Creating 640 Sound Effects for my upcoming Solo Album

I just released the album BorkHavn together with Ron Boots, but I'm already working as well on new solo material. In the last 7 years since my last release I recorded quite some material. But usually that are just rough track ideas that need to be worked out. Not to forget finalize with small details in the form of sound effects like rises, synth modulation sounds and so on that make a song much more detailed and interesting. With the first album I created I did this during the final moments and found out that is costs a lot of time. Since my second album I started to dedicate a whole week to this process. I pick out a couple of synthesizers and start creating sound on sound on sound.

After that I start listening everything back and cut out the sounds I like. I usually make everything in random order like drum sounds, percussion sounds, sweeps and wooshes, modulation sounds and some weird stuff. Sometime on purpose sometimes by accident :) Last week I made 640 of such sounds. The hardest part actually is to come up with names for them. You can also see which synthesizers I used. I have 4 rack mounted Behringer clone synths that were very suitable for this work, because they are also semi-modular and easily patchable to another. I have done this proces for every solo album I released so I have lots of sounds. One day I might even release a sample CD with only these sounds. If you are interested let me know ;) I thought it would be nice to share this step in my creative proces with you for a change. Michel, Synth.NL

Ron Boots & Synth.NL BorkHavn Released Today!

Today is the day. After 7 years I finally have an official release again. 8 years ago Ron Boots and myself went on a family holiday in Denmark and took some synthesizers and notebooks with us. During the day we enjoyed the nature with our families and did some nice stuff and in the evening Ron and myself went in the small improvised studio and started improvising on our own. All music on the album was recorded live and was improvised in that holiday house. 8 years later we picked the best parts and finished them in our studios and eventually did the end mixing in Ron's studio and Ron also did the mastering. I did the artwork. The music is a bit more modern film music than classic EM we think, but judge for yourself. You can listen to some excerpts on my website on this URL: https://www.synth.nl/borkhavn and you can also listen on bandcamp here: https://synthnl.bandcamp.com/album/borkhavn. You can also buy the album there as MP3 or FLAC. You can also buy it directly from Ron's record label Groove Unlimited from these links.

Physical CD with Jewel Case: http://www.groove.nl/jump2.php?artnum=GR-299
FLAC download including all the artwork: https://shop.groove.nl/gr-299-flac
MP3 download including all the artwork: https://shop.groove.nl/gr-299-mp3

I hope you like it. Let me know if you have any question. 

Synth.NL Jurassic Studio

 I'm sure you all remember the famous 'Apollo Studio' pictures that still roam the internet. Well that studio is gone :( As you might well know I have gone through a rough period with a nasty divorce and I abandoned everything. After 2 years I moved in with my new girlfriend Sonja in her new apartment in Rotterdam. I did manage to save some stuff during the divorce. Some stuff is put in long term storage like my Eminent 310, V-Piano and Roland Drum Kit and some synths, but I could bring some stuff to the new apartment and build a small studio again. I always name my studio's and  I call this studio my 'Jurassic Studio'. For several reasons. First of all it feels like traveling back in time for me, but secondly I'm currently working on a new solo album about dinosaurs. So now that cat is also out of the bag :) I hope to release it somewhere next year.

So what is still in the studio. Well most importantly I saved my studio computer, where all my recordings were stored and also my software was installed. Then I could take my Genelec monitors. I'm very used to that sound and even though the acoustics in my studio are terrible I know these monitors very well. I could take my Aurora AD converters and also the RME MADI stuff. I'm also happy that I could keep my main reverbs like the Bricasti M7, Eventide H8000 and Eclipse and the Quantec Yardstick. And some of the graphic display units I like to use as reference for my levels. This was my basic recording chain and that means I don't have to sacrifice much in sound quality fortunately. I'm really happy about that.

So are there any synthesizers left. Yes !! I have kept both the Korg Kronos and the Nord Wave. Especially since I used them on the BorkHavn album with Ron Boots, so I needed these to finish the album here. I also still have the Alesis Andromeda but it is currently under the bed since I don't have room to put it. I kept some DIY stuff like the SamichSID, SamichFM and MIDIbox SID and I'm currently building a Deckards Dream. I will post more on that project later as well. I also bought some new gear. Not much budget so I started out with some Behringer Modules. The Model D, K-2, Neutron and Pro-1. And I just pre-ordered the new ARP2600. I must say. Having owned all the originals in the past. I'm not disappointed. They sound really good. So what is next? I still have a lot of recordings I made during the last 10 years. I plan on finishing them now and releasing them. So expect much more to come! I know it has been quiet for a while, but I'm back :) Keep an eye on my Blog, Twitter and Website and even better subscribe to my newsletter here: https://www.synth.nl/newsletter-subscribe

BorkHavn already available on BandCamp

 Groove Unlimited (my record label) already put BorkHavn on BandCamp. You can listen to some excerpts of some of the tracks. You can also buy the album there as MP3 or FLAC download or listen to it in the BandCamp app. I hope you like it. The physical CD's also arrived from the factory. I will pick them up from Ron this weekend. The album will also be soon on the Download Shop of Groove Unlimited as MP3 and FLAC. I will let you know when it is there. You can find it here on BandCamp: https://synthnl.bandcamp.com/album/borkhavn

Another Synth.NL track will be released in 2020

 I was asked by the German Electronic Music Club Schallwende to submit a track for their upcoming SchallPlatte 23 sampler album. They normally release these albums once a year and most of the times there is a theme. This is a special release for their members because all concerts have been canceled due to Corona. I though this was a good idea and I spend some time creating a track called 'Gemini' inspired by the Gemini space program. They liked the track so it was selected and will be on that album. It will be released by the end of 2020. It is not for sale. It is only for members of the club. You can read more information about Schallwende here: http://www.schallwen.de/. I will give more information on this project when the album is released.

BorkHavn CD Pre-Order possible at Groove.NL now!

 Ron finished the mastering of the BorkHavn CD and I finished the artwork. I did make a mistake so we had to reprint the inlay, which caused a bit of delay. Sorry Ron :) But the CD is done and currently being produced. It will be available very soon. You can already pre-order the CD from the Groove Webshop at this URL: 

 http://www.groove.nl/jump2.php?artnum=GR-299

I expect the CD's to be coming from the factory later this week and I guess shipping will be starting next week. Let me know if you need any help. There will be a digital download version both as MP3 and WAV later on as well.

BorkHavn Music is Finished

 Last week I finished the music for BorkHavn together with Ron Boots in his studio. We worked on the last details and made the final mixes together. I will have to listen to them in my own studio, but I'm sure not much will change. So the music is done finally. We recorded this music together in 2012 so it has taken quite some time. I think the end result turned out pretty great and I can't wait to heat what you think about it. The only thing left to do is the mastering and the artwork. Ron will take care of the mastering and the artwork will be my responsibility. I already finished all the text and you can already read the track descriptions on my website. You can find them here: https://www.synth.nl/music/collaborations/borkhavn. We are still on track for an 2020 release so keep an eye our for news on that. When the mastering is done I will also put some small previews on this page. I will keep you updated when I have more news. I'm really looking forward to releasing a new album. It has been too long ago, but rest assured more is coming after this.