Bontempi HF204 (middle '70) - Electro Harmonix Micro Synthesizer (1979 effect pedal) LiveJam

video upload by

"Bontempi HF204 (middle '70) 51 keys electronic organ Made in Italy
4 presets (Diapason, Reed, Violin, Clarinet), Bass Chord, Auto Chord, 6 Rhythm
Electro Harmonix Micro Synthesizer (1979 effect pedal)
https://www.classic2vintage.com/en/el..."

Bontempi Master HB 404 - Full Review

video upload by Vykaar Tones

[Update: moved this up as the embed was broken. Sorry about that. It should be good now. BTW, if you ever notice a broken video, leave a comment at the bottom of the post (comment link if coming off the main page) and I'll look into it. No login is required.]

"The HB 404 is the smallest model of the Master series from 1984 and the successor of the Minstrel Alfa. It has 40 mid-sized keys, 8 note polyphony, 6 sounds with sustain and single finger orchestra, 6 hythms, arpeggio and 2 chord modes.

Support this channel and buy a song or album on Bandcamp: https://keenonkeys.bandcamp.com

0:00 Intro
2:29 History
13:57 A Look Inside
18:11 Sounds
23:57 Rhythms
31:31 Conclusion
32:02 Successors
35:16 Final Performance

Listen to some tracks on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/user-229361059"

BONTEMPI BT-705 CIRCUIT BENT / SOUND TEST (a small synthesizer with big potential)

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by Parlee

"We present a test of the BONTEMPI brand synthesizer, model BT-705, with a custom modification of CIRCUIT BENT.

Signal chain (dry test version)
Bontempi BT-705 - Apogee Element 88 - Ableton 11 Live

Signal chain (with external reverb and delay)
Bontempi BT-705 - Apogee Element 88 - Ableton 11 Live - Valhalla Shimmer / Arturia Delay Eeternity

The first part shows the sound of the synthesizer itself without effects, the second focuses on the creative use of the BT-705 with external effects, in this case reverb and delay.

00:00 - START
00:14 - FEEDBACK KNOB
1:22 - PITCH SHIFT
1:54 - BIT MIX/MERGE
2:51 - MODIFICATION SOUND
3:10 - TEST WITH EXTERNAL EFFECTS
5:18 - BIG SOUND
7:40 - BIG SOUND 2
8:40 - BIG SOUND 3
10:30 - PAD SOUND"

via this auction

8 x banana cables included
Modifications:
8-Bit mixer/merger (on D/A converter)
Feedback knob with on/off switch (different tones with loudspeaker on and off )
Power glitch trigger ( it doesn't work every time you press it. It needs a bit of patience, especially when the instrument is in 2x slower mode. Description below.
Pitch shift switch (reduces 2x the sampling frequency - one octave)
Line output with volume regulation.
Speaker on/off switch

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Bontempi Memoplay

via this auction

Clearly a toy keyboard with built-in rhythms.

You can find a couple of other models, including a demo of one, in previous posts here. This appears to be the first post to feature this particular design.

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The Making of the DISORDER effect pedal by #Dreadbox #fuzz #disorder

video upload by Dreadbox

"Take a sneak peek of how Dreadbox developed the DISORDER Fuzz pedal.

DISORDER is a very aggressive fuzz pedal with a twist. It is equipped with a self-oscillating filter, that allows you to produce oscillating fuzz sounds.

Additionally it has a low pass and high pass filter, that makes it suitable for guitar and bass as well. Finally an envelope follower is also present, allowing you to create wah-wah sounds."

Disordered Spice, With the New Dreadbox Disorder Fuzz Filter | Sound Recipes #29

video upload by Reverb

"For spicy audio chaos, we're blasting through the rapid openings and closings of the new Dreadbox Disorder fuzz filter by using an EBow and guitar slide.

We're also using #KOUNTCHALLENGE drums, a Reverb-exclusive sample pack and stems by The Kount.

Find details on all the gear used and even more Sound Recipes here."

The disturbance in physical or mental health or functions. It could be defined as a set of problems, which result in causing significant difficulty, distress, impairment and/or suffering in a person’s daily life.

Dreadbox DISORDER is a very aggressive fuzz pedal with a twist. It is equipped with a self-oscillating filter, that allows you to produce oscillating fuzz sounds.

Additionally it has a low pass and high pass filter, that makes it suitable for guitar and bass as well. Finally an envelope follower is also present, allowing you to create wah wah sounds.

FULL ANALOG FILTER FUZZ
Advanced Oscillating Low Pass or High Pass Filter

Vintage Transistor based Aggressive Gated Fuzz

WIDE TONE RANGE
Excellent Low End response for Bass Guitars
Screaming High Pass Filter for Guitars

UNLIMITED VOLUME BOOST


EXPRESSIVE ENVELOPE FILTER

2 PATCH POINTS
to interact with CV

AVAILABLE for 115 € (excluding VAT)

Keen On Keys Home Keyboard Demos

Playlist:

Star Wars - CASIO PT-87 Autoplay
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - CASIO PT-82 Autoplay
Last Christmas - Yamaha SHS-10 Demo
American Patrol - Casio SA-7 Demo
Video Killed The Radio Star - Yamaha PS-3
Pocket Calculator - Casio VL-1
Oh! Susanna - Yamaha TYU-30 Autoplay
House Of The Rising Sun - Casio VL-5 Demo
Star Trek Theme - Yamaha PC-100 Playcard
Bontempi PM 665 Demo Song
Amstrad Fidelity CKX100 - Demo
Yamaha PSS-480 Demo (with custom voices)

The Bontempi KS5600 (is not great) - with Fostex XR-3 4 Track

video by ChrisLody

"So I have some time not to be in the studio working on music and sound design for Sonicware while I wait for the updated version of the XFM to arrive, so I spent it in the studio doing something else :D Same thing will likely happen tomorrow.

Today I chose to try to write something with just the Bontempi KS5600, but it's not a great keyboard! For a start the output is super super hot, like surface of the sun hot, so the Behringer mixer is there just to get the level down to something I can record. Even then it'll distort internally while playing chords if it's not turned down on the front panel which increases noise vs signal a lot. Uggh.

As far as I can tell from the sound it's an FM based board but a lot of the sounds are quite similar. I found nothing with even the slightest bit of vibrato and very little that has a nice fade in that would be useful for strings. So this was a bit of an uphill battle. Why do I do this to myself? :D

It was recorded on the Fostex XR3 with mixing done on the Inkel MX880E and effects added from the Zoom 1201. Kind of messed up the video of the bottom left frame, but the whole thing is a bit of a mess so never mind..."

Giro | All Italian synth and pedal jam

HAINBACH

"I don't know if it is just my perception, but I feel in the recent years Italy has become a hotbed of pedal and synth creation. Since I have been send a few outstanding instruments from that beautiful country I thought I would try and bring them all together.

The main rhythm comes from the circuit bent Bontempi System 5 606 [below], which is crushed by the AC Noises AMA reverb/bitcrusher. The Liquid Foam [posted here] synth gets the audio from the AT 606 into its clock in, and acts as an automatic bassline because of that. Hypnotic echoes from the Mastro Valvola add to its spaced out tone, and at some point I switch on the Splinter from Chirality Audio for fuzzyness. The Chirality Audio prototype patchbay "Mesh" routes all audio to where it belongs, finally into the Fostex X28H four track. There the orchestral pads come from, which are recorded from the Bontempi onto a tape loop and played back at half-speed. All recorded with no overdubs into Live as a stereo track."

The Idea Machine - Circuit Bent Bontempi System 5


"I have enjoyed the sound of circuit bent instruments for a long time - there is something special in modded toy instruments. From primitive or rather innocent circuits and sounds comes a strange madness. The Bontempi AT 606 bent by Joris Biesmanns holds a special place in my heart - I once wrote a complete 12 track soundtrack based on it in five days. "

Bontempi Rhythm Box RB 5 SN 36510181

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

This one was spotted and sent in via M Me. This is the first one to be featured on the site.

"Super rare rhythm box from the 70s.

The following rhythms can be selected and combined with one another:

- Waltz
- swing
- slow rock
- Skirt
- Latin

The professional has replaced the 3-pin audio plug with a 6.3 mm mono jack plug."

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Bontempi Minstrel Alfa keyboard demo

Published on May 29, 2020 Alfonse

"Bontempi Minstrel Alfa HB402 keyboard (1983)
All sounds you hear in the track were made using the Minstrel Alfa. All parts were recorded to a DAW, where compression, EQ, delay and reverb were added as required. I sampled the piano voice and played it as a virtual instrument in order to access lower notes than are possible on the Minstrel keyboard itself - otherwise these tunes end up being a bit heavy on the upper-mids. Individual drum hits were sampled and processed to allow fresh beats to be built, rather than using the rhythms found on the Minstrel.

The aim of these videos is to see what you can create using sounds from retro classic keyboards together with current production tools. The Minstrel is a super-simple keyboard from the early 80s with analogue drums and (I think...) analogue voices as well.

Music (C) Copyright 2020 Alfonse
A hidden bonus track on: https://alfonse.bandcamp.com/album/f"

VINTAGE 80S BONTEMPI X201 KEYBOARD w/ Keybed Cover

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

You can find a demo of one here.

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Bontempi HF232.20 rare electronic keyboard organ rhythm preset machine SN 40320139

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Note the headphone out jack is actually labelled "EAR."

"Main features:
44 fullsize keys

polyphony 8 notes (only 4 with accompaniment)

4 combinable OBS preset sounds {flute, strings, brass, oboe} selected by locking switches

6 OBS preset rhythms {waltz, slow rock, swing, disco, rock, latin} selected by locking switches

vibrato switch

fingered & single finger chord

chord memory switch (means simply that chord is held when releasing keys)

manual chord mode switch (labelled "automatic)

tempo slider

master & rhythm volume slider

main voice is squarewave without envelope, muffled through capacitors

analogue percussion {base, snare, hihat, clave}; cymbals and snare are made from transistor noise.

main ICs "AMI 8233MAB, 27430510" (40 pin DIL) + "AMI 8301XU, 27430520" (24 pin DIL)

mains operated

headphone & line out jack

large built-in speaker (in the case bottom, makes nice bass)"

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Bontempi memoplay - monophonic organ with sequencer

Published on Feb 10, 2020 lo fidgerald

"Bontempi memoplay & Boss dr 110

I made some modifications
pitch / aux / tremolo / 8 bit sound / trig in-out / volume / hold"

Bontempi memoplay

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Vintage Synth keyboard which can record and play back phrases .there's an output and volume pot added to the side and a playback tempo control under the unit. Has one sound only but can get some freaky sounds with effects etc and using the volume control on the side to swell"

Kind of interesting that this one has memory.

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Bontempi MS40 Music Partner Synthesizer & Electroharmonix Microsynth

Published on Jan 21, 2020 Ben de la Garza

"pickedup this great little square wave generating analog synth at a thrift store. Using the EHX microsynth filters on it"

Bontempi Master X201 Keyboard - Sounds

Published on Aug 14, 2019 waterdropmusic

"Playing some sounds from the Italian made Bontempi Master x201 Keyboard. This instrument sounds nice and mellow."

Bontempi Memoplay 26 1980s

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Origin: Italy

Power requirements: 4 C Batteries

Monophonic

Cosmetic condition: Excellent condition with some light wear and some very slight lift off of the sticker. Condition is an 8.5 or 9 out of 10.

Operational condition: Fully-functional

Description: A rare and ridiculously fun keyboard that allows you to play a passage slowly and then hit "play" and here it played back at normal speed. There is not much control over the play back or much of any perimeter on this little vintage unit but that's part of the fun. It's a musical box of surprises and it consistently spits back inconsistent, weird musical ideas that are really inspiring.
An awesome piece for melody writing and for studio experimentation."

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Retro Review & Demo - Bontempi Minstrel Alfa Mini Keyboard

ChrisLody
Published on Aug 12, 2017

"A quick review and demo of the Bontempi Minstrel Alfa

A portable keyboard with a fair bit of character!"

organfairy's oldest surviving cover

Published on Dec 2, 2013 organfairy·400 videos

"This is not a very good cover of "Video killed the radio star" by the Buggles. But it gives an idea on how I was playing in 1995. The way this botch job was done is that I recorded the drum machine and bass on a tape recorder. Then I transferred this recording to another tape recorder (actually the one I use in this video - Beocord 2000 de luxe) while mixing in some more sound. Then I transferred this recording back to the first tape recorder again and continued in this fashion untill I had build up the arrangement. Unfortunately this method adds another layer of noise for every transfer - we were back in the analog days - and that can be heard in the beginning.

The instruments I used was: Casio SA-1 and SA-3 toy keyboards, Bontempi KS-3400 ditto, Boss OC-2 octaver, Roland CR-1000 drum machine and SH-2000 synthesizer (at that time my only profesional instruments) and Kawai MS-20 toy-but-not-so-much-as-the-before-mentio­ned keyboard.

There is a little doubt whether this is actually my oldest surviving cover. I also did "Waiting for another chance" by Endgames the same weekend. But I'm not sure which one I did first. My oldest cover doesn't exist anymore. I remember doing 'Kissing in the back row of the movies' on a Philips N4407 as a multiplay project. But I must have erased that since I couldn't find it anywhere."

Bontempi Eclipse

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction

Video added below.

"Bontempi Eclipse, Vintage Italian Synth/keyboard. 100% functional. excellent condition. 2 arpeggio styles, preset rythms and a 16 step programmable drum sequencer. Fun preset sounds like 'space'"

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