Synth Geekery 229

Posted on December 9, 2023December 15, 2023 by admin

In episode 229 we choose the best synth for 2023! 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

R0de acquires Mackie

Teenage Engineering TP-7

Field recorder with 6-in/2-out: Built-in mic, USB-C, 3 x TRRS analog inputs – but you can add the TX-6 to increase the number of inputs to 12. 96kHz/48-bit.

Price: $1299 USD

Link: https://teenage.engineering/products/tp-7

Synthstrom Deluge Open Source Firmware

Synthstrom have open sourced their firmware for the community to develop further. There will be an official firmware and a community firmware. See link below for the information on how you can get it.

Link: https://synthstromaudible.github.io/DelugeFirmware/

Moog Mariana

Mariana is Moog’s latest software plugin synth offering. A bass synth with a twist: It’s a dual-layer synthesizer, allowing you to mix together two completely different synthesizer sounds that can dynamically complement each other or be played duophonically. Each layer is built around two oscillators with precise and inventive controls to make your bass tone punch through a mix and stand out from the rest, with a sub-oscillator adding even more low-end weight. Two resonant Moog filters and a third filter specifically for the sub-oscillator let you shape your sound, adding warmth while rolling off high frequencies or pushing up the resonance for added bite. With stereo oscillators and crossover filter functionality, Mariana is optimized for quickly fine-tuning stereo content while simultaneously preserving a powerful mono bass foundation.

Price: $49 USD for desktop $14.95 for IOS

Link: https://www.moogmusic.com/news/introducing-mariana

TRS Split

TRS Split is a multipurpose CV and audio signal distribution module. It has three 3.5 mm TRS (tip/ring/sleeve – stereo) jacks and six ordinary 3.5 mm mono jacks.

It contains 3 identical sections set up as following:

Upper jack carries the tip signal
Middle jack carries the stereo/dual signal
Lower jack carries the ring signal

Each section can either split a stereo signal into two mono signals or join two mono signals into one stereo signal. The module does not have any active components and does not need a power supply.

Use cases:

When you plug a stereo signal carried by a stereo (TRS) cable into the middle jack, you receive two separate mono signals by plugging in a mono (TS) cable in the upper jack to carry the left signal and a mono (TS) cable in the lower jack to carry the right signal. That way you can attack an “AUX” cable such as from your smartphone to your modular.
Or the other way around: Send two separate mono signals by plugging in a mono (TS) cable in the upper jack to carry the left signal and a mono (TS) cable in the lower jack to carry the right signal. Receive a stereo signal at the middle jack to be used with a stereo (TRS) cable.
Converting from stereo to dual mono and back allows you to alter the two sides of a stereo signal with different effects/filters.
Some tuners such as the Korg NTS-2 accept inputs to tune two oscillators combined in one 3.5 mm stereo jack. With one splitter you can easily feed two VCO signals into such a tuner.

Price: $59

Link: https://shop.dermannmitdermaschine.de/collections/accessories/products/trs-split-cv-audio-signal-distributor

Modular Grid: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/der-mann-mit-der-maschine-trs-split

Alyseium Extractor

The general idea of the EXTRACTOR module is to activate upto eight digital outputs according to:
● The voltage from the CV input signal.
● Or sequentially by a CLK+RST.
● Or both for a Sample&Hold.

The activation time of the 8 digital outputs can be adjusted between a Trigger, or a variable length Gate, or a State.

EXTRACTOR module can be controlled by 8 differents modes of which 4 first are double according to the wiring:
1 Dot loop (CLK) or Dot Down/Up (CV)
2 Bargraph loop (CLK) or Bargraph Down/Up (CV)
3 Dot loop inverted (CLK) or Dot inverted (CV)
4 Bargraph loop inverted (CLK) or Bargraph inverted (CV)
5 Pendulum
6 Dot Random
7 Multiple Random
8 S&H (CV + RST)

Price: $139

Link: https://alyseum.com/extractor.html

Modular Grid: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/alyseum-extractor