VINTAGE SYNTHESIZER MUSEUM - Synth Studio Tour

video upload by synth4ever

Update: Don't miss the super rare Ionic Performer (EMS SYNTHI clone) at the begining. Click through for some demos in previous posts.

"Vintage Synthesizer Museum synth studio tour. During a visit to LA in September 2022 I dropped by the Vintage Synth Museum at their new location in Highland Park. VSM founder & curator Lance gave me a tour of the new facilities and all the vintage synths available for playing.

In this synth studio tour, Lance gives us an overview of the new Vintage Synthesizer Museum space, tour of the facilities, and showcases various vintage synths including Yamaha CS-80, Roland Jupiter-8, Moog, ElectroComp, Sequential, Korg and more.

Hope you enjoy this synth studio tour, there's so many vintage synthesizers to see and play! If you're ever in Los Angeles, make it your mission to visit the Vintage Synthesizer Museum -- it's well worth it.

Check out https://www.vintagesynthesizermuseum.com to learn more"

Rare Moog, ARP, Ionic, and EML Synthesizer Sales Catalogs from 1972 Including Flexi-Disc

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

via this auction

"Rare Moog Synthesizer Sales Catalogs and price lists from 1972. Also ARP, Ionic, and EML Sales Literature. All in good condition and collected back in 1972. There is also a flexible record of Moog demo sounds from the factory - see picture. These are instruments I dreamed about way back then and the catalogs are very rare today. I actually visited the Moog factory outside of Buffalo, NY in 1972 and met Robert Moog as he was working on Keith Emerson's big synthesizer. They demoed their new percussion controller about a week before I saw Palmer play it at the the Buffalo War Memorial. Lots of memories associated with this collection of sales brochures."

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Rare Ionic Performer for Sale - EMS VCS3 + Putney In Custom Enclosure w/ Keyboard

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

via Vemia

"Rare Ionic Performer Synthesiser and Modulator produced in 1973. Basically similar to a VCS3 + Putney keyboard but uses a series of pushbuttons, instead of patch pins, to route sounds and voltages. It's capable of producing some very complex sounds but definitely requires work from a good synth tech to get its full potential. The ring modulator and one of the tremolo channels is not working. VCO tracking needs adjusting. Power supply was rebuilt in 2008. Cosmetically it is in superb condition for a 46 year old synth."

Some pics of the inside below. Also see the Ionic label for previous posts.

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Extremely Rare Vintage Ionic Performer Analog Synth for Sale

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

via this auction

Essentially an EMS SYNTHI in keyboard format. These are rare. You can see video of one here. See the Ionic label at the bottom of this post for more.

Via the listing: "This is a very rare vintage analog synth with internal click button patch matrix. 4 on board oscillators, with one that can act as an independent modulator. multiple wave forms. one low pass filter bank, that can also be converted to high pass. ring modulator, XY axis for alternative parameter settings on the fly. built in spring reverb, also on right keyboard panel are other effects as well. one ADSR, white noise generator. the keyboard oscillator can act tonally independent of the panel oscillators. Connection on back panel for connection to external sequencer. Has built in speakers, but can be connected to external sources as well. On back panel a modification was built to access external sequencer and disable the function of oscillator tracking. Synth comes in its own case with mint condition chrome legs that screw on bottom of case. Unit turns on but there seems to be a key stuck inside transverse bus bar that can be easily fixed. Otherwise is in excellent condition - all knobs in tact and the unit itself has no scratches and the metal face has no real signs of wear. Buyer must pay for shipping. Winning bidder will receive custom made sequencer built especially for this unit."

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Uber Rare EMS SYNTHI Clone, The Ionic Performer Synthesizer - Demos

Published on Jun 24, 2015 Dennis Bathory-Kitsz

Here's something you definitely don't see everyday. The Ionic Performer was essentially a clone of the EMS SYNTHI in keyboard form. The buttons take the place of the pin matrix found on the EMS SYNTHI & VCS3. See the Ionic channel for previous posts, and the Ionic Performer website for more.

Video description: "Demo of the Ionic Performer Synthesizer (1973 floor model from Ionic Industries) made for a person interested in obtaining it from me. It's unscripted, so, you know. More info, demos, historical info, etc., on my Ionic Performer website."

Ionic Performer Synthesizer: How to Unstick Keys

Published on Jun 24, 2015

"This quick video was made for a person interested in obtaining this Ionic Performer from me. It is a fixed-camera video just to help him out, so forgive the occasional off-screen moments."

Rare Vintage Synth Scans via Brian Kehew

Brian Kehew gave a presentation on his vintage synthesizer brochures at Knobcon this year. He sent in a few select scans to share with readers of MATRIXSYNTH. Enjoy! Be sure to see the channel labels at the bottom of the post for any you are not familiar with. Three of these warranted separate posts that just went up. You'll find links to them below. These are an amazing bit of synth history, many of which have never been shared online before. HUGE THANK YOU to Brian Kehew for sharing these with us!

The scans pictured in order:

Moog Sonic V Synthesizer "Makes Waves"

ARP Synthesizers

ARP Modular Synthesizer Lab

EML

EMS SYNTHI FLI (always thought of it as the Hi-Fli but the had only has FLI)

Performer by Ionic

Variophone

Sequential Circuits Model 600 Sequencer (see this post for a write-up)

Digelius Electronics Finland DEMI (see this post for a write-up)

DMX-101 Computer Sound Processor for a whopping $35,300 at the time. (see this post for a write-up)

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Radon Atomic Resynthesis

Published on Jun 14, 2013 JeffreyPlaide·94 videos

"Radon Atomic Resynthesis is an ethereal, wildly-surreal experimental electronic music composition. The composition is inspired by almost random electronic tonalities and frequency modulations created on the Ionic Performer VST synthesizer. The beauty about the Ionic Performer (like the EMS Synthi synthesizers of which the Ionic Performer is a re-worked variation with integrated keyboard and a push-button matrix instead of patch pins) is that the envelope (trapezoid function) can be automatically re-triggered. This creates a repeating simple sequence of a single music event. By altering the oscillator controls, modulation sources and ring-modulation, many interesting and wild pulses can be produced in real-time and recorded. It was the raw stream of re-triggered pulsations and modulations that became the basis for the whole work. Inspired by early science-fiction electronic music, the Ionic Performer VST could deliver the sonic combinations and unexpected tonal collisions that cross-modulated audio oscillators can create if connected in this way. The first mix consisted of a bass track created on the Ionic Performer VST - low pulses with shrieks of higher modulations. Next came the mid-tones. Again created on the Ionic Performer, but with higher pulsations and strange FM collisions. It was then necessary to create an ambient texture "wash", so the bass line was slowed by a factor of 300% and processed with heavy reverb - sounding very science fiction and somewhat alien in context. An organ-like chord was created on the ORGANized trio VST with the Valhalla Frequency Echo for added effect. This 5-note chord gave added strange texture. The low-frequency background vibration is the same chord slowed by a factor of 500% and processed with flanging. The chorus of voices was created using the Tapeotronic (Mellotron emulation) keyboard playing a 3-note chord with added delay. Another Tapeotronic chord was used for the higher "alien voices" that fade in and out. This whole first mix was slowed by a factor of 200% with added reverb, and added to the first mix session. This gave the feeling of a kind of infinity feedback sound. All of these elements became part of the main master first mix. This main mix was then further added to by a ring-modulated and convoluted version of itself. In the middle portion of the composition a ring-modulated, convoluted, filtered, flanged, reverberated and 300% slow version came into being with added low-frequency background vibrations and pulsating bass sinewave tones created by signal generation. The middle portion is bracketed by falling nodulated inverted sinewaves. The last element is a high sinewave tone - rather like a singing tone. This final mix created the strange combination of forces that married all the textural elements into a full and atmospheric collage of electronic tone structures and modulations. The visuals were created by pure video synthesis techniques - electronic texture weaves, linear pulsations and sinusoidal moire patterns. Superimposed are strange solarised and edge-processed derivations of elliptical formations. The atom is represented by rotating moiré ellipses, with a cloud of particles representing the nucleus. Many kinds of solarised rotating forms are included to graphically illustrate the process of atomic synthesis. The end represents just a cloud of electrons being swept away by quantum forces in the matrix of space-time."

Tony Luisi and his Putney VCS 3 - Demo 1973

YouTube Uploaded by carrierfreQ on Dec 22, 2011

"Tony Luisi and his Putney VCS 3....
Great bad demo of the Putney VCS-3 or the greatest baddest?
made for Ionic Industries in 1973.
'one of the nicest guys in the business and to do business with'"

Ionic Synthesizer and Modulator SN 143

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

" Performer Synthesizer and Modulator.
Made by Ionic Industries, Morristown, New Jersey.
Built in 1973
Modified for better performance & flexibility.
Original price, $900."

EMS clone. This one needs work according to the listing. See the Ionic label below for more info on Ionic.

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Ionic Synthesizer and modulator SN 147

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

"Performer Synthesizer and Modulator. Made by Ionic Industries, Morristown, New Jersey. Built in 1973. Modified for better performance & flexibility. Original price, $900.

In need of restoration, it powers up but no sound comes out. Not sure how to run it so I can't say too much about it. Serial number 147. This is very rare and hard to find. USA only."

See the Ionic label below for more info on this synth. Ionic where the US distributors for EMS. The Ionic synthesizer was a close of the SYNTHI and VC3S synth engine.

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Ionic Performer

flickr By Chris Kann

Ionic was the distributor for EMS.  The Performer was a clone of the SYNTHI.  You can find a ton of pictures on the restoration of one along with links to the history of Ionic in this previous post.

1970 EMS Putney VCS3 Ionic Industries Trade Show Ad

via this auction

"1970 two-sided trade advert Putney VCS3 Voltage Controlled Studio Syntehsizer...

Interesting vintage 1970 trade magazine advert for the Putney VCS3 by Ionic Industries. One side has a picture, description, and specs for the VCS3. The other side promotes a series of Electronic Music and Composition courses featuring the VCS3."

If you are not familiar with Ionic Industries, see the Ionic label below.

1973 IONIC Industries PERFORMER Synthesizer Rare Analog Synth Sales Documents

via this auction
"Set of Sales literature for IONIC Industries PERFORMER Synthesizer, ca. 1973. Set includes 5 items.

1. Order Form and equipment list
2. Synthesizer Comparison Chart (Mini Moog - Odyssey - Performer)
3. 1973 Village Voice article Reprint - Interview with Performer Inventor Alfred Mayer
4. 1973 Music Journal article Reprint - 'Electronic Music, Like it or Not', by Inventor Alfred Mayer
5. Newspaper style Sales booklet on the Performer Synthesizer - several pages, newspaper construction, folds like a newspaper

Suitable for framing and display. This is a rare USA made synthesizer. See photos.

Please see my other auctions for more original vintage sales sheets from EMS (Electronic Music Studios), ARP, Ionic Industries and EML (Electronic Music Laboratories)."

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Rare Ionic and Buchla Sales Brochures with Morton Subotnick Program

via this auction

"From IONIC and BUCHLA and ASSOCIATES... Sales Brochures about their Ground Breaking Electronic Synthesizers. Size for both is 11" x 17" (when opened) and explains the layout of controls and how the units function. Also included is a Musical Performance Program featuring MORTON SUBOTNIK in which he utilizes the Buchla Synthesizer. From the early 1970's and in Near Perfect Condition. No rips, tape or writing on the items."

Ionic made a keyboard clone of the EMS Synthi. See the label below for more.

Ionic EMS VCS3 Synthesizer Early Model 1969 first production SN 118

via this auction

"This synth is fully functional but the case is cracked and it has a couple of mods that were removed except for the IEC connection. From what I've understood this is from the first production - with dins. (around 20-50 were made of this type with German style din jacks instead of 1/4 according to Robin Wood.) This synth was approved by David Cockerell himself with his initials on the serial tag and completed 22nd of December, 1969. Pretty much all orig. parts inside. Definitely needs to be recapped. I'm assuming it was owned at one time by NYU as the sticker implies. This has a sticker indicating that it was the Ionic Industries Inc Putney VCS3 carefully placed over the EMS graphic (Electronic Music Studios (London) LTD VCS so I'm guessing this was when Ionic was distributing EMS in the states."

Ionic also made an EMS SYNTHI clone in a full blown keyboard case called the Ionic Performer. See the Ionic label below for more. SN SE / 118

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Ionic Performer Restoration - Rare Commercial EMS SYNTHI Clone

flickr set by Ramcur


via doktorfuture

"Ramcur is repairing my Ionic Performer. He's doing a great job, including acid-baths, ultrasonic cleaning, lubrication and rebuilding of pots, re-capping it all, etc...

I recommend him highly for synth repairs."

For those not familiar with the Ionic Performer, it was an EMS SYNTHI clone released by Ionic with a very interesting history. See this post and the Ionic label below for more. At the bottom you will find this post from way back in 2005 with a VST of the Performer.

For people following the site for some time, you might remember doktorfuture's Ionic Performer from this post back in August of 2006.

Ionic Performer Scan

flickr by jimmy now lives in sun city
(click for more)

Note this is part of the original synthesizer literature set, previously posted here.

Click on the Ionic label below for all posts featuring the synth. It was a clone of the EMS Synthi.

Ionic Performer Synthesizer - $2500 (McCandless PA)

via this craiglist post

Not the best shots, but you don't see these often. Anyone know where to get a larger shot of the scan below? The Ionic Performer was a clone of the EMS Synthi. Click on the label below for prior posts. Via the listing: "According to Internet, this is a rare item, with only a hundred or so produced in the early 1970's."

this one spotted by Rick

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Ionic Performer Analog Synthesizer EMS Synthi AKS Synth

via this auction

be sure to see the Ionic label below for more. Details from the auction:

"Many know the EMS Synthi AKS as THE synth used in Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. The low bass sequence loop in "On The Run" is the Synthi. The Synthi AKS is one of the most coveted, rare and expensive analogs of yore. Few know of the Ionic Performer.

Quote Found on the internet: "Somewhere in my collection of EMS material I have a lurid photo of the Ionic Performer you mention. I remember attending a NAMM show in Chicago in the early seventies where Ionic Industries had a small booth and were exhibiting the Performer. You are correct that it was a repackaged VCS3 with an integral keyboard. Instead of the pin matrix it had rows of rectangular push-button switches - like an early ryhthm box. What really struck me about it was the publicity leaflet which brazenly announced 'No skill required' in its operation, before expanding further on this theme. It still had the familiar vernier dials for tuning the oscillators. I spoke to Steve Mayer on the stand but no Alfred. Dealings with Ionic were soon curtailed and from about 1972 the US side of the business was handled by Dr. Everett Hafner and his company EMSA from Amherst, Mass."

The left block contains the keyboard oscillator - frequency, tuning spread (distance between notes), level, octave divider and doubler, and whether the keyboard dynamics or voltage were routed to the modification rails. Also on the block are the left and right output level controls, and their pan positions (affecting only the line output).

There are two main oscillators (sine/triangle and square/triangle) and one square with an extended low range (to .01 Hz -- a direct-coupled output that caused Killer to regularly blow up my transistorized Dynaco power amps). The shape (duty cycle) is adjustable as is the relative level of the waveform pairs. Below is the external input level control (line or microphone could be modified as well as the oscillators) and the routing of the keyboard oscillator as a source. The last source in the group is white noise.
Each source can be modified by an envelope, ring modulator (modulated from any other source), filter, and reverb, and be routed to either or both output amp directly. Note that the filter (either with modified output or ringing at the Q point) could also be a source, as well as the keyboard oscillator, external inputs, and white noise. To make sure the player knew which oscillators were in use, there are four green lights (one for the oscillators, one for any other source).

Beginning at the bottom is the reverb (spring reverb), with a nice, rich dry/wet mix. To the right is an Attack/Duration/Decay envelope. The automatic envelope trigger control is to the right. The switches at the top patch the output of one device to the input of another. Only the oscillators and filter can't be patched to themselves, and the white noise has no input. But you could create some pretty unbelievable sounds with this matrix! Note the three items first introduced here, the trapezoid controller (actually the envelope used as a voltage source) and the two "sticks" (pseudo-joysticks).

The filter allows adjustment of frequency, response (Q, right to the feedback point so it could be used as another oscillator), and output level. The trapezoid (envelope) level is also adjustable. The "sticks" adjust two "axes" -- assignable to any device, and adjustable (using the two limit sliders) from no effect to full range. The sticks make this one heck of a microtonal machine. The system is +/-18 volts, so the limit range is extensive. Power and speaker on/off switches are at the top. To the right is the "Z axis" (auto pan/phase) pullswitch and level control. A manual envelope trigger is available, and trigger was normally routed to the keyboard in every case.

The right keyboard block controls final output functions. The two channels can be assigned portamento (which worked quite well) with adjustable pitch slide speed that makes Midi look positively amateur, fuzz, tremolo (triangle controller) and repeat (square controller). The latter two could be given a different variable rate for each channel, and combined with the Z-axis auto-pan, zowdy! These buttons are illuminated.

The designers had ergonomics down before IBM invented the term. Color-coding and logical layout made the instrument performable in near-darkness.

For the most detailed information on this EXTREMELY RARE SYNTH, please see the website: link"

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EMSA -- Electronic Music Studios of America

via David:

"Peter Forrest's post to AH about EMSA led me to do a little digging. I lived in Amherst, MA, years after EMSA but still love the area. Anyway, Everett Hafner's (owner of EMSA) daughter put up a page about him, including a seriously photo-laden picture of EMSA stuff"

Update: Be sure to check out the EMSA link below for all posts featuring EMSA - there are only a few including this one, however there is some fascinating history including the Ionic Performer.