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Evening Jam 14 - Summer Vibes - EP133, MICROMONSTA 2, Exquis. MPE performance.
YouTube Video
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This one started out in my backyard, deciding I wanted to try to sample my ukulele on the EP133. It then sorta just grew into this summer track.
Setup: EP133: Ukulele sample, drums and a few other samples. Micromonsta 2: Leads, custom patches by me. Exquis: Midi controller in MPE mode controlling the MM2.
MM2 goes into the input on the EP133. Recorded directly into OBS on a Motu M2 interface. Postproduction: Slight EQ adjustments in Davinci Resolve before render.
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Evening Jam 13 - Chiptune Fun - EP133 - MicroMonsta 2 - Exquis
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This one starting out with me trying to get some retro/chiptune sounds out of the MicroMonsta 2. Then i though "hey, i bet some crunchy 8-bit drums would work great on the EP133.. then one thing led to another.. and suddenly there was a Jam :D
Micromonsta 2: Lead and performed bass. Bitimbral set to split, so i can play both parts on the Exquis. (On the last part i set it to stack and play both presets combined)
EP133 Drums, Sequenced Basslines + chip style arp in B section.
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SmplTrek note off timing?
SmplTrek note off timing?
Is there a way to set the default note off timing? (What some other sequencers call Gate Length.) Either as a device-wide setting, or for a project, for a track, for a scene or just for a clip. As it is I can only do it note-by-note.
All notes are half the length I'd want, and I have to go into them manually and crank up each one separately from 50% to 99%. I would love the sequencer if it weren't for this.
I have a workaround which is to import SMF's from any other seqencer (such as abc2midi on Linux or Atom 2 on iPad) and that works fine, using the SmplTrek more as an arranger/player than a sequencer, but since the SmplTrek step sequencer is so nice it'd be great to be able to use it directly instead.
(And another workaround is to get good and turn off quantization, that also works.)
Don't worry, I'm definitively keeping mine (as a drum machine, looper, and global tracks recorder, and as an audio interface) but I'm just a li'l frustrated with this one issue.
I know that I can make notes longer by pressing right arrow or turning the value know; I can make two eight notes followed by a quarter note for example.
But those notes will all be "staccato" since they've got a 50% gate length.
That's not always what I want especially for a midi or organ type track.
Here is an example. One track playing three notes twice, same instrument. Two fourth notes followed by a halfnote (and the halfnote sequenced by using the right arrow while holding the pad).
The first three notes are played staccato (e.g. "Note off timing" 50%, a.k.a. gate length as some other synths call it). The last three notes are played more fully, with note off timing manually set to 99% for each of the three notes.
Here is how the track sounds, first the staccato notes followed by the normal notes.
Many other sequencers, to get that staccato sound you'd set grid length to 1/4 but note length to 1/8. But on SmplTrek, it's one setting, called note length, and setting that to 1/4 as I did here results in notes with a shortened, only 50% duration.
Messing with the envelope release is no good for MIDI tracks.
So far my best workaround is to import SMF files that I've made with some other sequencer app and that's a shame since I'm so much faster and more creative with the SmplTrek's sequencer, but I just don't always want that staccato sound.
I don't wanna make a Facebook account just to post in the SmplTrek group on there. 😰
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The Musician's Guide to MIDI
Best book for learning the ins and outs of MIDI I've ever encountered. Relatively obscure, but an invaluable reference book for anyone wanting to dig into the details of how MIDI works.
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Evening Jam 11 - First Jam with the Exquis - #dawless - C.Tracks, Roland S1, Exquis,Zebralette3 - YouTube
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This was a really fun setup. I just recently got the Intuitive Instruments Exquis and this is my first real Jam with it. The expressiveness of the Exquis combined with the nice flow working with the Circuit tracks made this setup very fun to work with.
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Yamaha SY77 split voices: Sustain-pedal to affect only one Element?
As the title says, I am new to the Yamaha SY77, and I'm making a split voice with piano on the left and sax on the right, and I want the sustain footswitch only to affect the piano. (How) can this be done? It was trivial on the DX7 II-D with a Split-mode Performance, but I can't seem to find a setting on the SY77.
Having programmed the DX7 (II) for a long time, and having read the SY77 manual, I had no big trouble finding my way around the 77, but this one baffles me. I would consider it pretty vanilla to be able to sustain piano chords with the left hand and and then play unsustained lead lines with the right.
In most respects, real-time-controller-wise, the DX7 II seemed more flexible, even though undoubtedly the SY's synth engine is much more capable.
(Also posted to reddit, since the community is still a lot larger, but I'm willing to give lemmy a chance ...)
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Evening Jam 10 - 3x5 - Jamuary 2024 - Roland S-1+T-8 + Korg Volca FM2 - YouTube
YouTube Video
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This time its a more minimalist jam.
I recently got the Roland S-1 and T8, so decided to try to make something simple while learning how to use them
- faroutmagazine.co.uk 200 tonnes in 1893: The world's first synthesiser
While synthesiser brands like Moog and Korg are household names, the instrument had to start somewhere, and in 1893, its first form was mammoth.
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New synth…JD-XI
Found a great deal at a used gear shop…actually a new unit open box. Digging the workflow and vibe. Already recorded a few tracks with it!
- synthanatomy.com inMusic has laid off a large portion of the Moog staff, a sad day for the synth industry
According to ex-employees, inMusic has today fired a large portion of the Moog staff in Asheville and aims to relocate the production to Asia.
- www.musicradar.com The ultimate guide to wavetable synthesis
A technique used by everyone from Tangerine Dream to Skrillex, wavetable synthesis adds new dimensions of texture and movement to your sound design. But how does it work?
- www.synthtopia.com IK Multimedia Intros Paraphonic, Dual-Filter, Analog UNO Synth PRO X Synthesizer
The UNO Synth PRO X features a dual-filter, 3-oscillator paraphonic design, 256 presets, a 64-step sequencer and more.
Looks like an interesting idea. I like the daisy chain option. Analog, portable, and $500. Not bad. Curious what you all think?
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Stellar edition of Microfreak
Picked up this little guy last week and have already cleared the presets and started making my own. Any tips or fun stories about Microfreaks?
- synthanatomy.com Korg takes its popular Gadget app into the virtual reality (VR), now available
Announced in 2021, the Korg Gadget VR, the virtual reality version of their popular music production app is now available.
I’ve used this on the Switch and it is pretty neat. It would be pretty awesome if the VR implementation is good enough!
- synthanatomy.com CME iWA, new instant wireless audio technology promises near-zero latency
CME iWA (instant wireless audio technology) is a new tech that promises near-zero latency using wireless audio (Bluetooth)
Wonder how this idea will be long term? Losing come cables would be awfully convenient for those who perform or have smaller spaces especially.
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If you could only keep one synthesizer…
Which one? For the sake of theoretical questions …let’s assume you could have any synth…not just what you already own.
- synthanatomy.com Soundspot, is the plugin developer company out of business?
There are signs that Soundspot, the developer company of numerous synth, FX, and mixing/master plugins, is out of business.
Sounds like they are goners. Hope they didn’t have your favorite plug-in or at least you have the installer still!
- www.synthtopia.com Korg Intros opsix SEe, opsix SE Platinum FM Synthesizers
The new synths address the most common complaints people had with the original opsix, adding a robust all-metal design; a premium 61-note keyboard, with aftertouch; expanded 80-voice polyphony and …
Oh shiny new FM synths! Who has an original opsix? I hear good things.
- www.musicradar.com Synth wars: The story of MIDI, the one interface that ruled them all
CV/Gate, DCB, USI, UMI and The Oberheim System… This is the story of how synth’s biggest players narrowly averted a standards war and made sweet music together
Fascinating how this developed! I hadn't even thought about the history of it.
- www.synthtopia.com KORG Intros wavestate mk2, wavestate SE, wavestate SE Platinum
Korg today announced three new keyboards in its wavestate line: the wavestate SE, wavestate Limited Edition Platinum, and wavestate mkII.
And...I just bought a mk1....
- www.synthtopia.com Behringer Intros Eurorack Knockoff Of Classic Bode Frequency Shifter
Like the original, the Behringer 1630 is designed to shift the entire frequency spectrum of the source signal from -5 to +5 kHz. Using small shifts, it can create subtle stereo effects, while at la…
Another Moog knock off! Behringer is bringing in the heat.
- www.synthtopia.com New Sound Library Features Drum Loops Processed With Vintage Nuclear Research Instruments
German synthesist Hainbach let us know about his new sound library, Nuclear Drum Loops, that features drum loops processed with vintage nuclear research gear.
Now this is fascinating! Wonder who will use this one a hit album?
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Finally hung the guitars above the Wavestate.
So much more floor space! Also thinking about a Jaspers stand…anyone have opinions on them?
- www.gearnews.com Anukari Synthesizer: Sound through the laws of physics
The physics-based Anukari is all about generating sound from interconnected masses and springs held in 3D space and then giving them a good whack.
This looks intriguing. Wonder what sort of graphics card will be needed to run this when it hits production?
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Yamaha MODX+ Dead Touch Screen
So, I had one delivered yesterday and sounds great, everything works apart from the touch screen. It displays, looks great but it's completely dead to touch.
I've arranged a return already but I was just wondering if anyone else has had this happen?
- www.synthtopia.com Native Instruments Dumps Soundwide Brand, Absorbs iZotope, Brainworx & Plugin Alliance
Native Instruments has announced that it is dumping the Soundwide brand, announced in April of 2022 as the parent company for NI, iZotope, Plugin Alliance, Brainworx and Sound Stacks.
More acquisitions. Curious if they will integrate the different systems.
- www.musicradar.com Moog Music joins Akai Pro, Alesis and M-Audio in the inMusic family in a bid to “overcome long-standing challenges and strengthen the company”
Does this mean we’ll get a Moog synth with MPC pads on it?
Curious if this is good or bad. What do you think?
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Spent a fair portion of the weekend recording…what projects have you been working on?
Trying to work towards my first album. I have two songs mostly completed and a few in various early phases. I am not much of a drummer so the DrumBrute Impact has been…instrumental in implementing some beats.
- www.musicradar.com Looking for some light reading? 350 pages of new MIDI 2.0 specs have just been published
Documents detail an updated core spec and a brand-new spec for the MIDI 2.0 SMF Clip File
I am actually excited about this. MIDI has so much potential and I am curious to delve deeper into the specs to see new possibilities.
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The KORG WAVESTATE complete guide walkthrough tutorial.( Layers, Programs, Filter, etc. )
YouTube Video
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I found this extremely useful. Make sure to check out his other tutorials for other synths too! I still have to go through one for the Model D I picked up.
- www.musicradar.com Here’s how you can download IK Multimedia’s J-60, a Roland Juno-60 synth emulation, for free
It retails for $50, but you can currently have it for nothing if you know where to look
Don't miss out!
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I’m a guitarist but I bought this thing
Behringer DeepMind6. Great for ambient but it seems quite flexible.
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Jams from the 21st Century : Recreated on Synthesizers
YouTube Video
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This guy does a great job recreating and I do not want to know how much he spent on all of those synths!
- www.musicradar.com Jon Hopkins spent 4 months perfecting the synth riff for Open Eye Signal on a 1979 Korg MS-20: “So much effort into trying to make something sound effortless”
As Hopkins' 2013 release Immunity turns 10, the electronic artist opens up about the album's writing process
Always nice to see into another person's workflow and how long it takes to get the elusive "perfect" sound that is in your head.
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Introducing [email protected]
What is your favorite thing about synthesizers? Do you have a favorite instrument, technique, or artist?