Why OB-Xd is a fantastic free synth... and how to use it!

video upload by MusicRadar Tech

"In our new series we delve into the best free synths on the internet. In this instalment we delve into the world of analogue modelling with the aid of another fantastic (and free) software synthesiser: DiscoDSP’s OB-Xd."

Download OB-Xd: https://www.discodsp.com/obxd/

Ableton Introduces Note for iOS

video upload by Ableton

"Learn about Note, a playable iOS app for forming musical ideas. Build beats, capture melodies, and sample the world around you. When you’re ready to take your ideas further, export your Set to Ableton Cloud and continue working in Live.

Learn more: https://www.ableton.com/note/
Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/app/ableton-no..." Is Ableton Note as close as we'll get to Live on an iPad? Here's what it can and can't do...
video upload by MusicRadar Tech

"After years of speculation, Ableton have released their first iOS app, Note. But this isn't exactly the iPad/iPhone version of Live some imagined. In this video we explore what Note is – and isn't – and ask if this is a must have for music makers."

"Start new musical ideas with a curated selection of sounds and effects. Play beats and melodic parts, sample your world, and continue your tracks in Ableton Live.


Note is a place to form ideas, experiment with sounds and find direction. Get your ideas out or play until inspiration hits using a selection of Ableton Live’s drum kits, synths and melodic instruments. Or create your own sound palette by recording the sounds around you into Note’s sampler instruments using your phone’s microphone.

If you want to take your ideas further, use Ableton Cloud to send your projects to Live without leaving the app. Open your project from Live’s browser, then keep working – you can edit all your MIDI notes, and all your samples and sounds from Note are exactly the same.


Begin with a beat:
• Choose from 56 Drum Sampler kits
• Tap out a beat using the 16-pad grid
• Quantize your beat to fix any loose timing
• Nudge notes to correct mistakes
• Add more layers of rhythm
• Create beat repetitions with Note Repeat
• Change parameters to shape your sound
• Experiment with effects

Start with a melody:
• Choose from 261 synth sounds and 36 Melodic Sampler instruments
• Play your melody or chord progression with either the 25-pad grid or the piano roll
• Set a key and scale to get instantly harmonic results, or leave your options open
• Overdub more layers of harmony
• Change parameters to shape your sound
• Add effects to experiment with sound design

Sample your environment:
• Create your own kits by recording percussive sounds into Note’s Drum Sampler
• Record tonal sounds to create your own Melodic Sampler instruments
• Manipulate your samples by cutting, filtering or repitching them
• Shape or transform your sounds with effects

Capture improvisations:
• Play something, then tap the Capture button to keep it
• Play at the tempo that feels comfortable and Note will detect it
• Note will recognize the length of the phrase
• A loop is created automatically
• Quantize it, add to it, or change the sound

Create variations:
• Note features a grid-based Session View layout
• Double your loops to create variation within clips
• Duplicate your clips and create different versions of your ideas
• Create eight tracks with up to eight clips on eight scenes
• Try different layer combinations and song structures
• Export your work in Session View as an audio file to listen and share"

Arturia Introduces MiniFreak 6-voice Algorithmic Synthesizer

MiniFreak | Algorithmic Synthesizer | ARTURIA video upload by Arturia

Tutorials | MiniFreak - Overview

video upload by Arturia

"In this tutorial, take a tour through MiniFreak's features, hidden talents, and wild sounds, as Matt Pike gives you the lowdown on the 6-voice hybrid #polysynth that's out to break all the rules.

_CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:03 Presets Playing
02:27 Oscillators
03:40 Virtual Analog Engine
04:41 FM Engine
05:50 FM Modulation
07:04 Analog Filter
07:35 Modulation Matrix
10:13 Digital Effects
12:02 Sliders
13:30 Sequencer & Arpeggiator
14:51 Sound Edit & Utilities" Arturia MiniFreak: 5 things you need to know (+ no-talking sound demo)
video upload by MusicRadar Tech

Review: Arturia MiniFreak // vs MicroFreak // Everything covered, including almost all 256 presets

video upload by loopop

TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:25 vs MicroFreak
6:30 Connectivity
7:35 Workflow
8:55 Osc controls
10:30 Osc 1 engines
14:05 Audio in
14:30 Oscillator 2
15:05 FM/RM
16:05 Digital filters
19:00 Destroy frog
19:50 Analog filter
21:30 Digital FX
25:40 Envelopes
27:45 LFOs
29:05 Waveshaping
30:20 LFO as env
30:40 Vibrato LFO
31:10 Mod matrix
34:00 Macros
34:55 Arpeggiator
38:10 Spice & dice
39:10 Sequencer
43:40 Automation
45:45 Voice modes
46:40 Paraphony
48:20 Chord & scale
48:44 Hidden gems
50:10 Pros & cons
53:50 Almost all 250 presets!

Arturia MiniFreak - First Look - Sonic LAB

video upload by sonicstate

"Today's the day for the big Arturia announcements - and the one we have most experience of is the new MiniFreak which is an expanded MicroFreak - (the Algorithmic Synthesizer with multiple oscillator types).

The MiniFreak doubles up the Oscillators to two - with 20 oscillator types on board, keeps the multi-mode analog filter and adds 3, quality, digital FX. It also has a physical 37 key keybed (short travel) with aftertouch. There's two control strips which can do pitch/mod or macro 1/2, each with four destinations or a sequencer/gate control for the on board sequencer.

It also comes with a free VST version MiniFreak V

We fully confess that we didn't get the time to do the full review in time for this deadline, but first impressions are pretty positive."

arturia minifreak performance

video upload by Red Means Recording Ambient

"first time performing with the arturia minifreak. this is the patch 'Trent's Pno' I made for the factory presets. this is also the last patch in my current house, as i will be moving. see you in november!"

@Arturia MiniFreak Introduction, Unboxing & Demo | No Talking
video upload by DKS SYNTH LAB

Priced at 599€ / $599, available today.

See the dealers on the right for availibility.

via Arturia

Arturia expands wild hybrid synth range with 6-voice MiniFreak

MiniFreak is a polyphonic hybrid keyboard that combines two digital sound engines with warm analog filters, playful modulation, spontaneous sequencing, and rich stereo effects for sounds that are immediately curious, beautiful, and chaotic in equal measure.

Hybrid polysynth power
MiniFreak’s twin digital sound engines feature over 20 modes, and can be used individually, stacked, or to process each other’s output for unique compound sonic behavior. Its digital voices then collide with analog filters, balancing digital crispness with a rich analog response, complete with 6-voice polyphony, 12-voice paraphony, monophonic, and unison configurations.

Customizable & experimental sound design
MiniFreak’s expanded modulation matrix gives users even more control over shaping, transforming, and evolving their sound, with features like polyphonic ADSR envelopes, customizable multi-segment LFO shapes, FM & Ring Modulation, and the familiar Spice & Dice randomization.

Mix-ready stereo sound
With stereo outputs and 3 digital FX slots with 10 FX types to choose from, users will have everything they need to push their sound over the edge while keeping it mix-ready, from stereo-enhancing chorus, to surgical 3-band EQ, to gritty distortion.

Expression, meet chaos
Despite its penchant for wild & exploratory sound design, MiniFreak is an instrument of expression. Its velocity-sensitive 37-note keybed with aftertouch and spontaneous Seq/Arp functionality makes it a dream to perform with, while its randomization features put playfulness first.

MiniFreak V
MiniFreak comes with a dedicated VST counterpart, letting users totally integrate its unique hybrid sound and presets into their DAW productions and vice versa. Using identical sound engines, modeled filters, presets, and totally synchronized controls, users can enjoy an identical experience in hardware or software form.

And the press pics.

Click on each to zoom in.

CLICK FOR MORE »

New Nanobox Mini Synths Coming from 1010Music

video upload by 1010music

Looks like the price will be $399 for each. Note the Line In for each for processing external gear. Curious if sampling will come to the lemondrop.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Superbooth 2021 - Waldorf M Sound Demo

video upload by MusicRadar

Superbooth 2021 - PWM Malevolent

video upload by MusicRadar

You can find additional Future Sound Systems PWM Malevolent details here.

Superbooth 2021 - Playtronica Orbita

video upload by MusicRadar

Introducing Orbita MIDI controller: melody and drums

video upload by

"Turn color and gesture into music with Orbita - a new device in Playtronica’s range of quirky sound gadgets.

Who said interesting items should sit silently on a shelf? Creative technology studio Playtronica announces their newest device Orbita: a playful music device that lets you connect with creativity through sound and colors. While connected to a mobile device, tablet, or computer, Orbita lets people create music through color and gesture. For the electronic musician, Orbita is an intuitive controller and sound generator. For the music enthusiast, Orbita is a fun and exciting way to play with sound, wrapped in a modern form."

See the Playtronica label below for additional creations from them.

Doom Comes to the 1010Music Blackbox

video by 1010music

CLICK FOR MORE »

A Brief History of Synthesizers by Soundfly

Soundfly

"This video is from our in-depth Advanced Synths and Patch Design course on Soundfly.com. Preview for free here: https://soundfly.com/courses/advanced...

About Soundfly
Soundfly helps curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it — subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly: https://soundfly.com/subscription

About the Course
Tired of presets? Need more complex and interesting-sounding patches in your productions? Or maybe you want to be able to figure out the sounds from other artists' tracks? Whether you're a producer looking to level up your sound design chops or just want to have some fun diving down a synth-fueled rabbit hole, this course is designed to help you craft better synth sounds.

Throughout this course, we’ll look at popular synths, sounds, and post-processing techniques to help you develop strategies for creating better sounds from the ground up. From epic house leads to snarling dubstep basses and vintage '80s keyboard sounds, we’ll show you how to create patches step by step. Along the way, we’ll explain concepts related to subtractive synthesis, wavetable synthesis, FM synthesis, and sampling. In the end, you'll have a better idea of what type of synth to reach for in a particular situation, understand the ins and outs of creating patches, how to program better parts, and make better sounds than you ever thought you could.

Ready to level-up your synth skills? Sign up now:
https://soundfly.com/courses/advanced...

Citations:
Elisha Gray - https://bit.ly/3kb0yAs
Telharmonium - https://www.popularmechanics.com/tech...
https://www.britannica.com/art/electr...
RCA Synthesizer - http://120years.net/the-rca-synthesis...
Harald Bode - http://120years.net/tag/harald-bode/
Microprocessor - https://computerhistory.org/blog/who-...
Sound Synthesis and Sampling by Martin Russ- https://books.google.com/books/about/...
Kurzweil K250 - http://www.vintagesynth.com/kurzweil/...
AKAI MPC60 - https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/...
http://www.vintagesynth.com/akai/mpc6...
http://retrosynthads.blogspot.com/"

Novation Peak Patches by BoBeats & Jogging House

via @WeAreNovation

"Two talented artists headline in our latest Peak Patches update.

@BoBeatsMusic releases his powerful FM synthesis explorations pack and @JoggingHouse showcases his laid back ambient grooves. Grab the new packs for free via components >>>"

See BoBeats' demo video here, and Jogging House's here.

"Bobeats is a Swedish music producer, sound designer and music-tech social media star known for his informative synth reviews and tutorials. He has designed soundscapes for several synthesizers, both software and hardware and was named as one of the top 5 music tech personalities in the world in 2017 by MusicRadar."

"Jogging House is Boris Potschubay. A synthesist and composer from Frankfurt, Germany, with a free approach of composition and a chill & sensual sound.

Loosely named after the German word for sweat pants, Jogging House' tracks are about taking things slow, but also doing the unexpected. Combining ambient soundscapes with laid-back grooves and countless little melodies & details.

Boris creates music that isn't related to a certain time or place but aims to explore feelings and moods through sound. Taking his listeners along the journey."

Toto's Africa

Published on May 22, 2013 TotoVEVO

Just spotted this one on BoingBoing. A synth demo with an interesting bit of synth history (BTW, the GS1 went up for sale in 2014 - you can also find an interview with Steve Porcaro here):

Paich told Musicradar in 2013:

"Its first inception came when there used to be UNICEF commercials on TV, showing children and families living in poverty. The first time I saw that it affected me deeply…
"I sat down and started playing and the chorus just came out like magic. I remember after I'd sung 'I bless the rains down in Africa', I just stopped and went, 'Wait a minute. I might be a little talented, but I'm not that talented - God's using me for an instrument here!'

"I realised I had a song in the making, so I started writing on the Yamaha CS-80, which you hear in the intro - that's the keyboard playing - and then you hear the little kalimba sounds [on the Yamaha GS1] in the chorus. It was a fertile time to make music with new sounds, and that kind of defined that song."

Yamaha CS-80 | Hands-On Session

Published on Dec 2, 2017 Computer Music Magazine

"CM Editor Joe Rossitter and MusicRadar's Simon Arblaster get their hands on the world's most iconic synthesiser, and talk you through its features and architecture.

Get an exclusive pack of raw recordings and samples straight from an original Yamaha CS-80, plus a £160 synth plugin: http://bit.ly/CM_251"

Sampling with HALion 6 - pt 4: Creating a multisampled Yamaha CS-80 patch

Published on Nov 23, 2017 Future Music Magazine

"In this fourth video we show make a sampled CS-80 patch using HALion 6's sample recorder, with MusicRadar.com's Simon Arblaster and Editor of Computer Music magazine, Joe Rossitter.

Get your FREE trial of Steinberg HALion 6 here: https://www.steinberg.net/en/products...

Get the instrument featured in this video here: http://bit.ly/SSScssynth"

ROLI Introduces NOISE 5D: Free Rise Inspired 3D Touch Keyboard Controller for iOS

Published on Dec 18, 2015 ROLI

Playlist:
NOISE: 3D Touch on the iPhone like you’ve never heard it before (3 Videos)
The Force Touch Awakens

iTunes: NOISE 5D

NOISE: THE iPHONE LIKE YOU'VE NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE.

NOISE is a powerful instrument that unlocks the extraordinary expressive potential of your mobile phone. Its unique playing surface takes full advantage of the iPhone 6S’s 3D Touch capability.
Enjoy powerful, multidimensional sounds on-screen or use it as the ultimate portable sound engine for your favorite MIDI controller.

MAKE SOME NOISE
Play a subtle flute melody, a rich textured pad or a killer synth lead. For players of any ability or style, NOISE makes a big impact.

Its unique playing surface is laid out like a piano keyboard from the future. Where you used to have keys, you now have a continuous set of “keywaves.” You can strike, press into, glide left and right, slide up and down, and lift off the keywaves to create unique sonic effects. NOISE is the most expressive mobile sound engine ever created.

FIND YOUR SOUND
NOISE comes with the Fundamentals NOISE Pack bundled, which offers 25 diverse, powerful sounds to get you started.

Breath Flute, for example, allows you to faithfully recreate breath control through pressure, while the sound of Polyrhythmic Loops morphs as you play up and down the keywaves. Try Smoky Rhodes for a cool, modern reinterpretation of the Fender Rhodes.

Expand your collection with unique NOISE Packs - Hybrid Acoustic comes with over 500MB of unique samples, Expressive Electronic includes both vintage synths and contemporary pads, and Synthetic Leads is for when you really just need to shred!

POWER YOUR KIT
NOISE’s deeply expressive Equator sound engine is a great fit for a wide range of MIDI controllers. It has in-built MIDI over Bluetooth, which makes it the perfect choice for wireless music-making on the go.
It is also one of the first apps with built-in, customizable MPE (Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression) Mode, so it also works plug-and-play with any MPE-compatible controller.

To really get the most out of NOISE and to take your musical expression to the next level, try it with our own Seaboard RISE, the award-winning MIDI controller hailed as “the future of the keyboard” (MusicRadar).

THE WORLD OF ROLI
NOISE is the result of years of innovative research and product development that enabled us to create the Seaboard RISE, a uniquely expressive, award-winning MIDI controller that enables 5 dimensions of touch; and Equator, its powerful native sound engine. With NOISE, we have shaped the surface of the Seaboard to maximize playability on an iPhone and remapped the new dimensions of sonic control offered by Equator. NOISE is built with JUCE, the leading cross-platform framework for audio apps.

At ROLI, we build game-changing tools for modern music creation. The award-winning Seaboard RISE and Seaboard GRAND instruments are part of our family of intuitively designed products - learn more at www.roli.com.

KEY FEATURES
- Tweak your sounds with onscreen macro controls and XY Touchpad
- Vary the size of the onscreen keywave surface to suit your screen and preferences
- Octave shift buttons and an onscreen sustain pedal add depth to real-time performance
- Control five dimensions of touch - Strike, Press, Glide, Slide and Lift
- Purchase additional NOISE Packs in-app and build your collection of sounds
- Recreate the Seaboard RISE experience on the iPhone 6S and make the most of its new 3D Touch feature
- Audio Units are coming soon. You'll be able to use NOISE as a synth in your favourite iOS DAW - stay tuned...

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- NOISE for iPhone is designed for iPhone 5C and above.
- Please note that while NOISE works well as a sound engine on all iPhones, you will only be able to take full advantage of its keywave surface with an iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus."

Roland JD-XA hands-on

Published on Jul 1, 2015 MusicRadar

"Hands-on: Roland JD-XA hybrid synthesizer. Our first impressions of Roland’s new flagship analogue/digital crossover machine"

MusicRadar Exclusive hands-on: Roland System-1m Plug-Out Synthesizer

Published on Jul 16, 2015 MusicRadar

Korg Electribe Sampler hands-on

Published on Jul 9, 2015 MusicRadar

New Akai Pro Timbre Wolf Poly Analog Synth & Tom Cat Drum Machine

via MusicRadar

"The Timbre Wolf looks particularly bold: a 4-voice polyphonic synth that's set to retail for £300. It can be used as four monosynths, in 4-voice unison mode or as a 4-voice polysynth. Each voice has its own 32-step sequencer, and there's a full-size 25-note keyboard.

Tom Cat, meanwhile, offers kick, snare, hi-hat and clap sounds and chromatically-tunable disco toms. You can adjust the tuning, amplitude envelope and volume of each voice independently.

There are also six pads and a 32-step sequencer, along with swing, pattern select and tempo controls. It's said that you can 'dirty up' your beats using the 'Maul' circuitry. Tom Cat will sell for £150."

Hands-on with the Korg Volca range

Published on Aug 30, 2013 musicradartv·420 videos

"We examine and demo the new compact, affordable Volca Beats, Bass and Keys analogue instruments from Korg. Read our first look review here: http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/f...

[*Apologies for the slightly distorted sound, this is due to our camera and not the Volcas themselves!]"

KORG Volcas on eBay

Monoklon virtual ribbon synthesizer

YouTube Uploaded by UPROAR24 on Sep 16, 2011

"free vsti plugin plugins by philterplugs / minimalfabrik , Phil Monoklon virtual ribbon synthesizer, this is a freeware / donationware vsti plugin version roughly based upon the original Korg Monotron.
for more information visit.
http://www.minimalfabrik.net/3.html
http://www.minimalfabrik.net/5.html
http://www.kvraudio.com/db/monoklon-by-philterplugs
http://bedroomproducersblog.com/2011/07/11/minimalfabrik-releases-the-monoklo...
http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/free-music-software-the-best-audio-app-an..."