Erica Synths has announced the availability of the EDU DIY System & Kit Set, two options for creating a complete DIY Eurorack modular synthesizer.
The mki x es.EDU DIY System was developed by Erica Synths and Moritz Klein, with the goal of letting people learn how to design analog synthesizer circuits from scratch. The kits are not designed for you to just solder and put in your rack. Instead, the developers want to guide you through the circuit design process step by step, explaining every choice they’ve made and how it impacts the finished module.
Two complete options are available: the Kit Set, which only includes the modules; and the System, which includes a DIY case and cables. Both options are available now, with the following pricing:
Moog Music has brought back the Moogerfooger effects pedals in a new suite. The classic analogue stompboxes are reborn for your DAW. The new bundle of plugins for Mac and Windows.
Moog retired the Moogerfooger range of effect pedals in 2018, after 20 years, and since then, used prices have skyrocketed. Now it is back, though this time, in the form of a bundle of seven plugins.
Bob Moog introduced the Moogerfooger brand in 1998, kicking things off with the MF-01 low-pass filter and MF-102 ring modulator, both of which were inspired by his synth module designs. The MF-103 phaser was released the following year, and four further products followed.
All seven Moogerfoogers have now been emulated for the DAW generation, with each plugin being based on the original analogue circuits. The effects now operate in stereo and have expanded feature sets; all parameters can be automated and you can create, save and load presets.
The hardware Moogerfoogers all featured CV inputs and outputs, meaning that they could be connected together to produce inter-related effects. This feature is recreated in the software versions; each instance of a Moogerfooger can modulate the parameters of any other. There are digital attenuverters on every CV input, along with sidechain and DC offset capabilities.
Having released multiple iOS apps – many of which are now available on macOS, too – the Moogerfooger effect plugins represent the next step on Moog’s software journey. And Steve Dunnington, the company’s current VP of Engineering and former apprentice of Bob Moog, feels that the great man would have approved.
“Bob liked to describe himself as a toolmaker for musicians,” Steve recalls. “He felt that technology should not drive the needs of musicians, but that engineers and toolmakers should use the needs of musicians to harness the power of technologies that serve those needs. He was never dogmatic about whether analogue or digital was better; he saw both technologies as different means to serve the musicians that he respected and admired.”
Discussing the genesis of the new suite, Steve says: As we began the development of the Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins, it was of paramount importance not just to clone the devices, but to look for opportunities where digital technology could improve some of their characteristics. This is in alignment with Bob Moog’s philosophies – he was reluctant to copy his old designs but preferred to continue to refine and improve them based on the needs of musicians.
“Thus, the envelope follower controls on the new MF-101S become more flexible for a wider variety of program material than the original MF-101, thanks to the possibilities provided by digital technology.
“Other examples abound in the Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins, where inspiration was taken from the original with the addition of useful improvements. They sound great, like the classic Moog circuits we know and love.”
What Moog say about the Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins:
“Each of the seven effects have been meticulously recreated with reverence for the lush, distinctive tones of the original analog circuits—now ready to be integrated into your digital audio workstation. With stereo functionality and an extended feature set, these plug-ins further tailor the classic Moogerfooger functionality to the modern digital creator.
With all parameters ready to be automated as well as the ability to save and manage presets, Moogerfooger Effects Plug-ins mutate and re-shape themselves around your audio tracks.”
You can check out a full breakdown of all the Moogerfooger plugins below. They run on Mac and Windows in VST/AU/AAX formats, and the bundle is available now for the introductory price of $149 (regular price $249).
PreSonus has unveiled Notion Mobile, a free composing app that enables you to create standard music notation and guitar tab. Notion Mobile, a freemium, cross-platform music composition tool that builds on the blueprint laid out in Notion for iOS.
By cross-platform, PreSonus means more than just Windows, macOS and iOS/iPadOS, as Notion Mobile also runs on Android, ChromeOS and Amazon Fire OS devices. You can compose using both standard music notation and guitar tab, and switch between operating systems at will.
Additionally, you can transfer scores wirelessly between any devices running Notion Mobile, Notion desktop and Studio One.
As for playback purposes, Notion Mobile features piano and orchestral sounds recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, and there are also sampled guitar, bass, drum and other instruments.
When creating your scores, Notion Mobile provides unlimited staves and a full suite of editing features. You can input notes, beats and fingerings using the interactive piano keyboard, guitar fretboard or drum pad. A chord library is designed to make it easy to enter chord names and voicings.
In addition, you can add parts using the optional handwriting recognition, which is available on phones, tablets and computers.
The Notion Mobile interface can be customised in a variety of ways. You can adjust the size of the icons, show a dark or light score area, place the note palette on the right or left side, increase the width of the piano keyboard keys and more.
And, you can draw on a palette of articulations, expressions, and dynamics to aid realism. Whereas, the multitrack mixer enables you to balance the levels of your instruments.
While you can download Notion Mobile for free, if you want to go beyond the core sound library and access full functionality, you will need to purchase the optional Feature Bundle. As well as a more expansive sound library, this adds the handwriting recognition, multi-format file export, and the aforementioned wireless file transfer. PreSonus Sphere members get this included in their subscription.
