SOMA Labs Lyra 8

Equipment
42

For my own purposes, I was thinking Mel9 + Reface CS. But I’m first going to give Panharmonium + Reface CS a chance :grin:

43

I am releasing my debut album, “a better place”, today. I mention it here as potentially of interest to those on this thread: the Lyra 8 was the only instrument used in the making of this album, generally each song was multi-tracked in four or more passes into my Tascam DP24SD, which I also used for mixing. In terms of effects I was mainly using tremolo (Rowin Trelicopter guitar pedal) and reverb (Boss RV-500), with a bit of compression in the Tascam. I also used the Ditto X2 on a couple of tracks. The album was mastered by Nathan Moody at ObsidianSound.

It was challenging but also a great pleasure to use the Lyra so exclusively in this way. Most of the time it really felt like a partnership between me and this wonderful instrument. Other times she took the lead and I had to follow as best I could.

The album is available to stream and download at bandcamp (j bowman).

A promo video featuring the first song from the album, “the castle”, is here:

Thanks for listening.

24 Likes
45

Another mega fan of the Lyra-8 here and an album I released last year made solely on the Lyra-8 apart from some additional reverb/delay. Eagerly anticipating the Pulsar-23 too!

11 Likes
46

Thank you - I can see how you would miss it if you let it go! The sound and experience of playing it definitely gets under your skin.

1 Like
47

Thanks EBCIDIC - your wonderful Lyra album was definitely a huge inspiration! You showed it could be done, maybe you were the first!

J

2 Likes
48

Thanks for the kind words!

49

Does anyone know whether the soft case fits the Lyra-8 with a decksaver on? Trying to determine the best method for traveling without fudging the knobs.

1 Like
50

Yes it does. [source: I have both]

1 Like
51

Proof :smile:

image
B3D72EAE-459A-43D6-83AF-9DEB52FE83DA.jpeg1536×2048 966 KB

6 Likes
52

I found a good deal on an Elektron Analog Heat so will shortly be using it together with my Lyra. If anyone has any experience of how they play together or any hints and tips I would love to hear!

2 Likes
53

Someone posted a link to this video on MW, I think Vlad pretty much nails what is special and unique about the Lyra here:

8 Likes
54

So good! Thanks for that.

1 Like
55

Loopop (I haven’t seen it yet but he’s usually very good) has just posted his Lyra8 explained video:

4 Likes
58

Good review (as usual with Loopop) and a fair summary of this machine.

1 Like
59

Thanks I’m glad! Back in the game :wink:

60

I had a livestream on Tuesday and my whole studio was down. So I did a Lyra-8 solo (lyra-exclusive: no other processing or overdubs). It went to lots of fun places: I really feel like I can make this synth do what I want it to do.
Lots of big tonal changes on tap :smiley:

4 Likes
61

Do you have any examples? I love this idea!!

62

Thanks. I recorded some examples within my ER-301 but haven’t transferred them to PC yet. I remember feeling slightly dissatisfied because much of the Lyra’s characteristic noise was just piling up in the same registers. I think I should add EQ controls to each of the four loops to help isolate them better.

2 Likes
63

I’d like to think I’m above something as unimportant as the color of the instrument, but now there’s a green one and it’s the most perfect ugly Bruel & Kjaer green and I want it.

10 Likes
64

That color makes me want to adjust the white balance of the photo :laughing:

2 Likes