Music technology news, reviews and tutorials. Featuring modular synthesizers, Eurorack, hardware synths and software instruments, modular DIY, DAWs and audio hardware including music-making on the Microsoft Surface Pro and performing live with modular.
Sorry to hear about FM. I was a subscriber for well over a decade and before that bought issues from bookstores, when they were still a thing. I still have a number of issues and all the CDs/DVDs that came with them.
I really like Bandlab. Sure, it's a bit quirky, and browser-based means there are some latency issues, but I think it's a great tool to use *to support your primary DAW.* The guitar amp modeling and FX in particular is actually quite good and on par with paid software, and you can get some really nice tones with all the delays and reverbs you want. Although the virtual drum sounds are something to be desired, getting the MIDI programmed is easy thanks to their interface. I also think the built-in arpeggiator and chord generator for keys/synth makes it really easy to compose different parts. Overall, I'd say it's a good songwriting tool if you are on-the-go and don't have access to your home studio. Because everything can be downloaded, you can just import whatever you do into your primary DAW.
Re Future Music mag - I wonder if printed media will follow the same model as books and records - declining almost totally then returning again. Sad to see it go
Thanks for the coverage on the Extend-o-Matic! Creator here. We're considering a controller tier as well, but when talking about that, people have also mentioned "Yeah, but there's Scaler and Ripchord". I feel like software can do everything but sometimes people like a standalone hardware unit haha! (see projects like Nopia). Question for the comments: what price range would you expect a controller-only version of something like this to be? We're definitely seriously considering it.
Really enjoying listening to the rain in the background. Very soothing and yet probably very unintentional!!! BTW, If the Basilisk is anything like the Freeaq FM by Wirehead Instruments, it's on my shopping list straightaway, (pre-built version only for me!! 😔).
There’s two ways of looking at what the early Junos were. Architecturally, they were single oscillator analog polysynths with lush chorus. That’s what the synth nerds love. However, from a functional standpoint they were affordable keyboards for the stage musician. From that perspective, the new Junos are definitely Junos. Something to keep an eye on as it will most likely come to a head in October: Aodyo, who make the Slypho EWI, the Anyma Phi mono synth and the Anyma V plugin synth, are facing insolvency. Roadblocks and delays on their planned flagship keyboard synth and MPE controller mean they need to find an investor to stay afloat. It sounds like if that doesn’t happen in the next few weeks they’ll declare bankruptcy.
Have you tried the Antumbra Rot8? It's missing the quantizer, and indivitual gate outs per step, but the per-step stuff (like pulse repeats) can be changed while the sequencer is running. It's also very slightly larger making it less crowded...
I bought Future Music pretty solidly from '93ish to '97 I think - sorry to see it go, still, it was a stalwart of the shelves. It was one of the best ways to pick up on new gear and music, and the sample CDs on the front were always handy. I do agree about magazines. They're nice to leaf through, and it's great to look at old ones and be shocked by prices/specs etc. Looking forward to Synthfest again!
Couldn't agree more about Music Tech but magazines in general... I think that they are pricing themselves out of existence too...8 quid for a mag doesn't cut it for an impulse buy and even at subscription prices hard to justify in these "hard" times. I shall miss Music Tech along with all the other print mags which have gone the way of the Dodo. Another excellent video by the way and I really want a Roland P6 to replace my aging Bastl Granny. Keep up the entertaining work....always look forward to these diatribes..Such Fun ! Thanks Robin.
I think the MSW 830 could be dolled up and fit well - replace the black fader knobs with color coded small slider caps a la Arp of the Deckard's. Off-white could work with some color sprucing, personal taste I suppose
I’m so happy to see this and have been trying it out on my batch of Arturia cases. I’m finding them to actually be nearer 89 hp and that I can get away without drilling if I just run the cable up under the red thing in the space left over. The lower half of your rig looks like it leaves enough space to sneak a cable out where that little red thing is if you oriented your modules to the right. Am I not able to count to 88 or am I on to something?
Also I’m not trying to travel with mine and I’m using two power sources Velcroed to the sides with the power in up so I just plug them in and they’re on. No lag in the power coming on in that setup. Again cheers to you I would never thought to try this until you did just offering some insight on how it worked out over here.
First of all, thank you very much for this great video on how to setup this synth DIY, with it I managed as a complete soldering newie to build it up....but while turning it on, only the pads seem to work properly when touched in orange, but no sound is coming out while on the left side one LED is flashing continiously after a while... I have been in contact with Martin from Neutral Labs for quite while sending him pictures from the PSB etc. Hi checked and said it seemed ok so far and ask me to re-install firmware to solve the problem. I did ( it only worked through windows though btw.) as instructed in the manual....but no change after turning it on again... by chance I left the micro usb in and change the jumper from upload back to operation, now the leds seem to operate in a normal way and work when you push the related button...also the LEDs seem to flashing on the frequence of the related knob...so somehow the related components seem to be soldered correctly but this only is for the LEDs on the sides...pads are not operating etc. when micro-usb powered... I f have just gone back the Neutral to ask if they can check my unit directly as I have no further clue where to search...quite frustrating if you have finished a synth yourself and not a single noise or sound comes out of it yet... Any advise what could cause this is much appreciated...
The DIY dilema is that you might spend hours building something and then it doesn't work. There's very little you can do except go through the soldering again, recheck every joint, take out and re-place the chips etc. It's a weird box and I have no idea if mine's working correctly.
I mean, thanks for the video, but I think to show the sound characteristics of a module not absolutely drowning it in effects the whole video miiight help😅
It's nice that you succeed in capturing the "spirit" of each DAW, not only enumerating a series of technical characteristics. It gives a more exact idea of what the user can expect.
this idea seemed good in theory but failed ultimately, right. why would they name it afx. why not create a new synth with a better layout to access all the newer features they intended to put, or did, add to the synthesizer. too many random things to remember. Seems like they should have added more firmware updates to the novation ultranova instead of adding a bunch of random features to the bass station. The ultranova has three osc. I never could understand why they wouldn't fix my request to unlock all the parameters to be used in the modulation matrix of the ultranova. the keyboard has its uses but to see this afx version at the time was disgusting.
Gosh, evidently wasn't the synth for you! It was an interesting idea to hook up with Aphex Twin and also the BSII is one of the biggest selling synths ever and so it's a cool upgrade for those users. So, you know, it's quite a nice thing and I don't think it failed - i think they sold them all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@MoltenMusicTech no the afx line was definitely a waste of novations time and efforts. I've seen your work online alongside sonicstate for many years thanks for the reply comment. I'm not hating on novation. The number of secondary functions with the afx bassstation is too much to remember is all. It's like when using a midi keyboard to remember settings to a vst plugin, and another one, and another, eventually it's too much to remember. Better to have a real synth, like the bass station.
An idea along the lines of "Best Cheap Synthesizers of the Year" would look at recent price drops of older gear due to new releases, like the second hand price of the Digitakt falling after release of the Mk2. "Best Hand-Me-Down Synthesizers of the Year"?
Nice idea, but difficult as it would vary so much depending on the territory and availability and then the amount of research required to measure the pricing - although you could probably pop over the Reverb and list the synths in order of price... so who knows - your best bet is to go and make it!
I love your DIY videos. Glad to see you getting some time to do them. I believe the the ferrite beads cut down on noise being introduced in the circuit.
Indeed, any leaked audio or other high frequency signals on the DC power supply lines are reduced by the ferrite beads, so these signals don't introduce noise into your module. A stable DC power supply (without high or audio frequency noise) is vital to a clean audio signal. It works the other way around as well: any noise on the power lines introduced by the module itself won't leak out to other modules.
Just yesterday I was watching Pebbles demos! Does the Bastl shop sell the DIY version or the built version (seems pricey for a DIY)? I can't tell... where can I find a DIY Pebbles? Cheers!
Currently only assembled units are available online. DIY Kits are on offer only at Noise Kitchen workshops in Prague. I am planning to release a DIY kit eventually ;)
Does anybody know a OC hemisphere or phazerville app than can do this? Or the Disting MK4 mode that does it? Is it a "window comparator"?? I'd like to first use the modules i have instead of GASing.
There is a Compare applet in Hemispheres but I think it outputs gates so you'll need to run it through a gate to trig converter (or maybe something like Trending on the other Hemisphere). Not exactly the same as what this does but close.
01:15 I’m not sure if you’re trying to convince me or psych yourself up for the build here 😂! It’s always fun returning to the DIY corner! Thanks for all you do for the world of Eurorack and music synthesis. Cheers!
