In 1977-78 you could build a synth like the Elektor Formant for the fraction of the cost of what you had to shell out to a manufacturer. A major benefit to this day 0f the DIY route is the education that you get about electronics as well. Now thanks to long Elektor subscriber Eef Fonken there is now virtual one called the Formant Classic VSTi.

Mo-Seph has released his new simple Granulator for Max for Live instrument and audio effect. Grainplayer and Grabber respectively. To use it, you'll need Live 8.2.x, Max and Max for Live. When installed, you can play the GrainPlayer using a keyboard etc, and drop files on the waveform view, or grab audio by putting the Grabber on any audio track.

In early April we reported on the release of Turnado from Sugar Bytes. Turnado is now available with new video demos as well. Turnado is a revolutionary multi-effect tool, crafted especially for massive real-time audio manipulation. It combines unique and dynamic effects with the most intuitive and immediate control you can imagine. Just turn it on and crank it up.

You may have seen Kebu aka as Kebunator on You Tube. In March we reported on his Yamaha S30 exploration video. Now he has released a song single titled Samaba Saturn along with a very well produced video of him performing on an all analog synth setup including a Moog Source, Korg Monopoly, Poly-61, Logan String Melody, Arp Axxe, Touched by Sound DRM1. the song is from a forthcoming album from Kebu to be released sometime in 2012. Enjoy the waveforms.

VJ FranzK offers an exclusive look of the soon to be released iOS version of the popular long running music production software FL Studio. FranzK goes over the a few of the main features including a very useful export feature that will allow you to export your iOS works from FL Studio to your PC for more detailed and extensive work. Check it out below. More info about FL Studio from Image Line at http://forum.image-line.com/...

You Tube member Asakawaz has been posting videos of the new Korg SyncKontrol for Monotribe iOS App. It's not clear from the Japanese translation to English who the developer of the app is. Its currently not available just yet but apparently is being prepared for release through iTunes. All indications from the video appear to mean it is a third party app from Asakawaz and his colleagues or perhaps someone else altogether. Some of the related videos to this presentation a pulled from a recent Korg Monotribe Bloggers meet. No doubt things will be heating up for this new toy for modders. In the mean time check out these cool videos showing an iPhone running the sync app to control the tempo of the Monotribe. The first video below shows the Korg Sync app syncing an iElectribe with the Monotribe.

Cable Guy's have released some demos of their upcoming MIDI Shaper plugin which is currently in public alpha. Its a plugin designed to modulate your other instruments, plugins, and effects. The first video is a short presentation of MIDI Shaper while the second explains how setup the routing of the plugin in a host or DAW setup.

Over in the UK at Watershed.co.uk they're celebrating Bernard Herrmann's centennial year with an extensive overview of his best works titled "On Dangerous Ground". Many of his themes and musical passages were like lullabies from my ancient chikdhood exposure to television and film. From Psycho’s stabbing thrust of strings in the shower to the rise and fall of Vertigo’s romantic theme, to the spooky, extraterrestial sound of theremins in The Day The Earth Stood Still to Taxi Driver’s sleazy sax sounds on the streets of seventies New York, Herrmann forever changed the way film music was thought of with his groundbreaking work.

I cannot think of many things I like better than electronic music and Phillip K Dick so it a real joy to see the two come together. Check out this this wonderful new release by Mystified titled "For Phillip K Dick." This collection features seven electronic music tracks that are dedicated to the great science fiction writer. Download it now at http://www.archive.org/detai...

"I Should Not Dare" taken from David's new album Died in the Wool, which is out next week (31st May in USA). 'I should not dare' sets Emily Dickinson's poem to music accompanied by Christian Fennesz and Jan Bang. Read more about "Died in Wool" by David Sylvian on the official release page at http://www.davidsylvian.com/...

I Should Not Dare by Samadhisound

Pointillism was released in 1990 on the short lived 1 zer0 cassette label. The album is available here remastered from the original DAT as No. 3 in my cassette classics series. These tracks never sounded better and I hope you will enjoy listening to them as much I did making them. Download the Pointillism now at http://jackhertz.bandcamp.co...

Mark Jenkins who performs at the Vanderbilt Planetarium, Centerport NY on Saturday July 26th was recently interviewed on BBC Radio alongside BJORK and others who use the Apple iPad in their music. You can hear the feature, plus an extended clip about Mark's synthesizer sounds here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/...

This Electronic Music/Experimental Music/Electro-Acoustic Music event, herein known as BALTIMORE ELECTRONIC MUSIC 2011 SUMMERFEST TWO, is being sponsored by members of The Baltimore SDIY Group & will be a really nice musical endeavor, so we are really looking forward to this event. For the first time ever, this Summerfest event will be held over a 2-night period as The Hexagon was able to honor our booking request for Friday June 24th 2011 & Saturday June 25th 2011. Thank you so very very much Hexagon Space for being so kind to us.

Hey Kids! Sorry for being away for a bit. The day job's been kickin' my arse lately. But hey, it is all good when blowin' off steam with the gears results in strangeness like this. Dig this monster I have created by MIDIing a Yamaha DJX mk I with a Yamaha DJX II. These beasts maybe be from the same family, but they are quite different and fun for making all sorts of sonic mayhem. EMjoy!

Moogmusic wants to welcome you to the first season of Moog Sound Lab-- Moog's new live performance series where artists re-imagine the songs in their catalog using analog synthesis and effects. Moog Sound Lab is all about organic experimentation and soundscaping. It's filmed in the Moog Factory in Asheville, North Carolina. Tune into MoogMusic.com to see bands like Tegan & Sara, OKGO, Neon Indian, The Dandy Warhols, The Glitch Mob, Kylesa, Trentemoller and many more. Find out more at http://www.moogmusic.com/

Tomorrow May 28, 2011, Hal McGee brings Apartment Music #10

Experimental music/noise concert as it happens, live, on the Internet, in streaming video.

Time: 2:00 PM EDT

Virsyn has updated iVoxel The Singing Vocoder to 1.4. The amazingly sounding vocoder for iPhone/iPod and iPad with its unique concept can now be used from most MIDI keyboards using the Camera Adapter Kit for iPad. it is also now a Mac application.

Naive Lad is a concept synth.. oversampling is used to antialias (to an extent) trivially rendered oscillators. This may offer some benefit in contrast to other methods (especially if you like aliasing!). This VST is presented to offer some insight into dsp to promote informed application of synthesis. If you know what you're using, you'll know when it's best used.

Matt Howarth of Sonic Curiosity sent word and his review about a an album from Spanish Electronic Ambient Space Music artist Max Corbacho. The album is called Deep Time on the Ad21music Label. from listeing to the excerpts on Max's site I hear a kindred spirit to Steve Roach while at the same remaining highly his own original style.

REAKTOR 5.6 opens a universe of sound. It's a deep and powerful modular studio that sets no restrictions on creativity. More than 70 unique synthesizers, sound generators, grooveboxes, sequencers and effects are at your fingertips, with 3000+ more freely available in the Online User Library. Customize existing instruments, or create your own individual sound generator from scratch thanks to the fully modular architecture. REAKTOR 5.6 is a true playground for the creative mind.