JamCorder, Befaco and the Ultimate List of Software Synths: Synth Journal
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JamCorder, Befaco and the Ultimate List of Software Synths: Synth Journal · Source: JamCorder
Never want to forget a great idea ever again? JamCorder could be the solution you need! Also in this week’s edition of Synth Journal: five new utility modules from Befaco and the ultimate list of software synths.
Synth Journal
JamCorder: Never Forget an Idea Again
We’ve all been there: While improvising on your synth or digital piano, you come across a great idea for a new track. The problem is: you forgot to hit record, and now you can’t recall exactly what you played. Frustrating!
That’s why DAWs like Apple Logic Pro and Ableton Live have been offering “Capture Recording” features for some time now. They “listen” to what you play even if you aren’t recording, so you can later capture what you’ve played to make sure it’s not lost. But what if you don’t want to have your DAW software open every time you sit down and jam? I, for one, prefer not to turn on my computer at all if I just want to get creative with my hardware gear.
The JamCorder looks like the perfect solution for such cases. Simply plug it into the MIDI output of your synth or digital piano, and it continuously records everything you play. After three seconds of inactivity, it automatically pauses, only to resume recording instantly when the next note is played.
While the developer calls it a “piano recorder”, JamCorder obviously also works with synths or any other device emitting MIDI notes. Recordings are stored on a 16 GB SD card – more than enough room for MIDI data. According to the developer, you’d have to play continuously for three years to reach the maximum recording capacity, although that depends heavily on how many notes you play.
If you now want to travel back in time and salvage a recording, you have two options. You can either pop the SD card into your computer and copy the MIDI files, or use the optional app to browse through your recording history. JamCorder connects wirelessly to a smartphone via Bluetooth.
Thanks to MIDI passthrough, the recorder doesn’t block the MIDI output of your instrument but instead lets the data pass through to control other gear. The device is powered over USB.
If you like to work with hardware and want to make sure that you’ll never lose a great performance again, JamCorder is worth checking out. It’s available directly from the manufacturer for $99 plus shipping and taxes.
The Ultimate List of Software Synths?
Are you looking for a software emulation of a specific synth? With so much software on offer, it’s easy to lose track – especially with instruments off the beaten path. Has the synth in question even been emulated at all, or is it one of the synths that need plugin emulations? And are there alternatives to the “big guys” when it comes to emulations of classics like the Jupiter, Prophet, or CS-80?
The website virtualsynthesizers.com can help answer such questions. Simply find the synth in the list using the filters and you’ll be presented with a list of all available software emulations, including some useful background info about the instrument.
That said, there still are a couple of gaps. For example, I couldn’t find some of the latest releases from Cherry Audio (P-10, Atomika, Chroma) listed under their respective originals. Still, there’s a lot of useful information to be found here.
By the way: the site also lists emulations of drum machines, electronic organs, and even sound chips from computers and consoles. You’ll find these sections when you scroll down to the bottom of the page.
5 New Utility Modules from Befaco: A*B+C, Atte, Slew, Mixer, MuDi
Befaco has overhauled its series of Eurorack utilities and released five new modules. While most of them are based on older designs, they’ve been updated to offer new features while taking up less space in your rack.
A*B+C V2 is a new version of the voltage-controlled CV processor. As before, the module offers two channels. Each channel multiplies two input signals and then adds a third signal. As this works with audio and CV, the module has many uses. For example, it can be a linear VCA, mixer, CV-controlled attenuator, or inverter. V2 introduces new 3-way gain switches per channel and a switch that toggles between multiplication and mixer functionality.
Atte is the successor to the older Dual Attenuverter module. The new version offers more channels (4 instead of 2) in a smaller footprint (4 HP). Atte can also be used as a splitter and offset generator.
Slew has also been updated and slimmed down to 4 HP. This module is a voltage-controlled lag processor and slope detector. Among many other things, it can be used to turn stepped notes into smooth transitions, or convert a gate signal into an ASR envelope.
The Befaco Mixer is also now available in a new, smaller version. The 4 HP module is a 4-channel mixer for audio or CV. Depending on how you patch the outputs, it operates in 1×4 or 2×2 configurations.
MuDi is an all-new module that measures just 2 HP while offering plenty of flexibility for distributing clock signals. An incoming clock is distributed to seven outputs, the first three of which carry the original signal. Outputs 4-7 provide access to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 clock divisions.
The new utility modules from Befaco are available now*.
*This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
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One response to “JamCorder, Befaco and the Ultimate List of Software Synths: Synth Journal”
Hi! Thank you very much for sharing! You’re right to point out that some new releases are currently missing. I’ve been working full time on this site for about 2 years, alone, so when I’m working on one category, I leave the others aside while I work on another. Thanks for reminding me, so I’ll check the new synthesizer releases again for a week to see what’s new and add it. Thanks again for sharing, it gives me strength.
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