Neutral Labs Elmyra 2 - Drone Synthesizer // Demo, Tutorial and Opinions
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- Опубліковано 17 лип 2024
- SUBTITLES AVAILABLE (in many languages!)
I've had the lucky chance to be able to check out the Elmyra 2, by Neutral Labs.
It has a very interesting approach to performance and sound building: it looks easy, but it can get way deeper than you think.
After playing with it for a long while, I decided to offer you a tour of its functions, plus my (unrequested) opinions, all in this desktop configuration.
Since the video was getting pretty long already, even by just covering the basic functions, I decided to keep the eurorack approach for a later time, also because that would have prompted me to give even more (unrequested) opinions, and the possible combinations of modules would have been endless
(except for the mandatory huge reverb!).
In this video, I used the very good reverb on the Dirtywave M8 Tracker, which was very handy because of its 3.5mm jack and the capability of isolating just the active channel on the cable.
I hope you'll find the video useful, in its "overview" part, and I hope the "opinion" part could spark some constructive debate.
Do you want to buy the synth you see in this video?
Check these links out, I am sure you know what Perfect Circuit is!
- bit.ly/Elmyra2
- bit.ly/Zoom-F6
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Twitter @dexbasynth
#elmyra #neutrallabs #dronesynth #somalyra8
0:00 Jam Excerpt
0:29 Intro
1:10 What is an Elmyra?
4:07 Voice Controls
6:20 Delay
7:12 Advanced Settings Intro
7:57 AS - Onboard Reverb
8:56 AS - Mix Saturation
11:13 AS - Miscellaneous
12:21 AS - Filter Type
14:41 AS - Octave Switch
15:28 AS - Miscellaneous
16:04 MODP - Red
16:51 MODP - Green
17:59 MODP - Mint
18:56 MODP - Purple
19:23 MODP - Blue
20:05 MODP - Cyan
21:58 MODP - Yellow
23:16 MODP - White
24:23 MODP - Pink
25:25 MODP - Lime
26:03 Utilities
28:15 OUCH
30:15 Existential Crisis
31:55 Personal Considerations
38:37 Full Jam
Great jam at the end, I love how it sounds when the low notes come in. 😍 As for your points of criticism, some of them are already on a list for upcoming firmware updates, such as saving the state of the synth.
I'm so glad you liked it!
The body of the note, with the 2 subs was just 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
And love to hear that saving states is coming! I can't wait to see where you will be able to take this tiny little beast, it has so much potential.
Lovely work on this Dex... gorgeous tones & drones !
Thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed it 🧡
Very cool Dexba. And I didn't know you had a M8, way to go!
Thank you so much! 🧡
And the M8 has been a lucky, very recent addition: and I’m loving it!
Plus, I’m devouring your videos, trying to get some extra knowledge, but I’m planning to give it a personal spin using it as a creative sequencer with the Wingie 2.
Can’t wait to go out and record with them!
@@Dexba cheers! You'll have a blast, it's sequencing is insane even for external gear. Enjoy!
Great review, informative, honest and entertaining .. thank you (btw 100% yes on firmware that allows persistence / saving of settings) … cheers
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it and found it useful :)
Great video and jam. 🙏🏻🖤
Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🧡
@@DexbaLearned a ton!! I had no clue you could raise the octaves! 😮💨
Knowing that I've been useful is the best feeling in the world! Have fun with it!@@jon_gee
Wonderful review and demo. I’ve had one since launch and I too have a complicated relationship with it. In fact, when your video dropped, I’d given up and I had it listed on eBay. Then I played with it again and cancelled the auction.
I don’t know, I feel that it’s almost artificially limited by trying to remain just a drone synth. It’s got so much going on but it just crackles and pops over it all (even on the softest settings). It’s like I’m trying to explore a DX7 that someone keeps hitting with a hammer :)
Thank you a lot for checking it out, and I'm glad this is coming from another Elmyra user!
It took me a while to wrap my head around it, swinging between trying to make something complicated (with the patch points, the possible integration with eurorack, the different voice modes) and just letting myself go to the purest experience.
I settled for something inbetween, and I'm very thankful I did.
I admit I don't know how many of the limitations are by design (both intentional and dictated by external things like cost coming from increased complexity or a more powerful engine) or simply by its nature of product under current development.
I personally would love to have fewer wavetable pages, but higher quality in the few I have. Even a longer boot-up/load time, if that's required, since there is no modulation that can be applied to the page choice, and that would benefit vastly the concept of "drone synth made for the beatings", since they would get crispier (not crunchier) and the instrument could breath more. But that's probably something that has been avoided for very obvious technical reasons!
I'm very interested in seeing where this little Elmyra goes, since I am more and more relying on portable instruments , but I completely get you!
Thanks for the feedback, always happy to get people's input. If you don't mind me asking, could you list a couple of things that would make you feel more at home with your Elmyra? Preferably things that could be done in a firmware upgrade. 😉
@@Dexba I must admit, I spent some time with it yesterday, playing it on its own terms rather than trying to shape it to mine. It is a marvellous synth that’s benefitted greatly from recent updates. I’ve found that having one voice under CV control from my Keystep Pro (providing sequencing and envelopes) while the other three just do their thing, acts as a happy compromise that allows me to be more melodic while still enjoying some Elmyra dirt :)
@@nyppy Hi. I do love your synth. I really do (especially after 2.2) and I’m beginning to find ways to work in in with the rest of my gear.
Really the only thing I have on the wishlist is the option to turn it on and have the same settings I turned off with. I don’t generally get a lot of time to play, and starting from scratch every time is just a barrier that sometimes stops me playing it.
@@NonsenseInBASIC Thanks! I'm happy to report that system state persistence is already scheduled to be included in the next update, along with a bunch of cool new features. 🙂
Oohhhhh!! 😍😍😍😍
This is really something, uh? 😵💫
You asked what we think?
I think you did a very informative video together with valid points.
I liked your jam at the end a lot!!!!
I have ordered mine today.
I think it is good as a stand alone instrument.
I will use it for stand alone live ambient jamming.
It sounds good enough on its own and also....people like to hear what synths sound like when solo or naked even.
Without being clothed with other synths because then we do not know what is playing what.
I will allow one reverb unit to be used but thats it.
It worries me that you said it cannot be played with head phones?
I use head phones all the time.
Is there a hack for this?
You can use it with headphones if you use a mono to stereo adapter, otherwise you'll have sound in one ear only.
@@nyppy
Thank you!
I am so glad you found it informative, and that you have been able to form a decision thanks to this!
Have fun with your purchase 🙏🏻
@@Dexba
As a matter of interest what speakers/ amplifier do you use.
I only operate from my tiny bedroom so I do not need anything too huge yet I MUST have something that brings out the beauty of the Emyra2 bass notes and well...
.all the others?
What should I look for?
@@petercane6376I use this to great effect. The newer model #3 is Bluetooth only so only get the first or second version which have the audio input
You can cycle though waves on each oscillator by clicking PG button making each sound a bit different
Thank you, it is said at 7:34 😊
@@Dexba ah yes -great video of this amazing machine -can’t wait for more updates 👍
Shame about the power bank shutting down. Most Anker power banks, readily available here in the US, can enable an always-on mode if you double tap the button. Very handy for the Elmyra 2, Norns Shield, 1010 Lemondrop, etc.
I have a few (actually none from Anker though), and while they stay on with the other stuff you mentioned, I had no luck with the Elmyra.
Maybe I’ll ask some friends if I can try their power banks and see if some of those work. It would greatly improve my relationship with the instrument!
Thank you for the heads up!
The little sister of Soma Lyra.
Indeed! I love the (very useful) additions, but also how each of the two instruments has its own distinct character and space ✨
It looks like a synth drawn by Midjourney.
I’m not sure how you feel about this, but I would love to see more real synths coming from Midjourney drawings.
More often than not they look quite spectacular, and for the more convincing ones I even had to research a bit before realize they weren’t real 😅
EM LYRA ))
Eheh the hint is not too subtle 🌝
interesting box. too bad it's mono.
Interesting indeed!
As for the mono, as with many other things on this little box, it made more sense when I tried it in a modular setup.
I am thinking about releasing a sequel to this video, about its integration with other instruments, but, unfortunately, I have barely time to reply to the few comments, as you can see, let alone planning a new thorough video
Kinda sounds like a printer
I mean, it could be a great compliment too! 😄
I have always been fascinated by these videos (I have a soft spot for HDDs tho)
ua-cam.com/video/u8I6qt_Z0Cg/v-deo.html
Yeah! 🥸