C15 from Non-Linear Labs puts to the test the question: how far you can take two simple sine wave oscillators? And the answer is – quite far when you set them up to modulate their own or each other’s phase, pass them through waveshapers, a comb filter, an all-pass and state variable filters, various feedback loops, and a few effects for good measure.
C15 is a boutique synth with unconventional hardware controls and an elegant synth engine, and the questions is, as always, how easy and interesting is it is to use, what are the relevant alternatives, and is it worth it.
In this video I take an in-depth look at C15’s synth engine which is a combination FM, west coast, subtractive, physical modeling, and complex feedback systems all wrapped into one. I also look at the expressive ways you can control it, take a listen to a few of its sounds and as usual discuss the pros and cons:
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:50 Overview
2:55 Expression
5:25 Interface
8:25 Synth engine
9:00 Osc A & B
11:20 Shapers
12:40 FB mix, Ring Mod
12:20 SVF
15:30 Comb filter
19:15 Output mixer
19:55 Feedback mixer
21:35 Effects
23:40 Envelopes
25:25 Elevate
26:25 Macros
27:50 MIDI hacks
28:20 Keystep as an Arp and Sequencer
29:45 Expression ring
30:25 MIDI LFO
31:35 OSC as LFO
31:55 Cool stuff
33:40 Pros, cons
38:00 60 Presets