Synthesist Martin Peters‘ demonstrates his take on Berlin School space music with this live modular + keyboard synth jam, Intimacy.
Martin Peters’ Intimacy (Berlin School Space Music Jam Session)
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Daily Archives: February 28, 2011
Free Software Synth, TAL-NoiseMaker, Updated With New Effects, Features & Presets
Free Music Software: TAL has released an update to its free software synthesizer, TAL-NoiseMaker.
Here’s what’s new:
- Vintage delay added (version 3.03).
- Filter overdrive (version 3.03).
- Own preset save and load functionality for preset exchange (version 3.03).
- Osc 2 noise waveform added (version 3.03).
- LFO 1/2, OSC 1&2 modulation support (version 3.03).
- Full automation support. Drop downs also compatible with VST automation (version 3.03).
- Changes in the preset management, single preset support (version 3.03).
- Envelope Editor: Fix tempo option added (version 3.03).
- Envelope Editor: One shot option added (version 3.03).
- Envelope Editor: Reset button (version 3.03).
- 256 presets by Frank “Xenox” Neumann / Particular – Sound FN, The Unshushable Coktor TUC, Alexandra Sendy AS, Patrick Kunz TAL (version 3.03).
- Small volume correction in the 24 dB filter at high cutoffs and full resonance (version 3.03).
TAL-NoiseMaker is available for Mac & Windows.
New Ableton Live Pack – The Art of Brushes
The Loop Loft has introduced its first Ableton Live Pack – The Art of Brushes:
Taking one of our most popular collections of loops and samples, we meticulously customized every aspect to integrate seamlessly inside of Ableton Live. We produced a complete series of Live Sessions that will instantly get you up and running with a variety of drum grooves and fills and also supplied hundreds of clips, giving you endless options. The drums racks consist of samples taken directly from the loop sessions, providing the ability to create your own beats from scratch or utilize MIDI grooves, keeping the sonic characteristics consistent with the original loops.
With styles ranging from funk, jazz, folk, ambient and rock, The Art of Brushes Live Pack will provide you with the grooves, sounds, flexibility and inspiration you need to push the envelope inside of Ableton.
Imaginary Synths – The Alpha Juno-8
Imaginary Synths #1: The Alpha Juno-8, via rudiedisone:
This synth exists only in in my imagination! I wanted to imagine, and replicate what an 8 part multitimbral Alpha Juno would sound like. In fact, if it did exist, here’s a small audio demo of what it actually would sound like. Play it in HD to do it justice!
Using only my Alpha Juno 2, the first pad part was recorded in Pro Tools playing manually to a click, on 8 individual passes.
The second part was created using MIDI sequencing in Pro Tools. I laid down a simple MIDI arpeggio and started recording the audio parts 1 stereo track at a time, each with their own “on the fly” modulations.
The oscillator de-tuning was accomplished by simply de-tuning using the Tune/function button while tweaking the root pitch with the alpha dial in real-time on a few of the audio passes . The “reversed” arpeggio sections were simple audio edits to the stereo mixdown.
I’ve always loved this synth, with it’s unique rich sound. Now I love it even more
as an 8 part multitimbral (albeit imagined, but possible to replicate) SYNTH BEAST!
For an imaginary synth, the Alpha Juno-8 sounds like a classic.
M-Audio Venom Review – A ‘Dirty Little Synth’
Sonic State takes a look at the new M-Audio Venom keyboard synthesizer, and reckons it to be a ‘dirty little synth’.
Their bottom line on the Venom?
Venom certainly has its faults – the average keyboard with no after-touch, the lack of front panel controls, the need to use the not particularly brilliant editor for much of the programming, plus the quite literally show-stopping program change glitches when in multi-mode, mean that for some people this will not be the synth for them.
But – and this really is quite the biggest of buts, its almost all forgivable coz it sounds pretty darned good to me. In a synth of this price, I wouldn?t expect to be getting many ?in your face? usable signature sounds, but Venom comes up trumps.
At $499 retail, M-Audio’s ‘dirty little synth’ is going to get a lot of attention.
See Nick’s full take on the M-Audio Venom synthesizer at SonicState.com.
And if you’ve used the M-Audio Venom, let us know if you think it’s a wicked and dirty beast, too.
Fairlight App For iPhone & iPad (Video Preview)
Fairlight Instruments has released this official intro video for the Fairlight App for the iPhone and iPad, expected to be available from the Apple App Store in March 2011.
The video is well worth watching, both for its nostalgic look back at 80′s users of the original Fairlight Computer Music Instrument and for the preview of the Fairlight CMI app.
Here’s what Fairlight has to say about the upcoming Fairlight App:
Over 30 years since the original Fairlight CMI first changed the way we make music, we are proud to present the iPhone & iPad Apps, giving you the experience of a CMI Series IIx in the palm of your hand, complete with the full Series IIx factory library and expandable to include the best of the Series III library and even your own samples.
Marvel at the then revolutionary Page R step sequencer, gasp at the three dimensional waveforms in Page D and bask in the wonder of some of the most famous sounds of the Eighties!
The most important news from the teaser video is the mention of full MIDI compatibility. When we spoke with Fairlight CEO Peter Vogel at NAMM, we asked him about MIDI support and he said that it would not be in the initial release, but would be added in an update. We’re glad to see that they’re going to squeeze this into the initial release. Continue reading