"Tela orchestrates a vast array of resonant peaks, intertwined to form a critical mass of sound. It models nothing – it's a synthesizer for the here and now, to discover and create anew.
In a careful balance of depth and immediacy, Tela explores the inherent character and capabilities of modal synthesis. Like a practical joke, Tela bends a myriad of partials into perfect symmetrical waveforms only for them to dissolve into otherworldly timbres and textures mere seconds later. There are no rules.
Modal synthesis
Imagine hitting a thin piece of metal, a piece of glass or the membrane of a drum– the material vibrates and rings out with its inherent timbre, affected by the motion of the impact and the strength of the hit. This is the basis of what modal synthesis recreates.
A beautiful & fascinating African instrument, the Kora is hard to classify. With 21 strings and a cow-hide resonator, it's a type of bridge harp, but with some lute or guitar DNA in the mix.
The kora is made from a gourd, which is cut in half and covered with cow hide. This forms the resonator of the instrument. There are 21 strings, suspended by a double notched bridge - 10 on one side, 11 on the other. This is typical of a double harp and it is classified as such. However, because the strings originate from a 'neck' and cross a bridge into a resonator, this also makes it a lute.
Soniccouture’s VST version is incredibly playable and versatile, featuring a MIDI pattern player for authentic accompaniment.
• 40 VELOCITY LAYERS + MUTE ACCENTS / KEY OFFS • MIC + CONTACT CHANNELS
• MIDI PATTERN PLAYER
• MICRO-TUNING
• 6GB LIBRARY
• KONTAKT PLAYER + NKS
INTRO OFFER
€89 (€129) | $89 ($129)
Until May 15th 2024. Price as marked on website, no code required. Offer excludes other discount codes.
At Artium Instruments, we approach our designs with the understanding that musicians cultivate intimate connections with the gear they employ to create their art. We firmly believe that instruments ought to possess not just functionality, but also personality, character, and a distinct identity that inspires its user.
First and foremost, we've dedicated significant effort to ensuring that the synthesizer and onboard effects produce exceptional sound quality akin to professional studio-grade equipment. The Swarm features a SuperSaw oscillator with 8-note polyphony, curated onboard effects, and a full-featured arpeggiator.
At Artium Instruments we are committed to knob-for-knob functionality in our desktop synths. Every feature of The Swarm is directly mapped to a knob, button, switch, or jack, ensuring effortless control. There's no need for menu-diving or complicated button presses to access features; everything is conveniently accessible at your fingertips.
With over a decade of experience in the effects industry, we have carefully curated a selection of effects that complements the synth core. Unique to The Swarm is its capability to use the onboard effects with other equipment, allowing you to route external audio through the input jacks on the back.
We've invested considerable thought into crafting the overall feel of the instrument. From the layout of the knobs to the choice of colors, artwork, and weight of the enclosure, every detail has been considered. These details matter to us because we recognize that the connection a user forms with a piece of gear is nearly as crucial in the creative process as the sounds it produces. We hope you can feel the love and passion we've poured into every detail of The Swarm, from its sonic capabilities to its design aesthetics.
The Swarm is controlled by MIDI through a USB-C port. Most modern class-compliant MIDI controllers with USB functionality should plug in and work immediately with zero setup. Additionally, The Swarm provides power to your controller, streamlining your setup process. For older controllers that only have DIN connections, a USB to DIN converter can be used to ensure compatibility.
The Swarm features a SuperSaw oscillator with 8-note polyphony. This oscillator is composed of seven individual saw waves stacked on top of each other. The magic happens when you detune the waveforms by applying a frequency offset, resulting in one of the most massive synth sounds available.
The Swarm employs this SuperSaw oscillator through two distinct control modes: Polyphonic Mode and Arpeggiator Mode. In Polyphonic Mode, you can play up to eight notes simultaneously. Arpeggiator Mode offers a comprehensive monophonic arpeggiator, automatically sequencing held notes in a variety of patterns.
All onboard effects can be used with external equipment. Simply plug an external audio source into the rear input jacks, and The Swarm will seamlessly mix the external audio with its synth core, allowing for simultaneous processing of both signals.
By pressing the touchpad on the right, The Swarm records a 1000ms sample of the current audio. It then layers, and smears the sample, creating an infinite drone frozen in time—a perfect foundation for layering additional notes. The freeze effect facilitates overdubbing, and pressing the touchpad with the freeze knob at its minimum setting erases the memory, allowing you to capture a fresh sample.
The Swarm's delay is a digital delay with a subtle touch of warmth. The delay length synchronizes with the arpeggiator clock, which can be adjusted manually using the clock knob or via the tap tempo touchpad on the left. Additionally, the delay features a multiplier knob, offering a range of unique subdivisions that complement the synced arpeggiator, including quarter notes, dotted eighth notes, eighth notes, and triplets.
The reverb effect in The Swarm strives to enhance the natural body and ambience of the synth core without overshadowing it. Its stereo reverb algorithm is controlled by a single knob, which adjusts both the mix and decay simultaneously. This versatile control allows you to seamlessly transition from realistic room or hall effects to expansive cathedral-like soundscapes, offering a wide range of atmospheric possibilities.
The SuperSaw oscillator practically demands to be paired with a chorus effect. The Swarm employs a stereo 4-voice chorus effect alongside a gradually shifting LFO, aiming to craft dimensionality without becoming nauseating.
"SUBSPACE is a collection of 50 cinematic ambient patches for the Arturia Minifreak. Of course these sound works on both the hardware Minifreak and its software version.
Like all my sound packs, SUBSPACE is a collection of sounds that were created in a musical context for my own tracks. So the main focus is again on drones, pads, arps and lively pluck sounds in various forms. These sounds are suitable for a variety of genres ... but of course (like all my sound packs) perfectly suitable for ambient, psybient, downbeat, soundtracks and chillout music.
"Following up on the success of the popular Virus, Access unleashed an upgraded model in 1999, the Virus B. The original Virus A had 12-voice polyphony, but the new OS in the Virus B doubles the polyphony from 12- to 24-voices and the oscillators, from 2 to 3 per voice. The new OS also added an enhanced programmable 32-band vocoder. There are now up to 82 simultaneous effects, a retro-phaser (6-stage stereo phaser with 24 filter-poles), chorus/flanger, ring modulator, multiple forms of distortion, an analog boost algorithm, and an envelope follower. Up to five FM (Frequency Modulation) modes are also on-board now and many new sounds have been created for this bigger and better version of the Virus.
OS 4.0 was released in late 2000 with even more amazing features! The update is downloadable from Access (free of charge!) and comes installed in all new Virus synths to ship after its release. OS 4.0 adds a reverb with advanced features such as pre-delay sync-able to Midi clock. There's also a groove delay, surround sound capability, external effect sends using the individual outputs, an Intelligent Random Patch Generator, sound categories to sort all your patches in a logical order, Direct FX to use your Virus as an effects-processor while maintaining full polyphony, 16 independent arpeggiators with numerous patterns and realtime parameter access, and an advanced distortion module with lo-fi and filter dsp-effects. OS 4.0 makes the Virus one of the best analog modeling synthesizers to date! Complete control of parameters is available via MIDI. "Adaptive Control Smoothing" ensures ultra smooth parameter changes. There's also a free Emagic sound-driver based Editor/Librarian for Windows and MacOS."
"The PolyMorph sequencer / synthesizer is a full featured and powerful virtually analog synthesizer that assumes an evolved form and purpose of its breakthrough hit predecessor - the RaveOLution 309! First the sounds: the PolyMorph is four synths loaded with synth and drum sounds geared towards electronica and other forms of synthesizer music. Individual ADSR's and filters per oscillator make for a totally tweakable and flexible synthesizer. The sequencer: 16 step, 8 variations, 4 parts or instruments. Parts and even notes can be muted or changed in real time to build and decompose your grooves or synth textures. There are also preset phrase patterns to play around with.
Aside from sounding amazing, the PolyMorph is beefed up by a great set of effects. Add distortion, EQing, reverb, chorus, flange, etc. to each of the four parts independently! The controls, knobs and sequencer can all be controlled via MIDI for in-studio use, however the impressive multi-effects implementation alone is a major hint that the PolyMorph is a machine suited for live, DJ and on the fly music production."
"Richard Feynman out of a Morphagene into the MUN with Plaits (Knit) in chord mode as a carrier source. Reverb and delay by Monsoon. Chord changes are controlled by Pressure Points/Brains, with one channel taking care of pitch and another adjusting chord forms."
"This module is a 22HP 10 channel vocoder based on the Syntovox 222. I own a 222 and have always been impressed with the sound and elegant design, so it was an easy choice of where to start.
The initial design for this module was 42HP with all the fruit – variable envelope lengths, envelope outputs and inputs, filter outputs and inputs, pause stuffing, external noise input, separate carriers for odd/even channels, etc. and it sucked; way too finicky to use.
So I stripped it back to a more minimal version and am much happier with it.
For the Voice section, there is a TRS/mono 6.35mm input for mics, a stereo/mono 3.5mm input for line level sources and a synth level input.
The Carrier section has a synth level input only.
There is no voice/unvoiced switching. Noise from a transistor based source is mixed with the Carrier signal on channels 9 & 10. Pots can control the noise level and the colour (pink/white).
There are jacks for each frequency channel and the envelopes generated. You can also patch in signals to stimulate the carrier signal on the corresponding channel."
"The Mutant Machine began as a quest to create a rich-sounding eurorack snare drum synthesis module to complement the existing Mutant Drums. The project quickly became too large and costly to justify the module being capable only of snare drum sounds. So, the decision was made to learn from the architecture of the TR-909’s snare and kick circuits, to develop a module capable of generating multiple forms of analog percussion, and various other effects. Even though it can create alien sounds, it still can deliver those classic 909 house snares and kicks if you want them. There are no microcontrollers in the Machine. The signals and waveforms are all generated by discrete components and ICs, for a distinctly analog sound, and user experience. Now redesigned by Erica Synths in collaboration with Hexinverter Electronique.
Timeline:
00:02 - Jam 1 / Sequenced and modulated with Black Sequencer
01:57 - Manually triggering and designing a sound
02:59 - Jam 2 / Sequenced and modulated with Black Sequencer
04:33 - Jam 3 / Triggered with Drum Sequencer (with accents)
05:58 - Self patched Mutant Machine
06:58 - Triggered with the Drum Sequencer and modulated with the Drum Modulator"
"Functions are a suite of “sound transformers” that use a breakpoint function editor to apply modulation to the sound. Different from many standard audio effects with built in modulation capabilities like LFO’s or envelope generators, the Function allows you to draw in complex custom modulation shapes or multi-stage envelopes, which can then be indexed using a variety of signals, producing linear and non-linear modulations, designed to create interesting forms of movement.
"This edition is rare, and cannot be found anywhere as a set. Made by EMS London, and works differently than the Synthi A, although it appears to be the same. Here is a breakdown of what you get below:
In addition to the power supply, new patch cables as well as the original patch cables (standard mini jack), the lid of the "suitcase synthesis" and the original manual (or textbook) are included.
The modules of the EMS Synthis work perfectly, the overall sound and especially the filter sound very high-quality.
VCO – Voltage Controlled Oscillator • with the vibration forms sine, sawtooth, triangle and rectangle with external control voltage input for pulse width modulation • VCF – Voltage Controlled Filter • Multimode filter with 12 dB slope, low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and phaser • LFO – Low Frequency Oscillator • with the vibration forms sine and rectangle • SRG – Slow Ramp Generator •
with the vibration form sawtooth • NG – Noise Generator • the noise generator offers white noise • EG – Envelope Generator (Envelope Shaper) • A-D-S-R • RM – Ring Modulator • INV – Inverter • SL – Slew Limiter (Portamento) • EF – Envelope Follower • External Audio Input • Output/Mix • Control Inputs"
"Here we take a look at numerous ways to sync Pamela's PRO Workout with other hardware and software including syncing two Pams, external Din Sync, MIDI clock, LFO BPM modulation, the Pam Sync DAW plugin, and finally syncing the virtual Pam PRO in VCV Rack.
In general most forms of sync expect a standard 24PPQN clock and Run 'Din Sync' type signal set for the Clk and Run inputs. These settings can be changed from Pam's BPM menu to accomodate other common clock PPQN speeds and Run or Reset signals to align with the sync signals produced by other hardware devices."
"Forms, takes a light from a different direction. Music that makes you want to move.
Garage music originated with it mainly being played on pirate radio, It was simply undeniable on dance floors because of its swing and syncopation. It had a tendancy to naturally make people dance, and as an underground genre, it soon took its form and became massive in the 90's with artists like DJ EZ and the Artful Dodger.
Some of the best Garage music was on white label, Lost in time, these old tapes and records are hard to find. Forms brings a big slice of this back to the Novation Circuit Tracks, right back to that innocent time when people were passionate about making good music, and bringing it to the masses. Forms leaves you wanting nothing more than time to create.
With a massive selection of 128 patches, 16 inspiring sessions and a percectly suited drum kit for Garage music
FORMS BONUS PERFOMANCE PADS
There are four perfomance pads on each page of project pages at the bottom
These go from green to red. They are different speed kick drum build ups. so the fist is a crash and kick. for a drop. the second one is a 1/4 kick drum. the next is a faster one, 1/8 twice the speed and finally the last one is 16ths. This gives you a way of switching between sesions with a little transition when playing live. It will also stay in sync with your swing and tempo from the project you are switching from. These are Called Performance Pads. and are exclusive to this pack!
To date there hasn't been a Garage pack on the Novation Circuit eco system. Forms not only puts that to bed, but lays a stamp on the 2 step Garage genre, which is clearly here to stay
FORMS CONTENTS
64 samples 16 kicks 16 snares and claps 8 cymbal one shots 16 chord and synth stabs 8 vocals and more 128 patches 72 bass patches 16 chord stabs 8 pads 32 leads
A REVOLUTION in MIDI Music Timing - Latest v5 Firmware available now - Intro Video upload by midicake
00:00 Intro
00:35 Time Parameters Unleashed
02:10 Classic Arpeggiator Mode
02:53 One Finger Mode
03:20 Keyboard Split/Zones
03:48 Power Button
04:06 Encoder Enhancements
04:33 Macro CC Output
04:51 MIDI Output Routing
05:06 Multi Menu Control
05:21 Outro
Press release follows:
Midicake is thrilled to announce a significant leap forward in electronic music creation with the latest firmware update for the renowned Midicake ARP. Available for download on January 18th, 2024, this update marks a new era in musical timing and creativity.
The new firmware is free for all Midicake ARP users, ensuring both existing and new customers can enjoy the latest advancements. Every new ARP unit will ship with this updated firmware, guaranteeing immediate access to the cutting-edge features.
Revolutionary Time Parameters: Unleash Your Creativity The highlight of this update is the introduction of innovative Time Parameters, revolutionizing the way musicians control musical timing, in the digital MIDI domain. These parameters allow users to effortlessly create complex polyrhythms and polymeters, offering unparalleled freedom in musical time division. Ever dreamed of composing with 23 notes across 7 bars? It’s now possible with the Midicake ARP!
Enhanced Playability with New Features In addition to these timing innovations, the update brings exciting new features to enhance the ARP's playability:
• Classic Arpeggiator Mode: Experience the nostalgic and beloved patterns of traditional arpeggiators.
• One Finger Mode: Simplify your performance without sacrificing creativity.
• Keyboard Zoning: Expand your expressive range by assigning different ARP patterns to various keyboard sections.
These features make playing the ARP not just easier, but also more fun and engaging, suitable for both studio sessions and live performances.
ARP: Your Ultimate Digital Melody Generator With its unique blend of advanced features and user-friendly interface, the Midicake ARP stands as the ideal digital melody generator for all forms of electronic music production.
Midicake invites all electronic music enthusiasts, from budding bedroom producers to seasoned professionals, to explore the new dimensions of musical expression offered by the Midicake ARP's latest firmware update.
Join the Revolution in Musical Timing with Midicake ARP!
"Forms, takes a light from a different direction. Music that makes you want to move.
Garage music originated with it mainly being played on pirate radio, It was simply undeniable on dance floors because of its swing and syncopation. It had a tendancy to naturally make people dance, and as an underground genre, it soon took its form and became massive in the 90's with artists like DJ EZ and the Artful Dodger.
Some of the best Garage music was on white label, Lost in time, these old tapes and records are hard to find. Forms brings a big slice of this back to the Novation Circuit Tracks, right back to that innocent time when people were passionate about making good music, and bringing it to the masses. Forms leaves you wanting nothing more than time to create.
With a massive selection of 128 patches, 16 inspiring sessions and a percectly suited drum kit for Garage music
FORMS BONUS PERFOMANCE PADS
There are four perfomance pads on each page of project pages at the bottom
These go from green to red. They are different speed kick drum build ups. so the fist is a crash and kick. for a drop. the second one is a 1/4 kick drum. the next is a faster one, 1/8 twice the speed and finally the last one is 16ths. This gives you a way of switching between sesions with a little transition when playing live. It will also stay in sync with your swing and tempo from the project you are switching from. These are Called Performance Pads. and are exclusive to this pack!
To date there hasn't been a Garage pack on the Novation Circuit eco system. Forms not only puts that to bed, but lays a stamp on the 2 step Garage genre, which is clearly here to stay
FORMS CONTENTS
64 samples 16 kicks 16 snares and claps 8 cymbal one shots 16 chord and synth stabs 8 vocals and more 128 patches 72 bass patches 16 chord stabs 8 pads 32 leads
00:00 Opening Titles 00:32 Introduction 01:22 Little Black Boxes 07:49 Switched On Cybersynths 14:55 Synthesiser Club 18:30 Commercial Break 21:52 Patching Today 35:05 Video Lab 40:34 Outro
LITTLE BLACK BOXES - The Casio VZ10M Phase Distortion synth from 1988
SWITCHED ON CYBERSYNTHS - Euclidean Rhythms. We get the abacus out and do some maths in this episode, trying to work out Euclid’s infamous algorithm
SYNTHESISER CLUB - Today, its Club Yamaha!
COMMERCIAL BREAK - Benge’s latest album The View from Vega, released on the DiN label; FORMS SERIES albums on Bandcamp; Polyrythmic Electronica vinyl from the Systems of Objects label; Memetune merchandise - T-Shirts, Tote Bags and Badges
PATCHING TODAY - on the Paia 4700, made in Oklahoma City in 1974. Is this the WORST modular system ever made? Maybe, maybe not!
VIDEO LAB - In this episode - a look at vintage video cameras, and why the Three Tube system rules
The MemeTune Programme Credits: Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge) All music, design, writing, filming and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2023
"Continual Transition is an electronic sound-making device designed to engage memory, inspired by the unique otherworldly dread of isolation in the Ozarks.
Continual Transition uses a simple synthesis structure, modulated delay lines, sampling, and multiple internal feedback/feedforward nodes to create a chaotic, constantly evolving musical structure. Despite its use of relatively simple synthesis "building blocks," its embrace of chaos and its perhaps-peculiar parameterization makes it such that individual controls often results in individual knobs affecting many aspects of a sound's character, usually in nonlinear or unpredictable ways.
Continual Transition is comprised of two primary sections: on the left, a Temporal Reflection Interval Processor (TRIP), and on the right, an Arbitrarily Traversal Memory Register (ATMR). The TRIP and ATMR are intertwined via multiple intermodulation nodes, allowing them to influence one another's behavior in a number of ways. The TRIP is a continually-degrading memory process, in which user actions are echoed, multiplied, and obfuscated continually as time progresses. The ATMR is a sampling device, which assesses the device's total state for concentrated periods of time, locking small windows of "memory" into a buffer which can be bent, twisted, folded, and traversed linearly or chaotically.
By allowing these two forms of memory to commingle—and by gradually learning the relationship between individual controls, the immediate sound, and the way that sounds progress into the future—the user may develop a peculiar sense of "presentness," in which the events of the past and immediate future gain greater clarity and present actions take on greater-than-typical weight.
Continual Transition was created with a Bela Mini, Pure Data, simple custom circuitry, and Arkansan cedar sourced directly from the forests of the Ozarks. A limited number of Continual Transition devices were created in 2020. Despite initial goals to the contrary, there is no current plan to develop it into a commercial product.
If you want to learn more about Continual Transition (and to hear more examples of how it can sound), see the Summer 2019 edition of SciARC's Offramp online magazine here:
https://offramp.sciarc.edu/articles/c..."
"This playlist features granular eurorack modules that all need to process the same reference sample. I hope this gives a good impression of what the modules can do for you. They're all different, they're all great."
Playlist:
1. Grainmakers Playlist Introduction
I've been working on a huge video over the last few days and when I reached 30 minutes I decided to break it up into a playlist. This is cool! I can make updates and add new modules as they emerge. It's not supposed to be the ultimate grain guide, but it's cool to hear all modules chew on the same sample and hear what comes out. It's easy to be impressed by a bad module with a great soundsource, or underwhelmed by an amazing module that need to process something unworthy of its grains. So it all comes down to what they have to offer. And there are no bad modules. It's great fun to hear how a standard concept can turn into completely different experiences.
So this is just a short playlist introduction.
In this episode, Beads needs to chew on a reference performance.
Beads is an effect, but it can process an internal wavetable synth on its own.
3. Qu-Bit Nebulae V2 | Grainmakers Playlist
Our next contender in the playlist is the Qu-Bit Nebulae. It may be a bit underappreciated, but wow. A unique feature is elastic audio for time stretching.
4. Qu-Bit Mojave | Grainmakers Playlist
Next, Mojave needs to chew on Sebastian Lexer's grand piano.
Loopers are often confused with granular synths, especially with the Morphagene. Loopers don't grain or spray, they're digital tape machines.
Sometimes, when you think you're into grains, you'd actually been looking for a looper. It's time to show the difference, so they're an important addition to the lineup.
6. 1010Music BitBox MK2 | Grainmakers Playlist
The BitBox may not seem an obvious choice for granular processing, but if this playlist were a competition, then BitBox MK2 would be the King of the Grainfields. Granular processing offers limited CV support in the current firmware, but the sheer processing power is almost an insult to the other modules. Fortunately, it can't offer the hands-on experience like dedicated modules.
7. Error Instruments x TINRS Brinta | Grainmakers Playlist
8. Melotus Versio | Grainmakers Playlist
It's a Versio. What can I say. Awkward, special, amazing and breathtaking.
It's unique feature is no pitch control. While this sounds like a flaw, it's almost a musthave feature when you run notes, effects and chords through it. Don't touch the melody. Just make it grain. Top 3 module in my list. And if it doesn't fit your needs, install a different firmware! If you own a different Versio, give it a shot. Nothing creates techno atmospheres and backdrops like Melotus.
9. MISO Cornflakes | Grainmakers Playlist
This is the last one for today :). Still a few more modules to cover, but it's already a great list. Here's MISO Cornflakes chewing on the Lexer piano. Again, it's a totally different experience, because Cornflakes adds special harmonizing features and stacking of grains. No other module has it - as far as I know. It can make wonderful new sounds from something familiar.
10. Instruo Arbhar V2 | Grainmakers Playlist
I already made plenty of Arbhar videos, but this is the second V2 video. In this playlist, all granular modules in my collection need to process the same audio file so it's easy to figure out what they do. Now it's Arbhar's turn.
11. Clouds & Clones | Grainmaker Playlist
This playlist would not be complete without a tribute to Clouds, one of the first modules in Eurorack that brought grains to the case. Clouds was launched in 2015 and discontinued in 2017. But that wasn't the end of it. It's been revived and extended in many forms, making it one of the most successful modules in Eurorack even today. From a techical perspective, Clouds is no match for the modern grainmakers in this playlist. But from the perspective of production value it's still a super useful module, especially if you manage to install the Parasite firmware. It's easy to forget that granular synthesis doesn't need big buffers. Sometimes a small 1 sec buffer is exactly what you need to get that desirable classic granular stream.
12. Combinations | Grainmaker Playlist
I got a question if Lubadh and Mojave would make a good combo. I had no idea. I figured this whole playlist is still 1-dimensional. So I patched these two up and then and I just had to make this video! I am still using the reference track so you get a good idea of how big the sonic playground becomes when you combine any looper with any granular engine. Results may vary, but wow. The bottom of the Rabbit Hole simply has a doorway to the next one. And it always gets deeper than the one before.
13. ADDAC 112 | Grainmakers Playlist
I may have unintentionally kept the best for last. The 112 combines a looper and granular engine in one big module. This is the last entry in the playlist.
The 112 will return soon for a dedicated video with some carefully selected samples to play with.
14. I missed a few | Grainmakers Playlist
After finishing the 112 video I was confident I covered enough 'grainmakers' in this playlist. I doublechecked if Disting EX and Phonogene should be in it, but no. The third one definitely needs to be on it! It doesn't show up when you search for 'granular' on ModularGrid, but it immediately went to my personal top #2.
"There seems to be some mystery surrounding the Farfisa Soundmaker - how does it sound, is it actually cool, and what does Poly & Strings in Mono actually do?
In this video I go through the presets of all three sections and then move on to the marvellous Poly & Strings in Mono - unlocking your Poly & Strings in Mono is crucial to really getting the best out of your Soundmaker though.
I added some text to further explain its unique architecture - but here's a short info sheet:
Then Soundmaker has three independent sections - each with its own with volume and cut-off filter.
1. Polyphonic section with 3 Piano presets, 1 brass preset with its own fixed vibrato setting.
2. The additional Polyphonic section is the strings section : 2 footages of strings with attack, decay controls on top of volume and cut-off sliders. The strings sound surprisingly good - top tier 1970s string machine.
3. Monophonic preset section with additional Free mode which let you modulate the preset sounds with filter and ADSR and lastly - the Oscillator bank (LFO) with LFO controls, wave forms and vibrato controls.
Engaging the Poly & Strings in Mono internally routes both Polyphonic sections into the filter and oscillator bank of the monophonic section - letting you modulate them freely and really unlocking the uniqueness of this instrument.
The best way to experience the Poly & Strings in Mono is to create a dedicated Monophonic audio output - which the Soundmaker unfortunately doesn't have.
We carved out a Mono only output by cutting the Polyphonic signal to the Phones output in the back.
This is quite easy, you flip open the machine and simply cut the wire from the Poly section inside (it's easily reversible) - please have an experience technician do this for you if you're hesitant.
The second trick to enhance the performance of Poly & Strings in Mono is easier : turn off the mono section preset with its dedicated on/off button (it will still pass audio but no preset will be engaged). Since the mono preset sound is much louder in volume than the signal arriving via Poly & Strings in Mono, turning it off will make you hear the effect better."
"EN// The Residence - The Tale of Silence - in Auvergne, France is a collaboration between photographer Joséphine Leroux and artist/musician Tom Leclerc. Capturing suspended moments of life, composition, exploration, and optimism lie at the heart of this journey of writing and documenting Tom's upcoming album. This album is the creation of a genuine natural park that can be listened to, where details, microcosms, and sonic curiosities blend in a unique acoustic ballad.
The challenge today is to offer a new, friendly, inspiring, and curiosity-inducing imagination for the delicate and bucolic nature. With this collaboration, it is also a genuine artistic exploration of the narrative of tomorrow and tranquility.
Armed with his experience with the Moss Explorer collective, Tom Leclerc is accustomed to the mountains and their inspiring secrets, which lead him to discover new forms of art production and dissemination in nature. Composing with nature is not an easy task; one must learn to let go.
In the age of capitalist anxiety, the search for tranquility becomes a difficult endeavor. And when we finally find it, we are already thinking of finding it again. In these places, the natural and ephemeral orchestra is alive; it can invite us to compose with it. I seek to bear witness to these moments to offer the world these new imaginaries.
And there are those moments, at the turn of a mountain's contour, where sound comes to life and offers us a true tale of silence.
"The Vectra is a unique hybrid synthesizer with a flexible architecture that allows many different forms of synthesis to be realized. It’s the best of both worlds… The Vectra utilizes digital oscillators, ring modulators, noise sources, vector mixer, LFO’s, complex envelopes, and modulation routings providing many capabilities that would be very difficult to produce with analog circuitry alone. This allows for accurate tuning, repeatability of complex patches, and patch storage. The Vectra also provides a multi-mode analog filter, VCA, and final output, as these provide the best sonic qualities.
The Vectra includes a powerful and fun sequencer and arpeggiator, with many new capabilities. Although the Vectra is a self contained instrument, MIDI can be used to interface with other devices."
