[ad_1] Musicians in the 1980s had a love-hate relationship with Yamaha’s DX7 synthesizer. Its digital sound engine was unlike the analog synths that came before it, and created a unique timbre, but the thing was a beast to program. (Modern FM synths are substantially more manageable.) This led most users to simply stick with the […]
Category: synthesizer
Hacked NES Power Glove controls a modular synth with finger wriggles
[ad_1] Never mind controlling a modular synth by twiddling knobs. If one modder has his way, one of Nintendo’s legendary controllers is the way of the future. Look Mum No Computer (aka Sam Battle) has hacked an NES Power Glove into a gesture controller for his modular synth setup. All he has to do is […]
Synthspace recreates the physical presence of a modular synth in VR
[ad_1] There’s a certain visceral thrill to plugging in patch cords and twiddling knobs on a modular synth, but it’s not always practical when even the more affordable synths can cost hundreds of dollars. Bright Light might have a simple solution: recreate the physical nature of a synth in VR. Its crowdfunded Synthspace project (via […]
Overbridge 2 tears down the wall between your PC and your synth
[ad_1] Things get even more interesting, though, when you fire up your DAW. VST and AU plug in versions of Overbridge give you access to your Elektron gear from within apps Ableton Live, Logic, Bitwig or Studio One just like it was any other virtual instrument. You can save settings a presets to a project, […]
Native Instruments’ $50 retro synth plug-in is currently free
[ad_1] While “free” is a great price, it can be difficult to navigate Native Instrument’s software ecosystem — users can’t simply download the Analog Dreams software and start playing. First, they need to download and install the company’s Native Access management tool, followed by its free Kontakt Player plug-in. Then, they can finally download expansions […]
Moog and Korg make synth apps free to help musicians stuck at home
[ad_1] Not to be left out, Korg is doing the same for its Kaossilator apps, which normally cost close to $20. Android artists can grab the software for no charge until March 20th, 2020, while the iOS crowd has until March 31st to get iKaossilator. Either app makes the most sense if you’re more into […]
A beginners guide to buying a synth
[ad_1] Before you buy a synth Let me begin by suggesting that if you’re just looking to explore and see if synthesizers are for you, get some free soft synths and a MIDI controller. It’ll be cheaper and let you try out different styles of synthesis before you go out and drop a bunch of […]
Behringer is building a free digital audio workstation
[ad_1] There’s no shortage of options for DAWs, but most of them cost at least a few hundred dollars. Logic Pro is $200 and Pro Tools is $600, for example. There are a few options for hobbyists on a tight budget, such as Reaper, which costs $60. Behringer’s DAW may be most attractive to those […]
You can build the tiny XFM2 synth for under $100
[ad_1] The XFM2 is an FM — or frequency modulation — synth. This digital architecture, which was popular in the ’80s, sounds dramatically different from the typical analog setup of two oscillators and two filters. It fell out of fashion quickly, so there aren’t that many hardware-based FM options on the market, making the XFM2 […]
The synth tones of ‘Blade Runner’ now fit on your desk
[ad_1] The MK2 has all the features of the MK1 — the smaller size doesn’t mean Black Corporation skimped on the specs. In fact, there are new controls for the synth’s sustain mode and timing features. It comes with detachable wooden side panels and can also slot into a rack like the MK1. If you […]