MATRIXSYNTH: Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Zorch Synths

flickr by basilb.

EMS Synthi
Access Virus
E-MU XBoard
Moog Prodigy
Yamaha VL1

Ian Cooper sent in these two shots of his Fairlight Voicetracker along with a link to this site for more info. Via the site:

"In 1985, Fairlight Instruments introduced the Voicetracker VT-5, a device that allows you to operate MIDI and control voltage synthesizers with your voice or any monophonic instrument, rather than with a MIDI keyboard. It was priced at US$2495 when it first came out."

BTW, if you are on the look out for a Voicetracker, check out the comments section of this post. Thanks Ian!

Folktek

Shots pulled via this auction. Title link takes you to Folktek on MySpace.
Details:
"First...Folktek is something you're going to see a lot more of. There are many of us, but here we begin with the feature of 2 artist's work - there will be a much more extensive bio, portfolios, musical ventures, mixtapes and displays of art works and sound devices by us and others. You will also see Folktek grow as a community venture. Stay tuned and have your mind blown through your ears and sucked back in through the powerful force of conductivity.

Folktek designs connect with the past and reestablish these ideas in the present...You'll notice with anything we do, whether it be Instruments, sound art installations, puppets, bookmaking, music or visual works that there is a common theme or a common asthetic. This design work is based on the concept that things of the past built extremely well...Properly rock solid and made to last - fraught with ingenuity - even the parts you can't see. If you ever find a meter from the early 1900's have a look inside, you'll be amazed and maybe more so to know that it probably still works. This is the idea we travel with. We often build our own switches and buttons for example and we're working on making our own potentiometers and knobs. Analog mechanical styles that will outlast."

"This particular instrument is entitled "the Filanthoid". It is part of a series entitled "philanthropoid" that you'll see a bit more of in the future if you stick around to see us come up. We have another of this series also currently listed here on ebay. Sounds for this and the other are under the same mp3's named: Growling 1 and 2. Though they are of the same series, each has it's own sonic character. It is a sonic symphony of nasty and grimy sweetness - honey that's gone crusty, peanut butter from the fridge, endless layers of sound possibilities emenating from High quality OSC originally based on high tech speech synthesis. This however is a language nothing else speaks - seemingly random bits that can be rediscovered time and time again. The main controls for altering the synthesis are 2 knobs that work together with extreme sensitivity - the slightest turn of either changing the texture to a great extent. Waveforms (individual, or multiple layers) can be captured and maintained, often intermodulating in beautiful and/or disturbing ways. Albums are waitng to be created here as the sound is quite different from anything else you'll find and we're certain you'll be amazed.

There are two folktek designed buttons and switches on the panel that are the primary activating controls. One is intended to activate waves either as a button or a switch, the other to capture waves. Once a wave is captured there is a button that will allow you to cipher through new waves at random. And we've included a switch that will change the overall texture of the sound. We've got a power starver knob that drastically changes the way this piece functions, and a gain knob to play it hot or cool. A bright white lamp will indicate the power level and the sound travels out to 1/4" jack and the meter will go crazy and is extremely useful in getting fine details with the main controls. The Growling Insect runs on an included battery pack

The housing we've used is a very high quality vintage cloth covered wood case."

via sonicbrat.

New Audio Damage Product Teaser

"Meet Replicant. It should be fairly obvious as to what it does, especially to those of you familiar with Live's built in Beat Repeat."

Title link takes you to more info on Analog Industries. Having been on a bit of a looping kit recently, I can't wait to check this one out.

Rhodes Chroma Updates

A couple of interesting bits from the Rhodes Chroma Group.

Chroma interface lead (pictured). Allows you to communicate between Chromas and applies to the ARP Chroma, Rhodes Chroma, and Chroma Polaris. Title link takes you to the details on the Rhodes Chroma site.

And... A knob box for the ARP/Rhodes Chroma just might be coming via jesper:
"My knob project will take advantage of Sandro's and David's CC+ and then add a Doepfer Pocket Dial on the midi chain. I spoke to Sandro about this and he said it should work. I'll keep you posted when the CC+ has arrived, has been installed and the Pocket Dial has been programmed to send on the right channels... (expect a few more months ;) If it works as I hope I'll do a Chroma-style new case for the Pocket Dial."

It's stuff like this that makes the Rhodes Chroma group and site pretty amazing. I find it pretty fascinating that out of all vintage synths, the Rhodes Chroma ended up with the best direct support group and site.

Update: When I put up this post, I wanted to call out a big thanks to Chris Ryan, the owner of the Rhodes Chroma site and list, but I wasn't sure if the thanks should be limited to just him or others. I contacted Chris directly and he let me know that although he maintains the site on his own, we can find a list of the contributors here.

"David Clarke has been the most consistent and prolific contributor of articles and information, and to the mailing list. Sandro worked with him on the CC+ and contributed a couple of articles. There are lots of other people active on the list as well (as you've seen), and contributors."

Anyway, thanks Chris, David, Senso and everyone else that contributed. It really is one heck of a group.

Googoofish Updates

Yamaha MR10

Dick Smith OSC Box

Philips PMC Samples

Chris sent me some updates worth checking out on his site Googoofish. Each link above takes you to more info and samples for each. Enjoy.