Video content: May 2025
2025-06-04
To aid discovery I will give an overview of the 10 synthesizer videos I produced in May.
Oberheim Xpander FM exploration
My first synthesizer demonstration video on Youtube! A sound design exploration of FM synthesis on the Oberheim Xpander. Somewhat unusually, I'm using the filter as the carrier oscillator instead of VCO1. The designers of the instrument made a big deal of how hard it was to get linear FM from VCO2 to VCO1 working, but I think I prefer the sound of exponential FM from VCO2 to the VCF.
Oberheim Xpander sawtooth pad
Another video with the Xpander. Sound designing basic pad sound, with an eye to some of the subtle modulation possibilities of the Xpander.
The result is a very typical synth sound but I was pleased with how good it sounded.
CrowBX PWM fun
Exploring audio-rate pulse-width modulation on the CrowBX. A unique DIY instrument I built myself.
MA-35 drum distortion
I tried something different here; I recorded a small snippet of sound of a song I was working on. I didn't finish this song but I liked the distortion sound I made with the filter.
Nonlinear Labs C15 - quick Karplus-Strong sound design
The C15 is a bit of a niche instrument. I want to get better at programming it. What better way than to record a demonstration video? One of the techniques implemented in this machine is Karplus-Strong synthesis. The C15 makes this really easy because the comb filter is perfectly in tune with the default settings.
Yamaha TX16W with AdventureKid waveforms
I've blogged about this project previously so I thought it would be nice to also show how it sounds in video form.
Kurzweil K2000 FM synthesis
I have previously written about the sneaky way the K2000 lets you do FM synthesis. This video shows how it works.
Kurzweil K2000 exponential envelopes via FUN
The envelope generators on the K2000 don't always sound great. I'm starting to realize that is because they use linear slopes. You can create exponential slopes if you use the "FUN" function generators instead.
Kurzweil K2000 digital synthesis
A demonstration of some other creative synthesis possibilities on the K2000. First I show how you can use the DSP engine to create a pulse-width modulation (PWM) sound, which is something these rom playback synths struggle with. The K2000 is much more than a rompler.
After the PWM I try out the "WRAP" DSP function which creates harsh digital noise. It reminds me a little of Noise Engineering modules like Basimilus Iteritas Alter or Loquelic Iteritas.
Yamaha DX11 synth bass
A demonstration of how easy it is to make synth bass sounds on the DX11. I don't feel like I'm particularly good at FM synthesis but I know enough to make sounds I like.
I was trying to do the opposite of this video from Synthesizer Keith where he first gives a lecture on a white board before he sits down to program a DX11 bass sound. What I wanted to show in this video is that you can also approach the instrument with an exploratory mindset and go by feel.
Yamaha DX11 coarse pitch ratios
Pedantically, this video is not from May 2025. I've been trying to make sense of the pitch ratios on the DX11 and I thought I'd also record a video.