Dynacord ADD-One : Advanced Digital Drum Synthesizer sound demo

video upload by Cro w

"Audio is direct out from the ADD-One into the interface.
The lagging of audio in the first half is what happens when using the internal sequencer AND tweaking parameters at the same time (remember this is mid-80's CPU power ha). When sequenced/triggered externally (as demonstrated in the second half), there is no lagging of course.
The ADD-One is a real beast of an electronic percussion instrument. It's a thick and rather high-end sound that is interestingly vintage yet modern at once. It doesn't sound 'period' or dated like other classic drum synthesizers and samplers of the 1980's, and gets avant-garde and experimental easily, if your into that. If not, you're really gonna hate the bulk of the video... haha
Enjoy."

KAWAI K4 Digital Synthesizer - quick sound design & soundscape demo

video by Cro w

"*These are all SINGLE patches; NOT multis: that's another, longer video...*
Quick example of the ambient/cosmic abilities of the unique K4 digital PCM/additive synth. This thing has one of the most aggressive resonant digital filters. There is a TOUCH of Strymon BigSky on the stereo outs going into the interface."

Nord Lead 3 Advanced Synthesizer - Abstract/Astral Sound Design demo

video by Cro w

"Not enough on here representing the digital behemoth with the greatest interface of any synth EVER. I am playing the NL3 in "performance" mode exclusively. Why would you play it any other way? Now with that said... NONE (I'm pretty sure) of these sounds use more than just TWO slots out of the four. HUGE alien pad transmitter!!!

Audio = NL3 - H9&DIG - Behringer interface (lowest of the low...) - Logic Pro X (slight EQ, some compression to even out peaks)"

Also see Nord Lead 3 and Strymon DIG & DECO - Digital Sync Pad BLISS

ENSONIQ SD-1 Wave Synthesizer - Textural & Cinematic Abstractions

video by Cro w

"This video is to demonstrate the incredibly dense, rich, sonically pleasing and experimental sounds that can be achieved with the SD-1. Everything Ensoniq made has it's own weirdo left-field charms and peculiar features; when it comes to their synthesizer line (the Ensoniq samplers are their own separate aliens); the SD-1 is the top of the chain in my opinion. It is followed VERY closely by it's direct elder descendent - the VFX/SD, next is the original VFX and THEN the FIzmo. Ha.

Sound is stereo out of the SD-1 into a Mackie VLZ4 mixer with literally just a TOUCH of H9 reverb on the "aux" to softly adhere it all .... I mean the knob wasn't even at 2. From there the audio went into the interface and directly to Logic for capture. What you are hearing is 100% the SD-1. It's an absolute incredible sound design tool and the internal FX are radical; they can be pushed in very wild ways!"

Ensoniq SD-1 "Two Patches" audio synthesis exploration

"The Ensoniq SD-1 (VFX/SD) have an interesting patch/program architecture. What I call a "patch" on the SD-1 can actually be composed of up to 6 complete synth voices containing one waveform each. I don't consider these to be "multi-programs" because you can play up to THREE of these patches together at one time; and THAT is what I would call a "program" on the SD-1. This video contains NO programs. Just single patches with no more than 3 voices selected at a time. What I am selecting on the SD-1's panel in the video is two custom stored patches and selecting different combinations of voices within them. Again, never exceeding more than three voices at a time, and no multi programs. The SD/VFX line also feature polyphonic aftertouch. It is turned off on these patches to demonstrate the power of the velocity mapping of this rich synthesizer. All audio and all FX are from the SD-1 ONLY. Audio is L/R out directly into an interface to Logic Pro X. Light limiting has been done to avoid peak clipping. That's all. There will be more SD-1 demos to come soon."

Nord Lead 3 and Strymon DIG & DECO - Digital Sync Pad BLISS

Published on Aug 12, 2018 Cro w

"The Nord Lead 3 is one of the rare synths that I loved, sold and had to buy it again. It is the most enjoyable synth to work on EVER. The interface and the modulation assignment is the pinnacle of design.
Here I am showcasing the beauty of the sync sounds that flow out of the NL3. All the patches in this demo are single patches NOT performances. SO with the ability to layer FOUR sounds - you can imagine... or not... but thats another video.

Strymon.... those magical engineers. I don't know how the hell they do it, but no one touches Strymon in my opinion. They KILL eventide. Sorry. The sound even in MONO (like this recording) is three dimensional, fluid and perfect. They are wizards, and I am enchanted.
The DECO is crucial to ANY and EVERY piece of digital gear. Once you try it, you will never play a digital synth without one again. It's why I own THREE of them. And the DIG is a spatial-mult- tap-delay-wonder machine!"

Roland D-50: The Definitive Sound Design Synthesis Demo

Published on Sep 18, 2017 Cro w

"Had to be done... couldn't stand having this sonic wonder be represented by the plethora of mostly atrocious demos on YouTube.

So... here's an hour of cosmic euphoria from the stellar D-50.

To be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR - this is ONE patch at a time. NO OVERDUBS/MULTI-TRACKS WHATSOEVER. This is all from the STOCK PCM ROM. I did not "burn" a special ROM or whatever, nor am I aware that's a possibility - if it is, I'd sure like to know about it!!! This is the potential lurking within the D50. The factory presets and "signature" sounds that shame the real truth of the D50 are completely repulsive in my opinion.... seriously, fuck Fantasia.... and Native Dance?!?!? Yikes.
99.9999% of the transient waves in the D50's ROM are absolutely useless, and not one is used in my patches. The otherworldly sound of the D50 come from the aspects I have never been able to come remotely close in replicating; they are 1) the manner in which the pitch envelopes warp and sonically tear the PCM waves.... the artifacts and Nyquist frequencies that appear like audio phantasms from a terrifying heaven. 2) The experimental synthesis concept that wouldn't appear again for years after the D-50, and it revolutionized everything to this day - the first time Virtual Analog was implemented in a poly synth. The D-50 generates square and saw waves. These get combined, layered, etc. with the PCM waves in the partials of the patch. Thats's it... just 2 waveforms compose the oscillator section of the VA part. And very primitively. But the metaphysical witchcraft of the D50's "pulse width modulation" is magic; I don't mean that allegorically - I'm convinced there's like eye-of-newt or some shit in this thing. 3) The filters... come on... alien technology for sure. Nothing is as weird and awesome as those. I personally feel that there is NOTHING about the D-50 that sounds remotely "analog." And that's another excellent attribute of it, because it sounds all its own and still is huge, spacious and completely warm. The distortion in the signal path is the perfect level of saturation. Things just blend and smear absolutely right. 4)The EFFECTS. Not at all because they sound anywhere near what they claim to be, or are excellent in accuracy, because they are not. It's because they are essentially spatial, wave and frequency modifiers that wouldn't be seen in synth context until many years down the road as "imaging, spatial exciters, air, metalizer, etc." The reverbs are not typical of what you would expect from something called 'reverb.' They are the space in which dark matter lays.... so get a Roland Boutique D-50 the minute that are available, and Roland - you can forward royalties to my PayPal account. Thanks."