United Plugins Introduces JMG Sound Retronaut - LoFi Nostalgia Machine Multi-effect Plug-in

video upload by United Plugins

Press release follows:

United Plugins puts past into present with JMG Sound Retronaut, realised as LoFi Nostalgia Machine multi-effect plug-in

“I hate to overuse superlatives, but, it has to be said, within a minute of trying out the amazing features of the Retronaut plug-in, I was astounded. Its versatility will work across all manner of instruments, from guitars to drums; I even tried some of the effects on a piano piece, and the results were extraordinary. This is going to be a great asset for film and media compositions, as well as my commercial recordings.”

- Chris Payne, orchestral composer for film and television/synthpop pioneer (co-writer of Visage's 1981 hit single ‘Fade to Grey’/former Gary Numan backing band member), 2023

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: independent development teams federation United Plugins is proud to announce availability of Retronaut from founding partner JMG Sound — swinging back into action and putting the (analogue) past into the (DAW-driven) present as a so-called LoFi Nostalgia Machine multi-effect plug-in, perfectly capturing the vibe of old analogue gear by mixing bucket brigade chips, cassette tapes, VCFs (Voltage-Controlled Filters), vintage choruses, vinyl records, and more to transport its users back in time to explore their magical (musical) memories — as of February 15...

Explore the past
History has it that mankind has not only travelled the world and the ‘Seven Seas’ but beyond that to take one giant leap to touch down on the Moon, meaning the sky is not the limit. Steps still need to be taken to literally leave future footprints further away from the natural satellite of Earth, yet reality reasons that humanity cannot physically step back in time to explore the past in person, however, rather relying on history to tell its story. Saying that, Retronaut, JMG Sound’s so-called LoFi Nostalgia Machine, musically transports those interested in exploring their magical (musical) memories from where they originated; after all, music has a miraculous ability to transport anyone back in time. Therefore, seatbelts should be securely fastened in readiness for an ‘analogue’ expedition through history!

LoFi Nostalgia Machine
Make sure, then, that those seatbelts are securely fastened, for an ‘analogue’ expedition through history awaits as Retronaut is assuredly announced as a multi-voice vibrato and chorus plug-in, pulsating with lo-fi effects. Indeed, it is inspired by old analogue gear with which wisened ears welcoming warmth will already be familiar — think bucket brigade chips, cassette tapes, VCFs, vintage choruses, and vinyl records... Retronaut revisits that nostalgic musical magic of the past, putting it into the (DAW-driven) present with multiple ways to age and DEGRADE the signal being processed, thanks to controls for FLUTTER (adds random fluctuations to the modulation shape, simulating tape flutter); DUST (adds noise to the modulation shape); FAIL (adds random glitches of pitch and level drops to simulate old failing gear); WARP (adds pitch drift and a little tremolo at half-rate to all the VOICES globally); DIRT (controls the amount of tape-style saturation); FEED (controls the amount of cross-feedback by taking the outputs of the VOICES and feeding them into each other); and MONO (switches the signal to mono, simulating old gear with only one speaker, such as radios).

DIVERGE, MOD, MIX, and more
Meanwhile, it is possible to offset the multi-voice engine — enabling users to MIX from a single vibrato voice up to 4 VOICES, resulting in a rich chorus — in various ways to create organic and evolving movements via the DIVERGE section: SPREAD (offsets the LFO phase in the left and right channels); LAG (introduces a time delay for each voice); PHASE (offsets the LFO phase for each voice); V2 SCALE (offsets the voice 2 modulation rate from the main modulation rate); V3 SCALE (offsets the voice 3 modulation rate from the main modulation rate); V4 SCALE (offsets the voice 4 modulation rate from the main modulation rate); and RESYNC (resets the LFO phases). But beating at the musical heart of Retronaut is its MOD (modulation) section with HP MOD (controls the modulation depth of the virtual analogue high-pass filter in both positive and negative polarity) and LP MOD (controls the modulation depth of the virtual analogue low-pass filter in both positive and negative polarity); dialling down the modulation depth for the vibrato effect with the associated VIBE control and then using other effects encourages that warm, woolly, and compressed tape sound. Shape the tone with the VCF section — anchored around those virtual analogue high-pass and low-pass filters, switchable between 2 (12dB per octave) and 4 (24dB per octave) POLE slopes, with RESO (resonance) control — and MIX to perfection. Possibilities are endless, almost: add lo-fi to drums, rich chorus to synths, and lush reverb to anything... ask orchestral composer for film and television/synthpop pioneer Chris Payne (Visage, Gary Numan), who was well versed in working with original analogue gear — of the kind that inspired Retronaut — on a number of historic hit records. “I particularly love the DEGRADE section, which can add a huge amount of expression to any sound you use,” he enthuses, ending on an equally high note: “I’ll certainly be building up a huge library of sounds using Retronaut over the coming months, and cannot wait to get started with it on my forthcoming projects.”

Key features:
Captures the vibe of old analogue gear, mixing bucket brigade chips, cassette tapes, vintage choruses, and more in one powerful multi- effect plug-in
Smoothly mix from a single vibrato voice up to four, resulting in a rich chorus
Add that nostalgic lo-fi (musical) magic with the DEGRADE section — age sound from gentle dust and warmth to old, broken gear
Control each voice independently with the DIVERGE section — offset them in various ways to create organic and evolving movements

JMG Sound’s Retronaut is available to purchase for a time-limited introductory promo price of only €24.00 EUR until March 19, 2023 — rising thereafter to its regular price of €89.00 EUR — as an AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-compatible plug-in (using internal 64-bit audio processing capable of handling any sample rate) directly from its dedicated webpage (https://unitedplugins.com/Retronaut/), where a 15-day, fully-functional trial version for macOS 10.10 and newer and Windows 8/10/11 can also be downloaded for free.

Note that no iLok, dongle, or internet access is required for Retronaut activation. (All United Plugins software uses license files for activation and owners can freely use purchased software — with free-for-life updates — on all their computers, as long as they are the user.)

Moby's Drum Machines For Sale

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

You can find them on Reverb here.

Don't miss the video here.

Update: some pics and details captured. I made the mistake of trying to capture them all and then realized how many were listed. :) I ended up switching to the more esoteric models. Quite a few have never been featured here on MATRIXSYNTH before. What's a little bit interesting, is only two new labels were needed, one for Domino and one for Side-Kick-Er. All other brands have been featured before. See the labels at the bottom of this post. Side note: Blogger limits the number of characters to 200 for labels, so I wasn't able to capture them all for this post. You can always search for the brand names featured for more. I assume most do this anyway. The labels are more for maintenance and for finding posts that may not feature brand names in descriptions.

Pictured:

Realistic Concertmate Electronic Accompanist-Metronome

"Fully analog rhythmic companion utilizing 5 beat buttons to combine how you wish. Features metronome, speaker and line out, and tempo control.

Serial: 42-2103. Works with no issue."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Introducing the Shroud of Turing by FlatSix Modular

Shroud of Turing Deep Dive — Turing Machine-Inspired + Keyboard Controlled Chaos Tamer

video upload by FlatSix Modular

"Full walkthrough of the Shroud of Turing by FlatSix Modular. In this video I'll walk you through every feature of the module — from the basics of the Turing Machine-inspired shift register to scale quantization, pattern manipulation, and the CV keyboard mode."

Available now at: https://flatsixmodular.com/shroudoftu...

Inspired by the Turing Machine - https://github.com/TomWhitwell/Turing...

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:34 Patching Up
03:41 Shift Register Concept
04:04 Random
04:24 Lock
04:44 Slip Mode
05:47 Double Lock
06:25 Sequence Length
07:06 Voltage Range
08:03 Quantization
08:59 Clear Quantization
09:24 Saving Scales
10:25 Loading Scales
11:03 Reset
11:43 Add/Subtract Bits
12:38 Rotate Sequence
13:54 Slight Of Hand Mode
16:38 Outro

➤ What is the Shroud of Turing?
The Shroud of Turing is a 1U Eurorack module built on the Nocturne Alchemy Platform. It runs a 16-bit shift register inspired by the Music Thing Modular Turing Machine, with the addition of a built-in scale quantizer you can program directly from the button matrix keyboard. The result is a module that can generate evolving random sequences, lock them into repeating patterns, and output perfectly in-tune musical voltages.

➤ Key Features:
16-bit Turing Machine shift register
Probability knob: 7 o'clock = Double (2x loop), 12 o'clock = Full Random, 5 o'clock = Locked loop
Sequence lengths: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 12, or 16 steps
Voltage ranges: 1–4 octaves (0–4V)
User-defined scale quantization (up to 6 saved scale slots)
Pattern reset (Shift + C#) for synchronized performance
CV Keyboard mode for direct note output with portamento
Calibrated 1V/octave output


Format: 1U Intellijel | 26HP | Eurorack

Platform: Nocturne Alchemy (Arduino Nano)

By: FlatSix Modular


The Shroud Awakens | Shroud of Turing Eurorack Performance
video upload by FlatSix Modular

"A live performance showcasing the brand new Shroud of Turing by FlatSix Modular — a 1U Eurorack module that combines concepts from the classic Turing Machine shift register but adds a fully playable musical quantizer with the ability to save and recall user scales on the fly as well as other sequence manipulation abilities.

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Florian Schneider Collection to Be Auctioned at JULIEN*S November 19

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via JULIEN*S

"THE FLORIAN SCHNEIDER COLLECTION

Auction to be held at Musician's Hall of Fame & Museum, Nashville, on November 19

An incredible collection of more than 450 artifacts from the life and career of Florian Schneider, co-founder of the pioneer electronic band Kraftwerk."

Pics and videos featuring some of the gear below, and his Lederhosen for good measure (thanks greg!).

Update: the post has been fully updated with all the synth related gear. This may just well be the longest post to be featured on the site. I wanted to capture all the pics for all of the details including notes, scuffs, and of course serial numbers. It's an interesting look into what he used, the condition he keped his gear, in some cases, how he actually used his gear. Note the phonetics on the keys of the Casio CZ-101 and DX-100. Note the Midi Switch Box with a built-in speaker? What's that about? Note the camouflage key strap on the Korg RK-100 Remote Keyboard. Did he pick it out himself or did the keytar just come with it? Note the repeat midi controllers and the MIDI saxaphones. Wind was his primary instrument. You'll find a ton of the acoustic gear he used in the other listings. This is a fascinating insight into both what and how he used his gear.

Side note: there is no affiliate compensation for this post. The note at the top automatically shows for all posts with the Auction label.


Rack Mount Sennheiser VSM-201 Vocoder

Starting Bid $5,000

Estimate $20,000 - $40,000 USD

A late 1970s Sennheiser VSM 201 Vocoder with no serial number from the personal studio and collection of Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk (see images). While it’s said that only a few dozen of these Vocoders were produced, a few examples made it into the hands of forward-thinking musical artists including Herbie Hancock, Daft Punk, and of course, Kraftwerk, who used a VSM-201 like this on their albums Man Machine (1978) and Computerworld (1981). The VSM-201 has an intelligible sound that has not yet been bested by modern gear. Includes power cable. This VSM-201 has been removed from its wooden enclosure (which bears the serial number plate) and modified with a metal rack mount casing, presumably for live use. Requires 240v, IEC power cable not included.

Dimensions: 19 x 9 x 9 inches

Category: Kraftwerk, Equipment

Provenance: PROVENANCE From the Estate of Florian Schneider

CLICK FOR MORE »

Yamaha DX7II FD TX802 SYNTHESIZER

via this auction

note the pull out. I know the TX81Z has one as well. I'm curious how many other Yamaha racks had them.

Details:
"The TX-802 is the rack mount version of the DX-7II with a few added touches. It is an FM synth, so it excellent at re-creating Hammond organ, electric pianos, brass, analog sounds, and bells. It is in a whole new class for percussive sounds and ethnic sounds as you can change the tuning and get out of the 12 tone box. It is not too good when it comes to, acoustic pianos, and saxophones, but that's why the gods made samplers. A required piece of gear in my opinion since the DX7 is such a legendary synth. There are thousands of patches available online for this synth (can take DX7 and DX7II patches).

CLICK FOR MORE »

Custom Patch Demos - Octave, Novation, Korg, Yamaha, Roland, Ensoniq, & Oberheim Vintage Synths

video uploads by soitgoesmusic

Playlist:

The Cat by Octave (1976 Non-SRM) Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the vintage Octave Cat synthesizer. This is the original Non-SRM one from 1976. It's one fat sounding synth.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- amazing vintage analog sound
- it feels alive with electricity and has lots of subtle variations in the textures of the sound
- independent faders for each wave form means that 8 sounds can be playing at once (4 on VCO 1, 3 on VCO 2, and noise), creating huge sounds

Cons:
- no midi
- needs to be tuned on each use
- needs lots of maintenance (i.e., regular calibration)
- can't save patches and rarely sounds exactly the same twice

Novation Drumstation - Custom Kits Demo

A demo of the OG 808 and 909 emulator: the Novation Drumstation. This is the version 2. Wanted to show the versatility of the machine.

Kits programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the drum machine.

Pros:

- well emulated 808 and 909 sounds in a small 1U rack unit
- adds tuning to some drums that originals don't have
- built in distortion and front cut

Cons:

- no on-board sequencer
- no power switch

Korg MS-20 (Vintage) Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the original Korg MS-20. This is a wild synth that can take you to some unexpected places.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- amazing vintage analog sound
- patch bay provides so many unique configurations
- the resonant high pass filter can make huge bass
- has quirks that make it sound and behave like no other (e.g., the unusual sustain on EG2, the hold time on EG2, the External Signal Processor, etc.)

Cons:
- no midi
- can't save patches (though taking pictures can help)

Yamaha RX5 drum machine - Custom Kits Demo

A demo of the under-rated Yamaha RX5 drum machine. Wanted to show how strange and sci-fi this machine can sound.

Kits programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the drum machine. Each section is made from four drum sounds. Only the stock sounds from the unit were used. No cartridges or external sounds added.

Pros:

- amazing voice editing features
- gritty lo-fi sound
- volume slider and individual out for each drum pair

Cons:

- no velocity
- interface is needlessly complex

Roland Juno-106 Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the legendary Roland Juno-106. Trying to show off the analog warmth of this synth.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth (including the scratchiness of the chorus). Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- amazing analog sound
- hands-on control over all parameters
- wide sweet spot

Cons:
- no velocity
- needs to warm up to sound its best

Korg MS2000 BR Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the Korg MS2000BR. Wanted to show some of this synth's unique features, such as the modulation sequencer (1:03, 2:34, and 5:00) and the vocoder (1:26).

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- lots of hands on control
- modulation sequencer

Cons:
- polyphony is only 4

Ensoniq ESQ-1 Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the Ensoniq ESQ-1. Trying to show some of the versatility of this digital/analog hybrid synth.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- very easy to program for a digital interface
- the keyboard has a great feel

Cons:
- no real-time parameter changes, except through mod wheel

Yamaha TX81Z Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the Yamaha TX81Z. Trying to show what this synth can do beyond the dated presets.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- editing the parameters can yield surprising results
- efficient with cost and space

Cons:
- tedious to program

Oberheim Matrix-6R Custom Patch Demo

A demo of the Oberheim Matrix-6R.

Patches programmed and played by so.it.goes. No effects added. What you hear is direct from the synth. Each part is from one patch only. There is no multi-tracking on any part.

Pros:
- a deep synth with lots of editable parameters, many of which can be controlled through the modulation matrix
- great analog sound

Cons:
- tedious to program, can be helpful to have the parameter list in front of you

Introducing Roland AIRA Compact | T-8 Beat Machine, J-6 Chord Synthesizer, E-4 Voice Tweaker

video upload by

$199.99 each. Additional videos below. Press release and pics below them.

"AIRA Compact puts Roland’s legendary creative magic in the palm of your hand. Easily play and perform with these highly jammable instruments—anywhere, anytime. Chain them together to catalyze your creativity or connect with MIDI gear, computers, and music apps to expand your setup. Just power on and go with the flow.

About the T-8 Beat Machine

The T-8 Beat Machine is a mini rhythm factory with six tracks of pristine TR drums plus a TB-303 bass track. Embodying decades of modern musical sound, the T-8 gives you the power to create infectious tracks in seconds flat. Craft on-the-fly acid jams or trap bangers with the intuitive 16-step sequencer, shape sounds with onboard controls, and flip and dice beats with simple, yet powerful tools.

About the J-6 Chord Synthesizer

The J-6 is a portable synth toolbox with all the building blocks you'll need to bring harmonic substance to your jams. Pairing a powerfully unique chord sequencer with lavish JUNO-60 synth tones, J-6 packs a versatile feature set into a highly jammable format. Generate soul-stirring song ideas with the turn of a knob and explore 100 chord sets over a variety of genres. Experiment with styles and variations to coax dancing lines and rhythmic patterns from your chords. Add lush chorus, reverb, or delay to frost your sound.

About the E-4 Voice Tweaker

Harmonize, auto-pitch, vocode, loop, and glitch your voice all from the portable E-4 Voice Tweaker. Want hands-on control? Connect a mic or input a feed and easily explore effects using the sliders, function buttons, and scatter knob. From looping live jams to livestreaming or tightening up and expanding performances, the E-4 will transform your voice into your new favorite instrument.

Chapter Breakdown
0:00 – Series Introduction
1:50 – T-8 Beat Machine
2:22 – T-8 Patterns, Sounds, and Tracks
3:22 – T-8 Hands-On Controls and Performance Tools
4:19 – T-8 Create a Drumbeat
4:41 – T-8 Create a Bassline
5:40 – T-8 Advance Programming and Effects
6:25 – J-6 Chord Synth
6:52 – J-6 Playback and Genres (Chord Sets)
7:13 – J-6 Sound
7:52 – J-6 Style and Variation
8:22 – J-6 Chord Sequencer
9:14 – J-6 Connect to DAW
9:39 – E-4 Voice Tweaker
10:14 – E-4 Hands-On Controls
10:29 – E-4 Auto Pitch, Harmony, Vocoder
11:09 – E-4 Looper
11:26 – E-4 Scatter
11:50 – Connectivity"

Roland AIRA Compact J-6 / T-8 / E-4 - DEMO by gattobus

video upload by gattobus

"Roland's birthday party it's not over!
A few days ago they sent me these little magic boxes to try them out and in less than an hour of tweaking, I came out with this song!!!
The song title "A Big Tiny World" is because they are BIG sounding TINY boxes indeed! :D
They are:

- J-6 Chord Synthesizer
- T-8 Beat Machine
- E-4 Voice Tweaker

Their sound quality is astonishing! It's amazing to have the power of ACB technology in such a small form factor...
Everything you hear in this video was played and recorded in real time, no post processing or FX was added.
I had so much fun, I hope you like it!"

Roland Aira Compact : T-8 / J-6 / E-4 : Portable Drum Machine, Polyphonic Synth, & Vocal Effects

video upload by Perfect Circuit

T-8 Drum Machine & Acid Style Bass Synth
J-6 Polyphonic Synth
E-4 Vocal Transformer

"Join our pal Dustin for the debut of the AIRA COMPACT line of synthesizers ! These three desktop style devices combine some of Roland's most recognizable and powerful sound palettes into a portable, affordable, and outrageously fun package!

Check out our in-depth Signal article for more details - https://bit.ly/3L08Msr

0:00 - Intro jam
1:07 - Overview of Aira Compact Line
2:54 - T-8 Drum Machine & Bass Synthesizer
5:50 - J-6 Four Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer
9:50 - E-4 Vocal Processor, Looper, & Effects
11:57 - Robot Acid BOPS !"

AIRA Compact- First Look at the new Range

video upload by sonicstate

Roland T-8 J-6 E-4 Compacts Review: Here's what makes them special // Full Tutorial

video upload by loopop

TIMELINE
0:00 Intro
1:05 Overview
2:05 Connectivity
5:15 T-8 OVERVIEW
8:30 Drum sounds
11:55 Bass synth
14:00 Sequencing
19:20 Effects
20:15 Drive
22:05 Sidechain
24:55 Performance
26:20 T-8 Pros, cons
28:10 J-6 OVERVIEW
29:20 Synth
31:15 Effects
32:55 Keys, chords
33:50 Phrases/arp
36:10 Sequencer
39:50 Step length
40:20 Menu misc
41:40 J-6 Pros & cons
45:10 E-4 OVERVIEW
46:00 Eight things it does
50:00 Interface
50:50 MIDI control
51:20 Vocoder
52:00 Looper
53:20 Scatter
56:25 E-4 Pros & cons
58:25 T-8 Patterns
1:07:10 J-6 Patterns

How fun is the Aira Compact series?

video upload by True Cuckoo

And the press release:

Fun, Pocket-Size Instruments with Innovative Creative Features, Authentic Roland Sounds, and Class-Leading Connectivity

Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2022 — Roland announces AIRA Compact, an all-new series of ultra-portable instruments with free-flowing features for creative exploration and authentic Roland sounds. Fun, affordable, and easy to learn, the T-8 Beat Machine, J-6 Chord Synthesizer, and E-4 Voice Tweaker bring serious musical power to everyone from hobbyists and gadget collectors to tech-savvy pros.

AIRA Compact instruments let anyone jam, perform, and develop ideas on the go with friendly controls, inspiring sounds, and loads of intuitive music tools. Users can realize complete compositions with a single unit or expand their possibilities by connecting and synchronizing with other AIRA Compact models. From one master unit, multiple AIRA Compacts can be mixed and monitored with headphones or an external speaker system. It’s also possible to interface with computer DAWS, mobile music apps, and hardware instruments via USB-C or MIDI.

Driven by Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) and other advanced technologies found in top-line Roland instruments, AIRA Compact delivers the real-deal sounds behind decades of hit music. Users can create with the genuine voices of Roland icons, including TR rhythms, TB basses, JUNO synths, VT effects, and more.

Driven by Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) and other advanced technologies found in top-line Roland instruments, AIRA Compact delivers the real-deal sounds behind decades of hit music. Users can create with the genuine voices of Roland icons, including TR rhythms, TB basses, JUNO synths, VT effects, and more.

AIRA Compact strikes the perfect balance between portability and power. Each model is small enough to slip into a pocket and features an inviting panel to jump-start the creative flow for immediate results. Onboard lithium-ion batteries provide hours of continuous use per charge, while Roland’s famous build quality will support musical adventures for years to come.

T-8 Beat Machine
The T-8 Beat Machine combines iconic Roland drum and bass sounds in a go-everywhere rhythm factory. Beatmakers can build tracks with legendary sounds from the TR-808, TR-909, and TR-606 drum machines, paired with the shapeshifting low end of the dynamic TB-303 Bass Line. The six-track drum sequencer features the famous TR-REC workflow, enhanced with deep tools like step loop, pattern shift, probability, and others to generate dynamic performances with constantly evolving grooves. The T-8 also provides an authentic TB-303 bass experience, including the tactile power to squeeze, squelch, and mangle sounds in the moment.

J-6 Chord Synthesizer
The J-6 Chord Synthesizer is an endless well of musical inspiration, pairing a powerful chord sequencer with the lavish tones of the renowned JUNO-60 synth. Creators don’t need to know chords or theory to make music—they can simply call up one of 100 chords sets and build compelling chord progressions with one-touch presses on the built-in keyboard. Styles and variations are also available to coax dancing lines and rhythmic patterns from chords. Users can quickly string progressions together via step input, tweak the sound with dedicated filter and envelope controls, and add polish with customizable delay and reverb effects.

E-4 Voice Tweaker
The E-4 Voice Tweaker combines advanced voice transformer tools and standard vocal effects with a hands-on interface that’s meant to be played. Performers can go from traditional vocal enhancements to punchy beatboxed grooves to striking alien soundscapes—all in a single tune. Pitch and formant sliders are available to instantly change the vocal gender, create robot voices, and more. Auto Pitch, automatic harmony, and vocoder processors are included, along with reverb, delay, and other effects. There’s also a built-in 24-second looper for capturing performances on the fly, plus a unique Scatter function for slicing and dicing the sound via a dedicated panel knob.

Availability & Pricing

The Roland AIRA Compact series is now available in the U.S. for $199.99 each."

Check with dealers on the right for availability.

Oberheim OB-X vs. SonicProjects OP-X PRO and V-Machine

YouTube via virtualoberheim. via UniQueWerkx.

"Do not miss the individual voice filter tuning at 1:33 on.

I wish they'd come out with a Creamware ASB type box for this. I think I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
click on this search for OP-X for more posts including video. Don't miss the V-Machine videos below."

"http://www.sonicprojects.ch/

SonicProjects OP-X PRO software synth featuring the Separate Voice Design (SVD) modeling technology compared to an Oberheim OB-X

To verify the showed comparison demos you can download the used patches in fxb bank format here:

Bank for the demo version:
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro/ba...

Bank for the full version:
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro/ba...

Demo version of OP-X PRO:
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/opxpro/de...

You will notice that the sound of course is much better without the youtube compression. If you want to exactly recreate the examples you also need to play the same voices, which can be recognized by their panorama setting

To keep everything uncolored and clean for a real 1:1 comparison the stereo outputs of OB-X were recorded directly to daw using an apogee converter. OP-X PRO was rendered directly to harddisk as well.

Furthermore all voices of OP-X PRO before were calibrated to the exact same settings (pan, filter cutoff) as the corresponding voices (6 as well) in the hardware device. With a few exeptions always the same voices were compared by always starting at the same voice position in the circular allocation, which might sometimes give the impression that the same audio file was used. But if you listen very carefully there still can be noticed tiny differences. OB-X generally is a tad bit slimmer and brighter sounding with more weight in the heights and less in the mids while OP-X PRO is a bit darker and has more weight in the mids.

Separate Voice Design (SVD):
http://www.sonicprojects.ch/obx/separ...

This modeling technology used by OP-X PRO is based on completely independent voices with separate signal path and slightly differend sound, as it is the case too in voltage controlled polyphonic analog synths which in fact are based on separate monosynths that are globally controlled. Other than real synths OP-X PRO allows to globally activate and deactivate the detunings of individual parameter groups on demand as well as fine tuning them for each voice separatly with virtual trimpots. This allows for a wide palette of colors between completely "pissed off" and tight and precise. This allows to recreate the character of different synths or to copy the voice settings and character of one specific device in its current state, as it has been done in this video.

The detunings of the following parameter groups can be independently activated and deactivated as well as tuned in detail per voice:

- oscillator pitch
- filter cutoffs
- filter envelope times
- portamento times

All settings of course can be saved with the preset. Have a look at the video to learn what impact those fine tunings can have on the general character of the sound."

Oberheim OB-X vs. V-Machine (OP-X)


Oberheim Digital: OP-X and V-Machine


"SonicProjects VM Bundle hosted by the SM Pro Audio V-Machine. Playing some presets of OP-X while tweaking parameters with an external controller device.

The masterkeyboard is an EMU X-Board 61 and the controller device a Behringer BCR2000. Both are connected by USB cable to the V-Machine.

Combined with the pre-mapped banks and the custom sysex preset of the included BCR2000 toolkit BCR2000 allows to remotely control every single parameter of OP-X (83 in total).

With MIDI feedback activated in the V-Machine the controls on the BCR automatically update to the settings of the new preset on preset change which allows for value jump free parameter control.

This setup can serve as a complete replacement of a real analog hardware synth offering digital reliability and great transportability without missing the beloved fat and organic sound.

The used presets are:
01 - Jump!
02 - OB-Xa SyncSolo
03 - Shine On Solo
59 - SEM Upsweep
55 - OB Sustained Strings

To know which parameter is mapped to which control the included BCR2000 Toolkit contains handy printable mapping templates."

V-Machine: SonicProjects VM Bundle


"The VM Bundle was exclusively made for the SM Pro Audio V-Machine, the V-Rack and VFX Mac and PC, with a lot of adaptations and optimizations... The Korg DW-8000 is only used as a midi master keyboard. All sounds you can hear is what comes out of the stereo line outputs of the V-Machine, with no further processing. Presets are either switched manually directly on the V-Machine or by midi remote program change from the master keyboard's preset changer."

Stoicism //SIG+/XPO/QPAS/Mimeophon//

video upload by Aleatoric Machine

"A self-playing Eurorack modular synthesizer patch featuring Make Noise’s XPO, QPAS & Mimeophon, and Stochastic Instruments’ Stochastic Inspiration Generator (SIG+). Plus many more modules described below.

Everything you hear in this is coming from a single monophonic sequence from the SIG+ and a single Make Noise XPO. I’m pretty amazed by how much variety of tone and texture can come from this single oscillator, all at the same time. The different waveform outputs are each running through their own VCAs, filters, triggers, and effects, but the melodic content is all the same. I’ll go through the sequencing in a minute, but first I’m going to focus on the audio signal paths.

Overall, the XPO’s L & R modulation are controlled by a triangle LFO coming from Acid Rain’s Maestro.

The first output is the stereo square wave, which goes through QPAS and Mimeophon, then into the mixer. QPAS’s L & R rotation and Q are modulated by two different smooth random waves from ALM’s Pamela’s Pro Workout. Mimeophon’s repeats are modulated by a smooth random wave coming from Maestro. This voice is triggered by a bouncing ball coming from Make Noise’s Maths.

The second output is the mono triangle wave, which first goes through an Intellijel 1U VCA, then uses Intellijel’s 1U pedal I/O to go through a Chase Bliss Mood (repeats tuned up a 5th) and Chase Bliss Dark World, then into the mixer. This voice is triggered by another bouncing ball from another Maths.

The third output is the mono sawtooth wave, which goes through channel one of a Make Noise ModDemix, an Intellijel Morgasmatron (with panning controlled by separate LFOs going to the L & R FM1 inputs - LFO 1 coming from Mutable Instruments’ Tides and LFO 2 coming from Intellijel’s Rubicon 2), then a Happy Nerding FX Aid XL running a flanger algorithm, then into the mixer. This voice is triggered by a repetitive Euclidian rhythm coming from Acid Rain Constellation and Doepfer Dual ADSR.

The last output is the spike wave going through channel two of the ModDemix, a Doepfer Multimode VCF, and Strymon’s Magneto in shift mode, then into the mixer. Magneto’s repeats are modulated by another smooth random wave coming from Maestro. This voice is triggered by a slower Euclidean rhythm coming from Constellation and Make Noise’s Contour.

Each voice goes into Doepfer’s VC Stereo Mixer, which has a built in VCA on each channel. The level of each voice is independently controlled by a separate smooth random wave from Pam, so the mix is constantly evolving. The voltages coming from Pam are further slewed by Mutable Instruments’ Stages, since the smooth random wave from Pam can still have some sharp edges. Then the whole mix goes through a 2HP Verb, with the reverb mix modulated by another smooth random wave from Pam, and finally through Endorphines’ Golden Master, which connects directly to the Intellijel 7U Performance Case’s built in audio outputs.

Now for the melodic content and harmonic structure. This is all driven by Stochastic Instruments’ Stochastic Inspiration Generator (my first patch with it!). This is an incredible module. I won’t go into everything it does, as there are already a couple very helpful videos out there on that, but suffice it to say that it lives up to its name! I’m using multiple channels, each with its own tonality, then cycling through those via an ALM Boss Bow Two switch to determine which channel will control the v/oct pitch of the XPO. The Boss Bow’s channel is control by a sequence coming from another Stages. Channel one is just a low C, to establish the primary key. Channel two randomly selects pitches from a C major chord, with low C in the bass. Channel three selects pitches from an F minor chord, with an occasional 2nd and 4th and a low F in the bass. Channel 4 selects pitches from a D flat major chord, with an occasional 6th and a low D flat in the bass.

I’m not sure if this is indeterminate enough to be considered generative, since the harmonic content is fairly structured, even if the melody, rhythm, and balance of the parts are all random. It’s more, well, aleatoric. I hope you enjoy it (although I realize than if you are into this sort of thing, you are born of a special breed!)."

Ensoniq ESQ-M Sound Module

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. via this auction

"In 1986 Ensoniq released the ESQ-1 synthesizer at a list of $1,395. The ESQ-1 became a big seller and continued the company’s good fortune they had with the Mirage. Due to this success, Ensoniq released the ESQ-M, a rack mount of the ESQ-1 which had all the features of the ESQ-1 except for the sequencer, 5 octave keyboard , and the 80 character display. However the ESQ-M allowed you to set individual volumes for each track (patch) of a mix.

The ESQ-M features eight voice polyphony and is eight part multitimbral with dynamic voice allocation. It can also do basic splits and layers which can be saved as part of a patch and split key is designated by the user. (Very impressive for a synth that was released in 86/87.) The unit features no on-board effects but does allow you program the pan position of a voice and the position may be modulated any modulation source. Also ingenious (other manufacturers please note) is that while you are playing a voice you may change the voice and the original will continue to sound and any new keys will reflected the newly selected voice. While using the unit in full multitimbral operation I did not notice audible delays in the machine’s performance.

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Roland TB-303 Devil Fish w/ MIDI in Aluminum Case

via this auction

"Serial #178, Version v.4.0B

In December 2003 I purchased my very first TB-303 via Peter Forrest’s VEMIA auction, it was immaculate and functionality perfect. In the next couple of years I purchased several TB’s, but it was clear that the first was the nicest, and so, in 2005, I sent it off to Robin Whittle to undergo the Devil Fish treatment.

In a stroke of luck, I happened to be lucky enough to acquire one of the revered and totally gorgeous alu cases that Martin Rothlisberger designed in his spare time and sent this to Australia so that Robin could built the Devilfish into it.

The fitment into the case is a very tricky affair, they are carved from solid blocks of aluminium by a computer, and thus super accurate; the problem lies in the TB itself, which hailing from the 80’s is not so accurate! Some of the potentiometer positions can subtly vary, and there are other pitfalls, for example the wires can get pinched in different places. This TB has been fitted to the highest standards possible. There are crazy aspects to it, like 2 by 2 carbon fibre washers, an even larger capacity lithium battery than the one Robin uses as stock for the bank memory back up and the rear of the case attaches via precision machined titanium bolts. It’s a functioning piece of design / art.

Robin strikes me as the classic genius engineer and in implementing the modification, I guess his priority is in making sure everything works, not necessarily whether it looks beautiful. As a result, I have expertly implemented a host of cosmetic amendments myself to make things like the LED’s shine more attractively, the knobs sit at a comfortable height and, perhaps most practically, I have implemented a delightfully simple but important idea that buffers the main PCB board, in the event that the machine ever falls face flat, which due to the design by Roland, does leave the machine quite susceptible to a cracked PCB. Some of the ideas I have shared with Robin (to his interest!), others I have not as yet, but I suspect he and other TB enthusiasts would find them interesting, if not a touch obsessive :-)

As the numerous pedantic personal touches might indicate, I never foresaw parting with this machine, but am contemplating it primarily for two reasons, I have another Devil Fish (non MIDI version) so I wouldn’t miss this one all that much, principally I am interested to acquire something entirely different for my studio, which would entail raising the necessary funds.

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Linn LM-1 Drum Machine

via this auction

"Linn LM-1 drum machine, serial # 365. These are relatively rare, as only approximately 500+ were ever built. This model was the first commercially-available EPROM-based digital drum machine with 8-bit sampled sounds. Designed by Roger Linn in the late 1970’s, this drum machine holds a place in history, basically laying the foundation for sample-based sounds within popular music. The concept and execution was so popular that it spawned a large number of imitators by Oberheim, Prophet, EMU, Alesis, Kawai, Korg, Roland, et al.

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Oberheim DMX Completely Overhauled, Linn LM1 EPROM, Mods

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"No other DMX is like this. None. It’s a one of a kind, future proofed beast of a drum machine that has been refurbished and modified FULLY for professional studio work. I know the asking price is high, but by the time you read how much work has gone into it you’ll understand why. First of all here is a bullet point breakdown of every enhancement this machine has been bestowed with by a former Oberheim tech:

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NUSofting Strings Dream

You might remember NUSofting from the Broken Drum Machine, daHornet, Groove Analogizer, Harp Time, Peti and more.

"Strings Dream is able to reproduce the infinite array of rich, analogue pads from the most famous strings machines in synthesizer history. Emulate the classic Eminent Solina as well as its sister keyboards from Elka, Crumar and even their Japanese cousins.

"Strings Dream Synthesizer" will be released in May 2009 first as VST plugin and later as AU. Extimated price 89 USD


Nice intro to strings machines features and history Check it out! [excerpt below]
SDS GUI screenshot Check it out!
First beta recording Check it out!"

"'Strings Dream Synthesizer' writings for docs,
2009 Luigi Felici nusofting.com
Edited by Scot Solida and Cj

About Strings Machines.
A remarkable number of musicians recognize the desirable sonic character of “string machines”. String machines were unique to the Seventies and nearly every major manufacturer offered some variation on the theme. ARP’s biggest selling instrument was in fact their Omni, an instrument that combined a string machine with a simple synthesizer. Even Moog got in on the act with their Opus 3.

Just as the Rhodes piano and Hammond organs were intended as portable solutions to musicians who desired the sound of more cumbersome (and expensive) instruments, string machines were seen as the gigging musician’s alternative to the orchestra. Or, at the very least, it was easier to carry around than a Mellotron! Of course, the string machines didn’t sound like an orchestra, but had a character that today’s musicians find quite appealing on its own merits.

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Waldorf Blofeld Synthesizer Desktop Version

via this auction

"Offspring from a noble house - the little synthesizer machine with the big and evil sound.
Waldorf is back in the game. With the Blofeld. This synthesizer offers all the unique qualities that made Waldorf a truly legendary brand.

The engine inside the heavy duty, full metal chassis of the Blofeld delivers the same fat and rich sound that so many Waldorf users worldwide love when they play their Pulse, Q, Q+, Micro Q, Microwave, Microwave II/XT, or even the flagship Wave.

Yes, you've heard it right. The Blofeld is not only capable of producing these warm, organic analog sounds known from the Q synthesizer line, it also sports a wavetable engine like its predecessors with "Wave" in their names.

This unique synthesis system is based upon the revolutionary PPG Wave synthesizers of the early 80s. So when you listen to the Blofeld for the first time, you will instantly recognize those edgy, hard-hitting and bell-like timbres that have been an integral part of so many world hits from the PPG era on, and become increasingly popular once more.

In fact it is amazing to realize that nowadays this complex technology fits into such a slim and elegant device. And for a price no-one would have imagined a couple of years ago.

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Introducing the KORG multi/poly Synthesizer

video upload by Korg

Priced at $899.99 USD. Check with dealers on the right for availability.

"The KORG multi/poly synthesizer, inspired by the legendary Mono/Poly, blends the rich, classic warmth of analog sound with cutting-edge digital flexibility. Powered by KORG's next-generation analog modeling technology, it offers a unique mix-and-match multi-synthesis approach, allowing you to combine parameters from classic analog synths like oscillators, filters, envelopes, and portamentos, providing endless creative possibilities for sound designers and musicians alike.

Its Virtual Voice Cards recreate the nuanced characteristics of analog synths, such as Pitch Drift, while advanced modulation options like Layer Rotate (round-robin with Programs), Kaoss Physics (pad gestures for modulation), and Motion Sequencing 2.0 (complex per-voice motion with multi-lanes) enable deep, immersive sound design. Building on the legacy of the Mono/Poly, the multi/poly delivers big, dynamic sounds with modular-derived experimental features, offering an unmatched sound experience that bridges the best of vintage and modern synthesis, pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration.

Music track featured in this video was created using the multi/poly by Natalie Chami aka TALsounds www.talsounds.com"

KORG MULTIPOLY Review // vs modwave & more // 70 presets // multi/poly tutorial

video upload by loopop





Details follow.
(click the pics for full size shots).

"Amazing analog sounds that only digital can provide

Inspired by the legendary KORG Mono/Poly, the new KORG multi/poly analog modeling synthesizer delivers breathtaking analog sounds combined with extraordinary digital power and flexibility.

The original Mono/Poly boasted an unusually rich sound from its four stacked oscillators, as well as unique, experimental features like flexible x-mod and sync routing and round-robin oscillator triggering. Previously only attainable in large modular systems, the Mono/Poly delivered these features in a compact, user-friendly instrument.

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DK SYNERGY II+ SYNTHESIZER, KAYPRO II & SYNHCS SOFTWARE

synergyII timbres Uploaded on Sep 5, 2010 xenmaster0


s 2 demo 1 441 final 320x240stream Uploaded on Sep 5, 2010 xenmaster0

Warning: this is a long post and can't be paged with the "click for more" link otherwise the videos will not load. Also, no time to parse the entire listing, so everything captured below for the archives.

via this auction

"DIGITAL KEYBOARDS SYNERGY II+

WITH KAYPRO II & SYNHCS 3.182 PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE, 14 FLOPPY DISCS OF SYNERGY TIMBRES, and 3 SYNERGY ROM CARTRIDGES

This is the legendary Synergy synthesizer. It comes with the Kaypro II CP/M computer I bought with the Synergy and the SYNHCS software used to program the Synergy. Three Synergy ROM cartridges are included, WC-1 and WC-2, the Wendy Carlos Voice cartridges 1 and 2, and the VCART 4 cartrdige, along with a null modem cable that you use to connect the Synergy synthesizer with the Kaypro II computer.

Using the Kaypro II computer running the Synergy Host Control System software (SYNHCS), you gain access to the full capabilities of the Synergy synthesizer. With the Kaypro II computer + SYNHCS software, you can program the Synergy synthesizer to generate any kind of sound you can imagine. Then you can save the timbres you create on floppy disk and organize those timbres into banks of sounds, and send them to the Synergy synthesizer. (Originally the Synergy was sold with ROM cartridges but with the Kaypro you don't need 'em because you can send new timbres to the Synergy from the Kaypro. I am, however, also including one original Synergy ROM cartridge.)

You will also get the complete set of 13 Synergy voice library banks on floppy disk, L1 through L13 (on 7 floppy discs) as well as the 6 Synergy VCart voices banks 1 through 6 (6 floppy discs). You also get the WC-1 and WC-2 voice banks on floppy disc. Each synergy ROM cartridge or CRT file holds 24 timbres. So you get the complete set of 20 x 24 voices, or 480 Synergy voice library timbres. This is the complete set of timbres that were offered for the Synergy II+. You also get the Wendy Carlos WC-1 and WC-2 voice cartridges (these are duplicates of the WC-1 and WC-1 voice banks on floppy disc) plus the VCART4 cartridge. The VCART4 cartridge has been disassembled so that you can resolder the socket to use a ZIF (zero insertion force) socket if you prefer, and burn your own ROMs and swap them out in the ZIF socket. I'll include information on how to do that. As a practical matter, the Kaypro II computer can transfer voice files to the Synergy II as fast as swapping out EPROMS, but it's nice to have the ability.

The SYNHCS control program included with this Kaypro is the latest version, from October 11 1985, version 3.182. You can see the version number in one of the photographs of the Kaypro II screen. It's later than the version 3.15 SYNHCS that sold with most Synergy/Kaupro II combos. SYNHCS V 3.182 fromOctober 1985 is the final version of SYNHCS, and includes menu options the earlier SYNHCS didn't have -- the earlier version 3.15 dates from September 1983. This later version October 1985 version 3.182 of SYNHCS has features the earlier SYNHCS didn't have, and it's not generally available. I got it from Stony Stockell. I'm pretty sure that only a handful of other people have this latest final version of SYNHCS from 10/11/85.

There are 18 floppy discs all told: 7 discs containing Synergy voice banks 1 through 13 (2 banks per disc, so 7 discs there total) and Vcarts 1 through 6 (6 discs there) and the Wendy Carlos 1 and 2 Vcarts on a single floppy disc. along with the Kaypro CP/M 2.2 boot disk to boot up the Kaypro II computer and a disc of CP/M utilities, like UNERASE and some other very useful utilities. That makes 16 floppy discs. I've also included a CP/M 2.2G boot disc in case you want to use another model of Kaypro II. The boot discs differed depending on whether your Kaypro II had ROM 81-149C, ROM 81-232, or ROM 81-292. All that is spelled out in detail in one of the information sheets I'm including with this Synergy II+. I'm also including SYNHCS V 3.12, the earliest versionof SYNHCS, in case you pick up another Synergy II with older ROMS.

Some of these Synergy voice banks were designed by Wendy Carlos, and all of 'em sound gorgeous.

The Synergy synthesizer boasts a unique sound, unlike that of any other synthesizer. It can caress your ears with silken delicacy or hammer you with brutal rancor. The Synergy can sound raucous or subtle, and it can change from one to the other as you hit the keyboard harder. There's a reason for this: it has arguably the most complex and sophisticated synthesizer architecture ever created, unparallelled evern today. The Synergy's amplitude envelopes are more complex, its oscillators are arranged in a more sophisticated way, and its advanced features like digital noise source, quasiperiodic vibrato and digital formant filter still have not been fully duplicated by any other digital synthesizer -- even today."

"THE BELL LABS DIGITAL SYNTHESIZER AND THE SYNERGY II+

The Synergy is based on the Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer designed by Hall Alles. The Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer used a remote computer to program the synth, with access by a different kind of port (RS-488 serial port, then common for programming lab equipment over a serial link). The remote computer at Bell Labs had to use software written by the composer (Laurie Spiegel, for example, whowrote programs on a DEC minicomputer in the then-new C programming language to control the Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer) to program the synth. When Digital Keyboards licensed the design of the Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer, they also built an 8-bit microcomputer that could program a version of the Synergy called the GDS.

About 700 Synergy I synths were sold all told, but less than 100 are still working today. A small handful of (I believe no more than 6) GDS systems were built in addition to the originl non-programmable Synergy I synths: GDS stands for "General Development System." These were versions of the Synergy with 16 front-panel digital sliders to control parameters of the synthesizers that hooked up to an associated CP/M computer thta used 8-inch floppy discs. With the GDS, you could program the Synergy and store voices on 8" disk via an S-100 buss CP/M computer based on the Ohio Scientific Challenger. Wendy Carlos bought a Synergy General Development System, Stockell kept one in his basement, Klaus Schulz had one, and someone else reportedly bought one (I don't know who).

When Kaypro started producing the Kaypro II CP/M computer in the early 1980s, Stony Stockell, the lead engineer on the Synergy synthesizer, saw an opportunity to replace the cumbersome General Development System with a cheaper setup for programming timbres on the Synergy, so he hired someone to write the Synergy Host Control Program in Z80 assembly language to program the Synergy using the Kaypro II instead of the S-100 buss IEEE 696 CP/M computer used with the GDS.

The new SYNHCS software was much more straightforward and didn't require any programming on the user's part. The Kaypro II was a standalone computer running CP/M, once again easy to use (unlike the Bell Labs minicomputers, which the user had to program to get anything out of 'em, even to send a note to the synthesizer!) and the Kaypro used a simple null modem cable linked to the RS-232 serial port in the back of the Synergy to program timbres, download and upload voice banks, and control the synthesizer's many subtle functions from the Kaypro.

The general method of programming involves pressing a specific button on the front of the Synergy to access a given function, then typing in a value in the Kaypro II to adjust the synthesizer parameter. Once you get the sound you want, you save it on the Kaypro floppy disk as a single .VCE file. Then you can load the VCE file off the Kaypro floppy disk and send it to the Synergy to recreate that timbre whenever you want. The SYNHCS program lets you arrange timbres defined by VCE files into banks which get saved as a single large files called a .CRT files, so SYNHCS combines the functions of synth programming and a synth librarian (and remember that this was back in 1981-1982!).

There was no such thing as the MIDI protocol when Hal Alles designed the Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer in 1974-1975, and no such thing as a finalized MIDI spec when Stoney Stockell adapted Alles' design into the Synergy in 1978-1980 for Crumar's Digital Keyboards subsidiary.

MIDI became a big deal between 1981 and 1984, so Stockell retrofitted the Synergy synthesizer with an add-on circuit board that added full MIDI in and out capabilities. This was the Serial I/O board, which Crumar sold for owners of the original Synergy I synth to upgrade to a fully programmable Synergy II+ along with the SYNHCS software and the voice library discs and the Kaypro II. These new modified versions of the Synergy were called the Synergy II+. This Synergy II+ of course includes a MIDI IN and OUT port, along with the RS-232 serial port for programming the timbres via the Kaypro computer.

The last and most sophisticated version of the SYNHCS software was version 3.182, which is the version I'm including with this Synergy II+ synthesizer. To quote from the manual PRELIMINARY OPERATION OF THE SYNERGY II WITH COMPUTER, "The SYNHCS version 3.xx significantly extends the capabilities of the Synergy II+ synthesizer even beyond the original General Development System." Yes, this combination of the Kaypro II plus null modem cable plus Synergy II+ plus the final SYNHCS version from 1985 gives you more abilities than Wendy Carlos had when she programmed the Synergy voices for her albums Digital Moonscapes and Beauty In the Beast.

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Machina Bristronica 2024

video uploads by sonicstate

Playlist:

1. Bristronica 24: MyVolts The Silent Alchemist Nears Shipping

We caught up with Caroline who gave us the latest update to the *Silent Alchemist*, a versatile power hub designed for musicians. Featuring five isolated USB-C outputs and a high-wattage sixth output capable of delivering 100 watts, the device can power a Mac with the remaining outputs providing 20 watts each. Its independent circuits ensure noise-free operation, catering to a variety of devices including the Dreadbox module and Sysmo slope generator.

The Silent Alchemist uses innovative step-up power tips to convert USB-C input to the correct voltage for various devices. There's also new feature: an uninterruptible power supply allowing seamless transition between wall and power bank sources. Also introduced were updated cables, such as silver candy cords and floating ring TRS to TS cables, expanding connection flexibility. The Silent Alchemist is expected to be available in December with a competitive pricing strategy.

More Info:
https://myvolts.com/

2. Bristronica 24: Circuit Happy ML2M Clock Sync module updates

At Bristronica 2024, we caught up with the creator of the *ML2M*, who introduced us to the latest version. The ML2M is a compact Eurorack module with Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing seamless synchronization with Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio, and iOS music apps using Ableton Link without the need for cables. It either connects to an existing network or creates its own, ensuring robust sync even in environments with unreliable Wi-Fi. The module, which retains its 2HP size, now features MIDI integration through TRS jacks. Users can access a web interface to configure each output for different clock divisions and reset triggers, making setup straightforward and flexible.

Alongside the ML2M, there's also the Missing Link Junior. This desktop version offers the same functionality but in a box format, complete with MIDI and CV clock outputs. Both products are now accessible, with a starting price of $250.

3. Bristronica 24: Archaea Exchange Patching Module

At Machina Bristronica 2024, we caught up with Arran from ‪@archaea_modular_synthesis‬ who presented the *Exchange Module*. This programmable patcher, a year in the making, evolved from its early prototype stage to a fully functional module. Arran explained how the Exchange can route synth voices via a beam controller and three exchange modules installed within the skiff, allowing for versatile patching. Operating like a matrix patchbay, it enables users to select inputs and outputs with the push of a button, create presets, and chain multiple modules for synchronized patching.

Communication between the modules occurs over the Eurorack power bus as well as over MIDI via the USB-C connection. The Exchange maintains analog integrity, ensuring there’s no conversion latency. The forthcoming release expected in late November 2024, includes a USB-driven editor for enhanced control capabilities.

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New Batch of Synthfest UK 23 Videos

video uploads by sonicstate

Playlist: (you can use the player controls to skip around)

1. Synthfest UK 23: Sequential - Trigon 6 Desktop

At SynthFest UK 2023, we had the opportunity to chat with Chris from Sequential, a part of the Focusrite group. Chris introduced us to the Trigon 6 Desktop, the latest addition to Sequential's synthesizer lineup. This compact desktop version of the Trigon 6 packs a powerful punch, offering three oscillators and a distinctive Dave Smith ladder filter. Designed for those seeking a space-saving solution without compromising on sound quality, the Trigon 6 Desktop retains all the features of its larger sibling, including patch recall, a versatile effects section with various modulation possibilities, and the distinctive feedback control that allows you to sculpt sub-harmonic richness.

Trigon 6 Desktop Price: $2,499

https://www.sequential.com/

2. Synthfest UK 2023: Calc And the Prophet X

At Synthfest UK 2023, we caught up with Calc from Sequential, and he gave us the lowdown on the Prophet X. Now, you might be thinking, Prophet X? Haven't we seen that before? Well, you're right, but this hybrid instrument has been quietly making waves in the music world. It combines digital and analog elements, with digital oscillators and a unique twist in the form of multi-sample-based instruments. Yes, you heard that right, it's not just your run-of-the-mill synth; it's a full-on sampler too, boasting an impressive 50 gigabytes of memory for your custom samples. You can treat it like a rompler, a sample player, or even use those samples as oscillators, creating a whole new realm of sonic possibilities.

Plus, it's packed with stereo goodness, allowing you to explore a wide soundstage with ease. It's not your typical synth, and that's what makes its a favourute of Calc's

Looking for some more info on the Prophet X? Check out Sequential's official page: www.sequential.com/prophet-x/

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