"Quite rare italian polyphonic keyboard with 4 sounds: cello, violin, piano and harpsichord.
Very simple design and yet very nice sounding. Check the demo I made.
You can mute evey section with its dedicated switch and you have control over individual volumes, as well as "sustain" for the string presets and "decay" for the keyboard presets.
Inside there is of course a BBD based chorus, using classic TCA350Y chipsets, like many famous string synth: Eminent Solina, Logan/Hohner String Melody, Elka Rhapsody etc
Like on the Elka Rhapsody it's only a double chorus, not a triple one, so string sound is not as lush as on the Solina or Logan. But these strings sounds very nice, better IMO then the Elka.
Check the video I made with a similar unit.
There are also seperate outputs for both sections. I also added a dry output (without the ensemble effect) for the string section so you could use external ensemble effect like the Wersi Wersivoice or any fx.
And furthermore the instrument is quite compact and leightweight (13.5 kilos) for a string synth, which makes a great live performer."
"This song, titled 'Vieni Uomo,' is inspired by the Italo disco dance music of the 1980s.
This piece was actually recorded using some analog electronic synthesizers and string machines from the 1980s, such as the Crumar Bit99, Crumar Multiman-S, and Solton Programmer 24. The vocal part also features a barely audible Hammond organ background. This part is played along with the String Machine connected to an analog phaser. Other synthesizers I used include the Prophet 6 and the Korg Prologue 16 for some solo parts. For the vocal part, I used the full analog GRP V22 vocoder, which is truly fantastic.
For the drum machine, I used a vintage Dynacord P20-8 bit from the 1980s.
I also used an Oberheim OB-X8 to create an adaptation break before the vocoder part.
This song truly evokes 1980s Italo Disco music, and the sound is typical of that genre.
I'll post a later video detailing the recording process for this song, track by track.
The song is scheduled for release on major streaming platforms on December 3, 2025."
"Russian synths are awful and making terrible harsh and strange sounds?
If you think so, then this will surprise everyone who is familiar with those synths. This is really fat, warm, beautiful sounding real analog, preset string machine.
It's a string machine with 5 preset sounds: Piano, clavesin/Harpsichord, Alto, Violin and Brass.
Alto and Violin are exactly same sound but violin is one octave higher than alto, so you can make "string orchestra" sound.
Mainly I discovered this to be like Crumar Orchestrator/Multiman-s clone. Piano and clavesin/harpsichords are pretty identical sounding, but... Strings aren't typical "Italic" sounding which can be found on all crumar and some others string machines, Neither european (solina) or american (Moog opus) sounding.
They are Unique! They are Fat! They are Warm! They are very beautiful sounding strings. Well... comparing to others, solina is the closest sound to it.
Brass is also pretty identical to Crumar Orchestrator, but it have identical filter from Crumar Performer (very weak resonance). Too bad because in orchestrator it could make such a great sweeps, but this cannot do same. But the cutoff is powerful.
Also, this string machine isn't commonly available. I don't know how many was produced, but the original retail price was $1500!!! So maybe this is indeed very rare, uncommon at least. These were made about in middle or end of 80's.
See these virtual soundsheet of Crumar Orchestrator and peformer. The sounds of Orchestrator's piano and clavesin/harpsichord and brass is identical to this TOM-1501. And the filter from Crumar performer is also identical."
"Quite uncommon analog string synth/piano here. It’s the Univox branded version of the original Crumar Multiman (pre-S model).
Great brass sound with adjustable ADSR/filter, piano, clav, violin, cello. All sounds can be individually volume adjusted and split on one or both sides of the keyboard.
DISCLOSURE: I sold this once, and purchaser decided they didn’t like it, said they thought volume levels of some settings were uneven. They shipped it back loose in a box with no packing and it had a hard ride. High F key was broken off, several slider knobs were crushed and switches dislodged. Switches and keys have since been fixed (bottom of key has a chip out of it, and slider knobs are unobtainable). It sounds good, exactly like the attached video. It’s an unrestored vintage string synth that will arrive exactly like you hear and see in pictures, no more or less."
"This is the rarest first version of the amazing sounding Crumar Multiman.
The main difference beetween this first version and the second version Multiman S is the possibility to use SUSTAIN on Piano/Clavi sounds (which is not possibile on the second version... Strangely)
For that reason, being a keyboard player, i consider this first version more appealing to play then the Multiman S.
Sonically are identical.
It comes with its original Crumar Pedal
FULLY SERVICED by pro tecnician
100% Perfectly working conditions
Very good aestetics conditions for its age (tiny little marks and scretches around and on some keys)"
"View the attached video to hear this exact synth in use!
Quite uncommon analog string synth/piano here. It’s the Univox branded version of the original Crumar Multiman (pre-S model).
Great brass sound with adjustable ADSR/filter, piano, clav, violin, cello. All sounds can be individually volume adjusted and split on one or both sides of the keyboard, pretty rad!"
"The Hohner String Performer was one of the very last effort to release a string synth, in the early 80s I think. This was the only one genuinely manufactured by Hohner. The early ones like the String Melody, StringVox or String Orchestra were italian rebadged ones. The Performer features 3 strings presets, 1 piano, 1 harpsichord, 1 bass (only on the left part of the keyboard) and a monophonic 'solo' section on the right part of the keyboard only. Just like other 'orchestral' synths like the Crumar Orchestrator/Multiman or the Elka Rhapsody 610 you have individual volume faders for each sound on each side as well as a mute switch per section. The 'bass' preset overides everything on the left part of the keyboard when selected. Overall this is one of the most refined string sound you can get, very polished, maybe too polished for some. I like it a lot, I find it very cinematographic. The solo section is not very interesting in its own but when layered with the strings it adds a very nice lead touch. The instrument features 3x seperate outputs in top of the general output, and jack input for piano/harpsichord sustain pedal and a volume pedal. There were 2 revisions made to this instrument, and the only difference is the power supply. The most common you will find is this one and it uses an external power supply (18v DC but you can use anything between 15 and 24 since this supply gets regulated inside the synth). The second one has a built in 230v power supply and you can easily recognized it because it has a red translucent on/off switch. The builtin power supply probably lowers the tendency to hum and magnetic interference you get with the first one, which can be quite picky on the power adapter you use. But I never had a second version at hand to compare to the first one so i can't be sure.
TECH TIPS: This is the 5th String Performer I serviced and though they had all different issues one common issue it that they ALL had cracks on one or more PCB, leadind in cut traces. The design of the instrument is clever but not sturdy enough. The case is very well built and solid and it's very hard to seriously damage it. But all the 12 oscillators and filter PCBs are socketed to the motherboard which is underneath the keys, and are screwed to a hinge that tends to get bent when the instrument is subject to violent transport, so the pcbs bend too and crack. This result usually in some mute notes on all poly section (just like if a divider has died) or on some section only, and very often the solo is also dead because of a cracked pcb. This is one of the synth I would advice not to have shipped, the chances to receive a 100% working instrument is closed to null."
"One of the rarer string machines, the Orchestrator 2 is the updated version of the much loved Multiman-S / Orchestrator. It has the same lush strings and brass but more parameter control and the addition of a “poly” section which generates sounds that track more as “synth” than string machine. This one is in excellent condition and just got an overhaul from our in-house techs and so is working perfectly."
00:00 Opening Titles 00:32 Introduction 01:19 Little Black Boxes 04:41 Switched On Cybersynths 17:31 Synthesiser Club 20:38 Commercial Break 23:02 Patching Today 37:24 Video Lab 41:15 Outro
LITTLE BLACK BOXES - The Korg Wavestation was released in 1990. This rack mount module version, called the Wavestation A/D, was released in 1991
SWITCHED ON CYBERSYNTHS - Ramdomness Tamed. A look at the EMS Random Voltage Generator and the Buchla 200 version of the Magnetic Freak Gaussian module
SYNTHESISER CLUB - Today, its Club Crumar! Featuring the DS2, the Multiman Mk2 and the Synergy digital system
COMMERCIAL BREAK - Some adverts for Memetune related goodies
PATCHING TODAY - on the Buchla 100 - trying to tame the beast!
VIDEO LAB - In this episode we look at some SFX shots and the Ultimatte chromakey system
The MemeTune Programme Credits: Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge) All music, design, writing, filming and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2024
"The Crumar Multiman S (Orchestrator) is one of those classic multi instruments of the 70s. 4 sections: bass / brass / piano / strings Each section (except for the bass) can be assigned left or right of the keyboard with dedicated volume faders and mute switchs. Brass has a Moog inspired ladder filter with simple AD enveloppe and cutoff and resonance control (resonance can get wild if you want to). Strings are composed of Viola and Violins, with timbre adjust. It uses a triple chorus based on the TCA350Y BBD chipsets, basically the same as the Eminent String Ensemble. You have control over the release of the strings (called "sustain" on the panel). This also control the release of the Brass sound. Piano section consists of Piano and Harpsichord sound. You can control the sustain (again it's the release actually) with a pedal only. Without a pedal plugged in the release is always at its maximum. And the release is common to the bass sound, which by the way sound huge. And to finish you have a vibrato that affects all the section."
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"Here's another Crumar Multiman S3 at last. There's a bit of rust on the panel, but that's a common issue for all Crumars from these years. This is a Multiman S3, a model that's almost impossible to find with a nearly unique sound. CEM chips. It's not just a string machine like the S2 and S models, but it has a unique polyphonic synth section, and the sound is amazing. Phaser, onboard LFO!! Everything works perfectly, it just has cosmetic issues."
"Ultrarare Crumar Multiman S3. This is a wonderful machine with a more than inimitable sound. String section, synth section, bass section, piano section, effects section, pipe section, a real pleasure. String and polysynth to be the envy of arp solina !! very good conditions, perfect functional condition. State-of-the-art synthetic stringmachine
beautifully fat sound.
Just overhauled and fully functional.
Original leather semirigid bag in overall good conditions included."
"This one even more with a rare MOD installed on it which let you control the Bass/Piano/Clav Sustain for a punchier and angry sound! ( for the Original sound behavior just rotate the additional knob fully clockwise)"
"Two lovely string machines steps into the ring - ready to rumble.
The energy bill is here and it's steep.
We need cash badly so we're squaring these two off to see which one we can part ways with.
It's a tough choice but there can be only one.
The machines differ a bit in layout and controls:
The Performer sports a 4 octave keyboard compared to the Multimans 5 octaves.
It's also a bit more simple, it lacks a few filter controls in the brass section and the string section has constant chorus.
It still sounds great though, and it's a lot lighter than the Multiman - all of which are surprisingly heavy.
Have a look and listen - let yourself be heard in the comment section - which one would you keep?"
"This is Beautiful and Very Rare, Collectable CRUMAR Multiman MK-1
First Generation Analog Polyphonic Synthesizer/Organ/String/Brass Machine.
61-Key Keyboard.
1977 Made in ITALY
"Quite rare italian polyphonic keyboard with 4 sounds: cello, violin, piano and harpsichord.
