DELUGE 3: Full tutorial and workflow walkthrough

Need help with what to do with all these LFOs and envelopes? Check out my book of electronic music tips and tricks:

Here's the wireless SD card I mention in the video:

Keystep is a great Deluge companion:

Get Deluge directly from Synthstrom (not affiliate):

Or check out used prices on Reverb (affiliate):

Thanks to Lipsink for sending over the Darkner project. Follow here:

More Deluge links:

Deluge Pros and cons:
PROS:
- The Deluge's feature list has almost anything expected of musical grooveboxes - it's an excellent sequencer, with its zooming and scrolling it's the best implementation of a grid sequencer I've ever seen
- It's an excellent sampler/looper/drum machine
- Arranger and clip launcher modes
- It can stream files off the SD card so sample size is only limited by CPU
- Decent virtual analog synth and simple FM 2-operator synth.
- Built-in replaceable rechargeable battery
- Excellent USB and MIDI IO, and some CV features, though not enough to power an entire setup without a MIDI to CV converter.

CONS:
- It's a shift-heavy instrument - requires remembering many shortcuts; the screen shows only one parameter at a time which means a lot of menu diving (or use of short cuts using the panel)
- The pads aren't velocity-sensitive and only have one "keyboard" layout (isomorphic)
- It doesn't have many generative-style features (though some improvement is expected to come in 3.2)
- It's not easy to search through content (compared to, for example, MPC One/Maschine)
- It's not easy to see automation curves/edit samples
- Limited internal synth (though wavetable capabilities have been announced for 3.2)

Other places I hang out:

My music:

TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
0:50 Grid views
1:50 Controls
4:40 Connectivity
5:35 Project overview
7:55 Sequencing
11:10 Chance & iteration
12:00 Playing live
13:40 Automation
15:10 Song view
17:40 Arranger
21:15 Synth engine
22:50 FM synth
24:40 Multisampling
25:45 Time stretch
27:10 Filters
28:05 Voice options
29:30 Modulation
32:30 Audio clips
33:30 Looping
35:00 Overdub layers
36:40 Resampling
37:45 Effects
39:35 MIDI & CV
41:05 Misc

Want to email me personally?

NOTE: Occasionally I’ll try out affiliate marketing and include affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links. The content of this clip is entirely my opinion, and was not paid for or dictated in any way by the company creating the gear. Without addressing the particulars of products shown here as they might be under NDA, gear shown on this channel may be either sent by the manufacturer, on loan for review or bought at a discount.

[syrupcore]

I'm still not convinced that you're not a cyborg from the future. It's amazing how skilled you've become at making these videos. Having made several (comparatively horrible) training videos in my life, the details:pacing ratio you manage to regularly pull off is an absolute marvel to me.

[JeffCfreeradiorevolution]

It amazes me how you can be so intuitive and have so much knowledge on so many different devices... really incredible!

[andrewlevinsounds]

Ordered mine last week. It's insane how with just one update they basically turned it into the most feature rich hardware looper on the marker. Words cannot express how excited I am!

[davidlane]

0:00 - Intro
0:50 - Grid views
1:50 - Controls
4:40 - Connectivity
5:35 - Project overview
7:55 - Sequencing
11:10 - Chance & iteration
12:00 - Playing live
13:40 - Automation
15:10 - Song view
17:40 - Arranger
21:15 - Synth engine
22:50 - FM synth
24:40: - Multisampling
25:45 - Time stretch
27:10 - Filters
28:05 - Voice options
29:30 - Modulation
32:30 - Audio clips
33:30 - Looping
35:00 - Overdub layers
36:40 - Resampling
37:45 - Effects
39:35 - MIDI & CV
41:05 - Misc

[mtotheatothedoubled]

I said it once before I'll say it again, best music tech channel on the internet. Period.

[carstensorensen]

Have had a Deluge for quite a while now, and this is by far the best compact walk-through of it so far!

[moonscore]

The best electronic instrument in the world right now just got better.

[septembersoul]

I just ordered a new one yesterday (Nov 2022). I was between the Deluge and OP-1 Field, and I decided to go with the Deluge. I still plan on getting a Field someday, but after about a week of trying to figure out what I wanted, the Deluge ultimately won me over. I feel that the Deluge is ultimately the better machine, and it's hundreds of dollars cheaper. The website said the cost is going to be going up over the next few months, but it's still going to be cheaper than the Field. The new ones also have an OLED screen, so the new ones are even better than the older models.

[AaronFerenc]

My favorite request of any YouTuber Synth person:..."Synthstrom, can you please add autotune to the next update of Deluge?". HA! Fantastic video as always.

[TristanBaldi]

My Deluge is coming TODAY!! I'm watching this one for the 5th time, thank you so much for this vid it's gonna help a lot!

[accidentallyfasting]

I'm watching this video yet again because the deluge is so freaking feature rich. I was looking at expression knobs for some pedals I play thru, not knowing the deluge had one basically built in AND that I could automate stuff with CV clips (idk y I didn't know that). Endlessly cool!

[willswitchcraft]

Yes, this little box just keeps getting better, and better, and Such great support. Even though the deluge has a few little issues and some obvious limitations, I'm still really glad I bought one from this great company.

[davidlane]

I never would've guessed a full audio workstation could work with a primitive digit display, but Synthstrom really has put a ton of work into making the layout of the Deluge sensible and approachable... It's truly astounding

[forkayebee]

100% sold, those arranger options are really comprehensive and I love it. It's why I don't use some other grooveboxes, wow, this thing is impressivee

[SlowDescentToWild]

Great video, thank you. You're reviewing all the stuff that I'm lusting after, which both useful and dangerous at the same time! :)

[geo]

You never fail to delivery some of the most in depth content on this stuff. You do fuckin awesome!

[trco]

Arrangement view in a groove box? Finally!!!

[aradder]

Thank you so much for the full video on v.3 - I'm so late to the Deluge it's amazing to get the intro and newest workflow and features all in one video.

[michaelpaine]

I only need to watch this 20 more times. Action packed. I need this video in offline mode.

[HazyJ]

I am so impressed by this device. The synth engine (and sound quality in general) is the best I've heard in a long time, if not ever.