Waldorf Streichfett - String Machine

Waldorf Streichfett - the cheesey string machine emulator according to their sales material. We take a look
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[@bottomsupbass]

This is unrelated but my observation. The culture among synth people is cool. I'm a guitar guy and if you browse effects videos it's nothing but negativity and trolling. They attack each other's playing, looks, voice, equipment,etc. It's exhausting. Great product btw and cheers to the grown ups.

[@hiddenagenda1779]

tim starkey Nice observation bud! Cheers!

[@justinianherzog4861]

tim starkey Coming from guitars also--yes. To me this is because Synths are as much craft and artisanship as they are Art--you are learning a trade, the craft of making sounds, and the tricks and tips aren't arcane secrets or requiring years of practice...but are instead pure knowledge. So much of playing the guitar is frustration...with yourself, with your gear, with your bandmates. Now in the synth realm I feel really limitless. Which is not to say that I don't love my first instrument, but the sad fact is that the guitar community, both youtube and IRL, really was weak when it came to knowledge. What would it take do sound like Andy McKee? Like A7F? The answer with guitarists is always 'get gud' With synth guys they immediately take off into a yarn about what kind of tones and what kind of boxes and knob-settings it would take. It's all recipes and help and nothing like a sermon. My main complaint with synth guys is that there just aren't many of us. A lot of guys happen to play synths, that are really keyboard/piano/organist dudes, they really take or leave the craft part of us. The pyramid builders/mason's mindset seems pretty rare among musicians. A year ago I started obsessing over synths after watching Nick's review of the sub 37. A year later I'm chest deep in all of it and more in love with music than ever.

[@hiddenagenda1779]

Well said mate!

[@skyreadersociety6183]

+tim starkey I think it also has something to do with the way Nick presents the stuff: his nice british humor, his background in the music business, his expertise just attracts no trolls and negative people but mostly serious music people.

[@michaelbauers8800]

+tim starkey Some synth fans can be real jerks too. But maybe it's not as bad with synth people. Some synth people realize the important thing is making some music and having fun :)

[@craigdamage]

The name of this unit should be called: Italian Horror Film Soundtrack Generator

[@mCKENIC]

My word! I had a passing interest in this and I did NOT expect it to sound so good and musical! Great review Nick, thank you. Woah, this and the 2 Pole really seem like great bits of kit!

[@jfm010]

Great video! (as always from Sonicstate) Bought one after watching this. Fantastic little machine!

[@markuscone]

Just picked one of these up. Great piece of work and reminds me of my Moog Opus 3( which is now destroyed due to continued live use). I hope Waldorf continues to do these tabletop synths. Really dig keeping the title in German too.

[@JoseLuisGarcia1234]

I've just realized that this review was from 7 years ago. Nowadays, this synth would be called 'Synthwave Synth' and those sounds are coming back! I really like those 'retro' sounds

[@Ni5ei]

Errr, yeah but in 2014 this was already coming back from 40 years ago... :)

[@2112jonr]

@@Ni5ei Well, it's back again now. Everything comes back after 30 years. Punk's next, then we're in for a decade of digital synths and heavy metal. Can't wait ! 🤘

[@Ni5ei]

@@2112jonr I'm old enough to have lived through all of these music genres. If they're coming back already I really feel old 😂😂😂

[@80iesDude45]

I use this box for Dreamwave and Vaporwave

[@jelnet]

All the waves, I can't keep up 🌊

[@DanielDavissynthman]

I love how simple it is. Also, it's pretty much Air French Band and American Analog Set in a digital box.

[@nichttuntun3364]

Love this little machine. Stands on my desk ever since. Nice video too. It's actually dsp wavetable synthesizer they build a string machine emulation of. The reverb sounds surprisingly good. All in all you get a big fun to play synth machine for few bugs. It's also surprisingly versatile in its own range of course. For me it captures the spirit of the 70th perfectly.

[@albedoshader]

Streichfett is German for spreadable fat. But it’s also a multiple word play on Streicher, which means the string instruments or the string section of an orchestra, and Fett, which literally means fat, but is also used in the meaning of “phat”, profitable or awesome.

[@scavenom2008]

albedoshader so no one including Germans could decifer their own language.....im sticking to English and Spanish

[@LandonBalk]

Great review as always, and what a cool sounding cinematic throwback module.

[@javiceres]

Absolutely The Reverb sounds actually way better than Blofeld's

[@whizzerandchips]

You could make an entire album just with this box... If it was 1978. Still going to buy one.

[@HotStrange]

Do it man. I've had one for about a year now. I love it. A lot.

[@whizzerandchips]

Sometimes something just is different, perfect, and works.

[@HotStrange]

+Ryan Allen Not at all. It's actually a very powerful machine capable of organs, strings, basses, and leads. I recommend it.

[@AORCrazy]

Great video and a fantastic piece of hardware. I don't think those sounds are a bit cheesy, they're wonderful and timeless!

[@BURG]

Excellent demo as always, really like this one from waldorf.. a no brainer for anyone in the porn music business :)

[@jayowen6811]

when that ensemble effect gets switched on it sounds lovely, with some of the settings i can hear early kraftwerk and the pad sounds at 12:11 and 12:54 sound bloody epic would love to hear a blofield or a pulse in your sound more than the mininova

[@BURG]

Jay Owen Yeah, this one really seems like a solid buy. Now, where was my pot of gold again? :)

[@mhe123321]

ollilaboratories This is cheep though :)

[@reneotten2288]

ollilaboratories You said porn

[@bastiaanw3519]

Rhizosphere Pornwave, yet another niche genre.

[@satyanpatel6403]

As always..... Excellent review once again. Great job Nic.

[@demofactory]

Since the reverb is global, you could bypass the onboard verb, then add an external delay and reverb across the outputs.

[@cyborgmetropolis7652]

If you buy this you must play "I'm Not in Love" with your bar band.

[@ashfaq1999]

Great video. The ending was amazing with a great 70’s & 80s synth sounds.

[@patrickfallon8281]

Had to have one of these after seeing this review and finally got my hands on one. It's totally awesome.

[@onkelarndt2730]

to help you out with the translation a little. Streichfett is actually playing around with words. STREICHFETT in German is the greasy lard / Schmalz type of greasy stuff that you apply to a slice of bread for eating which obviously gets you lots of calories :-) The meaning for the synth is Streich = Strings and Fett = FAT so it means also Fat Strings sound. Hope that helps :-) Back to the piece: Thanks for the demo. It seems to be a good replication of the 70´s string machines. What I was looking for is rather a string machine that does the string ensemble sounds of ELO Roll Over Beethoven or simply the Apple Garage Band.App. what Streichfett obviously does not support- So I need to keep on looking.

[@aaronthompson317]

Picked one of these up a few months ago. Pulled some cool sounds out if it, then sort of forgot about it. Set it up again last night and WOW! Ran it with the sequencer on a TB-3 and beats from a TR8S and was amazed! Just incredible!!!

[@DanielDavissynthman]

Just ordered. Sounds awesome. Thanks for the review.

[@mootbooxle]

"Music for bats" haha, I love that effect of which you speak. It really adds texture and atmosphere! Things like "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" by Roy Ayers come to mind.

[@totaltwit]

News flash -> Bats rush to music store to buy German spreadable-fat synth. Fights break out, peace restored by calling Batman and Robin.

[@EannaButler]

Music for Nick Batt(s)

[@twzstudio139]

I tried to wait for the review but had to buy one before. It does make you want to play. For the limited number of knobs it is capable of producing a wide range of usable tones. While it has a Left (mono) jack, it really only sounds good in stereo. The reverb and ensemble effects really make it shine.

[@keithbrady8715]

I love this, and the Rockett. Together is bliss. Add a Blofeld or Sledge and it's digital synth nirvana.

[@jamessullenriot]

I had no idea this existed but its something I've been looking for for quite a while

[@basehead617]

i was really underwhelmed until you played the presets! sounds quite nice

[@gallen5042]

Excellent review as usual Nick, but wasn't sure if you mentioned that this a digital divide-down oscillator, so in fact although it isn't analogue it's probably one of the first divide-down instruments since the early 80s. That heavilly contributes to why it has some of that sound more than romplers and softsynths, I would say.

[@inthefade]

I did not know that, and it explains a lot! I had to read up on what divide-down oscillators are. This on the electronic music wiki rings so true about the Streichfett: "...not only will all D's or E's or F#'s, etc, be in absolutely perfect frequency ratios, but they will all be in perfect phase with each other" Which really explains the way octaves sound on it. Very interesting!

[@sefbazz8339]

This guy makes a great presentation

[@transition6559]

Great demo and excellent explained! Thank you!

[@DMC-mp9sx]

Great little box of wonders here. I'm enjoying mine. I think nearly everyone could use a string machine of sorts in their setup. I needed something small with a great sound and this is very good. Effects are quite good in my opinion. I was impressed with the reverb. Can you use a vst...sure but it's not going to have the immediacy of hardware as a lot of the magic happens when you turn the register knob..also I have vst string machines but this sounds better in general...especially the raspy part of the sound.

[@Yosser70]

Not seen these before but just seen one of these on eBay second had, so had a look into what they did. Wow, very impressive and think it’d fit in with a fair few styles of music. Also noticed they still sell them new, which says something, you don’t keep making gear people don’t like, so must be popular. Great review as always 👍🏻

[@Romanowitch]

Nice review!! Could have been interesting to review it with the whole kit, the 2-pole & rocket.

[@lucacycles8623]

Just got mine today, I love it! It's well good for ethereal aphexy sounds too

[@drepalla]

Very good detailed review, good job!

[@hiddenagenda1779]

Wonderful review. You hit all the points of this machine. I'm sold! Will be my next purchase! Thanks and keep the reviews coming. Would love to view you reviewing the Blofeld.

[@beautifulmicia]

Sonicstate has created an excellent video. This can be purchased new for $300.00 (what I paid) and is a super machine for experimenting with. I like analogue as well as digital and often combine both. To me most of the newer synths and FX devices seem to specialize, which is fine by me as there is not much I do not have and this synth is different from the rest. It is even better than the older string machines. It is a terrific thing that Waldorf is still producing.

[@markuscone]

totally agree

[@helisoma]

@16:54 😳😳😳 ok i've been on the fence about this and even have a Rocket on the way but the way you played Jarre ...that hit me right there 🥺 and just wow...special

[@dmallegro613]

Thanks for the review! I see it like a very unique and musical instrument, enabling impressive live performance even on a very basic sequence. You need to love these type of sounds, which (and many other people from what I've read) do much. I use it for trance, dreamwave, ambient ... I plan to use it with external effects plus combine it with my analogue stuff, I somehow feel that this cooperation will bring very touching results 💟 One more thing to say ... there are people requiring so many "features", but just a few people can really take advantage of them ... Too many options = blocking creativity. I love minimalism. And here --> easy does it! IT WORKS!

[@dmomcilovic9185]

Fantastic piece of kit, unique.

[@ShadowPilot]

12:10 That's where it shines!

[@pozsoz]

thx m8 saved me like 12 min of the bald guy

[@freak0n182]

you're watching a review / overview. not a demo.

[@ShadowPilot]

Tis' true. Nick is a fucking legend.

[@pozsoz]

Just saw this 5 months late, but in that time I've come to understand and read about Nick, not only that but I've been learning a lot about synths and synthesis from him. I must agree with you and apologize for my previous comment.

[@sinsofourfathers]

is there a way to bypass the presets so all values are the same as the positions of the knobs?

[@inthefade]

I've been using other string emulators for the last 2-3 years, and just came across my Streichfett in a box, on a shelf, while moving apartments. I haven't used it since by old band broke up when the pandemic hit. So I checked out this review again out of nostalgia, and MAN, this just perfectly makes most of the sounds that I'm usually looking for *perfectly*. I have to incorporate it into my production setup once again. It's so well considered and designed for someone with my production aesthetics. Other divide-down synth emulations just miss the mark somehow.

[@dussie920]

Nice in depth video! Like this sound! Ambient/trancy

[@laurencevanhelsuwe3052]

Got one second hand.. super sounds, super value for money.

[@bobafettuccine]

Plugins can do that, sure, but nothing beats the tactile, personal experience of a piece of hardware you can touch.

[@standudinski]

my wait to hear JMJ on this paid off at the end! awesome sounding eminent copy

[@darrengoodenough8064]

Love sonic state brilliant advice as always thankyou

[@tintisha123]

Great video . Thank you!! How do I select the midi channel? (sorry if I missed it)

[@darrengoodenough8064]

Awesome demo bought one recently haven't had time to set it up With my other stuff yet any tips welcome

[@ericchamberlain9260]

Does it have pulse width modulation?

[@logonazo]

oooh equinoxe part 1 at the end,...beautiful

[@scottrogers2599]

Very nice! You should have played a bit of Fools Overture so we can hear if it will do that kind of sound. I have an old Elka that comes close and a Yamaha SK20 that is very nice but definitely not the same sound.

[@BellXllebMusic]

Gotta be the best synth bang for buck. What sounds, wow.

[@dial108dnd]

Can somebody tell me if you can put vocals through this device?

[@jean-gabrielclermont-tonne2475]

Super video ! Merci bien.

[@StevenMorris]

@13:20 is mainly what I'm interested in! I love that kind of thing :). I think the trick is to get a really wide chorusing effect on those high notes. I would've loved to hear more examples of this effect.

[@kierenmoore3236]

So does the tremolo actually pan across (L R) the stereo field, or is it really just a "tremolo" ... Ie is Waldorf trying to outdo Fender when it comes to misnomers surrounding "tremolos", or what ... ? ;)

[@inthefade]

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago and I love it. I'm really into the way Waldorf has designed this. It is nice to have a machine that just makes good sounds, rather than having to build everything from scratch... That sounds odd coming from a synth lover, but it is oddly refreshing. Every time you turn a knob, it is almost inevitably inspiring. It feels like Waldorf engineered every possible variation you could try, and in that sense it is some sort of weird fluid preset machine. But man, the sounds are just gorgeous. The only missing feature that I lament is a highpass filter, but I think I can just rock the EQ on my mixer when I want it to be less bright. Also, a delay would have been awesome, but that would have required two knobs for time and decay. I'll just buy a digital delay for it. One thing you failed to mention, Nick, is the split function. It can be pretty useful! However I'm glad you mentioned that the solo and string sections can be sequenced on adjacent MIDI channels! I had to revisit the user manual because I had totally missed that. That effectively makes this two synths. And though it isn't a pounding or heavy bass machine, and it is extremely limited, the solo section can make awesome retro-sounding bass sequences. I'll definitely be using it that way.

[@allancoote1221]

This looks great

[@cjayamsterdam]

What are the settings at 12.10? Amazing pad.

[@JimmyJammy97]

can this emulate or get close to an ARP Omni II?

[@lorism860]

Can we get tremolo on the string section? Thanks

[@jamiewyld6199]

Deceptively simple - reminds me (in context more than anything) of the the old Crumar Performer (I miss owning it BTW). If you bunged this through an external effects unit, such as a half-decent chorus pedal or 2nd phaser... this goes from cool to epic. I see a purpose to this, I know that there are a few software emulators of this type of synth... but to me, the all the eggs in one basket idea can lead to a big potential of going wrong when you need it most. This, for the price range, adds lots of sonic depth to a live performance. Still not eliminating it from the wish list - even after 3 years.

[@darrengoodenough8064]

Brilliant demo got mine thanks

[@zafod101]

Hi has there ever been an ensemble foot pedal or effects unit

[@robertopistolesi2735]

Hi! Do you think the blofeld could cover all these sound with the same analog-type emulation? Thanks!

[@fano72]

Love the sound

[@mufcmusic8514]

Guys can you only use this once without freeze and flattening the channel, it seems that way for me plus i have a horrible hissing noise when i hit the note and after for 2 seconds it fades out, ive looked online and seen I'm not the only one to have this problem

[@wackenthaljef]

I like this man,how he explain things....

[@francissreckofabian01]

I like your style. You explain very well. I will subscribe.

[@originalfallinggirl]

Do you like this or the DS-05 better?

[@ShimanskiBeats]

wonderful little box, not only for cheesy 70s soundtracks or Jean Michel Jarre style. It can add some spice in techno-ish live-sets when controlled by a hardware sequencer.

[@nicolesproducerpack]

Is this real analog?

[@ShimanskiBeats]

no, it's fully digital but emulates the sound of analog stringmachines

[@alasha161]

Nice touch at the end

[@randym3982]

Can use through stereo guitar?? No video on guitar??

[@audioartisan]

As soon as you said "Digital Emulation" I thought, I already have that ...UVI's String Machines 2. Great review at any rate Nick :) Edit...OK, I just realized this was made in 2014. UVI's SM2 wasn't around yet. So pretty cool for 2014 ;)

[@kaostrip]

very cool and deep test thanks

[@Littlepeanut914]

The dr rhythm 5 has chord programmable things, could that sequence this?

[@Jordansynth]

Great video. Do you know if it is possible to pan the solo section to one output and the registration to the other? It seems like that solo section would benefit immensely from separate external processing/EQ.

[@sonicstate]

Nope, just a stereo out. You can access them from separate MIDI channels, but not in audio

[@danielleamon2735]

These sounds are so inaccurate... I totally want one!!!

[@JimJWalker]

Can it do a Arp Omni 2 string sounds?

[@neuron05]

Nick: Did you get the Axiom Air 61 to work several hours in a row without freezing?

[@noiselabproject9659]

I didn`t think that I was gonna like this as I have little interst in 70`s Disco/cheese music but was suprised as I got shades of Mellotron & the backing Synth in Visage`s Fade to Grey etc etc

[@jarrod9052]

Very Joy Division sounding . Love it

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

OMG I was thinking Joy Division and Solina from the get go. This sounds amazing at €226 with storage for sounds!

[@vooveks]

Well, he was right about that ensemble effect!

[@iphatbass]

Is that Equinoxe in the end? :D

[@synesthetica]

Plenty of character there and very organic sounding. I hope they will implement master tuning via software editor. When the do, I'll pull my wallet out ;)

[@haxxx0rz]

3:18 Where's Waldo?

[@richardstevens8839]

No Chorus in the effects?

[@torpedo35]

I'd gladly swap the reverb for a delay otherwise it sounds dirty enough to forget its digital. Good review.

[@hernanschulmaister581]

what is the midi out for?

[@bastiaanw3519]

"Music for Batts" ☺️

[@olivermeyer2019]

Very good thank you

[@Mrmre]

very cool patch at the end of the vid

[@AlexRyanMusic]

Do any of the effects sync to external MIDI clock? At least tremolo would be nice, I'd like to see the animate and phaser sync up as well though.

[@inthefade]

They don't unfortunately. I'm loving this synth, but I am hoping they update the firmware at some point with some new functionalities via MIDI CC.

[@kentkacs3140]

"Spreadable fat"? In German, "Streich" means "strings," as in "Streichquartett" (String Quartet). So wouldn't Streichfett more properly mean "Fat Strings"? Just a thought.

[@gaelanm3920]

It's a double entendre. In German, "streichen" means to stroke or to spread (among other possible translations). "Streichfett" refers to food items in the category of butter, margerine, etc; literally a fat-based spread. The "Streich-" in "Streichinstrument" refers to the action of bowing--a stroke across the strings. So the name invokes both warm butter on toast and orchestral fatness. Way to go Waldorf with the clever names.

[@truthisheredealwiit952]

+Gln Mcm way to go for the German language for being so weird.

[@totaltwit]

Phew! I knew we needed native German speakers to translate this properly for us. I didn't really want to see "spreadable fat" on any synth I owned.

[@cringer8107]

its neologism

[@justwonnowimlost]

spreadable fat because strings used to be made of stretched gut

[@thomasrizzi1470]

OK - Cool.Where do I buy 1

[@marklewis4024]

Correct me if i'm wrong but I think a better translation might be "Fat Strings" or "Phat" as some people say. I have one and i'm enjoying this simple little box, it sounds better than I expected.

[@RabiBenLavi]

The 4 memory buttons made me think ARP Quartet, but the sound is far from thin and cheesey as the Quartet. Waldorf even managed to get by the trade war sharks for a proper exchange rate. Not like others where pounds equals dollars with VAT or even before.

[@seppoinnanen5577]

I wonder what kind of possibilities open with two Streichfetts and a bunch of external effects linked together.. These gadgets are quite cheap and pretty straightforward to use. I'm not after hi-fi sound but sort of unique weirdness The sound at 12:10 is so very awesome