Synth Wizards Episode 7: Syntars, Keytars & Orphicas

Published on Jun 1, 2019 Syntaur

"Keyboardists have wanted to go portable for way longer than you might have thought! Come along with Syntaur’s Sam Mims as he chases the fascinating history of the keytar, or strap-on synthesizer, and talks to some of the people who made these inventions happen. And watch the Syntaur crew bring a smashed Roland keytar back to life!"

Synth Wizards 7 Behind the Scenes: Strawberry Fields on Tubon/Mellotron

Published on Jun 1, 2019 Syntaur

"Sam and Eddie show you how the Strawberry Fields Forever audio for Synth Wizards Episode 7 was created."

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Note the Moog Liberation contains the guts of the Realistic MG-1 made by Moog for Radio Shack.

George Duke

flickr by Neil Vance

"On the Davis Clavitar Controller.

1980 - 'The 'full-dress' remote keyboard for all single voice lead synthesizers.'"

Davis Development Analog Sequencer

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

via this auction

"Up for auction is an analog sequencer made by "Davis Development" for use with analog synthesisers that have cv/gate inputs. This unit appears to be either A: a prototype, B: a one-off someone made in the late seventies or C: from a kit. Not sure which, but, have you seen another? I can't find anything online about it, but it seems to have been built by a serious pro. The main board is all point-to-point wiring, but very nicely done (this definitely was not an amateurs work). It has been in fine working condition since I've owned it, although it does show its age here and there (see pics).

It should be noted that this sequencer apparently puts out a "volts per hertz" output at the "pitch out", and a "gate" at the "trig out" (both 1/4"). This explains why it works fine with the EML-101. The EML, Korg MS-series, and a few others use this type of interfacing. ARP, Roland, Moog, etc. use a "volts per octave" system, which seems to be the more common. It works with that type as well, but adds a (sort of) "ring-mod" effect to the oscillator(s) its driving. Just thought you should know, to avoid future issues (don't want any unhappy customers...) :~)

O.K., back to the details. It has a momentary button under each of the 8 steps (handy for "tuning in" your sequence), as well as a "random" on/off button, "clock" on/off, and a "range" thumbwheel switch (for making it 4-step, 2-step, 5-step, etc.). The CV output is not quantized."

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