MATRIXSYNTH

New Kiwitechnics Kiwi-1000 Upgrade for the Oberheim Matrix-1000

Kiwitechnics, makers of the Kiwi upgrades for the Roland JX-3P, JX-8P, Juno-106, and KORG Polyix, have a new DIY upgrade available for the Oberheim Matrix-1000. The cost is $295 plus shipping.

Details via Kiwitechnics:

This is an upgrade for the Oberheim M1000 rack mount synth module. This will transform the M1000 from a difficult to edit preset module with a poor midi interface into a full featured synth with some excellent features. The M1000 synth hardware is based on the CEM3396 ‘synth on a chip’ and this gives the synth a versatile set of features including multiple combined and editable waveforms on each DCO as well as PWM and VCF FM controls but will still retain the Oberheim ‘sound’. The upgrade will also replace the on board DCO master clock. The M1000 clock is a single fixed master clock that both DCOs use and this limits the range possible to about 6 octaves. The K1000 upgrade will replace the single master clock with separate clocks sources and each of these will have a range of 64’-2’. This is pushing the CEM chip to it’s limits but we feel the results are worth the effort.

The Oberheim M1000 has been hamstrung with most of the patches that cannot be edited, poor midi and a difficult patch format making editing and sound creating a challenge. We are using the experience gained with our other upgrades to redesign the M1000 to be a fully fledged synth with all the usual Kiwi features. This is not a M1000 with the midi fixed it is a completely new synth. We are incorporating Oberheim tone imports but because the tone layouts are so different the conversion is not going to produce exact matches. We are also putting in imports for the K106 & K8P products and well as Roland JX8P and JX-10/MKS-70 (Tones only) which will provide a big tone library from the web to use as a starting point.

The upgrade comes with a front panel label that will fit over the existing buttons and LEDs.

The Kiwi-1000 Upgrade features:

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Elastic Drums Update 2.2 with microphone recording improvements

Published on Aug 12, 2018 Oliver Greschke

"With update 2.2 microphone recording should be more intuitive now, giving you a much better visual feedback of the recording procedure. Be it with the built in microphone or an external microphone or line in. And you can also trigger the recording procedure with external Midi controllers."

NuEVI wireless playing SE-02 - new Gate Hold feature - Mark Steiner

Published on Aug 12, 2018 Mark Steiner

"Playing the SE-02 wirelessly and testing out new beta of Gate Hold mode on the NuEVI using standard resolution midi. It's the smoothest I have ever felt playing an analog unit via standard midi with breath control (with no analog slew on the end). So exploring ways to bring these types of tones in a more fluid way to others. This also smoothens any synth voice that doesn't need the attack tracked for effects or attack sound (like the bow attack of a violin).

You can do this on other wind synths manually by setting zero as though you are very slightly blowing when you really are not. This has been confirmed on the standard Steiner Midi EVI by Don Cagen with an Oberheim Xpander.

But you could also with EWI's that allow zero threshold changes (or those that don't if you ask secret agent, Ingo how).

As this doesn't work for all instruments, it's likely more for studio than live, which is why Johan has placed this feature easily switchable in the NuEVI. This approach was Johan's idea in the first place and it's truly amazing.

Also this video shows how to get smoother LFO by using XMod on the SE-02.

For NuEVI info and wait list: TheNuEVI@gmail.com

Once the update for the NuEVI is released, to turn on Gate Hold, hold the EVI like a doorknob, specifically touching the bottom 3 octave rollers and the canister button, and then tapping the pitch bend up sensor. To turn off... same except tap the pitch bend down sensor.

Some synths can do this, but it's absolutely smoother setting it up on the controller side instead of the synth or sound source side. At least to a large extent due to the fact that the controller will always send note changes via midi instantly, whether you are blowing yet or not."

Prophet-6 vs OB-6: The Differences

Published on Aug 12, 2018

"Just a quick and very unscientific look at some of the distinctions between two very comparable synthesizers. The Prophet-6 and the OB-6 may be remarkably similar, but there is still a lot that differentiates the two and your friend MR TUNA is here to stumble through them a bit on your behalf, so check ittttt"

Novation Circuit x Bastl Softpop - IX

Published on Aug 12, 2018 John Chesters

"Live performance on the Novation Circuit and Bastl Softpop.

Recorded directly into phone camera app via Roland Go Mixer. No external processing or jiggery pokery.

Headphones recommend, enjoy! 🎧"

Percussa Super Signal Processor Update - MTQ Bugfixes + Encoder Tuning + Sample Xfading + New sample drawing/Zooming code

Some updates via the Percussa Kickstarter:

"Update 12082018 [MTQ Bugfixes + Encoder Tuning + Sample Xfading + New sample drawing/Zooming code]

Hi everyone,

It’s time for another update to the SSP software! This one is a big update, here is a summary of all the new cool stuff we added -

new drawing and visualisation code for scopes and sample displays
zoom features in the sampler / multichannel recorder menus
crossfading in the sampler with adjustable length
lots of bugfixes in the MTQ (microtonal quantizer with SCALA support)
fine tuning of encoder data reading/acceleration
fine tuning of parameter steps and ranges
bugfixes relating to signal visualisations
new features in the network editor such as network erase function
faster file loading workflow in the multichannel recorder/editor
regrouping of granular processor parameter for faster workflow
More details in the update here in our forum!

Check out the video where you can see the MTQ (microtonal quantizer with SCALA support) in action. The MTQ can load any of the SCALA scales available for free download from the SCALA website (over 4,000 available). It can quantize ANY signal in the SSP's patching matrix.

For those who don't have an SSP yet, did you know you can order one on the Percussa Website? Just visit http://www.percussa.com/pricing to place your order.

We hope you enjoyed this update!

B&C"

Pictured in order:

Better waveform drawing
Crossfade features in Sampler
Zoom features for all Sample related modules"

Playing the Q171 Quantizer (Dotcom Modular Jam)

Published on Aug 12, 2018 Autotross

"I feel like my quantizer always gets stuck with the boring job of making tuning easier, so today I wanted to give it the spotlight.

I've got 3 oscillators each receiving pitch CV from the 3 rows of the Q960 sequencer - chosen more or less at random and tweaked to sound good. Then I'm using the mode switches of the quantizer to change between major, minor, augmented and diminished scales as well as between triad chords and root/fifths.

Ended up with a nice little progression!"

Nord Lead 3 and Strymon DIG & DECO - Digital Sync Pad BLISS

Published on Aug 12, 2018 Cro w

"The Nord Lead 3 is one of the rare synths that I loved, sold and had to buy it again. It is the most enjoyable synth to work on EVER. The interface and the modulation assignment is the pinnacle of design.
Here I am showcasing the beauty of the sync sounds that flow out of the NL3. All the patches in this demo are single patches NOT performances. SO with the ability to layer FOUR sounds - you can imagine... or not... but thats another video.

Strymon.... those magical engineers. I don't know how the hell they do it, but no one touches Strymon in my opinion. They KILL eventide. Sorry. The sound even in MONO (like this recording) is three dimensional, fluid and perfect. They are wizards, and I am enchanted.
The DECO is crucial to ANY and EVERY piece of digital gear. Once you try it, you will never play a digital synth without one again. It's why I own THREE of them. And the DIG is a spatial-mult- tap-delay-wonder machine!"

SynthiMuse MIDI Composer / Re-Composer / Sequencer / Looper / Sound To MIDI SN 00021

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

via this auction

"The SynthiMuse is a random music composer/re-composer that creates MIDI notes.
It can do a number of different things:

1.It can create endless random sequences of MIDI notes derived from the genuine random internal noise generator that is the same electronics as that used in the analog synthesizers of the 1970’s

The notes created are truly random but you can tell it which scale to play in..

2.It can ‘re-compose’ notes passed to it from the MIDI input.You can play any note melody in to it and, using the controls it will create new melodies.
3.It can trigger off audio picked up from the internal microphone or an external audio source.

You can sing or speak in to the SynthiMuse and it will create MIDI notes influenced by the audio.

The SynthiMuse is sensitive to the pitch of the audio so singing/playing high and low notes can influence the pitch of the MIDI notes created.
4.It’s an arpeggiator that can create simple or complex arpeggios on the MIDI notes played in to it.

5.It's a loop machine that memorises the last 64 notes created and can save them in to 4 loop memories.The loop memories are 64 notes deep and each loop can play a section of this memory from 1 to 32 notes long.The memories are non-volatile meaning you won't ever lose them when you switch off the SynthiMuse.

6.It can create ‘Variations’ on the stored loops. Using buttons on the panel, you can use the SynthiMuse’s parameters to create variations of the lengths or pitches of all the notes in a loop."

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