The Crow Hill Company Adds Roland CR-78 Based RHYTHM MACHINE to VAULTS

video upload by CROW HILL

"Step back to 1978 and discover the iconic Roland CR-78, the first programmable drum machine that changed the way artists approached rhythm. Before the 808 and modern drum machines, the CR-78 gave musicians the power to create and store their own drum patterns. In the hands of artists like Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Blondie, it became iconic. For this Vault, we’ve preserved the much-loved character of the CR-78 and expanded its sonic potential with some tasteful effects."

https://thecrowhillcompany.com/free/

Press release follows:

The Crow Hill Company creates …RHYTHM MACHINE as latest free VAULTS… VI, preserving vintage classic’s character while expanding its sonic potential

EDINBURGH, UK: The Crow Hill Company is proud to announce availability of VAULTS - RHYTHM MACHINE as its latest VI (Virtual Instrument) release ready for all to download and make music with for free for the rest of their lives — literally preserving Roland’s 1978-vintage CR-78 CompuRhythm’s classic character as the Japanese giant of electronic musical instrument manufacturing’s first programmable drum machine (that changed the way artists approached rhythm and, in doing so, stamped its musical mark on a number of notable hit records that subsequently secured its iconic status in the annals of music technology history for all eternity), effectively expanding its sonic potential with some tasteful effects as a result — as of October 1…

Far from stretching the boundaries of truth, it is fair to say that the introduction of Roland’s CR-78 CompuRhythm changed the course of history as the first computer-controlled programmable drum machine. Most rhythm machines before its late-1978 introduction were preset-only affairs, forcing their users to pick from the likes of ‘Bossa Nova’, ‘Rock’, and ‘Waltz’ — more in keeping with the home organ-orientated terminology of the time. The CR-78, however, offered something new — namely, an ability to program rhythm patterns and store them in memory using the external WS-1 programmer optionally offered by Roland. Indeed, its 14 onboard instruments include bass drum, cymbals, hi-hats, rimshot, snare drum, and tambourine alongside several Latin-type sounds, such as bongos, claves, and cowbell — all generated using analogue circuits, giving it a distinctly warm, punchy character. Thanks to the CR-78’s analogue nature, though, the tempo control is not exactly surgical, but this foible only adds to its charm. And, as history has borne out, when placed in the creative musical hands of Blondie, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and others, it became an iconic instrument in its own right.

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Formant Filtering with MetaModule

video upload by 4ms Company

"Head to our MetaModule Forum to see the patch notes: https://forum.4ms.info/t/formant-filt..."

Check out The VODER (1939) - Early Speech Synthesizer

The Only Drum Machine to be a Member of the Band // Minipops Junior

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Minipops Junior was Echo & the Bunnymen’s first drummer. Quirky, lo-fi, and never on time — this 1970s rhythm box proves that imperfection is pure magic.

The Korg Minipops Junior is one of the quirkiest drum machines of the 1970s — best known as the original drummer for Echo & the Bunnymen on their debut single Pictures on My Wall. In this demo I run through its preset patterns, explain its place in the history of the MiniPops series, and show how its loose, drifting timing creates a swing that no DAW quantizer can reproduce.

I’ll sample into Logic to show how far the hits fall from the grid, how it drifts over several bars, and why those imperfections make it so special. It’s limited in tones, but every hit has tiny circuit variations that give it a unique feel.

I’ve also created a sample pack with all 10 patterns plus MIDI files, available on my Patreon."

TMP-3-05 Vintage Synth TV Series from Benge

video upload by Memetune Studio

00:00 Opening Titles
00:17 Introduction
01:25 Switched On 80s
12:54 Little Black Boxes
15:48 Commercial Break
17:26 Patching Today
26:07 Synthesiser Club
29:19 Video Lab
33:44 Outro

"////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Episode five of the third series of the TV program from Benge, made at his Memetune Electronic Music Studio

The series explores his passion for vintage synthesiser instruments and studio gear and how he uses them in his productions and collaborations

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It is divided into the following sections:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Legendary ARP Pro Soloist Signed by Genesis Keyboardist Tony Banks: raffled at Machina Bristronica!

video upload by Alan R. Pearlman Foundation

"The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation is proud to announce a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a meticulously restored vintage ARP Pro Soloist, personally signed by Tony Banks, legendary keyboardist of Genesis.

The raffle will be held at the electronic music festival Machina Bristonica in Bristol, UK September 27-28th. Raffle tickets are £ 20 GBP for a single ticket and bundled options will be available as well. The raffle winner will be announced one hour before the event closes (17:00). The Winner is responsible for shipping or pick it up and take it home.

This iconic synthesizer—famous for its expressive presets and aftertouch performance—was a favorite of Banks during the band's most groundbreaking era. Now, one lucky winner will take home this historic instrument, lovingly restored and authenticated, while supporting the foundation’s mission to preserve the legacy of synth pioneer Alan R. Pearlman and inspire future generations of musicians and engineers.

For the complete press release, please subscribe to our newsletter! https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/s..."

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"

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."

The History Of The Vocoder

video upload by THIS MUSEUM IS (NOT) OBSOLETE

"Looking at how the vocoder came to be and how it works!"

Look Mum No Computer's Vocoder Demo posted here.

"More on SIGSALY - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIGSALY
____
if you'd like to visit
information / contact:-
https://www.this-museum-is-not-obsole..."

The Rare Tuttivox by Harald Bode

video upload by HAINBACH

"I have been very interested in the work of German inventor and engineer Harald Bode. His essays and instruments were hugely influential on Robert Moog, Don Buchla and many others, and laid the ground work to the synthesizers of today. Sadly, most of his more experimental designs don't survive. But some of his more conventional instruments do, like his adaption of the proto-synth Clavioline he made for Jörgensen, the Tuttivox (with involvement/Patents to Rene Seybold). When one crossed my way, I could not resist. But when it arrived, I was in for a bad surprise."

00:00 Unboxing
01:00 Fixing The Tuttivox
05:53 History Of The Tuttivox
08:52 Functions
11:14 Making Music
14:21 Closing Thoughts

Roland VP-330 | This Synth Made Vangelis Famous… But WHICH Version?

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"🎹 This Synth Made Vangelis Famous… But WHICH Version?

The Roland VP-330 is one of the most iconic vocoders and string machines ever created — made legendary by artists like Vangelis, 10cc, and Vince Clarke. But did the MKI and MKII versions sound the same? In this video, I compare the two side by side — same settings, same riffs, totally different vibe.

From lush choir tones to robotic vocoded phrases, you’ll hear the subtle — and not-so-subtle — differences that make each model unique.

The Roland VP-330, or Vocoder Plus, is one of the unsung heroes of the late '70s to early '80s synth world, being used on hits by the likes of Queen, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Vangelis, and more recently, Dua Lipa.

As the name suggests, the Vocoder Plus combined a vocoder with chorused strings and a synthetic choir sound. Its recent resurgence in popularity has seen an official Roland Boutique recreation, an unofficial Behringer clone, and software emulations try to recreate its classic tones.

The VP-330 was the last and most famous of the Roland string synthesizers, a line that started in 1975 with the release of the Roland RS-101. This early string machine keyboard utilised divide-down technology, meaning that a single oscillator could have its pitch divided down to play any note on the keyboard, allowing polyphony at a much cheaper price point than traditional polyphonic synthesizers. These kinds of synths were named paraphonic.

⚠️ While Vangelis famously used the VP-330, this video doesn’t analyze his exact recordings — it’s a deep listen into the synth itself.

🎧 Best experienced with headphones!

👇 Let me know in the comments: Which version do YOU prefer?

0:00 – Intro
00:36 Queen Radio Ga Ga
00:43 Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
00:50 Stevie Wonder I Just Called to Say I Love You
00:58 - Vangelis Blade Runner
01:10 - How the VP-330 Works
01:52 - Roland VP-330 MKI – Vocoder Sound
01:56 - Roland VP-330 MKII – Vocoder Sound
05:30 – Roland VP-330 MKI - String Sound
05:54 - Roland VP-330 MKII - String Sound
06:17 - Roland VP-330 MKI - Choir Sound
06:42 - Roland VP-330 MKII - Choir Sound
07:07 - Outro"

A short history of the 909 in 16 songs ⬜🟧 from TECHNO and HOUSE to POP | Drum Patterns Explained

video upload by Captain Pikant

"The Roland TR-909 has shaped the sound of many genres ranging from Techno, House, Hip Hop and Pop to Industrial and Eurodance. In this video we'll take a look at 16 of our favourite 909 drum patterns - including its very first appearance as well as modern productions nearly 40 years later, so get ready for some interesting 909 history and trivia. We'll be using an external sequencer so you can see all the different instruments and you can try the patterns in your drum machine or in your DAW."

0:00 Introduction
1:02 Skinny Puppy - Smothered Hope
2:36 Mantronix - Bassline
4:56 Phil Collins - Take Me Home
6:09 Inner City - Big Fun
8:39 Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
11:17 Madonna - Vogue
12:51 Adamski - Killer
14:50 Aphex Twin - Heliosphan
15:44 Circuit Breaker - Trac-X
17:03 Björk - Hunter
18:02 Daft Punk - Revolution 909
18:44 Darude - Sandstorm
20:16 Duke Dumont - The Giver (Original Mix)
23:04 John Tejada - Stabilizer
24:04 Jeff Mills - Exhibitionist 2 Mix 3
25:13 Peggy Gou - I Go
26:16 End Jam

A Short History of the 303 in 12 songs 🙂 How the 303 failed successfully - our fav TB-303 patterns

video upload by Captain Pikant

"In this episode we're going to look at the fascinating history of the Roland TB-303 bass synthesizer - and we'll do so with a colourful mix of our favourite 303 patterns spanning across four decades! We show every pattern so you can try them in your 303, TB-3 or any other synth 🙂

If you want to check out the originals then here's a playlist with all the tracks we mentioned:"

Why did this strange digital Synth become a classic? | Voltage Labs

video upload by Voltage Labs

"What made the Elektron Monomachine go from misunderstood digital oddity to one of the most iconic cult synths in electronic music?

In this video, we explore the story behind the Monomachine, from its controversial 2004 release to its status as a modern-day classic among experimental producers like SOPHIE, Actress, Autechre or even the UK duo Overmono."

TMP-3-04 Vintage Synth TV Series from Benge

video upload by Memetune Studio

Additional episodes

00:00 Opening Titles
00:17 Introduction
01:25 Switched On 80s
13:08 Synthesiser Club
15:58 Little Black Boxes
20:05 Commercial Break
23:45 Patching Today
35:08 Video Lab
40:29 Outro

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Episode four of the third series of the TV program from Benge, made at his Memetune Electronic Music Studio

The series explores his passion for vintage synthesiser instruments and studio gear and how he uses them in his productions and collaborations

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It is divided into the following sections:

SWITCHED ON 80s - This third series takes an in-depth look into six classic 80s synthesisers, selected because of their interesting and unique attributes

SYNTHESISER CLUB - A short musical demonstration of a synthesiser classic or three, concentrating on 'families' of synths

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - A further look at some classic rack mount studio gear of the 80s and 90s

COMMERCIAL BREAK - Some shameless Memetune shilling

PATCHING TODAY - A deep-dive into vintage modular systems and how to set up a patch on them, starting from scratch, this time using Cybersynthesis techniques to bring an element of surprise to the patches

VIDEO LAB - A look at old video equipment and how to create experimental visuals, concentrating on a specific device in each episode

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

In THIS episode:

SWITCHED ON 80s - A detailed presentation on the Oberheim Xpander hybrid polysynth from 1984

SYNTHESISER CLUB - The Emu Strut - featuring the Emulator 2, the Drumulator, the Proteus/2 and the mighty Emu Modular 2000

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - A look at the highly underrated Yamaha TX16W and its companion reverb unit, the REV7

COMMERCIAL BREAK - Some adverts for Memetune-related goodies, including the Memetune Annual 2024, the range of Memetune merchandise and Benge's FORMS series of single-synth albums

PATCHING TODAY - on the incredible ARP 2500, which I bought exactly 20 years ago this month

VIDEO LAB - In this episode we take a closer look at the Grass Valley Indigo AV Mixer, which is the central hub of the Video Lab, and provides many more ways of getting that genuinely vintage look to the Memetune video productions, in particular using its memory recall system which allows you to program complex time-based actions

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

LINKS:

Benge's Studio Blog: http://myblogitsfullofstars.blogspot.com

Memetune Studio Instagram: @memetunestudio

Benge & Memetune Merch on Bandcamp: https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The MemeTune Programme Credits:
Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge)
All music, design, writing, filming and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2025"

CELEBRATING UNCOMMON MUSIC INSTRUMENT AWARENESS DAY

video upload by Stylophone

"** CELEBRATING UNCOMMON MUSIC INSTRUMENT AWARENESS DAY**⁠ ⁠

Quiz Time: What does the hit Apple TV series Severance, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Alfred Hitchcock, and Clara Rockmore all have in common?⁠ ⁠

Watch the video to find out!⁠ ⁠

Let us know in the comments what your favourite unusual musical instrument is.⁠"

Steve Roach: Life in the Soundcurrent Documentary

video upload by SteveRoachOfficial

"''Steve Roach: Life in the Soundcurrent' is much more than a documentary. It is a sensory experience, a visual journey into the life, legacy, and music of a remarkable artist, and a gentle reminder of the profound impact environment can have on creativity.;

Filmnet review

Available on Amazon (US & UK) or https://steveroach.bandcamp.com/merch..."

Monoculture: The Story of the Bass Station

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the story of the Novation Bass Station, a small synthesizer that's part of a big story.

0:00 Intro
0:49 Electronic Dream Plant
5:47 Oxford Synthesiser Company
12:07 Novation
13:04 The Bass Station
16:25 Rack and Super
17:44 Supernova & Nova
19:26 Software Perils
20:15 Reboot & Ultranova
21:58 Bass Station II
23:55 AFX Station
25:32 Peak & Summit
27:07 Mantis and Tributes
28:36 WARP, Swifty and GForce
29:55 Summary and Patreon Jam

Huge thank you to Focusrite, Novation, PWM, Source Distribution, Paul Wiffen, GForce, Dave Grant, David Hilowitz and my Patrons on Patreon."

1980's Power couple. Yamaha DX 7 & The Roland Tr-808 A love story like no other..#808 #synth

video upload by Keyboard Kingpin

"Join us Friends AS we look into that fire 80s couple know as the Yamaha Dx 7 & the Roland Tr-808 This Synthesizer / Drum machine combo took the 1980s and early 90s by storm. So many excellent songs where made with this fire combination. Lets explore the sound combination , discuss songs made with the 2 instruments and of course...Make a beat with the 2! Watch like comment, Share and subscribe. Much love from Keyboard Kingpin. Thanks for watching!

0:01 intro
0:49 impact of this power couple
2:22 Yamaha analog drum machines
3:15 Roland's version of Fm synthesis
3:46 Songs that use both the dx7 and tr808
5:16 A beat made with nothing but the dx7 and tr808
8:14 Outro"

How Synthesizers Changed Music History

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"🎛️ The History of Synthesizers
From the massive Telharmonium of 1901 to today’s sleek soft synths, this video takes you through 150 years of electronic music innovation. Learn how electricity first made sound, how Moog and Buchla shaped the synth revolution, how digital FM and sampling changed everything in the '80s, and how modern VSTs like Serum and Omnisphere continue the legacy.
Along the way, you'll meet legends like Robert Moog, Don Buchla, Wendy Carlos, and Dave Smith—and discover the instruments that changed the sound of pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM, and film forever.
🧠 Whether you're a synth nerd or just curious how your favourite sounds came to be, this video is your complete crash course."

Timestamps
0:00 – Intro
0:14 – Overview
0:47 – The Origins of the Electronic Sound
0:59 – Telharmonium
1:46 – Vacuum Tubes
1:54 – Ondes Martenot
2:10 – RCA Mark II
2:40 – The Moog Revolution
2:58 – Theremin
3:10 – Moog Modular
3:58 – East vs West: Moog and Buchla
4:53 – The First Synth Records
5:24 – Minimoog Model D
6:27 – EMS VCS3
8:14 – The Polyphonic Breakthrough
9:22 – Yamaha CS-80
10:12 – Digital Takes Over: FM Synthesis and Sampling
10:32 – Yamaha TX816
11:54 – Sampling
12:32 – Akai MPC60
12:43 – Software and the Analog Revival
13:32 – Impact / Outro

The Synths Behind OMD's Enola Gay

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at how Enola Gay by OMD was created."

0:00 Intro
0:51 Detective Work
5:17 CR-78 Feat. Benge
7:53 Live Drums Feat. Jonathan Wills
9:06 Synth Sounds
11:18 Bass Sounds
11:58 Organs Feat. Syntaur
15:26 Effects
18:27 Summary
19:43 Full Remake