Synth Geekery 268

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In episode 268 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

TipTop Audio Buchla 259t Programmable Complex Waveform Generator

Two oscillators: Modulation (left) and Principal (right) each with multiple outputs. There are 3 waveshapers – wave folder, sawtooth and M shape (or square-ish).

Price: $529

Link: https://tiptopaudio.com/buchla/

2HP Lo-Fi

Emulate the nostalgic sounds of old audio equipment with the 2hp Lo-Fi. Finding inspiration in quirks and happy accidents found in audio devices of the past, Lo-Fi can take any sound and give it the magic of tasteful degradation.

Lo-Fi carries two degradation modes: Analog and Digital. In the analog mode, control the amount of wow and flutter for anything from subtle to dynamic pitch fluctuations, tickle the sonic spectrum with ASMR hiss and crackles, and warm up the coldest sounds with tape compression and saturation. In digital mode, dial in bitcrush amount, sample-rate reduction, and the wildest distortion in 2hp to cover your sound in digital crunch, or emulate blown out speakers.

With CV control over each function, and an ultra crisp audio pass through, take your patch from hi-fi to lo-fi at a moment’s notice. Get reel with the 2hp Lo-Fi!

Audio Degradation Emulator

Hi-Fidelity passthrough (48kHz, 32-bit internal) when effects are off

Instant sound good-ifier

Analog and digital degradation modes

CV control over all parameters (mode dependent)

Price: $149

Link: https://www.twohp.com/modules/lo-fi

2HP Swarm

Swarm is a hyper-oscillator capable of an array of patch-filling sounds. Create super-saws, tonal noise hurricanes, and thick bass and lead lines.

Swarm is comprised of a large set of oscillators (up to 88 voices!). Control the amount of available oscillators with the Voices control, and dial in the desired amount of pitch variance across the voices with detune. Take Swarm’s oscillators from a rich thickening of sound to atonal choas in the turn of a knob! Swarm also provides macro pitch control with the Freq knob, which also tracks 1v/oct through its CV input. A waveform toggle is also available for switching between sawtooth and pulse waveforms, expanding the timbral palette Swarm offers! Design pumping trance leads, minimoog style basslines, and more with Swarm!

hyper-oscillator

up to 88 stacked saws, and 55 stacked pulsewaves

create super-saws, tonal noise, and more

sawtooth and square waveforms

1v/oct tracking

Price: $149

Link: https://www.twohp.com/modules/swarm

Donner L1

SH-101 like synth from China. Planned for release in early 2025. Features are similar to the Behringer MS-1 and the original SH-101, with a few extra bonus features like detatchable keyboard and a 2nd envelope generator.

Hires pics:

Price: TBA

Link: TBA

N81R-AV

The N8IR is a standalone experimental audiovisual synthesizer and phrase generator. Designed with a simple set of interconnected audio and visual controls and a modular patchbay, the N8IR creates tightly synced audiovisual patterns, powered by a Teensy microcontroller and CMOS logic chips.

Price: Open Source

Link: https://github.com/sourya-sen/N8IR-AV

Flame Instruments Black Filterbank

Compact version of their previously released Curves Filterbank.

Price: $499

Link: https://www.flame-instruments.com/flame2/instruments_modular.html#bfb

Flame Instruments FM Kosmos

FM Synth with editable parementers.

Price: $499

Link: https://www.flame-instruments.com/flame2/instruments_modular.html#bfb

Yonac Thereminator 2

IOS virtual theremin app.

Price: $3.99 (on special)

Link: https://www.yonac.com/Thereminator2/

Price Watch

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

Korg X3https://ebay.us/W3DLrp
Studio Electronics MIDI MINIhttps://ebay.us/6fLu4z
Mos-lab Modular 900https://tidd.ly/3Yg0oO7
Crumar Spirit Reissuehttps://tidd.ly/3YfmPmo

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 …..