How to use Propellerhead Pulsar as a playable synth
Learn more about the new Pulsar synth from Propellerheads:
Given Reason 6.5’s recent unveiling, the new Rack Extensions were, inevitably, a big topic for the event.
In the first of a series of tutorial videos from the event, resident Reason expert James Bernard shows us how to use one of those Rack Extensions – Propellerhead’s own dual-LFO unit Pulsar – as a playable synth. See how he uses it to make a classic Reese-style bass sound above.
Incidentally, Pulsar is free to all Reason 6.5 and Reason Essentials 1.5 owners until 1 October – so go download it from the Rack Extensions store now.
“I am Sampler” for iPhone iPad
Detune is the Japanese music app creator who recently launched “I am synth”, but more importantly aided KORG with the realization of the iMS20 for iPad:
Who are you? I am Sampler!
the simplest and most powerful sampler app ever!
i have no knobs,no technical terms but just only cute icons waiting for your tap and flick.
-up to 10 sec sampling via mic
-4 sample banks
-Lo-Fi effect
-LFO for pitch : sine,saw,pulse,noise
-envelope for amplitude : attack time,release time
-delay : up to 2 sec , it can be also used for looper
-keyboard : shake for ribbon controller mode which you can play forward or reverse your sample at your favorite speed
-import wavs (mono,44.1khz,16bit) via the sharing folder on iTunes
http://www.detune.co.jp/iamsampler.html
Vortex VSTi Introduction
Vortex is a Multitimbral Sequencer from Homegrown Sounds, features 12 independent sophisticated step sequencers, 12 internal synths (or use with external midi), and FX engine, real time rhythm and pitch re-scaling triggers and much more. See hgsounds.com for full details and demo.
dlab releases APG Composer – free iPad synth
dlab has released APG Composer, which they describe as an app that combines a 3-voice FM synthesizer with an implementation of the Logique Analogique sequencer, which triggers notes when a weighted sum of different signals exceeds a threshold.
Pricing and Availability:
Free.
More information:
Review of Wave Alchemy Pro II Synth – Extended Video
Russ takes a look at the Wave Alchemy Pro II synth.
Inject your mix with a comprehensive collection of fully editable and beautiful sounding analogue synth sounds…
Driven by a custom scripted Kontakt 4 engine, intuitive graphical interface and over 6500 carefully recorded samples, Pro II is a limitless source of screaming bass lines, lush synth tones and powerful sequences.
Inspired by one of the most popular synths of its time, Pro II combines classic sounds with modern sound shaping tools to achieve a versatile and fully programmable hybrid synthesizer!
Pro II ships with a 3.9GB core sound library and includes 195 expertly programmed presets, all of which are editable via our extensively scripted instrument panel and stunning GUI controls.
New demo of the iOS app – Noisemusick
This is a demo of the iOS app Noisemusick. Since I haven’t seen any videos of it here and the developer hasn’t released one yet I figured I would give the market a little demo of what this app can do. Recorded via iSight through Photo Booth hence the shitty quality, but I hope at least the sound can do the app justice.
http://www.fluxama.com/
The Noisemusick app is a collection of THREE controllable synthesizers that generate interesting chaotic sounds. Have fun creating sonic bedlam, exploring weird soundscapes, or use it to GREAT EFFECT in your live performances and recordings. It’s squonky electric FUN for the whole family!
With Noisemusick you can:
- Choose a sound to match your mood: blue, green, or pink!
- Practice and probe to find interesting interactions of sound!
- Discover weird oscillations!
- Use it as a raw input to other filters and effects!
- Run on an iphone or iPad; it’s a Universal app
The original circuit boards were inspired by a workshop presented by Jessica Rylan in 2007. The original Noisemusick schematic includes two infrared sensors for additional chaos on the inputs. Since your mobile device doesn’t have an infrared input, the circuit has been modified accordingly.
Soft Circuitry With Mini Synth
I guess the term soft synths can be used in many different meanings 
This soft interface is made from metallic wools, Velostat (a resistive material), conductive fabrics, sheep’s wool and acrylic craft felt.
It is connected to the circuit with snaps soldered to wires and alligator clips.
The circuit is comprised of 2 oscillators using the 4093 IC, piped through a distortion filter built using the 4049 and then out through the 4040, a 12 stage binary counter, it has 12 outputs, each dividing the source by 2.
Four of the twelve outputs from the counter IC are taken onto the soft interface using snaps to wire and mixed using a felted patch cord of sheep and metallic wool.
One oscillator is controlled by a force sensing resistor made from Velostat and conductive fabric.
Oscillator number two is controlled by a felted sculptural potentiometer, one side of the spike is a needle felted bronze trace, the opposite side is Velostat. You connect the two through your body by wearing stretchy conductive fabric over the tips and touching both sides at once.
Your body naturally has a high resistance, so you mainly get slow oscillation and hear low tones.
Each of the two oscillators have a control pin, they turn on and off based on if that pin is set to high or low. Each oscillator’s outputs are feeding into the other’s control pin, so you can turn one off and on, by touching the other.
JONO – new software musical instrument inspired by modular synthesizers
LOM has released JONO, a software musical instrument inspired by modular synthesizers.
By providing mixture of classical and experimental elements it can serve as an interesting addition to your setup or as a standalone tool.
JONO features
- Two oscillators, modulated by the layered LFO and the sequencer.
- Each oscillator has a couple of ranges and waveshapes, and LFO modulation, which allows you to mix three different LFOs into patterns and rhythms in a very simple yet powerful interface enhanced by the oscilloscope.
- State-variable filter, modulated by another layered LFO, offering three standard filter functions – lowpass, highpass and bandpass.
- Stereo echo and a recorder – for recording short bits of your work right away, without connecting additional software.
- Sequencer provides control over the amount of steps, variable loop length and the speed for each sequence (two sequencers for two oscillators).
- Includes a set of presets, but also allows you to save your own.
- ‘RANDOMIZE’ button, which randomizes the whole setup.
- MIDI support, both for classic pitch control from a MIDI keyboard as well as for control of the main parameters with knobs or sliders.
JONO is available to purchase as a standalone application for Windows and Mac (includes full source code in MaxMSP language), priced at 15 EUR.
OP-X PRO-II: Platinum Bank Demo
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro2/description.html
Demo of the new Platinum bank for the SonicProjects OP-X PRO-II virtual Oberheim VSTi synth plugin. No external effects or any other treatment are involved. All sounds are coming directly from OP-X PRO-II which was played live and recorded directly to disk.
The bank features 82 stunning patches capturing the magic and the special character of some of the most sought after early voltage controlled polyphonic analog synths including:
– Oberheim OB-X
– Oberheim OB-Xa
– Oberheim OB-8
– Oberheim Matrix-12
– Roland Jupiter-6
– Roland Jupiter-8
– Elka Synthex
If you know these synths and their special sound and character you will immedialtly recognize which sounds are dedicated to which godfathers.
The bank can be downloaded here:
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro2/userarea.html
Here’s the reference of the featured patches:
00:00 01 Clear OB Brass
00:08 02 Clear OB Brass II
00:14 03 Matrix-12 ResoPad II
00:39 79 OB-X SL Upsweep
00:58 80 OB-X Space Sweeps II
01:34 29 OB-X Fullanalog Strings
01:57 32 OB-X Slow R-Sweeps
02:11 31 OB-X PWM DS VL
02:25 30 OB-X PWM D-Sweeps
02:31 04 Matrix-12 NR Cembalo II
02:47 53 Matrix Outerspace
02:57 05 FM Midnight Bell
03:05 51 Matrix Strange Tones
03:15 14 MM DL Arpeggio
03:25 15 MM DL Arpeggio FM
03:33 16 MM DL Arpeggio FMS
03:52 55 OB-Xa Sweep Chords
03:57 56 OB-Xa Porta Chords
04:03 57 OB-Xa Slow Upsweeps
04:25 26 OB-8 Superwarm Strings
04:43 58 OB-Xa Warm Sawsolo
04:48 64 OB-Xa P-Sync Solo II
04:54 66 Prophet-5 Lead
05:01 67 Prophet-5 Sine Pad
05:10 68 Prophet-5 Full Brass
05:19 70 Prophet-5 Mod Strings
05:30 72 Prophet-5 Mod Strings L
05:48 73 Prophet-5 Sync Lead
05:55 74 Prophet-5 Wah Chords
06:06 75 Prophet-5 Reso Chords
06:17 76 Prophet-5 LFO Pad
06:31 78 Prophet-5 Upsweeps II
07:16 17 JP-8 Perc Chords
07:22 18 JP-8 Power Chords
07:25 19 JP-8 Power Chords DB
07:33 20 JP-8 Resonant Brass
07:43 21 OB-8 Slow Fullbrass
07:53 22 OB-8 Superfull Brass
08:05 25 OB-8 Warm Perc
08:14 46 Ujiie Matrix Brass
08:20 06 Jupiter-6 Octave Brass
08:28 07 Jupiter-6 HP Brass II
08:33 35 SEM Fat Bass II
08:41 09 Jupiter-6 Sinesync Bass
08:50 49 Ujiie Matrix Clav II
08:53 48 Ujiie Matrix Clav
08:57 40 Synthex Double ARP
09:03 41 Synthex Speed ARP
09:23 45 S-Pulse ARP ST PM
Note that the youtube audio compression takes away a lot of depth and smoothness and makes the sounds small. Played in real using good d/a converters is like night and day.
The download page features a better sounding high quality mp3 demo of the same. For a real reference the bank can be checked with the demo version of OP-X PRO-II:
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro2/freedemo.html
iYM2151 iPad App Simulator of YAMAHA YM2151 FM Synthesizer
Detune has released iYM2151, a new iPad music app that they describe as ‘the world’s first FM synthesis music workstation’.
Here’s what they have to say about iYM2151:
YM2151, aka OPM, is a single-chip FM synthesis implementation, an eight-channel four-operator sound chip. it was used in many 80′s arcade games and home computers.
iYM2151 is the The world’s first FM synthesis music workstation app, using YM2151 simulator engine for iApp.
iYM2151 not only tries to recreate the 80′s FM sound, but it also recreates the experience of working with an 80′s FM interface.
Features:
- uses YM2151 simulator engine for iApp
- 4 operators per 8 Algorithms
- 8 voices
- 3 software LFOs
- max 99 scenes (1scene with 64 steps)
- easy FM edit mode
- MML mode : programable huge FM parameters in every steps
- DUMP mode : realtime all FM operator parameters viewer
- song data file sharing and mail attachment
- 80′s design user interface
DATAMASKIN
