Taiga Keyboard - Pittsburgh Modular - Sonic LAB Review

Ad Free and Samples on / taiga-keyboard-99988407
Taiga at Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/taigaperfect
The latest release from @pittsburghmodular is a supersize version of their Taiga synthesiser. Based on three wavefolding/complex oscillators with multiple seed waves: Sine, Tri, Saw, Square plus blends they give you the backbone of a powerful synthesizer.
The Taiga Keyboard adds a 3 octave velocity and aftertouch enabled keybed, wooden end cheeks, and a couple of modifications that make it a more tweakable instrument.
First up there’s an OSC fine tune knob for each - a small thing but makes it way quicker to get three oscillators tuned how you like. Also the function generator which is an assignable digital affair with a single CV out has easier to access settings - all linked to the Mod Wheel and buttons - the 5V output, Tri LFO, Decay Envelope and Random (you can choose one at a time) are all set by the depth of the mod wheel, and with shift functions, press and hold the assign button to access clock division (LFO and Random) and decay length (Envelope).
With more room to stroll around the front panel, it makes general operation a lot more intuitive.
The other Big addition, is the inclusion of a 24HP module bay, remove the screws from the plate and there’s power for three modules - we put the Mutable Clouds in ours - just to add more processing to the overall sound, but you can choose whatever you want as long as it's not too deep - Disting requires a couple of spacers under the fixing bolts to fit in the provided depth.
Aside from these additions, there’s no functional difference between this and the Taiga module except cost, with the Taiga Keyboard at $1299/£1150 and the Taiga Module at around $800/£650.
Personally I found he extra size does make more sense of this instrument for performing and working on sounds. We would like to have seen a legato envelope mode, currently every note triggers the envelope, not something you can fix with an extra module, and a couple of the knobs response are quite sensitive - notably envelope release is somewhat on even with a small adjustment at the start of it's travel, ditto FM depth for the oscillators. However this is consistent across both Taiga models.
However, like the original Taiga having the blend of complex West Coast style Oscillators, a multimode filter AND a resonant Low Pass Gate really gives a wide palette of sounds fore the curious synthesist.
If you just want a taste of that there’s also the West Pest from Cre8Audio - which while a much less capable instrument will give you more of a West Coast vibe to explore.
|--------|
00:00:00 Start
00:00:32 intro + overview
00:01:46 24HP Hole
00:02:32 Oscillators
00:07:45 Sound Examples
00:13:19 Paraphonic
00:21:15 Conclusion
#soniclab
#taigakeyboard #pittsburghmodular
Exclusive extra content on Patreon
/ sonicstate
Subscribe to Sonicstate on KZbin for new content!
bit.ly/SonicYTSub
Watch Sonicstate's Exclusive Series:
Sonic LAB: bit.ly/SonicLab
Meet The Makers: bit.ly/SonicMakers
Sonicstate Performances: bit.ly/SonicPerformances
Sonic TALK Podcast: bit.ly/SonicTalk
Website: www.sonicstate.com
Twitter: #!/sonicstate
Facebook: / wwwsonicstate
Instagram: / sonicstateuk
Podcast/iTunes: goo.gl/4uOFA5

[@sonicstate]

Thanks for watching! Join the Sonicstate Patreon to support what we do and get some EXCLUSIVE freebies: patreon.com/sonicstate

[@craig_z]

Such a great idea to have the little modular section, so you can customize it the way you want.

[@ShakaCthulu]

Agreed, I’d love to see more of this.

[@johnthecloud]

Wish it was 30hp so you could get a Poly Effects Hector in there.

[@ChrisPBacon3000]

Nick always does an awesome demo and makes killer sounds.

[@sonicstate]

Thanks man, some synths are just easier to do that with than others

[@leroycarr9]

Great in-depth overview of the Taiga. Thank you. And as others have noted, you created some really evocative sounds, showing some of the potential of this synth. Love it!

[@badoedipus2551]

I don’t totally know why, but I’m m totally digging on Nick’s sound design.

[@sonicstate]

Thanks, its a nice machine to work on

[@johnthecloud]

More PWM...

[@jonbirchartist]

Looks nice. Sounds nice. Some lovely patches you made there!

[@davidsobel3303]

Oh Nick, you make it look so easy....

[@adame235]

Nick and SL provide such an education. Identification and elaboration on the machinations of sound design. Inspiring

[@digitaldobbie]

Just love these reviews. Hope to see you down the forum Nick. Many thanks for the vid, Tip-Top!

[@sonicstate]

Cheers, glad you enjoyed

[@AndyVonal]

Nick, dearest Nick! Please stop tempting me! As Oscar W said: "I can resist everything except temptation!". Damn it!

[@hakonsoreide]

Don't worry: common sense will keep you from buying it. Except, of course, as the undisputed king of the epigram also pointed out: "It is not that common."

[@Demoulous]

Great demo Nick, and yeah the expanded kb version looks more compelling to me than the somewhat cramped desktop version. Love the Modular possibilities with this version of the Taiga as well.

[@SebastianBeyer]

sound beautiful

[@BF-up5xw]

A great review demonstration and review, as ever. I only wish you could teach me to create such wonders on my own Taiga (desktop)! Not that it is hard to get wonderful sounds; it's just that you always seem to know how to add just a touch of magic, a last refinement, that really pushes the quality into the top tier.

[@rabbitnoize]

Ur patches are magical

[@neuroactive3301]

Great sounding device! Good review...

[@intheblink]

As usual, SonicState does it best. Best gear reviews anywhere. This is a cool keyboard. Wish I had the space!

[@MrJimbol59]

Thnx Much Nick !!!

[@zipnone1996]

nice sounding synth!

[@asynchronicity]

Taiga, Taiga burning bright✌️

[@radred609]

Only a matter of time before someone creates replacement sides for the new taiga that adds a whole ass modular rack across the top...

[@amphora8321]

Wonder if we’ll see more of these ‘blank rack HP option’ synths over next few years?

[@mw-tc3mv]

awesome !

[@kurteberhardt8932]

Looking forward to a Friday Fun with this one. I could have listened to that play out for quite while longer.

[@sonicstate]

I wish but we have toi send it on to the next reviewer...

[@kurteberhardt8932]

Maybe the desktop then. I always enjoy your jams!

[@Dudderlyful]

They should have got you to do the Dune sound track Nick!

[@sonicstate]

☺☺☺

[@adognamedshinji]

Lots of mojo in this synth. I wonder if they'll be able to add legato mode in a firmware update. Kind of important on an analog monosynth like this

[@MrJimbol59]

Nick,one more question,So that module,is the Mutable Instruments Clouds,with a different faceplate ??

[@sonicstate]

Yeah that's all

[@user-en4bm1kk2e]

Hey Nick, Have you ever played a Roland Rs202? I used to have one and I miss it dearly.

[@sonicstate]

Not that I remember no

[@nobodysuspected]

i would buy a Nick Batt soundtrack made with this. its vibey. and obviously every time the man touches keys magic happens

[@joebrewer4529]

I don’t know if it says to record, but I would like to think that every cool moment that he’s found a patch that he’s found interesting in a review it sounds like the human league more specifically early human league.

[@MrJimbol59]

Nick,where can I get ,that Fulsome Clouds Module??

[@sonicstate]

It was a custom faceplate given to me for the 500th podcast episode..

[@AaronFoltz]

10:08 very elastic

[@piousmulvey]

Is the ADSR the same on this as the original? When I copy your settings I have no transients and sustain for days. ADSR 2 only functions in the first degree or so. The kpots are 98% unusable for the ADSR section.

[@user-ul5zv5cr6f]

No, the module version had complaints about the ADSR travel ranges so PGH incorporated those suggestions in the new keyboard version. They have said you can send in the module to get the mod or they can tell you how to do it yourself, it's pretty simple if you've got some solder skills as I understand it.

[@derekschantz872]

Can I expand by connecting the Rackbrute to Taiga Keys?

[@sonicstate]

Of course, any modular gear should interface pretty well

[@mundungous]

Could listen to hours of 14:40 onward

[@LordoftheBadgers]

Makes me think what modules could go there. Obvs candidates like function generators. But disting ex could be cool as it's got a tuner for when you need it and of course it's got multi fx and tons of other things

[@FotoxBr_nl]

I think I have heard that disting ex does not fit because of depth. Not sure though. Can anybody confirm this ?

[@magicalsynthadventure3216]

Dust of time would be a good one!

[@isaacc7]

@@FotoxBr_nlAlex, aka @mylarmelodies confirmed it will not fit but you could use some standoffs to raise the module just enough to get it in there.

[@LordoftheBadgers]

@@FotoxBr_nl oh I forgot to check that. Yeah Pcb stand off screws aren't pretty. I had them in my intellijel case. My main case is the befaco 7u which IS deep enough

[@LordoftheBadgers]

Could be good with arbhar or lubadh too and fx aid for reverb

[@pawnotdaw4559]

Think I would have a mini clouds and an O& C.

[@sonicstate]

Good call save some space there...

[@RayyMusik]

This or the PWM Mantis? 🤔

[@rozzgrey801]

If only the rack could take a 28hp module then I'd put an Eventide Misha in there.

[@radred609]

I've been tossing up getting an original pitsburg since it was first released, but now the dreamer in me is considering the practicality of mounting a 100HP rack across the top

[@dxutube]

Trying for the life of me to think of a schema to colour my Minilogue knobs

[@TheNewNumberTw0]

Sort of want to get rid of grandma for this beast……

[@sonicstate]

You mean the Moog Grandmother right, not your actual ...?

[@adamsaffron6721]

Hilarious xD @@sonicstate

[@KrasavkinRomanE]

Hallo Bro.😊❤🤜🏻🤛🏻🍀🍯🍓🍤

[@jukkauh]

First third of video flat by a semitone, the third middle flat by a major third (!), Half of paraphonic section flat by 2/3 semitone, then finally things get tuned near the end. :-( :-( :-( For Moog's sake, please be kind to your perfect pitch viewers, this was painful to watch.

[@sonicstate]

Never considered that. Good point, try harder....🤔

[@NamelessSmile]

Synth companies struggling to find ways to sell people 60 year old technology now

[@jasonbeatty831]

No one is forcing you to buy….

[@NamelessSmile]

@@jasonbeatty831 who said that?

[@sonicstate]

Not like guitars then

[@NamelessSmile]

@@sonicstate they lead with it!

[@temporoboto]

💙

[@PLA.net-DANTE]

Awesome review and sounds, nick. Do you got any module recommendations, besides the module you used on, this?