Listen to Amon Tobin’s Sound Design Magnum Opus ISAM; Commentary, Behind-the-Scenes Details by Peter Kirn

The artist at sound check. Beware the Fog of Doom that’s enveloping the stage! Photo (CC-BY) MDL.hu.

With a full length record, we also get a glimpse into sound design and live touch control, along with a cross-media event involving photography and sculpture. It’s the latest Amon Tobin, and for lovers of digital sonic manipulation, it’s big news.
Amon Tobin’s ISAM arrived this week, and it’s an epic opus of ambience and digitally-sculpted sound candy. It’s digitally-distorted without being glitch, off on cinematic reveries through noise before breaking into the odd deep-bass break. It’s also a virtuoso solo album on digital control via the Haken Continuum Fingerboard. Like that instrument, it seems free in its exploration of sound space, totally untethered from gravity.
A lot of it is pure synthesis, says the artist, though there are plenty of recorded vocals, too. (I assume when Tobin says there are “no samples,” he means “…of other people’s sounds,” as there’s definitely a lot of recording, unless he’s been holding off on us and he actually is a robot, thus making a direct digital connection to his computer.) I could imagine some finding the endless digital stretching effects and morphs and punctuation fatiguing, but tracks don’t overstay their welcome; each is a miniature sonic tableaux, and delicate moments balance the bass-ier staccato scenes.
You can have a listen without any particular narration, but Amon makes use of the commenting feature on SoundCloud to provide little annotations about what he’s doing and what you’re hearing. The full album is available on SoundCloud and sounds reasonably listenable as a 128k MP3 stream – certainly good enough to determine whether you love or hate this, and whether you want to buy a proper, high-quality download.

'ISAM' - Full album with track-by-track commentary from Amon Tobin by Amon Tobin

'ISAM' - Full album with track-by-track commentary from Amon Tobin by Amon Tobin

Via Topspin, there’s also a download of one track available. (See our notes on Topspin earlier this week.)

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Camel Audio Alchemy Gets Major Update and Alchemy Player Goes Free

 

Nearly a year in the making, Camel Audio has released Version 1.20.1 of its flagship Alchemy synth. This is a major update adding 64-bit support, RTAS support, vastly expanded sample format, among a ton of other fixes and features. (Check out the complete list below...) Existing users can log in to their accounts on the Camel Audio web page to download the free update.

And in other news, Alchemy Player, the playback-only/limited waveform version of Alchemy, has been made absolutely free. This will definitely give the curious a great way to get a feel for the sound of the synth before buying it.

Now for those new features:

New formats - 64-bit and RTAS
64-bit support for Mac and Windows - access unlimited memory
RTAS Support for Pro Tools on Mac and Windows

SFZ Sample Playback Support
SFZ support - high quality loading of 3rd party and converted SFZs
Key switching for fast access to articulations
Round robin support for added realism
Unlimited zones for velocity, round robin, key switches...
Intelligent sample memory handling halves the sample memory required
Multiple audio file import when holding down 'Shift' with automatic mapping to keys
Easy SFZ loading via File -> Load

Improved GUI and New Skin
New 'Nightshade' skin by BitPlant
Switch skins from the file menu
Volume level meters for master filters and sources
Zoom size remembered for all editors
MSEG curves reset by double-click

Other New Features
Additional mod source for polyphonic aftertouch
Improved auto-assign for performance controls
24 new acoustic reverb presets
Randomise snapshots option
Support for shortcuts or aliases to folders
Improved MIDI program change implementation
Easier, faster, more reliable sound library installation
Supports new '.CamelSounds' file type for easier installation
Improved stability and GUI handling in all hosts
Improved Cameleon preset import
Increased MSEG editor maximum zoom
MSEG stretch mode now allow horizontal dragging
Demo period increased to 4 weeks
Effects rack now supports mouse wheel
Reduced mouse sensitivity when editing breakpoints
Allow use of different spectral palettes
Save consolidated no longer copies factory samples
User details only displayed once per instance
Faster updating of re-mix pad and other controls
Additive editor phase value reset on left click
Copy to all snapshots now works for snapshot volume
All submenus now display a check mark
Comment lines now supported in SFZ files

Tutorial Videos:
New 'Importing Audio' and 'Granular' tutorial videos - over 100 mins of tutorials
Videos now embedded in relevant page of manual

User Library Additions:
Now over 500 presets in User Library
WAV to oscillator and LFO waveform utilities available in user library

Free Sample Friday: Microtonic Meets Decimort From Waveformless

Today's Free Sample Friday consists of synthesized drum sounds created in Sonic Charge's Microtonic and then processed (all at the same setting) with D16 Group's Decimort to dirty them up a bit. 11 24-bit WAV samples weighing in around 650k.

GO GET THEM!

The Roland HS60

Uploaded by zombieAndy1979 on Mar 12, 2011

SMALL UPDATE : I've bought it, I couldnt resist, I've also sold the Blofeld to pay for it.

A new toy that has been kindly loaned to me by a mate of mine !

Roland Juno 106 (HS60) Analogue Bass demo

Just a Demo of the HS60 (Juno 106) using it for the main bass (as you can tell) analogue makes all the difference ! I've brought up the sub-oscillator so you can hear the warmth and punchyness of the VCF and VCA kicking in !!, excuse the dodgy 80s dance tune

8 BIT Commodore 64 Music 1984

Uploaded by techristian on Feb 28, 2011

 

Retro footage of Dan Laskowski demonstrating his 1984 Lead Synthesizer software for the Commodore 64

8 BIT Commodore 64 Music 1984

Mattel 8 BIT Commodore 64 Lead Synthesizer Part 1

Uploaded by techristian on Jan 29, 2011

 

Dan Laskowski demonstrates his 1984 lead synth software/ hardware for the C64 and Mattel Intellivision Piano Keyboard 27 years later ! It is called Fastfingers.

Mattel 8 BIT Commodore 64 Lead Synthesizer Part 2  

Uploaded by techristian on Feb 3, 2011

 

Dan Laskowski demonstrates his 1984 lead synth software.

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-005

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-005 from KUF Records on Vimeo.

"A live improvisation jam by The Mush Orchestra. Recorded at Copenhagen Noise Lab on the 28th of April 2011. No processing, just straight out of the mixer.

Equipment used:
Nord Modular G2, DIY midi-controller, Elektron Machinedrum UW, Korg Kaoss Pad 3 and a Mackie 1202 vlz3 mixer.

Every sound is made with the Nord Modular G2, the Machinedrum UW is only playing samples of the G2.

The Mush Orchestra is a project by Rasmus Nyåker who is also one half of the ambient duo FEJLD. Their album is availible as a free download - more info at:
kufrec.com/​webshop.html"

Remixing Times Square, with Mobile Field Recordings by Peter Kirn

The armies of the earbuds are everywhere, as people – since the dawning of the Walkman – tune out their surroundings. What if, instead, your surroundings became soundtracks? That’s the question posed by a mobile app research project, partnering between New York’s Times Square and a creative team at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
UrbanRemix invites users to capture geo-tagged sounds with a free iOS and Android app, then to string them together into sound compositions on the Web (as seen above):
Download the app
http://urbanremix.gatech.edu/
Map + remix interface
There’s a great write-up in the local press here in New York:
Times Square Noise Gets Turned Into Music [DNAinfo.com]
You may have seen this project before – it’s been in trials for some months – but a contest to produce music with the tools is coming to its conclusion.
It’s doubly amusing as I expect New Yorkers are largely the ones focused on trying to tune out these very sounds. (Noise complaints are the most common calls to New York’s 311 city help line, by a large margin, and hopefully not just during CDM-sponsored Handmade Music events.)
It suggests some of the creative and practical use of geo-tagged, mobile field recordings. But I’m struck in particular by seeing paths drawn through the city map as a kind of interactive score – see my rant on the topic of notation’s future, or better yet, play with this interface as it makes the point better than I can in words.


Urban Remix from Matt Gilbert on Vimeo.

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Tricil Measures Topspin: One Solo Artist on Making it Online, Comparing Bandcamp by John Jacobus

We hear plenty of hype about the Web’s power for artists, but what happens in the real world? That question is doubly interesting now that Topspin, already influential in its early test run, is available to everyone. Atlanta-based artist Tricil joins us for a special guest post to answer just that. It’s a chance to peer in the head of a Topspin power user. (If anyone wants to rebut this with the Bandcamp perspective, go for it.)
I was curious, having followed this solo electronica performer, how his use of Web promotion and commerce tool Topspin was working for him. I was particularly interested in how it compared to another Web tool, Bandcamp, which has a different scope but has also seemed ubiquitous in its use among independent artists. Amidst the galaxy of tools vying for musicians’ attention, these two do appear to be front-runners.
Tricil, aka Johnny Jacobus, answers all this for us. His answers are glowing; he even worried that this might seem a little too Topspin “fanboyish” to post. But no worries here: if people are loving a tool, I want to hear about it. Johnny, take it away. (And readers, have a listen to his music, too – another reason to involve him in this question!)

To compare Topspin to Bandcamp seems a little unfair to me, for the former has a multitude of tools that go beyond streaming and commerce. Both are used by musicians like you and I to “get our stuff out there.” Tim O’Reilly said that “Piracy is not the enemy [of the artist], obscurity is” and I think that’s true. Ed.: Actually, it seems that Seth Godin said that, and Tim O’Reilly didn’t. But Tricil just said it, and someone else might, too. -PK
Be it Topspin, Bandcamp, or even SoundCloud, there are a plethora of ways to get your music out to your fans ears in much more intelligent ways than having a myspace with some tracks or hosting downloads on your own site.


The Emancipation from TRICIL on Vimeo.

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Doepfer A-100 Improvisation #2

Uploaded by Dovinia on Apr 26, 2011

 

Another little analog 4 track recording with my current A-100 system. I'm using the A-160/161 for some basic sequences. Also in the mix: EHX analog delay, DOD FX45 analog reverb and EHX Small Stone. For those who care for such details.

Doepfer A-100 Improvisation

Uploaded by Dovinia on Mar 25, 2011

 

Here's a little analog 4-track recording of my current A-100 setup built over a simple A-160/161 sequence

Custom Effect Rack for Ableton Live

Uploaded by yeudaba on Apr 26, 2011

 

8 Smart Filters each one with it's own tone and color. Great for live shows especially with the filters mixed together.

Get It here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9418271/Baduda%27s%20Filters.zip
Note that you need to have Ableton Suite this will not work on regular live

On the iPad I'm using TouchOSC with Live control

TouchOSC - http://hexler.net/software/touchosc
LIveControl - http://liine.net/livecontrol/

Free Weekly Ableton Live Rack #5: "Space China Synth"

Uploaded by AfroDjMac on Apr 26, 2011

 

Ableton Live instrument rack created by hitting dinner china with a wooden spoon. This instrument sounds a lot like wind chimes or steel drums. Layered underneath is another synth created from Operator. Together they have both an ambient, spacey sound, as well as a clear and distinct melodic side.

Every week I post a new Ableton Live Rack, please check http://www.afrodjmac.com for synths from the last few weeks and for next weeks.

Download the Ableton Rack: http://bitly.com/ifL7ci

Social Network me:
http://www.facebook.com/afrodjmac
http://www.twitter.com/afrodjmac
http://www.youtube.com/afrodjmac

Taurus 3 :: A Step Outside

Uploaded by experimentalsynth on Apr 25, 2011

 

You've learned all the RUSH cover songs. What else can you do with a Moog Taurus 3?

The Moog Taurus 3 springs from a very iconic lineage. Because of that rich history, it's easy to type-cast it and not fully explore the full sonic potential it presents. The inclusion of volume, pitch, filter and gate control voltage inputs, coupled with a MIDI-syncable arpeggiator can take it far outside its usual low-end drone duties. This video just scratches the surface of what is possible. Its purpose is to encourage you to "step outside".

The first example shows the Taurus 3 filter being modulated by a Make Noise René: a very fun analog step sequencer with some interesting Cartesian (X & Y clock) capabilities. The CV inputs on the Taurus 3 make it a great add-on for modular synthesis set-ups and there are an almost unlimited number of interesting things you can connect to them. The René is definitely at the exotic end of the spectrum but it is still extremely useful. It's great to have that extra level of control available at hand level too.

Due to personal preference, I tend to use things like the René to control filter cutoff instead of pitch. I enjoy the ability to play the notes while synchronized filter events occur. It gives a pleasing (at least to me) mix of tight-sequenced and loose-live feel.

The second example takes things even farther afield. I first discovered the Droid app Nanoloop in a recent CDM article. Its useful features and sleek user interface made it an instant favorite.

Here I used one of my favorite production tricks: processing the Droid audio through a Moog MF-101 (Moogerfooger) low pass filter. In addition to nicely warming up the Droid, it also created a control voltage (CV) proportional to the volume of the input audio. In other words, the CV mirrored the volume envelope of the beat Nanoloop created.

This is an incredibly powerful tool. When that CV controls something interesting... say that filter on a Taurus 3, some very interesting synchronizations occur, all completely in the analog realm. When the Droid outputs a loud kick, the CV output on the Moogerfooger goes high and the Taurus 3 filter opens wide. As soon as the kick sound is over, the CV goes low and the filter shuts. Mid-volume sounds open the filter midway. These are not discrete steps. The CV hugs the volume contour of the input audio and outputs a nicely wiggly, but tightly synchronized analog control signal.

This is conceptually very similar to side-chaining and the great thing about it is that the filter modulations created will follow any changes in the rhythm. Sudden shift in tempo coupled with a time signature change to 11/8... no problem! I haven't tested it but this should also work with a live drummer. Of course, there is no rule that says you have to connect the CV to a filter input. You could connect it to volume or if you're feeling really avant-garde, to pitch.

This technique works best with when the beat is not too busy and has some definite dynamic peaks and valleys. A bit of gain adjusting and tweaking of the base filter cutoff frequency on the target synth (the Taurus 3 in this case) are sometimes needed, but the unique results more than make up for this little bit of work. Higher resonance settings on the target synth will make the filter modulations more noticeable. If you have a synth with CV inputs but without MIDI, this is a great way to get it dancing to your beat.

The last example shows a somewhat basic MIDI-synced arpeggiator application. By using your foot to transpose the arpeggiation, you can create quite a sophisticated soundscape while your hands are free for other musical mayhem.

All of these applications are fairly basic. Imagine doing any of them while using the Taurus 3's USB connectivity to simultaneously control Ableton Live, or while it is part of a monster MIDI stack...

Lastly, remember to wear sensible shoes.

Thavius Beck, Ultranova & Launchpad

Uploaded by NovationTV on Apr 27, 2011

 

LA-based electronic musician Thavius Beck performs live with Novation Ultranova, Launchpad and Ableton Live, and talks us through how his set up lets him easily build up song ideas and experiment live, without ever pressing stop!

Filmed at Mush Records HQ in Hollywood, California.
www.mushrecords.com

Music performed live by Thavius Beck.

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-004

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-004 from KUF Records on Vimeo.

A live improvisation jam by The Mush Orchestra. Recorded at Copenhagen Noise Lab on the 27th of April 2011. No processing, just straight out of the mixer.

Equipment used:
Nord Modular G2, DIY midi-controller, Elektron Machinedrum UW, Korg Kaoss Pad 3 and a Mackie 1202 vlz3 mixer.

Every sound is made with the Nord Modular G2, the Machinedrum UW is only playing samples from it.

The Mush Orchestra is a project by Rasmus Nyåker who is also oone half of the ambient duo FEJLD. Their album is availible as a free download - more info at:
kufrec.com/​webshop.html

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-003

The Mush Orchestra - Live-Improvisation-Jam-003 from KUF Records on Vimeo.

A live improvisation jam by The Mush Orchestra. Recorded at Copenhagen Noise Lab on the 26th of April 2011. No processing, just straight out of the mixer.

Equipment used:
Nord Modular G2, DIY midi-controller, Elektron Machinedrum UW, Korg Kaoss Pad 3 and a Mackie 1202 vlz3 mixer.

Every sound is made with the Nord Modular G2, the Machinedrum UW is only playing samples from it.

The Mush Orchestra is a project by Rasmus Nyåker who is also oone half of the ambient duo FEJLD. Their album is availible as a free download - more info at:
kufrec.com/​webshop.html

Folktek Luminist Garden

Uploaded by benpumpkin on Jan 13, 2010

more info at folktek.blogspot.com

Free Windows Synth Inspired By Arp Solina String Ensemble

myVST Demo : eSline from myVST on Vimeo.

eSLine is a virtual string machine instrument, inspired by the Arp Solina String Ensemble.
It’s one of several retro-styled instruments for Windows available at Elektrostudio.
Features:

• Cello, bass, viola, violin, trumpet and horn.
• 16 patches.
• Fully automated knobs with MIDI learn possibility.
• Built in phaser, echo and chorus.

via myVST

Waldorf Intros 100-Band Lector Vocoder & Synthesizer

At Musikmesse 2011, Waldorf introduced the Lector Vocoder, a new software vocoder for Mac & Windows.
Here’s what Waldorf has to say about Lector:

When we set out to develop the Lector, we looked long and hard at what it takes to make a powerful vocoder tick. This why you will find on the ergonomic user interface some special features and unusual parameters that let you tweak even the most minute details. The fabled Waldorf multimode filter with slope of 12dB or 24dB features prominently. You also get a whitening filter that bleaches the signal before it is colored by the vocoder. This comes in very handy when you’re processing choir and voice samples. A three-band equalizer serves to boost and cut whatever frequencies of the generated signal you wish to target.

The integrated 16-voice synthesizer sports two oscillators with quintessential analog waveforms such as sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square with variable pulse width, sample & hold and noise, as well as freely loadable single and multi-samples. FM and ring modulation enrich the vocoder’s signal with further overtone spectra. The Lector also offers a selection of typical effects used to refine vocoder signals – tube overdrive, transistor distortion and hard clipping, six-voice chorus / flanger, synchronizable stereo delay, and realistic reverb.

Here’s a video demo of the Waldorf Lector:



Features:

• 3 to 100 band Vocoder
• Adjustable range of Analysis Filter Bank
• Adjustable offsets and LFO modulation of Synthesis Filter Bank
• 3-band Equalizer with variable mid band
• Individual Compressors for Speech and Carrier signal
• Voiced / Unvoiced Detector
• Overdrive (types Tube, Diode, Clip)
• Stereo Chorus / Flanger, 2 to 6 stages
• Stereo Delay, syncronizable
• Reverb
• Sidechain input (VST 3 and Audio Unit)
• Carrier plug-in (VST 2)

16-voice Synthesizer (per voice):

• Polyphonic, Monophonic or Free-Running
• 2 Oscillators, waveforms sine, triangle, sawtooth, pulse with pulse width modulation, sample&hold, noise, single and multi sample playback
• FM
• Ring Modulation
• Portamento / Glissando
• 1 Filter, types Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass, Notch (12dB and 24dB), Whitening
• 1 LFO, synchronizable, waveforms sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, sample&hold, noise
• 2 AR envelopes

The Waldor Lector is expected to be available in June for about €199 Euros (street).
via Sonic State

Audiority Intros Harshness Sound Library For Ableton Live

Harshness for Ableton Live by Audiority

Audiority has introduced Harshness, a new sound library for Ableton Live.
According to Auidiority, “Harshness is a tiny library dedicated to those who want to add some real destruction to their tracks or to artists who are not afraid of heavy distorted, degraded, clipped, short-circuited sounds.”
Features:

• 61 Ableton Live devices divided in:
  • 12 Instruments
  • 42 Drum Racks (within five families)
  • 5 advanced Audio Effect Racks
  • 2 advanced MIDI Effect Racks
  • 20 sample Live clips

You can preview Harshness above.
Harshness for Ableton Live is available now for €14.90. Ableton Live 8.2 is required. Ableton Suite 8 is suggested for best performance.

Listen to Royksopp's Remix of Depeche Mode's Puppets

As any of you Mode-o-philes out there probably already know, Depeche Mode is releasing an album of remixes of their hits throughout the years. The collection includes remixes from former Depeche Mode members Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder, as well as Eric Prydz and other big names. Pitchfork has Royksopp's extremely creative remix of 1981's "Puppets" available to stream and they more or less turn it into an entirely new track by placing the vocal in a very different context. The album will be released on June 7th.

Norio Ohga, former Sony president, dies

The former president and chairman of Sony, Norio Ohga, who was credited with developing the compact disc, has died aged 81, the company has said.

Ohga, who led the company from 1982 to 1995, died of multiple organ failure in the Japanese capital, Tokyo.
Sony's chairman, Sir Howard Stringer, said his predecessor's foresight and vision had transformed the company into a global entertainment leader.
Ohga was still a senior adviser to the company at the time of his death.
In 1953, Sony's co-founders recruited Ohga while he was still studying at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and hoping to pursue a career as an opera singer. They sensed his knowledge of sound and electrical engineering would benefit the firm.

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How To Destroy Angels: The Space in Between

Uploaded by howtodestroyangels on May 14, 2010

Official music video for "The Space in Between," from How To Destroy Angels' self-titled EP, out NOW. Directed by Rupert Sanders.

Get the EP FREE at http://howtodestroyangels.com

Modular Synthesizer OSC HRM Attack 2011

Uploaded by MrRitchieDrums on Apr 23, 2011

 

Bass line produced by the Catgirl sequencer to (2) Q106 VCOs then a synthacon filter. A Hordijk HRM OSC is being triggered by the MFOS Rotary Seq & a MATTSON Envelope is altering inputs along with LFOs and it is going through a Q107 Filter(w LFO panned R). MFOS is also going to the MOTM 1485 GX-1 Diode Filter(1v input) through a Metasonix R52(also LFO panned L).TipTop Z8000 is sending 2 pitches to 2 Blue Lantern Black Jack VCOs (4 steps) through the Mattson filter. Also sending 4 steps to a Q106 through the STG Mankato filter. Finally 16 steps from the Z8000 are going to a Malekko Anti-Osc being altered by a Noisering!!

Richard Lainhart & Lucio Menegon, Improvisation #2

Richard Lainhart & Lucio Menegon, Improvisation #2 by Kingtone Music

Rob Papen gives us a sneak preview of the 'Punch' Virtual Drum Machine

Uploaded by timespace08 on Apr 21, 2011

 

Announced back at the NAMM show in January this year, Rob Papen Punch has generated quite a stir with music producers all over the world. With the release date getting closer and closer, we thought it was time to get an up to date run through of some key features.

In Punch you can combine real samples with synthesis to create your own drum sound, or just use the massive number of presets designed by none other than Mr Papen himself.

Follow this link for more information - http://www.timespace.com/product/PUNCH-1/3/9999916/rob_papen_punch.html

Monomachine controlling TB-303

Uploaded by repeatle on Apr 22, 2011

This is no song. This is no hit.
This is just the Elektron Monomachine playing the notes of a Roland TB-303. All the sounds, apart from the TB, comes from the Monomachine.

Monomachine overlord: Daniel Troberg (Erase)
TB overlord: Andreas Tilliander (Mokira)

AudioGL Pre Beta Demonstration Video - Music Software

Uploaded by AudioGL on Apr 22, 2011

AudoGL - Teaser video for a Modular Software Synthesizer and Sequencer

The music in this video is 100% synthesized, and does not contain any samples. The visuals are procedural as well.

General Contact: AudioGL@gmail.com

There is no website for this project as of yet

Toy Synthesizer Case - Toy Box Demo

Uploaded by radlers on Apr 22, 2011

 

A project long time coming. Dubbed, 'Toy Box' Synthesizer, this do it yourself toy synth case allows me to take the gear on the road. All keyboards are powered via power supply, so no batteries are used. Everything is velcro-ed in place so you can literally carry this around without worrying about stuff falling out. Song demo uses Korg's DS-10 demo music as well as the Bloom music app on the Apple iPod touch. Items that make up the keyboard: Casio SA-1 / PT-1 / SK-8, Nintendo DSi with Korg DS-10 plus, Korg Monotron, Apple iPod with music apps, Behringer mixer with effects on board.

New Free Tape Korg KPR-77 Sample Set from Wave Alchemy

British sample developers Wave Alchemy have released a brand new free sample set featuring sounds from the vintage Korg KPR-77 drum machine.

Here's what they have to say:

"Tape KPR-77 by Wave Alchemy serves up over 280 free drum samples (recorded directly to 1/4" analogue tape) from the Korg KPR-77 drum machine.

The KPR-77 was originally manufactured by Korg in the early 1980’s and was advertised as a cheaper alternative to Roland’s successful TR-606 drum machine. Surprisingly this quirky little analogue machine is capable of producing quite powerful drum sounds, we are especially fond of the toms, snares and claps!

Tape KPR-77 contains three pre-mapped drum kit patches for use with Kontakt 2, 3, & 4 and Battery 3. Each kit makes use of extensive velocity layering, round robin sample playback and choke groups which in turn capture the quirkiness and expressiveness of the original unit.

The Kits

• Tape Clean - Includes 127 KPR-77 drum samples which have been recorded directly to 1/4" tape via a Studer A80 Mk1 analogue tape machine at a clean / neutral level. This kit includes 5 round robin samples per sound as well as 3 velocity layers per hit!
• Tape Saturated – Includes 127 KPR-77 drum samples which have been recorded at a hot level (providing obvious tape saturation) to 1/4" tape via a Studer A80 Mk1 analogue tape machine. This kit includes 5 round robin samples per sound as well as 3 velocity layers per hit!
• Driven Kit – Includes 27 KPR-77 drum samples which have been recorded and processed through a variety of Wave Alchemy’s outboard studio collection!"

Free Sample Friday: Cross Mod Bass from Waveformless

Today's free sample selection is a sort of hybrid digital/analog sounding bass created using cross modulation. 5 multi-samples as 24-bit WAVs, weighing in around 1.6 MB.

GO GET THEM!

Moog Little Phatty Stage II - "Red Dimension"

Uploaded by synthypnosis on Mar 27, 2011

 

VELVET VOYAGE - "Moog Little Phatty Stage II - red dimension" - Recorded on 2 stereo-tracks in January 2010 by Bruno Ender Lee
...my first recordings with the Moog Little Phatty...taken from the CD "Live in space"

Another one from the Austin, TX community: The low rumblings of the Minimoog Voyager abound on psych rock band, The Boxing Lesson's, lead single from their upcoming EP, The Muerta.

Darker Side Of The Moog - The Boxing Lesson by theboxinglesson

Here's their bandcap page

Moog Slim Phatty DIY midi keyboard - Great Earth Day project

Uploaded by Alpostol on Apr 19, 2011

I couldn't find a suitable 3 oct midi keyboard for Moog Slim Phatty from the market so I builded one of my own.

Eowave Koma Analogue Bassline Synth + Sequencer First Look

Eowave has introduced the Koma synthesizer – a new analogue bassline synthesizer, inspired by classic synths from the 80s.
Features include 4 different waveforms (saw, square, sub, noise), a 24 dB low-pass filter and a 16-step sequencer. The 16 steps sequencer has 4 rows: 1 for the notes and 3 that are freely assignable to a parameter of your choice.
The Eowave Koma is expected to be available Fall 2011, for 599 € excl. VAT. Details below. 
Oscillator section

• analogue VCO with square saw sub (sub can be 1 or 2 octaves below the master freq), noise.
• VCO can be modulated by LFO and PW
• Variable glide
• mixer to mix the 4 waveforms

Filter section

• external audio with a trimmer to feed the filter
• 24dB low pass filter roland style for a classical 80s sound
• filter can be modulated by env2, KB, lfo.

VCA section

• VCA is affected to env1
• 2 envelopes ADSR modulate respectively the amplitude and the filter.
• Attack goes from 2ms to 10s.

LFO section

• LFO with 8 waveforms (triangle, ramp up, ramp down, square, random, digital noise, staircase up, staircase down)

Connections

• audio in
• audio out
• MIDI in
• Usb (for software update and MIDI in&out)

Sequencer

• 16 steps sequencer with LED
• 4 rows: 1 row controls gates and notes.
• 3 other rows are freely assignable to any parameter of the front panel.
• You can transpose the sequencer with an external MIDI keyboard.

Would You Pay $277/£169 For The Korg Monotribe?

Music gear retailer Hard To Find is now listing the Korg Monotribe at £169, or about $277.
If case you missed it, here are the specs for the Monotribe:

• The powerful sound of true analog synthesis
• 3-part analog drums, using discrete analog circuitry
• Popular Electribe-style sequencing.
• Active Step and Flux features for realtime dynamic loop manipulation
• Advanced multi-function ribbon keyboard; Chromatic, Continuous, & Wide modes
• Auto-tuning provides stable pitch for accurate chromatic playability
• Selectable oscillator waveform, noise generator, and versatile LFO
• Uses the same VCF (filter) circuit as the classic MS-10/MS-20
• Sync In & Out jacks allows synchronized integration with multiple units
• Battery operation, built-in speaker and compact size deliver on-the-go groove-making

We don’t know what other retailers are going to price this at – but what do you think of the Korg Monotribe at that price?

Max Mathews, Computer Music Pioneer, R.I.P.

I found out today, via synthesist Matthew Davidson, that computer music pioneer Max Matthews died today.
Matthews (November 13, 1926 – April 21, 2011) is considered by many to be the father of computer music. Here’s what he had to say about his role as a computer music pioneer:

“Computer performance of music was born in 1957, when an IBM 704 in NYC played a 17 second composition on the Music I program, which I wrote. The timbres and notes were not inspiring, but the technical breakthrough is still reverberating.

Music I led me to Music II through V. A host of others wrote Music 10, Music 360, Music 15, Csound and Cmix. Many exciting pieces are now performed digitally.

The IBM 704 and its siblings were strictly studio machines – they were far too slow to synthesize music in real-time. Chowning’s FM algorithms and the advent of fast, inexpensive, digital chips made real-time possible, and equally important, made it affordable.”

Starting with the Groove program in 1970, my interests have focused on live performance and what a computer can do to aid a performer. “

The video above captures Matthews at the Computer History Museum in 2007, presenting his rendition of Bicycle Built For Two. While the vocal synthesis and electronic sounds in the work are unsurprising now, they would have been mind-blowing when Matthews made the arrangement in 1961.
“What we have to learn is what the human brain and ear thinks is beautiful,” said Matthews.
What do we love about music? What about the acoustic sounds, rhythms and harmony do we love?” he continues. “When we find that out it will be easy to make music with a computer.”



Here, Matthews demonstrates one of his later projects, his Radio Baton:

A Radio Baton is an electronic instrument with two baton controllers and a receiving base called the antenna. In the end of each baton is a small radio transmitter. As the batons are moved over the receiving base, four antennas in the base are able to determine the batons’ location in three-dimensional space. The movement of the batons through space are converted into instructions determining how the music is to be synthesized.

The Radio Baton Conductor Model uses the model of an orchestra conductor controlling the musical tempo, dynamics and expression of the piece. The Conductor program puts the pitches and the durations of the notes in a score that the computer reads as a sequence of beats in the computer memory. The conductor can move the batons around with his two hands, controlling six variables, and assign these variables to whatever functions in the music are important at any instant of the music.

When asked if the radio baton was a successful instrument, Mathews answered, “I suspect actually it was too successful. It may have made music too easy to play. But my vision there, and the vision I think I got from John Chowning was that everyone could have his own orchestra and could interpret music according to his particular feelings about it. And that this might be a much more satisfying way than simply sitting and listening to a recording or simply listening to a concert in a concert hall.”

Matthews is featured in one of the oral histories at the NAMM site. Matthew’s name also lives on in the multimedia programming language MAX.
Finally, Matthew Davidson shared this Matthews-inspired track, One of the most interesting kinds of sounds, which is constructed entirely from digital audio, culled from Max Matthew’s ‘Numerology’ (1960), ‘The Second Law’ (1961), ‘Bicycle Built for Two’ (1961) and one of Matthews’ lectures.


One of the most interesting kinds of sounds by stretta

Martial Canterel Live

This one in via Solvent.

Martial Canterel of Xeno & Oaklander will be performing live in Toronto tonight. Details here.

Uploaded by WIERDrecords on Nov 23, 2008

 

www.myspace.com/martialcanterel -- Live at Weird, November 12, 2008. Cameras by Stephen Musgrave and Naomi Ramirez. Edited by Stephen Musgrave.

Uploaded by penduvideo on Feb 10, 2011

 

3 Songs from Martial Canterel... Record Release Party, Home Sweet Home, NYC 02/09/11

Shot by Todd Brooks

Pendu Video is an extension of Pendu NYC ... http://www.pendu.org

Duran Duran @ Coachella 2011

Great performance by Duran Duran at Coachella 2011. Wish I was there...

Royksopp Live on KCRW Morning Becomes Eclectic

Royksopp live March 30, 2011 on Morning Become Eclectic... Listen here.

Gold Panda on Sampling; Moby on Drum Machines by Peter Kirn

Something has happened to the mystique of the musical artist, as the superstars have faded. It seems people are increasingly interested with understanding process, in understanding what’s inside the magical black boxes of sound.
Jess Gitner hosted Derwin Panda, aka Gold Panda, at National Public Radio’s studios for Morning Edition. She talked to the artist about the basics of how he constructs music from samples. It’s actually quite nice to me to see a story that’s elementary enough that it could be understood by non-specialists — it’s all to easy to forget that for the vast majority of even the music-loving public, a lot of what people do is a complete mystery.
It’s also worth watching Gold Panda in a live version of “You” for KCRW (a US public radio affiliate in Los Angeles). He uses the tried-and-tested Ableton laptop-plus-MPC combination. We spoke to Gold Panda at length about his process back in October, just before his debut album really blew up (entirely and unequivocally having nothing whatsoever to do with CDM) Read more

Let it All Out: Therapy for Radiohead Fans, Courtesy BBC

Uploaded by BBCComedy on Mar 11, 2011
 
Thom Yorke may feel like dancing about Radiohead's latest release, but it drove this fan into therapy. Is he a weirdo, or is he just thinking what everyone else is thinking? See more topical comedy at bbc.co.uk/comedy/show/p00bnzq6/spout/.

SWINGING MODERN SOUNDS #29: The Museum of Broken Things

Rick Moody interviews Moby about his obsession with Drum Machines:
Last year in The Believer music issue (July 2010), I published an excerpt from a long essay I’ve been working on for a year that argues against the use, in contemporary music, of the drum machine. This is a purely rhetorical argument, really, sort of like Jerry Mander’s Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, and totally out of date, because few people really use drum machines anymore. They use samples of drum machines. They use computers to play the drums, to play the keyboards, and just about everything else, including, if you’re T-Pain, the vox. Still, I made my argument nonetheless—get a live drummer!—and I am unrepentant. However, my friend Moby (he and I grew up in the same town, Darien, CT, and were marked by it in similar ways) got wind of this piece, and wrote to me not long ago asking if I wanted to see his drum machine collection. Yes, he collects drum machines, but not the really slick ones that hip-hop producers employ, but the early, cheesy, slightly homely ones first used mainly by guys who played in church basements and in the lounges of Holiday Inns. Moby likes broken drum machines, and ones that were built from a kit, and Moby has a dream… Well, he will tell you about his dream himself in the interview that follows here. While Moby’s collection of drum machines didn’t inspire me to revise my arguments on the subject, I do admit that if there have to be drum machines, they should be like these ones in Moby’s collection. Let me, meanwhile, remind you that Moby is best known as a composer of electronica and popular music more broadly construed, including records like the runaway hit Play (1999), and my personal favorite The End of Everything (under the name Voodoo Child). This interview immediately precedes his new self-released album Destroyed, which comes to light next month (on May 9). The photos and videos contained herein—of Moby in his drum machine lair—are the work of Laurel Nakadate, who also has a career retrospective up right now at MoMA/P.S.1 in Queens, which you should definitely see.  Read more

Free Spring Reverb Effect For Mac, Windows

Hotto Engineering has introduced a free reverb effect plug-in for Windows and Mac, Spring Reverb.
Features:

• Supported Sample Rates: 44.1kHz up to 192kHz.
• Computing Precision: 64Bit internal / 32Bit Plug-In.
• Audio Channels: Mono (uses the left channel of stereo tracks).
• Mix between clean and reverb signal with dry/wet.
• Individual selection and combination of the reverb springs.
• T60 reverberation time control.
• Gain level for the output signal.

Spring Reverb is available in VST & AU formats at the Hotto site.
via rekkerd

Voice of Saturn Synth II Sneak Preview

Voice of Saturn Synth II Prototype from Travis Thatcher on Vimeo.

Travis Thatcher shared this sneak preview of the upcoming Voice Of Saturn Synth II:

I’ve implemented 3 of the possible 6 oscillators on this one (though the old sequencer case I used will hold 5). The circuit is based around a schmitt trigger oscillator. Super simple, and easy to make a lot of them. Sorry for the horrible video quality. Just finished it and wanted to get a quick demo done.

Thatcher plans to have circuitboards available sometime this summer.

TUBEOHM ANTI-Transpirant

Uploaded by tubeohmsound on Apr 10, 2011

Techdemo, 8x oversampling
Free mono Version on Plugindex / Facebook-- today !!!

high frequency Filter FM, high frequency PWM
ring and FM

comes next on TubeOhm.com and it is free for all TubeOhm and registerd Plugindex User

Coagula MIDI Ribbon Controller 2.0

Uploaded by CoagulaTube on Apr 18, 2011

 

DIY MIDI Ribbon Controller with Arduino, new version. Details on www.coagula.org.

Ghazala Thereglyph

Uploaded by qrghazala on Apr 18, 2011

Radio interference, traditionally a problem in audio, can be used to our advantage. By means of the Thereglyph instrument I would like to introduce to circuit-bending a concept I call radiopool.

While Leon's Theremin looks to onboard RF generation and sounds the same played anywhere, immersing a radiopool instrument to various depths within the RF field (the radiopool) yields changing results... similar to differing the length of the air column within a flute.

Here I'm playing the Thereglyph within the radiopool of a plasma globe - sometimes touched, sometimes not. For more info on this instrument and building one yourself, check-out my flickr gallery:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonbear3325/sets/72157626396557545/

This is a 1080p HD movie - please let it download - it looks best in HD full-screen.

FunkBox, BassLine, MoDrum, Electribe EMX, and Ableton synced with iOS CoreMIDI

Uploaded by syntheticbits on Apr 18, 2011

 

FunkBox on an iPad synced up with BassLine and MoDrum on iPod touches via WiFi, Electribe EMX-1 via USB/CCK, and Ableton Live via Wifi. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/funkbox-drum-machine/id350437349?mt=8

Groove X-R – A Hardware Host For Virtual Instruments

Lionstracs has introduced Groove X-R – a hardware host that runs ten VSTi and ASIO host engines simultaneously.
In a nutshell, the Groove X-R is a Linux-based virtual instrument host that can be used as both a workstation, for heavy editing, or as a rack module.
You can have up to ten MIDI-USB keyboards or controllers connected and each can play a different VSTi / ASIO synthesizer loaded into memory and with its own virtual desktop page.
It’s priced at € 1.660,00. Details below. 
Groove X-R Hardware Specs:

• CPU AM3- X2-dual core,2X3000 Mhz
• Mainboard Asrock 880, mATX.
• 4Gb Memory Dual Channel DDR3 RAM. Expandable Up to 16Gb.
• 1000Gb Hard Disk Drive SATA2-3Gb/s, 32Mb chace/7200 rpm.
• 180W Green power FLEX ATX, ONLY 10db! Total NO NOISE.
• 6 External USB 2.0/3.0, Eth. GIGA LAN, PS2 Keyboard.
• 2 Jack MAIN OUTPUTS, stereo out
• 2 MONO Jack MIX OUT 2 function
• 1 STEREO Phones Out Jack.
• 2 MIDI Inputs and 2 MIDI Outputs.
• 4 Programmable foot pedal, can be as switch or Volumes pedals.

Front Panel:

• 240X64 Pixel graphics LCD display, multi color backlight based on R-G-B LED backlight.
• Touchscreen LCD
• 3 Main Volumes controls Encoders with Mute/Unmute switch.
• 4 editing data encoders with switch function.
• 18 programmable silicon Pad button, with double LED color: Green+RED
• 4 X 20Segment BARmeter LED for realtime data status.

What's inside the Moog Taurus?

Uploaded by SourceDistributionTV on Apr 19, 2011

Moog senior engineer Cyril Lance shares a little insight on what went into the beautiful and brutal Moog Taurus III - filmed at Musikmesse 2011.

For more information: https://www.moogmusic.com/taurus/?section=product&product_id=21299

The Dubstep Drum Kit. The Essential Dubstep Drums From Zenhiser

"Clocking in at just over 300 insanely processed dubstep drum samples "The Dubstep Drum Kit" is the essential audio arsenal for any and all dubtep producers and remixers. Constructed from the ground up this amazing array of drums including kicks, hats, claps, snares, crashes, uprisers and one shots has been designed simply to assault all speaker cones and rhythmically correct dubstep beats in minutes."

VBrazil Systems "Monster Drone" - A New Modular Hardware Synth From Brazil

Introducting VBrazil Systems and their first modular hardware synth, the "Monster Drone".

"Technical Specifications:
- 4 independent Drone Generators (8 real analog voltage controlled oscillators)
- 3 band frequency control VCO´s (LFO, Mid, High)
- Triangle and Square waveforms for all VCO´s
- 4 Modes of FM in each Drone (VCO1->VCO2)
- External CV input (CV/Hz) for each VCO (external control/FM)
- Individual Drone control level
- Master Mix output and 4 individual Drones outputs
- AM programmable block with internal/external clock control
- Filter Block with 3 band resonant filters"

Two units (pictured) have been produced and sold.

To their knowledge this is the first modular synth from Brazil.





















MonsterDrone Demos by Vinicius Brazil


MonsterDrone Demos by Vinicius Brazil

You can find additional demos here.

"This one is from an experimental musician from Rio, Mr. Rodrigo Miravalles: [link]

And, finallly, the machine with a Virus TI Snow: [link]"

Interpol @ Coachella 2011

Uploaded by radyouber on Apr 15, 2011

For More, Visit: http://www.radyouber.de

Buchla Random Rhythm/Pitch

Buchla Random Rhythm/Pitch from todd barton on Vimeo.


"no sequencer, no arpeggiator, just random control voltages dancing through some Buchla 200e mondules.

BuchlaRhythmStudy-3c by bartonmusic

An Irresponsible Patch 2

Uploaded by JohnLRice on Apr 19, 2011

I haven't had time lately to work on any actual compositions but I was testing out my new Rob Hordijk Designs filter and liked this patch enough to do a quick video of it. Basically there are three MOTM-300 VCOs running into each input of the Hordijk filter and I'm 'playing' the MOTM-650 arpeggiators. A Moon 569 sequencer is providing modulation for the filters (there's a MOTM-485 in there too) and a MOTM-730 pulse divider is used to set the speed of the different 569 rows.

Thanks for watching.

An Irresponsible Patch

Uploaded by JohnLRice on Apr 12, 2011

FUTURE FLOW: A ReFill for Propellerhead Reason 5 Thor Synthesizer

FUTURE FLOW is a Reason ReFill containing 250 new, original patches for Thor. Every patch uses the Thor Pattern Sequencer and goes deep into the polysonic depths of this powerful instrument. Each patch has been built from the ground up using a variety of pattern scales, synthesis combinations, and complex yet musical modulations.

    Instant Inspiration: The melodies generated by the Pattern Sequencer are sure to inspire and can be
    used for a wide variety of musical styles including soundtrack, electro, house, pop, and more.

    Customize To Your Sound: Every note step of the Pattern Sequencer is used in every patch to enable
    maximum flexibility and user customization options. For example, by assigning rests, reversing, changing
    pattern length, transposing up or down the midi keyboard, or changing the Pattern Sequencer rate the
    user can personalize and alter the melodies in many different ways.

    Expand It: The Thor Pattern Sequencer note pitch is routed to CV out, thus transforming Thor into an
    arpeggiator that can trigger any other Reason instrument (click HERE for visual example). FUTURE FLOW
    could then be regarded as 250 new 16 bar arpeggiator patterns to trigger or stack other Reason instruments.

    The Designer: Every one of the 250 patches uses new, unique arpeggiated melodies and patches created
    specifically for this product by Alan Stuart.  The sounds range from mellow bell tones, acid-style lines,
    raw detuned synth sounds, to beautiful analog-style melodies. Almost every patch uses the mod wheel and
    2 Thor rotary knobs for increased expression possibilities.

Free Weekly Ableton Live Rack #4 - "AfroDJMac Michael Jackson Synth"

Uploaded by AfroDjMac on Apr 19, 2011

This weeks Ableton Live Rack was created by sampling tiny vocal phrases from the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. The sound ranges anywhere from string section/choir synth to a super-distorted shoegazing electric guitar sound. This video will show you how it works and how to manipulate it into something new.
Also, there is an effect rack included, as a little bonus. Enjoy!

Download the rack here: http://bitly.com/hGvTND

Every week I put out a free Ableton Rack, so subscribe and Social Network me.

http://www.afrodjmac.com
http://www.facebook.com/afrodjmac
http://www.twitter.com/afrodjmac

Axel Hartmann on the Moog Poly Slim Phatty rig!

Uploaded by SourceDistributionTV on Apr 20, 2011

Synth-design legend Axel Hartmann tinkles the Moog Little Phatty (which he actually helped to design)...but this is no ordinary Little Phatty...this is a four voice Poly setup using three additional Slim Phatties to add extra voices!

Moog senior engineer Cyril Lance is on hand to give us a little insight into what makes poly chaining an all-VCO system musically possible.

For more information please visit: https://www.moogmusic.com/

To find a dealer in the UK: http://www.sourcedistribution.co.uk/

Finally, follow! http://www.twitter.com/sourcedist

Theremins, Step Sequencers & Filters

Uploaded by experimentalsynth on Apr 20, 2011

This video ties three somewhat un-related pieces of gear into an interesting system of musical expression.

#1 Power Warping Secret in Ableton Live 8 - tutorial

Uploaded by DJVespers on Mar 11, 2010

Join my free newsletter: http://www.vespers.ca http://www.vespers.ca/facebook http://www.twitter.com/djvespers http://djvespers.blogspot.com/