Pixelh8 Music Tech Master Stroke DS

YouTube via pixelh8. Be sure to see Pixelh8 for more
"The Pixelh8 Music Tech Master Stroke DS is a real time synthesizer for the Nintendo DS system it allows for extensive sound design and is the natural evolution of the Music Tech Series allowing for the classic chip tune sound on a modern device.

The new system allows for keyboard style play by pressing "X" to bring up the 2 Ocatve Xylophone or classic Music Tech mode by using the directional pad to control the sounds in the same way as the Music Tech Game Boy and Pro Performer Game Boy Advance.

Loads of new combinations are possible as you can now combine interval settings with time based effects as well as using the noise channel instead of tone and the easy change between menus allow for quick change during performance.

All sounds are produced via the on board sound chip and no samples or sample manipulation is used, this is a real time chip tune synth for the DS.

Top Screen shows options selected at any given time.

Menu 1 controls the Wave Duty, Pan and Volume.

Menu 2 controls Keys and Intervals.

Menu 3 controls time based effects set 1.

Menu 4 controls time based effects set 2.

Menu 5 are some of my favourite sounds, Attack and Release and Credits Screen.

Menu 6 Controls Octave, Whammy Bar, Tone/Noise and 3 sound patches so you can recall them quickly during performance.

The "X" button brings up a simple 2 octave Xylophone to perform the designed sound on. Whats more is that options can be changed during play, in Classic play mode, in Xylophone mode it's only one menu away.

I have had an amazing response to the release of my previous free software and have heard loads of songs created using it and loads of emails of thank yous which is fantastic. I am not going to charge for this software either, but if you would like to help support my research simply buy an album or donate old computer equipment to me, that would be great.

The software is 95% done and will be released for free download to allow for more users to take part and create music. It will be completed after I have finished my third album "And The Revolution" but hopefully that won't be too long, as I am working on it now. :) There will also be an iPhone and Android version soon too.

Please do not email me with questions about when it will be released, join the mailing list at www.pixelh8.co.uk and you will be told as soon as it's ready for download.

I just thought you should know what I was up to.

Make Music, Make Friends, Have Fun

Pixelh8"

Music Tech Pro Performer (3 of 3)

YouTube via Hiddenfortress. You can find Part 2 and 1 here. via brian c.
"Here it is the Pixelh8 Music Tech Pro Performer for the GBA and DS. Sign up @
www.hiddenyouthrecords.co.uk for details of when and where it will be releaased."
Update: Be sure to check out 6:13 for a nod to Matrixsynth! Thank you Pixelh8!!! :)

M-Audio Introduces the Trigger Finger Pro

Trigger Finger Pro USB Controller with Step Sequencer

Includes the M-Audio Arsenal; 8+ GB of instruments, one-shots, loops & more
Built-in step sequencer for building jaw-dropping grooves
16 ultra-responsive pads with illuminated RGB feedback
Customizable, backlit controls with instant automapping
High-resolution display lets you focus on the music, not the computer
Slimline design travels from studio to stage with ease
Detachable, 3-position rugged metal stand for angled use
Extensive expression controls; pitch bend, modulation & more
USB-MIDI connection to a Mac or PC
Arsenal includes Hybrid 3 High Definition Synth by AIR Music Tech
16 custom drum kits from Black Anomaly (Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown)
Arsenal also includes 10 Prime Loops Expansion Packs:
TrapTranceProgressiveNudiscoMinimalHard DanceElectroDubstepDrum N BassDeep House
Includes 5 ToolRoom Records artist sound packs from:
Mark KnightReve AmeszTocadiscoMacro LysD Ramirez
Over 2000 combined artist patches and presets for Hybrid 3 and Prime Loops content

Press release:

"M-Audio Introduces the Trigger Finger Pro

Legendary computer interface and studio integration manufacturer debuts an advanced performance pad controller with onboard sequencing and software integration.

Cumberland, RI, USA – January 22, 2014. M-Audio (www.m-audio.com), industry-leading manufacturer of award-winning computer interface and studio integration solutions, announces the debut of Trigger Finger Pro, an advanced performance pad controller with onboard sequencing and software integration.

Trigger Finger Pro is a fully encompassed performance instrument and software control station in the form of a portable, 16-pad (4x4 configured) instrument with onboard sequencing. Nearly a decade ago, M-Audio revolutionized the industry by introducing the first performance pad controller and effectively set the stage for the MIDI controller market with the Trigger Finger. The Trigger Finger Pro draws from its predecessor’s performance pad roots but features an entirely new hardware design, user experience, and creative functionality to serve both the live performer as well as the music producer. It’s modern design features 16 ultra-responsive RGB illuminated pads, 16 backlit step sequencer key controls, a road-ready chassis with brushed aluminum faceplate, and a high resolution screen.

The all-new Arsenal software integrates with popular DAWs, hosts VSTs and includes automatic mapping, providing seamless integration between the hardware and software. Along with AIR Drums and Hybrid 3 plug-ins, Trigger Finger Pro includes 8 GB of ready-to-play sounds, loops, one-shots with exclusive content from Black Anomaly, Prime Loops, Toolroom Records, and more.

Highlights:
• 16 Ultra-Responsive Pads – velocity sensitive, illuminated pads with RGB feedback
• Onboard Step Sequencer – accompanied by 16 backlit keys, and high-res screen
• Extensive Expression Controls – 48 assignable controls are offered between 4 faders, 4
knobs, and 4 buttons with 4 banks each, and includes pitch bend, modulation and more
• Arsenal Software – allows for instant DAW/VST integration with full tactile control
parameters; or operates as a standalone program with powerful presets & VI’s
• AIR Drums and Hybrid 3 – includes two dynamic VST instrument programs, a drum
sample player/editor compatible with REX files and a high definition analog synth suite
• Built-in Instruments – 8 GB of sounds, one-shots, loops, and exclusive content
• Customizable Controls – backlit controls instantly map to popular DAWs on the market
• Road Ready Chassis – brushed aluminum faceplate with detachable 3-position stand

'We’re excited with the Trigger Finger Pro because it offers true hands-on control for today’s multi-talented musicians who require software integration as part of their live performances – and we’re equally thrilled with its place in the studio environment providing seamless DAW integration,” said M-Audio Product Manager JC Sutherland. “The addition of the new onboard M-Audio Arsenal software makes for a powerful package onstage or in the studio.'

Trigger Finger Pro will be available Spring 2014, distributed worldwide with a $399 USD street.

M-Audio will unveil Trigger Finger Pro in Hall A, Booth 6700, at the 2014 NAMM Show, January 23-26 in Anaheim, California. For more information, visit: www.m-audio.com/wnamm2014"

Update: Discussion on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge here & NAMM floor videos:

[NAMM] M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro

Published on Jan 22, 2014

"Here's a presentation of the new M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro at the NAMM Show 2014."

NAMM 2014: M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro

Published on Jan 22, 2014 sonicstate·599 videos

"NAMM 2014: M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro Updated pad controller"

NAMM 2014: M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro

Published on Jan 23, 2014 Future Music Magazine·342 videos

"At NAMM 2014, Future Music get a video demo of M-Audio's new Trigger Finger Pro and Arsenal software."

An Interview with Barry Schrader

Hi everyone! As you know Barry Schrader will be giving his farewell concert at CalArts on September 26. The following is the beginning of my interview with him. I opted to post the questions and answers as they come in.  New QAs will get a new post so you do not miss them and they will be added to this post so we have one central post for the full interview. This should make it easier for all of us to consume in our busy lives, and it will allow you to send in any questions that may come to mind during the interview process.  If you have anything you'd like to ask Barry, feel free to send it in to matrixsynth@gmail.com.  This is a rare opportunity for us to get insight on a significant bit of synthesizer history, specifically with early Buchla systems, and I'd like to thank Barry for this opportunity. Thank you Barry!

CLICK FOR MORE »

Pixelh8 - Music Tech Pro Performer Available for the GBA

More info here.

Update: new larger screenshot for the credits and special thanks. :)

Pixelh8 - Music Tech Pro Performer (2 of 3)

YouTube via Hiddenfortress. www.hiddenyouthrecords.co.uk

Pixelh8 - Pro Performer DS

YouTube via Hiddenfortress
"New Software for DS out soon. Turn DS into real time synth, has lots of new and improved features over the music tech"

Physical Synthesis Cicada Acoustic Vibration Synthesizer & Nymph Eurorack Module Update

video upload by Physical Synthesis



You might remember the Physical Synthesis Cicada - Acoustic Vibration Synthesizer posted back in April of 2021 - you'll find a playlist of demos there. The initial run was sold out. They are now teaming with USA-based distributor Electro Distro on a new run of Cicadas as well as a Nymph eurorack module.

The press release follows:

NEW YORK, NY, USA: having sold out of its initial production run, unique products-producing hardware startup Physical Synthesis is proud to announce that it is working with San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) to bring its game-changing Cicada — an ‘acoustic synthesizer’ that transforms electronic signals into physical vibrations that can be fully manipulated before being reconverted back into a new, never-heard-before electronic sound — to a wider audience in advance of Nymph, its upcoming Eurorack module…

It is fair to say that every once in a while, a moment comes along whereby human interaction with sound changes completely. Cicada is effectively one of those moments — one of those new instruments that moves the needle in music technology. Indeed, it is pioneered by unique products-producing hardware startup Physical Synthesis as an ‘acoustic synthesizer’ that transforms electronic signals into physical vibrations that can be fully manipulated before being reconverted back into a new, never-heard-before electronic sound. Says company founder Spencer Topel: “Cicada was the first step in introducing physical synthesis methods to the synth community; it is an award-winning interface that really lets musicians explore microscopic sounds with precise control.” Clearly, Cicada made musical waves when winning the Judge’s Special Award at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition 2022, hosted by Georgia Tech School of Music — one of the few schools in North America that offers Music Technology as a major in undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D levels of study — as an annual event dedicated to identifying the newest and greatest ideas in music.

Musical waves notwithstanding, ‘noise' is a subjective term; while electromechanical devices like speakers or headphones try to minimise the distortion inevitably introduced in physical systems, Cicada is designed to precisely exploit these distortion products as the basis of a new kind of synthesis. Cicada converts voltages to vibrations in a mechanical oscillator to create intermodulation — the addition of frequency content in a nonlinear system — in place of typical analogue or digital oscillators. By bringing the signal chain into a physical space, Cicada allows users to shape such content with natural, tactile gestures that truly transcend twiddling with a knob or pushing a slider. “As a violinist and composer, my experience of creating sound is highly physical,” proclaims Spencer Topel, adding: “With Cicada, I wanted to make an instrument that connects these elements, allowing musicians to produce complex, compelling sounds, but through tactile interaction.”

Insofar as actually doing what it does, Cicada receives two Eurorack-level signals that drive oscillation in a cantilevered Bridge positioned atop a Soundboard at an adjustable height. Digging deeper, distortion caused by the Bridge-Soundboard interaction adds frequency content to the input, determined by the specific qualities of the system. Self-explanatory Polycarbonate Soundboard, Foam Soundboard — made of EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) foam, and Wood Soundboard — made of Birdseye maple — options each provide a range of resonating/filtering properties that combine uniquely with the likes of the Coral Wing Bridge — tip made of solid oak (resulting in a bright, clear tone), Coral Dual Tip Wing Bridge — tip made of premium rubber (allowing for a hard, precise attack with a balanced low-end), and Grey Wing Bridge — tip made of soft neoprene foam (resulting in a mellow, balanced acoustic effect); each pairing opens up a portal to a distinct sonic universe.

Users can dynamically change the system (and, therefore, how it is transforming signals) by adjusting the Bridge height, changing the region and degree of contact between Bridge and Soundboard, or applying pressure to either — effecting real-time, tactile timbral control, in other words. With that being said, premium vibration damping materials, such as Delrin, and custom circuitry minimise unwanted noise, allowing the intermodulation products to shine, while the output, captured by a pickup microphone positioned beneath the Soundboard, can be monitored directly, processed modularly, or recorded into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

With behaviours akin to those exhibited by a traditional acoustic instrument, Cicada is highly responsive to differences in the excitation mechanism — the input signal, in other words. As an example, striking a snare drum with a stick or using it with brushes produce vastly different-sounding results; driving Cicada with quiet or loud, spectrally simple or complex, or bass- or treble-heavy signals similarly yield very different timbres.

Though Cicada is designed to work with a Eurorack setup out of the box, one of its strengths lies in its inherent flexibility. Indeed, it can just as easily receive signals from a DAW, boosted to the appropriate 5-10Vpp level via an outboard mixer. Moreover, the choice of input is completely left open to the user: an Ableton Live loop run through Cicada acting as a physical filter to provide timbral variety over time, for example; an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) from a Eurorack module, generating rich percussive tones on the maple Soundboard as the foundation of a beat; or a harmonically dense signal — similar to the output of a Max/MSP FM patch (which many would, without doubt, prefer to navigate physically rather than digitally) — made by moving the Bridge around the Soundboard to amplify certain harmonics and suppress others, finding a grittier sound with the Bridge barely touching or coaxing a more ethereal tone with it centred and depressed.

Endless exploration possibilities are a given, guaranteeing that any sonically-ambitious Cicada user is likely to while away the hours playing with input signals, system configurations, gestures, modulation combinations, and more.

It is hardly surprising, then, that Physical Synthesis sold out of its initial Cicada production run, really hitting a home run by counting luminaries like renowned electronic music composer and performer Hainbach — citing Cicada as being “The Tesla of electro-acoustic workstations, miles ahead of standard piezo and solenoid boxes...” — and Ableton CEO Gerhard Behles amongst its fan base, and has now turned to working with US-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers to bring its game-changing ‘acoustic synthesizer’ to a wider audience. “I want to bring acoustic synthesis to a wider range of musicians,” maintains Spencer Topel, before ending on a high note: “We are building some really exciting expansions of Cicada to different formats, including a Eurorack module called Nymph, which is coming soon.”

Physical Synthesis’ ‘acoustic synthesizer’ is now available as Cicada Founders Edition Extended — encompassing two dual AMPs, one PRE, one Actuator, five Bridges, three Soundboards, three Meanwell power supplies, three custom SATA Cables, and one custom Nanuk 935 Flight Case — for $2,700.00 USD or as Cicada Pro Series individual modules — starting at $79.00 USD — via San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) or directly from Physical Synthesis’ online Shop (https://shop.physical-synthesis.com).

For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated Cicada webpage here: https://www.physical-synthesis.com