SOMA Pulsar-23 + Meng Qi Wing Pinger // Synthetic Forest

video upload by Dexba

"I can feel it: it's the sensation of moving in the right direction with my setup and my musical scope.
I'm no producer, I think you already grasped that from my channel's general vibe, so what I really like to do is as little planning as possible and just follow the stream, the dialogue between me and the instruments.
And this is like... the goal! I can finally see the end of the tunnel, now I only have to work on the relationship with my gear, learn, practice, and improve.
This idea was born after stumbling upon some recordings of birds in a song from Pere Ubu, and I was pretty sure they were doable with a synthesizer too!
The Pulsar-23 by SOMA was the closest thing to a modular I had, so I went for that, but it wasn't without challenges, since there is only one LFO and the polarity/wave shape has no modulation control, so a simple task like alternating rhythmically up and down pitch synchronized with the gates got way more challenging than it sounds :) Wing Pinger is my new crush, no need to hide it, and even though (surprisingly enough) it doesn't pair well with the Hologram Microcosm, I really wanted to give more ambiance, a more washed feeling to the lonely upper filter playing. I think you'll see this setup again and again, so I hope you enjoy ✨"

Meng Qi Wing Pinger // Pingless Lullaby

video upload by Dexba

"IT'S HERE! I GOT IT!

I've probably never wanted an instrument so much like the Meng Qi's Wing Pinger (and I can't wait to get the Wingie2 and expand everything with some modular gear in the future)

I am both a sine guy and a ping guy, I love sines, sweet curves, blipblops, perforating my ears with awesomeness!

So, I had to start somewhere, and I started from a... pingless little tune, on an instrument called PINGER: life's strange.

Recordings don't make justice to the experience; for a distracted listener it would probably sound like some strange phone tone moving around, but there is something magical about the approach, the experience of touching and subtle movements required to create delicate balances, both for the pinging and the FM interaction. But we start here today! Only a very minimal drop of Chase Bliss' CXM1978 for the reverb, conveniently cutting the booming basses, but I wanted to keep it clean!"

Korg OpSix // Emotional Soundtrack

video upload by Dexba

"Who would have thought?
The more I used the OpSix, the more I started to like it. And this is my own patch I called DEXBA.
Super simple, but it has all what I need: hands-on controls via the drawbars over subtle modulation, the right FX, and the right filters.
FM is always seen as complex, but we don't always have to go to the extreme crazy territories, and we can also stay away from bell sounds and still use some F modulation here and there :)
Since I sold the OB6, and sold the Matriarch, I was missing some pad synth I could just make love with, and I found a little, very little, substitute in this OpSix on loan.
Unfortunately, I am at a point in life where I can't spend what would be needed for some of the big names, but I had my emotional moment with this one, and I am grateful for that.
Enjoy ✨"

Korg OpSix // Glitch Ambient [no external FX]

video upload by Dexba

"I have always been curious about the new line from Korg, including the OpSix, Wavestate, and Modwave, but I've never had the chance to try one in person.
A friend of mine came to the rescue, and he lent me his OpSix (while he got the chance to keep my Digitone, a sort of FM Exchange Program, if you will).
At first, I wasn't impressed by the raw sound quality.
Many of the FX are so so, the basic filters are plain out garbage, and the general accessibility is still not my favorite, especially coming from a PRO3 or the aforementioned Digitone.
BUT, I decided, as my usual, to just completely MISUSE the instrument, so I tried to create a 'modular' patch, to let the Poly-6 filter shine, move stuff with LFO, granularize with the more than welcome FX, and in the end have fun. I can't say I am ready to change my (mostly negative) opinion on the instrument, but it sure has some sweet spots here and there, and I'd like to share them with you.
Hope you'll enjoy ✨"

Elektron Digitakt // Sampling a Buddhist Vietnamese Mantra

video upload by Dexba

"I haven't had that much fun making a beat in ages!
When I heard these little boxes playing in small shrines inside houses, I knew I had to buy one.
It took me a while to get a model featuring both a high number of chants to choose from and an output jack, but here we are, and I couldn't have been happier with the result.
The ABSURDLY lo-fi quality of the recordings adds a lot of character, and when I got it I was afraid the bad sound was only due to the onboard awful speaker; turned out the bad quality was from the recording itself, so... win?
First quick video here, but I will be using it a lot more in the future, and I'm trying to find creative ways for ambient music too :)
Hope you'll enjoy ✨"

Elektron Digitone + CXM1978 // Feedback Waves

video upload by Dexba

"Just having fun here!
Two arpeggiators (T1 and T2) with different length arpeggios, modulation going into the CXM1978 via midi for some 'hardware' warbling effect, and T3 (with that swooshing noise coming in) is played by me in real-time, jumping from tonality to tonality because I like to make my own life pretty hard when it comes to musical boundaries. Nothing to learn this time, so I really hope you'll enjoy spending some musical time with me 💝"

Elektron Digitakt + Hologram Microcosm // Infinity Bells

video upload by Dexba

"Another soothing afternoon.
Digitakt is sequencing 7 bell tracks, each with a different track length and a per-track LFO randomizing the volume of the steps, in order to furtherly increase the slowly evolving feeling.
Track 1 is the only one with strings, meanwhile, the Microcosm is recording, then looping everything one octave down, while some parameters are sequenced by the Digitakt to increase the movement.
Hope you enjoy ✨"

SOMA Pulsar-23 // Exploring the Filters

video upload by Dexba

"Welcome to another little tutorial.
Pulsar is MASSIVE, and it took to its creator around 5 hours of video to explain some basic functions, so I will never get even close to that level of comprehension of the instrument.
What I can do is offer you some little insights on how I use the Pulsar, and lately, I've been mostly using it way less as a drum machine and way more as a tonal instrument, like a more capable, 4-voices Lyra.
In this video, we're gonna explore a little bit what we can do with filters, while I collect some more ideas for other little tutorials on specific topics.
I hope you'll find it at least a bit useful and inspiring.
Enjoy ✨"

Hologram Microcosm & Casio CT-S1 // Enjoying the Rain

video upload by Dexba

"As soon as it started raining, I switched on the camera, the Hologram Microcosm and my cute Casio CT-S1, on the Rhodes preset.
Yeah, I cheated, because I used both a Rhodes sound AND the Mosaic algorithm, but hey, what not to enjoy, am I right?
Anyway, happy birthday to me! Today's the day, and I am proud to be celebrating it with you and some music together.
BTW video on more useful and less cheesy patches for the Microcosm coming soon ⚡️
Enjoy 🧡"

LYRA-8 // Tutorial for Calm Ambient Tracks

video upload by Dexba

"Many of you asked for it, and finally, here it is!
At first, I wasn't sure about what to put inside a basic tutorial like this, but then I realized it was more about the APPROACH, rather than the technical side, a little bit like nobody watch Bob Ross strictly because of his painting skill.
I had so much fun doing that, and I can't wait to make more, and... get better at it!
Hope you'll enjoy it and find it useful enough 🧡"

LYRA-8 // it's not the destination, it's the journey

video upload by Dexba

"This is the jam I ended up with, following the process I described in the previous video.
This time we're taking it slower, calmer, less creepy, and I felt like that was the case, especially during these challenging times.
Enjoy ✨"

SOMA Pulsar-23 // Hauntingly Beautiful (not only as a drum!)

video upload by Dexba

"I finally did it!
I've never waited so long for a video to come out since I bought an instrument, the turnaround is usually one week, I think for this we're closer to 6 months.
But a lot of stuff happened, I moved, I've left many instruments behind, but I decided to take with me this, probably the most obscure and the one I have least confidence with.
Finally, I cracked the (very personal) code, of using the Pulsar like a very different and powerful Lyra, instead of a drum machine.
I made many previous attempts, but I was always ending up with trip-hop borderline eurorack farts and bubbles, and it wasn't quite video material.
Now, that's mine, that's what I like from my instruments, and I love the Pulsar even more for being able to get me *THERE*.
For any discussion about the process or the gear, I'll wait for you in the comments :)
Enjoy ✨"

SOMA Lyra-8 & Ornament // It's like having two LYRAs!

video upload by Dexba

"First time with my new Ornament!
I resisted the impulse to buy it until I got a Pulsar-23, then I thought I was invested enough in the SOMA ecosystem to keep overlooking the Ornament.
So I got it, and I am still not sure how much use I will get out of it, but this jam was a real beauty. I effectively connected with the Lyra on another level, freeing up some mental space for better improvisation, in a way like having two Lyras under my hands.
You can't see it, but on my left, there was my girlfriend painting, so we shared this very artistic moment together and... I mean, that's the reason we do it, right?
When I will receive my tripod for the camera (which I ordered a month and a half ago), I will be able to maybe show you one of these moments together.
I hope you'll enjoy ✨"

Moog Matriarch // Cosmic Jazz Shimmer PATCH

video upload by Dexba

"Sometimes I feel like I am completely missing the point with some synths.
Using filters just to ping them, a TD-3 with a closed cutoff, a Sequential PRO3 with no modulation, a Matriarch with slow attach, and no patch cable.

THIS IS NOT THE TIME. This time I went all-in with the patch cables and what the Moog Matriarch could offer me.
I got the stereo. I got that modulated by another modulation, I got the delay sync'ed but also modulated and as a source of modulation FOR THE OTHER MODULATIONS!

What I got is a sometimes shimmer-y, sometimes jazz-y, sometimes just like a sequence random but lovable, a tool for HOURS of enjoyment, sampling, and getting lost with other external effects.
Here you'll see "just" a plain reverb, but imagine adding another delay, pitch-shifting stuff, choruses, or who knows what!
I am very proud of what I've done, and I was eager to share it with you all 💝
Enjoy ✨"

Chase Bliss Automatone CXM 1978 Reverb Pedal on the right.

Elektron Digitakt + CXM1978 + GRP A2 // Ambient lofi beat

video upload by Dexba

"As an old meme once said: 'I don't always pull out the Digitakt. But when I do, I always end up amazed by how simple and yet versatile it is.'

Having 2 LFO's per track, modulating modulation, quickest sampling EVER (even for a lazy ass player like me), MIDI tracks to be able to quickly play external instruments!

This all started with the loop I put in track 8, a little arpeggio on the Matriarch, that I listened to for many many hours without knowing what to do with it. Then I decided to stop being lazy, so I pulled out the Digitakt and I started flipping the sample, recorded one drone note with the GRP, recorded water, recorded birds, and even some vinyl scratching because... you know, that's the way these things go down.

In the past few days, I've had trouble sleeping, and I have to admit I resorted to my own video quite a bit, mixed with some other sounds of nature.

Everything sounded beautiful already without reverb, but then I remembered I OWN A F***ING Chase Bliss CXM1978! I attached that, I turned the CREAMY factor on the GRP to 11, and... here we are: MY FIRST AMBIENT JAM EVER!"

SOMA Lyra-8 + CXM1978 // Getting lost in the process

video upload by Dexba

"It is quite difficult to describe the relationship between me and the Lyra.
On paper, it does very little, or way too much, much of it is nasty sounding, dirty, unpolished, difficult to tune and keep in tune, interpret the Attack & Decay pattern.
But, without me even noticing it, I always end up with very intense, involved jams, lasting several minutes, and I need to trim them down to do the sensible thing for the youtube viewers (and still almost 9 minutes).
There is something (sigh, I have to admit it) very organic, organismic, about how the Lyra behaves and how it forces you to interact with it.
It's the fear of the unreplicability (is that a word?), it's the gritty nature of the oscillators, with their seemingly random palette of harmonics that will eventually get in the way of tuning and creating chord, I really don't know. But I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Sort of. Tempt me!
Oh, and yes, that's the insanely for-no-reason expensive reverb pedal, and I am torn between liking it a lot on the Lyra and missing some of sparkling (or muddier at the same time) vibe of a BigSky or a DBA Room.
I definitely need to try the Cosmos tho!
I had a nice video in the making, with a sort of a Lyra review/comparison with the Solar50, but then life changed rapidly and I had to ditch all of that.
Now I am waiting for an Ornament-8 to complete my set with the Lyra and Pulsar-23 too, and I hope I will be able to show you something before the end of the year 💝
In any case, enjoy ✨"

Korg Minilogue XD // It can sound EXPENSIVE! [no external FX]

video upload by Dexba

"First of all: welcome to another video, I want to thank you for stopping by my channel, and also taking your time to read this. I really appreciate that. 💝

Let's get to this video, and the Korg Minilogue, most importantly the XD version.
I've always told myself I would never buy one, but if I had a chance to try it I wouldn't refuse. So here we are, I was selling other stuff and one came up for trade, so I took the chance.
- Build quality is good, as it was with the older Minilogue (which I owned, I think most of us used to), and it's finally nice to have a compact, quite light, polysynth on my desk.
- The analog part is good, similar to the one on the previous model or even the Monologue, an instrument I dig a lot.
- The digital part is okay-ish, here I will be using the Sine part since the emulation of saws, squares, and so on are AWFUL, and I can't stress this enough: even the quickest comparison with ITS OWN analog part will result in a complete debacle for the digital part.
- The FX are okay-ish too, most of the reverbs sound almost the same, with various degrees of pitch-shifting (ranging from annoying to unusable to okay if you turn it almost down), the delays would be cool if they had any chance to be modulated, or if all didn't sound super lo-fi, rendering useless the preset Tape. Cool the Mod part, because using Ensemble or Chorus will give that expensive feeling to the sound

It is a strange synth because it can be very useful for a wide range of situations, but at the same time, it is very clear what it wants you to do with its engines (and this patch made from scratch is a good example since I later found out it resembles very closely the very first patch you get turning on the instrument; from patch 2 you're getting downhill).
It's the perfect case of "The sum is greater than the parts", but I am not sure that's the right approach for me.
Enjoy! ✨"

GRP A2 + OTO Bim & Bam // My new favorite MONO SYNTH

video upload by Dexba

"So I stumbled upon a GRP A2 the other day, and I already love it.

There is something cute in its 5U enclosure, like a baby modular, as the OTO are definitely cute with their boxy, a bit cryptic, design.

I wanted to record a jam that could highlight some of the most prominent features of both the synth and the pedals. We have an arpeggio, very classical, almost Bach-sounding, going into a classical delay and a short reverb, then we get to a lush, water-like, filter playing, supported by a long and frozen reverb and a way more strong, hazy delay. In the end, the jam gets modern, with no delay, a very short reverb, just to give more air, more space to a powerful jumping sequence with some gnarly filter action.

Both the GRP A2 and the OTO are a pleasure for the dawless jammer, with all you need in plain sight. The only thing missing is a proper sequencer (GRP sells one too, the R24, but it costs almost twice the A2 synth, so...), but I have my handy Synthstrom Deluge always ready for that! Enjoy ✨"

Chase Bliss CXM1978 for SYNTH // 0-9 Presets with Sequential PRO3 + Elektron DIGITONE & DIGITAKT

video upload by Dexba

"In this video, I wanted to show you the Chase Bliss and Meris lovechild, the CXM1978, a pedal that pays homage to the legendary Lexicon 224.
There are many videos here on YouTube discussing the price, the usefulness, or even how it compares to the real one or the UAD plugins, but I haven't found any video about how this thing sounds in many different situations, settings, (electronic) instruments.
So here we go, I did one myself, with what I think is a bit of a representative sound palette you could find in your music productions, but more will come in the future since I think this one's a keeper.

Chapters:
0:00 - Quick intro
2:04 - [Sequential PRO3] Pluck
3:49 - [Sequential PRO3] 'Prophet like' Pad
11:51 - [Elektron Digitone] 'Vangelis like' Pad
15:32 - [Elektron Digitone] FM Pluck
20:21 - [Elektron Digitakt] Drums
22:03 - [Elektron Digitakt] Vocal sample
23:53 - [Elektron Digitakt] Ambient house (?) Jam"

CXM1978 for SYNTH // 0-9 Presets with Sequential PRO3 + Elektron DIGITONE & DIGITAKT

video upload by Dexba

'Hello everyone! Feels like this is my first video, like, the first PROPER video, mostly because I am showing myself on camera and also because I want to get step by step closer to more complex or even "useful" videos :)
In this video, I wanted to show you the Chase Bliss and Meris lovechild, the CXM1978, a pedal that pays homage to the legendary Lexicon 224.
There are many videos here on YouTube discussing the price, the usefulness, or even how it compares to the real one or the UAD plugins, but I haven't found any video about how this thing sounds in many different situations, settings, (electronic) instruments.
So here we go, I did one myself, with what I think is a bit of a representative sound palette you could find in your music productions, but more will come in the future since I think this one's a keeper.
Thank you a lot for all your support, never thought I would get to 1.000 subs, and that's also a great encouragement to keep doing stuff and get better at it!

Chapters:
0:00 - Quick intro
2:04 - [Sequential PRO3] Pluck
3:49 - [Sequential PRO3] "Prophet like" Pad
11:51 - [Elektron Digitone] "Vangelis like" Pad
15:32 - [Elektron Digitone] FM Pluck
20:21 - [Elektron Digitakt] Drums
22:03 - [Elektron Digitakt] Vocal sample
23:53 - [Elektron Digitakt] Ambient house (?) Jam"

Elta SOLAR50 + OTO Bim & Bam // HUGE sounding pocketable ORGAN

video upload by Dexba

"I've recently fallen into the pedals craze and yeah, I couldn't resist both the design and the vintage crunchiness of the OTO line, so when I got a good deal on the pair I went for it!
Both are amazing, even though you have to dive a little deeper in order to get exactly the sound and feel you're looking for.
BAM was a refreshing acquisition after years of BigSky. Natural sounding reverbs with a touch of dirt (comparison with the CXM1978 coming soon 🔥).
BIM is simply the perfect delay for me. Can go from a very simple, nice-sounding delay, to a filthy lo-fi stereo grungy mess, and the modulation came really handy with the Solar50 (that's what I am fiddling with during the jam).
Solar50 was the perfect companion for these pedals, since its raw sound (not passing even through the filter, since I was using the dry stereo output).
BIM provided dimension and modulation, while BAM gave the space and that little smudging effect needed for cutting some of the harshnesses.
All in all a GREAT combo! Can't wait to get my hands on an OTO BOUM, even though I am undecided between that and the Elektron Heat mk2. We'll see!
Enjoy ✨"