KVR Audio

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Tue Jan 13, 2026 9:58 pm

”Points West” is a duet of grand piano and a Soma Flux synthesizer each recorded in one improvised take.

https://soundcloud.com/jeremycubert/points-west

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Tue Jan 13, 2026 10:29 pm

I had to look up Flux because I never heard of it. So it's kind of like a Theremin. Cool. Anyway, I see you're keeping busy. This was improvised? You've got to be kidding me. I couldn't write something like that if I spent 20 years trying. First of all, I could never play anything like that without a piano roll and a lot of editing.

Take a bow Chopin. You earned it.

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 3:03 pm

wagtunes wrote: Tue Jan 13, 2026 10:29 pm I had to look up Flux because I never heard of it. So it's kind of like a Theremin. Cool. Anyway, I see you're keeping busy. This was improvised? You've got to be kidding me. I couldn't write something like that if I spent 20 years trying. First of all, I could never play anything like that without a piano roll and a lot of editing.

Take a bow Chopin. You earned it.

Thanks so much! Piano is my main instrument and I finally have a nice microphone setup to record it along with a small digital recorder. It is easy to just record something when the house is quiet. The Flux is a recent purchase. I had a Theremin for a long time but really struggled to play it. It is the only instrument I have where my wife actually asked me if it had a headphone jack! The Flux is heavily influenced by the Theremin but is much easier for me to play. It also has a wide variety of sounds and can be used as a MIDI controller.

eassae · Post by **eassae** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 7:14 pm

Enjoyable listen as always. Really like the moment right around 3:00.

ChameleonMusic · Post by **ChameleonMusic** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 9:10 pm

Nicely done!

Is the Flux as difficult as the Theremin? Never seen it played at all, but I did own a Theremin for a decade or so...could never quite get what I wanted out of it despite many hours of trying!

EDIT: just seen your comment about Flux V Theremin above! I shall go and look up the Flux tomorrow...looks interesting.

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 10:02 pm

eassae wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 7:14 pm Enjoyable listen as always. Really like the moment right around 3:00.

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words.

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 10:08 pm

ChameleonMusic wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 9:10 pm Nicely done!

Is the Flux as difficult as the Theremin? Never seen it played at all, but I did own a Theremin for a decade or so...could never quite get what I wanted out of it despite many hours of trying!

Thank you! It is much easier (for me) to play that the theremin and there are more expressive options. “Tuning” the theremin was always a challenge for me along with finding the range in the magnetic field that allowed me to reliably hit a note. The Flux is played with a pair of magnets for between your fingers. There is a lined “keyboard” so you can see where to target a note and it has quantifying if you want to use it. The poles of magnet allow you to change octaves in your right hand and also radically change the timbre of the sound over a six pole area on the left side of the “keyboard.” There are 32 different algorithms to choose from and you can use it as a MIDI controller with a separately sold breakout box (I am not tried it yet). I am at very early stages but it is already much easier for me than the Theremin was (as much as I liked it).

ChameleonMusic · Post by **ChameleonMusic** » Wed Jan 14, 2026 10:11 pm

Thanks for the info...much appreciated.

I shall have a look at Flux...significantly different to the Theremin by the sounds of it.

aaron aardvark · Post by **aaron aardvark** » Sat Jan 17, 2026 4:52 am

jcub,
You've been recording a ton of music lately! Piano playing sounds great! Synth sounds nice. Nice sound quality. Not sure how you did either, especially the piano, in one take. Maybe you eat Wheaties or something.

I'll give you one guess what I released to the public today.

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Sat Jan 17, 2026 3:21 pm

aaron aardvark wrote: Sat Jan 17, 2026 4:52 am jcub,
You've been recording a ton of music lately! Piano playing sounds great! Synth sounds nice. Nice sound quality. Not sure how you did either, especially the piano, in one take. Maybe you eat Wheaties or something. I'll give you one guess what I released to the public today.

Thanks! The piano sound is due to two Sony C100 microphones I picked up with the holiday sales. My brother (who is an actual audio engineer) lent me his to try and I was blown away so I picked up a pair for myself. They are high resolution microphones and they made a huge difference for acoustic piano recordings. I have not tried them on anything else yet but I will.

I make the Wheaties reference to my kids anll the time and they have no idea what I am talking about. Usually they get my old person cultural references indirectly through The Simpsons or some other show.

Najimad · Post by **Najimad** » Sun Jan 18, 2026 5:53 am

Very good, I enjoyed listening a lot. Only thing to make this synth flute cut through more I would use a dynamic eq, the flute triggering the eq on piano, there is quite a lot of overlaping/masking.

enroe · Post by **enroe** » Sun Jan 18, 2026 7:09 am

Wow, you're really creative! Beautiful duet for piano and flute. I love the combination
of its light, entertaining feel and the underlying thoughtful, almost melancholic
feeling. Fantastic!

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Sun Jan 18, 2026 8:07 am

Outstanding

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Sun Jan 18, 2026 4:05 pm

eassae wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 7:14 pm Enjoyable listen as always. Really like the moment right around 3:00.

Thank you!

jcub · Post by **jcub** » Sun Jan 18, 2026 4:07 pm

Najimad wrote: Sun Jan 18, 2026 5:53 am Very good, I enjoyed listening a lot. Only thing to make this synth flute cut through more I would use a dynamic eq, the flute triggering the eq on piano, there is quite a lot of overlaping/masking.

Thanks - I do have a dynamic EQ on the synth track triggered by the piano (Trackspacer) but I might need to increase the amount. I will go back and try it.

“Points West” Piano/Soma Flux Duet