MATRIXSYNTH: Friday, February 8, 2008

Friday, February 08, 2008

Sex!

Well, not really, but it definitely contends for a monolith shot.

Click here for more shots via Muff Wigger.

Only You patches

That would be Yazoo!'s "Only You" on the Sequenctial Circuits Pro-One.

Two flickrs by analogueandy

domo synth mixx

flickr by octoberskies

full size

Casio, Yamaha? Anyone know what that is for the label?

Update via tylerstickley in the comments: "Yamaha PSS-470"

Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald LIVE 1977

YouTube via fritzritz. "Echoes Of Love" Sent my way via Brian Kehew of The Moog Cookbook.
Note how he is playing the Oberheim 4-Voice polyphonically. Each SEM is an independent synth, meaning there is no auto-tuning between voices - each one has to be independently tuned to line up correctly.

Terrorize Your Neighbor - Blacet Drone

via Kwote:
"It was specifically crafted for an independent [horror] film. It was composed with a very small blacet based system consisting of an I/O, VCO, Filthy Filtre, 2 Micro LFO's, Dual Linear VCA, Multi, Klangwerk & Stonzphase." You can find the mp3 here.

Asphodel and Recombinant Media Labs

Episode 10 - In the Studio: Asphodel and Recombinant Media Labs

The Synth Room comes in at 2:33 and lasts for about a minute. There's some massive modular goodness in there along with some analog synths.

via Matia:
"It's a video profile of the studio I work for. I designed and curate the synth room (a lot of that stuff is my equipment configured for the purposes of the studio work) as well as being an in-house synthesist and producer (per needs of client)."

Update: some links via Matia:
"No website for the studio itself but there is a myspace for the performance room.

http://www.myspace.com/recombinantmedialabs

we use the facilities and in particular the synth room to create our music:

http://www.myspace.com/redyouth

on that particular song there is quiet a bit of serge and the serge sequencer sequencing the filter and oscillators of the moog.

Update via Wavedeform in the comments (be sure to check out the comments for more):
"Naut has perhaps the largest Salamander (SMS) synthesizer in existence. The black-faced wall to the left of the Serge wall is all SMS.

SMS info:
http://www.xfade.com/gear/Salamander/"

Analog Synthesizers by Mark Jenkins

brian c found this one on analog synths. If anyone knows if it's any good feel free to comment. The following is the description on Amazon. I also added it to my Synth Books section.

"Analog Synthesizers: Understanding, Performing, Buying- from the legacy of Moog to software synthesis (Paperback)

Book Description
In this book, the technical explanation of the nature of analog sound creation is followed by the story of its birth and its subsequent development by various designers, manufacturers and performers.

The individual components of analog sound creation are then examined in detail, with step by step examples of sound creation techniques. Then the modern imitative analog instruments are examined, again with detailed instructions for programming and using them, and the book is completed with appendices listing the major instrument lines available, hints on values and purchasing, other sources of information, and a discography of readily available recordings which give good examples of analog sound synthesis.

The CD which accompanies the book gives many examples of analog sound creation basics as well as more advanced techniques, and of the abilities of the individual instruments associated with classical and with imitative analog sound synthesis.

* A complete history of analog sound in one work
* Interviews with industry Legends and developers of of analog synthesizers
* Audio CD of demo sounds and tuitional pieces to illustrate the processes discussed in the book"

The Fentix Cube

Remember the Spaceman Technologies Multitouch Tactile Sequencer by Andrew Fentem?

Directly below is a video of another one of his devices, The Fenix Cube. There is no mention of musical application but you can definitely hear the audio. Further below is some of his musical experiments. You can find more info on ANDREWFENTEM.COM. Also check out this post on Gizmodo which has an extensive game oriented piece on his work.

The Fentix Cube - an electronic emulation of a Rubik's cube

Click here for more videos featuring Andrew Fentem's work.

Wiard/Blacet miniwave in MOTM Adaptor Panel

flickr by sduck409

full size

This image should give you a good idea of the size comparison between Frac and MOTM. The darker inner module is Frac and the outer MOTM.

"The front of my Wiard/Blacet miniwave. I've kept the original Blacet front panel, but added 1/4in phone jacks. It's installed into a Blacet> MOTM adaptor panel that Blacet used to sell. The row of 8 jacks at the bottom are 2 sets of 4 jack multiples."

verstaerkers audioexperiments - new audio samples

Remember verstaerkers audioexperiments? The site has been updated with three more samples featuring the Cwejman Res-4, Cwejman S1, Doepfer, Plan B, and more Cwejman modules.

Innerclock Systems - The Litmus Test

Innerclock Systems, makers of "Precision Musical Synchronization Devices" has a page up ranking the timing of various drum machines and sequencers. Click here to see the results. [See update below for new links].

"'Litmus Test - def: any kind of indicator used to classify something either favorably or unfavorably'

Over many years of testing and checking the timing performance characteristics of different electronic event sequencing devices I rely on a very simple test that gives a very accurate indication of just how well a musical sequencing device keeps time."

via Analog Industries.

Update: the litmus test has been expanded and moved here, and Innerclock Systems is now hosted at http://www.innerclocksystems.com

Casio Sk-1 Atari 2600 circuit bending project

via Chad Burger on perthband.com where you will find more info and shots.

"I have modded a casio sk-1 keyboard with a circuit bent patch bay which is linked to the switches on the atari part of the controls. The two silver dials control a pitch bend and a poly voice filter bend. I also installed a 1/4" guitar jack out and a red reset button as sometimes the bends cause the sk-1 so freak-out and freeze requiring a deep reset."

From what I can tell, only the controls of the 2600 are used.
via GetLoFi where you can find some more info as well.

Custom MacBeth M5N "Blue Meanie" / "Blue Marvin"

via Ken MacBeth:

"Hi Matrix! ...well to continue with the custom panel thread- a prolific german client asked to have 2 M5N synths built for him- but with a special blue color that I ordered in- this color was swatched against the color type of the very first ARP 2600s. We discussed whether or not they originals were called 'blue meanies' or 'blue marvins' - maybe the viewers of the matrix synth blog know this stuff! I am currently offering direct sales of two Process Red M5Ns (...there will be a fire in the disco!) that go as a pair-both hand built by myself, and not the factory I'm using- there is a premium for this- but interested parties can enquire- pics to follow soon. Best To All- Ken Mac."

click here for more pics. Regarding the "Blue Meanie" vs. "Blue Marvin," if you know, feel free to comment. Via this post: "The very first model 2600 was produced in early 1971 and is known as The Blue Marvin. It has mistakenly been called the "Blue Meanie" but according to Alan R. Pearlman, the Blue Marvin is so named after Marvin Cohen, head of engineering at ARP at the time."

JoMoX T-Resonator 2-channel Processor

YouTube via bigcitymusic
"Here is the new Jomox T-Resonator processor. Mike has the Casio VL-Tone and a drum loop running into the T-Resonator which really screws up the sound in a very interesting way."

pad sounds

YouTube via raulsworldofsynths. If you like this be sure to check out the rest.
"very convincing virtual analog sounds from native instruments reaktor"

Analogue Solutions TBX-303

YouTube via bigcitymusic
"Here's a quick demo of the new Analogue Solutions TBX-303. It has built in overdrive, filter resonance and squelch controls and a lot more features that go beyond the original 303. www.bigcitymusic.com"

bach take1

YouTube via spmaspma
"attempting to learn Bach Prelude in C on the Monome using NoteGrid5-7 in MonoChrome (4ths left-right, 5ths up-down). Its a little easier on piano."

Technics SY-1010

via this auction

click the image

"SY-1010 is extremely rare monophonic analog synthesizer manufactured by Technics in 1977.

i'ts very hard to find even in Japan nowadays difinitely synthesizer collectors dream! [are Japanese synths easier to find in Japan? :) Never really thought about it until now]

cute! very small and light weight analog synthesizer it has full sized 32keys 1VCO, noise,VCF(resonance self-oscillating),ADSR,LFO,and each various controls VCO is free scale(not change by octave range)like modular synth simple architecture but very easy to use and can creates versatile sounds fat analog bass sound to warm leads,retro SFX sounds etc good synth for both recording and live performance(small and light weight and looks cute)"

Update via museslave via the comments: "Automatic Gainsay has a video demo of this keyboard on YouTube." Indeed he does, you can see it here. Note the one up for auction is not the same as the one in the video - at least I think so. :)