New browser based controller for modular synths
Patchwerk is a new web browser-based application that lets you control a massive modular synthesizer, housed at MIT, and hear the results:
Patchwerk lets you control a massive analog synthesizer from your browser, and streams the results back to you and everyone connected. The interface on this site is linked to a physical synth cabinet connected to the world’s largest homemade modular synth, currently housed at the MIT Museum.
Turn a knob here, and Patchwerk will turn a motorized knob on the cabinet. If someone at the Museum grabs a knob, you’ll see it turn too.
The synth that you can control is the giant DIY modular synthesizer of Joe Paradiso:
Enjoy
Moog Minitaur Bass Synth Review
“Moog latest synthesizer has people frotthing at the mouth. Is it foot and mouth, or foot in mouth? (terrible pun). This monophonic bass synthesizer is Moog’s most affordable yet.
Thanks to those who left questions and comments, I’ve tried to answer them all.”
Artists and ARTURIA #15 – Arnaud Rebotini
Arnaud Rebotini, the leading light of french electronic music is showing us how to make great techno tracks with Minibrute in an exclusive in-studio interview.
Karl Bartos live tonight in Malmö
If you happen to be in Malmö tonight you have the opportunity to see Karl Bartos multimedia “Live Cinema” show. I attended this show in Stockholm the other night and had a great time. A lot of remixed Kraftwerk classics together with Karl Bartos solo work in a good mix. Mathias Black joins Karl on stage performing robot voices which adds to the live performance. Mr Bartos continues to develop his art combining music and visuals into a very powerful package making the message and experience strong as any commercial advertisement. Conceptual art in pop format!
SpaceLab – new iOS synth app
SpaceLab is a monophonic synthesizer. It has four ways to play: keyboard, graph, guitar, and wind controller. Underneath those interfaces is a fully programmable subtractive synth with oscillators, filters, envelopes, effects, FM, presets, an arpeggiator, full MIDI control, and much more!
Review of the Ensoniq ESQ-1 Synthesizer
Ensoniq ESQ-1 is a hybrid digital-analog synthesizer released by Ensoniq in 1986. The ESQ-1 featured 8 voices with 3 digital oscillators per voice. Each oscillator could be set to one of 32 different waveforms. Some of these were standard simple waveforms such as sawtooth and pulse, while others were samples such as piano and voice. Each oscillator also had an associated DCA (not VCA) to control its volume in 256 steps. In addition to that, an ESQ1’s voice featured 3 LFOs, 4 envelope generators, a 4-pole resonant analog lowpass filter (VCF), and a final VCA with left/right panning. It also sported a 61-key velocity-sensitive keyboard, full MIDI implementation, memory for 40 patches, a memory cartridge slot, and an 8-track sequencer. A rackmount version called the ESQ-M was also released circa 1987, with exactly the same specification minus the sequencer. The ESQ-1 was produced until 1988.
KOMA Elektronik KOMMANDER (Coming April 2012)!
Here’s a video featuring the new Kommander from KOMA:
We shot a little clip of our new product, the KOMMANDER at NAMM2012!
The KOMA Elektronik KOMMANDER is a handheld dual infrared X-Y motion controller that makes controlling your instruments intuitive and fun. The device measures the distance to your hand or any other surface and sends out corresponding CV signals between 0 and 8 volts. The closer you have your hand to the KOMMANDER, the higher the output voltage. This will allow you to create weird synth sounds, trigger a drum machine, control effect pedals or any other instrument that is capable of receiving CV signals.
Because of our innovative circuit design there is no interference from sunlight or stage light, so the musician can use it wherever she or he wants. Just plug the KOMMANDER into your Eurorack Modular System, Buchla, Moog, Roland or any other synthesizer and create.
SPECIFICATIONS:
* 4 CV outputs – 2 x CV (0-8 volts) – 2 x Gate Out (adjustable threshold)
* 2 IR sensors with optical crosstalk
* Sensing range trimmer on the inside
* 9V DC input
* Great Black Metal design!
Availability and pricing:
The KOMMANDER will be available at http://www.koma-elektronik.com or at KOMA Elektronik Dealers worldwide from April 2012 for approximately 59.00 EUR / 75.00 USD (incl. VAT).
http://www.facebook.com/KOMAElektronik
http://www.koma-elektronik.com
How to get your music in the game!
Shows how to rip a CD onto your console and get it into SSX software and a demonstration of RUMR remix features.
Ted Conley, Audio Director of EA Canada and the technical artist behind the RUMR (Realtime User Music Remix) system, has uploaded a video demonstrating how to utilize the custom soundtracks features of SSX, and the RUMR system. In the five minute video, Ted explains and demonstrates the various methods used to dynamically accentuate player performance, using runtime parameters, sampling, filters and a wide variety of DSP effects.
Get Your FREE Little Radiator plug-in and a chance to win the ULTIMATE prize!
This is what Soundtoys say about it….
Everyone needs a little warmth in their life. Little Radiator models the classic sound of the Altec 1566A mic preamp, and lets you spread some analog tube magic on your mixes. This was one of the main sounds from the classic Motown mixes, became a secret weapon of boutique producers, and is now a vital part of the sound of bands like the Black Keys. Why? Give it a listen and hear. Subtle warmth, or driving grit, all the things you need to shake the “clean” off of your computer recording. Now you’re getting that warm feeling.
Radiator. Coming April 2012
This upgrade from Little Radiator is based on the Altec 1567A (the 1566A’s big brother). It’s the next level in this classic sound with extra control and an extra SoundToys twist. Details coming soon.
A Bit of History
The unmistakable green-faced Altec gear, and in particular the 1566A and 1567A, played a big part in shaping the early “sound” of Motown between 1961 to 1964. Songs by greats like The Four Tops, The Marvelettes and The Supremes went through a 1567A mixer to the massive three track recorder. Ahhh, when life was simple. These mic preamps and mixers have a very colored warm sound and are very loud. The EQ is as simple as it gets, with one knob for bass, and another for treble. After Motown, and after much gear came and went, analog diehards began seeking out the 1566A and 1567A as inexpensive sources for real tube sound.
Go and grab it whilst it is free from SoundToys
Little Radiator™ gives you the warm sound of the classic Altec 1566A tube mic preamp, and it’s totally free (for a limited time).
And by sharing with your friends, you also get a chance to win the ultimate prize: PLUGGED FOR LIFE! Get all SoundToys plug-ins for as long as you live or we live!!!
(The top runners up will also get prizes like free SoundToys bundles, free upgrades to Radiator™, and cool SoundToys t-shirts.)
Step one – find a code. Got one already? Skip this and go register it below.
Don’t have a code yet? Check the audio forums, check FaceBook, check everywhere ’cause that code gets you the free plug-in and gets you your own sharing code. Then you can give yours to all your friends and they can get it for free, too. Plus, each person you sign up with your code, gets you closer to earning more free stuff. Free bundles, t-shirts and upgrades to Radiator (more details coming soon) and, of course the outrageous Plugged for Life prize that the most ambitious one with the most shares will have bestowed upon them.
Check out our Contest Page for complete details.
Commodore 64 Drums for Ableton Live SID 8-bit
Commodore 64 SID chip drums for Ableton Live drum racks. This is a cool collection of retro 8-bit drum sounds. There are effects assigned to macro knobs to allow for extreme glitching and subtle finessing.
Download here: http://bit.ly/freesynth51
Samples provided by: http://bedroomproducersblog.com
One of the cool things about drum racks is the ability to give the instrument its own send and return channels. It’s a very convenient way to add effects to your sounds without setting up additional channels in your Live set. So, I’ve given the Commodore 64 drums three effect sends. There is reverb which also has control over the reverb time. Next is a delay, set to repitch, mode, allowing for some cool analog delay effects. And finally, a New York Style or Parallel compression. This is a really useful effect for drum sounds because it allows you to squeeze and beef up your sound, but also retains the dynamics of the original. The rack has control of the pitch of the samples, allowing you to raise or drop them by 48 steps. As you might imagine, this drastically changes things up. Finally there is Ableton’s Arpeggiator effect, which can be helpful in creating rhythmical patterns.
DATAMASKIN
