Synth Geekery 348
In episode 348 we talked about synths, eurorack, sequencers, drum machines, samplers, effects and software! Plus all the usual segments! Funny Side, News from the Geekery, Price Watch, Name that Synth …
Show contents:
- About
- Guests
- Video replay
- Funny Side
- News from The Geekery
- Price Watch
- Name that Synth
- Saturday Sonority
About the Synth Geekery Show
Synth Geekery is a weekly podcast/live stream (YouTube) show about everything synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, sequencers, eurorack and music technology. We take the “one of the masses” viewpoint, where we are also users of gear just like you (read: we’re not influenced by commercial product placement).
The show relies on the generous contributions of the synth community. You can contribute in many ways including supporting us via our YouTube Channel Membership or Patreon. We also have regular and special video guests: if you would like to take part in future shows – please contact me via email on the about page here.
Your Host
Ranzee (Ranz Adamson) is your show host. He’s based in Perth, Western Australia and has been a hobbyist musician and technologist for most of his life. More information can be found about him here.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/ranzee
BandCamp: https://ranzee.bandcamp.com
Guests
This week’s video guests are:
Daren T. Housse
Bandcamp Link: https://darenthousse.bandcamp.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLPHxpZgFKKE1wkG9ndto3A
Daren resides in the UK and is one of the first video guests on the show since 2019. He has a large amount of tracks on his youtube channel plus a great album collection over on BandCamp.
SynthAddict
Andy is a musician and technologist from the bay area in California. He has an amazing collection of music tech gadgets and a large knowledge of synthesizers.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUtABvP7q29uvLKi73zIjFQ
Ian J. Cole
Ian is a musician, composer, sound designer and producer currently producing solo ambient electronic music. He also runs Sinners Music which is a Record Company and Online Music Retailer in East Yorkshire, England
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IanJCole
Chris – Maikshifter
Chris is a musician and technologist from Perth, Western Australia. He’s always had a love for creating and tinkering with music electronics and has recently embarked on a new journey creating eurorack modules.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Maikshifter
Video replay
Funny Side
The funny side segment is a collection of memes that are somewhat relevant to the synth geekery community. Some of these images are taken from Facebook, Instagram and other social media sources. Please respect the creators. Hope you enjoy this week’s selection:
News
LilaCRepeater by Centre Village
Centrevillage, the Japanese garage manufacturer celebrated for engineering high-utility Eurorack modules into remarkably tight form factors, has just teased its latest creation: the LilaCRepeater. Distributed via specialized boutiques like Clockface Modular, Centre Village has carved out a distinct niche for musicians seeking maximum functionality with clear, tactical layouts.
The LilaCRepeater is built with a singular mission: to provide Eurorack performers with a robust, intuitive, and highly interactive 4-track looper designed specifically for live performance. Continuing Centre Village’s hallmark design language—which leverages multi-colored LED state indicators and slider-heavy interfaces—the LilaCRepeater is primed to be the central rhythmic and melodic anchor of your live patch.
Key Features of the LilaCRepeater
While technical deep-dives are still unfurling as the module nears its official launch, the core features of the LilaCRepeater focus heavily on immediate, hands-on control:
- 4 Independent Looping Tracks: Allows performers to layer complex multi-track phrases, capture acoustic inputs, or isolate distinct elements of a patch on the fly.
- Live-Optimized Interface: Designed for quick-trigger performance scenarios with highly visible LED feedback to track loop lengths, recording states, and playback positioning.
- Skiff-Friendly Design: Like its siblings (such as the Sprout and BMFLTR), it packs complex digital and analog utility into a highly compact, space-efficient HP footprint.
- Synchronized Performance Control: Features dedicated gate/trigger or clock connectivity alongside manual controls to keep your loops perfectly locked to the master tempo of your system.
Estimated Pricing
Note: The LilaCRepeater has been announced as “Coming Soon,” so official retail pricing on international distributor sites is currently pending. Based on Centre Village’s existing product catalog (e.g., the Sprout multi-effects at ¥29,700 and the PLLVCO at ¥28,600), the estimated retail price point adjusted for global currencies is projected below:
- USD: ~$195.00
- EURO: €180.00
- UK (GBP): £155.00
- AUD: $295.00
Product Summary Table
| Parameter | Specification |
| Product Name | LilaCRepeater |
| Manufacturer | Centre Village |
| Module Type | 4-Track Phrase Looper / Live Performance Sampler |
| Core Function | Multi-track audio looping and live sound layering |
| Primary Controls | Performance buttons, interactive status LEDs, multi-track selection |
| Availability | Upcoming / Pre-order status (Est. mid-2026) |
Price: $300 (ish)
Link: https://en.clockfacemodular.com/collections/centrevillage
Nekyia Circuits Ozark
If you are looking to break out of standard, repetitive 4/4 loops and inject complex, organic rhythmic structures into your Eurorack setup, Nekyia Circuits has a compelling solution. The Ozark is a highly compact Control Voltage (CV) and Trigger Sequencer designed specifically to generate musical polyrhythms on the fly.
By combining an analog CV sequencer, an internal clock generator, dual clock dividers, and onboard logic processing, this tiny module packs a massive punch for live performers and studio experimenters alike. Here is everything you need to know about this powerful rhythm engine.
Product Overview & Summary
The Nekyia Circuits Ozark is a 6HP Eurorack module built to turn simple clock signals into intricate, evolving patterns. At its core, it features an Analog CV Sequencer that can be configured into 3, 4, or 5-step configurations.
What makes the Ozark special is how it handles stepping. Instead of just moving forward lineally on every single clock pulse, it utilizes an internal or external clock source fed through two independent Clock Dividers. These dividers feed into a selectable XOR/OR logic circuit, which determines how and when the CV sequencer advances.
Because the two clock dividers and the logic sub-circuits feature individual dedicated outputs, you can simultaneously trigger other envelopes, drum modules, or low-pass gates. This creates a deeply cohesive, rhythmically dependent patch where everything dances together in complex syncopation. With the inclusion of an Advance input and a dedicated Reset button/CV input, users can easily break, twist, and manually manipulate the sequences in real-time.
Key Features
- Adjustable Analog Sequencer: Easily switch between 3, 4, or 5-step playback sequences.
- Onboard Logic Engine: Features an internal/external clock routing to two clock dividers driving a selectable XOR/OR logic circuit.
- Independent Routing Options: The Advance input lets you feed external triggers to the CV sequencer, or decoupling the sequencer entirely from the dividers to use them as separate utilities.
- Generous I/O for 6HP: Provides 3 individual trigger outputs (Divider 1, Divider 2, and XOR/OR Logic) plus 1 main CV output.
- Performance Control: Includes both a manual Reset push-button and a dedicated Reset CV input for unpredictable rhythmic resets.
- Skiff Friendly: At only 25mm deep, it easily fits into ultra-slim portable cases.
Pricing Breakdown
The Ozark is available directly from Nekyia Circuits and authorized dealers.
- EURO (EUR): €149.00 (Excluding VAT)
- USD (United States Dollar): ~$161.00*
- UK (British Pound Sterling): ~$127.00*
- AUD (Australian Dollar): ~$246.00*
*Note: Non-EUR pricing is subject to fluctuating exchange rates and regional dealer import fees.
Technical Specifications & Summary Table
| Feature / Specification | Details |
| Module Type | CV & Trigger Sequencer / Polyrhythm Generator |
| Width | 6 HP |
| Depth | 25 mm (Skiff Friendly) |
| Power Consumption | 30mA @ +12V / 10mA @ -12V |
| Sequencer Steps | 3, 4, or 5 steps |
| Outputs | 3x Trigger Outs (2 Dividers + 1 Logic), 1x CV Out |
| Inputs | Clock In, Advance In, Reset In |
| Manual Controls | Rate knob, Step pots, Step length switch, Logic switch, Reset button |
Final Thoughts
The Nekyia Circuits Ozark proves that you don’t need a massive, menu-divey master sequencer to get complex rhythms out of a modular system. Its clever integration of logic and division makes it an excellent “secret weapon” for any electronic musician looking to spice up their arrangements.
Price: $149
Link: https://nekyiacircuits.com/product/ozark/
Emute Lab Myriad
The Eurorack landscape is packed with standard digital and analog oscillators, but every now and then, a module comes along that challenges how we approach synthesis altogether. Enter the Myriad by Emute Lab Instruments. Described by its creators as a pataphonic oscillator—drawing inspiration from pataphysics, the science of imaginary solutions and exceptions—the Myriad is a 16HP stereo voice that lives comfortably on the surreal edges of sound design.
At its core, the Myriad is a multi-oscillator powerhouse designed to blend everyday melodic music-making with wildly unconventional, shifting, and abstract sonic textures. Whether you need an unstable, beautiful stereo drone or a highly responsive, morphing melodic sequence, the Myriad redefines the traditional role of a standard VCO.
Exploring the Core Features
The Myriad isn’t just a simple tone generator; it houses a massive hybrid engine under the hood. Here are the core features that set it apart:
- 12 Bitwave Synthesis Models: The digital brain features twelve distinct oscillator models, allowing users to move from glassy digital textures to complex, dense waves.
- 9 Detunable Oscillators: Organized into three separate banks of three, Myriad gives you access to around 1,700 unique oscillator combinations, providing unmatched stack depth and stereo width.
- Hybrid Signal Path: The digital engine is perfectly married to an analog back-end. It features two independent pairs of stereo outputs: one for pristine, Clean digital tones, and one for Shaped audio, which routes the signal through analog waveshaping and overdrive circuits.
- 7 Meta-Modulators: For those who love evolving, generative patches, the module contains seven “meta-modulators”—lively, algorithmic internal modulation systems that breathe organic movement into your sound models without requiring external CV.
- Comprehensive CV Control: Precision CV inputs allow you to modulate pitch, spread, octave interval, the built-in VCA, and “epsilon” (a macro parameter that controls a different, customized characteristic for each specific oscillator model).
- Open-Source & Hackable: True to the DIY spirit, both the hardware design and software firmware are open-source, inviting programmers and hardware hackers to customize its architecture .
Pricing Guide
The Myriad is available as both a pre-built module through global retailers and as a Full DIY Kit for synth builders [1, 3, 5]. Below is the approximate pricing across key global currencies:
- United Kingdom: £349.00 (Pre-built incl. VAT) [3] / ~£200.00 (Full DIY Kit excl. VAT)
- United States: ~$439.00 USD
- Eurozone: €399.00 to €405.00 EUR
- Australia: ~$650.00 AUD (Estimated based on global retail exchange rates)
Product Summary Table
| Specification / Detail | Product Information |
| Product Name | Myriad |
| Manufacturer | Emute Lab Instruments |
| Module Type | Stereo Eurorack Multi-Oscillator / Synthesizer Voice |
| Module Width | 16 HP |
| Current Draw | 100 mA (+12V) / 30 mA (-12V) |
| Synthesis Type | Hybrid (Digital Bitwave Synthesis + Analog Waveshaping/Overdrive) |
| Display | High-visibility Colour TFT Screen |
| Outputs | Dual Stereo Outputs (Clean L/R and Shaped L/R) |
| Open Source | Yes (Hackable Firmware and Hardware) |
Price: TBA
Link: https://www.emutelabinstruments.co.uk/myriad/
Timo Rozendal Filler
If you are a modular synthesist looking to inject dynamic life, organic humanization, and spontaneous fills into your drum racks, the Timo Rozendal Filler is a module worth serious consideration. Available directly via Timo Rozendal’s Etsy store, this 14 HP powerhouse completely reimagines how Eurorack users interact with rhythm sequencing by acting as an intelligent drum variation and fill generation tool.
Rather than relying on static sequences or complex external programming, the Filler actively listens to up to six incoming drum trigger lines, analyzes the patterns in real-time, and can instantly generate synced fills, variations, Rolls, and Euclidean shifts. It bridges the gap between structured machine rhythms and the improvisational unpredictability of a live human drummer.
Key Features of the Timo Rozendal Filler
- Six-Channel Adaptive Learning: Features 6 trigger inputs and 7 trigger outputs (Bass Drum, Snare, Closed Hat, Open Hat, Percussion 1, Percussion 2), plus a dedicated automatic Crash/Accent output triggered at the end of fills.
- Dual-Layer Operation: * Fill Layer: Instantly generates bar-synced or un-synced fills, transitions, and rolls at the push of a button or via gate signals.
- Drummer Layer: An “always-on” performance enhancer that dynamically adds ghost hits, humanized velocity/timing adjustments, probability gating, pattern stutters, phase shifts, and Markov-based variations.
- Comprehensive CV Integration: Includes Control Voltage (CV) inputs to automate the Fill Parameters or the depth of the Drummer Layer modulation, alongside a CV output that outputs a fill-synced envelope—perfect for modulating external filters, VCAs, or effects during transitions.
- Flexible Trigger Modes: Supports a synchronized mode that locks performance transitions to your master bar lengths, as well as a Direct mode for instantaneous glitch and stutter effects.
- DIY & Fully Built Availability: Offered either as a complete, user-friendly DIY kit with surface-mount components (SMD) pre-assembled, or as a meticulously hand-built, ready-to-play module.
Pricing and Availability
The Filler module is competitively priced within the Eurorack market and can be purchased as either a full DIY assembly kit or a fully assembled module. Based on standard market listings, the estimated pricing structure across major global currencies is outlined below.
Assembled Module
- USD: $295.00
- EURO: €270.00
- UK (GBP): £230.00
- AUD: $445.00
DIY Kit Edition
- USD: $195.00
- EURO: €180.00
- UK (GBP): £150.00
- AUD: $295.00
(Note: Exact Etsy checkout pricing may vary slightly depending on real-time currency conversion rates, local taxes, and localized shipping adjustments.)
Technical Specifications Summary
| Parameter | Specifications |
| Module Name | Timo Rozendal Filler |
| Format | Eurorack Module |
| Module Width | 14 HP |
| Module Depth | 30 mm |
| Power Consumption | +12V: 75 mA / -12V: 5 mA / +5V: 0 mA |
| Inputs | 6 x Trigger Inputs, CV Inputs (Fill Param / Drummer Amount) |
| Outputs | 7 x Trigger Outputs (BD, SN, CH, OH, P1, P2, CY Crash), 1 x Sync CV Envelope Output |
| Build Options | Complete DIY Kit (Pre-SMD) or Fully Assembled |
Price: A$431
Link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TimoRozendal
Akai MPC 3.9 Firmware
Akai Professional has officially rolled out its highly anticipated MPC 3.9 firmware update, further bridging the gap between standalone music creation and modern desktop workflows. Designed to provide a unified ecosystem, MPC 3.9 brings a host of powerful new arrangement tools, fresh sound engines, and expanded integration features that allow producers to shift seamlessly between standalone hardware and the desktop environment without missing a beat.
This latest iteration focuses on workflow refinement and composition depth, giving both Gen 1 and Gen 2 MPC users unprecedented flexibility. Whether you are building full tracks directly on your hardware, experimenting with deep sound design, or integrating the iconic MPC workflow into your favorite Digital Audio Workstations, the 3.9 update offers the advanced tools required to streamline your creativity.
Key Features and Workflow Enhancements
- New Arrange Mode Editing Tools & Track-Level Editing: The linear Arranger receives a major overhaul, allowing for precision track-level editing directly from the timeline. Working with arrangements is now faster and more intuitive, mirroring the fluidity of standard computer-based environments.
- MPC Oscillators: Sound designers rejoice. The update introduces brand-new MPC Oscillators, expanding the core synthesis and sound generation capabilities of the platform right out of the box.
- Insert Clip Rows & Advanced Edit Menu: Producers can now insert clip rows dynamically, expanding clip-launching capabilities. Combined with the new advanced Edit Menu, rearranging song structures requires fewer steps.
- Flexible Time Signatures: A highly requested community feature, MPC 3.9 introduces the ability to assign individual time signatures per Sequence and per Clip, moving away from rigid constraints and allowing for complex time changes and avant-garde compositions.
- Desktop Arrange Mode Beta: Bring the power of the new arrangement timeline directly to your computer screen with the dedicated desktop beta integration.
- AU/VST3 DAW Plugin Support: Seamlessly bring the entire MPC 3.9 environment directly into your preferred computer recording software. The updated MPC 3 desktop integration introduces a brand-new desktop plugin compatible with VST3 and Audio Units host systems.
- Expanded USB Functionality: Enhanced hardware capabilities and routing options have been unlocked for newer hardware iterations, specifically optimizing performance for the MPC One G2 and MPC Key 37 G2.
Product Compatibility
The MPC 3.9 firmware update is widely compatible across Akai Professional’s modern hardware lineup:
- Gen 2 Devices: MPC Live III, MPC XL, MPC Key 37 G2, and MPC One G2.
- Gen 1 & Legacy Devices: MPC X, MPC X SE, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One, MPC One+, MPC Key 37, and MPC Key 61.
Pricing and Availability
In alignment with Akai Professional’s dedication to supporting its user community, the MPC 3.9 firmware update is available as a free download for all registered owners of compatible MPC Standalone hardware and MPC Desktop software.
For creators looking to buy into the hardware ecosystem to run this new firmware, here is the baseline entry pricing for the standalone units based on regional retail estimates for current generation hardware:
- United States: $0.00 (Free Update) / Hardware entry from $499.00 USD
- Eurozone: €0.00 (Free Update) / Hardware entry from €459.00 EUR
- United Kingdom: £0.00 (Free Update) / Hardware entry from £399.00 GBP
- Australia: $0.00 (Free Update) / Hardware entry from $799.00 AUD
Product Summary Table
| Specification / Feature | Details |
| Product Name | Akai Professional MPC 3.9 Firmware |
| Developer | Akai Professional |
| Update Cost | Free for existing MPC standalone & desktop users |
| Key Audio Additions | MPC Oscillators, AU/VST3 DAW Plugin Support |
| Arranger Enhancements | Track-level editing, Insert Clip Rows, Advanced Edit Menu |
| Timing Flexibility | Per-sequence and per-clip time signatures |
| Supported Hardware | MPC Live (I, II, III), MPC X (Standard & SE), MPC One (Standard, +, G2), MPC Key (37, 61, 37 G2), MPC XL |
| Host Integration | Standalone OS & Desktop DAW Environments |
Price: Free for MPC owners
Link: https://www.akaipro.com/sounds-and-software/software/standalone/mpc/
Price Watch
Find below images and links to the items we showed for the price watch segment.
* As an eBay Partner Network Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Name That Synth
No name that synth this week – send one in!
If you are after more information about Name that Synth – please check out this page here.
Saturday Sonority
This week’s Saturday Sonority we might talking about …..
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