"It's been a long time coming and a busy summer but it's time to shed a little light on the impossible box. I made this for myself in consideration of the fact that after making instruments and inventing oddities for ten or twelve years or whatever it's been, I was never really capable of having my own works for making music/playing with sound. So in January of last year I started compiling a list of works I've created that I've always wanted to be able to consistently work with - to get back into music with. Initially the list was a few things (a time machine, a garden, some drum synthesis and sequencing, etc) but in further consideration it occured to me that I'd be happier making multiples of those things, diving into new realms, expanding on sequencing and so on. Eventually the list was admittedly a bit out of control but rather than crossing off a few ideas, I said fuck it and went for it.
At first I was uncertain about exactly how it would all work together and I spent a solid month agonizing over all of it, drawing plans and even dreaming about the details so that when I woke I was able to write it all out. It was terrible, honestly. I was also not so confident in my woodworking skills and the box was a bit beyond me but I pieced away at it and it all worked out nicely.
The project took a year to "complete", though there are still a few things I'm working on before I can call it a done deal. It was more work than I had ever anticipated, it came out larger and more full of sound than I had considered and in the end I couldn't be happier.
details;
The folding box is oak with walnut splines - measuring about 4' wide with each inner panel (lower and upper) at 2' deep, essentially making a 4' square if it were all laid out.
Each module panel is done with player piano music paper and labeled on my Corona typewriter. This took a helluva lot of planning. The modules are also all lined with brass and I created almost all of the switches, keys, lamps and buttons.
"At Superbooth 2019, Instruments Of Things introduced a new Eurorack Sensor Interface, designed to allow new types of interactions with modular synthesizers."
Arturia announces V Collection 6
Arturia announces CMI V
Arturia announces DX7 V
Arturia announces Buchla Easel V
Arturia announces Clavinet V
Update: tutorial videos:
And a couple of user videos followed by some details on each:
Arturia Buchla Easel V Dual S&H Sequence Sound Design
Published on Dec 5, 2017 Rishabh Rajan
"A tutorial on creating a unique Sample & Hold type melodic pattern using the Complex Oscillator and the Modulation Oscillator in the Buchla Easel V from Arturia. The Buchla Easel V is included in the V Collection software suite."
Arturia V Collection 6 vs Analog Lab 3: Review, what's new and the best way to get it
Published on Dec 5, 2017 loopop
"For over 15 years now Arturia has been recreating and then breathing new life into legendary vintage synthesizers. Both V Collection 6 and Analog Lab 3 contain a massive library of 21 instruments and over 6,000 presets. The depth they go in and care they put into these recreations is astounding. And once they've completed recreating an instrument, they take it much further adding substantially more functionality, typically including more modulations, sequencing, effects and polyphony. Since there are quite a few buying options that let you get your hands on these - in this video I'll talk about what the different software packages give you and what's the cheapest way you can get started."
"In 1980, the Fairlight CMI turned heads with the introduction of digital sampling. Now our software homage lets you turn some heads yourself.
With exotic new sound of digital samples, the promise of an all-in-one digital workstation, and a physical design right out of a sci-fi movie, the Fairlight CMI was an object of desire for most self-respecting ‘80s keyboardists. Countless musicians and producers weighed the risks of bank robbery in order to afford one. No need today. Our faithful recreation gives you the same tools that many MTV stars used to make a cannonball splash into the pool. We’ve even made lots of improvements and additions that bring added power to this keyboard legend, including an alternate additive synthesis engine and tons of new modulation options. No vintage keyboard collection is complete without the CMI V.
Now it’s your turn to experience the sound and power of the digital workstation that started it all.
The unique musical architecture of the CMI
The CMI V isn’t just a digital instrument. It’s a complete digital workstation.
Our enhanced reproduction of this keyboard superhero lets you work with 10 digital instruments of your choice at once—mixing, layering, splitting and sequencing them as you please. Each instrument can draw from three different means of sound generation. The most obvious is the sampling engine that literally first defined the term in the industry. You can also shape sounds with the original additive synthesis engine where you control each of the component harmonics over time. We’ve even spun up the propellers and introduced a newer, simpler means of exploring additive synthesis like you’ve never heard it before named Spectral Synth. You also get around 300 expertly designed presets to get you going—including the original library of sounds you’ll recognize from countless hit recordings.
The CMI V has everything you need to explore the intersection of sampling and digital synthesis."
"In 1983, the DX7 changed the world of music. Today, the DX7 V gives you the power to change it again.
Nothing says ‘80s like the sound of the DX7. Our authentic recreation gives you all the same FM digital technology and sounds that earned the instrument a revered place in the history of both keyboards and contemporary music. We didn’t stop at just replicating it, though —we re-imagined it. New operator waves, extensive modulation additions, arpeggiator and onboard FX chains enhance your sonic possibilities exponentially. For bonus points, an intuitive graphic interface makes what was once a daunting programming task a creative joy today.
We put booster rockets on the instrument that created innumerable ‘80s hits. Now you can create the definitive sounds of today and tomorrow.
Unleash your inner sound designer with expanded features
The DX7 V gives you a unique tool for customizing and creating new musical instruments and sound effects.
With its radical departure from analog designs, FM synthesis helps you chart new sonic spaces. The DX7 V is capable of producing an incredible spectrum of sounds ranging from natural-sounding instruments to unique synths to alien worlds—complete with all the crystal clarity and punchy transients uniquely associated with FM. Since having an instrument with such extreme depth and potential is the dream of every sonic explorer, we challenged ourselves to go even further. We added a host of new features including multiple waveforms, a filter and feedback loop on each operator, new modulation sources, a monster unison mode, and more.
The DX7 V is the perfect design tool for designing unique new instruments and ear candy that help you make your own distinct musical statement.
Design elegance meets sound design power
The DX7 V sports a stunning interface allowing intuitive control over all of the instrument’s dramatically expanded features
While retaining the feel of the original design, we’ve streamlined the main interface of the DX7 V to make it much simpler to use and understand. Here you’ll find an uncluttered presentation of only your everyday performance controls, as well as the fundamentals to start visualizing and exploring new sonic structures. When you’re ready to dig deeper and flesh out the detailed character and animation of your sounds, one click presents a programmer’s paradise of incisive controls and displays light years beyond the tedious original hardware interface. Balancing usability and all the added power in the DX7 V, tabbed windows easily put your fingers on logically grouped functions spanning enhanced operators, additional envelopes, matrix modulation, step sequencer, FX architecture, and more.
Whether you just want to play the extensive library sounds or program your own, the DX7 V is a dream to use."
"Buchla Easel V
WEST COAST SOUND DESIGN PLAYGROUND
The Buchla Easel V is the first recreation of Don Buchla’s iconic instrument that helped define experimental West Coast modular synthesis in the early ‘70s. Our enhancements translate to vastly expanded possibilities for sound design and avant-garde music.
You’ve always wanted to paint with sound. Now you can with the Buchla Easel V.
One look at the Buchla Easel V and you know this is a different beast. In fact, it makes you think differently about sound right from the start—and the soundscapes you can design with it are as unique as the front panel array. To put that experience at your fingertips, we meticulously recreated the rare 1973 Buchla Music Easel right down to the component level. As you’ve come to expect from our other V-series instruments, we’ve gone the extra mile by designing in an enhanced feature set including polyphony, innovative new modulation/control sources, step sequencer, effects, and more.
If you like to paint outside the lines, Buchla Easel V is the perfect artistic tool for you.
Welcome to West Coast school of synthesis
Your music breaks from the pack. So does the Buchla Easel V.
The Buchla Easel V faithfully reproduces Buchla’s Music Easel that helped define West Coast synthesis’ focus on experimentation and breaking musical norms. We’ve applied our award-winning TAE™ modeling technology from the front panel to the resistors to capture it all with incredible realism.
Complex oscillator design, AM and FM synthesis, uniquely percussive gate/filter combos, and numerous ways to modulate and clock just about every parameter, all drop you right in the middle of a sonic sandbox. Design and perform soundscapes that burble, shimmer, pulse and evolve without ever touching a keyboard or pad—unless you want to add even more control. Nearly 300 presets by expert sound designers get you started with timbres ranging from hauntingly beautiful sonorities to clangorous pokes in the ear.
Whether you’re looking to experiment with simple sounds or build complex evolving passages, the Buchla Easel V is a constant source of inspiration for sonic adventurers.
Create sounds no one has ever heard before
In addition to faithfully reproducing a classic, we’ve infused the Buchla Easel V with even more of that vintage goodness to love.
We’ve made patching even more fun and foolproof. When you drag a color-coded patchcord between patch points, only valid targets light up, saving you the frustration of making invalid connections that do nothing. The original Music Easel lacked a noise source, so we’ve added one to the preamp—handy for introducing rhythmic elements. We’ve also designed a feedback loop into the preamp, so you can really get things howling. Up to four-voice polyphony greatly enhances your performance capabilities, too.*
With our extensions to Buchla’s original design, you now have an even more intuitive programming experience paired with additional sonic options."
"May the funk be with you
Whether you love playing oldies or pioneering new musical territory, there’s nothing like the distinctive sound of the Clavinet’s hammered strings.
The unmistakable bright, punchy sound of this vintage keyboard occupies a unique sonic space somewhere between harpsichord, hammered electric guitar and slapped bass. Top keyboardists of the ‘70s used its signature bark and bite to cut through the mix while delivering some of the most authoritative percussive keyboard lines ever played. Thanks to the ultra-realistic Clavinet V, you can now command the same crisp sound that helped define funk and formed the bedrock of many pop and R&B hits back in the day. If you’re looking to add natural energy and vintage cred to your sound, the Clavinet V is just the ticket.
The Clavinet V inspires with both the sound and feel of the funkiest electric keyboard ever made. Your fingers have never danced like this before.
Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby
Only modeling technology gives you this faithful reproduction of a vintage Clavinet.
Since the Clavinet is an electro-acoustic instrument, complete with multiple settings and a dynamic action, there are countless subtle variations during performance. By comparison, “Clav” synth patches and samples seem one-dimensional. That’s why we’ve applied our award-winning physical modeling and algorithmic emulation to give you a sound and playing experience indistinguishable from the real thing.
The Clavinet V brings all the inspiring nuances and natural goodness of the original instrument to your keyboard collection.
More than a Clavinet
Clavinet V delivers all the original features, plus new additions designed to keep your creative juices flowing.
The original Clavinet controls were simple to use, and we’ve kept them authentic. If you want to go deeper, just click the lid open and you can easily tweak exactly how your instrument sounds and behaves. The built-in collection of effects pedals—chorus, flanger, wah and more—let you easily get the rich signature sounds of the keyboardists who popularized the instrument. You’ll also find an integral vintage guitar amp, so you never have to look elsewhere to get just the sound you’re looking for. Of course, everything can be preset for instant recall.
The Clavinet V isn’t just a Clavinet. It’s a complete rig at your fingertips."
"It’s with great excitement that I announce that Sequential is joining the Focusrite Group of music and audio brands.
We're now part of a family made up of some of the best and brightest companies in the music instruments and pro audio industries: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation and Ampify Music. We’re in good company!
But don't worry — we’re not going anywhere. It’s business as usual for us and we'll be a separate entity from the other brands in the group. I’ll continue to lead our engineering and product development and work with the Sequential design team into the future. If anything, I'll have more time to make amazing synths!
- Dave Smith"
And the official press release:
Focusrite PLC Acquires Sequential® in Landmark Industry Development
Legendary Synth Brand Founded by Dave Smith Joins Focusrite Group
San Francisco, CA and High Wycombe, UK — April 27th 2021 — In a joint statement, Focusrite Group and Sequential LLC today announced that Focusrite plc, a leading global creator of music and audio hardware and software products, has acquired Sequential LLC, the respected American synthesizer manufacturer led by legendary electronic instrument designer and Grammy® winner Dave Smith.
Both companies stand to benefit from the synergy created by the acquisition. The Focusrite Group will add the venerable Sequential line of instruments to its already-impressive portfolio of products, which includes the acclaimed Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, and Ampify brands. Sequential will benefit from greater resources to expand its global markets and future R&D efforts.
Sequential’s Dave Smith said, “With Focusrite, we’ve found an ideal home and a perfect cultural and technological fit. Phil Dudderidge and his team have a long history of quality, vision, and focus on what musicians and audio professionals really want. We’re excited to join such an industry powerhouse and contribute to our mutual success. I expect great things.”
Sequential has been a leading force in the resurgent popularity of analog synthesizers over the last decade. Its instruments, which include the Prophet® 5 Rev4 polyphonic synth, Pro 3® hybrid monosynth, and Prophet X Samples + Synthesis keyboard, are known for their versatility, ease of use, and excellence of sound. They are a mainstay of performing and recording artists and can be seen and heard on countless stages and recordings.
Focusrite Founder Phil Dudderidge commented: “We’re excited and pleased to add Sequential’s instruments and pedigree to Focusrite Group’s portfolio of world-class audio and music production tools. Dave Smith’s history as an innovator speaks for itself. From his creation of the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the Prophet 5, to his co-invention of MIDI, Dave has literally changed the world of music several times. We’re looking forward to continuing his history of innovation and expanding the global market for Sequential’s instruments.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Sequential has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Focusrite plc. Sequential’s day-to-day operations and product development remain unchanged and will continue to be guided by Dave Smith and his team.
Tim Carroll, CEO of Focusrite Group, remarked, “Sequential is a premium analogue synth brand with a big stake in music creation. The products are exceptional and the company is run extremely well, and the passion of the people at Sequential aligns perfectly with our Focusrite Group ethos. It’s tremendously exciting to be able to bring Sequential into the Focusrite family, further the incredible journey that Dave Smith started, and keep growing together.”
Sequential and Novation will grow together under the same parent company.
We’re over the moon to announce that our parent company, Focusrite plc, has acquired Sequential, the synth brand founded and led by legendary synth designer and Grammy winner, Dave Smith.
If you’re new to the name Sequential, you’ll definitely have heard the synths: Dave Smith is the pioneer that designed the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the classic Prophet® 5, and he co-invented MIDI, which transformed electronic production and changed musical history. Today, countless artists still count on Sequential instruments to bring life and an undeniably rich and organic feeling to their musical creations, spanning every genre.
Before your mind goes wild conceiving the ultimate Novation x Sequential product mashup, it’s safe to say that Sequential and Novation will continue to operate independently, as separate entities under the Focusrite Group umbrella. Dave Smith will remain at the helm of Sequential, leading engineering, product development and mentorship of Sequential’s new breed of designers.
So, it’s business as usual, and we’re extremely excited to grow together, inspire each other, and together fuel the future of forward-thinking music!
Introductory offer until Wednesday 3rd June - 50% OFF.
Haunted Ground is an avant-garde sound library inspired by the unique character of abandoned places. The structures that man left to crumble as time ticks away, now brought to life in this collection of samples. Created by sound designer Adam Pietruszko specializing in visual and aural documentation of forsaken buildings, to provide you with the atmosphere and spirit of these forbidden locations. This library took a year to plan, prepare and record. Carefully choosing locations as recording sites and inspiration was taken from countless photographs, schematics and abandoned structure history resources.
The mood of abandoned factories, warehouses and installations has been recreated via means of analog and digital synthesis, along with the sounds captured on-site via field recording, to bring you closer to the exploration, all properly mangled and warped, for that particular eerie feeling.
The sounds of this library give insight into the afterlife of these seemingly dead and quiet buildings. For beneath the rubble, rust and peeling paint, there lies another dimension. The ghosts of workers and inhabitants roam the rooms, halls, corridors and attics, longing for the life that had been taken away from their homes. The machines, furnaces and tools remember their duties, but their shift is over. Delve in the echoes of the past and explore their legacy and hidden nature.
This library is aimed at cinematic and game sound producers, looking to bring a touch of reflection, suspense and nostalgia into their works. Also a contemporary electronic musician will find many inspiring sounds to exploit.
All sounds have been captured in 24-bit, 48kHz audio and are split into 4 categories, for easy construction of your own custom abandoned places sound scenes.
The categories and gear used in the recordings are as follows:
Entities and Spirits – eerie sounds of ghosts and lost souls, for that haunted feeling. You'll find chants, drones and atmospheres as well as numerous sweeps and whines. Most of these sounds were created using a semi-modular analog synth setup (Moog Little Phatty Tribute Edition Serial No. 1165 with CV Out Mod, a collection of Moog Moogerfooger analog effects + WMD Geiger Counter digital wave-shaping distortion unit).
Just a heads up, the lineup for Moogfest 2017 has been announced. As always, check out moogfest.com for full details on the event. The following is a small capture for the archives via the Moogfest newsletter.
"Hailed as 'the most adventurous and cutting edge' festival of 2016, Moogfest returns with a commitment to futurist conversations and performances that wrestle with our historic moment, and reflect on the festival’s home in North Carolina.
In celebration of its 11th iteration, Moogfest will unveil its lineup over the next 11 weeks through their weekly “Future Thought Future Sound” email newsletter, inviting the Moogfest community to explore program themes like Transhumanism, Techno-shamanism and Protest.
images via this auction
"VINTAGE Electronic Tanpura Synthesizer DELUXE SAARANG RAJ Musicals
- Made by: Radel Systems , Bangalore
- Type No. TBR6
-SI. No. 266
Runs on 6 C batteries and for having such a small speaker can get painfully LOUD! Radel Saarang Electronic Tanbura
The 'Saarang' produces the plucked sound of a conventional stringed tambura (tanpura) used for classical Indian music. The sound is produced electronically without the use of any strings. The 'Saarang' plays by itself and does not need a person to play it.
Pitch tunable by more than octave and covers the range of male as well as female voices - from lower A to higher C (lower 6 to higher 1, Karnatic system or lower White 6 to higher White 7, Hindustani System).
The Tanpura
The Tanpura is a four to six stringed fretless instrument made of wood, and usually combined with gourd. It provides the performing artist(s) with a tonic reference and enriches the background with its unique harmonic drone. The strings are tuned in a manner that emphasizes the tonic and the dominant notes of the raag. The bridge is slightly curved to not only provide a buzzing sound (as the strings are plucked), but also to generate various harmonics that enhance the tonal quality of the instrument. The size (gourd and neck) of the instrument may vary depending on whether the artist is an instrumentalist, male vocalist, or a female vocalist. Tanpura was most probably included as a part of a classical music ensemble since the seventeenth century.
The Tanpura player plucks the strings one at a time, in a steady, repetitive, almost orderly manner, using the index and middle fingers.
These days "electronic" tanpuras <../elect/elect.html> have become commonplace, since they do not require a human player, are less expensive, simpler to tune, require minimal maintenance, and are easily portable. Many Indian professional musicians (including world renowned artistes like Pandit Debu Chaudhuri and Pandit Aashish Khan) are now touring without a tanpura player and are using the Riyaz Raagini <../elect/elect.html> sampled electronic tanpura machine as it sounds so very realistic. However, some artists prefer a natural instrument to an electronic one when available, and sometimes combine the two types. Electronic Tanpuras are, naturally, used by many students for practice as in this way the student can practice for long periods of time as and when needed without the need for a person to sit and play tanpura for them.
Electronic musical instruments are defined as instruments that synthesize sound from an electronic source. The origins of electronic music can be traced back to the work of Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand Von Helmholtz the German physicist, mathematician and the year 1860. While many instruments were developed in years to follow it was not till The Vacuum Tube Era (1915-1960) and Integrated Circuits time, that real muscle made it to world of electronic musical instruments. With travelling Indian musicians, good electronic instruments have been of great help both in performances as well as in Riaz (practice sessions).
David Courtney, musician, music theorist, divides these instruments into 3 classes, Shruti Generation, interments that replaced drone instruments like the Surpeti. Electronic "Surpetis" have been in use for about 20 years. In recent times the more refined Electronic Tamburas have become very popular. The 2nd generation are the Lahara Machines that provide repeating melodies to accompany drum solos. The 3rd category is the Theka Generation, or the Drum Machines, devices that provide sound comparable to the Tabla."
I am adjusting an modulating the notes pitches in real time with this track.
The unit arpeggiates the tones in a 6 note sequence, and the notes are fixed, the root note on my unit has no fine tuning, only coarse.
You have notes on steps 1, 3 4 and 5 of the pattern. You can only turn on and off notes, and each note has a certain range, constrained by traditional patterns.
I think the Deluxe unit has 5 notes in the sequence, my base unit has only 4.
I corresponded with the creator a while ago, and this is the main section of what he wrote
'At the outset, please accept our apologies for this delayed response. For some unknown reason, we were unable to connect to the site referred to in your mail and we were not in a position to figure out which model you possessed. We were able to connect today and now know that you possess an obsolete version of the Saarang that went out of production seven years ago. We seem to have destroyed all the data connected with this model and are not in a position to furnish them to you. Considering that you are an electronics engineer, the following explanation should help you in trying out whatever modifications you may want to perform.
The four strings are synthesized through four oscillators based on 555 Timers. These signals are amplitude modulated through a capacitive charging and discharging circuit comprising two transistors, BC547 (NPN) and BC 557(PNP). Each of the four PNP transistors is triggered on by a
zero going pulse applied to its base, which results in an electrolytic capacitor getting charged to a peak value. This voltage acts as the amplitude modulating voltage for the square wave input. The triggering of the PNP transistors is controlled by a control circuit comprising another 555 timer, a counter and a demultiplexer.
We hope that this explanation is of use to you. With regards,
G. Raj Narayan'
My Tambura is one of my favourite things in the whole world, and it is in my top 5 musical things I'd never part with if I had to sell up everything I owned. "
Playlist:
Modular Jam : Lords of the West : Rings, Elements, Clouds, Peaks
Modular Melody: Church of Meta Q - Tides (Parasite), Function, Clouds
Modular Jam: SynthTech E350/E355/E440, Mutable Instruments Elements/Clouds, Pittsburgh SV-1/KB-1
Modular Patch/Performance: Slow to Go
Modular Patch/Performance:- The Big Build
Modular Patch/Performance: Sargasso
Modular Patch/Performance: Fair Winds
Modular Patch/Performance - Over the Clouds
Modular Patch/Performance: March of the Shift Register
Modular Etude #1
The following is a great post on the AKAI EWV-2000 that came in via AH. The author gave me the ok to post it. This post made me think about how much more a synthesiser is than a piano with other sounds. When I bought my first synth, an Oberheim Matrix-6, the first thing I did was start programming my own instruments. I say instruments instead of sounds because that's what they were to me. I was simply blown away by the possibilities. The great thing about the Matrix-6 was that it had all these control features like release velocity, key velocity, pressure aftertouch, the pitch bends, tracking generator, ramps, etc. So I sat there litterally creating hundreds of instruments never heard before. Most required different techniques in playing style. One of my favorite things to do was to create a sound and then let the sound play me. I'd find that a particular sound I created required a specific technique to get the most out of it just like a saxaphone, flute, guitar or any other unique instrument would require. But... It was all via a piano style keyboard. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but when you think of it, a synthesiser is not a piano. It's a means of creating musical instruments that in many cases have never been heard before. It's amazing to think that in probably 99% of the time these instruments are accessed and possibly limited via the interface of a piano keyboard.
Back to the AKAI EMV-2000. The EMV-2000 is an analog rack mount synthesizer that is meant to be played with a wind controllor similar to a sax or clarinet. AKAI made a line of synthesizer wind instruments under the product name of EWI for Electronic Wind Instrument. Click here for a great site on these amazing instruments. I haven't gotten my hands on one yet, but definitely plan to. It would be amazing to see what these controllers open up. I think I'll skip the midi sofa I posted earlier though; not sure what that would open up. : )
Now for the great post on AH:
------------------------------------------------
Akai EWV-2000 Analog Wind Synth Module:
It is basically a 2 voice, played in unison (not duophonic):
VOICE 1:
VCO1 feeds into a VCF1, then HPF1, then VCA1.
EG1 is shared between VCO1 and VCF1. EG2 for VCA1.
VOICE 2:
VCO2 feeds into a VCF2, then HPF2, then VCA2.
EG3 is shared between VCO2 and VCF2. EG4 for VCA2.
VCO1 can sync to the VCO 2.
Voice 1 has External Input mixed in before VCF1.
VCO 1 can be modulated (FM) by VCO2+VCF2+EG3 after the output of VCF2.
All 4 VCO waveforms have width/shape control (not just the pulse).
There is no LFO.
Output from Voice 1 and Voice 2 is mixed to one of:
Direct Output
String Filter to Output
Basoon/Oboe Filter to Output
String Filter + Basoon/Oboe Filter in Parallel to Output
In addition to a few unique unique things listed above and numerous
parameters for control input from several sources, all the typical
parameters you find on other analog synths are available.
You don't often rely on EG in the usual way. Your Breath pressure and Bite
strength on the mouthpiece both act as envelop controllers with real time
variability. You mix those with the ADSR style EG for total envelop.
There is no LFO. You control vibrato or other LFO type of effects directly
in real time from your breath, bite, or a wiggle controller (kind of like
the pitch bender on Nord lead). This results in much more natural vibrato or
tremolo than you get from an LFO.
Portamento can be assigned to the bite controller. This allows you to easily
play lines with portamento controlled on each note transition. This can be
very musical, like it is when programmed on a TB-303.
All this real time control of parameters (that are usually controlled by EG
or LFO on other synths) makes the EVW-2000 very musical.
It's a pretty good module, with a wider range of sounds than an average
monosynths (so many filters). Raw sound quality is reasonably good. The
total output is extremely musical. The high musicality certainly benefits
greatly from the fact it is controlled by a wind controller instead of a
keyboard.
It can sound like a keyboard based monosynth and it would hold its own in
that type application. But you might not use it that way very often; under
breath control it can sound so different from any keyboard based instrument.
There is no MIDI input or CV/gate input. MIDI out only. I think CV/gate
input could be added by a tech that knows analog synths. Core of each voice
is CEM3394. Also some SSM chips in the design.
"OVERVIEW (from original Open Labs promotional material):
Sequence songs, create beats, track vocals and instruments, trigger MP3s, and perform live - the NeKo LX5 does it all.
With a 15" touchscreen, 61 black-and-white keys, external QWERTY keyboard, and running Windows OS, the NeKo LX5 is a world-class multimedia instrument. This portable media production station was specifically designed with superb keyboard playability to meet the needs of studio music production and live performance effortlessly.
1. Introducing EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK | Native Instruments
Watch this introduction to CRUSH PACK – the latest installment in Native Instruments' new line of effects.
BITE, DIRT, and FREAK offer modern twists on the prized tone of early samplers, the timeless shred of a sophisticated stomp box, dynamic ring modulated sci-fi sounds, futuristic timbres, other-worldly radio broadcasts, and more.
2. Introducing BITE from EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK | Native Instruments
CRUSH PACK is the latest installment in Native Instruments’ new line of effects. BITE, DIRT, and FREAK offer modern twists on the prized tone of early samplers, the timeless shred of a sophisticated stomp box, dynamic ring modulated sci-fi sounds, futuristic timbres, other-worldly radio broadcasts, and more.
3. Introducing DIRT from EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK | Native Instruments
DIRT is a distortion stompbox that combines analog modeling with highly refined controls and flexible routing.
4. Introducing FREAK from EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK | Native Instruments
FREAK combines frequency shifting, ring modulation and radio modulation techniques in one versatile package.
Update: The official press release:
"Berlin, June 15, 2018 – Native Instruments today launch EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed MOD PACK.
CRUSH PACK offers three plug-ins, covering a wide array of tonal distortion effects – bit-crushing, stompbox-style distortion, ring modulation, amplitude modulation, frequency shifting, and more – and each with innovative new creative features, such as allowing external sidechain sources as modulators. Each also features the same prized sound quality that earned MOD PACK plaudits from press and users alike, making CRUSH PACK another essential upgrade from the distortion effects found in DAWs.
CRUSH PACK consists of three VST/AU/AAX plug-ins: A bitcrusher and sample rate reducer called BITE, a distortion effect called DIRT, and a multi-mode modulating device called FREAK. 234 carefully designed presets showcase the huge range of tonal distortion possible.
Additionally, all MOD PACK owners can enjoy a significant crossgrade discount on the price of CRUSH PACK.
BITE recreates the prized sonic imperfections that defined hip-hop and dance music’s first golden era, but it takes things much further. It allows a wide sonic palette, from authentic 80s organic digital crunch to depth-charged extremes. Modern features like auto-input/output compensation ensure controlled chaos.
DIRT offers organic-sounding distortion, crafted by sound designers. Flexible signal routing, blending, and other carefully crafted parameters allow unusual levels of control. Unlike the stompboxes upon which its sound is based, DIRT’s controls are calibrated for subtle tone-shaping (even when delivering extreme sonic results), and powerful features such as wavefolding allow complex, dynamic timbres, even from simple sources like sine waves.
FREAK (derived from ‘frequency shifting’) delivers three sound-bending modulation types in one plug-in. Innovative modes like retro radio lo-fi, stereo modulation, and wild sidechain ability sit alongside classic AM, ring mod, and frequency shifting techniques. This range allows detuned horror-style vocals, rich metallic timbres, rhythmic sidechaining, the sound of vintage broadcasts or alien transmissions, and more.
Pricing and availability
EFFECTS SERIES – CRUSH PACK is available now at the NI Online Shop for €69 / $69 / £59 / ¥ 8780 / AU$ 99
MOD PACK owners can upgrade to CRUSH PACK now at the NI Online Shop for just €44 / $44 / £37 / ¥ 5600 / AU$ 60"
"This is called THE KATRIC ARK and it is one of a series of 12 compositions for Vulcan harp and theremin. Since the Vulcan harp was introduced by artist and visionary Wah Ming Chang more than 40 years ago, it has evolved considerably, along with the technology involved with its manufacture. It is acoustic, electroacoustic and electronic (it is the electronic component that permits such things as the playing of complex harmonies, glide pitch shifts, etc.).
As a sculptor, Chang molded the instrument to fit the human body, and it is great to hold because it is so wonderfully ergonomic. This particular harp has 26 strings (copper, brass and silver) and is played with finger picks. There are no steel strings and the instrument does not use magnetic pickups like electric guitars. It also does not need to be plugged into anything so there are no annoying cables to get in the way. It transmits directly to its amplifier and speakers by means of an antenna integrated into the pin column (the extended curved vertical arm that holds the tuning pins). The two speakers you see in the video are JBL JRX-125 monitors.
As a concept, the characteristics of "Vulcan music" are determined by the remarkable capabilities of the Vulcan harp which include many of the possibilities of the classical instruments of India. The sound of the Vulcan harp has been described as a combination of harp, lute, violin and sitar. If you add to this everything that is possible with the use of the shift disc and the harmonic valves (the seven button controls - one for each note of the diatonic scale - riding above the brass plate) you have an extraordinary number of combinations that can be explored. The harmonic valves are all level-sensitive (each responds to three degrees of left hand finger pressure applied to them: touch, half, and full) and this determines the harmony applied to the vibrating strings. Octave displacement is played by multiple valve configurations depending on the register in which the harpist wants to play.
There is also a "tapper control" incorporated into the Vulcan harp for generating complex polyrhythms but it is not used in this particular composition. The "tapper" is the knob that sits just behind the lowest bass strings on the upper edge of the instrument facing the harpist. It can be silently programmed just before a piece is played by drumming the fingers of the left hand on the knob in the exact rhythm combination you want to hear applied to your sound once you begin to play. The instrument will loop the rhythm continuously throughout the piece (or until you squelch it).
The theremin in this video is the 1929 RCA that once belonged to Hollywood thereminist Dr. Samuel Hoffman. It was used by Dr. Hoffman on the soundtracks of many classic science fiction films of the 1950's, so I thought it would be appropriate to use it here. If you are curious about this 1929 theremin, I am featured in the 20TH CENTURY FOX 2-disc DVD "special edition" of the re-issue of the original 1951 science fiction masterpiece, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. There are already several videos on YouTube of me playing this instrument (and some from the 1950's of Dr. Hoffman as well) so after the solo theremin section at the beginning of the composition, I concentrated entirely on showing the Vulcan harp. There are very few Vulcan harps in the world and even fewer musicians who can actually play them, so I thought people might might like to see it.
PLEASE NOTE: the recording of this composition was done directly to a Roland VS-2400CD. There were no FX added to the instruments other than the usual EQ and a small amount of reverb. No peripherals, no MIDI modules, overdubs or computers were used at any time in the recording process."
"Stephen Coker's Live Performance on the Classic YAMAHA CS 60 and, Demonstrates that this Classic Vintage Synthesizer is more then capable of creating all the sonic bliss that the larger CS 80 can.
Plenty of hardware/software Reverb, analog Stereo Chorus and, various other hardware processing and, components are utilized to obtain the classic sound that give depth and sonic weight to the single take.
Over the years, 'v developed various playing techniques and, instrument settings to convey the emotive dynamics and, expression that this Japanese masterpiece can achieve.
The YAMAHA CS 80/CS 60/CS 50 are the most Expressive Polyphonic Analogue Synthesizers, ever developed.
Captured in this video are the Powerful, Emotive Sounds that induce Exciting, vivid worlds of Timeless, Synthetic Landscapes that are unobtainable with any other instrument.
Every note Shimmers with depth in sound that’s beyond magical.
"LAUREL CANYON, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2007) – It’s a drum, it’s a harp, it’s a guitar, it’s a marimba… it’s all of those things, and much, much more – at once. Musical ingenuity once again emerges from the hills of Laurel Canyon, as Synesthesia today announced Mandala™ 2.0 – a new version of its wildly popular, patented high-def drum and synthesizer, co-developed with professional drummer Danny Carey of the progressive rock band Tool. Now a computer peripheral – its USB cable plugs into PC or Mac – the Mandala 2.0 is the only electronic drum that truly emulates an acoustic drum. It offers drummers and musical explorers the only drum pad that knows exactly where it’s hit and how hard, across seven assignable zones – with an immediate trigger delivering the fastest-traveling sound possible. A new kind of synthesizer, the Mandala 2.0 packages a musical range so wide it simultaneously offers players the top of the line, most accurate model of a physical drum (via 3,000 professionally created, proprietary samples of the Black Beauty Snare Drum) – along with a library of sounds derived from more than 100 other instruments. In all, the Mandala 2.0 features four gigabytes of sound samples. It’s a synthesizer with drumsticks, with a drum pad so sensitive it responds even to a fingertip touch. "The Mandala helps people find their rhythm – whether it's the beat of a drum, or of a sound they haven't yet created," said Vince De Franco, Synesthesia founder and CEO, and inventor of the Mandala. "Use it as a compositional tool, or to create any sonic reality your heart desires. It's got percussive sounds down cold – and that includes percussion instruments like the piano, the vibraphone and the triangle. Its range gives people a rich, satisfying way to experiment. It literally will be a different product for everyone who buys it. It's the smartest thing you'll ever hit with a stick." Whereas most electronic drums have one zone in the middle that detects the strike, Mandala’s creators invented and patented a technology that enables the drum pad to detect the exact location and strength of every point of contact across the entire pad. With 128 concentric rings from the center to the edge – each offering its own sound variation – the Mandala offers unprecedented musical breadth. This high-def drum and synthesizer is bringing to percussive music-making the same kind of high resolution experience that HDTV has brought to viewers. The Mandala 2.0 retails for $349, and is available November 1 online at http://mandaladrum.com and www.musiciansfriend.com. Each Mandala is hand-crafted and thoroughly tested before it is shipped. Expect two-week delivery. Other key features: • The accompanying software lets players synthesize a host of new sounds and expand their drum kits and sample libraries at will. The software automatically accommodates up to five separate drum pads. It’s also designed to inspire and facilitate composition – along with the included instruments, players can add their own samples to the library, and use the effects to mold and create their own sounds.
• The Mandala 2.0 works seamlessly with most major music software, including Apple GarageBand, Ableton Live, and Native Instruments Battery and Reaktor.
• Mandala’s easy-to-use software comes with more than 100 presets for out-of-the-box functionality. Players also can create their own configurations as they explore and discover its astonishing audio range.
• One pad can accommodate from one to seven different zones of sound – each of which can be configured as a separate instrument, with an array of specialized settings. Players can have a snare, a bass and a cymbal (or a harp, marimba or organ, or any other instrument) – all in the same drum head, all at the same time. One Mandala can act as one drum, as an entire drum kit, or as an eclectic combo.
Drummer Meets Physicist Inventor and physicist Vince De Franco developed the Mandala with professional drummer Danny Carey from the progressive rock band Tool. Carey uses seven Mandalas every night on stage because, he said, it’s “the only way I can trigger and control all the sounds I want to play. “I told Vince I wanted an electronic drum that would trigger immediately, and that would let me load a gigabyte of sound samples,” said Carey. “What he created is the most advanced electronic drum I’ve ever seen. And now this new version blows the last one away.” Carey used the Mandalas to trigger many of the sounds on the band’s latest album, 10,000 Days. Every percussive sound in the track, Intension, is produced as a result of hitting a Mandala. Other professionals using the Mandala include Pat Mastelotto of King Crimson; Will Calhoun of Living Colour; Lol Tolhurst, co-founder of The Cure; and Matt Chamberlain – who has played with Pearl Jam, David Bowie, Tori Amos, and many others. "
Be sure to see the notes from Barry on the synths used further below.
"Barry Schrader’s Monkey King CD has been released by Innova Recordings on Innova 703. The CD contains music inspired by the five elements of ancient Chinese tradition in Wu Xing – Cycle of Destruction, and by stories from the great Chinese classic Journey to the West.
Wu Xing - Cycle of Destruction deals with the Chinese concept of Wu Xing, the five elements in ancient Chinese tradition: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These are important in Chinese astrology, medicine, and BaGua, a system of trigrams used in Fengshui and other areas of Chinese life and culture. The five elements are often arranged in one of two cycles: the cycle of birth, ending with earth, or, as in this work, the cycle of destruction: metal, wood, earth, water, fire. Wu Xing - Cycle of Destruction explores these elements in transcendent ways. The Metal and Wood sections are aural depictions of the elemental density of the mediums, while Earth considers the metaphysics of planetary rotation and revolution. Water reflects on the conceptual aspects of the world's oceans at various depths, voyaging from the darkest abyss to the light of distant shores. Finally, in Fire, there are the physical and spiritual effects of all-engulfing flames.
Monkey King is based on scenes from the classic Chinese book Journey to the West, written around 1550 by Wu Cheng-en. Considered one of the great classics of Chinese literature, the book chronicles the adventures of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, one of the most fascinating fictional characters ever created. Barry Schrader has taken some of the most famous scenes from this book and created Monkey King, a new electronic music journey into the imagined past of Chinese legend. In the tradition of Schrader's Lost Atlantis, Monkey King explores an immense imaginary aural landscape.
"Monkey King is a colorful combination of Schrader's recognizably arousing orchestral maneuvers with an immediate melodic appeal, gentle harmonic textures, and electronic echoes of traditional Chinese instruments. While individual elements sound strangely familiar, the resulting entity is without direct reference, a style which is as timeless as it is futuristic and which revels an ancient mythology with the tools of today. Without a single doubt, this piece is the most accessible in Schrader's oeuvre."
Some of the scenes depicted in Schrader's Monkey King are the birth of Monkey, his underwater journey to visit the palace of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea where Monkey takes possession of the Staff of the Milky Way, Monkey's attempt to jump over Buddha's palm, and Monkey's apotheosis in becoming the Buddha Victorious in Strife.
Barry Schrader has been acclaimed by the Los Angeles Times as "a composer born to the electronic medium," named "a seminal composer of electro-acoustic music" by Journal SEAMUS, and described by Gramophone as a composer of "approachable electronic music with a distinctive individual voice to reward the adventurous." "There's a great sweep to Schrader's work that puts it more in line with ambitious large-scale electronic works by the likes of Stockhausen (Hymnen), Eloy (Shanti) and Henry (take your pick), a line that can be traced backwards to Mahler, Bruckner and Beethoven." writes Dan Warburton of the Paris Transatlantic Magazine. Computer Music Journal states that Schrader’s "music withstands the test of time and stands uniquely in the American electronic music genre." Schrader's compositions for electronics, dance, film, video, mixed media, live/electro-acoustic music combinations, and real-time computer performance have been presented throughout the world. He has been a member of the Composition Faculty of the California Institute of the Arts School of Music since 1971, and has also taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the California State University at Los Angeles. His music is recorded on the Innova label. His web site is barryschrader.com."
I asked Barry what he used on the CD:
"As to what I used to compose 'Monkey King' and 'Wu Xing - Cycle of Destruction,' the only hardware I used (other than my Mac) was a Yamaha TX816. Here's a list of the software: Digital Performer, Unisyn, Peak, Rocket Science, and Cycling 74 Pluggo. The last two, of course, are bundles, and have multiple plugins, too many to name. DP also has a lot of plugins.
"As for synthesis techniques, I used additive synthesis, subtractive synthesis (including granular), amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, and transfer functions, which, of course, involve the use of wavetable synthesis. So everything, including all of the sound sources, is digital. I know most of the people who visit your site love analog. I composed with analog equipment for many years, and I still enjoy hearing music created on analog systems. But I'm so used to working with computers now, that I don't think I could go back to analog, and I also don't think I could get the degree of control I need to compose the way I want.
"I work mainly in event lists so that I can specify data. All of the timbres for 'Monkey King' and 'Wu Xing - Cycle of Destruction' were designed specifically for these works. This is a general practice of mine and relates to my compositional point of view. (There's some information on this on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Schrader.) As a result of these practices, I compose very slowly, and I average about 20 hours of work for 1 minute of music. There were times with 'Monkey King,' particularly Part 2, where the work was so strenuous that I had to quit composing for several weeks in order to maintain my equilibrium. The composition of that movement alone stretched out over 6 months.
"I think these may be the last works that I compose with the TX816. I've bought Native Instruments Complete 5 package and have been porting my timbral designs into FM8, which allows for more possibilities than the Yamaha 6-operator design. I'm also learning other programs in the NI package, mainly those that allow me to create electronic material directly. I remain rather uninterested in dealing with concrete (acoustic) sound files. Everything on the 'Monkey King' CD, by the way, as is true of almost all of my music, is electronic. The only computer concrete piece that I did was 'Beyond,' and that was done on the old WaveFrame workstation at UCSB. I'm also going to get additional software for my next big work, which I'll probably begin in January, as I have a sabbatical from CalArts next year. I have a need to keep pushing myself to create new things in new ways. It may be difficult to top some aspects of the music on the 'Monkey King' CD, which, I think is some of my best, but I'm not going to worry about it. For me, each new work is its own universe."
"PHYSYNTH turns your iPad or iPad 2 into a piece of real vintage synth hardware.
Powered by next-generation 3D graphics technologies, it is a stunning, beautiful device that will enable you to weave beautiful, fluid 'Soundscapes'.
PHYSYNTH uses a state-of-the-art physics engine to trigger sounds using four real simulators, you charge physical objects with sound and collide them with other objects to trigger them. It is an entirely new way of creating music, a natural and fluid way to express yourself with a wide range of beautiful, realistic instruments.
• Don't forget to read about updates coming, more information below after the features!
• Introductory sale now on for only a few days.
FEATURES:
• Custom shaders especially designed for iPad2 and the beautiful high definition full-3D interface pushes the limits of what your device can do.
• iPad 1 owners are not left out, Physynth was designed to take full advantage of everything the device has to offer.
• Layer your sounds with Four-track Soundscaping.
• Jam with Realtime melody or rhythm over-dubbing.
• The physics-triggered sample engine with user-adjustable parameters means endless scenarios.
• Enjoy a wide range of beautiful sounding instruments with more coming in regular updates.
• Express yourself with full mixing control including full stereo panning, volume and digital special effects.
• Vintage hardware design with groundbreaking 3D tilt camera, stunning lighting and unbelievable next-gen graphics make Physynth the app to show your friends.
• Melody-mode to allow the user to play Physynth instruments like a traditional keyboard or drum pad.
• Headphones are recommended for full stereo immersion and realtime panning.
FUTURE UPDATES: • Sharing Soundscapes with other Physynth owners. • coreMIDI support. • Regular new instruments!"
"We love Physynth, we love the iOS music scene but some of the criticism we have received has been a little unfair in my opinion. We aren’t Moog and we don’t have a million dollars behind us, we are two people bringing something we love and slaved over into the world and I can’t wait to move forward with it based off of the constructive feedback we have received and no-doubt will continue to receive but I thought I’d communicate what we were trying to achieve.
While designing Physynth I really wanted to create something to come back to time and time again, I wanted a tinker-tool that had a real use to songwriters and performers. There were hundreds of fantastic synthesisers out there doing a great job at synthesising but none of them allowed me to create something outside the box, outside of writing melodies manually. I wanted to create something chaotic.
Functionally, what I wanted to create was something close to that sketchbook you have lying around that you come back to and jot in whenever you’re feeling creative. I didn’t want to make a studio tool, those already are at a point where I get what I want from them. There is nothing really out there that suites me for just having a dabble with something a bit unpredictable. When choosing the sounds that shipped with Physynth I had to balance what people might want with what would actually suite Physynth itself. You can’t really have power synth chugs when you’re triggering these at a such a high rate. It would just sound like a mess of sound, this style of music creation needed something a with a bit more of a ring, a chime.
We planned in the ability to update our sound banks with instruments based on our users’ demand so as time goes on we will be updating with new sounds and many of them are electronic ones, it’s just that some things simply don’t work without sounded overloaded when they’re being triggered multiple times per second at up to 32 times per second.
Going forward, exporting/sharing songs between users and midi support are planned for future updates along with the new instruments.
"Moogfest 2014 Announces Daytime Presenters Including Futurists, Musicians, Scientists, Authors, Filmmakers, and Pioneers of Electronic Music Instrument Design
Phase 1 tickets start at $199 for 5-Day General Admission, and $499 for 5-Day VIP Admission while supplies last through December 19 when Phase 2 GA tickets go up to $299. All prices exclusive of applicable fees.
ASHEVILLE, NC – November 14, 2013 – Moogfest is a five-day festival dedicated to the synthesis of technology, art and music. Since its inception in 2004, Moogfest has been a magnet for artists, engineers, and enthusiasts of Bob Moog. With an experimental lineup of daytime conference programming featuring cultural, artistic and technological luminaries and punctuated by a diverse line up of landmark nightly performances, Moogfest honors the creativity and inventiveness of Dr. Robert Moog and pays tribute to the legacy of the analog synthesizer. This is no ordinary festival.
I made this for myself in consideration of the fact that after making instruments and inventing oddities for ten or twelve years or whatever it's been, I was never really capable of having my own works for making music/playing with sound. So in January of last year I started compiling a list of works I've created that I've always wanted to be able to consistently work with - to get back into music with. Initially the list was a few things (a time machine, a garden, some drum synthesis and sequencing, etc) but in further consideration it occured to me that I'd be happier making multiples of those things, diving into new realms, expanding on sequencing and so on. Eventually the list was admittedly a bit out of control but rather than crossing off a few ideas, I said fuck it and went for it.
