Sunday Synth Jam: Skoulaman created this live Berlin School/space music/ambient synthesizer jam.

Details via skoulaman:

Sequenced with an arpeggiator loop from the Kurzweil Midiboard connected with the Kawai k1r and the Waldorf micro Q. The solo vibe sounds are from a Yamaha CX5M computer and the Korg Lamda in combination with a Moogerfooger. Accords played om the Juno 106 and on the Korg Lamda.

The Berlin School lives on, with Martin Peters’ hypnotic interlocking sequencers + symphonic electronica synth jam, Another Symphonic Theme.

Details on gear + patches below!

via attorks:

This theme is somewhat like the symphonic theme I uploaded in February of this year, yet it is also quite different

The 3 rows of the Doepfer MAQ16/3 sequencer drive 4 voices. The first voice you hear is one Q106 VCO through the CGS Steiner Synthacon VCF and the Oakley Equinoxe phaser. The second voice one Q106 VCO through the Q150 transistor ladder filter. These first 2 voices have the same 4 step sequence running on row 3. Then you hear the self build Modular running on row 2 and after that the Creamware Minimax ASB running on row 1. These 2 voices start each with a 4 step sequence which after a while is varied between 5 and 8 steps manually. Then the bass and the theme are played on the Waldorf Q keyboard with a PPG-like sound. The Mellotron-like strings are played on the Roland XP-80. The solo is performed on the Clavia Nord Lead 1.

I noticed the video is gradually getting out of sync with the sound; I don’t know what caused that and I also didn’t know how to fix that when editing the clip. So, sorry for that.

How to Use a Subtractive Analog Synthesizer is a short section taken from a commercial video series on the principles of subtractive synthesis.

via metakinetics:

This is a brief sample of an extensive introductory video tutorial on the principles of subtractive synthesis. Knowing these principles is essential to creating the evolving sounds often heard in various forms of electronic music. This video tutorial uses the Logic ES1 and ES2 as example virtual instruments to demonstrate the principles. Topics covered include signal flow, waveforms, filters, envelopes and LFOs.

This is a great video to get you started with one of these instruments: LinPlug Albino, Native Instruments Massive, Native Instruments Pro-53, Propellerhead Reasons Subtractor, Ableton Live Operator, Ableton Live Analog, Moog Voyager, Dave Smith Evolver, Prophet 5, Alesis Andromeda, Access Virus, Nord Lead Waldorf Q, Alesis ION, Alesis MICRON, Logic ES1, Logic ES2.

Sunday Synth Jam: Here’s a little something for the fans of Berlin School electronic music – a nice sequenced synth jam, via attorks:

This theme is inspired by an arpeggiator from the Waldorf Q keyboard which I programmed as sequence to be performed by the Q. At first you hear a bass-like sound from the Creamware MiniMax ASB. After that the Synthesizers.com Modular and the self built Modular are added. At last the sequence from the Waldorf Q Keyboard is added. By varying the decay on the Q the sound becomes more lively.

The accompaniment is played on the Clavia Nord Lead 1 and the Roland XP-80.

This audio comparison pits the hybrid analogy synth Waldorf MicroWave I against the digital (DSP-based) Waldorf MicroWave II.

Which sounds better to you?

via retrosound72:

A comparsion of the Waldorf Microwave I Rev. A (hybrid synth with analog curtis filter CEM3389 from the year 1989) and the Waldorf Microwave II (DSP based synth from the year 1997).

A demo with absolute identical sound programs (basses, pads, wavetable sounds, bells, fx sounds…)

This is a cover of Jean Michel Jarre’s Chronologie 6, via syntesen:

I decided to do a quick cover version of Jarre’s Chronologie pt. 6 to test out my new studio routing, deciding to make everything with my hardware synthesizers (the used ones are the Nord Lead 2X, Blofeld, D-50 and MoPho)

.It’s quite close to the original, but has a slightly more modern sound, which i think fits it nicely.

This India-inspired electronica jam features electronic tabla driving a DIY sequencer.

Details on the patching and performance controls below.

via behanger:

My electronic tabla (it says “proffessional”) controls my home built 32 step sequencer, of which 20 positions are used for this rhythm. The Sool rhythm has 10 beats per cycle.

The sequencer not only plays these voltages up or down, but it can also derive other patterns. I worked these out and implemented these in hardware. I would have to look up how I did this. I do not think of it anymore, as each of the patters is useful. So in a live situation, I just choose a different one at random.

The output of the sequencer is analog, and sends out 0-10 volt. This is then converted to midi by my new miduino, a circuit by Tom Scarff. The software was partley rewritten by me. to make it play in the key of my choice. Using a very secrative math trick called rounding, I made the sequencer play in a minor key, rather than in the 12 tone system. This allows for live tweaking of the knobs without ever being out of key. Freedom!

Then there’s my Arcade joystick, which has an home baked circuit that converts the 4 switches and the fire button to 15 different notes, and connects right onto the keyboard matrix of an old casio childrens keyboard which cooks midi note messages. I would do this in the miduino too if I needed to do it again. A series of if/else statements is much easier and more flexible than soldering and debugging a circuit with 8 logic IC’s and a over a meter of wire.

Then there’s the large joystick. It has a doepfer midiconvertor on board. The miduino has enough pins to do it all together, but I like the fact that it is a funtional unit on it’s own. It controls all the effects of the Arcade channel.

The pitch of the tabla can be controlled by the sequencer as well as by the Atari paddle. I made this input on the tabla when I replaced the tuning pot with a precise ten-turn pot. It works with two vactrols.

Sound sources are: cymbals, a Raagini shruti box, the tabla box, a Waldorf Blofeld running 2 patches amplified by a 40 year old Italian tube amp.

I recorded it with my photocamera, which has a rediculously low audio sampling rate. They all have. It’s just not a number the camera’s are sold by. I should have checked weather I was in the image myself. Now I am a pair of hands on youtube too, looking like the Lorax of Dr. Seuss. A well. It’s just a test drive to check if my work is getting somewhere.

Free Waldorf MicroWave synthesizer editors for Mac are available at 12decode:

There is an editor for the original Microwave (aka Microwave I, with software version 2.0 installed) and an editor for the Microwave II (including the XT line).

The sound generating architecture of the Microwave II is very similar to the MicroWave I, except the different concept with the “modulation matrix” and the possibility to change many parameters simply by control change messages and by turning the little knobs manually, so system exclusive programming may not be so important.

Nevertheless, I think it is always a nice feature to get control over the wave control tables, because these nitty gritty 8-bit samples are that, what makes these old synthesizers finally unique.

Another main feature that has been build into version 4.0 was the library centered sound program design. While it is nice to edit any parameter of a sound, it is even more practical to have an overview of all available sounds and also be able to save/restore them at any time.

If you’ve used these free editors, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Waldorf has announced a new software synthesizer, the Waldorf Largo:

Many producers and synthesizer enthusiasts asked for a full-blown Waldorf Synthesizer for their virtual rack. We listened, and now we proudly present Largo. Largo is the first pure software synthesizer with Waldorf DNA. And again – it is the cutting edge sound that makes the big difference.

No wonder, as Largo mirrors the technology used in Blofeld and Q hardware synthesizers. As for every Waldorf instrument, ergonomics are a core feature on screen as well. Your eyes will be pleased with a clearly structured, graphical user interface that supports your workflow intuitively.

Largo offers three fat oscillators, two of them with sub oscillators. These oscillators include models of classic analog waveforms as well as a selection of waves from the PPG and Waldorf Wave stored in two Wavetables. All these run through two Waldorf multimode filters with steep cutoff, resonance up to self-oscillation and a drive stage to add even more punch and grainyness to the sound. Ultra-fast envelope generators and flexible LFOs as well as an easy to understand, yet extremely versatile modulation matrix make for a sound designer’s dream.

The filters have always been a core part of any Waldorf instrument. With outstanding expertise in both analog and digital synthesis, our developers took utmost care in developing the filters. And you can hear a significant difference when working with a Waldorf filter – they just sound right! Use the comb filters for plucked, stringed or blown sounds. Band pass, high pass, low pass and notch filters are all available with 12 dB and 24 dB slope. All of them sound extremely accurate and add pure sonic quality to the sound of your music.

Largo contains a flexible arpeggiator with 16 freely programmable steps as known from the exclusive Q synthesizer line plus an array of high quality effects such as Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Overdrive, Delay and Reverb.

The clearly arranged user interface helps you to create your own powerful synthesizer sounds in a breeze. Oscillators and filters are always in direct access while the submodules are only a mouse click away. It has the same exclusive voice architecture as the Q and Blofeld synthesizer line, fully integrated into the total recall system of your Digital Audio Workstation.

Largo works as a VST and AudioUnit instrument. Details below.

Waldorf Blofeld + Ableton Live Controller as a live PA setup:

Bill Holland hooks up the Waldorf Blofeld to Ableton Live to get his old school hardware control on. What he comes up with sounds something like a circus of dolphin song and twittering mantids, which is just what you want on a hot club night. I mean, I do, anyway.

via gearwire:

This is another cool demo from Gearwire’s Bill Holland, showcasing the Waldorf Blofeld synth with Ableton Live as a synth module.

“Its sleek German design puts all controls in their most logical locations, so you can reserve more brainpower for world domination,” notes Holland.

via gearwire:

Waldorf has announced that their Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard Synthesizer is shipping.

Features:

• 60 Megabyte sample memory
• Class compliant USB MIDI for PC,Mac and Linux
• 16 part multimode
• maximum 25 voices polyphony
• highest quality standard keyboard with 49 weighted keys and aftertouch
• Internal power supply
• Pitchbend and modulation wheel
• Virtual analog, wavetable, and sample based oscillators
• MIDI in/out
• Sturdy metal case
• Stainless steel rotary encoders
• Backlit 128×64 pixel LCD
• Over 1000 sounds
• 3 oscillators, 2 filters per voice
• Selectable drive curves
• Frequency modulation for oscillators and filters
• Three LFO, four envelopes per voice
• Extensive modulation capabilities
• Complex arpeggiator
• Powerful effects section
• weight: apprx 8,– kgs

The Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard has an MSRP of 849€.

You can preview the sound of the Waldorf Blofeld below.

If you’ve used the Waldorf Blofeld keyboard synth, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Exploring the Waldorf Q Keyboard

via attorks:

The Doepfer MAQ16/3 sequencer is driving the Synthesizers.com with a bass sound and the self-built Modular with the accompanying melody.

The internal sequencer of the Waldorf Q Keyboard is synchronized with the MAQ16/3 MIDI clock doing a 8 step sequence which I transpose with the keyboard (to make the music a little bit less boring .

Fiddling with various dials but mainly the pulse width dials on VCO 1 and 2 to scan through the wave tables of the Alt1 wave selection, with the cutoff, resonance and envelop amount for the 24dB lowpass filter and with the decay for the filter ADSR. At 09:35 I switch to the PPG filter but then the video almost ends.

This is an audio demo of the Waldorf Microwave Wavetable Synthesizer, a rackmount synth based on Waldorf’s Wave synthesizer.

This classic rackmount synth features 8-voice polyphony, and an interesting mix of analog and digital style synthesis.

If you’ve used the Microwave, leave a comment with your thoughts!

via retrosound72:

Waldorf Microwave Mk1 Revision A with curtis filter CEM3389 (Revision B CEM3387) from the year 1989, the direct successor of the PPG Wave

demo: analog and digital pads, wavetable sounds, bells, sweeps, fx sounds…
up to 8.12 bass and sequencer sounds, sequenced by the MFB Step64

The sound of the Microwave Mk1 (real hybrid synth) and Microwave Mk2 (DSP based synth) is absolute different.

Rear Door – an “epic synthesizer soundscape”, via hilltree:

Recorded at the Hilltree studio

more at www.groenewoudnet.nl

Waldorf wave Gem s3 Roland d2

The Waldorf microQ synthesizer was derived from the Waldorf Q Synthesizer and packed into a 2u rack housing.

These audio demos feature Waldorf MicroQ synth sounds created and programmed by morpheus2027 that showcase the MicroQ’s versatility, with an emphasis on modern dance sounds.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Roland JD-800 + Waldorf Microwave II “Evangelos”

This is a vintage synth demo by RetroSound. Details below.

via retrosound72

“Evangelos”

pads: Roland JD-800 (hold pedal)
choir sound and cs-80 like brass sound: Waldorf Microwave II (played with the Yamaha DX7 II)

You can find the MP3 of this demo on my MySpace page.

more info: http://www.retrosound.de and
http://www.myspace.com/retrosound72

The Waldorf Blofeld is a tiny synth module that delivers the same sounds known to many from the Waldorf Pulse, Q, Q+, Micro Q, Microwave, Microwave II/XT, or Wave.

The Blofeld is based on the PPG Wave synthesizers of the early 80s. When you listen to the Blofeld for the first time, you may recognize those timbres from the PPG era.

Detailed specs below.

If you’ve used the Waldorf Blofeld, leave a comment with your thoughts and ratings.

Highlights:

• 7 endless stainless steel Dials
• Graphic Display 128 x 64 pixels, b/w, white background LED
• more than 1000 Sounds
• 3 Oscillators per voice
• Frequency Modulation between the Oscillators
• All Q Oscillator Models
• All Microwave II/XT/XTk Wavetables
• 2 independent Multi Mode Filters per voice
• Filter FM
• 2 Drive stages per voice with selectable Drive Curves
• 3 fast LFOs per voice
• 4 fast Envelopes per voice
• powerful Arpeggiator
• freely programmable Arpeggiator Pattern with up to 16 Steps per Sound

General Features

• up to 25 Voices
• 16 part multi timbral
• more than 1000 Sounds
• sturdy Metal Enclosure
• 7 endless stainless steel Dials
• 5 Buttons
• Graphic Display 128 x 64 pixels, b/w, white background LED
• MIDI LED
• Volume Control
• Power Switch
• Stereo Output
• Headphone Output
• MIDI In
• USB Connector for MIDI In / Out
  • uses standard USB MIDI Driver provided by host computer OS
  • Windows ME minimum, Windows XP or newer recommended
  • Mac OS X 10.2 minimum, Mac OS X 10.3 or newer recommended
• External Power Supply

Per Voice

• 3 Oscillators
  Virtual Analog Models:
  • Pulse with Pulse Width Modulation and adjustable Brilliance
  • Sawtooth with adjustable Brilliance
  • Triangle
  • Sine
  • Q Alt 1 and Alt 2 Wavetable with adjustable Brilliance
  • All Wavetables from Microwave II/XT/XTk Series with adjustable Brilliance
  • Separate Wavetable selectable for Oscillator 1 and 2
• Wavetables:
• Frequency Modulation between the Oscillators
• Oscillator Synchronization
• Ring Modulator for Osc 1 / 2
• Noise Generator with Noise Colour
• 2 independent Multi Mode Filters
  • Filter FM
  • Resonance up to Self-Oscillation
  • Low Pass 24 dB / 12 dB
  • Band Pass 24 dB / 12 dB
  • High Pass 24 dB / 12 dB
  • Notch 24 dB / 12 dB
  • Comb Filter with positive / negative Feedback
  • PPG Low Pass Filter
• 2 Drive stages per voice with adjustable Drive Gain and selectable Curves
  • Clip
  • Hard
  • Medium
  • Soft
  • Sine Shaper
  • etc.
• Modulation Matrix with 16 Slots, freely programmable
  • Modulation Speed far into Audio Range
  • Modulation Sources include all internal Modulation Sources plus various MIDI messages
  • Modulation Destinations for almost all continuous sound parameters
• various pre-routed Modulation Destinations with selectable Sources
  • Pitch Modulation
  • Oscillator 1 / 2 / 3 Frequency Modulation
  • Oscillator 1 / 2 / 3 Pulse Width Modulation
  • Filter 1 / 2 Cutoff Modulation
  • Filter 1 / 2 Frequency Modulation
  • Pan 1 / 2 Modulation
  • Amp Modulation
• 4 Modifiers for transforming Modulation Sources with various Algorithms
• 3 fast LFOs
  • syncable to MIDI Clock
  • Note Retrigger with adjustable Start Phase
  • monophonic LFO
  • Keytrack
• 4 fast Envelopes with selectable types
  • Single Trigger / Retrigger per Envelope
  • ADSR
  • ADS1DS2R (2 Decay/Sustain stages plus adjustable Attack Level)
  • One Shot
  • Loop S1S2 (Loop between Sustain 1 and 2)
  • Loop All (Loop over all stages)
• Poly, Mono, Dual or Unisono Mode with selectable Voice Count

Per Part

• powerful Arpeggiator
  • Hold and One Shot modes
  • syncable to MIDI Clock
  • Direction Up, Down, Alternate
  • Range up to 10 Octaves
  • various methods to modify Note Sort Order
• freely programmable Arpeggiator Pattern with up to 16 Steps per Sound.
  programmable per Step:
  • Accent
  • Timing
  • Length
  • Glide on/off
  • Pause
  • Chord
  • Previous note
  • Random not from Note List
  • first and/or last note from Note List
• 1 Effect slot per part
• 1 Effect slot globally for all parts
  Effect types:
  • Chorus
  • Flanger
  • Phaser
  • Overdrive
  • Triple FX (S&H, Ring Modulation, Chorus)
  • Delay (only available on global Effect slot)
  • Clocked Delay (only available on global Effect slot)
  • Reverb (only available on global Effect slot)

The MicroWave II is a rackmount synthesizer that offers the tone generation of the original MicroWave, but enhanced through new interesting features.

The 10-voice tone generation features two oscillators per voice, two wave generators, a mixer, two serially-connected filters, a stereo amplifier, four envelopes, two LFOs, a modulation matrix with 16 slots and several “modifiers”.

Per sound, the MicroWave II offers a neat arpeggiator and powerful envelope and voice-trigger modes.SP.

Outside, its most conspicious feature is its simplicity through the use of just 5 dials and a 2 x 40 character LCD. On the back the MicroWave II sports two fully modulatable stereo outputs to ensure that its sound is properly sent to the real world.

The MicroWave II also has an integrated chorus effector that is even capable of producing the classic and beloved “Ensemble” effect.

The above audio demo of the Waldorf Microwave 2, by retrosound, features custom “retro” patches, including several patches inspired by Vangelis.

If you’ve used the Waldorf Microwave 2, leave a comment with your thoughts!

FEATURES :

• Multi Mode with 8 individual instruments
• 10 voices
• 128 multis
• 256 sounds
• 64 ROM wavetables
• 32 RAM wavetables
• 64 waves per wavetable
• 500 waves
• arpeggiator, syncable to MIDI Clock
• programmable arpeggiator rhythm pattern per sound
• 4 integrated effect units (1 Chorus available for any instrument in multi mode, 1 separate effect for each of the first 3 instruments in multi mode)
• all parameters real time controllable through MIDI continous controller
• 1 dial for page access
• 4 dials for parameter changes
• 1 Play / Shift button
• 5 buttons for mode selection (3 buttons for “Sound”, 1 button for “Multi”, 1 button for “Global”)
• 1 Standby button with alert function to assure that all edited sounds are stored
• MIDI In / Out / Thru
• 2 stereo outputs
• 19″/2U

Per voice:

• 2 oscillators
• oscillator synchronization
• oscillator FM, fully modulatable
• 2 wave generators
• noise generator
• ring modulator
• adjustable quality levels for aliasing, interpolation and clipping
• mixer, all levels (Wave 1, Wave 2, Noise, Ring Modulation, External In) modulatable with high resolution
• 2 multi mode filters, connected serially
• filter 1:
  • low pass 12dB
  • low pass 24dB
  • band pass 12dB
  • high pass 12dB
  • sinus shaper with low pass filter 12dB
  • wave shaper with low pass filter 12dB (selected wavetable determines the available shaper waves)
  • Sample & Hold with low pass filter 12dB (real time sample rate reduction down to 23Hz)
  • dual parallel filter with 12dB low pass and 12dB band pass, cutoff offset parameter for band pass
  • 12dB low pass filter with filter FM (cutoff modulation through oscillator 2)
• filter 2:
  • low pass 6dB
  • high pass 6dB
• stereo amplifier, fully modulatable
• 8-time/level wave envelope with loop function, “one shot” mode, times and levels modulatable
• ADSR filter envelope, each phase modulatable separately
• ADSR amplifier envelope, each phase modulatable separately
• 4-time/level free envelope, bipolar, one shot mode, times and levels modulatable
• all envelopes work with separate trigger- and voice-modes, either monophonic or polyphonic:
• single trigger with zero return
• single trigger with return to last level
• retrigger with zero return
• retrigger with return to last level
• dual mode (two voices per note)
• unisono (all free voices at once)
• two LFOs, each with different shapes, syncable to MIDI clock, LFO 2 can be synced to LFO 1
• modulation matrix with 16 slots, all sources and destinations of the MicroWave and the Pulse plus new connections
• 4 freely usable modifiers with several operators and algorithms

Resources:

• Waldorf Microwave 2 at Retrosound
• Waldorf resources at Carbon111
• Waldorf Microwave 2/EX Editor/Librarian

This gorgeous audio demo, Speak To Me by Retrosound, features the Waldorf Microwave 2:

Waldorf Microwave 2 wavetable synthesizer and Roland JD-800 starting on 2.05. I scanned the wavetable oscillator with the modulation-wheel.