MATRIXSYNTH: New Schmidt Analog Synth Debuts at the Musikmesse


Tuesday, April 05, 2011

New Schmidt Analog Synth Debuts at the Musikmesse

via John Bowen:
"I thought I’d get you the first news about a new, 8-voice all analog synthesizer debuting at Messe in the EMC/Moog Booth (along with the Solaris, Muse, Spektralis, and Mellotron stuff).

It has presets, it has 7 filters (3 ladder type, 4 state variable 12 dB set up as 2 ‘dual filters’) and 4 Oscs - each osc is a bit different. Something like 107 knobs on the thing!

The designer is Stefan Schmidt, but not the one who runs Native Instruments - it’s yet another ‘Smith’ in the synth world :-)

It’s got stereo outs, individual voice outs, and some control voltage inputs (I think 4). I’ll try to get you more info later.

By the way - it sounds great!

And it’s a REAL heavyweight synth - with the travel case (like an anvil case) it’s 55 kilos!!

p.s. we are starting production finally - I have 4 production units of Solaris at the show."

Update: trying to find out if this is the Stefan Schmidt from TBS/MAM mentioned here. If anyone knows feel free to comment or email.

Update 5/6: John Bowen confirmed it is the same Schmidt. The following is via Juergen Haible who is known for his own designs specifically in the Synth DIY world:

"That's *the* Stefan Schmidt, all right.

I've followed the development of this synth over the last 8 years or so, and have always been forced to keep my mouth shut and keep it a secret. So it finally has hit the Musikmesse and it's out in the open. From what I've seen and heard, this will be the most powerful analogue polysynth *ever*, if it goes into production. It's not the typical "modern" approach of having a knob-ladden panel connected to a small piece of electronics with specialized chips. On the contrary, it's stuffed with opamps and OTAs to the brim, and each of the endless filter functions is realized in such discrete hardware. An absolutely amazing design, from one of the most dedicated synth designers on this planet.

JH."

Rumors on the price? $25,000 euros. Only one is currently in existence.

Update 5/7:

MESSE11: Mother Of God - Its The Schmidt Polysynth

via Sonic State

Some highlights:
157 knobs - all parameters on the front panel.
Panel folds down.
LED color knob and colors can be saved per patch.
Four VCO at 8 voice polyphony for 32 analog oscillators.
Seven filters.
Many modulations per OSC, filter, etc.
Stereo.
New innovative functions - unique oscillator with four points modulation on OSC1, metallic oscillator that makes digital sounds, but is fully analog.
Schmidt made the MAM MB-33 - again, see this link for some history.
Schmidt started eight years ago on this synth. He spent six full years focused on it.

Update 4/8: some audio at the end. via D in the comments.

Musikmesse 2011 EMC Schmidt Synthesizer

YouTube Uploaded by MusicStoreTV on Apr 7, 2011

"MSTV auf der Musikmesse Frankfurt 2011 auf dem Stand bei EMC!

Schmidt Synthesizer
http://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/

Prototyp des 8 stimmigen Analog-Monster Schmidt.

http://news.musicstore.de/"

Update 4/8 5:19 PST:

Schmidt Synthesizer (Musikmesse 2011)

Uploaded by Moogulator on Apr 8, 2011
Video pan of the interface.
"8 Voice Schmidt Analog Synthesizer @ Musikmesse by sequencer.de synth database / blog"

Update 4/13: via D in the comments:

Schmidt Eightvoice Polyphonic Synthesizer video demo [Musikmesse 2011]

YouTube Uploaded by audiofanzinetv on Apr 13, 2011

24 comments:

  1. NICE looking synth!! :)
    Awesome design.

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  2. well, looks like they made the bahn sage.

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  3. Good one. :) Or the SMS 2000. For those not familiar with either, see these posts. Start at the bottom and work your way up.

    Can't wait to hear The Schmidt.

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  4. All those controls! I want one!

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  5. The company will probably sell 15 units at $12k a piece before they fold, and the Schmidt will go down in history as yet another failed over-ambitious, super-grandiose do-it-all synth ;)

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  6. Regarding the price - as mentioned above, but obviously it can’t be both $ and Euros. I heard 20,000 Euros, which would be about $28,000 at current exchange rates.

    The thing is, they don’t yet know really what the costs are completely, so after Messe I expect Schmidt and EMC will have a meeting to discuss all of that.

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  7. Compare that to the Jupiter-80! Looks great.

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  8. Is anyone going to post some sounds from this beast?!?! I'd love to hear it in action and hear the filters & oscillators also!

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  9. That was also really nice of John Bowen to give you the news!

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. Beautiful, but fail. node said a wise thing.

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  12. But it is an all analog polysynth. See? That stuff is expensive!

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  13. It's a fail as a commercial product, not as a synth.
    Synth is gorgeous no doubt (for those who want non-modular).

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  14. WOW that is incredible. Great sounds.

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  15. > (for those who want non-modular)

    And a poly.

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  16. Moar, sound demo at the end of this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqcjIkQUGCQ

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  17. moar nice sounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5_AQJXhDEQ

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  18. Any word on aftertouch? Polyphonic please?

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  19. some nice new sounds from this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3WmDCnQxME

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  20. James, it has a Fatar keyboard for this prototype, and Fatar does not make a Poly AT board...otherwise, you would see more synths with that feature.
    I really wanted to have that in the Solaris, however, there is no commercially available board for us to buy.

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  21. Just beautiful, impossibly unaffordably beautiful. Stick to software for those kinds of sounds now. Noone can attain this synth.

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  22. Sounds like some people on here need to find a new job... sure, I'd rather have six or seven different analog synths instead of spending $25K on a single synth, but people like Hans Zimmer won't even balk at picking up two or three of these. They will easily find 25 buyers worldwide.

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  23. i maybe would like to have this polyanalog instead of 5 or 6 monosynth's and some " not like this" polysynth's
    what a beast !

    ReplyDelete

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