Behringer Model 15 First Look

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Rumours were true!! Here it is... The Behringer Model 15 .. and this is what it does :)

This is not a fully comprehensive breakdown and demo, but a first look at what it is to answer any obvious questions i.e. what can it do? is it like the Moog Grandmother? etc. I'll put them together soon."

Patches on the Fly // Complex Pads

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Wavetables are misunderstood - they're not as complex as they first appear - in fact they're an amazingly simple way of making complex tones easily. Throw some granular into the mix and you've got unlimited pad making abilities."

0:00 What's it all about
6:59 You don't need expensive kit - Pigments
10:15 Granular is GOOOOOD!

Patches on the Fly // Classic Pads on Modern Synths

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Making some classic pad sounds using the basic techniques needed to start crafting your own. There's a million different tones but only a few knobs to tweak to get there. Understanding how they're made will help you place them better in your productions. Great for 90s house or pure 80s synthwave!!

Doing it on the 3rd Wave in this, but most synths and soft synths can do pretty much everything in here, except maybe 3 oscillator tones."

0:00 Preamble - Classic Pads on the 3rd Wave
1:16 Simple as it Gets - Jupiter 4, Juno 6 60 106, Polysix
7:31 2 Oscillators - Prophet5, Oberheim OB, Jupiter 8, Jupiter 6
12:40 3 Oscillators - let's get more movement in there
16:27 Supersaws - AMAZING for pads!

Nonconformist Controllable Crunch // Neutral Labs Elmyra2

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Dirty, crunch, experimental and lo-fi spring to mind once you start playing with this.. It can be more gentle, but its character is definitely happier on dark side (ironic as I got the new white version).

The Elmyra2 from Neutral Labs is a 4 voice wavetable eurorack semi modular synth with a grungy delay, multimode filter and a circuit bending along filter.... what's not to like!

In this I make a few demo tracks exploring different ways to play it.. from simply using the touch pads, to triggering from drums. outputs and a sequencer and playing via CV and Gate from the Keystep as well as using the internal sequencer.

Lots to play with, and hours of meditative pleasure tweaking to perfection.

Enjoy... and maybe click on an affiliate link, join Patreon or pick up a sample pack or 2 from my website.

https://starskycarr.com"

0:00 Track#1 and intro
1:35 Overview
3:15 The Oscillators
5:09 Advanced Options and Menu
7:50 Filter modes
8:34 OUCH!
11:35 Dirty FX
12:47 Pitch Quantize
13:15 LFOs
15:23 Track#2 Different Triggers
17:13 Sequencer
18:26 Track#3 From the Sequencer
18:44 Track#4 actually Track 1 again but you can watch the tweaks
20:02 So... there you have it

Taiga Keyboard // Every bit's a little bit more

video upload by Starsky Carr

"MORE TAIGA!! A deep dive demo and review of the @pittsburghmodular Taiga Keyz. It's got 3 oscillators, each with a little bit more than most, a filter AND a low pass gate, a multi-mode configurable mixer, 3 LFOs, 2 ADSRs plus extra envelope shapes..

Stuff I forgot to demo.. MIDI CCs to CV - so you can use mod options in your DAW - like a MIDI LFO to control the synth. ... but I did that in my last demo of the original eurorack version!

Catch my demo of the original" [posted here]

Taiga Keyz from Pittsburgh Modular // It Makes Some Rather Nice Sounds

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Sounds ONLY demo here of the Pittsburgh Modular Taiga Keyz. These patches were too nice to hide in a talky review/demo so i thought i'd put the sounds up front and centre in the heart of the action.. it's what its all about after all.

There are 4 tracks in total.. trying out different patching ideas from simple non-patched using the internal semi-modular internal patching to duophonic mode using an additional VCA to split the oscillators into 2 groups - 2 osc going through the filter and 1 osc going through the Low Pass Gate.

I've used the arp, the sync'd LFO to modulate the waveshapes for a pseudo filtering effect, the mod tool to control the filter cuttoff and I think on one of these I might have been using the random mod tool to add some randomness to the BBD for a lofi chorus effect - if not try it anyway! Once you start you cant help exploring :)"

What's all the NOISE? // 41 ideas for that weird noise oscillator

video upload by Starsky Carr

"What can you do with Noise?... turns out quite a lot."

0:00 intro
1:16 Modulation for Lo-Fi Dust & Crackles
5:25 The Sweeps
7:22 FX, WIND and FIRE
9:31 Enhance your arps, bass and other tones
12:03 Copious Claps
12:58 Handfuls of Hi Hats
14:59 Tonnes of Toms
19:34 Selection of Snares
20:54 Proliferation of Percussion
21:50 Vintage Vibes

With the Moog Minimoog.

Patches on the Fly - 25 things to do with 2 Oscillators

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Detune, Sync and FM tones, following on from my previous synth programming tips. Here we have a selection of patches you can only create if you've got 2 oscillators per voice.

As these patches are getting more complex you can't recreate everything on every synth. Some don't have sync, some don't have FM... but most can do most of this, especially the detune patches. All these ideas will help you tp either start from scratch or modify presets to suit your track."

Vintage PPG Wave vs Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave

video upload by Starsky Carr

Featuring the PPG Wave used in Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)".

Patches on the fly - 22 things to do with a SAWTOOTH

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Some synth programming tips using nothing but a sawtooth (and a sub here and there). I've used a Jupiter 4 again as it's easy to follow the patches on anything because the faders are nice and clear to read.

These are all little stepping stones to generating your own patches or fitting something similar in the mix. Follow this and my other programming tips and you'll soon be confident to create your own or edit presets to fit your tracks."

Vintage Classics // Octave Cat

video upload by Starsky Carr

"An in-depth look at the Octave CAT. This one is an absolute classic from 1977. It's the Series Revision Model (SRM), which is the same as the SRMII apart from its additional sync mode and CV connections.

There's also a few minutes of showing the differences between this and the Behringer - everything else is the close enough to make a comparison rather boring!"

0:00 A bit of Background
4:08 VCO 1
5:37 Modulation
8:21 VCO1 as LFO
9:37 VCO2
10:19 Sync
11:28 Filter
13:27 Dual X-Mod
14:00 Some BASS patches
15:36 Envelope Repeat
16:01 S&H
17:10 What's the Behringer like?
25:37 Some Sounds
31:32 That Intro Track

ARP Axxe vs ARP Odyssey // Why some prefer the Axxe

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The ARP AXXE and Odyssey have the same or very similar circuitry. You could think of the Axxe as a single oscillator version of the Odyssey, but thats not the whole story. Of course the Odyssey has loads more functions but the Axxe has a couple of tricks up its sleeve.

It can produce super powerful basses and leads, a little dark horse."

Make That Gary Numan Synth Sound

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The easiest way to get the classic Gary Numan CARS Vox Humana sound is to download Alex Ball's sample pack. Sampled from a vintage PolyMoog, and all proceeds go to the Bob Moog Foundation. A worthy cause, so download it even if you won't use it!
https://bobmoogfoundation.myshopify.com

Here's Alex's demo... very nice as per usual: [posted here]

But if you want to have ago yourself, this is the second easiest way.. just follow these 10 easy steps. It's a simple enough tone to recreate, but to get it as close as possible you'll need 3 LFOs. If your synth only has 1 LFO you can get close enough for a bit of Numanesque electro synth hero action."

AJH Synth MiniMod Keys // If Hans Zimmer uses these daily...

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Imagine if Moog had made the original Minimoog a modular system, we'd have something very similar to the AJHSynth Minimod Keyz... and something that sounds identical. Buckets full of warm, rich, exquisite vintage vibes in a very handy format.

It's so much more than a minimoog clone - firstly the VCOs are based on the most revered RA Moog version, then there's the addition of ring mod, HP filter, extra LFOs

Plus all the extras that the NiftyCase brings - velocity,. aftertouch, LFO, Arp, Sequencer, zoning, voice modes multi, MIDI... and a whole lot more.

and then obviously the flexibility of a modular system... wonderful :)

https://patreon.com/starskycarr
https://starskycarr.com"

Tal-Pha ... What's so special about the Alpha Junos? & how to make THE Hoover!

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Alpha Juno has been given a new lease of life by TAL. Finally we now have an amazingly accurate recreation of the 80's classic synth. Here I put it up against my original (my first synth) which I bought back in school ... THATs a long time ago! It was used then and its even more used now :)"

0:00 The Hoover & overview
3:36 Oscillator
7:15 Filter
10:56 Let's Make a Hoover
12:56 Some Preset Comparisons
13:56 Juno Preset Sysex into TAL-Pha
16:40 Chord Mode
18:28 Extras
21:23 MIDI Control
22:22 Wrapping Up

Vintage Classics //ARP AXXE a budget synth with flagship sound

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The ARP AXXE is still almost in the affordable ARP camp! Why is it held in such high regard when it is such a simple synth? Having ARP 2600 and Odyssey DNA means it was a budget synth that had the tone of the pro models.

One VCO, a single filter and LFO with just a lonely ADSR envelope - but it doesn't give a sh!t... it's a raucous and massive sounding orange devil with enough CV connections to play very well with a modern euro rack set-up."

0:00 intro track
0:59 overview
5:20 The Oscillator - its only got one
9:34 The Filter- 4075 ARP LP 24dB
12:45 LFO and Modulation
14:25 Its got S&H (minimoog can't do that!)
15:10 Looping envelopes (mini can't do that either!)
16:37 integrating with eurorack
19:22 Final Thoughts

Arturia Keylab Essential 88 Review & Demo

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Here's the latest in Arturia's Keylab Essential range. It's the 88 key version, and works just like the others, but is BIGGER!!

It's quite hefty for a MIDI controller, but portable considering it's keyboard is 88 keys. There's no aftertouch and its semi-weighted, not hammer action, but comes in at a great price. So if you can live without those extras and you want a full range keyboard it's well worth a look."

Thinking about the Polyend Play+ // Are its synths worth the extra cost?

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Polyend Play+ has got Synths, Stereo and Audio over USB... but if that's not your bag could you save some cash by buying or sticking with the original ? What do the synths do? how do they work? what do they sound like? are they easy to use?

All answered in here... hopefully!

I look at the synth voices in some depth (not too much I hope) to demo what you can get from them and their overall tone, usefulness and playability. As a synth head I have to say I like them and think they're a worthy addition to Team Play."

0:00 What's This All About
2:36 Using the Synths
10:46 ACD
13:42 FAT
16:41 VAP
21:06 WTFM

UBXa vs OBX8 // 2 modern takes on the OBXa

video upload by Starsky Carr

Note the OB-X8 actually has all three OB's, the OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8. So three in one that can be mixed and matched. See https://oberheim.com for more info.

"Behringer vs Oberheim - if you're looking for a modern recreation of the OBxa the cost difference between these 2 synths is quite something... but what about the sound? Functionally UBXa and OBX8 have different options. The Behringer has a Mod Matrix and sequencer, but the Oberheim has an OBX and cross mod for example.

But here, I'm concentrating on the raw OBXa sound emulation. ... and FYI:

Cambridge Dictionary meaning of emulation in English
'the process of copying something achieved by someone else and trying to do it as well as they have'

so yes I've called them emulations :)

For patches and samples:
https://starskycarr.com

Patches Samples and extras:
https://patreon.com/starskycarr"

Sonicware ELZ_1 play // review and demo

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Sonicware ELZ_1 play is finally here, but was it worth the wait? After a few delays following the kickstarter the updated ELZ_1 is now shipping. It's got the addition of a looper, velocity sensitivity, a shimmer effect, more connectivity and in-built speakers.

In this I go through the 17 voice modes, demo the effects, looper and sequencer. It's a little longer than anticipated, but that's because it's got so much in here it's hard to know what to skip over. I don't go into every detail but it'll give you a great overview of how it works and what it sounds like.

Check out my website for patches and samples: https://starskycarr.com

0:00 executive summary
2:44 Let’s GO!
5:22 The Interface
8:07 the 17 Osc Modes
9:54 A note on Modulation
11:12 Back to the Osc Modes
25:59 Enveloeps and Filters
29:03 Effects
32:51 Voice Modes
36:06 Looper
42:49 Pattern/Sequencer
48:11 Saving and Renaming
49:01 Round Up"