Synth Geekery 246

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In episode 246 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 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

Behringer Vintage – Analog VST

But did they really launch it?

It wasn’t supposed to be released yet – according to Behringer. However, quite a lot of people managed to get their hands on the free VST synth. Was it a copy of the Tone2 Saurus?

Price: Free

Link: https://plugins.musictribe.com/behringer/0723-AAD (I don’t think it works anymore)

Arturia Astrolab

Astrolab is the latest “VST in a keyboard” offering from Arturia. Their last adventure was the Origin which many thought was unfinished and full of bugs. This project offers the Analog Lab (Pro) software loaded onboard with sounds from the V Collection and Pigments. There are less controls to tweak parameters, but the loading of presets and immediate use with the bi-timbral, splitting and layering over the 61 key semi-weighted piano full-sized keys with velocity and channel aftertouch. There is a limit to 8 note polyphony to ensure the hardware (computer) can handle the processing. However, there are 48 voices for pianos and organs. There are 1300+ presets included on the 22 GB internal drive. You also can inmport 700 more sounds onto the hardware with access to over 10,000 sounds via the arturia control software portal. The distinctive circle OLED display has a lot of people talking with it’s size and unique look. The lack of controls is also a big talking point. The device is really aimed at the live performer market – not so much the sound designer. Arturia are more interested in you using the VST software on your computer to setup the Astrolab – and then upload your favourite sounds for live performance. There are 8 customisable colour coded knobs and onboard effects include reberb and delay. You also get an arpeggiator, scale/chord support and MIDI looper. The price? you be the judge.

Price: $1599

Link: https://arturia.com/

Chris Cross

Paying tribute to Chris Cross, esteemed bassist of UK band Ultravox and co-writer of one of the biggest smash hits of the eighties, whose passing was just announced this week. Cross was 71.

The English bassist, born Christopher Allen, was a founding member of Tiger Lily (the group that became Ultravox in the late 1970s). Inspired by the emerging electronic, post-punk and art-rock influences of the era, the group signed to Island Records and recorded its experimental debut with Brian Eno, before finding popular success with the synth-driven ballad “Vienna”.

Ultravox frontman Midge Ure paid tribute to his friend:


“We worked together, we played together, made music and directed videos together. We were instant friends as well as Ultravox comrades. Even after years apart we managed to pick up where we left off like the years in between never existed. You were the glue that held the band together.
‘You were the logic in the madness and the madness in our lives. It was great to know and grow with you. You are loved and missed old friend.”

Midge Ure (Ultravox)

Cyma Forma Alt

The ALT by Cyma Forma is a pin-matrix style drone synth offering five voices. Each voice has different waveform shaping possibilities with stereo panning. There’s also a harmonic quantizer with scales that can be controlled via the faders or CV modulation. There is also a Korg MS-20 style stereo filter which includes a stereo delay with infinite feedback. The Pin Matrix has 4 adjustable modulation sources, 2 LFO, 1 random step generator, and 1 envelope follower with 17 destinations. There are also light and sound sensors to make it react and evolve with environmental stimuli. The project will be launched via Kickstarter 22nd May 2024.

Price: TBA

Link: https://www.cymaforma.com/

BlaknBlu Foxtrot

The Foxtrot is a 38HP quad analog multimode filter for eurorack. You get 3 filter options to choose from: Moog Ladder, Korg Sallen & Key and Oberheim state variable. Each of these are continuously variable from Band Pass through Low Pass to High Pass. You also can achieve a Notch filter by placing the filter at halfway between low and high pass modes. You can select a different filter for each of the quad filter channels which enables you to have variable sounds or even link them through a parallel style effect. There is also a formant/resonator style effect with this configuration – mimicing the Korg PS-3300. Each filter channel includes two inputs so you can use them as independent filters. There is also 2 cutoff CV inputs with mixing and AUX/CV input which can be set to control either the sweep, resonance or panning of the two outputs. If that’s not enough? then there’s also an additional overdrive for each filter to add that extra fuzz.

Price: £399

Link: https://www.blaknblu.com/

Kaona Modular Zazou

Zazou is a eurorack/modular music creation module that allows for generating music with CV and MIDI. Zazou operates in layers, from general choices like scales or root notes to finer choices of algorithms to musical pogression sequences. These form the module’s melodic behaviour offering a range of options from controlled randomness to complex algorithms like Mandelbrot or Julia sets. There are also more traditional modes like arpeggiators and walkingbass. There are 7 CV inputs which offer 4 gates, reset, change and play/stop. There’s also 7 buttons, 4 depend on the channel, play/stop, change and reset. 3 encoders – depends on the display on the screen. One MIDI output and 12 CV outputs (4 gates, 4 CV for velocity and 4 notes with up to 10 octave range. The whole sound lies close to a Jazz style. Kaona are building a set of modules for you to explore sonic compositions – for example pair the Zazou with Skippy to provide some quiky and original compositions. The 18 HP module is currently offering an early bird price of 20% off.

Price: 345.60‎€

Link: https://www.kaona.fr/index.php/en/component/eshop/zazou?Itemid=0

Price Watch

Find below images and links to the items we showed for the price watch segment.

Roland Sound Libraryhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256458057445
Roland 2xMKS-80&MPG-80https://reverb.com/item/81491262-2-x-roland-mks-80-super-jupiter-with-1-x-mpg-80-programmer-1984-1989-black
Tetrax Organhttps://www.perfectcircuit.com/ciat-lonbarde-tetrax-organ-used.html
Andromeda A6https://www.ebay.com/itm/386904080543
Skywave Lord Synthesizershttps://spheremusic.com/Bargaindtl.asp?Item=27575

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 …..