Although this is the longest video I ever made, I'm sure there's still a lot of things you want to know. Please post your questions here and I'll answer them in a follow-up video! Zynthian is here: zynthian.org/
I really like the hardware and am contemplating a purchase. I am curious why the GUI is so unrefined? I gather that resources are an issue but with the MPC as an example, shouldn't a better user experience be possible? Technically a raspi has better hardware does it not?
hi :) I've recently stumbled upon Zynthian when searching for "open source hardware desktop synth" and it is impressive. I don't particularly fancy the menu diving and patching on board to be honest. Hence the question: is it possible to create patches on a computer using the plethora of FLOSS synths and transfer it to the device? Please and thank you
PI4 is a powerful computer, comparable to older smartphones perhaps. If you get the 8GB version, you can without problems use it as a desktop computer. (And it's at the core of a number of modern hardware synths as well).
@@mr_floydstNot a fan of it as a desktop experience tbh. The new rpi5 would be better obviously but for how much they sell for now you could buy a proper mini-PC for this purpose
By the way, what the budget for the Zynthian v5 ?? as the info is not listed in their "invitational only for the moment" shop ... Very detailed showcase vidéo of the device capabilities, thanks
I see that you control the Zynthian with a Yamahe Reface that has midi+audio USB and an internal speaker. So can you confirm that the Zynthian can be controlled by midi by the Reface and the audio from the Zynthian back in the Reface speaker, with just one usb cable ? Is the Zynthian the only harware synth that act as a midi host ? Thanks, I love your videos
Hi, thanks for watching! The Reface does not support USB audio, only MIDI. But if it did, Zynthian would be able to route it's audio there. In case you're looking for "commercial" alternatives to Zynthian, MPC and Maschine standalone come to mind.
But MPC or Maschine are Midi devices, not Midi hosts, right ? I have a cheap Yamaha PSR-E453 arranger keyboard, with good speakers, that supports USB Midi+Audio, but without Midi DIN connectors, and I'm looking for a little synth companion that I can connect easily with a single cable...
At first it seems like a lot of money, but when you think about it, this is like the modern day fairlight. Back in those days it cost as much as a house but this thing is just as cool and the possibilities are endless. It's also very repairable and ethical in that it uses "design for disassembly" as a principle. I'll be more than happy to buy this when I get the chance.
Hot diggety damn, what an impressive little workstation! I would love to have one of these when travelling. It's nicely compact and full of features! Simply great.
Interesting! I used to have a V2 version, and I bricked it during an update, so I never got around fixing it and ended up using the Raspberry for something else. Quite happy to see how much it evolved, might get aroung getting that new version!
Thanks, just finished building my Zynthian, your video inspired me! It seems to be working, now I need to wrap my head around it. I'm especially interested in using the Guitar amp sims with sooperlooper, midi pedals and a rhythm track. I'd love to see a video on how to use the PD environment, but I'd be happy with any Zynthian content. Thanks so much!
Thanks for your kind works! I didn't dip my toes into PD yet - but maybe I will. I will certainly do more Zynthian videos in the future. I heard there are important updates on the way, let's see what we get! :-)
I think this is amazing-- what an incredible live solution for a solo musician or electro-based group without having to rely on a laptop! Just a question: Can you import pre-created .midi files and assign the channels to specific instruments?
This isn't possible, unfortunately. The sequencer is not there yet - it's good for live looping and arranging songs, but exporting and importing MIDI isn't there yet.
@@mr_floydst Thanks so much for taking the time to answer. While it is disappointing that it does not have MIDI import&export, I'm still very happy to see more tools using open source components. Maybe one day it will!
Amazing product and the build is very straightforward it seems! Also great to read on their forum that they're looking at making things compatible with an RPi5.
I'm afraid I can't answer that as I never had a Deluge. If you happen to have a touchscreen and a USB audio interface and a PI4, you can always try to get your own impression by installing Zynthian. Just download the SD image: os.zynthian.org/zynthianos-last-stable.zip They have a major update called "Oram" in the works which among other things will improve the usability of the piano roll editor, which was one of my major criticisms.
Hi Floyd, I think your wright about it's shortfalls, hopefully this can be put wright in the next firmware update. Always a pleasure to watch your work. Respect.
I have the V4, love this thing, but i can't really sidechain anything using his own sidechain compressors. I think it's a big because i tryed everything in the book and It doesn't sidechain..
One little thing I have to complain is, that the first piano simulation with pianoteq plugin is not free and runs only as limited version when not paying additional 130€ licence.
A far better value than a TE Field but still not inexpensive. It’s might be something I take a stab at. An MPC isn’t way more expensive as of this writing and you get more for the money.
You're getting a more refined and overall more capable system with MPC. With Zynthian, you get freedom ;-) - due to it's open source nature, you can change it however you see fit. Plus it does not have that annyoing 4-note limit on it's plugins. Buying the kit is an act of support for it's creators, and building affordable yet robust hardware is quite the challenge for small projects that only order and sell comparably small numbers.
I think the MOD pedals are build around PI3 / PI4 SBCs, or am I mistaken? I didn't measure Zynthians actual latency yet. I'll do in my next Zynthian video.
The price will come down, but not significantly. I guess the only way to bring down the price are some massive sales which put confidence into the product's market performance. ;-)
It's not quite there yet, to give the short answer. MPC is much more polished and streamlined / unified. That being said, the new "Oram" OS update for Zynthian takes it to the next level (it's still not MPC level, but usability is improved a lot). Zynthian has some unique features you won't find on MPC, though, like that virtual pedal board or musical programming languages like Pure Data.
Thanks for watching! I never tried to measure that specific latency time. The Zynthian team has put in all efforts to make latency as low as possible, though.
If you are looking for a VST host for live performances that runs all the plugins you normally use on Apple or Windows, this here might not be the right thing. If you're looking for something that's a bit like Mainstage (VST host that has a good "Live" UI), you could try Kushview Elements or Niall Moody's Pedalboard 2 on that Mini PC I made a video on and that you commented on as well.
@@mr_floydst wow I'm so glad I commented. I've been watching your old zynthian videos for the past few days and now this pops up. I will try this, thanks!
I'm still confused about what this is, even after browsing the zynthian site, which I'm starting to think is intentional... Is this just a linux digital software syth with some extra hardware buttons?
@@mr_floydst you did, which is why I'm confused, the _giant title_ on the zynthian website is 'open synth platform', the title of your video has 'open source synthesizer' right in it, and yet what you describe is not a synthesizer engine at all... it's a groovebox?
Hi, the title says "synthesizer workstation" - and that's pretty accurate, I think. "Synth platform" isn't too bad, either - it's a computer that has a specialised software that runs VST/LV2... plugins (and other musical applications as seen in the video). MPC is the next closest thing.
You don't need a fan in every application. I can't think of any time I've used a fan on a pi project. It also clearly works, you can see it from the videos, and nobody is really posting that they are overheating. ....Maybe if you kept it between some pillows it might.... Friend had one being played off and on randomly and it was on for at least four hours. I guess if you really think it is doing nothing you could just leave it out...but I wouldn't recommend it. Passive cooling is a thing.
It comes with a Pianoteq demo (which sounds quite good) and a lot of sampled pianos. I guess something of that will suit your taste... You can always download the OS image and pop it into a Raspberry PI4 and try it before buying the actual hardware.
Very interesting! I was thinking to buy until I read the comment that said it can't do side-chaining.. It can't be far from supporting that tho in the future, the inputs can already make use of effects 😁
@@mr_floydst- holy molene! You Said IT! My upbringing brought me through so much and so many radically transformative shifts in, "How do I learn how to use this for 'my own' music? Then it was three full decades of supporting Windows machine and now, at 69 years of age, some parts ready to just plain give-up and become complacent the rest a 3 to 5 year-old kid with a treasure box of toys that gets put away each end-of-day (some days lasting nearly a week when and/or if my will to create returns). I CRIED when the piano sound arrived. Reminding me of my first hardware buy-in point, the absolutely impressive EMU ULTRAPROTEUS, with my dream, Z-Plane Filters! oh, Goody, I can make 3D SoundShapes I Am In Heaven" Between the GRAND PIANO and something Cello? I never left. Side-tracked, what brought me to comment here EVERYTHING REMAINS IN FLUX - a soldering reference, eh ;-) I truly CracksMeUp when those TECHIE doodzzz put up their "The FINAL WORD Optimizing Windows for DAW" or whatever> Listing work-around after fudge method, after HOT TIP and then? That applied during release this through those patches, then was addressed and no longer applies unless. AND I NEVER MAKE ANY SOUND besides grumbling now, they put too much effort 'Creating' a reputation for building a mythology of DIY to fix stuff, but none of it applies anymore, since that was fixed ages ago. Take Care I have been hunting through 'Drum Machine' vs. "Groove Box" deciding, and nearly got tied-up into another GAS purchase. then 'something' held me back, leaving about 3 or 4 incomplete shopping carts behind. Then my fingertips somehow managed to land me accidentally on a 'saved' link I had said, "THIS IS IT!" Zynthian drew me out of my slumber and... HOLY MOLENE People gotta learn, to make this stuff affordable, mass market. But Individuality has the draw Education brings so many choices to the for, even with no gear available. Leave the work-arounds as a point on the map, a waypoint, a bouy, call that 'mine' and produce. BE SAFE TAKE CARE we will get through this unspeakable horror and come out a better people for it united as one celestial chorus, if we do not clean-up or mess and prove we are worthy of more air supply, less than 50 years left. mehumzzz ;-) I had aspirations of greatness when PAIA shipped their GNOME kit. But there was a cold solder joint in the filter circuit that gave me a 3rd oscillator as it was pushed into a high-Q zone and self-oscillate, then not, but Craig Anderton and then Maestro Wilson of Music From Mars,a ND and and I bought Empress Effects' ZOIA and Poly Effects Beebo/Digit. and they sit teasing me, "How do I simulate ZOIA and Beebo-Digit performing "Dueling Banjos" as if being kids growing up learning how to Entertain?" Zynthian as Conductor is what I missed!
@@mr_floydst Thanks for the reply! That’s unfortunate, I’m sure it’s probably still a work In progress. I already own an MPC live 2, but I still really like the whole portable, open source, DIY aspect of it! (Plus I have an extra 3b+ I could drop in it!) lol But that feature alone would definitely be a good thing to implement, especially with the existing pad layout and design! (that as well as some minor graphical UI improvements here and there I believe could really help the sales out a lot! Or maybe some other housing options like ABS etc… would be nice as well! Definitely keep us posted on any future updates! I’m curious to see how it shapes out in the future
Hi, thanks for watching! That's up to you to decide. My job/hobby is to explain what this particular box can do and then try to reach as many people as possible. ;-) Keyboard workstations tend to be more expensive, though it might be possible to get a used MPC for the same price.
is this KYMA yet? I wonder if it could handle resynthesizing an audio input then re-pitching the pitch including the harmonic partials via MPE? Or SIMILAR 😂
In terms of the idea, it's a good synthesizer! Unfortunately, they use cheap mechanical encoders that have a lifespan of only 30,000 cycles🤔 - an absolute no-go for me
Selecting soundfonts is straightforward: You get a list of all directories and files on the SD card. Zynthian has a web interface that can be used for uploading soundfont files. You can also copy them to an USB stick or to the SD card.
Hallo Floyd, Guten Abend, I'm wondering, from what I noticed, there's no video out from the Zynthian, so no way to connect to an external screen, to see the GUI of any of the synths or effects that are loaded in. This means sacrificing the video outputs of the Raspberry Pi...? Danke für die Klarstellung.
Moin moin, ;-) indeed, there's no HDMI out port "in the box". The PCB has some traces reading "HDMI" so I guess there's something planned in future versions.
Hi Floyd thanks for all the fantastic videos and explanations! I just subscribe to your channel. How this device does compare with SMPLTREK from Sonicware? I understand that the latter is not at all a synth, but are the recording capabilities comparable?
Hi, thank you very much! No, I'd say smpltrek is specifically designed for quick and convenient sampling, so that's the go-to device if you want to work with samples first and foremost. Zynthian is more like a synthesizer workstation, a jack-of-all-trades so to speak.
From a money standpoint, it is pointless. From an interesting concept, home run. Back to reality though for most of us. 600 usd? My new mpc one plus was 699 usd.
Thanks! You're right, price is hardly competitive. It's a problem most open source developers who produce limited numbers of kits will face: They have to pay consumer prices for electronic components. In Zynthians case, you can always opt to buy a RasPi, a screen, some rotary encoders and build it yourself. If you own a 3D printer and are able to print the case yourself, you'll land somewhere between $100 to $250, depending on what you already have at home and how luxurious your intended built is.
Yeah, I bought my MPC One used for 410€ ... That being said, I built my own Zynthian for next to no money, as I already owned a Raspberry Pi 4, a screen and an audio interface.
Interesting enough that I headed over to see how much these kits go for, and for a peasant like me, it's overly expensive for what it is. I don't think it really competes with the MPC One tbh, which requires minimal setup and is near enough the exact same price, but much, much cheaper if you buy second hand, which because the Zynthian is so niche, there is virtually no second hand market for. It's an amazing device though, and I would love Raspberry Pi devices like this to become a huge market. The less niche they become, the more competitive prices will be.
You're right, the kit is not cheap. It's a problem open source developers are facing all the time : buying components in relatively small numbers isn't cheap. On the other hand, the minimum config here is a touch screen and a raspberry pi 4, so if you have those already, all you need is a bit of time to install it. Zynthian is both more and less useful / powerful than MPC. It's sequencer still needs work. But it also comes with a lot of useful stuff MPC doesn't have.
I enjoyed the video btw. I notice you do a lot of these kit based niche devices. a great way for a virtual pauper like me to see these interesting pieces of hardware ;-) @@mr_floydst
Zynthian is built by the Zynthian project, www.zynthian.org Raspberry PI is used in a lot of commercial products as of lately: The Korg keyboard synths like OP6 and WaveState, most notably.
I always feel a spark of joy when the Yellow Submarine shows up! I love the idea of the Zynthian hardware. But there's a part of my brain that says "You can get a ready made synth for that price!" and it tends to win. I guess I don't have enough of the DIY DNA in me. Still always fascinating to watch.
Thanks for watching! You can use your own plugins, but the downside is they need to be ARM64 compatible, which rules out all Windows plugins immediately.
Yeahhhhh, and plus taxation this becomes like 6 months of a minimal wage for Brazilian Although, being and opensource could be something that could lead for a solution to this problem But now imagine this with a pianoteq license? Oh gawd I did the math yesterday, couldn't sleep after 😢
I made a video on how to build the DIY version of this last year: ua-cam.com/video/-r2zDXNBrzM/v-deo.html You don't really need the pianoteq license - the box comes with a collection of sampled pianos, too. I didn't show those in this video.
Hi, thanks for watching! I never used either of these two, but in Zynthian, you can assign an audio player to the "grid" shown in this video. This will play any audio clip you specify in sync to the music.
@@mr_floydst Nice! I will test out :) I "built" it (installed it in my pi4) but I'm using it w/ a qwerty queyboard and usb audio interface for now since its to expensive to ship the v5 to Brazil :(
I got excited for a few seconds. I thought it was going to be able to run Windows plugins. I'm waiting for a company to make a hardware synth/effects units, that allows Windows/Mac plugins. This shouldn't be a difficult task. All that a company would need to do is put a windows computer into a controller, with an interface with high end AD/DA conversion, and multiple I/O's. In all seriousness, the computer side could be for customers to pick and add themself. I've thought about building my own since Open Labs introduced the Neko and Meko. Taking something like a SSL SIX, Novation 49SL, and a Windows PC with a touch screen, is basically what I want. Adding some extras like analog filters, and maybe a an analog mono synth for bass and leads, would make it even better. I would also prefer that it would be easy to upgrade the PC side. Why hasn't any of these companies done something like this... In my opinion the Neko failed because they used cheap parts. If they made it with less plastic, and easy to upgrade parts, I think they would still be selling units. They basically sold cheap hardware, for way too much. It was still a great idea, just not executed well.
well, I guess such a project would be doable with Hermann Seib's VST Host software www.hermannseib.com/vsthost.htm, a PC stick and a touchscreen (and a custom made metal case). Install Windows home edition, make it not ask for a password, put the VST software into the autostart options, and you should have a humble beginning. (That software can store "patches" that can be loaded using MIDI program change commands)
Maybe it could be done using yabridge, which is a compatibility tool for running Windows VSTs on Linux (similar to proton for steam games). I don't know if it's easy to run on Zynthian, but maybe it has already been discussed in the forums. If not, I think it would be a pertinent discussion.
570.00 € for the set with rasbeery. This is not really cheap. Especial when i think that I can get a MPC one for near same price and it is ready to use. Do you think it is really worth to buy Zynthian?
I mentioned this is the end of the video, the price is quite steep indeed. I'd recommend this to people who love synths and tech (building stuff) who already have a PI4 at home. For the money, you get a very well built, high quality audio hardware you can tinker with and that won't let you down in live situations. Both MPC and Zynthian have their share of advantages/disadvantages. The nice thing about Zynthian is you can try it for free by downloading the open source software and installing it on a PI. You can then decide if it's something you like or not.
It more than 3 times the price of this box, but as I never had a chance to try it, I can't make comparisons. This box has been receiving a steady stream of updates since it's first version and it's future potential is certainly bigger than other devices, because you can upgrade the computer inside any time.
Although this is the longest video I ever made, I'm sure there's still a lot of things you want to know. Please post your questions here and I'll answer them in a follow-up video! Zynthian is here: zynthian.org/
I really like the hardware and am contemplating a purchase. I am curious why the GUI is so unrefined? I gather that resources are an issue but with the MPC as an example, shouldn't a better user experience be possible? Technically a raspi has better hardware does it not?
also, is it possible to boot other OS when installed in the zynthian chassis/ hardware?
It's possible to play 2 VSTs or synths at the same time? Like a piano plus strings?
hi :) I've recently stumbled upon Zynthian when searching for "open source hardware desktop synth" and it is impressive. I don't particularly fancy the menu diving and patching on board to be honest. Hence the question: is it possible to create patches on a computer using the plethora of FLOSS synths and transfer it to the device? Please and thank you
fantastic demo!
Ooo this looks interesting! It's probably not for me, but if its cheaper than an mpc one then it should do well!
I'm pretty sure they've got a winner on their hands here. They nailed the design, and the new Zynthian software has seen some big improvements.
great video, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks Floyd, I will add the video to the article :)
Thank you, Tom! :-)
Always amazed that you can run Pianoteq on a Raspberry Pi, what a time to be alive
PI4 is a powerful computer, comparable to older smartphones perhaps. If you get the 8GB version, you can without problems use it as a desktop computer. (And it's at the core of a number of modern hardware synths as well).
@@mr_floydstNot a fan of it as a desktop experience tbh. The new rpi5 would be better obviously but for how much they sell for now you could buy a proper mini-PC for this purpose
By the way, what the budget for the Zynthian v5 ?? as the info is not listed in their "invitational only for the moment" shop ...
Very detailed showcase vidéo of the device capabilities, thanks
Hi, see this page: shop.zynthian.org/shop/zynthian-kit-v5-34?category=10#attr=42,17
I see that you control the Zynthian with a Yamahe Reface that has midi+audio USB and an internal speaker. So can you confirm that the Zynthian can be controlled by midi by the Reface and the audio from the Zynthian back in the Reface speaker, with just one usb cable ? Is the Zynthian the only harware synth that act as a midi host ? Thanks, I love your videos
Hi, thanks for watching! The Reface does not support USB audio, only MIDI. But if it did, Zynthian would be able to route it's audio there.
In case you're looking for "commercial" alternatives to Zynthian, MPC and Maschine standalone come to mind.
But MPC or Maschine are Midi devices, not Midi hosts, right ? I have a cheap Yamaha PSR-E453 arranger keyboard, with good speakers, that supports USB Midi+Audio, but without Midi DIN connectors, and I'm looking for a little synth companion that I can connect easily with a single cable...
Two questions, first, is there list of plugins to check them out? And second, the led screen showing the clock where i can get one??
Hi, thanks for watching. I usually post these things in the video's description ;-)
List of engines: zynthian.org/engines
Divoom EVO: amzn.to/3XxMMie
cool
Thanks for watching!
can you do a surge CPU/polyphony stress test?
Sure thing! I'll collect some questions and do a follow-up video.
So I am guessing you can run Doom on it since it has a raspberry pi
You're not mistaken. :-)
So maybe Zynthian is the most amazing raspberry Pi project so far. V5 now looks absolutely professional. Thx to the incredible Zynthian community!
The new software is really getting there and my info is they're working on a swing feature in the sequencer. :-)
At first it seems like a lot of money, but when you think about it, this is like the modern day fairlight. Back in those days it cost as much as a house but this thing is just as cool and the possibilities are endless. It's also very repairable and ethical in that it uses "design for disassembly" as a principle. I'll be more than happy to buy this when I get the chance.
Absolutely true. This instrument will be up-to-date as long as the devs support it, and every part can be exchanged if needed.
I was looking at this just last week so your vid is timely. It’s on my GAS list for sure.
Thanks for watching. It's a powerful tool for sure.
Hot diggety damn, what an impressive little workstation!
I would love to have one of these when travelling. It's nicely compact and full of features! Simply great.
I'm sure we'll some day meet again in real life and then I'll hand you a bag-o'-synths. :-)
Please release a Eurorack version of this little beast that can replace the overly inflated prices of ER 301.
Thanks for watching! Perhaps you should place that request on Zynthian's forums, discourse.zynthian.org/. ;-)
Interesting! I used to have a V2 version, and I bricked it during an update, so I never got around fixing it and ended up using the Raspberry for something else. Quite happy to see how much it evolved, might get aroung getting that new version!
Hi, thanks for watching! You can always just download a new image and then transfer your data from the old sd card. zynthian.org/#software
Sweet, it is like a Dreambox for musicians and electronic nerds 😍
Thanks for watching! It is. And it's development has come a long way for sure.
Thanks, just finished building my Zynthian, your video inspired me! It seems to be working, now I need to wrap my head around it. I'm especially interested in using the Guitar amp sims with sooperlooper, midi pedals and a rhythm track. I'd love to see a video on how to use the PD environment, but I'd be happy with any Zynthian content. Thanks so much!
Thanks for your kind works! I didn't dip my toes into PD yet - but maybe I will.
I will certainly do more Zynthian videos in the future. I heard there are important updates on the way, let's see what we get! :-)
I think this is amazing-- what an incredible live solution for a solo musician or electro-based group without having to rely on a laptop!
Just a question: Can you import pre-created .midi files and assign the channels to specific instruments?
This isn't possible, unfortunately. The sequencer is not there yet - it's good for live looping and arranging songs, but exporting and importing MIDI isn't there yet.
@@mr_floydst Thanks so much for taking the time to answer. While it is disappointing that it does not have MIDI import&export, I'm still very happy to see more tools using open source components. Maybe one day it will!
@@brianbergmusic5288 They're updating this constantly and the sequencer is being worked on, so it's worth keeping an eye on this project.
I think this could be for Linux audio what the Steam Deck is becoming for gaming
That's a good comparison, even size-wise. :-)
Comprehensive build guide. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Amazing product and the build is very straightforward it seems! Also great to read on their forum that they're looking at making things compatible with an RPi5.
Thanks for watching! Yes, building it isn't complicated. All you need is some time and patience.
"Is anyone going to want to know what this visualizer is? Nah, *BUT THIS SCREWDRIVER THO*"
Haha, that's because that visualizer has gotten it's own video ua-cam.com/users/shortsZC0d_4xyMUw
Wow! That has some lush presets. I’m definitely interested in this as a song production box. How does it compare to the Deluge?
I'm afraid I can't answer that as I never had a Deluge. If you happen to have a touchscreen and a USB audio interface and a PI4, you can always try to get your own impression by installing Zynthian. Just download the SD image: os.zynthian.org/zynthianos-last-stable.zip
They have a major update called "Oram" in the works which among other things will improve the usability of the piano roll editor, which was one of my major criticisms.
sounds great, ssold out now, as making a new version for pi5
Hi Floyd, I think your wright about it's shortfalls, hopefully this can be put wright in the next firmware update. Always a pleasure to watch your work. Respect.
They're releasing updates at a steady pace - I guess we will see those features soon.
Sold out! Sad...
Thanks for watching - I'm sure they've already ordered the next batch, just revisit that page from time to time.
I have the V4, love this thing, but i can't really sidechain anything using his own sidechain compressors. I think it's a big because i tryed everything in the book and It doesn't sidechain..
Thanks for watching! Yes, there's no official way to set up sidechaining right now. I'll talk about that in a follow-up video.
One little thing I have to complain is, that the first piano simulation with pianoteq plugin is not free and runs only as limited version when not paying additional 130€ licence.
Good point, I should have mentioned that. There are other piano sounds on that box, and I'll show them in future videos.
Thanks for making this Floyd. Very interesting. Would like to see the song and arranging capabilities if that would be possible please.
I'll definitely do that. Thanks for your suggestion!
sounds great, ssold out now, as making a new version for pi5
Yes, I've read that on the forums.
Welp, that's it I found it. The final GAS. I didn't think it was possible but here it is! I can quit geartube now.
My apologies for that ;-) You can easily aquire this by just downloading the software and installing it on a RasPi (if you have one)
A far better value than a TE Field but still not inexpensive. It’s might be something I take a stab at.
An MPC isn’t way more expensive as of this writing and you get more for the money.
You're getting a more refined and overall more capable system with MPC.
With Zynthian, you get freedom ;-) - due to it's open source nature, you can change it however you see fit. Plus it does not have that annyoing 4-note limit on it's plugins.
Buying the kit is an act of support for it's creators, and building affordable yet robust hardware is quite the challenge for small projects that only order and sell comparably small numbers.
impressed you can use it to run MOD dwarf desktop !! interested in the amount of latency!
I think the MOD pedals are build around PI3 / PI4 SBCs, or am I mistaken? I didn't measure Zynthians actual latency yet. I'll do in my next Zynthian video.
I literally gasped whenI saw the price. Maybe it will come down when the RPI becomes more available.
The price will come down, but not significantly. I guess the only way to bring down the price are some massive sales which put confidence into the product's market performance. ;-)
Yes, I would love to see the arranger if you have time
Hi, thanks for your input! I'll wait for more responses and I'll do a follow-up-video later this year.
I'm curious on how the Zynthian compares to something like the Akai MPC One+ (like an open source MPC?)
It's not quite there yet, to give the short answer. MPC is much more polished and streamlined / unified.
That being said, the new "Oram" OS update for Zynthian takes it to the next level (it's still not MPC level, but usability is improved a lot).
Zynthian has some unique features you won't find on MPC, though, like that virtual pedal board or musical programming languages like Pure Data.
@@mr_floydst At the very least it's on an exciting path forward for an open source project, I'm looking forward to the 5.1 and the Oram update!
They should make one for right-handed people.
You can rotate the screen on this (though it doesn't rotate the labels on the buttons) ;-)
Perhaps post this on their forums over at Zynthian.org
amazing. how is the measured latency with pianoteq?
Thanks for watching! I never tried to measure that specific latency time. The Zynthian team has put in all efforts to make latency as low as possible, though.
that was one fine pad, well done. Good overview overall, thanks
Thanks for watching!
All I want to know is: can this host VSTs and run something like Mainstage, so I can use my MIDI pickup on stage, with only this box, running VSTs?
If you are looking for a VST host for live performances that runs all the plugins you normally use on Apple or Windows, this here might not be the right thing.
If you're looking for something that's a bit like Mainstage (VST host that has a good "Live" UI), you could try Kushview Elements or Niall Moody's Pedalboard 2 on that Mini PC I made a video on and that you commented on as well.
@@mr_floydst Thanks! But I need to run specifically MainStage. Thoughts?
How can I get one already assembled. I am not capable of assembling one myself.
I'm afraid the only way is to buy a kit and find someone to assemble it for you.
Id like a way to get the software running on an x86 laptop. Ive been looking for an easy way to do that.
Have you tried the RasPi emulator? sourceforge.net/projects/rpiqemuwindows/
@@mr_floydst wow I'm so glad I commented. I've been watching your old zynthian videos for the past few days and now this pops up. I will try this, thanks!
hi, great video, can i just use rapsberry pi and display to run this?
Yes you can! See my video ua-cam.com/video/-r2zDXNBrzM/v-deo.html on how to do that.
The link for your screwdriver is broken FYI
Thanks - fixed it.
I'm still confused about what this is, even after browsing the zynthian site, which I'm starting to think is intentional... Is this just a linux digital software syth with some extra hardware buttons?
Hi, it's an MPC like device. A plugin host plus sequencer / looper, with a unified user interface. I thought I explained that in the video... 🤔
@@mr_floydst you did, which is why I'm confused, the _giant title_ on the zynthian website is 'open synth platform', the title of your video has 'open source synthesizer' right in it, and yet what you describe is not a synthesizer engine at all... it's a groovebox?
Hi, the title says "synthesizer workstation" - and that's pretty accurate, I think. "Synth platform" isn't too bad, either - it's a computer that has a specialised software that runs VST/LV2... plugins (and other musical applications as seen in the video). MPC is the next closest thing.
Can this be used as a sampler with effects?
Yes, you can do that. (The UI for that is a bit "click here, turn this, enter that", though)
Where do you get that led box in the right corner
It's by a company named Divoom. divoom.com/
Neat but I'm totally turned off by the useless heat sink - no fan, no fins = hot chunk of metal doing nothing.
Hi, thanks for watching! The heat sink makes contact with the metal case, so there's the heat distribution there.
You don't need a fan in every application. I can't think of any time I've used a fan on a pi project. It also clearly works, you can see it from the videos, and nobody is really posting that they are overheating. ....Maybe if you kept it between some pillows it might....
Friend had one being played off and on randomly and it was on for at least four hours. I guess if you really think it is doing nothing you could just leave it out...but I wouldn't recommend it. Passive cooling is a thing.
Worth it for the piano sound, surely?
It comes with a Pianoteq demo (which sounds quite good) and a lot of sampled pianos. I guess something of that will suit your taste... You can always download the OS image and pop it into a Raspberry PI4 and try it before buying the actual hardware.
Support track recording ?
Yes, it does. You can record MIDI and audio, which then can be sequenced in the step sequencer (as shown in the end of this video).
How is the latency? That’s always my biggest concern with these sorts of projects
Hi, thanks for watching! Latency is around 11ms, see discourse.zynthian.org/t/latency-question/8815/5
@@mr_floydst thats probably as good as one could hope for for this sort of thing. sub 10ms is kind of the standard for an instrument though
Very interesting! I was thinking to buy until I read the comment that said it can't do side-chaining.. It can't be far from supporting that tho in the future, the inputs can already make use of effects 😁
Zynthian is in development constantly and things I said some weeks ago are not necessarily reflecting the current state of affairs :)
@@mr_floydst- holy molene! You Said IT!
My upbringing brought me through so much and so many radically transformative shifts in, "How do I learn how to use this for 'my own' music?
Then it was three full decades of supporting Windows machine and now, at 69 years of age, some parts ready to just plain give-up and become complacent the rest a 3 to 5 year-old kid with a treasure box of toys that gets put away each end-of-day (some days lasting nearly a week when and/or if my will to create returns).
I CRIED when the piano sound arrived.
Reminding me of my first hardware buy-in point, the absolutely impressive EMU ULTRAPROTEUS, with my dream, Z-Plane Filters! oh, Goody, I can make 3D SoundShapes I Am In Heaven"
Between the GRAND PIANO and something Cello?
I never left.
Side-tracked, what brought me to comment here
EVERYTHING REMAINS IN FLUX - a soldering reference, eh ;-)
I truly CracksMeUp when those TECHIE doodzzz put up their "The FINAL WORD Optimizing Windows for DAW" or whatever>
Listing work-around after fudge method, after HOT TIP and then?
That applied during release this through those patches, then was addressed and no longer applies unless.
AND I NEVER MAKE ANY SOUND
besides grumbling now, they put too much effort 'Creating' a reputation for building a mythology of DIY to fix stuff, but none of it applies anymore, since that was fixed ages ago.
Take Care
I have been hunting through 'Drum Machine' vs. "Groove Box" deciding, and nearly got tied-up into another GAS purchase. then 'something' held me back, leaving about 3 or 4 incomplete shopping carts behind.
Then my fingertips somehow managed to land me accidentally on a 'saved' link I had said, "THIS IS IT!" Zynthian drew me out of my slumber and...
HOLY MOLENE
People gotta learn, to make this stuff affordable, mass market.
But
Individuality has the draw
Education brings so many choices to the for, even with no gear available.
Leave the work-arounds as a point on the map, a waypoint, a bouy, call that 'mine' and produce.
BE SAFE
TAKE CARE
we will get through this unspeakable horror and come out a better people for it
united as one celestial chorus, if we do not clean-up or mess and prove we are worthy of more air supply, less than 50 years left.
mehumzzz ;-)
I had aspirations of greatness when PAIA shipped their GNOME kit. But there was a cold solder joint in the filter circuit that gave me a 3rd oscillator as it was pushed into a high-Q zone and self-oscillate, then not, but Craig Anderton and then Maestro Wilson of Music From Mars,a ND and and
I bought Empress Effects' ZOIA and Poly Effects Beebo/Digit.
and they sit teasing me, "How do I simulate ZOIA and Beebo-Digit performing "Dueling Banjos" as if being kids growing up learning how to Entertain?"
Zynthian as Conductor is what I missed!
It's neat but it's sold out! When are more going to be available??
It seems they're currently updating hardware for Raspberry PI 5: discourse.zynthian.org/t/availability-of-the-v5-kit/9848/3
@@mr_floydst Neat! Thanks!
I recognize the Yamaha Reface DX and the Zynthian v5 but what on Earth is that flashy LED light thing over on the right side?
Hi, thanks for watching! My viewers ask this so frequently I made a short video to answer this. :-)
ua-cam.com/users/shortsZC0d_4xyMUw
Can you use the pads to finger drum/ trigger samples?
Hi, thanks for watching! At the moment, that's not possible (I think).
@@mr_floydst Thanks for the reply!
That’s unfortunate, I’m sure it’s probably still a work In progress.
I already own an MPC live 2, but I still really like the whole portable, open source, DIY aspect of it! (Plus I have an extra 3b+ I could drop in it!) lol
But that feature alone would definitely be a good thing to implement, especially with the existing pad layout and design! (that as well as some minor graphical UI improvements here and there I believe could really help the sales out a lot! Or maybe some other housing options like ABS etc… would be nice as well!
Definitely keep us posted on any future updates! I’m curious to see how it shapes out in the future
why not just buy a keyboard with everything already built in
Hi, thanks for watching! That's up to you to decide. My job/hobby is to explain what this particular box can do and then try to reach as many people as possible. ;-)
Keyboard workstations tend to be more expensive, though it might be possible to get a used MPC for the same price.
size. i don't always need 88 keys and a bunch of faders and a power cable. i like putting my whole setup in a duffle bag :)
Thank you for amazing video sir.Is it possible to save MOD ui preset in Zinthan and use it without computer.Thank you
Thanks for watching! Yes - once you've set up your MOD UI patch, you can use it without an external computer.
@@mr_floydst Thank you very much.One more question please.Can Zynthian work with another raspberry with 8 gb ram?
@@GareginBingyol You can. I did a video on that last year: ua-cam.com/video/-r2zDXNBrzM/v-deo.html
@@mr_floydst Is there any latency on audio inputs when using mod ui plugin?Thank you one more time)))
Thank you 🙏
is this KYMA yet? I wonder if it could handle resynthesizing an audio input then re-pitching the pitch including the harmonic partials via MPE?
Or SIMILAR 😂
"keep you memories alive"? what do you mean by that?
If you know a plugin that does what you describe here, then yes, it can do that.
In terms of the idea, it's a good synthesizer! Unfortunately, they use cheap mechanical encoders that have a lifespan of only 30,000 cycles🤔 - an absolute no-go for me
Thanks for sharing - I didn't know that. Perhaps it's a good idea to post a change request over on discourse.zynthian.org/ ?
Hi Floyd ..the demo is great.. want to know What model of Yamaha keyboard did you use for this demo?
Thanks for watching! That's a Reface DX.
How easy is it to navigate and load SF2 files in FluidSynth?
Selecting soundfonts is straightforward: You get a list of all directories and files on the SD card.
Zynthian has a web interface that can be used for uploading soundfont files. You can also copy them to an USB stick or to the SD card.
Hallo Floyd, Guten Abend,
I'm wondering, from what I noticed, there's no video out from the Zynthian, so no way to connect to an external screen, to see the GUI of any of the synths or effects that are loaded in.
This means sacrificing the video outputs of the Raspberry Pi...?
Danke für die Klarstellung.
Moin moin, ;-)
indeed, there's no HDMI out port "in the box". The PCB has some traces reading "HDMI" so I guess there's something planned in future versions.
@@mr_floydst Sorry for being late, thank you very much for your response ;)
Hi Floyd thanks for all the fantastic videos and explanations! I just subscribe to your channel. How this device does compare with SMPLTREK from Sonicware? I understand that the latter is not at all a synth, but are the recording capabilities comparable?
Hi, thank you very much!
No, I'd say smpltrek is specifically designed for quick and convenient sampling, so that's the go-to device if you want to work with samples first and foremost. Zynthian is more like a synthesizer workstation, a jack-of-all-trades so to speak.
Thank a lot for you kind answer!@@mr_floydst
Hello, how are you, a query on raspaberry pi5 can it support 64-bit wine vst or not, I would greatly appreciate it.
I'll do a video eventually, but at the moment, it's still early days for the PI5.
Thanks 👍🏿
From a money standpoint, it is pointless. From an interesting concept, home run. Back to reality though for most of us. 600 usd? My new mpc one plus was 699 usd.
Thanks! You're right, price is hardly competitive. It's a problem most open source developers who produce limited numbers of kits will face: They have to pay consumer prices for electronic components.
In Zynthians case, you can always opt to buy a RasPi, a screen, some rotary encoders and build it yourself. If you own a 3D printer and are able to print the case yourself, you'll land somewhere between $100 to $250, depending on what you already have at home and how luxurious your intended built is.
Yeah, I bought my MPC One used for 410€ ... That being said, I built my own Zynthian for next to no money, as I already owned a Raspberry Pi 4, a screen and an audio interface.
It was quite far from the actual complete product though. But it worked.
Interesting enough that I headed over to see how much these kits go for, and for a peasant like me, it's overly expensive for what it is. I don't think it really competes with the MPC One tbh, which requires minimal setup and is near enough the exact same price, but much, much cheaper if you buy second hand, which because the Zynthian is so niche, there is virtually no second hand market for. It's an amazing device though, and I would love Raspberry Pi devices like this to become a huge market. The less niche they become, the more competitive prices will be.
You're right, the kit is not cheap. It's a problem open source developers are facing all the time : buying components in relatively small numbers isn't cheap.
On the other hand, the minimum config here is a touch screen and a raspberry pi 4, so if you have those already, all you need is a bit of time to install it.
Zynthian is both more and less useful / powerful than MPC. It's sequencer still needs work. But it also comes with a lot of useful stuff MPC doesn't have.
I enjoyed the video btw. I notice you do a lot of these kit based niche devices. a great way for a virtual pauper like me to see these interesting pieces of hardware ;-) @@mr_floydst
@@LurkingCrassZero Thanks! I have a couple of videos in the making showcasing new tiny devices! :)
Do you know some company who use it to make hardware ?
Zynthian is built by the Zynthian project, www.zynthian.org
Raspberry PI is used in a lot of commercial products as of lately: The Korg keyboard synths like OP6 and WaveState, most notably.
I always feel a spark of joy when the Yellow Submarine shows up! I love the idea of the Zynthian hardware. But there's a part of my brain that says "You can get a ready made synth for that price!" and it tends to win. I guess I don't have enough of the DIY DNA in me. Still always fascinating to watch.
In the town, where is was born
Lived a man, who built some synths
And he told me of his life
In his office he never left
@@mr_floydst beeg smyl!
What a clear setup,and overview of this Sound box. The plugin functionality seems great, can it use your own plugins
Thanks for watching! You can use your own plugins, but the downside is they need to be ARM64 compatible, which rules out all Windows plugins immediately.
@@mr_floydst okay cheers, so my Mac OS vst/au plugins would be happy there ?
I'm afraid you can only use Linux plugins.
@@mr_floydst okay… thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.
This ia gorgeus, but unfortunately not feasible for southamericans
Why is that? Because of packaging & shipping fees?
Yeahhhhh, and plus taxation this becomes like 6 months of a minimal wage for Brazilian
Although, being and opensource could be something that could lead for a solution to this problem
But now imagine this with a pianoteq license? Oh gawd I did the math yesterday, couldn't sleep after 😢
I made a video on how to build the DIY version of this last year: ua-cam.com/video/-r2zDXNBrzM/v-deo.html
You don't really need the pianoteq license - the box comes with a collection of sampled pianos, too. I didn't show those in this video.
17:22 how did you pull that up ?
It's a soundfont in linuxsampler, played with my "Vox Starstream" guitar which has a MIDI interface.
is it possible to launch audio clips and keep them in sync like Ableton/logic session view?
Hi, thanks for watching! I never used either of these two, but in Zynthian, you can assign an audio player to the "grid" shown in this video. This will play any audio clip you specify in sync to the music.
@@mr_floydst Nice! I will test out :) I "built" it (installed it in my pi4) but I'm using it w/ a qwerty queyboard and usb audio interface for now since its to expensive to ship the v5 to Brazil :(
@@mr_floydst keep up the nice work 🥰
17:17 Floyd plays Floyd!
(badly - but the MIDI controller was _really_ laggy, and I didn't investigate further why) ;-)
Such a great tool!
Thanks for watching! I agree. :-)
Brilliant
Thanks for watching!
I got excited for a few seconds. I thought it was going to be able to run Windows plugins. I'm waiting for a company to make a hardware synth/effects units, that allows Windows/Mac plugins. This shouldn't be a difficult task. All that a company would need to do is put a windows computer into a controller, with an interface with high end AD/DA conversion, and multiple I/O's. In all seriousness, the computer side could be for customers to pick and add themself. I've thought about building my own since Open Labs introduced the Neko and Meko. Taking something like a SSL SIX, Novation 49SL, and a Windows PC with a touch screen, is basically what I want. Adding some extras like analog filters, and maybe a an analog mono synth for bass and leads, would make it even better. I would also prefer that it would be easy to upgrade the PC side. Why hasn't any of these companies done something like this... In my opinion the Neko failed because they used cheap parts. If they made it with less plastic, and easy to upgrade parts, I think they would still be selling units. They basically sold cheap hardware, for way too much. It was still a great idea, just not executed well.
well, I guess such a project would be doable with Hermann Seib's VST Host software www.hermannseib.com/vsthost.htm, a PC stick and a touchscreen (and a custom made metal case). Install Windows home edition, make it not ask for a password, put the VST software into the autostart options, and you should have a humble beginning. (That software can store "patches" that can be loaded using MIDI program change commands)
Maybe it could be done using yabridge, which is a compatibility tool for running Windows VSTs on Linux (similar to proton for steam games). I don't know if it's easy to run on Zynthian, but maybe it has already been discussed in the forums. If not, I think it would be a pertinent discussion.
570.00 € for the set with rasbeery. This is not really cheap. Especial when i think that I can get a MPC one for near same price and it is ready to use. Do you think it is really worth to buy Zynthian?
I mentioned this is the end of the video, the price is quite steep indeed.
I'd recommend this to people who love synths and tech (building stuff) who already have a PI4 at home.
For the money, you get a very well built, high quality audio hardware you can tinker with and that won't let you down in live situations.
Both MPC and Zynthian have their share of advantages/disadvantages.
The nice thing about Zynthian is you can try it for free by downloading the open source software and installing it on a PI. You can then decide if it's something you like or not.
push 3 seems very limited for the price
It more than 3 times the price of this box, but as I never had a chance to try it, I can't make comparisons. This box has been receiving a steady stream of updates since it's first version and it's future potential is certainly bigger than other devices, because you can upgrade the computer inside any time.
OK for the piano, ok. But can it run crysis ? Great video though the hardware is quite expensive
It can run Doom. ;-) If Crysis is available for ARM64, well, maybe?