HOW TO BUILD A SYNTHESIZER SETUP with Circuit Tracks + Korg Minilogue & Volca NuBass

[@BoBeats]

GEAR SHOWCASED (affiliate links) Novation Circuit Tracks // 4 track Sequencer & Synth EU: thmn.to/thoprod/512775?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/0kgRJ US: bit.ly/circuittracksPC UK: tidd.ly/4078BD4 Volca NuBass EU: thmn.to/thoprod/465942?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/155XZd US: bit.ly/nubassPC UK: tidd.ly/43rhJW9 Original Minilogue EU: thmn.to/thoprod/379052?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/2PbZM US: bit.ly/3muL01i UK: tidd.ly/3KvhIrw Midi thru box - Kenton Thru-5 EU: thmn.to/thoprod/220156?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/LvenY US: bit.ly/3zRPyC1 UK: tidd.ly/407Opkl Bluebox Mixer EU: thmn.to/thoprod/504944?offid=1&affid=623 US: imp.i114863.net/b4ELm US: bit.ly/PS-1010 UK: tidd.ly/3KU8FSr

[@mallechilie]

Try the squarp pyramid! It's an awesome little machine that can sequence your whole studio at once! (Yes I'm a big fan) I don't believe you've ever done a video on it (which makes sense seeing you mostly like grooveboxes better ;) It's something between an mpc and a digitakt: 64 tracks, but purely sequencing. Great to sequence live to from any synth while playing, and you can choose if you want to snap a track to a grid or use other effects such as randomness, midi delays and so on.

[@Feanarth]

Something that incorporates sync between DIN Midi and USB Midi would be interesting. In extension maybe the Sync 3.5mm Jacks on some devices and what the tricky moments here could be.

[@sodiumsovereign]

Your MIDI thru box link is broken :(

[@DJ_TideWave]

Arturia MicroFreak. I really love mine and the recent patch. Great video btw. I also think less is more sometimes. I like to have a great selection of synths so I can hook up the synths I want to use depending on the genre I want to make.

[@Sweenah94]

A video about the mc707 as the central hub would be interesting. Great sequencer and plenty of effects. I can't get the midi cc controls on my tb-3 or micromonsta 2 to work though.

[@JamesTorrey]

Thank you! I'm almost into my 40's and I'm just realizing I need a synth in my life. This video was very helpful!

[@szysl4k]

I really appreciate that you showed how to connect everything from scratch and described each use for the hardware, something missing in most synth tutorials. Super helpful. Thank you!

[@enigmasounds]

I so wish you had done this 4 years ago, it summaries in a few minutes what took me ages to learn by trial and error! great job.

[@sunglint]

This video is one of the reasons I just bought a Circuit Tracks, and a Moog Werkstat, and a Cre8audio Nifty Bundle, and an Arturia Microfreak. I just got the Werkstat working with the Tracks, and should receive the Microfreak tomorrow. People like you and Gabe Miller really are inspiring, and the Tracks is great to fiddle with in bed to lay out an idea, then hook up to the externals to get some big sound. Thanks!

[@ianjojo]

Could you elaborate on how you’re connecting the Werkstatt to the Circuit Tracks? I’ve got a Werkstatt and thinking of picking up a used Circuit Tracks.

[@sunglint]

@@ianjojo The Cre8audio bundle is a modular kit, it has midi in and cv out, used that to the Werkstatt. For about $100 you can buy a midicv interface, or something like the microfreak which has midi in and cv out.

[@ianjojo]

Thanks@@sunglint! I miss my microfreak - gonna try to find a used one!

[@carythesnail]

THANK YOU!! It's taken me so long just to learn what you explain in 20min. Nobody wants to teach the nitty gritty of what cables to use, how they connect, what's a brain, and how they are all related. Thank you Bo!

[@nixx5952]

Thank you for your videos. I love how you make videos accessible for non-professionals. Much love from Scotland.

[@Sammy-B]

The last five minutes of this are super helpful. Trying to figure out the differences between all this kit can be pretty mind-blowing when you are starting out. Well done.

[@dresdenkors1340]

Thanks!

[@mattcero1]

This guy and Gabe Miller are my go to guys for this stuff!

[@RamRevivo]

I LOST MY MIND ALREADY TRYING TO FIND A VIDEO LIKE THIS THANK YOU BO BEATSSSS ❤️

[@PabloEspinozaPablolein]

This is the video I was looking for! Thank you so much, I'm starting on dawless jams and this is the best video I've found.

[@WhiteWhiskerMusica]

Ive never had any synths or grooveboxes but i picked up my circuit tracks and volca bass last night, i was more than prepared to get it running because of watching this before hand. thanks!

[@BoBeats]

Happy to hear it!! Tag me on IG if you make some little jam or something :-)

[@dlinnoedlinnoe]

Great review! One thing I think could be mentioned as well (if it's for the beginners) is that you can connect a few devices without the midi splitter if they have midi thru (and many synths do have it) - so you can chain them one after another.

[@dazastafariinc8390]

Fantastic video that explained the basics perfectly. One omission I noticed that I discovered too late, is the use of a song mode to take a jam/groove to the track level by programming intros, outros, breakdowns etc. I found the ability to perform this task varied greatly. The elektron model:sample kinda achieves it and also does seamless transition from one bank of samples to the next, but I wouldn't say it has a definitive song mode. The toraiz squid has a limited song mode that allows up to 16 different combinations to be programmed and triggered, but it just falls short at the finish line. 64 would have been more useable. Plus it cant seamlessly transition from one project to the next, stopping a potential work around. The korg electribe dont have song mode but you can theoretically created several projects that progress and play them one after the other as the electribe does a seamless transition. Haven't tried the sonicware liven series which can do 4 tracks of sequencing so I dont know how they perform. Hands down, and I'm only a recent convert, the best sequencer for song mode I've used is the mpc one. Ticks all the boxes for creating a fully fledged track .

[@Val_Cla]

My dawless setup consists of A digitone paired with either a Mother 32 or a microfreak !I'm really enjoying working this way :) i think more things would give me either a headache, or too much choice hehe

[@peterknowles3198]

Am starting out in the world of synths and was a bit lost as to what sequencer I should be looking at. The Circuit Tracks looks a great place to start with my Mininova. Thanks for such an informative video Bo. Always good to be able to access your knowledge

[@scrundy3369]

I LOVE the mininova!

[@peterknowles3198]

@@scrundy3369 such a good piece of kit👍

[@samsungtelevision695]

The music you put together on here is sick man. I love the compositions

[@seedbarrett6853]

Just what I've been looking for. Getting the Circuit Tracks in july/august

[@durmdave3673]

“I don’t actually know the English word for it. “ Dude, you speak better English than 90% of Americans.

[@BoBeats]

Aww thanks!!!

[@Johnatomy]

Factual.

[@zakkziegler111]

Lmao, too true. You literally speak better English than our last president.

[@SlavicSon]

Most educated foreigners do speak better English than Americans.

[@karlmay5306]

Yeah, dude's comfortable giving technical tutorials in his second language, something I'm not comfortable doing in my first.

[@MikeErickson]

Such a great video - I just picked up the Circuit Tracks and am having a blast with it. Thanks for breaking this stuff down for us noobs. Cheers!

[@1paracelsus]

It's as if you are answering my unspoken questions thereby enabling me to move forward in my quest. Thank you soooo much Bo great vid - brill that you included the Deluge 🙏🙏🙏

[@ursdubel3585]

Like your channel Bo 👍👍👍I had a Mixer 2 turntables and 2 speakers like 20 years ago to mix a little bit but for the most time i simply used my setup to impress girls 🤣🤣🤣but never really got into music composition like playing a Piano or a Drum.. After waching some of your videos i thought.. you know what.. Buy a T-8 and a S-1 300 bucks screw it, and man it hooked me up bigtime.. then i realized it would be cool if i could record what i am doing, record some sounds, mix in some FX so i bought a SP 404 mk2 and now 2 months later i came accros one of your older videos here and now i am just realizing how smal versatile and powerful my little setup really is (S-1 and SP 404 mk2) specially since last few updates and also all the money i saved. You inspired and helped me alot with your videos so THANK YOU 👍👍👍

[@drbop6951]

Finding the right sequencer for you is a personal quest and lots of kit flipping. Lol.

[@KattKirsch]

Hey, Bo! I personally use a Polyend Tracker and I'm pretty darn pleased with my user experience. It's a really fun sequencer that's very fun to just relax with. I originally thought that I'd feel limited and use that limitation to fuel creativity, but I'm increasingly finding it to be a powerful sequencer engine for an all analog setup: 303, 808, Korg Minilogue XD, Toraiz AS-1 for bass. With Behringer reissues or other similar gear, it's a fun budget all hardware setup for the price of, say, a nice guitar. I'd love for you to mess with the Tracker more!

[@ionianechoes]

This is another video about how you get into hardware synths.....But nobody is making the video I need is "how you get OUT of it".

[@paulbogan3400]

It's like the Hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...

[@NullFX]

I'll let you know if I find a way

[@lilybeejones]

You buy an iPad lol

[@Oooo-bi7bi]

Electronic music anonymous or synths anonymous. The 12 keys.

[@Nicholas-zc1ro]

@@Oooo-bi7bi I tried those groups but just ended up at the back of the church making block rocking beat's!!!lol😁

[@VictorSteiner]

We had a corona jam yesterday with Eurorack. We had the (discontinued) Polyend Anywhere modules and myVolts ripcords to power 2 Mother-32s, a DFAM, a Subharmonicon and a Black Sequencer. We used a few connected stackcables for clock and two bluetooth speakers to hear each other. We had about 4 meters between us in a wonderful park with amazing weather.

[@VictorSteiner]

And a Korg NTS-1 and Erica Synth DSP modules for effects.

[@davidjones9706]

I'd love to see a wavestate and polyend tracker setup!!

[@matthewtunnicliffe201]

That would be cool. My setup is based around the Polyend Tracker, and the Wavestate is on my possible next synth list. I find linking the Tracker with other synths to be really easy, and sampling is a joy. I don't think I've ever enjoyed sampling so much in my life before. It's a phenomenal piece of kit in my opinion and it suits my work flow perfectly.

[@Yoah777]

Love the gear connection explanation

[@AlekseiDroganov]

BO ALWAYS TELLS WITH SUCH INSPIRATION ABOUT THE Music Production , THAT IF I WERE Cooking, I'M READY TO QUIT COOKING FOOD, BUY A LOT OF SYNTHESIS AND GO CREATE AND CREATE AGAIN!

[@danielmarshallmusic6314]

This is exactly what I was looking for. I actually breathed a sign of relief when I found this video haha. Thanks!

[@TechGently]

This is a great general instruction video for plugging in midi for the newbie, it should be stickered.

[@renesensco]

Exactly what I needed

[@wildnotemusic]

"You can get a lot done with a main sequencer, and one, two, maybe three, four"... Maybe Five, six, seven, eight, nine... @2:20

[@BoBeats]

😂

[@spookypen]

Yeah I have GAS... Great Awesome Synths.

[@schizoinstereo]

Makes me wish I were half octopus! haha

[@chrisdoe8192]

The right video at the right time. So glad I found this

[@United-Bengals]

Very very very useful tutorial sir,,, lots of love from INDIA❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏

[@trevorbrown8737]

Great video as usual! Thank you for taking time to make it!

[@oleksandr.veresiuk]

Great explanation for beginners, all is concise and clear

[@Ejalmusic]

Dude the track in 12 min of the video is sick 👌😍

[@izzyscreamin]

Great video and information. Big Jack and little jack is what I would call them too and I speak English natively and only English. Your English is excellent!

[@BoBeats]

Thank you!!

[@andybeta1971]

Great stuff... lovely and simple. I managed to get my little setup working just how I wanted thanks to this!👍

[@keithalva]

This video was so helpful! I couldn't figure out how to get my hardware set up to midi, this made me realize I needed a dedicated sequencer. Would love to see a video where you're using the Machine + as the brain for the set up!

[@benjyletouffu]

Thank you for this video, it helped me to realize how off my settup was and how to improve it!

[@ralphjmoeller]

I loved this video, gave me so many ideas for my Circuit Tracks! Thanks!

[@ronaldnollet1461]

Awesome video cheers from Australia

[@macstar8317]

I've just bought a Keystep Pro, Minilogue XD and a Roland TR-8S. No idea how to use them yet so this video was really helpful. Thanks!

[@nlamste3]

You make it seem so easy! I really like it 👌🏻 Thanks for your enthusiasm and positive vibe (or should I say groove)

[@Victor-lo6dg]

Thank you so much for the clear explanation! I was wondering which cables should I buy and you solved my problem thanks!

[@colinoliver]

really sick track! nice job :)

[@KbIPbIL0]

Wow finally it's all laid out and explained.

[@DocBolus]

Keeping it simple is a really good tip. I think you also have to consider how portable you want your rig to be. When I look at gear I have half a mind on how easy it would be to get it to a gig and set up.

[@TheDarkVPlayer]

this video has enlightened me on the topic about daw-less setup. Found a nitty portable combo "Circuit Tracks" + "Modal CRAFTsynth v2.0" :D

[@vertigev]

Omg the perfect video! Thanks Bo

[@ROCKKIZZ]

THANKS! WAS LOOKING FOR THIS SETUP TUTORIAL!

[@minimal.camera]

Nice video! The core of my compact/portable DAWless setup is the Model:Samples as sequencer brain and drum machine, and if I have room I'll bring along some Volcas (Bass + FM) and NTS-1. For a more sprawling home studio setup, I just got the Novation SL MK3 as companion sequencer to the Model:Samples, and the Minilogue XD is my flagship synth.

[@Salaundre]

Thanks for the vid. I’m pairing my Circuit Tracks with a Microfreak.

[@fo76]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@free2muse]

That was really beneficial. Thanks!

[@ljay7891]

thank you for the good explanation, also understandable for beginners 👍🏻

[@jonyckn]

Love the Yellow digitakt 👌

[@jaspermolenaar1218]

Very nice video, thanks. Would be nice to do a video on what DAWless hardware to record with..

[@infn8loopmusic]

The circuit tracks is such and underrated groovebox. I team mine up with a Roland JDXI (or other synths) and it's absolutely amazing how much ground that can be covered with it. The fact that you can run another two channels of audio into the circuit and mix with it and add FX makes it a total DAW replacer when you add any type of recorder. I use a zoom handy recorder and it's absolutely all I need. I love that you can pan with it and can record automated panning. I didn't even realize that the inputs were balanced though, I thought they were mono! I can't wait to try sending some stereo inputs in because that means I can use Two external synths now

[@TheRealPhilHoward]

Trying to connect my Microfreak to my Circuit and maybe some other stuff. Do you use a TRS cable into and out of the tracks? The manual says the Tracks is unbalanced mono which I assumed was TS and then The Microfreak and the Zoom H6 are balanced stereo and my head is spinning now trying to figure out how to go stereo to mono and keep both inputs on the Tracks. From watching videos it looks like everyone just goes TRS regardless and it seems to work. I then figured I would go 2 TRS out to a Y TS to transport on my Zoom H6. Thoughts? Am I overthinking the connections? Just go with the TRS? Do you combine your channels from the Circuit into the Zoom or do you record each channel separately?

[@futurebjard]

This video is super helpful! Is it possible to still play the actual instrument rather than playing it through the groove box? I just haven’t seen it at the time of writing this. Thanks!!

[@lukasp8219]

Thanks for making it more fun for me to setup my live stuff❤️🔥

[@Pixel_Track]

Great video! I have Arturia Mikrofreak and was thinking of buying circuit to have fun with dawless setup. But on other hand i need to upgrade my PC, it is still my main production platform.

[@SaEvSampleEverything]

So many cool devices! Nice video, thanks for sharing!

[@Oooo-bi7bi]

Thanks for your channel. Pressed go and expecting delivery on Monday of a micro freak to use with circuit tracks. Hoping to one day mix my acoustic instruments with digital. After hearing the price drop in hardware, I have had a voice nagging me to get some. Fell in love with synthesis’s.

[@literarysocialnetwork2238]

Novation Launchpad Pro MkIII is an awesome 4 track, similar in work flow & layout to the Circuit Tracks. I use it with Nord Lead 4R, which is 4 part multitimbral = a perfect fitting hardware setup. In addition I use the Roland Sp-404MKII for sample playback and its latest software upgrade has a good sequencer.

[@mythicdex9204]

Cool stuff! Thank you!

[@quimbas]

Super helpful. Thank you so much.

[@daskmusic3924]

Good tutorial. Would like to see more, what about an intermediate level tutorial and an advanced one at some later date.

[@ScottGlasgowMusic]

Having fun with Circuit Tracks, mono samples not so good with limited length. What about just using an ipad with Huang's FLIP for samples then send audio out of ipad into CT stereo / FX then you have a sampler (stereo) into CT to be sent out stereo? My other idea is a Modular Skulpt into the CT the out stereo. Right now I have a Lyria-8 and a Elmyra which has no midi.

[@cruepprich]

Good advice as always. I find my MPC One as a good "brain". Esp since I can have lots of effects for the various midi and audio channels.

[@logemann74]

great vid. Also that you cabled in in the vid.

[@sojimani7616]

Can you review the Arturia ‘beatstep pro’ ? No one had reviewed it properly. It is a good sequencer in a small package which can send CV.

[@BoBeats]

I am doing a video with it ”soon” but it wont be super in depth tho

[@twoHRdrive]

Subscribed, for your helpful feedback on a previous video. Thank you so much!!!

[@MIXtofMusic]

Thx! This Video helped me a lot by buil3my first setup! Beats and greetz from Germany! 🤖🎧🎵🎶😎

[@danhibbert5650]

Loving all your content. So much info to fry my brain. I like messing around with beats. I have a Yamaha Clarinova that can produce all the sounds. Would I just need a sequencer like the Beatstep Pro to get going? Or would it be better to get a groovebox like the Circuit Tracks. Thanks.

[@anstef1485]

Hello Bo, this is a very nice setup. The Bluebox, even if it is the top of the cool stuff, is extremely expensive compared to a regular Yamaha 6 track mixer and a Zoom recorder. The circuit tracks is revealed to me as the missing link between the electronic instruments! Time to get one!

[@purportedly]

@BoBeats Thanks for the informative video! An aspect I would like to hear more about is the speaker/headphone part - what would be the bare minimum, without just wasting one's money by buying junk?

[@OlavSFlaa]

Great video 👍

[@lightofall]

This is awesome

[@Dangizzle]

I love how you learnt how to say digitakt correctly half way through recording a video

[@BoBeats]

the swedish pronounciation is the right one ;)

[@dietervdw]

After buying a Deluge, all of this feels so cumbersome. I love that thing. It does everything, in a portable battery powered package.

[@lucaim]

at 6:49, is that stereo mini jack to mono 1/4 jack or stereo mini jack to stereo 1/4 jack or something else ... :?

[@flrn84791]

Same question :/

[@pfuisi]

Ok 😂. Mal klein anfangen, mehr wirds eh automatisch. Danke fürs liebevolle Zeigen

[@SplotchTheCatThing]

Does look like a fun direction to go in a fully electronic hardware setup. Coming at it as an electronic enthusiast who's a keyboardist and also a guitarist and vocalist I wonder if there's a way to incorporate some ability to record audio from real instruments into a setup like this that doesn't just turn it into a massive headache.

[@Yoah777]

That's awesome

[@vznquest]

that was great Bo thx a lot. Tracks is on the way and i've already started jamming with my Minilogue and TD-3 on my Maschine mk3. stoked!

[@DenSvarte]

Awesome!

[@Tomasthanes]

Thank you. This was very helpful. I'm just starting out. One thing that was unclear to me were the buttons on the "Groove Box". When I look at a keyboard with black and white keys, I know exactly what I'm looking at: chromatic notes a half step apart. When I look at the buttons on the "Groove Box", it's not intuitive (to me) what they mean or what sound (if any) they'll produce. Do you have any videos that goes into further depth on this? Thanks!!!

[@BoBeats]

Yeah i have multiple videos on the Circuit tracks. Basically the white buttons represent either a keyboard in a scale or in chromatic mode. Or it represents 16 steps in a sequence

[@sykromsmile6303]

Great video

[@GiuseppeColaneri7]

I’m starting to build something similiar using an op-z as The brain for a Volka Key, a Po Arcade and a Keystep (as a midi controller). Hope it works, it’s my first setup (I was an op-z only user).

Oh lord thank you

[@jorgerezg3686]

Great Tutorial!!! i have not a mixer could i conect to an audio interface that is amplified? and other question is there any hardware alterntive to coencted in replace volca nubass? Thanks a lot!! Excellent channel!! Cheers from Argentina

[@Frakaphoto]

deluge controlling Matriarch & YC61 multi effect piano. great dawless

[@eastwoofer]

Could you send a thomann link to those cable holders/organizers behind you? Tack:)

[@FoxyNirvana]

You are awesome! Perfecto! 😎✌️🙏💯

[@BottleMakesMusic]

Great video Bo! I've recently invested in a NDLR and a KeyStep Pro for all my sequencing needs, so the only thing left on my shopping list is a decent polyphonic synth. I've now got my shortlist down to three - all Korgs; the Minilogue XD, the Wavestate or the OpSix. They're all at about the same pricepoint so I'm wondering based on your experience with any of them, which would be a good choice (I know, it's quite subjective!!). I'm still not quite convinced of the need for a groovebox (yet!), but the Digitakt looks interesting to say the least, especially with the new firmware update.

[@BoBeats]

With keystep pro + ndlr you dont need a groovebox. I’d definitely recommend XD over the other two, unless you are dying for some piano sounds. Wavestate got some beautiful pianos

[@BottleMakesMusic]

@@BoBeats Thanks! I think I was aiming more for the groovebox being a sample playback device, but I have absolutely zero experience with one, so not totally sure it would be a fit for my workflow as it stands. Will definitely try out the XD and OpSix (when I can play one in a shop too)

[@AllaMortify]

Interesting and informative video. I'm trying to decide whether to go for a Circuit Tracks or MPC One. Every time I watch a video on either of them I end up changing my mind. Having never used either a Circuit or MPC product, I like the look of the simple intuitive Circuit Tracks approach and the two Midi channels and inputs, but at the same time, the MPC has a really nice sequencer, sampler and now a Drum synth (since preset shopping is a bore), but is more expensive, more hardcore prosumerish and lacks a bit in connectivity. I guess I have to decide whether I want room to grow (MPC) or immediacy (no menu diving and complicated setup) and jammability (Circuit Tracks).

[@BoBeats]

Correct: thats the main thing you need to figure out. The limited but easy to use Circuit or the deeper much more feature packed Mpc One

[@AllaMortify]

​@@BoBeats It should be a no-brainer for me to opt for the Circuit Tracks considering I'm not even remotely a musician, can pair it with a Microfreak, Volca FM etc (apparently I want to make hamfisted synthwave...) and probably wouldn't be looking to record/laydown full songs anyway. I guess I could re-sell it if it proves too limiting, although being in the UK, post-Brexit selling outside the UK is somewhat more complicated. I could I guess wait to see what the Circuit Rhythm turns out to be, considering it promises a sampler and better handling of drums, two of things I like about the MPC One. MPCs seem a bit DAW-in-a-box anyway, a slight move away from hardware towards software only.

[@bartjanc]

Also have a look at the synthstrom deluge. It’s intuitive like the circuit, but has more features then the mpc one

[@AllaMortify]

@@bartjanc So many buttons...I'd be like Sandra Bullock in Gravity in the scene in the Chinese capsule randomly pressing buttons to see what they do.