Synthmagazine | Synth News, Gear & Sound Design

27. May 2026

Frap Tools Magnolia: Nested Modulation Madness for the Modular Minded

Frap Tools step boldly into polysynth territory with Magnolia, but today’s video isn’t about chords and presets—it’s about taking the modular ethos deep into keyboard synth workflow. Under the hood, Magnolia’s modulation matrix lets users patch modulations into modulations, much like the best of Eurorack’s spaghetti. In this official walkthrough, Giovanni stacks LFOs, envelopes, and velocity in a four-tier modulation chain, showing how Magnolia can animate even the simplest subtractive patch. For those of us who dream in CV, this is a glimpse of just how far a polysynth can go when it’s wired for modular logic.

Magnolia

27. May 2026

MILES

Intellijel

Intellijel’s Cinematic Drone Palette: A Modular Mini-Rig for Epic Soundscapes

Intellijel’s latest video dives into the art of crafting massive, cinematic drones with a deceptively compact 62HP palette system. We’re treated to a patching masterclass featuring Multigrain for granular harmonies, Sealegs for lo-fi tape vibes, and Swells for lush shimmer and reverb. True to Intellijel’s style, this walkthrough is a practical, patch-focused affair—no filler, just cables, controls, and the kind of layered modulation that makes modular heads grin. Whether you’re a drone devotee or just modular-curious, this video is all about extracting the most musical mileage from a tight rack.

Intellijel MultiGrain, Intellijel Palette Case 4U x 62HP, Intellijel Ringmod 1U, Intellijel Sealegs, Intellijel St Line Out 1U, Intellijel SVF 1U, Intellijel Swells, Intellijel VCO 1U

27. May 2026

TAS

TAETRO

TAETRO’s Ableton FX Racks: Add Some Aussie Mayhem to Your Beats

Ever feel like your beats are as flat as a schooner left out in the sun? TAETRO’s latest romp through Ableton Live is here to slap some life into your sets, mate! In this cheeky, hands-on guide, he wrangles Beat Repeat, filters, and a Synido controller into a performance FX rack that’s as wild and customisable as an outback ute. Whether you’re after stutters, filters, or transitions that’ll make your crowd spill their drinks, TAETRO’s got you covered. Grab your MIDI controller, crack a tinnie, and get ready for a no-nonsense push into live FX that’ll have your tracks flipping

Ableton Live, Synido TempoKey W25, Synido TempoPAD C16

26. May 2026

SPARKY

Starsky Carr

Starsky Carr Throws Down: Behringer BMX vs. Sequential Drumtraks – Vintage Hype or Modern Muscle?

Starsky Carr lines up the Behringer BMX against the Sequential Drumtraks in a proper synth shootout to answer the eternal question: does vintage always win, or is modern budget gear finally ready to throw some elbows? Expect sharp feature breakdowns, brutal honesty about firmware flops, and plenty of sonic nitpicking. If you think the BMX is just a cheap clone, think again – but don’t expect a free pass for dodgy pads and dodgier apps. Starsky’s trademark clarity and streetwise sound design keep things real, with enough gritty detail to make even the most jaded drum machine addict reconsider what

Behringer BMX, Sequential Drumtraks

26. May 2026

RILEY

Verysickbeats

Verysickbeats Flips the Script: Koala Sampler Drum Chopping That Hits Like a Freight Train

If you’re still slicing drum breaks like it’s 1999, you gotta see what Verysickbeats is cooking up. JFilt drops a quick-and-dirty Koala Sampler hack that takes your boring old loops and turns them into unpredictable bangers. Forget about menu-diving for hours—this is all about speed, groove, and letting the chaos work for you. Whether you’re on the train or in a basement studio with a busted subwoofer, this tip is pure beatmaker gold. And trust me, you’ll want to hit play and catch the full flavor for yourself.

Bleece Sample Wiz 2, Koala Sampler, Moog Model D, Piano Chord Progressions (Verysickbeats)

25. May 2026

SPARKY

Woody Piano Shack

Woody Piano Shack’s Gear Bloodbath: Tier Rankings, Regrets, and $1,000 Down the Drain

Think your GAS is wild? Woody Piano Shack just did the unthinkable: tier-ranked every synth, groovebox, and drum machine from his three-year gear binge – and tallied the financial carnage. Expect honesty, sarcasm, and a brutal breakdown of what slaps, what flops, and how much cash went up in smoke. Woody’s style is all about no-nonsense keyboard fun, and here he spills the beans on workflow disasters, surprise legends, and the harsh sting of gear guilt. If you want to know which box is a secret rave weapon and which is just a plastic regret, this is your new gospel

Akai MPC One, Arturia MicroFreak, Behringer Model D, Behringer TD-3, Boss FS6, Boss RC 500, Boss RC-1, Boss RC-10R, Boss RC-202, Korg Minilogue, Korg Minilogue XD, Korg Monologue, Korg Wavestate, Novation Bass Station 2, Roland Aira Compact J-6, Roland AIRA Compact S-1, Roland Aira Compact T-8, Roland Boutique SH-01, Roland D05, Roland JD-08, Roland K-25M, Roland MC-101, Roland SE-02, Roland TB-03, Roland TR-8S, Soundcraft Mix 8, Teenage Engineering EP-133 KO II, Teenage Engineering OP-1, Teenage Engineering OP-Z

25. May 2026

SPARKY

The Unperson

The Unperson’s 40HP Mono Modular: A Rave Bunker in a Lunchbox

Ever wondered if a 40HP Eurorack can punch above its weight? The Unperson is back with a mini modular rig that’s all killer, no filler. We’re talking Pamela’s Pro Workout, the Loki analog voice, and the Z5000 effects box—crammed together like a toaster-fight in a phone booth. This isn’t your average monosynth: it’s a street weapon for those who want chaos, modulation, and more FX than sense. Dive in for synth jam chaos, clever patching, and a proper dose of British modular mischief. Spoiler: It’s not cheap, but it slaps.

Archaea Synthesis Loki, Behringer CP-1A, Pamela's Pro Workout, Tiptop Audio Z5000

25. May 2026

SPARKY

The Midlife Synthesist

The Midlife Synthesist Ditches Complexity: Summit & Push 3 Go Back to Basics

Ever feel like your jams are one firmware update away from a meltdown? The Midlife Synthesist reckons it’s time to bin the complexity and get some actual tunes going. In this brisk session, he wields the Novation Summit and Ableton Push 3—not for a menu-diving marathon, but for a stripped-back, no-nonsense workflow that delivers real musical ideas. If you’re sick of preset paralysis and want some groove without the headache, this one’s for you. Spoiler: sometimes a basic piano patch and a fat Summit bass do more damage than a dozen LFOs ever could.

Ableton Push 3, Novation Summit

24. May 2026

RILEY

Verysickbeats

Verysickbeats Flips the Script: Koala Sampler’s AUv3 Update Is a Workflow Game Changer

Alright beat nerds, buckle up—Verysickbeats (aka JFilt) just took the Koala Sampler to church with the latest AUv3 update. You know this guy’s all about turning everyday gear into secret weapons, and now he’s showing how Koala isn’t just a fun toy—it’s a full-on production beast. With plugin hosting, resampling, and some real-time beatmaking that slaps, this walkthrough is like getting a crate-digging lesson while eating tacos on the L train. If you thought mobile sampling was just for sketches, think again. This update might have you reconsidering your whole groove setup.

Arturia Analog Lab V, Koala Sampler

23. May 2026

SPARKY

Starsky Carr

Starsky Carr Throws Down: DeepMind 12 vs Jupiter 4 – Vintage Legends in a Budget Brawl

Starsky Carr isn’t here to tiptoe around synth nostalgia – he’s firing up the Behringer DeepMind 12 and pitting it right against the mighty Roland Jupiter 4. Can a modern bargain box really snarl like a four-grand vintage monster? Starsky’s trademark blend of sharp analysis and playful mischief is on full display, as he matches oscillators, envelopes, and chorus units in this synth shootout. It’s not just numbers and specs – this is a hands-on groovebox brawl, with real sonic results. If you crave filthy analog flavour without selling your nan, you’ll want to see how deep the DeepMind goes.

Behringer DeepMind 12, Roland Jupiter 4

« 1 … 23 24 25 26 27 … 241 »