"A 3-cabinet authentic, period correct all RA Moog modules system that dates from 1968.
This instrument forms a part of the RL Music Vintage Synthesizer Collection. We have managed to keep some of the very best examples of Vintage Synthesizers that have come through our business over the last 22 years which we kept for our pleasure and interest. Whilst having a privileged position as a specialist dealer in this genre of equipment, we managed to hang on to particular instruments that were interesting and inspiring. The RA Moog Modular IIIC is one of 40 instruments we have, but is the oldest and most historically important.
"Electronic Beats returns with another Tech Talk, this time we took a trip to Paris to visit the studio of Pascal Arbez aka Vitalic / Dima. Pascal initially began his career on French Techno label Choice under his Dima alias, releasing a series of original works as well as remixing the likes of Daft Punk, Björk, Royksopp and Paul Kalkbrenner, a striking sign of his ability to craft greatness in the studio.
He went on to then launch his alter-ego Vitalic and released numerous albums and EP’s for Different/[PIAS] Recordings as well as material for Jennifer Cardini’s Correspondant, his ‘Poney’ EP on DJ Hell’s Gigolo Records and of course his own Citizen Records imprint.
Vitalic also forms the duo KOMPROMAT with Rebeka Warrior (ex Sexy Sushi), is currently celebrating twenty years of his career and the release of his fifth album DISSIDÆNCE. We took a trip to find out what keeps this powerhouse producer stirring after decades in the game and discover all of the machines and technologies that were used to create his impressive and extensive back catalogue and his new album 'Dissidaence'."
00:00 Opening Titles
00:17 Introduction
01:27 Switched On 80s
16:14 Synthesiser Club
19:48 Commercial Break
23:57 Patching Today
35:04 Little Black Boxes
38:53 Video Lab
44:22 Outro
SWITCHED ON 80s - This third series takes an in-depth look into six classic 80s synthesisers, selected because of their interesting and unique attributes
SYNTHESISER CLUB - A short musical demonstration of a synthesiser classic or three, concentrating on 'families' of synths
COMMERCIAL BREAK - Some shameless Memetune shilling
PATCHING TODAY - A deep-dive into vintage modular systems and how to set up a patch on them, starting from scratch, this time using Cybersynthesis techniques to bring an element of surprise to the patches
LITTLE BLACK BOXES - A further look at some classic rack mount studio gear of the 80s and 90s
VIDEO LAB - A look at old video equipment and how to create experimental visuals, concentrating on a specific device in each episode
SWITCHED ON 80s - A detailed presentation on FM synthesis and its history, looking at the DK Synergy (as used on the Tron soundtrack), but mainly the Yamaha DX series of synths
Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.
VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.
"1950s Vintage Gibson Clavioline w/Tube Amplifier / Speaker / Case & Tripod Stand
The Gibson Clavioline is a single manual mini-key piano attachment with a tube preamp and amplifier, made from about 1934-1965. The sound made famous in Telstar and in The Beatles' 'Baby I'm A Rich Man', it uses a basic square wave.
The original design was by Constant Martin in France, and many companies licensed it. Selmer were perhaps the most famous maker in the UK, but Jorgensen in Germany was another, and Gibson in the US. The common design feature was a metal-cased keyboard, complete with internal tube tone-forming circuitry. The case attached by metal sliders to rails that could be screwed to the underside of your piano keyboard - or you could use the Clavioline as a stand-alone instrument on a metal stand. There is a Set of rocker switches underneath the keyboard for tone choice. The tube amplifier and speaker are in a case, which the Clavioline keyboard folds into for transport.
Although the tone is quite variable, the sound is distinctive, and instantly recognizable, due mainly to the simple envelope employed - and maybe also to its monophonic nature, which somehow gave melodies a different feel from exactly the same line played on an organ. It may be the glitches which provide its charm. Gibson licensed the Clavioline design from Constant Martin and made the American Clavioline version in 1954. Al Kooper plays one on BS&T's first album, Child is Father to the Man, and I think the specific tune is 'Meagan's Gypsy Eyes.' Also used on 'Sweet Pea' by Tommy Roe, 'Just a Mirage', Tommy James, and Del Shannon's 'Runaway'. A really cool instrument, it's the big brother to the Clavioline used on 'Telstar'.
Good condition, functional but has issues. Powers up, although the power light on the amplifier does not light. Keys play, but seem to just play one pitch, with a variable pitch underneath, and a quavering quality. The tone switches do change the sound, volume control works, and the octave switch works.
Includes the tube amplifier / speaker, which forms the case that holds the Clavioline, the Clavioline keyboard, 3-legged tripod stand, and power cable with split-off multi-pin cable that powers the Clavioline. Also has the service manual (which appears to be original). And includes the expression knee-lever, which is integral to the sound of the Clavioline.
Full pictures are here, along with a video of the instrument being played:
Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.
VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.
"Very good condition Prophet VS + its very rare original memory Cartridge. This one model is truly in a very very good cosmetic shape as shown on pictures. This prophet VS was serviced in 2018 and works fine thanks to a new bright OLED display, new CEM5530's, new Data Entry Slider, some new switches, ... The Prophet VS is a true 'classic-hybrid' of the early nineties with a very unique sound signature. This synth was the original Sequential's venture into the digital era, combining through vector synthesis, 127 digital wave forms with the famous analog filters and envelopes of the prophet 5 legacy. Add to this excellent recipe, a 'sequencer' allowing to combine and or record the 4 oscillators/wave forms and mix them in real-time with the joystick and you get into seriously creative avenues. The result is a wonderful instrument, covering with ease a vast sonic territory, and allowing to reach both very warm analog sounds, evolving pads and landscapes, as well as very rich metallic and bell-like sounds."
"Poly patch on a fully blue lantern modules Mu format system. I use (4) Phrogs filters, (4) VCO's, and a Yarns midi to cv. The fx are done using external behringer racks, connected to the soon to be released 4 channel Mu Mixer. Phrogs analog filter has an on board simple decay envelope generator, and a vca. You can easily make a poly patch. External modules used for control: BLM Active Multiple, BLM Joy rider Euro Format Joystick, and BLM MegaClite Digital LFO.
Low Pass filter output is demonstrated.
Each voice was panned left or right. This is done on the up coming Mu format 4 channel stereo mixer. One the lower (bass) voice, I added a Mu Format ADSR. Gate was daisy chained through the ADSR and into the Phrog's trigger input. In the video it has a large green square led."
Mu Format Phrogs Analog VCF 4 Voice Poly Patch. High Pass saga.
"High Pass output is demonstrated. Filter output mixing: band pass, high Pass, low pass is also used.
Each voice was panned left or right. This is done on the up coming Mu format 4 channel stereo mixer."
"I use (2) VCO's to demonstrate CV's and the two sync's. An Mu Format ADSR was used for the sync. It has the square green led. The output was patched through the Mu Format 4 channel mixer. There are AC capacitors on the Mixer, this gives some slew to the wave forms. You can see the slew on the scope.You can't hear this distortion by ear to the waveform. Just about all audio gear has AC coupling, no big deal."
"Here's me going through all the screens and controls of #Yamaha's #AN-X synth engine (found in the Montage M #synthesizer keyboard). So if you found yourself asking "can I fold that slightly beveled saw wave there?" recently, you will find answers here. Table of contents:
00:00 intended audience for this video 00:47 user interface basics 01:43 create a new patch 02:16 AN-X architecture 02:42 basic wave forms 03:12 wave shaping 04:09 fm and ring modulation 04:56 pulse width modulation (pwm) 05:31 oscillator sync 06:17 noise 06:47 wave folding 08:25 filters 10:12 filter envelope, lfo, drive, velocity 11:39 amplitude envelopes, lfo and panning 12:30 global effects send 12:57 pitch envelope and lfo, portamento 14:30 modulator modulation 15:03 per-voice effects 15:50 global effects 16:41 per-voice equalizer 17:04 motion sequencer 18:58 polyphonic aftertouch (poly at) 20:24 oscillator drift, aging and spreading 22:01 my thoughts on the AN-X engine 23:22 some favourite sounds (23:53, 24:24, 24:55, 25:26, 25:45, 26:22, 26:53, 27:22, 27:53, 28:17) 28:48 do the youtube thing!
"This synthesizer is the world's first programmable music synthesizer. The first piece of electronic music to win the Pulitzer Prize was made on it.
basically a two voice synthesizer with tone generation and composing in the left hand side and processing on the right hand side, including manual binary for the, uh, ordering of the effects processes. Um, which for its time, uh, essentially like a uh, touring computer. Um, uh, was it You know, one and a half tons, seven feet tall, 14 feet wide, it's quite a behemoth, but now it's a very large paperweight.
Watch the full video:" [The above comes in at 22:41 - vintage Buchla, Serge & more follow. See this post for the red Buchla LSD module]
How Technology is Changing the Way We Make Music | A Conversation with Seth Cluett
"Guest: Seth Cluett, Director of Columbia University’s Computer Music Center | On LinkedIn: / seth-cluett-7631065 | Columbia University Computer Music Center Bio: https://cmc.music.columbia.edu/bios/s...
Host: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/
Show Notes
Music and technology have always shaped each other, and few places embody that relationship as deeply as the Computer Music Center (CMC) at Columbia University. In this episode of Music Evolves, Sean Martin sits down with Seth Cluett, Director of the Computer Music Center and Assistant Director of the Sound Art MFA program at Columbia, to explore the center’s rich history, its role in advancing music technology, and how it continues to shape the future of sound.
The Legacy and Mission of the Computer Music Center
The CMC is housed in the same 6,000-square-foot space as the original Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, which dates back to 1951 and is one of the world’s oldest university-based electronic music research facilities. This was the birthplace of early electronic music, where pioneers learned to use cutting-edge technology to create new sounds. Many of those musicians went on to establish their own studios around the world, from Egypt to Japan.
The center has played a role in major milestones in music history, including the work of Wendy Carlos, a former student known for Switched-On Bach, the score for Tron, and The Shining. The first piece of electronic music to win a Pulitzer Prize was also composed here. Today, under Cluett’s leadership, the focus remains on creativity-driven technological innovation—allowing composers and artists to explore technology freely and push the boundaries of what’s possible in sound and music.
One of the center’s guiding principles is accessibility. Cluett emphasizes the importance of lowering barriers to entry for students who may not have had prior access to music technology. The goal is to make sure that anyone, regardless of background, can walk into the studio and begin working with 80% of its capabilities within the first 20 minutes.
Exploring the Labs and Studios
The episode also includes a tour of the labs and studios, showcasing some of the center’s groundbreaking equipment. One highlight is the RCA Mark II Synthesizer, the world’s first programmable music synthesizer. Built in the late 1950s, this massive machine—seven feet tall and weighing over a ton—was instrumental in shaping the sound of early electronic music. The system worked by punching holes into paper to control sound generation, similar to a player piano. While no longer in use, the CMC has collaborated with iZotope to model some of its effects digitally.
Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.
VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.
"The Bit-01 is a 6-voice programmable polyphonic analog synthesizer with digital control developed by Crumar. It is essentially a rackmount version of the Bit-99 keyboard synthesizer. It has two analog oscillators per voice that are digitally stabilized and controlled. Also on-board are resonant filters, ADSR envelopes and two LFOs. Fairly easy hands-on editing and a layer/split function make this a very useable poly-synth! The MIDI implementation is basic but useable and there are 99 memory patches. The Bit-01 is well suited for studio use and in all forms of electronic music."
Immerse yourself in a groundbreaking tool designed for creators of ambient, experimental, contemporary music, IDM, and electronica. This Max for Live generative sequencer fuses historical depth with cutting-edge technology, offering a unique journey through time and sound.
Historical Roots, Modern Expression
Developed over a year of intensive research, this device draws from a rich tapestry of medieval chant manuscripts and the intricate patterns of neume notation. Delve into the essence of the Church’s eight modes, enriched with the proto-characteristics of Ionian and Aeolian modes—foretelling the rise of major and minor tonalities.
Infinite Melodic Possibilities
Let the sequencer generate melodies imbued with the organic flow and spiritual resonance of early music, now reimagined for contemporary creativity. Whether sculpting ethereal soundscapes or exploring experimental forms, this device breathes new life into your compositions.
Perfect for music creators exploring:
Ambient soundscapes
Modern classical compositions
Cinematic scores
Experimental electronic productions
Key Features:
1. Generate infinite variations of church-mode-inspired melodies.
2. Adjustable parameters for rhythm, tonal center, and mode.
3. Seamless integration with Ableton Live workflows.
4. Transport your music into a realm of timeless spirituality and creativity."
"16 tracks with a huge amount of machines to choose from, 808 ish, fm style, physical modeling, rompler ish, raw wave forms, controller tracks that can affect other things—not to mention the ram and rom machines for samples and live sampling manipulation.
I had both this and an octatrack for a while and used this for live sampling because it was way faster and straightforward honestly love the sampling philosophy of this machine."
"This video is just a little taste of what these two awesome instruments can do together.
The Wing Pinger is a cool new analog music instrument that lets you blend melody and noise in perfect harmony.
The original Gibber device was created by Rob Hordijk and Biyi Amez in 2020, when the usual activities at Hordijk Mansions in The Hague were put on hold because of the pandemic lockdown. Biyi, Rob's friend, assistant, and protégé, found a rare and outdated computer voice chip and had the idea to turn it into a synthesizer. Rob was intrigued, and in the following weeks, The Gibber was born.
The 'I'm Gibber' is a generative/self-playing device that can also be somewhat controlled by the user. It's based on Rob's "Rungler," a digital shift register that feeds back into itself. This setup makes the voice chip continuously produce a stream of phonemes, vowels, plosives, and syllables from the English language, but they’re all jumbled together in a stream that never quite forms recognizable language or meaning.
If you're interested in buying an 'I'm Gibber V3,' just shoot an email to biyiblip@gmail.com. Limited units available, so grab one before it's gone forever!
"I've decided to take an existing piece of music, my Music for an Imaginary Driving Game, which I've published a few times in different forms, most recently for dual SIDs, I'll link to that video, and enhance it with real guitar and realistic drums.
"I've just received these in the post this morning. I was unable to make edits to Tolaemon's 'nano SwinSID b' design and so I made a new board design using the SwinSID schematic. This is a demo, (apart from the looks, and easier manufacture for me, they're the same as the nano SwinSID b) https://peacockmedia.software/midisid"
Knob-For-Knob Functionality We at Artium Instruments are committed to knob-for-knob functionality. Every feature of The Swarm is directly mapped to a knob, button, switch, or jack, ensuring effortless control. There's no need for menu-diving or complicated sequences of button presses to access features; everything is conveniently accessible at your fingertips. Curated, Onboard Effects With over a decade of experience in the effects industry, we have carefully curated a selection of effects that seamlessly complement the synth core. Unique to The Swarm is its capability to use the onboard effects with other equipment, allowing you to route external audio through the inputs on the back. Plug and Play Functionality The Swarm utilizes a USB-C MIDI host for simplicity and ease of use. Most modern class-compliant MIDI controllers with USB functionality should plug in and work immediately with zero setup. Additionally, The Swarm provides power to your controller, streamlining your setup process. For older controllers that only have DIN connections, a USB to DIN converter can be used to ensure compatibility. (These converters typically cost $10-20) Quality Craftsmanship, Intentional Design We've invested considerable thought into crafting the overall feel of the instrument. From the layout of the knobs to the choice of colors, artwork, and the weight of the enclosure, every detail has been considered. These details matter to us because we recognize that the connection a user forms with a piece of gear is almost as crucial in the creative process as the sounds it produces. We hope you can feel the love and passion we've poured into every aspect of The Swarm, from its sonic capabilities to its design aesthetics. Open Source Platform Artium desktop synths use an open source platform known as Axoloti or Ksoloti for development and implementation of its products. Click here for details on the open source platform being used.
SYNTH CORE
Oscillator The Swarm features a SuperSaw oscillator with 8-note polyphony. This oscillator is composed of seven individual saw waves stacked on top of each other. The magic unfolds when you detune the waveforms by applying a frequency offset, resulting in one of the most massive synth sounds available.
"Oracle is a 66hp stereo desktop instrument that seamlessly integrates Clanks selection of eurorack modules:
Standard ORACLE system comes with:
#Thererec - Sketchable dual-function generator
#chaos - Six channel aleatoric brain
#Proteo - Shapeshifting stereo oscillator
#Axis - 3dimensions amplitude manager
#Blank - 14hp 'brekable' blank
#Endline - End of chain output
Powered case 66hp 3U, silver tolex color, Padouk sides
external 30w AC-DC adapter
15 Clank Eurorack Cable
Custom travel bag to carry the system and the accessories
The Plus version comes with an additional Proteo oscillator, which enhances the device's sound capabilities. Instead of a 14hp blank, it includes a 2hp blank.
"SABOTAGE is a unique Max For Live device made by YRAKI that redefines the role of master tempo in music production.
While traditional sequencers are typically governed by a fixed master tempo, SABOTAGE is engineered to disrupt and transform that tempo, encouraging the exploration of less conventional methods and new forms of musical expression.
While automating master tempo in Ableton has been possible before, SABOTAGE expands this concept by providing more flexibility. It includes adjustable tempo ranges that allow for precise control over tempo shifts.
Users can choose from two sequencing modes: AUTO, which syncs with Ableton’s transport, and MIDI, which triggers tempo changes through incoming MIDI notes. Additionally, you can adjust the probability of tempo shifts and use features like deviation and interpolation for more refined and nuanced tempo changes.
One of the device’s unique features is its quantization mode. When enabled, this mode snaps tempo values to the closest musical division of the initial BPM. This ensures that tempo variations remain rhythmically coherent.
In essence, SABOTAGE transforms the BPM from a fixed parameter into a flexible, evolving element.
It’s like producing on the grid – but with a grid that’s constantly morphing.
With SABOTAGE, the BPM is no longer a constant – it’s a creative tool.
"Get Soundtoys PhaseMistress FREE through November 15. Sign up now to get rich phase sweeps, analog vibe, and programmable rhythmic modulation – a $99 value!
"Soundtoys plug-ins have expertly designed interfaces and presets that get great sounds quickly – and there’s even more power beneath the surface. Open up the Tweak menus and find unique ways to manipulate audio and loads of creative inspiration. In this video, we dive into the hidden depths of PhaseMistress to show how this versatile phaser can add excitement to simple drum loops, and sculpt or completely transform them using saturation, modulation, and intense resonance."
Hidden Depths: Using Soundtoys PhaseMistress to Create Ear Candy
video upload by soundtoys
"With intuitive interfaces and quickly accessible presets, it’s almost easy to forget how much power lies beneath the surface of a Soundtoys plug-in. Let’s dive into the hidden depths of these audio effects and discover new ways to manipulate music and stay inspired. In this video, we turn PhaseMistress into a sci-fi tone generator. Then we use Soundtoys EffectRack to supercharge PhaseMistress and create a lush, synth soundscape."
PhaseMistress - Navigating Sounds, Stereo Movement & Spatial Tricks
"A deeper dive into PhaseMistress for getting new sounds, quickly creating stereo movement, and a spatial panning filter trick. Get more out of PhaseMistress, and find new directions for your mixes."
See What the Free Soundtoys Phase Mistress Can Do - Presentation
video upload by sonicstate
"We spend some of quality time with Mitch from @soundtoys who gives us a taste of what the FREE Phase Mistress stereo Phaser plug-in can do. Which is not only limited to actual phasing, but a whole of ot creative processing too.
Available for free from November 1st through 15th from Soundtoys.com
Get yours now.. https://forms.soundtoys.com/#/free-ph...
Key Moments:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:53 Free Phase Mistress Plug-in Announcement
00:03:01 Demonstrating Phase Mistress Capabilities
00:04:52 Exploring Presets and Customization
00:08:52 Phase Mistress in Effect Rack
00:12:23 Stereo Motion and Analog Styles
00:21:27 Black Friday Deals and Trial Offers
00:21:56 Upcoming Soundtoys Products and Conclusion"
Press release follows:
November 1, 2024 (BURLINGTON, VT) – Soundtoys PhaseMistress is FREE through November 15 at soundtoys.com (a $99 value). This full-featured and powerful plug-in gives you rich phase sweeps, analog vibes, and programmable rhythmic modulation. Sign up to claim this offer.
“When we designed PhaseMistress, we were inspired by the sound of classic analog phase-shifters of the 1970s and 80s, but I think we ended up re-inventing the effect,” said Ken
Bogdanowicz, CEO and lead designer at Soundtoys.
“By combining a super flexible phase-shifting engine with a powerful modulation system we transformed a stock effect into something totally new and wonderful. We’re still discovering new sounds and new ways to use PhaseMistress.”
PhaseMistress puts you in control of all aspects of the phaser sound. Y ou can set the number of stages from 2 up to a wild 24, then fine-tune and offset the resonance, color, and intensity to craft unique phase-shifting styles.
PhaseMistress contains a customizable LFO with preset shapes, or you can draw your own and store it. Plus, you can draw your custom curves in the T weak panel. Rhythm mode lets you program and store simple or complex patterns, while in Envelope mode, PhaseMistress responds to the dynamics of the incoming audio for funky triggered effects.
“I like the animation of sound that’s possible with PhaseMistress. The LFO, Envelope Follower, and Rhythm mode became essential as percussion modeling effects. Y ou can completely crush drum sounds and get some really odd phase-shifting sound effects.” – Richard Divine (artist, producer, sound designer)
Open PhaseMistress’s Style menu to browse an extensive set of styles that give you the sonic flavor of legendary hardware like the Bi-Phase, Super Phaser, Phase 90, Instant Phaser, Small Stone, and more. These retro analog sounds combined with modern controls and customizable LFO make PhaseMistress one of the most powerful phase effects available.
Users who download the free PhaseMistress plug-in will get a discounted upgrade offer in their Soundtoys account to trade up their PhaseMistress license to the Soundtoys 5 bundle. And with the Soundtoys Black Friday sale starting soon, that deal will get even sweeter.
