Boomstar 4075 synthesizer demonstration – teaser
Studio Electronics Boomstar 4075 – ARP Filter Sneak n’ Peak (Take 2)
Get the .aif.zip here: http://studioelectronics.com/assets/Audio/boomstar/Boomstar-4075-GSR-1.aif.zip (for you listening pleasure only).
Greg St. Regis’ clever twists and turns launched the first 4075 Boomstar past “the surly bonds of earth,” via a cheap audio interface that happened to be around. More Boomstar filter type demos, live footage and markedly superior D/A Converters to follow.
Headphones mandatory. Production units are mere weeks away!
MSR
Greg St. Regis comments:
We’ve spent the last month debugging the prototype pcbs and perfecting the analog circuits. At this point, I felt it was good enough to give you all a sneak preview of the sound. It has about 90% of it’s hardware functional. Still to be implemented is the software LFO. This is raw BoomStar recorded though a Focusrite Scarlett interface (nothing special), into Reason with a Macbook Pro. We did this in about 20 minutes, one take. I played a small Akai controller with a built in arpeggiator with my left hand and turned knobs with my right. It’s “kinda cool.
It was originally about 11 minutes long; Marc did a small amount of normalizing and edited it down to 8 minutes 30 some seconds.
Put some decent headphones on and listen to huge low booms end and searingly crisp filter sweeps. I tried to take it though a full compliment of waveforms, xmod, rmod, oscillator sync, feedback looping, resonance squeals and overdrive. There is quite a bit more to come when the LFO gets in on the action.
The chassis are getting screened this week. We’ll post more demos in the days to come with video included. And no, this is not an SE1X or ATCX! They sound quite good, but there is nothing like the clarity and impact of pure discrete analog with hardware envelopes.
Enjoy!
GSR
p.s. Expect to see these in the shops in about 30 days… we’re in love with this little beast.
Previous MSR comments:
“Four Boomstar hardware circuits: crossmod, ringmod, feedback, AND distortion are at play here at one time or another. The idea was to stretch out… and let things get greasy and messy.”
“The “feedback” feature (a la the Minimoog) is employed throughout this track so that distortion is an effect. If you are attempting to listen to this through your laptop speakers they will be overwhelmed quickly.”
Synth Tease
Below is a somewhat cryptic description accompanying this video:
“This video was taken with a spy camera that was hidden in the laboratory of a mad scientist. The video was smuggled out at the cost of the lives of many good men. It contains signals and sounds from a top secret weapon of mass sound that is in development. I can’t even imagine what chaos and destruction would ensue if this device was unleashed upon the world.”
3 x Exploration of the Simmons SDSV
After months of repair SynthMania are ready to explore the capabilities of the Simmons SDSV. The SDS-5 (or SDS-V) was a really popular system, used by many of the big names in the 80’s. It was ‘module’ based so you could start with 5 modules and expand it to 6 or 7 in total.There was also different types of modules, toms, bass drum, snare and hi hat. Also it had ‘patch memories’, of sorts anyway. These were basically trimmers that were recessed below the panel. You could also use it in a ‘free’ mode where the sound you had was the sound set on the knobs.
After 11 months in the repair shop the Simmons SDSV is fixed. To celebrate the event, I’m testing the SDSV to explore some of the typical Italo sounds of the early / mid ’80s. The SSL Alpha-Link audio interface’s MADI port is also broken at the moment so I’m recording this audio through the computer’s internal sound card… I’ll create a better Simmons demo once I fix the audio interface. This is not a full song, just some noodling on the Simmons and JP-8 to test the SDSV sounds (which are great!)
A moody, slower demo of the Simmons SDSV, the Roland TR-808, and Roland Jupiter-8 using some classic-sounding sounds. The TR-808 drives the Simmons and the JP-8’s arpeggiator, the rest is improvised in real time. The filter of the JP-8 is set at -24dB and tweaked in real time. Again, due to my main audio interface being broken, I’m using the computer’s internal audio card, sorry for the floor noise.
Simmons SDSV, TR-808, Jupiter-8, Minimoog
Music Korg M1 “Universe”
“Music Korg M1 “Universe”. My favourite patch from this amazing synthesizer.”
The M1 was and still is a popular and widely used digital synthesizer and music workstation. The M1 features built-in AI Synthesis for full digital generation and processing using 4MB of PCM sampled and synthesized waveforms which can be shaped using analog-style editing. The M1 is capable of creating acoustic instruments with clarity, nice digital sounds and good buzzy techno sounds. The M1 is sort of like a workstation-version of the Roland D-50.
In addition to its acclaimed sound, it has a somewhat sophisticated 8-track sequencer. It holds 10 songs and 100 patterns and up to 7,700 notes, and offers full quantizing and editing. Full MIDI implementation suites the M1 ideally for studio production and MIDI system use. Up to 8 parts of multitimbrality with the 8 track sequencer makes for a powerful machine. Add to that a host of digital multi-effects and you’ve got one of the most widely and professionally used Korg synthesizers around.
Checking out the Novation // MiniNova synthesizer – Vocoder and VocalTune™
Novation MiniNova Vocoder & VocalTune™ demonstration:
Check out these other MiniNova videos:
MiniNova performance: http://youtu.be/uvDfHhuFF5w
Artist first look: http://youtu.be/m7fJ7nUWPkU
Selecting Sounds tutorial: http://youtu.be/fdshUAWIb7Q
Two of MiniNova’s most interesting and fun features are VocalTune™ and the classic vocoder. This video takes you through what they are and how to start using them to make those iconic vocal sounds.
MiniNova is a compact, super-cool performance synth with the same sound engine as its big brother: the UltraNova. It comes with 256 incredible onboard sounds which you can tweak with 5 knobs, or totally warp with 8 ‘animate’ buttons. 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 MiniNova key features:
• Hugely powerful micro synthesizer with UltraNova’s sound engine
• Brand new VocalTune™ and classic vocoder effects
• Live synth: tweak and warp your sounds in realtime
• 256 awesome onboard sounds – instantly searchable
• Layer up to 5 effects per voice
• Comes with editing software and a software patch librarian
• Run guitars and other instruments through the vocoder, VocalTune™ and effects
• 37 key controller keyboard with MIDI I/O
For more videos subscribe to our YouTube channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/novationtv
Cat Synth – actually using a real cat as a synthesizer
Here’s what Aaron Apter has to say about this nice experiment:
“My cat Vincent is actually a synthesizer. A fluffy, orange synthesizer. I’m using Impaktor, which captures Vince’s acoustic impulses and uses them to excite various sound modules. With the aid of my iPad, Vinny and I kick out some jams. For more info on my other iOS music ventures, visit www.aaronapter.com”
The NovaDrone – Open source synth
The NovaDrone is an open source, experimental sound and light synthesizer available for sale as a kit or assembled unit. For more, build instructions, videos, pictures etc go to
http://casperelectronics.com/novadrone/
EMW WCS-1 Synthesizer
Playing the EMW WCS-1 synthesizer module using a microKorg and a reverb from a Behringer mixing console.
BassBoy – monophonic digital MIDI controlled bass synthesizer
BassBoy is a monophonic digital MIDI controlled bass synthesizer. Device receives all information via MIDI input. The unit consists of oscillator which generates SAW & SQUARE WAVE using 16-bit band-limited wavetables, thus making the number of harmonics limited. After that, the signal itself goes through a simple implementation of MOOG filter, whose frequency range is chosen by MIDI commands and which is affected by the level of the envelope. The filtered signal then comes to the controlled amplifier, which creates the signal shape, and in the end through DAC (WM8762) and pre-amp circuit goes to the audio jack 6.35mm.
http://www.mikroe.com/add-on-boards/audio-voice/bassboy/
http://andigo.ehotim.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2…
Right channel – drums and other things, left channel – BassBoys…
Midi: Children – Robert Miles (rearranged)
RubberBand Synth – Free Ableton Pack
My ever so persistent US DJ friend AfroDJMac delivers yet another inspiring Live pack
“Here’s a free Ableton Live Instrument rack made from the sound of a rubber band plucked and recorded with a contact microphone. Special thanks to Theo, my cat, for helping out.”
Full Post and Download: http://bit.ly/freesynth65
Homemade Contact Mic: http://getlofi.com/shop
Visit my site for more stuff like this, including Live Instrument downloads, tutorials and music! http://www.afrodjmac.com
DATAMASKIN
