Feel like drawing or painting your music?

HighC is a graphical music creation tool. It is a synthesizer, a sequencer and a mixer. Its goal is to make music composition as simple and direct as sketching.

An entertaining and educational tool…

No music experience needed: create stunning soundscapes and crazy ringtones in a matter of minutes. Learn acoustics, music theory and audio synthesis with a gentle, graphic approach.

that meets demanding professional needs

Master advanced synthesis techniques: FM, ring mod, additive, granular, and much more. No complex dashboards of knobs, dials and connectors with unpredictable effects. No programming. Just draw to unleash your creativity!

HighC uses only the simplest GUI techniques: draw notes, envelopes and wave shapes; move and resize sounds; copy and paste to create effects; group sounds into rhythms or patterns; repeat your groupings to create an harmonic line; link your sounds to one another to create modulations… It’s simple, it’s powerful!

Changes in HighC v2.75

• Printing functionality, enabling export to PDF file format.
• Overview shows the cursor in all views during playback.
• Set the default pitch of imported sound samples (to correct potential pitch detection algorithm errors).
• Tune the sampled audio files.
• Audio file import in the FLAC format. FLAC is a lossless audio compression format that saves about 2/3rds of the original file size.
• Distribution reduced from 16 to 10Mb.

Serge on Moog

Since I am currently on vacation my posts will be shorter and more ad hoc, but be sure I will keep you posted on the coolest electro stuff on the web – just the same, have a great summer

Serge TKB talks to the Moogerfooger CP-251 and to the EML-200. Squawky as hell. Enjoy!

Rob is back with a new great plug-in

This is what you cn read about the new reverb effect

Reverb is a very critical effect when mixing. A bad sounding reverb can ruin the mix of your music! Today’s powerful computers makes it possible to run far more complex algorithms then in the past. But still… it is down to the algorithms if a reverb sounds great or terrible.

As a young synth player, Rob became obsessed with rooms and reverbs. Together with Jon Ayres, Rob Papen has dived into codes and searched for new directions.. new algorithms. After long testing and tweaking, the result is an unique sounding reverb plugin, the reverb you have been waiting for for year to have available in your setup.

The first respond of pro users like Arman van Buuren were comments like “Wow” or “Amazing!”….

The “main focus” of the RP-VERB plug is its sound. So the controls are “exactly” the ones you need!
Easy to use “space types” are included, each of them have their own character. Long tail reverbs… or unheard of rooms are possible. Just like the RP synthesizers….it is purely made for audio quality, performance and making music. Mix with RP-Verb and you will discover its amazing sound.

Live Korg techno session

Good to see what can be done with a few pieces of old hardware in these days of millions of software plugs and infinit CPU power:

Download the highly capable Odo synth for free

Odo from Odosynths is well known on the DIY synth forums especially the SynthEdit forum. A heavy synthedit user he has just released all his softsynths for free. Odo was already very generous giving away a lot of synths, drum machines and processors but he has decided to release all his softsynths for free.

The one pictured above, the Double Six XXL, is an FM synth with 32 possible 6-op or DX7 style algorithms and 16 4-op algorithms. Even a cursory glance at the interface lets you know that this is a well functioned synth. 11 different waveforms for the operators, clipping/distortion/overdrive & and LoPassFilter on each operator, 19 LFO shapes, 8 and 14 stage envelopes, multimode filters, throw in a few sequencers and you get the gist…. FM on steroids.

Download here >>

Nice delay for download

Myosis has released Phrase-Delay, a multi mode delay effect plug-in for Windows.

Phrase-delay is an all in one delay plugin, a Swiss Army Knife, easy to use . It doesn’t sound like any other delay plug-in. It can turn a one shot note into a fascinating loop. From traditional delay to generative music, Phrase-delay do the job with ease!

Phrase-Delay features

• 16 delay channels with independant level, panning, modulation and resonant filter.
• One pre-looper delay for phrasing, up to 10.920 seconds. .
• Two independant feedbacks knob.
• Damping.
• One 4 pole Low pass pre-filter with LFO modulation.
• Manual or Host tempo sync.
• Bouncing-ball mode.
• 16 resonant filters ( 2 pole or 4 pole) for each delay bank with adjustable cutoff freq according to note names for quick edit.
• LFO modulation amount for each delay.
• Tone filter.
• Presets covering all functions and many configurations.
• Manual is also included.

Phrase-Delay is available as a VST effect plug-in for Windows PC for 49 EUR. A demo version is available for download here.

Really good expansion pack for Gladiator

The Electronic expansion

The ‘Electronic expansion’ is a big preset and feature expansion pack for Gladiator 2. Designed by the professional sound designers Markus Feil, Bryan ‘Xenos’ Lee and Bastiaan van Noord, ‘Electronic’ is a collection of more then 300 sounds and new add-on features.

Impressive arpeggiator sequences, resonant basses, groovy drumlines, vocaloid sounds, cutting leads, chiptune sounds, techno stabs, rhythmic trancegates, deep housechords, atmospheric pads and ambient textures are among the many types of electronic sounds featured inside this expansion. A must have if you’re looking for new sounds or if you want to expand Gladiator with more features.

Expansion highlights:

• 300+ inspiring, unique presets aimed at miscellaneous genres of electronic music. The additional sounds can be accessed directly from the interface.
• Stereo Trancegate: Featuring no less then 22 patterns for rhythmic gate effects
• Reverb Ultra: Reverb Ultra uses a new high-quality reverb algorithm, its soft and diffuse sound make it especially
  suitable for larger rooms and sculpting the proper ambience.
• Three new early reflection effects: Early reflection, reverse reflection and gated reflection
• Aliaser: A LoFi retro-effect that works by mirroring the signal’s spectrum at the cutoff frequency
• Stereo Enhance: A stereo width effect, equipped with a High-Shelf filter to expand the stereo field while keeping the
  lower frequencies intact.
• Three additional skins as free bonus content: Black, gold and red skin

Sounds

Arpeggiator AR Alterna BN AR AnaloxARP BN AR Chilled MF AR Curvedloops BN AR Disharmonic MF AR Doublekey MF AR Druckwelle MF AR FilthySchranz XS AR Glasstrip MF AR Hurrican MF AR LoungeRhythmics AR NotAVirus XS AR OneKeyJam XS AR Overdrives BN AR Phasorgate MF AR Pzzsine BN AR RoughDrag BN AR Runaway MF AR Sitomaioa MF AR Smalltalk BN AR Splitplug MF AR Splitsquare MF AR Supersaw MF AR TheSewers XS AR TickledPink XS AR Trancemaster MF AR Trazeptor MF AR Turnbackx BN AR UniLoops BN AR WakeUpCall BN AR Ybox180 BN AR EnigmaMF Atmos AT Atlantis XS AT FoulMist XS AT HRGeiger XS AT NotOfEarth XS AT NuclearWinter XS AT Shamen XS AT TheSwarm XS AT Wastelands XS Guitar GT ArabianNights XS GT FantasyLute XS. GT SynthMandolin XS Bass BA 2ndLine XS BA 80sHybrid XS BA AcidJazz XS BA Apydia MF BA Bassgear BN BA BloodDrop XS BA Bwaaah XS BA BzzGuitar BN BA C64Saw XS BA ChorusBass BN BA ClickBass BN BA Cyanide XS BA D Mode 1 XS BA D Mode 2 XS BA D33pBass BN BA DarkSun XS BA DigiAna XS BA Diztorted BN BA DnAlight BN BA DnBPulsewidth XS BA FallBass BN BA Flatout BN BA Fm Bass BN BA FormantSaws XS BA FrogAcid BN BA Gimmoo BN BA HappyGirl XS BA HardKikz BN BA HardTekno 1 XS BA HardTekno 2 XS BA HateBounces XS BA HCMBass3 XS BA Hitman XS BA IceHits XS BA imPulse BN BA ItsHere BN BA JungleBells XS BA KungFu XS BA Massive BN BA NanoBass BN BA NotAVirus MF BA Notebass BN BA NuFlange XS BA OilSpill XS BA PhasMD BN BA PunchySub XS BA PyroBass BN BA Rave FM XS BA RezzzBazz BN BA RohnBass BN Ba RoughMooglie BN BA Schmatzbass BA Shakeee BN BA SIDClassic XS BA Stomper XS BA Switchblade BN BA TechnoSub XS BA ToughGuy XS BA Wammy BN BA Wavetable XS BA Whysman BN BA WobblyEnds BN

Drumlines and Drums DR Alienbeats DR CrushedRhytm BN DR Cymbal01 BN DR EvilBD XS DR EvilSN XS DR fmRhythm BN DR JungleTrack XS DR SchizoBeat160 XS DR Schranz160 1 XS DR Schranz160 2 XS DR Schranz160 3 XS DR Simplllooop BN DR Tekknoloop2 DR TekknoloopX XS DR TRcowbell BN Nature NA Accordeon BN NA Boxed Dreams BN NA Rosebowl BN NA Stacked Bell BN Organs OR 90s DanceChord OR Blue Morning BN OR ElectrOrgan XS OR HouseTrax XS OR Main Ingredient BN OR MrOrgie BN OR RotaryPWM XS OR Spinal Chords BN Piano and keys PI ClaviHCM XS PI Heavenly XS PI NeoClassical XS PI OutInSpace MF PI PiBell BN PI Synclavs BN Electronic piano EP BrightBell BN EP Darkhalf BN EP eTronic BN EP Jazzedup BN EP Leo BN EP MoFeelin BN Effects FX 33To45 BN FX BarberPole XS FX ChaosBeat XS FX ChiptuneJam XS FX CyberDreams XS FX DemonicCat XS FX DoomMachine XS FX DubHits2 XS FX Eccentric XS FX eva BN FX Evilator MF FX GhostWind XS FX Hallucite BN FX High ‘N’ Dry BN FX PlayChords XS FX PoliceSirens XS FX Rainy Days BN Lead LD Ablaze XS LD Analog2PWM MF LD AnalogPWM MF LD AngryRadical XS LD Apydia MF LD BigBooty XS LD Bigscience BN LD Cobalt XS LD CoolNES XS LD DigiSaws BN LD EdgySID XS LD Fellow MF LD Frostbite XS LD HCMShred XS LD Heatwave XS LD Heavydetune MF LD HeavyDuty XS LD iDentified BN LD ILuvAnalog XS LD Lucky13 XS LD Mentasmic XS LD Orange XS LD OutOfSync XS LD PunchyTrance XS LD ResDive BN LD Stackman MF LD Supersaw MF LD Supersquare MF LD Teal XS LD ToughTalk XS LD TrancePWM XS LD Vampyre XS LD Vanilla Shake BN LD VintageBeauty XS LD Wavecode BN LD WhiteHot XS LD XenoSchranz XS LD Terminator MF

Trancegates TG 1000SawsPD MF TG Active XS TG AdamVanBaker TG Ambrosia TG Fairlane MF TG Hackovertone MF TG Holymoly MF TG Logo MF TG Magicman MF TG Mellotonaut TG Minority MF TG Newsynthesis MF TG Organic MF TG Paradance MF TG Silker MF TG Superahh MF TG Synopia MF TG Trancemaster MF TG TranceTalks XS TG Unstable XS TG VeryBusy XS TG Vokaloid MF TG Wanderer MF TG Xenophopia TG Xenos Pads PA aChordMess BN PA Aftermath XS PA Analogstack MF PA Attackmode BN PA BlueElephant XS PA Clock cycles BN PA Corrosive XS PA Cytosis XS PA CZynthStrings XS PA DarkPlanets BN PA DeepsideChord BN PA Delusions XS PA Desolate XS PA DigiSwell XS PA DX7Pad XS PA Entrophy XS PA Fluorine XS PA Gattedsync MF PA Ghosts BN PA GrungyAna XS PA Hallucinations XS PA Hydra BN PA Industrial XS PA JXVox XS PA Keypad BN PA Liquid Paths BN PA Lowdown BN PA Manon BN PA MeltingClocks XS PA NewDay XS PA Nikki C BN PA Offset BN PA PartII BN PA Perfections BN PA Ripples XS PA ShadeDays BN PA shadowWarriors PA SinFM BN PA Stardock XS PA Sunny Shadows PA SunRays XS PA Turonian BN PA Woodoow BN PA Xploid BN PD DeadZone XS PD Downtempo95 XS Synth sounds SY 5thHits XS SY Affected BN SY Analog Brass XS SY BellLike XS SY ColoursStab BN SY DigiLoFi MF SY DirtyMinor XS SY DnBKordMaj9 XS SY eekHohrn BN SY FrogBells XS SY HipHopBrass XS SY Kasper BN SY MajChordHit XS SY Memento BN SY MinChordHit XS SY Morphology BN SY OrganHits1 XS SY popstaB BN SY RaveKord XS SY Resonator MF SY SIDArpStab3 XS SY SIDKeys1 XS SY SIDKeys3 XS SY Sun Rayes BN SY Synced MF SY TechStab BN SY TranceKeys XS SY Travels BN SY Virii mOOg BN SY WetChord XS Other VO Whispered XS SP Trance Split XS ST Soulina XS PE PolarBells XS

Apple’s corporate tune

A complete re-recording of the Apple corporate song (sans cheesy 80s lyrics). The keyboard featured is a Clavia Nord Lead 3. The original track appears heavily based on ‘What a Feeling’ from the musical Flashdance, with similar instrumentation, melody and singing style – Apple obviously wanted to reference or parody this.

So it is official…

… Michael Jackson is dead

Well it is of course tragic – Billy Jean was actually one of the first singles I ever bought on my own with my own allowance when I was about 13 years old and it is probably still one of the best pop songs that has been made

I take my hat off – your music will live on for a long time

Super Mario goes theremine

Nice movie showing Super Mario controlled via thermine

The sound from the theremin is split into its frequency and amplitude components in real time, which are then mapped to values in a linear scale representing the X and Y axis. Pitch becomes horizontal control, and Volume becomes vertical control.
The X and Y scales are then cut up into different zones. In this case, Left; Right and dead zones for the horizontal, and a single trigger and dead zone for the vertical.

The trigger zones are then mapped onto a virtual joystick hooked into an emulator.