Synthesizer
Vintage Vault by UVI Review
UVI based in France has been producing music software products for more than 20 years. For years different products based on vintage synths have been sampled by UVI for you to work with. One of the advantages of UVI’s approach is that the sampled instrument sounds as the original hardware that was used.
Vintage Vault by UVI Review
You have more options on the original hardware, but also have to spend thousands of Euro/Dollar if you want similar sounds in your armory. You are also quicker as with the presets included you can start right away as you do not have to program the hardware synth.
UVI released over the years different sampled vintage synths. With Vintage Vault bundle UVI selected 14 existing products and offer them at a reduced price compared to buying them separately. Some products have been updated like Beat Box Anthology.
We already reviewed some of UVI’s next-gen products like Beatbox Anthology 2.
Beat Box Anthology
Deep sampling of 80 classic drum machines, was upgraded to Beatbox Anthology 2 in mid-2017.
Included are samples from Acetone: Rhythm Ace FR-1, FR-2L, FR-6 et FR-8, Akai: XR-10, Alesis: HR-16, HR-16b et DPM5, Amdek: Rhythm Machine RMK-100, Bohm: Digital Drums M, Boss: DR-110, Dr. Rhythm, DR-220 A, DR-220 E et DRP-I, Dr. Pad, Casio: RZ-1, Crumar: OMB-2, Dynacord: Add One, Elka: Drumstar 80, OMB 5, Wilgamat, E-mu: Drumulator, ETI: Drum Synthesizer, Godwin: Drummaker 45, Hohner: Drum Performer et Rhythm 80, Kawai: R-100, Korg: DDD-1, DDM-100, DDM-220, KPR 77, KR33, KR55, MR16 et S3, Linn 9000 et Linn Drum, Mattel Synsonic Drums, Mini Pops Junior Keio, MPC the Kit, Novation: Drumstation, Oberheim: DMX, Pearl Drum-X et Fightman, Realistic: Rhythm Box Concert Mate, Roland: CR-78, CR-8000, TR-505, TR-55, TR-606, TR-626, TR-66, TR-707, TR-727, TR-77, TR-808 et TR-909, SCI: Drumtracks, Siel: MDP40, Simmons: Clap Trap, MTX-9, SDS 400, SDS 800, SDS 9, SDSV et Trixer, Solton: Arranger +, Tama Techstar: TAM500, DS200 et Techstar TS204, Ted Digisound Synth, Univox: ARI, Vermona, Wersi Drum Composer, Wersi Wersimatic WM24, Yamaha: DD-10, MR10, QY10, RX5, RX7 et RX8.
Darklight IIx
3 Instruments Inspired by the Fairlight, the sounds are historical, edgy, and very grainy. Fairlight Synth has been used by Jean-Michel Jarre, Supertramp, Michael Jackson, Art of Noise, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel, Yellow, Foreigner, Madonna, Eurythmics, Mike Oldfield, Prince, OMD, Duran Duran, Queen, Alan Parsons, Fleetwood Mac, Pet Shop Boys, and Depeche Mode. You get with this library the sound of the 80s.
Darklight IIx includes a digital synth, a digital drum machine, a sequencer, and a creative multi-phrase that reminds you of songs you have listened to back then. With Darklight IIx you get yourself a powerful 80s synth station.
Digital Synsations
4 Instruments inspired by 1990’s digital synths such as Korg M1, Ensoniq VFX, Yamaha SY77, and Roland D50
Emulation II
UVI’s Emulation II was created to reproduce the warm digital sounds and analog textures representing old school E-mu Emulator II and E-mu crunchy Drumulator.The library was sampled from restored units.
The Emulator II has been used by Depeche Mode, Genesis, Tangerine Dream, Simple Minds, Enya, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Mr. Mister, Stevie Wonder, and Pet Shop Boys. with the 2 instruments, you get 281 presets
Emulation One
This library is based on E-mu Emulator (ONE) and E-mu Drumulator (ONE) masterpieces of 80’s 8-bit Sounds and Drum Machine. The Emulator (ONE) was used by David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Genesis, New Order, OMD, Jean-Michel Jarre, Kitaro, Vangelis, Yes, and Stevie Wonder.
Mello
The Origins of Sampling—a Sound that Shaped the 60’s, inspired by the Mellotron. The Mellotron has been used by the Beatles, Genesis, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. A Mellotron is in a nutshell a sampler that uses tape which is drawn over ahead and plays the recorded sound. Pure vintage goodness.
String Machines
11 Vintage String Synths (ARP Solina String Ensemble, Crumar Performer, Elka Rhapsody, Eko Stradivarius, Korg PE2000, Logan String Melody, Siel Orchestra, ROLAND RS-505, ROLAND VP-330, and Yamaha SS30) reproducing orchestral string sounds through analog synthesis
The Beast
Synth and drum machine inspired by the vintage Synclavier. Synclavier has been considered in the past as the Rolls Royce of Synth. The hardware was manufactured by New England Digital Corporation (NED), USA and was highly influential to the composer in those years.
Synclaviers have been used by The Cure, New Order, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Foreigner, Michael Jackson, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Genesis, Kim Wilde, The Cars, Soft Cell, Geoff Downes, and Frank Zappa.
UltraMini
Revered Analog Synth is based and inspired from Minimoog and Moog Voyager.
UVX-3P
Inspired by the Huge Analog Sound of a famous Roland JX-3P
UVX-10P
The Glory of 80’s Analog Polyphony, Inspired by Roland JX-10, MKS-70 (Rack) and JX-8P
Vector Pro
3 Instruments Inspired by the Sequential Prophet VS and Yamaha SY22
Vintage Legends
6 Instruments inspired by the Yamaha CS Series and DX1, Elka Synthex, Rhodes Chroma and DK Synergy
WaveRunner
7 Instrument Retrospective of Wavetable Synthesis
Rating: Four out of five stars
Many of us are looking and in need of a large collection of authentic vintage, synthesizer sounds that are prepared and ready to use. You get with Vintage Vault a large number of virtual instrument models of vintage gear, it contains a lot of great characters and sounds, some of which directly bring you back to the 70s or the 80s, at least when you are old enough). Because of the magic of the sampled instrument, you can apply further effects, some of which have not been available with the original hardware that was sampled.
Areas of improvement: Usability is key and as said before UVI has nailed it for their newest releases, with the product included in the bundle UVI has carefully created pretty looking UIs and made the effort to design a unique interface for every included interface. This is really excellent, however, every user interface will require you to learn a different approach to allow you to use the instrument.
We did see that with new releases of updated products like Beatbox Anthology 2 or Synth Anthology 2 UVI has followed similar design guidance so the hope is that UVI will update this great content as well.
Another improvement area would be if you browse through all presets across all included instruments. The presets presentation across all instruments could be harmonized as well.
All newer products from UVI have been delivered with a dramatically revamped User Interface, which was one to the numerous reasons those new UVI products received the high rating in recent reviews. With a major UI revamp the rating is seen at five out of five stars.
Expert Guides
Pocket Miku: A Unique Vocal Synthesizer from Japan
One of the unique things about the Pocket Miku project is that it is a vocal synthesizer that is inspired by Vocaloid Hatsune Miku (初音ミク) , and yet it is not a Vocaloid in its own right. It uses existing vocal synthesizer technology from Vocaloid 2/3/4, but then repurposes it and adds features to make it a unique vocal synthesizer in its own right.
Gakken’s “Pocket Miku”
In a ribbon synthesizer, make music, write music, and sing with the world’s most famous virtual vocaloid pop star. A stylus for playing and a 3.5mm/0.125″ output are included with this 16-key NSX-39 keyboard. Five distinct sounds are available: A – E – I – O – U, with vibrato, octave control, and volume and vowel control.
About Gakken
Gakken was established in 1946 as a Japanese publishing house. They started selling instructional toys, books, periodicals, and electrical kits in the 1970s. In Japan and the United States, their uniforms are noted for their innovative design, ease of use, and large cult following.
Vocal Synthesizer
A vocal synthesizer is a device that can generate artificial or computer-generated speech. It is usually used to create singing or other sounds that are impossible to produce with the human voice. Vocal synthesizers can be used to create sounds that are similar to the human voice, or they can create entirely new and unique sounds.
Vocal synthesizers are pieces of audio equipment specifically made to produce sounds similar to a human voice. They can be used to create sounds that are similar to a real-life voice, or they can be used to create unique sounds. These extraordinary sounds can include anything from animal noises to electronic beats. With the recent development of software and technology, vocal synthesizers have become easier to use, allowing any person to create his or her unique sounds.
How Musicians can use a Vocal Synthesizer
A vocal synthesizer can be a powerful tool for musicians, allowing them to create and manipulate sounds that would otherwise be impossible to produce. Using various techniques, musicians can use a vocal synthesizer to develop new and unique sounds or imitate other instruments’ sounds. Vocal synthesis can create eclectic sounds, from simple melodies to complex textures.
By varying the pitch, timbre, and envelope of the sound, musicians can create infinite possibilities. By experimenting with different settings, musicians can find the perfect sound for their music. A vocal synthesizer can also be used to imitate the sounds of other instruments. By matching the pitch and timbre of the sound, musicians can create a realistic imitation of another instrument.
This can be useful for creating new textures and layers in a composition. Vocal synthesis can be a powerful and versatile tool for musicians. By experimenting with different settings, musicians can make various sounds, from simple melodies to complex textures. By matching the pitch and timbre of the sound, musicians can also create realistic imitations of other instruments.
Microcosm
Microcosm is an incredibly versatile machine that can create striking ambient effects to tight, tap-tempo synchronized rhythms. By utilizing granular sampling, delay, and looping techniques, Microcosm can take your sound and completely transform it into something new and exciting. This machine can do everything if you want to create cascading micro-loops, diffused drones, or hypnotic textures. David uses the Microcosm in his video below.
Decent Sampler
Soviet PIF Synth: A Cute Analog Synthesizer for Children
Do you remember the good old days of Soviet Russia? If you’re a fan of analog synthesizers, then you’ll love the new Soviet PIF Synth! This adorable little synth is perfect for children, and it comes with a FREE sample library that will give you hours of fun!
Soviet PIF Synth
These colorful little synths were clearly designed with children in mind. They are small and lightweight, making them easy to carry around. The controls are large and brightly colored, making them easy to use. And the sound quality is surprisingly good for such a small and inexpensive instrument.
The Pif was produced from roughly 1989-1993 in a city called Ромны in Ukraine. The factory that produced them, Роменский завод АТС, specialized in industrial telephone equipment, but also made several consumer products including this synthesizer.
Despite their child-friendly design, the Pif synths are capable of producing a wide range of sounds, from energetic dance beats to atmospheric pads to serene melodies. Thanks to their affordability and portability, the Pif synths remain popular among musicians of all ages.
A Cute Analog Synthesizer for Children
The Soviet PIF Synth is a unique and powerful tool for anyone looking to create original and arresting sounds. The synth uses raw analog waveforms to generate its sound, resulting in a harsh and industrial sound that is perfect for any aggressive or dark production.
In addition, the synth comes with a wide variety of modulation options, making it possible to create complex and evolving soundscapes. The Soviet PIF Synth is a must-have for any serious producer looking to add some edge to their productions.
USSR Synths – The Best Soviet Synthesizers of All Time
The Soviet Union was a powerhouse when it came to synthesizers. Many of the best synths of all time were developed in the USSR, and they remain popular to this day. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the best Soviet synthesizers ever made. We will discuss their features and how they have influenced music over the years. If you are interested in learning more about Soviet synths, this blog post is for you!
The first synth on our list is the Polivoks. This synth was developed in the early 1980s and it quickly became one of the most popular synths in the USSR. The Polivoks is known for its unique sound, which has been used by many famous musicians over the years. The Polivoks is also notable for its durability; many of these synths are still in use today, more than 30 years after they were first created.
Next on our list is the Formanta EMS-01. This synth was developed in the late 1970s and it was one of the first affordable synthesizers available to Soviet musicians. The Formanta EMS-01 is a simple yet powerful synth that can create a wide variety of sounds. This synth is still used by many musicians today, and it remains a popular choice for those looking for an affordable and versatile synth.
Free Soviet PIF Synth Sample Library
This sample library performs with the FREE DecentSampler plug-in. You can download the Decent Library here.
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