Hi!
A few days ago I asked on Instagram and Youtube what viewers would like to know about the OP-1 Field, and the by far most frequently asked question was, "is it worth it?"
Obviously, that depends on you, your budget, and your preferred music-making workflow and inspiration.
In this video, I compare the OP-1 Field mainly to the original OP-1 (w...
2022-08-23 13:40:23 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
It's quite rare to see an original way of doing things, and surprising when it comes from an established company like Eventide.
Misha is a Eurorack module that is a collaboration between Eventide and Leon Gruenbaum, based on Samchillian - his original interval-based performance instrument - which has been around for quite some t...
2022-08-01 15:26:55 +0000 UTC View Post
Dear WaveShapers!
I'm taking a minute out of an intense editing session for a video coming out tomorrow to bring you this month's update...
This month's new chapter is inspired by a tip from a Patron, which grew and grew into its own little chapter called "Resampling for pleasure and profit". Resampling is a feature I did not give much attention to, but it can be a ...
2022-07-31 16:20:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
Almost three years ago I reviewed Roland's Jupiter Xm. When I started taking a look at JUNO-X I thought it would be an easy one, since it's based on the same platform, just in a JUNO-106 like enclosure. That's partially true, with a few minor differences, the thing is, Roland has added so much for the platform, that I couldn't just review the di...
2022-07-27 19:18:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
I'll keep this short and sweet - if you're interested in how the new Iridium Keyboard compares to the Desktop version, and how its polyphonic aftertouch keyboard performs - this one's for you!
The intro and outro jams are attached for offline listening - enjoy!
All my best,
Ziv (yes I have slight remnants of a cold but still publishing synth vi...
2022-07-08 11:38:22 +0000 UTC View Post
Dear WaveShapers!
Attached is this month's book update. As usual, search for JUN2022 to skip through the updates.
One of the updates this month is a description of what I call a "Generative Harmonic Quantizer". This is an idea explored briefly in my Mavis video, that I had quite a bit of fun with and can be implemented using any resonant filter, so it's not specific...
2022-06-30 15:28:50 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
Is it an MPC with a built-in keyboard, or a serious competitor in the workstation wars? Akai's aiming for both.
I can now talk about the very much leaked MPC Key 61 - coming out with a bunch of feature updates in 2.11, and a lot of new synth content.
In this video, I go through what's new, how it's different from a regular MPC with a keyboard, ...
2022-06-23 14:11:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
With Mavis, Moog has stepped into the west coast game... and they've priced it quite competitively. Werkstatt has evolved into Mavis with a wave-folding circuit, a powerful patch bay and more modulation options.
Explaining what Mavis can do takes under 10 minutes of the video, and the rest is spent exploring various patch ideas and opportu...
2022-06-14 16:11:58 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
This video is an attempt to solve the very first-world problem of creating and managing a setup where you have slightly too much gear for just making a few connections and getting going.
In a perfect world, the idea is to hook audio and MIDI up to a central matrix, where you can easily create dynamic and custom chains of instru...
2022-06-03 09:26:57 +0000 UTC View Post
Dear Waveshapers!
I hope you found just the right sequencer/groovebox/sequencer/effects/daw/dawless setup that enables you to be creative and make music with a simple setup.
But if you haven't, and I know I've not, then this month's update may help. For quite some time I've been trying to create the "perfect" setup, which of course doesn't exist. So, instead, I went on a mission to ...
2022-05-31 17:15:46 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
I doubt you've not heard of this one... so I'll cut to the chase, here's a detailed review of TX-6 including pros, cons and alternatives.
I've also attached the outro jam for those interested.
Have a great weekend!
Ziv (twiddling knobs, no matter how small, on a youtube channel called "Loopop"...)
2022-05-20 12:24:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
First thing's first - there's a link in this post to my review of Polyend's Play. I usually send you all an email as soon as I publish, but the Patreon app wasn't having any of it at the show.
It's interesting to write this as I read the comments section to the video now that a few hours have gone by - quite a polarizing instrument! As I mention in t...
2022-05-12 21:19:50 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
... and the other shoe drops! Here's my review of Roland's entry into the volca game...
These may seem like simple little boxes, but they're quite capable, surprising little gems with a lot of innovation, regardless of their size.
As a matter of fact, they have so much in them that I put together of cheat sheet of all the combos and shortcuts that aren't l...
2022-05-10 07:14:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Korg is following up on the successful NTS-1 with non-sequel - an oscilloscope/FFT/tuner/oscillator/LFO packed in one.
Since the NTS-2 also has an XY scope, I had a bit of fun with oscilloscope art in the video. If you'd like to dive deeper into the topic, check out this excellent resource by Jero...
2022-05-10 04:30:25 +0000 UTC View PostHi there,
This month's book update has plenty of ideas and tips based on insights from videos I made over the past few weeks.
As usual, just search for the text "APR2022" to hop from one new thing to the next.
Here's what's new:
Hi there!
I hope you're all doing well! A quick update: I usually make around 3-4 in-depth videos a month and a book update. That's the plan for May as well, but some of those videos are going to be somewhat grouped during and a bit before Superbooth - not my preference, but that's how embargos work, and when they're too close to each other, advance prep is needed to properly explore what...
2022-04-28 17:18:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
UPDATE: The Patreon Exclusive Syntakt Sample pack is attached - 182 samples of Syntakt goodness - if you don't have a Syntakt, load these up in a sampler to get a taste of what it can do
Syntakt is the third "takt" from Elektron and this time the focus (or lack thereof!) is a bit of almost every form of synthesis out there - 8 digi...
2022-04-21 15:36:38 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
In my last video, I looked at what two 4000-euro sine wave operators can do, now we've got 6 sine waves literally for the price of a Volca! (and one LFO on top of that too!)
Obviously, the C15 has other merits beyond two sine waves and goes way beyond FM, but if you're in to hardware synths, it's hard to ignore the value of Korg's newly released "MK2" version of their DX...
2022-04-14 06:49:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Elegance in design is a set of choices of what not to include - and I think Nonlinear Labs achieved this goal with C15's synth engine. In this video I take a look how you can start with two simple sine waves, and take them quite a long way with relatively few components.
C15 isn't cheap, mainly because it's hand-made in Germany in small quantities, but if you'd ...
2022-04-02 17:09:53 +0000 UTC View Post![March 2022 Book update! +VCV Patch download [MAR2022]](https://img5.fansofall.com/storage/6/in/fe/7f3446-019e87a1-8ef9-7063-9d6d-da5e137bbe7f.jpg)
Hi!
Here's the latest book update with many of the insights from this months' videos, and one extra Patreon only exclusive: This month my son asked me for a bit of sound design for a science project, in which he needed a simulate an environment where the harder you blow at wind chimes, the louder and more frequently they play, I immediately thought of a video I saw once a...
2022-03-31 15:33:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Native Instruments is wrapping up the beta of version 2.15 of Maschine, and in it is a fully featured Auto Sampler - which lets you create standalone multi-sample versions of both hardware synths and any plugin you like.
In this video I take a look at what's new, how it works, and, since I happen to have my hands one a quite rar...
2022-03-18 16:20:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Expectations are high with Hapax, the third sequencer from Squarp, and for the most part, they deliver. That it would be feature-rich is expected, but where I think they knocked it out of the part is in the interface and ease of use.
That said, it does need some polish and debugging - so if you're an early adopter, save frequently just in case...
Hap...
2022-03-14 17:52:18 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
Spatial audio is somewhat of an obsession, so when I heard Quasar at Superbooth, I was quite eager to explore it in-depth.
The module is fairly simple and easy to use, so it's all about whether the effect works, and of course, whether the price is worth it - as usual - boutique modules aren't cheap.
Without further ado, you're welcom...
2022-03-03 18:23:03 +0000 UTC View PostDear Waveshapers!
I hope you're well, especially if you happen to be from Ukraine - hopefully, this shameful attack will come to a peaceful resolution soon. The bit of encouragement from this is seeing more and more people and countries standing on the right side of history.
On a more positive note - here's my bit of musical distraction for this month. As usual, you can jump b...
2022-02-28 11:25:38 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
What a difference compared to last week! Anyma Phi was probably one of the most feature reach, complicated synths I've reviewed in a while - a very interesting synth but with almost nothing on the panel relevant to what the knobs do, and now, Implexus from Majella - an analog synth, with a knob per function interface that doesn't even bother with a shift key.
Im...
2022-02-15 16:47:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
I've been looking for an excuse to explore physical modelling for a while as part of a new chapter for my book - so this was the perfect opportunity. Expect it in the next update! Meanwhile....
Thanks to the efforts of Emilie Gillet from Mutable Instruments, the code for excellent physical modelling based modules Elements, Rings, Braids and more is open source.&...
2022-02-07 12:16:05 +0000 UTC View PostDear WaveShapers,
As usual, thanks for your ongoing support - it's what allows me to create content without wasting time looking for sponsors, nor waste your time listening to their messages.
Here's the latest book update with insights from this months' videos and more. Search for the phrase JAN2022 (or just 2022 will do in this case...) to skip between updates:
... 2022-01-31 12:40:09 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
The K-Board from KMI has been my travel companion for the past few years - it's light and you can throw it in a bag without worrying about knobs getting torn off - so I was quite excited when I heard they came out with an update to K-Board's sibling QuNexus (originally the CV and MPE capable version of K-Board), that now includes a 3-track arpeggiator/sequencer (!) 2022-01-27 17:55:33 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Quad is back baby, and then some! As long-time channel viewers may know, I'm a fan of making music with and for more than two speakers - the experience makes stereo sound flat and lifeless.
I've already published two videos about Quadraphonic music-making - a theory masterclass with Suzanne Ciani and a fo...
2022-01-18 23:13:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
A few years ago, I took SoftPop (and Loopsynth) as travel companions to Knobcon, and indeed great travel companions they were: small and portable, and yet original enough to keep me busy for a while.
SoftPop 2 extends the riddle wrapped in an enigma that was the original SoftPop ...
2022-01-05 17:10:27 +0000 UTC View Post