This video offers an audio demo of drum synthesis using Plan B modular synthesizer modules.

Patch details below.

via bigcitymusic:

Plan B offers some alternative modules to your everyday “East Coast” style modules. In this patch we’re using a multitude of different modules, including some Cwejman and Analogue Systems.

The heart of this patch is the incredible sounding Model 13 Dual Timbral Gate. The M13 is in fact a low pass gate which is basically a cross between a low pass filter and a VCA. This is what gives us the beautiful, drum-like decay to the random pulses. The actual envelope is super short but the vactrols in the circuit ring longer.

We’re also using some random voltages in here. The Model 24 Heisenberg Generator is basically a sample and hold module, well, two of them really. The bottom section of the M24 allows you to move to the next random voltage when it receives a trigger or gate pulse. The Plan B Model 15 oscillator and the Cwejman VCO-6 are our sounds sources, each having it’s frequency modulated at a high rate. This is what gives you the hand slapping sound that a typical hand drum would have.

The Plan B Model 17 is also being used to great effect. The Triple Event Timer senses how high the voltages coming in are. There are three pots to set the threshold, deciding when a pulse is allowed through.

Here’s 2:53 seconds of glorious, HD synth action, taken at the recent Trash_Audio Synth Meet 3, held Sunday, Aug 16th:

Surachai notes:

We saw the entire range, from noise boxes to full on modular systems in plenty of different formats. If it makes noise, we’re into it.

It looks like the event was a great synth meetup.

Unfortunately, meetups like these still appear to be a guaranteed way to avoid any chance of meeting women involved in music. Or as Stringbot notes, “Who forgot to invite the girls?”

If you’ve got any ideas on how synth meetups could be made more inclusive, leave a comment with your thoughts!

WMD Geiger Counter Eurorack Module -Sequencing Wavetables

via bigcitymusic:

The WMD Geiger Counter in eurorack has finally arrived!

This is a simple squarewave drone from a Cwejman VCO-6. We are sequencing the wavetables of the Geiger with an Analogue Systems rs200. Partway through we add in another sequencer row modulating the sample rate which has an attenuator. Awesome!

Sunday Synth Jam: Velvet Acid Christ jams with a Future Retro Revolution driving his modular synthesizer system.

Analogue Systems rs360 as a Resonator

via bigcitymusic:

The A.S. rs360 Vocal/Phase filter is an awesome sounding three-band resonant filter module. Each filter has 1v/oct CV input and there’s a master frequency control with an additional CV input and attenuator.

You can use this bank of filters as an equalizer, to get great vocal and formant sounds, or as a resonator (and a lot more actually!). We’re running some drum sounds into the filter inputs as well as controlling the “pitches” of each band via a MIDI to CV converter. This module is a lot of fun. We’ve tuned the filters to different intervals which makes it a bit more interesting. The rs360 can be used as an oscillator to great effect on it’s own too! We turn the dry sound of the drums up at the end.

This synth porn video captures the mind-exploding room full of synthesizers & modulars at AHNE’09.

Better than the gear porn, though, may be the random eavesdropping on conversations.

via hamsterdunce:

Annual gathering of ANHE (Analog Heaven Northeast) in Bolton, MA.

Best turnout yet with a wide variety of electronic music industry cornerstone products (both new and vintage) on display.

This is a modular synth patch demo, of using the Plan B Model 12 as a VCA.

via boobtube356:

PlanB Model 15 saw output goes to PlanB Model 12 in LP, high Q mode. Doepfer A-140 modulates the M12 cutoff frequency. Result goes to Cwejman MX-4S with panning from sine output of the same M15. This is an interesting trick that seems to make the sound a lot bigger without altering it.

No reverb or delay is used.

Percussion sounds are two VCOs being ring modded with the 2 and 6 osc outputs on the Doepfer A-117. “Lead” part is the Doepfer A-196 PLL trying to track a VCO that is trying to track the PLL, and the result goes to Cwejman VCEQ-3 (see also PLL Arabesque). Sequencing is Doepfer A-160/161, A-152, and A-138.

No manual adjustments made during this clip.

Tag Team Patch 020709

Description:

I had a chance to meet some of the guys from Big City Music at the 2009 NAMM Show, and I’m starting to think that they may have the best job in the world.

This video captures them at work doing a bit of tag team modular synth patching:

Here we are with our friend Don just messing around. We’re using a Plan B Dual Timbral Gate (Sounds good!), Cwejman RES-4, Analogue Systems rs290 Delay/Sampler among other random modules. Don’s starting to get some great formant sounds out of the RES-4 and the rs-290 is being clocked with a trigger signal from our sequencer. Thanks Don!

via bigcitymusic

Eurorack modular synthesizers have been growing in popularity over the last few years. Eurorack modular synths are relatively inexpensive, compared to larger formats, and pack a lot of functionality into a small space.

There are now over fifteen companies making Eurorack synth modules, giving Eurorack owners more options than just about any other modular synth platform. If you’re planning a Eurorack synth, there’s an online modular synth planner you should check out – the Mega Modular Planner.

Here’s a list of active Eurorack modular synthesizer manufacturers, along with links to recent coverage of their synths at Synthtopia:

Eurorack Synth Modular Manufacturers

1. Analogue Systems (UK) – makes the RS line of synth modules, and unique keyboard controllers like the French Connection. Analogue Systems on Synthtopia
2. Analogue Solutions (UK) – creators of the Concussor synth modules, along with a variety of synths and sequencers, including the Red Square, the Leipzig, the SEMblance, the TBX-303 and the Oberkorn.  Analogue Solutions on Synthtopia
3. Bananalogue (USA) – makes several synth modules, including a couple of Serge-influenced modules. Their site is currently missing in action. If you’ve got additional information, leave a comment. Bananalogue on Synthtopia
4. Bubblesound (US) – makes Eurorack synth modules with original components to more accurately capture the sound of vintage gear. Their site is currently missing in action. If you’ve got additional information, leave a comment. Bubblesound on Synthtopia
5. Cwejman (Sweden) – Cwejman makes semi-modular synthesizers and also a large variety of Eurorack synth modules. Cweman on Synthtopia
6. Cyndustries (USA) – Cyndustries makes synth modules in Blacet, DotCom, ModCan, MOTM & Eurorack formats. Their best known modular is the Zeroscillator, a high end modular oscillator. Cyndustries on Synthtopia.
7. Doepfer (Germany) – manufacturer of electronic music instruments, ranging from keyboards and MIDI controllers to complete analog modular synthesizer systems. Doepfer on Synthtopia
8. Elby Designs (Australia) – makes the Panther series of Eurorack analog synthesizer modules and kits, based on Cat Girl Synth designs. Elby Designs on Synthtopia
9. Flight of Harmony (USA) – currently has a small line of synth modules, including the Plague Bearer quad voltage-controlled resonant bandpass filter. Flight of Harmony on Synthtopia
10. Future Sound Systems (UK) – Future Sound Systems makes synth modules in MOTM/Modcan/Dotcom and Eurorack formats. You can customize your modules with special panels and LED colors. Future Sound Systems on Synthtopia
11. Harvestman (USA) – makes a very original line of voltage-controlled digital signal processing modules, including the Malgorithm, Zorlon Cannon, Tyme Safari and a Polivoks filter. Harvestman on Synthtopia
12. Livewire (USA) – Livewire makes a small collection of very interesting synth modules, including the Dalek Modulator, Dual Cyclotron & the Vulcan Modulator. Livewire on Synthtopia
13. Makenoise (USA) – makes a small collection of synth modules, including a Quad Multi-Mode Gate, modDemod and the Format Jumbler. Makenoise on Synthtopia
14. Metasonix (USA) – specializes in vacuum tube based synth modules. Metasonix on Synthtopia
15. MFB (Germany) – makes a variety of drum synth modules in addition to standard modular synth components (VCO, VCF, sequencers). MFB also makes semi-modular and mini-synths. MFB on Synthtopia
16. Plan B (USA) – Peter Grenader’s line of synthesizer modules features a wide variety of modules, many of which are influenced by classic Buchla designs. Plan B on Synthtopia
17. Tiptop (USA) – makes a small, but cool line of synth modules, including the Z3000 Smart Voltage Controlled Oscillator and the Z5000 Voltage Controlled Digital Signal Processor. Tiptop Audio on Synthtopia

If you’ve got additions, corrections or comments about any of the manufacturers, please leave a comment below!

via MusicOfSound, MuffWriggler; image: thumbuki

The EuroRack Monster Planner is an online application that lets you make your plans to rule the world with synth power!

It’s the crack cocaine of synth fantasies, because you can use the Regular 12U Planner to design a relatively reserved modular synthesizer or you can choose the Monster Planner and plan your TyrannoSynth.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

There are some great examples of what you can do with the EuroRack Monster Planner at MusicOfSound.

And if you use the EuroRack modular planner to create an awesome modular synth of your own, put a link to it in the comments!

dkimcg shows how to use thousands of dollars of modular synth gear to make cool oscilloscope graphics.

Here’s the details:

Based on the math behind a Lissajous curve using a Cwejman stereo ringmod.

You can patch a similar thing with the sine waves of a quadrature oscillator (offset 90 degrees), and 4 additional oscillators (self-oscillating resonant filters included), but they don’t have to be sine waves.

The broken lined “flowers” are saws and squares. The audio is filtered through a PlanB Model 12 filter that’s being modulated by one of the subo-scillators (the oscillator that’s synced to the master oscillator that only modulates the filter and syncs one of the “audio” oscillators).

Lots of sync in the patch…

Not sure if this has much of a practical purpose – but it ranks pretty high for the blinky lights factor alone.

Nortec’s Pepe and Ramon visit BigCityMusic, and check out one hundred and one synthesizers in two minutes. 

“This is one our many visits to Bigcitymusic, one of our favorite analogue synthesizer store around, we really thanks to Roger and all bigcitymusic family we love you guys.” – Pepe & Ramon.

You can see here at least a knob or slider from Analogue Systems modular systems, LL Electronics, Metasonix, Cwejman, Mellotron, Sherman, Jomox, Vermona, System 8500 modular, French Connection Martenot-style controller, rs-420 Octave Controller, rs95e VCO, rs370 Polyphonic Harmonic Generator, rs300 CV to MIDI and others. 

See anything else in the video? Leave a comment!

This is an overview of the synthgasm that is the Big City Music booth at NAMM. 

You can see shots of the new Metasonix eurorack modules and the new KV-100 Assblaster. You can also see the new Signal Arts Tetra Maps sequencer, the new Sherman Rodec Restyler, all of the Jomox Products, a giant Analogue Systems modular, pieces from Diabolical Devices and Folktek, as well as Cwejman, King Capitol Punishment, Bleep Labs L.L. Electronics Rozzbox, Schippman, Malekko, Vermona and more.

via Big City Music: 

Here’s a little test patch we made while trying to figure out our NAMM setup. The Cwejman modules sound great! 

We’re using the VCO-2RM, VM-1, PH-4. MMF-1, NS-4, AP-1, and the MX-4S modules, all temporarily racked in an Analogue Systems rs15 case.

This video, Where Are You?, captures Stretta (Matthew Davidson) playing a French Connection controller against a looping phrase. If you listen carefully to the phrase, the pulses change slightly throughout the composition. 

The French Connection is controlling a small collection of modules including a Cwejman VCO-RM2, MMF1, Plan B model 11 and Doepfer VCA. The left hand joystick is controlling various parameters including the frequency of the slave osc of the VCO which is also frequency modulating one of the filters.

Besides being a lovely piece, this is the most musical use I’ve seen of the very cool French Connection, which offers the discrete phrasing of a keyboard, along with the more vocal phrasing of a continuously pitched controller.

There’s a related remix context you may want to check out, too.

Description:

Pulse contains all the musical maps and charts you need to plan and execute your own fantastic voyage through entire worlds of electronica, hip-hop, and film music.

With classic analog sound streams tapped from hot Buchla, Doepfer and Cwejman electronics, and beat structures forged in a deep neural network of today’s finest soft synths, Pulse is completely packed with royalty-free sounds, each one organized and fortified with spot-on metadata that ensures seamless playback in ACID software and every other program that supports .wav files. Blend the essential elements in Pure Analog Lifeforms and build formidable music species adaptable to any inner landscape.

397 (545 MB) original, royalty-free WAV files.

This new video series, Visual Synthesis via GM, explores synthesis basics with graphics that help visualize the sound.

Big City Music demos the Cwejman MMF-1 multimode filter:

The Cwejman MMF-1 multimode filter is really a great sounding filter, both for filtering and oscillation! This is the MMF-1 self-oscillating. The first bit is the low pass mode being controlled by the Analogue Systems rs200. It is then ran through the quantizer module, the rs260, and then into the Cwejman cutoff frequency. The next bit you hear is the unique dual band pass mode of the MMF-1. By adjusting the “Spacing” knob, which controls the bandwidth, you can achieve some very cool sounds.

Note: Watch your speakers – the signal is hot and occasionally ear-piercing!

Here is a demo of the Cwejman D-LFO, dual low frequency oscillator.

The D-LFO can act as two independent LFOs or can combine the two sides to create complex modulation sources or audio sources. You can let each waveform run free or sync them. There’s also a very very cool “Sync Trip Point” knob which allows you to decide where in the waveform the cycle of the second LFO is restarted.

In the demo, Big City Music demonstrates modulating the Cwejman MMF-1, which is set to self-resonate.

Surachai damages some audio in a good way while demoing Flight Of Harmony’s Plague Bearer synth module. 

The signal path is a Cwejman VM-1 sine going into the Plague Bearer into your ear. The first sound you hear is the dry signal then immediately after, the Plague Bearer gets its way. The LFO’s are from the A-143-3 Quad LFO and Livewire’s Dalek Modulator. The repetitive 8 beat sequence is being pendulum-ed by an A-154/A-155. 

“I have no idea why my video has the quality of a 70’s porn, but I like it!” adds Surachai. “Modular sluts unite!”

Details at the TrashAudio site.