Early ’80s Italo Electro with SH-1000, ARP Omni-2, Juno-60 and TR-808
The beauty of analog synthesizers.
Novation Bass Station 2 Review
Novation’s new analogue monosynth is here, more than twenty years since the first time around. Sonic takes a look
Akai AX60 – VCO Modulating the VCF
One unique feature on the Akai AX60 that is not commonly found on synthesizers is VCO Mod to VCF. You can create some FM-like timbres with this feature when the VCF Resonance is turned up.
The creator of this video ‘zibbybone’ has added a tiny bit of reverb with his Roland Fantom X6.
The AX60 is among some of the last true analog polysynths of the mid-eighties. It was Akai’s answer to the hugely successful Roland Juno series and Yamaha’s new digital DX-series. The AX60 is a programmable six-voice synth with a nice LFO, lowpass (VCF) filter, envelope sections, and more. An eight-voice version, the AX80, was already available. Programming this synth is easy using dedicated sliders, knobs and/or buttons for its parameters. It also has a useful noise generator and some other cool functions that include auto-tuning, chorus, a multi-mode arpeggiator and a keyboard that can be split into two key-zones, making it somewhat bi-timbral. All six voices can be stacked in unison mode for a powerful and thick lead sound. Its features and sound make the AX60 a worthy alternative to Roland’s Juno 106.
KORG ms-20 mini jam session
‘ollilaboratories’ gives us a tour of his new MS-20 Mini, video description below:
Got my KORG ms-20 this week. Hooked it up for the first time today through a ibanez analogue Echo Shifter delay.
The ms20 was synced with a KORG monotribe through a jomox t-resonator with added rev+ddl FX.. the ms20 is clean except for the analogue delays.
No multitracking… one take no edits and overdubs straight into DAW just some limiter to keep the peaks down. And yep, its noisy and hissy, but thats the way i like it.
And yeah, i suffer from “cutoff frequency knob ticks”… 30 years w analogue synths does that to you 
High qualtiy audio version for stream or download at: https://soundcloud.com/ollilab/ollila…
The Celebes Sea (featuring vintage analogue keys)
Original music featuring ARP2600, Moog Voyager, Mellotron, D6 Clavinet, Nord Electro 3 and Fender Rhodes
Applied Accoustics Systems introduces the Ultra Analog VA-2
Thiago Pinheiro introduces AAS’ analog synthesizer
Ultra Analog VA-2 — Analog Synthesizer: What’s new:
Factory library
The completely renewed factory library has well over 600 production-ready sounds classified for fast and intuitive exploration.
Compressor and equalizer
These new additions are perfect to add punch and definition to your sound, letting you cut through any dense mix or stage.
Limiter
The new output limiter protects your ears and monitors during experimentation with the synth’s parameters while providing a maximum of distortion-free dynamics.
Streamlined interface
Redesigned from the ground up, the new interface now divides Ultra Analog VA-2 into three panels: Play presents shortcuts to the performance and effect parameters including bypass switches for quick edits; Edit lets you tweak and create your sound; while FX supplies equalizer, compressor, multi-effect, and reverb processors for a final sheen.
Bank and program manager
Ultra Analog VA-2’s new manager allows simple and efficient organization, backup, and sharing of your sounds.
Overhauled effects
Reinvigorated and polished, Ultra Analog VA-2’s multi-effect processor features our best sounding chorus, delay, phaser, flanger, distortion, notch filter, wah-wah, auto-wah, and reverb to date!
Native 64-bit AU, VST, and AAX plug-ins
Ultra Analog VA-2 now runs in native 64-bit on Mac OS X and Windows making it compatible with the latest sequencers.
Renown sound designer Richard Devine delved into the new Ultra Analog VA-2 to forge a state-of-the-art collection of 110 presets that are simply essential.
Korg R3 – Analog sounds: test, tweak & listen
Testing sounds (stock and non stock), modulations, filters and general ooomphh on Korg’s virtual analog synthesizer.
Recorded in 24bit/48Khz uncompressed wave – enjoy!
Details about the Korg R3:
Occupying the middle ground in Korg’s MMT lineup between the flagship Radias and the ultra-portable microKorg XL, the R3 delivers sophisticated virtual analog power in a compact yet sturdy package. Its 37 full-sized, velocity-sensitive keys and four assignable knobs make it a lightweight yet flexible performance instrument for shaping classic modeled sounds with a synthesis engine in the spirit of the MS2000.
The R3 is marketed as a “Synthesizer/Vocoder”, and the included gooseneck mic lets you take full advantage of its 16-band vocoding capabilities right out of the box. Simply enter Vocoder mode for access to all of the vocoder’s variables that work with an internal or external carrier signal. It also lets you record up to sixteen 7.5-second Formant Motion sequences, allowing you to play saved phrases—albeit at a fixed tempo—through the vocoder without external input. Whether you’re looking to channel the spirits of sci-fi robots, make a guitar do backing vocals or are in need of some unconventional choral accompaniment, the R3’s pro-grade vocoder earns its place in both the mix and the title.
Each of the 128 editable patches can contain up to two timbres, sharing the somewhat meager polyphony between them. These can be layered or divided across the keyboard and can be assigned to individual MIDI channels. Each of these two timbres contain all the capabilities listed, so despite being well suited for mono and lead styles it’s possible to get surprisingly complex, evolving pads which belie its 8-note polyphony. This is best displayed when using each timbre’s modulation sequence, which lets you record a variable’s knob changes and can yield complex changes in a single key press. There’s also a 6-mode arpeggiator with a toggle button and latch control to further animate the sound.
Every timbre consists of two LFOs, two oscillators, a wave-shaper with sub-oscillator options, two insert effects, and three envelope generators for filter, amp, and one for assignment using the Virtual Patch system. This feature lets you define up to six additional routings, giving the unit a fitting touch of modular dynamics which can add subtle dynamics or make sounds spiral off into mayhem. Unfortunately the routings are limited, but most of the logical sources and destinations are included. The two oscillators cover a wide range of traditional analog waveforms with some useful extras (osc1 includes 64 DWGS preset waveforms and the vowel-like Formant wave) and allow a number of interactions between them: ring mod, VPM and unison, among others. External signals can also be processed through the filters, gates and effects. All of this is wrapped up with one master effect and a variable 2-band EQ with some other fine-tuning mods to polish the finished sound.
All of this programming demands an intuitive interface, and although it involves some menu-diving, this is handled by selecting the category with a rotary encoder and then editing individual variables with the 4 main pots. Though it isn’t “per-knob” editing, each pot is encircled by a slick-looking LED halo which shows the value regardless of the knob’s current position. Each knob also has its own small LCD screen which can show the variable or its value by hitting the shift key. This combination along with the Original Value light takes much of the drudgery and guesswork out of building your own patches, but it’s recommended to load up the included software editor since some sub-variable and effects tweaks can seem cryptic at first.
Overall, the R3 is a fun, good quality, affordable synth for anyone who enjoys sculpting sounds using traditional subtractive synthesis, and offers enough complex features and character to earn its place in the mix. Great to program and built with portability in mind, the R3 has what it takes to rock the stage!
Micromac D Part One: Introduction
This is the first video aimed to demonstrate the diverse capabilities of the three oscillator desktop sized MacBeth X-Series Micromac-D analogue synthesizer. In this video, I briefly explain the functionality of the unit.
Nice Moog Sub Phatty Demo
This is a quick demo of the Sub Phatty’s presets and basic features. This is not a musical statement, but an exhibition of the sound and control of the synth.
Time to test the Elektron Analog Four Lead patches
Quick demo of the patches in the “Lead” category posted at elektron.se, the authors own opinions of the patches below:
“None of these sound very useful for my uses but I thought someone may like to hear them. For most patches I play a few keys and then adjust the mod wheel and pitch bend to see what effect – if any – has been programmed.”
DATAMASKIN
