Apple Vision Pro and Animoog Galaxy - Sonic LAB Exploration

video upload by sonicstate

"Nick and Gaz Williams have a talk with the talented @gbevinGeert Bevin @gbevin - @MoogSynthesizers Head of Software Development - we got to take a look at how the Apple Vision Pro is being used by Moog as the platform for one of the first Spatial Computing applications - the Moog Animoog Galaxy - as well as a sneak peak at the MidiWidgets app Geert has also been working on.

We get a glimpse of how this new platform might be used as a new way of creating workspaces.

Fascinating.
Animoog Galaxy is available now $29.99 via the US iTunes Store only."

The Gaz Williams Show - Geert Bevin and the story of MPE

video upload by Gaz Williams

"Tonight's guest is the fabulous Mr Geert Bevin, We discuss Eigenharp and the journey to MPE."

How Synth Apps are Made at MOOG: Interview w/ Geert Bevin

video by MATTHEW FECHER

"How does MOOG make apps? What does the future hold for iOS music apps? What's coming next? Want to learn to make music apps? How to work at Moog? More below...

We talked to the head of Software at MOOG Music, Geert Bevin. He's one of the best music app developers in the world. This is an opportunity to learn from the best!

0:00​ Intro: Meet Geert Bevin, Head of Software Engineering
0:50​ What MOOG is working on?
2:11​ What it Means to move an iOS App to Mac
2:55​ How to make a realistic Synthesizer emulation?
7:39​ How to work for a company like MOOG?
16:47​ What technologies should you learn to make music apps?
17:45​ What Geert learned from Roger Linn
23:47​ Why do you use Apple-centric platforms & tech?
27:04​ Any apps coming for Windows?
27:30​ Challenges you face making music apps at this level?
30:26​ Porting AUv3s from iOS to M1 Silicon Machines
34:06​ Whose bug is it: Apple bugs or app dev issues?
36:03​ How Beta Testing is handled at Moog
39:40​ What's it like being a developer in the small town of Asheville
43:40​ Finding Inspiration + Creativity
45:55​ What does M1/Apple Silicon mean for the future of music apps?
51:30​ Will users have to pay to get Moog apps on the desktop?
53:18​ Music makes people's lives better
56:10​ Final thoughts / advice for App Developers
59:37​ Go to WWDC"

ContinuuCon 2019 Presentations

Published on Jun 11, 2019 ContinuuCon

Playlist:

1. Lippold Haken - Hardware Evolution Of The Continuum Fingerboard :: ContinuuCon 2019

62 years before I started working on the Continuum Fingerboard, Leon Theremin built his instrument with pitch and dynamics determined by the performer in an electromagnetic control loop. This is the 37th year that I have been working to create the best electromagnetic instrument I can, with the performer in a timbre control loop that is fast, sensitive, and organic. This is the 18th year without sales price increases for the Half-size and Full-size Continuum Fingerboards. In this presentation I will show recent and ongoing improvements to the mechanical, electrical, and magnetic design of the Continuum Fingerboard. In addition, I will discuss my efforts to avoid sales price increases in the face of increasing component costs. Finally, I will take apart a ContinuuMini, and show how its hardware design retains important core aspects of its big brothers, but at a much lower price point. - Learn more at www.continuucon.com

2. Ed Eagan - Sound Design, Creating a Bullroarer :: ContinuuCon 2019 Haken Continuum Conference

2019 brought ContinuuCon back to Asheville, again hosted by the University of North Carolina Asheville Department of Music.

Performers, sound designers, composers and electronic music enthusiasts who attended ContinuuCon explored this uniquely expressive instrument through music, workshops, lectures and more. Dr. Lippold Haken, inventor of the Continuum and ContinuuMini, and Edmund Eagan, developer of the Continuum’s synthesis engine EaganMatrix, along with many other technologists and performers, openly shared their knowledge, history and musical talents at this event.

3. John Worthington - Expressive Electronic Percussion :: ContinuuCon 2019 Haken Continuum Conference

Acoustic percussion instruments are inherently expressive. Electronic percussion instruments? Not so much. Adding the subtlety of acoustic percussion into electronic performances requires understanding how the percussionist’s gestures translate into sonic changes. The talk examines the types of expression achieved from acoustic percussion instruments in terms a synthesist can appreciate and use in sound design.

5. Roger Linn - Importance Of Expressive Touch Control :: ContinuuCon 2019 Haken Continuum Conference

Music made with the on/off switches of MIDI keyboards and drum pads has tended to be used for background music— background for singers, dance or picture. Expressive touch control is enabling a new generation of solo instrumentalists that are bringing solo musical performance back into the focus of attention.

6. Roger Linn - The Future Of Synthesis Under Expressive Control :: ContinuuCon
7. Christophe Duquesne - Kinetic Physical Modeling :: ContinuuCon 2019 Haken Continuum Conference

Explanation and demonstration of a new space-based physical-modeling module for the Eagan Matrix.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moog One: System Architecture

Moog One: System Architecture - Part 1 Starts at 30:10

"This series of live streams features several Moog One engineers deep diving into the work flow of the Moog One.

Today we have Michael Ashton, Moog's Senior Firmware Engineer who is joined by Amos Gaynes, Moog's Product Design Engineer discussing the Moog One's System Architecture."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moog's First New Poly Synth Coming in August/September?

Update: some pis of the PCB and patent here.

First a quick note on leaks: I don't enjoy posting them as I admit they make me feel a bit shady. Manufacturers work hard to make sure a product release goes smoothly. Leaks throw a wrench in that. On the other hand I feel obligated to you my readers. If the news is out there, I feel like it is my job to post it and let you all know. My policy on the site has always been not to leak unless the info is already out there and already leaked. Once it is, it's just a matter of time before all sites pick it up. That said, manufacturers need to do a better job at not leaking info out there. All info ultimately comes from the source. I sometimes wonder if manufacturers actually allow carefully placed leaks to get out. Who knows...

Second: This is still in the rumor stage. Read below and decide for yourself.

So... remember that rumor about a new poly Moog coming to Moogfest?

It might actually be real. Not the render, but a new poly from Moog. Rumor is it will be the "Moog One", currently trademarked by Moog. Note August/September would correspond with a Knobcon release. Update: Soviet Space Child mentioned, "Summer NAMM starts this week, maybe the reveal was scheduled for later in the week? That would make more sense for a potential August release." That is a good point. You rarely see major synth product announcements during Summer NAMM, but that would make for a surprise with little competition to steal the limelight. It would also be a little closer to Moogfest, which would explain the previous rumor. Often product announcements get pushed out, as you know.

The synth could be based on the tech presented here: Geert Bevin, Amos Gaynes - Designing and Implementing Embedded Synthesizer UIs.

Details follow, spotted and sent in via Soviet Space Child. I will admit I sat on it for a bit as the original source post was pulled, however, it went up elsewhere, so here it goes:

[Disclaimer: the following seems a bit shady to me. Why would this guy post it w/o mentioning the dealer? How could any dealer think it's OK to announce it w/o Moog announcing it first?]

"Ok this is copied directly from my personal email from my rep who is a senior rep, and personal friend of mine:

Oh, it's cooler than that! So glad I can actually spill some details for you now.

It's polyphonic, and comes in 8- and 16-voice versions. (Moog has not only set us up as the earliest dealer with stock (around mid-August), but we'll have an exclusive until they launch with other retailers in September. And they've also promised us a number of low-serial-number units (2-10) on each unit, though this does run an extra $500 (and also gets you a letter from Mike Adams, and a signed photo by the techs who built it). Sounds incredible, and check this out!

• 3 VCOs per voice
• 3 part multitimbral - 3 synths in 1
• Knob per function
• 4 LFOs per synth with easily assignable modulation
• Arp and sequencer (per synth)
• Clock sync
• Assignable CV ins and outs
• Lots of i/o for routing synths and effects
• Eventide reverbs built in
• Unrestricted number of presets

Oscillators
create complex waveforms

Noise
• Dedicated envelope for transient shaping

Filter
• Stave variable filter AND Moog Ladder Filter
• HP, LP, BP or notch
• link filters together for ganged sweeps
• assign sources to SVF ladder or both in the mixer

Envelope
• 3 envelopes (amp, filter, and assignable)
• easily assignable mod matrix

Sequencer and Arp

Effects
• True bypass effects
• effects per synth and a master effects bus
• 2 assignable macro controls - customizable per patch
• Vocoder
Modulation
• Easily repeatable mod mattrix routings
• 4 LFOs - 1 button destination routing
• Fine tune and ccreate complex modulation via transforms
• Easy assign performance controllers
• XY pad for expressive control

Not too shabby, eh? Admittedly, I'm always pretty impressed when Moog comes by, but this was probably the biggest shock I've ever had at seeing their products early under an NDA…and the toughest to keep private until we could talk about them! I figured you'd appreciate knowing about it as much as anyone, since you've been involved in MI retail for so long, and have probably seen most things under the sun to date.

Still not sure when we'll have it up on the website, but we are taking orders, if you're interested. 8-voice version is $5999.00, and the 16-voice version is $7999.00. I've got a little wiggle room for you, but a bit less than usual…they really don't want us deep-discounting these due to anticipated demand, obviously.

Whew…glad I could finally talk about this!"

New Moog Synth - Geert Bevin, Amos Gaynes - Designing and Implementing Embedded Synthesizer UIs

Geert Bevin, Amos Gaynes - Designing and Implementing Embedded Synthesizer UIs with JUC Published on Nov 22, 2017

This one was spotted and sent in via Soviet Space Child.

A new product they can't go into is mentioned. Further below is a video by Geert Bevin featuring JUCE GUI on Linux running on a Raspberry Pi. Although Moog is known for their analog synths, they of course have already delved into digital synthesis via their acclaimed iOS apps and the Theremini. It will be interesting to see what they introduce at NAMM next year.

"Designing and implementing embedded synthesizer UIs with JUCE

Geert Bevin, Senior Software Engineer, Moog Music
Amos Gaynes, Product Design Engineer, Moog Music

JUCE has become an ideal platform to develop embedded UI applications. Moog engineering discusses C++ JUCE front-end application design on top of streamlined Linux distributions. This talk focuses on practical solutions with code examples, including: maintainable user-interface and user-experience design, code and application architecture, unit and functional testing, efficient message handling and dispatch, domain-specific interfaces, APIs promoting consistency and correctness, patch storage and retrieval, and application-specific scripting.

Presented at ADC 2017, Code Node, London."


Raspberry PI 3 super small and fast custom Linux distribution for Audio and MIDI Published on Aug 11, 2017 Geert Bevin

"Been working on an embedded Raspberry PI 3 project with audio/MIDI.

It is available as open source from here:
https://github.com/gbevin/erpiam

First steps were getting the smallest possible Linux distribution working with full LCD, mouse, keyboard, audio and MIDI support ... and running one full-blown JUCE GUI application. It boots up in just a couple of seconds with a customizable boot screen, pretty neat I think!"

From Arduino to LinnStrument - Geert Bevin

From Arduino to LinnStrument - Geert Bevin from Official ZeroTurnaround Account on Vimeo.

Great talk by Geert Bevin on the use & development of the LinnStrument. Geert also worked on the Eighenharp, for Leap Motion, and Moog.

LinnStrument on Amazon, Reverb, eBay. Also see the site sponsors on the right.

Suzanne on LinnStrument with Parva synth (Leonard Cohen cover)

Published on Feb 11, 2017 Geert Bevin

"When Leonard Cohen passed away at the end of 2016, I wanted to create a tribute to him. He's the one who inspired me to be a singer-songwriter, and as a kid I played many of his songs to learn how to finger-pick on the acoustic guitar.

With the LinnStrument being the instrument I co-created with Roger Linn, it felt like a nice symmetry to try to cover some of Leonard Cohen's songs on the LinnStrument 128 with just one synthesiser as the sound source, very similar to the simplicity of an acoustic guitar.

The sound comes entirely from the Futuresonus Parva synth, set up as an 8-part multi to match the 8 rows of the LinnStrument. I spent quite a long time fine-tuning the sound of each multi-timbral part to be suitable for that particular note range and playing intent, not unlike each string of a guitar having a different thickness.

This is one of those projects that I worked on for such a long time, that I have no idea if it's actually any good or not, so I just throw it out there. I plan to record a few more Leonard Cover songs like this if people don't consider it complete heresy."

LinnStrument performance at NAMM 2017 Stick Night

Published on Feb 6, 2017 Geert Bevin

"I had the privilege to be invited to play LinnStrument at this year's Stick Night at NAMM. Roger Linn recorded a video excerpt of it.

The microphone of the camera is picking up a lot of the chatter in the bar though, it's a bit annoying for me to listen to ... but maybe not for you.

Anyways, here it is!"

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow (LinnStrument animation)

Published on Dec 13, 2016 Geert Bevin

"A nice video made by António Machado of our new Christmas animation that was released with LinnStrument firmware v2.0.2."

LinnStrument Step Sequencer Jam with Analog Modular Synths through FH-1

Published on Nov 1, 2016 Geert Bevin

"This video uses the new step sequencer in LinnStrument firmware v2.0. Two sequences were programmed beforehand and control three semi-modular synths. The bass/lead line is played live using a Make Noise modular patch while the sequencer is running in the background."

Futuresonus Parva analog poly-synth with LinnStrument demo

Published on Aug 26, 2016 Geert Bevin

"As a Kickstarter backer I've had the Parva for several months, but there were a few problems with the firmware that prevented me from fully using it. Today, Brad from Futuresonus released firmware update v0.51, fixing everything that was important to me.

So here is a demo video with LinnStrument. I've set it up so that the x-axis controls per-note pitch and the y-axis per-note filter cutoff, I'm not using the z-axis. The LinnStrument is connected directly to the Parva's USB MIDI host port, which also provides power. The audio is recorded through my Metric Halo ULN-8 audio interface without any sound processing besides normalisation.

The Parva has eight independent analog voices that can be configured in a multi with a dedicated MIDI channel for each voice. Each voice can play a different preset, but I'm using the same preset for all voices here to allow for per-note expression. In this multi, each MIDI channel is also sent to two voices, creating a unison sound, while still having full control over 4 independent notes.

I think it sounds pretty great!

Lossless 48kHz WAV file available through SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/gbevin/parva-a..."

Make Noise 0-Coast and Erbe-Verb sketch

Published on Aug 23, 2016 Geert Bevin

"First sketch with my new Make Noise 0-Coast synth, aided by Erbe-Verb which is mixed in through Rosie. Everything is driven by a single sequence on the Korg SQ-1.

Track available on SoundCloud for download https://soundcloud.com/gbevin/make-no..."

Triple Mother Day

Published on May 8, 2016 Geert Bevin

"Live recording with my triple Moog Mother-32 rack and an MF Delay, no post-processing ... thought it was the perfect day to record what I've been working on. Available on SoundCloud here:"

Moog Releases Model 15 Modular Synthesizer for iOS

Published on May 3, 2016 Moog Music Inc

Now available on iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

Update: a quick note worth mentioning from Quincas Moreira who beta tested the app: It's a "brand new engine, they even worked directly with Apple to improve the ios's handling of heavy audio processing like this. Geert Bevin, the Dev, has said there is no dynamic voice allocation as this is a modular, all modules are constantly running, just like on a real one." You can find a list of Quincas Moreira's presets in the comments below.

"Suzanne Ciani, one of the first and most influential female electronic music composers and synthesists, creates a short sonic sketch using the Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer app. Ciani explores the custom-programmed sounds she designed in the app alongside Moog technicians as they hand-build the app's hardware modular namesake at the Moog Factory in Asheville, NC.

Listen to Suzanne's full composition here:



Ciani's unique patches are available as a free expansion pack in the Model 15's in-app store.

The Moog Model 15 App is an iOS version of the iconic 1970’s instrument. It is designed to evoke the joyous experimentation and sonic bliss of it’s predecessor’s vintage hardware, the Moog Model 15 App meticulously recreates the look, feel, and sound of its highly expressive analog namesake."

And a couple of user videos:

Moog Model 15 Synthesizer - Factory Sounds Demo

Published on May 3, 2016 Synth Anatomy

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

Please support me on Patreon if you enjoy my content: https://www.patreon.com/synthanatomy?...

"This is the new Moog Synthesizer App Model 15 based on the Model 15 Analog Modular Synthesizer."

Moog Model 15 Modular - Monster New iOS App Exclusive

Published on May 3, 2016 sonicstate

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

"In yet another beautiful studio room at the Funkhaus in Berlin, we saw a preview of the Model 15 - a lovingly emulated Moog System 15 modular modeled on iOS - sounded pretty tasty - Geert Bevin takes us through it"

Side note: Geert Bevin is the man behind the MPE: Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression MIDI specification. You can find previous posts featuring Geert and his work here, including the LinnStrument, Eigenharp, Madrona Labs Aalto, and Symbolic Sound Kyma.

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

"The Moog Model 15 App is the first Moog modular synthesizer and synthesis educational tool created exclusively for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

* The Model 15 App requires iOS version 9.3 or later to work. *

Each facet of the Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer has been meticulously recreated in this application to ensure the power and transcendent sound quality of each module remains intact. The character, harmonic complexity and mystique of the Moog Model 15’s modules, from the legendary Moog 921–series oscillators and 904A Low Pass Filter, to the coveted 907 Fixed Filter Bank have been painstakingly preserved.

In order to develop the most immersive and expressive modular interface possible, the Model 15 App has been designed utilizing Apple’s new Metal advanced graphics engine. This ensures that all zooming, panning and modular patching throughout the application feels completely natural, something that would have been impossible otherwise.

The Model 15 App features both monophonic and 4-voice polyphonic operation is easily commanded via 4 seamlessly integrated controllers. Simple swipes and taps provide instant access to a traditional Moog keyboard, 1150 ribbon controller, 8-step sequencing arpeggiator and the award-winning Animoog keyboard with 22 built-in scales and polyphonic modulation capabilities.

Also included are extended features which expand the capabilities of the app beyond the traditional offerings of the hardware Moog Model 15. These include total MIDI integration, assignment for external control, use as a MIDI controller, dedicated Audio Bridge and MIDI Bridge modules, looping recorder module with overdubbing, a master ping-pong delay module and a new extension cabinet that includes additional amplifiers and voltage-controlled reversible attenuators that can be used for effects like ring-modulation.

Because the Model 15 App utilizes Apple’s Metal technology, only 64-bit devices are supported. Compatible devices include iPhone 5s or newer, iPod touch 6 or newer, iPad Air or newer, and the iPad Pro.

Additional Features
• Ships with over 160 unique presets
• Recreates the sound of a hardware Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer
• Easily share presets and recordings with anyone
• Tutorial patches to assist all experience levels
• Intuitive patching and cable coloring
• Support for landscape and portrait modes
• Voltage-controlled stereo ping-pong delay
• Expressive sequencing arpeggiator
• Moog 1150 Ribbon controller
• Real-time looping recorder with overdub and immediate sharing
• Up to two controllers on-screen (iPad only)
• Optional left-handed UI operation

Supports
• 3D Touch and Apple Pencil integration for after pressure
• Note-per-channel MIDI controllers
• Ableton Link
• Inter-App Audio and Audiobus
• MIDI Bridge and Audio Bridge
• 7 and 14-Bit MIDI
• MIDI Program Change
• Bluetooth LE MIDI controllers
• Typing keyboards for shortcuts and musical typing
• AudioCopy, AudioPaste and AudioShare"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Kyma 7: LinnStrument & MPE Support

Kyma 7: LinnStrument & MPE Support from Symbolic Sound on Vimeo.

"Champaign, Illinois — October 21, 2015 — Kyma 7 now offers plug-and-play support for Roger Linn Design’s LinnStrument and other MPE-enabled MIDI instruments.

Kyma automatically puts the LinnStrument into MPE mode when you connect it via USB-MIDI or MIDI 5-pin DIN (or via your computer, using Delora Software’s Kyma Connect). Once connected, any keyboard-controlled Sound in Kyma automatically sets the polyphony and responds to the LinnStrument — no extra controllers are needed, and you don’t have to select a special mode on the LinnStrument — it’s literally, plug it in and play.

What is MPE?

Traditional MIDI note events have two dimensions — pitch and velocity — neither of which can be altered directly with the fingers once the key has gone down. But musicians performing with live electronics are driving the demand for new electronic instruments — instruments whose touch, reliability, sensitivity, and responsiveness can begin to approach those of traditional acoustic instruments.

Over the last 10-15 years, more and more instrument makers have sought to incorporate continuous control over pitch and velocity and to add a third dimension of continuous control: timbre. One of the earliest entries in this new category was the Continuum fingerboard from Haken Audio (which has had plug-and-play support in Kyma since 2001). More recently, Madrona Labs (Soundplane), Eigenlabs (Eigenharp), ROLI (Seaboard), and Roger Linn Design (LinnStrument) have been offering “keyboard-like” instruments that provide three dimensions of expressive, continuous control per finger.

But how is it possible to send these three-dimensional continuous polyphonic MIDI notes to a sound engine? Haken Audio first used a FireWire protocol before switching over to a proprietary, optimized MIDI protocol. Symbolic Sound and Madrona Labs used Open Sound Control (OSC) for Kyma Control and Soundplane, respectively. But the growing proliferation of new instruments and proprietary protocols was threatening to become a nightmare for soft-and-hardware synthesizer makers to support.

Enter software developer Geert Bevin who, in January of this year, started working with key industry professionals on a new, more expressive MIDI specification called MPE: Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression. The new MPE standard has already been implemented on Roger Linn Design’s LinnStrument, the Madrona Labs Soundplane, the ROLI Rise Seaboard, and several other instrument makers are currently in the process of adding an MPE-mode to their instruments.

With MPE, the music industry now has a standard protocol for communicating between expressive controllers and the sound hardware and software capable of sonically expressing the subtlety, responsiveness, and live interaction offered by these controllers.

Kyma — Interactive, responsive, and live

Kyma, with its legendary audio quality, vast synthesis codebase and deep access to detailed parameter control, is the ideal sound engine to pair with these new, more responsive controller interfaces for live expressive performance, and Symbolic Sound has a long history of working with instrument makers to provide tight, seamless integration and bi-directional communication between these new instruments and Kyma.

In addition to its graphical signal flow editor, file editors, and Sound Library, Kyma 7 also provides several environments in which you can create an instrument where the synthesis, processing, parameter-mapping, and even the mode of interaction can evolve over time during a performance:

In the Multigrid (displayed on the iPad during the video), you can switch instantly between sources, effects, and combinations of the two with no interruption in the audio signal. Perform live, inspired in the moment, with infinite combinatorial possibilities.
In the Kyma 7 Timeline you can slow down or stop the progression of time to synchronize your performance with other performers, with key events, or with features extracted from an audio signal during your performance.
Using the Tool you can create a state machine where input conditions trigger the evaluation of blocks of code (for example, the game-of-life displayed on the LinnStrument during the closing credits of the video is being controlled by a Tool).
Kyma also provides a realtime parameter language called Capytalk where you can make parameters depend on one another or control subsets of parameters algorithmically.
It’s easy to add a new parameter control, simply type in the desired controller name preceded by an exclamation point — a control is automatically created for you, and it even generates its own widget in a Virtual Control Surface which can be remapped to external controllers (through MIDI, 14-bit MIDI, or OSC). This makes it easy to augment your live MPE controllers with other MIDI and OSC controllers or with tablet controller apps.
System Requirements

Kyma 7.04
Symbolic Sound Paca or Pacarana
Computer requirements
Operating Systems:
Mac OS 10.6 or newer or
Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 (SP1), Vista (SP2), XP (SP3)
Storage: ~1.7 GB
Memory: 1 GB or larger is recommended
Internet access is required
Availability

Kyma 7.04 is available today as a free update for Symbolic Sound customers who have a registered copy of Kyma 7.

More information

Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE)
expressiveness.org

LinnStrument
rogerlinndesign.com

Kyma 7
symbolicsound.com"

LinnStrument Typing Keyboard Prototype - What do you think?

Published on Sep 22, 2015 Geert Bevin

"Demonstration of a new mode for LinnStrument that automatically switches it to become a typing keyboard.

Curious to hear your thoughts about this."

LinnMiniMod - AJH MiniMod with LinnStrument through FH-1

Published on Aug 1, 2015 Geert Bevin

"AJK MiniMod Eurorack modules being playing with the LinnStrument through Expert Sleepers FH-1. Added a touch of Moog MF-104M Analog Delay and Valhalla VintageVerb. Drums programmed on the Roland TR-8.

The technical explanation of this setup can be found here: https://youtu.be/vLWDuOWdSHc"

LinnStrument and Expert Sleepers FH-1 - Technical overview

Published on Aug 1, 2015

"The Expert Sleepers FH-1 is a wonderful USB MIDI to CV converter that can bus power the LinnStrument. In this video I explain my setup that uses only pitch CV and pressure CV, no gate nor velocity are necessary since you're really 'playing the envelopes'."

Madrona Labs Aalto 1.7 Update Brings Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression Support

via Madrona Labs

"Aalto 1.7 is out now, bringing MPE support.

Good morning again! With version 1.7 of Aalto, our favorite West Coast softsynth now adds MPE support, and other improvements.

MPE stands for Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression. It's a way of using MIDI to transmit the rich, per-note expressive performances that instruments like the Haken Continuum, Seaboard, Linnstrument and of course our own Soundplane are capable of. Geert Bevin, longtime Eigenharp player and currently a software developer at Moog Music, lead the charge on this effort, and I thank him for moving things forward. You can find Geert's post with the MPE specifications here: [expressiveness.org]

Many smart and experienced people, including all us makers of new and ambitious controllers, looked over a draft of this spec and contributed changes. MPE makes sense, is easy to implement, and should be very useful. With its addition Aalto becomes one of a just a few great sound makers out there for per-note expression. I am hotly anticipating more Linnstrument+Aalto, Seaboard+Aalto sounds.

Soundplane owners have always had a great connection to Aalto over OSC. But the big deal for the Soundplane is that now, while we are still waiting for the OSC-based composition environment of our dreams, we can use ordinary DAWs to record and edit an entire Soundplane performance.

Aalto version 1.7 also brings improved Soundplane compatibility with MIDI patches, optimized animation drawing, and bug fixes. MPE support in Kaivo synthesizer will follow next month with other changes.

1.7 is of course a free update again. The demo is at the usual place, and license holders as usual can click "My downloads" up on the right there to get your update.

Macintosh users, please note:
Aalto 1.7 requires Mac OS X 10.7 or higher."