Jim Coker of Numerology - Live Rig/Compositional Process

video upload by Under the Big Tree

"Jim Coker, founder of Five12 and the inventor of the Numerology and Vector sequencers, is also a performing electronic musician. We catch up with Jim at Knobcon 22, and talk about his latest work, "Meridian Alpha From the Distant Shores of Cygnus X1". We gain insight into both his compositional process and his elaborate live rig, which uses both Numerology and Vector.

This video is best seen after seeing Jim's piece [video below]

• Meridian Alpha --...

And for more information about Jim's fine products, please go to: http://five12.net

Under the Big Tree is Nicolas Peck's YouTube channel, focused on esoteric electronic music, modular and vintage synthesizers, sound design equipment and techniques, and the composition, production and performance of music.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

Meridian Alpha -- From The Distant Shores of Cygnus X-1

video upload by

Knobcon 2022 Videos by Under the Big Tree

video uploads by Under the Big Tree
Looks like I missed these when they initially went up.

Playlist:
1. 1010 Music Fireball and Lemondrop Nanoboxes | Knobcon 2022

Steve Joslin of 1010 Music takes us on a test drive of the amazing Fireball and Lemondrop Nanobox synthesizers. Small but mighty, these synths take up very little room while delivering a lot of bang for the buck.

2. New Buchla Music Easel | Knobcon 2022

Nick Kwas of Buchla shows us the brand new and improved Music Easel, slated for release by the end of the year.

3. Knobcon 2022 Walkthrough

I'm in Chicago for Knobcon 2022, one of the finest synth conventions in North America. For those who are interested but could not attend, I did a simple walkthrough of the exhibit hall.

4. Therevox ET-5 | Knobcon 2022

We talk to Mike Beauchamp of Therevox about their new model ET-5.

Based on the Ondes Martenot, the ET-5 is an exotic and beautiful instrument, capable of vocal-sounding melody lines, as well as ambient drones and even noisy sounds. Truly fascinating.

5. Five12 QV-L Quad Variable LFO | Knobcon 2022

We talk to Five12 founder Jim Coker at Knobcon 2022 about his upcoming Eurorack quad LFO. The QV-L is an incredibly feature-rich module with four LFO's. Two OLED displays and in-depth configurability with a streamlined user interface make this module a true LFO powerhouse.

3rd Wave Advanced Wavetable Synth - How Does it Sound?

video upload by Under the Big Tree

"The moment I found out that a modernized version of the famed PPG Wave was being produced, I knew I had to take the plunge and buy one.

And so I did, and have been rewarded with an extremely flexible and performative synth, festooned with knobs and buttons for on-the-fly sound manipulation.

Although the 3rd Wave is primarily thought of as a modern-day replica of the PPG Wave, it has far more capabilities under the hood. I found the analog synthesis simulations to be shockingly good, with thick 80's brass sounds right in the ballpark of the classic synths of that era. There are endless ambient pad sounds, experimental noise sounds, and a flexible, musical arpeggiator that can be used for pitched or percussive sounds.

The 3rd Wave comes loaded with 500 factory patches. I went through them all, and picked about 80 that were representative of what the machine is capable of. I've organized the sounds by type, so you can go right to the analog synths, PPG factory patches, or ambient pads as you like.

The 3rd Wave is a remarkable synthesizer, and I hope you enjoy getting a better idea of how it sounds from this video."

Restoring a Polivoks Synthesizer | Tutorial

video upload by Under the Big Tree

"I was lucky enough to find a legendary Soviet synth of the 1980's on Craigslist: A Polivoks synthesizer.

The synth was working intermittently, but needed a deep cleaning to get it back to looking and sounding its best. This video documents that process, showing how to assemble and disassemble the instrument, check the power supply for proper voltages, and so forth. It ends with footage of playing this quirky and wonderful synth."

The Future of Synthesis - Physical Modeling and Expressive Musical Instruments | NAMM 2020

Published on Feb 7, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"This panel on physical modeling at NAMM was a fascinating talk, with luminaries from the industry: Jordan Rudess, Roger Linn, and Dr. Julius Schwartz from CCRMA, among others.

Each of the five panelists delivers a presentation on their approach to physical modeling, expressive musical instruments, or the intersection of the two. Hilarious hijinks ensue.

www.audiomodeling.com
www.rogerlinndesign.com
ccrma.stanford.edu
nonlinear-labs.de

Under the Big Tree is Nick Peck's YouTube channel, focused on music and sound design equipment and techniques, composition, production and performance of music, modular synthesizers and electronic music in general, and tabletop board games.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

Johannes Schmoelling - From Tangerine Dream to S-A-W | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 26, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Here is a panel discussion with Johannes Schmoelling of Tangerine Dream, Kurt Ader, and Robert Waters on a synth trio they have put together called S-A-W. They discuss various aspects of their new project Iconic, which was put together using a bevy of vintage synthesizers. Video footage of them in performance is included as well. An interesting discussion for fans of Tangerine Dream and/or vintage synths.

Under the Big Tree is Nick Peck's YouTube channel, focused on music and sound design equipment and techniques, composition, production and performance of music, modular synthesizers and electronic music in general, and tabletop board games."

History of the Mellotron | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 20, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Richard Chamberlin, son of Harry Chamberlin, inventor of the Mellotron, tells us stories about the early days of the Chamberlin (predecessor to the Mellotron). We discuss the impact of the instrument on rock and pop music in the 60's and 70's, and the original intended audience for the instrument.

As an added bonus, a French musician named Frederic plays the intro to the seminal Genesis song "Watcher of the Skies" on the Mellotron."

Rhythmo Beatbox - DIY Sampler Beatbox | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 20, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Ethan from Rhythmo shows us Beatbox, his DIY project currently available on Indiegogo. Both inexpensive and easy to build, Beatbox seems like a great project for tinkerers and people new to the DIY electronic music hobby."

Rhythmo Beatbox posts

Korg NTS-1 - DIY Programmable Synth Kit | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 19, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Matt from Korg shows us the latest hardware expansions to Korg's line of DIY Programmable synth hardware blocks. This line of inexpensive, Arduino-based digital synth hardware allows experimenters to start building their own custom instruments without needing to break out the soldering iron."

4ms - Ensemble Oscillator | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 19, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Dan Green of 4ms shows us their latest Eurorack module, the Ensemble Oscillator, which they debut at NAMM 2020. This polyphonic oscillator allows the user to select from a series of pre-programmed scales, or to create their own from a variety of sources."

Blackbox Sampler 1.4 Update - 1010 Music | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 17, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"Aaron Higgins of 1010 Music demos the exciting new enhancements to Blackbox at NAMM 2020. If you have a Blackbox, you are going to want to download the free firmware upgrade to get enhanced keyboard and scale modes, as well as many other improvements."

Korg Re-releases ARP 2600 Synth | NAMM 2020

Published on Jan 17, 2020 Under the Big Tree

"The most exciting and surprising news I've found here at NAMM 2020 is Korg's announcement that they are re-releasing the legendary ARP 2600, in a limited run. Nick Kwas from Korg tells us what the scoop is."

KORG ARP 2600 FS posts

1010 Music Blackbox - Cloudburst Flight | Demonstration

Published on Oct 27, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"I wanted to see what the 1010 Music Blackbox standalone sampler/sequencer/performance platform could do, so I loaded up some samples of vintage synths, plugged in a McMillen QuNexus USB micro-keyboard, and did an arrangement of one of my favorite Tangerine Dream songs, 'Cloudburst Flight' from the 1979 album Force Majeure.

This is a very capable piece of hardware. Great fun to work with when you are traveling - I did this arrangement on a plane on the way from Los Angeles to Chicago for Knobcon '19."

Designing a Modular Synth for Live Performance

Published on Oct 14, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"This 6-part series delves into every aspect of designing a modular system for taking out and performing with, from overall architecture and philosophy to the nitty gritty of the case, sequencers and timing, modules, layout and approaches to performance."

Playlist:
Designing a Modular Synth System for Live Performance Part 1 | Introduction
Designing a Modular Synth System for Live Performance Part 2 | The Case
Designing a Modular Synth System for Live Performance Part 3 | Layout and Design
Designing a Modular Synth System for Live Performance Part 4 | Clocks. Pulses, and Musical Time
Designing a Modular Synth System for Live Performance Part 5 | Sequencers
Designing a Modular System for Live Performance Part 6A - My Approach | Tutorial
Designing a Modular System for Live Performance Part 6B - Complete System Tutorial
Designing a Modular System for Live Performance Part 6C - Live Improvisation | Performance

Tangible Waves AE Modular | Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 17, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"Blake from Noisebug takes us on a tour of the incredibly compact, powerful and inexpensive AE Modular system. If you have wanted to get into modular but haven't been able to afford the steep price of admission, AE Modular is the system for you."

Warm Star Electronics | Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 11, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"Bradford from Warm Star Electronics takes us through his company's range of Eurorack modules: Fragment, The Bends, and the upcoming Orbit module. Warm Star's line is currently about getting a lot of density and options out of your control voltage signals, at a modest price and HP size.

https://warmstarelectronics.com

Under the Big Tree is Nick Peck's YouTube channel, focused on music and sound design equipment and techniques, composition, production and performance of music, modular synthesizers and electronic music in general, and tabletop board games.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

Todd Barton - Wavefolding is Like a Rainbow | Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 11, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"There are no words that can adequately express my esteem for this remarkable man. Composer, thinker, synthesist, communicator, human. Todd Barton plays all of those parts exquisitely. He has taught me so much about synthesis and the art of tiny movements. And I was utterly unsurprised to learn that Pauline Oliveros loomed large in both of our backgrounds, teaching us how to listen.

Here Todd is delivering a lecture at Knobcon 2019, and it was a wonderful opportunity to zoom in close on his hands as he performed on his Buchla Easel. A fascinating talk on listening, synthesis, and life. Just watch this whole video. Right now. See what I'm talking about.

http://www.toddbarton.com

Under the Big Tree is Nick Peck's YouTube channel, focused on music and sound design equipment and techniques, composition, production and performance of music, modular synthesizers and electronic music in general, and tabletop board games.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

Dr. John Chowning -Keynote Address | Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 10, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"I first met Dr. John Chowning, the discoverer of frequency modulation as a powerful algorithm for synthesis, at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford in the early 90's. He was a brilliant, kind gentleman then, and nothing has changed in the subsequent decades. I thought it important to document his address, and subsequent lecture on the history of FM synthesis, for the future. Apologies for the sound quality - there was an enormous air conditioner running full blast behind him. But the substance is what counts, and hearing the words of this giant of the synthesizer realm."

Also see: MMTA SYNTHFEST 2013: Dave Bristow & The History of Yamaha FM Synthesis

Update:

Dr. John Chowning - The History of FM Synthesis | Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 11, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"Dr. John Chowning is a legendary scientist, musician, and composer best known for the discovery of frequency modulation (FM) synthesis for musical applications. He did not invent the Yamaha DX7 synthesizer, but he discovered the principles underlying the technology, and worked tirelessly to get it into the hands of a company that would develop it into a product. That product, the DX7, became one of the best selling synthesizers of all time.

Dr. Chowning's lecture at Knobcon 2019 delves into the history of the discovery of FM, as well as detailed information on how it works, ending with the creation of the DX7. This discussion is dense and scholarly, but has charts and animations to help explain the principles of the topic. It is a long lecture, but will bear fruit to the student of electronic music that is willing to delve in.

My apologies for the quality of the camera work - it was hand held for two hours. But I hope that the quality of the content transcends the quality of the recording."

Exhibit Hall Walkthrough - Knobcon 2019

Published on Sep 10, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"For those synth enthusiasts that would have liked to attend Knobcon 2019 but couldn't, here's a quick walkthrough of the exhibit hall.

Under the Big Tree is Nick Peck's YouTube channel, focused on music and sound design equipment and techniques, composition, production and performance of music, modular synthesizers and electronic music in general, and tabletop board games.

http://www.underthebigtree.com"

See the Knobcon label below for more Knobcon coverage!

Kim Bjorne - Patch and Tweak | Synthplex 2019

Published on Jul 13, 2019 Under the Big Tree

"Kim Bjorne, founder of Bjooks Publishing and co-author of the beautiful and seminal books Patch and Tweak and Push Turn Move tells us about his books.

If you are a devotee of modular synthesis, you really owe it to yourself to think about adding these marvelous books to your collection. They are beautiful and filled with insight, instruction, and interviews with some leading electronic artists."