The Secretive History of Pop Music's Favorite Vocoder | Sennheiser VSM201

video upload by HAINBACH

"Kraftwerk, Jean-Michelle Jarre and Daft Punk are among the artists that used the rare Sennheiser VSM201 Vocoder from 1977. It is one of the very best examples of its kind, as its 16 bands allow both for high voice intelligibility and experimental tomfoolery. Yet there is also a history behind it that is still so secret, Sennheiser are still not allowed to talk in detail about it. Thanks to Sennheiser for allowing me access to their archives and the prototype.

Get the Vocoder Decent Sampler Instrument and Music from this video: / hainbach"

Interviews with Dan Green: Life in Austin

video upload by 4ms Company

Dan Green, founder of 4ms Company, talks about life in Austin, Texas
Part 4 in the 4ms Origins series

The story of INVENTING Eurorack: DIETER DOEPFER // Why We Bleep 55

video upload by mylarmelodies

"A podcast about creating Eurorack modular synths in the 90s, collaborations with Kraftwerk, the 'red stripe' controversy (if you know you know). We meet from Dieter Doepfer & new Doepfer managing director Holger Zapf, in an interview at Machina Bristronica 2024, on how Eurorack Modular format went from "Nobody wants that sh*t" to a blossoming and diverse industry 30 years later. 👉 / mylarmelodies 🙌

This was filmed at the mighty https://machinabristronica.uk/" Chapters:
00:00 - In this episode of Why We Bleep...
01:30 - A word from Why We Bleep's Sponsors
04:38 - Introduction to Dieter Doepfer and Holger Zapf
06:14 - Early life, education, introduction to music & technology
16:47 - First encounters with synths - analogue vs the era of digital
21:49 - MAQ16/3 - a little collaboration with Kraftwerk
25:31 - The early developement of Eurorack ("Nobody wants that sh!t!")
31:16 - Holger's involvement, perspectives on Eurorack and favourite modules
36:53 - Doepfer's development and design process
41:55 - Eurorack's evolution - parallels and adopters of the format
45:55 - The 'Red Stripe' controversy and voltage standards
51:49 - How it feels to have started the Eurorack Industry
53:07 - What is the future of Doepfer, and of Music Technology?
58:14 - A question from the audience - Eurorack's Birthday?
59:07 - Thank you Doepfer! Final thoughts

If you enjoyed the episode, please share it and consider contributing on Patreon!

DOEPFER ONLINE:
▶︎ https://www.doepfer.de/home.htm

THANKS TO SPONSORS:
▶︎ SIGNAL SOUNDS http://signalsounds.com
▶︎ POINT BLANK MUSIC SCHOOL: https://bit.ly/pbopenday25

SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL:
▶︎ Patreon: / mylarmelodies (Help fund more podcast episodes, videos, join a community of music makers and ask me questions directly!)"

Roger Linn: The King of Drum Machines

video upload by Jack Pearson

"This is the story of Roger Linn, a guitarist from Los Angeles whose innovative sample based drum machines changed the sound of music forever.

Special thanks to Roger himself for featuring my video in the September Linnstrument newsletter (https://myemail.constantcontact.com/L...) and on his website (https://www.rogerlinndesign.com).

I first learned about Roger a few years ago while making a film called “The History of Sampling in Music” [below]. While I didn’t know anything about Roger at the time, I was astounded to learn that he had created both the LinnDrum and the MPC, which shaped the punchy robotic drums of 80s pop music and the grungy experimental grooves of 90s hip-hop respectively. I did a quick bit of research about him for my video, but didn’t really dig much deeper than that… However, a few months ago I decided to rewatch my old project, which reignited my interest in Roger’s story and gave me the idea for this video.

Like my previous project, I’d initially planned to write a script and do a voice-over, but after discovering the assortment of recorded interviews that Roger has already appeared in, I realised that I could just chop them up and have Roger tell his own story. I thought 'hey that sounds pretty cool, how hard could it be?'

Well, let’s just say I’m probably never going to do something like this again. I did enjoy making this and I am proud of it, but if I had just done a voice-over not only would it have been easier to make, but I also could’ve included a lot information without it feeling incredibly clunky. The initial cut was about 26 minutes, but I cut out loads of stuff for the sake of pacing and trying to stick to narrative beats. Roger is a fascinating guy with a lot of great anecdotes though, so if you enjoyed this video then I highly recommend you seek out some of the podcasts/interviews he’s done over the years.

I planned on making all the music for this film myself, but decided it would be better to use music that relates to Roger in some way (for example, he co-wrote 'Promises' by Eric Clapton and 'Quittin’ Time' by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and first used the LM-1 Drum Computer on the Leon Russell album 'Life & Love' which featured the track 'One More Love Song'.) I salvaged one of these demo tracks for the credits, but you can listen it and a few more scrapped tracks here:

Jack Pearson · RL:TKODM (Credits Music + Demos)

Since you’ve read this far, here’s a few bonus Roger facts that got cut out of the video:

The LM-1 was featured on the best selling album of all time - 'Thriller' by Micheal Jackson, as well as other early 80s hits like 'Maneater' by Hall & Oates, 'Valerie' by Steve Winwood, and for some reason - the original 1983 Thomas the Tank Engine theme song.

Roger hired his friend, a professional session drummer called Art Wood, to record most of the sounds on the LM-1. They set up the kit in Roger’s closet, recording each of the drums one at a time… then called it a day. Given the popularity of the songs featuring these recordings - Art Wood is technically one of most prominently featured drummers of all time.

And here's two bonus facts about this video:

The title 'The King of Drum Machines' is a quote from the father of MIDI - Dave Smith, when he spoke about Roger and the Tempest drum machine (which they built together) on a Sweetwater panel in 2015. [below]

This video was released on Roger’s 70th birthday.

I hope you enjoy it!" The History of Sampling in Music (2022)

video upload by Jack Pearson

The Inventors of Synth (Roger Linn, Dave Smith & Tom Oberheim) - Sweetwater Gearfest 2015

video upload by Sweetwater

"Join Mitch Gallagher as he moderates 'The Inventors of Synth' panel discussion at Gearfest '15. Featuring industry icons Dave Smith, Tom Oberheim, and Roger Linn discussing their thoughts on the past, present, and future of analog synthesizers and controllers.

Legendary synth designer and Grammy-winner Dave Smith was the founder of Sequential Circuits in the mid-'70s. His Prophet-5, the world's first fully programmable polyphonic synth, was the first musical instrument with an embedded microprocessor. Dave is also known as the driving force behind the development of the MIDI specification. He has continued to innovate, and recently unveiled his latest synth creation, the Sequential Prophet-6.

A pioneer of the synth and MIDI world, Tom Oberheim co-designed the Synthesizer Expansion Module (SEM), a device that allowed musicians to simultaneously combine live playing and sequenced playback - a concept that pre-dated the MIDI revolution. In 1981, he, along with Roland's Ikutaro Kakehashi and Sequential's Dave Smith, developed the MIDI spec, which changed the course of modern music. Tom recently re-released his famed Two Voice synth.

Technical Grammy award-winner Roger Linn invented the LM-1 Drum Computer (the first sample-based drum machine) in 1979. He later designed the Akai MPC60, which combined a sampling drum machine with a real-time MIDI sequencer. His guitar effects unit, AdrenaLinn, has been used on hit recordings by John Mayer and Red Hot Chili Peppers. In 2014 he released the LinnStrument, an expressive MIDI performance controller."

Inside the Studio with Ian Hultquist | GForce Oberheim TVS Pro

video upload by GForce Software

"Ian Hultquist is a renowned composer, producer, and sound designer for film, documentaries, and television. Formerly a member of the successful band Passion Pit, Ian has crafted powerful scores for projects like Mommy Dead and Dearest, The First Monday in May, My Blind Brother, Memoria, and Dead City.

We visited Ian at his studio in London, UK, where he gave us an inside look at how he uses the GForce Oberheim TVS Pro virtual synthesizer.

Developed in collaboration with Oberheim, this synth recreation captures the depth, warmth, and characterof the original Two Voice Pro — along with the spirit of innovation that made it a legend.

Full Story: www.gforcesoftware.com/blog/ian-hultquist-tvspro
GForce Oberheim TVS Pro: www.gforcesoftware.com/products/tvs-pro/

Credits:
Ian Hultquist: www.ianhultquist.com/
Video: www.loftworks.co.uk/
Artist Relations and additional sound design: www.createnewstories.com"

The Cinematic Art of Game Sound: with Venus Theory, Jason Graves and Summit

video upload by Novation

"​‪@VenusTheory‬ and ‪@JasonGravesMusic‬ craft cinematic-style game music, demonstrating how to build narrative and atmosphere in the multifaceted art of modern cinematic game scoring. Together they explore pace, texture, and layering to drive and develop gameplay, with each sound carefully designed to deliver specific sonic narratives. Watch to see how they create game music that adapts to the numerous decisions a player can take.

Cameron, also known as Venus Theory, is a composer, sound designer, and content creator, while Jason Graves is a composer for games, film, and TV with two decades of experience.

Listen to the pack they created, Incursea, here - https://bit.ly/_Incursea_Venus-Theory...

Discover Summit - https://bit.ly/_Novation_Summit_"

Inside Tom Oberheim’s Garage Workshop

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

See the full interview here, and the SEM Story here.

"Step inside the legendary garage workshop of Tom Oberheim—the birthplace of some of the most iconic sounds in music history. In this rare behind-the-scenes tour, Tom shares his latest creation: a custom-built computer he’s designing entirely from scratch—just because he loves the way it sounds.

Along the way, Tom opens up his treasure chest of innovations, showing us priceless prototypes from his storied career, including the original Maestro Phase Shifter prototype and circuit boards that paved the way for his groundbreaking synthesizers.

I’m joined by Rob Rosen (Rosen Sound) and Marcus Ryle (Alesis, Line 6) as we hear directly from Tom himself, walking through this sacred space filled with history, innovation, and pure sonic imagination.
👉 Don’t miss this intimate glimpse into the genius of a true pioneer."

https://oberheim.com/

https://anthonymarinellimusic.com

Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll Goes Granular With the 3rd Wave and Samples

video upload by Groove Synthesis

"Check out this short video sent to us by Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll, in which he puts the 3rd Wave’s new sample modulation capabilities to the test. Learn more about the 3rd Wave at https://www.groovesynthesis.com

Paul Hartnoll, one half of the legendary electronic duo Orbital, has been pushing the boundaries of electronic music since their breakthrough 1989 hit "Chime" helped define the UK rave scene. Known for their innovative live performances and genre-defining albums like "In Sides" and "Snivilisation," Orbital's influence on electronic music spans over three decades, making Paul's exploration of the 3rd Wave's capabilities particularly compelling.

In the video, Paul makes great use of sample start modulation, a feature added in OS 1.9a of the 3rd Wave 24K synth, allowing velocity and other sources to dynamically shift sample start points for expressive performance control. He created a sequence of 48th notes in Ableton Live, using its note split mode, and gently randomized the notes’ velocity. He then modulates the sample start in the 3rd Wave oscillator with the note velocity to create, in effect, a granular sampler. You can then also use velocity (or any other parameter) to control the filter cutoff and spread the samples out into the stereo field with the pan spread control.

The 3rd Wave 24K is a 24-voice, 4-part multi-timbral wavetable synth with 3 oscillators per voice, analog low-pass filters, a state-variable filter, 6-stage wave envelopes per oscillator, and an industry-first Wavemaker™ tool that allows users to create custom wavetables in a single step through its proprietary sample-to-wave technology. Each of its three oscillators can generate a classic PPG-era wavetable, a modern high-resolution wavetable, virtual-analog synthesis, linear FM, and sampling.

While the 3rd Wave has roots in the classic digital wavetable synths of the past, it takes the concept firmly into the 21st century with a lush, expansive sound and innovative features that synths of the 80ies could only dream of.

Learn more about the 3rd Wave advanced wavetable synth here: https://groovesynthesis.com/"

Interviews with Dan Green: Life in St. Louis, Missouri

video upload by 4ms Company

"Dan Green, founder of 4ms Company, talks about life in St. Louis, Missouri."

Additional parts here

Dreadbox Artemis Polyphonic Analogue Synth - Overview and Demo

video upload by Sound On Sound magazine

"SOS News Editor Luke Wood travelled to Dreadbox HQ in Athens, Greece where he met with Orfeas for a first look and demonstration of their latest desktop synthesizer, the ARTEMIS. Read the full SOS review in our August 2025 magazine: www.soundonsound.com/reviews/dreadbox-artemis"

This Little Box Changed Synths Forever | Tom Oberheim’s SEM Story

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

See the full interview here.

"How did the legendary Oberheim SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) come to life? In this video, Tom Oberheim himself tells the story of how necessity became the mother of invention.
After creating the world’s first digital sequencer, Tom needed a dedicated synthesizer voice to play back the note information generated by the sequencer. His solution was the SEM — a compact, self-contained synth voice that could be sequenced while leaving a musician’s main synthesizer free to perform alongside it. This groundbreaking idea gave players entirely new creative possibilities and laid the foundation for some of the most influential instruments in music history. Join me, along with Rob Rosen (Rosen Sound) and Marcus Ryle (Alesis, Line 6), as we hear directly from Tom about the innovation that started it all.
👉 Discover how the SEM was born and why it changed the future of synthesis."

https://oberheim.com/

https://anthonymarinellimusic.com

Korg PS-3300 Re-Release | Brett Little

video upload by Noisegate

"All music written and produced by Brett Little AKA Mu-Gen / Wizard on the Korg PS3300

📷instagram.com/mubakka/
🎥 / @brettlittle

Songs:
Blue bells for Wahlie
Tension
Release
It Begins... Again

These are all from Brett Little's upcoming album.

The Korg PS-3300 synthesiser, one of the rarest and most sought-after in music history, is back as a reimagined powerful analog instrument.

Here, Producer, Performer, Composer and Educator Brett Little from Collarts Australian College of the Arts takes us through why the PS-3300 has been on his wish list since its first release back in 1977.

PS-3300 owners can download Brett’s patches here: https://bit.ly/4oSDrgo"

The Secret to the "Oberheim Sound"

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

See the full interview here.

"Discover the true origin of the “Oberheim Sound” in this rare and revealing conversation. Legendary synth pioneer Tom Oberheim himself explains how he dialed in his iconic tone—locking himself in a room with nothing but a bag of resistors, capacitors, and an oscilloscope. Over several days, Tom tweaked and tuned until he was satisfied, even embracing a level of filter distortion that most engineers at the time would have rejected. That bold choice became the unmistakable warmth, grit, and musicality that defined the Oberheim legacy.

He’s joined by Marcus Ryle (Alesis, Line 6) and Rob Rosen (Rosen Sound) as they dive into the legacy of Oberheim instruments—from the SEM to the OB-series—and how they shaped music for artists like Prince, Stevie Wonder, Queen, and Daft Punk.

This is the inside story of how imperfection became perfection, and how one man’s vision changed music forever. Don’t miss this exclusive conversation with three icons of synthesis history."

https://oberheim.com/

https://anthonymarinellimusic.com

Tom Oberheim: The Genius Behind the Greatest Sounding Synthesizers

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

"Today, we’re at the home of Tom Oberheim — one of the original pioneers who shaped synthesizers and music history. Tom's legacy includes some of the most groundbreaking innovations: (a stand alone ring modulator, the first commercially available phase shifter pedal (my personal favorite), an early digital sequencer, the Oberheim DS-2, and the SEM the first commercially available polyphonic synthesizer made in 2, 4 and 8 voice models, followed by favorites such as the OB-X, OB-Xa, OB-8, Xpander, Matrix 12, DMX drum machine and more... of course, most importantly he gave us the unmistakable "Oberheim sound" on his entire collection of iconic synthesizers that have inspired compositions and performances on countless records by multiple generations of artists.

Joining me for this special interview is my friend Rob Rosen from Rosen Sound—talented musician and renowned expert in synth restoration and preservation, and someone who's worked closely for a while with Tom to keep Oberheim instruments and ALL vintage synthesizers alive for future generations of musicians.
We’ll also be joined by Marcus Ryle, who's done so much. Marcus began his career working closely with Tom, at Oberheim, was a session musician, designed dozens of affordable and accessible products for Alesis - including the ADAT multitrack recording, Quadraverb digital reverb, and HR-1 drum machine, and later co-founded Line 6 (creating innovative guitar effects and revolutionizing digital modeling technology). His insight into Tom’s innovations—and his own contributions in music history —makes this a rare, deeply meaningful conversation.
Let’s get into it."

https://oberheim.com/

https://anthonymarinellimusic.com

Interviews with Dan Green: 3ms to 4ms

Part 2 added here

Superbooth 2025 Modal Synths Interview

video upload by Take the Fear out the Gear

"Hi everybody this time we bring you the Superbooth 2025 Modal Synths Interview with Barry.

Modal Electronics established a rich lineup of products, since the company was established in 2013, including a wide range of synths, including high-end keyboards like the Modal 002, Eurorack modules, the budget CRAFTsynth line, the portable SKULPT synthesizer, and the Argon8 and Cobalt8 keyboards."

Synth Legends (2005): Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Marcus Ryle, Roger Linn

video upload by moogfoundation

"Get your SYNTH LEGENDS Limited Edition T-Shirt here: bit.ly/SynthLegendsTshirt
Pre-orders open through August 25th!

Join us live on August 21, 2025 at 8 pm EDT as we present the entire 𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 symposium from April 19, 2005 - Bob Moog’s final public appearance. This historic event, originally organized by Russ Jones of AudioMIDI, brings together synth pioneers Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, and Marcus Ryle, with Roger Linn moderating. For the first time ever, the full 1-hour and 38-minute symposium will be broadcast in its entirety.

Note: the original audio recorded at this 2005 event was only captured on the camera mics and is not studio-perfect. We’ve worked to make audio enhancements, including painstaking audio mastering by Harold LaRue (https://haroldlaruemastering.com), to make this once-in-a-lifetime conversation as clear as possible. We suggest turning on closed captioning in order to not miss any of the content.

During the stream, join Tom Oberheim, Denise Smith (Dave Smith’s widow), Marcus Ryle, and Michelle Moog-Koussa (Bob Moog’s daughter and Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation) in the live chat as they share reflections, answer your questions, and provide personal insights into the legacy of Bob Moog and synthesis history.

Huge thanks to our sponsors, without whom this broadcast would not have been possible:

Platinum Sponsors:
Moog Music – https://moogmusic.com
Sequential / Oberheim – https://sequential.com https://oberheim.com
Spectrasonics – https://spectrasonics.net

Gold Sponsors:
Arturia – https://arturia.com
Korg USA – https://korgusa.com
Roland – https://roland.com

Silver Sponsors:
Cherry Audio – https://cherryaudio.com
GForce Software – https://gforcesoftware.com
ILIO – https://ilio.com
Rosen Sound – https://rosensound.com |
Softube – https://softube.com

Special thanks to: Russ Jones, Harold LaRue, Dave Gross, Mark Ethier, Marcus Ryle, Tom Oberheim, Denise Smith, Roger Linn, Axel Hartmann, and David Mash, all of whose contributions helped make this possible.

Why watch?
Experience the inspiring reflections of five synth legends.
Hear behind‑the‑scenes stories of innovation from the pioneers themselves.
Celebrate Bob Moog’s enduring legacy on the 20th anniversary of his passing.

Mark your calendars and bookmark this page! You won’t want to miss this very special tribute. Feel free to share with fellow synth lovers, and join us live on the 21st to celebrate the magic of synthesis together.
–
Synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog passed away on August 21, 2005. Throughout the month of August, we will share an informal remembrance video series, Voices for Bob, featuring musicians, technologists, innovators, and colleagues as they remember and reflect on Bob's indelible legacy.

▶️ "Voices For Bob" Shorts series:



 
▶️ "Moog Memories” video: bit.ly/MoogMemories [posted here]

Help us carry Bob's legacy forward to inspire future generations through the intersection of science, music, history, and innovation. Support our work by doing one (or all) of the following:

🌐 Visit the Bob Moog Foundation: https://www.moogfoundation.org"

Who is this guy? - Chipsounds Developer Interview

video upload by True Cuckoo

More on Plogue: https://plogue.com

See the Plogue label below for additional posts.

Musical approaches to Eurorack design & performance // Shakmat Discussion at Machina Bristronica

video upload by DivKid

"At Machina Bristronica there's a DivKid Discussions stage and at said stage Francios from Shakmat joined me to hang out, casually interview and make some bleeps and bloops! Here we get into Shakmat as a company, getting into module design choices as well as some great performative musical examples of a Shakmat system.

SHAKMAT // https://shakmat.com

GET YOUR MACHINA BRISTRONICA 2025 TICKETS & INFO HERE // https://machinabristronica.uk"

Interviews with Dan Green: 4ms Company Origins

video upload by 4ms Company

"Dan Green, founder of 4ms Company, speaks about his origins.
This is Part 1 in a series of interviews, stay tuned for the rest!"

Interviews with Dan Green: 3ms to 4ms

video upload by 4ms Company

"Dan Green, founder of 4ms Company, speaks about the early days of designing pedals and how 3ms became 4ms."

Interviews with Dan Green: Life in St. Louis, Missouri

video upload by 4ms Company

"Dan Green, founder of 4ms Company, talks about life in St. Louis, Missouri."