A Box Of Ambient [Solar 42]

[@ELTAmusic]

Thank you so much, Benn. Very heartwarming video. And most importantly very musical. 🖤

[@RichardCJohnson]

Having a pretty rough time at the mo, but lost myself for 10 mins in the wonderful warmth of the music. Thank you.

[@jerrycharles66]

Hang in there! Things have a way of getting better :)

[@wave8362]

Same here. Huge thank you.

[@124thDragoon]

I recommend giving State Azure a listen - he has a huge library on youtube that goes back years. Another gem is Martin Stürtzer, who also has a ton of music on youtube; his livestreams from the past ~4 years are consistently fantastic, and quite varied in themes/vibes. Finally, if you want something a little more acoustic (though typically no less ambient), I'd recommend Acoustic Labs. He, once again, has most of his discography on youtube. His stuff from ~10+ years ago is especially great.

[@RichardCJohnson]

@@jerrycharles66 thank you…they are getting there 👍🏻

[@RichardCJohnson]

@@124thDragoon thanks, will check them out 👍🏻

[@DEC0042]

Oh wow... you've got some incredible sounds coming out of that synth; futuristic and nostalgic all at once! Would you ever consider doing an entire drone/ambient album like this one day? You've managed to capture so many different atmospheres and so much character and emotion in just one demo, I can't even imagine how good an entire record (or even just an EP) would sound.

[@darrenbland]

Them's some futuristic bagpipes you've got there fella

[@SectorSevenSlumz]

🤣🤣

[@mju135]

It's called the SOLAR 42 by ELTA music (just helping making this video discoverable through YT search as it's not mentioned in the video description).

[@pickyyeeter]

I think it's entirely possible that the omission was intentional. Not everything has to be about promotion.

[@BennJordan]

I updated it. This video was originally meant to just be a story and personal experience. But you're right. Promo =/= marketing.

[@logamaguiar4970]

@@BennJordan haha holy God, they are the worst.....

[@HeIiosphan]

@@pickyyeeter Absolutely. That's a lovely video on its own btw

[@artisans8521]

Ukrainians are hard working, mostly knowing what they are doing (and sometimes insanely so, and can suprise you with both their attitude and work ethics alike). As is demonstrated here oh so elegantly. Ever used Prypiat Pianos Ben? The most insane, kaput pianos I've ever heard. And I don't care a bit for the radioactivity laden back story.

[@BenjaminFranceMusic]

Benn, I could watch you zone out with this and the piano for HOURS!!!! SO tasty, so calming, and so beautiful!!

[@simonedmondson7633]

Sometimes I watch KZbin videos with synths in them to geek out and get all GASsy over the specs, and see the ins and outs of how it works. But often times what I’m *really* hoping for is to be surprised and also to be inspired. Thank you for making me surprised, astounded and creatively inspired today. It’s a nice way to end the day. Cheers.

[@shadeturret228]

The end bit where you accompanied it with the piano was strikingly beautiful, got me genuinely emotional. Thank you for putting this video out Benn.

[@claytonromero13]

I am so grateful that you continue to put stuff like this out, the video hit with perfect timing for a little gap of calm in a totally insane day. Thanks, Benn!

[@maurolongone3190]

This is so cinematic that it doesn’t even need a movie! A beautiful complete emotional tale by itself. A work of art. Thank you for sharing this! 🙇🏻‍♂️

[@mosesve1]

Can't wait for Oscillator Sinks 3 Hour long drone video on this thing ;-)

[@ZetaCarinae]

My thought as well - he's really talented at using this sort of sound.

[@ChuckLeone]

The range of sounds you’re getting from this instrument is phenomenal... with little to no patching. It’s incredible.

[@tedstahl3794]

What an extraordinarily inspiring story of a manufacturer's passion to create an extraordinarily inspiring instrument. Thank you for sharing your insight and your playing, Benn. Beautiful.

[@wickeddubz]

This is why i’m here. Musical instrument, history of the creator behind it, and nothing but beautiful music. Benn, thanks for healing me up a bit. Feeling better.

[@silverstar1266]

I am not a crier but when the piano came in I was close to tears. One of the most calming and beautiful videos I’ve ever watched

[@lefunghi6151]

This is the type of video that got me into synthesis in the first place. Just an instrument played by capable hands making you zone out for a few minutes. If this is what we get from you instead of typical “gear” videos now, man is 2024 gonna be a great year.

[@Hardts]

Yeah this is something special. Listened on my HS8's with the volume turned up while I had my dinner. I love how alive it sounds. Big sound! The first few seconds of the video, I was sure it was the Hydrasynth.

[@philippendletonmusic]

"Zone Out With My Piano" sounds like something from the "Social Network" score. Very cool stuff.

[@tvelruff8851]

yep, Trent Reznor

[@K0r0n1s]

Dude, the solar with the piano brought tears to my eyes 😢 Such bliss ❤

[@darkeldarblade916]

Wow this instrument is so killer. I bet if you added the analog heat to that it would sound even more massive.

[@ottermods3212]

I had no idea the struggles they went through to produce this amazing piece of gear. And you made some wonderfully recharging music to relax to. Thanks, Benn!

[@andivax]

Thank you for support Ukraine❤ From Kyiv with love.

[@Herfinnur]

It’s been two months and I’m still hauntd by these sounds. I tell myself: "That's what it sounds like in the hands of Benn", but it's helping less and less. Waaaaant!!!

[@TyrasPiano]

This is so beautiful I could cry. The passion behind the making of the synth and your playing of the synth really comes through. Thanks for sharing

[@ronaldjenkees]

The zone out piano stuff at the end was super nice and inspiring actually

[@tjordulf]

Well, I just commented on your Hum video, (1st time seeing your channel), as I was intrigued by your sexy outboard gear, I looked deeper, just watched this, Well, I'm sold, I love listening to ambient, I love making ambient, and I'm about to move countries and set up my studio again from scratch, so I was looking to upgrade and add a few nice toys, a Waldorf Iridium being one of them. One of these would make a superb accompaniment. I just totally blissed out to that, laid on the sofa with my Cans on. Watching someone do EXACTLY what I would do, and just immerse yourself in it's possibilities musically, is far more useful to me, than someone droning on (no pun intended🤣) about settings, and presets, and oscillators, and what this knob does, etc. Most Of which I'd forget anyway. My ears tell me what I need to know, my memory then uses that as relevant, useful data. So thanks for that, and I can't believe I've only just discovered your channel👍🏻.

[@mystificateur]

Wow that is an insane machine!

[@touchthatdial]

Beautiful instrument, beautiful track. Adding the piano at 11'18".... wow. Just wow.

[@Jin-Hu]

Stunning pieces Benn, as always your talent transcends the equipment you create with

[@AKDanMusicMan]

I watch this video every few days while I'm waiting for my SOLAR 42 to arrive. Would love to see you make some more of these.

[@rascaltwitch22]

Just stopping by to say how much I appreciate this style of video. It's clear, to me at least, that you're getting to know the instrument by seeing how it fits into your normal creative process. That's just so much more interesting and useful than the usual YT gear review, but probably requires the viewer to know a little bit about you and your approach to music. It's nice.

[@kitstter]

I've watched / listened to this video a couple of dozen times now. Love it....

[@Alphonso_026]

💙💛 the interplay with the piano is just marvelous

[@do_happywork]

Shows once again that our true connection to happiness is not through tools but through emotional depth experienced in passion. The fascination that I share with Benn here is not in the machine, but in what it stands for: Resilience, vision, drive, self sufficiency and self inspiration. I am happy to know that his spirit lives within this machine as a spiritual concept and I hope we will know more than reducing his work to the product itself but be inspired by the symbolic weight to inspire our own journey.

[@systemG3000]

Well said, well said. Amen, brother. Btw can I buy LSD from you?

[@enochroot9438]

wonderful! reminded me of Benns video with the Polybrute, a beautiful piece of art to play and soothe the soul

[@CinematicLaboratory]

Wow, what a beautiful instrument/sound/video/work.

[@Ed-davies]

Holy crap this was beautiful ❤ I’m on a night shift on my break out in my car listening zoning out to this . I’m truly blown away by this synth

[@bricelory9534]

I absolutely love this instrument. I find it to be a really intriguing microcosm. I would love to learn more what's under the hood - but like you said, there's content for that elsewhere. I am glad to hear you just playing this. I could see performing entire scores with this device , and of course adding other instruments like your piano are amazing as well. It sounds so good!

[@BoBeats]

Just excellent!

[@SimpleTrax]

Incredible machine. The concept of previous synth, Solar 50, has fruited, I am glad this exists.

[@jeffryarchambeau5441]

Lucy has a cute coat! And the music box is nice. The music you made with it is even nicer.

[@nopenheimer]

I was all excited to hear what Lucy would play on it but it turned out really good regardless.

[@freemusic777]

Is Lucy wearing Teddy Fresh??

[@travisfrazee9273]

Dude I enjoyed the shit outta the zone out section. You have my full support if u ever start making/selling this kind of music I loved it.

[@engrane_music]

Benn this is absolutly beautiful. My Solar 42 should be with me in the next few weeks. Stunning piece of equipment.

[@mmattb]

This is the best demo I've seen of this machine yet. Thanks a bunch for that.

[@bmaassen]

At first I wasn’t feeling it, but that “Zone Out with Me” section was absolutely gorgeous

[@39XenonD]

This video, your video, this is something special. It feels like a secret level you found in an already good game that just has the best parts plus a very personal part of the Devs in it. Your honest opinion and then zoning out with you was kinda... magical? Like massaging the soul. I'm bad with words, sorry. That's my closest approach to describe it. I've instantly got your latest albums from Bandcamp. Now I wish there were more. I love them and have listened to them more than five times at this point (not on repeat, mind you). I hope for more :)

[@nickoricko4564]

That piano part is beautiful. Thank you.

[@paulmacrae8167]

Solar 42 sounds amazing, but that piano piece at the end was stunning!

[@thevoidscout]

I love everything about this. Absolutely mind-boggingly beautiful. Thank you.

[@smason14]

Could listen to that for hours and hours - I just signed up for the Patreon :) Thanks Benn for creating amazing content and supporting great electronic music manufacturers. You're a good human!!

[@nickhenscheid369]

That last track with the piano was magical. So much depth!

[@braincraven]

This is absolutely wonderful and very much love ambient music. I believe you have found the perfect machine!

[@DauvitAlexander]

I have a Solar 50 and one of their Polivoks filters and they are astonishing beasts.

[@rec.19]

That zone out went deep as the universe it self. Just closed my eyes and up i went. Thank you!

[@anthonypalomba351]

What a beautiful sounding instrument! Thanks for sharing!

[@MH-rt9ts]

I think you should do the occasional ambient video from now on, man. Good stuff.

[@David.C.Velasquez]

Very nice! The last piece reminded me of Harold Budd/Brian Eno stuff... wonderful.

[@Pyroific]

man that intro immediately pulled me in, i love ambient music so much

[@edwingamesandmusic]

Loving this style of video! Seems that music speaks louder than words. What a lovely machine.

[@agerven]

Very impressive. The introduction as well as the music and instrument impression. Unaffordable for me right now, but at a very high and lonely place of my wish list. And i seriously consider selling a major part of my studio to get and master this.

[@ClearMountainProvisions]

What an incredible instrument. I can't even imagine the struggle to bring something like this to the world with that kind of back story. Definitely want to add this synth to my collection.

[@fabiovsroque]

It looks clear to me that you know this box from the inside out. Very nice performances, very inspiring.

[@tBdub20]

The last improv with piano is amazing. In my feels!

[@The1910studios]

Yeah this was AWESOME

[@silentshadowdnb]

Love your work, Benn! Thanks for the beautiful experiment. It was a nice way to start my day ❤

[@aopaul]

So glad to see someone finally using all the available oscillators the way this instrument was intended. So many demos seem to be hesitant to 'push it' and end up just sounding like an 0-Coast. Excellent demo and I hope to find one in cream color!

[@AlexMnemonic]

That combat footage style intro is great writing. Love your videos, Benn

[@scarymanmusic6552]

Thanks for the insight into Elta’s story. It’s small companies like this that produce such incredible instruments that are at the heart of electronic music. People with passion that think outside the box. They have vision and no matter what struggles they face the determination and dedication to the cause is admirable to say the least.

[@Pxrchi]

Some of the greatest ambient sounds I've heard come from a single machine.

[@bob-rogers]

Awesome video! You make great sounds with that synth.

[@sspiderandbee]

You are amazing. The synth is great, but what you were able to pull from it was simply transcendent. I could listen to that for hours.

[@straypacket]

Ok, that made me get my music room back online after moving to a new place. Thank you Benn and Elta.

[@wheatthicks]

Wow. Just the sound of tuning the oscillators was incredible. It's hard to argue with that as a barometer for success when designing a synth.

[@billB101]

Nice, could fancy myself one of those. Love the sound of it with the filters closed down.

[@CaidicusProductions]

I closed my eyes and just enjoyed this whole presentation. Thank you for sharing with us, Benn.

[@DocTaTech]

Absolutely stunning! Speechless.. ❤️

[@bigman3274]

thanks for the story of a tortured man and his electronics. it brought a tear to my heart

[@SecryttRecords]

It's not often I think this about a synthesizer but I'd definitely say this is a remarkable machine

[@thelanavishnuorchestra]

Second Solar 42 video I've seen and yours was the one full of beautiful music.

[@chrismock]

I don't do many comments, but thank you for this video. This is an amazing instrument with a crazy story!

[@noelswedzinski4498]

the vibes this machine make are immaculate

[@neonblack211]

that 24 C patch with the light modulation was something else! thats so damn cool

[@anothercouture]

Such a beautiful illustration of what you can do with this thing, can't wait to give one a try. A great price of work Benn.

[@robertusmaximus1911]

I love this! I just preordered mine at Perfect Circuit. Thank you, Benn Jordan!

[@kw770]

Okay that was amazing.

[@gimmickmusic8827]

It feels insane to say that $2000 feels like a steal for something this feature packed. It’s also insane that I wanna take the plunge given that I’m primarily a guitarist who loves ambient synth music.

[@ManoOne-Music-Production]

So beautiful. Thank you. -Mano

[@Eleni_Be]

thanks for continuing making this kind of videos. sitting here with my dog. i like the music and Lilli watched Lucy. that's what makes life great.

[@Avaruuskettu]

This is truly inspiring in so many levels, thank you! Couldn't stop the tears. ❤ The sounds are so deep and that interface looks so inspiring. I have been waiting for something like this for a long time and just ordered one, looking so much forward to falling in love with an instrument again. 🥰

[@veraha4706]

Thank you for this sonic experience .. no words ..

[@Tech_Princess]

That last but was enough to make me cry a bit This thing sounds so beautiful

[@LesterHardcastleMusic]

I’ve ordered this based on this absolutely beautiful 14 minutes and 20 seconds. It is musical. I know I’ll get along just fine with this wonderful machine. I owned the Lyra which is a noise device, I liked it but created very little. The Solar 42 is a dream come true. Thank you again.

[@eduponte1857]

That was beautiful

[@nsbd90now]

Comment for the algorithm that I also have a Solar 42 by ELTA music (cream color) and it is fantastic sonic fun and wondrousness. I'm not a professional, just love synths, and if you love them too, you'll love this one. Interesting and amazing to hear the personal history of these brilliant genius engineers and Mr. Arseniy bringing this to life... yes.... the passion that went in to creating this musical instrument is quite obvious.

[@ELTAmusic]

Thanks. 😊

[@tiggerdcat]

If you don't mind me asking, how difficult did you find it to learn how to play/use this? I've played strings all my life but I want to dive deeper into music and, since my disability(s) have taken most of my passion projects away from me, I need something I can use a bit more simplisticly than a cello or a bass, and won't hurt me as much. I thought something like this would free me and my soul. I've also always just absolutely LOVED ambient & synth music and have felt those styles twisting at my heart from the inside for long enough, I thought it was high time I learn to take control of that and... idk, make myself cry for once, I guess, lol! I can use a PC, I learned to animate on an old Macintosh in the 90s (yeah, I'm old), Android phone (I managed to free my phone from itself so I can make it look and perform the way I want it to), play the piano and keyboard moderately well, and understand wiring faaiiirly well, I was a journeyman electrician for a few years in my youth while working for a construction company. I played the upright Contrabass or Double Bass in the Seattle Symphony for 4 years until my deployment and ultimately, my injury. For the last 20 years I've been on a journey of rejection, sadness, giving up completely, and staring all over again trying to re learn how to play all the instruments I used to play, and create art with the mediums I used to, realizing I am not going to be able to do either one as well or for nearly a long as I used to, and eventually, learning new ways of creating art and music, and ultimately, learning to be ok with that. It took ¼ or ⅕ of my life, depending on how long I feel like sticking around and annoying my children, to get my butt in gear and get over myself, and I find that really sad. It's time to get to making music and I think synths are the key to this!

[@nsbd90now]

@@tiggerdcat I am so sorry you're dealing with a disability taking so much from you, but admire your courageous existential stance, and yes, perhaps the Solar 42 can bring some of that back, especially since you already know music and probably have an ear for tuning, as given all the voices that part is important. I would suspect the capacitive keyboard would be welcomed to your fingers over a regular pressure or hammer keyboard. One thing that might be difficult depending on your finger dexterity is that the knobs are small, and close together. Large fingers would have a problem. Actually learning how this works and interacts is rather simple. You'll quickly grasp how intuitive and well-thought-out the interface is. This will bring you hours and hours of delight exploring wonderful soundscapes, finding endless sweet spots, and just being fascinated by synthesis. I would suggest getting some stackable patch chords, or a few patch chord hubs.

[@tiggerdcat]

@nsbd90now Thank you! I do have perfect pitch and timing, so that's not an issue. The knobs and whatnot shouldn't really be much of a problem, I have long, slender fingers on my massive, unladylike, gorilla hands. A rather fashionable, eccentric gorilla, to be sure, but a gorilla all the same. It did come in quite... *_handy_* , ahh ha-ha ahhh ha-ha, when playing the Double Bass and piano, tho, I do have to admit. Shoot, I got off track again! Where was I?.. Oh yeah; knobs, buttons, sliders... yeah, I don't believe any of those should be a problem. My range of motion issues starts at my elbow and radiates up to my shoulder, and down to my ring and pinky fingers, so things like; using a bow to play a stringed instrument hurts a lot, but turning knobs and/or pressing on the pad shouldn't hurt much at all. My ulnar nerve was smashed so hard it was crushed flat, like a worm smooshed between someones shoe & the pavement on a hot and rainy summers day, from being forced between the ulnar and the humerus, popping the gel sacs in the joints in the process. Hurts very much bad all the time. I've had an ulnar nerve transposition surgery to tried the nerve and it went fairly well, but after some time the nerve slid back down and got itself stuck in the middle of a mass of scar tissue, so back to hurting all the time. Oh well. If this is the worst pain I've to deal with, then the rest is easy mode. Now, did this little beauty come with a manual, _and_ is that manual in English, *_AND_* is it easy to understand, *OR* should I look up KZbin how tos to learn how to make it do *the things* ? I probably should have started with this question, but... is it terribly expensive, moderately so, or rather inexpensive, as these things go? I want some but I'm a veteran, so I might have to save up for it, if I want to keep my emergency cushion $$. Having that in the bank has saved me more time than I can count! Oh, my dog, I've written a novel again, I'm *_SO_*_ SORRY_ ! I don't know why I share so much in comments and online, lol! I'm actuality really shy and hardly talk at all, probably because I've got agoraphobia, CPTSD, AuDHD, and a bunch of other things. I'm a mess, lol! Get hit by 1 little enemy IED & it tends to traumatize and do harm to more than the physical. Well, I'm working on that, too, talking with my psych and all. Anyway, thanks for the info, and for your consideration, and for taking the time to read my garbage comments, lol! I swear... I actually went back and cleaned this up, too! You should have seen it before! Good lord! ✌️😺🖖

[@nsbd90now]

@@tiggerdcat Oh my music friend nah... it's a good place to express your trauma and discover ways to deal with it via music sound and art. You will love this musical instrument would be my guess, and it would help soothe you and move forward in response to those challenges that confront you. It does come with a minimal manual in well-written English, but... it is so well designed for the user in some ways you don't really need it. It is so new there aren't a whole lot of instructional videos. If you check my playlists I've collected a bunch before I got mine to help me learn it. I think that playlist should be listed as public and “Elta”. The user experience is incredible and so well-designed. You are in the center, and then all controls are arranged around you, left and right. Frankly, it's genius. Cost is kind of subjective as to if you have the cash... basically a bit under $2000.00 US. For something like this? I would not consider it expensive. It isn't some mass-produced instrument for the general consumer market. Kind of niche, for people who are already interested in and familiar with synthesizers, and then a drone type thing that doesn't even have MIDI. It's special and unique made by just a couple of brilliant sound engineer type people. Keep in mind it is the second generation... so, an advance on an already successful foray into it all by Elta. If you can afford it, and you think your disability won't make controlling it difficult I would totally say: get it. Get it right now. You have perfect pitch of all things?!? You are going to love this. You are going to create wonderful music on it. You are going to find yourself in it's ambient stream-of-consciousness experience of it.

[@alexander-van-aken]

OOOOOOOOO This is a must have. What a beauty!

[@uncletonysfunhouse]

Killer demos, man. I am sometimes bewildered by synths like this and the strange noises people make with them but wow. Thanks for the beautiful music. Considering picking one up.

[@steffenbott70]

Hi Benn, watching your channel for some time now but have to say this session knocked me down. Amazing soundscape, so intense....I´m totaly inspired. Thx sharing this with us.

[@BlasphemousButler]

Awesome video and music. I love it. Thanks Benn!!

[@skymakai]

@10:35 THAT SMILE

[@chadb1176]

I think I could be at peace headed into the next life if I could create something like this. I would be complete. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.