Thor Polysonic Synthesizer – Micro Tutorial
More info on Reason: https://www.propellerheads.se/product…
Thor sounds like no synthesizer you’ve ever heard before – and every single one of them. Where other synths use one specific form of synthesis and one single filter, the Thor polysonic synthesizer features six different oscillator types and four unique filters. Unlimited sound design potential at your fingertips.
In this micro tutorial we’ll take a look at how to maneuver this unstoppable force of synthesis and give you an overview of its main features.
Radikal Technologies Spectralis 2, Virus TI Polar, Korg Radias ambient electro demo
Radikal Technologies Spectralis 2, Virus TI Polar, Korg Radias ambient electro demo
The Spectralis 2 hybrid synth, fueled by the latest DSP- and true analog technology, delivers maximum tonal capabilities and leads you into a radical new world of sounds full of life and animation. The Spectralis 2 oscillator section takes sound design to new extremes. The 4 oscillators offer continuously variable waveshapes plus time linearity modulation, FM, PM, oscillator synchronisation, bit reduction and independent pitch and volume envelopes. The self resonating filters, a 4 pole lowpass and a 2 pole multimode filter with LP, HP, BP and notch outputs, use two highly improved true analog circuit designs to overcome the restrictions of modelling based synths.
The way players can interact with the destinc-tive user interface makes the Spectralis 2 hybrid synthesizer a killer live instrument with unbeatable richness and stunning flexibility. The synthesis engine takes advantage of a sophisticated step sequencing system – 32 independent parameter control lines with up to 192 steps let you explore an universe of previously unheard rhythmic effects and atmospheric textures. Punchy high resolution envelopes, are the cutting edge of todays synthesizer technology. They are the perfect weapon for the creation of floor pounding kicks, state of the art sequencer staccatos and numerous percussion effects.
Time machine: Exploring the PPG wave 2.2
The German made PPG (Palm Products GmbH) Wave 2 series of synthesizers are incredibly great sounding analog/digital hybrid vintage synths. They use digital samples of wavetables and feature analog VCA envelope and VCF (filter) sections for a classic and warm sound. The Wave 2.2 has oscillators that can generate over 2,000 different single-cycle 8-bit digital waveforms! Covered by knobs, the Wave still looks analog and this comprises the “Analog Control Panel”. More complex and new-wave editing of the wavetables and samples is covered by the “Digital Control Panel” where there are several key-pad buttons and an LCD screen. Another familiar treat to analog junkies is the inclusion of an 8-track sequencer which features automation of pitch, loudness, filter cutoff, waveforms and more. A cool feature – its onboard sequencer will also record any filtering and wave changes, in real-time!!
The more commonly encountered Wave 2.3 (pictured) followed the 2.2 and had enhanced sample-playback capabilities. The sampler was pretty full-featured for its time and included upgraded 12-bit digital waveforms, Fourier analysis and linear playback of samples. The 2.3 model also featured 8-parts multitimbrality and MIDI implementation. The PPG Waves are know to create excellent pads, brass and bass sounds.
In fact it was Tangerine Dream who helped the company and the Wave develop. 1978 saw the development of the PPG Wave Computer 360. But the Wave Computer sounded harsh and tinny. In 1981, the PPG Wave 2 was released which added analog VCF and VCA filter and envelopes to warm the digital sound. The original Wave 2 had 8-voice polyphony, like the 2.2 and 2.3, but it had only one oscillator per voice. The 2.2 offered two oscillators per voice which opened up a whole new realm of sonic possibilities because two separate wavetable sounds could now be combined.
Vintage synthesizer track by RetroSound
“Miami Nights”
all synthesizer sounds: PPG wave 2.2 Wavetable Synthesizer (1982)
drums: Roland TR-707
sequencing: internal sequencer
recording: multi-tracking without midi
fx: a bit reverb and delay
more info: http://www.retrosound.de
John Bowen Solaris Demo
Here is a demo of the Solaris synth by John Bowen (www.johnbowen.com).
“I have this fantastic synt for a week now and worked with it for 6 evenings. I started building my own sounds right away and in this demo you can hear a sound that uses vector and wavetable synthesis. Everything is played live using the keyboard, the joystick, the 4 part switch buttons and the pitch and modulation wheel. This synth is the king of evolving sounds!”
For better audio quality go to SoundCloud:
http://soundcloud.com/insanic4/solari…
The general concept behind the Solaris synthesizer is to implement something like a giant wall-sized modular system entirely in software where you can select among several completely different types of oscillators and filters, exquisitely modelled after the components culled from a variety of legendary vintage synthesizers of yesteryear and even some current virtual analog innovations of today. With up to four oscillators, four filters, four amplifiers, four four-input mixers, six envelope generators, one looping envelope generator, five LFOs, two vector mixers and still more of these software modules available in each program, the Solaris synthesizer becomes absolutely unrivalled in terms of versatility and programmability.
Focusrite & Novation // In the studio with Teddy Riley
Focusrite & Novation present: In the studio with Teddy Riley
We spent a day with Teddy, where he showed us around Future Recording Studios 2 and played us a brand new version of Guy’s 1988 hit ‘Teddy’s Jam’ on the Novation MiniNova.
Teddy Riley has always had the cutting edge on production. Highlights of his career include forming R&B super groups Guy and Blackstreet, co-producing and co-engineering Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album (which has sold over 32 million copies) winning Riley a Grammy for Best Engineering non-classical. He has produced countless landmark records, such as the LP “Make it Last” Keith Sweat, Bobby Brown’s ‘My Perogative’, Johnny Kemp “Just Got Paid”, Blackstreet “No Diggity”, The Hip Hop Classic “The Show”, “Rugrats” The Movie and hit after hit for the late Heavy D and a long list of others.
Novation MiniNova Overview:
http://novationmusic.com/hardware-syn…
MiniNova is a compact, super-cool studio and live synth with the same sound engine as its big brother; UltraNova. It comes with 256 incredible onboard sounds that you can tweak with five knobs, or totally warp with eight ‘animate’ buttons. It has up to 18 voices with as many as five synth effects on each sound. MiniNova also has an onboard VocalTune™ effect as well as a classic vocoder so you can recreate iconic vocal sounds from hip hop, urban and electronic music.
Novation SL MkII Overview:
http://novationmusic.com/midi-control…
SL MkII is the advanced range of USB/MIDI controllers from Novation. They have been designed to give you complete control over your music making software. We have worked with each of the main DAWs to make sure each of the 56 knobs, faders and buttons control the things in your software that you need them to control including directly access to your plug-in instruments and FX (you also get an Italian made, semi-weighted keyboard mechanism).
Focusrite Control 2802 Overview:
http://focusrite.com/consoles/control…
Control 2802 is a super-flexible analogue console and an Ethernet-based DAW control surface in one. Precision analogue audio architecture delivers a superb, big studio sound, while Control 2802 demonstrates extraordinarily versatile routing capability, with cues and auxes available to provide up to 32 mix inputs and a DAW-integrated two-part in-line-style channel. Ethernet-connected HUI control layer allows DAW operation right from the console. There’s no other small-format console quite like Control 2802: nothing sounds like it, and nothing offers this level of design sophistication, flexibility and control.
SOLAR SYNTH
Making transmission with the mothership via the SOLAR SYNTH, the world’s first handheld, solar-powered, synthesizer & theremin. Get yours only at chamberofsounds.com
Kosmos for Kontakt 4/5 Playing Around
Kosmos is a scripted Synthesizer for Kontakt 4 & 5 by Homegrown Sounds which uses high quality sampled instruments as the Oscillator Source. This version is Kosmos Infekted which is loaded with 525 Multi-sampled Instruments crafted with a Virus TI. There is a Free Lite Version which uses 20 Instruments from the collection.
Cosmosƒ Plugin V1 – stochastic synthesizer
sonicLAB has announced the release of Cosmosƒ Plugin V1, offering its stochastic synthesizer in native plug-in formats for for Mac and Windows.
After its introduction in 2012, the most advanced stochastic synthesizer finally meets today the AU/VST plugin format. Cosmosƒ offers tremendous possibilities within a DAW environment and we are happy to present this achievement to you.
While there is an upgrade offer for the registered Cosmosƒ users, there is also an educational discount for new users.
A simple introduction to the possibilities of using Cosmosƒ Plugin V1 in a DAW. This new version is a leap in the product range and offers AU or VST compatibility on Windows or OSX platforms in 32/64bit.
Cosmosƒ Plugin V1 features
- All the features of Cosmosƒ V2.2.
- Full automation capability inside any DAW.
- Multiple instances of Cosmosƒ each with unique OSC port number.
- Multiple preset bank handling.
- Independent quantization settings for each universe.
- 32/64bit support.
Cosmosƒ Plugin V1 is available to purchase for $205 USD ($130 USD for student version). A lite version with limited features is $115 USD. Existing users of Cosmosf V2.2 can upgrade to the plugin version (PRO only) for $50 USD.
Novation KS4 / KS5 synthesizer – Dreamy ambient chillout arpeggiator synth demo
Using an enhanced version of the K-Station sound engine, the KS4 (four octave keyboard) and the KS5 (five octaves) offer many additional features and benefits.
The keyboards have aftertouch, are semi-weighted, and each of the 33 knobs and sliders transmit MIDI. There is four part multi-timbral operation with four individual assignable outputs. A big plus is a separate effects section for each part – a unique Novation feature from the Supernova. Also featured are 4 Arpeggiators and 16 note polyphony with a 16 band Vocoder.
The KS-synths have 3 oscillators which provide sawtooth, triangle, sine, pulse width modulation and other waveforms. There’s even a simple FM synth engine which can be dialed in for sharpening the sound. Oscillators may be set to Unison or Sync’d operation and a Noise source is also included in the waveform engine. There is a nice low-/band-/high-pass resonant filter with switchable 12 or 24dB/oct slopes and ADSR controls. A second ADSR envelope is available for the amp, as well as two LFOs with sample-and-hold and MIDI sync.
On-board effects include reverb and delay/chorus/flanger. Their send levels can be controlled by the Mod wheel which is a nice effect. A 12-band vocoder is also on-board for processing external mono sounds such as drum loops or vocals. Pads sound great when vocoded with external sounds. External sounds can also be used as an oscillator, run through the filters, envelopes, etc. with much better results than were possible on the original Bass Stations.
Ambient synth demo on Novation KS4 – KS5 synthesizer, playing chilllout arpeggiator music. The Novation KS4 / KS5 is a great synth keyboard for piano players to expand their musical horizons.
In this demo I’m utilizing 3 oscillators, arpeggiator, envelope, filter, resonance, LFO and reverb and delay effects.
Performed live, no external processing.
Kinetik Laboratories Drone demo
Kinetik Labs produces some really interesting hardware machines for Drone Music. At the last Turin Synth Meeting, Andrea Reali and Claudio Granzieri plays and demonstrates their pretty dense drone instruments. Enjoy.
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