BA-1 The first proper analog-modeled emulation of the CS01, a beloved and cultish 1982 monosynth!

Review video of BA-1 synth!

Watch my video review of BA-1 and listen to the warm analog glory!

Want to try the BA-1 synth for free? Get it via the link below. The trail version will insert 5 sec of silence every 60 seconds.

– The Essence of Analog Bliss –

BA-1 is the Yamaha CS01…but polyphonic, and with effects!

YAMAHA CS01 from 1982 is a wonderful little portable synth. BA-1 makes a perfect emulation of the CS01 and takes the synth to new territories with “battery control”, polyphony and a classic analog “budget” effects section.

Yes, the original CS01 was monophonic, but you can also flip a switch on BA-1 if you want to make it sound mono like the classic!

Speaker emulation

Even the speaker emulation from the CS01 is included in the BA-1 synth, so you can flip a switch and instantly get that sweet lofi sound!

Embracing the Warmth

The BA-1 synth captures the essence of vintage analog warmth in a digital age. Its meticulously crafted sound engine and careful attention to detail ensure that every note you play resonates with a beautiful, organic warmth that is reminiscent of classic analog synths. Say goodbye to sterile and lifeless sounds— the BA-1 brings your music to life with its authentic analog character. And if that’s not enough, degrade/reduce the battery amount and make the sound sparkle (fuzz) even more!

A Journey Through Time

To truly appreciate the BA-1 synth, let’s take a moment to delve into the rich history of analog synthesis. From the iconic Minimoog to the legendary Roland Jupiter-8, analog synths have shaped the sonic landscape of countless genres. Baby Audio pays homage to these timeless instruments, incorporating their iconic sonic qualities into the BA-1, making it a gateway to the magic of vintage soundscapes.

Intuitive User Interface

Whether you’re a seasoned producer or just starting your musical journey, the BA-1’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and create stunning sounds. With intuitive controls and clear visual feedback, you’ll spend less time tweaking parameters and more time immersing yourself in the creative process.

Oscillators unleashed

The BA-1 synth features dual oscillators, each offering a wide range of waveforms. From the classic sawtooth and square waves to rich triangle and pulse waves, the oscillators provide a versatile foundation for crafting unique sounds. Experiment with detuning and blending the oscillators to achieve fat, lush tones or create intricate harmonics that will captivate your listeners.

Sonic Shaping

To truly shape your sound, the BA-1 synth offers a suite of built-in effects. Add grit and character with the distortion module, create lush textures with the chorus effect, or immerse your sounds in a rich, spacious environment with the reverb. These effects provide the perfect finishing touches to polish your sounds to perfection.

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I’ve collected some of my favourite synths from the NAMM show which I believe is worth checking out.

What are the best synths of NAMM 2021?

Synths we look at in the video are:
UNO Synth Pro, Korg modwave, Korg ARP2600M, Korg Wavestate SE.

Furthermore, another product I’m very excited to try out when it’s released is the Korg Gadget VR which is a virtual music studio! In the release video we saw Korg using a Oculus Quest VR headset to view the Gadget experience. The video was a bit stuttering and I hope they get the framerate and fidelity up before it’s released to the public.

Some other worthy mentions is the Kurzweil K2700. Can’t remember when I last saw a K-series workstation released. But I do recall Jordan Rudess showcasing the Kurzweil K2500 when doing his instruction videos and clinics back in the days. Before joining up with the mighty Dream Theater. That said the K2500 sure looks like a powerful workstation.

Do people use synth workstations rather than a DAW?

I don’t know for sure, but I will keep a close eye on the K2700 to see what the workflow is like.

Can’t wait to try out all these synths and apps during 2021.
Hope you enjoy this collection of my favourite synths of NAMM 2021!

Thanks for watching and supporting my channel!

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After 24 hours of flight from Sweden to LA, I came to grab the Synth Highlights of NAMM 2020. The best upcoming synths this year!?

NAMM… the trade show where we get to try hands-on the latest upcoming music gear. A few manufacturers announced their new product lines just before NAMM. Like the Korg’s reissue of the ARP 2600. Which quickly was sold out and stirred up discussions in the synth community.

I compiled a video below where you get to see some of the upcoming synth, midi controllers, modular and guitar gear.

Synth Highlights NAMM 2020

While NAMM is the largest tradeshow for music gear in the world it would be insane to try and cover all the synths. But here is my favourite selection of synth highlights at NAMM 2020.

KORG presented an array of new synths & workstations a week preceding NAMM, let’s first talk about the joker synth – The WaveState!

Wavestate by KORG – Synth Highlight

Right before NAMM, Korg announced the Wavestate which updates Korg’s classic Wavestation with modern features that will attract sound designers, film composers and producers who want a complement to their analog gear.

Wavestate comes with a 2GB memory full of exciting samples and takes the digital synthesis concepts from the 1980s / 1990s to a whole new level.

The pristine synth engine of the Wavestate, is based on four dedicated PCM oscillators with the major synthesis method of wave sequencing and vector synthesis. Each oscillator can be separately sequenced and animated. Max polyphony is 64 stereo voices.

Wave Sequencing 2.0

KORG calls this updated version of the synth engine, Wave Sequencing 2.0.

Wave Sequencing 2.0 splits apart the timing, the sequence of samples, and the melody, so that each can be manipulated independently. Also added are new characteristics including shapes, gate times, and step sequencer values. Each of these is a “Lane,” and each Lane can have a different number of steps and its own start, end, and loop points.

Every time the sequence moves forward, the individual Lanes are combined to create the output. For instance, a sample may be matched with a different duration, pitch, shape, gate length, and step sequence value every time that it plays. You can modulate each Lane’s start, end, and loop points separately for every note, using velocity, LFOs, envelopes, Mod Knobs, or other controllers. Each note in a chord can be playing something different!

Lanes can also randomize the step order every time they play, with realtime control over the range of included steps. Finally, individual steps can be randomly skipped, with a modulatable probability from 0 to 100%. The result is organic, ever-changing sounds that respond to your control. The four onboard arpeggiators can interact with Wave Sequences for even more possibilities.

What sounds can we expect in the Wavestate PCM library?

In the PCM library you will find a vast collection of regular waveshapes as well as multi-sampled (per key, not per velocity) natural instrumentals. There is some really nice kalimbas, piano, strings, brass, and much more.

I found that the selection of samples is really unique, and great, as you find some interesting string performance variations in the library.

Wavestate Synth Filters

Wavestate also features several analog modeled filters. From the MS-20 Lowpass or Highpass filter. To the strong Polysix lowpass filter. Furthermore there are 2- & 4-pole filters. Finally, there is also KORG’s unique multifilter. That’s a whole suite of filters to basically fill any need.

You also find tons of integrated effects, and options for remarkably complex modulation inspired by the world of modular synthesis.

Each Oscillator Layer has three dedicated effects; additionally, the Performance has a master reverb and parametric EQ!

Somehow the Wavestate reminds me a bit of the VST instrument Omnisphere 2… And that’s in a great way! Many sounds in this synth are huge!

Wavestate is a nice complement to the “analog wave” of gear we have seen the last few years. The synth engine can really create some upfront and continuously morphing sounds. But also smooth soundscapes.

I’ll definitely be coming back to the Wavestate soon!

Nu:Tekt NTS-1 – DIY synth by KORG

KORG also presented the Nu:Tekt NTS-1 which basically is a DIY kit to build a complete synth. It’s a small package, and you can easily assemble the NTS-1 yourself (tools included), without any soldering. Time to get your hands dirty!

The first of its kind from KORG’s DIY-focused Nu:Tekt brand, NTS-1 packs a powerful synth and multi-effects engine into a compact and highly portable form factor. Its DIY nature means it’s also very customizable. Explore the possibilities!

NTS-1 is also completely compatible with the logue-SDK, which makes it possible to create custom oscillators and effects or upload any of the content available for Minilogue XD and Prologue.

KORG Synth Prototypes – Don’t tease us like this!!!

One big surprise was the glass booth where KORG showed three anonymous prototypes of their upcoming synths / workstations.

The only synth with some kind of name hint was the Opsix at the top. A six operator FM synthesizer which I was told should be properly revealed in 3-4 months. Could this be a successor to the DX7!? The shiny and silver clad synths below the Opsix look very much like the good old Triton Synths. Don’t you think?

ARP 2600 FS

Of course KORG had a big booth to highlight the ARP 2600 FS. A big bold synth which also already sold out. Too bad it’s limited edition…I won’t even go there. Different discussion.

The ARP 2600 FS is a replica of the 2600 from the 1970s, and carry the same form factor and workflow as the original. Featuring 3 wide-range oscillators, a huge-sounding filter, ADSR, VCA, ASR, stereo spring reverb, sample and hold, and tons of integrated voltage processing utilities.

Their new take on the 3620 keyboard maintains duo-phonic operation and adds an integrated arpeggiator and 101-style step sequencer capable of storing and playing back sequences of up to 128 notes long.

You can also safely use the ARP 2600 FS on the road, as it ships with a solid and durable flight case.

The price? $3,899 and sold out.

MPC One by AKAI PROFESSIONAL

Many musicians want to get away from the computer and one way to work “outside the box” is to go with an MPC groove box. It’s quite some time now since Akai released the MPC Live which was the first step at a portable studio system. With it’s Lithium-Ion battery and powerful set of internal plugins, SSD drive support for sample storage, it was a dream come true for many artists. At NAMM 2020 AKAI presented the MPC One.

It’s a groovebox, sampler, workstation and can run virtual synths, effects with a great set of ports for connectivity. You will find 4x CV/Gate for Eurorack, Stereo in/out, 2 GB of storage and 2 GB internal RAM. USB port and SD card slot. The MPC One has a brilliant 7” Multi-Touch Display and has a very nice and tight form factor.

Unlike the MPC Live it’s not battery powered so MPC One is not as portable, but the price points is definitely attractive. While the MPC Live is about $1000, the MPC One will be around $700!

MPC One Overview video from Akai:

KeyStep Pro from Arturia

Arturia showcased the new controller / sequencer KeyStep Pro at NAMM.
It features 4 independent polyphonic sequencer tracks and a 16-part integrated drum sequencer. KeyStep Pro features a three octave keyboard with velocity sensitivity and aftertouch. Letting you fully articulate your musical ideas.

This beat sequencer has 16 patterns per track. Each sequencer pattern can be up to 64 steps long, and contain 16 notes per step.

This really looks like a powerful and flexible sequencer though I didn’t have time to try it out at NAMM 2020. Furthermore you can link up to 16 patterns together to create whole songs or sections of your set. Snapshots of all the sequences within a pattern, letting you instantly switch between sets of sequences.

You can then store your projects in the KeyStep Pro’s onboard memory for instant access!

Finally, the KeyStep Pro seems to be a great mixture between the BeatStep and the KeyStep and will cost around $450.

Sequential Pro-3, Synth Highlight

The company Sequential which was previously named Dave Smith Instruments showcased the Pro-3. The Pro 3 is a three-oscillator paraphonic synth that combines both analogue and digital components. There are two analogue oscillators each with saw, triangle and variable-width pulse waves. It’s a really big sound in this synth with three classic filters, like the Prophet 6 filter, Ladder Filter, OB-6 State Variable filter! Furthermore the Pro-3 features some really gritty analog distortions and a versatile yet deep sequencer.

You can watch Dave Smith demo the Pro-3 in the video below:

Nektar Aura by Nektar Tech

Nektar showcased their latest beat machine (midi controller / sequencer) which is something between a Maschine and MPC Live. The AURA comes with a custom plugin called Nektarine. Importantly the Nektarine 2.0 plugin comes pre-mapped with all your favourite plugins and makes the AURA a good choice for controlling plugins.

AURA Bitwig integration

Nektar has a good solid reputation for Bitwig Studio integration from their Panorama series of midi keyboard controllers. Thus, the AURA seems like it’s going to play very nicely with Bitwig too! Can’t wait to get my hands on the AURA to give it a deep review.

Hardware features of AURA

Hardware features like 16 hyper-sensitive RGB illuminated pads, color TFT display, an on-board step sequencer, a flexible pad repeat engine and incredible plugin control, make beat creation in any VST, VST3, AU or AAX compatible DAW-environment a fun experience with true groove-box feeling.

Paired with the included Nektarine 2.0 software, AURA becomes a plugin control powerhouse for VST, VST3 and AU plugins. AURA can also be used in stand-alone mode with external MIDI devices.

Custom Nektar DAW integration adds extended transport control, track selection, project navigation and more. Nektar DAW Integration software is included for Ableton Live Suite, Bitwig, Cubase, Digital Performer, Garageband, Logic, Nuendo, Reaper, Reason, Studio One and Sonar/Cakewalk.

Price: €349

My NAMM 2020 backpack

Let’s wrap this article off by a little video of my backpack equipment and preparation for the NAMM show 2020. Hope you enjoy the article and that you found some info on what to expect in the synth area.

What gear I use in the studio? Check out the Resources Page.

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Welcome to the Phase Plant Review, a new modular VST synth plugin.

I recently got the Phase Plant synth from Swedish plugin company Kilohearts. The expectations wasn’t very high, since I hadn’t heard about Kilohearts before they reached out to me. But boy was I surprised to find this hidden gem among upcoming synths. When it comes to synthesis, I really believe that Phase Plant is in par with the competition like Serum, Omnisphere 2 and UVI Falcon.

In this Phase Plant review and video I talk about the various features of the VST plugin that makes it a really interesting newcomer.

Phase Plant – Overview

When you first open up Phase Plant you will notice the sleek interface. The grey (not too dark) tone reminds me of the first time I opened up Bitwig Studio. We will come back to the colours of Phase Plant later in this review. We have three main areas which is presented with a “non-obtrusive” text.

The main user interface areas of Phase Plant

• Generators
• Modulators
• Effects

While many synths that come out try different approaches to achieve a compelling user experience (UX). It’s not that often you see a solution that works. A solution that makes the experience of creating sounds compelling. Apparently the devs that developed Phase Plant really experimented on finding something that will both help us learn synthesis and work faster.

Phase Plant Factory Presets

So what’s the first thing you do when trying out a new synth? Yeah, you load up the factory bank and browse through some presets. This way you get to hear (and see) the synth in action. At the same time you also get to know the basics of the synth by looking at some pre-defined synth patches.

The quality of the presets are very high. In the Phase Plant factory bank you find patches designed by Kilohearts AND from renowned artists like ArtFX. Phase Plant bass patches are raw, dirty and in-your-face. Perfect for modern EDM bangers.

The post Phase Plant Review – New Modular VST synth from Kilohearts appeared first on Morningdew Media.

Let me know if you want a more in-depth video on any of the music gear or studio tools!

Check out my gear on Kit: https://kit.com/Gelhein

The post Favourite Studio Gear 2019 – Music Gear Tips appeared first on Morningdew Media.

Finding tools and vst synth plugins that lift your creativity to new levels and let you work unbound by obstacles is hard. In this video and article I want to lift two of my absolute favourite vst synths. Synths that have helped me learn both synthesis and deliver outstanding music scores to clients all over the globe.

The Best VST Synth plugins of 2019

The two favourite VST synth plugins I have selected for this article are Omnisphere 2 and Zebra 2. While they have some years on their back they still hold the test of time. During the years out on the market the developers have continously supported Zebra and Omnisphere with relevant updates. But their long lifespan mostly depends on the actual quality and depth of these instruments. I’ve have yet to find a replacement for any of these two synth beasts.

A tool is never going to get any better than it’s user… or operator (just a little wink to Ableton).

What makes these two VST synths so good?

Firstly, they both are very inviting to use and easy to get along with. The layout of the user interface (UI) is so clean and you can get going with these plugins pretty fast.

Secondly, they both come with a collection of sounds that are instantly usable in your song production wheather you are composing for artists, games or film.

Speaking of film!

Did you know that Hans Zimmer used Zebra 2 in the soundtrack to The Dark Knight (Batman) OST.?

And it was used all over the place in this epic Batman movie.

U-he, the developer of Zebra 2, even compiled a special version of Zebra 2 that would include additional functionality that Hans and his team requested for the film.

You can even buy this special edition / update to Zebra 2, called The Dark Zebra. The Dark Zebra contains additional filters, effects and functions not found in the original. With the Dark Zebra you also get a huge selection of presets designed for the movie. So if you are into film scoring you just have to check this out. Ok, back to topic. We were talking about the best VST synths 2019.

Lastly, Zebra 2 and Omnisphere 2 are both extremely versatile tools that can handle many different tasks when it comes to sound generation. We will explain this further in the separate plugin descriptions.

In conclusion, these two plugins are filled with features and also complement eachother very well if you consider grabbing both synths. I know I did, and I still use both. And often in combination.

The Best VST Synth nr 1 – OMNISPHERE 2

Omnisphere 2 is called POWER SYNTH on the boxed package. And it’s actually a very accurate description. So let’s break down a few of the key features that makes Omnisphere such a wonderful plugin instrument to work with.

Omnisphere Sound Sources

The first, which I also believe is the strongest selling point for selecting Omnisphere is the bundled sound source library.

The sound sources are samples, and these samples smells quality and high fidelity. You will find thousands of quality samples. Everything from ethnical vocal phrases, boys choirs to vintage hardware synth oscillators, marimbas / mallets and SID station samples. It’s even hard to describe the broad spectrum of sounds you can find in Omnisphere. Furthermore, I highly suggest you watch a few of my videos on Omnisphere 2 to get a good picture of what’s included.

The Audio Engine of Omnisphere

Omnisphere 2 features a few different audio engine modes like Granular, FM, RM, Harmonia and Unison. Each of these modes are very powerful but I find the granular engine particularly interesting and useful. I’ve seldom seen such an easy granular engine that also sounds so good straight out of the box. Turn any of the sound sources, like an african flute phrase into an epic pad like I show in the video demonstration of Omnisphere 2.

Synth filter collection and pristine effects

The Omnisphere plugin comes with a large array of powerful filters. In the filter set you find everything from Moog, UVI to Power filters. You also get a special set of Juciy filters specific for Omnisphere 2 which has a nice bold sound. Finally, the more recent version, 2.6, gives you some more hardware synth specific State Variable Filters.

Throw in some of the best effects you ever heard. Effects like reverbs, delays, saturators, eq and compressors. Omnisphere also offers various modes to split the keyboard and layer instruments in creative ways. The arpeggiator now even supports pitch glides and the midi data can also be captured and dragged back to your DAW for further editing.

In this video you can see how I midi capture the arpeggiator and export the midi of Omnisphere 2 to the DAW.

Hardware oscillators from vintage synths

In the more recent versions of Omnisphere, 2.5 and up, we also got hardware integration with external synths. This makes Omnisphere even more unique and interesting to use. Just bring in your old Jupiter-8 and hook it up to Omnisphere. Now you can control Omnisphere with the Jupiter-8 and hear the oscillators and filters modelled after the hardware synths.

The best part of this hardware integration is that we can utilise the oscillators and sounds from the hardware units in Omnisphere. Without actually owning the real hardware. That’s a big plus for the software synth world, and a huge selling point.

The best VST synth nr 2 – ZEBRA 2

Zebra 2 has been around for a while but also has been given new functionality and also a recent facelift in the GUI.

The first feature I will highlight for Zebra 2, is the accessible synth module layout. Or node editor, layout which is starting to appear in many softwares these days. Even Blender3D and Unity (for games) has implemented node editors for the shader design. And for a good reason.

Zebra 2 synth modules overview – a powerful Node Editor

A node editor give you a good overview of how things (devices) are related. You connect various devices with cables and see how the signal flow from A-Z.

So in Zebra we have the node editor visible in the middle of the UI and it’s very accessible and straightforward to add, remove and mute devices.

This muting functionality actually is very helpful if you are learning synthesis. As you can just load up a patch that you like. Disable all the devices. Then re-activate them one by one and hear how the sound evolve. Congratulations, you are now learning the fundamental of synthesis.

Learn synthesis with Zebra 2 VST synth plugin

Zebra 2 was actually very helpful in my own teaching in synthesis. So this node editor is a big plus for Zebra 2. I have always wondered why no other developer included a similar solution in their designs.

Conclusion

Zebra 2 and Omnisphere 2 although a bit pricey compared to other software synth products has so much bundled value.

You shouldn’t weight the price too heavy. Because if you buy either Zebra 2 or Omnisphere 2, they will save you a ton of cash since you will satisfy your clients with superb quality music and sounds. And if you satisfy clients you get more money in the long run. And you also don’t have to buy 10 other libraries to fill in the blanks or lack of quality.

The post The Best VST Synths 2019 – Omnisphere 2 & Zebra 2 appeared first on Morningdew Media.

So NAMM 2019 has settled and we have finally crawled up from under the pile of new products releases….or? In this video I talk about my favourite products (synths and controllers) from NAMM 2019. Synths and products that stirred some emotions.

Some of the products I cover are:
Minilogue XD, Teenage Engineering Modular Kits, Behringer Oddysey, Arturia Micro Freak…

And a SECRET product that did not get as much attention at NAMM 2019.

Watch the video to learn all about this exciting product!

Top Synth Products at NAMM 2019 – Software instrument and plugin updates

Aside from all the hardware synth products at NAMM there are some new really exciting software updated that we need to check up!

Bitwig 3.0 – The Grid

A few days before the show Bitwig announced a new modular device for Bitwig Studio. The Grid, which at first glance looks similar to Reaktor. But now we get this kind of visual modular functionality right in the Bitwig DAW. This update brings a whole set of new sub-devices within The Grid to create your own modular synth and effect setups. I can’t wait to get my hands on this update and do a video review.

Omnisphere 2.6

Another great update comes from the colossus Spectrasonics in the form of Omnisphere 2.6. The two point six update will bring us more hardware synth integrations and tons of new features and presets within Omnisphere. Eric Persing explained that for every hardware synth they integrate, they also make sure to model the oscillators and include specific functionality (like special filters etc.) from the hardware synth into Omnisphere.

There will be a full review video of Omnisphere 2.6 when it’s released, until then you can watch my review video of the most recent Omnisphere 2.5 version here.

Colour Copy – delay review

Here is another video about the best delay plugin for vocals in 2019 – Colour Copy from u-he. I made a thoroughly video covering this lovely virtual analogue BBD delay. It comes with six different delay flavours in the form of “colours”. And they do sound delicate and I found the Colour Copy very useful on vocals, guitars, synths and any other sound I threw at it.

Watch the video of Colour Copy delay plugin.

What gear I use in the studio? Check out the Resources Page.

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