MC909 meets Studio Factory Virtual Analogue Modular Synth

A simple patch and run through monotrons and MC909

Roland MC909 and Artwonk realtime control widgets

Self generative Artwonk random walk module fires random notes on the Roland MC909 with analogue Monotrons used as well for audio input via velocity pads on the MC909. The random note patterns can also so be altered and controlled using widgets and buttons set up on Artwonk as seen in this video, to create some unusual and strange sounds and note patterns in realtime. It loosens up the standard tight sequencing patterns of a normal sequencer that usually obeys commands from the composer. It allows interesting freedom from constraint. This setup can be infinitely expanded (at least as far as the CPU can handle the Artwonk modules) and is a powerful modular programme used together the MC909. In fact the developer of Artwonk, John Dunn had analogue modular synthesis in mind when building Artwonk over a 30 year period by basing his ideas on the modular synthesiser. The programme is free to download now, but originally had a couple of hundred quid price tag when it first came out, but sadly due to John's deteriorating eyesight, he stated he was unable to further develop the software and thus he simply decided to give it away at no cost. Whether or not it will ever be developed further down the line is still not known, but it's certainly an interesting and powerful program especially when also used with graphics and hardware synths.

Artwonk meets the Monotrons 1

Artwonk triggers the Roland MC909 velocity pads whilst the Monotrons are connected to the MC909 audio in (velocity pads control).

Riot in London - Monotron chords strings testing 11 feb 2018

Its quite a challenge to get musical aspects out of Monotrons due to the ribbon size, but if you mod it CV gate or midify them it expands their possibilties enormously. In this video, i am using the three monotrons linked up by audio with each other and running them into the MC909 audio in and the notes played via Midi keyboard then into a looper. Excuse the spaniel dog hair on the monotron. It gets everywhere. Its not my hair. I am attempting here to create sort of string and pad sounding sounds from scratch and treating all three monotrons as if it is one intergral synth with 4x oscillators. A lot of droning goes on however due to tuning and detuning of the oscillators, I'm afraid due to the nature of analogue synthesis in general. You can make several layers of sound on the looper without to much of a loss in sound quality. I finish it off using the pocket operator drum synth added. There also is a way you can re-route the looper into monotrons for refiltering the sound for more interesting stuff. A slow bulld up of layers and adjustments to sound is the main thing here, but all using the MIDI controller arpegiattor to get some notes out there. Then I can detune the oscilators into a chord then loop it. Layering can then continue. Some interesting screaming lead synth sounds can be made here as the sound slowly morphs. With this setup there are a of different combinations, so in a way making a small micro sized modular sort of system including adding ADSR and filtering, using the looper to automate some of these functions. I forgot to say about a small mod i did with these monotrons,and it was dispensing with battery power altogether and connecting them up to 3V mains adapters each one individually. Hence the wires leading out from the battery compartments.

Quick test play of Monotrons into audio in on MC909

Monotrons audio out to MC909 audio in and played via akai midi controller. Gritty analog sound from MS20 filters

Monotron into MC909 Audio input test

Here we test out the three Monotron analogue ribbon synths Monotron, the Duo and Delay with effects units, a loop pedal and connecting them into the audio input on the MC909 groovebox sampler set to velocity pads. Pocket Operator drum machine provides the beats.

The importance of post processing

The importance of post processing when you can't get the signal to stream live, yet why not record it live, and either leave it in its raw state, or reprocess some effects like lighting. I like to use Magic visualizer in order to further enhance the result. And this can be done in real-time using MIDI as your controller.

In studio January 8 - 2018

Quick jam sesh

EDM live test - post process

Here we post process a live video using Magic visualisations after live recording in OBS streaming encoder.