GROOVE SYNTHESIS 3RD WAVE - Interview & Synth Overview

video upload by synth4ever

"Groove Synthesis 3RD WAVE synth interview and overview. In this interview about the 3rd Wave, Bob Coover (Groove Synthesis Founder + DSP) and Andrew Silverman (Embedded Programmer) take us through the 3rd Wave synthesizer, demo some features, and share what's next for the synth and company.

The 3rd Wave is a powerful new digital/analog hybrid wavetable synthesizer from Groove Synthesis which is heavily inspired by the PPG Wave 2.2 and 2.3 synthesizers from the 1980s. The 3rd Wave has 24 voices, 3 oscillators, 2 filters, 4 LFOs and 4 envelopes, a custom wavetable maker, sequencer, arpeggiator, 4-part multitimbrality, dual effects per part, mod matrix, and much more.

During a recent visit to California I had the opportunity to visit Groove Synthesis and interview Bob and Andrew about the 3rd Wave synth. I'm very thankful for their time and appreciate them sharing their knowledge about the synth with us.

To learn more about the 3rd Wave or buy the synth, visit https://www.groovesynthesis.com"

DSI POLY EVOLVER - A Tribute to Dave Smith, Founder of Sequential Circuits (1950-2022)

video upload by synth4ever

"DSI Poly Evolver music tribute to Dave Smith, founder of Sequential Circuits (1950-2022). Dave suddenly and tragically passed away on May 31, 2022. This synthesizer performance uses the 12-voice Dave Smith Instruments Poly Evolver, IMO one of his most unique creations.

My condolences to Dave's family,Sequential, fans and all who loved his work. A legend has left us, and there are no words. Thank you Dave for everything you've done for music, the synth world and beyond -- you will be forever missed, and your legacy will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Photo credits: Sequential Circuits and respective authors."

ALESIS ANDROMEDA A6 - Synth Review, Sounds & Demo | Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer

video upload by synth4ever

"Alesis Andromeda A6 synth review, sounds and demo. The Alesis Andromeda is a powerful 16-voice and 16-part multi-timbral polyphonic analog synthesizer released in 2000. In this Alesis Andromeda A6 synth review, I go over Alesis Andromeda features , showcase sounds & patches, and conclude with my final thoughts.

TIMECODES
===========
00:00 - Intro
01:06 - Overview
18:38 - Sounds & Patches
34:34 - Pros
38:26 - Cons
41:16 - Final Thoughts
44:15 - Outro"

KAWAI SX-210 - Analog Synth Demo | Chord Memory & Envelope Looping

video upload by synth4ever

"Kawai SX-210 analog synthesizer demo and jam, featuring Kawai SX-210 chord memory and envelope looping features. This analog synth music track showcases the Kawai SX-210's chord memory voice stacking and envelope looping to create rhythmic patterns, while the Kawai SX-210 ensemble FX gives lovely stereo width and flanger effects.

The Kawai SX-210 is a single DCO analog polysynth from the early 1980s with SSM filters and a number of other interesting features. Be sure to check out my review of this synth here: [posted here]

Hope you enjoy this synth jam and demo of a Kawai SX-210 single patch in chord memory mode."

YAMAHA DX5 - Ambient Pads & Ethereal Soundscape | Synth Demo

video upload by synth4ever

"Yamaha DX5 synthesizer ambient pads and ethereal soundscape, using Eventide Timefactor delay and Space reverb effects pedals. This Yamaha DX5 ambient music features portamento, vibrato and both short and long attack envelopes.

The Yamaha DX5 is a 76-key vintage FM synthesizer and when paired with effects can create some nice soundscapes. Hope you enjoy the music and Yamaha DX5 synth demo."

TAPE LEADERS - Book Review & Flipthrough | Early British Music Composers & EMS Synthesizers

video upload by synth4ever

"Tape Leaders book review & flipthrough. Tape Leaders is a richly illustrated A-Z compendium featuring over 100 composers active with tape and electronics in the analogue era.

Containing information never previously uncovered, Tape Leaders shines a fresh light on many sound experimenters unacknowledged in the history of British electronic music. It also covers EMS synthesizers such as the VSC3, Synthi and others as well as BBC Radiophonic studio.

Get your copy of Tape Leaders here: https://velocitypress.uk/product/tape...

----

Tape Leaders: A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers is an indispensable reference guide for anyone interested in electronic sound and its origins in the UK. The book compiles information on practically everyone active with experimental electronics and tape recording across the country to reveal the untold stories and hidden history of early British electronic music.

With an individual entry for each composer, it covers everyone from famous names like William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek to the ultra-obscure such as Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter.

There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and amateurs, groups and ensembles that experimented with electronics, including The Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.

Author Ian Helliwell draws on his experience and extensive research into electronic music. After six years and dozens of interviews, he has amassed information never before brought to light on this fascinating subject.

With a specially compiled 15 track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works (exclusively available to the Velocity Press shop), this is an essential book for anyone interested in electronic music history during the 1950s and 60s.

This hardback book is 22.7cm x 17.7cm, and the 224 pages are printed and bound on heavyweight 130gsm paper. You can grab a copy at

----------

TIMECODES

00:00 - Intro & Overview

00:50 - Electronic Music Composers A-Z
12:07 - Experimental Amateurs
13:20 - Electronic Music Groups
15:31 - EMS (Electronic Music Studios)
16:32 - BBC Radiophonic Workshop
17:25 - Tape Leaders CD Liner Notes
17:41 - Info, Credits & Index

19:02 - Conclusion & Final Thoughts"

ARTURIA POLYBRUTE - Ambient Chillout Jam | Synth Demo

video upload by synth4ever

"Arturia Polybrute ambient chillout jam, music & synth demo using a custom patch. This Arturia Polybrute ambient chillout jam uses sequencer, effects, envelopes, filters and various oscillator adjustments to create a relaxing ambient chillout soundscape. Performed live and constructed from a few sessions. Minor layering of 2-3 parts in small segments towards end of piece.

The Arturia Polybrute is an exceptionally deep and versatile analog polysynth that can go from harsh to smooth and glassy with ease. In this ambient chillout jam and Arturia Polybrute synth demo I tried to showcase some of these sounds using a repeating sequencer melody. The Arturia Polybrute can do great ambient soundscapes and minor parameter adjustments can make big changes in sound and timbre. Hope you enjoy this Arturia Polybrute jam, music and demo."

ARTURIA POLYBRUTE - Review, Sounds and Demo | Polyphonic Morphing Analog Synthesizer

video upload by synth4ever

"In-depth Arturia PolyBrute synth review & demo - featuring sounds, patches and tutorial of this flagship 6-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer. The Arturia PolyBrute is a modern analog synth with impressive sound morphing, modulation, sequencing and expression capabilities. In this review I explore the features, sound design and performance possibilities of the PolyBrute from Arturia."

Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator - Synth Review & Demo | Analog String Synthesizer

video upload by synth4ever

"Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator vintage analog string synthesizer review & demo. In this video I cover the features of the Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator string synth, play some sounds, and conclude with my final thoughts.

Timecodes
------------------
00:00 - Intro
01:01 - Overview
02:56 - Left-hand instruments - Bass, Brass, Piano, Clavichord, Cello, Violin
06:17 - Right-hand instruments - Brass, Piano, Clavichord, Cello, Violin
07:51 - Vibrato
08:37 - Sustain
09:00 - All instruments together
09:54 - String timbre (bright to dark)
11:05 - All instruments together again
12:03 - Pitch control
12:48 - Final thoughts / conclusion

Released in 1977, the Crumar Multiman-S (also known as the Crumar Orchestrator) is a 49-key vintage string synthesizer, with 6 sounds and volume control for each instrument on the front panel. It is split in the middle and allows you to play different sounds with the left hand vs the right hand.

The 6 instruments on the Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator are bass, brass, piano, clavichord, cello and violin. You can enable or disable each of the sounds and adjust the volume levels independently to suit your needs as you play.

The brass section features a dedicated filter and envelope with attack and decay, and the filter has cutoff and resonance controls. It can also self oscillate for some quirky sounds. In the middle of the Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator is a slider for strings timbre which can be adjusted from dark to bright. In addition, there is onboard vibrato with speed and depth, and sustain control for the entire synth to enable big chords and pads.

The Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator is physically large and built into its own tolex case, which is quite rugged and heavy. There are also a few pedals available for this string synth including 13-note (G-G) Foot Pedal Board, Sustain Pedal, and a Foot Expression Pedal controller for the filter cutoff. In addition, there are audio outputs for piano/bass and brass, plus mix out.

Overall the Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator is an interesting and nice sounding vintage string synth from a renowned Italian synthesizer company at the time. The independent mixer control for each of the instruments allows you to craft your sound as you play, or have completely different sounds on one side of the keyboard vs the other. The self resonant brass filter also gives it a unique flavor.

The Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator can be found on the second hand market for decent prices still, and it is great for big symphonic patches, pads, strings and funky brass. If you are in the market for a vintage string synthesizer, keep your eyes out for the Crumar Multiman-S / Orchestrator as it has its own charm."

KORG TRIDENT + STRYMON BIG SKY - Ambient Space Music | Synth Demo

video upload by synth4ever

"Korg Trident + Strymon Big Sky ambient space music synth demo. Playing a relaxing ambient music soundscape on vintage Trident analog synth from Korg + the Strymon Big Sky.

This ambient / new age synthesizer music features massive pads created using the Korg Trident synthesizer and Strymon Big Sky effects pedal."

YAMAHA CS-50 - Analog Synthesizer Review, Sounds & Demo

video upload by synth4ever

"Yamaha CS-50 analog synthesizer review, sounds and demo. In this Yamaha CS50 review & demo I provide an overview of this legendary analog synthesizer, go through each of its sounds & features, and conclude with final thoughts and a synth jam.

All sounds direct from Yamaha CS-50 with no additional processing. MXR analog stereo chorus used for stereo width.

Timecodes
------------------
00:00 - Intro
00:58 - Overview
04:55 - VCO / PWM
07:44 - Filter
09:37 - VCA
10:38 - Ring Mod
12:35 - LFO
17:59 - Sustain / Portamento
19:08 - Noise Generator
22:37 - Final Thoughts
31:46 - Outro Jam

Released in 1977, the Yamaha CS-50 is the little 4-voice brother of the 8-voice Yamaha CS-60 and Yamaha CS-80. Even with half the voices, the Yamaha CS-50 still sounds fantastic as it comes from the same analog lineage as its legendary synth big brothers.

The Yamaha CS-50 features 13 presets, a single oscillator (square, PW/PWM and sawtooth waveforms), high-pass and lowpass filters (each with resonance, for BP shaping), sine wave, VCA and envelopes, ring modulation, white noise generator, LFO with multiple waveshapes, sustain & portamento, and aftertouch across the 49-key keyboard.

The Yamaha CS-50 is great for leads but can also do great drones, pads and textures. It is a pleasure to play and is very organic thanks to the 4 independent voice cards. Both the LFO and PWM go into audio rate which provide additional sub-osc sounds, and the LFO section provides independent modulation of VCO, VCF and VCA at varying levels. The famous ring modulator sound is also on-board, and can act as a 2nd LFO for tremolo, polyrhythms or additional texture.

The Yamaha CS-50 filters are not self oscillating, but if you push the HPF/LPF resonance + the overall synth resonance & brilliance controls to max, you can get some amazing distortion, grit and overdriven sounds. Gain staging is important with the Yamaha CS-50/60/80 and allows for subtle and extreme changes in sound.

The Yamaha CS-50 build quality is incredible -- it is heavy (70-100 lbs), the faceplate is made of metal, and it comes build-in to its own wooden tolex case w/ lid and legs. It is a performance synthesizer and designed for tweaking on the fly with its many levers and sliders. As part of the Yamaha CS-60/80 family, the Yamaha CS-50 shares the same unique sound qualities and tonal characteristics of its bigger brothers.

If you can get your hands on a Yamaha CS-50, do not hesitate. They are becoming more rare on the 2nd hand market and prices are steadily rising. It is a triumph of Yamaha's synthesizer engineering at the time, and is capable of many different analog sounds. It is a beautiful organic instrument, and full of emotion.

Thanks for watching this Yamaha CS-50 review and demo, and hope you enjoy the walkthrough and sounds along the way."

KORG LAMBDA - Synthesizer Review, Sounds & Demo | Analog string synth

video upload by synth4ever

"Korg Lambda ES50 - Analog string synthesizer review, sounds and demo. This synth demo and review of the Korg Lambda ES50 provides an overview of the synth, functions, presets, effects and more. The Korg Lambda is a great vintage string synthesizer with lush sound and layering capabilities.

Timecodes:
-------------------
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Overview
02:49 - Percussive
06:06 - Ensemble
10:27 - Layering
11:46 - Detuning
12:59 - Joystick
14:07 - Effects
14:58 - Final Thoughts
17:22 - Conclusion

Released in 1979, the Korg Lambda is a fully polyphonic 48-key preset string synthesizer. There are two main sound generator sections on the Korg Lambda which provde 9 distinct presets: Percussive (Electric Piano, Clavi, Piano, Harmonics) and Ensemble (Brass, Organ, Choir, Strings I and II).

Each section has its own dedicated lowpass filter and decay envelope; in addition the Percussive section has adjustable tremolo and key click settings for the electric piano, while Ensemble has variable attack envelope, vibrato and a dedicated paraphonic filter for the brass sound.

The Korg Lambda uses divide-down technology via 3 top octave oscillators, and both the Percussive and Ensemble sections have their own independent volume controls to adjust as you play. The Korg Lambda also allows you to detune between both the Percussive and Ensemble sections for extreme chorus and phasing effects. In addition there is built-in ensemble and chorus effects which can be enabled or disabled via dedicated buttons. A joystick controls chorus rate/phase and pitch bend.

The Korg Lambda also features various connections on the back and outputs true full stereo which allows for some beautiful lush strings and pad sounds. The Korg Lambda is large and has nice wood casing, and sounds great. It allows you to quickly and easily stack presets to build large patches, and tweak the filters and volume levels as you play for an organic performance.

The Korg Lambda is somewhat rare on the second hand market and some consider it one of the finer string synthesizers considering its features, stereo output and filtering/detune/effects parameters. It excels at layering sounds and despite a limited number of presets, sounds lovely when all sounds are used on their own or together. Keep your eyes out for the Korg Lambda, as they are hard to find."

YAMAHA CS-40M - Dark ambient drone music | Synth demo

video by synth4ever

"Yamaha CS-40M analog synthesizer demo - Playing a dark ambient drone music soundscape on Yamaha CS-40M synth + MXR stereo chorus and Ventris dual reverb. This Yamaha CS-40M dark ambient music features a repeating LFO, portamento, filter and noise modulations."

KORG TRIDENT - Sounds, Patches & Presets | Analog Synthesizer Demo

video by synth4ever

"Korg Trident (MK2) synthesizer sounds and patches demo. This Korg Trident synth demo features a variety of custom sounds, presets and patches including pads, plucks, bass, strings, brass, percussion and more.

The Korg Trident is a versatile analog 3-part synthesizer that excels at layered sounds. The combination of synthesizer, brass and strings sections + flanger allows for some unique tones and timbres when all sections are used together.

In this demo I created a number of custom patches as well as presets from the Korg Trident MK2 manual. Despite having somewhat limited functionality, the synthesizer section has some decent sound design capabilities. While the Korg Trident excels at lush pads, it can also do more traditional sounds as well as unique resonant tones.

Hope you enjoy this Korg Trident MK2 sounds and patches demo."

AKAI AX60 Synthesizer - Ambient Soundscape w/ Eventide Timefactor | Analog Synth Demo

video by synth4ever

"Akai AX60 analog synthesizer demo, featuring ambient pads and soundscape created with Eventide Timefactor delay pedal. In this Akai AX60 synth demo I use bi-timbral mode and the Eventide Timefactor to create nice spacious delays while performing over a slow arpeggiator.

This ambient synth music track is titled "Levitate" and reminds me of floating through the clouds, hence the video footage throughout. The Akai AX60 is a versatile analog synth and can create some lush ambient soundscapes. It is very easy to tweak across both layers in bi-timbral mode, and this opens up new sound design possibilities.

Hope you enjoy the music and demo."

KORG TRIDENT - Synth Review, Sounds & Demo | Vintage Analog Synthesizer

video by synth4ever

"Korg Trident synthesizer review, sounds and demo. The Korg Trident is a classic vintage 8-voice analog polysynth featuring 3 unique instruments (synth, brass, strings) and flanger in one unit. In this review I go over Korg Trident'features, play some sounds, and conclude with my final thoughts.

All audio in this demo is direct from Korg Trident into MXR Stereo Chorus (for stereo), with no additional processing.

Time codes:
-------------------
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Overview
01:45 - Synthesizer
06:31 - Brass
08:58 - Strings
13:28 - All 3 Sections
14:43 - Flanger
18:02 - Vibrato
20:17 - Key Split
21:48 - Connectivity
22:18 - MIDI + Arpeggiator
25:00 - Pros & Cons
28:42 - Final Thoughts"

YAMAHA DX5 Synthesizer - Ambient Soundscape w/ Eventide Timefactor & Space

video by synth4ever

"Yamaha DX5 digital FM synthesizer - An ambient improvisation on the DX5 synth using Eventide Timefactor delay and Space reverb effects pedals. This music is titled Lothlórien and reminds me of Lord of the Rings, Middle Earth, the Elves, and Celtic influences.

In this ambient music piece I used a Yamaha DX5 synth harp patch that had built-in delay, and then enhanced it further with Eventide Timefactor and Space effects to create a soundscape revolving around a repeating motif and buildups.

The Yamaha DX5 is a 76-key vintage FM synthesizer and when paired with effects can create some nice soundscapes. Hope you enjoy the music and Yamaha DX5 synth demo.

All images copyright their respective authors."

UDO SUPER 6 -- 64 Custom Patches, Sounds & Soundset | Synthesizer Demo

video by synth4ever

"SUPERSONIC - 64 custom patches, sounds & sound bank for the UDO Super 6 by synth4ever.
► Get these patches here: https://www.synth4ever.com/patches​

Unleash your UDO Super 6 with SUPERSONIC, a versatile custom soundset comprised of lush soundscapes, ambient/chillout, electronica and IDM-influenced sounds. These 64 patches cover a wide range of sonic territory including pads, leads, strings, sequences, arps, keys, textures, bass and FX.

The Super 6 is a beautiful sounding, versatile and powerful digital/analog hybrid synth, and I tried to push it in new directions when creating many of these patches using firmware v0.26. In addition to traditional "bread and butter" sounds, this UDO Super 6 soundset also includes some experimental motion loops, generative soundscapes and texture-based approaches to sound design.

These 64 custom patches will install to user banks A-H on your UDO SUPER 6, and nearly all contain tasteful aftertouch and pitch bend (positive and negative) modulation assignments. This gives you additional expression and timbre possibilities within the patch itself - so be sure to experiment with these controllers!

Overall, I'm proud of the SUPERSONIC soundset and believe it covers a lot of interesting sonic territory for musicians and listeners alike. Thanks for your interest in and support of my work; I hope you enjoy exploring and performing with these patches on your UDO Super 6 as much as I do on mine, should you wish to acquire them.

Timecodes:
-------------------
00:00​ - Majestic Brass
00:42​ - Clocktower
01:31​ - Harmonious
02:15​ - Tek Bass
02:54​ - Dissipate
03:43​ - The Past

CLICK FOR MORE »

UDO SUPER 6 Synthesizer - Review, Sounds & Demo | Binaural Hybrid Synth

video by synth4ever

"UDO Super 6 synthesizer review, sounds & demo. The UDO Super 6 is a unique 12-voice digital & analog hybrid polysynth with a true stereo binaural signal path. In this review I go over UDO Super 6 features, play some sounds, and conclude with pros/cons.

Timecodes:
-------------------
00:00​ - Intro
01:01​ - Overview
02:02​ - Features
24:05​ - A Few Sounds
25:31​ - Features
30:25​ - Pros & Cons
35:40​ - Final Thoughts
37:56​ - More Sounds"

FORMANTA POLIVOKS - A Very Soviet Synthesizer | Review, Sounds & Demo

synth4ever

"Formanta Polivoks (ПОЛИВОКС) synthesizer review, sounds & demo. The Formanta Polivoks is a Soviet duophonic analog synth manufactured in the USSR from 1982-1990. It is the most popular and well-known of the Russian synths. In this video I provide some history of the Polivoks, an overview of the synth, and showcase a variety of Polivoks sounds and patches.

Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
01:29 - Overview & Review
12:31 - Conclusion
13:42 - Sounds & Patches Demo"