Doctormix hangs in LA, cooking up the iconic ‘Around the World’ vibes with the Nonlinear Labs C-15 Synth. This ain’t your average demo video—it’s a deep dive into synth magic with his signature energy. Get ready for some urban groovin’ with a twist of Daft Punk!

The Beat Maker's Playground
In a homage to legendary sound, Doctormix and his crew gather in Anthony Marinelli’s iconic LA studio. It’s a motley crew of musical masterminds including Tim Sund and a synth genius, Stephan Schmitt. This isn’t just any kitchen table talk but a buffet of tech expertise, laying vibes thicker than any street fair mozzarella stick. We learn that Schmitt, with a history of founding Native Instruments, is no stranger to pushing sonic boundaries. From FM synthesis to comb filters, he’s got the jargon, and he’s here to break it down. As soon as they hit play, you’re swept into a world of basslines and synthesizer riffs that slap you like the bass drop on a club’s shaky floor.
Synth Magic: Unpacking the C-15
Diving into the heart of it, Doctormix and his posse dissect the C-15’s underbelly, revealing the magic that powers its sound. You’ve got Tim Sund tweaking knobs like he’s tuning a beat-up old radio but instead, it’s fine-tuning the sonic universe within the C-15. The synth’s engines run on FM synthesis and are dressed up with effects like flangers and phasers, adding to its mystique. It’s like painting soundscapes with a brush made of electrified spaghetti!
Tim goes on to explore how these effects can shape the sound just right. From basslines that bounce like a rubber ball down a hip-hop alley to synthesizer melodies that twinkle brighter than a downtown skyline, every note is imbued with a character that’s hard to fake. As Sund talks about using ribbon controllers to manipulate resonance and cutoff, you realize the C-15 is versatile beyond belief—turning even novice noodling into sheer artistry. This gem of a synth lets you create sounds that talk and sing, almost as if they’re straight from a Daft Punk dream.
Stephan Schmitt elaborates on how the C-15 was crafted with performers in mind. He tells tales of tweaking envelope curves and bringing transient control to life, making you feel tempted to peel open this synth and dive headfirst into its ocean of sounds. It’s as if the C-15 blends seamlessly into the fabric of live musical expression, allowing players to stretch creativity to the moon and back.

"We developed the instrument mainly for performers because I had the background with the producer software and soft synths and it should be a hardware instrument that is very playable, that is really fun to play, it's a very nice keypad, which has a sound engine that responds very well."
© Screenshot/Quote: Doctormix (YouTube)
Rewind: The Daft Punk Challenge

"It's a simplified version, but it's something you can understand. You just have basically a high pass filter and a low pass filter together and you could create vocal sounds very easily."
© Screenshot/Quote: Doctormix (YouTube)
Doctormix is on a mission, and this time, it’s all about bottling the mystique of Daft Punk’s ‘Around The World’. They dive into it with zeal, each part carefully reconstructed like an urban graffiti piece. They arrange every layer meticulously, from the iconic bass to the evocative synth melodies.
Tim’s experience shines through as he talks about the comp filters and how they add vocal-like qualities to the sounds, giving them that distinct Daft Punk shimmer. The team meticulously patches them together using a combination of classic and contemporary techniques, nodding to the legacy of electronic music while pushing its bounds further. The in-studio energy is palpable as they fine-tune the vibes, each session a thrilling mix of artistry and technique that unfolds before your ears and eyes.
With a few improvisational twists, they infuse their personality into the track. Subtle embellishments make this recreation not just a copy, but a tribute that’s both respectful and uniquely theirs, like finding extra pepperoni on your pizza slice, unexpected but delicious.
Groove Alert: Improvisation Station
As the session progresses, the team dives into the realm of improvisation, where creativity flows like cheap wine at a block party. Tim and Anthony handle the bass and drums, riffing off each other like two old-school beatboxers in a freestyle duel. It’s a syncopated dance, each note adding to the chemistry that fills the room.
They experiment with different arrangements, trying out new rhythms and mixing up sequences like they’re crafting the ultimate street mixtape. The C-15 stands at the center of this jam fest, its expressive capabilities enabling each contributor to bring their unique flair. It’s not just jamming—it’s like composing the soundtrack to a night in the city, each instrument echoing the vibrancy and unpredictability of urban streets.
Throughout this sonic journey, Doctormix’s enthusiasm spreads like wildfire. The team banters and laughs, molding a recreation that brims with life and texture. Every spontaneous decision feels like a nod to the unpredictable magic that live performances are known for, a testament to the flexibility and charm of the tools at their disposal. This segment isn’t just about playing notes—it’s about telling a story, a musical graffiti piece that celebrates creativity and collaboration.

"If it's an improvisation, I can mix it up."
© Screenshot/Quote: Doctormix (YouTube)
Final Showdown: Synth Grooves Unleashed!
With their masterpiece ready to unveil, the session culminates in a full-fledged showdown of synth grooves and melodies. The final piece is more than a homage; it’s a reflection of their journey through the music and minds at Marinelli’s studio. The bass lines weave seamlessly with the processed synth effects, creating layers that ripple with a raw urban energy you can almost touch.
Doctormix signals the start, and they’re off, each musician syncing into the groove like components in a well-oiled, hip-hop machine. The room fills with sounds reverberating off the studio walls, every riff and chord fusing into an audible celebration of synthesis. It’s like being at an underground club where the vibes are immaculate and the music’s as real as the graffiti under a Chicago bridge.
As the piece climaxes, you find yourself grinning at the brilliance of it all. The C-15 has proven to be more than a synth; it’s a vessel of musical adventure. Each note played echoes the excitement of turning dials and pushing boundaries, the thrill of feeling bass through wooden floors, leaving you with a profound respect for the art of making beats and the promise that tomorrow’s creations will be even more epic.
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