TabMuse — a Home for Digital and Analog Music Inspiration

Tag: Teenage Engineering

  • The Volca Modular Highlights Our Virtual Look at NAMM 2019

    The Volca Modular Highlights Our Virtual Look at NAMM 2019

    Without a travel budget, a trip to the NAMM show is more of a dream than a reality here at TabMuse. Nonetheless, every year we wait with baited breath to see what fresh music technology announcements inspire us. These inspirations naturally occur within the synth realm, and unfortunately many synthesizer makers chose to not attend NAMM 2019.

    korg-volca-modular
    Korg’s new Volca Modular synth. Image copyright Korg.

    Still, a few products tickled our fancy, so let’s have a look. If you are interested in our coverage of previous NAMM events, simply click on the following links: 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015.

    The Volca Modular Offers a Taste of Don Buchla’s West Coast

    Korg brought a host of interesting new synths to NAMM 2019; the Minilogue XD definitely intrigues. But it was the new Volca Modular that ranked at the top of our wish list. It offers a simplified take on the classic Buchla Music Easel, color scheme included.

    Of course, the “Vuchla” is battery powered, like the rest of the Volca family, with a similar footprint that fits perfectly on our studio’s Berlin School playground. Unfortunately, the patch points use a jumper wire format instead of the Eurorack standard, with the exception of a few CV and Korg sync ports. Hopefully, some enterprising person makes a patch bay for the unit.

    The Volca Modular doesn’t have a MIDI input, which isn’t a huge problem considering the CV ports. The synth architecture is classic West Coast, following more of an additive model compared to the subtractive East Coast style, yo. A sequencer, microtuning, and effects are all in there. Its sound and possibilities for sonic mayhem definitely intrigue, and the $199 list price fits squarely within our budgetary wheelhouse.

    We expect the Vuchla to play well with our Make Noise 0-Coast as well as the Volca Keys and Bass. The older Volcas primarily get used these days as a poor man’s analog poly synth, but their sequences dominated Church of Hed’s Brandenburg Heights album. Adding some West Coast synthesis to the equation is our hope.

    Expect full coverage if and when we purchase one. There’s a three-tiered synth stand I’m also eyeing. I know… boring.

    The Behringer Crave is a Great Entry Point to Analog Synthesis

    Behringer’s product pipeline is filled with a host of soon-come synth clones: the ARP Odyssey, Roland TR-808, SH-101, and so much more. But it was the Crave, announced at the end of NAMM which garnered the most buzz. An analog monosynth, it features a host of patch points and a built-in sequencer at an impressive price point of $199.

    The Crave’s oscillator clones the one from the Prophet 5 and its filter is based on the legendary Moog Ladder, so a robust sound is assured. The large patch bay integrates nicely with existing Eurorack gear. This synth isn’t yet available, but you can expect it to be popular upon release.

    Teenage Engineering’s Foray into Modular Synthesis

    Teenage Engineering introduced a line of proprietary modular synth kits at NAMM 2019; seeming like something out of IKEA. You get the opportunity to build before you play. We love the sound of our PO-12 drum machine, so these modular units are definitely worthy of a closer look.

    There are two smaller models; the 16 features only a sequencer and controller, while the 170 provides the modules to build a basic analog monosynth. They are priced at $149 and $349 respectively.

    The 400 is the flagship of this line. For $499, you get to build a three-oscillator monosynth with a host of modules and a sequencer. The 170 and 400 both include patch cables, and are Eurorack compatible. It’s a worthy option for those looking to dip their toes into Eurorack, but on a tight budget.

    So there you have it. This collection of new synthesizers from NAMM 2019 is definitely budget friendly, apparently without skimping on sound and functionality.


  • Review: The Teenage Engineering PO-12 puts the Beatbox in your Pocket

    Review: The Teenage Engineering PO-12 puts the Beatbox in your Pocket

    Teenage Engineering has earned accolades for their product line featuring great sound and innovative features. Their Pocket Operators, originally introduced last year, included three devices covering the Holy Trinity of Beatmaking — synth, bass, and drum machine — with each looking more like a handheld calculator than a musical instrument.

    The PO-12 drum machine’s LCD display features a humorous representation of a sewing machine working in time with the beat, in addition to other more functional information. A sequencer (sadly limited to 16 steps), effects, and great sound quality round out the package. At a street price of only $59, any of the Pocket Operators (Teenage Engineering also introduced three new models at NAMM 2016) make for an easy purchase by electronic musicians of all stripes.

    A Handheld Drum Machine with Sync

    I originally debated purchasing either a Volca Beats or the PO-12. For essentially the same price, I decided go with the PO-12 and Korg’s SQ-1 sequencer, figuring the latter’s sync capabilities over both MIDI and a dedicated sync port would keep my Moog Sub 37 working in time with my Volcas and Monotribe. Thankfully, the PO-12 also provides a sync port, so it quickly joined in the fun.

    Teenage Electronics PO-12
    The Teenage Engineering PO-12 packs a lot of sound in a small package. Photo by author.

    The most impressive aspect of the PO-12 is its excellent sound quality. Even though the sounds are digital, they sound great mixed together with the Korg Monotribe. The two compliment each other nicely, making the decision to forego a Volca Beats workable for the time being.

    My only problem with the PO-12’s functionality is the 16 step limit of its sequencer. Simply adding an active step function similar to Korg’s would have been a nice feature. Since I like to work in 3/4 or 5/8, building cool polyrhythms using the PO-12 with other devices isn’t an issue.

    Composing Beats is a Breeze

    The PO-12 is really intuitive, with an easy process for creating beats. You simply select a sound and then enter the active steps on the grid. The standard array of drum machine sounds is included, plus synth and bass tones which can be tweaked in real time using the two knobs to build simple repeating melodies. Real time overdubs and tempo swing changes are also possible.

    You are also able to punch-in effects over a pattern, with 16 different effects included — everything from bit crushers to delays to stutters to sweeps. The knobs are also leveraged to tweak sound parameters in real time. Both features combine to add a ton of personality to the patterns created with the PO-12.

    The device stores 16 beats which can be chained to create larger compositions of up to 16 patterns with the individual parts usable more than one time. Five different sync modes add some flexibility, but I’ve only used the mode supporting the Volcas, Monotribe, and Sub 37 with the SQ-1 serving as traffic cop. Obviously, syncing multiple Pocket Operators is another option.

    The PO-12 is powered by two AAA batteries. It’s a low-power device, which turns itself off automatically, although the LCD display always remains on. I’ve yet to change batteries after two months. The unit is pretty fragile, so if you are planning to use it at shows, consider picking up a case from Teenage Electronics for around $40.

    If an inexpensive, fun drum machine with killer sound is on your musical instrument wish list, by all means take a look at the Teenage Electronics PO-12. A lot of power lurks inside a very small package.

    Related articles across the web