DSoS Synth Jams

The Stars

A composition depicting perhaps the midst of snowy winter, where the encroaching cold is held at bay with a memory of a loved one. 
Harmonically I mostly stayed in D minor/major, with a brief excursion in G minor. I've attempeted to write a middle passage in F major, but the two themes I've managed to come up with simply didn't fit with the rest of the music, but hey, at least I have two new themes for next pieces. 
Completed in the March of 2025.

Intermezzo For Piano, D Minor

islas

This track is based on my theory of life at its best, put your headphones on and immerse yourself.

Ethereal

The Rebirth of the Sun, orchestrated. Oh, yes, there is synthwave in this one.

Enjoy!

The Rebirth of the Sun (Orchestra)

Summer Sun

🎵 Title: When Earth Fell
🎼 Composer: Michael Herter

🕒 Duration: 02:22
🐢 Tempo: Medium
🎻 Genre: Electronic / Cinematic / Soundtrack / 
🎧 Mood: Epic, Dark, Tense, Apocalyptic
🎬 Video: https://youtu.be/Je9-3uyUSDc

📝 Description

Experience the cataclysmic moment when humanity faces its extraterrestrial reckoning. “When Earth Fell” fuses sweeping cinematic orchestration with thunderous synth rhythms, creating a vivid soundscape of invasion and collapse. Brace yourself for an electrifying journey into the final hours of our world.

🎼 Key: D-Dur | Time Signature: 4/4 | Tempo: 115 bpm

Contains synthetic content, digitally generated.

► Support my music: https://bnd.link/sibviolin
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Your support means the world to me and helps me continue creating music. Every like, share, and subscription is deeply appreciated.

🙏 Thank you for listening!

CINEMATIC and EPIC

When Earth Fell

This work was composed specifically for The Viola Commissioning Circle (VCC) Composer Prize based in London.

***
🎵 Title: Lingering Light in Winter’s Embrace
🎼 Composer: Michael Herter

🕒 Duration: 05:07
🐢 Tempo: Slow
🎻 Genre: Classical / Neoclassical / Soundtrack
🎧 Mood: Romantic, Emotional, Poetic
🎬 Video: https://youtu.be/2qpfngZPqsU

📝 Description
"Lingering Light in Winter’s Embrace" is a chamber composition for eight instruments, deeply rooted in the expressive tradition of the Russian musical school, profoundly inspired by the legacies of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Georgy Sviridov. The piece seeks to capture the ephemeral beauty of memory, weaving an atmosphere of tender melancholy and quiet contemplation, as if illuminated by the delicate glow of a winter landscape.

At its heart lies the theme of nostalgia — a longing for moments lost, expressed through a lyrical dialogue between the strings (first and second violins, viola, cello, and double bass) and the poignant timbre of the winds (flute, oboe, and clarinet). The strings evoke heartfelt emotions, whispering tales of cherished recollections, while the winds add a breath of airy lightness and a subtle shimmer of hope. The double bass provides a resonant foundation, grounding the composition in the timeless embrace of the natural world.

This work transcends a specific narrative, instead inviting listeners on an emotional journey — a meditation on the fleeting nature of time, the enduring power of the human spirit, and the universal search for harmony. "Lingering Light in Winter’s Embrace" is a sonic painting, a tapestry of sound designed to stir the soul and awaken the imagination. It’s a testament to the beauty found within stillness, and a celebration of the delicate balance between joy and sorrow.

🎼 Key: A-Dur | Time Signature: 3/4 | Tempo: Varies bpm

► Support my music: https://bnd.link/sibviolin
—
Your support means the world to me and helps me continue creating music. Every like, share, and subscription is deeply appreciated.

🙏 Thank you for listening!

CLASSICAL and NEOCLASSICAL

Lingering Light in Winter’s Embrace

Blown by the wind

the coldness of a cactus hides a joy, the warmth of a life can be sad

Endless joy

Just a simple ambient jam with my Roland Juno-Di done last year, and a video I created to present it. Nothing fancy but I love this often underrated synth.
 The audio was recorded via my Behringer Xenyx UFX 1604 mixer/audio interface into Ardour on Linux, where it was also mixed and mastered.
You can watch the associated YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N0j9S3AuWA

Thoughts & Waves

Thoughts & Waves - Ambient Synth Jam with Roland Juno-Di

Jamming with soft synths on Linux last summer. The capture is my dual screen, sorry if it looks small but those are 2 Full HD monitors grabbed together.

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/4CLtGODqPbs

Electronica Dorian Jam - Synth Jam #3

A quick electronica-style jam with software synths recorded back on 24th June 2017. It is a screen recording, so do not expect high quality sound or anything fancy - just some improvisation using the nice Carla plugin host by the KXStudio develpers - which allows to use both Linux and Windows plugins without a DAW. 

Plugins from TAL for the effects Arminator - a nice CS-80, Vangelis-inspired software synth The wonderful BlueARP as arpeggiator 2 instances of another great free synth: Synth1

The OS is Antergos Linux with the Gnome desktop environment. Thank you for watching. 

Have fun and don't forge to comment, share, like and subscribe. 

Visit http://darksideofsynth.com for more info.

Watch the jam YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/1yCWEHfUkjE

Electronica with Carla - Synth Jam 2

Just a quick jam with some space ambient vibes, nothing prepared.
A sequence in QMidiArp triggers amsysynth and I play a couple of pads in Yoshimi. 

Enjoy! 

Thank you for listening.

Visit https://darksideofsynth.com

Watch the YouTube video of the jam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSNRtN9DiZ8

Space Ambient Jam in C Minor - Synth Jam 4

Quick, totally unprepared syntwave jam with Arturia Minibrute, Korg Volca Bass, Sample & FM, with Behringer Xenyx UFX 1604 and
Yamaha MG10XU as mixers, and the Behringer also as hard drive recorder. Finalized on Ardour.

YouTube video of the jam: https://youtu.be/k9bxRcb4SpE

Follow & join the dark side!

Synthwave - Synth Jan #5

Synthwave - Synth Jam #5

JAN HAMMER STYLE NOODLING - SYNTH JAM #12

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/V86G_e0pgmM

FREE download on Bandcamp: https://darksideofsynth.bandcamp.com/track/jan-jammer-jam-01-synth-jam-12

Another synth jam from June 2017. Some noodling around in Carla with lots of nice plugins in a sort of Miami Vice, 80s style by the great Dutch synth hero Jan Hammer. Some good summer vibes in these hot days.

All the arpeggios are taken care of by instances of BlueARP and RandArp. 2 awesome free arp plugins.

TAL Bassline (emulation of an SH-101) and other TAL plugins for reverb, etc.

Arminator and the amazing Heat VST Synthesizer (great on Android and Windows or OS X) used for pads and leads.

Dexed is used as well for the FM sounds of the DX7.

Plugin host is our beloved Carla on Linux.

Ian Hammer Jam 01 - Synth Jam #12

Jan Hammer Jam 01 - Synth Jam #12

Indie music maker, available for sound design & music for media.

I grew up with music & technology, and I love them both.
I love many genres but rock and electronic music have a special place in my heart.

Why the name Dark Side of Synth? Because it’s cool and it sums up my fascination with the dark side and with synthesizers. Dark side not just as negative but also as obscure, unknown, unexplored...

Don’t worry, you won’t be finding only darksynth, heavy, scary and sad tunes and tones here but quite a wide range and lots of happy, upbeat things too. Again, it is just a name – not a mission statement set in stone forever.

Jan Hammer Jam 01 - Synth Jam #12

Dark Side of Synth

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