The CODE 4OD in action
Here’s a smattering of presets from the mega-awesome polysynth from Studio Electronics, The CODE 4OD. The CODE sports Moog and Oberheim-style filters stock. Yamaha CS-80, Arp 2600 and TB-303 style filter cards can be added by the user. The CODE’s we carry come standard with four voice cards which give you four note polyphony. Other voice cards can be added, allowing you up to eight voices total. This is definitely one of the best sounding polysynths ever made and has some great modern features like storable presets, lFO’s that sync, cross-modulation, and a switchable overdrive on the output section(hence the “OD”) Please note that the Code sounds much better in person or with a proper preamp;) The chord sequence is being generated by the Elektron Machinedrum midi machine.
SabaTwo Tiga – new free VST
SabaTwoTiga
SabaTwoTiga is a free VST instrument for powerful electronic leads. The 4 voice selector knob allows you to quickly find a tone. 2-way switches modify the sound in an all or nothing fashion, eliminating time spent mousing for a new sound. It is a beefy and musical synth.
Features:
- 4-Way Voice Selector (1, 2, 1+2, Ring Mod)
- Mono Mode (glide)
- Two Tuneable Sub Saws
- Filter Control
- Tempo Sync-LFO (Wobble Mode)
Installation: Place in your VST or Steinberg VST folder.
Teach yourself on Synthesia
Synthesia, formerly called Piano Hero, is a free program plus game that teaches you to play the piano using visual cues like falling notes. Don’t worry if you can’t read sheet music, because you require none. Synthesia lets you learn to play the keyboard and also keep track of your progress.
To use Synthesia you will require a real piano or synthesizer, a Windows or Mac computer to run the game and MIDI files of the music you want to practice. There are plenty of free MIDI resources on the web. If your synthesizer is capable of connecting to your computer (via USB, MIDI cables, or an adapter) then Synthesia can read as you play and score your playing. If not, Synthesia lets you follow along on your own but without scoring.
For more info >> Synthesia
Nice filter demo of the Tetra
It’s a very basic demo of my DSI Tetra with its Mac OSX editor. I tried to demonstrate what this little instrument can do. It has got very complex architecture, like Prophet 08. Now you can see some basic procedures with its modulation matrix and LP filter…
DX7 is back – on the iPhone :-)
Yet another revival, last week we had Propellerhead’s ReBirth, this week the old classic DX7 makes its way into the realms of Apple, however this one looks pretty slick I must say, judging from the videos below:
This is a sneak preview of DXi – an FM synthesizer for the Apple iPhone.
It’s officially “coming soon”.
Parts 2 & 3 of the preview below.
DXi is a big hit once in the early 80 FM synthesizer in a compact, easy to play and enjoy making music with FM source application.
FM then you are not full-featured synthesizer, but the parameters are selected enjoy the fun of making music. Makes FM sound system, there are little quirks, if you get hold of the unique timbre only trick.
Free Roland TR-808 emulation
Tactile Sounds has updated TS-808 to v1.0.0.2. There are now Mono and Stereo versions.
Changes: Both Versions
- Standard GM Voice Mapping.
- New GUI, designed by Limeflavour.
- LEDs indicating Voice Activity.
- Voice Mute Buttons.
- Compiled with the latest version of SynthEdit, reducing CPU consumption.
Changes: Stereo Version
- Panning for each voice.
TS-808 is a free software emulation of the Roland TR-808 hardware drum machine. It was created by reference to the TR-808 service notes and extensive analysis of samples.
Typewriter synth, what’s next?
TOPLAPapp is a free application for the Apple iPad that uses a sonic puzzle as the interface for a virtual machine for sound synthesis.
Description:
This machine accepts a few valid instructions represented by the letters T, O, P, L, A, and p. You control TOPLAPapp by placing each command letter within a grid, along with setting some associated parameter sliders.
The machine rushes through the instruction set to create output sounds, which are usually of a somewhat noisy character, hopefully interestingly so.
The historical antecedents include instruction synthesis as pioneered at the Institute of Sonology in the 1970s, and the live coding movement, of modifying a running program as it acts.
Note: Developers warn “This app is intended for those interested in more experimental sound art: don’t download unless you are open to stranger computer music sounds”.
Pricing and Availability
TOPLAPP app is a free app and is available now for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Link:
Playing 8bit on the SunVox
SunVox is a small, fast and powerful music sequencer with modular synthesizers. It is a tool for those people who want to compose music anywhere. SunVox available for desktop PC (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X), pocket computers (Windows Mobile, PalmOS, iPhone/iPad) and netbooks.
| Key features |
- Modular interface.
- Highly optimized synth algorithms.
- Flexible architecture: SunVox can working on variuos devices. For example: PDA with slow CPU – 16bit sound (fixed point arithmetic); or big PC with powerfull CPU: 32bit sound (floating point arithmetic).
- Built-in synthesizers:
- FM synthesizer;
- Generator (saw,triangle,square,noise waveforms);
- Kicker;
- Sampler (supported formats: WAV, XI, AIFF);
- SpectraVoice (FFT-based synthesizer for analog-like pads);
- DC Blocking Filter;
- Delay;
- Distortion;
- Echo;
- EQ;
- Filter (Low-pass, High-pass, Band-pass, Notch);
- Flanger;
- LFO;
- Loop;
- Reverb (with DC Blocking Filter);
- Vocal Filter;
- Vibrato.
- Supported systems: Windows, Linux (x86/x86_64), Mac OS X, PalmOS, WindowsCE (Windows Mobile), iPhone/iPad.
- Export to WAV.
Chinese Synthpop – does it exist?
Maybe because I am based out of Sweden the only hits I get on Google searching for good chinese synthpop bands I end up getting hits for the local band Chinese Theater (which of course is a rather nice band, but that is not what I am looking for 
)
However I yesterday stumbled on these guys who make very nice traditional synthpop – melodic, athospheric and kind of like old Twins, Alpha Ville etc. They´re called IGO and based out of Shanghai – I certainly recommend checking them out:
Here are some background facts on the band:
When the Shanghai band IGO plays on stage, there is really not much to “see,” with one man standing still playing the keyboards and another singing without much gestures.
However, people who have seen IGO live will still recommend it to you and tell you where they play, so you can experience the infectious atmosphere there and witness how and why the audiences get delirious for their music.
The one-year-old band is a combination of Shanghai’s most active club DJ and the former front-man of a local post-punk band. The duo has a large fandom online and at local music venues. Their popularity may keep expanding as their music finally reaches the CD player.
The duo, featuring synthesizer talent B6 and singer-songwriter J Jay, is releasing their debut album, “Synth Love,” on September 21 under Modern Sky, China’s largest independent record label.
It’s a time when IGO is among the most frequent players at Shanghai’s nightclubs, where pogo dance usually heats up in front of the band’s performances. This album is a collection of IGO’s most played songs. It is for those who are yet to get a chance to visit Shanghai.
IGO is now offering previews of some of the songs on their Neocha page, a local-based music-sharing website B6 co-founded, similar to MySpace.
Laibach, Grendel and more @ ElectriXmas
Well half the Laiback concert was OK – that is the second half when they returned to their old songs rather than performing their new stuff. Their new songs are not catchy enough and they take themselves too seriously – so remain with your back catalogue next time you visit Malmoe. Grendel did an OK impression, although their songs to sound the same when you’ve listened to two or three LOL. Finally I must say OneTwo is a joke and can´t understand what they are doing at a gig like this, apart from their legacy with Alpha Ville – crap.
ElectriXmas was an OK event this year, but lacking one or two of the really big names to round the evening off with, better luck next time. below a couple of snapshots from the event:
DATAMASKIN
