Mangling Audio w/ Akai S612 Audio Demo

Taking an Akai S612 lofi sampler for a spin, various audio sources. Manipulating sample start/end splice points in real time, very few instruments have this ability. Recorded direct via Roland GO:MIXER Pro-X to iPhone.

Be sure to check my cool Eurorack Modules in my Reverb Store.

Behringer System 100 Demo

Got around to patching the Behringer System 100 today. Plays well with Arturia Keystep Pro. Give the 172 module phaser and chorus effects a spin. And that 182 sequencer, I love how it is not pitch quantized and gives a weird Stranger Things vibe. Let's do this! No additional mastering or post-effects. This video was not sponsored.

Be sure to check out my own cool eurorack modules in my Reverb Store

G-Storm Electro Synthesizer Studio/Lab Tour 2021

Let's kick 2021 off w/ a proper bang.
Today I am giving you a tour of my Studio/Lab.
It's where I make the music and build the eurorack modules.
background music: Oberheim Matrix-12 + Digitakt
Be sure to check out my STUDIO TOUR PART 2 only on my FB page!

UNIVOX MINIKORG SYNTHESIZER REDUX

Today a follow-up demo of my Uniox Minikorg w/ a Pitch CV + Gate mod controlled by the Arturia Beatstep, this time sans the annoying percussion. This synth is one big continuous sweet spot! Some delay by Timefactor, a touch of Big Sky reverb, recorded directly via Mackie mixer to a Tascam DR-05. Press play, kick back and let it ride.

2xADSR Dual Envelope DIY Project

And here it is...a dual 4-Stage envelope generator 8HP Eurorack. 2xADSR is a dual envelope module in 8HP Eurorack format based on the Arturia Minibrute. The schematics are openly published on the internet, so it would seem reasonable to have adapted a fun DIY panel/pcb project for educational purposes under fair use. Each envelope is an independent Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release linear contour. Each envelope takes a gate input, puts out a positive-voltage contour and a buffered negative-voltage (DC inverted) contour.

This is a DIY project, just a pcb/panel only, with surface-mount soldering required. You supply the parts components (not included), but it uses all very affordable and easy-to-find parts. I would not recommend this as your very first SMT build, maybe your 2nd or 3rd SMT build though. The BOM and Schematics for this project can be found on muffwiggler
PCB/panel are available in my Reverb Store

Roland SH-01A Synthesizer EASY Tutorial

Did you know the SH-01A has SHUFFLE? How do you change an Arpeggio to 2 Octaves? What about changing the Sequencer note scaling to something other than 16th? Like triplets! Or making the LFO speed go into audio rates?! Say whaaaaaat? Everything you wanted to know about the SH-01A, and maybe a little bit more, all in under 30 minutes.

In my previous video I gave a review/overview on the SH-01A. Today in this video I will be giving a more in-depth tutorial. This is a great synth for beginners. And this video was made just for users with little to no knowledge of synthesizers. More experienced users may want to skip ahead to topics of interest.

0:00 Introduction
0:15 Connecting a MIDI Controller or No Controller?
0:57 Factory Reset
1:40 LFO Modulation
2:14 VCO - The Sound Source
4:04 Changing the Noise Type - A Sneak Peak at the System Settings
4:51 The Filter - A Control for Brightness
6:05 VCA and Envelope - Loudness Control Over Time
7:34 Trigger Types
8:34 Ribbon Controllers
9:06 Portamento
9:34 Transpose Switch and Tune Knob
10:00 A Quick Note About the CV/GATE Out and External Clock Jacks
10:41 Saving A Patch (MENU, "1")
11:38 What In the World Is Manual Recall?
12:19 Sequencer, Setting the Note Scale, Programming Notes
13:50 Shuffle!
14:16 Saving and Recalling a Sequence Pattern (MENU, "2")
15:08 Arpeggio, Hold, Key Transpose, Setting 1 or 2 Octaves
16:12 Assignment Modes: Mono, Unison, Poly, Chord (MENU, "3")
16:51 Editing Chords In Chord Mode
System Settings (MENU, "4") use VALUE knob to scroll parameters
Press "1" to edit/exit a parameter
17:54 System - LFO Types, Tuning, MIDI Channel
19:51 System - Sync, Key Velocity, CC Output Mode
21:51 System - A Note About CV Out Settings
22:29 System - Auto-Off, LED Demo
23:19 System - Ribbon Control Scales
24:05 System - Mod Ribbon Hold
24:40 How To BACKUP Patch and Pattern Data To Computer
25:38 How To RESTORE Patch and Pattern Data To Computer

Oberheim Matrix-12 Pure Noise Chaos Patches Now Available

In my previous post I replaced the battery in my Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer, which completely randomized my patch data for very interesting results. Now you can dump this SYSEX file into your own synth for random patch mayhem. This will over-write your entire patch bank! So be sure to back up your own patches safely to computer first! I have a link to my download page on the sidebar to the right side of this page "Featured Post" :) If it's not there, enter 'download links' in the search bar above to get to my download page. I can't possibly manage dozens of links to the page.

Analog Drums Development Prototype

I've been developing a eurorack analog drum kit for some time. It's inspired by the sound of simple machines like the Boss DR-110 and the Roland TR-606. It's a basic kit made of of Bass Drum, Snare Drum, and Hi-Hat. The Hi-hat has a choke gate, so it can behave open/closed using a single voice just like a real drum kit. All 3 voices summed to a single output. It will have controls for independent voice levels, bass drum tone, snare decay and hat decay. I think you will want kill switches for all incoming gates as well. I am looking into how to integrate an accent trigger pulse as well.

In this video I audition some sounds using the Beatstep Pro as a clock, Varigate 4 for the gates, and nothing else. I didn't use a digital recorder this time, I'll save that for when the module is completed.
I added a quick soundcloud demo

Eurorack Synthesizer Jam Mutable Rings + Roland TR-606 [Fracture]

In this video I jam on the Eurorack, a bit of chill electro house.
Arpeggios: Mutable Instruments Rings to JP-6 Filter BP Mode + Timefactor delay
Drums: Roland TR-606 + small amount of Big Sky Room reverb
Bass: Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizer Box
Sequencer: Arturia Beatstep Pro
Mixer: Mackie 802-VLZ3
Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05

Roland TR-606 Drum Machine + Alpha Juno-1 Synthesizer

Happy 606 Day #606day! In this video I synchronize the Roland TR-606 drum machine to an Arturia Beatstep Pro which controls an Alpha Juno-1. This simple setup is all you really need for electro music. Juno-1 plays a basic bass pattern. On-the-fly I make a few changes to pattern, drum mix, bass transposition, filter, envelope, and throw in some chords played by hand. A Timefactor delay module adds some groove. Recorded direct to Tascam DR-05.

Eurorack Synthesizer ft. Mutable Rings Roland TR-8 [Barricade]

In this video I'm having a go with Mutable Instruments Rings with the Roland TR-8. Rings is getting signal from Synth Box, V/Oct from Beatstep Pro and going through Timefactor Delay. DRUMS. Okay the TR-8 is getting Big Sky Reverb and gated by the Bastl Skis, rhythmic trigger by Bastl Little Nerd. I'm really liking these Bastl modules! No, really. Bass sounds a little funky. The DNA is feeding the JP-6 VCF but gets lost underneath the percussion. So, yeah there's no mastering or EQ here. Recorded direct to Tascam DR-5.

Roland Alpha Juno-1 Synthesizer Demo #2 New Patches

Rolling out some new patches for the Juno-1/2 available on my download post for this blog. A full bank of patches including the sounds from Demo #1. In this video I have selected a few of my personal favorites: bass, arpeggios, and soundscapes/pads. There are copious amounts of Big Sky reverb, a couple of sounds use the Timefactor delay. Basses don't usually need anything. Sounds were programmed using the indispensable Stereoping synth controller, also used briefly in this demo. Recorded direct through a Mackie 802-VLZ mixer to a Tascam DR-05.

Rundown:
0:00 Cloud Bank
0:31 Tinsel
0:56 Aurora Pad 2
1:14 Bass Arp 01
1:30 Strangers
1:54 Particle
2:14 Mod Bass
2:25 Juno Crush
2:37 Alpha Synth
2:51 Micro Fab
3:08 Toys
3:24 Bass Pedalr
3:35 Mono Bass
3:43 Shimmer
4:10 Synth Mutes
4:25 Fake Wurli
4:46 Choir
5:21 twilight
6:07 Psycho Sweep
6:32 Pure Space
6:59 Detroit
7:24 Ascension

DRE4MTR4CK Eurorack Sequencer User Guide

The DRE4MTR4CK is a simple and intuitive Pitch CV sequencer. It has 4 steps, and it has 4 Individual tracks. Each track has its own clock input, clock output, and Pitch CV output. In this way, it can behave like 4 completely independent sequencers.

In this video I show how to use the DRE4MTR4CK in more detail.
0:00 Introduction
1:23 Installation Options
Correction: the graphics say -5v when it should say +5v (positive 5v).
3:06 Boot-Up Defaults
3:32 Connections and Operations

DRE4MTR4CK is a custom module built by hand. Full specs available on my previous post.

Arturia Beatstep Pro Sequencer Repair Project

Did you know I have interesting things listed on Reverb? Check it out now. In this video I attempt to repair my Arturia Beatstep Pro sequencer controller. It is having intermittent power problems, I want to replace the USB port w/ a different kind. My warranty ran out in September, so no wukkas. This is only my second project doing SMT (Surface Mount Technology) type work, and I find myself needing to revise my plans. Next time I will buy some solder paste and do it right, lesson learned. At the end of the video I test my work by doing a little Acid House w/ a Korg MS-20 synthesizer and a Roland TR-8 drum machine. If you like synth and electronic guts click the LIKE button.

You may have read my post on my previous repair. I'm not sure if it didn't hold, or there was a problem w/ the USB jack/cable. Whatever the case, it was only a temporary fix.

Arturia Beatstep Pro Sequencer USB Port Jack Easy DIY Repair

Any system is only as strong as its weakest link.

Enter the Arturia Beatstep Pro Sequencer, tons of user reviews boast solid construction seemingly built like a tank. On the first few uses I would be inclined to agree. However after about a dozen uses the USB port jack on mine has become intermittent. Symptoms include sudden power blackouts and reboots, even when not touching the USB cord. You don't have to play out live to a crowd to know, this is no bueno. I am careful and take care of my gear. I am especially careful with the USB port and its cord, however I run a bunch of other connections back there and the wires usually hang up with the USB cord. Why is this happening?

One condition could be contact fatigue. If you plug/remove the USB cord a lot, the little contacts could become worn away. You will frequently see this in older cell phones. But more likely as in my scenario, the lead-free solder on the USB ground pins disintegrated resulting in a faulty solder joint at the circuit board. It would be too easy to blame the RoHS standard for requiring lead-free solder, which is structurally deficient for such a use. But if I worked in a factory around solder all day long, lead-free is the way to be. What can be done about it?

If the item is still under warranty you could send it to the company and they can fix or repair the item. There may be a repair charge if the company deems the issue to be caused by negligence. And who's to say? Even if there is no charge, you could get your sequencer back and have the same thing happen again. I'm only mentioning all of this because if you choose to repair the USB port yourself, it WILL void your warranty. Also, if you're not careful and touch something electronically sensitive, you may accidentally damage something else. I'm not liable for anything you do, so be careful not to shock yourself. If you're not confident in doing these things, there's no shame in getting an electronics friend or service tech to help. You have been warned. Now let's fix this thing already.

1. Flip the sequencer over and remove all the black screws. Remove the metal back plate. This will expose the circuit board. Remove all the little screws holding the circuit board in place.

2. In this orientation, pull the circuit board away from you to dislodge the minijacks from the case. Then lift the edge closest to you up and away. If this isn't happening, check you have removed ALL the little screws, it may be easy to miss 1 or 2.

3. Flip the circuit board over and note the location of the USB jack near the power switch.

4. Using regular rosin core solder (I use 60/40 from Radio Shack), make new solder joints on the two GROUND pin locations at the locations shown by red arrows. Make sure the pins get soldered nicely to the circuit board contact pins here. I needed a magnifier to see the work area.

5. Put the circuit board back in and secure it to the case with the screws. This is the time to plug in and test it, making sure you DO NOT touch any of the electronic components inside while you do so. At this point you will be able to wiggle the USB cord lightly and make sure it does not blink the power. If so, you'll need to do it over. Or there may be something else going on. Hopefully this has been helpful, this is what I did to restore mine to working order. If everything is good, you can go ahead and put everything back together.