The Seventh Wave Festival of Electronic Music #7 w/ Delia Derbyshire Collaborator David Vorhaus

David Vorhaus Analogue Electronic Music 1979 Published on Sep 13, 2009 JeffreyPlaide

Update: Festival info further below. Thought I would start with a couple of videos featuring David Vorhaus.

"In this historical video excerpt, David Vorhaus talks about two of his analogue inventions - the MANIAC analogue sequencer, and the Kaleidophon from 1979.

The MANIAC (Multiphasic Analog Inter-Active Chromataphonic (sequencer)) was an analogue sequencer having variable step lengths, and the ability to split sequences into several smaller groupings giving considerable sonic potentiality. Addition and subtraction of events was possible, as well as the possibility to chromatically correct the output during performance. David could program his MANIAC sequencer to play a background rhythm or combination of musical events, to then improvise over the top with another instrument or synthesizer.

The Kaleidophon was a double-bass-like instrument using four velocity-sensitive ribbon controllers instead of strings. The instrument is played entirely using the left hand, leaving the right hand free to manipulate the sound via a number of controllers and a joystick.

David speaks about the processes of making electronic music, and the developments that such possibilities can provide for the imaginative electronic musician. This excerpt is taken from the BBC 1979 documentary entitled "The New Sound of Music" hosted by Michael Rodd."

WHITE NOISE Electric Storm in Hell [not quite Full Album]

Published on Mar 9, 2013 musick2138

"The Seventh Wave presents

White Noise - a Fifty Years Celebration of An Electric Storm & Other Sonic Adventures

Voyd - live set / White Noise - live set / White Noise - talk and q&a

Friday 14 June 2019 Doors 6.30 pm.

Curfew 10.00 pm.

The Blue Orange Theatre, 118 Great Hampton Street, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B18 6AD.

White Noise - An Electric Storm - Review

When White Noise's debut album, An Electric Storm, landed on Island Records in 1969, it must have sounded like nothing else. Packaged in a striking black and white sleeve that pictured a spark of lightning streaking across a black sky, this was an album that - quite rightly as it turned out - resembled as much a scientific experiment as any conventional musical document.

White Noise came into being when David Vorhaus, an American electronics student with a passion for experimental sound and classical music attended a lecture by Delia Derbyshire, a sound scientist at the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop whose claim to fame was writing the original Doctor Who theme tune. With the help of fellow Radiophonic Workshop composer Brian Hodgeson, Vorhaus and Derbyshire hunkered down at Kaleidophon Studios in Camden to pen an album that reconciled pop music with the experimental avant-garde. The result is a set of eerie, delightful songs that, for all their surface simplicity, shimmer with vestigial synthesiser swells, strange echoes, disembodied voices, and distant music-box trills.

Outside of a few equally adventurous '60s releases - the debut album from US psychedelic pioneers The United States Of America, for instance - this is pretty much uncharted territory, particularly for a major label release. On ''My Game Of Loving'', a dozen multi-tracked voices built to a panting orgasm, while the closing ''Black Mass An Electric Storm In Hell'' ushers the record to a freeform close in a clatter of freeform drums, cavernous echo and chilling, animalistic screams. Perhaps unsurprisingly, An Electric Storm would struggle to find an audience on its release, and in the following years, great leaps in synthesiser technology somewhat diminished White Noise's experimental achievements. One thing that would remain timeless, however, were the songs themselves. An Electric Storm would later become a key inspiration on bands like Add (N) To X and Broadcast, synthesiser explorers who picked through these primitive, vestigial sound experiments, took careful notes, and eventually, set out to craft their own futuristic pop lullabies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/pq9x/

The other two dates of the festival feature:

Banco de Gaia (Toby Marks) - he will once again be accompanied by Patrick Dunn on visuals (Patrick produces visual content for Tangerine Dream!!!).

The Black Dog is a British electronic music group, founded by Ken Downie along with Ed Handley and Andy Turner. The group are considered pioneers who, along with acts like Autechre, Aphex Twin, LFO et al came to define the UK techno movement in the early 1990's.

For further information email theseventhwave@btinternet.com

Tickets available at https://www.skiddle.com/groups/theseventhwave/"

David Van Koevering Has Passed Away

Update: this post will be pinned on top for the day. You can find newer posts below.

Brian Kehew wrote in to let us know synth legend David Van Koevering passed away yesterday at the age of 77. Per Brian, "So many people in the industry knew him; such a long and varied life!" Indeed. The following is the obituary sent to him from Van Koevering's family.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Noise

Ever wonder what makes up the different types of Noise offered on synths? David Hillel Wilson, curator of the New England Synthesizer Museum and host of Synth Museum posted the following on AH. Title link takes you to the Synth Museum website.

"OK Here is the theory. White noise has every possible sine wave all at the
same volume.
Unfortunately, since the Human ear hears frequencies logarithmically, the
pure randomness
of white noise sounds high pitched to us. Since we hear twice as many
frequencies in any
octave as we do in the octave just below it, to create a noise that "sounds"
right requires
that the amplitude of the noise drop off at 1/2x per octave, or 3dB/Oct.
This is the definition
of Pink noise. Further low-pass filtering can make red noise, while high
pass filtering would
make blue noise. There are, to the best of my knowledge, no exact
definitions for colors
of noise other than white and pink. The "Color" idea comes from optics:
Light containing
all colors in equal strengths is seen by the Human eye as "white". If we
remove the higher
frequency (shorter wave length) lights, the color literally shifts to pink,
hence the name."

David Hillel Wilson
Curator
New England Synthesizer Museum

ARP ODYSSEY MKIII (1978) - Demo & Review

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"ARP ODYSSEY MKIII (1978) - Demo & Review

The ARP Odyssey was created as a direct competitor to the Mini Moog, addressing the demand for a smaller, more affordable synthesizer. ARP produced several versions between 1972 and 1978, and in 2015, they collaborated with Korg to faithfully recreate a re-issue with David Friend, the original designer.
The Odyssey stands out as one of the first duophonic synthesizers, with all functions controlled by sliders and switches on the front panel. The ARP Odyssey Mk III, featured in this video, was introduced in 1978. It boasts a redesigned chassis with an orange-on-black color scheme, consistent with other contemporary ARP instruments. The Mk III version includes ARP's new four-pole "4075" filter and features both unbalanced XLR and 1/4" outputs.
Often seen as a streamlined version of the ARP 2600, the Odyssey includes additional features like a high-pass filter and oscillator synchronization. It produces some of the best sync-lead sounds you'll ever hear from a synthesizer! The Odyssey is a true classic, both in design and sound.
The ARP Odyssey is highly versatile, offering numerous features:
• 2 oscillators (with VCO 2 doubling as a second LFO)
• VCO synchronization
• 2 filters (resonant low-pass and non-resonant high-pass)
• Ring modulator
• Sample & hold
• Noise generator (white and pink noise)
• 1 LFO
• 2 envelopes (ADSR and AR)

CLICK FOR MORE »

Western New England Synth Fest 2019 - Bill T Miller Synth Performance Fall 2019

Published on Nov 5, 2019 Bill T Miller

"Bill T Miller of OrgyOfNoise @ Western New England Synth Fest 2019 @ Hampshire College, Amherst, MA. on November 2, 2019.

* Poster ARTWORK by David C. Lovelace - THANX !!!!

* Super thanx to co-hosts Dan Warner & Eric Crawley and Hampshire College Sound Tech Crew.... and to ALL WHO WERE THERE onstage and in the audience. Extra THANX Eric Crawley for introduction onstage and of course as always to Sheri Hausey & Ziggy Cat.

* SYSTEM BTM Modular Synth Mountain AVL Rig
=============
Make Noise O-Coast
Make Noise EchoPhon
Make Noise ErbeVerb
Mutable Ears
Pittsburgh Lifeforms Outs
=============
Moog Mother-32
Make Noise Pressure Points
Make Noise Maths

* This BTM rig includes mostly modules that were made in Asheville, NC by the Smokey Mountains by Make Noise & Moog... so i dubbed this case my BTM SYNTH MOUNTAIN RIG.

More Bill T Miller / Orgy Of Noise via...
http:/OrgyOfNoise.com
http://billtmiller.bandcamp.com"

David Vorhaus Analogue Electronic Music 1979

YouTube via JeffreyPlaide

"In this historical video excerpt, David Vorhaus talks about two of his analogue inventions - the MANIAC analogue sequencer, and the Kaleidophon from 1979. The MANIAC (Multiphasic Analog Inter-Active Chromataphonic (sequencer)) was an analogue sequencer having variable step lengths, and the ability to split sequences into several smaller groupings giving considerable sonic potentiality. Addition and subtraction of events was possible, as well as the possibility to chromatically correct the output during performance. David could program his MANIAC sequencer to play a background rhythm or combination of musical events, to then improvise over the top with another instrument or synthesizer. The Kaleidophon was a double-bass-like instrument using four velocity-sensitive ribbon controllers instead of strings. The instrument is played entirely using the left hand, leaving the right hand free to manipulate the sound via a number of controllers and a joystick. David speaks about the processes of making electronic music, and the developments that such possibilities can provide for the imaginative electronic musician. This excerpt is taken from the BBC 1979 documentary entitled "The New Sound of Music" hosted by Michael Rodd."  

Update via Mark Jenkins in the comments: "David Vorhaus now has a new version of the M.A.N.I.A.C. sequencer designed as a complete music system on a PC, and a new custom built MIDI version of the Kaleidophon controller. We've been performing as a duo with this setup for a couple of years, including shows in Holland, Germany, China and France as well as the UK. And yes, we have been playing "Cygnus Constellation", the piece heard at the end of this clip :-) The next show is in London on Saturday November 28th at the Greenwich Planetarium, where we'll be performing new White Noise music, and my own planetarium show "Supernova" which has a complete computer graphic backing. Tickets from the National Maritime Museum (£18.00 I think if sales aren't already live on their website www.nmm.ac.uk) and there are early and late shows the same evening. Hope to see some of you there - Mark Jenkins"  

Update: also see this post. via Dustin.

NYZ - DSP TRX / PPLZ SYNF

Two new releases from NYZ, aka Noyzelab, who's work has been featured here on MATRIXSYNTH numerous times (see the previous two posts). Noyzelab is both a musician and a maker of some pretty esoteric gear. He has worked with Richard D James of Aphex Twin, Chris Watson, Oren Ambarchi, amongst others.

"David Burraston returns for his third release at P / Psi / P, the mindmelting 4-hour DSP TRX. His second 4xCD-R set in our catalog, after the equally monolithic PPLZ SYNF.

DSP TRX is sometimes manic, turning itself into shapes that seem impossible or unfathomable, and at other times it becomes more stable, barely moving like a deep pool beneath an occasional wind gust. As is Burraston's custom, DSP TRX delivers its most potent and stimulating moments after the sounds themselves have sustained long enough to remove your awareness of time as a reference point. Not quite drone, not only synthesizer music, but wholly a displacing other. The shuddering tone fields stretch out for miles, expanding forever, and then contract again into more observable sections, like a muscle. We're never certain if we're hearing feedback with mathematically-divided holes poked in it, or a radio custom-built by Burraston that tunes into millions of digital bubbles, following traced lines toward a central frequency of his own devising. DSP TRX is both bright and dark, a dramatic rapid tremolo of silence and noise, infinitely revolving, inverting and slowing down - or is it speeding up? Once again, Burraston delivers proof that he is not operating on our plane of reality, or the neighboring ones, but above them all, in an undefined place outside time, space and everything in between.

DSP TRX is available as an edited digital edition (2 tracks) or as a full four-disc/16 track excursion. An unabridged digital release will follow later at Boomkat.

released March 27, 2018

W/P by David Burraston. Recorded March & September 2017 onto 2 tracks / edited December 2017 at Noyzelab. Custom programmed in Spin FV-1 Assembler using the Tiptop Audio Z-DSP Eurorack module and Numberz programmer. All recordings were made direct from the Z-DSP outputs, with minimal post processing other than a slight bit of EQ and stereo placement.

Instruments: 2x Braids Macro Oscillators, ALM Akemie's Castle, Tiptop Z-DSP & Numberz, SpinAsm FV-1 DSP Assembler, MOTU UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid, Apple iMac 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4GB RAM / Logic Pro 9.

Thanks to Tiptop Audio for the Z-DSP and Numberz programmer (www.tiptopaudio.com/z-dsp/ ) Matthew at ALM for the Akemie's Castle (www.busycircuits.com/alm011/ ) Braids custom dark face build by Finlay Shakespeare (www.twitter.com/FinShakespeare )"

"David Burraston returns to Psøma Psi Phi with possibly his most expansive release to date - PPLZ SYNF. A gigantic 3.5 hour work consisting of seven pieces created using an ongoing self-build (as Burraston notes) of the Serge/CGS Paperface analog synthesizer, in conjunction with a custom built modular rig. Laid to digital disk space at Burraston's Noyzelab studio in August, PPLZ SYNF is a monolith of drone synthesis that absorbs the listener into some kind of greater collective metaconsciousness. It is both an impressive exercise in longform drone music, and an immersive and hypnotic atmosphere that confounds the mind, transfiguring your surroundings from its unique and singular perspective. A monument, literally and figuratively, in the sound field, etched and erected by a master of the craft.

Given the scope and size of such a release, PPLZ SYNF has been committed to a very special, and very limited, triple-cassette set, housed in a dustproof binder. These are extremely finite and assembled by hand in every possible way, making no two copies exactly alike. The digital version available at Bandcamp consists of cuts from the first of the three tapes, while the full release is spread across two 60-minute tapes and one 90-minute tape.

UPDATE 2018.03.04: The 4xCD-R reissue is now stocked at Norman Records in the UK www.normanrecords.com/records/169774-nyz-pplz-synf
credits
released November 14, 2017

W/P by David Burraston. Field recorded in MONO 96kHz/24bit on Zoom F8, August 2017 at Noyzelab (www.noyzelab.com). Created with Serge/CGS Paperface ongoing self build and Mutable Instruments Braids x2 custom dark face build by Finlay Shakespeare. David Burraston and the NYZ logo appear courtesy of Noyzelab. This is Psøma Psi Phi number NYZ-II, and 2nd in Burraston's private NYZ catalog. Cover design by The Analog Botanist."

BAF 2024: Catalyst Audio - MIG Modules

video upload by sonicstate

"At Buchla and Friends 2024, Sonic State had the opportunity to speak with David from Catalyst Audio about their latest release, the MIG series vacuum tube modules. This series includes a VCO, mixer, VCF, VCA, and a noise source, all designed around new old stock tubes from Soviet fighter jets in the 80s. David explained that the collaboration between Buchla and Friends and ElectroSurf led to the development of these modules, with ElectroSurf handling the tube circuits and David working on the layout and production. The MIG series modules feature unique waveform shaping capabilities due to the use of two tubes, allowing for audio rate switching and balance adjustments. The VCO, mixer, filter, and VCA all offer distinct tonal changes and features that can be overdriven for added versatility. The noise module provides a wide range of sound possibilities, from pitched variations to white noise textures. Currently, they have about 1,500 tubes in stock, making these modules a limited edition item. However, the tubes are perfect for Eurorack systems as they consume low power, making them compatible with standard power supplies. The final price is yet to be determined, but it is expected to be around $400.

https://www.catalystaudio.com/"

EMS Founder Peter Zinovieff Has Passed Away

Update: Image of Peter Zinovieff (previously in via Brian Kehew).

"Circa 1975: A photo from the Frankfurt Music Fair

Peter Zinovieff in the EMS synthesizer booth.

They are featuring the rare SYNTHI P model, just announced on the left side and stand. Underneath the board listing EMS musical artists is a SYNTHI HI-FLI effects unit is barely seen. Another unusual/prototype model is next to the Hi-Fli."


Peter Zinovieff and Electronic Music Studios video upload by JeffreyPlaide


Peter Zinovieff: Synth Pioneer video upload by Sound On Sound magazine Jul 21, 2016


Peter Zinovieff talks about modern musical interfaces video upload by Expressive E Jan 6, 2016


Peter Zinovieff feature uploaded by Erica Synths on Nov 23, 2020. This was the latest video to feature Peter Zinovieff that I am aware of.


Peter Zinovieff interview 2015 video upload by 香港電子音樂社 Hong Kong Electronic Music Society Jun 30, 2015


Dr Peter Zinovieff intro & performance excerpt - Deliaphonic 2017 video upload by Deliaphonic Aug 29, 2018

And a few perspectives from others:

Bright Sparks Behind The Scenes - The Brits video by GForce Software published Feb 16, 2021

Cosmic Tape Music Club Podcast hosted by The Galaxy Electric - E1 Peter Zinovieff

video by The Galaxy Electric published Jan 27, 2021

Peter Zinovieff Electronic Calendar

video by Mark Jenkins published Dec 9, 2019 - Electronic Calendar available through this post.

You can find a history of posts mentioning Peter Zinovieff here.

via The Guardian

"Peter Zinovieff, a hugely influential figure in British music whose early synthesisers helped to change the sound of pop, has died aged 88. He had suffered a fall at home earlier this month.

With its marketing slogan 'think of a sound – now make it', his company Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was one of the first to bring synthesisers out of studios and to the public. With products such as the portable VCS3 and Synthi A, EMS customers – including David Bowie, Kraftwerk, the Who, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd – were often taught to use the instruments by Zinovieff.

In 1967 he collaborated with Paul McCartney on Carnival of Light, a performance of a 14-minute avant garde composition created between Beatles sessions for Penny Lane that has never been released.

He was also a respected composer of his own work, including early experiments with AI composition and sampling – he claimed to have invented the latter technique." You can read the full post here.

via Wikipedia:

"Peter Zinovieff (26 January 1933 – 23 June 2021) was a British engineer and composer, whose EMS company made the VCS3 synthesizer in the late 1960s. The synthesizer was used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd[3] and White Noise, and Krautrock groups[4] as well as more pop-oriented artists, including Todd Rundgren and David Bowie. In later life he worked primarily as a composer of electronic music.

Zinovieff was born on 26 January 1933;[5] his parents, Leo Zinovieff and Sofka, née Princess Sophia Dolgorouky, were both Russian aristocrats, who met in London after their families had emigrated to escape the Russian Revolution and soon divorced.[6] During World War II he and his brother Ian lived with their grandparents in Guildford and then with their father in Sussex. He attended Guildford Royal Grammar School, Gordonstoun School and Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in geology.[7][8]

Zinovieff's work followed research at Bell Labs by Max Mathews and Jean-Claude Risset, and an MIT thesis (1963) by David Alan Luce.[9] In 1966–67, Zinovieff, Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson ran Unit Delta Plus, an organisation to create and promote electronic music. It was based in the studio Zinovieff had built, in a shed at his house in Putney. (The house is near the Thames, and the studio was later partially destroyed by a flood).[10][11] EMS grew out of MUSYS, which was a performance controller operating as an analogue-digital hybrid.[12] It was a synthesiser system which Zinovieff developed with the help of David Cockerell and Peter Grogono, and used two DEC PDP-8 minicomputers and a piano keyboard.[13] Unit Delta Plus ran a concert of electronic music at the Watermill Theatre in 1966, with a light show. In early 1967 they performed in concerts at The Roundhouse, at which the Carnival of Light was also played; they split up later in 1967.[11] Paul McCartney had visited the studio, but Zinovieff had little interest in popular music.[14]

In 1968, part of the studio was recreated at Connaught Hall, for a performance of pieces by Justin Connolly and David Lumsdaine.[15] At the IFIP congress that year, the composition ZASP by Zinovieff with Alan Sutcliffe took second prize in a contest, behind a piece by Iannis Xenakis.[16]

In 1969, Zinovieff sought financing through an ad in The Times but received only one response, £50 on the mistaken premise it was the price of a synthesiser. Instead he formed EMS with Cockerell and Tristram Cary.[17] At the end of the 1960s, EMS Ltd. was one of four companies offering commercial synthesizers, the others being ARP, Buchla, and Moog.[18] In the 1970s Zinovieff became interested in the video synthesizer developed by Robert Monkhouse, and EMS produced it as the Spectron.[19]

Jon Lord of Deep Purple described Zinovieff as "a mad professor type": "I was ushered into his workshop and he was in there talking to a computer, trying to get it to answer back".[20] Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, in their history of the synthesizer revolution, see him rather as aristocratically averse to "trade".[21]

Zinovieff wrote the libretto for Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus,[22] and also the words for Nenia: The Death of Orpheus (1970).[23] The section Tristan's Folly in Tristan (1975) by Hans Werner Henze included a tape by Zinovieff."

Update:

Peter Zinovieff: A Tribute by CatSynth TV

video upload by CatSynth TV

"We look back at the life and work of Peter Zinovieff, who passed away last week at the age of 88. His work at Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was a major influence on musicians of the 1970s and beyond. At EMS, he co-created the well-known and coveted VCS3 and Synthi series. But he was also a composer in his own right, working on pioneering electronic music in the 1960s and returning to active composition in the 2010s with several collaborations with artists in other media and exploring massive sound spatialization.

Additional background music provided via the Arturia Synthi V as a tribute."

You can find additional posts featuring Peter Zinovieff here.

Moogfest 2016 Announces Modular Marketplace Synth Event with Neuronics (ex Dewanatron) Debut

This is a bit of a double post. The press release from Moogfest follows further below. A number of known manufacturers are listed, however there is a new one you might not be familiar with, Neuronics. This will be their debut. I am curious what they will show as one half of Neuronics is Leon Dewan of Dewanatron, makers of the Swarmatron and other eccentric synthesizer creations. P.S. Great Make Noise T-shirt on the left! They are my favorite synth T, aside from mine of course. :)

"See, Hear, and Experience the Future of Music at the Moogfest 2016 Modular Marketplace

Free interactive bazaar gives everyone a chance to discover and test-drive next generation electronic musical instruments

Durham, North Carolina (April 27, 2016) - The Modular Marketplace at Moogfest 2016 reimagines the traditional trade show by creating a fun, interactive, educational space where electronic instrument designers connect directly with musicians, technology innovators, and the general public.

Over 25 companies selected for their cult status or game-changing ambition will demonstrate their instruments and offer a glimpse into the future of electronic music. Many of the entrepreneurs and designers behind these products will be in attendance, and almost all items are available for purchase.

Moogfest programming partner Kickstarter has ever curated a selection of three instruments, supported through its crowdfunding platform, to exhibit at the Modular Marketplace: the Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1, Sensory Perception by Sunhouse and Kilpatrick Audio.

The Modular Marketplace is one of the many highlights of Moogfest 2016, which celebrates the legacy of Bob Moog, the visionary engineer who pioneered the analog synthesizer and other technology tools used by artists like Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, and Kraftwerk. The four-day festival from May 19-22 will feature over 250 innovators in music, art, and technology -- from Gary Numan, GZA, Grimes and Laurie Anderson to virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier and transhumanist visionary Dr. Martine Rothblatt. For the first time, Moogfest takes place in Durham, North Carolina, a fast-growing capital of technology, culture and entrepreneurship.

'The Modular Marketplace is free and open to the public, giving everyone from school kids to technology influencers an opportunity to participate,' said Moogfest Festival Director, Marisa Brickman. 'A new generation of engineers and circuit designers are building on Bob Moog's legacy by creating new tools that are shaping the future of music and sound.'

The Modular Marketplace features product launches, daily demonstrations, sound experiments, exclusive discounts, and other special events. It takes place at the American Tobacco Campus at 318 Blackwell Street from 10am - 6pm from May 19 - 22.

Some highlights of the Modular Marketplace include:

Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1: Developed at The New Museum's NEW INC incubator and funded through a Kickstarter campaign that raised $1.3 million, the Artiphon INSTRUMENT 1 will make its public debut at Moogfest 2016. The groundbreaking instrument allows users of any skill or style to strum a guitar, tap a piano, bow a violin, or loop a drum beat -- all on a single interface. By connecting to iOS devices, Macs and PCs, this portable and durable musical tool can make any sound imaginable.

Audulus: Audulus is a virtual modular synthesizer environment for iOS, Mac, and Windows platforms. Throughout the festival, Audulus will be giving away copies of the deep and beautifully designed software to curious sonic voyagers. Simply come by the booth and get signed up.

Bastl Instruments: Based in the Czech Republic, Bastl Instruments in a community-driven company focused on producing handmade electronic musical instruments. Bastl Instruments will be displaying an eclectic robotic percussion set controlled by their Eurorack format synthesizer modules. Additionally Bastl Instruments will be offering 10% off discounts on their tabletop granular synthesizer - The Micro Granny.
Bleep Labs: Bleep Labs will launch the Thingamagoop 3 at Moogfest 2016, a light controlled synthesizer, effect and noise friend. Simple controls give musicians access to rich and diverse sounds, from simple square and triangle waves to FM laser battles.

Neuronics: Neuronics is an exciting new adventure in synthesis helmed by Leon Dewan and producer Josh Humphrey. Dewan is best known for the unique and visually striking analog synthesizers available with his company Dewanatron, whose flagship device, the Swarmatron creates the effect of a swarming hive of bees. Neuronics makes its debut at the Modular Marketplace.

Electric Objects: Electric Objects is the creator of E01, an Internet-connected screen designed specifically for art, capable of playing more than 10,000 works of digital art including video, animations, GIFs, high definition images, or web-based work. Electric Objects will be featuring works by performing artists and speakers at Moogfest 2016.

Kilpatrick Audio: Using both new and vintage circuits and cutting edge software, Kilpatrick Audio creates unique and interesting musical equipment designed to sound great, be fun to use, and to inspire musical ideas in the exploration of new sounds.

Luisa Perera & The Counterpointer: The Modular Marketplace will feature an auto-composing musical installation by coder and instrument designer Luisa Pereira. The counterpoint method Bach will be expressed through her instrument the Counterpointer and 3 Moog Mother-32 modular synths. This alludes to the work of the composer who made the Moog Modular famous, Wendy Carlos.

Make Noise: Based in Asheville, North Carolina, the home of Moog Music, Make Noise designs and builds Eurorack format modular synthesizers that incorporate "West Coast" design philosophies associated with synth pioneers Don Buchla and Serge Tscherpnin. Make Noise is presenting a demonstration of their new 0-Coast device during daytime programming.

To view the full list of Modular Marketplace exhibitors visit:
http://www.moogfest.com/program/talent/modular-marketplace"

NYZ DRN4 DECLASSIFIED

Exclusive mix on SoundCloud:


Tracklist:

1. NYZ_FMMGKSQ_43t
2. ISR_16x16_WCM
3. CSN [excerpt 2 mono]
4. SWI_r170_16x32x32_B
5. SWI_FM1#16
6. NYZ-1_1#08_A [finite downsized]
7.CSN1 [excerpt 1 mono]

Be sure to see the MATRIXSYNTH exclusive further below!

FM EXPLORATIONS AND MICROTONAL DRONES FROM NYZ (AKA DAVE NOYZE, DAVID BURRASTON, NOYZELAB, BRYEN TELKO)

This is the first release by NYZ and is a superb musical collection of research areas classified to internal Noyzelab operations. Not even .MEDS label were informed of the secret processes underlying its creation, excepting that we know it involved Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis! We have not been given any information regarding when this work was recorded, but we suspect the material spans at least a decade of David's FM algorithm research on numerous synthesizers, as well his own custom built ear deceiving gear...

According to one reviewer of David's previous musical output he "gleefully disrupts just about every standard convention of musical form you could think of, including those of so-called experimental musics."

Other reviewers have written that :
"His music is a bizarre, yet compelling journey investigating the outer realms of music generated on ancient & contemporary machines." "It's strikingly original audio that doesn't really sound like anything else I can think of." "Utterly sublime. So there you go, a life-affirming slab of mind-altering sound to reawaken you to the terrifying possibilities of creation."

"absolutely wreaks havoc" wrote Keith Fullerton Whitman on reviewing David's last release T. H. Cycle cassette on Important Records/Cassauna .

Cassette releases April 1, 2016

All Audio by David Burraston
Design Tom Knapp

----

MATRIXSYNTH recently asked NYZ why he put together this new album of FM synthesis based explorations, and whether he would discuss some of the process behind it. The declassified information below has been put together by NYZ especially for a MATRIXSYNTH exclusive.

***BEGIN NYZ DRN4 DECLASSIFICATION REPORT***

DC REPORT STATUS: PARTIAL DECLASSIFICATION ONLY
PARTIAL DC STATUS: INCOMPLETE CELLULAR BINARY SPACETIME
PARTIAL DC LEVEL: SEMI-PICTORIAL_TEXTUAL_HIGHLIGHTS
FUTURE DC STATUS: _PENDING

The main reasons for making this album were an interest in FM synthesis in both analogue modular and MIDI/digital mediums. I had worked with digital FM synthesis since getting a Yamaha TX81Z when they came out back in 1987 (which I still have, along with another backup machine with a very hummy mains transformer which bleeds onto the outs). How me and another synth friend used to cry with drunken laughter at preset D11 Hole in 1... :) But after initially wondering whether I had just wasted about 350 UK pounds on an utter piece of shit... I quickly warmed to its better presets, and its very different approach to synthesis yielded enough interesting results early on for it not to get outed.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Periphery Label Launch Event, August 20th, Philadelphia

"One Thousand Pulses, the Northeast's premier concert series for electronic & experimental music, invites you to the launch event for its new CD label, Periphery. / otperiphery.com

Periphery's maxim is "wrestling frequencies from the edges & otherwise", proffering uncategorizable works from musicians operating across the electronic & experimental music spectrum.

All three recent releases, including Richard Lainhart's Polychromatic Integers, and the One Thousand Pulses compendium Home Patterning (with tracks by Tim Motzer and Color is Luxury, recorded live in the OTP soundspace) will be available at the event.

Our launch event lineup:

> TIM MOTZER / 1krecordings.com / Philly-based guitarist and composer Tim Motzer finds infinite joy in diversity. His output as a leader and sideman crisscrosses multiple musical universes, including jazz, fusion, prog, hip-hop, soul, electronica, and the avantgarde. Motzer gets to explore these genres and the intersections between them via his ubiquitous presence in the wildly deep and varied Philly scene. He also traverses manifold territories through the many albums released on his own 1k Recordings, such as the rhythmically diverse soundscapes populating the Tilomo release, and, more tellingly, as Fractured Reverb Underground (FRU). The sole FRU CD comprises electronic studio experiments from 1999 — a decade ahead of their time — generously tipping its hat to the Orb’s Alex Patterson thanks to its psychedelic clouds of mercurial ambient textures. Motzer has also worked on releases by British singer-songwriter David Sylvian with the ongoing Secret Rhythms project comprising electronica/dub luminary Burnt Friedman and ex-Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit, as well as with German Touch guitarist Markus Reuter on Descending, a deeply sublime and stunningly beautiful work that references Brian Eno, Frippertronics, Supersilent, and David Sylvian.

> RICHARD LAINHART / otownmedia.com / Since childhood, Richard Lainhart has been interested in natural processes such as waves, flames and clouds, in harmonics and harmony, and in creative interactions with machines, using them as compositional methods to present sounds and images that are as beautiful as he can make them. Well-versed in the varied applications of his beloved Buchla boxes, yet equally agile on numerous synths, keyboards, vibes, and guitars, Lainhart has been reorganizing the topography of tone and texture for over 30 years. After studying composition in Albany under EMF founder and professor Joel Chadabe, Lainhart not only went on to create idiosyncratic recordings in his own right, but has performed and worked with the likes of John Cage, David Tudor, Steve Reich, Phill Niblock, David Berhman, and many others.

> COLOR IS LUXURY / colorisluxury.org / Obsessed with circuit-bending and inner ear manipulation, intrepid Philly experimental sound duo Color Is Luxury combines the talents of erstwhile Buchla veteran Charles Cohen and the curiously monikered hair_loss in the yielding of some of the most provocative boops and beeps around. Ripping the innards out of their respective electronic arsenals, this diminutive motley crew twist their varied sound palettes into corkscrew whorls of new shapes, sizes, and hues. Noise but not noise, drawing clear lineage from the pioneering work of Morton Subotnick, Pauline Oliveros, Gil Melle, and Wendy Carlos outward, Color Is Luxury remain tonally consciously even when they go all atonal on us, sonic provocateurs sharing a rich aural history that blossoms before your very ears.

> PTO / PTO (Pulses Tones Oscillations) is one of the numerous sound-producing aliases of Darren Bergstein, longtime music journalist, collector, historian, and archivist, former publisher of the magazines i/e and e/i, and founder/owner of both One Thousand Pulses and the Periphery label. Free improvising in the wellworn electroacoustic tradition, Bergstein has at his disposal tools old (tongue drum, rainstick, metallophone) and new (iPhone), but they're all just texture-mappers regardless of origin, simply various objects to be tapped, stroked, and struck at will.

Join us for an immersive evening of audiovisual electronic interfacing."

Synthesizers.com Composition Contest Videos

Use the player controls on bottom to skip around.
You can find descriptions for each video below. You can find additional Synthesizers.com contest posts here.

Playlist:

1. O Z Hall: Zebra Synth

Dive into the enthralling world of synthesizers and witness O Z Hall's outstanding entry, "Zebra Synth", in the Synthesizers.com Composition Contest. Crafted with unparalleled precision and technique, this remarkable composition combines an array of captivating sounds that will take you on a breathtaking sonic journey.

Hall masterfully utilizes three distinctive patches in "Zebra Synth" to create an immersive soundscape. The first patch features a drone made using a Q106A oscillator, which is meticulously processed by a wave folder. Another oscillator, intertwined with linear FM from the wavefolder output, results in a fascinating "clang tone" that is beautifully amplified by a digital reverb.

In the second patch, a sequenced voice is artfully produced by employing two re-paneled Q106 oscillators. One output is channeled into the input of the linear FM, which subsequently provides intriguing timbral variations. The Q119A sequencer's 3rd row masterfully controls a Ratchet effect, adding even further depth to the composition. An expertly-applied digital delay effect enriches the output of this patch.

Lastly, the lead voice is ingeniously designed using the Q169 Dual Oscillator with Pulse Width modulation. O Z Hall skillfully manipulates the 24db/oct low pass filter in real-time to deliver an electrifying performance. The extended digital delay effect ties the entire sonic experience together.
O Z Hall's "Zebra Synth" draws its arsenal of modular synthesis tools from the Synthesizers.com catalog, including Q106, Q106A, Q119A, Q171, Q148, Q127, Q169, Q168, Q167, Q114, Q174, and Q175A modules. The creative process has been meticulously executed, showcasing how these modules can be combined to engineer a rich and dynamic sound adventure.

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Drumfire DF-500 Drum Synthesizer

via this auction. This one in via Bryan K who was previously featured in this post. The Drumfire was used on most of the tracks for that release. Some details from the auction:

"This is what is also known as a "drum brain"... a synthesizer for drum sounds made to be triggered by contact mics (drum triggers) attached to a regular drum kit or pads or whatever you want, like regular audio signals.

In the picture you'll see some contacts that I'll include for those that want to make their own triggers. I have a bunch, so within reason I'll include however many you need.

The Drumfire is in great shape, everything works well.

Here's the lowdown... there are five channels that can be triggered independently and each has controls for the trigger input sensitivity. You can take audio output from each track individually or just use the stereo master output and have the sounds panned however you want.

The sounds on each channel: there's a triangle wave and a noise source with the addition of a "click" sound which adds attack. There's a "balance" setting for mixing the amount of oscillator or noise sound you want. Individual settings for oscillator and noise decay which vary in length from a short "click" to a long decay (longer than you'll want for percussion). You can adjust the pitch/frequency of the oscillator from sub-audio to midrange. There's a sweep setting for making the sound either sweep up or down in frequency (think disco toms).

Oh no, it's not just for disco toms.... it's fun for experimenting with by feeding the trigger inputs with different sounds. I made a ground loop by connecting the trigger IN of channel one to the footswitch IN and then taking the output of channel 1 into channel 2. By chaining them together and keeping the decays very short some interesting crackly sounds can be had, a low frequency noise source. Listen here to track 3 here. I used this thing to get sounds on other tracks there as well.

I've heard the electronic group Pan Sonic had one of these, and I recognize some of its sounds on their first album. Also, David Tudor used a percussion synth on his piece "Phonemes" and I could swear he used this model. Like I said, fun for experimenting with... for more than just drum sounds."

Recreating Pink Floyd's 'On the Run' with Synthi AKS | Tribute

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"Welcome to an in-depth musical journey where we recreate the iconic sounds of Pink Floyd's 'On the Run' from their best-selling album, 'Dark Side of the Moon.' Using the legendary EMS Synthi AKS, we bring to life every synth part that made this track a groundbreaking piece of music history.
🎹 Recreated Parts:

0:00 - Sample of video
0:25 - Intro
0:42 - The main VCS3 synth sequence
1:07 - Introduce Resonance Melody
2:04 - Different waveforms
2:28 - Dramatic gated white noise sounds
3:01 - Gated Noise plus Resonance
3:18 - Noise plus Main sequence line
4:05 - Spring Reverb
5:35 - Summary
5:49 - Bass drone at the song beginning
6:05 - Noise FX
6:28 - Bass Attack
7:18 - Full 'On the Run' sequence

On the album cover, the Synthi AKS is wrongly credited as the VCS3, which is essentially the same synth—the difference lies in the box and the name.

📖 History of 'On the Run': 'On the Run' is a progressive instrumental track created by Roger Waters and David Gilmour. Known for its pioneering use of synthesizers, it's a testament to the innovative spirit of Pink Floyd. The track plays a crucial role in the album’s concept, evoking themes of travel and existential anxiety.

🔦 History of the Synthi AKS: The EMS Synthi AKS is a compact, portable synthesizer, first released in 1972. Famous for its distinctive sounds, it was used extensively throughout the 1970s by various artists. It’s known for its patch pin matrix and portability, making it a favorite for musicians looking for both creativity and convenience in their synthesizers."

Intellijel Morgasmatron: Unfiltered Possibilities (Filter Demo With No Talking)

Published on Feb 8, 2018 intellijel

Chapter Markers:
00:00 - Intro
00:32 - Shapeshifter Chords
02:52 - Dixie II+ Pulse Wave Riff
03:44 - Formant Filtering
04:37 - Drum Synthesis
06:08 - Dual Oscillators
08:00 - Wet/Dry Tone Blending
08:44 - Tone Shaping In Series
09:18 - Ring Modulation
09:45 - Drones

"This is the third generation of Intellijel’s much loved Korgasmatron filter designed in collaboration with David G. Dixon.

The Morgasmatron features two completely independent six-mode filters (labeled “A” and “B”) — each with its own mode-select knob, input, output, cutoff, resonance, Q-drive and gain control. Each filter has a pair of CV inputs (one with a built-in attenuator and the other with a built-in attenuverter) for modulating cutoff, and another CV input for modulating resonance. Both filters self-oscillate at maximum Q, and produce pitched sine waves that track the two separate 1V/OCT inputs.

You can use the two filters independently of one another, or you can use them together (in either a series or parallel connection) and smoothly crossfade between them using either the XFADE knob or the XFADE CV input and built-in attenuverter. You can flip the DRY switches to instantly bypass either or both filters; invert the phase of Filter B; or overdrive Filter A by switching on the new Overdrive circuit. A MIX output provides (as you might suspect) a mixed output of the two filters.

Patch Descriptions:

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KORG Officially Introduces the New ARP 2600

ARP 2600 FS | Welcome Back Published on Jan 9, 2020 ARP

Follow-up to this post.

KORG ARP 2600 FS posts

User & Dealer videos:



Playlist:
The ARP 2600: The Story of a Legendary Synthesizer | Reverb Feature
Korg ARP 2600 FS Synthesizer - All Playing, No Talking! - Kraft Music
Korg ARP 2600 FS Synthesizer - Overview with Nick Kwas - - Kraft Music
Korg Arp 2600 - 1st Look - sonicstate
ARP 2600 Semi-modular Analog Synthesizer System Demo - Sweetwater
ARP 2600 Synthesizer | Overview and Demo - Guitar Center
NEW Korg ARP 2600! | Namm 2020 - GAK - previously posted

"The Total Package

More than a synthesizer, the ARP 2600 is a complete sound design studio. Even today, the ARP 2600 stands as a bridge between the individual elements of modular synthesis and the immediacy of a production / performance instrument. Included are an ample supply of oscillators, envelopes, a filter and amplifier – all of the building blocks of analog synthesis. But the ARP 2600 goes even further, with a spring reverb tank and even a pair of built in monitor speakers. Also present is much of the versatility of a vintage modular system, including a ring modulation, lag and voltage processors, an envelope follower, audio preamp, a clock-able switch, noise source, a sample & hold module, signal inverters, an auxiliary mixer, and even a set of parallel-wired/multi jacks.

The ARP 2600 FS reproduces the sounds of these components at the circuit level. Under the supervision of David Friend, the co-founder of ARP Instruments, parts were carefully selected and every detail was adjusted to replicate the original unit's distinctive synthesis.

Profile of David Friend:
Co-founder of ARP Instruments, Inc. together with the founder Alan Robert Pearlman. In addition to designing the ARP 2600 and Odyssey, he was involved with the development of numerous products, and subsequently entered management, eventually becoming president of the company. His achievements as an entrepreneur have also been acclaimed, and in 2010 he received the "Entrepreneur of the Year" (Emerging Technology category) award from Ernst & Young. After serving as the President and CEO of Blue Archive, Inc., currently he serves as the President, CEO and Co-founder of Wasabi, as well as being a lecturer at MIT's Sloan School of Management. He is also an emeritus of the New England Conservatory and Berklee College of Music.

Normalled Pathways

Nearly every slider and switch on the ARP 2600 front panels is hard wired to specific control source. For example, the front panel controls allow the pitch of Oscillator 1 to be controlled by the keyboard (On/Off switch), the output of the Sample & Hold module (slider), the shape of the ADSR envelope generator (slider), and/or by the sine wave output of Oscillator 2 (slider), and each in varying amounts. These hardwired pathways provide massive amounts of immediate control that make excellent use of all the ARP 2600 has to offer, allowing the ARP 2600 to be played as is – no patching needed. In true modular fashion, inserting a patch cord into the jack associated with any hardwired control overrides that internal connection, letting you create a new signal path of your choosing. As a programming aid, the detailed panel graphics clearly show the available signal routings.

Patch Bay Precision

Unlike earlier modular synthesizers that relied on bulky 6.3mm (1/4") jacks and patch cords, the ARP 2600 uses a more streamlined 3.5mm (1/8”) jack that allows for more patch points to occupy the same amount of panel space, delivering more options and more versatility. Most of the patch points are arranged in a single row below the controls of the individual sound modules. This arrangement keeps the main panel clear and unobstructed for tweaking the controls during performance. Needless to say, these patchable connections and the onboard processors can be used to interact with nearly any modular or Eurorack synthesizer system.

3620 Keyboard

While faithful to the original design, the functionality of the 3620 Keyboard has been greatly enhanced for this limited ARP 2600 release. The 3620 Keyboard contains 49 full-size keys, aftertouch, portamento, and is also duophonic, allowing two keys to be played at once – Single or Multiple Triggering is available. In addition, the duophonic keyboard can use an optional foot switch to lock the interval between any two notes, without retuning the oscillators during performance. Vibrato can be added via a dedicated circuit controlled by aftertouch, or by the onboard LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator), using any of three available waveforms. Most noticeable is the addition of a flexible Arpeggiator that allows a user-defined pattern to be manually sequenced and played back. Still present are the original Pitch Bend knob and the Two Octave Up / Two Octave Down Transpose switch. Connecting the keyboard to the main unit now uses a secure eight-pin din cable.

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Future Retro revolution. (Tb-303 clone).

video upload by David Noise

"The famous TB-303..

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Electronic Sound Issue 56 Magazine & CD Bundle Featuring EMS

via Electronic Sound

"We have a superb issue for you this month. And that’s not only because we have an exclusive interview with Kraftwerk main man Ralf Hütter, although since Hütter rarely talks to the press that is clearly something a bit special.

Our cover feature details the history of EMS, the legendary UK synthesiser company founded by Peter Zinovieff, Tristram Cary and David Cockerell in 1969. What started out as a vehicle to fund Zinovieff’s studio became a decade-long adventure in synthesis with a very British sense of innovation about it. EMS machines like the VCS 3 and the Synthi AKS were responsible for some of the best known electronic music of the 1970s – from the Radiophonic Workshop to Brian Eno to Pink Floyd.

We also have a weighty report on the recent Bluedot Festival, featuring Kraftwerk, New Order, Jon Hopkins, John Grant and more. Our interview with Ralf Hütter took place backstage after the Kraftwerk set, with Hütter radiating urbane charm and wry humour as he chatted about music and science and sampling and cycling. “We are not a museum, so let’s play what we do,” he declares. “My art is music.”

Other interviews this issue include Haiku Salut, Eric Random, Jah Wobble & Bill Laswell, Paranoid London, Rolo McGinty from The Woodentops. Plus, of course, we have our packed front section, our ace regular columnists, and our usual exotic feast of new album reviews. Hit the link to order your copy straight away!



Limited Edition CD Album: ‘The Sounds of EMS’

This month’s audio accompaniment is ‘The Sounds Of EMS’, a fascinating 45-minute CD of music made either by the people responsible for EMS, or by the machines they built. You can almost smell the dust burning as the old circuits start warming up! The CD has two pieces by Peter Zinovieff and another from Tristram Cary, the latter with a spoken explanation of what he wanted to achieve with the piece. There are also tracks by David Vorhaus (who founded the cult electronic group White Noise with Delia Derbyshire), Mike Hankinson (another early adopter of the VCS 3), Benge from Wrangler and Jack Dangers from Meat Beat Manifesto.


01. PETER ZINOVIEFF – ‘A LOLLIPOP FOR PAPA’
02. TRISTRAM CARY – ‘ 3, 4, 5 – A STUDY IN LIMITED RESOURCES’
03. BENGE – ‘1969 EMS VCS3’
04. DAVID VORHAUS – ‘THING FOR TWO VCS3S’
05. JACK DANGERS @ TAPE LAB – ‘SYNTHI 100-PIECE 1’
06. MIKE HANKINSON – ‘JS BACH’S FUGUE AND TOCCATA IN D MINOR’
07. PETER ZINOVIEFF – ‘JANUARY TENSIONS’ (EXCERPT)
08. TRISTRAM CARY – ‘3, 4 , 5 – A STUDY IN LIMITED RESOURCES’ (TALK)"

Roland TR-707 , Oberheim Matrix 1000, Digitech Polara.

video upload by David Noise

"Roland TR-707 con un poco de reverb del digitech polara (una joyita de la cual hablare después...)
y el oberheim siendo controlado por el Digitone, con un toque de mod wheel que pareciera como un glitch en el VHS de mi cabeza...."

"Roland TR-707 with a bit of Digitech Polara reverb (a gem I'll talk about later...)
and the Oberheim controlled by the Digitone, with a touch of mod wheel that seems like a glitch on the VHS in my head..."