Cynthia Saw Animator Folded

YouTube via wonkythomas
"Very simple patch showing that the Cynthia Saw Animator is very much in that catagory of modules that makes it more than the sum of its parts.

Modules used; CGS / Metalbox Wave Multipler, CGS / Metalbox Psyco LFO, Blacet VCO & an MFB SEQ-02

Starts off with just the VCO, things start to get messy after I increase the "Fat" amount!

The Psyco LFO is patched to the VC Fat CV input on the Saw Animator, the Pulse output of the Cynthia is patched to input 2 of the CGS Wave Multiplier & LFO output #6 of the Cynthia CVs the Folds.

What I love about the Cynthia module is that it keeps the modulations musical, I could do the exact same thing by multing the sequencer CV into a VCLFO, then tuning it 'just so' but the Saw Animator gives you 6(!) LFOs which all follow the incoming VCO signal, the "Fat" amount & the modulation at the VC "Fat" input.

This is just one, very simple, application. A more traditional use would be the same set-up but with a VCF instead of the Wave Multipler but I don't got filters."

mono-poly's Atlantic Storm

You might remember mono-poly from his modular noodles featuring various modular gear including Buchla, Elby Designs, Serge, Metalbox, Wiard, the Blippo Box, Cynthia, RSF, Klee and more.

He now has a new album out titled Atlantic Storm. The following is a blurb on the album from Strange Life Records, where you can pick it up.

"Monopoly's second album after releasing the ZOND3 CD on the Japanese Doppelganger records in 2008. Think of the great rural ambient sounds of Brian Eno's On Land mixed with dark isolationist dronescapes from the 1980s. Using rare modular synthesizers such as ancient EMS synthi's, Buchla's, Serge's etc. Atlantic Storm is the perfect music for a cold rainy day on the outer hebrides' atlantic shores...and that is ofcourse, just the way we like it. Probably one of the most essential rural ambient albums on strange life records so far! Comes in a DVD box with a Monopoly postcard. Check out the soundbytes here."

Note I put this up and more on MATRIXYSNTH-C.

Update: gear list via mono-poly:
Buchla 100
EMS Synthi AKS
Wiard
Serge Modular
Oberheim SEM (custom modular)
Blippoo Box
Modcan
Cyndustries
Blacet
Metalbox
Elby
DIY
Moog Modular

Clay Pot Automata

YouTube via wonkythomas
"More LDR Clock / Binary triggering feedback looping drones with slappy noises...

CGS Bi-N-Tic with VCS in the feedback loop, being folded by the CGS Wave Multipler.

Batteries died after 57secs & there is some wierd fx :-|
I will include a link to a proper mp3 in the next video :-D"

Polyrhythms Eins - Pyramid Prism Mix

YouTube via OculoRapido
"Test drive of Pyramid Prism light organ with sequenced Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia synth groove. Produced by Doktor Bob. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D."

Pyramid Prism Groove 2

"Test drive of Pyramid Prism light organ with Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia synth groove. Produced by Doktor Bob. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D."

VCOnet vs the Drone Racks: A Dirge for BC

YouTube via OculoRapido
"A doombient salute to BC, as we approach the first year of unfilled bc16 orders. Is that Buzzy the bc8 lying silent and dead under the marble skull before the Borg Disk? Tune in next time to find out what new disaster awaits our long-suffering, backlogged gear cult as the fabled bcX and XWIND eat all available time and components. Perpetrated on Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia modular synths, VCOnet proto, KAOSS Pad 3. Xacti HD1010 video. Produced by Doktor Bob at Rapid Eye Soundlabs. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D."

En Attendant BC - bc16 Slightly Delayed Mix

" Analog and digital ambient dronefest ode to the theoretical existence of the bc16 synthesizer, though its realization has oft been deferred since 2008. Sonics perpetrated with Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia modules, KAOSS Pad 3, and Chimera Synthesis bc8 ("normal" noisy mode). Tsk Tsk, Visual effects by Borg Disk and Pyramid Prism light organ. Produced by Doktor Bob at Rapid Eye Soundlab. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D. Dedicated to the Disembodied Hand school of knob-twiddling EM videos."

Metalbox/CGS Programmer/Sequencer Test Drive

YouTube via OculoRapido

"Test drive of Metalbox/CGS 16 stage analog CV Programmer/Sequencer module, demonstrating random access to each stage and forward/backward sequencing. Original Catgirl Synth circuit design by Ken Stone, after a basic Serge sequencer. Performed on Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia modular analog synthesizer systems. Downsampled MP4 video converted from Sanyo HD1010 720p recording. Produced by Doktor Bob at Rapid Eye Soundlabs. Gratitude and respect to Michael Ford for designing and building all the brilliant blue Metalbox modules. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease."

via Robert on the AH list:
"Michael Ford (Metalbox) has begun limited production of 8 and 16 stage versions of a classic Ken Stone Catgirl Synth design Programmer/Sequencer. Each version has 4 channels (A-D) of V/OCT CV outputs, up/down ('clock trigger') inputs, common pulse and all event outputs (for summed stage and pushbutton triggers), plus individual stage pulse inputs and outputs. The latter can be used to patch complex loops between stages. Each stage has a combination output LED and pushbutton switch, so stages can be triggered manually. Each channel (A-D) has an individual CV pot for each stage, so there's a tight/neat array of smoothly twisty knobs. http://www.metalbox.com/custom.html

According to Stone's familiar CGS documentation, he expanded on an original Serge sequencer design. http://www.cgs.synth.net/modules/cgs59_prog.html

Michael's Metalbox 16 stage version was custom built for me in a clean 'Wiard' blue anodized front aluminum chassis, 3" deep, 5U height, full width (19") rack mount, 1/8" jacks. Power was provided by a standard Blacet PS-500a connection through a custom DIN cable. As I recall, Michael said that the 16 channel version draws 250 mA."

oldmanfury

via Gerald:
"I started up a semi-synth-related blog. Have written a couple of posts here: oldmanfury"

pictured:
"Andy's modular is mostly Frac-rack, populated with lovely Blacet, Wiard, and a few Metalbox CGS modules. Since his system is so uniform and professional looking, he wanted to get some high-quality panels to match. Here's a picture of about 1/4 of his modular (and his Niece knob-tweaking)."

Revolution Bass Beat - Naked iPhone Mix

YouTube via OculoRapido
"Psychedelic ArtMatic visualization of analog techno drum and bass track, performed on Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia synth modules. Sequencing by Future Retro Revolution, Blacet MIDIverter, and Metalbox Sequential Switches and Gate Sequencers. Production by Doktor Bob. Copyright 2009, Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D. Best viewed in HQ due to frame synchronization with music: iPhone resolution."

Folding Space to XI: The Hawking Warning (iPhone Mix 1)

"Video excerpt from Folding Space to XI: The Hawking Warning, track 1 of Analog Planetfall. Original CD by Oculo Rapido on Eurock Records, www.eurock.com. Audio produced with Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia analog modular synthesizers, Video synthesized by ArtMatic, from U&I Software. Produced by Doktor Bob and Mac Power at Rapid Eye Soundlabs. Copyright 2009 Robert B, Trelease, Ph.D. Special thanks to Archie Patterson and Eurock."

VCOnet vs the Drone Racks: A Dirge for BC

YouTube via OculoRapido
"A doombient salute to BC, as we approach the first year of unfilled bc16 orders. Is that Buzzy the bc8 lying silent and dead under the marble skull before the Borg Disk? Tune in next time to find out what new disaster awaits our long-suffering, backlogged gear cult as the fabled bcX and XWIND eat all available time and components. Perpetrated on Blacet/Metalbox/Wiard/Cynthia modular synths, VCOnet proto, KAOSS Pad 3. Xacti HD1010 video. Produced by Doktor Bob at Rapid Eye Soundlabs. Copyright 2009 Robert B. Trelease, Ph.D."

[Noodle] Mono-Poly - Caspian Gates

YouTube via waveshaper

"Self playing modular patch done with: Buchla 144 194 Wiard Noisering Wogglebug Mixolator VCA Borg 1 Elby ChaQuo Metalbox Gated Comporator"

New Mono-Poly Studio Shot

via https://twitter.com/mono_poly

click the image and spot the gear

Modcan A CV Recorder w/ Sequential switch and Zorlon Cannon

YouTube via tragedybysyntax
"This was my first patch using a Metalbox Sequential Switch coming in and the out signal going to a Zorlon Cannon"

AHMW 2009 Pics by Sitarman

click here for more images of the event via Sitarman

Serge Modular

stg/soundlabs modular (note the Signal Amplifiers prototype)

Eurorack modular featuring Make Noise, Harvestman, Livewire, Plan B, Blacet, STG, Tip Top Audio, Metalbox, CGS, Oakley, Bananalog, flight of harmony, MOTM and DIY.

Parallel Worlds "Shade"

A few new pics from Bakis of Parallel Worlds. Bakis has a new release out named "Shade". You can find more info on the release at DiN, the record label as well as Bakis' news page. You can find ordering details here. Some words on the production from Bakis: "almost no sampled percussion has been used in the whole "Shade" album. most of the percussion / drums and percussive loops have been synthesized in great detail, using the analogue modular walls. takes much time, but the results are worth it!"

BTW, you might also recognize the name Bakis from these posts. Bakis never fails to let us know when new Serge modules are announced. You will also find more images of his impressive studio, links to interviews, his music and more. He is the moderator of the Doepfer A100 list and was extensively involved with sound design for Analogue Systems. I have his CD, "Obsessive Realism" and it is excellent - brooding at times, angelic at others. It is filled with textures against analog percussive rhythms.


Update: album cover added to this post.

Mono-Poly - Laser

Live improv

"Blippoo Box, Buchla 158 + Serge WaveX + Wiard Borg 1, Wiard Noiserig, DIY Wogglebug, Metalbox Gated Comporator, Wiard vca from Waveformcity."

via http://mono-poly.blogspot.com/ where you will find more.

DiN32 - Shade by Parallel Worlds

"DiN32 - Shade by Parallel Worlds
Release date 23rd March 2009

Shade is the studio album follow-up to Obsessive Surrealism (DiN26 - 2007) and is the fifth CD release by Parallel Worlds (the main musical project of Greek electronic musician Bakis Sirros).

Parallel Worlds employ a vast arsenal of both vintage and modern analogue modular synthesisers with extensive use of classic sequencing techniques to produce a sonic world that combines modern electronica and ambient music styles with the feel of retro electronic music. His attention to detail is astonishing and his careful sculpting of sounds and textures produce an organic, ever evolving atmosphere full of half glimpsed meanings and subdued emotions. The purely electronic rhythms and beats seem to have a life of their own and showcase a musician who is a virtuoso with these types of instruments that are the antithesis of the quick fix pick-a-preset mind set of much of todays society. Musically he likes to explore various states of mind, no doubt influenced by his medical background and this adds a tension and darkness to his compositions that are punctuated by disarmingly simple and wistful melodies.

With Shade Parallel Worlds show a musical maturity and command of sonic atmospherics that takes the music on a journey, moving through dreams and shades, aiming for the light.

info here: www.DiN.org.uk

this album is full of analogue modular synths, including the Serge modular music system, Analogue Systems RS-Integrator modular, Doepfer A100 modular, Arp 2600, EMS VCS3, Technosaurus Selector system D, Livewire/Plan B/Harvestman modular, Metalbox/CGS modular, Analogue Solutions Concussor modular, Korg MS50, Oberheim 4 Voice modular, etc..."

Exercising the Fifty and Music Room Revision

flickr by zonkout

Exercising the Fifty full size
Music Room Revision full size

Metalbox Sequential Switch Sequencer

flickr by zonkout
(click for more including Blacet and Bananlogue)

full size

Parallel Worlds Interview on Analogue Haven

Click here for the full interview including more shots. Be sure to check out the images full size. The one here is currently my desktop wallpaper.

"what is the most interesting and/or most used piece of gear in your studio? why?
its hard for me to name only one synth. with modulars, 'one synth' does not have much meaning, anyway...but the answer is the doepfer a100. it was my first analogue modular and its still the biggest modular in my studio, so it is indeed the most often used piece of gear of course. although, these days, all my modulars 'work together' most of the time. :-)"

Metalbox Dual Chime

This one has actually been around for a while. One just came up for sale on the AH list. I thought I'd check out it out on the Metalbox website and decided to put a post up. I find it fascinating when modules like this are created. I'm curious how many others are focused on producing unique and sometimes unexpected instruments. The Squarewave Parade's shakers come to mind.

Info from the Metalbox Dual Chime page:
"Two synthesized cymbal voices utilizing ring modulated square waves for a classic analog drum machine sound. Each independent chime has three individual frequency controls for the oscillators and decay time adjustment. Use alone or with other modules to create personalized hi-hat and cymbal sounds.

Controls:
* OscXX - frequency adjustment for individual oscillators
* Decay - determines length of chimes decay

I/O:
* Gate input - triggers chime
* Audio output - chime output

Frac spaces: 2
Current draw: 20ma
Price: $175
Alternating chimes with decay manually adjusted"
You can find a sample on the Metalbox Dual Chime page.

Note this is a Ken Stone CGS design per ~ in the comments.

Metalbox and Roland System 100m

Metalbox modules integrated into a really nice Roland System 100m


via the visual section of
http://www.metalbox.com/