Big Ideas (don't get any)

YouTube via r2builder
be sure to see Bohemian Rhapsody and Funky Town!
"Video by James Houston
jim@1030.co.uk
1030.co.uk
--------

I graduated from the Glasgow School of Art's graphic design course. This was my final project.

Radiohead held an online contest to remix "Nude" from their album - "In Rainbows" This was quite a difficult task for everybody that entered, as Nude is in 6/8 timing, and 63bpm. Most music that's played in clubs is around 120bpm and usually 4/4 timing. It's pretty difficult to seamlessly mix a waltz beat into a DJ set.

This resulted in lots of generic entries consisting of a typical 4/4 beat, but with arbitrary clips from "Nude" thrown in so that they qualified for the contest.

Thom Yorke joked at the ridiculousness of it in an interview for NPR radio, hinting that they set the competition to find out how people would approach such a challenging task.

I decided to take the piss a bit, as the contest seemed to be in that spirit.

Based on the lyric (and alternate title) "Big Ideas: Don't get any" I grouped together a collection of old redundant hardware, and placed them in a situation where they're trying their best to do something that they're not exactly designed to do, and not quite getting there.

It doesn't sound great, as it's not supposed to.

I missed the contest deadline, so I'm offering it here for you to enjoy.

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Guitars (rhythm & lead)
Epson LX-81 Dot Matrix Printer - Drums
HP Scanjet 3c - Bass Guitar
Hard Drive array - Act as a collection of bad speakers - Vocals & FX"

Jam Jar demo + jam! and Chicken Box Synth Demo

Jam Jar demo + jam! from The Amazing Rolo on Vimeo.
You might remember the jar from this Light and Sound Devices post.
"The Jam Jar is a small light-responsive digital synthesizer made out of a couple of dollars worth of parts and housed in a jam jar. In this video I show it off and make some music with it using Ableton Live and a guitar.

check out my other projects:
theamazingrolo.net
wiiloopmachine.com"


Chicken Box Synth Demo from The Amazing Rolo on Vimeo.
"Playing around with a new synth I've just made as part of the research for my "Don't Talk Back" project. The three knobs do things to change the sound in ways I don't really understand. The button generates the sound. The jar contains a homemade 1W amplifier."

Handmade Music 4-16-09

YouTube via makemagazine. via The Voice of Saturn
"Projects and performances seen at the monthly Handmade Music event - a science fair / party of strange, new DIY musical creations held at 3rd Ward, Brooklyn."

Kawai K5M Repair on Sequence 15

more images and the post on Sequence 15

inside a Kawai K5M

"The half on the left, laying flat, is the front panel. The right half is the rear half."

sid_2_leather1

flickr by mesak
(click for more)

Leather SID

full size

ROLAND ANNOUNCES JUNO-G VERSION 2.0

"Los Angeles, CA, April 27, 2009 — Roland Corporation, U.S. is proud to announce the release of a major system upgrade for the JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard, adding Fantom-series audio sampling functionality that you can use alongside all the other powerful JUNO-G features.

The Version 2.0 software upgrade is a free and easy download. In minutes, you’ll be sampling, chopping, and sequencing your new sounds. Included in the JUNO-G Version 2.0 upgrade are these new features:

* Sample audio from external sources or import audio phrases from the removable flash memory.
* Samples can be assigned to trigger from the JUNO-G’s function buttons or the JUNO-G’s keyboard.
* Velocity and note number can be assigned individually for each sample.
* Adjust Start, End and Loop points using the JUNO-G’s front panel control knobs.
* Advanced sampling editing such as Truncate, Normalize, Emphases, Sample Chop and Combine are included.
* Samples can automatically match BPM in real-time to changes made to the tempo of your song.

To download JUNO-G Version 2.0 software upgrade, please visit: LINK"

DIY Sequencers and a Minimoog Music

YouTube via nathanielscott
"I am trying to figure out a good ways to use my two DIY eight step sequencers and a multi-frequency clock in conjunction with a good synth (like the minimoog used in this video) to make musical real-time music. This session was OK but I would like to develop a system of switching between sequencers to vary the patterns even more than I do in this vid. BTW, if you don't like the music at least fast forward to 7:39 and listen to the fat patch I dial in at the end.

I would like to once again thank the Reuseum in Boise for providing the parts for the sequencers!"

Kurzweil K250 Complete Sound Library

via this auction via gpoltrock in the comments of this post
"complete set of original disks for the famous, groundbreaking Kurzweil K250 keyboard as used by Stevie Wonder, Paul Schaffer, Kenny Rogers and others. There are 12 boxes of 10 disks each. 120 disks that include a great variety of sounds: piano, guitar, choir, drums, bells, harpsichord, ethnic, sound effects and more. Eleven of the boxes include documentation on the sounds and install process.

Of course, you have to have a Kurzweil K250 of RMX to use these and I offer these disks not really expecting much interest as the K250 sold for around $11,000 in the early 80s. 4000 were manufactured and there are probably few around in working order. Not being familiar with the instrument’s operation, I wonder if an old Macintosh computer is needed, too. The documentation states:

'The sound library is a growing collection of Kurzweil sounds on Macintosh disks accessible to you for playing in your K250 or RMX through QLS and the sound modeling program.'

The QLS might be a faster sound loading system for the 250... using the Mac instead of the floppy on the keyboard. It then lists the procedure on how to load a Kurzweil sound library disk using QLS. (Quick Load System)."

Jarrography - Jean Michel Jarre Synthography and More

Click here for a list of instruments used by Jean Michel Jarre on Jarrography. Each synth listed has a link to more info and images.

Pictured:
The MOOG III and the RMI Harmonic Synthesizer

via Mr. Array

Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 Synthesizer

via this auction

PAiA Modular

via this auction

"In the first enclosure there are two 4770 Watt Block power modules for 8 and 18 VDC, there is a 4740 Envelope Generator, a 4710 Balanced Modulator, a 2720-12 Inverter Buffer and a 2720-11 Envelope Follower.

In the second enclosure there is a 4771 Regulated Power complex power generator with variable voltages and polarities (rare), a 4730 Voltage Controlled Filter, a 4711 Four Into Two Mixer, a 4761 Wing power block, a 4720 Voltage Controlled Oscillator, two 4710 Balanced Modulators and a 4750 Control Oscillator Noise Generator.

There is included also the May 1973 Radio-Electronics article by John Simington (PAiA founder and recently unfortunately passed) titled Build A Modular Electronic Synthesizer wich provides wonderful background and support infos for the line of PAiA synth modules.

Also included are original copies of the documents for the 2720-1 Voltage Controlled Amplifier, 2720-2A Voltage Controlled Oscillator, 2720-3B Voltage Controlled Filter (Band-Pass), 2720-3L Voltage Controlled Filter (Low-Pass), 2720-4 Function Generator, 2720-5 Control Oscilator / Noise Source, 2720-7 Power Supply, 2720-8 Keyboard/Case ( and the assembly diagrams, the 2720-11 Envelope Follower/Trigger, 2720-12 InverterBuffer, and 2720-14 Sine Converter / Pulse Width Modulator. These manuals provide a great amount of context for the 4700 modules and included schematics are basic to the functions they describe. There is also a wealth of information out on the net as you'd expect detailing the internals and functions of these PAiA modules. Check out http://www.synthdiy.com/files/2008/4700ug.pdf which is a User Guide for the 4700/S synth system.

These hip PAiA pieces have come into their own recently as Doepfer, Moog, etc, modules have skyrocketed in price and the vintage analog synth community recognized in the PAiA modules the value engineering and forward thinking design John Simington employed when he created this line of analog treaures.

There are a number of great articles about this fine (very underrated, known as "Poor Man''s Buchla" in some hip synth circles) series of vintge synth modules. One article is http://www.johnnypumphandle.com/johnny/Paia/paia.htm, but the most comprehensive is the legendary http://www.musicofplexus.com/paia4700/. In this extensive photo journal essay one can see the scope and depth of the capabilities of these modules when properly handled and with only quite modest upgrades made (High quality caps, ten turn pots on teh VCOs, etc)"

PAIA Stringz n Thingz - Vintage String Synthesizer

via this auction

"the Assembly & Operation Manual is typewritten."

Farfisa Syntorchestra

via this auction

not the best shots, but you don't see these often.

Roland SH 101

via this auction
"Monophonic analog synthesizer with 4 mixable oscillators (pulse/PWM, saw, noise, sub-oscillator), -18 dB/octave resonant LPF, multi-wave LFO, fast ADSR envelope, arpeggiator and step sequencer.
Oscillator (VCO)
* Range: 16'/8'/4'/2', waveforms: pulse/PWM, saw
* PWM: manual, envelope, LFO
* Sub-oscillator: square -1 oct., square -2 oct., pulse -2 oct.
* Mixer: pulse, saw, sub-oscillator, noise
Filter (VCF)
* Resonant/self-oscillating, -18 dB/octave low-pass
* Modulation: LFO, envelope, keyfollow
Envelope generator
* ADSR envelope
* Range: A: 1,5 ms .. 4 s, D: 2 ms .. 10 s, S: 0 .. 100%, R: 2 ms .. 10 s
* Modes: envelope+gate, gate, triggered by LFO
Amplifier (VCA)
* Mode: gate, envelope
Modulator (LFO)
* Frequency: 0,1 .. 30 Hz
* Waveform: triangle, square, random/S&H, noise
* Destination: VCO pitch, VCO PW, VCF cutoff, VCA
Sequencer
* Arpeggiator (up, down, up and down)
* 100-step sequencer
Controls
* 2,5-octave keyboard (32 keys)
* Pitch bender, mod lever (VCO/VCF LFO depth)
Connections
* CV/gate input
* External clock input (for arpeggiator/sequencer"

Syndrum Drum Synth

via this auction
"Used by many of the 70's-early 80's drummers. Was made famous by the disco tune 'Ring My Bell' by Anita Ward. This is much more than a disco sound, it's flexible and very cool synth. Even Terry Bozzio (big haired drum god) used to rock one of these back in the day. This can also be triggered via CV which is nice. I triggered with a 707 drum machine and it worked like a charm. Comes with pad, control pedal and power adapters for 240V and 120V. Nice."

Yamaha CS60 Modded with MIDI

via this auction
"Here's some feature of the Kenton MIDI retrofit: For incoming MIDI:
- Any MIDI channel can be selected
- Notes (MIDI note numbers 36 - 96) - transpose possible
- Program change (numbers 1 - 14 top row and 17 to 30 bottom row)
- Pitchbend - (bends up and down a second)
- Mod Wheel (switch to enable)
- Filter cutoff frequency (of low pass filter)
- Portamento
- Sustain
- Volume
By default:
- pitchbend is controlled by pitchbend messages
- mod wheel is controlled by Mod Wheel (CC#1) and also by Aftertouch messages
- filter cutoff is controlled by CC#16
- resonance is controlled by CC#17
- Volume is controlled by MIDI volume (CC#7)
- Sustain is controlled by Sustain (CC#64)
- Portamento is controlled by Portamento (CC#65)

however, any controller or aftertouch or velocity can be mapped to control other things so for example velocity could be mapped to control volume."

video below




Yamaha CS 60 demonstration
YouTube via kyleresumevideo

Björn Schülke - Supersonic #1, Responsive Sonic Interface, 2007

YouTube via MediaArtTube
"The white glossy object houses a theremin which responds to the proximity of a viewer, emitting a range of bass frequency notes.
Interface: Theremin, digital delay, 9' inch subwoofer, motion sensor, fiberglass, wood, car paint More info: http://www.schuelke.org/"

Circuit bent Hing Hon EK-001 - New Video modulation options

YouTube via frostedminipete
"Well, here's a clip of the craziest visuals you can get with this thing. I may not be making any more of these soon, I'm almost out... plus I'm so tired of making them! The last one I'm putting on eBay is for sale now"

Mattson Mini Modular on Twitter

http://twitter.com/MMModsynth
http://mattsonminimodular.com/

Serge Creature controlled by cardboard box

YouTube via JargMarbin.

video response to EVI Serge by vgermuse. Also see these.

"This is a cardboard box with a contact-mic ($1 piezo buzzer) controlling a Serge Creature. It's essentially the same patch I used on the previous video using the HSS2, except I have an oscillator controlling the VC GAIN at the begining to get a tighter sound. If you look closely you should see the brightness of the green light increase after a trigger pulse is received; since the decay of this oscillator is set long, it only can receive a trigger pulse once in a given interval (the first knob adjustment shortens it). Later in the vid voltage is removed from VC GAIN and the sound gets crazier."

Serge Creature controlled by audio from Hardware Software Synth 2 from Gijs Gieskes


"I realize it sounds really crazy, that's the point of this demonstration. I'm sure my neighbors hate me. The left channel is the sound of the Serge Creature (Sound Transform Systems). The right channel is the output from the Hardware Software Synth 2 (HSS2) (http://gieskes.nl). The audio input from the HSS2 is removed from the Creature several times begining at 2:39 to demonstrate the constant pitch of the oscillators without input from the HSS2. The audio output of the HSS2 is being piped into the Creature at the filter's TRIG input and AGC IN, and at the the oscillator's TRIG input. The Creature's black OUT jack is feeding back into the HSS2, which is making it's own sounds and applying effects to the incoming signal, before routing to an amplified mixer and coming back to the aforementioned connections on the Creature. The Creature's 1/4" output jack carries the signal you hear in the video."

Bug-updates April2009 (General + Modular)

via the BugBrand mailing list.

"Hi All,

While I've been quiet on the mailing lists, plenty of work has been going on here..

[I'm sending this mail to both the General list and the Modular list - usually I'd do these separately, but there's a fair crossover here - if you've got the message twice that'll be because you are on both lists, so sorry for the double-posting]

Small news:
- BugShop Stock - including WOM kits & Weevils
- Modular Developments
- other little bits'n'pieces

**********************************************
***ShopStock -> http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/shop.html ***
**********************************************
I just got back from a couple of workshop events in Spain, so have made up some more WOM kits - now available through the online shop
Actually, many of these have already sold, but I should have further kits available over the next couple of weeks.
Have a read, also, of the BugBlog post about the new boards used (red with gold-trim!) and showing pics of the recent workshops: http://bugbrand.blogspot.com/2009/04/workshops-woms.html
And check the forum thread about the WOM kits: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2174

BoardWeevils & PostcardWeevils are also currently back in-stock + again, there will be more coming over the next couple of weeks.

************************
***Modular Developments***
************************
The BugModular continues to grow - though, sorry to say, availability is still limited to the initial 12 system users.
Some new modules have been announced - http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/modular.html
Plus some pics of the new prototype PortaCase on the BugBlog - http://bugbrand.blogspot.com/2009/04/bugmodular-portacase-proto-new-modules.html

Basically, at this stage I am just adding names of people interested to the BugModular mailing list - hopefully in a few months time I will be able to expand to offering some further systems.
The work on the initial systems is going well though it is busy and constant!

********************
***Other Little Things***
********************
No concrete plans as yet on new standalone BugCrushers or AudioWeevils - some background work is going, but nothing can be confirmed as yet - it is all a matter of time (or lack of)!

This weekend in Bristol: Interesting Sounds at the Arnolfini, Bristol - many people talking about a wide variety of audio ideas etc - inc. myself, just before lunchtime.
11am -> 5pm - http://arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/music/details/255

And the following Sunday (May 3rd) - Depth of Field at the Cube Cinema, Bristol - TomBugs (Modular) vs. Nahum Mantra (Theremin) plus several other live performances.
8pm onwards - http://microplex.cubecinema.com/cgi-bin/diary/programme.pl#4472 //&&// http://www.myspace.com/depthoffieldbristol

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I think that covers the most things for now.
Thanks and best wishes to all.
& enjoy the spring sunshine if you can.

Tom"

The Harvestman on Twitter

http://twitter.com/harvestman
http://theharvestman.org/

Elektron Monomachine+Machinedrum Live Jam 10

YouTube via MikaTechnika
"Elektron Machinedrum SPS-1UW MK2 and Monomachine SFX-60 MK2
no edits, just limiter"

moss V3

YouTube via Space4Keys

Puremagnetik Blip

YouTube via Puremagnetik
"Puremagnetik's Blip a unique collection of instruments, kits and looped beats sourced from the original Atari 2600 sound chip. Blip is now available for Ableton Live 7, Kontakt 3 and Logic 8. Blip instantly transforms the user's DAW into a lo-fi and gritty sound source containing the full sonic palette from classic video games such as Pong and Space Invaders. Each sample program contains raw waveforms from the Atari 2600 that have been layered and processed for use in modern software samplers. Additionally, Blip comes packed with a collection of hot and crispy loops in Ableton Live Clip, Apple Loops (for Logic) and Beat Machine (for Kontakt) formats."

Vintage Organs Volume 1

YouTube via Puremagnetik
"Sophisticated organ instruments based on the Ace Tone Phenix and GT7. Vintage Organs Volume 1 has been meticulously assembled to authentically recreate these classics."

Jazzy House Music feat. RozzBox Oddulator and Roland MC909

YouTube via corporozzidentity
"I initially wanted to make an Oddulator Demonstration, and played around with a house pattern. At some point liked the meditative vibe and noodling so much that I had to record this video, although it may be not too enlightening concerning the Oddulator :) Well, but at least, as you see: Its capable of doing a nice house bass. MC909 does drums and "Rhodes"..."

Killer PCBs - How to Make Printed PCBs

"This instructable demonstrates the process for making printed circuit boards with features as small as 0.005 suitable for LQFP or QFN ICs using negative dry film photoresist. This will enable you to handle just about any kind of integrated circuit available--even ball grid array! Pictured are boards with a TSSOP-14, QFN-40 packages using a .65mm pitch and zero insertion force flex sockets with .5mm pitch."

Waldorf Microwave "Wavetable Synthesizer"

YouTube via retrosound72

"vintage synth demo by RetroSound

Waldorf Microwave Mk1 Revision A with curtis filter CEM3389, the direct successor of the PPG Wave

The sound of the Microwave Mk1 (real hybrid synth) and Microwave Mk2 (DSP based synth) is absolute different."

The HOG Nails The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"

YouTube via EHX

"http://www.ehx.com Visit EHX.com for user videos, our blog, community fourms, and lots more! For more HOG product info, see: http://www.ehx.com/products/hog Indulge your senses! The award winning HOG (Harmonic Octave Generator) is a totally polyphonic guitar synthesizer offering complete control of up to 10 interval pitches. NO glitches and NO special pickup needed. Generate extreme sub bass to powerful multi-octave chords. Convert your 6 string into a 12 string, create a realistic B3 organ. Amazing on guitar but works well with any instrument. * Flawless polyphonic glitch-free tracking across the entire range! * Controllable harmonic intervals: -2 octaves, -1 octave, Original note, +5th, +1 octave, +1 octave +5th, +2 octaves, +2 octaves + 3rd, +3 octaves, +4 octaves. * Works directly from your instrument's output * Expression pedal (included) with 7 selectable expression modes: +/- 1 octave and 1 step pitch bend, freeze + gliss, volume, wah and filter frequency * Pitch Bend expression mode turns the HOG into a whammy pedal * Freeze expression mode is a new guitar effect never heard before. Freeze allows the musician to freeze a note or chord so you can play over it or slide to new notes just like a keyboardist would do when using portamento * Dedicated resonant filtering with sweepable frequency control * Amplitude envelope control allowing the musician to lengthen a note's attack, for swell effects, or to increase a note's decay speed * Separate lower and upper harmonic region amplitude envelopes * MIDI in allows expression control using MIDI pitch bend * 9LDC-500 power supply included" Update via Scott of EHX:
"Bill Ruppert, a studio musician in Chicago, created this neat video in which he uses an Electro-Harmonix HOG to recreate the very well-known synth sounds from The Who's 'Won't Get Fooled Again.'

My understanding is that in the original song, Pete Townsend combined a 1968 Lowrey Berkshire Deluxe TBO-1 organ with an EMS VCS3 mk1 synthesizer. Bill gets damn close with his Electro-Harmonix HOG, plus a bit of echo from his Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai."

Roland VP-330 vocoder jamming at Analog Sweden

YouTube via AnalogSweden
"Fredrik Segerfalk laying down some vocoder riffs on the Roland VP-330 in the Analog Sweden studio. The track is from DJ Devastates coming album, "Movement Silence". This was the final test of the VP-330 after a total re-calibration for a client. Too bad we had to return it, since it was great fun!
http://www.analogsweden.com/blog"

Bent Festival 2009

YouTube via eddie23a
Bent Festival 2009 : Lesley Flanigan - Speaker Synth
Bent Festival 2009 : Tristan Perich - Impulse Manifold
Bent Festival 2009 : Burnkit 2600
Bent Festival 2009 : Pixel Form
Bent Festival 2009 : Boring Machine
Bent Festival 2009 : Playboy's Bend
Bent Festival 2009 : Computer at Sea

STARMATE 8906 KEYBOARD by S-CAT

YouTube via PHONICPOTION. S-CAT/PHONICPOTION on Ebay
"CIRCUIT BENT WITH 3 MODIFICATIONS"

VOPM+FLStudio - Japanese Master System BIOS

YouTube via benanderson88
"Japanese Master System BIOS using VOPM in FLStudio8. This song is hardware accurate, although I couldn't get the instruments to sound exactly like the real thing. Its close enough."