NAMM 2023 - (SOUNDS ONLY) C15 by Nonlinear Labs

We've come across the C15 before, and this year Jim Heywood from Earmonkey Music was able to get some time with it to explore some of the sounds from its purely digital sound engine.
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[@Mattieval]

This is a late 90s/early 2000s JRPG composer's dream. It sounds incredible.

[@EannaButler]

Great sounds. Thanks for the demo! This, with an Osmose keybed... Wouldn't that be sweet.....

[@gcfddddfhhhhhhfrre]

Best demonstration presentation of Namm 2023🎉

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

Well thank you! That's a nice compliment. It's a lovely instrument.

[@dxutube]

that makes the kind of sounds I like.

[@gcfddddfhhhhhhfrre]

Character and quality and range❤

[@Geepstar]

This synth is on my wanted (when I get rich) list. What a beautiful sound.

[@gregorykulinski2186]

And what's the price of this beauty?

[@gcfddddfhhhhhhfrre]

4k😂

[@martattacks]

Nice to see it on NAMM again, despite the fact that it's a few years old. Guess there's an update. The C-15, software-wise based on the Reaktor-Instrument "Kontour" by Stephan Schmitt, founder of both Native Instruments and Nonlinear Labs, is easily one of the most inspiring and original synths out there. If I only had the money... ❤

[@minimalsurface5257]

Safe some money and then pay off the rest. Stephan makes it really easy to own one for those with little money. Or at least he used to. See the website for details.

[@BecomingProductions]

Still one my favourite synths. I sold off a ton of gear recently that I just wasn't getting used from, or that could be easily replaced with plugins. I'll never part with my C15 though. The sensitivity and expression on that keybed is like nothing else I've played. Also as much as this demo sounds great it barely scratches the surface of what this thing can do. Wonderful machine!!

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

I agree. Fifteen minutes doesn't do it justice. This is the second "sounds only" video I've done with the C15 and it blew me away even more this time. It's such a lovely thing.

[@gcfddddfhhhhhhfrre]

very impressed by this synth. Gas incoming 😮

[@gourkernow5694]

This thing is cool, very original, and sounds like it has a very broad and versatile pallette, that also sounds great.

[@koosfockens1707]

Yamaha VL1 springs to mind, particularly the acoustic sounds here.

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

VL1? Yeah the physical modeling gives you those vibes

[@koosfockens1707]

@@EarmonkeyMusic yes VL1... oops. :-) thanks for the correction

[@bucketofbarnacles]

Just lovely.

[@theaudioeng]

Does it support MPE? ... imagine driving this from the Osmose!!! Would be phenomenonal!!! 😉👌🎹🎶💥

[@GizzyDillespee]

Yeah, the EaganMatrix is perfect for the Continuum, and I think the Osmose should come with this synth and ribbons. Or at least, I wish this keyboard had the ability to do the "continuous pressure by each finger traces the velocity curve of each note" thing that the Osmose does... but with this synth engine and the ribbons angled above the keyboard. Nice demo BTW

[@GizzyDillespee]

There is some overlap in timbres, but they're different synths

[@thomasyon4332]

Wow, this instrument, wow

[@gregorykulinski2186]

Fantastic

[@robingoergner725]

Awesome sounds and a great demo!

[@RussianPunchProductions]

Very well played! :) I am sure the manufacturer appreciated that. :)

[@MySynthDungeon]

Big Digs!!!..;-))!!!

[@tsitracommunications2884]

Shades of Genesis

[@synthshoot1026]

I think vangelis would be all over this if he was alive.

[@Claidheambmor]

Module please. Rackable.

[@minecraftavatarofhunterbiden]

Nice :)!!!!

[@OMEGAGENESIS-gw2fx]

This is very cool. I could see this taking up a lot of time, just messing around with the ribbon controllers. It looks kind of plain, due to the lack of knobs, but I guess the ribbons are supposed to replace knobs. At least that's how I see it. I've had a lot of fun with my Hydrasynth ribbon controller and poly AT. I could see this being similar. I have the Osmose coming in June, and I'm looking for to warping sounds with that too. It just feels more organic to use pressure and movement to manipulate sounds. I'm not sure if I'll ever get my G.A.S. under control enough to buy one of these, but maybe someday. I would consider selling my OB-X8 for one of these, but I think I would probably get the new Quantum MK2, Model D, or Prophet 10 first.

[@kgbinfo]

It must be amazing to have all those synths.

[@ultimateXsounds]

This is something really goood !

[@jjrusy7438]

Bi-timbral? This is a good sounding digital, but I think the performance features are the really cool part.

[@CO5MA]

Yes it’s bitimbral. Amazing sounding synth!!!

[@trabouliste1037]

Seems that the best synthesizers are all digital.

[@dirkkeersmaekers4343]

Maybe I buy the next,C16

[@tarkus3004]

So this or Expressive E's Osmose? What do you say?

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

This is the second time I've been able to spend some time with this instrument and both times I was almost immediately inspired. The Osmose synth engine is not up to the level of the C15 at this point, IMO. The controller is fantastic, but it only sounds as good as the engine. Maybe Expressive needs to work harder on patch design, but I felt like I was fighting the Osmose, while the C15 just continued to inspire.

[@michelcamus8288]

@@EarmonkeyMusic - I don't agree. I think EaganMatrix is more powerful than C15, which is fantastic though...

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

@@michelcamus8288 I can only speak to spending about 30=40 minutes with each and one was definitely more inspiring than the other. Could be the patch design on the Osmose is the thing that's holding it back. So much of it just sounded the same no matter what and it was more frustrating than fun. Granted, C15 has had a few years more to get to this point.

[@michelcamus8288]

@@EarmonkeyMusic - However, I prefer by far the sounds made for Continuum than those of Osmose. We need time to program more interesting patches on this so complex EM. But the potential is enormous.

[@trabouliste1037]

@@michelcamus8288 Yes, the Eagan Matrix is more powerful, but it is also very esoteric. Therefore all users I know are using the Haken Continuum presets only. Beside of this you need a second system (computer) running for programming the Haken Continuum engine…

[@YourCaliBos]

I bought this because of your video -have been using the Moog 37 but I love this because it’s an instrument and I am able to improvise easily w our song design-creation . Here is a link to some of our current music -the soundscapes on this song are Moog -next years album w have the C15-been recording w it. In love -kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3yVe5mhmpuVhqs

[@dankeplace]

Is this in any way CS80 inspired?

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

In design, I don't really think so, other than the ribbons but that's really about it. I think there might be a more general inspiration in making an instrument that can be very expressive.

[@dankeplace]

@@EarmonkeyMusic thx for the explanation, the time of my post I had not heard the synth, just read that Vangelis would be all over this by someone else.

[@michelcamus8288]

Indisputably, the C15 is the only competitor of Osmose !

[@CO5MA]

Nope. I own both and even if the Osmose offers an amazing keyboard and a new way of expression, the output sound quality - the purity of the sound- of the C15 is OUT-STAN-DING!!!!!

[@louiscornale5667]

😂😂 great but how about wooly bully watch now

[@hardcoreherbivore4730]

A single knob!? Unacceptable!

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

On first glance, yeah it looks limiting, but TBH it's actually surprisingly easy to navigate with all the buttons. And you really kind of lose yourself in it so there's almost something to be said for the minimal approach.

[@Am6-9]

It’s what we are born with…

[@hardcoreherbivore4730]

@@Am6-9 🤣

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

@@Am6-9 some people are born with no knob even.

[@BecomingProductions]

It's really all this synth needs. Remember this is a 4500 euro synth that didn't come with midi or any lfo's at launch (added up subsequent updates). It's not like they forgot. This machine was designed to be played very differently that a traditional synth.

[@logiclust]

lots of buttons, little control. meh

[@EarmonkeyMusic]

It's more like an acoustic instrument where the control is centered in the player. You kind of have to experience the expressive nature of the thing. And I agree that at first glance it can appear kind of divey, but it's really not. The button sections make a lot of sense and the one knob really helps you focus on making music. Kind of hard to explain.

[@xfghffhfg]

meh lots of opinions, no experience.

[@logiclust]

@@xfghffhfg well, the demo isn't selling it either

[@xfghffhfg]

@@logiclust you need a demo to sell you a synth, meh

[@TheMothership10508]

I have one and can say it's soul is it's feed back loop engine. It combines feedback loops and comb filtering in a way no other synth does. It was designed to sound organic and with real time expression latency. The synth engine is an original design. It's basically a new form of synthesis. Many people are confused about what's going on with this synth. It's quirky and really oozes character and soul. Never tried the osmose but so the only thing I can say about it is how ugly it is.