Just video blog stuff discussing mostly synths, progressive rock, music in general, recording music, music recording gear, music recording software, music producing gear, and occasionally beer!
Five years late . . . but thanks for the video. I just picked up one of these in essentially unused condition (the plastic film was still on the display!) after watching Florian over at AudioPilz do a "Bad Gear" review of the CZ101. I'll try it out for a couple of weeks, and return it to Guitar Center if I don't like it. I do believe that there are a lot of good sounds hiding in this machine, and the UI is very interesting. This should be fun! 😉
Hell, it's never too late for a synth, if you enjoy playing it or making sounds with it! I did end up selling this, but then I got what is almost the "big brother" of the XW-P1, the Casio PX-5S. It's a bit more programmable and has a similar enough OS/UI that it felt semi-familiar to use. Unfortunately it ALSO has a not-so-thorough user guide PDF, much like the XW-P1. Yeah, I watched the Bad Gear review of the CZ-101. As a longtime CZ fan, I was happy to see it. My first gigging synth was a CZ-1000, basically a CZ-101 but with full size keys.
@@ProckGnosis That XW-P1 user guide makes me grateful for RU-vid tutorials, but I'm loving the sliders on this wacky machine! Casio synths seem to be hidden gems . . . who knew? 🤔
Can I ask about using T’s sequencer and step mod when clocking from an ipad sequencer? It’s not working as I’d expect! I can sequence notes and CC from the iPad but only by losing a load of valuable onboard functionality. When I set master clock to “external” and modulator synch to BPM: * the onboard sequencer won’t run, neither independently nor when the external sequencer (Korg Gadget, iOS) is running. * the step modulator won’t run. Behaving as it does, the only option I can think of is to use Typhon as the master clock. That would be not convenient at all! Many thanks if you can advise!
I got back into the Miniak quite a bit in the last couple years. The synth fucking rocks for what it can do (the synth architecture, I mean). It less-than-rocks for the user interface that very successfully hinders user access to its full potential. Fortunately some programming software lets you MUCH MORE easily access that full potential.
Oh for sure, my biggest gripe with the miniak is the window diving but what it can do is really cool - I think it’s been extremely slept on. It has so many features.
@@DatKhajiit I've probably said it in 20 other posts, but if Akai or Alesis would re-release this, like a "super Alesis Ion" or something, with at least 16 voices and ample knobs/slider/button controls (minimal menu diving), I would be ALL OVER it. I even considered buying a used Alesis ION, just to have that knob control, but I held off.
If there is, then I broke it. That's a German-style mug of beer! I usually have a beer nearby in the opening bit...that's why I refer to it in the notes as the "babble-and-breswki" part of the video.
Does sound good, doesn't it? No, on the multiwaveforms though. Just a saw and pulse wave, with a few tricks like FM, PWM, Osc Synch, and Mix (letting you combine the saw and pulse wave).
@@ProckGnosis it does sound very clean and analogish...even better than the jp 8000...i can see its good for trance,house music and synth pop ...anyways how powerful is the unison on this one...?
Got my V3 yesterday and as I am new to modular your tutorial is really helpful. I really love the dreadbox synths for its OSC tone and filter sound. Also bought the V2 and the typhon.
Thanks. I still think this is one of Dreadbox's most creative designs. It's a bit deep to figure out (I did the videos for myself as much as other folks), but it's WELL worth it.
Norwegian here, who just go interested in Dreadbox synths. I stumbled on them by accident. Until today I only really knew about Moog, Behringer, Arturia and Korg. Those where the companies I considered buying my first analog synth from. It is super cool that Dreadbox is not only European but also Greek. I don't often see Greek tech companies. And I know what it is like being from a relatively small country. We got a speaker manufacturers named Seas in my home town Moss, Norway. They are a bigger than this outfit but they still hand assemble. What they talked about is that to compete with large mass production in Asia you need to make unique specialized quality stuff. That is what it seems like these guys are doing. Anyway rooting for you. Hoping this company goes places. I love the design choices. That you can use these as standalone and in a Eurorack (or some of them). And that the interface is clean simply and very aesthetically pleasing. I am a sucker for nice looking stuff. Dreadbox really checks all the boxes in terms of ease of use, flexibility and aesthetics.
Thanks for the comments. Pretty much everything you've mentioned is why I think they've done fairly well in the synth market. I did a follow-up visit/interview in 2021 ("Dreadbox Revisited"). You can see how they continued to grow and expand a bit into digital/analog with the Nymphes and Typhon. And though small, I would say Norway is a pretty cool country. Haven't been in a while, but my day job took me up there a couple times (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim), and I always really enjoyed it. Both Norway and Greece definitely have their own flavor that I really like. And if you're from Moss, you might have heard of heard of the band "Magic Pie". They're out of Fredrikstad, and I met them on the Cruise to the Edge 2019. Really good guys. Tusen takk and cheers!
Wondering if you can replicate this with one of the Moogerfoggers. Not that proficient with synths yet, but would be interested in your opinion to get that analog richness.
Some of it yeah, but the Deadbox pedals can do some stuff that Moogerfooger pedals can't and vice versa. Lastly, the Dreadbox pedals are currently available. Moogerfooger pedals are only used (or software), and the used ones are not cheap! Dreadbox analog filters are known to be solid and have nice character. They're not Moogs, but they're still quite good. And welcome to the wonderful world of synths. It can be a long road of learning!
Weirdly, I just rewatched this last week (hadn't watched it in years) and concluded this needs to be a standard part of the new home music studio, when I set it up (I happen to be moving in about 6 weeks). It really is a great, ballsy synth.
Yeah, sorry about that. When I chose not to monetize the site, I never thought RU-vid would do it anyway, against my wishes. And it seems like it's getting worse.
I bought the Juno DS-61 but changed my mind due to the lack of decent organ sounds and the cheesy Leslie effect. I wanted the FA-06 but was unavailable since being a discontinued model. I have ordered the Fantom 06 which I am hoping will be very good with pianos, organs synth etc.
I sold mine in 2019 :( I regret that very much now. It was such a wonderful machine. So responsive to play and with such a lively beautiful sound. There aren't really any substitutes for this thing. Lovely to hear this sound again in your video :) (I have lots of old music I made over the years with it, but I never recorded it 'clean' like this (On its own) so very cool video. Definitely one for history :)
Kind of late but do you recall what sequencer features are not available for when sequencing external gear? Are there different sequences(notes/parameters) available per pad for external gear? Any multitimbrality possible when sequencing samplers or loops?
Oooo...sorry...can't answer that one. I never used it with external gear, and I haven't used the synth in about 4 years. They've also done several OS updates (that I still need to do) and updated the manual. Best way to find out would be to download the last manual they put out.
Hi do you have any VZ-1 patches for sale/download? I just bought a VZ-1, I don't have time to develop patches, so looking for somewhere that has some for download or purchase.
Rad song!!! CS-5 was my first synth, handed down to me long ago. Just fired it up again and was curious what videos about might be out there. Your two are the winners!!!!
Thanks much! It's a pretty capable little synth, especially with some multi-tracked recording. Had a good time putting this together, and I even surprised myself how the CS-5 was able to carry the whole song. Enjoy getting reacquainted with it. Cheers!
Thanks much. Have to say, when it was about 80% done, I wasn't that impressed with it. Amazing thing was adding that last 20%, and trimming some of the ingredients (merely by muting a few clips) just really turned me around on liking it. And no, I still haven't sold the Proteus 2000 yet. : )
HI, is there way to just hold down a chord once you play a chord.. like the Juno 60.? I mean lets say I hold down the Bassy notes for a Eminor chord and release my hand and the chord will stay sounding while I play lead with the higher keys ?
It sounds 80s digital, and a bit thinner, like most of the FM or PM (phase modulation) digital synths of the time. People's mileage may vary on what they get out of it, no doubt, and it also heavily depends on how you use it. Wouldn't ever envision using this in a rock back, lol...
maybe a new thing, but when i play on top of the sequence it just changes the key of the sequence, ie it doesnt allow me to play over it, ive only had mine a few months now so maybe its changed.
I just got a good deal on one and I really feel as though I've been handed the holy Grail. I've always wanted a good analog and after dabbling with plugins for years it is an absolute joy to work the knobs on this beastie. Anyhow the device is still relevant so your video is still relevant thanks for the help
Yeah, this is a synth that just really hit the mark. And with the later firmware updates, YEARS after the release, it was like getting a Christmas present twice.
Not a comparison I've heard before, but a comparison I'll happily take. Think Åkerfeldt has a great tonal quality to his voice (post-growling phase), and I've been a big fan of Opeth's newer, proggier stuff.
well will we ever see the "mystery" project shown at 8:43? or was it killed by the chip shortage? I guess these things takes time. or maybe it was scraped for the nymphes. still would be totally down for a sub 1000-ish Abyss 2
Not sure of the reasoning, but yeah, that Abyss 2 idea was put on the back burner, at least for now, it seems. They have hinted at some other ideas in work, but I guess we'll have to see what comes out. The analog synth market is lagging a bit currently, so I expect they're being a little more critical on what they pursue.
