Custom Creamware Prodyssey

So cool. 

Chord Leading Reference

PRO ONE vs. PRO 12 analog vs. digital Prophet 5

Great demo.

Supernova arpeggiator

Up until now, I haven't really spent that much time using the arpeggiator on the Supernova, but I started playing with it a week or so ago and it's surprisingly pretty powerful and convenient to use. I like how it provides many options and it considers how you might also use it in live performance with regards to sending and receiving MIDI. One thing I haven't figured out though is that there are 127 patterns in memory. The first few are the obvious up/down/pendelum, but it's not clear what the others are. Maybe they're blank programmable slots. It would be weird though if they mixed the standard arpeggiator patterns with custom patterns in the same bank.

Anyway, this video is just a test while I was experimenting with the "smart" quantizing feature to see how it works. I'm still a little fuzzy about how it behaves though.

Korg MS-20

Vermona Lancet

Lancet - A handsome new monosynth from Vermona. I would have actually preferred black and white, but this isn't so bad. Great knob choice.  There's a review at musicradar.com.

Oviforma Sci + Korg MS-20

I wonder how many 80s videos there are where they didn't even bother plugging in the synth. On one hand, it makes no sense to play it live, but on the other hand, it's equally dumb to pretend.

Notable paraphonic/early polyphonic synths

• Polymoog ('75-'80)
• Korg PS-series ('77)
• Crumar Trilogy
• Roland RS- ('76-'78)
• Korg Lambda ('79)
• Arp Solina String Ensemble
• Elka Rhapsody 610 (1975?)
• Freeman String Symphonizer

See also:

• Gordon Reid's Synth Secrets articles (Sound on Sound magazine)
• VSE Timeline
  

Strings synths

Strings synths list by aeon@vseforums

1. ARP Omni
2. ARP Quartet
3. Crumar Multiman
4. Crumar Performer
5. EKO Stradivarius
6. Elka Rhapsody 610
7. Eminent Solina
8. Farfisa Polychrome
9. Freeman String Symphonizer
10. Freeman-Cordovox String Symphonizer
11. Godwin String Concert mod. 249
12. Godwin Symphony mod. 849
13. Korg Delta
14. Korg Lambda
15. Korg PE-2000
16. Korg Trident
17. Logan String Melody
18. Moog Opus 3
19. Polymoog
20. Roland RS-09
21. Roland RS-202
22. Roland RS-505
23. Roland VP-330
24. Welson Keyboard Orchestra
25. Welson Symphony Stereo
26. Yamaha SK15
27. Yamaha SS30

Home studio setup

I'm working on streamlining my home setup to this.

Korg MS-20 oscillator knobs

Novation Supernova Rack

My Novation Supernova rack. I love this thing.

Realtime audio analysis with GarageBand + Schope AU

If you're using a Mac and looking for a realtime audio analyzer, you can use Schope's AU version (free evaluation) with GarageBand (also free). I'm doing some low-pass and high-pass filter tests on the Virus C and I was trying to figure out how to plug it in directly to my computer and see a graph as I make adjustments to the sound. Audacity wasn't letting me start Schope without opening an audio file for some reason, so I started looking for different VST host. Finally I read somewhere that GarageBand can also be used as a VST host, so I tried that and it worked. It's pretty simple to set up.

First, get the lastest version of Schope from the Stillwell Audio website and download the AU version.

After you've downloaded Schope, drop the component in:
Library > Audio > Plug-ins > Components

Next, plug in your synth to the audio-in jack of your Mac and go to your System Preferences to make sure that the sound is coming in ok. When you hit a key on your synth, the input level meter should respond even if you don't hear anything.

Next, start up GarageBand and go to Preferences and click on the Audio/Midi button. I set my input to built-in input and the output to built-in output.

Next, create a new track by clicking on the big plus icon at the lower left and select Real Instrument Track.

When the new track appears, the info panel on the right should slide open. Activate the monitor so you can hear the incoming audio.

Next, click on Details to get to the effects section.

Click on the dropdown list and scroll all the way down until you see Schope.

Finally, click on the pencil icon on the right to launch Schope.

That should launch the Schope window and you should immediately see a live feed. If you start playing notes on your synth, the graph should respond in realtime. You should also be able to hear the incoming audio on your Mac if you have your headphones or speaker turned up. I set the "Mode" knob on the bottom left to 12 o'clock to get the frequency view.

Sawtooth waveforms (various synths)

These are all raw, unfiltered sawtooths from various synths (F2 on the keyboard). Isn't it interesting how different they all look? The Korg MS-20 sounds the best.

Schope analyzer and sawtooths

I'm trying out a new audio analyzer called Schope to help figure out some issues I've been having with digital synths. Today I started comparing sawtooth waveforms from an MEK, Radias, MicroKorg, Virus C, Supernova, MS-20, SH-2, and MS-404.

These samples are using a single oscillator, raw unfiltered sawtooth, note = F2, ADSR = 0/0/10/0.

They all look very similar as far as this particular visualization is concerned (frequency domain). The only exception is the Supernova. I'll have to triple check that one.

DSI MEK:

 

Doepfer MS-404:

Korg Radias:

Access Virus C:

Roland SH-2:

Novation Supernova:

Korg MS-20:

Korg MicroKorg:

Korg MS-20

Hello

Hello world!