Deluge 3 tutorial

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In: Tutorials

Deluge just got a major new firmware update, but it has been updated so much since its initial release – here’s a full tutorial walking through every material feature and workflow, and there’s a timeline below: TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 0:50 Grid views 1:50 Controls 4:40 Connectivity 5:35 Project overview 7:55 Sequencing 11:10 Chance & iteration 12:00 Playing live 13:40 Automation 15:10 Song view 17:40 Arranger 21:15 Synth engine 22:50 FM synth 24:40 Multisampling 25:45 Time stretch 27:10 Filters 28:05 Voice options 29:30 Modulation 32:30 Audio clips 33:30 Looping 35:00 Overdub layers 36:40 Resampling 37:45 Effects 39:35 MIDI & CV 41:05 MiscRead More →

Matriarch vs Grandmother

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

This video covers two things – first, updates to Matriarch since my original review, and then second, to answer a question I got quite a lot after my review, which is what are the differences between the two? Is Matriarch an upgrade and should you “upgrade” Grandmother? Or are they two different things. Here’s the full video, and there’s a timeline for your reference below. TIMELINE: 0:50 What’s new? 3:20 CV to CC 5:00 Param ctrl 6:15 Bird’s eye vs. 7:00 Grandma pros 8:45 Detailed vs. 9:45 Mod & utils 11:30 Osc & VCFs 14:30 Env & delay 17:10 MiscRead More →

MC-707 Review by Loopop

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

The MC-707 is a new groovebox from Roland, and it’s coming back in to the game quite strong, with a clip-launcher style workflow, powerful synth engine and time stretching looper. Here’s my detailed review, and there’s a timeline below. TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 0:25 Overview 2:00 Connectivity 2:45 Grid layout 4:20 Scenes 4:45 Track types 5:30 Preset sounds 7:40 Sound design 8:00 Tone engine 14:00 Drum engine 15:00 Sequencing 16:15 Step params 18:05 Clip params 19:40 Step sequencing 20:20 Live looping 22:10 Stretch & pitch 23:55 Sample trim 24:20 Automation 25:50 Pad modes 26:50 Scatter 27:30 Master effects 28:30 Send & return 29:50 MIDI sequencing 30:40Read More →

JU-06a vs JUNO 60

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In: Synthesizer

Roland just came out with the JU-06A – an update to the JU-06, which now includes a model of the JUNO-60, in addition to the 106. Do they sound the same? Can you tell the difference? TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro0:30 Features vs.1:10 JU-06A vs 061:45 Saw2:10 Square/PW3:00 Sub osc4:05 Envelopes4:55 High pass5:25 Low pass7:05 Chorus8:05 LFO8:40 Pad sound9:35 Misc10:15 Pros & consRead More →

Korg Nutekt NTS-1 review and tutorial

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

NTS-1 is a new standalone mini synth from Korg’s Nutekt DIY brand. It’s a small but powerful digital synth that’s based on the same programmable digital oscillator and effects engines that are in Korg’s bigger Minilogue XD and Prologue synths, only this has an additional arpeggiator and digital filter. It’s a mono synth, meaning it can only play one note at a time, but you can still use its effects to process external audio, as it has a line input. NTS-1 arrives as a kit that you need to build yourself. It doesn’t require any soldering and everything comes included and takes less than halfRead More →

Hydrasynth loopop review

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In: Reviews, Synthesizer, Tutorials

Here’s my full review of both the keyboard and desktop versions of ASM’s new Hydrasynth. They have the same synth virtual analog / fm / wavetable / wave shaping synth engine, and the keyboard version has both polyphonic aftertouch and a ribbon controller, while the desktop has pads that are both velocity sensitive and have polyphonic aftertouch. There’s a timeline below as well. TIMELINE:0:00 Intro 1:00 Overview 5:05 Keys vs desktop 7:30 Poly aftertouch 9:20 Ribbon 10:55 Chords 11:35 RGB pads 13:20 Synth engine 13:40 Oscillators 16:35 Mutant modules 22:00 Ring/noise 22:50 Mixer 24:00 Filters 28:50 Amp 29:15 Envelopes 31:30 LFOs 34:25 Effects 38:50 VoiceRead More →

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In: Tips and tricks, Tutorials

Here it is! Part 3 of my series on generative music making. My first video was about phased loops, inspired by Steve Reich (https://youtu.be/bFMP8MbmnL4), and the second was about a bunch of tools and techniques inspired by Brian Eno (https://youtu.be/_FpnxbALbLE). This video is heavily inspired by Ólafur Arnalds Player Pianos software and performances (you can check out his work here) Here’s a timeline of the video: 0:00 Intro 1:25 MIDI effects 2:10 Tools for creating MIDI effects chains 3:25 Midihub 4:35 Simple MIDI effects example 5:30 Creating longer chains 6:45 Parallel chains 9:50 Mapping controllers to control MIDI parameters 11:15 Inverted generative MIDI effect chainRead More →

Mimeophon Loopop Review

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

A brief look at the controls of Mimeophon by Make Noise may make it seem like a simple stereo delay with a filter and reverb, but under the hood are a few features that make it a uniquely sounding and highly-playable feedback-based mini synth. On top of that, its zones feature makes it multi-layer looper, texture builder and “time machine” that lets you progressively zoom out backward in time to previously played audio. Here’s the full video review – see the timeline below: TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 0:50 Overview 3:00 Halo & Color 5:10 Other features 6:50 Skew 7:35 Clock sync 9:05 Ping pong 9:45 FlipRead More →

Loopop ZOIA Review

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In: Effects, Modular, Reviews

What drew me to ZOIA initially actually wasn’t its programmabiltiy, but rather the rapidly growing number of interesting community made patches. As I was exploring it, it seemed more appropriate to compare ZOIA to three different product types, or in other words, to explore its pros and cons for three different potential buyer types: People interested in boutique effects pedals, people interested in multi effects, and people looking for a portable environment to develop and use modular patches.   Here’s my full three-part review, along with brief tutorials that show what it’s like to create mutli-effects chains and program “modular” patches on ZOIA: TIMELINE: 0:00Read More →

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

Critter and Guitari just released the Organelle M – an updated, more portable and powerful version of the original Organelle. This comes shortly after the release of Orac 2 by Mark Harris, an open source platform designed to let you easily create “mega-patches” of sequencers, sound engines and effects, on the Organelle and other open platforms.  Here’s my review of both, showing both their power and limitations:  TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro  1:00 Organelle M vs 1  3:30 Menu overview  4:30 Using patches  6:20 Multipage patch  6:50 Adding patches  7:50 Editing patches  8:05 ORAC 2  10:40 Patch chains  13:00 Other features  14:15 Pros & cons  16:40 A fewRead More →