The ARP 2600: The Story of a Legendary Synthesizer

Korg Arp 2600 has been talk of the synth world for couple days. This video is promoting it but it is also good documentary of the original synth. It is suspicious how much promotion synth with limited series of 400 has got. It is quite sure there will be smaller and cheaper mass produced version coming soon afterwards. Otherwise all this effort is for Behringer’s ARP 2600 copy which is coming in future. You can find images of it from internet. They have announced they are developing one some time ago.

This video pretty much sold ARP 2600 copy to me. Not this full sized version this video was made for. It is way above what I am willing to pay for one instrument. I would be really surprised is Korg don’t release more affordable mini version of this. Usually they release mini version before full sized limited edition. Maybe they calculated they can sell more of full sized ones if they release it first.

Will I actually buy ARP 2600 copy depends on price synths come and how much of this full sized version’s features they have. I have no need for speakers and wouldn’t mind too much if there is version without keyboard. Hype has got me but if something with reasonable price don’t come soon I might find something more interesting elsewhere.

Modular synthesis explained

This is really good introduction to modular synths. Just have to share it. It is not complete. There are many things missing but this is good starting point telling why some of us like modular systems so much. Second part of series goes deeper into what is available. Watching these two videos give you good picture what modular synths are and what they can do. There is much more to modular synths but it would take much more time.

First Rackbrute is full ...almost

Either I can’t count or Rackbrute have one extra hp on each row. I already filled upper row with one extra hp. I didn’t want to gamble on lower row and bought modules which I counted would fill it but there was one extra hp. I probably get empty one hp panel to fill the hole. There are no functional one hp modules and I got what I want on case already. Well not all but I will get to that later.

I finally got tuner. Without it I didn’t use modular that much. I can’t tune by ear. I need something to tone the synth. Only way was to connect it to computer but I was always too lazy to do that. So I didn’t use modular that much. Tuner has made modular fun again. I just turn synth on and tune oscillators when I need to do that. No need to open computer and connect synth to it. It is just like with guitar. You need to get tuner early on.

Addition to tuner I got first Doepfer modules. For those who doesn’t know Doepfer is father of eurorack format. Ever since I started to build eurorack synth I wanted to have something from Doepfer to give love back to them. Problem was they didn’t have anything I really want besides their SEM filter. It wasn’t going to be in this case because I had enough filters in it already. I decided to get ADSR even though it is 2 hps wider than Pittsburgh Modular’s ADSR. I thought it would fill the case with Doepfer’s dual VCA. If I knew there would still be one hp left I would have got Pittsburgh Modular’s ADSR and something 3 hp sized like Erica Synth’s Trigger to Gate module which would be useful with Rene. I might do that when I get next case and put Doepfer ADSR there.

Not saying Doepfer’s ADSR is bad module. It has some benefits over Pittsburgh Modular’s ADSR but with eurorack cases you have limited space and you have to have system which makes most sense. Sometimes it means getting rid of something because there is something smaller doing almost the same thing.

I have had plan to buy second Rackbrute. There are few modules I want for my eurorack. Everything I wanted didn’t fit into one if I wanted to have functional synth on one case. Most of module I still want are from Make Noise. DPO, Maths, Wogglebug and Tempi will be basis of next case if I decide to get it. Doepfer’s SEM will be on it too. Anything else is still open. Only plan is to make it fully functional. So it could be used with out first case. Or have it another voice when first one gives first voice.

Arturia Minibrute 2S is it

I planned to not buy synths this year. That plan is gone now. I preordered Minibrute 2S. If I sell MInibrute this could count as upgrade but I am probably not selling it. With this and Rackbrute with few select modules I get most of what I planned getting from bigger eurorack. That sequencer looks amazing. I hope you can use additional tracks even when you take notes from midi. Might not be possible since they share patch bay slots with aftertouch and velocity. 

Rackbrute with Wogglebug, couple envelopes and mixers, SEM filter and additional oscillator would be good start. There is still room for other modules. I haven't checked what I could have with 6U Rackbrute. I don't need much more to have everything I want from eurorack. Some more modules from Make Noise and probably some Erica's Fusion modules if there is enough power and space. Minibrute will come first. Rackbrute or new eurorack have to wait.

Minibrute 2 announcements inspired me to make Minibrute video. You will hear few reasons why I am so excited by these new synths. They are what I wanted improved in Minibrute and much more. I hope there won't be coming too many new as interesting synths from NAMM.

Fun with Make Noise 0-Coast

I hope you didn't want dry sound of Make Noise 0-Coast. This has lot of effects. It doesn't sound like this dry. Some effects used may not be obvious but there are lot of effects some going 100% wet by the end.

Video has only two instruments, Make Noise 0-Coast and Elektron Analog Rytm. Rest is effects. You might see 0-Coast getting midi signals during feedback section. That is because when freezing the track Ableton Live also freezes clips on that track after freezing the track on arragement view. You don't hear those notes in the video. This is what you get when you video the freezing and tweak effects afterwards.

Fun with Lifeforms in Space (featuring Heavyocity Gravity)

Title is a joke. This is not in space. I named video like this because of "space sounds". First two Lifeforms videos seems to get likes and views. So here is third one.

I am using eurorack modular with only Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms modules. That is why name Lifeforms in title.