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Tag: modular

  • Big City Music at NAMM

    No visit to NAMM is complete without a stop at the booth of Big City Music. There were familiar faces and instruments, but a few new things as well.

    The Mellotron micro is the latest in the Mellotron series. It’s small and compact, and with an expected price $800-$1000 USD it’s more affordable than the others in the series (although still quite pricey).

    Mellotron micro

    Metasonix is at it again. The big yellow box that Big City Music always brings to the show sported some new modules in silver.

    Metasonix modules

    Among them was the RK2 XSVCA. It’s not just a VCA, but has distortion, feedback and out-of-phase outputs among other features. The marketing material is everything we have come to know and love from Metasonix.

    Horsecock

    There are always some odd and unusual pedals. These pedals from Indu Trielectric were quite visually intriguing.

    Indu Trielectric

    The maker’s descriptive text – much less colorful than Metasonix’s – suggested that this was a bit of a Swiss Army Knife with lots of features, including “chaotic reverb” but it also came with the admonition to the user to expect weirdness and imprecision, traits that can be quite useful for music. I wasn’t able to hear it at the time, but might get a chance to later.

  • Rossum Electro-Music synthesizer modules at NAMM

    Rossum Electro-Music

    We at CatSynth have long been fans of E-MU Systems’ synthesizer. The Proteus 2K and Morpheus remain vital parts of my music studio – and some long-time readers may recall that I used to work for E-MU many years ago. So it was excited to see the new Eurorack modules from Rossum Electo-Music, the new project of E-MU founder and synthesizer inventor Dave Rossum.

    Rossum Electro-Music

    The main module available is the Evolution, a Moog-style ladder filter with some unique twists. It allows the user to switch among topologies, from 3 to 6 poles, in real time. And of course this function is controllable via CV for some interesting effects. The filter itself sounds great, with signal conditioning to allow resonant sweeps while maintaining strong bass tones from the original signal. The Morpheus module is a Eurorack implementation of the legendary E-MU Z-Plane filter, which allows interpolation on three axis between different 14-pole filter configurations. All of the parameters for the Z-Plane filter are CV controllable. Unfortunately the Morpheus wasn’t ready for me to hear, but I certainly looking forward to it.

  • Booth 5000 (Modular Synths) at NAMM, Part 1

    Our friends in the modular-synth world are moving up at NAMM, with a collective booth at the front of the show right near giants like Moog and Dave Smith Instruments.  It’s a bit much to take in all at once, as modules and module-makers continue to proliferate.  This will be the first of a few articles covering just this booth.

    One new set of modules, and perhaps the oddest, comes from BASTL Instruments.

    BASTL Instruments

    In addition to the wood texture, there are modules that can control motors, solenoids and other outboard electronic elements.  It does bring to mind some ideas for sound installations and live performances.  You can hear a bit of these modules in this video.

    Soulby presented Eurorack modular versions of 8-bit processing modules more messing with voice and other input signals.

    Soulby

    Delays and looping seem to be a thing this year. 4ms had a new looper and delay module whose novel feature is audio rate control of the functions for unusual flange delays and other continuous effects.

    4ms

    While the 4ms Spectral Multiband Resonator is not new for this year, it is still one I am excited about.

    QuBit Electronix has a new sequencer module with a circular pattern; and a new polyphonic oscillator with individual controls and VCAs. You can see and hear both of them in this short video.

    @qubitelectronix polyphonic oscillator in action! #namm

    A video posted by CatSynth / Amanda C (@catsynth) on

    Synthrotek is focusing on full systems, including a MIDI-CV converter that supports bi-directional clocks. One can use heavily modulated CV clocks to control time-based elements on MIDI synthesizers with this feature.

    Synthrotek

    And KOMA Elektronik returned with their massive sequencer, looking more refined. And it has a lot of lights!

    KOMA Electronik Sequencer

    More from this both and beyond in coming articles.

  • CatSynth pic: Runki and Modular

    Runki and Modular

    The handsome black cat Runki poses with a modular synth in this beautiful photo by Marri Gamard. Submitted by our friend (and Runki’s human) Jeph Nor via Facebook.

  • CatSynth video: Cat and Eurorack

    Happy Friday! ?? #catsynth #modularsynth #eurorack @dropzone_lucy

    A video posted by @machew on

    Cat contemplating a rather complex patch on a Eurorack modular synth. From machew on Instagram.

  • Farewell to 2015: Annus Asper

    Farewell to 2015
    [Click to enlarge.]

    2015 was a rough year. There is no other way to put it. We looked over the precipice at some of the worst possibilities becoming reality. But we came through. Luna stared down an extremely dire diagnosis and is once again thriving. For that I am truly grateful. I rebounded strongly from my own health issues as well. And there were many other beautiful moments this year, a few of which are included in our graphic.

    This was a year of many endings as well, most notably in the personal and musical domains. But new doors are opening for 2016 as a result, and there are some new projects and opportunities for which I am excited. 2015 left a lot of questions unanswered, some of which are also depicted in the graphic and some of which are beyond the scope of this site.

    So we are excited for 2016, but also extremely anxious and apprehensive. There are more big challenges coming up; and if I have learned anything, it is that I have no idea how things will ultimately turn out. It’s just a matter of doing things one at a time incrementally – but also continuing even more than ever to speak my truths and accept the risks and consequences that come with doing so.

    Meanwhile, we at CatSynth will continue to do what we do here, bring music, art, culture and cats to the world. Thank you for all your support in 2015, and especially all your support for Luna and me. We are truly humbled and look forward to sharing this new year whatever it brings.

  • CatSynth pic: Tansou and Böhm Soundlab Synth

    Tansou

    Submitted by Nikos Triantafillou via our Facebook page.

    Because Cats and Synths rule hard!!!

    Most beloved cat ever, Tansou (1999-2004 – R.I.P.) and my Böhm Soundlab modular synth. Photo winter 2000.

    Tansou sounds like she was a wonderful cat and was very loved. We at CatSynth send our thoughts.

  • CatSynth pic: Gertie, Mistress of the Buchla 200e

    Gertie and Buchla 200e

    Submitted by Donny Lemur via our Facebook page.

    “Gertie – Mistress of the Buchla 200e”

    You can find our previous articles and pictures featuring Buchla synths here.

  • CatSynth pic: Cat and Modular Synth

    Cat and modular synth

    Cat showing if his modular synth (featuring Make Noise modules) and Eletro Harmonix 45000. From mees feesh on Instagram.

  • New False Gods &The Xman, LSG Creative Music Series

    It’s been a while since I have been able to attend Outsound’s regular weekly music series at the Luggage Store Gallery, but I was finally able to do so a week ago. The show featured two very different sets focused on electronics.

    First up was the New False Gods, a “supergroup” of sorts featuring Eli Pontecorvo , Jack Hertz, Doug Lynner, Tom Djll, and R Duck.

    New False Gods

    I am quite familiar with all the artists and count them all as friends, but this is the first time I heard them together as this unit. Musically, this was an improvised set, but Jack Hertz’s rhythmic percussion helped provide a structural foundation for the other sounds, which varied from sparse and light to thick noisy pads. Doug Lynner provided intricate sounds on his Serge modular, and Tom Djll had an intriguing setup with trumpet driving a modular synth.

    Doug Lynner, Tom Djll

    Next up was Charles Xavier, aka The Xman performing a solo set with electronics and small sound makers. The central instrument in his setup was a malletKAT, an electronic MIDI mallet percussion instrument.

    The Xman (Charles Xavier)

    The Xman was musically quite different from the New False Gods. In addition to presenting a series of composed pieces as opposed to a set-length improvisation, his music was centered on standard tonal pitches, albeit sometimes in more atonal arrangements. There was a gentle and playful quality to many of the pieces.

    Overall, it was a good night to come back to the series. Hopefully it won’t be so long before I attend again.