MATRIXSYNTH: Big Briar


Showing posts with label Big Briar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Briar. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 05, 2024

SYNTOVOX 221 VOCODER

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.


via this auction

"Vocoder built by the dutch high end synthesizer company Synton. Distributed in the USA by [Bob] Moog's Big Brair company.

This is the flagship vocoder from Synton, and is among the best vocoders of all time. It shares company with the EMS 5000 and the Sennheiser VSM-201 vocoder.

It's really rare, only 20 pieces was made.

One of the ultimate best vocoders in the universe, if not THE best. This is what Wendy Carlos said (on the web )- 'Question #4 -- What kind of vocoder do/did you prefer? Felix Visser made the best ones, for his long-gone (alas!) Synton company, all during the 80's. Some other fine devices exist, as the EMI/Synthi big one, and Sennheiser's expensive one, those and dear Harald Bode's design that Moog's good 16-band one was similar to. The ultra-basic analog units were generally mushy-sounding. Synton's had the best intelligibility on spoken words for their original 32-band device, .......' This is Felix's own machine, serial number 010, and was actually used extensively by Wendy Carlos - there's a typed note to her on the power supply saying it had been changed to 115V for her. It has now been changed back to 220V by Felix Visser. Unlike some models, it has a complete case. It will be sold fully working, and with a signed cerificate of provenance.

Synthovox 221 is a 20-channel vocoder system which has made its way to numerous recording studios, radio stations, composers and scientific institutions for its outstanding quality and its unexcelled intelligibility.

It includes 54 dB/octave filter, a feature not found in any other vocoder on the market. It also offers the versatility of a build-in pulse generator for direct speech sythesis and several control units for pitch modulation.

It features matrix patching for format shifting and a highly precise voiced/unvoiced detector system. And it offers extreme flexibility by the multiway connector which gives access to the analyzer and synthesizer sections and the control terminals of the voiced/unvoiced detector.

The Intelligible Machine has set standards in vocoder techniques.

High end model, attenuator per channel.

Only about 20 of these were made. Users include Wendy Carlos (who owns a 221 & SPX 216), various electronic studio's in Europe. Best suited for studio use due to complex control.

The 221 has a 50-pin connector on the back which provides CV in and out for each channel, and other functions as described above."

Tuesday, June 06, 2023

Big Briar Etherwave theremin w/ Original Manual SN 01851

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via this auction

Pre-MOOG Big Briar Etherwave Standard Theremin Keyboard Synthesizer Serial No. 01851.

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Big Briar Etherwave Theremin SN 5504

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.


via this auction

Use this code on checkout for $30 off orders of $100 or more from now until December 31: MATRIX30

Pre new Moog theremin by Bob Moog's Big Briar.

According to the listing: "I believe this is from the 1990s judging from the serial number."

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Big Briar 331 Touchpad by Bob Moog with Synton 3000 Modular synthesizer


David Morley

"The Big Briar company was created by Bob Moog after he left Moog. He sold Synton synthesisers and the 331 touchpad was created to be used with the 3000 system. I just cleaned mine, so decided to test it. A very short video, but no doubt highly interesting to 7 people. I'm triggering the Fenix III sequencer and controlling the filter cutoff and LFO speed with the touchpad."

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Big Briar Etherwave Theremin signed by Bob Moog SN MSS763

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"I purchased it from West LA music in 2003. Everything works. To be honest, I rarely used it at all. Never gigged with it.

As you may know, legendary synth designer and builder Bob Moog passed away on August 21, 2005. Before Bob's passing, he personally tested and signed a limited number of his Etherwave Theremins and these were called the, "Signature Edition". In February, 2004, Moog Music stopped production of this model.

It is housed in a black solid wood case and signed by Bob Moog himself in silver paint marker. Also included is the proprietary power supply that looks like a midi cable."

Monday, July 25, 2016

Moog Minimoog Model D with Midi (Big Briar) SN 10175-13233

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via this auction

"Extraordinary example of a mid 70s MiniMoog Model D. This particular one has a Big Briar (a Bob Moog Company) Midi card installed that makes integrating with any modern DAW a breeze. Cosmetically the front panel is as clean as any I have ever seen. It is a serial in the 11ks so it is not the "old osc board" It has three rows of calibration on the back that function perfectly. The tuning is very precise. The key action is consistent and none of the keys stick at. Just had a COMPLETE servicing at Future Music in Los Angeles, one of the premier shops in town. There is quite literally no noise or functional issues whatsoever on this synth. Plays like new."

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Final Big Briar 91A Theremin Made Signed By Bob Moog

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via this auction

"Great shape. Hardly played. A couple scrapes from moving it. It was a gift to me from Bob after I interviewed him for Grand Royal (Beastie Boys) magazine."

Monday, July 18, 2016

Doug Wyatt's "Bob Moog signed" Memorymoog Plus Repair (By Synthpro)


Published on Jul 18, 2016 synthpro

Some great history in this one.

"Hey Guys,

I have been servicing a very special Memorymoog for my friend Doug Wyatt. This is one of his personal Memorymoogs that Bob Moog helped him repair back in the late 90's early 2000's.

It was an amazing experience for me to service this unit for Doug and am very happy to announce I got it 100% working for him. this is about my 7th Memorymoog to service and learn a little something new each time."

Update:

Memorymoog Plus Factory Sequencer Data Demo (by Synthpro)

Published on Jul 19, 2016 synthpro

"Hey guys,

This is just a fun video that I thought some of you may enjoy, I have been loading tape data back into Doug Wyatt's Memorymoog today and ran across a tape that sparked my interest to hear...I pulled out my cassette player and loaded the data into the Memorymoog and this is the results...VERY 80's!"

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

Moog Minimoog MODEL D Old OSC with Big Briar MIDI In

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Monday, March 10, 2014

1984 Big Briar Inc. Model 231 Touch Ribbon 4-Page Ad


via Retro Synth Ads where you'll find the full write up including the rest of the scans and some additional pics.

"Big Briar Inc. Model 231 Touch Ribbon "Play Expressive Leads With A Touch Of Your Finger" black and white 1/4-page advertisement from the bottom-right corner of page 24 in the April 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine."

Sunday, February 09, 2014

Moog Memorymoog Synthesizer SN 1095 Factory Upgraded to Plus

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via this auction

"Beautiful Memorymoog, all 6 voices AutoTune, a few minor nicks on the aluminum, but other than that all functions work beautifully, recently serviced by my tech.
This MM was upgraded by Bob Moog's Big Briar Shop to Memorymoog Plus specs including MIDI.
This MM is a monster of sound and beautiful.."

Monday, January 20, 2014

1983 Big Briar Model 331 Touch Plate Ad


via Retro Synth Ads where you'll find the full write-up.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Moog Minimoog MODEL D SN 5570 with Big Briar MIDI IN SN LMC-MM0079 & Mods

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

LFO & Noise Mod as well.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Moog Minimoog D Synthesizer With Linntronics/Big Briar MIDI SN 5570

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via this auction

"Moog Minimoog Model D - Serial number 5570. Super sounding synth in 100% working order. Has the early oscillator boards, which many find to be more desirable than later models. Also has Lintronics/Big Briar MIDI installed. Serial number and original manufacturing sticker (still on underside of chassis!) put this model's manufacturing date in late 1974..."

Sunday, August 11, 2013

4 THEREMIN COMPARISON


Published on Aug 11, 2013 copperleaves·60 videos

"This is an original composition I wrote to demonstrate and compare the sound of four different theremins.

The first one I play is the Moog Ethervox. Many people believe this is the finest and most versatile theremin ever made. It was designed and manufactured in the late 1990's and is fully MIDI capable (although I am playing it here strictly in the traditional way).

The second instrument is the 1929 RCA theremin that once belonged to the late Hollywood thereminist, Dr. Samuel Hoffman. This instrument can be heard on the soundtracks of over forty major motion picture soundtracks of the 1940's and 50's.

The third theremin is the last theremin designed and made by the late, wonderful, Robert Moog. It is called the Etherwave Pro. This instrument is in a burled maple cabinet I made for it myself, and is the only one of the four instruments in this video that I play while seated.

The last theremin, the one with the Art Deco lightning bolt antennas, belonged to Leon Theremin's business partner and personal assistant, Julius Goldberg. This is the only one of the four theremins that I am using an effect with. The sound you hear is the voice of the theremin going through an Electro-Harmonix TALKING MACHINE which gives it the haunting sound of a human baritone. I thought this might be an interesting contrast with the other three instruments.

All four of these theremins are amplified identically, and their sound is coming through the "Claratone" speaker you see behind me. This speaker was specially designed by Reid Welch for use with the theremin, and was named after the great 20th century thereminist, Clara Rockmore.

I would love to have played these instruments by walking from one to the other in a single shot but that is not possible. First of all, theremins are notorious for causing all sorts of interference problems with one another when there are several of them in close proximity and all of them are turned on. So for each of the theremins I play in this video, the other three had to be turned off.

The other big problem is that the spacing of the notes within the electromagnetic field is radically different for each of these four instruments, so it takes a few minutes to adapt your technique to the configuration of the theremin you're playing. All theremins are not the same. Most traditional instruments have a standard design and spacing - the standard piano keyboard is the same everywhere - but theremins are highly individual and each one is different."

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Big Briar Moogerfooger CP-251 Control Voltage Processor

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This Auction Includes The CP-251, Power, The Original Manual, A Detailed Review That Explains It In Use, And A Moog EP-1 Expression Pedal."

For those new to Big Briar check out this wikipedia article. In short, the original R.A. Moog Co. formed in 1953 under Bob Moog, and was renamed to Moog Music in 1972. Bob Moog left in 1977 and formed Big Briar. In 1986 Moog Music went into bankruptcy. Don Martin acquired the name in the US and came out with the Donimoog and Alex Winters in Wales acquired the name in the UK. Bob Moog managed to get the Moog name back in 2002 just in time for the Minimoog Voyager.

Monday, October 22, 2012

MOOG MEMORYMOOG with Big Briar Installed LAMM Lintronics Upgrade

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction

"This MemoryMoog worked on by BOB MOOG at Big Briar(1995) -installed L.A.M.M. update by LINTRONICS LAMM.

THE LINTRONICS ADVANCED MEMORYMOOG (LAMM)IS A COMPLETELY NEW FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEGENDARY MEMORYMOOG-these advancements do of course include a comprehensive MIDI upgrade but also encompass numerous deep changes in the MEMORYMOOG's soft and hardware. The MEMORYMOOG's operating system was completely re-written and the hardwaree was so thoroughly upgraded that the LAMM has been fully freed of the glitches and problems that have plagued users. The central processing unit is replaced with a much more powerful CPU -doubling the MEMORY MOOGS performance-but does not change the original Memorymoog's synthesis in any fashion.

That's right: 3 VCO's per voice, and there are SIX VOICES, 18 VCO's, 12 ADSR Envelope Generators, 6 VCFs, with Program Memory

and ANALOG VCO AUTOTUNE (Thank God!) Same controls, same location.

Legendary CEM VCO and VCF. And yes- you can make the VCO's "beat" and "roll" with

the FINE TUNE vernier control.The L.A.M.M. update LINTRONICS refined and stabilized.

Updated the POWER SUPPLY, MIDI and SEQUENCER."

Friday, August 03, 2012

Moog Big Briar Etherwave Theremin

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Man or Astro-Man? - Principles Unknown - Happy Birthday Leon Theremin!


YouTube Uploaded by Stevo71 on Feb 22, 2011

Dueling theremins. Heard this one on my bike ride today listening to KEXP via their iOS app: KEXP Radio iTunes. Kevin Cole did a nice piece on the theremin and it's influence on electronic music and of course Bob Moog. I thought this would make for a great B-Day post. You don't see dueling theremins everyday.

Video description:
"Recorded 21 Feb, 2011, at The Independent in San Francisco, CA.
Includes Yvonne Lambert of The Octopus Project and Coco having a theremin battle.
Photos from the show can be seen here."

According to the web, the best guess at Lev Termen's, aka Leon Theremin's birthday was August 15, 1896. Wikipedia has "27 August [O.S. 15 August] 1896, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire"


Theremin World does have the 15th along with a nice birthday post.

Thank you Leon!

Bob Moog started by building theremin kits in his youth, and continued to build them under Big Briar followed by the new Moog Music which still builds them today. In the video above Yvonne Lambert is playing the Moog Etherwave Pro.

Saturday, August 06, 2011

Rare MOOG Phone Controller

via this auction
Note this is not a synth but it is from Moog. Note the logo. Moog branched out to other products towards the end of their business. Moog went bust, Don Martin in the US picked up the name as well as another outfit in the UK. Bob Moog ran Big Briar producing theremins & Moogerfoogers, and eventually managed to get the Moog name back in time for the release of the Moog Voyager. That's the short version.

"very rare Moog Phone Controller. Its a little tough to describe what this is. It kind of works as an electronic Rolodex with up to thirty phone numbers capable of being stored in it. You can see what other functions it has on the front. Obviously your iPhone is capable of doing much more than this, so this is probably more of a museum piece or a nice find for a Moog collector. All functions appear to be working properly. Includes the AC adapter and one short telephone cable."

Giving this one the Synth Bling label.

SN 57779



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