Patrick Gleeson - A tribute to a great synthesizer pioneer from CatSynth TV

video upload by CatSynth TV

"We at CatSynth pay tribute to Patrick Gleeson, a legendary synthesizer pioneer, performer, and composer, who passed away earlier this month. In addition to going through his history and accomplishments, we share some of his own words about his life in music and his collaborations, including his most famous collaboration with Herbie Hancock. We also share statements from composer and multi-instrumentalist Sam Morrison and Dina Pearlman-Ifil of the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation.

0:00 Introduction
0:25 From English literature to music
1:13 Embracing synthesizers
1:38 Collaboration with Herbie Hancock
2:33 Moog and ARP
3:39 Thoughts from Dina Pearlman-Ifil
4:09 Other musical projects
4:32 Return to live performance in the 2010s
4:48 Thoughts from Sam Morrison
6:51 Conclusion

Video of Patrick Gleeson and images courtesy of the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation
Photo Gleeson's Moog Modular IIIc courtesy of the Bob Moog Foundation"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Why Everyone Wanted an E-mu Emulator (The Story Behind the Icon)

video upload by Ian Dixon

"The E-mu Emulator is one of the most influential musical instruments ever made. From Pet Shop Boys and Depeche Mode to Genesis, Rush and countless film composers, the Emulator helped define the sound of the 1980s. In this episode of TDL Synthchat, I'm joined by Peter James Steven from the Pro Synth Network to explore the complete history of the Emulator family, from the original Emulator I through the legendary Emulator II, Emulator III, Emax, Proteus and beyond.

Peter owns several original Emulators and even helped develop the Emulator 5 "Vampire Rack", giving him a unique insight into the evolution of E-mu's groundbreaking samplers. We discuss the iconic string sounds, why the Emulator still has such a devoted following, how it compares with the Fairlight, and why many musicians still believe nothing quite captures the original hardware.

If you're interested in vintage synthesizers, classic samplers, 80s music production or electronic music history, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roland JP-8000: The Trance Machine

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the famous Roland JP-8000 from 1996 along with its prototype.

0:00 Intro
1:17 History
4:18 Demo 1:
5:22 What is the JP-8000?
11:13 Demo 2:
12:22 The Story of the Prototype
15:59 Demo 3:
17:05 The Usual Suspects
18:48 Patron Outro Jam

With thanks to my Patrons, Roland, Andy Boucher, Mark Lawrence, Stéphane Pigeon, The Usual Suspects and other legends who know who they are!"

When a legendary synth designer shows up in the comments | In Memory of Vladimir Kuzmin

video upload by HAINBACH

"To commemorate the passing of Vladimir Kuzmin, the renown inventor of the Formanta Polivoks synthesizer, and to raise funds for his family, an independent group of musicians and instrument makers held a memorial event in Moscow. They asked me to contribute a video message about his legacy. Since Vladimir Kuzmin had previously commented on my videos, which was mind-blowing to me, I decided to tell that story. It is a bit embarrassing, since I got a few things wrong in my videos that he corrected me on. But at least I enjoyed my errors tremendously, and he did not seem to be mad about them.

Here is the live stream of the event:"

Вечер памяти Владимира Кузьмина 07.07.2026

video upload by mnnscene

"On June 12, Vladimir Kuzmin—the creator of the Polivoks and one of Russia's most influential figures in synthesizer design—passed away. We have decided to organize a charity memorial evening in Moscow to honor him (https://t.me/Kuzmin_memorium).

The loss of such a significant historical figure in the world of audio equipment came as a great shock to us all, and we wish to share our sentiments—as well as the legacy left by the Polivoks' creator—with everyone who cares. We want everyone to be able to join us; admission is free, and any donations collected will be given to Vladimir Mikhailovich’s family.

We have invited leading sound artists and key figures from the synthesizer world who had direct ties to Vladimir to participate in this memorial event. They will give lectures and perform compositions using instruments developed by the Formanta factory.

Participants include:
Vlad Kreimer (Soma) (https://vk.com/somasynths)
Vladimir Kabanov (PRIBOR) (https://t.me/priborpedals?ref=vc.ru)
Sergey Letov (https://t.me/SergeyLetov)
E-Nitra (https://vk.com/e_nitra)
Spiralnix (https://vk.com/necrostellar)
Chronos (https://vk.com/away.php?to=https%3A%2...)

There will also be an exhibition area featuring a museum of Formanta instruments alongside modern designs from domestic manufacturers that will be available for purchase. Proceeds from instrument sales will also go to Vladimir Kuzmin’s family.

If you would like to show your support and honor the memory of the deceased’s family, you can make a contribution via this link (https://pay.cloudtips.ru/p/390a62ff). The funds will be transferred to his widow after the memorial evening takes place."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Money, power and ... synths? - what synthesizers can tell us about geopolitics

video upload by Floyd Steinberg

Missed in South America: GS Music - Argentina, EMW - Brazil, and AtomoSynth - Peru. AnalogFX in Netherlands. Meng Qi is worth a DIY stand out mention for China as well as Aforack in Uganda, Africa. There's no way to list every manufacturer, but if he missed a country/region feel free to comment (feel free to comment regardless of course). It's an interesting video and a useful reminder of where manufacturers are based.

"If a country can support one or even more synthesizer manufacturers, that tells us a lot about its place in the world. I have some numbers to back this up, look at some of those synthesizer-producing countries and then make some predictions on their future trajectory.

Table of contents:

00:00 introduction
00:50 the idea (explained with the UK)
02:43 the synthesizer world map walkthrough (west to east)
03:01 United States of America
04:21 France
04:56 United Kingdom
06:27 Germany
07:50 Italy
09:08 Scandinavia (i.e. Sweden)
10:07 Eastern Europe
11:18 Ukraine
12:18 Russia
13:19 China
15:11 Australia and New Zealand
16:37 Japan
18:40 The DIY scene
19:34 conclusion - where are the countries headed to?
20:32 my personal thoughts
21:29 bye - please subscribe (and if you like this style of video, please tell me in the comments)

B-Roll footage from pexels.com

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/"

The Original 1970s Minimoog

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the original Minimoog Model D produced between 1970 and 1981."

0:00 Intro
1:20 History
4:44 Demo 1: Cheeks are red raw
5:51 Explaining the sound of the Minimoog
8:41 Demo 2: Whispered Memory
9:34 Minimoog Versions
11:21 Demo 3: East Coast Spank
12:29 Riff off with Oberheim and Roland
14:58 Summary and Patron Jam feat Devin Belanger

Nord - The Making of the Red Keyboards

video upload by nordkeyboards

"Step inside the Nord factory and discover the story behind the original red keyboards. This unique short documentary offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, innovation and people who bring Nord instruments to life.

A documentary by Jonas Embring
Executive Producer at Nord: David Sjöqvist
Sound Design: Martin Stenberg
Narrated by John Russell

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Korg Lambda - Strings from Heaven

video upload by Controlled Voltage Sound Labs

"A look at the Korg Lambda String Ensemble from 1979. Video features 2 original songs accompanied by the Linndrum, and a demonstration of all factory presets.

All sounds processed through Eventide Space Reverb

Join us on Patreon! - / cvsoundlabs
INSTAGRAM - @CVSoundLabs


00:00 Intro Song
01:09 Brief Overview
01:39 Factory Presets
04:54 Outro Song"

Akai MPC60 - A Sampling Masterpiece

video upload by Alex Ball and Tubedigga

"A look at the classic Akai MPC60, its origins and legacy."

0:00 History of the MPC60
3:46 Intended use of the MPC60
8:18 Demo: The MPC Song
8:55 What people actually did with the MPC60
10:27 Sampling
12:15 Demo: Passable Hip-Hop
13:13 Groove, Feel and Swing
14:49 After the MPC60
15:29 Discussion with TUBEDIGGA
22:04 Patron Outro Jam

Huge thanks to TUBEDIGGA and my Patrons
/ @tubedigga
/ alexballmusic

Stockhausen, Telemusik, and the Gagaku Circuit

video upload by La Synthèse Humaine

"New Uses for Old Circuits is a series looking at linear and nonlinear processes in the modular system.

In 1966 Karlheinz Stockhausen went to Japan. Fascinated by the Noh theatre, Sumo, and tea ceremony traditions he found there, he made use of the facilities of NHK public broadcasting to make Telemusik. The piece centers around Stockhausen's so-called 'Gagaku Circuit' - a double ring modulation process which attempts to take two separate sounds and intermodulate them.

More about Telemusik: https://stockhausenspace.blogspot.com...


0:00 Stockhausen In Japan
3:58 Gagaku Circuit and Intermodulation
6:40 Musical Esperanto
7:48 A Quick Channel Update
8:38 Ocora Records
9:11 Double Ring Modulation
13:17 Building the Gagaku Circuit
17:26 Nomades Du Niger
19:27 Introducing the Intermodulation
21:30 Gagakuing Gagaku
22:51 Gagaku and Voice
24:59 Musique Kabiye and Voice
25:55 Musique Kabiye and Contraluz

Check out my Patreon here: / lasynthesehumaine"

Stockhausen's 1972 Lecture:

Lecture 6 - TELEMUSIK (1972) Karlheinz Stockhausen

video upload by Tomás Olano

"Duration: 58'27"

Given at Essex University on May 7th 1972.

http://tomasolano.com

The substance of the work consists of recordings of a variety of traditional ethnic musics from around the world, together with electronically generated sounds. More than twenty of these recorded fragments are intermodulated on tape with electronic sounds and with each other to produce 'odd hybrid-types'—modulating, for example, 'the chant of monks in a Japanese temple with Shipibo music from the Amazon, and then further impos[ing] a rhythm of Hungarian music on the melody of the monks. In this way, symbiotic things can be generated, which have never before been heard'."

Trovarsi: Exploring China Through Music

video upload by Novation

"In this video, ‪@Trovarsi‬ explores China and music, through a series of live workshops and performances across the country, experiencing the culture and connecting through music.

Novation Product Specialist and artist, Trovarsi, was given the opportunity to travel to China, leading workshops across the country whilst exploring the music culture through organisations, club venues, record stores, and most importantly, its people. Watch the video to hear Trovarsi’s experience while visiting Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai.

Discover Circuit Tracks - https://bit.ly/_Circuit_Tracks"

A Potted History of Drum Synthesizers

video upload by Alex Ball and Nathan Curran Tugg the Drummer (Tugg)

"A look at a niche within a niche, the drum synthesizer; a story that begins in the late 60s and continues to this very day."

0:00 Intro
0:25 Definition of a "Drum Synthesizer"
2:24 Precursors, DIY and Impakt
4:03 Star Instruments Synare
5:09 How these Instruments Worked
6:13 Syndrum: The First Famous Drum Synth
8:45 Ult-Sound: Japan's First Drum Synth
10:10 Pearl & Tama: Here Come The Drum Companies
13:20 Simmons: The Zeitgeist
19:21 The Flood Gates & Mega-Montage
24:48 Soviet Offerings
25:17 Decline and the Splitting Point
27:05 Vermona: A New Era
29:28 Elektron: Blurred Lines
30:58 A Plethora of Machines
32:24 Clavia/Nord: Simply Red
33:39 Modern Day: The Culmination
34:44 Summary & Thanks
35:23 Patron Outro Jam

Update:

1/14/26 Simmons SDS6 + TAMA DS200 + Alesis MIDIVERB II + CXM 1978

video upload by Cfpp0

"This is one of two videos I recorded for the great Alex Ball (‪@AlexBallMusic‬) to use in his video about the history of drum synthesizers. I’m using the Simmons SDS7 to trigger the two halves of the TAMA DS200, with reverbs from the Alesis MIDIVERB II and the CXM 1978. The DS200 is running hot through the MIDIVERB II, overloading the preamp. The CXM 1978 has a long predelay in lo-fi mode to create a grainy pitchy echo."

They Replaced Steely Dan's Drummers With a $150,000 Computer

video upload by Nick Cesarz

Also see: RIP Roger Nichols - Creator of the Wendel Sampling Computer

"In 1980, Steely Dan put out Gaucho with Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Rick Marotta, and Bernard Purdie credited on drums. Four of the most recorded session drummers in history.

But three of the seven songs on that record weren't actually played by any of them. They were played by a $150,000 custom-built computer called the Wendel, programmed by their engineer Roger Nichols in hexadecimal code.

I grew up listening to this album and had no idea half the drums weren't real, so I went down the rabbit hole. Here's why Steely Dan built it, how it actually worked, and which Gaucho tracks are the Wendel vs. the real drummers.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:43 How Steely Dan made records
01:48 Hey Nineteen and the pitch
02:18 What the Wendel was
02:38 How it actually worked
03:42 Real tracks vs. Wendel
05:34 Wendel II and The Nightfly
06:35 Wendel Jr and the spread
07:09 Today's tech"

Hey Nineteen

video upload by Steely Dan

via Google AI: "The song's rhythm track is also famous for utilizing 'Wendel,' a pioneering, insanely precise drum machine custom-built by engineer Roger Nichols. Marotta recorded his drum part in a single afternoon, which was then perfectly recreated by the machine." via Expanding Dan

Sawtooth Stack Origin Story featuring Barry Schrader

video upload by Verbos Electronics GmbH

"A look at the Sawtooth Stack from inspiration to performance. Featuring interview footage with Barry Schrader and performance clips from ‪@OoraMusic‬ ‪@LucasMarchal‬ (DC11), Pietro Coquinati and Mark Verbos."

https://barryschrader.com
https://barryschrader.hearnow.com
https://barryschrader.bandcamp.com

Check out my exclusive interview with Barry Schrader here, and additional posts here.

Turning the Otamatone into a Trautonium

video upload by Sound Workshop

"In this video we look at the early history of #expressive synthesizers, and why #Trautonium is my favorite design. Then we make a #synthdiy Trautonium using an #otamatone as the oscillator. I also share a change in priority for Sound Workshop."

Featuring the Sound Workshop Wiggler.

Roland D-50 - first virtual analog synth?

video upload by Don Solaris

"Soundset available at: https://www.donsolaris.com/?page_id=4157
Compatible with: Roland Cloud D-50, V-Synth D-50, D-05, D-550 and D-50.

All music composed by Don Solaris unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2026 Don Solaris. All rights reserved."

Inside the ARP Factory: The Design Flaw That Destroyed America's Synth Empire

video upload by Industries from the Past

Update: looks this one was AI generated. Leaving it up for history's sake. Thanks goes to lfrancis in the comments for catching it.

"In the 1970s, ARP Instruments ruled the electronic music world. Founded by NASA engineer Alan R. Pearlman, ARP captured 40% of the global synthesizer market. Their legendary instruments gave a voice to R2-D2, communicated with aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and fueled hits by Stevie Wonder and David Bowie. Yet, by 1981, this American tech empire was bankrupt. What went wrong?

This video explores the incredible rise and devastating fall of ARP. We uncover how the company was destroyed from the inside out by a single disastrous bet: the Avatar. Pushed through by management over Pearlman's fierce objections, this flawed guitar synthesizer suffered from crippling latency and diverted crucial funds away from keyboard innovation. Discover the tragic story of how poor leadership and a 40-millisecond design flaw silenced a historic factory, leaving behind a musical legacy that outlived the company itself."

Expander: An Oberheim Retrospective

video upload by Alex Ball and Anthony Marinelli Music

"The story of the legendary synthesizer company, Oberheim electronics, founded by Tom Oberheim in 1969.

This film happened because of our collective love and passion for this story and was knocked together during evenings, weekends and spare hours over the course of many months. Thank you to all those who made it happen and a big thank you to my Patrons on Patreon for their ongoing support.

A special thanks to Tom Oberheim, Marcus Ryle, Anthony Marinelli, Dave Spiers and TC who gave up a lot of their personal time to give this film the material that it deserved.

0:00 Intro
1:31 Tom Oberheim
2:55 The 60s and 70s
24:08 The 80s
39:48 The Gibson Era
43:17 The Return
52:07 End Credits"

The Extraordinary EMS Synthi 100

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at an incrediblY rare synthesizer from 1971.

Enormous thanks to the Townshend Studio and the University of West London for this opportunity.

https://www.uwl.ac.uk/study/study-fac...

Malcolm Clarke demonstrates the Synthi 100 sequencer as discussed in the video: [below]

0:00 Intro Performance
2:31 History of EMS
12:22 Music Interlude 1
13:46 Guided Tour of the Synthi 100
19:16 Music Interlude 2
21:48 The Vocoder 5000
24:59 The Digital Sequencer
25:49 The Townshend Studio
26:48 Summary & Thanks
27:36 Patreon Outro Performance"

The New Sound Of Music - 1979 - (Full Documentary) (BEATS T.V)

video upload by BEATS TV

From Thom Yorke to Vangelis — A Short History of Sequential (Dave Smith Instruments) | PlayJason

video upload by Jason Mays

"When musicians talk about revolutions in electronic instruments, certain names echo through time — and few are more influential than ‪@SequentialLLC‬ the company founded by the late, great Dave Smith. In today’s "History of" episode, we’re tracing the complete history of Sequential (formerly Dave Smith Instruments), from the world-changing arrival of the Prophet-5 to the modern renaissance that brought the Sequential name back into the spotlight. Whether you’re a synth enthusiast, a gear historian, a Prophet devotee, or just someone who loves the intersection of music and technology — this is the story you need to know."