MATRIXSYNTH: Tuesday, May 9, 2006

One Hell of a Dongle

Check out this post on Digital Music Mag.

Hmm... Yeah, I'm with him, this would definitely suck. However, if there are dependencies on the hardware for DSP, that would make sense, but something tells me that's not the case. I haven't done much research on Kore. The Korg Legacy is a great example of doing it right. You can play the soft synths with or without the controller connected.

Aurora AR1

Marcus Couto on AH recently posted this asking if anyone knew more about it and if anyone actually owns one. If you know anything please comment. Title link takes you to Synth-Restore who carries it. There are demos on site. Details pulled from the doc linked on this page.

MODEL type: AURORA AR1
VCO 1 : saw,pulse,triangle waveform, adjustable pulse width, octave shift.
VCO 2: saw,square,triangle waveform, adjustable interval (pitch), octave shift, sub oscillator.
VCO 3: saw,square,triangle waveform, adjustable interval (pitch), octave shift, sub oscillator.
(main tuning from front panel control)

LFO: (can be used as another vco at hi-frequencies, for ring mod type effects) routing to VCO's, Pulse width, VCF, VCO & VCF.
Individual tri,sq,saw, random waveforms (any combination can be used) Manual depth, plus mod. wheel amount.
VCF 12db type (gives more raw sounding edge, similar to Oberheim, early ARP Odyssey)
High or low pass type (switchable) cutoff, resonance, keyboard tracking, ADSR amount, modulation from vco 3 also.
ENVELOPE GENERATOR. ADSR type (attack,decay,sustain,release) routed to VCF, and VCA. Auto trigger switch

PERFORMANCE CONTROLS: VCA keyboard gate mode, portamento (glide), white noise level, main output volume.
INTERFACE. Main output,headphones out, CV input, GATE input, VCF external control, external audio input.
POWER: IEC (kettle-plug) power input (external power switch/fuse holder) 220-240 volts.
37 note keyboard.
Aluminium data plate, with serial/model number
UK price £549
Turnaround time 4 weeks.
£200 deposit required (non returnable)"

BTW, if you heard the name Aurora in regards to synths but can't place it and know it's not this Aurora, it could be the Alesis Aurora you were thinking about.

Update via the comments:
" have had the AR1 for quite a while now and have used the synth on many recordings for solo projects under Brendan Pollard and Rogue Element.
She is extremely versatile, moog sounding but with careful manipulation even ARP. Fantastic for sound effects, leads, basses, etc.
Our studio is 90% analogue and she was definitely a worthy addition to our collection,
Cheers
Brendan www.rogue-element.uk.com"

Sequential Circuits Programmer 700 and Much More

Title link takes you to a huge auction list of some rare items including this Sequential Circuits Programmer 700.

I forgot about this unit. The 700 was basically a CV controler with patch storage, essentially allowing you to store patched for whatever you were controlling it with.

Details from the auction (Google translated from German): "Sales mean in the best way received and fully functioning Sequential Circuits Programmer Model 700. So far I was white the first storable Programmer as condition alone equipment. One can store the following control voltages: Volume days 1/2/3 (with insertable external tension) Envelope 1/2 along in each case Amount, Delay and ADSR (with second one can also still connect external tension). Everything with the pertinent outputs/input in 6,3mm Kline and mini handle. Further inputs for program programmweiterschaltung, gate, SWITCH trigger (Moog) and normal Trgger. Still additionally two sockets on the back were inserted, were times firmly attached at an upper home 2-Voice. In the best way suitably for modular systems. 8 banks with in each case 8 program memories are available."

Update: Synth shots saved here.

Music for on apartment and six drummers

That's a bass synth she's playing. Title link takes you there.

This one via Vale on SynthSights.

Update via the comments:
Nice little movie. Been aired one SVT (Swedish Television) and seen at a few filmfestivals.

It's made by Kostr-film, an independent production company from Swedish.

Their website: http://www.kostrfilm.com"

The Genie Synths - New Flickr Shot

Remember Synth Buddha? Turns out the shots were from a band called The Genie. Title link takes you to more shots of the band. Here's thier MySpace page.

B/W Minimoog - New Flickr Shot

flick by bvincent.

East Meets West

As promised, George sent me an mp3 from our Sunday get-together with me, George, James (Carbon111) and Greg (Alpha Wave). Title link takes you to the 5.32M MP3 of one of our jam sessions. George is on a Roland GR-20 guitar synth playing a sitar patch, James is playing a Waldorf XTk, Greg is on a Zoom drum machine and Ensoniq SQ80, and I was on an Ensoniq SQ1. The SQ80 is playing the bass, the SQ1 is the airy pad lead that comes in now and then and the rest is the XT, sitar patch and drums. George did the mixing.
As I was playing on this particular track, I didn't take any shots during it. This particular one is George playing the SQ-1 and a Mirage on another jam session. The shot captures the atmosphere we were playing in. George has a great studio. In case you missed my first post, you can find more shots here.

Gratuitous Tube Synth P*rn - New Flickr Set

Title link takes you to shots sent my way via Michael Weeks. Mmmm.. The green glow...

Also check out this set.

She's watching...

Profile of a Korg MS20 on PunkDisco. Kinda creeped me out. : )

Via dancemachine along with the following:

"here's a track with a lot of ms20 (rev1) drum processing (listen
especially for the s/h, where i pacthed the trigger out of the ESP to
the input of the S/h, so the filter cuttoff changes with each new note)

anyway, i think that dude puts that doll in all his pics to avoid being
ripped-off. but i bet he'll let you post it...."

Me too. Title link takes you to PunkDisco. And... She's watching...

Advanced Programming Techniques for Modular Synthesizers

"This web-based hypertext document is intended to provide the advanced user of the Clavia Nord Modular synthesizer with a toolbox of techniques for creating complex and interesting patches. Although the emphasis is on the Nord Modular, the techniques described in this document can be applied to any modular synthesizer, from a modular Moog to the Native Instruments Reaktor softsynth. For more information on the Nord Modular, check out Clavia's web page at http://www.clavia.se."

Title link takes you there.

If you're interested in exploring the world of modular synthesis for fee, here you go. For a free G2 demo editor that will give you more than enough to get started go here.