Lite2Sound in Dallas – Stereo photodiode field recording

video upload by EA78751

"What if the city was secretly composing its own musical soundtrack and only you could hear it? The year is 2023, location is Dallas, and this video was recorded downtown at night. All of the sounds are coming from fluctuations in the intensity of light emitted by the scene. We used a large aperture stereo photodiode amplifier developed by Eric Archer of Rare Waves LLC to capture these field recordings. The audio output from the photodiode amplifier was plugged in to the camcorder’s mic input, and by listening with headphones while recording, the videographer/sound hunter goes to a parallel universe of droning harmonic sounds and electronic frequencies. Lite2Sound photodiode amplifiers are available from rarewaves.net and in the Rare Waves reverb.com store."

Grendel 2TAC analog sequencer with RA-99 Grenadier

video upload by EA78751

"Rare Waves demonstrates the Grendel 2TAC 2-track analog controller with the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier analog synthesizer. The Grendel 2TAC has two tracks of CV-Gate output (1v/oct). For synchronization, it has an internal tempo generator, analog pulse-per-step Clock In/Out, and Reset pulse In/Out. This video tutorial shows some of its pattern editing features, time stretching, creating pattern chains, altering the tuning, mashing several patterns together simultaneously, and generating random patterns. We will be offering a limited issue of the 2TAC as pictured in the video with black aluminum case, walnut sides, and red or yellow LEDs. For easy reference this version comes with the key commands printed as a graphic on the underside of the case. 2TACs are available soon direct from rarewaves.net."

You can find additional posts featuring the Grendel 2TAC here.

Lite2Sound listening to the highway lights

video upload by EA78751

"There are hidden layers of reality for example the sounds of modulated light. We're on the highway listening with a Lite2Sound photodiode amplifier. A few decades ago you wouldn't be hearing so many types of interesting tones and frequencies. But now almost every light is modulated and it all blends together like a free ambient soundtrack. On the highway there is also the sound of air turbulence, you hear it whenever a light shines towards the sensor while passing through turbulent air in the wake of a vehicle. I'm disappointed though, this was supposed to be a stereo recording, but by accident the camera only recorded in mono. Location: San Antonio (2022). Rarewaves.net / Lite2sound.com"

Lite2Sound QB Stereo - raindrops are oscillating

video upload by EA78751

"We have made a field recording of a common but rarely heard side of nature - the oscillations of falling rain drops. Shine a flashlight up into the rain and its light bounces back off the surface of the falling drops, to be received by our stereo photodiode amplifier. We are using the Lite2Sound QB Stereo from Rare Waves LLC (rarewaves.net, lite2sound.com)"

Surf and Drone - Grendel DC-2, Grendel Formant Filter, RA-99 Grenadier

video upload by EA78751

"This synth demonstration from Rare Waves uses the Grendel DC-2 as a tone source. Grendel Formant Filter provides vowel filtering, and Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is performing the LFO duties. Rare Waves Hydronium is used as a MIDI-CV converter to set the pitch of the DC-2's oscillators. In the picture you also see a prototype Polyphonic Strobe Tuner, which provides a real-time pitch analysis. Also heard in the mix are prototypes of a Surf Sound Synthesizer and Spring Reverb. Rare Waves is an American synth manufacturer, our website is rarewaves.net, check out what we're making now!"

Grendel DC-2 Drone Commander 2 demo

video by EA78751

"Grendel DC-2 is new for 2021, we've fused the DC-2e main module and expander into a 35 HP single module. Now comes in both silver and black brushed anodized aluminum. This is an all analog synth voice module with 2 VCOs, multiple LFOs, two VCFs, low pass gate envelope, CV-gate control, and lots of patchable functions."

Grendel Drone Commander 2 + Hi-hat

EA78751

"Minimal music with Grendel Drone Commander 2, hi-hat prototype, and 2TAC sequencers"

See the dealers on the right for availability.

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier - Contaminate Your Speakers (official synth demo)

Published on Feb 10, 2020 EA78751

"In-depth demo of the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier analog synthesizer. All sounds in the track are made with the RA-99, except the synthetic speech which was made with Rare Waves MIDI Narrator.

0:00 Part 1 - Contaminate Your Speakers (music track)
4:37 Part 2 - Making the distorted kicks
6:24 Part 3 - Making pink noise percussion
7:55 Part 4 - Making acid tones
9:25 Part 5 - Making the synthesized speech
10:06 Part 6 - Making the lead voices


Demonstration and Music by Eric Archer, 2020
Rare Waves LLC (rarewaves.net)"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier – Official synth demo

Published on Jan 24, 2020 EA78751

"The Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is new for 2020 and continues boldly into the sound territory of the original RA-9 from 2015. This is an original and excellent all-analog synthesizer from Rare Waves that implements parallel formant synthesis with a triple-VCF filter bank (1x LPF, 2x BPF). Voice-like vowel tones, stabby and juicy alien acid sounds, eerie drone incantations, filtered noise percussion, dark electro basslines, pitched Miami bass drums, wispy analog leads and more are at the producer’s fingertips. This synth uses CV-Gate control and gives you multiple v/oct inputs to creatively stack the CV sources from your sequencers to elevate its melodic potential. The accurate single VCO has voltage-controlled wave shape, a sub-octave square wave, and a pink noise source for furry warmth. RA-99 also features a pair of multi-function modulation sources that change from envelope generator to LFO by pushing a button. As envelopes, they can be either Decay or Attack-Release, with precise exponential curves. As LFOs, they have variable symmetry for triangle-sawtooth shapes, also pulse wave and clock outputs. LFO rate and envelope time can be voltage controlled. A pushbutton lets you assign either modulator to the main volume VCA. Both of RA-99’s modulators include bipolar attenuators to add animation to the filter bank, plus patchable modulation outputs to drive the synth’s other parameters. Its assembled in the USA by Rare Waves LLC (Texas). Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is designed and supported by Eric Archer."

Grendel RA-99 posts

Rare Waves / Grendel synth demo: Soul Grenadier (official)

Published on Jan 11, 2020 EA78751

"In this video sound track we feature tones from the Grendel RA-99 Grenadier, Rare Waves Hydronium, and Grendel Drone Commander Classic Pedal. With emphasis on the RA-99 Grenadier! At this point we’re still waiting for the graphic print job on its case, so in this video the new Grenadier is ugly and naked.. Its case is grey anodized aluminum with shiny chrome handles and soft touch knobs. Barring an unforeseen delay, Grendel RA-99 Grenadier will be ready in a couple weeks, and the price will be under $500. Available soon! Different demos to come... w/ smashing gabber bass"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier Sounds

Published on Nov 14, 2019 EA78751

Also see: Grendel RA-99 Grenadier + 2TAC Sequencer

"Grendel RA-99 Grenadier is in production! More details coming soon at rarewaves.net. This is an audio demo with nasty bass drums, growling arpeggios, and wobbly formant synthesis tones. It’s a dry recording with no FX. RA-99 Grenadier is a true analog synthesizer with 14 sound parameters controlled by rotary knobs and 6 pushbuttons. It has a 20-point patch bay that greatly expands your options for creative CV, gate, and audio signal routing. This is a one-oscillator monosynth with VC waveshape, subharmonic generator, plus a pink noise source. Its accurate and FM-able VCO has 2x 1V/oct inputs, a 5V/oct input thats great for octave trills, plus a 15V/oct input for vibrato and narrow pitch bending. The RA-99 filter bank has 3 VCFs in parallel, tunable with its Alpha, Beta, and Filter parameters for a wide range of tones including vowels and vocal-like sounds. Its modulation section can be configured as 2x envelope , 2x LFO, or one of each. The envelopes can be either Decay or Attack-Release and have bipolar depth. As LFOs, they have variable symmetry and can act as frequency divider or stair-step voltage sources. The synthesizer is housed in a tough anodized aluminum case and features protective hand grips just like the original Grendel RA-9 Grenadier. Manufactured by Rare Waves (Texas). Thanks for checking us out!"

Grendel RA-99 Grenadier + 2TAC Sequencer

Published on Oct 17, 2019 EA78751

"We’re in the Rare Waves shop, demoing tones from the first prototype of a Grendel RA-99 Grenadier with help from a Grendel 2TAC analog sequencer. Fun! The RA-99 is based on the unconventional Grendel RA-9 Grenadier we produced back in 2014. It’s a true analog synthesizer with CV-Gate control. It has a formant filter bank with 3 VCFs for those guttural vowel tones and alien beatbox sounds. Its filter bank is animated by a pair of voltage-controlled modulation sources that can work as either LFOs or envelope generators. Its tone comes from 1 oscillator with VC waveshape + subharmonics and a pink noise source. And it has 20 patch points for semimodular control.

The original RA-9 Grenadier had a very basic 4-step sequencer built in - after revision, it spawned the 2TAC. So in a sense, the original RA-9 Grenadier evolved into the two units which you’re hearing."

New Grendel DC-2 LTD and 2TAC Controller

Published on Oct 4, 2019 EA78751

"In this video demo, check out the limited edition Grendel DC-2 LTD analog synth played with a Grendel 2TAC (2-Track Analog Control). DC-2 LTD is a fresh re-design of our Drone Commander 2 Standalone a.k.a. the Grendel DC-2e. The 2TAC is a compact minimalist CV-Gate sequencer. These units have hand-tooled metalwork, oil finished hardwood sides, and permanent silkscreen graphics."

New CV sequencers + 2-osc FM synth + Rare Waves Hydronium

Published on Jul 1, 2019 EA78751

"Electronic music from the Rare Waves lab bench. Synth voice 1: Rare Waves Hydronium + Iron Horse distortion pedal. Synth voice 2 is a unique prototype with 2 analog oscillators, FM + noise, and a sweet diode bridge VCF. I’m playing the synths from a pair of CV-Gate sequencers I’m currently developing. Thanks for listening! Comments welcome. -Eric Archer (July 2019)"

Rare Waves Hydronium - Lithium Drift (synth demo)

Published on Feb 16, 2019 EA78751

"Hydronium is a new music instrument for 2019 from Rare Waves, with both MIDI and CV-Gate control. Available in tabletop or Eurorack format, as a DIY kit or pre-assembled. This video demo shows some of the great tones it can get! Its available now from rarewaves.net, created and supported by Eric Archer behind the Grendel brand."

Rare Waves Hydronium – Anode Sludge (synth demo)

Published on Jan 31, 2019 EA78751

"Rare Waves Hydronium is a great sounding analog synthesizer with MIDI + CV-Gate control, and lots of patchability. Its new for 2019, created and supported by Eric Archer behind the Grendel brand. Hydronium comes as a DIY kit or pre-assembled, available now at rarewaves.net in tabletop format and a Eurorack version is in the works.

This demo track focuses on heavy tones in the stoner doom vein. The black Hydronium has a distortion pedal patched into its effects loop to bring out some lovely nasty crusty crunchy sounds. This synth’s effects loop is positioned between its VCF and VCA, which is a sweet spot for distortion, fuzz, and overdrive. It lets you use a distortion pedal for waveshaping without sacrificing the synth’s dynamic range or increasing the background noise. The yellow Hydronium is playing through a spring reverb 100% wet, and has an external LFO patched to its VCF CV input for psychedelic lead sounds. The blue box is dry in the mix."

Hydronium

Rare Waves Hydronium: DIY acid synth

Published on Jan 17, 2019 EA78751

"Rare Waves Hydronium is an excellent synth DIY kit for electronic music producers. This is a great-sounding acid synth with both MIDI and CV-Gate control! Available now in tabletop format, and Eurorack format is coming soon. Its available direct from rarewaves.net

This video demo shows different sounds from three Hydroniums playing simultaneously. We patched a distortion pedal into the effects loop of the blue one, to get some classic gritty acid tones. And there is some extra help from two external LFOs, which are used to animate the filter and get PWM tones from the yellow Hydronium."

Previously: Synth DIY: The Rare Waves Hydronium kit

Synth DIY: The Rare Waves Hydronium kit

Published on Dec 4, 2018 EA78751

"The Hydronium DIY acid synth kit from Rare Waves is coming soon! Available in tabletop or Eurorack format. This video takes a closer look at its fun features and explains the CV patch options.
Hydronium can be controlled by either MIDI or CV-Gate. Its VCO has sawtooth, square wave, and PWM waveforms. Pitch slide (legato glide) effect works with both MIDI and CV-Gate control, and it has a handy post-glide v/oct CV output for slaving a second VCO. Glide time can be voltage-controlled. The decay envelope is velocity sensitive, and its bipolar dynamics knob gives unique control over accented notes. Decay time can be controlled by the MIDI mod wheel, as well as a Decay CV input. The filter is a 2-pole state-variable filter. By the term “acid synth” we don’t mean it is a Roland clone, but it does include many 303-inspired playability features... Hydronium DIY kits will be available soon through rarewaves.net."

Rare Waves DIY MIDI Acid Synth Kit Coming Soon

Published on Nov 8, 2018 EA78751

"Coming soon from Rare Waves, a great DIY acid synth kit with MIDI control + CV ins and outs. Tabletop or Eurorack. We're taking a poll... which color would you take? Blue, black, or yellow?"

Grendel DC-2e Drone Commander 2 Standalone

Published on Oct 19, 2018 EA78751

"The Grendel DC-2e Drone Commander 2 ... in its own custom fitted Euro case! The 35HP case features a removable lid for protection, and the tolex covering comes in orange, black, and more color options. From rarewaves.net"