MFB’s medium sized semi-modular synthesizer

My experiences with the Nanozwerg were enough to warrant buying it’s slightly bigger brother. The oscillators sound good, the modular functions keep surprising you with new sounds and Manfred Fricke always squeezes a few extra functions in the machine, in this case by using a ‘shift’ button. The shift button plays a major role in this machine, as this is the button you use to change between filters 1 and 2, the 2 oscillators, and the LFO settings. The normal oscillators and low frequency oscillators feature the familiar triangle, saw and square waveforms but both OSC’s and LFO’s have an extra trick up their sleeves. OSC 1 features a ring modulator while OSC 2 offers white noise, the LFO has an added ramp in it’s waveforms while LFO 2 has sample & hold.

The Nanozwerg’s bigger brother brings more modularity and patch points than it smaller sibling (the smaller yellow synthesizer pictured on the left). It looks a bit cooler in dark blue with it’s many patch points above the controls, but together they offer a very cool modular combination. Both dwarfs (zwerg being the German word for dwarf) also go well together by using both machines together using the CV (control voltage) in- & outputs. The audio signals can be combined via the ‘VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) add’ and filter inputs. The downside also being the same semi-modularity, with an emphasis on ‘semi’. Not everything can be done, like the lack of being able to adjust the incoming CV value, or scaling as it’s called. This is where a full modular rack would really step-up the sound-designing game. Like the Nanozwerg the filter isn’t awe inspiring but does it’s job well with the 12dB per octave it offers. The resonance is a bit too eager to scream, but together with a distortion pedal this doesn’t have to be a problem. Since I would really would like to expand my studio with a full modular synth in rack format, I’ll probably make use of external filters pretty soon anyway. And there’s always the option to use plugin’s (within a digital audio workstation) to do the filtering. I already play my synths via MIDI inside a DAW and triggering a digital filter is as easy as using the same MIDI notes to trigger the filter’s cut-off.

Because I’ve already tested the Nanozwerg the Micorzwerg isn’t surprising me soundwise. Well, not a lot as I’ve already heard some mad things I didn’t expect when dialing in the sounds. It’s modular side however probably still holds many secrets for me that I’m more than ready and willing to find out. Yeah, it’s not a Moog, but at this price I really don’t care! A great synth to start with to try if analog synths are what you’re looking for. It’s many patch points will stay valuable even if you already expanded your modular synth set-up beyond the capabilities of the Microzwerg making it great value for money.

Related:
MFB Microzwerg Patch Sheet

MFB Nanozwerg Review

A patch sheet for the MFB Microzwerg

I found a few on the web and they all had a ton of mistakes in them, so I edited them to perfection and this is the final result!

Now, I can hear you think: “But how do I note the second instance of the machine after pressing shift?” Well, you can always use two different colors to note the differences or just mark them with a “1″ or “2″.

As always, if you’ve got any questions feel free to ask me in the comments below. If you want to share your patches, mention me in your Tweet of status update on Facebook and I’ll spread the word for you!

Download here.

Related:
Review of the MFB Microzwerg.

MFB Nanozwerg Patch Sheet

Multiband sidechain compressor for Ableton Live 8.x

Looking for a way to create this effect I found this post explaining how I’ll need Linkwitz-Riley filters to make a perfect crossover between the low, mid and high frequencies. Searching for a Linkwitz-Riley filter for Mac didn’t yield the results I was hoping for. But then I realized the original multiband dynamics effect build into Ableton features a solo button for the low, mid and high frequencies. The crossover used in the multiband compressor should be flat, meaning the frequency response is the same before and after the effect (if no compression is applied). Using these filters already available in Ableton Live I made a simple effect rack where you can control the crossover for the three bands and adjust the compression for each band separately. Now you can side-chain each band!

I made this rack specifically for side-chaining because there’s already a multiband dynamics compressor in Ableton, which this effect-rack uses. But, the rack allows for some creative use meaning you can side-chain one band and ignore the other two bands, or compress one band normally, sidechain the other, and ignore the third one. There are many more combinations possible, so go nuts if you feel you have to!

In it’s default setting nothing is happening to the signal. On the left you’ll find two buttons for adjusting the crossover and you’ll notice three channels (low, mid and high) just on the left of the middle in the grouped device. Each channel/band has it’s own compressor, on the right. These compressors are set to the default setting and side-chain is switched on. Select the band you want to side-chain or compress, adjust the compressor to taste and hey presto! (Side-chain) compression is applied to the band you require compressed.

Download here!

Made in Ableton Live 8.3, older versions might work. Feel free to confirm which versions work, or not, in the comments below.

Edit: The zip-file might unpack the effect rack without the proper extension! If so, simply add “.adg” (without quotes) to the end of the file name.

A simple lifehack in the same vein as Ikea hackers. This is not a big hack, but it makes for a great (home-)studio mod.

I was thinking of a way to achieve this (pictured) and I noticed the cheapest model of the bunch, the Apextone LS-01, suited my needs perfectly. At only €15,- it’s by far the cheapest laptop-rack/stand money can buy. There’s an optional tray for another €15,-, and that’s what the Roland TR-606 is sitting on.

Let me share another small hack for in the home studio: Get a bunch of switchable plugs like pictured below. They’ll save you some power-usage and in some cases are an easy way to switch on your instruments and effects. These are the european variant, but I’m sure you can buy a local version wherever you live.

Download here.

Share your favorite patches on Twitter and I’ll re-tweet you! Don’t forget to mention me in your Tweet; @Sonof8Bits.

Manfred Fricke Berlin, a modular synth producing company that in the last years has joined the modular-synth market by creating modules like we know and love from Doepfer and similar companies like Analogue Systems, has been releasing some semi-modular synths like the Microzwerg, Megazwerg and the smallest and lightest of the bunch; The Nanozwerg. The Nanozwerg has a single oscillator (triangle, saw, square, pulse), a switchable filter (low-pass, band-pass, Notch, High-Pass), a single LFO (triangle, saw, square, sample & hold), a knob to modulate the filter with either LFO or VCO, a knob to modulate the oscillator by itself (VCO) or LFO, some patch points and a sub-oscillator to fatten-up your sound. The Sub OSC also includes a Noise generator which makes it possible to synthesize non-harmonic sounds like drums. Pretty standard synth stuff, and the reason why I bought the thing in the first place. But here comes the fun part..

The patchable ports on the device (CV in, Gate in, VCF in, VCA in, LFO in, LFO out and audio in) offer more options you’d ever expect from such a small and perhaps simple synth. The LFO in accepts CV messages to oscillate the LFO along with your notes, making it possible to use it as a second oscillator (via audio in), which is a fantastic idea in itself, but it’s also possible to use it as a high speed modulator for the oscillator giving the Nanozwerg simple FM capacities. (Analog FM synths, do such things even exist?) Patch the LFO into the VCA and you have AM, into gate for interesting rhythmic gating effect and patch it into VCF and the filter will move along with your LFO. (Yes, simple FM filter capacities as well!) There are more options, but if I spoil all the fun there’s nothing to discover for you…

.. OK! One more! Use the Sample and hold from the LFO as a sound-source (LFO out -> Audio in) for that 8-bit burning sound from the old days.

In short, if you have a modular system this might not be interesting for you: The filter is only 12dB per octave, there’s only one (normal) oscillator, it’s monophonic. But if, like me, you’ve just started making your journey into analog, this is a great place to start. It’s pretty cheap (Around €215,-), it’s more powerful than any competitor (Dark Energy, Mopho etc.) and KORG DS-10 users will feel right at home using this synthesizer. Somehow it even reminds me of the software.

One last thing; The power-plug is amazing! It’s small, lean and light like a mobile-phone charger. Kudos for that! Why do we have to have so many wall-warts huh? (I’m looking at you, Roland, Korg, Kawai, and EVERYONE ELSE!)

Related:
MFB Nanozwerg Patch Sheet

MFB Microzwerg Review

I was cleaning-up my samples folder and ran into these samples I once made, probably back in 2007 or 2008. Simple and funny, the dial pad of a telephone can be used to add a whole different beep to your bang.

Theoretically you can sequence a telephone-number in Ableton and initiate a call! Just hold the phone’s receiver up to your speaker while playing back the sounds and the call should commence. Oh, this will work only with a landline, mobiles don’t dial that way. I have little experience with VoIP phones, so I don’t know if they work with DTMF tones. Head on over to Wikipedia to learn more about DTMF.

Download DTMF Dial Pad Drum Rack

Once downloaded, put the folder “JordyVision” in the samples folder of your Ableton Library, usually found at:

Ableton/Library/Samples

Put the drum rack file (.adg extension) in the correct presets folder of your Ableton Library. That would be “Drum Rack” in this case, typically located at:

Ableton/Library/Presets/Instruments/Drum Rack

You can make your own folder within the Drum Rack folder if you wish. Most of the time I call these “My Presets”, “My Patches” or something along these lines, pick a name you’re comfortable with.

These and more samples can be found on the samples page.

The sample packs I’ve been handing out the last few days, in Ableton Live drum rack format, free of charge! Edit: Beware though, this Drum-Rack only works in Ableton 8.2. Thanks Tomas for sharing! But you can still use the samples found in the download.

The installation notes are included in the download, but here’s one with pictures:
Put the folder “JordyVision” in the samples folder of your Ableton Library, usually found at:

Ableton/Library/Samples

Put the files “TR-505.adg” & “TR-606.adg” in the correct presets folder of your Ableton Library. That would be “Drum Rack” in this case, typically located at:

Ableton/Library/Presets/Instruments/Drum Rack

You can make your own folder within the Drum Rack folder if you wish. Most of the time I call these “My Presets”, “My Patches” or something along these lines, pick any name you’re comfortable with.

If Ableton gives you a “Samples couldn’t be located”, then let Ableton search the library and they should pop-up. Feel free to ask for help in the comments.

That’s it! Enjoy your vintage drumming.

Download

Roland TR-505 Sample Pack & Roland TR-606 Sample Pack by JordyVision / Son of 8-Bits is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license are available at http://sonof8bits.com/about-me/contact.

This is a Creative Commons release, however, commercial use is allowed through a license. A license is free, but registration is required. Go to http://sonof8bits.com/about-me/contact for said license. Make sure to include your full name and a valid e-mail address.

More samples? On this page.

Samples recorded through an M-Audio Fast Track Pro using the TR-606′s only line-out, the mono line-out. Noise reduction via Ableton Live’s gate device. Further editing and sample-rate conversion done in Audacity. Rendered in both 24-Bit 96000Hz AIFF and 16-Bit 44100Hz WAV.

Go to my new Samples Page to download.

All samples recorded, edited and converted by JordyVision at studio moimooi, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Original sound-design by The Roland Corporation.
©2011 JordyVision / Son of 8-Bits
℗2011 studio moimooi

File hosted by Prowess Records.

Samples recorded through an M-Audio Fast Track Pro using the TR-505′s line-out (mono, left output). Noise reduction via Ableton Live’s gate device. Further editing and sample-rate conversion done in Audacity. Rendered in both 24-Bit 96000Hz AIFF and 16-Bit 44100Hz WAV.

Download via my brand new Samples Page.

All samples recorded, edited and converted by JordyVision at studio moimooi, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Original sound-design by The Roland Corporation.
©2011 JordyVision / Son of 8-Bits
℗2011 studio moimooi

File hosted by Prowess Records.