Beat Thang Virtual workstation
http://beatkangzbeatthang.com/home showing off the beta vst plugin of beat thang virtual, running it in ableton live
If you have tried it please leave your comments
DieHard featuring Gary Numan performing his classic song “Cars”
“Syyn Labs, the folks who created the Rube Goldberg machine for OK Go’s “This Too Shall Pass” video, recently did a commercial for DieHard featuring Gary Numan performing his classic song “Cars” on actual cars (their tuned horns), playing them like a piano, all powered by a single DieHard battery. We were intrigued and asked them to tell us how they did it. They sent us this behind the scenes video. The commercial is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4YsMV… You can read an article about the making of the commercial and the tech they used here:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010…”
Neuron sequencer coupled with 7 individual FM synths
Audio Damage have released Axon which they describe as a Neuron sequencer coupled with 7 individual FM synths. Here’s what they have to say about it…
Axon is a strange creature, and we won’t tell you otherwise. Our goal was to come up with a new style of percussion sequencer/synth that wasn’t linear and x0xy, and we succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. The Neuron Sequencer in Axon is a fundamentally different way of thinking about rhythmic sequencing, and results in new patterns and styles that will bring your IDM, dance, and ambient tracks to another place.
Axon’s sequencer can either drive external synths and samplers or its own internal voices, seven of ’em, which are FM-based, but designed for quick and easy programming, and fine-tuned for percussive-type sounds. A full MIDI Learn complement allows external hardware control of both the sequencer and the internal voices, and an on-board stereo delay taken right from our fairly thick collection of delay algorithms extends the rhythmic possibilities right to the edge of what any sane person could possibly stand.
We’ll be the first to admit that Axon is an experimental tool, and isn’t for everybody, but if your interests lie in the abstract realm, and you want to take your rhythm and melody programming to strange new worlds, this might be just the thing.
NOTE: Axon for OS X requires 10.5.1 or greater, and is Intel only. Axon for Windows is both 32- and 64-bit.
Axon Features:
- All new Neuron Sequencer, a seven-node hexagonal counter sequencer.
- Seven FM percussion-tuned voices, also capable of melodic expression.
- Unique FM and Ring Mod busses for global FM and Ring Mod.
- Full MIDI output control (VST only) for driving external synths, drum machines, and samplers.
- Full internal mixer that also controls MIDI output velocity, with solo and muting.
- Internal stereo delay, taken from the best of Audio Damage’s delay algorithms, with low- and high-pass filters and a playable feedback control.
- Full MIDI Learn mode, for external hardware control of all Axon parameters.
Pricing and Availability:
$59
More information:
Realtime effects processor with built-in vintage drumcomputer
Bram Bos has released Monostudio, a realtime effects processor with built-in vintage drumcomputer.
Monostudio enriches the sonic palette of the already extremely versatile Korg Monotron analogue ribbon synthesizer. It allows you to easily record your jamming to wave-files, adds a classic drumcomputer (inspired by the vintage Korg Minipops) and spices up the sound with tempo-synced digital effects.
Monostudio uses ASIO and highly optimized signal processing to give you realtime, ultra low-latency effects processing.
Whether you’re sound designing or just noodling around, Monostudio adds to the funfactor of your Korg Monotron.
Monostudio is available as a free download for Windows PC, donations are much appreciated.
Visit: Bram Bos
Get the Xenon groove
Icegear has introduced Xenon (App Store link) Groove Synthesizer for iPhone/iPod touch.
Xenon is a hybrid groove workstation that features a polyphonic hybrid synthesizer, 2 x VA monophonic synthesizers, polyphonic PCM synthesizer, rhythm machine, sequencer and a mixer.
It sells for $5.99.
Details below.
Hybrid Polyphonic Synthesizer (HSX-4)
2OSC + FILTER + AMP + 4LFO + 8ENV
– 210 factory preset
– Unlimited programmable user presets
– 2 oscillators
– Modulatable wave shape oscillator (modulated by ENV, LFO)
– Analog Synth oscillator (Saw, Square(PWM), Sine, Triangle, Noise)
– FM oscillator (modulatable FM depth, frequency)
– Formant oscillator (modulatable vowel, resonance)
– PCM oscillator (112 PCM sounds)
– Ring Modulation (OSC2)
– Modulatable Pitch, Level
– ENV, LFO for each OSC
– Resonant Filter
– Filter Types : 24LP, 12LP, 6LP, BP, HP
– Cutoff Frequency, Resonance
– ENV, LFO
– AMP
– ENV, LFO
– Overdrive
– Auto Panner
– LFO waveforms: saw, square, sine, random(Simple & Hold)
– ENV for modulate LFO amount
VA Monophonic Synthesizer (ASX-1) for two tracks
2OSC + FILTER + AMP + 3LFO + 6ENV
– 2 oscillators
– Wave forms : Saw, Square, Sine, Triangle, Noise
– Ring Modulation (OSC2)
– Modulatable Pitch, Level
– ENV, LFO
– Resonant Filter
– Filter Types : 24LP, 12LP, 6LP, BP, HP
– Cutoff Frequency, Resonance
– ENV, LFO
– AMP
– ENV, LFO
– Overdrive
– LFO waveforms: saw, square, sine, random(Simple & Hold)
– ENV for modulate LFO amount
PCM Polyphonic Synthesizer (PSX-4)
OSC + FILTER + AMP + 3LFO + 6ENV
– PCM oscillator (112 PCM sounds)
– Modulatable Pitch, Level
– ENV, LFO
– Resonant Filter
– Filter Types : LP, BP, HP
– Cutoff Frequency, Resonance
– ENV, LFO
– AMP
– ENV, LFO
– LFO waveforms: saw, square, sine, random(Simple & Hold)
– ENV for modulate LFO amount
Rhythm Machine for six tracks (PRX-6)
– 185 PCM rhythm sounds
– Level, Pan, Pitch, Attack and Decay adjustable per sounds
Pattern Sequencer
– 16 step Pattern Sequencer
– Real-Time Recording
– Pattern export as a wav file or copy to clipboard.
(compatible with Intua Beatmaker)
Song Sequencer (SQX-5)
– Make your own song using pattern.
– Pattern jump & play in real-time(1bar quantize)
– Play position change in real-time(1bar quantize)
– Song export as a .wav file or copy to clipboard.
Mixer (MX-5)
– 5 input channel
– Level parameter per track
– Fx send, Pan, Solo, Mute and Level per input channel
– Fx Return Level
– Master Level
via icegearnet
Jeskola XS-1 is now Donationware
Jeskola XS-1 is now Donationware (it previously cost $99). The Metal Skin GUI designed by George Reales of discoDSP is now included as default.
XS-1 is a sample player that loads .XS1, .SF2 and .WAV (Full support for SoundFonts). It offers 16 parts and keyboard splits / part layering is possible.
Synthesis features:
- Unlimited number of key/velocity zones per voice.
- Volume and Modulation envelopes with attack, hold, decay, sustain, release key to hold and key to decay parameters. Modulation envelope can modulate pitch and filter cutoff.
- Vibrato and Modulation LFOs with delay, frequency and depth parameters. Modulation envelope can modulate pitch, filter cutoff and volume.
- 4 filter types: 12 and 24dB/oct lowpass, 12 and 24dB/oct highpass.
- Reverb/Chorus send level.
- High quality / extra high quality interpolation
- Monophonic mode with retrig switch and portamento time control.
- Tuning, volume, pan, key range, transpose, pitch wheel range controls for each part.
- MIDI Velocity to volume, velocity to filter cutoff.
- MIDI support: note on/off, sustain pedal, pitch bend, modulation wheel, channel volume.
Global settings:
- Master volume, polyphony (max 1000), master tune.
- Effects: Reverb, Chorus, Distortion.
- Supported output samplerates: 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 88.2KHz, 96KHz.
Price: Free / Donationware
Visit: Jeskola
Synth spotting
Here’s two videos of two classic synths that are pretty hard to come by these days
iPhone & iPad DXJ app Cue Play DJ
Trance DJ Ferry Corsten takes a look at the iPhone & iPad DXJ app Cue Play DJ.
The video is primarily a teaser for Cue Play DJ v1.5, which is expected to be available this month.
Thermonuclear testing made into music
The 2003 work was dedicated as a kind of universal message, thanks to its rendering in sound:
This piece of work is a bird’s eye view of the history by scaling down a month length of time into one second. No letter is used for equal messaging to all viewers without language barrier. The blinking light, sound and the numbers on the world map show when, where and how many experiments each country have conducted. I created this work for the means of an interface to the people who are yet to know of the extremely grave, but present problem of the world
How to step-program a clef master rhythm
Main Features
* Completely analogue sound generation
* 7 Instruments + Accent (Bass Drum, Low / High Tom, Snare, Rim Shot, Long / Short Cymbal)
* 3 Variations for Snare sound
* Adjustable parameters for each instrument (via trim-pots on the bottom)
* Analogue Low Pass Filter (Tone knob)
* Fully programmable via internal Step Sequencer
* Moog Style Knobs 
This is essentially a fully expanded Boss DR-55 feature-wise and tone-wise. The circuits are identical (schematically and tonally) to the Boss DR-55, but the Clef Master Rhythm gives you way more instruments than the Boss DR-55 and ALL of the instruments are fully programmable (take a listen to the samples and then listen to the Boss DR-55 on YouTube and you’ll hear that they are identical)! There are also more patterns and more sequencing options than the DR-55. It’s what the Boss DR-55 should have been and the only reason why these machines are not in the same conversations as the Boss DR-55 is because they are extremely rare!
DATAMASKIN
