Playing Other Instruments Through Your Synth — Daniel Fisher

Daniel Fisher, Sweetwater’s synth savant, demonstrates some ideas for bringing external sounds into your synthesizer’s Audio In jack. In these examples he’s feeding the synths some background music from an MP3 player as well as an electric guitar (both dry and processed). Although Daniel is demonstrating on a Moog Sub 37 and a Korg Minilogue, there are many other synths with an Audio In jack including: the Moog Model D, Voyager XL, Sub Phatty, Mother-32, Minitaur, and all of Moog's modular synths, Korg's ARP Odyssey, Monologue, MS-20, and microKorg, Roland's SE-02, Novation's UltraNova, MiniNova, and Bass Station II, Arturia's MatrixBrute, MiniBrute, and MicroBrute, the Behringer Model D, the Access Virus synths, Casio’s XW-P1, as well as most of the Eurorack audio modules.

0:00 – Intro
0:31 – Audio Path through the Synth
1:02 – Pressing Key to Hear External In
1:49 – Playing Osc + Audio In
2:21 – Guitar as Audio In
3:12 – Guitar + Sequencer
3:25 – Adding Distortion + Delay
4:39 – MP3 into Korg Minilogue
5:07 – Sweeping the Filter
5:22 – Adding the Oscillators
6:09 – Thanks for Watching!
6:27 – Outro Song

#sweetwater #danielfishersweetwater

[MelloSav]

I just became obsessed with synths (particularly the Korg Minilogue) like a month ago and Daniel Fisher is like my cosmic Moses into the glorious land of spacey sounds

[rarsn]

Every synth should have an audio in. Just because.

[heldermartinovsky]

Hey!!!! The most short but also the most important video i was looking I was wondering how to use field recordings, instruments, etc, etc into the minilogue!!!! Have seen tons of videos and nothing... In just a few minutes you answered my questions in a simple, clear and objective Thank you very much!!! I´m following your channel now!!!!

[thesearethesuns]

Dude, you're so cool. I love your relaxed demeanor and your straighforward approach to making these informative videos! Thanks man!

[Ogmabandcamp]

Wait, so the Minilogue has an audio in socket but not my Minilogue XD?

[djbowlz]

I'm new to synths and I never knew it worked this way. Thought it was just an aux in. I get it now! thank to sweetwater.

[sonicase]

DANIEL.... back at it again with the synth tips

[mikedegrazia]

Awesome you made this because i was watching the Roger Lynn interview with Mitch and i had a eureka moment and here i am. Thank you Daniel for your expertise!

[Shred_The_Weapon]

I always knew Daniel Fisher was a skilled keyboard player. Didn't know he also plays guitar.
If I didn't already know what you can do with any of these synths with external audio inputs, this demo would have been real informative.

[stephendoerges]

Thanks a lot I appreciate all the advice. I was so confused on all things audio in on my korg.

[ToyKeeper]

Usually I just route other midi-capable instruments through my synth, with identical midi going to both devices simultaneously. This makes the synth's filters and effects trigger in sync with the notes from the other instrument. Optionally also run a sequence on the synth to do more interesting effects, but still synced up with whatever input is feeding into it.

[Zinfidel]

An excellent analog synth for external instruments is the MS-20/mini with its External Signal Processor. It does track pitch..to the best of its abilities and has a bandpass filter, frequency to voltage converter, enveloper follower & Trigger Out which can be used to control the synth in various ways. Alison Goldfrapp used her voice to trigger the MS20 on 'Lovely Head' for a great effect. Another trick is to plug the MS20 into itself via the E.S.P. for screamy distortion.

[jonathancitrin]

THANK YOU SWEETWATER! This is very helpful.

[patrickellis]

DeVante Swing from Jodeci was a master at this. Yes he used many boards, but those weird sounds would come from doing this right here!!!

[JohnSmith-utti]

Hell Yeah Never would have thought to do that. Thank you Daniel Fisher. Your awesome!

[ThinkerThunker]

Great post, cool sounds! But what does "Dry and processed" mean? I've got a Minibrute 2S, it's only got a 3.5 mm input jack. Will just any old 1/4 to 3.5 mm adapter work? Or do I have to be concerned about possibly damaging my synth with the wrong power amount going in? I'm a total newbie. Thanks!

[MarcoPolux]

Daniel, you may have the best job ever! 👍

[OurSoloSystem]

This is amazingly fantastic !!!! I’m going to try this with my one man band Time to get noisey

[remotegod]

Damn I know I'm happy when I get full-body goosebumps from a filter being opened up

[AlexandreSoma]

It'd great if you could some more in depth of this one. It's amazing!!! :D