Mood jam w/ Oxi One, MiniFreak, MicroMonsta 2, Model D, Tetra, Polymoon, Echosystem, and eurorack

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised synth jam performed entirely on hardware.

Big thanks to Michael at Capra Design for making custom stands for so many of these pieces of hardware. Go check them out!: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CapraDesign...

I picked up the Oxi One not so long ago and have been excited to finally get it on the table. It didn't disappoint! Here, I'm using four different types of sequencing (monophonic, polyphonic, generative, and chord) for the four different synth instruments, all on the same sequencer. On top of that, the Oxi One's diatonic transposition (called "HARMON" scale mode) has the chord sequencer controlling the transposition of two of the other sequencers, so that the bass and melody play along with the chords. It's a fast and fun sequencer that also feels physically sturdy and great (except for the larger pad buttons for me). Plus it's battery powered! Definitely a sequencer that works for me.

A few other notes on gear here:

The MiniFreak and MicroMonsta 2 continue to be great, and can play a few types of roles in a setup while also being compact.

I got the Tetra in a trade, because I was curious, and I actually think it'll be a great multi-timbral solution for setups with the Octatrack or other sequencers. More with it soon, hopefully!

The Endorphin.es Ghost is really working for me. Moments after I recorded this video, they released a firmware update that greatly improves the filter, plus adds signal-rate- and bit- reduction, which sound great and are super useful. It's a great all-in-one effects unit.

Oxi One - Melodic Sequencing
Arturia MiniFreak (using only its internal effects) - pad
Audiothingies Micromonsta 2 (using only its internal effects) - generative plucks
Blackout Model D through Meris Polymoon - bass
Sequential Tetra through Empress Echosystem - melody
Kenton Audio Thru - MIDI thru box
Eurorack drums:
- Intellijel Steppy 1U - drum sequencing
- Mystic Circuits IDUM - extra drum sequencing colour
- Prok Kick, Tiptop 808 Snare, Prok Hats, WMD Fracture - drum voices
- Intellijel Mixup - mixer
- Intellijel FSR 1U - performance pad for extending perc decay
- Endorphin.es Ghost - filter, delay, reverb, compression

Performed and recorded live, with some additional EQ, compression, and limiting, primarily on the master.

Thanks for listening.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Ambient orchestra with piano, Sequential Take 5, Novation AFX Station, Korg MS-20

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jayhosking
A live performance on piano and Sequential Take 5, with a couple of extra "orchestral" layers added afterward.

Despite putting so much time into synthesizers, drum machines, etc., I probably play more piano than anything else these days. I love music arranged for piano and synth, and I watch a ton of it here on YouTube. So it's nice to finally be making some of that on the channel.

Here, I use the Take 5's sequencer with some slow attack to create a backdrop for playing piano over. As the song moves, I progressively open the Take 5's filter to fill more and more of the space.

For bass, I added the Novation AFX Station (aka Bass Station II), not exactly what you might think of when you hear "orchestral", but is amazing for bass and strikes a balance between fitting in and standing out.

To double the melody, I added the Korg MS-20. I've got both its filters tuned into the midrange with a good deal of resonance, so it cuts through the mix without taking up too much room. I've also got a little LFO on the pitch and some noise modulation on the filter cutoff to give the whole thing a warbled, falling-apart feeling.

For piano, I'm playing my Kawai CA49, which has a great keybed and wooden keys, though the sound isn't quite good enough for a recording (great for practicing, though). I'm sending its MIDI to Native Instruments' Noire (for the deeper, richer part of the piano) and also to XLN Audio's Addictive Keys (for more of the percussive/hammer/strike of the piano); I think the two blend really well.

All in all, I'm really happy with this piece and the mood it provokes, both through its melodic choices and its timbral choices. Thanks for listening.

Kawai CA49 into Native Instruments Noire and XLN Audio Addictive Keys - piano
Sequential Take 5 - Pad sequence ambience thing
Novation AFX Station into Valhalla Shimmer - Bass
Korg MS-20 into Synapse Audio Deep Reverb - Melody

Piano and Take 5 recording as a live performance, with bass and melody overdubbed afterward, and the standard EQ/compression/limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Synth jam with Arturia MiniFreak, Dreadbox Erebus, eurorack drums, and Reason 12 synths

video upload by Jay Hosking

"An impromptu song that started on hardware synths and eurorack, and was finished by adding some extra sounds in the box.

This is a great example of why I love both hardware (it's inspiring!) and software (it has incredible power and can get the job finished!). Here, I was just trying out a new eurorack drum sequencer, decided to send the kick trig to the Erebus, and then began noodling on top with the MiniFreak. I wrote the song before I even knew I was writing a song. And while it was super inspiring, I could tell that I'd need a bunch more instruments to make the song feel finished. Rather than expanding the table and slowing down the creative process, I captured the inspiration already there and finished off the job in Reason afterward. It was definitely the right approach.

Dreadbox Erebus through Source Audio Ventris - bass synth locked to kick
Arturia MiniFreak - melody and pads
Eurorack drums:
- Intellijel Steppy - sequencer
- Mystic Circuits IDUM - extra glitch sequencing
- ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout - clock and LFOs
- Prok drums - kick, snare, hats
- WMD Fracture - glass-breaking claps
- Intellijel Mixup - mixing
- Noise Engineering Desmodus Versio - ducked reverb
- Intellijel FSR 1U - performance of glass breaking and reverb room size
- Endorphin.es Golden Master 1U - multi-band compression and EQ
- Intellijel Mixer 1U - output mixer
Reason 12 instruments:
- Monotone - extra bass stabs in bridges and choruses 2 and 3
- Complex-1 - arp thing, and drone/brass/pad thing
- Audio editing/pitch adjustment of the Erebus notes in the chorus (didn't have enough hands during the jam)

Hardware synths recorded together live, with a few extra tracks in the box afterward. EQ'd, compressed, limited, etc. during the final mix/master.

Thanks for listening.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Hypnotic jam with Arturia MiniFreak, Dreadbox Erebus, Mystic Circuits IDUM, and other eurorack drums

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jayhosking
A live, semi-improvised synth jam performed entirely on hardware.

I had the MiniFreak and Erebus set up for an exploratory livestream on my Patreon, and totally stumbled across this combination of MiniFreak drone and Erebus bass with fifths. I'd also been tinkering with modifications to my eurorack drum setup, so I decided to quickly integrate the two together and capture something loose and fun. This came together extremely fast and I love how easy it was to get into the flow.

The MiniFreak and new Erebus are both brand new to me, and early impressions with both have extremely positive. I try a lot of gear and expect that I won't connect with much of it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself saying, "Oh, yeah, this is great" for both of them.

The MiniFreak shines in its oscillators (especially those from Noise Engineering!) and its robust effects section, with three effects slots and far better sound than most integrated effects on big fancy flagship synths. There are so many bread and butter sounds the MiniFreak can give you, but it can also give you some wonderfully weird and warbly unique sounds that I haven't been able to get from a hardware synth.

The Erebus is exactly what I want in a desktop mono synth: small profile, huge sound, what-you-see-is-what-you-get settings, flexibility in sound design, great bass, and fun to explore. This one seems like a no-brainer if you're on the market for a desktop mono synth for a hardware setup, especially if you need something to contrast against Moog monos. Thanks so much to Michael for building this Erebus for me! (They have/had both DIY and pre-built kits.)

And then there's my eurorack drum machine, which continues to be my favourite way to add drums to a track. Two recent additions include the Mystic Circuits IDUM (to add a lot of hectic variety to the drum sequence) and the WMD Fracture (which is my new favourite clap/perc module). Really liking where this drum machine is going, though I'm going to try at least one more configuration.

All in all, this one really captured a moment in time and was a blast to explore. I may leave this setup on the table for a little more exploration.

Thanks for listening.

Arturia MiniFreak - Drone pad
Dreadbox Erebus with Source Audio Ventris - bass
Eurorack drums:
- ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout - clock and many LFOs
- Prok drums (3) - kick, snare, hats
- WMD Fracture - clap/perc
- Mutable Instruments Grids - drum sequencing
- Mystic Circuits IDUM - drum sequencing spice/character/glitch
- Intellijel Mixup and Duatt - drum mixing
- Happy Nerding FX Aid XL - drum colour/compression
- Endorphin.es Golden Master 1U - compression & EQ
- Intellijel Mixer 1U - final drum mix out

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Mood jam with the Elektron Analog Rytm MkII, Korg MS-20, Meris LVX

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live synth jam performed entirely on hardware.

The origin of this song comes from my friend Vincent's awesome new ambient album, "every day a part". (Check out more of his stuff at https://chonker.bot) Vincent was putting together a remix album and I was happy to participate.

Here, I took four or five snippets of a song, pitched them up, and rephrased them into a melody via the Rytm. Then I added drums and bass, with some additional sample manipulation for atmosphere. For the structure of the song, I simply chained some patterns and muted/unmuted as needed.

The track felt like it needed some melody, so I added the Korg MS-20; the MS-20 is one of the few synths that it makes sense to play with the filter resonance cranked up. To add space and dimension to the melody, I added the Meris LVX doing an ambient delay thing, closely based on one of the presets. I haven't explored the LVX too much so far, but I really like a lot of what it has to offer, especially in its flexibility of routing.

Altogether, it ended up a moody, thoughtful piece, and I hope Vincent (and you!) like it.

Elektron Analog Rytm MkII - Samples, drums, bass, texture
Korg MS-20 into Meris LVX - melody/lead thing

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Video game mood music with Dirtywave M8 Tracker

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A full performance on the Dirtywave M8 Tracker, using its synths, sampler, sequencer, and effects.

At the end of August, I went on a trip, my first proper holiday in about ten years. I brought two small pieces of gear with me but used only one: the M8. I had expected to find the M8 too static or non-performative to be enjoyable, but I was drawn in by its fantastic sounding synthesizer designs, sampler with lots of editing and control, lush effects (reverb, delay, chorus), and workflow that led to new ideas. The M8 fits well in the hands, feels good to use, and has a great battery life. It's the perfect portable idea machine for me at the moment, easy enough to stash on any outing, and powerful enough that its sounds are inspiring.

This video isn't a 'jam' by any means, simply me pressing play and letting the M8 go. This is the M8's biggest drawback, in my opinion: it isn't conducive for live, dynamic performance. But that said, I imagine that I'll be using the M8 to create stems—it has a stem export feature—and then loading the stems into something more performative, like the Octatrack. It's a great little idea machine and gives me fodder for jams later.

If you're looking for a portable device for coming up with musical ideas, the M8 might be a good choice.

Thanks for listening.

The recording has EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Rapid jam with the Polyend Play and acoustic piano

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware. (In all fairness, this one has an overdubbed piano for a bit of variety.)

The Polyend Play is an eight-voice sample player groovebox focused on performance and fun. It seems designed to get you from the starting line to the finish line quickly. It's got a unique sample loading scheme where folders or "packs" can be quickly added to a project. It's got composition and sequencing tools to fill tracks with random steps, euclidean rhythms, or even a large number of traditional kick/snare/hat patterns. It's got sub-patterns (called variations) within main patterns, as well as pattern chaining for full-length songs. And it has a huge array of performance effects to take static loops and make them come alive. In short, if you've ever dabbled with something like the Novation Circuit and wanted more power and more performability, this is it. It's a delight.

It has limitations, of course: with the fill features, those eight tracks run out fast; its reverb and delay are simply presets with little direct control; and it suffers from the same frustrations as any other sample-based workflow, where I wish there were synths (even just ROMplers) instead. But as a device for sitting on the couch or travelling—it's easily powered by a USB battery pack—it's hard to beat the Play. You can get something up and running quickly, it's got a decent and large factory soundbank, and it's so much fun to perform on.

Here, I quickly put together a single pattern, with a couple of variations, from a couple of long samples and loading up one of the Play's included sample packs. I could hardly stop using the Perform page to actually complete the song idea, and that's always a great sign. Once I had a main take, I added a little acoustic piano for some flair at the end, and I like the way the melody sounds on separate octaves of the piano and Play.

Recorded as two full takes (one on the Play, and one on the piano), with in-the-box reverb on the piano, and EQ, compression, and limiting on the master."

Ambient jam with the Arturia Polybrute and Soma Cosmos

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware.

With some busier jams coming up, I wanted to put another simple, ambient setup on the table. It had been ages since I explored the Polybrute, not because I don't like it, but because it's so big! But the Polybrute has great oscillators, filters, and effects, as well as a layout that is a joy to explore. Paired with the Cosmos, i.e. my favourite looper, and I've actually been making improvisations on this setup for a week.

Arturia Polybrute — All synth sounds and effects
Soma Cosmos — Asymmetrical drifting loop station

Performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Ambient jam w/ Soma Cosmos, Take 5, Polymoon, Marantz cassette tape piano, and guitar

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware.

A common feature of many of my songs is a sort of upward progression in dynamics; so here, I wanted to try to do something different, a soundscape that flowed from one palette to another, its feelings moving laterally instead of vertically. This approach was inspired by the Soma Cosmos and having the feedback (loop decay) set below 1.0, so that the loops gently cascade out over time and allow for new loops to take over. I love the effect. I love the Cosmos.

For audio fodder, I had recorded an improv piano piece the night before to cassette tape, and found myself using it for more than just notes/snippets, instead following its chord progression at the end here. For live sound generation, I used the Take 5—I really love the warm pads it can do—and a baritone guitar through compression, reverb, and an amp simulator. Switching the Cosmos off and on, I let the guitar take the lead in the first section, and the piano and synth in the second, with the instruments switching roles into the loop. I love that the Cosmos's on/off is silent!

Thanks for listening.

Fender Jaguar Baritone into Union Lab into Union C-Verb into Strymon Iridium - Electric guitar
Marantz PMD430 - Cassette with piano on it
Mackie Mix5 - Mixer
Meris Polymoon - Delay/reverb on everything out of the mixer
Soma Labs Cosmos - Looping

Written, performed and recorded live to a stereo output, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

Home (Full Album Performance) - Music for a productive day

video upload by Jay Hosking

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/album...

"A live, semi-improvised ambient IDM album performed entirely on one small eurorack hardware skiff. This is music deliberately created to listen to while you are working away at the rest of your life, i.e. not-so-lofi-beats to study to. But I've also written some notes and recorded the performance because that's what I personally enjoy; I hope it can be useful to see how the music was made for you.

00:00 - Harwood
05:38 - Crest
11:20 - Centre
17:32 - Euclid
23:34 - Ossington
28:58 - Yarmouth
34:00 - Hemlock
39:26 - Drive

Modules used:
Squarp Rample - four melodic samples on each track
Happy Nerding FX Aid XL - reverb on melodic samples
Prok kick, snare, hat, and clap modules - drums
Mutable Instruments Grids (uGrids version) - drum sequencing
ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout - clock, LFO, pitch, more
Intellijel FSR 1U - live control of drum parameters
Intellijel Quadratt - mixer for melodic samples
Intellijel Mix-up - mixer and mutes for main mix (except for kick)
WMD MSCL - compressor for main mix (except for kick)
Intellijel Mixer 1U - final output mixer
Intellijel Palette 4U case

Written, performed, and recorded to a stereo mix over three days. Mastered by Som Shankar.

Thanks for listening."

Ambient jam with the Tasty Chips GR-1, Sequential Take 5, and Strymon NightSky

video upload by Jay Hosking

"Please support my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jayhosking
A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware.

There are few options for granular synthesis in the hardware world. The Tasty Chips GR-1 has the right level of control, via its knobs and faders, and visual feedback, via its generous screen, to make granular synthesis fast, fun, and hands-on. Plus it's got 11-voice polyphony, four different timbres to play all at once, a dedicated filter on each timbre, and some effects for in a pinch. Not only can you create granular synth sounds, but you can also play looped "clouds" of the sample, or just straight sample playback at different rates, pitches, and directions. In short, the GR-1 overcomes all my issues with using software granular on (for example) my iPad, and makes the process just as fun as using subtractive synthesis.

Speaking of subtractive synths, the Take 5 continues to be a gem. Considering it's an introductory synth in the Sequential line-up, it is an amazing sounding synth with an excellent design, a nice keybed, and useable effects. It's rare to find a polysynth with a strong low end, but the Take 5 really can fill out the spectrum. I love it.

This track is the result of my Patreon's holiday collaboration, in which we all sent samples to a recipient, and received samples from a "secret syntha", and made songs from these samples. It culminated in a listening party on New Year's Eve and was a ton of fun. Thanks so much to Som Shankhar (pad sample) and jean-louis proust (drum sample) for the inspiration and the loops here!

Tasty Chips GR-1 - Three granular loops (piano, pad, sparkle) and one playback loop (drums)
Strymon NightSky - Reverb for the GR-1
Sequential Take 5 - Main synth pad

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master."

Ambient jam with the Dreadbox Nymphes, Tasty Chips GR-1, Strymon NightSky, and Empress Reverb

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware.

Dreadbox was kind enough to send along the Nymphes a little early to me, and I couldn't have been more excited. While I have the Abyss, I've been hoping for a new Dreadbox polysynth that's more widely available for a long time.

And the Nymphes doesn't disappoint. It's unbelievably small but with a super sturdy build and great fader throw lengths. It has a lot of secondary functions but it's dead easy to navigate, and still feels more hands-on than the Dreadbox Typhon (another great small synth). And most importantly of all, it has a beautiful sound with tons of character and some great particular nooks and crannies in its timbres. A warm analog polysynth the size of a paperback book? I love it.

I've also got lots to say on the Tasty Chips GR-1, but I'm planning to do a video with it in the near future, so more then. Suffice it to say for now that I love it and that it's a perfect companion for ambient work.

Dreadbox Nymphes through Strymon NightSky — Main synth
Tasty Chips GR-1 through Empress Reverb — Ambient granular goodness
Arturia Keystep — MIDI controller for the Nymphes

Performed and recorded live, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master."

Ambient jam with the Sequential Take 5

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live ambient track performed entirely on the Sequential Take 5, using only the on-board effects.

The Sequential Take 5 is not revolutionary in any particular way: it's a five-voice, subtractive, analog polysynth with on-board effects. But no matter how I look at it, the Take 5 is clearly the current best first choice if you're looking to buy a versatile analog synth that can do it all. It's got fantastic build quality, good keybed with full-sized keys and aftertouch, and on-board effects that sound better to my ears than others in its range. Its oscillators and filter are good, and its bass response is stronger than most polysynths I've played with. The mod matrix is simple to use but has plenty of depth. One of the effects is a high-pass filter, which allows you to carve out the midrange for your pad work. The filter drive doesn't offer much, but the separate distortion adds a lot. The layout is intuitive, workflow is fast, and you can get to making patches with very little effort.

I've got synths I like more for bass, pads, and leads, but I've got no one synth that can do all of them this well. This was a pad patch I made with some vibrato, "vintage" fluctuations in tuning and envelopes, the bucket-brigade-style delay, long reverb, and a nice slow set of envelopes on the filter and amp. I started playing and this song came out, a good example of how the sounds can inspire.

If you've got a bunch of synths already, you probably don't need this one. (I mean, let's be honest that we don't need any of them.) But if you're looking for that one synth that can play a lot of roles really well, the Take 5 would be the one I'd recommend.

Thanks for listening."

Energetic jam w/ Novation Circuit Rhythm, Manis Iteritas, Qu-Bit Bloom, Sample Drum, FX Aid XL

video upload by Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track performed entirely on hardware.

For my previous piece, (https://youtu.be/C_xKtrGXmTE), I created this small Eurorack setup with two sound generators, the Noise Engineering Manis Iteritas and the Erica Synths Sample Drum. I was going to take the rack apart for a new song, but decided to just noodle around on it for a few minutes. That led me to a variety of beautiful sounds on the Manis, which I sampled into the Sample Drum, and then sequenced using a long branching path on the Qu-Bit Bloom.

Since I was using the Bloom for both tracks of the Sample Drum, I had no sequencer left for the Manis itself; as a solution, I used the ALM Busy Circuits Pamela's New Workout to create a quantized square wave LFO that alternated between two notes in the key. Then I could "play" the LFO to create a little variety in the Manis sequence. In other words, Pam's once again proves itself to be the most valuable module in my rack.

Once I had this strange, impromptu sequence, I didn't know how to finish it. On a whim, I connected it to the Novation Circuit Rhythm, since it had a eurorack clock out and I hadn't tried it in a full jam yet. Thanks to the Circuit Rhythm and its lightning fast workflow, I had a finished song in about ten minutes. I had been a bit lukewarm on the Circuit Rhythm at first, thinking it wasn't my favourite groovebox, but once I started to treat it like a drum machine instead of a groovebox, it made a lot more sense. Despite being an entry-level device in terms of price, it's got a lot of tricks and a lot of immediacy to offer. I really enjoyed working with it, and I think it's a great drum solution for people who have a eurorack with little or no percussion in it.

Performed and recorded live with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/"

Live hardware jam (a collaboration with a member of Elektron!)

Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised performance, all on hardware, and inspired by a new collaboration. Erik Angman is a Technical Writer at Elektron, but more importantly he's a musician with nuanced taste and subtlety. Erik reached out to me about the possibility of making music together, and after hearing his work, I was happy to oblige. Here, I use some audio stems from Erik as a starting point on the Octatrack, "shred to pieces" (Erik's phrase) and then reimagined. Finally, I made some additional melodic and rhythmic content via the Octatrack, Digitone, and Monomachine. I'm very happy with the results, and here's hoping it's the beginning of a beautiful collaboration!

Elektron Octatrack MkII — Sample mangler, performance mixer, scene maker
Elektron Digitone + Cooper FX & Chase Bliss Generation Loss (into Octatrack) — Warbly melody
Elektron Digitone (into Monomachine) — Swell pad
Elektron Monomachine MkII (into Octatrack) — Drums, bass, high synth, harmony synth, and performance mixer

Written by Erik Angman and Jay Hosking. Performed and recorded live by Jay, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/"

Massive jam w/ Keystep Pro, Subharmonicon, ARP Odyssey, DFAM, SH-01a, MI Clouds, and lots of effects

Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised performance, all on hardware, and inspired by the anticipation of the new (school) year. I wanted to do one last huge setup, with a lot of different gear, before the semester starts and I get busy. I was super happy with where this one went.

At the heart of it is the Arturia Keystep Pro, which is sequencing four melodic lines (bass on ARP Odyssey, pads on SH-01a, melodic arp on Subharmonicon, and granular melody on Clouds), while also providing clock for the non-MIDI DFAMs. Despite the huge assortment of gear on the table, this one just worked for me because the instruments each have a really beautiful baseline sound.

Arturia Keystep Pro — Sequencing and clock
Korg ARP Odyssey into Empress Echosystem — Bass
Roland SH-01a into Strymon Ola into Meris Ottobit Jr. — Pad
Moog Subharmonicon into Meris Polymoon — Arp melody thing
Mutable Instruments Clouds into Strymon Magneto — Granular melody
Moog DFAM into Empress Multidrive into Union Tube & Transistor Lab — Kick and snare
Moog DFAM into Erica Synths & Ninja Tune Zen Delay — Hi hats and noise weirdness

Written and recorded in a 48-hour period and uploaded as is, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/"

Analogue & digital jam with Moog Matriarch and Elektron Digitakt

Jay Hosking

"The Matriarch and Digitakt couldn't be much different — a sprawling analogue synth and a compact digital sampler — but I found that their strengths were really complementary. Here, the Digitakt sequences the Matriarch, and is also taking advantage of the Reel Feels sample pack by @Jogging House, which you should definitely check out. Get it here: https://jogginghouse.bandcamp.com/alb...

Altogether, this came out more lovely and lo-fi than I could have hoped.

Moog Matriarch + Empress Effects Reverb — Four synth voices
Elektron Digitakt — Five sample tracks (four melodic samples, plus a multi-sampled drum track)

Written and recorded in a 48-hour period and uploaded as is, with EQ, compression, and limiting on the master."

Outdoor jam with the MPC Live II

Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track, performed entirely on the Akai Pro MPC Live II.

I've been dipping my toes in the MPC world recently, and was very impressed with the MPC One. Since I'm always on the hunt for a true successor to the Novation Circuit, I thought I'd give the MPC Live II, with its added portability, a shot.

My first impressions were that the MPC Live II was too big (the MPC One is a perfect form factor, in my opinion). My second impressions were that the battery and speakers on the MPC Live II are incredible additions, and that this is maybe the most comprehensive all-in-one box I've tried. The synths sound good, the drum and melodic library is a great foundation, the effects are varied and flexible and pretty great, and there's more horsepower than any competitor in the same price range.

I would still love more performance effects and less navigating mid-song, but overall I'm super impressed with the MPC Live II, and I'm looking forward to it being my new travel companion.

Written over the last few days, recorded live to stereo output, and uploaded as is, with only a little EQ, compression, limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/"

Live w/ Hydrasynth, Moog Subharmonicon, DFAM, Empress Reverb, Echosystem, Multidrive, EHX Oceans 12

Jay Hosking

"A live track performed entirely on hardware. I've got something pretty big coming up (an actual workflow video!) but I wanted to capture this musical ice sculpture before it melted.

At its heart is the Moog Subharmonicon and its polymeter melody; I love how the Electroharmonix Oceans 12 adds some weirdness to it, via two reverb algorithms (one in reverse), plus its "tide" parameter which adds a gentle LFO to the panning.

As before, two DFAMs do the job of drums, with one running on its standard clock (kick and snare) and the other following the Subharmonicon's lead (hi-hats). At this point, I think it's impossible for me to enjoy the DFAM fully without the Empress Multidrive on it; the Multidrive brings out the highs and lows and adds some beautiful saturation, all at the same time.

And then doing most of the heavy lifting is the ASM Hydrasynth. No matter how good the Hydra sounds (and it does sound great), the experience of playing the Hydra is its best feature. It's hard to describe how responsive and expressive its polyaftertouch keybed is; suffice it to say that it shaped the chords, arrangement, and dynamics of the song. And with the Empress Reverb on it, it really steals the show.

Oh, and I added my voice again. Almost didn't. And some acoustic guitar? I don't know. It felt right.

Ashun Sound Machines Hydrasynth + Empress Reverb — Bass, pads
Moog Subharmonicon + Electroharmonix Oceans 12 — Polymeter melody
Moog DFAM + Empress Multidrive — Kick and snare
Moog DFAM + Empress Echosystem — Hats and bells
(Meris Polymoon does nothing in this one; it was just still set up from last time.)
Larrivee D-03 — Acoustic guitar

Performed and recorded live. Compression, delay, and reverb added to vocals and acoustic guitar during recording, and compression/limiting on the master.

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com"

From DAW sketch to DAWless song with the Elektron Octatrack MkII

Published on May 30, 2020 Jay Hosking

"A live, semi-improvised track, performed entirely on the Elektron Octatrack MkII. Still in the island cabin, I decided to load some old stems into the Octatrack and see what happened.

Before I got into this all-hardware approach, I stalled out for years making fragments of songs in DAWs; it was really only the immediacy and performability of hardware that got me finishing electronic music with any regularity. So I thought I'd find something not too dusty and transfer it from DAW to DAWless. These are the results.

All the loops are my own, and made primarily with Maschine. Sounds come from a variety of Maschine-compatible formats, including Arturia's V Collection and the Korg Gadget series, as well as the Maschine sample library (the 808, in particular). The main loop of the song adheres pretty closely to my original DAW sketch.

But it's really the Octatrack that takes this from a sketch to a finished song. First, I created an entire second section with the Octatrack, a 'chorus' where the samples are chopped and pitched to a new progression. Second, and critically, I use the Octatrack's scenes to add variation to the samples, to progress through the song from a beginning to an ending, and of course to make things get wild and weird. Scenes are Octatrack magic.

Performed live and uploaded as is, with some limiting on the master (I used the Octatrack's master-level compression for most of the dynamics-shaping).

https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/"