Teenage Engineering OP-Z // Try

video upload by Payton Carter

Novation Circuit - Myopia

video upload by Payton Carter

"Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA

Hey, it's been a while. Here's a chill little jam on the Circuit.

There are a few cuts in the video. To avoid artifacts when transitioning between sessions, I stop playback in one session, let the FX tail off, and switch to the next session. I then combine the old session FX tail and new session in post."

Novation Circuit - Summit

video by Payton Carter

"I'm using a mix of the Shawn Rudiman and my own Circuit pack."

"Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA"

Novation Circuit - Content

video by Payton Carter

"Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA
Check out my music here: https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/

I needed to make something cheerful, so here's a loud and optimistic track using the BlankFor.ms Circuit pack."

Teenage Engineering OP-Z // Heatwave

video by Payton Carter

"Here's a quick jam I wrote on the OP-Z during a trip to Idaho."

OP-Z // Immerse

video by Payton Carter

"A darker electronic track on the Teenage Engineering OP-Z."

OP-Z // Cedar

video by Payton Carter

"Why even have an OP-Z if you don't make lo-fi hip hop beats to relax/study to? I downloaded some boom bap and vocal kits from op1.fun and this is a happy little tune I made with them.

Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA
Check out my music here: https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/"

Making a Dark Trap Beat with the Novation Circuit

video by Gabe Miller Music

"I show the making of a moody, dark Kid Cudi inspired hip hop / trap beat on the Novation Circuit, including dealing with packs, 808s, effects, and microsteps.
Get my $5 sample pack: https://gumroad.com/l/gabeoneshots
Payton Carter's pack: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA"

Novation Circuit Chillstep Jam

video by Gabe Miller Music

A chillstep jam on the Novation circuit, made using these three packs:
My $5 sample pack: https://gumroad.com/l/gabeoneshots
Payton Carter's pack: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA
The Force Truly Evil pack: https://isotonikstudios.com/product/b...

Making Modern Drum and Bass (Novation Circuit)

Gabe Miller Music

Get my $5 sample pack: https://gumroad.com/l/gabeoneshots
Payton Carter's pack: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA
The Force Truly Evil pack: https://isotonikstudios.com/product/b...

"I show the making of two drum and bass jams on the Novation Circuit, including a Monstercat / Metrik style modern banger, and some Noisia influenced grit."

It's Enough // OP-Z ambience with Valhalla Supermassive

Payton Carter

"Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA

Here's a little track with just the Teenage Engineering OP-Z running through the amazing free effects VST from Valhalla DSP, Supermassive. All dry synth sounds are coming from the OP-Z. I copied the audio in Reaper on four different tracks, each with a different Supermassive preset. I then did some automation of the Supermassive wet/dry level and track levels. There's also processing with Ozone Elements. I accidentally had the gain on my audio interface set super low, so apologies for the noise; let's just call it lo-fi."

Novation Circuit - Facade

Payton Carter

"Get my Circuit pack for free/pay-what-you-want: https://gumroad.com/l/MIDqA

A few weeks ago, I released a pack for the Novation Circuit (link above). This is the first "finished" track I've made with it.

Maybe it's a drum and bass type track? I don't know, I'm not good with genres. Definitely the fastest bpm I've ever tried.

100% made on the Circuit, with some mastering in Ozone Elements. Check out my music here - https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/"

FREE Novation Circuit Pack! 32 patches, 64 samples

Payton Carter

"A collection of synth patches and samples for the Novation Circuit groovebox, focused on usability and versatility.
Get it for free (or pay-what-you-want): https://gum.co/MIDqA"

Novation Circuit + Elektron Analog Keys - Hurry

Payton Carter

"A quick, high-energy pop jam on the Novation Circuit and Elektron Analog Keys. The Circuit is doing drums, and everything else is on the Keys. Recorded via Overbridge into Reaper, with some mixing in post and mastering in Ozone Elements."

Novation Circuit + Elektron Analog Keys - Confidence

Payton Carter

"A jam with lots of arpeggios. Analog Keys is doing bass, the two randomish arpeggios, and the solo. Circuit is doing drums and the two repeating arpeggios. This was honestly a lot of fun to write. I usually have a hard time combining gear because my brain only likes to focus on one thing at a time, but I think the digital character of the Circuit's Nova engine really complements the analog pedigree of the Keys. Let me tell you how difficult it is to change encoders on both instruments at the same time, though; the Circuit's have a linear response to speed, and the Keys' have an exponential response (I much prefer the Circuit's).


I don't know what's going on with the hand wiggling during the solo. I think I'm trying to send good vibratos to the Keys? Haha. Recording this made me remember how much I hate playing live. Ten takes later, and the first take is still the best one somehow.


The Circuit is being routed through the Analog Keys' input, and everything's recorded over USB through Overbridge in Reaper. The Analog Keys can actually function as a 2 input audio interface, which is basically what I'm doing here. Some mixing in post, and mastering in Ozone Elements.


Check out my music here - https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/"

Elektron Analog Keys - Resolver

Payton Carter

"So I've been sitting on the Keys for quite some time now, never finding enough time to get comfortable with the Elektron sequencer. I was finally able to fill out this track, though my live performance skills are still a little sketchy!

I really dig the sound of the Analog Keys. I'm not one to jump on the analog bandwagon, but there's something about its character that's really satisfying. As just an analog poly synth, I think it's already outstanding. But if you throw in the unique sequencer, and it's an instrument in its own class. Everything in this track comes from just the Keys; four monophonic voices do everything from pads to leads to drums. How many other four voice synths can build an entire track from scratch?

Overbridge is awesome. I recorded all four tracks + FX individually over a single USB connection. This is a great improvement over just recording a stereo mix (like with the Circuit), because I can go back, change track levels, add volume automation, etc. That's what I did here, with mastering in Ozone Elements 9.

My only complaint is that the tiny screen is awful. The low resolution graphics are actually surprisingly good at displaying all the necessary information, but the screen itself has no contrast, terrible viewing angles, and a very slow response rate. Trying to view the screen while its perched up on a desk is a total pain. I'd kill to put the recent Elektron OLEDs in the Keys.

The process of building a drum track with sound locks was initially quite tedious, but it's been made much easier thanks to a recent software update that allows you to press a trigger + Yes to preview a step (thanks @Ivar Tryti !)"

Novation Circuit - Conquest

Payton Carter

"Hey y'all, it's time for another Circuit video! After going through half a dozen other instruments, I find that I really just gel with the Circuit. There's something about the simplicity in its workflow. It just makes songwriting fast and fun. I'll never be able to give it up!

Between a new baby and prime mountain biking season here in the desert, there's been little time for music making, so it felt good to finally get something recorded. This track uses the blankfor.ms Circuit pack. There are some awesome atmospheric synth patches in this pack. I also really enjoyed using the unconventional samples, mostly noise and foley-ish bits. Please excuse the multiple cuts in the video; transitions between sessions weren't sounding quite right, so I patched them together manually in post."

Synthstrom Deluge - Nova

Payton Carter

"Deluge track #3! Was trying to go for a subdued and hazy sound at the beginning. I'm really starting to appreciate the built-in synth engine. It has a nice character that lends itself to some really pleasant tones. All synth patches here (except the bass and one of the arps) are self-made. Drums are from one of the stock kits.

Check out my music here - https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/"

Synthstrom Deluge - Panic - A synth darkwave jam inspired by Crystal Castles

Payton Carter

"Here's a synthpop/darkwave track on the Deluge, inspired by Crystal Castles. There are a couple of string presets toward the end of the factory patches that totally evoke Gary Numan and The Cure. I started messing around with one of those patches, and that's where this track came from.

I'm starting to warm up to the Deluge! After about a week, I'm definitely more comfortable performing in the song view. Keeping track of clips is still a little confusing, but it's easier with practice. I decided to perform this track live, instead of writing everything out in the arranger view. That definitely feels like a more organic way of writing, which I think is good for me. I'm the kind of guy that can spend an hour trying to get the automation on a filter sweep just write, so I like how performing live forces you to make decisions in real time, which can reduce the "choice paralysis" I can get when arranging a composition."

Novation Circuit - Autonomy

Payton Carter

"This one's somewhere between the TRON: Legacy soundtrack and Oneohtrix Point Never. I'm using a couple of patches here that I'll be putting in an upcoming Circuit pack!

You'll notice a whole bunch of cuts in the video when switching between sessions. Normally, the synth patches are saved as part of the session, so even if they aren't part of the 64 patches currently on the Circuit, the patches associated with the session will play just fine. But there seems to be a bug: if you try and switch sessions without first pausing the Circuit, the patch doesn't actually switch, and it just maintains the last patch. This doesn't happen if you pause the Circuit, switch sessions, then play again. I made these patches in the Components editor as I was writing the song, so they weren't actually saved as presets. Because of that, when I want to switch sessions, I have to pause the session, wait for the FX to tail off, and then start the next session. I edited the audio and video to make the transitions seamless.

Check out my music here - https://paytoncarter.bandcamp.com/'