New synth incoming -- Soma Labs Lyra 8

[The Elf]

Our drummer only got 18 months with good behaviour.

[Ben Asaro]

Sounds more like the description of owning a pet, rather than an electronic instrument!

LOL the thought crossed my mind that you could describe the L8 in terms that would fit an old friend that you know well -- complimentary overall, but there a few things that bug you.

It suggests you'll get a lot of inspiration from it, and that's never a bad thing.

Agreed, and I hope so. I'm going to be using it on a new piece I've been working on (see the method/change ringing thread for more info) and will see where it takes me from there (I have another idea that I'm also working on that will also probably feature the L8 heavily)

Now all we want are some audio examples (which I'll obviously shamelessly sample and use )! C'mon!

lol

[Ben Asaro]

Just finished my first recording with the L8. Once I got it in tune, using this instrument is like cheating lol.

3 tracks in total: first track are two modular voices in stereo; second track is the SubH using a single sub oscillator; third track is the L8.

Signal chain: L8 being modulated by the Hyper LFO and internal modulated delay > strymon DECO > RV-500 running two different delays and room reverbs > Eventide Blackhole.

[Guest]

Should there be a link?

[Ben Asaro]

Should there be a link?

Not until it gets posted in the Self Promotion forum.

[Drew Stephenson]

Tease!

[Ben Asaro]

Track is now live, https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... 36&t=78249

[Martin Walker]

And my ears are now listening to it (praise just posted in the above thread).

Martin

[Arpangel]

I need to give this serious time, I’ll listen later today.

[resistorman]

sweet!

[Ben Asaro]

I'm working on a remix for the purposes of this thread that will have the Lyra-8 accentuated so you can hear what it's doing more clearly.

[Ben Asaro]

Here's the remix which may be helpful in picking out the Lyra-8 in context: https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... tion-lyra8

[Martin Walker]

Thanks Ben!

Intriguing to hear the Lyra 8 in isolation

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

No problem, thought you might find it interesting.

[The Elf]

[Ben Asaro]

Now that I am a couple of weeks in, I thought I’d post a follow up on my time with the L8.

It’s a totally unique and versatile instrument. I definitely gravitate more towards the softer side of its sonic palette, the chaotic stuff doesn’t necessarily appeal to me, but I may use it on occasion.

Getting actual movement from the sound coming out of the L8 has been a challenge. At first I tried using the MIMIQ, but it sounded terrible, which was not what I was expecting! I ended up using a slow setting on a BOSS RT-20 and then going into the DECO with the decks slightly offset (about 200mS is my guess). This creates a gentle undulation across the stereo field that I find adds some nice motion to the sound. Sprinkle in two more delays and two reverbs and you’re off in the clouds!

[Martin Walker]

Thanks for the follow up Ben!

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

Arpangel's thread on the Subharmonicon has be thinking that the L8 and SubH would probably make a great combo, especially feeding the Subharmonicon's output into the Lyra for it's delay and additional modulation, and taking the SEQ or VCA outs from the Sub H into the L8 may make for some interesting rhythms.

Hmmmm .... more to follow.

[Ben Asaro]

Well, these last couple of months have flown by! My day job hit its busy season and all hope of making music was sidelined for a few weeks as looming deadlines and coverage for people on holidays took over. If there’s any advantage to it, it’s being able to revisit this strange machine with a fresh perspective.

I recorded the L8 on two pieces yesterday. On one I used the L8 to create an ominous, tuned drone patch. I increased the sharpness of the voices and then ran it through a Make Noise low pass gate to tame the high freqs but keep the harmonic complexity. This drone was not intended to be noticed and the L8 did the job perfectly after I wrangled a steady tuning out of it.

On the other, the drone is front and center and I tried a different approach. Using the Hyper LFO to modulate the pitch on most of the channels, I ‘played’ the feedback created by the delay self-oscillating. The resultant sound is a ((MASSIVE)) alien soundscape of churning-space-whales-dying-in-hell and absolutely silly amounts of pants-flapping bass.

I was beginning to have fringe doubts over the Lyra-8. Space is at a premium in my house and everything on my ‘play’ shelf has to justify its existence. I needn’t have worried, the Lyra-8 is such an amazing instrument for exploring sound design — not from a top-down, conscious view but the street-level; getting your hands dirty by directly manipulating and influencing the sound, though you have very little control over it.

I am sitting here listening back to these sounds, knowing that I’ll never be able to replicate them, and I’m okay with that.

[Martin Walker]

I am sitting here listening back to these sounds, knowing that I’ll never be able to replicate them, and I’m okay with that.

Sounds good to me Ben - can we please listen to them too?

Martin

[Ben Asaro]

I am sitting here listening back to these sounds, knowing that I’ll never be able to replicate them, and I’m okay with that.

Sounds good to me Ben - can we please listen to them too?

Martin

All in good time.

The first drone will be ready soon, the other track is in progress and will take longer.

I may record another drone jam just so you can hear the approach, though!

[Martin Walker]

[Ben Asaro]

Here you go, Martin! https://soundcloud.com/asfollowswriting ... drone-test

Lyra 8 + Valhalla Supermassive, with a touch of EQ to keep the hiss down a bit.

[Martin Walker]

Love all the inner movement in this, and it builds and builds!