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Universal Audio launches Verve Analog Machines saturation effects, and makes the ‘Essentials’ version free until April 30.

Universal Audio has announced two new plugins that each have a number of retro saturation effects – or Machines – included. Verve Analog Machines is the headliner but the support act, Verve Analog Machines Essentials, might be the main attraction as it’s free until the end April.

With Verve Analog Machines you get 10 ‘Machines’, saturation effects of various colours that give creators everything from “subtle tape warmth and hi-fi tube saturation to full on distorted textures and more”.

The cut-down Verve Analog Machines Essentials includes four Machines but is just $99. It is free until April 30.

The fuller Verve Analog Machines features controls like Drive, Tone, and Tape Warble. The Machines are all analogue in nature (although obviously digital in delivery), all utilising the same kind of component level modelling employed in the rest of UA’s plugins.

The 10 Machine effects are Sweeten (reel-to-reel tape machine), Edge (analogue console), Glow (harmonics via a tube preamp or channel strip), Warm (older tape machine), Thicken (lo-fi tape), Vintagize (old tape), Distort (driving analogue preamp), Overdrive (fuzzy tape tone), Fire (searing analogue tape), and finally Sputter (broken distortion).

Verve Analog Machines Essentials is all of the above but with just four machines and has just the Drive control included (so no Tone or Warble).

“We really want people to get creative with true-to-life analogue tones,” says Ryan Wardell, UA’s Director of Software. “Verve Analog Machines gives music producers and beatmakers a sleek, fun collection of machines to experiment with everything from gentle warmth to sonic obliteration.”

You can get Verve Analog Machines on the standard UA subscription ($19.99/month or $149/year) which gets you close to 40 UAD Spark plugin instruments and effects, most of which are pretty amazing.

Or buy it for a one off fee of $99 until the end of April, or download the Essentials version now for free while you can. Get it now! You can do that, and grab more information on both Verve Analog Machines bundles here.

 

In this video, composer and synthesizer Anthony Marinelli takes a look at the world’s largest touring synthesizer, aka ‘The Chrome TONTO’.

The Chrome TONTO is a custom Moog format modular synthesizer, created for the electronic funk band Chromeo (David Macklovitch and Patrick Gemayel). It’s based around modules created by Synthesizers.com, in a case that’s inspired by the original T.O.N.T.O. synthesizer of Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff.

Marinelli and co-host Rob Rosen talk to Patrick Gemayel, aka P-Thugg from Chromeo. They take a look at the massive 18 feet long x 8 feet tall synthesizer, including how it is assembled, how the system is customized and normalized behind the panel, and what’s needed to tour with a synth like this.

They also look at how they use Ableton Live and AbleSet for music playback, set lists, and lighting cues.

Watch the video and share thoughts on the system in the comments!

Topics covered:

00:00:00 Intro (music)

00:00:55 Meet P-Thugg

00:01:11 Building the Modules / Jam 1

00:02:53 The MIDI Keyboards

00:04:53 Building the Tiers / Jam 2

00:06:33 Custom system by Synthesizers.com (https://shop.synthesizers.com)

00:12:15 Custom Tuner Module

00:13:10 Synthesizer Tuner Hack

00:14:10 Modular and Poly Synth Output Configuration

00:15:50 Look Mum, no patch cords – Hard Wired Presets

00:17:34 Culmination of a Modular Dream / Monster Polyphonic Dream Next

00:19:07 Building the MIDI / Jam 3

00:22:44 Fully Built Instrument (after 3 hours setting up)

00:24:05 Preset Patching System

00:29:47 Bypassing the Preset Patches

00:30:21 Switching Presets on Stage

00:33:40 Spontaneously Programming Sounds on Stage

00:34:42 P-Thugg’s Favorite Sound

00:35:25 Presets Switch between Live Panel Settings

00:36:39 Re-creating the Album in a Live Setting

00:37:35 Changing The Face Panel

00:40:09 Patching the MIDI Polyphonic Synthesizer Keyboards

00:43:15 Tuning Drifting Oscillators – Custom Tuner Module

00:43:51 Connecting All 4 Modular Instruments

00:45:59 Cleaning the Chrome

00:46:35 MIDI Interface Routing

00:48:47 Moog Modular Flexibility with Minimoog Speed

00:49:14 Front Panel Tour

00:51:20 Overriding the Presets with Patch Cords / Multi-Mode Filter

00:53:34 AbleSet by Leolabs – Set Lists, MIDI Patch Changes, Ableton Live Playback connection (https://ableset.app)

00:56:10 Ableton Light Cues

00:57:02 DAW Software – Cubase, Pro Tools, Ableton Live

00:57:50 Adapting the Show to the Song

00:59:37 Chromeo’s Mission

01:01:20 Conclusion

01:01:47 Logo (music)

 

 

 

 

Resynator is a new documentary, and “synth resurrection project”, by director Alison Tavel that tells the story of a ‘lost’ synthesizer design of the 1970s, and its rediscovery.

The Resynator was invented by the Tavels’s late father Don Tavel in the ‘70s. Alison Tavel found the synth in her grandmother’s attic, 25 years after her father’s death, and has been on a mission to share it with the world ever since.

The Resynator is an instrument-controlled, monophonic, rack-mount analog/digital hybrid synthesizer. Invented by Don Tavel and engineered by Mike Beigel, the synthesizer can track the pitch of anything from the lowest note on a bass to the highest note of a piccolo.

The new documentary had its world premiere at SXSW in March, and won the Documentary Feature Audience Award. Details on screenings are to be announced. See the film website for more information.

Film Summary:

“In unearthing the revolutionary synthesizer her late father invented in the 1970s, Alison Tavel not only revives his mission to share it with the world, she unexpectedly forges a deep bond with the father she never got the chance to know.”

Directed by Alison Tavel

Executive Producer Grace Potter

Produced by Jon Lullo, Brendan Walter, Kathryn Robson, Sara Nesson, Christopher Noviello, Barbara McDonough

Edited by Kathryn Robson, Chris Gibson

Music by Chris Ruggiero

Animation by Danny Madden