How I Use SOMA LYRA-8 // Oscillator and effects tutorial and examples

The Soma Lyra-8 synthesizer is a beast. The way it combines multiple oscillators with digital delay and analog distortion is so unique. In this video I go through my process of building a set of pitches and dialing in modulation and effects. Let me know your thoughts below.
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[@mercurial71]

How come I hate tuning my guitar but I really want one of these?!

[@jonathanjungjohansen6470]

I learned so much from your video. This is one of the most technically and perfomatively informative video's ive seen of anyone playing the lyra. When people say that lyra is a hard beast to tame, i think they are engaging with the instrument as if it needs to be tamed. You seemed to cooperate with it, and your ability to analyse and elucidate what the lyra does is fantastic. Thank you so much. You are demystifying it.

[@alexandergilman3394]

Fantastic video! I learned so much. A quick thing on the mod switch, from my understanding. The upward position is getting the modulation from the numbered pair of oscillators. So if you select "78" that is getting it from 7 and 8. The downward position means you are getting either from the Hyper LFO, the Total Feedback (the signal coming through the output), or an external CV (only if plugged in). The switch in the middle (34>46, 78>12) selects whether that inter-pair modulation happens in two sections (1234 and 5678) or if it loops it all together into one big FM synthesis insanity. I can't figure out exactly how to make it all work, but I think that's the signal flow of those features.

[@taylorwhiddon9898]

I’ve been on the fence about the Lyra for over a year now and this video just sold me on it. Thank you.

[@Lcrymlgy]

A clarification on the modulation source. The positions are not up: LFO, down: feedback, they're: up: the other pair of oscillators (7-8 for 5-6 and vise versa), down: LFO, feedback (from the master out), or CV. CV if there's something plugged in, feedback if the total feedback switch is on, and LFO otherwise, that's why you see the LFO when you throw it down. And when you throw it up, you get the signal from the other pair of oscillators. When they're not loud enough to be heard, they still modulate the frequency of the other ones reborn, enough to notice, and also that's why it changes when they actually do start ringing I hope that makes sense

[@davidgauntlett01]

This was an exceptionally helpful video thank you! I’d been using my Lyra a bit randomly but not very well. This process brings some order to the proceedings. Thank you so much!

[@troyh1602]

I just picked one of these up this week. I'm happy to see you have a video up on it. I love your content here and over on Insta. I'll be learning from this video as I become acquainted with the Lyra-8.

[@toddtrillo7445]

I just absolutely love the grit n bite in this thing , great demo of it

[@LesterH25]

Oh my oh my. It’s not a synth engine, it’s an actual engine that can take you anywhere. I have to get one !! Awesome review thank you.

[@benasaro1043]

Thanks for this video, I found it very helpful. I have a Lyra-8 on the way after hemming and hawing between this and the Solar 50; I just think this if a much more versatile unit, and as an object d'arte, it's also aesthetically pleasing. Thanks again!

[@jimvandersteege]

Such a cool synth, just watched loopops video the other day. Nice to see your take on it!

[@acefstripe]

Excellent video, really helps with a starting point for this interesting synth.

[@Rgdonaire_07]

Great. You made it sing beautifully. Most of the demos are apocalyptic tunes. I like them too but nice to see a more musical side of this incredible synth.

[@BargainNoise]

I like how you add the effects by tapping them. I’ve grabbed a knob and started turning and lost the sound I’ve had, the minimal change is a great tip.

[@BlankFor_ms]

Bargain Noise yeah, the controls are so delicate on the Lyra. You kind of have to feather them.

[@IvanovSergeyMusic]

Beautiful. I love the lyre 8 !

[@chriswareham]

I've seen people on forums talking about replacing the tuning potentiometers with multi-turn ones in order to get a little more control over pitch. Certainly something I'm considering - since I got my Lyra 8 I've been using my ancient Boss TU-12 tuner more than I have done in years!

[@GNeuman]

Some brilliant tips here... Thanks 👍👍👍

[@TerekkiTerekki]

Excellent video, still on the fence on wether to get one of these

[@Kaabluck]

Very cool and informative. Thx

[@DECIMA1]

It's very interesting to see your workflow with the lyra. It is crazy how everyone uses this device differently. I use the lyra in quite a lot of my videos. Great video!

[@BlankFor_ms]

DECIMA1 thanks. It’s such a unique instrument, I guess it makes sense that everyone has to find their own way.

[@Ian-gw2vx]

Very helpful as I have just got mine today and was finding it much harder to get something cohesive out of than I thought it would be. As soon as my reverb fx pedal arrives I think it will bring it to life. I am wondering how to record this into my DAW as analogue to digital could kill the warmth of this instrument.

[@wariusgaius]

16:23 your unit works as intended (as far as one can see). When you put the switch up, that voice pair gets modulated by voices 7 and 8. When you put it down the pair is modulated by the lfo or an external signal when that connection is made. Awesome video, I am enjoying it.

[@BlankFor_ms]

Warius Gaius ah great, thanks for the info

[@ModernDevotion]

Also the lfo is disconnected if you turn on total feedback feeds the audio out into the fm input of that pair so the bottom position can be three different modes depending on other switches

[@ModernDevotion]

Oh and the mod knob brings in self feedback towards the end of the range hence the jump into clicks territory at around 80-90%

[@henryhill92]

The bits where the drive breaks up rhythmically remind me of the opening of Double Negative by Low

[@scottsweatshirt9753]

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a synth gangster.

[@quinxx12]

What are these last two effect pedals you added in the end? They look super misterious.

[@scottsweatshirt9753]

I’ve been watching synth videos for well over two years and see this comment frequently, but it is the first time making it myself: you’ve generated the most informative and intuitive video of this specific instrument I’ve seen. Thank you. PS - I also consider myself a pedal connoisseur, but do not recall seeing the green one you were using stationed below the Ventris. Would appreciate clarification on that one.

[@BlankFor_ms]

Scott Sweatshirt thanks! The green device is a Landscape HCTT. I’m using it in the video for it’s distortion and and feedback functions, but it can do quite a lot more.

[@scottsweatshirt9753]

Thank you! I moved my Lyra dead center of my rig and now running Plaits into the external in. It sounds awersome. Cheers!

[@LouisLinggandtheBombs]

If I ever get employed to make another film soundtrack again, this synth will be amazing for me!

[@PilferMusic]

unless they call back requesting changes

[@LouisLinggandtheBombs]

@@PilferMusic oh yeah, damn! I didn’t think of that!

[@chetdelcampo]

Very nicely done! I like the idea of this as a processor of drums or synth stuff. As another useful option. ...Can you kindly mention what the Landscape is actually doing to the Lyra signal? Curious about what that box does other than scratchy tape sounds when mechanically moving its knob. ie;...Does the Lyra actually pass through a tape stage in this case? Thanks for any thoughts!

[@user-ot9zz1zg9q]

I believe you have the LFO / FB CV Switches confused. If you switch it to the top, it uses the number pair as a modulation source. So for example, if you flip the switch up on the left most oscillator, it will use voice pairs 3/4 as a modulation source. Essentially it makes 3/4 a FM source feeding into voices 1/2. If you flip the switch down, and the total FB switch is also down, it will use the LFO as a mod source. If you flip the total FB switch up and turn it on, it will use itself as a modulation source. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but that's how I've been using it and how it says they are used in the manual. Either way, great tutorial and video, highly informative! Cheers.

[@torram28]

Yeah thats right, and if you have CV plugged in, it will overwrite the LFO/total FB

[@9VDC]

Great vid, thanks, again a different approach! Fascinating machine! Can you tell me what's this DJ-Slider you use in the last sequence of the video? What type? Is it basically set up as a dry/wet control...?

[@musicartgeek]

Excellent thank you

[@brentmottley9515]

Incredible sounds from this beast! Can you please tell me about your cross-fader? Thanks!

[@aqeelphillips6115]

the sidechain ducking on the synth when you speak is dope actually

[@christopherpederson1021]

you should hear the side chain on the pulsar. It's fucking insane

[@seek4truth]

This thing desparatly asks for a low pass filter with a sine LFO. That would be the coolest synth

[@bpsychoz]

Subscribed!!!!

[@PaprTape]

Just discovered your youtube. wished I've known earlier!

[@bluemammon4765]

Thanks!

[@djformalin]

Nice - thx 🎼

[@intheblink]

Nice video! I have one arriving on Monday and this is helpful. I plan on recording long jam sessions with it at 96kHz, then chopping and pitching interesting moments and throwing them in a sampler. Have you tried that kind of workflow by chance or are you mainly just letting the Lyra do its thing and working around it?

[@BlankFor_ms]

intheblink that sounds like a great way to use it. I’ve done a bit of that, or at least some things sort of close. I’d like to improvise with it over loops and song ideas. Then I will chop up the takes, often repitching and filtering. It always has a unique character in the mix, even if I’m turning it down or filtering out the highs or lows.

[@intheblink]

BlankFor_ms that is exciting! Really hoping for an early delivery so I get a bit of playtime over the weekend.

[@MrJanHjohnson]

I'm thinking about pairing my lyra with a walrus slö. Saw you've got one, do you think they will match?

[@BlankFor_ms]

Yeah, they’d be great together. Also consider the fathom reverb, I use it often with lyra8

[@GNeuman]

What's that green pedal and purple one near the end?

[@BlankFor_ms]

It’s the landscape hctt 👍🏻👍🏻

[@daisukenakagawa7916]

22:20 - crossfader name?

[@tomnussbaumer6077]

What's that small violet fader box at the end?

[@BlankFor_ms]

OBNE expression slider 👍🏻

[@burgersmoke404]

Uh oh. Watching this video and then sitting in silence for a moment reminds me a lot of when I saw a video that made me obsess about the STREGA for months. Get ready wallet and other "priorities"...

[@malthus101]

this thing sounds like a broken vacuum cleaner.

[@louderthangod]

How much would you like for your broken vacuum?

[@NachtSchreck13]

I've never heard anyone who wasn't British using the phrase "DIAL-IT-IN." Yew bin 'anging oot wit Nick Batt, 'ave ye'?

[@buzzfunk]

"so many directions" im sorry but i fail to see how? Unique machine for sure but seems very limiting. IMO.

[@alexandergilman3394]

It's limited in certain ways, for sure, but you can literally tune it to anything you want, so you could, for instance, tune to some exotic scale with microtonalities that you would never be able to play on most synths or instruments.

[@jezstevens]

Like the EMS Synthi’s they’re kind of between instrument and sculpture. The limits imposed is where they jump into limitlessness. They’re not for everyone!

[@jezstevens]

I jam mine with a wonky old Shruti Tanpura box plug in to the EXT In huge , HUGE microtonal drones ensue!

[@ozowizo37]

hardware used to be innovative.

[@LockStoppageSandwich]

Clueless

[@adamchisum2150]

Your voice is too loud in the mix. Do you want us to hear the synth?

[@michaelnesbit3833]

You waste so much time explaining this.