"A very rare prototype Synthi Hi-Fli, dating from 1972, in excellent condition following a full overhaul by EMS earlier this year.
One of only ten pre-production units made in 1972. David Gilmour reputedly still owns two of them…
Ultra-rare prototype EMS Synthi Hi-Fli – this is a knob-twiddler’s dream of an effect and the ultimate in hens’ teeth: your guitar will never sound the same again.
Different sound and spec to a standard Hi-Fli – this is the second such unit we’ve had and it broke my heart to sell the last one (I’ve been a committed HiFli nut since I bought my first one many years ago and have always had at least one in the studio ever since).
The prototypes don’t have the growl function, which was introduced about 18 months later. Production Hi-Flis all have the Buzz switch, but only the first ten prototypes had the Fuzz switch, which adds some interesting colouration to the up and down-octave sounds.
Ten production prototype Hi-Flis were made in 1972 but a redesign quickly followed the launch at the Frankfurt Fair to try to reduce the factory cost (the prototype design is not especially ergonomic for a guitar player to use – you have to lean back somewhat to access the pedals underneath the main unit). This original design features a removable aluminium pole which plugs into the underside of the main console and the top of the base unit, acting both as a stand and a conduit for power and signal connections (pole not included with this unit). The heavy-duty nylon-dipped base houses the power supply and sturdy twin pedals.
Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd is reputed to still have two of these original units, which, according to Phil Taylor were first used for the Dark Side of The Moon tour that started in May 1973 at Earls Court. Opinion is divided as to whether a Hi-Fli featured on the DSOTM recordings: I can only say that it certainly sounds like it did.
Number one in Analogman Tom’s list of rare guitar effects from his excellent book.
Used by David Gilmour – see this Gilmourish blog for further details – he bought a prototype in 1972 and from what he recalls it was “very, very expensive”; Gilmourish also suggest it was used during the recording of Dark Side Of The Moon
Spotted the first video in the playlist above on discchord.com. The Playlist contains 21 videos. You can use the player controls to skip around. Descriptions for each are below. All videos feature various gear so you should be able to get an idea of some of the capabilities of each featured. You can check out Jay Hosking's music at https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com/.
Note, more will likely get added over time. The following playlist is as of this post:
1. Jam w/ Vermona PERfourMER MkII, Elektron Analog Rytm MkII, OTO Bam, Styrmon Big Sky, Fugue Machine
A live, semi-improvised performance, all on hardware, and inspired by some pretty tough news that has me sentimental.
I loved the Elektron Analog Four MkII so much that I picked up the Analog Rytm MkII. My feelings on the Rytm are mixed. On the one hand, it's missing that spontaneity and spark of units like the Arturia DrumBrute Impact and Teenage Engineering OP-Z, with no readymade performance effects, roller bar, or global randomization, and a slower workflow. On the other hand, I really like its analogue sound engines, any unused tracks can be converted into impressive analogue mono synths, it does beautiful things to samples, and like all Elektron boxes it integrates the effects into the sequencer really nicely.
As for the Vermona PERfourMER MkII, I'd been pining over it for ages, and it was fun to finally tinker with it. The Perfourmer definitely excels in the mid- and high- range, and I love how the independent voices making really interesting voices for chords.
Vermona PERfourMER MkII + OTO Bam — Three synths (left chord note, right chord note, melody)
Vermona PERfourMER MkII + Strymon Big Sky — Bass chord note synth
Elektron Analog Rytm MkII — Drums, samples, sample melody, punchy bass
Fugue Machine (iOS) — Sequencing
IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo — MIDI out from iOS
Written and performed within a 24-hour period, and uploaded as is, with only a little sidechain compression on the Perfourmer (to emphasize the sound that the Rytm was already making), and compression/limiting on the master.
"It’s with great excitement that I announce that Sequential is joining the Focusrite Group of music and audio brands.
We're now part of a family made up of some of the best and brightest companies in the music instruments and pro audio industries: Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation and Ampify Music. We’re in good company!
But don't worry — we’re not going anywhere. It’s business as usual for us and we'll be a separate entity from the other brands in the group. I’ll continue to lead our engineering and product development and work with the Sequential design team into the future. If anything, I'll have more time to make amazing synths!
- Dave Smith"
And the official press release:
Focusrite PLC Acquires Sequential® in Landmark Industry Development
Legendary Synth Brand Founded by Dave Smith Joins Focusrite Group
San Francisco, CA and High Wycombe, UK — April 27th 2021 — In a joint statement, Focusrite Group and Sequential LLC today announced that Focusrite plc, a leading global creator of music and audio hardware and software products, has acquired Sequential LLC, the respected American synthesizer manufacturer led by legendary electronic instrument designer and Grammy® winner Dave Smith.
Both companies stand to benefit from the synergy created by the acquisition. The Focusrite Group will add the venerable Sequential line of instruments to its already-impressive portfolio of products, which includes the acclaimed Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Martin Audio, Optimal Audio, ADAM Audio, Novation, and Ampify brands. Sequential will benefit from greater resources to expand its global markets and future R&D efforts.
Sequential’s Dave Smith said, “With Focusrite, we’ve found an ideal home and a perfect cultural and technological fit. Phil Dudderidge and his team have a long history of quality, vision, and focus on what musicians and audio professionals really want. We’re excited to join such an industry powerhouse and contribute to our mutual success. I expect great things.”
Sequential has been a leading force in the resurgent popularity of analog synthesizers over the last decade. Its instruments, which include the Prophet® 5 Rev4 polyphonic synth, Pro 3® hybrid monosynth, and Prophet X Samples + Synthesis keyboard, are known for their versatility, ease of use, and excellence of sound. They are a mainstay of performing and recording artists and can be seen and heard on countless stages and recordings.
Focusrite Founder Phil Dudderidge commented: “We’re excited and pleased to add Sequential’s instruments and pedigree to Focusrite Group’s portfolio of world-class audio and music production tools. Dave Smith’s history as an innovator speaks for itself. From his creation of the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the Prophet 5, to his co-invention of MIDI, Dave has literally changed the world of music several times. We’re looking forward to continuing his history of innovation and expanding the global market for Sequential’s instruments.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Sequential has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Focusrite plc. Sequential’s day-to-day operations and product development remain unchanged and will continue to be guided by Dave Smith and his team.
Tim Carroll, CEO of Focusrite Group, remarked, “Sequential is a premium analogue synth brand with a big stake in music creation. The products are exceptional and the company is run extremely well, and the passion of the people at Sequential aligns perfectly with our Focusrite Group ethos. It’s tremendously exciting to be able to bring Sequential into the Focusrite family, further the incredible journey that Dave Smith started, and keep growing together.”
Sequential and Novation will grow together under the same parent company.
We’re over the moon to announce that our parent company, Focusrite plc, has acquired Sequential, the synth brand founded and led by legendary synth designer and Grammy winner, Dave Smith.
If you’re new to the name Sequential, you’ll definitely have heard the synths: Dave Smith is the pioneer that designed the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the classic Prophet® 5, and he co-invented MIDI, which transformed electronic production and changed musical history. Today, countless artists still count on Sequential instruments to bring life and an undeniably rich and organic feeling to their musical creations, spanning every genre.
Before your mind goes wild conceiving the ultimate Novation x Sequential product mashup, it’s safe to say that Sequential and Novation will continue to operate independently, as separate entities under the Focusrite Group umbrella. Dave Smith will remain at the helm of Sequential, leading engineering, product development and mentorship of Sequential’s new breed of designers.
So, it’s business as usual, and we’re extremely excited to grow together, inspire each other, and together fuel the future of forward-thinking music!
"KINGSWINFORD, UK: British ‘boutique’ analogue synthesiser and accessory designer/manufacturer Analogue Solutions is proud to announce that bona fide synthpop pioneer Phil Oakey has added a Telemark V2 semi- modular analogue monosynth to the stunning synthesiser collection currently residing at The Human League’s legendary HL Studios in Sheffield...
Human League main man Phil Oakey needs little in the way of introduction. Having co-penned some of pop’s finest musical moments with memorable hits spanning several decades — notably 1981’s chart-topping perennial favourite ‘Don’t You Want Me’ (which sold well over a million copies in the UK alone, making it the 25th biggest-selling single of all time there, then shifted another million copies to secure the coveted US number one spot during the following year), he helped forge a popular music landscape-changing template for pre- programmed, synth-driven song structures that are still reverberating around the world today.
Back in the day, The Human League ‘Mk I’ co-founder Ian Craig Marsh wasn’t adverse to rhythmically riding a mid-Seventies-vintage Roland System 100 semi-modular analogue synthesiser’s resonance and filter faders to create a track’s Model 104 Sequencer-driven bass and snare drum on the fly! No need to do that today, of course, for HL Studios is packed floor to ceiling with old and new synths to die for. Indeed, it’s fair to say that what Phil Oakey doesn’t know about synths simply isn’t worth knowing!
Now something of a connoisseur, Oakey owns a considerable collection of synths, sequencers, and drum machines at HL Studios, many of which are analogue. Which is exactly why he has taken delivery of an Analogue Solutions Telemark V2, a dual-VCO, rack-mountable, semi-modular analogue monosynth with multimode VCF featuring lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch filter types, which will be perfectly at home there since the healthy socket selection dominating the right-hand side of its spacious control panel means it can comfortably be patched to work with other modular systems and analogue sequencers for added flexibility. Features like those, combined with a generous helping of modulation routing options, provide the Telemark V2 with an extraordinarily diverse range of sound possibilities, including leads, basses, effects, and percussion, as well as being able to be used as an effects processor thanks to its audio inputs (feeding audio signals directly into its mixer).
Another distinguishing feature of the Telemark V2 is its 100% analogue voice and modulation circuitry formed from discrete components. Nothing travels through digital circuitry here, so turning a knob directly affects the associated analogue circuitry to produce a characteristic sound straight from the Seventies/early-Eighties — albeit reliant on today’s reliable technology!
Improvements to Telemark V2 over and above the original version of the instrument include adding an octave divider (SUB-VCO/DIVIDER) — for creating a fuller, fatter sound or for use as a clock divider designed to be a source of lower frequencies (particularly suited to rhythmical usage) — and a ring modulator (RING MOD), typically used for fashioning metallic-type sounds (although it has other uses).
Little wonder, then, that the original Telemark and now its V2 successor are so sought after by those in the know. Chances are the characteristic sounds of Phil Oakey’s new and improved Telemark V2 — in limited-edition black, no less! — could well be being heard on some more memorable musical moments from The Human League in the not too distant future. We wish them well.
Telemark V2 is available to order online directly from Analogue Solutions (http://www.analoguesolutions.org.uk/concussor/telemark.htm) for £749.00 GBP (excluding VAT and delivery) or through one of their dealers. Alternatively, the keyboard- equipped Telemark-k V2 is available for £1,099.00 GBP (excluding VAT and delivery).
See and hear the Telemark V2 in action here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf7l-PHe2VY:
Analogue Solutions Telemark Synthesizer V2.0 + Eurorack AS Spring Reverb Module
""Ghosts in the Machine" by The British Stereo Collective. ALL sounds (including percussion) were played by hand exclusively on Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist virtual instrument. No other synths were used in this recording.
Composer, artist, and producer Phil Heeks of The British Stereo Collective draws his inspiration from classic 70s/80s TV theme compilations, film soundtracks, and sound effects LPs of the era. Read more about Phil's various projects and links to his work at https://cherryaudio.com/videos/excerp..."
Introduction to Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist - Hosted by Tim Shoebridge
"To get users up and running with Pro Soloist, Cherry Audio and Tim Shoebridge of Sound Mangling have again teamed up to create an introductory tutorial video walking users through the extensive features of this iconic virtual synthesizer instrument."
Cherry Audio Pro Soloist: A detailed demo/tutorial of a prog rock and 1970s classic
"We take a detailed look at the new Pro Soloist from Cherry Audio, a recreation of the ARP Pro Soloist that became in mainstay in 1970s prog rock as well as a featured instrument in funk, electronic music, and more. We look at the features from the original, including the front-panel "paddle" presets and the unique touch sensor effects. We then take a deep dive below the hood into the enhanced features for directly editing the individual modules and parameters of the underlying synthesizer architecture (including the resonators) and explore the onboard effects section. Finally, we look at a few of the factory presets, including banks from INHALT and Vintage Vibes by James Dyson.
This instrument was developed in collaboration with Mark Barton, who was also behind the Novochord and Solovox instruments that we at CatSynth have enjoyed.
To find out more, please visit cherryaudio.com
"Pro Soloist is the latest in Cherry Audio's roster of ultimate 'what if?' virtual instruments. Featuring the precision crafted and circuit-modeled DSP designs of award-winning developer Mark Barton, Cherry Audio's Pro Soloist goes beyond emulating the treasured, preset-based monophonic analog synth originally released by ARP in 1972. Pro Soloist not only exactingly reproduces the expressive controls, 30 infamous presets, and the unique underlying architecture of this prog rock classic, it breaks it out of its cage by making it fully programmable and expanding it with full polyphony, splits and layers, a mod matrix, integrated studio-quality effects, and more."
00:00 Introduction 00:25 History of the Arp Pro Soloist 01:23 Overview of the Cherry Audio Pro Soloist 02:21 Original front-panel presets 08:35 Global controls 09:35 Touch Sensor Effects 16:00 Edit Mode 16:59 VCO 18:59 VCF 21:53 Resonator bank 23:53 Modulating the resonator bank with the mod matrix 26:45 Effects panel 34:46 Multi-layer mode 38:08 Factory Presets 42:18 Vintage Vibe expansion bank 43:44 Conclusion"
Press release follows.
"Cherry Audio releases the highly anticipated Pro Soloist, the latest in its growing line of authentic classic synth emulations. This Pro Soloist breaks out of its cage with fully programmability, expanded polyphony and dual layers, an arpeggiator, a mod matrix, studio-quality effects, and more.
PRESS RELEASE - November 21, 2023: Cherry Audio is thrilled to release the highly anticipated Pro Soloist, the latest in its growing line of authentic emulations of classic synthesizers. Featuring the precision-crafted and circuit-modeled DSP designs of esteemed developer Mark Barton, Pro Soloist goes far beyond reproducing the expressive controls, 30 presets, and the unique architecture of this 1972 classic. Most significantly, Cherry Audio breaks Pro Soloist out of its cage by making it fully programmable and expanding it with full polyphony, splits and layers, an arpeggiator, a mod matrix, integrated studio-quality effects, and more.
Early analog synthesizers were a mystery to most working musicians. In 1972, ARP Instruments released the Pro Soloist, one of the first commercially successful preset-based synthesizers. Pro Soloist featured a revolutionary electronic design and feature set, most notably its innovative "touch sensor" keyboard (now commonly known as aftertouch), where pressing a note harder introduces changes to the sound, allowing highly expressive playing. The Pro Soloist was a hit with acts as varied as Tangerine Dream, Gary Numan, Herbie Hancock, Styx, Prince, Parliament, and Vangelis. Perhaps best remembered was Tony Banks, who amplified the Pro Soloist's legendary presets in epic keyboard solos for the legendary band Genesis.
Cherry Audio has received countless requests to reproduce this oft-forgotten gem — one of those came from frequent collaborator Mark Barton (GX-80, Novachord + Solovox, Miniverse, and others). With unparalleled attention to detail, Mark has created an authentic reproduction of the analog signal path along with the 30 original presets, and together we have substantially expanded the Pro Soloist's capabilities. Cherry Audio has added a dual-layer voicing architecture, with 16 polyphonic voices per layer, that enables two different presets simultaneously, with independent panning for rich stereo timbres and complex sounds. Pro Soloist also includes a split keyboard mode and a brilliant “Last Note” option that effectively simulates polyphonic aftertouch using monophonic-aftertouch controllers.
Pro Soloist's distinctive three-panel interface makes clear that this is far more than a preset synth. Cherry Audio has precisely recreated the look and sounds of the original paddle presets in its main Performance mode panel. In Edit mode, we've exposed all of its unique analog synthesis architecture parameters, most notably, the fully-variable, five parallel bandpass filter "Resonator Bank," key to the Pro Soloist's realistic acoustic orchestra timbres. Additionally, we've revealed the LFO and ADSR/AR envelopes and elevated the sound design possibilities with a "Super Wave" oscillator and a robust six-slot modulation matrix. The Arp/FX panel rounds it out with a syncable arpeggiator and a dozen studio-quality effects for distortion, phaser, flanger/chorus, echo, and reverb.
In short, Cherry Audio has elevated the Pro Soloist from a bare-bones monophonic lead synth into a massive, polyphonic powerhouse beyond anything imagined 50 years ago.
Pro Soloist also features 450 presets created by an extraordinarily talented team of sound design veterans, including James Terris, INHALT, Drew Schlesinger, Huston Singletary, and Mark Barton. More captivating sounds are available in the Vintage Vibes Preset Pack (sold separately) by James Dyson. With additional touches such as Cherry Audio's acclaimed MIDI mapping functions, highly optimized DSP for optimal performance, and a visually immersive interface, Pro Soloist will satisfy both vintage synth aficionados and today's music producers.
A mint condition and serviced Pro Soloist can easily fetch $2,500 or more these days, and its unique architecture makes MIDI retrofits impossible. Cherry Audio is thrilled to introduce this virtual and expanded Pro Soloist at the jaw-dropping price of only $49 (list $69), obtainable now from cherryaudio.com and authorized resellers worldwide. Pro Soloist is also available as part of Cherry Audio's new and comprehensive Synth Stack 4 collection. This ultimate sonic package includes all 22 of Cherry Audio's virtual instruments to date at an unbelievably affordable price, on sale for a limited time.
Pro Soloist is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats for Windows (7 or above, including Windows 11) and macOS (10.13 and above), including native support for Apple Silicon. A free 30-day demo is available. Visit cherryaudio.com for additional product details, system requirements, videos, and an extensive collection of awe-inspiring sound demos."
"Yamaha to Exhibit Rare Vintage Synthesizers From 40‐Year History at the 2015 NAMM Show
BUENA PARK, Calif. (January 6, 2015)—Yamaha today announced that it will exhibit around a dozen rare vintage synthesizers at the 2015 NAMM Show, the largest musical instrument trade show in North America, to be held January 22‐25, 2015 in Anaheim, California. This showcase, which celebrates Yamaha’s 40th anniversary of manufacturing synthesizers—a milestone reached this year— plans to include analog synthesizers like the SY‐2, CS30 and a special guest or two, the gorgeous GS1, the DX7, which was one of the most commercially successful synths of its day, and the rare VP1—a polyphonic physical modeling synthesizer. Some of the models will be playable. Yamaha introduced its first synthesizer, the SY‐1, in 1974 after decades of research and development and established a high technological benchmark when it released the CS80 polyphonic synthesizer in 1976. The company made musical history in 1983 when the DX7 debuted as the most commercially successful electronic keyboard of its time. This keyboard, which helped shape the sound of popular music in the 1980s, relied on frequency modulation—the leading‐edge technology of the time. By the end of the decade, Yamaha synths evolved from performance instruments to full‐fledged music workstations. The rise of music production synthesizers helped spur the home recording revolution by providing arrangers with a single tool to orchestrate almost any combination of musical instruments with ever‐more realistic tone generation. Yamaha helped develop the use of
sampled—or recorded—tones, along with physical modeling that went beyond sound by recreating instrument behavior as a mathematical model. Building on years of experience and distilling all of Yamaha’s technical innovations into one synth, the Motif series, introduced in 2001, evolved into an industry leader by offering great sound, computer integration and the ability to create sophisticated musical performances with ease. To celebrate the anniversary, Yamaha released the latest iteration of this series, the Motif XF, with a special edition white finish—the only Music Production Synthesizer on the market available in this color. The model offers an exclusive 40th Anniversary Premium Contents Pack that includes FL512M flash memory expansion, a USB drive with content from vintage Yamaha synthesizers and more than $1,000 in rebate offers on Yamaha products and third party soft synths, editors and sound libraries. Beyond hardware, Yamaha became an early adopter of digital technology. Earlier this year, the company launched www.yamahasynth.com, a new community for Yamaha synthesizer users. The site features a forum where members can interact with Yamaha’s product experts including the legendary Phil “Bad Mister” Clendeninn, Yamaha Synthesizer artists and other enthusiasts, along with resources to help all players get the most out of their instrument and download sounds directly into their synthesizers. 'Yamaha has long mastered the art of drawing on past technologies to improve on future synthesizer models,' said Nate Tschetter, marketing manager, Music Production, Yamaha Corporation of America. 'We continue to make high‐quality synthesizers for every stage of one’s musical career from the bedroom studio to the sold‐out stadium.' For more information, visit the Yamaha Booth at the 2015 NAMM Show in the Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Marquis Ballroom, January 22‐25, 2015, or http://4wrd.it/yamahasynth."
Yamaha Mobile Music Sequencer - Overview - iPad App
Published on Jan 23, 2013 yamahajp·1,200 videos
Introductory Offer Price! (until the end of February 2013)
Yamaha's new Mobile Music Sequencer enables composers to combine a range of phrase patterns and create musical compositions intuitively, following the flow of composition, from phrases to sections and from sections to songs.
Wherever you are, you can now sketch the outline of a composition. In addition, you can use the ingredients to delicately craft songs on a Yamaha synthesizer, or in Steinberg Cubase.
First, try loading the demo song (a number of demo songs are provided). Tap on the settings icon in the top right of the screen, select [Digital Sympathy] from the Presets under the File tab, and press the Load button to read in the song.
Create a song right away as follows:
Step 1-Create phrases
You can choose from a rich selection of 382 preset phrases (the phrase is the smallest unit in the structure of a composition). Under Phrase in the View screen, tap on a cell in which no setting has been made, then tap on the Select button on the left. To listen to a preset phrase, tap on its name. It is also possible to use real-time recordings made using the keyboard within an application, or user phrases which have been created using piano roll input. Using the powerful Loop Remix function, it is possible to divide selected phrases at specified intervals and then order them automatically insert rolls or breaks, and thus rework them into new phrases.
Step 2-Create sections
Combine multiple phrases together to create a section. Phrases are arranged in a vertical block and playback is turned on and off using the Section button at the bottom of the screen. The phrases can be managed as a single unit.
By specifying codes for individual sections, you can easily create variations. Using the Create command you can also create a succession of new sections based on the phrase that is currently being played back, which allows production to proceed smoothly.
Step 3-Create Songs
Put together complete songs by pasting together sections. This is easily accomplished by touching the Section area and then just dragging and dropping sections into the data area. Naturally, you can also input sections by recording in real time or by using the piano roll screen.
Advantages
• Built-in software synth with 92 high-quality sounds (including 9 types of drumkit) enables faithful rendering of sequence patterns.
• Sound editing using filters, EG, and other effects
• Mixer function for each part
• Effects including reverb, chorus, and variations
• Additional phrases and sounds
Four additional voice and phrase datapacks can be purchased directly using the application. (Dance Pop, Electronic, Hip Hop, R&B)
• File export
As well as a function for outputting standard general-purpose MIDI files, the application also includes a function for exporting files in an even easier-to-use format designed for Yamaha synths, in which characteristic sounds are specified in advance. (MOTIF XF, S90XS/S70XS, MOX6/MOX8, and MOTIF XS)
• Mix-down
Audio mix-down of a song or a phrase and conversion of the song or the phrase to an audio file can be performed in real time.
• Compatibility with SoundCloud
Audio files can be made compatible with SoundCloud and uploaded."
You can see it at the end of the following video:
2013 NAMM Show Yamaha MX49
Published on Jan 24, 2013 James Lewin·11 videos
Sound of Science is a transatlantic duo comprising Tom and Jason of Analogue Solutions.
Tom has been building synthesisers for over 15 years. He has supplied synths to people such as Trent Reznor, Martin Gore, Vince Clarke, Phil Oakey, Daniel Miller, and many more. The designs are directly influenced by his love of electronic music.
Jason is an analogue synth wizard, composer and a lover of all things that make noise. He also produces the legendary Rezfilter videos (see YouTube) that highlight these excellent synthesisers.
Together they have pooled their years of combined experience in songwriting and sound design to produce real songs using real synthesisers.
February Ends vocals via Jayden Frost:
Jayden Frost electrified audiences across the U.S. and Mexico as the voice and face of When in Rome (replacing Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann) on their extensive tour bringing his positive energy to stage performance, radio interviews and television. When In Rome, who's number one hit "The Promise" reached top ten on the pop charts, and #1 on the dance charts in 1989-1990 (and was the most recognized song in the blockbuster film Napoleon Dynamite).
Some of the acts that Jayden Frost has shared the stage with include: Devo (Whip It!), A Flock Of Seagulls (I Ran), Bow Wow Wow (I Want Candy),The Psychedlic Furs (Pretty In Pink), Animotion (Obsession), Deborah Gibson (Only In My Dreams/Foolish Beat), Gene Loves Jezebel (Desire), Dramarama (Anything, Anything), and Tommy Tutone (867-5309).
OK, I'm stretching it with this one, but this is truly bizarre. YMO's Behind the Mask with Eric Clapton and others. For reference see these posts. Spot the synths.
"Prince's Trust circa '87 - Clapton, Collins, Midge Ure, various others... Behind the Mask"
Update via tim in the comments:
"Clapton's cover came about because of Greg Philliganes being his keyboardist at the time. He did a version on his 1984 album Pulse, with uncredited backing vocals and added lyrics by Michael Jackson. And I think Jackson had considered doing it on Thriller after Quincy Jones pointed out the original to him."
And some fascinating info from the AH list:
"I don't think anyone's spoken up about lyricist or how that song got to Clapton;-)
Okay. First off Yellow Magic Orchestra was meant to be a more or less one-off concept project in Japan (1978) it was meant to be as if Martin Denny's music was played by Kraftwerk. In other words taking the West's notion of inauthentic but cool "Oriental" music and give it the edge of modern technology (the impression Westerners had of Japan).
A&M Records liked what they heard, moderately remixed it to their tastes and YMO were ready to tour and promote the album. They did a lot of promotion in LA, then swung by NYC, London and Paris. The year was 1979. Back in Japan they were doing well though not chart topping. They eventually did gain real chart success in Japan. Their success was more moderate in the US though their use of video games and electronic beats was influential. They took 1982 off for Sakamoto to work on "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" and then reformed in 1983 with the understanding that they'd disband at the end of the year. They really did want to go their own ways but it was a great marketing tool to really make them iconic in Japan. They reformed 10 years later for a one-off album and concert.
They started to work together again on and off in the 2000s. They have a show next weekend in London. Definitely a one off thing. I guess they were asked nicely by Massive Attack to do a show. They aren't promoting anything new or doing more shows. I sort of wish I could go.
As for gear, it's ironic that they played maybe 90% American synths. Early on - lots of Moog Modular. Later on lots of Prophet. Always: Arp Odyssey. They do sound very different in 1983 versus 1978.
Okay now for the weird part of the Clapton story -- Michael Jackson took an interest in high tech music in the early 80s. He was trying to get Kraftwerk to work with him but nothing came of it. What did happen was YMO's song "Behind the Mask" originally only had "chorus" vocals so he wrote new lead lyrics and kept the chorus. I assume he wrote the song for himself to sing, but he had lots of (all original) material then so it was offered to Clapton. It did quite well in terms of Clapton's career. Sakamoto, who wrote the melody (Chris Mosdel did the chorus lyrics) liked the new lyrics and the then prestige of Michael Jackson' additions. There is a mid 80s EP of Sakamoto's solo band doing it. He was trying to do a more contemporary R&B sound back then (not intended to be ironic). YMO's label commissioned Human League to do a remix version in the early 90s, instead (apparently) they did a cover version.
"VCM ++ Volume 2 is here! This sound set takes advantage of the latest O.S. update for Prophet Rev2, with tons of new Vintage Voice Modeling Sounds, Binaural Stereo Stacks and Advanced Motion Patches. Available on Sellfy here:
VINTAGE VOICE COMPONENT MODELING (VCM)
A few years back I did a bunch of research and analysis on vintage synths from the 1970s through 2000s, to understand what gives classic/vintage synths their lush character and organic warmth. I published info on my findings at http://www.VoiceComponentModeling.com, and released a patch bank for the Prophet Rev 2 (as well as other soundsets for other synths in the past few years). This new soundset (VCM ++ Volume 2) is the latest release, harnessing the techniques I've been working on the past few years.
LATEST O.S. for PROPHET REV2
This sound set takes advantage of the latest Prophet Rev2 firmware released a few months ago, which fixed some issues with the Gated Sequencer Key Stepping, along with several other minor bugs. This O.S. (1.1.5.9.9) is the latest stable release, and highly recommended for usage with these patches. They would technically work with previous O.S. versions, but not sound as good. Go get the latest O.S. for free on the official Sequential Rev2 forum. Note: It's technically a beta, but with Seq, their Betas are the same as release versions after they've been out a few months. They are the most stable, bug free versions.
NEW CAPABILITIES WITH UPDATED O.S.
Now that the Key Stepping of the Gated Sequencer works fully on stacked patches, there are some new capabilities that the Prophet Rev2 has.
Firstly, it can now pull off stacked/layered patches with Vintage Voice Modeling on both layers, with correct voice stepping. This allows for huge sounding vintage stacks, emulating double tracked or binaural stereo sounds, with tons of organic, vintage character through per voice modeling (VCM).
Second, the excellent gated sequencer / modulation sequencer can now be used in key stepping mode for stacked/layered patches. This provides the Rev2 with incredible syncopated motion capabilities, unmatched by virtually any other synth on the market. By combining two layers of Arpeggio motion, with strategically planned Osc Frequency Modulations, Cutoff jumps and other modulations, you can create incredibly rich animated motion that can be played up and down the keybed in any key. The resulting patterns that are created are extremely unique, and by targeting octaves, perfect fifths, and perfect fourths, along with staggered timing/reset points, you can create semi-procedural, intelligent melodies and multi osc harmonies that respond to your playing.
Third, the above two capabilities unlocked with the latest O.S. can be mixed/matched. For example, there are many patches in the soundset and demo, which have a pad, brass or string sound with vintage voice modeling on one layer, combined with an advanced motion arp on the second layer, for rich motion patches, with a fundamental organic, vintage style based underneath.
0:00 PAD-S Pulsimatic VCM 1:11 SPL ZepInTheLight VCM * Led Zeppelin 2:25 PAD Cars Drive VCM * The Cars 2:35 KEY Cars Drive Pluck VCM * The Cars 3:12 ARP PAD HorizonGlow VCM 4:22 KEY EP Everything3 VCM * Radiohead
"Here's an updated version of Eno's favourite chubby girl, but rendered with a slimline synthesis model. All in an attempt to get this runnable on a single Raspberry Pi. This uses the non-oversampled synth, so everything is computed at 44.1kHz. It's using the newer variant of the BPCVO model, and I've redone all the synth presets to remove the filter on everything pitched to eliminate that particular computation burden. And there are tricks you can play to bring back a 'filtery' sound - for example, morphing from sin to saw or sin to square sounds like a filter opening up as harmonics get introduced, and that trick has been exploited to turn the pair of 'Brass' into pure 1980s digital filter-free synthesis. But despite the trick (early ramp via EG to morph from sin to saw, giving a harmonic enrichening over the first 100ms or so of the sound) you simply can't replace a filter with tricks, so the sounds do suffer as a result. But hey, no free lunches here, the goal was to make it burn less CPU and still get a decent sound. So the 'Fat Lady' bass has also gone filterless, ditto the Warm Jets 'guitar', ditto Phil's Wiggly Manzanera. The percussive elements remain filtered as they just have to be, they rely on the resonant filter to generate anything at all apart from hissy noise.
But after the filter removal and the performance tuning, this version now runs in exactly 24% of an iPad 2. It may actually run on a Pi in this form. Really, there is a damn good chance that £20 of woefully underpowered educational computer will be able to synthesize this in real time, without resorting to a Pocket Orchestra. Bear in mind, 'this' is now 14 notes of polyphony, many stereo delays (seven? eight??), a global reverb and 10 separate synths.
Audio was captured from the iPad and not processed in any way, these are exactly the bytes that I computed. Cool, eh? Plus, big bonus, you get the Eerie Noise - which is actually a combination of a dedicated 'Eerie Noise' synth and the pair of brasses, turned way down and pitch bent to buggery. Yay!
Next step - get this codebase rebuilt on a Pi and actually run it."
Update from Chris in the comments section: "If you do a search for "tapper" or "thunker" from the home page of rhodeschroma.com, you'll find a number of mentions of this feature of the Chroma. It can also be turned off. In the interview I did with Phil Dodds and Tony Williams, I asked how the "thunker" came about: http://www.rhodeschroma.com/?id=doddswilliams#thunker"
When I recently played a Rhodes Chroma for the first time I was astonished by the feel of the keyboard and the sound it produced. I had no idea what to expect, would this be a somewhat thinned down polysynth or would it have the brawn of the mighty poly analogs like the Oberheim OBXa, SCI Prophet 5, or Roland Jupiter 8. Well let's say it pretty much holds its own against these classics and actually outdoes them in some ways. The sound is absolutely full, thick analog, and the flexibility of routing and modulation options out does the above. But... this is not the point of this post. When I was playing with the Chroma I noticed a sort of thick clunk when pressing its membrane switches and for some parameters I heard this when moving its one editing slider. It through me off and I actually thought it was broken! I was actually a little relieved as at that point I figured there was no way I'd be tempted to buy this particular unit. But then it occurred to me that this might actually be by design. I played with a bit more and sure enough it was clear that this was on purpose. After using it a bit I began to appreciate the thudded tap - it added a certain weight and tactile response to editing the synth which would be missing without it. I find it fascinating that they took the time out to implement this and I'm left wondering if there are any other synths with it. At this point there is none that I know of. Title link takes you to more on this unique feature on the Rhodes Chroma site. BTW, I'm still blown away by the resources and support available on the Rhodes Chroma site. If there was ever a synth resource award, Chris Ryan would be on the top of my list. Links via Chris Ryan on AH.
via Josh Kay (Phoenecia):
"I just finished a soundtrack for a 26 minute film called Smother. I used my monster-case housed Euro-Rack modular and an Arp 2600 as the primary sound sources. These analogue synths were made for drones. There was plenty of post-processing involved, but not a single vsti."
Regarding the image:
"This is my system (the monster case on the left) mixed with Richard Devine's setup. That's the Arp I used on the soundtrack, it used to be mine. Actuality, Rich sold it to me many years ago and eventually I sold it back to him. Since then he's had Phil Cirocco (CMS) thoroughly baptize it (all options except the Moog ladder filter).
In my system, I'd have to say my favorites are the 2 Livewire AFG's the Frequensteiner, the Zeroscillator, the Bananlogue Serge VCS (I wish I had 3 of them), The Plan B model 10 and 24, the Doepfer BBD's (I do have 3 of them), and without a doubt, the MakeNoise QMMG. "
"Smother (Phoenecia's Alternate Score & Edit)
Directed by Luis Gispert
Score & Sound Design by Phoenecia (Joshua Kay & Romulo Del Castillo)
From the New York Times review:
"A boy lies on a trampoline, clutching a boombox to his chest. Gradually the blue tarpaulin turns a sickly green as he empties his bladder. “Smother,” a riveting new 26-minute film at Mary Boone Gallery by the New York artist Luis Gispert, explores the relationship between this 11-year-old chronic bed-wetter, also depicted in the photograph at right, and his domineering mother. Like “Stereomongrel,” Mr. Gispert’s 2005 film collaboration with Jeffrey Reed, it follows a precocious pre-adolescent’s odyssey through a perilous adult landscape - in this case 1980s Miami (where Mr. Gispert was raised).
“Smother,” which has a script by Mr. Gispert and the artist Orly Genger and a soundtrack by the experimental duo Phoenecia, is the throbbing, flamingo-pink heart of Mr. Gispert’s two-gallery show, at Mary Boone and Zach Feuer. With its tropical palette and episodic magical realism (which might be too real for some animal lovers), it can seem less like a film than a tenuously linked series of Mr. Gispert’s stills. Dialogue is sparse, and as melodramatic as a telenovela’s. The camera lingers over the spectacular stucco-mansion setting, which Mr. Gispert has aptly described as “narco-nouveau-riche.”
At Zach Feuer Gallery, a sculptural installation echoes the film’s lurid scenery. Photographs of truck interiors, racing-striped walls and high-gloss, heart-shaped speakers put forth a Miami version of the hot-rod-inspired art that emerged in 1960s Southern California. - Karen Rosenberg
Notes:
The alternate score & edit is a remixed version of Smother including parts that were omitted from the release version. An alternate reworked 20 minute version of Smother appears on Phoenecia's Echelon Mall, a collection of works for film & gallery exhibitions. Echelon Mall is scheduled for release in March on Schematic.
"This is Pretty Hate Machine, re-imagined in its entirety on eight different 8-bit systems, so I've named it "Pretty Eight Machine". Sound configurations include: SID/6581 (Commodore 64), POKEY (Atari 800), straight 2A03 (NES), AY/SCC+ (MSX+Metal Gear 2 or Snatcher cartridge), SN76489 (Sega Master System), 2A03+VRC6 (Famicom+Castlevania 3 cartridge), LR35902 (Game Boy), and OPLL (MSX-MUSIC or Japanese Sega Master System).
The album represents the culmination of so many things: - the recent celebration of Pretty Hate Machine's anniversary - the recent release of the remastered PHM - my fandom and love for Nine Inch Nails - my love of old-school computers and game systems - a hope that Trent Reznor (who likes vintage synths, tech, and gear) and Rob Sheridan (and his pixelated avatar) will enjoy it - pushing myself to compose for systems I've never written music on
A lot of thought, love, blood, sweat, and tears went into this album. I encourage you to explore the info links next to the track names to understand the history behind each one. credits released 14 June 2012 Pretty Eight Machine (c)(p) 2011-2012 Inverse Phase. Original songs/Pretty Hate Machine (c) 1989 Arlovol Music/Leaving Hope Music. Admin. by Penny Farthing Music (ASCAP). 6502 and its likeness used with permission from WDC and Bill Mensch.
Please attribute Inverse Phase and Nine Inch Nails with a link if you use any of these tracks for anything.
"FREE Supernova Soundpack for UltraNova & MiniNova
Download it here: http://novationmusic.com/soundpacks
~ LIKE our video and click 'show more' for additional information.
Listen to the demo on SoundCloud now:
https://soundcloud.com/novationmusic/...
Sound designer Phil McDonald created the iconic sounds of the Supernova that changed the sound of dance music at the turn of the Millennium, powering classics by Orbital, ATB, Jean Michel Jarre and A Guy Called Gerald, plus many more. Now, with the massive revival of interest in the sounds and music of the period, Novation is proud to announce the release of two new soundpacks for the MiniNova and UltraNova, containing sounds from the original Supernova sound banks, by the original sound designer. These soundpacks give you the original classic sounds of the turn of the century -- and they're absolutely free.
To install the soundpacks, you'll need the free MiniNova or UltraNova Librarian applications. Use them to import and store new patches and the other soundpacks for both synths, including the Chuckie, Dino Soldo and 2-volume Daniel Fisher soundpacks.
For more videos subscribe to our YouTube channel here:
http://www.youtube.com/novationtv"
Mark Hollis of Talk Talk passed away today at the age of 64. He was one of my favorite musicians. I wasn't expecting to put a post up as it's synths only on the site, but I remembered there was some single synth spotting in the video for their first hit single above. It appears to be an Oberheim OB-Xa with the 120 preset expansion badge on the front right. The OB-Xa was released in 1981 and the song came out in 1982 (not sure when the video came out though). You can also see some Simmons drum triggers. Synth spotting aside, I am going to miss him. I never got to see Talk Talk live. Apparently he stopped touring and pulled out of the music scene to spend more time with his family and to raise his kids. I heard he said he couldn't tour and be a good father at the same time so he chose to be a good father. Much respect to that. Below is a live concert from 1986. Some synth spotting there as well.
Talk Talk Live at Montreux 11th July 1986
Published on Jan 12, 2013
"Talk Talk Live on 11th July 1986 at the Jazz Festival in Switzerland. The show was part of a tour that started in April 1986 to promote the band's recent album The Colour of Spring, and was to be their only appearance at Montreux.
The extended line-up for the 1986 tour consisted of Hollis, Webb and Harris, plus John Turnbull (guitars), Rupert Black and Ian Curnow (keyboards), Phil Reis and Leroy Williams (percussion), and Mark Feltham (harmonica). Most notable among these concerts was this appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, released on DVD in 2008 as Live at Montreux 1986.
Running order as follows...
00:00:00 Presentation
00:00:44 Talk Talk*
00:03:59 Dum Dum Girl**
00:07:44 Call in the Night Boy**
00:14:36 Tomorrow Started**
00:22:20 My Foolish Friend°
00:26:50 Life's What You Make It***
00:31:45 Does Caroline Know**
00:39:51 It's You**
00:43:49 Living in Another World***
00:51:40 Give It Up***
00:57:26 It's My Life**
01:05:02 I Don't Believe in You***
01:10:26 Such a Shame**
01:18:55 Renée**"
Saving the pic for the bottom of this one. Don't scroll past the dots if you want to save it for last. Congrats to Benge! Don't know whether to love him or hate him at the moment... :)
"Something amazing just happened that normally only happens in daydreams you know where you walk past a charity shop and imagine seeing a Moog modular in the window for £20
Well I got an email from a friend (thanks Phil J!!!) who has a friend who works at a London university in the music department one day a week. This chap was clearing out a cupboard and found a load of old gear that hadn't been used for years and wanted it to go to a good home, rather than it just being neglected or even worse chucked out. So I got passed this email saying there was a load of EMS gear from the 1970s and did I know of anyone who might want it!?!? So rather excitedly I replied that yes I am someone who is an avid fan of EMS equipment and that I own the rest of the matching series!! I had to pay a nominal fee to keep the bursar happy, but the amazing thing is I have now got the full set of EMS modules and keyboards and they are an exact match of my EMS VCS3 and DK1 (one of the first synths I bought 20+ years ago)
Here is a picture, my existing Putney and Cricklewood, and the new TKS touch keyboard and sequencer, 8 octave filter bank, pitch to voltage converter and random voltage generator. This is a very powerful system! Lucky me!!!!"
"EMS SYNTHI AKS. Recently serviced by Phil Ciccerro at CMS Discrete Synths. Had over $1400 work done. I did all the work he recommended. I am also including the briefcase. Its larger than the original, with plenty of customizable space for ext speakers, sub, patch bay, accessories, etc
The speakers are not installed, but the power amp for the speakers come through the custom 1/4' output jacks. I have tried them with various speakers. They drive pretty loudly.
There is one pot that spins, and probably needs replacement, (its a common pot. I need to skeak with Phil, because there are a few small issues, like the pot, and the Right input (for prossesing external signals like Todd rundregren used for guitar etc, doesn't seem to get the hi Z signal. It could be made really nice, with some silk screen refurb on the panel. I also have the keyboard on a separate listing. The last time I checked on another Synthi (Squids Aks) it worked, so im confident it works fine. I don't have the jack to try it. Also its been weirdly modified with a see through window. This Synthi could be made "DELUXE" in a bigger briefcase with some nice patched or installed in the case speakers, maybe a small external Sub, and patch points for speakers, inputs, an effects insert, or send, maybe a bigger reverb tank, so much could be done to make it super cool. We have always talked about making a "DELUXE" AKS. This is a good opportunity for that. Also the Samsonite, Samite briefcase come up on occasion, for around $800, so please figure whatever you may pay for a complete synthi, I would minus about $2000, for the case, a new pot, and some touch up."
Cameron Jones, mentioned below, is the co-creator of the Synclavier. Curious about that new mac-based program. Cameron recently worked on the Synclavier iOS app and the Synclavier KNOB.
"Between tours I spend a lot of my free time trying to improve my various studios. I have a number of spaces (only one large studio big enough for bands) and each one has a different focus. Recently, after getting inspired by the Eurorack world, and by being able to carry small devices on the road - like Akai MPC Mini, Volcas and Digitakts etc - I realised I’d neglected my larger modular synths that I am damned lucky to have and even luckier to know how to operate. So here’s where I left things with my ARP2500 (restored by the wonderful Phil Cirocco of CMS) and MOOG 35 before I sadly packed my leaving trunk to go on the road. Two months!!! Spiders will move in. The sharp eyed among you might spot the controller and keyboard for my Synclavier 9600 and Direct to Disk system. This has also recently been revived because Cameron Jones created a new Mac-based computer program to run the old towers. Steve Hill’s installed it for me. Cameron also worked with Arturia to create the Synclavier V. This is a fine development of the old FM system. The three stringed things on the wall are all by Collings. Love their boxes. .
