Audio Realism ABL Pro

Via Wiglaf on this VSE post. Title link takes you to the Audio Realism ABL Pro page with more details and screen shots.



"The Pro version is intended to take what ABL is good at and extend on that to reach new sonic possibilities but with the same feeling. Extended range on oscillators and filters (which now goes up to self oscillation). Audio rate modulation is possible on the excellent filter and oscillators which can be swept from bass up to treble ceiling while retaining low aliasing and without any other digital artifacts. The slave (audio) oscillators can be tuned +/- 48 semitones with 1 cents accuracy from master oscillator. This range aids in making sweeps that feel unconfined and lets your music breath. The modulation generator can be used as a third oscillator while routed to multiple destinations. A stereo delay unit with modulatable delay times will aid you in making interesting and atmospheric sounds."

Scott Stites "Buchla 200e" Demo

In via John P of m/n/m/l, via AH. Title link takes you there (look for Scott Stites). BTW, John "thinks" this is the 200e. It sounds like it based on other samples I've heard. I'll update the post if I hear anything back on AH.

Update: Via AH. It's not a 200e. : )

"Scott Stites speaks:
"For samples, the thread pointed here:

http://www.mnmlnoise.com/misc_samples.html

I found that there was a sample of mine linked there, one I'd
discussed with you a while back. I'm absolutely thrilled to you would
put it on M/N/M/L (a heck of an honor!). The only problem is that
it's labeled as a 200e sample, and I think all these guys are thinking
that it is a 200e (actually I did it with some Buchla stuff I'd
cloned)."

Buchla Breaking the Mold

One of the achilles heels of digital virtual analog synthesis has always been aliasing. Another has been the precision of digital oscillators and of course stepping. Buchla has always sat on the pinacle of analog modular synthesis. Buchla is considered to be the holy grail along with only handful of others. Buchlas have always been considered to break the mold when it comes to synthesis and design. What I find fascinating and am coming to realize is that the new Buchla 200e just might be breaking another mold. The mold of aliasing and digital oscillators and their negative perception. I posted earlier on Buchla's digital oscillators. I was just reading the Keyboard Magazine Review on the Buchla 200e (title link), and I just read the following:

"Did he say “digital?” Yes, the 259e is a digital oscillator. Analog purists may not be pleased about this. I’m happy to have lots of waveforms at my fingertips, but I found that many of the wavetable combinations produced aliasing. Pure sine waves, which don’t alias, are available among the waveforms, and it was possible to coax some sweet tones out of the 259e, especially at low warp settings and at lower pitches. However, the higher-pitched tones of most of the waveforms alias spectacularly, making them ideal for edgy, glitchy mixes but not desirable for traditional definitions of “beautiful.” According to Buchla, this design was intentional."

So, if the Buchla does it...

Buzzclick Music

Title link takes you to Peter Grenader's website, Buzzclick-Music. If you've been following my posts, you might notice that the last two had Peter Grenader's name on them. Now you know how I end up on a role, one thing really just leads to another. I started with a simple link to a Buchla review with samples on Keyboard Magazine, that Peter sent to AH, I dropped by Sonic State for the NAMM demo of the 200e he did, and I ended up on his site, Buzzclick Music, dropping by the EAR and Big City Music sites on the way.

So, Buzzclick Music...



There is just too much content on Buzzclick-Music to do it justice in a single post. Just go check it out if you haven't been there before. There are music samples, pictures, a bio and a few slices of synth history including Buchla, Serge, Morton Subotnick, John Cage, and much, much more. Peter Grenader is also involved with EAR which I've posted on a few times. He designs the Plan B line of modulars. You can hear it on Secret Life on the Music Samples link of his site. Really amazing stuff.

Also make sure to check out the Son of Frankenstein when you are there. : )

Buchla 200e Video on Sonic State

I thought I put this up already, but apparently not. Title link takes you to a video demonstration of the Buchla 200e given by Peter Grenader for Big City Music during Winter NAMM 2005.

Buchla 200e Keyboard Mag Review and Samples

Looks like the Buchla 200e Keyboard review is online with samples. Via Peter Grenader of Buzzclick-Music and Plan B, via AH. Title link takes you there.

Radikal Technologies Spectralis Demos

Title link takes you to the Spectralis demo page. Some amazing samples there. If you are a Pink Floyd fan, definitely check out the Spectralis_Shine_On_Pf.MP3. Wow. Make sure to also check out the left nav menu items (pictured below) when you get to the site. These are links to more component focused demos. The Spectralis has a much wider palatte of sounds than I was expecting. Based on previous demos, I thought it would be more inclned to rougher industrial sounds. Some of these demos show that it can definitely do that, and... much... much... more. Very nice indeed. It's awesome seeing ex Quasimidi Jörg Schaaf building synths again. Now if we could only get those Waldorf guys going again...

Synth Videos on Music Thing

I've posted a few synth videos over time, but like my synth shots they tend to go up one at a time, as I find them. Well Music Thing just put up a post that conglomerates a number of them and more, and... Tom gave me credit for the ones he found here. Very cool. Thanks Tom. Title link takes you there. I'm off to go check them out myself.

Retro-Moog - New Flickr Set

I swear there's a synth resurgence on Flickr. Some great Moog Prodigy shots. Title link takes you to a whole lot more. Some really nice ones in this set.