Sunday, September 09, 2007
Demo of Maestro Rhythm King MRK-2 Drum Machine
YouTube via submodern.
Demonstration of the sounds and preset rhythms of the Maestro Rhythm King MRK-2 drum machine, dubbed "the funk box" by Sly Stone and used on his classic album "There's a Riot Goin' On"."
via Art who also put up a page here with samples.
Barry Schrader Site Updates
The following is just an excerpt of some of what Barry has updated his site with. Note he will be performing "I've added a second page of Downloads on my web site. The first page, crammed as it is, remains the same, and I'll be adding new files to the Downloads 2 page. I'm starting off this month with a new download of the first part of an interview I did with the noted music radio host Martin Perlich. Part 1 deals with the work Ravel for piano and electronic sounds, and you can access this file by clicking here."
He will also be playing at the Electroacoustic Juke Joint on November 9 & 10.
Hands On Tenori-On
Title link takes you to the full review on CDM."Literally what TENORI-ON means in Japanese is "sound in your palm" but what I came away feeling after hearing Toshio Iwai’s story and later experiencing this innovative musical device for myself at Yamaha’s UK Launch event last Tuesday was more akin to the Richard-Dreyfuss-Close-Encounters quote. Never mind that the light-and-audio-synched performances can bring back visions of that film’s alien jam session.* I may not be articulate enough to explain fully why or how I was so affected by my short time with this snazzy gadget (my logical working-musician-self keeps on telling me that, measured by today’s music hardware standards, this is still just mashed potatoes, albeit in a very cool shape) but I do consider myself self-aware enough to appreciate the very real visceral impact it had on me. I’ve a sense the TENORI-ON is important, but not in a way most of us can fully appreciate today or probably anytime soon."
Moogerheim 2.0
via Boele on the Waldorf list:
"http://www.synthmusic.info/mp3s/moogerheim202.mp3
Sequence: Memorymoog (preset 74, little slower, with delay) Oberheim-alike pad: PPG 2.0 Resonance sound: Jupiter 4 upset stomich sound: SH-7 PPG alike lead: Oberheim Xpander
Boele
Something Completely Different
http://www.synthmusic.info"
"http://www.synthmusic.info/mp3s/moogerheim202.mp3
Sequence: Memorymoog (preset 74, little slower, with delay) Oberheim-alike pad: PPG 2.0 Resonance sound: Jupiter 4 upset stomich sound: SH-7 PPG alike lead: Oberheim Xpander
Boele
Something Completely Different
http://www.synthmusic.info"
DSI Prophet '08 Samples via Seth
Update:
"Two more samples. These aren't full tunes, they're more like examples of what you can do with the Prophet '08.
http://www.boxoftextures.com/prophet08/music/
The two snippets are called Heavy Sequence and Light Arpeggios. Heavy Sequence is rude and impolite and is done in a single patch. It's also, uh, a little rough around the edges as well. The sequencer is running on one layer and the lead is on the other. I did cheat a bit because I couldn't do two stereo channels at once into my Mac, but it more or less could have been done in one pass with only two hands (if you ignore the pitch bending, that is).
Light Arpeggios is much more polite and gentle. Both arpeggios are again done in a single patch and were recorded in a single pass live.
I then put in a lead-ish type patch on top of that to make it a little bit more interesting.
Seth"
........
"http://www.boxoftextures.com/files/choppersoverhead.mp3
Four tracks, recorded in Live:
1 - Arturia Minimoog V - arpeggios
2 - G-Force Mtron - texture chords
3 - Prophet '08 - fretless bass
4 - Prophet '08 - lead
Notes:
1 - no effects in Live, but the Minimoog V's internal chorus and echo were used as part of the sound
2 - dry
3 - a lot of reverb while it's playing alone for the first few bars at the beginning, then just a little reverb
4 - a bit of reverb
So these were my first two sounds I programmed on the Prophet '08. If you're wondering why the glide in the tune above sounds so different then what you might be used to, it's because each oscillator has its own glide knob (!) so you can set each one for a slightly different glide speed (or a greatly different speed, for that matter). This makes them reach the target note at slightly (or greatly) different times, and the sweep through the intervening frequencies happens differently for each one. Also, four LFOs is fabulous. I used one for vibrato, one for each of the oscillator's pulse width modulation, and I still had one spare.
While programming the bass sound, I held three notes and then latched the arpeggiator down. I then proceeded to spend about half an hour playing with all the controls. Man, that was fun! I wish I had recorded that on video for YouTube. I haven't touched the sequencer yet, but it looks like it'll be just as much fun. Plus, I think you get four sequences as modulation sources and can send then anywhere you want, not just for notes. How about one sequence for notes and then another for pan position? You could have each note happen in a different position in the stereo field and with a different pulse width and cutoff frequency. Add some slapback echo in your outboard gear and you're in for some real fun. You can have the thing chugging along sending notes flying all over the room. Uh, I'm patenting that one, so don't go using the idea, OK?
Oh, and just by the way, all four LFOs can be set to sync with the sequencer. Not only can you put different notes in different places in the stereo field, but you can move them once they're there.
Madness!
The knobs are - different. Not bad by any means, but I'm still getting used to them. The most fabulous thing in the world is that you can touch a knob and turn it, and when you do, the sound changes the way you expect it to. There's no jump, no turning it back and forth until you pass the stored value, they just work. On the other hand, you can't just look at a knob to see what the value is. This feels really odd when choosing waveforms, for example. Again, it's not a bad thing, but it definitely feels different than what I'm used to. On a "normal" synthesizer (i.e., a Minimoog) you look at the knob to see the values. On the Prophet you first find the knob, then you have to find the display to see what's up. It'll take a little getting used to.
Same thing with the envelopes. I've always wanted DADSR envelopes, and now that I got 'em I have to get used to them. I always pictured a steady volume for the initial delay, then the normal envelope.
Problem is, there isn't any steady volume before the ADSR portion, it's just a delay. Totally useful, but definitely not what I'm used to. There's a VCA level control, so you can have the VCA always open a little and have the envelope work the way I expected it to work, but then the VCA is always open even when you don't expect it to be.
Again, none of this is a problem with the Prophet, it's more a problem with me. I can see an incredible amount of things you can do with these, and I can also see using up the four modulation routings in seconds on a lot of patches, and I can see it may take me a little while to wrap my head around it.
In re-reading this I can see that I've said "I have to get used to it" about five times. Hmmm. I guess I'll come back to this post in a week or two to see how I feel then. I've only been knob twiddling for about three hours last night. Six months from now everything I'm noting as different will probably feel completely natural.
So, in my few hours of sound programming I ended up being surprised by what the thing could do so many times that I just can't believe it. Is this why people rave unconditionally about the Evolvers? I've always wondered why. If so, I may just have to pick one up. So much thought went into the Prophet '08. Little things like individual glide controls. Such a simple idea, but a completely unique sound.
Imagine something like oscillator sync, except that now you can apply glide to only -one- of the oscillators. Four LFOs, three envelope generators, four sequencers. Heck, you can even modulate the modulation amounts as all four modulation amounts are also modulation destinations!
The thing is brilliant. That's all I can say.
Seth"
via AH.
"Two more samples. These aren't full tunes, they're more like examples of what you can do with the Prophet '08.
http://www.boxoftextures.com/prophet08/music/
The two snippets are called Heavy Sequence and Light Arpeggios. Heavy Sequence is rude and impolite and is done in a single patch. It's also, uh, a little rough around the edges as well. The sequencer is running on one layer and the lead is on the other. I did cheat a bit because I couldn't do two stereo channels at once into my Mac, but it more or less could have been done in one pass with only two hands (if you ignore the pitch bending, that is).
Light Arpeggios is much more polite and gentle. Both arpeggios are again done in a single patch and were recorded in a single pass live.
I then put in a lead-ish type patch on top of that to make it a little bit more interesting.
Seth"
........
"http://www.boxoftextures.com/files/choppersoverhead.mp3
Four tracks, recorded in Live:
1 - Arturia Minimoog V - arpeggios
2 - G-Force Mtron - texture chords
3 - Prophet '08 - fretless bass
4 - Prophet '08 - lead
Notes:
1 - no effects in Live, but the Minimoog V's internal chorus and echo were used as part of the sound
2 - dry
3 - a lot of reverb while it's playing alone for the first few bars at the beginning, then just a little reverb
4 - a bit of reverb
So these were my first two sounds I programmed on the Prophet '08. If you're wondering why the glide in the tune above sounds so different then what you might be used to, it's because each oscillator has its own glide knob (!) so you can set each one for a slightly different glide speed (or a greatly different speed, for that matter). This makes them reach the target note at slightly (or greatly) different times, and the sweep through the intervening frequencies happens differently for each one. Also, four LFOs is fabulous. I used one for vibrato, one for each of the oscillator's pulse width modulation, and I still had one spare.
While programming the bass sound, I held three notes and then latched the arpeggiator down. I then proceeded to spend about half an hour playing with all the controls. Man, that was fun! I wish I had recorded that on video for YouTube. I haven't touched the sequencer yet, but it looks like it'll be just as much fun. Plus, I think you get four sequences as modulation sources and can send then anywhere you want, not just for notes. How about one sequence for notes and then another for pan position? You could have each note happen in a different position in the stereo field and with a different pulse width and cutoff frequency. Add some slapback echo in your outboard gear and you're in for some real fun. You can have the thing chugging along sending notes flying all over the room. Uh, I'm patenting that one, so don't go using the idea, OK?
Oh, and just by the way, all four LFOs can be set to sync with the sequencer. Not only can you put different notes in different places in the stereo field, but you can move them once they're there.
Madness!
The knobs are - different. Not bad by any means, but I'm still getting used to them. The most fabulous thing in the world is that you can touch a knob and turn it, and when you do, the sound changes the way you expect it to. There's no jump, no turning it back and forth until you pass the stored value, they just work. On the other hand, you can't just look at a knob to see what the value is. This feels really odd when choosing waveforms, for example. Again, it's not a bad thing, but it definitely feels different than what I'm used to. On a "normal" synthesizer (i.e., a Minimoog) you look at the knob to see the values. On the Prophet you first find the knob, then you have to find the display to see what's up. It'll take a little getting used to.
Same thing with the envelopes. I've always wanted DADSR envelopes, and now that I got 'em I have to get used to them. I always pictured a steady volume for the initial delay, then the normal envelope.
Problem is, there isn't any steady volume before the ADSR portion, it's just a delay. Totally useful, but definitely not what I'm used to. There's a VCA level control, so you can have the VCA always open a little and have the envelope work the way I expected it to work, but then the VCA is always open even when you don't expect it to be.
Again, none of this is a problem with the Prophet, it's more a problem with me. I can see an incredible amount of things you can do with these, and I can also see using up the four modulation routings in seconds on a lot of patches, and I can see it may take me a little while to wrap my head around it.
In re-reading this I can see that I've said "I have to get used to it" about five times. Hmmm. I guess I'll come back to this post in a week or two to see how I feel then. I've only been knob twiddling for about three hours last night. Six months from now everything I'm noting as different will probably feel completely natural.
So, in my few hours of sound programming I ended up being surprised by what the thing could do so many times that I just can't believe it. Is this why people rave unconditionally about the Evolvers? I've always wondered why. If so, I may just have to pick one up. So much thought went into the Prophet '08. Little things like individual glide controls. Such a simple idea, but a completely unique sound.
Imagine something like oscillator sync, except that now you can apply glide to only -one- of the oscillators. Four LFOs, three envelope generators, four sequencers. Heck, you can even modulate the modulation amounts as all four modulation amounts are also modulation destinations!
The thing is brilliant. That's all I can say.
Seth"
via AH.
Vako Orchestron
Title link takes you to shots via this auction. via swissdocDetails Google translated:
"A rare Model from the 70ern. I believe this concerns the model C.
A Orchestron “is loaded” with so-called Optical Discs on those different traces with the tones such as saxophone, Pipe organ, floods, Choir, solo French horn etc. is present.
I have several from this Discs. I give one (saxophone) also in addition, which to
others I will September-guess/advise in auction will offer, since also which are doubly present.Optical condition: Very much to property, see pictures. I marked the remarkable places by yellow arrows, but nothing really bad. With 2 the sliding control is missing the Plastikknubbel.
The equipment functioned, I attached it times to PC loudspeaker and one hears the different tones, as I finds however that however somewhat quiet can also because of the loudspeakers be. However one says anyway not the highest audiophilen requirements to the equipment after (diplomatically said; -).
But I do not believe therefore really go it with this equipment also. Power station has probably at that time the Orchestron with the motorway project used and also a current musician has believes I CD with a Orchestron on it brought out."
Yamaha GX-1 Coming up for Auction
Via Peter Forrest of Spheremusic. For those of you that do not know who Peter Forrest is, he wrote the excellent "The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizers" and he runs the Vemia Auctions on Spheremusic which once had Brian Eno's gear listed. You can find the A-Z books in the book section on the right of this site.
"The superb ex-Mickie Most Yamaha GX-1 complete with its two tube-amped speakers will be coming up for auction on VEMIA at www.spheremusic.com , November 3-10.
It might seem a bit early to publicise it, with the auction finish two months away - but it's going to have a reserve of around 15000 UK pounds, so people will need time to organise selling the grandmother or yacht or doing the odd hour of overtime.
It's in the UK, and unlike one or two of these rare monsters, it's in very good condition.
I'll know more in a few weeks' time.
Peter F"
"The superb ex-Mickie Most Yamaha GX-1 complete with its two tube-amped speakers will be coming up for auction on VEMIA at www.spheremusic.com , November 3-10.
It might seem a bit early to publicise it, with the auction finish two months away - but it's going to have a reserve of around 15000 UK pounds, so people will need time to organise selling the grandmother or yacht or doing the odd hour of overtime.
It's in the UK, and unlike one or two of these rare monsters, it's in very good condition.
I'll know more in a few weeks' time.
Peter F"
SCREAM 2007: ANALOGLIVE!
Tickets are now on sale. Title link takes you there.Note: There are a couple of errors in the event listing as follows: Thighpaulsandra is credited as a percussionist and pianist. While there may be piano involved in his performance, he is part of the evening's analog ensemble, as is Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails, who's name was mistakenly omitted from the Redcat event listing. Both of these errors will be corrected early next week.
"Prized for their vibrant sounds and the physical immediacy they allow performers, analog synthesizers are combined here with acoustic instruments and kinetic video sculptures in the annual concert presented by the Southern California Resource for Electro-Acoustic Music. This performance features an unconventional six-member ensemble comprising film composer Gary Chang, composer and sound designer Richard Devine, composer and instrument designer Peter Grenader, composer and instrument designer Chas Smith, pianist and percussionist Thighpaulsandra, and multimedia artist and video sculptor Paul Tzanetopolous."
Pictured here is Thighpaulsandra who has actually dropped by a few times to comment on Matrixsynth. Also note Peter Grenader of Plan b.
Aviator Dro - Laser
YouTube via kmaxx.
"Aviador Dro Y Sus Obreros Especializados. The song is titled 'Laser' along with 'the nuclear Plexiglas girl'"
Quasimidi Polymorph
via this auction
"The last and best of the legendary Quasimidi synths co-designed with Klaus Schulze! The 4 row analogue style sequencer on each synth (x1 pitch, x3 assignable to any function) has most playback functions easily accessible from the front panel which is great 'on the fly' tweaking, jamming or live performance and has loads of other exciting features unique to this machine. The dual HP/LP filters can be used in serial, parallel or coupled to together to form a variable width bandpass (with resonance) and are still the best filters I've heard this side of the digital curtain with a proper overdrive stage that fattens up the waveforms just like on a real analogue. The overall sound is very unique and much harder than most 'soft' sounding VA synths which really cuts through a mix. The on board distortion doesn't loose bass and has its own LPF (with resonance) which is ideal for hard acid or savage IDM but the Polymorph is also capable of slow smooth pads and cascading ambient sequences. You also have two audio in 's making the Poly into the ultimate gate FX unit. Almost all the parameters both internal and external respond to MIDI CC and all front panel knobs transmit MIDI CC for each part over 4 MIDI channels which is I found ideal for controlling softsynths with assignable parameters."
Technosaurus Selector Literature and a Selector "Review".
This one in via Mike Peake on AH:
"This may exist in other spots on the web. Good, the more the better. Not enough attention is paid to this machine, regardless of any complaints regarding no new modules etc. It's excellent as it is, as the Minimoog is, for those who can make music without the latest bells and whistles. Remembering that the VCF, with resonance at minimum, cuts very nearly as well as the Moog 904a.
VCO
VCF2
TRES
LFO/Noise
VCA
Cabinet
Technosaurus
This was just submitted to Harmony-Central but here it is for you.
Ease of Use:
This is a very easy to use synthesizer owing to clear descriptions and individual module delineation. It's rather more of an East Coast machine along the lines of the Moog Modular, being more of a keyboard player's instrument for jamming than the Buchla-style machines. If you know the Moog and Moog-based systems such as the Synthesizers.com, you'll have no trouble using the Selector.
Perhaps the only suprise is that some CV modulation values are bipolar, requiring a voltage that can swing to the negative, to access certain parameter ranges (very low oscillator frequencies and PW). This works well with the LFOs, which are bipolar, but the envelopes are unipolar (although they can be switched to negative-going, this is still unipolar but in the opposite direction).
I suggest using a Frostwave MIDI to CV converter to drive it, or of course the Technosaurus MIDI/CV module. This is because the oscillators and filters have an impedance that doesn't match the Encore Expressionist I'd planned to use it with.
Features:
Features are limited to the amount of available modules, which does not include a "control module" with manual voltage outs, offsets, etc. Don't worry about the lack of bells and whistles, there is plenty here to keep synthesists and musicians busy owing to the wonderful sonic character and ease of use.
Good features include the fastest (D)ADSRs on the planet (70uS minimum rise time on the Attack). The VCA is built to withstand such speed, and does not click and thump. Reference: The Minimoog will start to click with rise times faster then around 750uS, and the Mini and Modular envs are around 1ms as a result. Due to this, the Selector obviously allows for extreme percussion sounds. The ADSRs can also be switched to AD types as well. Very thoughtful, very handy. The VCA has extreme dynamic range and is very quiet, so you'll end up with powerful percussion and firm, quiet, very dark bass sounds.
The oscillators are very stable, perhaps too much for my ultra-sloppy vintage Moog pinings, but stand at attention when you switch octaves, etc. The hard synch is good-sounding, and there is a thoughtful output on each oscillator for driving others in HS, so that you don't have to mult out an audio waveform to attain it. The pulse waveforms are very stable, even at the extreme values.
The oscillators are similar to the Moog in that they are not incredibly loud, and as such, don't do extremely deep FM. I haven't using a VCA to try boosting the gain on one yet... The LFOs have high output levels, and go up to around 2KHz, so it's easy to use them for nice FM effects. They are also very wide-range, so you can cross-modulate their CVs from nearly standing still, up into the audio ranges. Very nice. I despise LFOs with "range" switching, which always seems to be right in the middle of a place I wish to modulate through, so these are very pleasing.
The Sample and Hold is extremely stable; I know that Jurg is very happy with it, if he'll pardon me for saying so. It features external and internal clock and sampling source. You can drive it with the LFOs and sample the LFO module based Noise source, and produce modulations that will vary across the entire audible range (very wide CV swings). You do not have to be polite here if you do not wish to be. The S/H module has a smooth random source which is nice to use as the sample input as well. It's not the Buchla SOU, but it's musical and useful (which is how I'd characterize this entire synth).
The envelopes may be driven from the LFOs. A varying trigger voltage produces varying envelope output levels (I used the SH output into the triggers for the amplitude-varying drum sounds in my track "Seance". Search Soundclick.com for that if you're intersted.).
The TRES is an excellent module, both sonically and functionally. Although each band is only variable from 32Hz through 8KHz, each is individually controlled by CV, has individual resonance up to and including self-oscillation, and individual volume. Then the overall volume may be modulated by CV if you wish. There is a handy On/Off switch if you want to tune your oscillators to intervals etc. in the midst of a complicated patch, then switch the RES back in.
The TRES is very musical. I love the way it sounds. I applaud Cwejman and others for their new multiple CV resonator modules, but I prefer the resonant character of the TRES over the MP3s that I've heard. It can sound woody, phasey, whispery, and outright nasty as well. It's the key to the male choral sound I like so much, which requires different CV modulation to two of the bands, as well as each band sitting right at the edge of self-oscillation (that magic place that the digital gear has yet to master).
Very nice are the mults on each module where there is space, such as the TRES. Also nice are the multiple inputs on the Filter and TRES, meant to use as unity-gain intput mixing (the oscillators waveforms have individual volumes!). Multiple outs on the TRES etc. are nice too, for easily patching to multiple destinations, ala' the Buchla!
Sound:
The sounds are very good, although the envelopes or the VCA slopes have their own character, a touch off of what I'm used to on the Moog. It's a very interesting instrument to play, and to find new characters in the filter and TRES. Note: The 12dB Filter 2, with the resonance down, cuts very nearly as well as the Moog 904a, which is my standard for happiness. The filter sounds great, and does very interesting audio-rate FM that sound like no other filter I've used (in a good way, of course).
It's a very responsive instrument. You'll need a CV converter with a built-in LFO, however, as it has no DC-capable VCA.
I am very happy with how easily musical it sounds, and knowing that there is much more there waiting to be found.
Reliability:
The envelopes had a mod, a small daughter board, to ease the load on the power supply. This is because they drain the power supplies... I chose a supply with plenty more amps than the system would require, being a believer in headroom anyway.
My fifth envelope has burned up two chips twice now. You cannot fire all five at once. To be very fair, Jurg has sent out replacement parts in no time flat when I've asked. I have full faith in him and the company in support of the product.
This is the only ugly aspect of this beautiful synth. However, I would not turn down a date with that supermodel, the one with the mole, whose name I can't remember, the smart one who was on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, just for the fact that she has a mole...
I bought the system knowing about this, and it's not a big problem. It's disappointing to not be able to fire all five envelopes at once, but I'll survive by creating two individual sounds on the one instrument, that fire individually. And I know that Jurg is there if the need should arise.
Otherwise, the machine has been absolutely brilliant. No bad jacks, no bad pots, no dirty pots after several years of use, etc. The Zebra patch cords I bought from him with the system have never worn out either.
There is an overall cage for the modules inside the case; each module slides in on guides and a socket seats at the rear; machining of the front panels is akin to the System 700, in that it's really good. Very tight. In comparison, the original Moog modules were sometimes as sloppy as their pitches. I don't worry that the PCBs would suffer injury unless the entire case were to be somehow crushed.
Customer support:
Jurg is one of the good guys and deserves your attention and respect. I'm happy to have chosen his synth, and having had contact with him.
Conclusion:
The TRES and filter self-oscillate but only if there is an audio input going on. This is a bit unusual, and limits certain things, however, that is very very minor. It would be nice if the TRES had additional 1V/8va inputs, to ease situations where you want instant keyboard tracking.
I'd certainly buy another, and would add to my current system given the chance. I recommend it to anyone who is into modular synthesis, as the filters and TRES are still unlike other systems.
Looking for a slightly different sonic character???
It's been here since 1996.
A note: System C and D owners know that the empty space in the middle rack can be filled with Eurack-compatible modules. Analogue Systems make a nice LFO/DC VCA keyboard module that would be quite nice in there. Also, a "control" module."
"This may exist in other spots on the web. Good, the more the better. Not enough attention is paid to this machine, regardless of any complaints regarding no new modules etc. It's excellent as it is, as the Minimoog is, for those who can make music without the latest bells and whistles. Remembering that the VCF, with resonance at minimum, cuts very nearly as well as the Moog 904a.
VCO
VCF2
TRES
LFO/Noise
VCA
Cabinet
Technosaurus
This was just submitted to Harmony-Central but here it is for you.
Ease of Use:
This is a very easy to use synthesizer owing to clear descriptions and individual module delineation. It's rather more of an East Coast machine along the lines of the Moog Modular, being more of a keyboard player's instrument for jamming than the Buchla-style machines. If you know the Moog and Moog-based systems such as the Synthesizers.com, you'll have no trouble using the Selector.
Perhaps the only suprise is that some CV modulation values are bipolar, requiring a voltage that can swing to the negative, to access certain parameter ranges (very low oscillator frequencies and PW). This works well with the LFOs, which are bipolar, but the envelopes are unipolar (although they can be switched to negative-going, this is still unipolar but in the opposite direction).
I suggest using a Frostwave MIDI to CV converter to drive it, or of course the Technosaurus MIDI/CV module. This is because the oscillators and filters have an impedance that doesn't match the Encore Expressionist I'd planned to use it with.
Features:
Features are limited to the amount of available modules, which does not include a "control module" with manual voltage outs, offsets, etc. Don't worry about the lack of bells and whistles, there is plenty here to keep synthesists and musicians busy owing to the wonderful sonic character and ease of use.
Good features include the fastest (D)ADSRs on the planet (70uS minimum rise time on the Attack). The VCA is built to withstand such speed, and does not click and thump. Reference: The Minimoog will start to click with rise times faster then around 750uS, and the Mini and Modular envs are around 1ms as a result. Due to this, the Selector obviously allows for extreme percussion sounds. The ADSRs can also be switched to AD types as well. Very thoughtful, very handy. The VCA has extreme dynamic range and is very quiet, so you'll end up with powerful percussion and firm, quiet, very dark bass sounds.
The oscillators are very stable, perhaps too much for my ultra-sloppy vintage Moog pinings, but stand at attention when you switch octaves, etc. The hard synch is good-sounding, and there is a thoughtful output on each oscillator for driving others in HS, so that you don't have to mult out an audio waveform to attain it. The pulse waveforms are very stable, even at the extreme values.
The oscillators are similar to the Moog in that they are not incredibly loud, and as such, don't do extremely deep FM. I haven't using a VCA to try boosting the gain on one yet... The LFOs have high output levels, and go up to around 2KHz, so it's easy to use them for nice FM effects. They are also very wide-range, so you can cross-modulate their CVs from nearly standing still, up into the audio ranges. Very nice. I despise LFOs with "range" switching, which always seems to be right in the middle of a place I wish to modulate through, so these are very pleasing.
The Sample and Hold is extremely stable; I know that Jurg is very happy with it, if he'll pardon me for saying so. It features external and internal clock and sampling source. You can drive it with the LFOs and sample the LFO module based Noise source, and produce modulations that will vary across the entire audible range (very wide CV swings). You do not have to be polite here if you do not wish to be. The S/H module has a smooth random source which is nice to use as the sample input as well. It's not the Buchla SOU, but it's musical and useful (which is how I'd characterize this entire synth).
The envelopes may be driven from the LFOs. A varying trigger voltage produces varying envelope output levels (I used the SH output into the triggers for the amplitude-varying drum sounds in my track "Seance". Search Soundclick.com for that if you're intersted.).
The TRES is an excellent module, both sonically and functionally. Although each band is only variable from 32Hz through 8KHz, each is individually controlled by CV, has individual resonance up to and including self-oscillation, and individual volume. Then the overall volume may be modulated by CV if you wish. There is a handy On/Off switch if you want to tune your oscillators to intervals etc. in the midst of a complicated patch, then switch the RES back in.
The TRES is very musical. I love the way it sounds. I applaud Cwejman and others for their new multiple CV resonator modules, but I prefer the resonant character of the TRES over the MP3s that I've heard. It can sound woody, phasey, whispery, and outright nasty as well. It's the key to the male choral sound I like so much, which requires different CV modulation to two of the bands, as well as each band sitting right at the edge of self-oscillation (that magic place that the digital gear has yet to master).
Very nice are the mults on each module where there is space, such as the TRES. Also nice are the multiple inputs on the Filter and TRES, meant to use as unity-gain intput mixing (the oscillators waveforms have individual volumes!). Multiple outs on the TRES etc. are nice too, for easily patching to multiple destinations, ala' the Buchla!
Sound:
The sounds are very good, although the envelopes or the VCA slopes have their own character, a touch off of what I'm used to on the Moog. It's a very interesting instrument to play, and to find new characters in the filter and TRES. Note: The 12dB Filter 2, with the resonance down, cuts very nearly as well as the Moog 904a, which is my standard for happiness. The filter sounds great, and does very interesting audio-rate FM that sound like no other filter I've used (in a good way, of course).
It's a very responsive instrument. You'll need a CV converter with a built-in LFO, however, as it has no DC-capable VCA.
I am very happy with how easily musical it sounds, and knowing that there is much more there waiting to be found.
Reliability:
The envelopes had a mod, a small daughter board, to ease the load on the power supply. This is because they drain the power supplies... I chose a supply with plenty more amps than the system would require, being a believer in headroom anyway.
My fifth envelope has burned up two chips twice now. You cannot fire all five at once. To be very fair, Jurg has sent out replacement parts in no time flat when I've asked. I have full faith in him and the company in support of the product.
This is the only ugly aspect of this beautiful synth. However, I would not turn down a date with that supermodel, the one with the mole, whose name I can't remember, the smart one who was on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, just for the fact that she has a mole...
I bought the system knowing about this, and it's not a big problem. It's disappointing to not be able to fire all five envelopes at once, but I'll survive by creating two individual sounds on the one instrument, that fire individually. And I know that Jurg is there if the need should arise.
Otherwise, the machine has been absolutely brilliant. No bad jacks, no bad pots, no dirty pots after several years of use, etc. The Zebra patch cords I bought from him with the system have never worn out either.
There is an overall cage for the modules inside the case; each module slides in on guides and a socket seats at the rear; machining of the front panels is akin to the System 700, in that it's really good. Very tight. In comparison, the original Moog modules were sometimes as sloppy as their pitches. I don't worry that the PCBs would suffer injury unless the entire case were to be somehow crushed.
Customer support:
Jurg is one of the good guys and deserves your attention and respect. I'm happy to have chosen his synth, and having had contact with him.
Conclusion:
The TRES and filter self-oscillate but only if there is an audio input going on. This is a bit unusual, and limits certain things, however, that is very very minor. It would be nice if the TRES had additional 1V/8va inputs, to ease situations where you want instant keyboard tracking.
I'd certainly buy another, and would add to my current system given the chance. I recommend it to anyone who is into modular synthesis, as the filters and TRES are still unlike other systems.
Looking for a slightly different sonic character???
It's been here since 1996.
A note: System C and D owners know that the empty space in the middle rack can be filled with Eurack-compatible modules. Analogue Systems make a nice LFO/DC VCA keyboard module that would be quite nice in there. Also, a "control" module."
towards a clearer representation
"with the enthusiasm surrounding our upcoming designs paired with another company’s release of a seemingly similar device it appears to be a pertinent time to present some realities about monome."Title link takes you to more on the monome site. The other device is obviously Yamaha's Tenori-On and the advantage of the monome of course is an open platform.
via adam
Synthesizers.com Spring Reverb
Click here for shots via this auction
"This is a one-of-a-kind synth module--a Synthesizers.com spring reverb built into a Blacet / PAiA / Frac Rack sized faceplate. I did the conversion myself. The module began life as a Dotcom Q115, and no changes whatsoever have been made to anything except the faceplate. The legending is just a couple of inkjet-printed stickers; the two knobs control drive and wet/dry mix. The item comes with the original three-spring reverb tank, two RCA cables to hook it up, mounting screws, and a special Dotcom-to-Blacet power cable, that enables you to hook this directly up to Blacet power. The module works exactly as it would have in a Dotcom system--the power specs are identical.
The only caveat I have about this module is that it distorts fairly easily (same complaint people have with the Doepfer reverb), and you may find that you want to attenuate the signal somewhat before sending it in. What I did was to split my signal with a multiple, send one to the final mixer, and the other to an attenuator, then the reverb, and then the mixer, to be blended in there. You may not have a problem with this, if you tend not to push your other modules hard, picking up gain at each on the way. Finally, I found it most useful to place the reverb tank entirely outside my Frac Rack case, to minimize hum from the power. The cables are plenty long for doing this.
Here's the Synthesizers.com description: ' The Q115 Reverb module adds the traditional reverb effect to the sounds from your system. A 3-spring mechanical reverb tank is used similar to the units found in Fender guitar amplifiers. The operator has manual control over the initial reverb spring Drive and the Amount of reverb mixed into the output signal. Designed to operate with the large signals produced by other modules in the system.'"
Sequential Circuits Prophet-600
Title link takes you to shots via this auction. I wonder what impact the new Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 will have on the price of the old SCI Prophets. If anyone gets to A/B them, please post back.
Synth Brochures
via this auction
"Six brochures and/or catalogs covering synthesizers and studio gear. Items included are the Roland Juno 106 synthesizer (4 page brochure), Access synthesizer catalog (15 pages), Yamaha Electronic Musical Instruments catalog (2004-2005, 24 page). This catalog covers consumer grade Yamaha synths including the Yamaha Tyros (Not Pro Studio Synths), Yamaha O1X Digital Mixing Studio catalog (10 pages), Kawai MX-16 stereo mixer (2 sides), and Tannoy System 600 Near Field Monitor (2 sides). NOTE: The Roland Juno 106 and Access catalogs are damaged and Are Not collector grade. The Juno 106 has a slice that has been taped, with slight writing (see pic) and the Access Catalog has holes punched (1 taped). However the images are bright and clear and informative."
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MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
