ChrisLody
Sonicware Liven 8bit Warps - Sweep Function Tutorial
updated
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Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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European distribution: b4-distribution.com/en/dealer-locator
Just a quickie this time. The Lofi-12 is quite a useful mini synth with oscillator shapes loaded into it's slots so you can download 2 banks here in the Sysex Files/Sonicware/ Liven Lofi-12 folder:
(Edit: files updated and correct now!)
dropbox.com/sh/l6c592egulnmjkg/AACuNF5FAg4C6ewk2OSO5wDNa?dl=0
These banks were made by sampling from the Sonicware ELZ_1 and the Clavia Nord Lead 1
Don' worry if you accidently overwrite any of the factory sound as they can be restored from the download section on Sonicware's website in the Lofi-12 tab:
sonicware.jp/pages/downloads
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Amazon UK - Liven XFM amzn.to/3wXeXs1
Amazon USA - Liven XFM amzn.to/3M5kxOU
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
chrislody.bandcamp.com
etsy.com/uk/shop/SymetriColour
sonicware.jp/pages/liven-lofi12
European distribution: b4-distribution.com/en/dealer-locator
0:00 Answering your questions
3:10 Cutting breakbeats into separate hits
7:18 Sample start position automation
Here's a nice nerdy one about the new Sonicware Liven Lofi-12 sampler. This will seem very familiar to anyone that's watched my Volca Sample video on the same subject because it uses the same method but it's less complex to setup on the Lofi-12
youtu.be/ci_ReYDKUfI
It's equip with a decent set of tools that we can use to create some interesting effects like old school beat slicing, stretching and pitch shifting
Here is the BPM calculator I mentioned:
toolstud.io/music/bpm.php
1 bar of 75bpm audio is 3.2 seconds
3.2 seconds / 4 seconds max recording time = 0.8
10000 maximum slice points * 0.8 = 8000
So the end of a 75bpm drum loop is at 8000 in the sample edit mode
128 values / 16 steps = 8
So to spread a sample across 16 steps program the Start setting onto the steps like this:
0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120
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Amazon UK - Liven Bass & Beats amzn.to/3Gsc6fj
Amazon USA - Liven Bass & Beats amzn.to/3a2mOwM
Amazon UK - Liven XFM amzn.to/3wXeXs1
Amazon USA - Liven XFM amzn.to/3M5kxOU
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
chrislody.bandcamp.com
etsy.com/uk/shop/SymetriColour
sonicware.jp/pages/liven-lofi12
European distribution: b4-distribution.com/en/dealer-locator
**Full disclosure, I do freelance work for Sonicware so I am not the most impartial source, but I do love this 😁**
So here it is, the new SONICWARE Liven Lofi-12 sampler, and it's pretty damn good.
The Lofi-12 allows 12khz and 24khz sampling frequencies with 128 sample slots. The samples are either 2 or 4 seconds long depending on the chosen frequency. Audio can be recorded directly into the internal memory via the Line In socket, after which sampled sounds are immediately playable across the keys chromatically. Sample playback is not interpolated (not smoothed out) so they have a gritty quality rather than being dulled by the low sampling rate.
A lot of features have been brought over from the Liven XFM including it's sequencer, voice modes, parameter locks etc, but this time the maximum polyphony is 10 rather than 6. Plus each track has it's own effects section that can be modulated by the parameter locks and the reverbs found in the Liven 8Bits Warps are here in a dedicated master reverb section with the addition of Tape and Vinyl effects.
There is a deep editing overlay like the XFM which enables samples to be trimmed, looped and reversed. It's possible to record in instruments and waveform and then loop sections to make the sound loop cleanly, a slight cross-fade is used to accomplish this.
The same Sound Locking function found on the XFM is present too so it's possible to modulate the sample selection in each track, so having a track play a kick and then a snare is entirely possible.
All in all it's a very well rounded little affordable sampler that can record directly into it's memories and can be used like a groove box. Pretty awesome I think.
Sampled drum break source: Future Music Magazine issue 135 cover CD
Free (and very good) audio recording app used: dolby.com/en-gb/apps/dolby-on
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So here's the long awaited SONICWARE Smpltrek quick start guide.
This tutorial is intended as a primer tutorial with a deeper tutorial coming soon.
Edit: information about how to format the SD card etc is missing from this tutorial. Thanks to White Whisker Musica for making a short tutorial covering that information:
youtu.be/M29Z641FfpA
**Please note the realtime loop recording feature has been temporarily removed from the v1.0 of the firmware due to a bug. It will be added back into the SmplTrek in a future update**
0:00 Intro
1:50 Overview
7:21 Track Types
8:59 Loop Tracks & Record Source
20:08 Instrument Tracks & Sampling
30:10 Mixer & Effects
35:59 Shot Tracks & USB Source
38:58 Drum Tracks
42:17 Midi Tracks
44:54 Global Tracks
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Amazon USA – Mother 32 amzn.to/3fZcucq
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Hi again, been a while once more. I've had a lot of work to do during the weekend over the last few weeks and months which has left very little time for jams like this. I've also been pretty unwell recently, just a cold but a nasty one that lasted for 3 damn weeks.
Anyway, enough excuses. I've been lucky enough to borrow quite a lot of gear from a friends studio (thanks Steve!). Most of this is desktop units but it also includes this Pittsburgh Modular eurorack case with a Behringer Neutron, Behringer Model D, Mother 32 and a couple of envelope generators in it.
For this jam I'm sequencing them using the Liven XFM with a newly purchased Kenton Midi Thru 12 box that duplicates incoming midi out to 12 output sockets, plus I added my own Neutron for 4 channels of midi as that's the max the XFM has to offer. This isn't really 'proper' eurorack as all of the voices are being generated by each self contained module with no cross patching. I didn't even bother to use the envelope generators. Plus sequencing via midi isn't using CV either, though I'm unlikely to give up midi for sequencing even when I get knee deep in modules.
I could use the Mother 32 sequencer but it turns out this needs 5v adding to it's output to talk to the other gear (why Moog?!) which requires a module I don't have. Plus I don't have a mixer module. Those are probably going to be the first two modules I buy for myself, after which there is no going back I suppose! That will immediately take me over the HP i have left in this rack so I'll also need a rack of my own. Oh dear.
The Mother 32 and bottom Neutron are both producing rhythmic patches. The Mother 32 is slowly cycling between noise and its pulse wave so it sometimes produces notes but sometimes doesn't. The Neutron has its oscillators cross-patched to produce analog FM noise which is filtered, plus I'm modulating the delay time with the LFO on it which is one of my favourite things to do on the Neutron. The Model D is playing a pretty generic 3 oscillator bass pad sweep thing and I'm playing the top Neutron with the keyboard on the XFM. I'm using the band pass filter with Paraphonic turned on with a healthy amount of drive meaning chords produce some interesting electric guitar like sounds.
The whole thing is recorded to separate tracks in reaper with some Valhalla Supermassive added. Of course.
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Here's something I found a while ago while I was taking a bit of a deep dive into sequencing on the Volca Modular, sequencing long and short notes. This is something that isn't mentioned in the manual but it's super useful for making precise sequences, if a bit tricky to use.
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Just a bit of fun this this one. So I did a favour for my neighbours kid by cutting up some logs he had to make some coasters to sell. A few minutes later I got handed this 4 pack of Guinness as a thank you and couldn't help drumming on it as I took it into the house. It struck me just how much it sounded like a heavily struck percussion instrument, forgive my ignorance if this is incorrect but I think it might be Congas I'm thinking of. (Timbales, thanks Memespace)
So now I can't drink these as they're staying in the studio for this purpose alone, thought obcviously I need to work on my playing a bit. They are 'New Size' 538ml cans of draught, not sure if that's important. Plus they sound like this only when they're all in pack together. Have fun!
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Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3sxSqkN
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3IEU9u7
Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Here is another quickie for the Sonicware Liven XFM that i've been meaning to record for a while. Using a couple of different features we can get the XFM to create generative melodies based on chords we've entered both on the internal synth engine and on external gear.
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Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3sxSqkN
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3IEU9u7
Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Just a quickie this one while I get into the swing of making regular tutorials again, in fact it took me much longer to decide what to record today than it did to actually record it. This video shows how you can make shifting ambient textures on a Soniware Liven XFM using it's X-LFO feature with an attempt at showing how the Color setting affects morphing.
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
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Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Part 1 of this video is here:
youtu.be/8dzlzhakfEM
This should be last video about my studio, for now anyway :)
Just a few things to talk about like doors, windows, plants and acoustic panels.
How panels are made: youtu.be/49l39Z5y6rk
Installing clouds: youtu.be/dUEnUuKZ1ZU
Strange early refection video: youtu.be/B9u7k2V4YPw
Acoustic panel air gaps: youtu.be/7RvBw1YAjCo
I found most of this information here:
soundonsound.com/techniques/practical-soundproofing
Here is the spec for the Rockwool:
p-cdn.rockwool.com/siteassets/rw-uk/downloads/datasheets/sound-insulation-slab.pdf?f=20220111163107
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
chrislody.bandcamp.com
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Well, it's very hot here in the UK today so I've been shut in my new studio for most of the day making this jam. It started off pretty cool in here but the studio lights and computer equipment have now made it pretty uninhabitable!
Anyway, I found this dictaphone (the common name for a micro cassette recorder here in the UK, for my generation anyway!) a few years back on a carboot sale, I think I paid a pound for it. It had a tape inside which is still the only micro cassette I own. On one side there was an incredibly badly recorded lecture and on the other side, this. I pretty sure this is the musings of a student writing a short story. She's talking about deathrow in prison at the very start and then an accidental death, I can't take any credit for the story of course and the tape and recorder are not labelled at all. All nice moody stuff but I've been struggling for a long time to 'frame it' just because it's quite whispery in its performance.
This was the first time I've set up my cassette four track too since I moved my studio so I wanted to do something slightly different with the video. There was going to be more footage, but like I said it's too damn warm in here now!
The Volca beats provides the rhythm on track 1, Volca Modular playing a bassline on track 2, Volca Modular again on track 3 playing a melody which has a kind of call and response with the 8Bit warps on track 4 playing a pad sound. I'm using an Inkel MX880E with a Zoom 1201 for reverb as usual. I'm creating a feedback path within the Zoom on occasion that provides the uncomfortable horror like squealing sounds :)
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#soundscape
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So just a quicky obviously and a chance for me to try out the Shorts here on Youtube which I've not used so far.
I've been working with Dubreq on the Stylophone range recently making some promo content and they were nice enough to send me some space Stylophones in case I needed them so no I have 2 Gen X-1 mini synths. As things often go in my studio I had a bit of a 'what if' moment and decdied to see what would happen if I ran them into each other in a feedback loop. One of them has a slitter cable in the headphone socket that is fed to my audio interface and into the other Gen X-1. The second device is then plugged directly into the first device so a feedback path can be created. This works with a single unit too but gives a bit more to explore with 2. Great for some experimental noise :)
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Amazon UK - Liven Bass & Beats amzn.to/3Gsc6fj
Amazon USA - Liven Bass & Beats amzn.to/3a2mOwM
Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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I just had time for a quick jam today. This is part of the #OutdoorLiven which is something happening over at the Facebook Liven group that you can find here: facebook.com/groups/sonicwareliven
There is more to be announced about that hashtag publicly so check out the group for now, but it's a nice thing trust me :)
In this jam I've plonked myself down in front of our veg patch with my trusty DIY 'Synth Tray' (patent pending) with a Liven 8Bit Warps and a Liven Bass & Beats. This is a combination I've been meaning to try for a while and they compliment each other really well with the Bass & Beats filling in for the 8Bit Warps lack of 'normal' drum sounds and the 8BW able to play chords where the B&B can't.
I'm running the B&B into the 8BW's Line In so there is no need for an external mixer. Recording is taken care of by my aging Korg Sound on Sound.
Not much else to say about this one :)
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#LivenXFM
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Amazon USA - Liven Bass & Beats amzn.to/3a2mOwM
Amazon UK - Liven XFM amzn.to/3wXeXs1
Amazon USA - Liven XFM amzn.to/3M5kxOU
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Time for another lazy jam. I got round to setting up my old VCR and CRT TV in my cabin studio yesterday as it was just piled up in the corner since I moved all my gear over. So a good excuse to get the old camcorder tapes out again. This section contained some footage of my parents driving around the local countryside in Lincolnshire filming cows and fields, mostly from within the car it seems. I'm using an cheap Optoma projector designed for office presentations to project it over my gear.
In this jam the Liven Bass&Beats provides the lofi drums and deep bassline. This is synced to the Liven XFM which is playing a pad sound I made by combining two presets using the X-LFO. The XFM is also playing a modulated noise sound and is sequencing an arpeggio on the Behringer Neutron. Just the kind of vibes I need after a busy week at work, even if it did turn out a bit on the creepy side.
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Amazon USA - Behringer Neutron amzn.to/39nqoRE
Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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This definitely comes under the category of an advanced tutorial. I've had the Neutron a fair while and I've been enjoying pushing the limits of what can be achieved with just the modules onboard.
Extra: the distortion based LFO can be slowed a bit further by connecting overdrive to mult in, mult 1 to slew in, slew out to overdrive in and turning up the slew control. The LFO will lose depth the higher the slew is turned up though
0:00 Intro
0:41 Notes on updates, resetting your Neutron
1:09 Oscillator 2 as an LFO using LFO 2 pedal mode
2:40 LFO as audio oscillator using LFO key-tracking
4:02 Random LFO
5:10 LFO as basic envelope using One-Shot, Slew and Attenuators
7:08 Basic envelope using Midi Gate and Slew
8:18 Weird envelope using Overdrive and Midi Gate
9:45 Even Weirder envelope using Overdrive, Midi Gate and Slew
10:18 Overdrive as LFO waveshaper
11:10 Overdrive as oscillator waveshaper and tone control
12:00 Mixing Overdrive with oscillators with Level as audio attenuator
12:48 Overdrive as basic Noise filter
13:31 Overdrive as fast LFO or screaming oscillator
15:01 Slew as basic filter for oscillators and noise
16:04 Attenuator 1 used for amplitude modulation
16:52 Sample & Hold used to make a stepped envelope
18:11 Outro
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Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven Bass&Beats amzn.to/3M3VJaH
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven Bass&Beats amzn.to/3yv6D5w
Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3sxSqkN
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3IEU9u7
Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Intro Bass & Beats pattern by Eliana D'Angelo Music
youtube.com/c/NecrofunkMusic
instagram.com/eliana_dangelo
This video is intended to supplement the PDF manual that you can find on the Sonicware website:
sonicware.jp/pages/download
A work in progress accessibility document can be found here: dropbox.com/scl/fi/dv9o1y9hgapcncszqcoez/SONICWARE-Liven-Bass-Beats-Accessibility-Guide-Tips.docx?dl=0&rlkey=6h6cmzx3vj509ohiqma6ijh44
This is part two of the Bass&Beats tutorial giving details of how to sequence bass sounds, how to create your own sounds and import new wavetables. Part one is available to watch here: youtu.be/K_oQ2g9_NgU
I'll also be adding an accessibility guide video here too once part 2 of the main tutorial is complete
00:00 Intro
00:33 Loading and Tweaking Bass Sounds
Selecting bass track
Playing with keys and octave buttons
Loading sounds with memory and bank knob
Assign 1 & 2
Dimension
Legato and mono, glide settings
Velocity
Pitch LFO, release & gate, machine gun
Sweep up & down, sweep speed and range
6:33 Sequencing Bass Sounds
Note ties
Entering long notes
Pasting notes into steps
Clearing steps
Real-time recording
Non real-time record, autostep
Pattern setting, length, note value, transpose, swing
Dice setting
10:35 Automation using parameter locking
Entering automation per step
Clearing parameters lock
Real-time recording automation
Sound locking
12:30 Ducking & effects
Ducking for bass and line in
Ghost sidechain
Turning on FX
Selecting FX type
FX send level for bass & line in
FX amount knob (FX parameter)
15:01 Bass Memory Editing
Entering memory edit
Preview and chose a patch to edit
Overview of memory edit
Function, Page 1 & 2, Octave down & up
ADSR amp envelope
Wavetable oscilators, wave knob, position
Turning modules on & off
Sub oscillator, type knob
Noise
LFO 1 & 2
Modulation envelope 1 & 2
Per module settings
Oscillator pitch, phase, position, level, output routing, shaper type, adjust, unison voice, detune and blend
Sub pitch, phase, level and output routing
Noise level & type
Filter type, cutoff frequency, resonance, distortion
LFO shape, rate, dpeth, delay, sync, phase
Envelope attack, decay, sustain, release, depth, delay, up curve, down curve
Voice mode
Cancelling edits or initializing
Routing modules to parameters
Envelope to wavetable position
LFO to wavetable position
Assign 1 & 2, routing to multiple destinations, positive or negative depths
Velocity to cutoff
Data menu, copy, patch export, wavetable import, wavetable export
Saving a patch, naming a patch
32:30 Uploading custom wavetables
Access the conversion software and guide for windows and mac: sonicware.jp/pages/download
The free wavetables I used in the example (Antidote Audio - Advent 2018 Mega Pack\Antidote Advent Serum - Wavetables): antidoteaudio.com/adventcalendar
My video on using Midi-Ox with Livens: youtu.be/bHxyV0qwFns
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#LivenBassAndBeats
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I finally got round to recording something in my new studio! Just the amount of work I've had to do in my spare time to get my studio up and running was enough to wear me out but I've also been suffering from some pretty bad hay-fever so I've spent quite a lot of time just hanging out in here and refining things without really having the time or energy to use it for anything.
A week or so ago though a package arrived at my house completely unexpectedly. Sonicware had managed to find me an old back stock ELZ_1. This was a very nice surprise as I didn't think I'd ever get to try one out. They are currently not being manufactured but they are still being supported, both from Sonicware directly and through the Facebook group so I now have the chance to learn how it functions so I can help out out and answer questions where necessary.
What better way to test it and my new studio than a quick and dirty jam that explores the ELZ_1's cinematic potential then. This jam uses the Dig oscillator algorithm that generates tones from a single sample by looping and shifting along a small section that the user can define. So far it seems like a pretty unique way to design sounds. It also has quite a few built in effects that can be stacked so here I'm altering the cutoff envelope depth at the start and then tweaking a bit crusher with chorus and reverb added onboard. No external FX were used. The ELZ_1 has a lot of potential it seems :)
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
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Part 1 of this video is here:
youtu.be/8dzlzhakfEM
Finally I get to move in. It's taken considerably longer than I was hoping as these thing tend to do. Using up every bit of my spare time and the work off work that happened by accident it's been just over a months work. It's been well worth it though!
Adam Audio acoustic treatment videos:
youtu.be/49l39Z5y6rk
youtu.be/dUEnUuKZ1ZU
I found most of this information here:
soundonsound.com/techniques/practical-soundproofing
Here is the spec for the Rockwool:
p-cdn.rockwool.com/siteassets/rw-uk/downloads/datasheets/sound-insulation-slab.pdf?f=20220111163107
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Somewhere in a super secret location in Lincolnshire UK, in the depths of a hidden synth cave lives this wonderful Analogue Solutions Colossus.
I've been doing some work in the synth cave in question and today I found some time for a very quick jam on it. Very very quick in fact. I've had time to read the manual before but I'd never had the chance to try and patch anything on it. So with just over an hour to spare I set about making sense of it.
In this jam the Colossus is patched with 4 of it's oscillators passing through 4 of it's filter each controlled by there own envelope into the built in spring reverbs . I'm sequencing them with 1 of the keyboard like 16 step sequencers on the bottom right to get the bass line going. The analog sequencers above are just being used to create rhythms. One is triggering a pitch envelope for another oscillator to create a kick drum sound. Another is triggering a filter envelope which is being fed with noise for another percussive effect.
I programmed the first thing that came to mind into the sequencers and recorded one take and called it done. I probably could have tweaked more in real-time but I can't stress enough how pushed for time I am at the moment! I'll try and find some more time to spend learning how to use the Colossus properly but it really is a beast of a thing!
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Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven Bass&Beats amzn.to/3M3VJaH
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven Bass&Beats amzn.to/3yv6D5w
Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3sxSqkN
Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3IEU9u7
Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
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Intro Bass & Beats pattern by Eliana D'Angelo Music
youtube.com/c/NecrofunkMusic
instagram.com/eliana_dangelo
This video is intended to supplement the PDF manual that you can find on the Sonicware website:
sonicware.jp/pages/download
A work in progress accessibility document can be found here: dropbox.com/scl/fi/dv9o1y9hgapcncszqcoez/SONICWARE-Liven-Bass-Beats-Accessibility-Guide-Tips.docx?dl=0&rlkey=6h6cmzx3vj509ohiqma6ijh44
This is part one of the Bass&Beats tutorial giving a quick start guide and covering drums in detail. Part 2 is available to watch here: youtu.be/nokAXQWjJ7U
I'll also be adding an accessibility guide video here too once part 2 of the main tutorial is complete
00:00 Intro
00:52 Overview of the Liven XFM
A description of the physical construction and connectors
02:35 Getting Started
Powering up the device
Playing patterns
Shift and func buttons, muting the speaker
Pattern level, shift lock function
Volume, tempo
Headphone gain
Pattern, bank and step buttons to load patterns, pattern chaining
Mixer knobs
Bass and drum tracks
Pattern page buttons
Drum mute function
Random playback mode
A quick look at bass track
9:42 What's in a Pattern
A description of what is saved in a pattern
Saving a pattern
10:48 Programming Drums - Pad Mode
How to use drum pad mode
Loading and previewing a drum kit
Metronome, Pre-count
Real-time recording
Velocity
Step buttons
Auto step
Deleting steps in pad mode
16:22 Programming Drums - Select Mode
How to use drum select mode
Entering rhythms per step
Clearing the drum track
Drum pattern settings, sequence length, note value, swing
Pattern page buttons
Stutter playback mode (only in Select mode)
Previewing sounds in select mode
Velocity
Deleting steps in select mode
22:12 Edit knobs in drum mode
Changing levels
Changing time setting for drum length
Changing the pitch
24:14 Using parameter lock automation
Entering automation per step
Real-time recording automation
Clearing parameters lock
Making melodies within the drum track
26:54 Using effects
Turning on FX
Selecting FX type
FX send level
FX amount knob (FX parameter)
28:37 Misc settings
Copying and pasting tracks or notes
Undo and Redo
Clock settings
Midi channels
Midi settings
Data menu, naming a pattern, pattern export
System menu, knob latch, global/pattern BPM, pattern chain looping, mono line-in, split mode, tuning, battery type, auto power off.
33:06 Drum kit editing mode using the overlay
Entering kit edit mode
Choosing a kit to edit
Global EQ
Pattern preview playback
Cancelling a edit to a kit
Selecting a sound to edit, picking a category, picking a new sample
Per drum settings: tuning, time, slope, FX send, pan, level, reverse
Hat-link
Kit level
Velocity preview
Mute function
Initialize, kit export, copy kit
Preview FX, total FX level, FX enable/disable, FX type, FX amount (FX parameter)
Adding melodic sounds to kits
Saving a kit, entering name and exiting
40:36 Outro
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Part 2 of this video is here:
youtu.be/H5B1LOTxCbU
Well I've got my work cut out, I'm converting my garden cabin into a music studio in my spare time. I'm showing this process in a wooden cabin that was on my property when I moved in but this process will work in a room in your house if you need it to. I'm a carpenter and joiner by trade (back on the tools after a 5 year break) plus I was trained as an electrician for 5 months before I swapped trades and I have plenty of decorating experience so I'll be tackling all this myself. I forgot to mention in the video that I bought enough timber for the stud for the uprights to be set out at 400mm centres which is standard for internal walls, bit the slabs of acoustic insulation are 1200mm by 600mm so I spaced my uprights to match when I realised.
I found most of this information here:
soundonsound.com/techniques/practical-soundproofing
Here is the spec for the Rockwool:
p-cdn.rockwool.com/siteassets/rw-uk/downloads/datasheets/sound-insulation-slab.pdf?f=20220111163107
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Amazon UK – Korg SQ-1 amzn.to/3puGHkZ
Amazon USA – Korg SQ-1 amzn.to/3HBpQDc
Amazon USA – Behringer Neutron amzn.to/3MguWs0
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Time for another lazy jam. I spend a day experimenting with the Behringer Neutron just to get to know it and learn a few programming tricks that I can use to make an upcoming video without really intending to make any music. But then inspiration struck late in the evening so I put this together fairly quickly, mostly because I am using the Korg SQ1 sequencer which loses part of it's memory when it has been powered off so I had little choice in the matter :) It's mostly just intended as a sort of tonal exploration of what's possible with the hardware.
The footage is once again from my family camcorder videos. I grew up in a village called Wrangle in Lincolnshire. Once a year the field next to our house would host Wrangle Show which is a proper country fair with displays of agricultural related things like vegetable growing competitions, displays of tractors and a main show area where things like motorcycle stunt displays would be put on for example. My dad loved watching it all being set up so there's loads of this ambient footage of grass being cut and marquees being erected. There's a lot more so the next video of this type might be a Part 2. I't kind of long and self indulgent this one, sorry about that :)
In this video the Volca Beats clocks the SQ-1 which in turn sequences the Behringer Neutron. I'm running the SQ-1 with two parallel rows, one 8 steps long and the other 7. The top row send CV to both oscillators and gates to both envelopes with additional CV being sent to oscillator 2 from the bottom row. I have the Neutron in Osc Sync mode so this shifts oscillator 2 around in an offset rhythm without making things out of tune. the bottom row on the SQ-1's gate is sent to re-trigger the LFO which is then routed to the pulse width of oscillator one, again to give tonal changes. The Overdrive circuit on the Neutron is bypassed by plugging the VCF1 out into the VCA in. I have the Volca Beats rigged up to go through the hall reverb on the Zoom MS70CDR just to add some depth to the sound. That's about it.
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#ZoomMS70CDR
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My Zoom MS70CDR pedal arrived a bit earlier than I thought it would and turned up yesterday, after a few hours of being delivered to the wrong house anyway. So here's my first quick jam on it using the Sonicware Bass&Beats prototype for drums and bass then the Arturia MicroFreak for a pad and an arpeggiator.
I'm using a lofi delay on the drums that down samples to give a nice crunch, the Bass&Beats internal bit crusher and Zoom bass cry baby and compressor on the bass, a particle reverb on the pad and a tape delay on the arppegiator. The MS70CDR can chain up to 6 effects but I'm keeping it fairly simple while I explore what it can do.
On the drums I'm using the Bass&Beats stutter function so I can create fills on the fly using just one pattern. I laid that down first but went in a bit heavy handed early on so I've chopped that take about a bit. The drum programming, bass sound and arp sounds are my own work but the pad is a tweaked preset
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Amazon UK- Arturia MicroFreak amzn.to/3pt091k
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Once again I've been struggling to find time for my Song-a-day this February. I've been feeling a bit uninspired today so I thought the best thing to do would be to a) make some ambient music and b) play around with the Zoom Studio 1204 that my missus just bought us. She's run off with my Zoom 1201 for a while so bought this to fill the gap. The reverbs aren't as good as the ones on the 1201 but it does have some other interesting effects and this stonker of a reverb with one setting that makes it 55 seconds long. So perfect for a bit of lazy sci-fi soundtrack style stuff making super obvious references for no good reason. These are all my own patches that I've been programming on the MicroFreak with Sci-Fi in mind. I also have a Zoom MS70CDR in the post that the missus bought, i'm looking forward to playing around with that too :)
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
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Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
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Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Time for Song-a-day 2022 jam number 5, I've recently watch Sisters with Transistors so time for some proper experimental electronic stuff on my unconventional modular setup. This time introducing the Behringer Neutron into the mix. Top right is a MiniDisc player with a field recording from the house where I grew up. Right next door was a large football field with a play area so you'll hear lots of unintelligible animalistic sport grunts and some squeaking swings from that.
Much to unpack here on the patch side of things so details are as follows.....
The Korg SQ1 is driving the Behringer Neutron from it's CV and gate outputs using the OSC1 and OSC1+2 inputs. OSC1 out is connected to the OSC2 input with both oscillators set to sine to get some wonky FM tones going. On the Neutron I'm using the Sum connections to to mix audio which is something I discovered I can do today. The output on the patch bay and the Volca Modular are connected to the sum inputs and then the sum out passes to the NTS1 input to add some Theatre reverb to the mix. Both the Bastl Kaslte and Kastle Drum are connected to the patchbay, an LFO from one is patched into the Delay time which creates the weird shifting effect and the LFO from the other is patched over to the Fold input on the Volca Modular. In this case I didn't need to ground the Bastl Kastle and Volca Modular together using a breadboard because that is already done through the audio connections and Kaslte connections to the Neutron patch bay. I've got the Baslt Kastle set to make some metallic noise which is being patched into Gate 2 on the VMod which is triggered by Function 2 from the /2 output which switches up it's rhythm, it's making the sort of 'banging an anvil' sounds. Also on the VMod I've left it in microtuning adjustment mode so I can adjust one of the notes as the sequencer plays so the chord can be altered. The SQ1 is playing 16 step vs the 12 on the VMod too for some polymetric action. I think that's everything...
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'The Thing About Trees Is (Return of Synthtray)'
Super pushed for time today for my Song-a-day jam, well kind of. More like several fruitless hours in the studio without result so I decided to take this bunch of gear into the living room and see what happens. Turns out it was some new age ambient style stuff, just one arpeggio pattern, a pad loop and some percussive bits. Job done.
In this jam the Sonicware Liven XFM is sequencing the Behringer Neutron with some playing from both so I am able to tweak both at the same time. I'm not user a mixer here so the audio passes from the neutron into the XFM with the audio from both then going to the Korg NTS1 to use it's stereo delay.
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Amazon UK – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/3vLjQpt
Amazon USA – Sonicware Liven 8Bit Warps amzn.to/36INwZA
Amazon UK – Behringer Wasp Deluxe amzn.to/3szU7hK
Amazon USA – Behringer Wasp Deluxe amzn.to/3vzDGng
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My third jam for song-a-day on day five, getting behind already :) I've been over to my local synth cave again today (Hi Steve) and we were working through a techno rumble tutorial transferring what we'd learned onto a modular system. So I thought I'd have a go at that here too on a basic level. I also had a request from a viewer for a hardcore techno example of the Bass & Beats so I hope this ticks that box too.
The Liven Bass and Beats is producing the techno beat and the acid line with the Liven 8Bit Warps programmed to produce a pad like sound. The Bass & Beats has a mode that pans the beat track over to hard right and the bass and line in channel to hard right so it can be used as a two channel device so I have that turned on here. I used the Line Out to record from so with the headphone socket connected to the Korg NTS-1 used as a reverb I passed the output from that connected to the Behringer Wasp Deluxe just to use it's filter to control the frequencies of the reverb tail. This is then passed back to the Line In on the Bass & Beats so we can use the Ducking control to get the reverb tail pumping. Because the Line In is panned over to a different side of the stereo field this doesn't cause feedback, it would if we didn't but this can still be pretty cool if we control it properly.
A little EQ was used on my DAW to mix the channels together but otherwise everything you hear is the hardware shown.
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
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Here's my second jam for song-a-day 2022. I started this late yesterday but ended up running out of energy and just needed a sleep! Plus I wasn't sure if I even liked it, but with fresh ears this morning it seemed work working on.
So it's a sort of ambient-ish downtempo thing. The Bass & Beats plays, well bass and beats. It also plays a sample from a piano harp which is one of the melodic sounds on the device. The Volca Modular is synced with an pulse from the sync out on the B&B playing a short melodic riff thing. Also the Bastl Kastle Drum is connected to the VMod, but it's only used here as a noise generator with the VMod Function 2 and Gate 2 acting like a VCA to turn the noise into something like a wood block hit or thereabouts. There's lots of Zoom Studio 1201 reverb on this using the Ambeince 1 setting because it sounds good on percussive elements and it has a nice fresh sounding top end.
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Amazon UK - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3sxSqkN
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Amazon UK – Behringer Neutron amzn.to/3svOIrK
Amazon USA – Behringer Neutron amzn.to/3MguWs0
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Right, getting back on the jams with Song-a-day 2022 which a challenge not unlike Jamuary, but in February obviously.
I've been super busy on development of the Liven Bass & Beats (prototype shown here) as well as other things which is why things have been so quiet here recently. I'm determined to make more spare time in February but it remains to be seen if I'll have enough time to make a track everyday in February. This is also one of my first chances to play around with the Behringer Neutron that I found second hand recently at a very good price
In this jam the Bass & Beats is playing an Electro rhythm on a kit I made as well as a gritty sounding bass patch. The Liven XFM is sequencing the Behringer Neutron (via midi) on a muted track and also playing strings on a separate track. I imagine this combo will appear more over the month. Not the most amazing bit of work arrangement wise this but I was pushed for time today. I'll probably warm up as the month goes on, fingers crossed.
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
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Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Here's a quick and dirty jam on a borrowed Vermona PERfourMER MK2. I've been working at a studio/synth cave recently that I'm hoping to share more information on soon. Long story but there is an enormous amount of gear there and it's my job to learn the technical ins and outs of all of it. There is some huge modular racks that won't be going anywhere but some of the smaller pieces of gear I can learn at home, like this.
The PERfourMER mk2 is pretty unique (apart from when comparing it to the mk1 of course!) in that it' can be used as 4 separate monosynths on 4 separate midi channels, through duophonic modes, up to a 4 voice polyphonic synth though with individual settings per voice as they cycle through.
In this jam I have it set to monophonic per voice that I have synths 3 & 4 set to the same midi channel. The Sonicware Liven XFM is a 4 part multitimbral synth but it can also sequence external gear on 4 tracks and 4 different midi channels so the two are a good match. I've kept one channel back on the XFM to play drum sounds, then I'm using a track to trigger synths 3 & 4 to make brassy pad sounds, a track for an arpeggio and a track for a lead. If I get time before I take his back I'll record something in polyphonic mode as it can get pretty lush sounding!
in other news, I spent most of my Xmas break working on sound design for the new Liven Bass & Beats which is nearly complete so I should have a bit more free time for making video content soon as it's been a bit quiet round here recently.
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Merry Christmas 2021!
I'm quite busy at the moment making presets for the Sonicware Liven Bass & Beats so I only have time for a quickie. I've been working with Dubreq a bit more this year making some Stylophone promotional videos. I made this one oas an experiment, but a different direction was decided so it was left on the cutting room floor. Shame to let it go to waste though here is a very short Xmas synth cover.
It's two layers of Gen X-1 with some funky drum loops from my vault plus some jingle bells for good measure :)
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#XmasSong
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So here's my first quick jam made using the new Sonicware Bass & Beats. This arrived on Tuesday and I've been tasked with creating wavetables and preset sounds for it which is what you're hearing here. There's a lot to learn that I have yet to look at, plus from what I can gather the text on the silk isn't final yet so I think this is a prototype.
The monophonic bass engine of the B&B features dual wavetable oscillators, a sub oscillator and a noise source. The structure is semi modular with velocity, 2 assignable knobs, 2 LFO's and 3 ADSR envelopes that can be freely assigned. It's possible to have LFO's affect each others speed for example. There is a filter with low-pass, high-pass and band-pass modes that has overdrive, plus waveshaping modes which can all be controlled using the modulation sources.
I'm sure the drum part of the B&B is also very powerful but I've not had much chance to learn how to use that yet 😄
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
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Apologies for the lack of videos recently. I've started back up as a self employed carpenter and joinery and I've been flat out with work since. I completely underestimated the desire for tradespeople to be honest so it's caught me by surprise!
But today I managed to find time for this jam at least. It was inspired by a question left on one of my much older videos, does the Yamaha Pss-580 (and related models) sync to an incoming clock signal? The answer is actually no, but it does send a clock and will also respond to stop/start signals so there's plenty to work with. It also has a useful midi filter so we can turn off incoming channels, useful here as the XFM is sending 4 channels out.
The XFM is sequencing the Pss-580, but the 580 is sending clock to the XFM meaning we have midi in and out connected on both devices. This has to be set up carefully or midi feedback can occur. I also had to disconnect the input to the XFM when I wanted to record new notes to the sequencer because the midi filter on the 580 seemed to be stopping notes for some reason. Still well worth a jam.
I built this track by programming a single part and then altering it using the transpose function. While it plays it possible to alter the sound in realtime on the Pss580 which is a fun way to experiment with FM sounds. The whole things sounds like generic video game water level music to me :)
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#XFM
Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
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My main tutorial that covers all the features of the XFM is here:
youtu.be/Ut4m457Vtnc
This is part 2 of my XFM deep editing tutorials. This time we're looking at making a feedback pad which is something fairly unique to the XFM. The theory behind it is that each operator becomes a square and then they are all routed into each other to create a chaotic sound.
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Amazon UK – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
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Alternatively you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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So here is a new series of videos exploring the edit mode on the Sonicware Liven XFM. Using an overlay gives us access to a full 4 Op FM synth engine. I'm calling this tutorial 1, but I've actually already made another that covers making a growl bass. You can find that here:
youtu.be/beCszKDDI50
My main tutorial that covers all the features of the XFM is here:
youtu.be/Ut4m457Vtnc
This tutorial is much more of a gentle start though and explains the way that FM synthesis works while showing how to build a quick patch from scratch.
I've tried to keep this tutorial accessible though I neglected to mention all the level adjustments I make to the parameters I select as I create the sound are made using the Value knob which is knob 10. Also I noticed after I'd made the tutorial that the knob latch setting seems to also affect edit mode when using the newest firmware, I'm sure this is new. Knob Latch can be turned on and off in Pattern Edit mode.
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Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
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Proper experimental stuff again. I hope you're ready for this.
I thought about calling this 'When Acid Goes Bad' but I think that might annoy the acid purists as it's almost acid but like it's from another world so maybe not.
So this jam really just grew out of experimenting with the SQ-1 and the Bastl Kaslte v1.5 for the first time. Using the SQ-1 to send signals to pitch you can get something resembling pitched notes going. Then if you add in the built in Stepped output it can create another messed version of those pitches as the voltages combine.
The sync is being sent over to the both Kastles to reset the LFO so their time divisions line up nicely. Not much else to say really.
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#Microtonal
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Here are the other 8Bit Warps tutorials I mention at the beginning of the video.
Sweep function: youtube.com/watch?v=sqW1ytFTdjU
Synth engines: youtube.com/watch?v=2iyDjNP7rAY
Analog style kick and clap: youtube.com/watch?v=Ut4m457Vtnc
How to use the looper: youtube.com/watch?v=n6YZkfjiAPc
I've been promising this for a while so I thought it was about time I got round to recording it. Here is how to make your own drum sounds on the Sonicware 8Bit Warps.
The basic idea is that we create a single drum sound and use automation to move settings as the pattern plays to access other drum sounds.
To give a bit more detail, in the FM engine the modulation LFO restarts on each note so we can use the reverse logarithmic LFO shape as an envelope for our FM modulation that goes quickly from bright to mellow as our drum sound plays creating. Using the sweep function we can make our drum sound start at a high pitch and end at a low pitch. These are quite abstract drum sounds we're making but that's similar to the way real drum sounds are created with a bright initial transient hit giving away to a resonant body sound. A rapidly sweeping pitch stops out ear from perceiving the sound as pitched so that gives us our non-pitched element to our sound.
The snare sound needs to be a bit higher in pitch as it's a smaller drum and have much more noise to represent the wire snares so we use different FM settings that create a brighter sound for this.
When creating the hi-hat sounds we need a short decay so a very short gate time is used to create short notes. Also we turn on an upward pitch envelope as this makes use of digital aliasing to give a metallic sound to our hi-hats
If you'd like to read up more about drum synthesis I recommend the Sound on Sound Synth Secrets Series (try saying that 3 times fast!), it's an excellent resource and free too:
soundonsound.com/series/synth-secrets
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Headphones recommended, mostly bass :D
Proper experiment time, not sure yet if this is a success or failure. This idea is probably going to be used on the Bad Things soundtrack, though it may need to cut through a bit more and sounds really nice using my Zoom Studio 1201 rack so I may use that instead.
So i'm using an experimental technique with the Korg Nts1 for this, that is using the 'no mixer input technique' but with the Nts1 in the chain. No notes are played on the Nts1 and there's no other sound being fed into the mixer, it's just a feedback path creating the sound. The output of the Nts1 goes to the mixer and the effects send goes back to the Nts1 in a loop with the send and EQ adjusting the feedback path. I'm using the Plate reverb set to 100% wet with a Delay on too just to give some extra control to stir up the feedback. Distortion plays a part too, as you can probably see I'm red lining the mixer in a big way :D
The projected video is from my families home video collection, a nice bleak looking day at a caravan park. My mum was definitely not 'a happy caravaner' trust me :)
To clarify, the audio from the mixer+Nts1 and the audio from the VHS recording are separate so the drones are created without any use of the camera audio, it's just a feedback path. I mostly added the camera audio to fill out the quiet parts as the technique is very unpredictable with large volume spikes with lots of quiet sections too
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Amazon USA – Korg Volca Modular amzn.to/3zpTE20
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This jam started off as quite an experimental affair and ended up landing in ambient electronica/downtempo/chilled out/new age music territory. Perhaps because I'm feeling a little nostalgic today. As I've mentioned before on the channel I used to be a carpenter and joiner, I did that for a living for 20 years in fact. To cut a long story short I've decided to go back into the trade after a break of a few years and I'm quite excited but a bit apprehensive, though I've already been out to look at some work and it's only been 3 days since I set up my new Facebook page so that can't be bad 😁 Anyway, my point is this sounds a bit 90s to me which is the decade I was learning the trade. Probably not a coincidence, but it's not even a genre of music I listen to much 🤷♂️
So in this jam the Volca Modular has a radio\cassette player plugged into the CV input which is being routed through like it were an oscillator. This enables me to gate the incoming signal. There was some sort of radio play on which gave me plenty of vocal material to work with. I also had to get it done fast though as I wasn't sure when it would finish which is why the video is a bit wonky and blurry on this one, sorry about that.
The radio\cassette in question is a cheap Matsui model that no longer plays tapes but the radio output is impressively loud making it a good fit for playing radio and noise into the Volca Modular
The Sonicware Liven XFM is providing the drums here using a kit that spreads across all 4 track. It's fast becoming my go to drum machine on top of everything else it's good at, more on that in a future video
The Liven 8Bit warps is producing a pad sound using it's lovely lofi FM engine, most of what I'm playing here is improvised. Again I had to work fast so the first good take was the one to use
The Nord Lead is obviously playing the lead sound. Again largely improvised. I learned how to trill on piano recently, maybe a bit too much of that in this to be honest 😄
Effects are provided by the Danelectro Fab Echo on the Nord Lead and the Zoom Studio 1201 routed into my Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 audio interface
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#Sonicware
#NewAge
#Ambient
#Electronica
If you'd like to support the channel you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Alternatively I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
Amazon UK – Focusriet Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Update: Here is Sonicware's guide to using Snoize to update and backup patches on Mac:
youtu.be/dg4S284cn8M
Here are the links I use for this tutorial:
sonicware.jp/pages/download
http://www.midiox.com
snoize.com/sysexlibrarian
sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/how-do-i-send-and-receive-sysex-on-pc-or-mac
As requested over on the Sonicware Liven Facebook group, here is a tutorial on how to download and install firmware updates for the Sonicware Liven series. Good old midi sysex :)
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#LivenXFM
#SoftwareUpdate
If you'd like to support the channel you can grab a 'Pay What You Want' album from my Bandcamp or an instrument, kit or badge from my Etsy.
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Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Thanks to @krs-T Bedford Studios for inspiring the name for this, I just stole it from him straight out of the comments section 😁
I think I might be back on the jam wagon. This was going to be a dawless jam originally as I'd planned to sync the MicroFreak up to my 4 track in the same manner as I do my Volca, by recording the sync click. I got it working fairly well by running the sync click through a Volca into the MicroFreak but despite doing this multiple times sucessfully in the past it kept skipping today. Midi sync to Reaper it is then
So this is a track build from 4 layers of MicroFreak with a little reverb, including the drum sounds, nothing more. I'm quite proud of my kick drum sound as I have made a fake reverb tail using the noise engine, the MicroFreak has no effects to do this so programming tricks are needed. I've also synthesized Hi-Hats, an acid bass and a grotty string like pad.
I've not been using the MicroFreak long. I've had it a a few months but I've not really had the chance to explore what it can do until now, but I like what I'm hearing :)
The sounds I made and use in this video are available here in the *.mfpz format for Arturia's Midi Control Centre:
dropbox.com/sh/l6c592egulnmjkg/AACuNF5FAg4C6ewk2OSO5wDNa?dl=0
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Alternitely I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
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Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
Sorry I've been away from YouTube for a couple of weeks, I've been a bit busy with various things like decorating and creating this live set. This set was performed last Sunday (the 12th of September) at a gig called LiveStock in my hometown of Louth, Lincolnshire. This was my Sunday morning practice run which was much needed for ironing out bugs in my setup as it's been a long time since I've performed a live set obviously. To make sure I got some YouTube content out of it I filmed the whole thing, but that's super boring to watch so most of this video is made up of footage my wife Esme filmed that I copied in from VHS tape. Lofi. I also needed to cover up the fact that there's about 2 mins of footage missing from my room, no idea why.
The set was performed using sliced up versions of tracks I've been uploading here for the last couple of years that I loaded into Renoise and synced a Korg Volca Beats so I could add some extra drum programming live. That idea was fairly sucessful but it's not the most engaging thing to be doing on stage but the time I had to work on this was very limited. I'd preferred to have made all new material with a midi sequencer triggering synths live, but that's also a very complex setup just for a 30 minute set that I'll likely only perform once. Next time maybe.
Btw one of the room that got a make over is the one i'm filming in so it might pop up in future video if needed :)
0:00 '1999'
4:03 'Polymetric Acid'
8:19 'Bad Data'
12:29 'Bad Beat'
14:50 'Techno and Trains'
18:37 'Gastric Acid'
22:42 'Background Techno'
26:38 'Kastle DnB'
31:20 'Armageddon'
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#LiveMusic
#LiveSet
#Electronica
#Drum&Bass
#Techno
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I'm currently in the pre-production phase of working on a film soundtrack, recording an EP with a band plus I've got a live gig in a couple of weeks that I'm not really ready for and I have been asked to make a remix I don't really have time for. So naturally when I have a little bit of extra time over the bank holiday weekend I use it to relax right? Nope. I really fancied making a bit of Downtempo music. Plus I decided to layer up lots of gear on this one, why not?
I'd planned this to be an all 4 track hardware only jam but when I'd written and recorded all the synth and drum parts it was begging for a vocal so I got Esme back in the studio and added the vocals in my DAW of choice, Reaper. She recorded two vocal parts for the verse and 3 for the chorus to get a nice dreamy sound. Her lyrics too that she improvised, total legend. She declined to be photographed of course though :)
So everything apart from the vocal was recorded on the Fostex XR3, mixed on the Inkel MX 880E with reverb added from a Zoom Studio 1201. The Liven XFM and Volca Sample provide the beat which are run through a pair of Flatline optical compressors. The Nord Lead provides the melodic part which is connected to a modded Dan Electro Fab Echo pedal, the Ms10 with custom expander is connected to a Dan Electro Chorus pedal and provides the bass. The Arturia MicroFreak provides a high melodic part with the Liven 8bit Warps providing a high shimmering pad sound.
The breakbeat that is playing on the Volca Sample is from an 'Ultimate Breakbeat' collection from Computer Music Magazine issue 297, some good stuff in that.
Originally I was going to use the Auto Bounce feature to extend the number of takes I could make but I tried it with a couple of drum recordings and it ruined the dynamics so that wasn't an option, hence the splitters used to record more than one instrument per track. Works fine :)
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#DownTempo
#SynthPop
#TripHop
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0:00 Intro
0:19 Update on Bad Things Score
0:40 Recording the song 'Patterns' by Esme :)
2:28 Bastl Kastle Drum experiments
3:10 Ensoniq SQ2 :(
3:33 Lexicon Reflex experiments
4:16 DIY electronic instruments
4:40 Making the 'Hellno'
This video had a bit of a troubled birth! As a result of computer problems this is being published over a week later than I was hoping. The film shoot is into it's second week now.
Anyway, if you fancy making a doomy sounding, weird looking, difficult to play instrument you've come to the right place. Honestly though it can make some pretty cool sounds. It's called a 'Hellno' which I neglected to mention in the video was named so by Esme because she's awesome :)
I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
Amazon UK – Focusriet Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
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#ChrisLody
#FilmScore
#HorrorScore
#BehindTheScenes
If you'd like to help out the channel please consider using an affiliate link below. I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
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Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
I was planning a different tutorial today but after being asked if this was possible I got a bit obsessed with working it out last night so thanks to Dino Goldie for prompting me to make this video. I find pretty much all aspects of sound design interesting and I've always wondered how these FM bass sounds were synthesized so I'm glad I looked into it, the XFM is pretty good at them!
The beat was not created by the XFM in the demo, I just grabbed something from a Future Music Magazine sample pack I had in my enormous sample library and compressed it. Good beat though 👌😁
As I say in the video this is designed to be an accessible tutorial as the Liven series has attracted a few visually impaired users. Let me know if this was clear and easy to understand or I totally messed it up :)
If you enjoyed this video please consider supporting my channel through BandCamp, Redbubble or Etsy or visit my other social media links below:
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#ChrisLody
#GrowlBass
#WobbleBass
#SynthTutorial
#FMbass
If you'd like to help out the channel please consider using an affiliate link below. I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
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I'm gradually working my way towards a full chip tune style drum tutorial for the 8Bit Warps, but in the meantime here is a couple of different percussive sounds for you to try, an analog like kick and clap sound. Unlike the more general tutorial I have planned these are kind of 'one trick pony' sounds, i.e. they work for this but not much more.
The synthesis method used is slightly unusual on each too. Normally a sweeping sine or resonant filter would be used to make a kick drum but here it's done by 'pinging' the filter with a pulse. Also for clap sounds we normally need to synthesize each 'pop' of the clap one after another but here the peaks are created using a flanger.
The Sonicware Wave Edit tutorial I mentioned is here:
youtu.be/dbl2yGHRq1Q
I didn't show how to use the looper in this video as I covered this in detail here:
youtu.be/n6YZkfjiAPc
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#DrumSynthesis
If you'd like to help out the channel please consider using an affiliate link below. I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
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Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Korg NTS1 amzn.to/2UFn9hC
Amazon USA – Korg NTS1 amzn.to/3BwJQVV
Amazon USA – Korg Volca Modular amzn.to/3zpTE20
So I've had a Guzheng in the studio for quite a while now but I've actually got round to using it on anything. A Guzheng is a Chinese zither instrument, this one has 16 steel strings and is usually played plucked. The wife and I have wanted a Japanese Koto for a long time but haven't been able to find one at a decent price so we went with this. It was posted to us without any packaging in it's case so it arrived a bit smashed up unfortunately. I worked for 20 years as a joiner so luckily I was able to patch it up. There are a few photos of it before and after repair on my Instagram if you'd like to see that horror show.
It's not an instrument I've played before so I decided to experiment a bit with it this morning and settled on playing it with rubber beater that came with a glockenspiel I have tucked away in a corner somewhere. By holding them gently it's possible to allow them to bounce to rapidly replay the same note. There are 2 layers of Guzheng here recorded with a Studio Electronics SE7 mic matched pair into my Focusrite 18i8 panned left and right. I didn't plan it that way, I just forgot to record the video for one of them so used both audio takes. Sounds nice like that though I think :)
The Bastl Kaslte Drum is being sequenced from the Korg Volca Modular here and reverb is added to that with the free custom Haze reverb on the Korg Nts1. The Volca Bass and Keys add the other elements.
The prototype board isn't doing a huge amount here as most of the stuff on the board is not connected. It's just the potentiometer shown in the video below altering the trigger level from the Volca Modular to the Kastle Drum as it alters the sound palette a little. I'll make a tutorial about all that soon youtu.be/fM6-jn2mMzE
I believe this genre is referred to as Folktronica but honestly I ended up here by accident as usual :)
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If you'd like to help out the channel please consider using an affiliate link below. I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
Amazon USA – Korg Volca Modular amzn.to/3zpTE20
Amazon UK - Volca Sample (original): amzn.to/3ABcvZh
Amazon UK - Volca Sample 2: amzn.to/3jJSx8V
Amazon USA - Volca Sample (original): amzn.to/3dO677e
Amazon USA - Volca Sample 2: amzn.to/3yuav38
Amazon UK – Korg NTS1 amzn.to/2UFn9hC
Amazon USA – Korg NTS1 amzn.to/3BwJQVV
My Bastl Kastle Drum arrived! What better way to try it out than with some sort of weird Drum and Bass meets Industrial Techno hybrid jam thing.
The Bastl Kastle Drum has no built in sequencer, but it turns out the Volca Modular does a pretty good job of that. I might do some sort of how to video about that in the future actually. But the basic idea is that changes in voltage at the input of the Kastle Drum's Drum Mod connection play different drum sounds so the cv output from the sequencer on the Volca can be connected to that to trigger different sounds across the keyboard. Then clock out on the Volca can also be used to re-trigger sounds when connected to the Trig In connection on the Kastle Drum too.
Elsewhere the XFM is producing a high-pass filtered hoover bass sound and a sub bass sound, the Liven 8Bit Warps is a hand played lead string sound and the Volca Sample is playing a chopped up break through the Nts1 which is acting as a delay. There is a bit of additional EQ and reverb in my DAW just to make things fit together nicely.
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#IndustrialTechno
#Sonicware
#Bastl
#Korg
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If you'd like to help out the channel please consider using an affiliate link below. I will make a small profit from any purchase you make after using one of these links:
Amazon UK – Focusriet Scarlett 2i2 (smaller version of my interface) amzn.to/3BxJFJM
Amazon USA – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Audio Interface amzn.to/3BIZXQm
Amazon UK – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/36ULtyv
Amazon USA – Behringer C1 Microphone amzn.to/3ztQcne
I'm sure I'll be exploring the XFM much more through tutorials like this as there is lots to explore. But if you find the thought of programming FM synth sounds a bit too complex you can kind of skip over that and just use what you know about subtractive synthesis on the XFM.
We can use the feedback on each operator to create Saw, Square, Triangle and Noise on each of them, use the 8 stage envelopes as ADSR envelopes, set up our filter with it's own envelope, set the operators at intervals and even access Pulse Width Modulation. Loads to play with :)
Here is the interval cheat sheet I mention in the video:
dropbox.com/sh/l6c592egulnmjkg/AACuNF5FAg4C6ewk2OSO5wDNa?dl=0
00:00 Intro
01:07 Example analog synth diagram
02:00 XFM 'virtual analog' diagram
03:47 Super Saw example sound
- setting mixer levels, changing the waveforms, detuning waveforms, changing envelopes per 'oscillator'
- tweaking attack and release from pattern edit, changing tone, adding filter with envelope, adding pitch and filter lfo
09:48 Example square sound
- copy sounds, changing waveform to square
10:50 Using the envelope as an ADSR
11:50 Changing pitch by octave and semitone
13:17 Example Pulse and PWM sounds
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#Sonicware
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Amazon USA - Sonicware Liven XFM amzn.to/3IEU9u7
This video is intended to supplement the PDF manual that you can find on the Sonicware website:
sonicware.jp/pages/download
During the tutorial I'll try to explain each feature while building a short pattern. If you're looking for more audio examples please see this playlist of demo tracks I made while the Liven XFM was being developed:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZtzlNHvZRO3tqw48hz3P-OEHySMfeYEK
Accessibility addendum: bit.ly/3xGlIga
00:00 Intro
00:49 Overview of the Liven XFM
A description of the physical construction and connectors
02:18 Getting Started
Powering up the device
Using Headphones or Line Out
Playing patterns
Shift and Func buttons, muting the speaker, changing headphone gain
Changing Tempo, Pattern Tempo and global tempo
Shift Lock function
Pattern, Bank and step buttons to load patterns, Pattern Chaining
Pattern page buttons, knob latch
06:00 What's in a Pattern?
How tracks work, how to select and mute tracks
How each pattern and track is constructed and where elements are saved in the memory
08:04 Entering Notes & Library Synth Engine
Building a pattern from scratch, erasing a pattern or track
Selecting and using the Library synth engine, how sound banks and sounds are organised
Library Attack and Tone settings
Entering notes directly into steps, clearing steps, step record function
Tied notes and auto step function
Using the octave keys, setting the velocity for the keyboard
Real-time recording mode, using the Metronome and Pre Count function
Changing the length of each track, changing the note length, transposing tracks
Pan and Level for a track
Example kick drum loop
Saving a pattern
15:12 LFO Setting & X-Lab Synth Engine
Selecting and using the X-Lab synth engine
X-Lab morphing explained, using the 1-2 control
Pitch and envelope locking, Color and Tone settings
Example lead sound
Capture mode works in X-Lab mode
Release & Gate control works
Selecting between Poly, Mono, Legato and Arp voice modes, adjusting glide and arpeggio type
LFO setting for pitch, rate, shape and delay
Sweep function, up, down, range and curve
23:38 Filter Settings & X-Form Synth Engine
Selecting and using the X-Form synth engine
Time and Delay functions
Example bass sound
Selecting a filter type and filter envelope type
Cutoff, Resonance controls, envelope Depth and Time
Filter LFO Depth control
27:49 FX Settings & X-LFO Synth Engine
Selecting and using the X-LFO synth engine
Rate and Shape controls
Example pad sound, programming chords using the Tie and record functions
Using FX types, using the -FX (FX send) control
31:32 Automation Using Parameter Locks
Parameter Lock function
Programming exact movements per step, clearing the parameter locks
Real-time recording parameter locks automation
Sound Locking function to add hi-hats to the example kick drum loop
Using the Dice feature per track or per step using the Parameter Lock feature
35:11 Sequencer Playback Modes
Random and the Random Step function
Stutter function
36:18 Miscellaneous Settings
Swing feature
Copying and Pasting steps, Clock settings, Midi channel settings, Midi options menu, Data menu System menu and Line In menu.
38:45 Sound Edit Mode Using the Overlay
Using the Edit mode to edit the library sounds
Accessing edit mode and selecting a sound using Bank and step keys
Using the overlay, Page 1 and Page 2 buttons
Initialising a sound, Copying a sound, Exporting a sound, edit the Name of the sound, Saving a sound
Changing the velocity of the keys, changing Voice mode and Voice Adjust, using the Octave buttons
41:16 4-Op FM on the XFM & Quick Edit Mode
How FM works on the XFM
Using Operator Feedback to create Sine, Saw, Noise and Square
How the Quick Edit section works, Mixer Levels, Ratio and Fine settings
Edit Feedback, Level and Detune from Quick Edit
How the Deep Edit section works in general, using the Value knob and Value encoder, selecting and muting operators, routing operators to the output
46:27 Deep Editing Each Operator
Using the OP/Mixer Receive Level to set up feedback or Modulation
Setting the Ratio/Freq, Level, Detune, Velocity Sensitivity, Gain Scaling and curves, Fixed Pitch, editing pitch in Hz, Algorithm Option
52:36 Volume and Pitch Envelopes
Volume envelope Time and Level, Up curve, down curve, Time Scale
Pitch envelope On/Off, edit pitch envelope
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