Hi!
I'm a big fan of the concept of freeze/infinite sustain pedals. They can create long tails for "unsustainable" instruments with a quick natural decay - like pianos or guitars, and add polyphonic pads to monophonic or limited polyphony instruments like synths.
By the way, the function of "freezing" incoming audio is sostenuto, not sustain, but both these pedals have sustain capab...
2019-12-10 15:25:35 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
It has up to 256 voice polyphony; it has virtual analog and PCM/sample-based oscillators; it's multi-timbral; it's portable; but is it usable?
That's the biggest question I address in this review of Roland's Jupiter-Xm.
Setting aside analog vs digital, I can't help but compare the interface of Moog One to the Xm.
When making the Moog One review, I ha...
2019-12-05 14:33:30 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Previous editions of my book have included buyers guides for expressive controllers/instruments and grooveboxes/samplers/sequencers.
I've mentioned before that I think synths shouldn't be bought with a checklist. Whenever I’m asked “Which synth should I get?”, I answer that my advice is never to listen to other people’s advice, but rather listen ...
2019-11-30 19:20:54 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi there!
I see a lot of questions on-line regarding how Poly D's polyphony/paraphony works: I spend quite some time exploring it in this video, as well as every other aspect I could dig in to...
As usual I'm happy to answer any questions below!
All my best,
Ziv (avoiding definitions and just explaining how it works on youtube as "Loopop"...)
2019-11-25 18:07:51 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Well, this one was fun to make... Moog One: here's a full review and tutorial including every noteworthy feature I could find. Is it worth the price and room you need to clear up for it?
Spoiler, it's not flawless, but yes, it's probably the ultimate analog synth (so far!) taking into consideration sound, features and ease of use. More importantly, it's not just...
2019-11-20 11:43:14 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello!
Well, this one almost needs no introduction... Behringer just announced the TD-3 - their clone (with improvements) of Roland's TB-303, and they sent one over a unit for review. As per usual: Behringer has no influence over my content, reviews are never paid, and they're welcome to have it back.
Analog 303 clones are no news - the original lit...
2019-11-08 17:41:49 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Yet another classic analog remake from Behringer is shipping - this time, the Pro-1, and yet they added a few interesting twists to this with a duophonic mode and a few additional patch outputs which give it quite a bit more flexibility.
Pro-1 uses the same 3340 oscillators as Neutron, the MS-1 and Crave, and a filter chip that sounds very similar to the MS-1 to...
2019-10-31 21:31:50 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Here it is, the new and improved, and yet still In-Complete Book of Electronic Music Ideas Tips and Tricks - October 2019 edition!
Aside from the new stuff, dozens of typos have been hunted down and taken out, thanks to Patron Yvonne Dickerson, who was kind enough to review the whole thing with a truly fine tooth comb. I added an acknowledgement section to the i...
2019-10-30 14:11:31 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
I'm not at all against digital synths, but I just love the raw malleability of analog. If I tried what I did here on a digital synth it would probably just die... or just reply with a puzzled look.
Let's back up a bit... Pico System III is a desktop/eurorack synth from Erica Synths - it's not necessarily an upgrade from System II - it costs less...
2019-10-28 16:06:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Pittsburgh Modular has gone "West Coast" with Voltage Research Lab - an homage to Buchla synths with complex oscillators, wave folders, low pass gates, function generators, touch plates, 5 step sequencers and more.
On each of those fronts, they've expanded and added a new twist. Wave shapers that make it possible to "fold" a square wave; voltage-controlled respo...
2019-10-24 15:47:13 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
One of the more interesting things to me about Eurorack is "unconventional" sequencers - sequencers not designed around a 16-step grid.
With four independent tracks (meaning, each track can run at an entirely different tempo, or at subdivisions of a master BPM), arbitrary step (stage) lengths, and per stage randomization, USTA is definitely worth a look. If you'...
2019-10-20 14:08:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Novation just announced new versions of their "regular" mid-range Launchpad (now called LaunchPad X) and the new LaunchPad Mini MK3. They sent over review units of both a few weeks ago, so it looks like it's "vs video" time...
The X was upgraded with velocity-sensitive pads and polyphonic aftertouch (like it's bigger brother the L...
2019-10-15 16:24:26 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
This video came out quite long.... so don't say I didn't warn you!
Even though DeepMind has been out for a while, after a little play with it in a store I was quite intrigued and decided to give it a closer look.
Little did I know they weren't kidding when they called it DeepMind. Though the analog synth engine is quite simple with f...
2019-10-08 09:47:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello Dear Waveshapers!
Here it is - the September Update to my ever growing book of Electronic Music Ideas Tips and Tricks.
There are a lot of new Waveshapers this month, so I wanted to give a brief reminder of why your support is critical for the channel:
Hi!
The question I got asked most frequently following my MC-707 review was - "how does it compare to the MC-101?"
The short answer is - quite well! Despite being about 1/4 of the size, it has the same synth engine, same 4000+ built-in tone sounds/drum samples and looper, and sounds really good. Most of the workflow remains intact despite the slimmed-down size. Obviously, features a...
2019-09-26 19:14:29 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Polyend's new modules are now available and they've sent them over for review. The most interesting one is Preset - built around the idea of enabling presets for eurorack modules, but it also functions as a custom LFO, playable mini keyboard and limited sequencer.
Anywhere is designed to let you power up to 1000mA's of modules using a phone char...
2019-09-22 15:31:37 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Novation just announced the MK3 version of its Launchkey Mini, and, aside from new features for controlling Ableton Live (many improvements but at points a slower workflow), it also has a built-in generative arpeggiator which can be used standalone with its TRS A type MIDI output.
Yes! Novation has switched sides and gone from TRS B...
2019-09-17 15:31:13 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Synthstrom just released Deluge firmware version 3.0, with so many material changes to what Deluge can do that this little groovebox is transformed once again.
I don't think I've ever seen electronic music hardware with such post sales support and updates, and "hints" on the panel show even more promising features are yet to come.
This small company ...
2019-09-15 12:14:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
The question I got asked most frequently after my Matriarch review was - what are the differences between Matriarch and Grandmother? I wanted to wait until Matriarchs are actually delivered to customers before I answered it, so now that they are - here it is!
But, as appropriate for a video being released during an Apple Keynote (mistake...?), there's on...
2019-09-10 18:43:25 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Roland just released the JU-06A, an update to the '06 which now includes a JUNO-60 model, in addition to the 106.
That's as good an excuse as any in my book to borrow a JUNO-60!
Here's a detailed review and sound comparison between the two.
By the way, I'll be reviewing the MC-707 as well later on today probably (gotta finish it up.....
2019-09-05 07:40:56 +0000 UTC View Post
Good morning!
Here's #2 of 4 for this week...
Nutekt is Korg's "simple DIY" brand, and the NTS-1 is a Prologue /Minilogue XD digital voice and effects engine in a little $100 box.
It takes under 30 minutes to build, it's got the excellent effects engine of its bigger brothers and can also process external audio, which the others do not.
It also seems to ...
2019-09-04 05:40:27 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
Several weeks ago a few companies asked if I was interested in reviewing products they were going to release, and I said "yes" to instruments I thought were compelling.
Over time they updated me with their release dates, and it just so happens that they all thought it would be a good idea to launch this week.,,
So this is a first of a few videos this week...
2019-09-03 16:23:54 +0000 UTC View PostHello Waveshapers!
Here it is - short and sweet - the August book update:
Hi!
Here it is! Part 3 (or 2 depending on what you count generative...) of my series on generative music making. My first video was about phased loops, inspired by Steve Reich, and the second was about a bunch of tools and techniques inspir...
2019-08-29 12:20:41 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
This video is a little different from what you might be used to...
It was such a blast being at Native Instruments' event celebrating 10 years of Maschine, but the real treat was meeting the other creators invited and the people behind scenes at Native.
Each person carries with them the body of knowledge which they piece together over time based on their interests, and thi...
2019-08-25 15:56:17 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
When I first heard of Mimeophon I thought it was just a stereo delay and reverb, but after I got to know it, that's far from what makes it special. Mimeophon has two super interesting features - one quite rare and another the likes of which I've never seen:
1. It's a playable stereo "dual oscillator" feedback based mini-synth: many delays will let you create Kar...
2019-08-18 13:05:00 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
ZOIA by Empress effects is in for review this week. Since you're a supporter on Patreon, it's pretty safe to assume modular patching isn't a total stranger to you.
ZOIA is quite small, and my gut reaction to first seeing it was that it's not the ideal environment for modular patching, and indeed it isn't.
Then I looked deeper into the rapi...
2019-08-04 15:13:11 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
I'll start this month's update with a rant I just added to the book: jargon may be a necessary evil of any domain of expertise, and sound design has its fair share of those, but the use of Sample and Hold probably irks me the most. This, for three reasons: first, while its name is technically true, its actual uses have nothing to do with what mo...
2019-07-31 19:37:44 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
The Organelle is "just a shell": based on an open source operating system and patching language (Pure Data, as well as C and Supercollider) it can be practically anything. Most electronic music instruments have linux variant brains, so it's quite interesting to see how the Organelle has evolved to be anything but a typical electronic music instrument....
2019-07-28 15:13:59 +0000 UTC View Post
Hi!
About a month ago Moog asked if I wanted to check out a Matriarch prototype – so as a service to the public, I said yes...
By the way, as usual, I never do paid reviews and often (as was the case here) pay quite a bit on import taxes – just wanted to get that out of the way, and thank you for your support that makes affording these t...
2019-07-21 18:08:55 +0000 UTC View Post