Fancy a shortwave radio in your modular synth set up?
Evaton Technologies has released the RF Nomad Voltage Controlled Shortwave Receiver – a new Eurorack synthesizer module.
Here are the details:
Hissy interstation audio. Squealy heterodynes. Fading stations. Atmospheric noises. Faint voices in foreign languages from distant broadcast stations. Fire and brimstone. It’s all in there, just like your granddad’s old tabletop shortwave.
But, the RF Nomad adds a twist: The tuning is voltage controlled. Sure, when you were a kid, you discovered you could make spacy noises on Papa’s shortwave by slowly turning the tuning dial.
But just how fast could you twist that dial? Faster than an audio-rate LFO? Hardly. Voltage controlled tuning means that the RF Nomad will let you explore sounds you never imagined you could get out of a shortwave receiver.
RF Nomad Voltage Controlled Shortwave Receiver
The RF Nomad is a voltage controlled shortwave receiver, tuning the 31 meter shortwave band. A bipolar control voltage input offsets the main tuning knob, allowing an external CV source to ramp tuning up and down from DC to audio rates.
The RF Nomad adds the squealy, squelchy, noisy, unpredictable vintage sounds of shortwave radio to your modular. According to the developer, it’s been designed to be extra noisy, extra squealy, extra gritty, and just downright nasty.
No built-in output filtering means that a rich spectrum of harmonic content is available on the audio output jack. Audio levels can be driven to distortion. CV control lets you add your own creative spin on sound design.
The RF Nomad Voltage Controlled Shortwave Receiver is available now, priced at US $176.
Let’s Play with ReBirth: Song Composition
Background video description:
I’ve gotten a lot of requests to describe my process for developing bass lines and Acid lead lines. In this video I attempt to do that! ReBirth is an excellent app to demonstrate both. I even throw in some details on working out drum patterns. Along with tips for playing Acid live. I tried to keep this as Squelch-lite as possible so as to avoid driving non-acid fans crazy. If you enjoyed this please consider supporting this series by sponsoring them on Patreon:http://www.patreon.com/user?u=107612
Be sure to visit http://discchord.com for this and other music app news!
Time machine: KORG Polysix demo
Vintage synthesizer demo track featuring the classic Polysix
all sounds: KORG Polysix Analog Synthesizer (1982)
drums: KORG KR-55B Analog Drummachine (1982)
recording: multi-tracking without midi
fx: reverb and delay
The PolySix was a milestone because, along with the Roland Juno 6 which appeared almost simultaneously, in 1981 the PolySix was the first opportunity ordinary mortals had to get their hands on a proper programmable polysynth. Up until then, you had to be loaded to afford a Prophet 5, Oberheim OB-Xa, or Roland Jupiter 8.
At first glance it looks like a scaled-down Mono/Poly, but really it’s not! In fact it had a lot of great new features such as 32 memory patches, 6 voices of polyphony, cassette backup of memory, even programmable modulation effects and Chorus, Phase, Ensemble!
The Polysix has warm-sounding real analog oscillators, softer and brassy-er sounding than the Juno. Engage the built-in Chorus on a simple single-oscillator sawtooth patch and you were pretty darned close to that expensive Prophet sound. But the big ace in the Polysix’s hand was the Ensemble effect. Instant Mellotron-like strings.
Like the Mono/Poly the voices can be played in Unison for a 6-oscillator lead sound that was so big, it was often too big! The advanced arpeggiator can memorize and sequence chords across the keyboard. The PolySix has now been recreated in software as part of the Korg Legacy software bundle!
MFB Dominion 1 Analog Synthesizer Demo
Video demo of the MFB Dominion 1 monophonic/paraphonic analog synthesizer. The video is to give an impression of the user interface, functions, and diversity sounds. Hopefully it can also help new owners who may not be too familiar with subtractive synthesis.
The Dominion is the latest and greatest in the MFB line of Dominion synths, this one being their first with a keyboard. MFB on the Dominion 1
MFB-DOMINION 1
* Programmabele Analog Synthesizer with 3 Octave Keyboard
* 2 Ribbon Controls, Arpeggiator/Sequencer, Velocity&Aftertouch
* 3 VCOs with Waveshaping, Analog&Digital Ringmodulator
* Dual-Sync and dynamic FM, Noisegenerator
* 12 fold redesigned four stages SED Multimode Filter
* Huge Patchfield to speak with world of Modulars and CV/Gate
* Velocity-Routingmatrix with 12 destinations
* 3 LFOs, 2 with One-Shot-Function and Reset
* 3 Envelopes with 70mm Faders
* Intuitive Handling and Quality Hardware, internal Power Supply
* Midi Dump, In, Out, Thru
The awaited analog / modular Tera Synth is now on the AppStore
We teased the upcoming release a couple of days ago and here it is – somewhat faster than we thought the new TeraSynth, details below:
Explore new sound spaces with Tera Synth that go beyond the emulation of synthesizer legends. Use the power of analog and digital synthesis combined with new modules for physical modelling. Wireless patching of modules combined with an intelligible modulation routing simplifies the development of new synthesizer designs from scratch. Distortion effect, Delay/Chorus/Phaser and Reverb effects give your sounds the final polishing. Tera Synth gives your music an individual character with its unique fat sound. The well-designed algorithms and the economical modular structure provides you with a comparatively high voice yield. Precise timing with the unique built-in Arpeggiator let you feel the rhythm.
Tera Synth supports Audiobus and Inter-App-Audio for integration with other Music Apps.
Modular Analog Synthesis
• Modular synthesizer with free connections between modules.
• 25 Sound Modules
• 4 Low frequency oscillators
• 4 Standard ADSR Envelope generators.
• 4 Multi Segment Envelopes with tempo sync.
• 64 time/level segments per envelope
• Monophonic or polyphonic with 16 voices.
• More than 920 factory presets, unlimited user presets can be shared.
FX
• Chorus with four delay lines.
• 8 pole Analog Phaser.
• Distortion effect with Tube/Tape emulation
• Stereo Echo/Delay effect.
• Hi end reverberation unit.
Live
• Play melodies live with the onscreen keyboard. Drag fingers for slides and vibrato.
• Optionally use CoreMIDI* compatible hardware keyboard.
• Dozens of scales selectable
• Variable Keyboard layout for scale optimized playing
Full featured programmable Arpeggiator
• Uses programmable sequences with up to 32 steps.
• Can trigger single notes and chords.
• Unique randomizer generates Arpeggios with 100% usability.
• 32 Arpeggios included, unlimited useer arpeggios possible.
• For each step you can program tie, accent, transposition and note order
Global
• Audiobus compatible (Input slot).
• Inter App Audio
• Audio pasteboard. Copy audio recordings to Clipboard for use with other Apps
• Exchange user presets with File Sharing in iTunes.
• Support for virtual MIDI input connections.
• MIDI learn functionality.
• Publish loops and recordings online with the SoundCloud audio platform.
Lost concert with Eno and Fripp on new album – Live In Paris 28.05.1975
A rare live performance by Brian Eno and Robert Fripp is now available on a new album called ‘Live in Paris 28.05.1975’.
Hearing the tapes in fully restored audio quality, it’s easy to understand why it attracts such reverence now and perhaps, why the shows attracted such hostility then. No Roxy Music hits, No King Crimson riffs, just a duo sitting in near darkness with a reel to reel tape recorder, improvising over the pre-recorded loops with a filmed background projection.
Replace the reel to reel machine with a couple of laptops/iPads/sequencers and the core of much current live performance from electronica to hip-hop was there some thirty years in advance. At the time, audiences responded to such a glimpse of the future with booing, walkouts and general confusion.
Thanks to the discovery and restoration of the original backing tapes, it was possible to isolate, de-noise and match the live elements from the performance tapes to the studio loops to produce the final recording.
Show Notes, by Archivist Allan Okada:
Starting with the pre-recorded primordial drone ‘Water on Water’, the duo eventually walks on stage. Fripp begins playing through the “Enotronic system” (since Eno, not Fripp operated the tape machines on this tour). It’s important to note that at this time, the mechanics of the Revox tape delay system was a mystery to the guitarist. This must have surely added a heavy dose of Eno’s “idiot glee” to the entire proceedings.
Fripp moves this piece into uncharted territories with short volume pedal sweeps of lunacy before detaching from the delay system and beautifully soloing over the familiar backing loop of ‘Swastika Girls’. Very astute listeners will detect the unrealized main theme from King Crimson’s ‘Blue’ off the top.
An intermission has the audience treated to Eno’s seminal ‘Discreet Music’ before the duo return to the stage with another improvised loop morphing into the now familiar ‘Wind On Water’ landscape. The sublimely serene ‘A Near Find in Rip Pop’ follows with Fripp soloing over a beautiful, strummed guitar piece (from the ‘Evening Star’ sessions) enhanced with synthetic animal screeches utilized months later on Eno’s ‘Zawinul/Lava’ track. Then just as you feel relaxed, Eno’s loop changes to something akin to a gigantic, looming dark cloud as Fripp hits the distortion pedal and fires off some solos of truly monstrous intensity.
Eno gently takes the proceedings back down to Earth again by introducing the now infamous ‘Evening Star’ backing loop over which Fripp treats us to yet another wonderful solo before leaving the stage again, while ‘An Iron Frappe’ continues to envelop the crowd. The duo reappears for the final ‘Softy Gun Poison’ complete with tapes of sinister laughter and mysterious chatter (foreshadowing moments of Fripp’s upcoming ‘Exposure’), before leaving the stage for the last time, while (the then unknown) ‘An Index of Metals’ terrorizes the bewildered audience as they exit the venue.
All in all, this lucky Paris audience was treated with the entirety of both classic albums as well as enough new material to constitute a third. As a bonus, we are also presented with Eno’s stage tapes in pure format including Test Loops from the sound check. What more could you ask from a live recording? Absolutely essential listening.
Contents:
- CDs 1 & 2 feature the complete concert with full audio restoration synched with the original studio backing loops as used in the performance.
- CD3 features the backing loops without overdubs.
- CD3 also features the reversed loop for Wind on Water as used on the Evening Star album.
- CD3 also features Later On, edited from No Pussyfooting & originally the b side of Eno’s first solo single Seven Deadly Finns.
Listen to Paul Kendall’s, aka PK, upcoming album
Paul Kendall, aka PK, is ready with the follow-up to his 2012 album “Angleterror”. The album, called “#FamilyValuePack”, will be released in September on and is now being previewed onSoundcloud. The preview holds remixed extracts from 3 compositions.
Techno DJ/producer Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox – new effects plug-in collection
Waves has introduced the Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox, a collection of selected effect plug-ins.
Dave Clarke (Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, John Foxx, I am Kloot, Louisahhh!!! & Maelstrom) has been among the leading techno DJ/producers of the past two decades, commanding the respect of listeners everywhere, from massive outdoor festivals such as Tommorowland to the grittiest clubs of the underground scene.
The Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox contains seven supreme sound–crafting processors – the ones he uses regularly in his mixing and mastering sessions. With this collection of plugins, electronic music producers of any style will find what they need to give their mixes a professional lift. And if techno or electro is your trade, you will find even more.
Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox features
- API 560 Graphic EQ.
- Scheps 73 EQ/Preamp.
- Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter.
- LoAir Subharmonic Generator.
- MetaFlanger.
- Kramer Master Tape.
- Dorrough Meters (Stereo).
The Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox is available for purchase for the introductory price of $599 USD (regular $800 USD).
Dave Clarke EMP Toolbox: http://www.waves.com/bundles/dave-cla…
Interview: Mr Doepfer – King of Eurorack
Sonic caught up with Herr Doepfer at Musik Messe in the Spring
If you’ve had any exposure to modular synthesizers, chances are you’ll have seen some Doepfer modules.Dieter Doepfer sarted to build right from studying physics, with a phaser module for the Formant Synthesizer then the single voice MS-404. , Thanks to him, the Eurorack module format has become a standard – adapted from the scientific rack testing system tweaked to work for synthesis. He doesn’t want to take much credit, but in reality, a better power system, internal CV and Gate bussing, plus a lower cost ribbon connector system required some innovation and in my opinion has had a major impact in the proliferation of modular synthesizers in recent years.
Currently in the Doepfer range there are 171 modules
Summer NAMM: Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2 Synthesizer Demo
Carson from Dave Smith Instruments presents the Pro 2 synthesizer, at the Summer NAMM 2014 show in Nashville, TN. Enjoy the demo, then click the link above for even more on the Pro 2 synth!
DATAMASKIN
