Aphex bank - Fours and sixes Mollarose 2023-09-03 | I was really inspired by this weekends Hardware Jams challenge. The idea was to only use up to six steps per sequencer.The main riffs in this track are made of two, very slow, four-note synths (Pro 3 and Digitone) accompanied by two six-note phrases (Peak and Digitone), both playing at different speeds. They are all in the scale of C Harmonic Minor, and when they rotate they create some lovely harmonies and inversions.The breaks are all very short at only four notes long, with a triplet Kick and second note snare from the Syntakt, which are being heavily compressed and filtered through the OTO BOUM.Finally, there is an acid line, with a count of five-notes, that creates that nice off kilter rhythm.Bonus points if you can guess who the vocal sample is from… lolEnjoy.
Torso S4, Digitakt 2 and Peak - Your names not Down - HwJ Mollarose 2025-10-06 | A weekend submission for Hardware Jams.Made over the weekend, using the Torso S4, Digitakt 2 and Novation Peak. Effects include Hologram Chroma Console and OTO Boum.This week is story week:Under the scorching sun you wait. The desert landscape around you is unfamiliar and beautiful. You look at your watch - the taxi should be here already. You count the cracks in the concrete to pass the time, the asphalt shimmering in the heat. The taxi finally arrives, rushing towards you, then stopping abruptly right in front of you. As you crash down in the back seat, the driver greets you with an exclamation that could be harsh or enthusiastic, you never learned to distinguish the tones of this foreign language. ”To the city,” you ask as clearly as you can. The taxi jumps to speed and the driver switches to broken English, barely making sense. The conversation runs around in circles, skirting the language barrier. ”You want party?” he keeps asking. You’re intrigued by the idea, and wary at the same time. As the taxi approaches the outskirts of the city, you finally say: ”yes, take me to the party.”The taxi screeches to a halt when you reach your destination. This is not what you expected. It’s not a club, it’s barely a building. Among the derelict concrete buildings there’s a small entrance, clearly leading to a bunker underground. There’s a bouncer standing at the door. This guy is huge. Without a smile, he opens the door to a steep, worn out stairwell leading down, down, down. You already hear the bass thumping as you cautiously start your descent.You were not prepared for what you find downstairs in the club.
HwJ Inkyfest 2025 - Ten minute set of electronic breakbeat music Mollarose 2025-09-20 | Hardware Jams Inkyfest 2025.A short ten minute set of calm electronic music. Lots of breaks and gentle synths, surrounded by textures and effects.Digitakt on drums and vocal sampleOXI One is sequencing the Peak and Torso S4Peak on big pad duty (mostly)Torso S4 on polyphonic sounds and texture samplesEffects from Chroma Console and OTO BoumThis is the first year of Inkyfest. Traditionally, we would celebrate the Hardware Jams birthday, but from now on the party is in honour of Inky da Cat 💜
A 909 Boards of Canada tribute Mollarose 2025-09-15 | The 909 kit has been made super-lofi, then layered with a break (borrowed from a bike video). The synths are run through the Chroma Console for grit and collage. There are a couple of other samples from random guitar tutorials on Youtube (one of therm might be more obvious than the other).Happy 909 day (a bit late I know)!
Digitakt 2, Peak & Torso S4 - Mama flip Mollarose 2025-07-27 | An entry for the Hardware Jams weekend challenge.A jam to celebrate the life of Ozzy Osbourne 💜 🖤Mama, I'm coming home sample flip.
Torso S4 - Dark Ambient Glitch Mollarose 2025-07-13 | This jam is put together using all four tracks of the S4, with each track only using single tone samples. The tuning of the samples and the glitches of the "break" are all from the modulation sources.I really love this sampler, but at the same time it is still riddled with issues. That said, I would still recommend it – the results are worth persevering for. Its ability to transform samples into something unexpected even surpasses the Digitakt II. But maybe that's not a fair comparison. On track one there is a white noise sample, with a narrow square wave modulation (on/off).Track two, there's a single tone, pitched up and going through the Mosaic (Granular Device) and Deform (Colour Device) sections.Track three, is a synth sample pitched down, with tuning provided via modulation, a looped random wave.Track four, is a horn sample with volume and pitch modulation modulation.All tracks have various random modulation routed to Deform's compressor, crush and noise for added glitch.🎧 I have recently been listening to an album called My Brutal Life, by The Black Dog. Which I highly recommend if you are into dark ambient soundscapes.
Digitone II + Torso S4 - IDM Stereo field explorations Mollarose 2025-06-29 | A weekend challenge submission for the Hardware Jams challenge. This weekend the challenge was to make a good use of the stereo filed.I use a combination of static panning, using LFOs to pad, and a few samples that had good stereo content. The S4 is made for this as it sounds best when heavily modulated – and most parameters are accessible via the mods.The Digitone II is perhaps one of the best groove boxes ever – there's always so much to explore.Made using the Digitone II and S4, and recorded via Ableton Live, with light-touch compression and EQ'ing.Enjoy
Amen Brothers on the Digitakt II and Move Mollarose 2025-06-23 | Heavily gated and experimental Amen breakage on the Digitakt II and Ableton Move.This was a bit of an Amen break journey. The break is the original sample pitched up to 180bpm, heavily gated to let through only the transients of the drums. I then processed it through Audio Damage's Replicant 3, then chopped lots of little slices back into the original take.Loving the Ableton Move. It's making the music creation process so much fun – it is not often you find an instrument with so few points of friction.
Ableton Move - Hardware Jams - Friday 13th Mollarose 2025-06-16 | More Move learnings. Submission for Hardware Jams, Friday 13th weekend challenge.
Digitakt II / Uno Synth Pro X - Organic Techno Mollarose 2025-05-12 | Hardware Jams weekend challenge.
Hardware Jams - Secret Santa for… Mollarose 2024-12-30 | A Secret Santa jam for who? Watch to find out…
A farewell jam for Inky Da Cat Mollarose 2024-12-07 | Lots of love to the one we lost, Inky Da Cat. X
Live set on Digitakt 2, Torso S4, Pro 3 - Hardware Jams 6th Birthday Mollarose 2024-08-09 | Link to livestream: youtube.com/live/iGquRTIaLVg?si=jf_EHoUPbwjikoH2&t=2h21m03sA massive happy 6th birthday to all the (Hardware) Jam Fam. Up and running for six years and continuing to gain momentum.This is the longest set I have performed. Last year we did 10 minute sets, while this year was almost double. I love this longer format as it leaves much more room for experimentation. I wanted certain sounds to feel familiar, so throughout the set I have used several patterns and musical ideas – sometimes only briefly revealing a motif, then circling back to it later in the set in a more complete state. Performed using; Digitakt 2, Torso S4, Norand Mono MK2, Sequential Pro 3 and OTO Boum. Recorded with Ableton Live, using minimal EQ and subtle compression.I hope you enjoy and happy birthday!
Evolution - Slow Acid, Good Vibes - Digitakt/Syntakt/Mono MK2 Mollarose 2024-05-27 | Nice quick jam on this warm and sunny bank holiday afternoon.This jam is for the good summer vibes :)
Digitakt II and Microcosm - Microtuning and Microsteps Mollarose 2024-05-12 | An experiment with custom scales and micro-steps.First jam with the Digitakt II, paired with the Norand Mono MKII running through the Microcosm.The Microcosm is playing a recorded 8 bar loop from the Mono, reversed, then pitched down an octave, with the Microloop Mosaic (Slot 4) effect applied.The top row of the Digitakt has drums assigned and the lower row has a couple of micro-tuned synths (created in Ableton), foley, noise and effects.It's a fairly simple setup, but quite honestly I need for nothing more.A Hardware Jams weekend challenge.Enjoy.
Norand Mono MKII - New synth day Mollarose 2024-02-08 | I’ve been waiting for this synth for a while and it did not disappoint. It’s a work of genius!This patch is a simple sine wave, with a random LFO on the TZFM, and a touch of drive.
Boards of Digitakt / DMAT Sessions (Ben Wellby Remix) Mollarose 2024-01-15 | Back in the summer of 2023, DMAT played a session for an Electronisounds online festival (@dmat9116 & @ElectronisoundsAudio ). His first track of the session really resonated with me, so when we were asked to remix a song we like, for the Hardware Jams weekend challenge, this track was an obvious choice for me.All of the sounds are sampled from DMAT's track, with the exception of the piano and baby sounds (both of which are Youtube 'found sounds').This track was recorded directly into Ableton Live, with no post-processing.The video was shot with my Canon M50, which I have owned for a while now, but I have only just got a half descent light setup. This is my first experiment with that rig.If you havne't already, go and check out DMAT's session 🙌: youtu.be/bXVMhXRRsf8?si=TCVUj4HI9ffnNzbPEnjoy.
Noggin86 - Arturia MicroFreak & Sequential Pro 3 Mollarose 2024-01-02 | Hardware Jams Secret Santa for, Noggin 86.Noggin’s sound palette feels very influenced by 90s hardcore, techno and jungle, so I sampled elements from several of his YouTube tracks and made a jam with this flavour. Except from one of the breaks, all samples are a mashup of his tunes. Champion Sound!My daughter and I had a bit of fun on the mic. The ‘Noggin’ sample is her, which has then been rearranged and played across the keys.Synths used; Sequential Pro 3 on bass, and Arturia MicroFreak (through Microcosm)Visuals were created in Visual Synthesiser on the iPad. Definitely something I'll be exploring in more depth.Trivia; The main 'Champion Sound' sample (pad) is taken from Noggin's Secret Santa jam 2022, which was for Andrew Coogan (Founder of Hardware Jams).Merry Christmas Noggin 86 🎄
Playing the Arturia MicroFreak Stellar Mollarose 2023-12-11 | Having fun playing the Arturia Microfreak, alongside the Sequential Pro 3 and Novation Peak.Enjoy.
Max Richter - Dream 1 cover Mollarose 2023-11-26 | The original is such a beautiful piece, and hopefully this cover does some justice to it's beauty.Sequential Pro 1 on bassNovation Peak on chordsArturia Microfreak on lead
Orbital vs Aphex - A Hardware Jams Heroes session Mollarose 2023-11-19 | What would happen if Aphex Twin, Orbital and I had a jam…? Well, probably not this, but one can have a dream.Weekend submission for the Hardware Jams challenge – A jam for my musical heroesGear used:- Elektron Digitakt- Arturia Microfreak- Sequential Pro 3- Novation Peak- Moog DFAM- Moog Subharmonicon- Akai APC MKII- OTO BoumEnjoy.
You were good to me - Heaven & Hell mix Mollarose 2023-11-05 | Hardware Jams weekend challenge: Heavenly Pads & Hellish Drums.There is a lot going on in this track. The pads/synths are heavily processed with tape saturation (RC-20) and vinyl noise (iZotope Vinyl).The drums are a mix of a 2-step break combined with a layer of FM sounds with a trigger based on probability.There is a layer of strings, horns and piano, all running through the Microcosm for that background etherial texture.Finally, the vocal is sampled from a Kaira Rae cover of "You were good to me - Jeremy Zucker, Chelsea Cutler cover", which has been sliced, re-pitched and rearranged.Original vocals Youtube video: youtube.com/watch?v=-hEETkiuBQwEnjoy
Elektron techno - They all float Mollarose 2023-10-30 | The Pro 3 and Peak continue to surprise me at just how complete a synth they both are. The Pro 3 is laying down the main harmony of the song, with bass, mids and top line, while the Peak is delivering different pads and arps throughout the track.Digitakt is on techno duty this weekend, and Digitone is serving up atmospheric fills. Additional perc and noise/pads coming from Syntakt.Enjoy.
Electronic music for Dean - Digitakt and Microfreak Mollarose 2023-10-16 | A tune for Dean. Happy birthday.BTW, the vocal is Dean from the latest live stream.
Digitakt and Microfreak - Electronica Mollarose 2023-10-01 | A quick Sunday evening jam testing out the new Microfreak, paired with the Digitakt.The Microfreak is running through the Shallow Water pedal for that old cassette warble sound. I sampled a couple of loops from MF to DT, then attempted to play the 'keys' - these capacitive keys are going to take some getting used to!Great little setup, which I might put into a small flight case to play out with!? We will see.Enojy.
909 IDM/Electronica - Hardware Jams Mollarose 2023-09-10 | This jam is a celebration of the 909 drum machine - Happy 909 day!I'm not trained musician, so I've been learning and experimenting with different scales, and for this track settled on the 'Locrian mode' in C sharp scale. It has a very melancholic feel to it. Suffice to say, that suits my style very well.The Pro 3 is really the main synth in this song, going from light and minimal to heavy. Peak is playing the lead lines.If we are talking Roland drums, I usually gravitate to the 808 sounds, but actually the 909 kit works nicely for the IDM/Electronica sounds palette. Will definitely use more often!Enjoy.
ZOA - iPad ambient glitch Mollarose 2023-08-27 | This little outdoor jam is for the the HwJ weekend challenge. The idea was to get outside and make some music.The main synths are being sequenced by ZOA, which is a 4 channel 'living midi' sequencer. It's running Aparillo, DRC, Copperhead and Animoog, which are all being bussed through Rymdigare.The beats are from Drambo and Hammerhead, again, all being bussed through various effects - Replicant, Glitchcore and Koala FX.The iPad has truly become a great device to make music on, largely thanks to the modular nature of AUM.Enjoy.
Elan Swift - Six bars of play Mollarose 2023-08-20 | A jam for the Hardware Jams weekend challenge, with the prompt being an unusual amount of bars.
Moog Sound Studio and Syntakt | Techno jam Mollarose 2023-07-30 | DFAM through the OTO Boum is a techno dream setup, the two are made for each other.Still trying to find my way with the Subharmonicon. It takes time and patience. But when it clicks, it really does sound great.The Syntakt is so much more than I originally thought. It can do the standard sounds you would expect, but it also has a wild side. In this track I'm making use of the FX track to faux side-chain the kick/bass sound.Finally, this was my first outing using the third tier which is 60hp of my favourite modules (Marbles, Beads, Data Bender and Pamela). I recently sold my larger case and kept this lineup.Enjoy
A song for Bristol - Growing up in a breakbeat culture Mollarose 2023-07-23 | This is a jam for the Hardware Jam weekend challenge; A jam to represent a city.I grew up in Bristol from the age of 11, and have always been surrounded by a really diverse music scene – a perfect place for a teenager who likes music.There are several samples in this song from both Massive Attack and Reprazent, which have been reformed in the Digitakt and MPC. Additional sounds from Digitone, Pro 3 and Peak.Enjoy.
MPC Digitakt Glitch - Pandemonium Mollarose 2023-07-17 | A weekend jam for the Hardware Jams challenge.
IDM detuned - Can you hear Seb? Mollarose 2023-07-09 | This is s a track for the Hardware James weekend challenge.A detuned session with lots of LFOs creating movement and texture. Still getting to grips with the Subharmonicon, but so far loving the results.The Peak really shines when it comes to creating big, lush, dirty pads. Yes it can sound very clean at times, but can quite easily sound quite filthy too. Love this synth.Finally, can you hear Seb? This sample was from his stream through last Monday. Unfortunately his internet was playing up, and this noise was his guttural frustration – you tried your best my man, and thanks as always! 🙏Enjoy
Subharmonicon - 6 Oscillator Harmony Mollarose 2023-07-02 | Playing with the new (to me) Subharmonicon – stacking up those oscillators! It takes some experimentation to find the sweet spots, but it's really well worth it.Also, this is the first jam with my new desk layout. Still needs some tweaking but so far it's a pleasure of a space to use.
Against the clock challenge - IDM Mollarose 2023-06-25 | This is a 5 minute 'against the clock' challenge, for Hardware Jams.The setup is relatively self generative. The Digitone is sequenced from Fugue Machine via the iPad, the Pro 3 from Mutable Instruments Marbles, and the Peak is running through Mutable Instruments Beads for the continuous textured loop, with the final stage passing through Data Bender.Drums from Syntakt, on channels 1-8, are being processed by individual instances of Infiltrator. The Digitakt plays four additional drum samples and is also sequencing the Peak ‘midi loops’.Getting this completed within 5 minutes was hard, but it flexed new musical muscles and taught me that music can be centred around layers, used in a way to create a foundation of texture.Enjoy.
Hardware Jams - Up and running for five years Mollarose 2023-06-12 | 5th Birthday Festival.Congratulations to all – we are five years old. What an amazing group this is and I feel so lucky to be a part of it.This is my 'festival' set for the three day stream though.Good times.
Digitakt, Digitone and Dvorak Mollarose 2023-05-21 | This is a weekend Hardware Jams entry.The prompt was to write a piece of music inspired by the 'drop hammer', one of the machines used in the steel making process in the city of Sheffield.The hammer could be heard all day and night and would ring out for miles through the surrounding areas. This sound was hugely influential on the electronic music which subsequently emerged from Sheffield, dating back over 50 years.This track includes samples of the hammer itself, industrial background noises, and of course the opening from 'The New World Symphony' by Dvorak.Overbridge was used to record each track of the Digitakt, while the Digitone is recorded directly through the inputs of the Digitakt. All making for a nice portable 'travel' setup while visiting my mum for the weekend.I hope you enjoy.
Acid Breaks - 170bpm Digitakt Mollarose 2023-05-07 | A 170bpm breaks jam. There are two breaks, one on track 7 and another on track 8, which are running through the OTO Boum and are being filtered in and out. The break on track 8 was provided by my friend, Luke.Mono Station is on 'acid' duty and Digitone is playing an arp.Enjoy.
Micro Electronics - Lofi Breaks IDM Mollarose 2023-04-23 | Image being able to store the entire contents of an encyclopaedia, the languages of all people on earth, to make a thousand decisions all in the blink of an eye - Micro Electronics.Hardware Jams weekend submission.
A sampler and a synth (Digitakt and Pro 3) Mollarose 2023-04-16 | #ambient #idm All sounds are from the Sequential Pro 3, then sequenced in the Digitakt, with the first four tracks containing one sample each which have 16 drum hits - T1 Kicks, T2 snares, T3 hi-hats and T4 percussion.Each set of 16 samples range from short, snappy and clean to drawn-out and overdriven. Then within the Digitakt, Slice mode was used to randomly select one of the 16 slots. When combined with parameter-locks and probability, this gave an organic, un-repeating glitch-style to the drums.The ambient riff which comes in at about the 40 second mark is being played from the Pro 3 (it’s not a sample). This patch uses all of the LFO’s to keep the sound evolving; cutoff frequency, octaves, velocity, modulating modulators. While the sequencer is playing three paraphonic tracks, each in random mode producing unexpected chords.I love this duo. It is simple yet very versatile. I can’t praise the Pro 3 enough, and I hardly know its depths yet.Any questions feel free to ask.Enjoy.
Here its all over (Breakbeat remix) - Rome in Reverse Mollarose 2023-04-09 | Rome in Reverse have just released 'Here it's all over' and asked for people to remix the track. This was a Hardware Jams and Petite Victory Collective crossover collaboration.My remix started with a sampled loop from the modular synth (the first bar of this track), this formed the foundation, with all other elements written around it. I added another layer of random notes, again from the modular, then added drums, bass, guitar, keys, then finally took the vocal and chopped and played it in a sampler. Apart from the vocal and a pad, which comes in towards the middle, all sounds are from the Ableton, modular, Pro 3, Peak, Digitone.
Timecraft - IDM Classic Ambient Mollarose 2023-03-26 | The Digitakt is loaded with samples from my iPad (AUM) which have been time-stretched, reversed, looped, filtered, delayed, and just about any effect I could get my hands on.A couple of tracks on the Syntakt are being post-effected in Live and run through the Microcosm pedal. Finally, all drums are being compressed and distorted through the BOUM pedal.Special bonus point if you can identify the sample…Gear used: Digitakt, Syntakt, Mono Station, Peak Microcosm and BOUM.Enjoy :)
Lofi IDM - The River Walk - HwJ Spring Mollarose 2023-02-20 | This track is a walk through the park, along the river, on a spring afternoon.As spring arrives, there is a hopeful air of happiness to this tune.There are eight samples from my river walk, from a trickling stream all the way to a waterfall, which have been precessed in Audiothing Noises - blended together from quietest to loudest, creating a amplitude gradient of river sounds.The beats are from the Syntakt, then processed in Live using Beat Repeat, with an additional sample layered over from the MPC. Lofo pads are from the Peak, and the 303 from Digitone.Enjoy.
Hardware DnB - Metalheadz bass #140 Mollarose 2023-02-13 | Slow DnB track, at 140bpm – totally has that 90's Metalheadz sound to it.Drums and timpani samples playing on MPC, all other sounds are from the Novation Peak and Elektron Digitone.#HwJ weekend challenge.
Chroma Noises - Elektron, MPC and Peak Mollarose 2023-02-06 | Lofi sample based breaks, vocal edits and synths.Samples are from the amazing Audiothing Noises plugin, a synth demo of the Chroma Expander, and Jack Nicholson fooling about.Enjoy.Sample referencesNoises plugin: youtu.be/Nh8QxkOAokwChroma Expander: youtu.be/-Ha1WhAb5NAJack Nicholson: youtu.be/8o-n6vZvqjQ
#Jamuary2023 day 29 - Lo-fi AF Mollarose 2023-01-29 | Jamuary day 29Now this was a fun weekend prompt from the Hardware Jams crew! The challenge was to make a lo-fi, saturated, dreamy track. This couldn't be more perfect is they tried.I've been digging for samples like crazy these past few days to build up a palette of sounds for this one. The original samples used in this jam are from the following Youtube vids (timestamps included):Dusty synth: youtu.be/18c52zKptso?t=22Cajon drum: youtu.be/GPTY6l_PX5k?t=62Armonica: youtu.be/cVqqNigImtU?t=1077The rhythm that fades in at the start is a field recording captured whilst out walking, then resequenced in Koala app.Other sounds are created/mangled in Ableton, plus Digitone and PeakEnjoy.
#Jamuary2023 - day 25 - Piano and strings Mollarose 2023-01-26 | Jamuary day 25A peaceful jam today. I've been listening to a lot of film and TV scores recently (Broadchurch, Humans…) and have been really inspired by the pure quality of production. If you haven't already, listen to Ōlafur Arnalds.All samples on the MPC are recorded in live from Ableton, with accompanying sounds from Peak and Digitone.It's been fun to start exploring a different genre of music.I hope you enjoy.
#Jamuary2023 day22 - Gold Breaks Mollarose 2023-01-22 | Jamuary day 22A jam for the Hardware Jams weekend prompt – Choose an element.With gold being the chosen element, I asked my daughter for a 'gold' sample. She was quite pleased to take part.I previously owned an MPC, but felt it was too much like a DAW (nothing against DAWs), so I sold it. I've recently missed being able to have stereo, polyphonic samples in my setup, so got the MPC One. Still getting used to the workflow, and trying to keep the balance between this and my other synths – I don't want my setup to be too MPC-centric.All samples were played live in Ableton, then exported to the MPC. Additional sounds are from the Syntakt, Digitone, and Peak.Enjoy.
#Jamuary2023 day 18 - Boards and breaks Mollarose 2023-01-18 | Jamuary day 18Dedicating this one to @cornishwavesmusic. We both share a love for BoC, which has been evident in a few of our jams this month. This one's for you, Paul 🙏.This was a really fun track to make. It has several field recordings captured over the last few days; taking my kids to school, on the beach in Aberystwyth, and an odd but quite harmonic 'nnn' chant with everyone in my office that I managed to capture on my phone!!There is a sample of a single orchestral string from the TV series Humans (put through a granuliser app on the iPad), and a breakbeat from KutMasta Kurt, The rest is the Peak, Syntakt and Digitone.Enjoy.
#Jamuary2023 day 17 - Eurorack ambient and glitch Mollarose 2023-01-17 | Jamuary day 17Mid-week, late night ambient drone jam. Simple, evolving and like an epic alien spacecraft landing in my front room by the fireside. It was a nice way to spend an hour.Plaits is droning into Beads, and Marbles is sequencing the wet granulised signal, which is then going to Data Bender. A mono signal is being siphoned into Arhbar, and finally everything goes through FXAid's Big Sky reverb.Enjoy.
