Archive for the 'Gear' Category

TR-808 with Rossum Filters

Thursday, August 8th, 2019

Happy 808 Day!
I’ve been testing the Rossum Electro Music Linnaeus multimode filter module which is going into production this week. Since it’s 808 day, i figured it would be interesting to see how it treats some classic electronic drum sounds. Linnaeus is a stereo module and you can invert the modulation of […]

Synthplex

Thursday, March 14th, 2019

Synthplex begins in two weeks! This is new synthesizer event in Burbank, CA that features exhibitors, panels, DIY builder sessions, and electronic music performances. I’m scheduled to do a set on Friday, March 29th and will be using the Buchla with a nice quadraphonic sound system!
Tickets and more information are available on […]

Quadraphonic

Sunday, January 6th, 2019

I’ve started reconfiguring some Buchla patches for quadraphonic playback. My living room isn’t the most ideal studio space for a quad speaker setup, but i have these old Meyer Sound Lark speakers on stands to act as rear channel monitors. With the power and audio cables running all over, the place is kind […]

Eventide H9000

Saturday, December 8th, 2018

After months of waiting, the Eventide H9000 studio effects processor has landed in my studio. Since I’ve committed to a quadraphonic performance using the Buchla system, I’ve been assessing the options of dedicated multichannel reverb processors and contemplated the H8000 as a solution. When I checked out the H9000 at NAMM, this seemed […]

Moog DFAM - Drummer From Another Mother

Sunday, May 28th, 2017

I’m one of the lucky participants of the Moogfest 2017 Engineering Program who had the opportunity to build something a little extra special this year, the DFAM - Drummer From Another Mother. The workshop is a great experience, and the DFAM is simply a fun unit for synthesizing a wide array of drum and […]

Meyer Sound Amie

Sunday, August 14th, 2016

It’s been years since I considered changing out my studio monitors (like 20 years!), but i’ve finally taken the plunge and switched to Meyer Sound Amies. The transition from my old monitors to the Meyers is a lot less shocking than I had anticipated, and even though I work without a subwoofer, mixes seem […]

DSI/Sequential Prophet 6 Sound Design

Friday, May 15th, 2015

Once again, it’s an honor to have been asked to be on the sound design team for Dave Smith Instruments. Having regained the old “Sequential Circuits” moniker, the company is now DSI/Sequential! It’s only fitting that the new synthesizer is a six voice polyphonic instrument dubbed the Prophet 6! Synth legend, John […]

Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2

Monday, July 14th, 2014

The Pro 2 Synthesizer is part of the new generation of keyboards from Dave Smith Instruments. Partly inspired by the classic Sequential Circuits Pro-One, and using the technology of the DSI Prophet 12, the Pro 2 is a monophonic instrument that can be a center of a synth production studio, but also has the […]

Moog Werkstatt-Ø1

Friday, June 20th, 2014

The Werkstatt was introduced at Moogfest 2014 as part of a special engineering workshop in the Moog factory, and I was quite fortunate to be among the first group to build this synthesizer. We were provided the tools to solder in a few dozen components (approximately 200 solder joints) to a partially populated circuit board. Under the guidance of Werkstatt designer, Steve Dunnington, and the Moog engineering staff, all of us had our new synths up and running by the end of the first day!

Bad Power Cable - Almost Destroys Gear

Friday, April 18th, 2014

This is yet another one of the various nightmares one can encounter when dealing with audio hardware. While patching my Eurorack modular rig into a tube mic pre, I felt the light buzz of an electric current passing through my fingers. Obviously, this is not a good sign, and it means something is terribly wrong. After disconnecting everything except power, I tested for voltages across grounds and discovered a 120V AC difference between the tube amp ground and the Eurorack case. As it turns out, the problem was the IEC power cable… yes, that unassuming three conductor cord that connects to the power main was at fault!

Balance Shootout at Robotspeak

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

By now most avid followers of Propellerhead Reason are probably familiar with the new hardware audio interface, Balance. Balance is an elegant, 2-channel desktop unit that connects to a Mac or PC via USB and features all of the general connections one would expect from a quality device. There are also Reason specific […]

Livid Instruments OHM64

Friday, February 25th, 2011

I recently performed a live set [video] where I was asked to use ReBirth for iPad. To complement the 303s and RB drums, I built an effect and loop system in Reason 5 that would allow me to process the ReBirth audio in real-time. Additionally, I had all of the Reason parameters mapped to […]