Some Thoughts on the Dreadbox Nymphes
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มี.ค. 2022
- In this video, I briefly go over the Dreadbox Nymphes, some of its features and more importantly how it sounds in the synthwave context. I do stress that context matters, and I am specifically looking at the Dreadbox Nymphes from the viewpoint of 80s sounding music, specifically the function of a Juno.
I love my Dreadbox Nymphes and I am using it religiously in almost all of my production.
About Synth Centric:
Synth Centric is an educational platform focused on electronic music production, synthesizers, and music technology.
About Me:
My name is Dan Schwebel. I am an electronic musician and educationalist from Sydney, Australia. I hold a Master's degree in Education Innovation and qualifications in Audio Engineering. I release music under the moniker Thousand Eyez, produce educational music content with Synth Centric, and have lectured extensively on recording techniques and music production. I also write about education and learning with The Self-Teachers.
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Sounds great! I'm thinking about getting one.
dig it. great sound. Can't wait to play one!
It is great!
Thanks a lot❤. I am currently just a few days away from having enough money to buy my first synth. I just had the struggle that i didnt know if the korg minilogue xd would be a better fit for my needs than the nymphes. But i think this video showed me that the nymphes is 100% the sound that i want. I cant wait to try the synth for myself :)
Hey congratulations. I still remember my first synth purchase. The excitement and hoping you won’t regret it! Those nights tossing in bed thinking of it. Once you get it if you need help at all please reach out. I’m no expert happy to help!
very nice!
Thank you, Michael! I appreciate it
Great video, also Beautiful background tune in the beginning- mind to share?
Thank you my friend! It never received a release, but the video of me making it is here th-cam.com/video/A8IZ1fjx2ME/w-d-xo.htmlsi=FYIuf0TfJ_ozpKQg
Very interesting
Thank you!
I just found your channel and I'm a bit blown away in the best possible way. I love 80s synthwave, I'm a beginner audiophile.. and I really like your videos. Please make more videos on making music with your setup. Right now I have only Korg Volca FM, Korg Volca Bass, NTS-1, and Behringer Swing(a copy of Arturia Keystep). I'm looking forward to buying my first "bigger" synth and I'm choosing between Arturia Microfreak, Korg Minilogue OG, or the Dreadbox Nymphes. Can you give me your advice? Thank you. Again, your channel is amazing, keep up the good work!
Thank you so much for the support my friend. I will be making way more videos next year. Just tied up with some family/health issues at the moment that is preventing me from making long form videos.
You have a fantastic rig already. It really depends on the sound you are going for. As far as best bang for the buck, the microfreak is amazing - I have a video making synthwave on it where I explain the workflow if youre interested in that. It might help you see how it fits in the synthwave world. I have the monologue, which is like the minilogue but monophonic - so one note at a time. It has a harsheness about it. So in my opinion I would look at choosing between the microfreak and the Nymphes. Both are usb powered so that is cool too. That said, Arturia just announced the big brother to the microfreak called the Minifreak, which you might be interested in instead of the microfreak, if you have the budget as it costs a bit more.
If you have any questions let me know.
@@SynthCentric Sorry to hear about the health issues, fingers crossed and I hope that your family gets better. About the music stuff - I’m trying to learn how to play scales/chords.. I’m a total noob when it comes to playing the piano. But I already have some melodies composed with the volca Fm. They are hard to put in a genre though… they sound like fragments which have some missing parts in between. I would like to try and create a track similar to your synthwave stuff- which is basically the genre I like the most- I like The Midnight and thing like the Stranger Things soundtrack, mike oldfield. What is the next step in this setup: Volca fm, bass, nts1… in order to make synthwave? a groovebox and analog poly synth I guess. I can only get 1 piece of equipment in these next 3-4 months. Cheers.
@@ventzovv Thank you brother!
You probably don't need a groovebox unless you want to go completely DAWLESS.
A nymphes will be good, and it will show you how complex small synths can be! Maybe start there. Worst case is that you don't like it and you can sell it!
Anyone know how to fix the device displaying as "Nymphes Bootloader" whenever it's connected via USB? Just wondering if it's stuck after I updated the firmware. Functionally, it's fine, though the envelopes are kind of wonky
I haven’t figured it out - I wouldn’t worry about it, mine is the same. Just a name.
Great stuff! Any issues with the USB power hum that people have mentioned? Is it noticeable or easy to EQ out? And what are you doing your lead lines with? They sound great, too.
Yeah it is An issue. With the Nymphes it’s less so, and I’m not powering mine from the computer but rather a wall wart. I do nothing to remove the noise so if you listen to my finished work you might be able to hear it, but it isn’t that bad. It’s really bad in my opinion with the Dreadbox Typhon.
And thank you on the lead lines. Usually just a touch of chorus, maybe a little distortion. Im normally using a bit of resonance on the filters as well to make any movement sound a bit more exaggerated
@@SynthCentric
Hiya buddy i have no noise whatsoever with a dedicated USB adapter
have you tried plugging it into a plug socket that has nothing else
plugged into it. so it has its own socket. you can also pick up noise from
powering multiple appliances on one wall socket also. especially if
your monitor has a power brick or any other appliances do as well.
Try that it should clear it up. if it doesn't it could be the USB adapter.
I think the one i am using is an iPhone one which works great. i can
turn the volume knob up full and the synth has no noise whatsoever.
If that doesn't work then you might have a noisy electrical supply
inside your house. you can buy a noise-isolated wall adapter.
@@subconscious.com_usa6691 Hey mate! Thanks for the comment! Honestly I have tried everything, and its only the dreadbox gear that does this. The nymphes is reasonably OK, but the typhon is the killer. Currently both are in a wall wart, with only the dreadbox products giving noise. My pedals aren't even giving noise. I tried all of these issues before looking at reddit and these problems are renowned with dreadbox. The noise has been minimised a lot but going direct into the wall, as opposed to being powered via a laptops USB or a usb hub. Ive ensured the mA are aligned and everything. But yes, you are also right about the volume knob, that improves the signal to noise ratio.
@@SynthCentric Thanks for the reply! Also those lead lines were played on the Nymphes too? Sounds great!
@@chateautemp No worries! Sorry i missed it the first time you asked. My bad :(. No they were from the Korg MS 20
Seems like a really cool synth and awesome review. Seems like an awful lot of clicking from that envelope?
Yeah just not enough attack! 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Clicking is good! It means the envelopes are fast and snappy
Firmware V2 allows for patch transfering...share the ones you are proud of!
I’m all over it! Do you have any to share?
@@SynthCentric not yet, waiting for mine in the post, it's taking a lifetime, long story...then i will have to figure it out!
@@marcoruorio5846 Hahaha that is a bummer. Do you have any other gear to tide you over in the meantime?
Really appreciate the video. Would you choose the Nymphes or a Novation peak?
I haven’t really used the peak. I think they are both pretty powerful. Are you looking to choose between the two?
@@SynthCentric well, yes. Kind of choosing between a nymphes + typhon or a peak. These would be my only hardware synths (although I've got an MPC One).
Frankly, I really love the sounds out of the Nymphes 🤷 curious if I'd tire of the "unique" interface.
@@peadookie Hmm its really a tough one. Personally I love the typhon, but in all honesty, the peak is probably more powerful/ better bang for buck. And there is more immediacy to sound design (as there is more knobs) whereas with the dreadbox stuff you need to do a bit of diving or use the shift button.
I’ve recently got Typhon and was thinking to get a used Peak. But comparing Peak to the Nymphes on yt I’m not too convinced on Peak sound. I think Nymphes sounds better 💁♂️
@@diegob6729 Then that is what you should roll with. I feel the same to be honest. I like that nice, natural analog sound. And honestly the simplicity of the unit is inspiring.
have you used the deepmind? how does this compare to the deepmind (soundwise)?
Unfortunately I have not, but from watching videos the Deepmind seems to be much more flexible in its interface and modulation capabilities
@@SynthCentric with thin oscillators and low frequency falling when the LP filter is activatee
I had the Deepmind for while it's a o.k synth with a lot of features
but it does sound a little grungy. they have also rolled too much
of the bottom end for polyphony reasons, which makes it super
thin sounding which ruins it totally soundwise. the dreadbox on
the other hand has that typical vintage VCO sound with a lot
of movement between the 6 oscillators its really organic
and pretty sounding, its a much better synth soundwise
and a better buy.
@@err4071 actually I replaced my deepmind with a typhon which is wonderful. But monophonic.
@@err4071while the deepmind sounds thin on its own, I found it fit in a mix really well without much eq. I no longer have the deepmind because I replaced it with a novation summit. Which obviously, is much more versatile. But I personally didn't hold the )acl of low end against the deepmind. I felt a similar way about the minilogue. Sounded thin on its own but it pierced through a mix really well because of it.
Why is it important to leave the synth on for 10 minutes? Does it hurt the synth if you use it before that?
It warms it up. I don't precisely know what it is that warms up, but you will have tuning issues if you don't. Some synths, it takes like 3 hours at least of being on before there is any stability in the oscillators. It won't hurt the synth, it will just be a pain as you will have to keep retuning it.
I guess it has to do with the coils?
It’s the transistors and resistors and capacitors. They need to stabilize. Until they do, they will change as they absorb energy after powering up. So you’ll get flux in tuning and response, That’s why DCO became popular, to avoid the fluctuation with digital support.
More important for real analogue synthesizer than digital.