synthgeek has released the Lunettik series, a collection of small noisemaking devices inspired by Lunettas.
In a nutshell, Lunettas are simple circuits, often based on CMOS logic chips. To quote mosc from the electro-music forums, “These machines are named after Stanley Lunetta of Sacramento, California… Lunettas are very simple, digital, noisy, quirky, and lots of fun.”
Note that these are not meant as emulations of any specific circuit, they are just inspired by the concept. Like the circuits which inspired them, they don’t necessarily do things “right”, but they generate interesting sounds. If you like noisy, droney, and/or buzzy stuff based on square waves, check ‘em out. The first pack includes three simple generators: SR1, OR1, and BC1, which are named after the logic functions used in their design (Shift Register, OR gate, and Binary Counter).
The Lunettik series plug-ins are available as a free download for Windows PC (VST).
Synthgeek has released sg-modutron mini, a free synthesizer instrument for Windows.
This is a simple 1-oscillator synth based on “virtual circuit-bending”. The initial idea started out as an attempt at making a bass synth version of the APC synth. It turned out to be impossible to get it to track pitch at all, so more experimentation ensued, and this is the result. It does track pitch, but often sounds will change across the keyboard or possibly even stop making sound at a certain key.
Some of the ideas used here will doubtless be put to use in a larger multi-osc synth, though whether an expanded version of this exact synth will be developed remains to be seen.
sg-modutron mini is available to download as a freeware VST instrument for Windows PC.
synthgeek has announced the release of sg-uglyverb, a free effect plug-in for Windows.
synthgeek sg-uglyverb
synthgeek writes:
There are times when I want a reverb for its smearing, tail-producing qualities, but a regular reverb isn’t ugly enough. This was created to solve that problem.
It sounds just like the name implies, and sometimes that’s just what the situation calls for.
sg-uglyverb is available as a freeware VST effect plug-in for Windows PC.
The reason for this not being technically correct is that doing this the right way would require a lot more CPU. This implementation only achieves true frequency shifting in a certain range of frequencies, while frequencies outside of this range get an effect closer to ring modulation, which is still interesting.
There is also a simple distortion effect and LFOs for modulation.
sg-freakshift is available to download as a freeware VST effect plug-in for Windows PC.
synthgeek has released sg-glitchgate, a free VST effect plug-in for Windows.
This is an experimental gating plugin- basically a rhythmic gate, but not set up in the standard way. There are two periodic gates which can be used for anything from regular rhythmic chopping to random rhythmic manipulations and strange dropouts. The gates are followed by a delay unit designed to enhance the glitchiness- it does not sync to tempo, and the delay time and gain can be randomized. There are 5 LFOs to add to the fun. A few presets are included to give you an idea of how things work.
The periodic sequence idea was largely inspired by stuff from xoxos, and uses his “regular” module to provide the pulses used in the gates. See http://www.xoxos.net
sg-glitchgate is available to download as a freeware VST effect plug-in for Windows PC.
Chris Randall shares the latest on Audio Damage’s forthcoming virtual drum synthesizer (check little demo audio clip here).
Audio Damage Tattoo (alpha)
Chris writes:
With the caveat that the UI isn't 100% finalized, here you go. Have a gander at Tattoo, our first instrument. Some salient points:
No samples. This is a drum synthesizer. Each voice is purpose-built, as well, rather than just having a general percussion synthesis voice.
Every synthesis control has a sequencer attached to it.
If you own Replicant, you can immediately see how the randomization/likelihood works for each channel/voice.
The sequencer also outputs MIDI (in the VST only, of course) so you can use the randomization features in other drum synths or external hardware.
So, there you have it. We haven't decided on a price, and I have no idea whatsoever as to when it will be done. We've got the synthesis all in place, but not "tuned," and the sequencer is about 80% complete, but the hardest parts haven't been done yet.
Synthgeek has added another sample pack to the free samples page. The Kurzweil percussion 1 (2.15MB) sample pack includes 15 drum/percussion sounds from a Kurzweil K2000S.
Austrian composer Peter Ablinger digitized a recording of a child speaking and then programmed a mechanical piano to replicate the sounds. The video above is in German, but Hack a Day has provided a translation:
I break down this phonography, meaning a recording of something the voice, in this case -, in individual pixels, one can say. And if I have the possibility of a rendering in a fairly high resolution (and that I only get with a mechanical piano), then I in fact restore some kind of continuity. Therefore, with a little practice, or help or subtitling, we actually can hear a human voice in a piano sound.
The content of the speech is taken from the Proclamation of the European Environmental Criminal Court at World Venice Forum 2009.
Read all about the "DroneLab" analog drone synthesizer and signal processor; PCBs and parts kits coming by the end of October. Or build it from scratch! The schematics are available at the bottom of the page. PCB pattern will be posted as soon as it is finalized.
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