Just when you thought eurorack manufacturer Noise Engineering had put their most beloved modules to rest, they have just announced Alia, a new oscillator platform module. With Alia, the team brings back Basimilus and Manis, two of their beloved synth voices. Alia also launched a whole new synth voice, Debel Iteritas Alia, a unique hybrid take on phase modulation and additive synthesis. https://youtu.be/We6MGjw8WuA?si=I2KTtRFJagdv3sJI The previous incarnation of the Iteritas modules was discontinued a few months ago when the processor it was built on was end-of-life. “We lived in fear of that development for years, but we didn’t have a viable…
Author: David Haberfeld
Granular synthesis and processing has been a significant area of modular synthesis for some time, and for those who love to mangle incoming audio and create new timbres from existing recordings is a sonic art form all on its own. Qu-Bit has just announced their latest granular module Mojave with a few interesting features not seen in eurorack, such as a built-in microphone! Granular synthesis goes beyond the analog versus digital paradigms and offers sound makers highly unique ways to create to new soundscapes. The Mojave looks and sounds like the sonic tool of the future! https://youtu.be/uozoZlXPUzw?si=9NtrNQkEMsdLKwJ1 Here’s what Qu-Bit…
Akai are calling it their new APC64 the next generation Ableton Live controller. On first glance its seems Akai have listened to the needs of the modern producer and performer, delivering an exciting new controller. The current buzz word amongst the world of controllers is “standalone” and the APC64 is no slouch with 32-step 8-track step sequencer, 3 MIDI ports and 8 CV/gate outputs for controlling modular synths and a stack of hardware devices from synths, drum machines and outboard gear. https://youtu.be/7x3mIoTxu8w Here’s what Akai are saying: The new Akai Professional APC64 is a powerful next-generation Ableton Live controller for…
German synth royalty, Waldorf Music have shrunk their Iridium synthesizer product line with their new small form factor variant Iridium Core. Waldorf have retained many of the core features of the Iridium with 12-voice polyphony, MPE compatible, 3 oscillator with 5 different synthesis models, all in a compact form. And yes the Iridium Core shares the same 1024 x 600 touch screen found on the Iridium Desktop and Keyboard versions. https://youtu.be/MobXw5u2Ivc Here’s what Waldorf is saying: Having initially introduced its Iridium concept as a high-class synthesizer in a compact desktop form factor with welcomed added extras building upon the German…
A synthesizer finally gets a shot of actually going outer space to effectively work in zero gravity, sounds interesting, then read on! Odyssey SpaceWorks and Physical Synthesis along with the help of electronic artists Andrew Huang, Benn Jordan, Trovarsi and Maysun have joined forces to embark on a unique project that blends original music and space exploration. It’s a Kickstarter project to fund the launch of a musical instrument that only works in zero-gravity and is playable from Earth, called Blue Marble. https://youtu.be/4ibbDsvreSM Here’s what they are saying: Have you ever wondered how musical instruments might work in zero gravity? In…
Roland continues the evolution of their popular GAIA series of digital synths, having just released GAIA 2. The GAIA 2 has definitely grown up in many ways. Now with more hands-on control, 3 oscillators per voice combining wavetable and virtual analog synthesis, including a motion pad for modulating and controlling parameters, all offering deep sound design options and control. It’s been over 10 years since the previous version of GAIA and Roland’s latest version looks and sounds like a synth with heap of dynamic sonic exploration. https://youtu.be/B9MK39zaaWQ?si=FzRF6uBD7tzndxxB Here’s what Roland are saying: GAIA 2 opens the door to an infinite…
Whilst we’re on the topic of standalone controllers and sequencers, Reliq Instruments have announced their crowd-funded project via Indiegogo. Reliq! is a hybrid control surface that can connect any analog audio input to any output with just a press of a button. It’s sequencer can control up to 64 instruments at the same time with 8 voices of polyphony per track. Reliq is a standalone device that also control your DAW in tight sync with any hardware instruments without needing to touch a mouse or looking at a computer screen. It also offers 32 CV and 16 Gate outputs for…
So you want to dip your toes into the world of modular synths but don’t know where to start? The Behringer System 55 modular synthesizer is an amazing system that offers so much electronic sonic breadth, its kind of ridiculous! All this comes from emulating the iconic Moog System 55 from the 1970s— without the physical size or price tag. The System 55 was a seminal electronic instrument designed by the late Dr. Robert Moog and Herb Deutsch. The 1970s design and behemoth of a synth was used famously by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Tangerine Dream and Keith Emerson.…
There’s no stopping the Behringer freight train of releases, enter their new analog random sampler module called Chaos. The module is a rich source of random modulation in the form of random gates and voltages. Chaos is Behringer’s take on the discontinued Mutable Instruments Marbles module. There’s a lot going on under the hood, giving you a number of different ways to add musical and non-musical rhythms, randomness and generative control voltages and gates. Chaos works well complementing traditional sequencers or using it as a master clock or CV generator, with multiple gate and CV outputs. Here’s what Behringer is…
Baby Audio have been building a very cool collection of focused plug-ins that speak to the contemporary electronic music and sound maker. Their plug-ins offer pristine audio quality with a workflow that are refreshingly easy to operate and navigate. This time they’ve teamed up with synthfluencer Andrew Huang to create Transit, a way to ‘super power’ your mix transitions; semi-modular design with 18 quality effect modules, that can be loaded into 7 slots and easily controlled by a global Macro Control. Transit is on sale as an introductory offer of 40% off! https://youtu.be/qQ-164qdE2M Here’s what Baby Audio are saying: We…
