly Dark Cinematic Pad

ChrisLody

"I feel very lucky that the lovely people over at Sonicware have sent me a Liven 8Bit Warp to write some promotional material with. I'm still exploring what it can do but I've been very impressed so far. It's available here: https://sonicware.jp/

So here I'm exploring the FM engine to make pad sounds, a man can it do the dirtiest pad sounds! It has only a few controls for the FM engine, 6 in total if you don't count the common controls for envelope etc, but that still packs in the unusual ability to control the modulators oscillator frequency with an LFO, that's what you're hearing as the tone shifts around slowly as I play.

The only reverb used here is the built in 'INF' reverb which is quite bright so that helps the top end shine. To my ear this almost ends up sounding organic in nature, which is pretty special considering it's one of the least analog piece of equipment I could have built this pad sound on."

SONICWARE Liven XFM Shifting Ambient Textures Tutorial

video upload by ChrisLody

"Just a quickie this one while I get into the swing of making regular tutorials again, in fact it took me much longer to decide what to record today than it did to actually record it. This video shows how you can make shifting ambient textures on a Soniware Liven XFM using it's X-LFO feature with an attempt at showing how the Color setting affects morphing."

ChrisLody Liven posts

Analog Style Kicks & Claps on the SONICWARE Liven 8Bit Warps

video upload by ChrisLody

"How To Make Analog Style Kicks & Claps on the Sonicware 8Bit Warps

"I'm gradually working my way towards a full chip tune style drum tutorial for the 8Bit Warps, but in the meantime here is a couple of different percussive sounds for you to try, an analog like kick and clap sound. Unlike the more general tutorial I have planned these are kind of 'one trick pony' sounds, i.e. they work for this but not much more.

The synthesis method used is slightly unusual on each too. Normally a sweeping sine or resonant filter would be used to make a kick drum but here it's done by 'pinging' the filter with a pulse. Also for clap sounds we normally need to synthesize each 'pop' of the clap one after another but here the peaks are created using a flanger.

The Sonicware Wave Edit tutorial I mentioned is here:" [posted here]

#OutdoorLiven Jam - SONICWARE Liven 8Bit Warps, Bass & Beats

video upload by ChrisLody

"In this jam I've plonked myself down in front of our veg patch with my trusty DIY 'Synth Tray' (patent pending) with a Liven 8Bit Warps and a Liven Bass & Beats. This is a combination I've been meaning to try for a while and they compliment each other really well with the Bass & Beats filling in for the 8Bit Warps lack of 'normal' drum sounds and the 8BW able to play chords where the B&B can't.

I'm running the B&B into the 8BW's Line In so there is no need for an external mixer. Recording is taken care of by my aging Korg Sound on Sound."

Sonicware Liven XFM Prototype - Demo 4 - Adding Layers Live

video by ChrisLody

"This is something I'd planned to play in a stream at some point and still may do that as a demonstration as it shows how live elements can be added to the Liven XFM tracks live

So when the sequencer starts to play the synth engines, sounds and setting are already loaded in but only the bass has been programmed. You'll see me punch in some rhythms for the drums then unmute that track so it plays. I then use the Parameter Lock to change step 15 to a clap and set the reverb level for the clap on that step only. I then real-time record the slightly unsettling pad sound and play the lead live.

The sequencer also offers non-realtime step sequencing as another way of entering note information which is how the bassline was programmed in which is done in the same way that I programmed the drums, but I'll save the details of that for a tutorial video"

See the Sonicware label below for more.

240114 - Jamuary2024 - PSG Tracks Only Liven MEGA Synthesis

video upload by ChrisLody

"Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Sonicware on an hourly rate producing synth & sample sound design, beta testing, checking English text, video manuals etc. This video wasn't paid for directly but as a result of my work with Sonicware it is marked as Paid Promotion

So someone asked me in the comments (@ArtFluids) If I could make a demo track on the Liven MEGA Synthesis using just the PSG tracks, so here it is. Using the Liven MEGA like this makes it sound quite a lot like the 8 Bit Warps, but I'm only using a very small part of it's feature set. I've restricted myself to not playing notes with the square below an A2 like the original hardware, but it can actually play lower than that. Also no FX at all.

The Liven MEGA Synthesis seeks to recreate the audio capabilities of the SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis. So the Sega Mega Drive was built upon the hardware in Sega's previous console, the Master System / Sega Mark III. The sound capabilities of that machine were 4 channels of audio consisting of 3 square wave channels and 1 noise/pulse (under quite specific restrictions). So the Mega Drive / Genesis contained that sound chip too and was mostly used during music to add layers of square waves to the sound or noisy percussion, it was rarely used up front.

The MEGA Synthesis emulates that chip and users can program it from 2 dedicated tracks. So you're a little restricted in the fact that a track can only play one sound at once, though using automation you can change the sound on the fly. Using automation, Track 5 is playing drums and a pulse bass (on even steps only but somehow that still sounds fine 🤷‍♂️) while Track 4 plays everything else which must use the same envelope, modulation settings etc at any one moment. So it's more restrictive in some ways than original hardware, but also it's less restrictive in other ways like allowing 4 voices of noise, square or pulse to play at the same time. So like most of the features on the MEGA, it captures the overall sound without being overly concerned about super specific technical restrictions."

Sonicware Liven 8bit Warps - Sweep Function Tutorial

video by ChrisLody

"It's time for another 8bit Warps tutorial, let's have a look at the Sweep function

I'm now planning to make a tutorial on the parameter lock function as requested by a viewer alongside a drum synthesis tutorial which is quite a deep subject so that one will take a little longer.

I think I managed to cover everything but if you have any questions then please post them in the comments below

The 8bit Warps in this video was supplied by Sonicware"

Sonicware Liven XFM Prototype - Demo 6 - Morphing Soundscape

video by ChrisLody

"I'm back with another XFM solo demo, this time I've gone for something a bit more relaxed, an ambient soundscape that uses the morphing capabilities of the XFM.

The aim was to create a cinematic sounding ambient jam here, so there's lots of big chords flying around and a lot of modulation to get things moving.

Track one uses the X-LFO engine with a random LFO setting to morph rapidly between two pad sounds. Track 2 uses the X-FORM engine which morphs between two sounds over time. The pitch lock function is turned off here which gives that ring-mod like sweeping sound. Track 3 uses the Library engine which plays back the presets are they are stored but allows you to tweak the overall feedback level and attack setting. This sound uses a 'feedback web' as I started calling it when I was designing it which means all operators are fed into each other which can create some wild sounds. Track 4 is also set to Library but every step has movements of the preset sounds saved into it and the track is set to only trigger it's notes 25% of the time which gets lots of bleepy randomness. Plenty of the different types of filter are used to control the sounds over time and shape them together into a whole."

See the Sonicware label below for more.

SONICWARE Liven Bass&Beats Tutorial Part 2: Bass Programming, Patch Creation, Wavetable Import

video upload by ChrisLody

Part 1 here.

00:00 Intro

00:33 Loading and Tweaking Bass Sounds
Selecting bass track
Playing with keys and octave buttons
Loading sounds with memory and bank knob
Assign 1 & 2
Dimension
Legato and mono, glide settings
Velocity
Pitch LFO, release & gate, machine gun
Sweep up & down, sweep speed and range

6:33 Sequencing Bass Sounds
Note ties
Entering long notes
Pasting notes into steps
Clearing steps
Real-time recording
Non real-time record, autostep
Pattern setting, length, note value, transpose, swing
Dice setting

10:35 Automation using parameter locking
Entering automation per step
Clearing parameters lock
Real-time recording automation
Sound locking

12:30 Ducking & effects
Ducking for bass and line in
Ghost sidechain
Turning on FX
Selecting FX type
FX send level for bass & line in
FX amount knob (FX parameter)

15:01 Bass Memory Editing
Entering memory edit
Preview and chose a patch to edit
Overview of memory edit
Function, Page 1 & 2, Octave down & up
ADSR amp envelope
Wavetable oscilators, wave knob, position
Turning modules on & off
Sub oscillator, type knob
Noise
LFO 1 & 2
Modulation envelope 1 & 2
Per module settings
Oscillator pitch, phase, position, level, output routing, shaper type, adjust, unison voice, detune and blend
Sub pitch, phase, level and output routing
Noise level & type
Filter type, cutoff frequency, resonance, distortion
LFO shape, rate, dpeth, delay, sync, phase
Envelope attack, decay, sustain, release, depth, delay, up curve, down curve
Voice mode
Cancelling edits or initializing

Routing modules to parameters
Envelope to wavetable position
LFO to wavetable position
Assign 1 & 2, routing to multiple destinations, positive or negative depths
Velocity to cutoff

Data menu, copy, patch export, wavetable import, wavetable export
Saving a patch, naming a patch

32:30 Uploading custom wavetables
Access the conversion software and guide for windows and mac: https://sonicware.jp/pages/download
The free wavetables I used in the example (Antidote Audio - Advent 2018 Mega Pack\Antidote Advent Serum - Wavetables): https://www.antidoteaudio.com/adventc...
My video on using Midi-Ox with Livens: https://youtu.be/bHxyV0qwFns

Sonicware Liven Bass & Beats Prototype Demo 1 - Big Wubs

video upload by ChrisLody

"So here's my first quick jam made using the new Sonicware Bass & Beats. This arrived on Tuesday and I've been tasked with creating wavetables and preset sounds for it which is what you're hearing here. There's a lot to learn that I have yet to look at, plus from what I can gather the text on the silk isn't final yet so I think this is a prototype.

The monophonic bass engine of the B&B features dual wavetable oscillators, a sub oscillator and a noise source. The structure is semi modular with velocity, 2 assignable knobs, 2 LFO's and 3 ADSR envelopes that can be freely assigned. It's possible to have LFO's affect each others speed for example. User wavetable import is possible and it uses the same format as the Serum VST, 256x 2048 samples so nice and high in quality. There is a filter with low-pass, high-pass and band-pass modes that has overdrive, plus waveshaping modes which can all be controlled using the modulation sources.

I'm sure the drum part of the B&B is also very powerful but I've not had much chance to learn how to use that yet 😄"

FM Editing Tutorial 2 - Feedback Pad - SONICWARE Liven XFM - Accessible Tutorial

video upload by ChrisLody

"This is part 2 of my XFM deep editing tutorials. This time we're looking at making a feedback pad which is something fairly unique to the XFM. The theory behind it is that each operator becomes a square and then they are all routed into each other to create a chaotic sound."

ChrisLody Liven XFM Tutorials

Bastl Kastle Drum (and Bass (Kinda)) Jam - Sonicware Liven XFM 8bit Warps Volca Modular Sample NTS1

video upload by ChrisLody

"My Bastl Kastle Drum arrived! What better way to try it out than with some sort of weird Drum and Bass meets Techno hybrid jam thing.

The Bastl Kastle Drum has no built in sequencer, but it turns out the Volca Modular does a pretty good job of that. I might do some sort of how to video about that in the future actually. But the basic idea is that changes in voltage at the input of the Kastle Drum's Drum Mod connection play different drum sounds so the cv output from the sequencer on the Volca can be connected to that to trigger different sounds across the keyboard. Then clock out on the Volca can also be used to re-trigger sounds when connected to the Trig In connection on the Kastle Drum too.

Elsewhere the XFM is producing a high-pass filtered hoover bass sound and a sub bass sound, the Liven 8Bit Warps is a hand played lead string sound and the Volca Sample is playing a chopped up break through the Nts1 which is acting as a delay. There is a bit of additional EQ and reverb in my DAW just to make things fit together nicely."

240107 - Jamuary2024 - Liven MEGA Synthesis Jam

video upload by ChrisLody

"Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Sonicware on an hourly rate producing synth & sample sound design, beta testing, checking English text, video manuals etc. This video wasn't paid for directly but as a result of my work with Sonicware it is marked as Paid Promotion

7 days into Jamuary 2024 and I've only managed 2, not really what I'd planned! But at least now the reveal of the Liven MEGA Synthesis is out of the way I can upload some jams using it. Plus this isn't an official Sonicware video, so I can mention the fact that it's designed to emulate the experience of making music on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis hardware unlike in my last video, hopefully to the surprise of almost nobody 😄

I didn't create any fresh patches for this jam, it's all just presets and there's plenty to choose from (including my work of course).

From this video you should be able to hear that the general lo-fi vibe of the YM2612 has been replicated nicely. Part of that is due to a design flaw in it's 9 bit DAC which distorted the sound at quite volumes, often called the Ladder Effect. You can turn that on and off per track on the MEGA.

Apart from the delay on the lead sound I'm not using any effects here, the distorted guitar lead sound is created using just FM synthesis. On the original Mega Drive/Genesis adding delay would have had to be done by duplicating notes onto another channel of the chip using up polyphony, but the MEGA has an effects section so this is a regular guitar pedal like delay effect."

Liven Lofi 12 - Old School Breakbeat Slicing & Stretching

video upload by ChrisLody

0:00 Answering your questions
3:10 Cutting breakbeats into separate hits
7:18 Sample start position automation

"Here's a nice nerdy one about the new Sonicware Liven Lofi-12 sampler. This will seem very familiar to anyone that's watched my Volca Sample video on the same subject because it uses the same method but it's less complex to setup on the Lofi-12

It's equip with a decent set of tools that we can use to create some interesting effects like old school beat slicing, stretching and pitch shifting

Here is the BPM calculator I mentioned:
https://toolstud.io/music/bpm.php
1 bar of 75bpm audio is 3.2 seconds
3.2 seconds / 4 seconds max recording time = 0.8
10000 maximum slice points * 0.8 = 8000
So the end of a 75bpm drum loop is at 8000 in the sample edit mode

128 values / 16 steps = 8
So to spread a sample across 16 steps program the Start setting onto the steps like this:
0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120"

SONICWARE Liven Bass&Beats Tutorial Part 1: Quick start, Drum Programming, Kit Editing

video upload by ChrisLody

Part 2 here

"This is part one of the Bass&Beats tutorial giving a quick start guide and covering drums in detail.

00:00 Intro

00:52 Overview of the Liven XFM
A description of the physical construction and connectors

02:35 Getting Started
Powering up the device
Playing patterns
Shift and func buttons, muting the speaker
Pattern level, shift lock function
Volume, tempo
Headphone gain
Pattern, bank and step buttons to load patterns, pattern chaining
Mixer knobs
Bass and drum tracks
Pattern page buttons
Drum mute function
Random playback mode
A quick look at bass track

CLICK FOR MORE »