There’s a lot more to oscillators than a simple output frequency. Common oscillators generally only output a few basic waveforms, but there are several ways to expand your sonic palette.
Simple Synthesis: Part 6, Pulse Width Modulation
Posts Categorized: Blog
Interview with Adrian Belew (King Crimson, David Bowie, Talking Heads, Frank Zappa)
Adrian Belew is one of the most accomplished and ubiquitous players in the history of the electric guitar. With a career spanning decades and hundreds of album credits ranging from Frank Zappa and David Bowie to Talking Heads, King Crimson and Nine Inch Nails, Adrian has kept constant pace with both pop music and music technology. His… Read more »
Interview with Steve Harmon (Synthrotek, Harben Audio)
Meet Steve Harmon, the founder and brains behind Synthrotek, co-founder of Harben Audio, and Captain of the World’s Largest Online Pirate Store, among other clever entrepreneurial adventures. We caught up with Steve to talk about how he got his start making pedals and eurorack modules, his music, and what’s been inspiring him lately.
Interview with The Algorithm
The Algorithm is the stage name of French musician and producer Rémi Gallego. We caught up with him in Cologne to talk about what he’s been up to lately.
Controller Scripting in Bitwig Studio, Part 1
When I first heard about Bitwig Studio years ago, there was one feature that really caught my eye. In promotions for the software they always mentioned that they would have an ‘Open Controller Scripting API’. Coming from an environment like Ableton Live, which has an undocumented and ‘closed’ API, this was hugely exciting. In this… Read more »
Simple Synthesis: Part 5, Modular Sequencers
Back in the 1960s, it didn’t take synth maker pioneers like Moog and Buchla very long to realize the fun and usefulness of modules that could step through patterns of programmed voltage values. They are called sequencers and they are simple devices with powerful implications.
How Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention Inexplicably Inspired Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” Explained
Have you heard the song “Smoke on the Water” by English rock and roll band Deep Purple? Of course you have. It’s played daily on most classic rock radio stations and has likely surpassed Stairway to Heaven as the #1 most played song in music stores nationwide (denied!). I would bet that you have the… Read more »
XAOC Devices – Batumi Quad VCLFO
On its surface, the Batumi by XAOC Devices is a quad voltage controlled LFO module, but under the hood there’s a lot more going on.
Sequencing the SEM: MIDI to CV Conversion
The best way to unlock the hidden potential of any semi-modular synthesizer is by sequencing. This post will describe the necessary steps to use the QuNexus as a MIDI-to-CV converter along with Ableton Live to control the legendary Oberheim Synthesizer Expander Module.
Interview with Daniel Rowland (Flux, Studio Belew)
Working in music technology I get to interface with many brilliant and hard working minds behind the veil of music performance. Music directors and producers, techs and engineers. Some of them have been interviewed in past posts on this blog. Recently I caught up with Daniel Rowland, the engineer/producer/tech wizard behind Adrian Belew’s seriously futuristic guitar… Read more »
Simple Synthesis: Part 4, LFOs
One of the most powerful aspects of modular synthesis is the fact that almost everything can be modulated, making possible highly advanced sounds that change over time and can seem almost alive. Meet the LFO.
Getting Analog in Live: Using the External Devices
Live is a great tool for making music on the computer and, as we saw in a previous article, you can leverage its MIDI capabilities to talk to external MIDI gear. There are a lot of great sound making tools that don’t live inside of our DAWs and Live makes it easy to incorporate these… Read more »
Interview with Tracy Silverman
Tracy Silverman is an musician, composer, producer and champion of the electric violin. His unique instrument and innovative technique have led to collaborations with composers the likes of John Adams and Terry Riley, and performances ranging from the gala opening of the Walt Disney Music Hall to premieres at Carnegie Hall. We caught up with Tracy to talk… Read more »
Simple Synthesis: Part 3, Filters
There are many ways to operate a modular synthesizer but one of the important methods of sound synthesis is called subtractive synthesis. To accomplish that you’re going need a filter.
Interview with Juan Alderete de la Peña (Racer X, Mars Volta, Deltron 3030)
Juan Alderete de la Peña is an electric bassist with three decades of experience playing in the bands Racer X, Mars Volta, Deltron 3030, B’z, Big Sir and Vato Negro. We caught up with Juan to talk about touring essentials, saying yes to the right gig and the story behind his signature stickers.