Korg OD-S test drive

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In: Demo, Reviews

OD-S is an analog overdrive pedal kit from Korg’s NUTEKT brand.  It was announced at Winter NAMM 2020 and was available as part of several DIY workshops at the Korg booth, where I built it. It’s based on Korg’s new analog triode vacuum tube, designed to give the same performance as conventional vacuum tubes in a more compact and stable form. In this video I quickly walk you through the build process and run synth and guitar sounds through it (with the kind help of Static from Korg): TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 0:30 The Build 1:25 The Controls 2:10 Synth test 4:15 Wide on/off 5:10 GuitarRead More →

Moog Subsequent 25 Review Loopop

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In: Reviews, Synthesizer, Tutorials

Moog’s Subsequent 25 is an update to their analog monophonic Sub Phatty, now with 2 note paraphonic support and an updated sound engine. Unlike many analog monosynths, Sub 25 can store presets and be digitally controlled, which means a few extra benefits. Here’s an in depth review, tutorial and quite a few patch ideas: TIMELINE:0:00 Intro 1:15 Duophony 2:10 Overview 4:25 Hidden params 7:10 The filter 10:20 Oscillators 14:45 Mixer 15:45 Envelopes 17:20 LFO 20:35 App ——— PATCH IDEAS 22:10 Chords 23:30 FM Bells 24:15 Duo tips 25:30 Bi-timbral duo 26:35 Arpeggiator 27:35 Randomizer 28:55 Pros & cons 30:40 Outro jamRead More →

Korg Wavestate Review and Tutorial

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In: Reviews, Tutorials

Korg’s Wavestate is a new take on their original WaveStation from the 1990’s. It’s not a reissue, but rather a completely new synth with a much bigger sample library, more user friendly interface and modular style sequencing options, and it also has vector synthesis engine built in. In this video, I take a look at whether it’s easy to use, and of course explain both Wave Sequencing and Vector Synthesis: TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 1:00 What is Wave Sequencing 2.0? 3:00 Vector synthesis explained 3:50 Overview 7:10 Navigating the interface 10:40 Timing lane 12:35 Crossfade 13:45 Sample lane 14:20 Probability 15:15 Pitch lane 16:20 Shape laneRead More →

polygogo polygonal synthesis

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In: Reviews

It’s not every day that a new form of synthesis is invented. ERM’s Polygogo is a stereophonic, single voice Polygonal Synthesis based Eurorack module. Polygonal synthesis was invented by ERM, and the basic idea behind it is to generate two separate stereophonic waveforms based on a circular XY scan of a two-dimensional shape. Various manipulations on these 2D shapes, like morphing the number of vertices, bending them inwards or expanding them outwards, change the harmonic structure of this module’s sound in interesting and sometimes surprising ways.  In this review I explore the various timbral components of Polygonal Synthesis and give a few patch idea examples thatRead More →

Behringer K-2 and MS-20 tutorial and review

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In: Reviews, Tips and tricks, Tutorials

K-2 is Behringer‘s clone of Korg’s MS-20. Aside from screeching filters, K-2 also includes MS-20’s unique and quirky features, so this tutorial applies to both synths alike. In this video, I explain everything from the intricacies of hz/v and s-trigs, through to K-2/MS-20’s ESP and Track & Hold circuit behavior. The second part of the video includes 18 patch ideas, including a hidden third oscillator in the patch bay, creating a bitcrush/downsampling effect and a few ways to play the K-2 and MS-20 paraphonically TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro 1:00 Overview 2:40 Filters 4:40 Layout 5:30 Oscillators 8:15 LFO/Mod gen 10:05 Envelopes 14:15 Hz/v, v/oct 15:45 S-trig, v-trig 16:30 Patch bay 18:05Read More →

Modal Argon8 Review and full tutorial

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In: Reviews

Argon 8 from Modal is an 8 voice, digital wavetable synth, with virtual analog, waveshaping and FM thrown in for good measure. It has plenty of hands on controls, a nice selection of on board effects and an arpeggiator and sequencer. It’s competitively priced but is it worth it? This video takes an in-depth look at its capabilities and compares it to its other recently announced peer – Hydrasynth. TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro  0:55 Overview  2:45 Screen  4:05 Knobs  5:30 Joystick  7:10 Connectivity  7:30 Oscillators  8:55 Wave banks  12:50 Spread  14:00 Wave mods  16:50 Osc mods  21:00 Filter  23:40 Envelopes  26:00 LFOs  29:10 Expression  29:55 Mod matrix  31:00 Effects Read More →

Plus Pedal vs Superego

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In: Uncategorized

The two leading “infinite sustain/freeze” pedals on the market today are Plus Pedal from Gamechanger Audio and Superego+ from EHX.In this video, I look at the similarities and differences between the two, and also compare how they perform with a broad range of sounds: electric guitars, pianos, synth waveforms, cellos, a trombone, saxophone, and even tubular bells. TIMELINE: 0:00 Intro  1:05 SIMILARITIES  2:30 Alternatives  3:10 Timing  3:55 Sends  4:20 DIFFERENCES  4:25 Effects  5:25 Connectivity  6:20 Expression  7:20 Layering  10:55 Sustain  12:40 Gliss  13:30 SOUND TEST     13:40 Electric  15:25 Pianos  16:55 Synth  19:55 Cellos  22:00 Trombone  22:55 Saxophone  23:35 Tubular bells  24:30 Pros & cons Read More →

Jupiter Xm review and tutorial

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In: Reviews, Synthesizer

Roland’s Jupiter Xm is a synth that can play four different parts or timbres simultaneously and polyphonically, in addition to a fifth drum drum part. It has the same sound engine as its bigger brother, the Jupiter X, but in a much more portable form factor. It’s packed with multiple sound engines or models – both virtual analog and sample based, you can split parts or layer them, program an arpeggiator or simple sequence per part, or just use the I-Arpeggio figure out how to arpeggiate all the parts for you. The Xm’s ZEN-Core engine is massive – with four partials and dozens of parameters,Read More →

Behringer Poly D review

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In: Reviews, Synthesizer, Tutorials

Poly D from Behringer is based on their own Model D, which in turn is based on Moog’s MiniMoog Model D, but expanded in quite a few ways. It has four oscillators instead of three, and they can be played paraphonically or polyphonically depending on your definition of those terms; it has a sequencer and arpeggiator, and a velocity sensitive keyboard with aftertouch, as well as analog distortion and delay circuits. Here’s my full review, workflow tutorial as well as a few patch ideas: TIMELINE:0:00 Intro 0:50 Modes 2:45 Unison 4:00 Poly 4:50 Auto damp 7:20 Overview 9:30 Chorus 10:05 Distortion 11:00 Oscillators 13:20 MixerRead More →

Moog One Review and Tutorial

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In: Reviews, Synthesizer, Tutorials

ONE is Moog’s only in-production polyphonic synth – it’s tri-timbral – meaning you can use its voices to play one of up to three completely different sounds at the same time, it’s an analog synth with either 8 to 16 voices, and it’s programmable, meaning you can save presets on it. It has over 200 knobs and buttons on the panel and a big screen for many more additional parameters, and it also has built-in digital effects by Moog and Eventide, which is always a better option than using external effects, because the effects can become part of a preset. Moog One isn’t cheap, smallRead More →