via this auction "The world wide famous Eminent 310 unique organ. Famous because of Mr. Jean Michel Jarre uses the organ with the wonderfull string ensemble sound. Everyone knows the famous SOLINA/ARP string ensemble. This Eminent 310 organ is from the same factory as the ARP/Solina. If you think both instruments (Eminent/Solina) sound exactly the same, you got it wrong. Both instrument used the same oscilators for the string ensemble sound. The SOLINA sounds wonderfull. But the Eminent sound went through 6(!) extra ways before you hear the rich and heavenly string ensemble sound. Listen to the music of JMJ and you will know what you buy. This fully analog organ (or call it a fully polyphonic synthesizer??) with 2x3,5oktave strings ensemble is for sale!!!!
At this moment the EMINENT 310 unique STANDARD version I will sell, is in used, NOT restored condition. That means: the organ is full complete (no broken parts), but you have to clean/restore the organ yourself. Restoring is possible, ask for details about restoring by me." BIN Of $499
via this auction "This organ, still used by Mr. Jean Michel Jarre in his famous albums oxygene and equinoxe. The best string ensemble sound ever made, no sample is better, just the original analogue sound from the original Eminent 310 unique theatre organ. The Eminent 310 unique STANDARD model is totally hard to find, I am searching months and months, I am afraid there is no one in the Netherlands. No problem, this Eminent 310 unique theatre model is technical EXACTLY the same as the STANDARD model. (even JMJ owns this theatre model). We have the best experience with restoring this unique organ, I even think we are the only from Holland who still will restore this Eminent. If we say fully restored, we mean fully restored (restoring the small faders inside, removing and replacing over 700 key contacts inside, restoring every on/off switch, replacing noisy capicitors, even it is possible to replace all new capacitors (ask for special price)."
I love the sound the string ensemble in the Eminent 310 and also the sound of the Korg Minipops 7.
This is another simple track with these two instruments being used as the main source. I do also use my Roland XP80 on this track. The inside hardware pictures are not from the Eminent, but are pictures from my good old Korg PS3100... which I now have sold.... :o("
Published on Oct 5, 2016 KWILLU
Update: Re-Published on Oct 7, 2016 KWILLU
"Trach Name: Under The Northern Lights
This melody is the master and mixed just for good headphones and good HI-FI Speakers.
Not for the kitchen radio and mobile phone Speakers.
The deep bass from the Eminent 310 will not hear the kitchen radio and the mobile phone.
All sounds are analog. Have only used Solina Eminent 310 and korg Ms 20.
Drum sampel from vinfage drum machine.
Better sound mix and mastering will come later on Spotify and other online stores
Sound from Eminent 310
1. String+Small Stone Phaser
2. Sustian ligt String
3. Deep Bass
4. Plucks
5. Tibia 16
YouTube via SplitTheBeam "This was an experiment to find out if I could re-create Jarre's Oxygene Part 2 using only freeware VSTi plugins (this is a recording I made using Cakewalk Sonar 4). None of the sounds I have used come from commercial applications, they are all freeware and cost me nothing. My respect and admiration goes out to the people who created these plugins. There are NO samples taken from the original recording. This recording runs about 5 bpm faster than the original.
For the general Pad sound I used the J M Jarre Pad setting on the SuperwaveP8 VST.
The string sound is also a SuperwaveP8 preset called (not surprisingly) J M Jarre Strings. The trick with the Jarre string sounds is the phaser effect you apply to them. Jarre used an Electroharmonix Small Stone phaser, I found a pretty good emulator called the Classic Phaser* (see TECH UPDATE at bottom of page). There is also a short mixed back delay to give a feeling of openess to the sound.
The Wind sound was generated by the NK1001 VST analogue synth emulator.
All the laser shot FX were generated by using the retrofex setting on the NK 1001 then adjusting the LFO frequency pot manually to create the desired effect. Using this method you can recreate the short pings as well as the long descending tones you hear prominently in the intro. To complete the effect I passed it through a stereo delay, dry sound 100% to the left, delay feedback 100% to the right. This makes the laser sound skip across the speakers like the original.
The bass sound was created using a VST called Transcender with a short delay so the bass notes bounce back. This underpins the rhythm.
The intro sequence was created using the KaoS VST sine-pad. However, three notes from the sequence are picked out and played on the Transcender bass set up only in a high octave, this sound is run through a delay to give it the spacey beep you can hear mixed in with the main KaoS sequence. The advantage of this is you can keep the beep going after the intro sequence has faded out.
The pizzicato (or 'pluck') style sound used for the main melody in the first half is an Eminant 310 sound font played through a sound font player. The font came from a thread on BlahBlah café, a discussion forum dedicated to Jarre and his music. The font player I used was the Fontaminator.
BlahBlah Café was also the source for the Korg Minipops 7 wave files. This came as a complete set of individual sounds that I loaded into the SR 202 drum machine VST.
The flute sound used for the main theme in the second half is created by the Synth1 VST. This uses a similar delay to the bass sound only slightly longer causing the main sound to hang back off the rhythm. The effect of this is a more organic feel to my performance. The real genius of Jarre is his ability to make electronic music sound so expressive.
The french horn type sound under the flute in the second half of the track is made by the Crystal1 VST.
The Mellotron choir at the end is made by the MellowSound VST, an excellent Mellotron emulator.
The sea-shore effect under the second half of the track is the General MIDI standard sound preset 122, any number of freeware synths will give you this effect. I simply used the MIDI voice on my sound card.
The key to creating Jarre sounds is in the work you do to the finished track. Once you have got the sounds close enough you can add effects and EQ, also the final mix will change how they interact and behave sonically. Dont be afraid to experiment and try things out but most of all, enjoy.
*TECH UPDATE: If you are looking for the Jarre string sound I've found some great resources. The Nomad Factory have ceased support of their 'Warmer Phaser' and have made it available as freeware. It has an adjustable valve simulator which creates fantastic warm tones just like the Electroharmonix Small Stone phaser. Used in conjunction with an Eminent 310 string sound font or the Stringer VST (also freeware) it's possible to create an exact sonic replica of the sound Jarre used on Oxygene.
Eminent 310 soundfonts can be found at www.perkristian.net/Eminent_310_Unique_S oundfonts.htm
(the Oxygene pt. 2 'pluck' soundfont can also be found here).
A BIG thank you to the wonderful people involved with this project for keeping the 310 sounds alive, I strongly recommend you check out the rest of the website dedicated to the E 310!"
Update: new playlist with intro video. The two videos featuring the Eminent 310 follow.
"Equinoxe 5 I played on Eminent 310 portable MK1, Juno 106 and Reason V4.
All credits go to Jean Michel Jarre who is the composer and played the original."
"RE-STRINGS is our Rack Extension version of the award winning VSM and contains a selection of its most popular and iconic String Ensembles including: ARP Quadra, Crumar Multiman, Elka Rhapsody, Eminent 310, Freeman String Symphonizer, Godwin String Orchestra, Hohner K4, Junost 21, Korg Lambda, Korg PE2000, Logan String Melody II, Mellotron Violins, Moog Opus III, Roland VP330, ARP Solina, Technics KN200, Yamaha CE-25 & Yamaha SS-30.
With it's dual layer capability, it's possible to load the classic string ensemble sounds from years gone by or create your own hybrid ensembles.
Legal Notice
All musical instrument manufacturer and product names are trademarks of their respective owners and in no way associated or affiliated with GForce Software Ltd. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose sounds and technical data were studied for this instrument. All names of instrument inventors have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement of GForce Software Ltd."
Billy Currie talks String Synths, VSM & RE-STRINGS
Published on Apr 11, 2017 GForce Software
"During the process of creating patches for RE-STRINGS Rack Extension, we talked with Billy Currie about his use of String Ensemble keyboards over the years and how the Elka Rhapsody and Yamaha SS-30 contributed to some of Ultravox's classic tracks.
Billy also talks about how valuable the VSM and RE-STRINGS libraries are to him and how they've been used in his latest album, Doppel."
Freeman String Symphonizer
Published on Apr 11, 2017 GForce Software
"A brief walkthrough of the Freeman String Symphonizer, invented by Ken Freeman, sounds from which are in both VSM and RE-STRINGS.
The Further Adventures of K.FREEMAN and his Incredible Machine of a Thousand Strings courtesy of I Monster - BRIGHT SPARKS album. www.imonstermusic.com
Ken Freeman footage courtesy of BRIGHT SPARKS Documentary
http://brightsparks.movie"
The modern, polyphonic string synthesiser was invented in 1970 by Ken Freeman, a British keyboard player and engineer who discovered that if you layered two notes then detuned and slightly modulated one a pleasant ‘chorused’ sound resulted. Over the next 10+ years Ken’s initial discovery spawned an industry that saw the manufacture of more than one hundred ‘string machines’ and multi-keyboards.
Although viewed by some as a one-trick-pony or a poor man’s polysynth, string machines had so much character they’ve graced tracks by artists as diverse as; Lonnie Liston Smith, Air, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Parliament, Herbie Hancock, Camel, Joy Division, Jean-Michel Jarre, Thomas Dolby, Tonto’s Expanding Head Band, Genesis, Toni Tone Tony and countless others.
Product details
Based on our award winning Virtual String Machine (VSM), RE-STRINGS comprises 67 individual sample sets from a plethora of classic analogue string ensembles including the ultra rare (and first) Freeman String Symphonizer, the highly coveted Solina, the eminently desirable Eminent 310, the highly-lauded Logan String Ensemble, plus several other classic (and not so classic) string machines.
Each sample set spans 49 notes (4 octaves), each individually sampled and looped, plus RE-STRINGS contains a 700+ patch library created by respected patch designers including legendary string machine user and keyboard maestro, Billy Currie.
With Dual Layer capabilities - each layer comprising of a Lowpass, Bandpass & Highpass Resonant Filter Section, Two Envelope Generators, Pitch or Filter LFO, Dynamic control including filter aftertouch - if you want to create your own hitherto unrealised hybrid combinations of classic and evocative string ensembles, it’s a cinch. Finally, global vintage style Ensemble & Phaser effects are provided, allowing you to hone your sound to evocative, retro, string ensemble perfection.
RE-STRINGS includes string tones from the following classic instruments ARP Quadra (1978) Crumar Multiman (1975) Elka Rhapsody (1975) Eminent 310 (1972) Freeman String Symphonizer (1973) Godwin Model 749 String Concert (1980) Hohner K4 (1977) Junost 21 (c 1986) Korg Lambda (1979) Korg PE2000 (1976) Logan String Melody II (1977) Mellotron (1963) Moog Opus III (1980) Roland VP330 (1979) Solina String Ensemble (1974) Technics KN200 (1982) Yamaha CE-25 (1983) Yamaha SS30 (1977)"
via Ernst Hill on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge
"The Eminent 310/Solina String Ensemble factory in the Netherlands during the seventies. Drawing printed on the back of the warranty certificate."
"If you call Eminent today and ask them about the 310 etc they will hang up the phone and say "go away with that Jarre Devils music..."
True or not? You be the judge.
YouTube via daveparry "Brian Sharp plays Eminent 310 (strings and reeds), Solina NL110 (organ) and piano. Eminent designed the string ensemble synth based on the 310. 'The Eminent Sounds Of Brian Sharp' Grosvenor records, deleted lp, 1972."
Howard Beaumont - Ease On Down The Road
"From 'Eminent Artistry', 1982, Grosvenor records, deleted lp. Howard Beaumont plays Eminent (Solina) F225 organ"
Howard Beaumont - The Lonely Shepherd, Eminent F225
As a teaser:) I'm working (it's been 4 months now!) on an Eminent 310 emulation in NI Reaktor 5 with the help of Radek himself. No samples yet because I don't have a website (what a shame!)
But be sure to check NI Reaktor user's library for it. I did a ARP Solina emulation and this is sort the same league. I hope to finish it by the end of the year :-)"
YouTube via albertspyker — April 20, 2010 — "Jean Michel Jarre´s Equinoxe 5 played by me on the portable Eminent 310 I built myself. Gear: Portable Eminent 310, Roland Juno 106 and Reason V4."
YouTube via albertspyker. sent my way via fischek "Played by Albert on Eminent 310, Roland Juno 106, Roland JX-10 and Reason V4. JARRE RULES!!"
The Eminent in Jarre's music.
"Here is an example of the use of the Eminent 310 Unique IN JMJ's music. It is the strings he uses the most and the Smallstone phaser to make the spacy sound, one channel straight to the left and the other through a delay to the right channel. This classic vintage organ is unique indeed."
"XXL Demo from the fantastic soviet Vintage analogue Stringsynthi,
made in the USSR in the Year 1987.
Elektronika Sounds pure and with external Effects."
ELEKTRONIKA EM- 25 the EMINENT 310 U Imitator
Published on Jan 5, 2015
"A Demo of the soviet analog String-Synthesizer 'ELEKTRONIKA EM -25', in comparison with the Sounds of the 'Eminent 310 Unique' Organ and the "ARP-Solina" String Synth."
follow-up to this post (be sure to follow the trail). Not seeing Part 4 yet.
"Synth solo with the analog vintage Roland SH-3A synthesizer and the JMJ strings sound with the Eminent 310 U.
This recording was live recorded on 2 tracks with sonar 8."
The listing includes an article from Sound on Sound which you can find here.
"The world's first commercially available string synthesizer, the Eminent 310, came from an unlikely source, a Dutch home organ manufacturer. It was further advanced through an even more unlikely partnership, with the legendary American synth makers ARP..."
See the full review with samples on khoral's Cafe 80. snip: "The VSM is a sample-based software synthesizer from Gforce Software, recreating those beloved old-fashioned string machines from the 70’s and early 80’s (pictured below, the Eminent 310, which famously provided the atmospheric strings of Oxygène and Equinoxe).
It is sample-based, in that the VSM don’t emulate these instruments from scratch, but starts with recordings, which you can then retune, pan and modify with filters (lowpass, highpass and bandpass) and LFO."
List of users from the Gforce site for the archives: "Essential String Machine * Jean Michel Jarre: Oxygene (Eminent 310 [pictured]), Equinoxe (Elka Rhapsody) * Duran Duran: Rio (Crumar Multiman) * John Foxx: Metamatic (Elka Rhapsody) * Beck: Midnight Vultures (Opus 3) * Morrisey: You are the Quarry (Opus 3) * Jeff Wayne: War Of The Worlds (Freeman String Symphonizer) * David Bowie: Sound & Vision (ARP Omni) * Roy Ayres: My Life in the Sunshine (Solina) * Herbie Hancock: Chameleon (Solina) * Steve Hackett: Spectral Mornings (Logan String Melody), Voyage of the Acolyte (Elka Rhapsody) * Genesis: Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album (Elka Rhapsody layered with Mellotron®) * Air: Moon Safari album (Solina) * Ultravox: Vienna (Elka Rhapsody & Yamaha SS-30), Artificial Life - (Elka Rhapsody) * Lonnie Liston Smith: Expansions (Solina) * Gary Wright: Dreamweaver (Solina) * Goldfrapp: Number One (Roland RS505) * Vangelis: Heaven & Hell (Elka Rhapsody) * Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart (ARP Omni) * New Order: Blue Monday (ARP Omni) * The Cure: In Between Days (Solina) * Pink Floyd: Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Solina) * Kraftwerk: Trans Europe Express (ARP Omni)"
via this auction
At this moment the EMINENT 310 unique STANDARD version I will sell, is in used, NOT restored condition. That means: the organ is full complete (no broken parts), but you have to clean/restore the organ yourself. Restoring is possible, ask for details about restoring by me." BIN Of $499
