Blogs

In this first Geo Tutorial, I show how you can quickly and easily sample something in SampleWiz and move it to Geo Synthesizer! Get it now from the iTunes App store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/a...

For many weeks I’ve been trying to come up with a cabinet design for the vacuüm tube Theremin I built a while ago. I decided that the electronics were far too marvelous to hide away in the classic RCA “drinks cabinet” and it had to have *lots* of elliptical curves. Check out the full article and more images at http://www.stephenhobley.com...

Everyone is going bonkers over the the Animoog synth itself. Not much focus on the incredible job Moog did on the polyphonic keyboard and XY controller. Its easy to over look, but watch and listen for independent control of volume and pitch for each note. So you can have a fast attack touch at the top of the bar, or start at no/low volume and fade in for slow attack. Addtionally, you can bend the pitch note to note for smooth runs.

Chilled and deep sounding for this first release by :. X . M . M .: from Norway. Lay back and close your eyes for the cosmic journey through space. Strange sounding and moving of the melodies creates a slow and wide atmosphere to relax in... after listening to this LP try to return to Earth...if you can... Get it now at http://www.nostressnetlabel....

Brian Eno on stage during his “Illustrated Talk” at Moogfest in Asheville, North Carolina - October 29, 2011. Check out the images over at http://www.tumblr.com/tagged...

We are extremely pleased to announce that Kate will be releasing a brand new album: "50 Words For Snow" on 21 November 2011. The album will be the second release from Kate's own label Fish People and comprises all new material that was recorded during the same period that Kate worked on her album “Director’s Cut”.

Here's a new video Livid Instruments have made of their soon to be released modular midi controller system. It's based on the eurorack standard and will feature dozens of modules that can be arranged to create totally unique layouts. Shown in the video is a preview of their 4 modular skiff enclosure.

Thanks to Robot Speak for hosting Randy Jones and his Soundplane controller. He was really great sharing the intimate details on his controller and the technology behind it. Get a look at the controller, calibration software and other details presented by Randy himself.

Hypercyclic 1.1 is a new version of the original LFO-driven MIDI arpeggiator, gate effect and step sequencer for mangling sustained MIDI input chords, the output of which can then drive other MIDI instruments.

A while ago Rob Papen visited my Apollo studio. Together with his crew he was filming some footage for his upcoming book and DVD about sound design on synthesizers. While they were filming in my studio I filmed them with my own camera. So this short movie is sort of a 'making of'. More info about the DVD will follow on http://www.robpapen.com

Interesting vdeo of a very simple analogue neuron circuit modded for synth use. In this clop, the neuron is fed Tri waves from 2 CGS LFOs. The output is used to modulate the cutoff in a vari-BW VCF. Schematic is here - http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/da...

Madrona Labs are finally rolling out their Soundplane controller. They had a little meating in Berkeley, CA where Don Buchla popped in for a cup of coffee, laid hands on the Soundplane and pronounced it a worthy object. There will be a demo at Robotspeak in San Francisco, CA this Saturday at 4 pm if you want to learn more about it. Check out more details about the Soundplane at http://madronalabs.com/

Here is an excellent documentary on those who produce Noise, a small, unnoticed style of Electronic music.

Usine had been around for quite some time and always improving both the Pro and Free versions since it's beginning. Now Sensomusic has released Usine Stage. An in-between the free and the pro version product. Usine Stage is a reduced version of Usine Pro for advanced users. Some features are absent like VST exportation, the sequencer and the number of tracks is limited but Usine Stage is a good starting point to experience all the power of this software. So you feel limited with Usine Free? Try Usine Stage!

Corona is a 32 and 64-bit, virtual analog and wave synthesizer for Audio Units, VST hosts featuring 3 VA + WAVE oscillators, up to 14 combine modes between oscillators resulting in extensive timbres, 8 destination matrix modulations, 3 LFOs, 3 ADSR envelopes, unison, chorus, delay and limiter effects with high-quality sound and analog modeled filters using a straightforward and easy to use interface.

An algorithmic vision of perfection and precision. It’s Grade A class, Number One in its division. ValhallaRoom is a versatile, true stereo algorithmic reverb. It features several original reverberation algorithms (including the new Dark reverb modes: Dark Room, Dark Chamber, and Dark Space), and has been designed from the ground up to produce a wide range of natural reverberation sounds. Sounds range from tight ambiences and rooms, through traditional hall and plate sounds, all the way up to vast modulated spaces. The algorithm designs have been influenced by some of the “classic” room simulation boxes, as well as state of the art modern theory.

JEN SX3000 Kontakt instrument based on the strange little Italian mono synth of the same name. The Graphical user interface has been designed by renowned GUI designer Anders Hedstrom (Flavours of Lime) who has done an amazing job creating the front panels and user interface.

Whoah that was fast. Last week VirSyn announced their new Addictive Dynamic Wavetable Synthesizer for iPad. There was no promise of a release date. Today they have announced it's release with an introductory price of $5.99. Nice. Addictive Synth is available now through iTunes.

Din Sync shows how to use the Free SyncKontrol app from Korg with your modular synth. He explains that at the very least you will need to amplify the output and ideally use something like a Maths to control the pulsewidth of the clock, though it will work without one if amplified. It's really just a click sound. The signal is not very strong though so if you a feeling ambitious you can use the included schematic from Din Sync shown below to build a DIY noninverting amplifier.

VJ Franz K recently reviewed the new Korg MonoTribe in only the style that VJ Franz can do. The emphasis in these videos is on sound and tweaking. Throughout the videos is embedded text explaining features and what VJ is doing. Probably a good thing then to watch and listen to them and ask VJ questions later. Should you have any. He does a great job at showing the MonoTribe's potential beyond the mere tweak and toggle that all the other videos show.