Hi!
If you've been following the leaks, this should be no surprise - MPC X Special Edition is now out. I had been curious about MPC X for a while, so when Akai offered to send me the XSE, it was an excellent opportunity to check this form factor out and compare it to all the other MPCs.
I say "form factor" because all of Akai's MPCs essentially run the same MPC OS (except Force, which is a similar variant) - XSE and Key 61 have more RAM if you need space for sampl...
2023-04-26 14:08:26 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
It's pretty rare to get to play an original instrument, except maybe every time I review a SOMA synth, and Terra is no different.
In the video I compare it to Bruce Banner... - soft spoken as long as you handle it gently, but once you apply pressure, things can get out of control.
It's not just about chaotic sounds though - its note key layout inspires creating your own scales, and its pitch-shifter controls make playing that scale even ...
2023-04-16 14:02:31 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
As I mention in the video, and I know this sounds hyperbolic, in my opinion Osmose from Expressive E is the biggest leap forward in black-and-white keyboard design since the invention of the piano compared to the harpsichord.
And then Expressive E went even further and partnered up with Lippold Haken and Edmund Eagan to customize almost all their presets and include their fantastic EaganMatrix engine in the synth - one of the most powerful syn...
2023-04-08 16:29:35 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers,
Here's the latest book update! Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to try a few expressive/alternative controllers. In light of that, I've updated the Expressive Instruments "mini-reviews" chapter to include those controllers - you'll find them here:
- Osmose (Page 387)
- Joue (Page 391)
- QuNexus/K-Board-C (391)
- ERAE Touch (392)
These are all just mini-reviews with "tip of the iceberg" descri...
2023-03-31 14:05:02 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers!
Attached are 15 multi-sample instruments - sampled from NINA so you can have a taste of playing this synth at home and in your projects!
For those of you that are new - I've attached a PDF walkthrough of how to use them.
A quick recap: I’ve decided to "standardize" on the MPC Keygroup format when sharing instruments, for a few reasons:
- Its player, the MPC Beats software, is free
- It’s cross-platform ...
2023-03-15 13:18:25 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
One of the things that frustrate me most in synths is that once you swap a preset (and even worse, a timbre), knob positions no longer reflect actual parameter values.
There are a few solutions to this problem - LED rings, screens and various pickup modes, and now, Melbourne Instruments give 32 drone motors a shot!
The synth innovates in quite a few ways interface-wise, including a knob per function mod matrix and a PolyBrute style morph function.<...
2023-03-14 19:33:45 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers,
The latest book update is here! You can skip between updates by searching for the string FEB2023, or just hop on to the page numbers as per below. Here's what's new:
- If your synth or modular setup has an envelope follower and you have no idea what to do with it - the new mini-chapter about envelope followers is just for you! (Page 256)
- New tip for creating generative rhythmic patterns by mapping various sources to ...
2023-02-28 13:54:28 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
Roland's ZEN-Core is by far the most feature-rich (and parameter-rich) synth engine I've ever seen. That's also its problem - there's so much going on, it can be quite overwhelming to program.
With the SH-4d, Roland has broken away from ZEN-Core compatibility, in favor of simpler, smaller synth engines (still based on ZEN-Core tech), with just a handful of parameters each, and for the most part - hands-on controls. They're also pricing it quite aggressively (a...
2023-02-23 08:08:27 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers!
Looking back at the past several reviews of Taiga, Trigon 6 and 3rd Wave, I noticed I've looked at three 3-oscillators synths in a row! If that's not a good enough reason for a new chapter about multi-oscillator synths, I don't know what is :)
Attached is the book update for January 2023 (as usual, search for the string JAN2023 to jump from update to update), with a brand new chapter dedicated to tips and ideas for making...
2023-01-31 18:21:30 +0000 UTC
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Hi there!
If you've ever wondered what would come out of a 70s synth collaboration between Bob Moog and Don Buchla - Taiga from Pittsburgh Modular might just be it... with three oscillators - each (!) with a wavefolder, and a low-pass-gate like dynamics circuit, along with plenty of other goodies not quite from the 70s. Here's my full review.
Attached to this post is a video download of the outro, and, as per Trigon 6, I cooked up a bunch of multisamples
2023-01-31 14:56:05 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers!
Attached are 17 multi-sample instruments - sampled from Trigon 6, as per the previous batch of Third Wave, so you can have a taste of playing this synth at home and in your projects!
Some of these are a bit bigger than last time because when relevant I sampled two or three velocity layers.
I've attached a PDF walkthrough of how to use them.
A quick recap: I’ve decided to "standardize" on the MPC Keygroup
2023-01-21 14:44:06 +0000 UTC
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Hi there!
Trigon 6 from Sequential builds on the form factor and usability of Prophet 6 and OB-6, this time paying tribute to a monster old analog soul - the 3 VCO, ladder filter-based Memorymoog polysynth - which in turn was the result of putting together the sound and interface of six Minimoogs, with a few improvements and patch storage.
This video was quite a bit in the making - while it's always exciting to make launch day vid...
2023-01-19 22:50:37 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers!
Attached is the book update for December 2022 (as usual, search for the string DEC2022 to jump from update to update), and the 3RD WAVE multi-samples promised yesterday.
The biggest book update this month is a new appendix dedicated to using MPC Beats as a multi-sample player because that's how I plan to package multi-samples going forward.
I’ve decided to "standardize" on the MPC Keygroup format when sharing instru...
2022-12-31 18:46:49 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
Last review for the year! Here's my take on 3rd Wave from Groove Synthesis - a PPG-inspired wavetable synth with plenty of modern features and hands-on controls.
I've attached a high-quality audio recording of my favorite patches from the video - around 15 minutes of 40 or so patches.
This synth ain't cheap, but I'm working on wrapping up multi-sampled instruments of a few patches (some modified factory patches and some my own) so that you can ge...
2022-12-30 14:22:50 +0000 UTC
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Hi there!
The 70s were known for their analog three-oscillator mono synths, but none would invite you to get as wild and experimental as much as the EMS Synthi.
SYNTRX II from Erica Synths builds on that legacy and kicks it up quite a few notches compared to their original SYNTRX from two years ago - more details in the video.
I've attached to this video an exclusive video download with extended and "no talking" versio...
2022-12-19 17:26:58 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
Akai just updated their budget Ableton Live controllers APC Mini and APC Key 25 with color pads, a note and drum mode for the Mini, and a few odds and ends here and there. All the details are in the video - if you're looking for a budget starter controller for Ableton Live, these are well worth a look!
As part of the prep for this video, I "converted" the extended version of my track Sun Machine One to Live - attached as a download for those i...
2022-12-15 14:01:16 +0000 UTC
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Hi there!
While I had performed live in a "previous life" - for as long as I've had the channel, I've never actually got on stage and put a set together, so when my friend Tomer AKA Animals and Synthesizers, invited me to play a short live set at his album launch party - it was a good opportunity to get out of my studio comfort zone and put a live set together.
This video documents the thought process behind choosing the gear for the setup and reproducing tracks that were made wit...
2022-12-06 19:28:01 +0000 UTC
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Dear Waveshapers,
Here it is! The November book update, with a few simple but powerful tips and ideas:
- New trick: Note repeat and multichannel note repeat when that feature doesn’t exist
- New trick: Overcoming that lack of delay using a sequencer
- New trick: “Fake” polyphonic aftertouch when running arps
- New trick: Using a delay effect as a looper, and tips to get more out of it
You can skip between the updates by s...
2022-11-30 23:50:47 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
SmplTrek from Sonicware is an affordable and portable sampler, looper, sequencer, and multi-track recorder with a list of features that seems to rival a full-fledged DAW. But, since as usual, you can't win them all, compromises were made. The screen is very small in light of what's packed into it, the workflow is clunky at times and many of the features are basic.
In this video I take a look at what's there and how deep (or not) it goes!
Attached for tho...
2022-11-18 20:05:09 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
Eventide's H90 combines the power of two H9s (four if you count its spillover feature...) and usability which doesn't require a companion app. The result is an effects pedal that can dramatically alter and shape even the simplest of sounds.
In this video, I play all its algorithms (60, with 10 new ones), and quite a few of its combo two-algorithm programs (the attached video includes all the combos I play in the outro.)
It's quite an ins...
2022-11-09 18:06:27 +0000 UTC
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Dear Waveshapers!
A MIDI keyboard is probably the first piece of gear people making electronic music buy. My book already has audio interface, synth, and sequencer/groovebox buyer's guides, but as I was making the videos about Minilab MK3 and MPK Mini Plus this month, I started jotting down the number of options and features a controller can have and came up with quite a list!
The result is this month's update - a whole chapter with a checklist of things to consider when g...
2022-10-31 16:04:18 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
After 30 years, Synclavier are releasing a new hardware synth!
Regen can split and layer its multiple synth timbres: FM, additive, samples, subtractive and "frames" (an additive-based "wavetable" synth).
It's an interesting combination of technology and soul, with a quirky interface...
All the details are in the video, and I've attached a Patreon exclusive download - 10 minutes of me playing some of the very intere...
2022-10-28 18:50:30 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
With the MPK Mini Plus, Akai is going for KeyStep's 37 mini-key jugular, and unlike a certain cloning (allegedly) company, they actually bring quite a lot of new substance to the table, including MPC Pads, more encoders, a two-track sequencer with another track for arp/keyboard instrument control, and more... and at a lower price! The keys aren't quite as good and there's no aftertouch, but that's a lot of value beyond that.
Get all the detail...
2022-10-20 13:07:45 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
It's double feature day! And when I say feature, I'm not kidding, my MiniFreak video is an hour and 42 minutes long. The review part is "only" around 50 minutes or so, but I've included me playing through almost all its presets.
I've attached to this post a high-quality download of the entire preset part so you can listen to it ad free if you like - Patreon wouldn't let me upload the whole file as one, hopefully it works split up.... if it doe...
2022-10-18 16:08:53 +0000 UTC
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Hi!
As you may have been in my "Fix Studio Lies" video, I'd rather have synths in my studio than massive blocks of Rockwool.
The problem is, bass modes in small rooms generate a lot of pressure and low-end mud, and are impossible to treat without large amounts of material (and spending). Software room correction can really help.
However, the problem with software room...
2022-10-06 11:43:44 +0000 UTC
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Dear Waveshapers!
This month's update is a brand new chapter intended for those of you that haven't yet made the leap into exploring the magical world of isomorphic grid instruments and controllers.
Pros for grid-based layouts are that once you learn a chord shape or scale, you can easily transpose it up and down and left and right to any key using the same shape, and it's also easy to play multi-octave open chord voicings with on...
2022-09-30 13:33:23 +0000 UTC
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Good morning!
drumlogue (lower case d) by Korg has been made available for review so here goes! (and I'm told it's coming to stores soon)
It's got a mix of analog, sample based and digital synth based voices, an easy to use interface and a nice serving of IO.
I'm particularly excited about the open SDK aspect of it - and the groove feature is a refreshing sequencing option. This is day 1 and the SDK isn't compatible with the old 'logue series, so there's onl...
2022-09-15 08:13:50 +0000 UTC
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Dear WaveShapers!
Here goes - all 258 samples, chopped up, normalized, sorted and ready to go to give your sampler a bit of Perkons' vibe...
Enjoy!
Ziv / Loopop
2022-09-03 15:44:40 +0000 UTC
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UPDATE! Modulator level sound pack attached - 72 samples - not too shabby! WaveShaper level sound pack ended up 258 samples in case you're considering moving up to that tier. Regardless your support is much appreciated!
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Hi there!
The samples from Erica Synths' Perkons HD-01 were some of the most used in my Superbooth 2021 competition. Now I have it hands-on for a test to see what the finished instrument looks and...
2022-09-02 13:24:01 +0000 UTC
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Dear Waveshapers!
I hope you're doing well! Here it is, the latest book update. Let's jump right in, here's what's new:
- I've added an entirely new chapter about Wavetable Synthesis, including four ways to create wavetables using free tools like WaveEdit and Vital
- Added a “recipe” for creating a Krell-type patch on “regular synths”
- Added references to interval performance and sequencing
2022-08-31 17:05:44 +0000 UTC
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