Introducing the Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

"Standalone Modern Analog Synthesis Laboratory
Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers’ long-anticipated successor to the Voltage Research Laboratory is filled to the brim with interesting new inventions, such as several new wave-shaping technologies, an addictive tactile performance controller, and more…"

The New, Experimental Synthesis of the Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Jorb

0:00 Intro
2:27 Hands on Begins
4:58 Oscillator One
11:01 Oscillator Two
16:29 Quick Look at Function Generators
18:26 Quick Look at Dynamics Controllers
19:04 FX
21:02 Chance Sequencer
22:37 Touch Controller Begins
26:56 Step Conditions
28:10 Step Jump Explained

Geek Chic // Sonic Experiments from the Voltage Lab2

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Dusting the cobwebs from my vintage 1950's lab coat - it was all the rage once honest.

Going into lab rat research mode and seeing where the maze takes me..

... and here's the results.

Just a little taster while I open the lab book to record apparatus, method, results, discussion and conclusion.

0:00 Bunsen Burner Big Beats
2:15 Plucking Pipettes (no pipettes were harmed)
3:06 Test Tube Techno (it's not techno)
5:59 She's Alive
7:44 Naked Flame
10:00 Medical Skeleton (its the Bare Bones)"

Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 - Just Jammin'

video upload by

"Fascinating new modular system from Pittsburgh with a decidedly West Coast bent. Too soon for a review, but here's half an hour of playing with the rather remarkable sequencer, the timbre of the oscillators and other bits and pieces. I added some reverb via the Chroma Console but otherwise it's all the VL2."

The Sweet Spot: Voltage Lab 2 Semi-Modular Synthesizer
video upload by HAINBACH

"As anyone who has ever tried to assemble a modular synthesizer, it is not easy to create a cohesive instrument, especially if you try to narrow it down to a portable case. In comes The Voltage Lab 2 that Pittsburgh Modular send me to play with (thanks for that!) - it is a semi-modular self contained synthesizer, and to me it hits the sweet spot between functionality and musicality."

Also see The Lab Report Episodes for audio demos.



Press release follows:

May 14th, 2024 - Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers today announced Voltage Lab 2, a standalone dual oscillator analog synthesizer synthesis laboratory with a unique integrated touch-sensitive performance controller.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Elektron Digitakt II and Twisted Electrons MEGAfm jam

video upload by Bobo Meijer

"Elektron Digitakt II and Twisted Electrins MEGAfm working together ❤️

Really had fun jaming with these two… MEGAfm is my favourite synth and the Digitakt 2 is really growing on me and probably the sample drum machine I love the most."

Tiptop Buchla Performance

video upload by Todd Barton

"My performance for the Modular World Tiptop Buchla Spotlight this past Sunday. [video below]

One of many amazing performances featuring the range of Tiptop Buchla modules. This performance features all the currently available modules including the external preamp input of the 207t mixer with my shakuhachi. Enjoy!

My Patreon: / synthtodd"

Ep43 - Spotlight: TIPTOP/BUCHLA

video upload by Modular World

"BUCHLA FOR THE PEOPLE!
Gur Milstein (TipTop), is working with Buchla under the consultation of Todd Barton to reissue the legendary 200 system from the early 70's. The best part--the modules are affordable.
I know Don Buchla would be very proud to see the kind of legacy that he has left behind if it means that more people could afford to touch his creations.

Modular World will always stand with stories about people, and the passions that push them to stand out. Gur Milstein (TipTop) told me that working with Don's old schematics to recreate these designs has been the greatest honor of his professional life. Yes.

Grab your popcorn and have a seat. With 18 performances and two amazing interviews, this is going to be good."

CLICK FOR MORE »

What is sampler? | introduction of SnapBeat, the simple lo-fi sampler

video upload by SnapBeat official

"Hi, this video explains about what is a sampler for electric music newbie like me. You can think of SnapBeat as merely eight voice recorders by which you can record any sounds and playback the sounds with the eight pads. SnapBeat is a device called sampler in electric music field. And SnapBeat can be any music instruments such as a piano or drums by sampling these instruments sounds.

For newbies who are interested in DIY music production, I think sampler is good choice because you don't have to many expensive instruments other than it. Now you can find tons of sounds on Youtube or Spotify. So, You can sample any sounds from these various music sources.

You can buy SnapBeat on Tindie.
https://www.tindie.com/products/hiro_..."

Building a Buchla 248 MARF with Stages, Stages, Stages and Marbles

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"Sorry about that title. The MARF is short for the Multiple ARbitrary Function generator, a huge Buchla design carrying the model number 248, and is part of the 200 series. It's not easy to compare it with anything, but you could see it as a 16 step 0-CTRL, a Rossum Control Forge and maybe even the 250e circular Dual Arbitrary Function generator (DARF) like Frap Tools USTA. I contacted Todd Barton (thanks so much!) to be able to study a few MARF images. The sliders made me think of Mutable Stages, and the control section reminded me of Marbles. While getting lost on the way, I finally got a patch that sounded similar: 'music that sounds like dancing butterflies'.
The recipe involves variable timing, notes, a quantizer, and a transpose. You may also need a trigger or gate when a segment runs or finishes. There's a lot to explore here, and I don't think you can find a MARF in a single eurorack solution. I tried to approximate it, but I also needed Maths to do envelopes and gate extraction. It took a while to make this video and I wasn't sure about the results until the very end. Then suddenly, it worked.

You'll need a lot of stuff to do it, but there may be smaller solutions. I'll revisit this idea when my Control Forge arrives and I'll be able to combine USTA with the CF.

This is a complex video so I hope it will make a bit of sense. It would have been better to figure all this out and then make a video. But you'd be missing the fun of exploration. There are plenty of useful examples of how 'factory' Stages can be used, but I installed the Qiemem firmware for max flexibility. In the end I only used its 'random segment' feature in this video, but it doesn't play a role in the MARF patch. You can do this with factory Stages but it still requires a chain of 2 or 3. You can use any sequencer with a clock input for this. A DFAM will also help you to cover the time/level sequence.

Installation requires playing a .WAV into the module which can be bit of a drag. I recommend using a eurorack sample player like the BitBox for a high success ratio. Using a phone, PC or pad can be a nightmare. Also, I am not sure if the firmware works on a clone, please comment if you tried it.
https://github.com/qiemem/eurorack/re...

I am still trying to wrap my head around it. Even though Stages and Marbles are now discontinued, they're easy to find as fully functional clones. With Eurorack, we have the 'power' to build our own synths, or get inspired by designs which are still amazing and modern after +50 years. I hope it inspires you too."

New Unfiltered Audio BATTALION Drum Synth

video upload by DATABROTH

"Read my review here: https://www.databroth.com/blog/battal...

check out my wavetables and presets at https://gumroad.com/databroth
join my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/databroth

Plugin Boutique: https://bit.ly/3gMg99X

if you're already planning on purchasing any software and want help support me, purchasing any software via the above link helps me out with a %15 commission

Thank you"

Unfiltered Audio Battalion videos by Plugin Alliance video uploads by Plugin Alliance

"Here, you will find all you need to know about the new drum machine plugin from Unfiltered Audio. Battalion combines samples and synthesis to deliver the ultimate beat creation plugin. See how versatile and intuitive this new drum production plugin can be. Watch the trailer for this beat-making plugin and learn more about its features and functionality as a drum sequencer plugin."



via Plugin Boutique

"Battalion delivers the diverse tonalities and parameters of iconic drum synths with the sampling capabilities and accessibility of modern drum machines. Whether you want to generate solid-studio beats in minutes or tweak and experiment to create something completely original, Battalion has all the tools you need.

Quick and diverse beat generation

Make beats with Battalion in three easy ways: create beats in the synth section, use Battalion's vast sample library, or process your own samples.

Responsive beat arrangement

Arrange your beats into compelling combinations with the intuitive graphic sequencer. Create patterns from scratch or adapt presets to your needs.

Essential and deep beat transformation

Enhance and radically manipulate your beats with a wealth of essential and other-worldly synth parameters in the dedicated Tone, Modulation, Envelope and LFO sections.

Beats for all genres

From driving trap beats to haunting industrial pulses, regardless of your genre, Battalion has the beats for you.

Command the stage with performance mode

Use Battalion’s performance mode in your DJ sets or live performances to trigger, loop, and manipulate sounds on the fly and create moments of inspiration with ease.

Synth section

Create compelling tones and timbres from the ground up with a synth section featuring 20 distinct synthesis engines. Explore iconic 80s drum machine sounds, 00s clicks and cuts, and synth sounds that will take you to another dimension - all the essential synth sounds you need for drum production.

Sampler

Battalion’s sample section is a dedicated space for loading, playing, and modifying samples, featuring four sample modes: Classic, Phase Warp, Cloner, and Granular.

Combine synth and sample generators

Seamlessly move between sampling and synth generators with the on-board BLEND slide for the best of both worlds and totally unique combinations.

A versatile and intuitive drum production environment

Give your performances something special, deliver solid beats quickly, layer complex rhythms that pulse with life, and create beats that sound like nothing you’ve ever heard – all with the power of Battalion."

Old School Vibes! 💙 Breakbeat Jam!

video upload by Electronisounds Audio

"I specifically did not use any VOCAL SAMPLES in this jam as that is kind of my trademark style - to always have a vocal sample that gives the jam or track some kind of "identity" (in my opinion). I don't do a lot of Breakbeat Genre jams, so we'll see if they can still guess it's me! Hahaha

Whatever kind of music you are making - KEEP IT UP, Friends!
Don't stop making *YOUR MUSIC*!!

---

▼CONNECT with me / SUPPORT creativity and good content▼
WEBSTORE ► https://www.electronisounds.com/
PATREON ► https://www.patreon.com/DeanDaughters"

Phasing drums on gotharman's LD3

video upload by Meska

"Quick demo of phasing drums pattern on the LD3, i'm using ping sample , i have done on my modular synth.

Thank you for watching.
My name is Meska of the statik collective . I've been making mostly "dark and expérimental" music for more than ten years now, i'v learn so much online, now it's time for me to share my knoledge, my exploration and this channel is a place to talk about the tools, sound design and techniques to make music with."

„duisburg #2“ | minimal music | verbos ho & co | od er-301 | fraptools usta

video upload by Elinch

""minimal piece with the ho, co, amp & tone and delay from verbos and 2 grains, 3 loops, one sinus bass from the orthogonal devices er-301. enjoy listening."

00:00 grains 02 / er-301 granular mashine (source verbos ho sequence)
00:21 grains 02 / er-301 granular mashine (source verbos ho sequence)
00:42 bass / er-301 / sinus vco (sequenced by usta)
01:05 sequence / verbos harmonic osc. / verbos amp & tone / verbos delay (sequenced by usta)
01:30 strings 01 / er-301 sample player (sample source ipad dc sampler)
01:52 strings 02 / er-301 sample player (sample source ipad dc sampler)
02:14 strings 03 / er-301 sample player (sample source ipad dc sampler)
03:06 sequence / verbos complex osc. / verbos amp & tone / verbos delay (sequenced by usta)

recorded live with tascam dr 100
for the best listening experience listen to the video with headphones or good speakers.

if you want to support me:
https://elinch.bandcamp.com"

How to sampling sounds with SnapBeat. | the basic setup

video upload by SnapBeat official

"Do you have an experience of being overwhelmed by samplers or synthesizers with many knobs and sliders?

SnapBeat is the simple and friendly sampler for noobs like me.
https://snapbeat.net/

This video shows how it is easy to sample sounds with SnapBeat and enjoy making your music. If you are a newbie for electric music or DIY music, I think the simplest and easiest setup is using Sportify and earphones. In this video, I sampled sound from Sportify on PC, but you can also connect your smartphone as a sound source. You don't have to buy expensive vinyl record player and loud speakers.

Enjoy you music casually at your home or nice cafe."

Arturia Microfreak | An excellent modular companion

video upload by Cinematic Laboraty

"It's not easy to find a touch capacitive keyboard for Eurorack. I tried the Verbos and ultimately ended up with the Buchla Corvette 218e which also has a strong nostalgic value. I completely overlooked the Microfreak even though @mylarmelodies made an excellent video about it while recreating an Easel. I've been familiar with the Microfreak since its release, but didn't pay much attention to it when I found out it's a bit like a paraphonic Plaits. Then Noise Engineering contributed to it with three eclectic voices, also paraphonic. And recently they added samples and granular synthesis to the endless list of features. So the Freak isn't really 'micro' anymore. It's stellar.

I got myself a Freak because I wanted to find out if these keys were on par with the Buchla. The good news (for me), is that the Buchla is still a few decades ahead, because Arturia was clearly inspired by the older model with elevated 'black' keys. So objectively, the Freak doesn't 'ultraglide'. The good news (for all of us) is that the difference is marginal, considering that the Freak comes with a really, really nice synth. Bottomline: the Freak is a great addition to any modular setup. But it doesn't end there. If you happen to like granular synthesis and looping, it's an excellent source for grains, loops, stacks and sample mangling and when you recorded something cool, you can play it with pressure, gates and pitch CV.

I'll keep the Freak close to my Instruo case because it lacks a proper sequencer. Here, the Freak ticks all the boxes that were left open."

Ekzil - "Fantasy dream" : Circuit Track + Volcas sample / keys / bass

video upload by Geoffroy AULAGNER

"for 2024 I decided to challenge myself to release a new song every month 😃
I'm already a little late, so I should release 2 songs this month 😅

I decided once again to use my Volca samples. I think it's my first video with the 3 Volcas !

This last song has many parts. I would really appreciate if you tell me what your favorite part is, and which part would need to be reworked for the "mastered" version 😉

I resumed a music that I had composed on Ableton Live some time ago. I decided to take it again in dawless format 🎹
You can listen the original one here : https://soundcloud.com/ekzil/enter-th...

I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoy making it 🤩

Setup:
Novation Circuit Tracks: Drums, pad, second melody
Volca Samples: second layer of drums / transitions
Volca Keys: Lead melody
Volca Bass: Bass
Korg NTS-1: reverb, chorus, build up with the noise oscillator
"

THE KIMOPHONE - Saxophone Meets Keytar by Kimo Lobo

video upload by kimo lobo

Note this viddo is from 10 years ago.

"The KIMOPHONE is a breath controlled MIDI instrument that is one of a family of new musical instruments created by Kimo Lobo. Also introduced in this video is a MIDI Melodica, a PIATAR and a PIACELLO as well as the two-manual breath-controlled KIMOCORDION. These instruments are all prototypes and are the only ones in the world."

Thanks to Tom at Palmer's East for this one.

Catching Feelings on the Kimophone

video upload by kimo lobo

"I was recently contacted by the tv show Shark Tank and asked to make a 10 minute video pitching my Kimophone to the Sharks. This clip is the first couple minutes of that video. It is me playing the Justin Bieber song CATCHING FEELINGS on the Kimophone using a tenor sax sound alternating with electric guitar. Unfortunately the Sharks never chose to have me on the show so I decided to put this clip on Youtube since I've always really liked this song. Hope you enjoy it."

And the PIATAR:

PIATAR by Kimo Lobo

video upload by kimo lobo

"The PIATAR is a new musical instrument developed by Kimo Lobo. The PIATAR in this video is the only one in the world. It features a two octave MIDI keyboard and six strumable strings in an ornate wooden case. The left hand plays chords on the keyboard and the right hand strums or finger picks the strings. Chords are re-voiced in any of three neck positions. The sound is limited only to the MIDI sample library available. This demo uses a Roland steel six string guitar sample from an XV5080. Thanks to Charlie Labs for their wonderful Digitar."

Update:

Jim's interview on American Dream TV

video upload by Veronica Wolfe

"Here is Jim's interview on American Dream TV with Margo Allan."

Nano Modules VCV Random - Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"An interesting protrusion of software into hardware, VCV Random pulls a stock module out of VCV Rack and makes it a reality. The result is a delightful generator of randomness with four flavours.
Nano Modules sent me this module for review but have no say in the outcome."

Index:
Intro - 0:00
Demo of the four outputs - 4:17
The Sliders - 8:42
Trigger Out - 18:55
Dualling with outputs - 21:05
Modulation - 25:14
Sample & Hold - 28:03
Clocking and probability - 29:09
Conclusions - 33:03

DX100 From Mars | Samples From Mars | Fave synth sounds

video upload by Mamotreco

"Samples From Mars has sampled the little FM synth that could, the Yamaha DX100. Plenty of gritty 80s synth vibes here. I've picked out some of the sounds that stood out to me.
#samplepack #samplesfrommars #80ssynth
From techno and house bass to David Lynch style keys, this sample pack may have what you're looking for. Note: I bought this with my own money and am not affiliated with Samples From Mars."

Content:
00:00 Intro
00:09 DX 100 from Mars - Marimba (bass)
00:33 DX 100 from Mars - Marimba (tweaked)
00:41 DX 100 from Mars - Solid Bass Multi
00:52 DX 100 from Mars - Solid Bass
01:17 DX 100 from Mars - Chirping Birds FX
01:32 DX 100 from Mars - Helicopter FX
01:54 DX 100 from Mars - Xylo Snare
02:08 DX 100 from Mars - David Lynch
02:33 DX 100 from Mars - Electric Acoustic
02:51 DX 100 from Mars - Warble Celeste
03:00 DX 100 from Mars - Wood Piano
03:23 DX 100 from Mars - Soft Horns


https://mamotreco.com

Additional Mamotreco Samples From Mars posts

Can you guess the source of this sound/patch?

video upload by Espen Kraft

And the answer:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Rare ARP 2600 Blue Marvin Discovery w/ Ryan Hawkins & Rob Rosen

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

Also see Rare ARP 2600 Blue Marvin Jam (w/ Cameron Graves)

"Join Ryan Hawkins and me for an in-depth look at an extremely rare ARP 2600 called the "Blue Marvin". It was the first ARP 2600 prototype created in 1971 before the later gray faced Tonus versions of the instrument were made for sale to the public. There are a lot of quirky physical aspects to this beauty since it was never really completed for final production, but in spite of that, it sounds magnificent! In particular, there is a type of harmonic distortion that it delivers only to be found on the original R.A. Moog modular synths from the late 1960's through the early 1970's.

You'll also hear the back story about how it was found in a post office, changed hands and then how it was restored by Ryan. We'll explore the front panel by comparing it to the first production Tonus model and also give you a Hands-on demonstration of the compelling sounds that it delivers. All music in this video is composed and performed by Ryan.

00:00 Intro
00:08 Music Interlude 1
00:19 The Story: Finding the Blue Marvin
06:11 Rob Rosen @RosenSound replaces the power jack
07:36 About the original modules (rectangular vs later square versions)
08:25 Under he Hood with Rob Rosen
10:21 Music Interlude 2
10:31 "Blue Marvin": 2600 vs Tonus 2600 Differences
16:36 Music Interlude 3
17:10 Missing Items compared to later models
22:40 Who was "Marvin"
23:05 @AlexBallMusic Story of "Blue Marvin"
24:16 13-note chromatic scale
25:12 Keyboard Differences - "Blue Marvin" Keyboard vs ARP 3620 Keyboard
26:31 Face Differences - "Blue Marvin" 2600 Face vs Tonus 2600 Face
27:16 Making Sounds on the "Blue Marvin"
27:36 Incredible Harmonic Distortion on the "Blue Meanie" 2600
30:03 Ryan's Favorite Sounds on the "Blue Meanie 2600
31:12 Sample and Hold with a sine wave
31:45 "Blue Marvin" - Reverb
33:25 "Blue Marvin - The Way it's Built
34:33 Plugging in a Microphone
35:40 ARP 2600 Layout Designed for Learning
36:52 "Blue Marvin" at Synthplex
38:03 About Ryan Hawkins
38:21 Conclusion
39:17 End Credits Music by Ryan Hawkins
45:20 AMM Logo"

Yamaha TX16W Sampler w/ Upgrades

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This is an especially cool unassuming black rectangle from the 80’s. There are tons of those, and I contend they’re all good in their own way, but this one is notable. Not just for being Yamaha’s first foray into the sampler game, but for offering a very wonderful niche possibility: what if you could run any sound you could think of through the grimy, grungy DX7 converters? If you’re like me, you love the sound of primitive digital & analog circuitry colliding. The TX16W is great because it’s one of the last 12-bit samplers before the sea change to 16-but. As such, it’s as lo-fi, crunchy, and gritty as you could hope, but with the Typhoon OS, it’s powerful & versatile enough to still be useful in a modern studio. Check it out! If it’s good enough for Aphex Twin…

This TX16W, in addition to the standard refurbish job I do, is tricked out as all heck. New blue display (which was hard to get a good picture of), Gotek floppy emulator running Flashfloppy, upgraded op-amp in the output… oh, and the new full memory upgrade retrofit to bring the total potential sample RAM up to the max 6Mb. The power supply was rebuilt, the gremlins were evicted, every nook & cranny cleaned, and retouched solder joints all over. This wonderful anachronism will keep rocking for another 40 yrs.

The sale comes with the sampler, a power cord, a Sandisk Fit with every TX16W sound library disk I could find, and my guarantee as a trained gear tech."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Protolody - Song-a-day 2024 - SmplTrek Liven MEGA ELZ_1 play Volca Keys NTS1

video upload by ChrisLody

"Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Sonicware on an hourly rate producing synth & sample sound design, beta testing, checking English text, video manuals etc. This video wasn't paid for directly but as a result of my work with Sonicware it is marked as Paid Promotion

So just recently I've been a down about my musical output to be honest, mostly the quality of my jams that I've been putting up on YouTube. This came to a head last weekend when I got talking to someone about my 2014 album, listened to some of it and had the realisation that the contents of that album is better than my work now. I imagined I'd grown as an artist but that was not the case. The main culprit was that I was actually making decent arrangement back then, taking my time to build something over at least a few day. Here's the album in question: https://chrislody.bandcamp.com/album/...

Due to my recent workload I've been favouring making jams, recording them and uploading them immediately. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot that can be learned from this approach, but carry on too long and it's like eating a bag a crisps everyday for your main meal, not satisfying.

A lot of the album above was created on the Nintendo DS and PSP using Nitrotracker, Korg Ds10 and Beaterator. These are nice little closed systems and have the benefit of running on something you can sit with on the sofa and really dig in to get the most from the software and finesse your work. I don't really want to return to using those though as I've just about rinsed them and they're not easy to integrate with other gear as they have no midi capability.

So my thoughts turned to something I kind of made as a joke video but actually turned out to be really useful, the Synth Tray. My original one of these was made from a bit of scrap ply so it wasn't very big and I want to cram on my gear so now I've made a new one, 'Synth Tray 2 - Dawless Evolved'"

Mix Me DJ - Bordello Disco

video uploads by batchas

Playlist: 02 03 24 Mix Me DJ - Bordello Disco (part 1)

"I'm "sending the audio out of Mix DJ to a mixer but also to FM input of external oscillator."

02 03 24 Mix Me DJ - Bordello Disco (part 2)

I'm sending voltages in the Mix DJ and I'm sending the audio out of Mix DJ to a mixer but also to FM input of external oscillator.

02 03 24 Mix Me DJ - Bordello Disco (part 3)

Triggering and sequencing a sample on the Mix DJ.

02 03 24 Mix Me DJ - Excerpts

I'm sending voltages in the Mix DJ and I'm sending the audio out of Mix DJ to a mixer but also to FM input of external oscillator.