A New Audience For An Antique Synth - LudoWic and the Trautonium

video upload by HAINBACH

"When I saw LudoWic for the first time live at Noodlebar in Rotterdam, he already had a beautiful Volkstrautonium with him, from which he brought forth cello-like resonances. Fast forward a few years and I see him exploding across social media playing the full blown Mixturtrautonium. The Trautonium is 1930s German proto-synth by Trautwein and Oscar Sala, recreated by Jürgen Hiller of Trautoniks. It made me so happy to see this 90 year old instrument revitalized for a new audience, so when he came by to play the wonderful Funkhaus in Berlin, I asked LudoWic a few questions.
Check out his music: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/arti..."

You can find additional posts featuring LudoWic here.

Oxford Synthesizer Co. OSCar w/ Dust Cover

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

via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

Thoroughly checked for this auction, a classic OSCar with MIDI. Packing 15GBP.

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Oxford Synthesizer Co. OSCar w/ MIDI

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

via this Vemia listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

"Very nice OSCar with factory-fitted MIDI. Some wear - especially aorund the volume knob - but generally very good indeed. It is working very well but will have a final test and servicing after the auction."

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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

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Iconic British OSCar Synth is Reborn

video upload by Starsky Carr

Guestimate price (just after 6:50) of £2.5k GBP which comes to $3371 USD.

"The legendary OSCar synthesizer is back! In this video, I'm joined by Paul from PWM Instruments, who recently acquired the rights to the Oxford Synth Company. In this he talks us through their new synth - a modern recreation of the iconic OSCar - a secret weapon for artists like Jean-Michel Jarre, Ultravox, Stevie Wonder, Orbital, and Underworld - and explains how the new OSCar stays true to the original’s gritty charm while adding modern upgrades for today’s producers.

Its currently at prototype stage - but the proof of concept has been demonstrated, so the next stage is to mould it into a commercial product.

Whether you’re a synth enthusiast, a producer hunting for that British synth grit, or just curious about iconic electronic instruments, this deep-dive demo will show you why the OSCar still inspires decades later.

Hear a short demo of the unmistakable OSCar growl, discover its quirks, and see why this rebirth matters for synth lovers everywhere."

Machina Bristronica 25 Gear

video uploads by Sound On Sound magazine

Playlist:

1. Machina Bristronica 25: Sequential Fourm
2. Machina Bristronica 25: Enjoy Electronics ELFO
3. Machina Bristronica 25: UDO Audio DMNO
4. Machina Bristronica 25: PWM OSCar Rebirth
5. Machina Bristronica: Rides in the Storm New Modules
6. Machina Bristronica 25: AM Synths Diode-01

Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar 37-Key Analog Monophonic Programmable Music Synthesizer SN 0115

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

via this Reverb listing

"Serial number 0115 (written in blue Biro pen on the wooden underside of the instrument).

This is one of the first OSCar synthesizers made and it has great provenance. On 26 April 1984, I visited the designer of the instrument, Chris Huggett, at his apartment in Headington, Oxford. He demonstrated the synth and said, “Take it home and, if you like it, send me some money”. So I did … and this is the instrument that is being sold now. I took it back to him a few months later and he fitted the MIDI board.

The instrument has recently been restored by Andrew Jury (Synth Prof). All electrolytic capacitors have been replaced, ribbon cables and headers have been replaced, the battery is new, mains switch has been replaced, keyboard busbar and spring contacts cleaned and polished and much, much more. Consequently, the instrument is in full working order."

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OSCar Repair

video upload by Really Nice Audio

"Join me a quest to bring this Oscar synth. Its has mainly cosmetic issues and there are a couple of surprises hidden inside!

Many thanks to
https://www.vintagesynthparts.com
for replacement keys. Well worth a look as they have many obscure parts for many synths.

Music from my forthcoming ATMOS album 'Height Supremacy'. I used this because the main synth line is my OSCar!"

Performance Techniques - PT208 - Granular Cinematic Ambience

video upload by A Work In Progress

"A Work In Progress⁠
⁠
---⁠
⁠
Performance Techniques PT208

Granular Cinematic Ambience
⁠
---⁠

Programming notes & gear list available on the AWIP Blog

https://aworkinprogress.uk/blog
⁠
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⁠
Performers:⁠
AWIP TC - Tom Cane
AWIP OF - Oscar Farrell"

Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar

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

via this Reverb listing

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Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar w/ Tauntek MIDI

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

via this Reverb listing

"FRESHLY SERVICED! keybed cleaned, all pots cleaned, new battery, Tauntek MIDI added.

This is hands down my favorite mono synth of all time, such a unique instrument! Designed by Chris Hughes who also designed the WASP and several products for Novation among other things, IMO OSCar was his greatest product. I am only selling as I have two otherwise I'd never let it go! Hands down the best analog dual multi-mode filter in existence! There's additive synthesis in the way of building waveforms by adding harmonics, there's presets, there's an amazing sequencer and arppegiater, there's duophonic functionality. You can get all kinds of crazy vowel/vocal sounds."

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OSCar vs PEAK

video upload by Alex Ball

Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar w/ Original Manuals & Keyboard Report

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

via this Reverb listing

"Rare synth alert! 80s Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar Analog Monophonic Synthesizer with MIDI In/Out/Thru and a new battery. Recently serviced.

The Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar with factory MIDI is a rare British monophonic/duophonic synthesizer, produced in the early to mid-1980s, celebrated for its hybrid digital-oscillator/analog-filter design and aggressive, cutting tone."

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Performance Techniques - PT204 - Novation Peak Arpeggios, Sub 37 & Granular

video upload by A Work In Progress

"A Work In Progress⁠ ⁠
---⁠ ⁠
Performance Techniques PT204

Novation Peak Arpeggios, Sub 37 & Granular ⁠
---⁠
Programming notes & gear list available on the AWIP Blog

https://aworkinprogress.uk/blog ⁠
---⁠ ⁠
Performers:⁠
AWIP OF - Oscar Farrell"

Oxford Synthesizer Company, OSCar - Handmade miniature 1/6 scale.

video upload by Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

OSCar Wavetables for PWM Mantis.. A 9 Course Sonic Meal | THAT SYNTH SHOW LIVE

video upload by SYNTH SAMURAI

Raw demos start after 8:32. You can use the player controls to skip around.

00:00 intro music
01:00 show starts chat with renegades
08:32 dry oscar wavetables demo
23:30 modulating the wavetables demo
30:23 wavetables with effects demo patch making
59:14 velvet ketchup patch created
1:10:15 Live dawless jam with all the gear

Fixing up a 1985 Oscar clone

video upload by Craig Barnes

"This is the repairs to my 1985/86 hand made Osc Oscar clone, the famous Moog Oscar from Sound on Sound June 2004. I finally received it back after around 38 years apart. It's had some refurbs and mods and travelled extensively. Europe and the states and eventually wound up in Berlin. I received it dead with no boot. MIDI board was loose, but it couldn't be that simple. No sound from the synth and after getting it to the panel mode and tweaking a few knobs I eventually got it to make a weak sawtooth sound. Lower half of the keybed was dead so I replaced the 5x 4051 chips that read the keyboard and the 7 that read the front panel. Then I removed the aux input mod and upgraded to the Tauntek midi board. A little scratchy in places but nothing that can't be fixed."

Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar 37-Key Analog Monophonic Programmable Music Synthesizer

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

via this Reverb listing

"A rare synthesizer an iconic powerhouse for true connoisseurs from the Oxford Synthesizer Company.

This is not your average monophonic synth, and if you know your stuff, you already know exactly what this is.

🔔 This is your chance to own a piece of history and a truly unique instrument in the world of synthesizers.

Artists like Underworld, Orbital, Simon Posford, and Shpongle have used and still use this absolutely stunning machine.

If you’re looking for a versatile and inspiring sound design tool, this is the one for you.

The OSCar is renowned for its unique and powerful sound, and features:

✳️ 2 DCOs + Additive Synthesis options
✳️ 1 LFO (triangle/sawtooth/square/sample & hold)
✳️ 1 Resonant Analog Multimode Filter
✳️ 2 ADSRs
✳️ Arpeggiator and Step Sequencer
✳️ 24 Patch Memory
✳️ MIDI Compatibility
✅ The synth is in mint condition works perfectly"

CLICK FOR MORE »

SUPERBOOTH 25: PWM Mantis

video upload by Sound On Sound magazine

"Paul of PWM talks us through their acquisition of the OSCar brand, an upcoming update for the Mantis, and a sneak preview of their new digital synth."

BlaknBlu Oscar Tria Stereo VCO Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"The triple featured Oscar Tria offers regular waveforms, swarming oscillations and polyphonic chord modes within a Eurorack, CV-controlled context. The stereo format offers some lovely detuning and there's some superb morphing between the waveforms. It's built on a digital platform but has a very analogue sound and workflow. Let's get into it."

Index:
Sound demo - 0:00
Intro - 4:57
Overview - 9:34
Green Mode - VCO - 12:29
Yellow Mode - Swarm - 24:32
Orange Mode - Chord - 33:45
FM - 42:16
Noodling - 46:27
Running it in Mono - 51:37
Conclusions - 56:42

"Oscar Tria packs a lot of VCO into 10HP. There are three main modes described below.

Green Mode:
A ‘traditional’ stereo oscillator. In Green Mode you get the usual three waveforms – saw, triangle and square (with variable pulse width, of course) but you can continuously vary the waveform between the three. For instance, by turning the waveform knob to be just to the saw side of triangle, you get a sound very much like the Minimoog’s ‘shark tooth’.
Green mode also gives you a square wave sub oscillator – one octave below the main oscillators – and a sub sub, two octaves below.
Oscar Tria is stereo, of course, so you can detune one oscillator for a rich stereo image – or sum the two outputs to mono and you have two oscillators with two subs, for a BIG sound.
Green mode also features through zero FM, and hard sync.

Yellow Mode:
Super-saw! And super-square! And super-triangle! With a sub (of course). Yellow mode allows you to control the number of oscillators making up the super-whatever, from one (not really super) to 24! Again, being stereo you get up to 12 oscillators in one channel and 12 in the other. Add the sub for a HUGE sound.

Orange Mode:
This is a chord engine, with 20 selectable chords. There are controls to select which chord you want and how many notes are played (over two octaves). CV control allows you to set pitch and chord independently, so you can set up a polyphonic sequence, for instance. Again, the output is stereo with detune control of one output."