Jean Michel Jarre Synthesizers in his studio, 1977 tres rare !

YouTube Published on Apr 8, 2012 by SUPERFUNKTELEVISION
Re-Published on Mar 15, 2012

"Jean Michel Jarre in his studio, 1977 tres rare ! eko computer , rmi synth .." with punch card reader.

EKO COMPUTERRHYTHM

via Jérome Troncy on JARRE ENTERPRISE Facebook

Portrait de Jean Michel Jarre - Aujourd'Hui Magazine

Published on Mar 26, 2012 by FoggyJoeBand

ARP 2600 & EMS Synthi at 1:28

"Portrait of Jean Michel Jarre, broadcast 7 november 1977."

Jean Michel Jarre demonstrates instruments in the studio (1987)

Published on May 21, 2012 by FoggyJoeBand

"Jean Michel Jarre, assisted by Patrick Pelamourgues, demonstrates the instruments used at the Rendez-Vous Lyon concert during Ethnicolor."

Triggering Fairlight vocal samples via simmons drum triggers.

Erica Synths Garage Special with Jean-Michel Jarre

Published on Nov 28, 2017 Erica Synths

"Erica Synths team visits Jean-Michel Jarre in his studio in Paris to talk about inspiration, creativity, synths and future of the electronic music and to play a live modular jam. Thank you, Jean-Michel for great insights!

Interview: Girts Ozolins
Live jam: Jean-Michel Jarre & Kodek
Camera: Inese Verina"

5:29: sounds like JMJ needs to explore FM synthesis. :) Just kidding. I believe he's referring to the change in focus the DX7 brought towards just playing presets vs. exploring sound.

XILS-lab Updates XILS 4 Matrix Modular Soft Synth to v1.5

The press release:

XILS-lab updates ultimate matrix modular soft synth with welcomed fanciful features added to XILS 4 v1.5

“My favourite analogue synth is probably the VCS3, so when I heard that a company was releasing a software version I was quite cautious; today, XILS 4 is one of my favourite plug-ins! Working with it gives me the same excitement as the original hardware, plus there are lots of extra features, since it is basically two VCS3s with an interconnected sequencer. The sound is great, and it is one of the best soft synths on the market for experimenting with new ways of creating sounds!”

- Jean-Michel Jarre (award-winning composer, performer, and record producer), April 2015


GRENOBLE, FRANCE: audio software company XILS-lab is proud to announce availability of XILS 4 v1.5 — a major update to its self-styled ultimate matrix modular soft synth, effectively emulating a conceptual ‘blend’ of the legendary VCS4, a ‘dual VCS3’ analogue matrix modular synthesizer prototyped by British trailblazing entity EMS (Electronic Music Studios) back in 1969 but never commercially released, with pioneering British synthesist Tim Blake’s so-called ‘Crystal Machine’ (comprising two EMS Synthi AKS analogue matrix modular synthesizers with hard sync between their oscillators, one connected to the keyboard and the other connected to the sequencer) — with welcomed additional fanciful features including a powerful preset manager in a single window and new effects with semi-modular routing, as of November 30…

CLICK FOR MORE »

Jean Michel Jarre in his studio, 1977. Rare footage

Published on Mar 15, 2012

"Jean Michel Jarre interviewed in his living-room studio. I removed the music video of Oxygene 4 at the end due to claims."

Note the EKO COMPUTERRHYTHM & RMI SYNTH with punch card reader. You'll find two more videos previously posted here. I believe this video was originally posted there but it was pulled likely because of the music mentioned above.  I went ahead and replaced it with this newer upload. Remember to search for more when you see something on the site. You can find demos of the EKO COMPUTERRYTHM here. Also see the channel labels at the bottom of this and all posts.

Quasimidi Cyber-Six signed by Jean Michel Jarre?

images via this auction

Read the warning below

"HISTORY

That Cyber-six pertained to Jean Michel Jarre. I don't know exactly when he received it, but I first spotted it in his studio in Croissy while he was arranging "Odyssey through O2". Then after I took him to the underground catacombs, he used the Cyber-Six to compose the theme for "Paris Underground", a piece he played in concert on july 14th 1998. He loved the texture of the keys. He used it again to rearrange the song for the Apple Expo concert on September 18, 1998, but two days before the concert, he brought it to me so I could use it as a master keyboard to trigger the 3D effects live. Several months after the show, he very kindly gave me the keyboard, as I loved its feeling. Now, 10 years later, I don't play music as much, and I need to free up space, so I'm selling the keyboard. Anticipating that selling a luxury master keyboard would be difficult, JMJ put his signature on it, on Aug. 3rd 2008 (on a windy day on the sidewalk below my apartment). Selling it is OK with him. It is in very good condition, perfectly functional, always covered. Only minor wear to the wooden ends because of handling, and a few scratches to the back due to a non-padded keyboard stand. The money I collect from the sale will be split: one half for charity (Medecins Sans Frontières), and one half for new hardware for my studio.

THE CYBER-SIX
The Quasimidi Cyber-Six is a very original instrument: it is basically a very sturdy (and heavy) master keyboard, whose keys have a distinctive pebble-like texture. It has a medium-soft touch, with very responsive keys, and the black keys have slanted edges to facilitate playing on the white keys in-between. Very comfortable to play, robust and reliable. Exactly the contrary of those plastic USB keyboard.

The Cyber-Six also has a pretty comprehensive MIDI processor, which is a mix of a sequencer, a groovebox and an arpeggiator. With two MIDI outputs, it can control up to 32 channels, with a very interesting effect architecture, where each channel can be assigned sequences, patterns, "motivator" effects, etc. The user interface is a bit complex at the beginning, but when you learn it you realize it has been designed for stage jams. Very impressive how you can lay out the structure of a song, and modify it live while you're playing other parts. If you don't feel like learning it, there are a few presets to simply play with gated chords and complex arpeggios.

Unlike its brother the Raven, the Cyber-Six is not a synthesizer, just a masterfully designed MIDI keyboard. It is a perfect master keyboard for a computer-based studio or for racks of expanders.

Review here:
Fan discussion here:

WARNING
Just so I don't get complaints afterwards: The Cyber-six is a MIDI keyboard with impressive sequencer/rythm/enhancer capabilities, but it does NOT produce sounds, only MIDI notes. You need an expander or a sound module to use it. Also worth noting, JMJ reset it before he gave it to me, so do not expect to find unpublished sequences :)"

Jean-Michel Jarre - Waveshaper TV Ep.14 - Voyager archive series

Published on May 28, 2019 Waveshaper Media

Electronic Voyager on Indiegogo: https://igg.me/at/electronicvoyager

"From our Bob Moog documentary - Electronic Voyager Archive Series: Michelle Moog-Koussa pays a visit to electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre in his studio outside of Paris, giving us an extensive tour of his collection of Moog instruments, and discussing Bob Moog's impact on electronic music history."

Roland Keyboard Rigs - On-stage with Stephane Gervais (Jean-Michel Jarre)

Published on Feb 20, 2018 Roland Canada

"We visited synthesist and technologist, Stephane Gervais, in his Quebec studio to discuss gear and music. As a touring musician and producer for Jean-Michel Jarre, Stephane Gervais describes the unique process of composing synth parts for the studio and stage.

https://jeanmicheljarre.com
http://psychnerd.ca/
https://www.roland.com/"

Note the ARP 2500.

Also see: Roland Keyboard Rigs Jean Michel Jarre

Touring Jean-Michel Jarre's Studio In Paris

video upload by Headliner

"Join us as electronic music pioneer and composer, Jean-Michel Jarre invites us to his recording studio in Paris.

His studio is a haven of vintage and modern gear, including a plethora of synths and his @SSLvideos desk.

Other highlights include a digital Mellotron, an impressive modular synth rack, @MoogMusicInc Sub37, and a fascinating acoustic speaker."

PPG's Wolfgang Palm to Retire - Brainworx Audio GmbH to Take Over Product Line

via http://www.wolfgangpalm.com

Important announcement

Dear Customer,

after 50 years of creative work in the field of sound synthesis I decided to stop doing business. I've been thinking about this step for some time now, especially since I've turned 70 this year. Therefore, I am very happy to have found a competent company in Brainworx Audio GmbH that will take over and continue my products and ideas.

I would like to thank you for the support I've received over the last six years. PPG VST plug-ins and iOS apps are no longer available for purchase. We will continue to provide downloads of your previous plugin purchases until end of 2020.

However, we do not recommend updating the hosts or the operating systems, as we cannot guarantee that our products will still run perfectly.

Customers of PPG plugins will receive a mail from SendOwl, which gives more infos on how to connect to Brainworx.

The future of the iOS apps has not been decided yet.

Thank you again for your support.
March 2020, Wolfgang Palm"

Update: and the official press release:

"Plugin Alliance announces acquisition of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand by Brainworx Audio


“I am very glad to have found Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, who appreciate my work from the past and want to continue my legacy.”
- Wolfgang Palm, originator of wavetable synthesis and founder/owner of PPG, 2020


SANTA CRUZ, CA, USA: Plugin Alliance, supporting all major plugin formats and uniting some of the best- known international audio companies under one virtual roof, is proud to announce founding partner Brainworx Audio’s acquisition of the assets of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand. The trailblazing Hamburg-based company founded by Wolfgang Palm first found fame and fortune in its initial incarnation throughout the Eighties and beyond by bringing the distinctive sound of wavetable synthesis to the musical masses and also impacting the MI industry with its innovative PPG Wave hybrid digital/ analogue synthesizer series and associated advances. These included the unique (unreleased) Realizer — quite possibly the world’s first virtual instrument (in 1986), albeit as a proprietary hardware hybrid! Software seriously came calling from 2012 onwards when Wolfgang Palm returned to prominence, producing new PPG products.

What a legacy. PPG synthesizers have musically made their mark onstage and in the studio with an array of notable artists such as a-Ha, Alphaville, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Thomas Dolby, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Jean-Michel Jarre, Mike & The Mechanics, Gary Numan, Pet Shop Boys, Rush, Talk Talk, Tangerine Dream, Tears For Fears, Ultravox, Stevie Wonder, and many more. Thanks to Brainworx Audio’s acquisition of the assets of Wolfgang Palm’s prestigious PPG synthesizer brand, that legacy is all set to thrive.

Plans are already afoot by Brainworx Audio to update Wolfgang Palm’s PPG products in close collaboration with the man himself, universally recognized as the originator of wavetable synthesis! Together they will take the PPG brand and advance its digital products into the future, following Wolfgang Palm’s planned retirement at the end of March 2020 — after 50 years in the creative field of sound synthesis! Signing an agreement with Plugin Alliance and Brainworx Audio owner Dirk Ulrich ultimately lets Wolfgang Palm put his (well- deserved) retirement plan into action, happy in the knowledge that his ‘baby’ will be in good hands.

Wolfgang Palm puts it this way: “I am very glad to have found Brainworx and Plugin Alliance, who appreciate my work from the past and want to continue my legacy. They have a great team of competent developers, product specialists, marketing, and all that is needed to make a company successful. I support their work to make the transition as smooth as possible, and it will be exciting to see how this evolves. Also, I think that this collaboration will result in a much wider audience than before.”

Indeed, it is a great honor for Brainworx Audio to be joining forces with Wolfgang Palm — truly a legend in his own right, and continue to break boundaries in the world of virtual instruments. “We are proud that Wolfgang Palm put his brand and product into our hands,” declares Dirk Ulrich, ending on a high note: “We will make sure to carry on his legacy with the respect it deserves and we are looking forward to evolving the brand and products for years to come.”


For more in-depth information about the trailblazing work of Wolfgang Palm and the prestigious PPG’s past, present, and future, feel free to check out Plugin Alliance’s interview with the man himself here."

KORG POLY-800 HQ SOUND DEMO - vintage synthesizer 1984

YouTube via AnalogAudio1
"The Korg Poly-800 came out 1984 and is a interesting analog synthesizer with good, interesting sounds. It has MIDI, runs even with batteries, and can be used as a remote keyboard. It was cheap, almost every musician could afford one.

It has digital controlled oscillators (DCO's). Not digital oscillators - they are just controlled digitally. Actually, it has just square waveforms. Combining different footages of squares you'll obtain the usual saw, pulse and square waveforms - and some more. In the WHOLE mode it's 8-voice polyphonic. In DOUBLE MODE you have 2 DCO's per voice, this sounds best. This however, reduces the polyphony to 4 voices. It has a VCF - a real resonant analog filter. It also has 3 complex envelopes and a noise generator.
It also has a switchable CHORUS, CHORD MEMORY and a polyphonic STEP SEQUENCER. A shame that it doesn't have something like RING MOD or OSC SYNC. It also lacks portamento and PWM. But okay, it was a small budget synth.

The Korg EX-800 is the desktop version of the Poly-800. It has the same features and sound but CHORD MEMORY is missing. And it doesn't run with batteries.

In this movie I show you some of my own sounds - without any effects or equalizing. Really, it CAN sound excellent, if you program your own sounds in a right way. Some of the factory presets are ok, but the most of them are rather funny than great (do you remember the Poly-800-Flute preset? ;-) )...

The Poly-800 is great for analog pads, sequencer sounds and leads. It's not a killer bass machine - the envelopes are a bit lame. However, some basses are okay.

Jean-Michel Jarre had one! There is a picture, which shows Jarre with a reversed-key Poly-800 in his studio. But I don't believe he used it on any recordings...

THE SOUND PROGRAMS IN THIS MOVIE:

Do you have a Poly-800 and want to enjoy the sounds you are hearing here? Send me 10 Euros through PayPal and I will send you a MP3 with patch data (64 sounds). You feed your Poly-800 with this MP3 through the tape interface input. It will also work with the EX-800, but NOT with the POLY-800 II, as it has a different data format.

I programmed these great sounds carefully by myself - These sounds are not available elsewhere! There are thick Prophet-style pads, basses, sequencer sounds and funky leads. On some leads, you need the CHORD MEMORY function to program an interval, like seen in the video. The sounds are mainly suited for electronica styles and classic electronic music (Jarre, Vangelis, etc..).

If you are interested in these sounds, please drop me a mail."

DigiSequencer designed by Michel Geiss

"Michel Geiss worked with Jarre for two decades as a musician, producer, and allround technician and engineer, sometimes building custom boxes for Jarre to play with.

In 1992 a team of 4 engineers led by Michel Geiss spent 6 months to develop the Digisequencer"

Title link takes you to more info on nusonica.

Jarre Concert Pour La Tolerance - Digi Sequencer

video upload by crees22

"Jean Michel Jarre peformed a concert to parisian fans at the Eiffel Tower in 1995, it was named 'Concert Pour La Tolerance'. The under rated song 'Digi Sequencer' never appeared on any of his studio albums, although it did crop up on the live Hong Kong album back in 1994." Update: also see this video.

SUPERBOOTH21 in 6 Weeks - Program and Special Event Tickets

SUPERBOOTH21 is coming this September 15 through 18. See https://www.superbooth.com/ for full details on the event.

Press release on the Program and Special Event Tickets follows:

Berlin, August 2021

SUPERBOOTH21 in 6 weeks - the program and the special event tickets

Many national and international exhibitors and their innovative synthesizers and effect devices attract thousands of music makers to FEZ-Berlin every year. Equally attractive are the numerous concerts and special events. These inclu- de many workshops that invite you to join in, the SchneidersLaden Tour and the comfortable arrival by boat shuttle from Berlin Mitte.

Stage program: This year, SUPERBOOTH21 will feature four stages. In addition to the auditorium and the seaside stage, two new venues will be added: the Finn- hütten and the Fuchsbau.

In the auditorium, there will be Gesprächskonzerte (lecture concerts) and talks - with Jean-Michel Jarre, Reinhold Heil, Atom TM and T.Raumschmiere among others. Early Wednesday evening, the Miller-Zillmer-Foundation will present it- self to invited guests in the auditorium, where it will celebrate its two-year an- niversary. This year the Miller-Zillmer-Foundation makes possible the workshop series with Gammon and his Modular Synthesizer Ensemble, as well as - in co- operation with Mute Artists Ltd. - the headlining concerts on the seaside stage every evening: Yann Tiersen, hackedepicciotto, JakoJako and Pole.

The past 18 months have left room for many artists to go into the studio and write new music. SUPERBOOTH21 is one of the first opportunities to bring the results of these processes on stage and so there are some premieres to see. Yann Tiersen (Mute, release date: August 27, 2021) presents his new album „Kerber“. Also from hackedepicciotto (Mute), st.raumen (release date:
30. August 2021) and Pole (Mute) there is something new to hear.

The seaside stage will also feature Maarten Vos, Bloody Mary, Carolina Eyck, Kitmun and Ain TheMachine X SBNH, among others. The stage at the Finnhütten will be hosted by the legendary Tresor. For the 30th anniversary of the Berlin club and label, there will be concerts every night at 8:30 p.m. by e.g. Z.I.P.P.O, Carlota and Artik.

The ever-popular Gesprächskonzerte will mainly take place at the Fuchsbau. On this new stage, SOMA Laboratory, Verbos Electronics, Haken Audio, Polyend, U-HE, Joranalogue and Bitwig, among others, will musically present their pro- ducts. In addition, you can also get involved yourself at the Fuchsbau and contri- bute to the musical background of the event at the Modular Carousel.
Workshops & DIY: The various DIY workshops will take place in the cozy ambien- ce of the DIY tent at the Fuchsbau. Workshops offered are from Befaco, Leaf Audio, Making Sound Machines, Touellskouarn and Shakmat Modular, among others. Due to the severe limitation of places, tickets for the DIY workshops should be booked early.

Other workshops include the Tapeloop Workshop on September 18 (for up to 5 participants), the Kreativ Klangsafari in cooperation with the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and of course Gammon‘s Modular Synthesizer Ensemble, who will once again be working on a daily performance with students and presenting it at 1:30pm.

Tickets for many workshops can already be booked online and can be found here.

Livestream & virtuelle Gesprächskonzerte (lecture concerts): Those who are unable to attend SUPERBOOTH21 in person can look forward to the daily lives- tream. Here, the highlights of the various stages will be shown in a three-hour program. This also includes the virtual Gesprächskonzerte, which offer exhibitors who cannot come to SUPERBOOTH21 the unique opportunity to present them- selves to the audience simultaneously online and on site - live on screen in the auditorium. Among other things, the Gesprächskonzerte by and with Noise Engi- neering and Animal Factory Amplification will be presented here.

Boat shuttle: The boat shuttle departs daily from the old historic harbor in Berlin Mitte in the direction of FEZ-Berlin. The landing stage can be found at Mellow- park. From here there are precise signs to find the right way to FEZ-Berlin.

Tickets for the boat shuttle are available now and are very limited. It is advisable to be quick! Here you can get the tickets.

SchneidersLaden Tour: The tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at Germa- ny‘s most important synthesizer store - SchneidersLaden. For this tour Andreas Schneider has asked one of his first employees to tell interested guests about the history of SchneidersLaden, SchneidersBuero and Superbooth – and to provide insights into the current showrooms and behind the scenes of SchneidersLaden in Berlin Kreuzberg.

What‘s left to say? Stay healthy everyone and get vaccinated so we can spend a wonderful SUPERBOOTH21 together in September!

And: Day tickets for SUPERBOOTH21 are currently still available for all time periods on superbooth.com and can be combined at will with the special event tickets for workshops, boat shuttle and the exclusive tour through Schneiders- Laden.
Tickets for DIY workshops are only valid in combination with any day ticket for SUPERBOOTH21. All special event tickets are strictly limited and can only be booked in advance of the event.
All tickets are available exclusively via pre-sale on superbooth.com - there will be no box office to ensure a contactless transaction.

Please note that access to the exhibition grounds will only be granted with a daily negative rapid test, complete approved vaccination or convalescent status.

7 Synths // Live @ Erica Synths Garage

Published on Oct 18, 2017 Erica Synths

"7 Synths perform live using: Korg King, Korg Kaoss Pad, Korg Kaossilator, Korg MS2000, Alesis Micron, Acces Virus Indigo, Waldorf Bloefeld.

7 Synths is a solo project of keyboardist, composer & producer Kaspars Tobis. Since 2000, he has been a member of the rock-band Dzelzs Vilks (Iron Wolf in Latvian), which has been one of the most successful alternative bands in Latvia for more than two decades. Apart from programming and playing keyboards in Dzelzs Vilks, he has been collaborating with musicians in Latvia and abroad, to name a few - Brainstorm, Mumiy Troll, Ainars Mielavs and others. Kaspars has also co-authored music for several theatre performances as well as for contemporary dance performances by Olga Zitluhina. In 2001 his first solo album Zenithsign was released. His second album Concert for 7 Synthesizers was released in 2013 and has received the Latvian Music Recording Award, Zelta Mikrofons as the Best Electronic Album 2013. In relation to this record, media often calls him the Latvian Jean Michel Jarre. The artist himself explains that the project 7 Synths takes the feeling of working in an electronic studio to the stage while performing both prepared compositions & creating sequences in real time. In his performances Kaspars uses four to nine digital & analog synthesisers & different devices and the combination is never the same."

Korg Wavestate - Jean-Michel Jarre Tribute (40 Performances)

video upload by LFOstore

"The music of the legendary composer and performer, Jean-Michel Jarre, opened a door into a new world of electronic music back in 1976 with the release of 'Oxygene' album, which went on to sell over 18 million copies worldwide. His music has inspired generations of people around the world, allowing to travel into a new dimension of sensations and states. He is one of the most successful musicians in history, and holds the world record for the monumental 3.5 million spectators to his Moscow concert in 1997.

Inspired by the maestro’s work, LFO Store team’s renowned sound designer, Otto K. Schwarz, has prepared for you a wonderful soundbank with 40 presets on board. One of the greatest synthesizers of our time, Korg Wavestate, is a great tool both to emulate the sounds of iconic synthesizers of the past, as well as create multi-layered sounds that allow to stretch your imagination into the future. We did not strive to completely repeat the sounds created by the Master, but looked into the same direction, using our experience and modern vision.

These presets are from different categories: ARPs, leads, FXes, synths, strings, brasses, and even more! They are royalty-free and suitable for both studio work and live performances. The presets are modwheel - assigned, which allows you to modulate the sounds to the needs of your own musical works.

We wish you a wonderful journey and inspiration in creating world-class musical compositions!"

https://lfo.store/

Alan R. Pearlman Foundation 2021 Calendar & Year in Review

via the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation

The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation was formed to honor the legacy Alan R. Pearlman, inventor of ARP Synthesizers - groundbreaking electronic synthesizers that changed the face of music forever. "to make his innovative inventions publicly accessible, and help inspire future generations to imagine and create through charitable projects."

Year in Review

Last January we were given an opportunity to introduce the Foundation to the music instrument industry at the hugely popular NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show. You, the supporters of the Foundation helped us, the foundation board members to promote the Foundation, its mission and its charitable projects to electronic musicians, engineers, potential donors and the press. We had an extremely successful show and made hundreds of contacts as well as raise money and awareness for our projects.

Other 2020 Achievements:

Attained 501(c)(3) Status: The Foundation is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! All donations are eligible to be tax-deductable! We received our status at the end of this past March! What a surprise!

ARPchives LIVE! We have been hosting a series of online educational opportunities and live stream 'studio visits' called ARPchives LIVE!

50th Anniversary of ARP Synthesizers Celebration: This included a series of recordings, live streams, commemorative artifacts and most exciting: an ARP 2500 ROUND-TABLE [posted here]. with opening remarks by Jean Michel Jarre!
Participation in virtual synthesizer festivals including Synthfest a la Maison (France)[in the playlist here] and SoundMit (Italy) [posted here], and collaborations with Willem Twee Studios and AES [posted here].

News and New Activities

Due to the worldwide pandemic, our major fundraising event was cancelled, and of course, like all of you, we did not attend the variety of trade shows that were originally scheduled for this year.

We have an exciting 2021 planned for you.

NEW PROGRAM! ARP Living Collection and Studio: We are partnering with a non-profit recording studio to create a recording and creating ARP-centric studio environment. We have the space, and the beginning of a collection, and plan on launching next year. We will be able to have visitors like you, use the ARP Synthesizers in a variety of ways. Details to be announced at the beginning of 2021

NEW LEARNING: We are working on an exciting, never-before seen series of instructional videos, that will be released on a pay-as-you-can subscription.

TWO NEW Webinars dates TBA: The 2600 and a Women in Synthesis summit.

How You Can Make a Difference

Though the Foundation is in its infancy, we are now a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit. We are seeking funding to cover some of our costs to create online learning materials, purchase technology for our future online programs, marketing for the concert and scanning materials for the digital archives.

We need help from people like you! Music lovers, synth lovers, creators and believers in perpetuating educational and creative opportunities.

Please consider making a donation today. Visit our website's donate page or, for some fun perks, donate to our IndieGogo page where you can get the ARPCHIVES 2021 Calendar!

NAMM: New Moog MINITAUR Coming to NAMM?

[Update: video, higher res pics & press release added below.]
via Matt on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge via The Syntheszier Sympathizer.

"Not much to say here. Just found out through the vintagesynth.com forums... should be properly announced at NAMM. Rumored price: $600. Let's hope-- This could mean a Moog for almost every producer!"

And NAMM begins...

Update: details via Pro Star Audio:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Latinsizer / live at Sunrise

YouTube via pepemogt.

Be sure to check out this post followed by these for more.

"playing live at sunrise, Rosarito beach, Mexico.

playing the song TRISINE followed by a jam with 303 bass lines and linndrum beats(more info about 303 and linn below).

Latinsizer
Pepe Mogt In this project Pepe Mogt works with a very synthetic and basic set of musical tools to create a quirky approach to electronic music exemplified by "Ritmo 55", the first track released by Latinsizer which appeared on the Nortec Experimental CD. This approach could be described as a combination of the melodic work of early synth Pop classics such as Eno-era Roxy Music and Switched on Bach, modular synth based artists like Tangerine Dream and the grit of urban Tijuana, Latinsizer "live at MUtek CD" has a more noise dance oriented aproach without loosing his analog roots

Latinsizer becomes an alternate project to Nortec, and particularly, to Fussible, recently playing at experimental and dance music festivals like Mutek or Decibel, currently is working on his new album and EP, Celofán is a video of his latest works.

The TB-303 is THE sound of acid and techno house music! It's a monophonic analog bass synthesizer married to a pattern-based step sequencer released in 1982. It features a single analog oscillator with two waveforms (ramp or square) and has a simple but excellent VCF filter with resonance, cut-off, and envelope controls. There are also knobs to adjust tuning, envelope decay, tempo and accent amount.

How does it work? Well, it's not a performance synthesizer because you have to program a pattern of notes and timing info into it (sort of like a drum machine). Patterns can then be linked into songs. It was originally made to accompany a drum machine, the TR-606 specifically, and provide bass-line accompaniment to guitarists, keyboard players, etc. It was not a successful product in its time. As a result, creative DJs and aspiring electronic musicians found them for next to no money and began using them for techno and acid music. Usually a single pattern is continuously played while the performer tweaks the knobs creating an exciting and expressive musical event.

The TB-303 has become one of the most sought after vintage synths ever! It has helped develop and stylize many forms of electronic music including House, Acid, Trance and Ambient. If ever there was a need for a repetitive bassline/groove or an extremely resonant and bubbly sound, the 303 is KING. Truly a unique machine with a very identifiable sound! It has spun off several imitators as well: Novation BassStation, ReBirth, Doepfer MS-404, MAM MB-33, Syntecno TeeBee, and more (see Related & Alternative Gear sidebar).

Ironically, these days it's become trendy to dislike the 303 again, now because of over-use. But I don't and you shouldn't either because it is one-of-a-kind and it's just got that sound that everyone loves! Fatboy Slim says it best in his song "Everybody Needs A 303".

The LinnDrum was the second machine from Linn Electronics. It's basically an upgraded version of the original LM-1 with added crash and ride cymbals to the kit. The LinnDrum uses samples of acoustic drum sounds. At the time, they sounded great and much more realistic and they were a fresh alternative to the analog drum sounds of the '80's drum machines. The LinnDrum also had a handy upgrade option, a well designed layout and interface, and live drum trigger inputs.

The LinnDrum had beefed up the sampled sounds from 28 to a 35kHz sample rate. It features 15 sounds including bass, snare, rimshot, hihat, crash, ride, three toms, cabasa, tambourine, high and low congas, cowbell, and clap. Up to 12 sounds are available simultaneously. Individual controls are available to tune, pan, and mix each drum sound via dedicated knobs and sliders. An Accent is available for the kick, snare and hats. The handy upgrade options involve inserting new chips containing new sets of sampled drum sounds created by many session drummers of the time.

The sequencer had some innovative features (for the time) such as swing, quantizing and memory storage! Two-bar patterns can be recorded in real or step time, with or without quantizing. There are 56 user patterns for storing your drum patterns. There are also 42 preset drum patterns. Patterns can be arranged into Songs for which there are 49 memory locations. Old songs and patterns can be off-loaded to cassette tape for storage. Designed for the studio, there are 15 individual outputs for each sound around the back as well as external sync and trigger but no MIDI (unless modified by a 3rd party). The LinnDrum's features made it the most professional drum machine of its time. It was widely used throughout the 1980s and there are about 5,000 of them which have been used by professionals (such as Sting, Prince, Jean-Michel Jarre, Sheila E., Todd Rundgren, Jimmy Edgar, Jan Hammer, Peter Gabriel), hobbyists, and educators alike!"

Synthenoxe Part 1.0 - an Elka Synthex impression

YouTube Uploaded by wavebox2011 on Feb 27, 2011

"Just a quick impression of the Synthex synthesizer in the project studio. The fun-title "Synthenoxe" is a reminiscence of J.M. Jarre's early studio recordings like Oxygene and Equinoxe. His magnificent sound has inspired my noodling in this video, too.

All the sounds (except for the drums) have been recorded with the Synthex; including the ocean waves and animals in the intro. :-)

While experimenting around with the Synthex, I started recording some audio tracks to the DAW. And I ended up with well over 50 tracks and this demo-video. :-) This synthesizer is such an inspiring machine!

About the synthesizer:

The Synthex is clearly underrated! Maybe because it is not coming from one of the large synth plants in Japan or the U.S.A., but rather surprisingly from an organ manufacturer, the italian company Elka.
Despite this "lack of heritage" the Synthex has an amazing sound and deserves to be named alongside other classic power-synths such as the Jupiter-8 or the Prophet 5.

Sure, Jean-Michel Jarre based his famous laser harp sound on the Synthex - but it's by far not limited to that cliché.

I looked for an easy way to sync up the Synthex's internal sequencer to MIDI Clock. The most straightforward way was to hook up a Korg Electribe (ER-1 mkII) to MIDI and have a percussive instrument do the audio triggering of the Synthex. Simple, quite robust and even "programmable" to a certain degree.

Some Synthexes have no MIDI-interface (like the one in the video). But they all have one of the most intuitive sequencers I've come across in a classic synth: 4 independant monophonic sequences, easily and quickly recordable in step- or real-time-mode, syncable to an audio trigger.
And if you're a preset freak, you can even store your sequences along with your sounds as data beeping to a tape-recorder (or another recording device), thanks to the tape-interface. Old school high-tech. :-)

[ to the youngsters: "tapes", often used in the form of "cassettes", is an ancient technology for audio recording, quite popular before digital recording and youtube existed. yes, there was such a time, way way back, right after the dinos and the stone age. believe me, i was there. not with the dinos, but in the tape age. :-) ]

keep on sounding!"

The First Ever all ARP 2500 Album Opens for Preorder Today on BandCamp

via the Alan R Pearlman Foundation

It's BandCamp Friday, and we have a treat for you!

The first ever all ARP 2500 album opens for preorder today on BandCamp!

Check out the album Now!

The ARP 2500 by David Baron
Distrubuted by Here & Now Recordings

About the Album:

Although it went largely unnoticed at the time, the 2500 became one of the most famous synthesizers in history when it was featured prominently in the film Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, where it was used to communicate with an alien spaceship.

ARP instruments founder Alan Robert Pearlman was a Nasa scientist. Between 1970 and 1981 only 100 ARP 2500's were ever made, each a custom order, no standard configurations. ARP 2500 one of Jean-Michel Jarre's favourite instruments. All the sounds are completely unique. You pretty much need a degree in physics to operate one!

Pete Townsend "Mine plays six notes at once, can have 20 sets of preset control voltages available, six audio signals mixed and instantly usable at various levels. The most incredibly subtle tone colours can be produced using the multimode resonator in conjunction with a normal filter, and the sequencer will provide exhilarating cascades of arpeggios."

David Baron "The Arp 2500 was the only sound source. I sequenced one or two patches at a time and then built the compositions in layers. A lot of the audio FX were created through the use of pedals. The reverberation came from the Bricasti, EMT 240 Plate, Roland Space Echo 501, and a Vermona Spring Reverb. The Arp 2500 always ran through the Avedis Key Pre. I used very little dynamic compression/limiting. Time delay effects were mostly created ‘in the box’ but also with rack mount outboard including the AMS Tape Phase Simulator, an Eventide Instant Flanger, and a MXR Flanger/Doubler. The instrument stays in tune (for the most part). The filters can distort so some care has to be used when gain staging. The envelopes are very snappy. The sound is beautiful and creamy yet percussive and forward."

About David Baron
Record producer, film composer, musician, arranger, engineer located in the historic Woodstock, New York area. An avid collector of vintage analog synthesizers and recording gear. He owns a private recording studio called Sun Mountain Studios located on top of a mountain overlooking the Ashokan Reservoir.

Some artists he has worked with: Lumineers, Shania Twain, Jade Bird, Shawn Mendes, Vance Joy, Meghan Trainor, Lenny Kravitz, Jeremiah Fraites, Josin, Matt Maeson and Lana Del Rey.

He blends retro and modern, orchestrated and raw. The contrast that brings out the emotion of a scene or in a song.

David releases his own music on UK-based Here and Now Recordings.

Album Credits
Releases November 17, 2023

Written recorded and produced by David Baron

Album cover designed by Dina Pearlman-Ifil derived from an old ARP 2500 brochure originally designed by Margaret Shepherd in 1970 for Tonus, Inc / ARP Instruments.
Photograph courtesy of the Alan R Pearlman Foundation
alanrpearlmanfoundation.org

About the Alan R Pearlman Foundation
The ARP Archives & The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation is a small, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Our mission is to celebrate the legacy of inventor, musician, entrepreneur and engineer Alan R. Pearlman, by making his innovative inventions publicly accessible, and by inspiring future generations to imagine and create.

DONATE TODAY

EMU XL7 sounds used by Jean-Michel Jarre in Aero

WaxApul

Also see Oxygene Memotron by WaxApul

"A few short videos about the EMU XL7 and how it has been used by Jarre throughout a few projects, the Aero concert in Aalborg, Denmark; the Aero studio album, Geometry of Love and the small Printemps de Bourges concert.

The XL7 has also been used by Jarre's long-time musical partner, Francis Rimbert; he used it on his Double Face album, albeit sparingly.

For Jarre, the tracks were you can hear the XL7 used are:

Aero Opening (Aero Concert)
Aero Part 1 (Aero Concert)
Aero Part 2 (Aero Concert)
Oxygene 4 (Aero Concert)
Oxygene 8 (Aero Concert)
Equinoxe 7 (Aero Concert)
Chronologie 6 (Aero Concert & Album)
Rendez-Vous 4 (Aero Album)
Aerology (Aero Album)
Magnetic Fields 1 (Aero Concert & Album)
Electric Flesh (Geometry of Love)
Alive in Bourges (Printemps de Bourges)
Paris Bourges (Printemps de Bourges)"

And some Laser Harp by WaxApul

Skyline Laser Harp


"Skyline, the title track from my EP, Skyline. Available to download and stream from all major and minor digital music services."