MoogulatoR

MoogulatoR of sequencer.de just put up a ton of music on his MoogulatoR site. To keep this on topic and about a specific synth or synths, many of the tracks feature only one synth including the Waldorf XT and Roland SH-5.

Virus TI Polar Flickr Set

Click here for the full set sent my way via Jyoti Mishra.

Making the Andromeda A6

A great thread is up on the VSE Forums on the Alesis Andromeda. I know the threads expire there, so I'll grab some of the most interesting bits here. DB below is David Bryce who worked on the Andromeda. I remember when all of this was happening. Mike Peake was on sonic states the-gas-station and AH. The guys behind the Andromeda really loved synths and they respected the rest of us enough to frequently pulled us in for feedback on the design of the synth. It was as if they were one of us, and in reality they were and still are. Mike Peake stayed active in the synth community and as you can see from this thread, David Bryce is still very active. You have to love a company that does this. Great people make a great company. I personally think Alesis has been one of the better synth manufactures to date. The Andromeda, ION and Micron, and the Fusion have all been pretty amazing synths. The price points for what you get compared to what else is out there is astounding when you think about it. Do take the time to check them out. The Andromeda is a 16 voice analog with a huge modulation matrix, dual filters, built in step sequencer and much, much more. And it sounds pretty amazing imo. Whenever I think I've heard it all, someone makes a demo that showcases a completely new character of the synth. BTW, are there any other poly analogs with 16 or more voices other than of course the fully polyphonic boards using divide down technology?

Alesis A6 Andromeda, Now where did that come from? (title of VSE thread)
---------------
CTB wrote:
Our very own Dave Bryce, who sometimes posts here and works for DSI, was involved in the A6 project. Perhaps he would be the one to ask. Smile

DB:
Actually, we just got tired of people complaining that the QS synths had no resonant filters, so we decided to make something that did. Very Happy Cool

Making Andromeda was really the culmination of a dream for a bunch of us who had grown up with the older analog synths. We had spent years working on sample based stuff, and Erik and Rob Rampley got Alesis founder (and major engineer geek) Keith Barr drunk one night and talked him into letting us make an old school American power synth. Keith actually designed Andromeda's ASICs himself, if memory serves.

One of the back stories was that we were fought tooth and nail by Alesis' sales and marketing VP at the time, who thought we were out of our minds. He once told me we'd be lucky to sell 50 total units. Guess he may have been wrong. Shocked Idea

If anyone has any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer if I can remember. That was a while ago...

StepLogik wrote:
I'm shocked that the marketing group fought you

DB:
It wasn't the marketing group. I was the marketing manager of the synth division, and I was certainly behind it. It was the VP.

,
Quote:
seems like they would want to distinguish Alesis from the "workstation hell" of that era.

DB:
Not just workstations - it was VA synths, too. We figured making a Real Actual Analog synth would catch some people's attention (as Bitexion correctly surmised).

Plus, we were tired of hearing that we weren't a real synth company despite the fact that our ROMplers (especially the QS8) were outselling just about everything else at the time...but there were folks who kept telling us that ROMplers aren't real synths...so we made a real synth. Idea

That seemed to do the trick... Laughing

cbjlietuva wrote:
so maybe i can get my question amswered here:

does the Andromeda have Polyphonic Aftertouch?

DB:
The short answer would be no.

theglyph wrote:
Dave, the one major question I have had and the one thing which has kept me from pulling the trigger on an A6 purchase is what will the status of the A6's ASICs be in the future? CEMs and SSMs were used in several synths from many manufacturers so those chips were manufactured to some degree in surplus as we see today (although they ain't cheap Crying or Very sad). Did Alesis make sure that the IC manufacturer made enough chips to fulfill any future failures or is the well not so deep?

DB:
Alesis is the chip manufacturer...I mean, they don't own the foundry where the chips are physically made, but they do everything else. Consequently, there's no way we can know how many of them Alesis has made/wants to make...

...unless they want to tell us, of course... Wink

Soundwave wrote:
Few questions;

Is the A6 still in production and will it remain so for the foreseeable future?

Will the support continue for the machine i.e. OS updates/fixes?

Are the first, more expensive Alesis A6’s different in any way than the later Numark ones that are apparently now made in the far east as some claim the earlier Alesis ones sound better?

There are rumours that some of the people behind the A6 were also involved in the Xpander/Matrix12 is this true?

Will there ever be an analogue successor or derivative or the A6 as the VA market has kinda reached a standstill now?

DB:
I can only answer two of those questions becuase I haven't worked for Alesis for about seven years, so I have no idea what their current plans are.

Marcus Ryle, who founded Line 6, was one of the guys responsible for the XpanderMatrix 12. He and his team had a lot to do with a bunch of Alesis products including the ADAT and the QS synths...but they had nothing to do with Andromeda.

There are a few "rev 2" Andromedas that were only used during beta. They are slightly different from the production models, but the OS in them is different enough that you can't transfer programs between, them, so they can't really be directly compared....nor, if you could, is there actually any point in doing so. Howver, all the production models are (AFAIK) exactly the same...."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And that's it as of the time of this post. Check out the VSE thread for updates. I'll try to update this post with the historical bits so we don't lose them. Image via this post.

Cwejman Workshop + 3 New Modules

Title link takes you to the post in German or you can click here for an English translation via Google.

New Modules translated from the post:
1) Noise module (NS-4)
The module produces genuine similar noise in white, for pink and red. In addition offers it SAM-polarize + Hold and a lying processor, with which itself Coincidence tensions with Glide to adjust leave. That SAM-polarizes + Hold can also independently of the noise to be used and has even an input automatic controller for external signals. The S+H - Rate, as well as the lying processor leave themselves by button or CV steer, the S+H Triggger entrance serves for Synchronisation and processes signals of all kinds.

2) quadruple VCA (VCA-4MX)
This module contains 4 identical spanunngsgesteuerte amplifiers, for Audio, as well as for CV-signals are suitable. By altogether 8 out of courses one receives a very flexible module, because beside the four single exits there are 2 sum exits (4 in 1), one normally and one inverted, as well as 2 further sum exits (1+2 in 1 and 3+4 in 1). Thus that can Module either as Quad Attenuaror (weaken who), as 4in1-Mixer, or as two separate 2kanal-Mixer to be used. Like always with Cwejman are clay-technical components of higher To quality, rush is quasi not measurable.

3) INSERT module (INS-2MX)
This module serves for grinding in external effect signals similarly a Aux way in a mixer and all two times.

Sagittarius 1994 Lemaril video

YouTube via studio35d.
"In 1994 I created a track that I called 'Sagittarius'. As an experiment, I also created a video for the track. The video is a live performance with additional footage (for different cam-angles) and effects.

The main instrument you hear on the track is the Yamaha SY77. Other synths such as Pro-One and Mono/Poly were used for additional effects and sequences. Rhythm sounds are short samples of analog synth sounds on the DSS1.
Sequencing was done on Amiga500 with Music-X software.

I didn't have any editing facilities for video available at the time, except for this fantastic [Insert] button on my VCR. You could add footage over your main video track, without erasing the original sound, which was cool. Drawback: Once you messed up, you had to cover it up with something else that lasts a little longer.

The video contains some flaws, which I preferred not to edit, just to keep it as original as possible."

If you like this, also see these previous posts.

MOOG Taurus

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Details:
"From a 1980 Moog Flyer
The Moog Taurus Pedal Synthesizer lets you make music with your feet while your hands are busy playing keyboard, guitar, or drums. The Taurus has three programmed voices and a voice that you can program completely In performance you can select a Moog voice or your voice instantly The Taurus is a variable synthesizer that features two audio oscillators to create phasing effects, parallel intervals, and rich percussion sounds. In addition, functions like glide, decay and pedalboard octave may be switched by foot during performance. And its five octave range makes Taurus more than a bass instrument. Add another dimension to your control over sound-add a Moog Taurus 1 pedal synthesizer.

TAURUS FEATURES
Three pre-programmed synthesizer voices: Bass, Tuba, and Taurus
· One fully programmable voice. You create the sound and pre-set it yourself.
· Five octave range-16' 8' 4' 2' and 1'
· Foot sliders for loudness and tone color variation.
· Ultra stable oscillator design: less than one cent (0.06%) short term drift, less than two cents (0.18%)
long term drift.
· Electronic preset selectors. Presets never have to be cancelled.

Introduction
THE MOOG TAURUS IS A FOOT-CONTROLLED PEDAL SYNTHESIZER COMBINING THE FEATURES OF A
SYNTHESIZER-GOOD SOUND AND VERSATILITY-WITH FOOT CONTROLLED SOUND MODIFIERS AND
PRESETS.

THIS VERSATILE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OFFERS THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING TRADITIONAL OR
NEW SOUNDS, INSTANTLY SELECTABLE FROM THE FOOT-CONTROLLED PRESETS. ONE OF THESE
PRESETS IS FULLY PROGRAMMABLE SO THAT THE PLAYER MAY SET UP A "SOUND" AND GET TO IT
INSTANTLY.

TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM PROTECTION, THE UNIT IS ASSEMBLED IN A RUGGED WOOD AND METAL
HOUSING.

Description
The basic functions of the Taurus Synthesizer (see accompanying block diagram) are programmable. That is, values of the various parametersthat are used to control the details of a sound are determined either by the internally fixed values (for the three fixed presets) or set by the player accessible controls (for the VARI ABLE preset). In normal usage, the VARIABLE preset is set up prior to performance using the VARIABLES controls in the control box. During actual performance, the player selects one of the four presets instantly by depressing one of the four PRESETS foot-buttons. These four PRESETS are mutually exclusive, that is, only one preset may be ON at any one time.

The basic tone sources are two voltage controlled oscillators (A and B). Two basic pitch controls are used for fine tuning the instrument. First, the TUNE control is used to set the pitch of both oscillators to the desired reference, such as another instrument being used simul taneously. The BEAT control is used to make fine adjustments in the relative pitch of the two tone oscillators (by modifying the "B" tone source pitch). In addition to these basic tuning controls, the "B" tone osciliator pitch in the VARIABLE preset mode may be varied over a greater than one octave range by adjust ing the OSC B FREQ control. The relative pitches of the two tone sources are internally set for the three fixed presets.

The entire instrument may be shifted either up or down one octave by use of the OCTAVE foot-button. As the OCTAVE foot-button is successively depressed, the instrument tuning changes by one octave; an indicator light shows that the instrument tuning is in high range. For the three fixed presets, the OCTAVE button switches the instrument between the 16' and 8' ranges. When the instrument is in the VARIABLE mode, a manual OCTAVE slide switch in the VARIABLES control box may be used to select three pitch range positions (LO-MED-HI). These three positions correspond to a 16' or 8' range for the LO position, an 8' or 4' range for the MED position, and a 4' or 2' range for the Hl position. The "B" oscillator range extends to 1' with the OSC B FREQ control positioned all the way up.

The instantaneous pitch of the instrument is controlled not onty by the OCTAVE and fine tuning controls, but also by a GLIDE control and GLIDE foot-button. The glide effect is a smooth transition in pitch between successive notes. The GLIDE foot-button operates in a manner similar to the OCTAVE foot-button in that the glide effect can be alternately turned ON and OFF, the ON state indicated by the GLIDE light being ON. The amount of glide effect is determined by the GLIDE slider in the VARIABLES control box. The player may thus set up the amount of desired glide effect using the GLIDE slider and then use the GLIDE foot-button to switch the effect in or out.

The two tone sources are combined in different amounts in the mixer. In the three fixed presets the amounts are internally set, while in the VARIAB LE MODE the relative amounts of the "A" and "B" tone sources appearing in the final output are determined by the B-MIX-A control in the VARIABLES control box.

The output of the mixer is applied to the voltage controlled filter which may be used to provide either dynamic or fixed timbre modification. Whenever a note is depressed, a filter contour signal is generated, successively opening and closing the filter. The amount of opening and closing the filter is determined by the CONTOUR AMOUNT slider. The rate at which the filter is opened is determined by the CONTOUR ATTACK control slider while the rate at which the filter is closed is determined by the CONTOUR DECAY slider. These contour controls determine the characteristics of the dynamic aspect of the filter function. The effect of the filter is determined by the settings of the contour controls and by two other controls (CUT-OFF and EMPHASIS). The cutoff frequency is the filter characteristic which is "moved" by the contour signal. The initial cutoff frequency is determined by the FILTER foot-slider and by internally preset values for the three fixed presets. For the VARIABLE preset, this initial filter cutoff frequency is determined by the FILTER foot-slider and by the CUT-OFF control in the VARIABLES control box. For example, using the VARIABLE preset with the CONTOUR AMOUNT control set all the way down, the tone color may be changed but not dynamically, by either the FILTER foot-slider or the CUT-OFF slider.

The EMPHASIS control varies the amount of peaking of the filter. That is, the intensity of the frequency components of the tone generators which lay near the filter cutoff frequency is emphasized to a degree determined by the EMPHASIS control.

The output signal from the voltage controlled filter is applied to the voltage controlled amplifier (VCA). The VCA serves the function of "turning on and turning off" the sound. This articulation of the signal is caused by the VCA contour generator. The rate at which the sound is "turned on" is called the attack time. This attack time is internally set for the three fixed presets and is set by the ATTACK control in the VARIABLES control box for the VARIABLE preset. The sustained loudness of a preset is called the SUSTAIN LEVEL. The SUSTAIN LEVEL is determined by an internally preset value for the three fixed presets, and by the SUSTAIN LEVEL control for the VARIABLE preset. In addition, the overall loudness is determined by the LOUDNESS foot-slider. The manner in which the sound dies out or decays is determined by two functions. If the DECAY light is ON, the sound dies out at a rate determined by the DECAY control in the VARIABLES control box for the VARIABLE preset. If the DECAY light is OFF, the sound dies out immediately when the note is released (no decay).

The output of the VCA is applied to the OUTPUT LEVEL rotary control on the inset rear panel. The OUTPUT LEVEL control is used to match the signal level of the Taurus to the amplifier. GeneralIy, the OUTPUT LEVEL control will be set so that the maximum desired loudness for any preset is achieved when both the LOUDNESS and the FILTER foot-sliders are in their uppermost positions. When using the TAURUS with a bass amplifier or similar musical instrument amplifier, plug the TAURUS into a high level amplifier input, and set the amplifier volume control one-third to one-half of the way up. Then set the OUTPUT LEVEL control on the Taurus rear panel for the desired volume range.

The Taurus may be operated using either a 115 or 230 volt line voltage.

(From 1978 Norlin Music Taurus Pedal Synthesizer Owners and Service Manual)

Check out these sites!!!
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Keyboard+And+MIDI/product/Moog/Taurus/25/1
http://web.archive.org/web/19991002101508/http://umbc7.umbc.edu/~rous/taurus.html
http://www.oldtech.com/synth/MoogTarus12.html
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1995_articles/jun95/moogtaurus.html"

Chroma Polaris

Title link takes you to shots via this auction.

Another in the funky keys category. Suddenly the Polysix with reverse keys is actually looking good to me. What's odd is the auction doesn't mention the keys. Anyone know anything about them?