Sequentix Cirklon 2, Minimoog, Prophet 12, SX-240, Nord Drum 2 IDM electronic track

video upload by MIDERA

"I've been trying to see what sequencers to keep. Obviously the Spectralis stays, but I kept running into roadblocks with the Cirklon so it was something I needed to write a track with. I did the same with the Squarp Pyramid, but I got stuck working through it. I'm starting to get the hang of the Cirklon though. Although it does often take a few extra button presses to do things I think should be easy, I've figured out other ways to do what I want too. I'll try again with the Pyramid, but most likely that one will be going away.

Sequentix Cirklon 2 - sequencing
Moog Minimoog - bass
DSI Prophet 12 - bell/synth tone
Kawai SX-240 - pads
Clavia Nord Drum 2 - drums
Native Instruments Raum for reverb"

Roland Jupiter 6 lush pads and Rhodes Piano soundscape

video upload by MIDERA

"I'm convinced the Kawai SX-240 should go, if only because I can trade for something else (Yamaha CP-70b?). But what can take its place that's already here? The Jupiter 6? The Prophet 10? The Prophet VS? They're all similar, but different. Guess that's why I stupidly have so much stuff. I can hear interesting tones from one that I can't hear in another. They're all interesting.

The Jupiter 6 surprised me here. I have learned some tricks about keeping the filter from sounding so harsh, and I think that's helped. It's for sure an unusual synth - and not entirely my favorite. In fact, I'd say generally the SX-240 sounds better (and looks better). I think the SSM2044 filters really make that synth shine, and nothing I have is like that. The Polysix had these filters but it never sounded as good. I think the Prophet 10 probably is the closest, but it also lacks reverse saw waves that I really like for LFOs. I don't know why they omitted those on the P10, but they did.

Track title: When our sighs collapse

Roland Jupiter 6
Rhodes Electric Piano
Fractal Audio FM3"

Unending | Sequential Prophet VS improvisation

video upload by MIDERA

"I was playing the Kawai SX-240 against the Jupiter 6 tonight and started to realize "wow, the Jupiter's filter is really quite 'thin' compared to the SX-240. It's impressive how much better the SX-240 sounds to my ears... so then I pulled out the Sequential Prophet VS and was kind of blown away by how good it and its filters sound. Certainly it is in a class all its own. I found this patch and just really enjoyed improvising.

And this patch was just really inharmonic and just fit these notes…

Sequential Prophet VS
Fractal Audio FM3 for FX"

Missing | Fender Rhodes Electric Piano and Kawai SX-240 improvisation

video upload by MIDERA

"The other night - I learned about the Yamaha CP-70. Now I want one. They sound so good. I can't usually play acoustic piano on my main floor because my kids are around and I'll be distracted. I can't play at night because they're sleeping - so I kind of wanted an acoustic piano in my studio... Of course, from what I hear, the CP-70 is very big. It seems like it's about the same size as my rhodes, but deeper. I would probably have to part with my Rhodes to get the CP-70. I'm not sure what to do....

On another note, yesterday I started to realize that I'm embarrassing my daughter. I was dancing with my younger daughter, and my older daughter wanted nothing to do with it or me. It was a realization that those fun days making her laugh, dancing with her, playing with her, are coming to an end. It made me really sad.

Rhodes Electric Piano
Kawai SX-240
Fractal Audio FM3 pedal for FX (for both instruments)"

Kawai SX-240 soundscape V - Gone away

video upload by MIDERA

"Tonight, my daughter called for me after I put her to bed. It's unusual that she calls for me now as she's gotten older. I used to find it so irritating to get these calls, sometimes 3-4 times a night ("Papaaaaaaaaaa... uhm, I love you"). Now it seems to happen once every few months and is usually something more serious (at least to her), so I run up. She's sitting up in bed telling me about how she was terrified I had "gone away." I think she was just afraid I was going to die (of course, we all are going to some day), but it was hard to get that out of her. Usually the harder days are the days she has the most fun, I guess (maybe creating a lot of memories?). I know we're slowly descending into fewer and fewer days to be together, fewer chances to snuggle before bed, to tell 'Kwazii stories.'

I did tell her that some day I will die - and that I hope that day comes long before her time comes. That I won't be feeling anything when I'm gone, and that I would be happier if it were me and not her. That, of course, didn't really make her feel much better. Me staring at her boogery nose and making a face did. She started giggling, and I knew I had cracked the sadness, which faded, and we could say our good nights.

If you remember me saying the other day I had a financial problem - well, it was that I plugged the Kawai SX-240 back in to play it and it was dead. Nothing would happen. I was miserable, because I was planning to sell it and of course it would die before I could! Well, I managed to fix it. If you ever look up the service manual for this thing, it's horrible. I didn't realize how bad it was until I messaged Bob Grieb about his Tauntek eprom update (thinking maybe a bad eprom was the problem). He said it wasn't likely the problem, but sent me his version of the service manual and you can actually see the traces on it (the online version is so bad it didn't even pick up half the traces!). From there, I could see there was a bad solder joint between Pin 3 of the EPROM (I was right, something was wrong with the EPROM!) and Pin 2 of an adjacent IC. And - well, I brought it back to life. Another successful repair.

Kawai SX-240 and Fractal Audio FM3 for FX."

Kawai SX-240 noodling

video upload by SynthMania

"An old file from the late 1990s that I found in an old archive, from back when I had a Kawai SX-240 (cool synth from the mid-1980s). Noodles on that synth. I don't remember which reverb I used."

Kawai SX-240 soundscape IV - Grey skies of summer's end

video upload by MIDERA

"The grey skies in mid August, with the cacophony of crickets in the morning... I really enjoy that. Even though it kind of represents the beginning of the end of summer. I love those days with the light mist.

On Monday, my second child turns 3. We will be having a Tea Party tomorrow to celebrate. When we celebrated our first child's 3rd birthday, it was during Covid and we just brought out a bunch of stuffed animals to be her friends for the party.

Sometimes I wish time would stand still so I could really enjoy my kids as they are... but then I also know I couldn't watch them grow up (or experience anything new), so it's a Catch-22. Also, I really can't stop time, so I don't even have the option.

Strymon Volante for delay #strymon
Boss MD-500 for vibrato
Eventide Blackhole VST for reverb #eventide
#kawai"

Kawai SX-240 soundscape II - When all we do destroys us

video upload by MIDERA

"Well... my friend offered me his SX-240, the one I repaired. I guess I couldn't say no to that. I bought it. I'm not 100% sure I'll keep it - just with everything I have, there's so much stuff and I'm realizing I just don't get around to all of it, but it's nice to take it for a spin. So here I go.

Eventide Blackhole VST for reverb.

Recorded June 30th, 2024."

Roland Jupiter 6 soundscape II - Come home

video upload by MIDERA

"I keep wondering "which synth of mine can sound most like the Kawai SX-240. And I still haven't found it. But - the Jupiter 6 can get really nice and mellow if you try.

Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb

Filmed June 12, 2024"

Korg DW-8000 soundscape - A shadow is near

video upload by MIDERA

"After fixing and playing the Kawai SX-240, I had searched for other synths that were similar to, or equal to the SX-240. The DW-8000 came across as a potential candidate. I found one locally for a good price ($350) from the original owner. It had more issues than I realized when I arrived. Half of the tact switches were difficult to press. Two keys were cracked and three keys needed complete replacement, so I replaced all the keys and replaced all the tact switches. The price ended up substantially more, doesn't it always?

I reached out to the seller to let them know that I fixed it all up and it's back to 100%. They said thanks, and then dropped out of the conversation. I guess not surprising, but I guess they really didn't want to know any more about the synth they had since the 1980s, not that I planned to continue communicating with them or anything. Just seemed weird to me, like I annoyed them by telling them I was taking better care of it? I don't know.

Anyway - here is my first musings with it before I did any repairs. Note that I did at one point have a Korg DW-8000. I sold it because 'The Korg Radias has the same waveforms' which was obviously a stupid reason to part with it.

That said - I doubt it will stay long term. Many things have happened since I posted this video (uploaded June 13th, 2024), and this is just another excellent synth I do not think I need.

Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb."

Roland JX-3P soundscape - Summer storms

video upload by MIDERA

"After being blown away by the Kawai SX-240, I looked around my studio to see what else could get even remotely close (that SX-240 was not mine). The JX-3p seemed similar in some ways. Simple, 2-osc DCO synth. Alas, it is very different. Although, it's not too bad either, since it can do a lot of things the SX couldn't do. But it couldn't do that 'high resonance but sweet' sound in the same way. Both are character synths. Just different.

Strymon Volante used for delay
Eventide Blackhole VST for reverb"

Ensoniq ESQ-1 soundscape II - Moonwatchers

video upload by MIDERA

"I still can't get over how good that Kawai SX-240 was... that filter sounded so good. I keep looking through my library of synths and wonder 'can this one get there?' And the answer here was: no. The ESQ has very 'steppy' behavior in the LFOs and envelopes, not very smooth. It does its own thing (well, I might add). It's different. It's good. It's unique. I do enjoy it.

This was one of the hardest videos to make - I was so tired working on it that I almost fell asleep writing it and trying to sync up the video to the audio! I thought it was all correct and I uploaded it and the audio was still not synced up properly! Went back and had to do it again. Sigh... Well, I think it's ok now.

Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb"

Kawai SX-240 soundscape - Forgotten realms

video upload by MIDERA

"After recording my last video, I had been frustrated that the parameter select buttons were difficult to press and weren't working right. I had replaced all of my friend's tact switches on the right board, but hadn't done the left board. So I tore it all apart again and replaced those switches. I wanted to test it after doing the repair, so that's kind of what you're watching as I go through it. Also, now I'm more familiar with the synth at this point.

Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb

Video made on June 9th 2024. I’ve listened to this one a few times and can’t get over how good the SX-240 sounds. You’ll find I’ve made a few videos trying to replicate 'this sound' in other synths that I do own. I haven’t made those videos public yet, but I will soon."

Sequential Prophet 10 REV4 soundscape - Tonight there are no dreams

video upload by MIDERA

"Today I went through documents that I found from my mother. Some of these things were cards she had written to my dad (Hallmark cards, with love underlined), and vice versa. I found her old drawings from when she was 4 to 6. My grandmother saved them. Seeing a '5 year old' version of my mom, drawing a picture of a snowman with red hair (my mom had red hair), it was... really hard to look at. Kind of thinking of the fleeting world we live in.

Some day - my kids kid could be looking at pictures that my kid drew when she was young, the way that I'm doing this now with my mother. It's just wild how fast it all goes.

My grandma had also saved a locket of my mom's hair from when she was 5. I guess it's the only part of her I still have... I don't know what to do with it, but I can't really throw it out either.

Anyway, this track was made in response to my Kawai SX-240 soundscape, because I didn't know if I could make anything quite as nice as that one, but I think I got close.

Strymon Volante used for delay.
Eventide Blackhole VST used for reverb."

Kawai SX-240 - A first pass (initialized) patch building

video upload by MIDERA

"I repaired the tact switches on the left board and replaced the battery for a friend (the same friend who gave me the Ensoniq ESQ-1). I put it back together and wanted to test it out. I started with an initialized patch. You hear a lot of fast LFO stuff, because I didn't realize that in an initialized patch the LFO speed is 99. I eventually figure it out.

As I was playing, I realized that the parameter buttons were difficult to press... sigh... I should have tested these before repairing the synth. But all I could think about during the making of this was that I knew I'd have to fix this. He didn't ask me to fix it, but... I guess I sort of feel obligated to fix things, if we don't care for things, who will?

Eventide Blackhole VST used (after a while) for reverb."

Kawai SX240

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

via this listing

"The Kawai SX-240 is one of the most underrated analog polysynths of all time. It's secret weapon is the SSM 2044 filter, also used in the Korg PolySix. That said it has a brighter sound than PolySix, particularly on the stunning brass patches. The SX-240 is capable of a diverse range of sounds. It also features an onboard sequencer! This one is fresh from a round of service from our tech and is ready for stage or studio. Some minor cosmetics issues on the wooden panels and some sticker residue but otherwise in very good condition."

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Kawai SX-240 SN 8748 w/ Original Box & Cassettes

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

via this auction

"- 1985 Kawai SX-240 8-Voice Analog Synthesizer Keyboard

- This Exceptional Example, Serial Number K8748, Remains in Near Mint All Original Condition and Includes the Original Shipping Box and Sealed SX-240 Cassette!

- Somewhat of a Sleeper, the SX-240 is a Dynamic, Rich, and Superb Sounding Analog Synth

- Intuitive, Easy to Use, and a Viable Alternative to Many Mid-80’s Analog Keyboards, the SX-240 is One of Japan’s Best Synths"

Pics of the inside below.

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KAWAI SX-240

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

via this auction

"The Kawai SX-240 is a 61 key, eight voice, fully programmable polyphonic analogue synthesiser released in 1984 as a follow up to the Kawai SX-210. It boasts has a wide, full analog sound, courtesy of its two analogue DCOs and one sub-osc per voice. You have the options of poly-8, poly-4 and mono modes. In mono mode it is possible to have all 24 oscillators stacked into one for an extremely powerful sound. A rare find these days as well as one of the most aesthetically cool synths out there."

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Corsynth Audio Demos

video uploads by Corsynth

Playlist:

CORSYNTH C101 OTA LOWPASS FILTER - Audio Demos

Corsynth C101 and C101B audio demos. The C101 OTA Lowpass filter MKII is a four pole low pass filter based on four cascade OTA-stages. MU Format More info : http://www.corsynth.com

CORSYNTH C102 VC LFO - Audio Demos

The C102 VC LFO is a voltage controlled low frequency oscillator with five waveforms available simultaneously.

CORSYNTH C103 Frequency Divider / Multiplier MKII - Audio Demos

The C103 Frequency Multiplier / Divider MKII includes two frequency dividers and two frequency multipliers.

CORSYNTH C104 Odyssey of Sound VCO - Audio Demos

The C104 Odyssey of Sound VCO is a voltage controlled oscillator based in the discrete core of the ARP VCOs

CORSYNTH C105 VC Noise / Lo-Fi MKII - Audio Demos

The C105 VC Noise / Lo-Fi Machine MKII is a voltage controlled analog sample rate reducer , sample and hold and a VC Noise generator.

CORSYNTH C106 Dual Loopable VC AD Envelope - Audio Demos

The Corsynth C106 Dual Loopable VC AD Envelope it’s a really versatile module. It’s not only a Dual Voltage Controlled Attack / Decay envelope, it’s also a dual VC LFO, an audio generator, a complex contour generator, a dual pulse delay, a voltage controlled AD envelope with adjustable delay and more….

CORSYNTH C110 2044 VCF - Audio Demos

The C110 2044 VCF is a four pole low pass filter based in the classic filter SSM2044. This filter chip is responsible for the sound of some well known polysynths from the 80s like the Korg Mono/Poly, Korg Polysix, Korg Trident, PPG Wave 2.2 and 2.3, EMU Emulator I, Kawai K3 and Sx-240, Siel Opera 6….

CORSYNTH C113 West Coast Timbre - Audio Demos

A wavefolder is a non-linear waveshaping circuit that allows to create rich harmonic waveforms. Its a distortion circuit that folds back the signal when it reaches a certain level.

CORSYNTH C114 T-Mixer - Audio Demos

The C114 T-Mixer is a four channel transistor based mixer. The design is based on the classic Moog CP3 mixer but adapted to modern modular signal levels. The CP3 mixer was a key factor in the classic Moog modular sound.

CORSYNTH DR-01 Bass Drum - Audio Demos

The DR-01 Bass Drum is an analog drum module in MU format. The DR-01 has all you need to create bass drums , toms a many other sounds

CORSYNTH DR-02 Snare Drum - Audio Demos

The DR-02 Snare Drum is designed to synthesize electronic snare drum sounds of any kind. From the classic preset drum machines from the 70s to TR-XXX, electro snares, zaps…

CORSYNTH DR-03 Hi-Hats / Metal - Audio Demos

The DR-03 Hi-Hats / Metal is designed to synthesize Hi-Hats and metal percussion and even FX

KAWAI SX-240: Live Deep Dive into this RARE Analog Synthesizer!

video upload by Vulture Culture

"In this livestream we'll deep dive into the extremely rare Kawai SX-240, the king of Kawai's analog synthesizers! We'll cover the patches, as well as sound design with the oscillators and glorious analog filter (SSM2044 - the same filter as the Sequential Prophet 5 rev 1 & 2, Korg Trident / Polysix / Mono/Poly, PPG Wave and Octave Cat Rev2!)"