ReSynthesizer (Autonomous Synthesizer Installation at MIT's PSFC, Spring/Summer 2018)

video upload by ParadisoModular

"In December of 2017, as part of the 50’th anniversary celebration for MIT’s CAVS (Center for Advanced Visual Studies), I was invited to install my large, custom built-and-designed modular synthesizer system into the experimental hall where Alcator C-Mod was residing, MIT’s most recent tokamak reactor used in plasma fusion research. Known as being a pioneering melting pot for art and technology during the 60s, 70s and 80s, the CAVS was a place where scientific fields like physics would commune with performance and music. Modular synthesizers, as used there by early adopters like Paul Earls, were part of the Center’s original vernacular, and after many decades they are being enthusiastically re-discovered, re-embraced, and in many way re-invented by the current young generation of electronic musicians. Such reflected synergy into the present led to my invitation (as well as this installation’s name), as did the match between the aesthetic and technical grandeur of a large heavily-patched modular synthesizer and the huge mélange of custom, elegantly-kludged electro-mechanical systems that surrounded the tokamak. Similarly, the researchers’ quest to manage the chaotic nature of an energetic plasma (as expressed inside the tokamak’s torus during the peak of plasma confinement) resonated with my efforts to ‘sculpt’ my autonomous and likewise chaotic huge synthesizer patch into a definable aesthetic.

As I have my PhD in high-energy physics (having worked at CERN at various times between the late 70s and early 90s) in addition to having designed, built, and used electronic music systems of various sorts over the last 45 years, I was anticipating having access to actual Alcator data and using it in the patch that I would compose when the installation would go live in late March of 2018. My plasma physics colleagues resonated with this idea, and I was provided with several waveforms coming from various sensors on the tokamak acquired during its record-breaking run from a few years ago, when Alcator C-Mod had attained the largest recorded plasma pressure. Listening to this data as audio, I was immediately transfixed. This didn’t sound like bland digital noise, but instead felt alive – some strange kind of muted rattlesnake here, burbling life forms on a weird water planet there, perhaps other samples evoked the barely scrutable control room of an alien spaceship. These sounds, played at various rates and filtered into audible bands, were strongly otherworldly. This dictated the flavor that I’d strive for in my patched composition. Accordingly, I loaded banks of Alcator’s waveforms into an array of Eurorack samplers that I could control from processes running in my synthesizer. While most of these signals were used as direct audio, some were adopted for modulation envelopes and slow control – the tokamak cycle exhibited a variably noisy build-and-release structure as the magnetic fields were ramped up to concentrate the plasma before it went terminally unstable, which worked well here.

My patch evolved considerably during the installation, which ran from late April through late August of 2018. I worked on it weekly, and it achieved its ultimate balance between form and complexity by the beginning of July. At the end, I used every patch cord that I owned (on the order of 700) and nearly all modules in the synth, in addition to an assortment of outboard effects and commercial Eurorack modules that I coaxed to work with my system. Towards the end, when I was starting to run out of cords and hardware capacity, I resorted to kludging in simple wires and electrical components hanging in the air between modules to attain effects and sounds that I still wanted but didn’t have the modules available to make. This was the most extensive and ambitious synthesizer patch that I’ve yet composed – it pushed me to extremes of being simultaneously a composer, synthesizer musician, engineer, and scientist. Having designed, built or custom-modified nearly everything in my setup creates a special rapport for me that goes deeper than interaction with commercial synthesizer equipment – my system has its own unique capabilities and quirks that reflect my personal audio nuances and what I want to achieve with them.

At various stages during the 4-month run of this installation, I digitally recorded the patch’s stereo mix – in all, I have archived probably on the order of 60 hours of audio. The excerpts provided in this video all came from different sections of this long set of recordings. Aside from cross-fading between different excerpts, there was no manual intervention or overdubbing in these clips – the sound was made entirely from the patch running on its own after I set it on its way, with updates and augmentations I made every week or two based on ideas I got while listening to it stream online. The video also features a brief example of some of the raw plasma data sounds that I used."

And in the studio:

Synth Patch For Chaos Unit, Sitar Pedal, and NightSky'ed Keyboard (August 2021)

video upload by ParadisoModular

"In the summer of 2021, I put in a synth patch to test out my newly-arrived Sitar Pedal as well commemorate the tweaking/repair of my voltage-controlled chaos module. This was a very simple patch compared to my usual - nothing too deep or thought out, and the master sequence is a bit shallow - but it has its vibe. Plus, at 2:30 in, I added a keyboard line over what the patch was doing. This was all live - the synth patch ran autonomously and I just recorded as I played - no preparation, overdubbing, or refinement here - hence it's raw and not even close to what I'd term finished or a 'demo' - but I kinda like its intrinsic 'hopeful' feel.

The basic sequence is running through the sitar pedal, which locks on fine (it can separate the drone sounds and re-synthesized lead into separate channels). I'm running a fixed tone also through my chaos generator, which I move in a complex way into and out of stability - it locks onto subharmonics or devolves totally/partially into noise as it sweeps. This sound goes through several signal processing paths that periodically fade in, involving filters, unstable phase-locked loops, and a Boss guitar synthesizer pedal (which does wonderfully noisy gyrations as it tries to lock onto the chaos signal between stable moments).

At that time, as opposed to collecting Eurorack modules, I was slowly accumulating and modifying pedals - pedals are all about modifying an input sound in interesting ways, and which generally appeals to me (I hack them, of course, to accept voltage control in different ways).

The only keyboard sound here (aside from one chord and arpeggio at the end) is from the little cheezebox Casio 'toy' that the Minskys gave me at a Media Lab event some years ago - I abandoned my more sophisticated synths for this one in this piece, as it fits easily on your lap (that's how I played it in the excerpt here) and it sounds amazing if you feed it through one of the new complex reverb/echo/delay pedals like the NightSky or Micropitch (those pedals can put any sound into an evocative space).

The video is indeed of this patch and me playing atop it (shot while I was holding the phone in my other hand), but it's not the live segment that you hear in the piece, so pardon if things don't line up entirely, but you get the vibe.

OK - I figured I'd let this one get a bit of air in case it hits some resonance... It radiates a bit of melancholic positivity, which is something we all relate to these days."

NYZ DRN4 DECLASSIFIED

Exclusive mix on SoundCloud:


And a track from the release on Bandcamp:


Tracklist:

1. NYZ_FMMGKSQ_43t
2. ISR_16x16_WCM
3. CSN [excerpt 2 mono]
4. SWI_r170_16x32x32_B
5. SWI_FM1#16
6. NYZ-1_1#08_A [finite downsized]
7.CSN1 [excerpt 1 mono]

Be sure to see the MATRIXSYNTH exclusive further below!

FM EXPLORATIONS AND MICROTONAL DRONES FROM NYZ (AKA DAVE NOYZE, DAVID BURRASTON, NOYZELAB, BRYEN TELKO)

This is the first release by NYZ and is a superb musical collection of research areas classified to internal Noyzelab operations. Not even .MEDS label were informed of the secret processes underlying its creation, excepting that we know it involved Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis! We have not been given any information regarding when this work was recorded, but we suspect the material spans at least a decade of David's FM algorithm research on numerous synthesizers, as well his own custom built ear deceiving gear...

According to one reviewer of David's previous musical output he "gleefully disrupts just about every standard convention of musical form you could think of, including those of so-called experimental musics."

Other reviewers have written that :
"His music is a bizarre, yet compelling journey investigating the outer realms of music generated on ancient & contemporary machines." "It's strikingly original audio that doesn't really sound like anything else I can think of." "Utterly sublime. So there you go, a life-affirming slab of mind-altering sound to reawaken you to the terrifying possibilities of creation."

"absolutely wreaks havoc" wrote Keith Fullerton Whitman on reviewing David's last release T. H. Cycle cassette on Important Records/Cassauna .

Cassette releases April 1, 2016

All Audio by David Burraston
Design Tom Knapp

----

MATRIXSYNTH recently asked NYZ why he put together this new album of FM synthesis based explorations, and whether he would discuss some of the process behind it. The declassified information below has been put together by NYZ especially for a MATRIXSYNTH exclusive.

***BEGIN NYZ DRN4 DECLASSIFICATION REPORT***

DC REPORT STATUS: PARTIAL DECLASSIFICATION ONLY
PARTIAL DC STATUS: INCOMPLETE CELLULAR BINARY SPACETIME
PARTIAL DC LEVEL: SEMI-PICTORIAL_TEXTUAL_HIGHLIGHTS
FUTURE DC STATUS: _PENDING

The main reasons for making this album were an interest in FM synthesis in both analogue modular and MIDI/digital mediums. I had worked with digital FM synthesis since getting a Yamaha TX81Z when they came out back in 1987 (which I still have, along with another backup machine with a very hummy mains transformer which bleeds onto the outs). How me and another synth friend used to cry with drunken laughter at preset D11 Hole in 1... :) But after initially wondering whether I had just wasted about 350 UK pounds on an utter piece of shit... I quickly warmed to its better presets, and its very different approach to synthesis yielded enough interesting results early on for it not to get outed.

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Endorphin.es Life is a trip: DATACHROME interview

Published on Jun 26, 2018 TheEndorphines

"Isn't it interesting to know how various people use same instrument? That's why we asked all our participants some simple questions and got different answers.

Check the interview with our last, 5th participant - Johatan from DATACHROME: https://www.youtube.com/user/leChatAutomatique

- How did you come to use synthesis in your music?
Well, I have some kind of a strange relationship with music and more particularly sound. When I was around 20 years old I used to go to a lot of gigs. At that time I was very much into circuit bending and DIY as I could not afford a synth and loved industrial and post punk music. One night I came back from a concert with ringing ears. The next morning I woke up and could not hear any sound not even talk with someone without feeling huge pain in my ears. I was soon diagnosed with severe hyperacusis, a condition that lowers the tolerance to usual environmental sound. With experimentation I soon discovered that some frequencies where more harmful than others and I integrated multiples crude analog filters to some of my builds and bent machines. More than sculpting sounds it was making it more bearable. Building filters made me aware of some classic analog synths and designs and soon enough I craved for one. Checking adds every day for a while, I got lucky. One night, around midnight, I saw an ad for a Korg MS-20 totally beaten up and untested for a very very cheap price. Problem, it was also on the other side of the country. Anyway, next morning a 5am I was in the train, and after 14H hours of travel I was back home with the precious MS-20. Still it was rusty and needed some fixing but it was here, my first proper analog synth.

- How did you use the SHUTTLE SYSTEM in your track for the "Life is a trip“ contest?
I’m a modular user and make bleeps and bloops in my living room for fun and experimentation. I rarely use computers to arrange tracks, I like to embrace the chaos and randomness offered by the modular approach. From loss of some control, sometimes emerge a pure and raw connection between your mind, your heart, and the machines you use to express yourself. I tried to integrate the Shuttle in this context because I think this is where it may shine and really show a bit of its hidden self. Also, it was an indispensable process dedicated to bond with the machine. The challenge was to create as much different voices and sounds as possible with the Shuttle, so self generative felt like the path to go.

In that track, all the self generated sounds and glitches are from the Furthrrrr Generator under modulation and then processed by a very fast delay for a Karplus-Strong effect. It resulted in various textures, from vocoder like, laser drum sounds, bleeps, bloops, insects scritches, crazy warp holes, bongos and hi-hats. Airplane A and B from the Grand Terminal are used as oscillators. One goes through the transistor ladder filter of the Grand Terminal and is playing the semi random and dueling melody you can hear in the beginning and end. The second was also fed through the Grand Terminal, filtered and processed afterwards with the shimmer reverb effect. It’s used to create pads on the second part of the track. I used the noise generator on the Furthrrrr for some additional hats you hear sometimes in the mix. Snare is also the white noise tweaked, sampled and sometimes bit crushed or pitch altered. The cockpit was used for some premix during the monitoring and creation of the patches and was very handy. In the end not much of the track is not from or processed by the Shuttle in a way.

- What part of working with the endorphin.es SHUTTLE SYSTEM did you like best?
I really love the Furthrrrr Generator and particularly the Thru Zero Core Oscillator. That thing can make sweet but also very angry and thick sounds. Add the waveshaper, sprinkle a bit of chaos from a sample and hold and you got a killer self generative patch!

- How do you think the SHUTTLE SYSTEM can improve your music making in the future?
The Shuttle System is a very compact and smartly featured system. It’s a modern take on a classic design with a lot of updates and tweaks. The use of digital modules make them updatable, meaning the Shuttle will evolve and pretty much always surprise. On top of that you have the Buchla inspired architecture that always sounds sweet, a very fun panel design and the fact that it’s fully modular. I think this cocktail makes it into something you wanna play with and wich is very inspiring, and from inspiration always comes new and better ideas ;)"

NYZ - NTE GDN => Behind the scenes with the Yamaha FB-01

Photo Credit: Calum Gunn * all other pix by NYZ *

"The new NYZ - NTE GDN tape on Conditional is just out [limited edition of 50 copies]! Matrix heard on the synth grapevine that it heavily featured the Yamaha FB-01 operating in a secret sysex mode, so he asked me if I'd write a little about how it was used. You can check the album out on the Conditional Bandcamp page here, release date July 6th =>

and have a listen while reading. Its also available from Boomkat [with track previews] =>

Boomkat review => "Blinding new batch of synth and computer music chaos from Dave Burraston’s cultishly regarded NYZ. With such a wild variation to his purist approach it’s perhaps silly to draw comparisons or contrasts, but these are patently some of NYZ’s sweeter treats, such as the curdled harmonics of ‘ARTOFNYZbitcompander’ and the funky lil’ vamps of ‘RLD syncs’ for more insatiable and curious listeners. In other words it’s fucking ace!"

and Norman Records =>

Norman Records review => "9/10 Conditional unleash this beautifully wild and playful tape from David Burraston aka NYZ. Here he harnesses the spectrum splitting potential of John Chowning’s FM synthesis to birth and animate ludicrously cute and cuddly synthetic creatures that come to life before our very ears. What even are these little mutant alien lifeforms? Where is this strange place in which they dwell?

The overall experience of imbibing these sounds is a lot like an experience I once had watching Teletubbies on acid, where I thought the little blighters were actually communicating directly to me. This world NYZ has created and its inhabitants are clearly fantasy, but it’s so brilliantly, vividly realised and skillfully executed that if you just let go of the shackles of reality and submit yourself, it can be an authentic place where these things live and breathe, eat and sleep and go through their life cycle. We get to hang out with them as they speak, sing, laugh and cry. I’d much rather hang out with these chirpy little fellows because humans are the absolute worst. For music to get a miserable, misanthropic, curmudgeon bastard like me to grin like a child holding a cookie the size of its head is quite an achievement.

This tape is just so much fun - it's like a little utopia for the most part, but there are occasional darker moments - at times it feels like the big bad wolf or some kind of predator is lurking with intent to gobble up our little friends. Burraston’s custom-built MANIAC Cellular Automata Sequencer is instrumental in giving life to these sounds - a tool that gives this work a unique voice and an unpredictable energy that seems to organically flow through his machines. This music is most certainly unconventional even by avant-garde standards, and although on the surface is definitely weird and kinda eccentric, it taps into something deeper. Like Victor Frankenstein’s unorthodox scientific experiment in Mary Shelley's novel where scientist becomes an architect of life. This place, it's lifeforms and their language seems bewilderingly genuine - a sonic virtual reality -- a hybrid analogue/digital world where what is “real” and synthetic is blurred."


So why am I interested in the strange and esoteric Yamaha FB-01, and what are these secret sysex codes? Well, first up its a nice little 8 voice FM synth, and I'm well known for being a bit obsessed with FM [see the NYZ - DRN4 Declassified article]. Secondly, its a kind of in-between synth, arriving after the first 4 operator synths, such the DX21, but before the TX81Z which featured a full microtonal tuning table. Its this inbetweeness that really interested me, and its really the only first gen sine wave only 4op that can be micro-tuned, albeit in a very roundabout way via some secret sysex codes.

CLICK FOR MORE »

5 Glitchy patchlets with the Strymon Magneto

Omri Cohen

"If you like what I do and want to support my work, consider joining me on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/omricohen

I also created a document full of patching techniques and ideas that I will continue updating - https://www.patreon.com/posts/documen...

00:00 - Patch 1
01:04 - Patch 2
02:39 - Patch 3
03:37 - Patch 4
04:39 - Patch 5

Here are some patch notes:
----------------------------------------------

Patch 1:
---------------
- I have a drumbeat in VCV going to Magneto.
- I'm modulating the Speed, the Loop, the Repeats, and the Spring reverb of Magneto with S&H from VCV Rack.
- I also have a sequence in VCV, sequencing the Basimilus, which is then going back into VCV for some delay.

Patch 2:
--------------
- I'm triggering and modulating the Basimilus from VCv Rack, sending it to the Mimeophon.
- From there it's being copied once to the mixer, and once to Magneto.
- I'm modulating the Speed, Spring reverb, Hold, and Revers functions of Magneto with S&H from VCV.
- This is then going through Freak set to wave folder and saturation model for extra grit.

Patch 3:
--------------
- I have the clock outputs of Magneto triggering the Basimilus and a couple of hats in VCV Rack so by changing the speed, the rate in which they're being triggered also changes.
- This is going into Magneto and I'm modulating the Hold, Revers, and Spring reverb with S&H.
- I also have the send and return of Magneto going to a bandpass filter on Freak, and I'm modulating the cutoff point.
- In VCv Rack, I have a drumbeat to accompany the chaos.

Patch 4:
--------------
- I have a sequence in VCV Rack sequencing the Basimilus.
- Magneto is set to Loop mode and I recorded a few seconds of this sequence onto it.
- I'm also sending Magneto through Freak in low pass mode, and the Mimeophon for some delay and reverb.
- In VCV I have S&H modulating the Revers function of Magneto, the Shift, and also the cutoff point of Freak.
- I also have a Hi-Hat sequence running in VCV Rack.

Patch 5:
---------------
- I have Magneto self-oscillating with the repeats all the way up.
- The CLK 1 output of Magneto is triggering the Play function, and I have also a clock from VCV Rack, clocking Magneto.
- I have an AD envelope in VCV controlling the Wet so it's like controlling a VCA, and I have multiple S&H signals coming from VCV modulating the Shift function, the Speed (so the pitch), and the amount of Spring reverb.
- I'm sending Magneto into Microcell with the Mix all the way down so I'm just using its reverb, but I'm modulating its amount from VCv Rack.
- I have also a copy of the left channel of Magneto going into the 2HP Freez for some extra glitch.
- In VCv Rack I have some drums playing, and I'm sending the Snare drum to a short modulated delay."

New Zlob Modular Triple Cap Chaos Eurorack Module

Quick Overview Keven Kalay

"The Triple Cap Chaos(C^3 Chaos) is a 2hp analog, chaos based, noise oscillator, pseudo ring modulator/harmonics generator, and audio mangler Eurorack module available as a DIY Eurorack kit, PCB and Panel, or built.

This video demonstrates the X and Y outs, emanate and width controls, some cv control from a triangle wave lfo on the skew fade, and then i input an audio rate triangle wave from the dual vco.

Built $75
Kit $45
Pcb/panel $20

more info at zlobmodular.com"

Additional details via Zlob Modular:

"The Triple Cap Chaos(C^3 Chaos) is a 2hp analog, chaos based, noise oscillator, pseudo ring modulator/harmonics generator, and audio mangler Eurorack module available as a DIY Eurorack kit, PCB and Panel, or built.

It is a unique module, like the Diode Chaos, because it has never existed as a musical instrument until now. There is also no other module to my knowledge that can do exactly what the Triple Cap can do. The circuit(with several modifications) is based on the paper 'Simple Autonomous Chaotic Circuits' by J.C. Sprott and Jessica R. Piper. As opposed to the Diode Chaos that generates control voltage this module focuses on the audio rate.

The “Emanate” potentiometer controls the coarser overall spectrum of the chaos, from lots of activity counter clock wise up to less chaos and more of a steady oscillation. The “Width, CV ATT” potentiometer can be thought of as more of a fine control for the chaos/oscillator. When something is inserted into the “CV” in the voltage normalization from the width knob is broken and the potentiometer now acts as an attenuator for the incoming cv. The Triple Cap is not a traditional volt per octave exponential VCO, and has a sort of narrow frequency range to exploit the chaotic behavior.

It expects a +5v to -5v max signal in to modulate the chaos. The “IN” jack is an A.C. coupled input for audio in, although cv and audio can work for both the “CV” in jack and “IN.” The “IN” will interfere and interact with the onboard chaotic oscillator depending on the frequency of the input, which may take some experimentation. It can create ring mod ish sounds, to added harmonics, to almost bit crushed sounds depending on the “X” or “Y” output. The “X” output is a more windy noisy sinusoidal based output and the “Y” output is more squared off and aggressive, harsher sounding output.

Some quirks about the Triple Cap: The “X” output can offset negatively or positively a little bit depending on the pot settings, but both outputs tend to stay around 10vpp. With the “Emanate” and “Width” pots all the way up the typical frequency will be around 150hz although some will reach 200hz at this setting. With the “Emanate” pot full counter clock wise “Width” pot full clock wise the frequency will be around 250hz. It is possible to send signals into the triple cap that can bring it out of the desired range causing the oscillation to cut out.

The Triple Cap has a double sided panel. meaning one side has the classic graphics and the other is Soulless with less graphics(see image gallery to the left).

Width: 2hp
Panel Material: PCB/Double Sided
Reverse Power Protected
Current Consumption: +12v: 15mA, -12v: 10mA
Depth: 37 mm or 1.46″
Ships with M3 black nylon screws
Expandable: no"

ALLINAIRE - Mandelbrot vs Buchla 259e

video upload by Allinaire

"In this piece the Mandelbrot set ‘plays’ a Buchla 259e and friends (including various Max-for-Live devices). The 259e is my favourite Buchla oscillator as it contains a wealth of tones varying from a simple sine wave to chaotic digital noise - which kind of represents what happens to the points within and around the Mandelbrot set. With a 259e you can make a ton of sounds ranging from pure and harmonic, melodic to percussive, so it is perfect for this experiment.

OK, so this is the first of my explorations into the ‘sound’ of the Mandelbrot set. I’ve been thinking about and working on the idea of ‘sound and fractals’ & order and chaos for some time now. Some of my earlier work is based on these ideas and I intend to release more material exploring the many aspects of these fascinating mathematical constructs and the relationship to sound and rhythm.

This first track and video is relatively simple – I basically look at various points, being real and imaginary numbers, in and around the Mandelbrot set. Depending on where a point starts there is a pattern, or orbit, related to the formula z = z2 + c where ‘c’ is the point of examination. The equation is repeated, and a pattern emerges which you can see by the lines emerging from each point. If the pattern stays within the black area then it is said to be part of the Mandelbrot set and tends to produce a pure or harmonic set of tones. Stable orbiting patterns within the set can also have different periods from 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on, as you can see in the video, these points derive from the ‘bulbs’ off the main set. These periods create the harmonic series tones. Points that are outside of the Mandelbrot set quicky become noisy and chaotic and disappear to infinity.

For this sonic experiment the movement of the original point ‘c’ and the patterns each point creates forms the origin of the notes and gates. The starting point being the fundamental frequency, and the patterns with stable orbits become harmonic ‘chords’. These are converted to midi note data. Changes in the position of the point are registered as a midi note on and off which generates gates and triggers used for the percussive tones. I convert the midi data to cv (control voltages) to drive the Buchla modular synthesiser as well as using the midi within various Max devices. The sounds on the video are derived wholly from the midi / cv data created by the movement of the original point on the Mandelbrot, there is nothing added. The ‘artistic’ aspect of the piece is derived from where I choose to sweep the points and the sounds and percussion allocated to the midi / cv data. I have more in the works exploring Mandelbrot and Fractals! I want to acknowledge that I’m certainly not the first person to do this. There are many many examples to be found on-line and in some instruments. My version is based on this original concept and application code by CodeParade found here:"

Sounds of the Mandelbrot Set

video upload by

"Try it out now! https://codeparade.itch.io/fractal-so... Making music and sound effects directly from common fractals was an idea I though of one night, so I just had to try it out to see what it would be like. The results were really interesting and actually helped me understand even more about fractals and chaos.

Source Code: https://github.com/HackerPoet/Fractal..."

New Mutable Instruments Beads Texture Synthesiser Eurorack Module

Playlist:

1. Mutable Instruments Beads - exploration and tutorial by Tom Leclerc
2. Mutable Instruments Beads (no input) by Robin Rimbaud-Scanner

First play with the Mutable Instruments Beads texture synthesiser. And here's a wonderful surprise - if you leave both audio inputs unpatched, then after 10 seconds it begins to granulise a collection of stored raw waveforms taken from Mutable Instruments Plaits wavetable module. So here's a piece using Beads as the lead voice on this cinematic piece, with no other inputs. I added other instruments afterwards for rhythm and bass, and the singular pulse that holds throughout is from the Make Noise Mysteron. This is just an idea to show Beads in a very musical context

3. Heidi Concrète (featuring Mutable Instruments Beads) by Robin Rimbaud-Scanner

An experimental piece using Mutable Instruments Beads, the texture synthesiser, processing an audio file. No addition effects or processing were used. This is simply a live exploration of a single audio file with Beads. The original voice introduces and closes the piece so you can compare the two sonic worlds before and after Beads. The voice is taken from a scanned phone call in the early 1990s that features on my Delivery (1997) album.

4. A Little Beat with Mutable Instruments Beads (Wavetable Mode) by midcentury modular

This is Beads running in the internal wavetable mode (and a kick drum from plaits). I've got a gate going into freeze that acts as a mute when the kick comes in (sort-of side-chain like), and I'm also manually pressing it to mute and sustain the random sequence.

The pitches are not from an external cv source but generated internally with the peaky random distribution into the time knob. The pitch changes with this parameter seem to be somewhat harmonically related (though I'm not sure what specific scale) to the root set by the pitch parameter.

5. Overdriven Ambient Looping with Mutable Instruments Beads by midcentury modular

This video is some improvised choir sounds (from the Ableton Operator synth, played with a midi keyboard) ran into Mutable Instruments Beads in the delay/looper mode (with "sunny tape quality") Throughout, I add to the buffer by tapping out of freeze mode and back in. When the feedback is up, things stick around, so you can progressively add more and build up the buffer. I'm also experimenting with overdriving the input (by turning up the audio level going into beads from ableton with the top left 1U knob)

6. Mutable Instruments Beads (Scorched Cassette Mode) and Ciat-Lonbarde Plumbutter Deerhorn by midcentury modular

This patch is my attempt at using Beads to add some Cocoquantus-like magic to the Deerhorn. I think the downsampling, lower-bitrate and whatever other DSP tricks are happening in the Scorched Cassette mode are crerating a somewhat similar vibe to the 8-bit dolby loopers in the Coco, and I think this adds some really nice fizzy textures to the warm, raw-oscillator tone of the Deerhorn). Beads is also pitching down the two tones from Deerhorn to add a bit more melodic content.

There is some very subtle modulation coming from the orange out on Deerhorn, but it's not really doing a ton and could probably be left out and you wouldn't be able to tell much of a difference. There is some audio-rate modulation coming out of one of the white deerhorn outputs into the density input, which is modulating some of the AM stuff going on when density is high towards the end of the track.

No idea why the snapping gesture with the density knob caused the "knock on wood" sound, but I think it was a pretty cool accident!

7. Noisy Experimenting with Mutable Instrument Beads, Blades Ripples and Plaits

This patch (at least as much as I remember it...been a while since I made this) is Beads and Blades in a sort-of feedback loop. Blades is over-driven and self-oscillating, and the outs are sent to control seed and freeze on Beads (which is using the internal wavetable generator as audio input). After trying out various ones, I found these two control inputs on Beads the most interesting with audio rate signals. The outs of Beads are going into the audio inputs of blades. Both modules outs are multed out and into veils which is acting as a stereo mixer. Ripples (which is getting some noise into its cutoff modulation input from Plaits) is providing some audio rate modulation to some of the Veils channels.

"Beads is a reinvention of Mutable Instruments’ Clouds.

The concept is the same, live granular processing of an incoming audio signal, and the labels on the panel remain familiar.

The similarities stop here. The hardware and software have been redesigned from the ground up, with several goals in mind: a crisper and broader sound palette, more control, better playability, and direct access to exciting new features.

DOTTING THE I’S AND CROSSING THE T’S

Beads’ vastly improved specifications allow a higher audio quality, a longer buffer, the use of better interpolation and anti-aliasing algorithms, and key DSP blocks to run at a faster rate. Granular processing can now go to new territories, such as formants, wavetables, hard-sync-like sounds, or crispy noise.

The range of parameters, their response to the turn of a knob or a CV modulation have all been refined, for new possibilities such as reverse playback or percussive envelopes.

CONTROL, CHAOS AND CHARACTER

Control. To trigger or schedule grains, Beads provides new features to divide or randomize an external clock or trigger stream, spray bursts of grains in response to a gate, or get the grain rate to track a V/O CV or the frequency of an external oscillator.

Chaos. Each key parameter of a grain comes with its own attenurandomizer, which allows direct CV control, CV control of the randomization (spread) of this parameter, or internal randomization using some of Marbles’ algorithms.

Character. Beads provides four audio quality settings, which go well beyond buffer sample rate and bit-depth: they affect the clock of the converters, the amplitude limiting and saturation of the signal path, the tone of the reverb, and additional media-emulation effects. From a pristine digital device to a dirty cassette, through a mode reproducing some of Clouds’ characteristics.

MODES?

Beads can operate as a delay without the need to switch to a different mode: just ask it to play a never-ending grain. Its DENSITY, TIME and SEED controls are repurposed to allow various features such as tap-tempo, beat slicing, time-stretching, or comb-filtering at rates tracking V/O.

Without any audio input, Beads will granularize 8 internal banks of wavetables.

All parameters have a dedicated knob."

TR-909 Firmware Version 5 Demos

See this post for details.

Playlist:

1. TR-909 FIRMWARE VERSION 5 UPGRADE!!!

// The most wonderful thing that could have ever happened for Roland TR-909 owners and lovers has actually happened.

2. TR-909 FIRMWARE V.5 - Demonstration 1 - MIDI SYNC CORRECTION

// I’ve installed one of the first Revolution 909 firmware upgrades from Addictive Instruments into my own personal Roland TR-909 and I released a little enthusiastic clip about how delighted I am to have 33 year old serious problems resolved. This is the first of a few posts planned for today to show you why it’s so amazing to me.

3. TR-909 FIRMWARE VERSION 5 - Demonstration 2 - SWITCH BETWEEN PLAY AND WRITE MODE IN REAL TIME

// This is something that I’ve been thinking about since 1991 when I first got my own TR-909: The ability to switch between pattern play and pattern write without having to stop the sequencer.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The TR-909 in pattern write mode allows us to do some clever things. We can change the length of the pattern using last step, and we can add and subtract notes and accents (internal and external) to develop our pattern. However, we can only do this in write mode.
So in order to do these things in performance we have to A ) stop, change modes, and start again B ) stay in write mode always (can’t change patterns in write mode) C ) program our drums from another device entirely D ) add all the chaos, and then use the level knobs to bring sounds in and out (the way maestro Jeff Mills makes magic!) or E ) make a ton of patterns ahead of time and switch between them as our performance.
We can do mutes on a mixer, use a midi controller. There are options, but when I’m playing live it’s just me. I have stuff happening. It’s a lot to navigate and keep track of. Changing mixer settings, dealing with midi controllers, or even flipping through preset patterns can be distracting and a bummer. Adding the ability to just get into write mode and change the length for a fill, or a sidetrack, or a totally new in the moment idea is fantastic!

4. TR-909 FIRMWARE VERSION 5- Demonstration 3 - MUTES

// This is something which I didn’t anticipate being so amazing. I use mutes on the mixer as a fundamental part of how I perform live, but I don’t tend to reach for instrument mute functions on the actual devices. This is not a personal bias, but rather a point of clarity. I’m doing like 25 things at once in any given performance (and singing) so it’s pretty easy to forget what I’ve muted or un muted unless it’s in central place (like on the mixer), but after all I just explored in demonstration clip 2 about ways to add and subtract sounds live, mutes are a marvelous and really powerful addition to this list of ways to address patten complexity in a live performance.

5. TR-909 FIRMWARE VERSION 5 - Demonstration 4 - INSTANT PATTERN CHANGES

// Ok, this is really simple, but it’s so super extra totally bad ass.

Fig.1 INSTANT PATTERN CHANGES
The thing about the TR-909 is that it doesn’t instantly change patterns. You have to wait for the end, and then it starts the next selected pattern. To get around this you can do some stuff:
• make some really complicated patterns
• make one big complex pattern and then use the mixer to bring things in and out (fun!)
But this is fantastic! Just hold down shift and start instantly jumping between patterns. Add a crash from a crashy pattern, start a fill, and switch to just a kick drum, mix and match patterns and really get something heavy going - THEN get involved with the mixer, and it’s a gorgeous avalanche of TR-909 awesome!

In my example here I’m just showing you that it’s possible now. The rest is up to you.

Addictive Instruments have released firmware version 5 for the Roland TR-909 and the RE-909. It’s a real upgrade which requires soldering and while it isn’t easily reversible, the upgrade also includes firmware v1 and v4 so you can revert by choosing another firmware and booting it that way (no one would ever know).

Find out more at revolution909.fr
This first batch is limited to 100 so if you’re as happy about this as I am, hurry up!
That said, I believe in these guys and totally hope that this all goes well, and this will continue to be available (and more!) until all the TR/RE-909’s have one inside.

This was demo 4, one more and I’ll leave the rest to you.

6. TR-909 FIRMWARE VERSION 5 - Demonstration 5 - EXTERNAL INSTRUMENT

// I’ve been using the EXT INST function of the Roland TR-909 since the day I got it. I love triggering samples, basslines, and other drum machines from the stately TR-909’s main panel. The hassle has always been that the notes it generates can’t be changed. So you get an octave or so of fixed notes and that’s all. I’ve spent a lot of time messing with samplers and getting the sounds I want to trigger from the notes I have to offer, and while it’s fun, and useful, it can be a drag. Fact is, a lot of people never even explored it.

Fig.1 CENTRAL CONTROL WITH TR-727
The TR-727 doesn’t allow us to control its midi notes either, but the Addictive Instruments firmware v.5 update has presets and it has a user mode (fig.2). So we can play any note we want on any channel we want at any velocity we want now.
My 727 is upgraded with Harry Axten‘s perfect sound rom upgrade, and this is my own custom rom, and here it is being beautifully programmed by my beloved TR-909!

Fig.3 BASSLINE
This is an example of using the user template to create a chromatic keyboard and programming a bassline which is saved with my drums, and subject to all the new and original functions of the 909.
So much fun!

Clearly I was already in love with my TR-909, but I’ve fallen all over again here.

The external instrument mode is expanded, and it much more powerful now, it’s also nicely documented (at last) in the manual. It is more complicated than plug it in and go if you want to make the most of it, and it’s worth it. This is something wonderful.

Ieaskul F. Mobenthey Eurorack Modules From Ciat-Lonbarde's Peter Blasser

via Control

"Peter Blasser's - Ieaskul F. Mobenthey modules are now In-Stock. Couldn't be happier to have Peter's stuff in-stock, he's been pushing the limits of instrument design and the philosophy behind it for years with Ciat-Lonbarde and very much encompasses the ideals of what we find inspiring about synthesis, electronics and the makers who make them. Limited Qty available."

Details on each, captured for the MATRIXSYNTH archives, follow. You'll find a video of them previously posted here.

"Ieaskul F. Mobenthey - Denum

The Denum module is essentially a bounds/bounce oscillator. It has the “triangle core” circuitry used in many
oscillators, but it adds a correlated bounds modulation, according to the concept (see below). Here, bounds and
bounce are each given equal treatment, with separate linear and exponential controls and inputs. In addition,
this module has a fully featured bi-polar VCA with complimentary inputs, to get you quickly going sending
“bb-objets” out the left and right channels.

Denum is an 8HP Eurorack module that runs on +12 and -12 volts. Attach power connector positive to “+” and
negative to “-”. Failure to follow proper power polarity will result in instant destruction of unit.

Looking at the front panel of Denum, note that inputs are marked by copper fill. There are three main sections:
bounce, bounds, and the VCA. Bounce is above bounds to emphasize the numerator/denominator relationship
of the two. Each of the two has exactly the same inputs and knobs. The “basis” knob sets the base rate or
position for bounds. There is a linear control input, marked by a a caret. Linear modulation is an alternative
input for pre-enveloped audio, since it has no attenuverter. However, the exponential control input is tied to an
attenuverter, marked by a characteristic bow-tie. An attenuverter works like this: at noon the modulations are
nulled out, they have no effect; clockwise from there they increase in intensity, with positive input meaning
“more”; to the counter-clockwise direction, modulations increase as well, but with negative input meaning
“more”. This knob is essential to controlling how much, and in which direction, your modulations apply.
Between the bounds and bounce areas, there is a range switch. When in middle position, Denum runs at a
standard audio rate. Pointing downward is a low audio rate, and pointing upwards is a definite CV, lowest rate.

The triangle output speaks the position of the waveform in voltage, and square expresses the frequency in terms of
negative and positive 10 volts. The triangle output is bussed into the left and right audio inputs of the VCA,
at bottom. Either can be swapped out for external audio energies, via the “left, right signal inserts”. The “left,
right VCA inputs” are for controlling the amplitude of the signals, with either a linear or exponential mapping. If the
left input is greater than right, sound goes out the “left out”. If right is greater than left, sound goes out the
“right out”. The voltage amount of difference maps to loudness in these channels. The “linear, expo switch”
chooses linear when cocked up, as marked by a caret, and exponential when cocked down, as marked by a
rounded form. There is an optional mute when the switch is in the middle.

About Bounds/Bounce

CLICK FOR MORE »

Guy Gets High Working on Legendary Buchla Covered in LSD

Update: video is back. I switched to their YouTube upload thinking it would be a better option long term for the archives, but apparently not.

Update2: bonus video on YouTube while it's up:

Web Extra: Buchla Model 100 Synthesizer at Cal State University East Bay

Published on May 23, 2019 KPIX CBS SF Bay Area

"Here more about the groundbreaking musical instrument at Cal State University East Bay and what it can do. Interviews with retired professor and composer William R. Shannon, electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, musician and Buchla representative Joel Davel, and CSUEB Associate Professor Inés Thiebaut."

This one is in via Brian Comnes. The legend of the CSU Hayward acid/LSD soaked vintage Buchla 100 is true. Apparently it was dipped in LSD back in the 60s. It wasn't clear, however, if all panels or just the red one was dipped. You can find some additional pics of the infamous CSU Hayward Buchla 100 here. BTW, this was likely some Owsley Stanley LSD.

Left image via Todd Barton: "I love that the red panel is a 156 Control Voltage Processor which can blend, invert and mix up to 6 different CVs! You’re only as trippy as your CVs. Oh, and I love the squiggly line pattern on the faceplate 🤩"

And the article via KPIX5 San Franscico for the archives:

"SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — For years, an urban legend circulated online and in documentaries, purporting how part of a groundbreaking musical instrument — versions which are stored at a Bay Area university and other institutions — was dipped in a psychedelic drug.

Online chatter detailed how musicians who used the instrument would wet their finger, touch the device, and then lick their finger to get a little bit of mind-expanding inspiration.

Now this supposed myth may turn out to be a reality.

—

At the helm of KPIX Television, Broadcast Operations Manager Eliot Curtis tackles all sorts of technical problems to keep Channel 5 on the air. Recently however, a strange electrical transmission threw him for a loop. It happened inside his brain.

“It was … felt like I was tripping on LSD,” remarked Curtis.

It turns out that Curtis was indeed tripping on the infamous psychedelic drug known as lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD for short. He got dosed by accident at home in his workshop — in front of his wife.

“I think it’s super wild. I think this whole situation is a nice chapter in the history of the counter culture,” commented Curtis’ wife Holly.

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Rob Hordijk Epoch Modular Benjolin Dual VCO Eurorack Module

benjolin eurorack production module

Published on May 7, 2013 Epoch Modular·1 video
Note this is the first Epoch Modular post on MATRIXSYNTH.

"A darling of the DIY synth community for several years now, Rob Hordijk's benjolin circuit is really like no other synth/noisemaker out there. The benjolin is the smaller sibling of Rob's now legendary Blippoo Box, the subject of his 2009 article in Leonardo Music Journal (Vol. 9). Both the Blippoo Box and the benjolin emerged from Rob's attempts to design a circuit that was, as he puts it, "bent by design". As such both modules function according to the basic principles of Chaos theory, where short to long sputtering patterns spontaneously alter themselves over time, at times gradually and at times quite suddenly, morphing into new pattern doublings and bifurcations. The result is two incredibly unique instruments that function in a sense autonomously or can "play themselves" if you like.

Both the Blippoo Box and the benjolin are based around similar "chaotic cores," which in the the case of the benjolin, is comprised of two vcos and a unique circuit designed by Rob, which he calls a rungler. The rungler is basically an 8 step shift register that takes its serial input from the squarewave of one oscillator and its clock input from the other. The digital outputs of the shift register are than put through a 3 bit digital to analogue converter to create stepped voltage patterns, which are then wired back into the oscillators. The effect of this arrangement is to create a complex interference pattern that gives the benjolin its unique, aleatoric character.

Along with this chaotic core, the benjolin also includes a 2-pole vcf with a unique topology that imparts an amount of all harmonic distortion to the filter outputs. The eurorack module I have designed has additional modifications not included in the original benjolin circuit, including HP and LP outs for the filter, as well as a rungler loop function that can be controlled either via control voltage, manually with an offset knob and also with a toggle switch that turns the offset on and off. These different controls may also be used in tandem, and all serve in someway to hold the rungler in a looping pattern, allowing one to cut pieces out of the chaos and create repetitive drones and beat-like patterns at whim.

As you can see from the video, there are 4 cvs in total (to the left side of the panel, top to bottom): one for oscillator A, one for oscillator B, one for the Filter cut off Frequency and of course the rungler loop function already mentioned. The CV inputs of the two oscillators they are normalized for cross modulation so when nothing is plugged in the triangle output of oscillator A goes into the input of B and vice versa. Similarly, the vcf cv input is normalized to the triangle output of triangle B. As you may be able to see from the attached photo, these three normalized cvs each have attenuator knobs as well.

Outputs include the Pulse and triangle wave outputs from oscillators A and B, the direct output from the rungler, an XOR (which is a logic output from the rungler) as well as a PWM output derived from the Triangle waves A and B. And of course there are also the three filter outputs mentioned above.

This video aims at showing the benjolin solely as "self playing" instrument, and as such no external control voltages are utilized. In addition, for the sake of simplicity, only the low pass output of the filter is used. I apologize for the terrible quality of the video (shot on my Iphone). I have just ordered a camcorder, so better quality video will be uploaded soon."


image via Richard Devine on Facebook

"Epoch Modular - Benjolin - dual VCO based on Chaos theory 'Chaotic Cores'."

Ian Fritz MegaCycler demo with O'Tool

Published on Jan 5, 2013 frijitz001·8 videos

Demonstration of MegaCycler triggeringing synth events viewed with Dave Jones' O'Tool "oscilloscope. Refer to this thread http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?highlight=billiard+chaos&t=41115"

CLICK FOR MORE »

FREE PO-33 KIT: TB-303 Acid sample kit | for Teenage Engineering PO-33 & PO-133

video upload by CNTR RNDM

"Hey, my name is Christian and I have a confession to make...I love ACID music! Over the past few years, I was involved in quite a few acid projects, such as 303 Addict, Stoney Broke Weirdos, Acid Traxx...blah, blah, who cares, right? Anyway, boomer-mode on: when I started out making acid techno, it was all about tracksuits, warehouse raves, you know all that good stuff. However, for me, acid-clubbing was never about taking pills or drinking till you pass out or whatever...I always wanted to know what gear the live acts were using, how they were performing and stuff. I always hated polished disco stuff...I was all about this raw, unpolished, acidy kind of stuff. And you know what? I still remember the first real acid gig I went to, the night I fell in love with acid music, so to say...I don't know which year it was or anything but - nevertheless - I have a super vivid memory of that particular night. So I and a couple of my mates went to this super tiny club in Duisburg called Chism (RIP Chism♥️)...we had heard good things about it but we had never been there...anyway, when we arrived, there was an old man giving out glowsticks and I was like "ok, that's weird but hey, who doesn't love glowsticks, right?"...anyway, we went in and the club was jam-packed, sweat was dripping from the ceiling, the crowd was super rowdy and aggressive (but in a positive way) and Robert Babicz aka Rob Acid was tearing the flipping walls down...it was bloody amazing...so, there was no stage or anything...he had all this gear like in the middle of the dancefloor on a folding table and there was nothing but chaos and mayhem around him...I don't know how he felt that very moment but he looked super cool and calm and played this awesome live set! Thanks for this memory Herr Babicz, Na Zdrowie! Kocham cię, mój przyjaciel!

Ok, I'm going off on a tangent here...sorry about that. You're probably here for the PO-33 kit so let me tell you a bit about it. For this PO-33 kit, I recorded both 303 loops and one-shots using Roland's TB-3 and D16's AMAZING Phoscyon plugin. The one-shots all come from the TB-3 and have been stored in the drum banks. The first two drum banks are arranged as follows:
Pads 1-4, C, all one-shots varying in intensity
Pads 5-8, D, all one-shots varying in intensity
Pads 9-12, G, all one-shots varying in intensity
Pads 12-16, A, all one-shots varying in intensity

The one-shots in the last drum bank have been arranged randomly.
You can download the FREE backup file here:
https://cntrlldrndmnss.gumroad.com/l/...

While we're at it, why don’t you grab my free drums sample pack as well:
https://cntrlldrndmnss.gumroad.com/l/...

Feel free to check my other packs on gumroad as well:
https://cntrlldrndmnss.gumroad.com

All my samples and kits are copyright free - you can use them in your own productions, videos, whatever. The main thing is: have fun with this kit (or any of my other kits or packs)!!!"

Oberheim OB-X8 Videos by Adam Borseti

video uploads by Adam Borseti

The above playlist features a handful of Oberheim OB-X8 videos by Adam Borseti. Note the first few videos feature the custom OB-Xa style overlay (link below), followed by the stock OB-X style panel.

Playlist:

1. First Day of Summer! (Oberheim OB-X8)

Here's a fun little spur-of-the-moment jam over a song I've been working on. This is the direction I want the song to go in, but I'm probably going to re-record some of it. We'll see. You like the 80s style OB-Xa/OB-8 blue pin stripes for the OB-X8? I do to! They're made of semi-rigid plastic and can be applied or removed in less than 2 minutes with no adhesive. It's really cool to be able to switch between the late 70s OB-X look and the super-1980s OB-Xa and OB-8 look.

Get yours here https://www.synthoverlays.com/product...

2. Random Improv Jam

3. Going places in DOUBLE MODE

Using the SEM filters in lowpass for the bottom layer and a delicious Notch filter on the upper layer pad.

4. OB-X8 - Left Hand Bass Exercises

Laying down bass lines thick and hard with lefty, following the lead of whatever chord righty is holding down. This was all improvised so forgive any chord meandering and weird transitions, mistakes and the like. Is what it is.

5. "Approaching Chaos" - Oberheim OB-X8

All sounds made with the Oberheim OB-X8 run through a Zoom MS-70CDR, with the drums from my Roland TR-626. Enjoy

6. Oberheim OB-X8 - Cinematic improvisation & Double Mode patch

Consider this some filler while I'm working on my next actual song. I'm almost done!

7. "Reflections" - Oberheim OB-X8

A new original tune of mine, the first in a good long while! Less time and more stress have resulted in less creativity haha, but I'm trying over here. :)

8. The Camera Eye - Oberheim OB-X8

I mean, it's THAT sound......

Soundsauca Roland JD-990 Demos

"1993 must have been a vintage year. The Roland Super JD-990 is a classic digital synth with character.

Though the light from it's near 30 year old LCD may be fading (Photoshop works wonders!), the JD is still a much loved synthesizer today."

Playlist:

1. JD Worship - Roland JD-990 Demo

Spreading the JD-990 love! A little tune I put together with my Roland JD990. No external FX.

Heaven's Horns - a hi-pass filtered horn patch which fizzes down, gradually breaking across the stereo spectrum.

Dark Energy - a disturbing string patch that undulates with ghostly undertones,

Electric Eel - puts the JD990 chaos lfo to use with very short delay FX adding metallic feedback,

Binary Rain - a beautiful patch that sounds like flickering particles - it sounds different every time I play it,

Flangie Angie - a tightly flanged arpeggio sound with velocity sensitive attack, it can sound soft or hard with the mod wheel, tight and loose with velocity,

Magic Clouds - providing the heft down below with thick analog style sweeps,

JD Worship - The inspiration! A classic lead sound with the mod wheel controlling the dry/wet mix of the JD990 effects,

Lunar Mining - A repeating phased noise effect,

JD-8000 - I always wanted to make a supersaw on the JD-990. I finally found the trick, typically after I had bought a JP-8080 :) It does a pretty good impression,

Hazy Freeze - I love this sound! A melancholic lead that morphs into swirling clouds of audio,

Jungle Drums - Snappy self-oscillated S/H filter sweeps create a percussive sound. The JD has these wonderful sample and hold LFOs that slightly soften (slew) the harsh filter transitions. Later JV/XV series synths don't sound like this. The resonance also doesn't blow a hole in your ear drum when up high (always useful!)

2. Roland JD-990 - Superluminal Patches

A collection of 64 finely crafted Roland JD-990 patches. Take the deep dive into the 990’s synthesis, hearing its classic history along with futuristic sound impressions.

Find out more here: https://www.soundsauca.com/sounds/sup...

Superluminal represents a collection of Roland JD-990 patches that showcase my journey programming this awesome synth. From the cosmic interlude of the patch “Superluminal” to some seriously epic pads such as “Vista Grande”, the JD still has what it takes in 2020!

Sometimes I have to remind myself that its existence pre-dates 1993, with the slider infested JD-800 from 1991 and the D-50 from 1987!

I won’t pretend to be the first to praise this synthesizer, as I know I’m walking in the footsteps of great sound designers, but in my own way I hope to contribute to the JD’s legacy. The Roland JD-990 is a timeless classic with hidden depths to it even decades later.

One of the true great digital synthesisers.

SpaceWiz

SpaceWiz Intro with Jordan Rudess

YouTube Published on Aug 9, 2012 by JCRUDESS

SpaceWiz Tutorials with Jordan Rudess


SpaceWiz - Jordan Rudess: Wizdom Music, LLC


"Immerse yourself in the wonders of a visual/audio experience like no other! Take the role of viewer AND creator in a galaxy where you reign.

SpaceWiz allows you to interact with and control your environment at the highest level of complexity. With the manipulation of your own fingers on the playing surface, together with the technological wonders of the Chaos and Satellite generators, you fabricate particles, which then collide into planets. You can even add the onboard real time synthesizer with its independent set of sounds and parameters to create your sonic masterpiece.

Regardless of your desires, this app will reward you with a mind-blowing creation. Sit back, and allow SpaceWiz to guide you on a uniquely woven audio-visual journey. Enjoy the ultimate sonic/visual wallpaper, or get busy and start throwing your own particles around the universe. Try rolling the dice for total randomization and see what happens! For creators who want to play a larger role in their SpaceWiz experience, you also have the opportunity to build your audio/visual world from the void! Jordan Rudess explains:

"We partnered with developer Tobias Miller to see if an otherworldly dream I had could be made into reality. He was able to bring it completely to life."

Rudess and Miller worked together to create every unique sound and image. There are over 250 on-board instruments, as well as forty-five presets and access to control external midi instruments.

Top sound designer Richard Devine attests:
" I love SpaceWiz. It’s totally out of this world. I haven't seen/heard anything like it before!"

Producer/Composer Steven Wilson adds:
"I just love it! I've been repeatedly hitting the random tone button until I hear something I like, and then working with the modulation and FX pages to develop it. Amazing work!"

MASTER CONTROLS
-Chaos, Touch and Satellite controllers.
-Randomization of total system
-Beat Sync, (so you can align your particle impacts to a grid.)
-Tap Tempo
-LowPass Filter with Resonance
-HighPass Filter with Resonance
-Time Warp
-FX including Chorus, Delay and Reverb


PLANET CONTROLS
-8 planets each assigned to its own timbre.
-Randomization of independent planets
-Control the independent volume, rate, width, height, mass and bounce of each planet
-Solo and Mute
-Override Tonality
-Pitch control according to Angle, X Position and Y Position of particle impact
-Pan position with Auto Pan (which pans according to a planet’s position on the grid)

TONALITY
-Tonality systems offering numerous scales, modes and chords
-Custom Tonality (choose your own!)


MODULATION
A full modulation matrix for assigning any planet’s motion to control most available parameters

SYNTH - The SW-3000 SpaceWiz synthesizer!
-2 Oscillator synth with Sync
-Filter Envelope
-Amplitude Envelope
-Filter with Resonance assignable to vertical axis
-Separate configurable playing surface
-Dedicated SW-3000 Chorus and Delay effects
-Randomize Synthesizer

FEATURES
Assign external midi sounds to each planet and even control Wizdom Music's own SampleWiz or any other virtual MIDI app running in the background!"

SpaceWiz - Jordan Rudess: Wizdom Music, LLC

Pendulate by Newfangled Audio - Tame the chaos! (Demo and tutorial)

video upload by CatSynth TV

"Pendulate is a free virtual instrument from Newfangled audio based that blends and oscillator based on the chaotic physics of a double pendulum with a Buchla-style wavefolder and low-pass gate from 'west coast synthesis'.

00:00 Introduction
00:38 Double pendulum physics and chaos
01:16 Overview of Pendulate
02:13 The Double Pendulum Oscillator
07:37 The Wavefolder
10:25 Wavefolder and Chaos
11:39 The Low Pass Gate
14:31 Factory Presets

To find out more, please visit https://www.newfangledaudio.com/pendu...

'Pendulate is a chaotic monosynth that uses a brand new double-pendulum-oscillator to create previously unheard sounds - biting basses, searing leads, and gritty textures. It can smoothly fade from a sine wave to total chaos, with an expanse of territory to explore in between.'

For another chaotic synthesizer, please check out our review of KULT from Tracktion & Dawsome [posted here]

___
Please consider supporting this channel to help us bring you more synthesizer tutorials and other content.
Merch: https://shop.catsynth.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/catsynth
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/catsynth"

"Bored of the same old synth sounds? Newfangled Audio's Pendulate is refreshingly different. Pendulate is a chaotic monosynth that uses a brand new double-pendulum-oscillator to create previously unheard sounds - biting basses, searing leads, and gritty textures. It can smoothly fade from a sine wave to total chaos, with an expanse of territory to explore in between.

CREATE THE CHAOS
Pendulate’s chaotic oscillator is based on the physics of a double pendulum. What initially looks like randomness contains underlying patterns, interconnectedness, constant feedback loops, repetition, self-similarity, fractals, and self-organization. When designing the Pendulate oscillator we took great care to bring out these underlying patterns to create something both chaotic and musical.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moon Modular sequential switch and ratcheting 5U modular synthesizer experiment.

video upload by I like the Chaos.

"I am enjoying the Moon Modular Sequential switch. I am using it to string patterns together from my Synthesizers dotcom Q119 Sequencer and my Encore Electronics Universal Event Generator. The main bass line is a DIY Ian Fritz DoubleDeka VCO through an STG Soundlabs Sea Devils filter. There are also Corsynth drum modules prominent in the mix. There is a lot more going on as well. Much of it was experiments that did not add to the sound when prominent, but added interest to me when lower in the mix and triggered occasionally. This started out sounding a bit like Devo, but as it progressed seemed to add in some Adrian Belew era King Crimson, and now it barely sounds like either.

I may do a demo of the Universal Event Generator soon. A tip in the meantime, try patching the Trigger out into the trigger in and experiment with the different settings, especially finish loop. You may have to hit the manual gate button to get it started, but that little tip was something I had not thought of until I spent some time with some Serge Modules."

Noise + Chaos | MakeNoise Spectraphon & Mimeophon

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"I made this video on the 26th, 27th and today the 28th, so it's not a jam but a regular video. The main subject of this video is patching from scratch. With infinite possibilities, where do you begin? For me it's often a patchpoint I haven't used much or don't understand well. I had just finished the Mysteresis video and new ideas pop in when you're done and doing something completely different like cooking or cleaning. Since I've been working with Echophon feedback, I wondered if I could do something different with Mimeophon. Feedback doesn't really work, but how about clocking Mimeophon with Wogglebug, which is clocked by Mimeophon? I call it a clock feedback loop but don't know if there's a name for it. The fun obviously begins when you're going audio rate. The results were interesting, but not as spectacular as I hoped for. Second subject of this video is the Spectraphon Noise + Chaos mode which was added in the lastest firmware. The clock feedback delay and the SP were a nice combo and at the end of the session I finally got something worth sharing. I ended the video with a stock scene from a tibetan bowl player because it looked interesting and it had this relaxing vibe. This morning I patched up the Spectraphon to make bowls, so the stock video makes sense. It sounded very nice! So here's how one idea leads to another and adds up to your knowledge and experience. It's something you can't really learn from a book, you just need to let it happen and learn as you go. So it's noise and chaos from both Mimeophon and Spectraphon, and definitely in the patching process :).

Without a goal and without expectations, because a modular will always take a different route. So always keep that recorder running...."