MATRIXSYNTH: a free analog synthesizer in every magazine


Sunday, June 08, 2008

a free analog synthesizer in every magazine

nick sent the following in to the Analog Heaven (AH) list. I asked him if I could put it up here and he gave me the OK.

"It's fairly common especially in Japanese kids magazines to include a free toy of some sort.

There's a rather unusual magazine about inventions and the science behind them aimed at adults called Otona no Kagaku. It's sold mostly in bookstores who usually keep the back issues in-stock if they have room.

They always try to include some kind of amazing kit packaged inside each issue. What's amazing that it actually (more or less) works. Mind you the inventions are borderline toys. And of course the high issue price cearly means it not actually free. It's not like some promo item a company is giving away that the company foots the bill for.

Some past examples have been an Edison grammaphone that uses styrofoam coffee cups instead of wax cylinders to record and play from and recently a very minimal Theremin amusingly shaped like a dollhouse sized plastic RCA Theremin. link

So if that's not enough, they do occasional special issues costing more with something they couldn't stuff into a regular issue. For instance a Berliner disc phonograph that cuts some seconds worth of analog sound with a needle into a spinning CD disc that you choose to sacrifice. On July 30 their next special issue will feature an analog synth along the lines of a PAIA Gnome with a few cut corners (no VCA). link

It's about $30 in Japan and it's quite possible to find them in the $40 something range either online or occasionally in Japanese language bookstores (seen other issues in Asahiya though not Kinokuniya) if you wait a few weeks. The good thing is that it's borderline like a book means it's actually likely to be easier to get than a regular magazine.

They feature their consultations with Hideki (Logic System) Matsutake, who is without a doubt the go-to man in Japan for all things synthesizer in the mainstream Japanese media.

It also occurs to me that because of the low price and it's being sold with a magazine, for better or worse this probably will be the biggest selling analog synth of all time.

nick
http://technopop.info"

"Some quick additions.

It is more or less a kit and I have no idea how easy it will be to put together if the instructions are in Japanese.

I have no idea where the best place to get it but I doubt it will be too hard to get since past issues can be bought.

I'd search for "otona no kagaku" on ebay and online for English language pages. "Gakken" will get you more hits.

Be aware it's not out yet, it goes on sale 7/30 in Japan and retailers in other countries might not see it for a month or so."

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