Dutch composer & synthesist Danny Wolfers (Legowelt) & Dim Garden have released a new album, The Art Of DX7.
Wolfers describes The Art Of DX7 album as a collection of “Synthesizer folks songs, full with nostalgia and yearning.” The album was made on a vintage Yamaha DX7.
In addition to the album, Wolfers has released a free library of the sounds that he used on the album. If you have a DX7 or a synthesizer that can read the DX7’s patches, you can download the sounds used on the album in .syx format.
You can also use them with Dexed, which can be used to preview and play the sounds, both as a standalone application and as a VST for your DAW.
You can preview The Art Of DX7 below:
The Art Of DX7 is available now via Bandcamp. The patches are available as a free download (.syx).
Re-amping synthesizers – playing recordings through an amplifier and then re-recording the results – is a powerful technique that can bring an illuminating dimension of organic texture and character to your synth patches.
Noon Instruments’ Vessels breathes new life into a spectacular library of synth samples through “contemporary and experimental” re-amping techniques.
Not sure, just ask Aphex Twin, who sang the technique’s praises in a 2014 interview with Pitchfork: “It’s real, it’s something in the air,” he said. “That’s the magical ingredient – when something moves through the air, it’s automatically going to sound more interesting […] It’s been in the real world and put back in the computer”.
It’s this sentiment that serves as the inspiration for British creative sound studio Noon Instruments’ latest sample instrument: Vessels. Billed as an “exploration of object resonance and sonic materiality”, Vessels is based on an extensive library of samples of both analogue and digital synths that have been re-amped using a variety of creative and unconventional studio techniques: the result is a stunning and diverse library of sounds that spans cosmic pads, soaring arps and distorted textures.
Here’s the sound demo:
Vessels’ presets are categorized into three banks: Divergent, Convergent and Relics, each characterized by a different approach in the studio. The sounds in Divergent lean towards traditional re-amping techniques, having been passed through two 180-watt cabinets and recorded with multiple microphones.
Convergent has a more experimental bent, its discordant recordings run through surface transducers attached to metallic objects, while Relics’ samples were run through tape machines and effects pedals to achieve a warm and evocative sound.
The instrument’s GUI features four squares representing the four sound layers comprising each of the instruments’ 460 presets. These can be blended, soloed or muted, before the mix is shaped via the ADSR envelope, filter and EQ.
Four additional menus reveal a variety of effects that includes multiple types of distortion, compression, delay, reverb and chorus, while two tempo-syncable LFOs can be used to modulate eight of Vessels’ key parameters.
Vessels requires Native Instruments’ Kontakt or Kontakt Player, versions 7.7.2 or later. The instrument is available now and is priced at £99. Find out more on Noon Instruments’ website .
Rob Papen Inspiration Soundware has announced availability of eXplorer-10, its latest bundle, which includes the introduction of RAW-2, the SynFex virtual synth, and BLUE-III eXplorer-X and Albino-3 Legend XPS soundsets.
RAW-2 retains the original RAW feature-packed OSC 1 and OSC 2 sections, each with an X/Y field to distort the waveforms (using phase distortion). Users can continue to draw their own ‘waveforms’ to be used as LFO waveforms, enabling the creation of unique ‘wobble’ sound movements — perfect for dubstep and other EDM styles. An additional feature is the ‘Ribbon Controller’ carried over from the likes of BIT-2, allowing RAW-2 users to dynamically change their sound with its tempo-based SPRING BACK feature.
In RAW-2, EQ, WAVESHAPE, DISTORT, and LOW-FI have all been added on a per-voice synthesis level to allow for further flexibility. Further effects such as CHORUS, FLANGER, PHASER, STEREO DELAY, and Rob Papen’s proprietary REVERB all add to the sound sculpting possibilities, while the super-cool 32-step sequencer/ arpeggiator and preset bank manager are all included as standard. RAW-2 comes complete with new presets alongside the the original RAW presets, with contributions from several well-known DJs and producers. More information about RAW-2 is at this link.
An all-new virtual FX synth, SynFex is also included in eXplorer-10; SynFeX ensures that its users can easily find an appropriate tempo-based audio FX sound. Indeed, its MOVEMENT section allows anyone to quickly adjust their rises and drops to suit their needs.
Rob Papen explains: “Each SynFeX preset holds at least three variations that are available by simply selecting a different type of MOVEMENT; most of the FX sounds are tempo-based, and, by changing the speed, you can adjust the tempo of the MOVEMENT. This section also has controls to adjust how the MOVEMENT changes — for example, FILTER FREQUENCY, PITCH, VOLUME, PAN, and so on, but more creative control of the sound is possible when using the ‘Ribbon Controller’ that even has a tempo- based SPRING BANK feature for introducing smooth dynamic changes to the sound. If you like to create your own FX sounds, SynFeX has plenty of features to offer. The source audio material can be analog-modeled noise, tuned noise, synced noise, waveforms, and built-in samples, and you can load your own samples! Setting Sample as SOURCE allows you to switch to Granular playback mode and even add an additional NOISE MIX and a SUB oscillator. The FILTER section offers 32 filter types, as well as Ring and Amp modulation. A dedicated LFO can be tempo-based as well, while LOW-FI, MOD-FX, DELAY, and a top-tier REVERB are also on offer; the order of the FX in series can be adjusted in the PATH section. Then there is a four-path MOD matrix for addressing the ‘Ribbon Controller’ or any other target. SynFeX comes with various play modes, and the bank manager helps you to quickly find the type of preset you seek.”
eXplorer-10 also comes complete with BLUE-III eXplorer-X and Albino-3 Legend XPS soundsets, and are also available for purchase individually. 130 exciting new presets are part of BLUE-III (included in eXplorer-10 as a virtual instrument representing ‘Cross-fusion synthesis’), while Albino-3 adds over 850 presets.
eXplorer-10 is available for €499.00/$499.00 from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from the Rob Papen website. Owners of eXplorer-9 can upgrade to eXplorer-10 for €74.00/$74.00. Owners of eXplorer-6 through to eXplorer-8 can upgrade to eXplorer-10 for €99.00/$99.00. Owners of eXplorer-1 through to eXplorer-5 can upgrade to eXplorer-10 for €149.00/$149.00.
RAW-2 is available for €99.00/$99.00 from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from the Rob Papen webstore. For more in-depth information, go here. Owners of the original RAW can upgrade to RAW-2 for €39.00/$39.00.
SynFex is available for €49.00/$49.00 from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from the Rob Papen webstore. More information about SynFex is also available at that link.
BLUE-III eXplorer-X is available for individual purchase as a soundset for BLUE-III for €25.00/$25.00 from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from the Rob Papen website.
Albino-3 Legend XPS is available for individual purchase as a soundset for Albino-3 Legend for €25.00/$25.00 from authorised Rob Papen dealers worldwide or as a download directly from the Rob Papen website.
