Soul Of the Machine: A Celebration of the Life & Legacy of ARP founder Alan R. Pearlman

via the Alan R Pearlman Foundation

Available on Bandcamp here

Press release follows:

Kingston, NY— In 2025, the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation celebrates the centennial of its namesake, the electronic visionary whose marvelous ARP synthesizers changed the landscape of music forever. As part of the ongoing celebrations, the Foundation is announcing the release of Soul Of The Machine, a 36-track musical celebration of the man and his creations as interpreted by a diverse range of recording artists.

Soul Of The Machine is a 36-track collection of tracks old and new, covering everything from innovative electronic, dance, and space music to jazz, funk, and Latin pop, all featuring the signature sounds of classic ARP instruments. The collection includes everything from ARP’s first synthesizer — the massively powerful ARP 2500 modular system — to the instruments that rewrote the rules on how electronics and music came together. The 2600, Odyssey, Pro Soloist, Omni, and many more ARP instruments sing, cry, scream, and soar, in the hands of musical talents both legends and newcomers.

Soul Of The Machine is a treasure trove of musical exploration. Martin Gore’s “KIno" combines Depeche Mode’s signature rhythmic power with a uniquely lyrical and sweet atmosphere. “Mr. No” is a celebration of the classic proto-techno sound of John Foxx. Award-winning soundtrack composer Mark Isham showcases his signature pulsating energy and evocative moodscapes in the mini-suite “Musings – in Two Parts”. Lisa Bella Donna takes listeners on a journey into timeless wonder in the epic “Conclusions.” JG Thirlwell’s “Sphere” is a synth freakout ricocheting between ominous sci-fi atmospheres and searing beats. Panic Girl offers "Drifting Whispers," a somber and uplifting neo-retro journey into a past that never was.

Other artists on the collection include Michael Brückner, Phil Cirocco, Rupert Greenall, LaMar "Kronick" Mitchell, Jeff Rona, Drew Schlesinger & David Torn, Don Slepian, and many others, as well as tracks by the collection's curators Steve Roach and Chris Meyer of Alias Zone.

Famed ambient / electronic pioneer and ARP user since 1978, Steve Roach shares his thoughts on Soul Of The Machine: "In 2024 I had the honor of meeting Dina Pearlman-Ifil — the director of the Alan R Pearlman Foundation — in person. Over the course of several phone conversations we discussed ways to celebrate the centennial year of her father's life and his place in history. My idea for a compilation of music using her father’s creations grew out of those conversations, presenting a perfect way to directly experience the vast range of music that was birthed by the family of ARP synthesizers. This compilation is just a small taste of the universe Alan inspired in sound explorers and artists across a vast range of genres."

Steve mapped out the music so that CD 1 represents a sonic journey and CD 2 provides a showcase of the depth and breadth of what ARP synths can do. After both CDs were finalized, there were more tracks than room on the CDs. These additional songs are available as a bonus digital supplement to the physical CD set.

Says Dina Pearlman-Ifil: “I have long-dreamed of a multi-genre collection that would illustrate the depth and breadth of the possibilities of my father's instruments. This collection is the embodiment of what my father treasured most: The creative spirit. As the old ARP tagline used to say: ‘The most creative part of an ARP Synthesizer is you.’”

The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation is dedicated to the empowerment of young and burgeoning artists into the future. When we look at classical instruments born hundreds of years ago, we see that Alan Pearlman's synthesizers stand tall, earning their place in the evolution of musical history. Acoustic or electric, their common ground is the enduring inspiration for creativity and sonic innovation that inspires the hearts and minds of musicians, performers, and sound explorers worldwide.

Soul Of The Machine will be available for streaming on October 17, 2025. The special limited edition CD will be available for purchase in early-to-mid-November.

Proceeds go the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation

The Alan R. Pearlman Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Our mission is to celebrate the legacy of inventor, musician, entrepreneur and engineer Alan R. Pearlman, by making his innovative inventions publicly accessible, and by inspiring future generations to imagine and create.

ARP Centennial Compilation Concept: Steve Roach
Project Directors: Steve Roach, Chris Meyer, and Dina Pearlman-Ifil Mastered by: Robert Rich

Cover concept and design by Dina Pearlman-Ifil, production by Sharon Wasko

This compilation wouldn't be possible without the support of our incredible sponsors: Cherry Audio, Korg USA, Moog Music and Steve Roach.
Also HUGE thanks to Chris Meyer / Alias Zone, Mark Marshall / interage.com for all things web, Dr. Mike Metlay/ atomicwords.net for creative input on the liner notes, and Sam Rosenthal / Projekt Records.

Purchase from BandCamp: https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.bandcamp.com/album/soul-of-the-machine...

The Crow Hill Company Adds Roland CR-78 Based RHYTHM MACHINE to VAULTS

video upload by CROW HILL

"Step back to 1978 and discover the iconic Roland CR-78, the first programmable drum machine that changed the way artists approached rhythm. Before the 808 and modern drum machines, the CR-78 gave musicians the power to create and store their own drum patterns. In the hands of artists like Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Blondie, it became iconic. For this Vault, we’ve preserved the much-loved character of the CR-78 and expanded its sonic potential with some tasteful effects."

https://thecrowhillcompany.com/free/

Press release follows:

The Crow Hill Company creates …RHYTHM MACHINE as latest free VAULTS… VI, preserving vintage classic’s character while expanding its sonic potential

EDINBURGH, UK: The Crow Hill Company is proud to announce availability of VAULTS - RHYTHM MACHINE as its latest VI (Virtual Instrument) release ready for all to download and make music with for free for the rest of their lives — literally preserving Roland’s 1978-vintage CR-78 CompuRhythm’s classic character as the Japanese giant of electronic musical instrument manufacturing’s first programmable drum machine (that changed the way artists approached rhythm and, in doing so, stamped its musical mark on a number of notable hit records that subsequently secured its iconic status in the annals of music technology history for all eternity), effectively expanding its sonic potential with some tasteful effects as a result — as of October 1…

Far from stretching the boundaries of truth, it is fair to say that the introduction of Roland’s CR-78 CompuRhythm changed the course of history as the first computer-controlled programmable drum machine. Most rhythm machines before its late-1978 introduction were preset-only affairs, forcing their users to pick from the likes of ‘Bossa Nova’, ‘Rock’, and ‘Waltz’ — more in keeping with the home organ-orientated terminology of the time. The CR-78, however, offered something new — namely, an ability to program rhythm patterns and store them in memory using the external WS-1 programmer optionally offered by Roland. Indeed, its 14 onboard instruments include bass drum, cymbals, hi-hats, rimshot, snare drum, and tambourine alongside several Latin-type sounds, such as bongos, claves, and cowbell — all generated using analogue circuits, giving it a distinctly warm, punchy character. Thanks to the CR-78’s analogue nature, though, the tempo control is not exactly surgical, but this foible only adds to its charm. And, as history has borne out, when placed in the creative musical hands of Blondie, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and others, it became an iconic instrument in its own right.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roland VP-330 | This Synth Made Vangelis Famous… But WHICH Version?

video upload by Andy Whitmore

"🎹 This Synth Made Vangelis Famous… But WHICH Version?

The Roland VP-330 is one of the most iconic vocoders and string machines ever created — made legendary by artists like Vangelis, 10cc, and Vince Clarke. But did the MKI and MKII versions sound the same? In this video, I compare the two side by side — same settings, same riffs, totally different vibe.

From lush choir tones to robotic vocoded phrases, you’ll hear the subtle — and not-so-subtle — differences that make each model unique.

The Roland VP-330, or Vocoder Plus, is one of the unsung heroes of the late '70s to early '80s synth world, being used on hits by the likes of Queen, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Vangelis, and more recently, Dua Lipa.

As the name suggests, the Vocoder Plus combined a vocoder with chorused strings and a synthetic choir sound. Its recent resurgence in popularity has seen an official Roland Boutique recreation, an unofficial Behringer clone, and software emulations try to recreate its classic tones.

The VP-330 was the last and most famous of the Roland string synthesizers, a line that started in 1975 with the release of the Roland RS-101. This early string machine keyboard utilised divide-down technology, meaning that a single oscillator could have its pitch divided down to play any note on the keyboard, allowing polyphony at a much cheaper price point than traditional polyphonic synthesizers. These kinds of synths were named paraphonic.

⚠️ While Vangelis famously used the VP-330, this video doesn’t analyze his exact recordings — it’s a deep listen into the synth itself.

🎧 Best experienced with headphones!

👇 Let me know in the comments: Which version do YOU prefer?

0:00 – Intro
00:36 Queen Radio Ga Ga
00:43 Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight
00:50 Stevie Wonder I Just Called to Say I Love You
00:58 - Vangelis Blade Runner
01:10 - How the VP-330 Works
01:52 - Roland VP-330 MKI – Vocoder Sound
01:56 - Roland VP-330 MKII – Vocoder Sound
05:30 – Roland VP-330 MKI - String Sound
05:54 - Roland VP-330 MKII - String Sound
06:17 - Roland VP-330 MKI - Choir Sound
06:42 - Roland VP-330 MKII - Choir Sound
07:07 - Outro"

A short history of the 909 in 16 songs ⬜🟧 from TECHNO and HOUSE to POP | Drum Patterns Explained

video upload by Captain Pikant

"The Roland TR-909 has shaped the sound of many genres ranging from Techno, House, Hip Hop and Pop to Industrial and Eurodance. In this video we'll take a look at 16 of our favourite 909 drum patterns - including its very first appearance as well as modern productions nearly 40 years later, so get ready for some interesting 909 history and trivia. We'll be using an external sequencer so you can see all the different instruments and you can try the patterns in your drum machine or in your DAW."

0:00 Introduction
1:02 Skinny Puppy - Smothered Hope
2:36 Mantronix - Bassline
4:56 Phil Collins - Take Me Home
6:09 Inner City - Big Fun
8:39 Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
11:17 Madonna - Vogue
12:51 Adamski - Killer
14:50 Aphex Twin - Heliosphan
15:44 Circuit Breaker - Trac-X
17:03 Björk - Hunter
18:02 Daft Punk - Revolution 909
18:44 Darude - Sandstorm
20:16 Duke Dumont - The Giver (Original Mix)
23:04 John Tejada - Stabilizer
24:04 Jeff Mills - Exhibitionist 2 Mix 3
25:13 Peggy Gou - I Go
26:16 End Jam

Drum 'n Bass DELIA Polysynth Presets by Danny Bonnici - NuBreed/Liquid Mixes, Melbourne Instruments

video upload by Melbourne Instruments

"Danny Bonnici - Liquid Mixes and NuBreed fame, channels his Drum 'n Bass roots, creating some harder edged multi-layered and multi-timbral presets for DELIA. In this video he runs through how he created one of his standout presets for DELIA.

ABOUT DANNY BONNICI:
Danny Bonnici is one of Australia’s most respected and dynamic electronic music producers and performers, renowned as a pioneer for his work. For over 20 years Danny has been making an indelible mark on dance music, starting with NuBreed in the late ‘90s. Danny's productions under Liquid Mixes, sees him working with many big-name producers from James Zabiela, Nick Warren, Patrice Bäumel, Hernan Cattaneo and Phil K to name a few.

Check out Danny and Liquid Mixes here:
/ dannybonnici
/ dannybonnici
/ liquidmixes
/ liquidmixes1
https://www.liquidmixes.com/
https://www.beatport.com/artist/danny...
https://dannybonnici.bandcamp.com/

DOWNLOAD DELIA PRESET PACK: https://www.melbourneinstruments.com/..."

DX5 performing The Human League "The Sound of the Crowd"

video upload by DX5

"A simple but interesting song not much known by the early days of The Human League V2 (when the female vocalists joined). If you don't know the original version, check it out. I found it catchy, specially the chorus. So I decided to pick my two analogues plus the JP8000 and give it a try
Gear used.
Left:
Roland MRS2 Promars: single VCO bass (and extra sub bass on backtrack)
Roland JP8000: Cross Mod lead
Right:
Korg Polysix: Sawtooth lead

Backtrack previously recorded, instrument by instrument, on Pro Tools (just drums and the extra sub bass, plus a JX-8P on final pads).
Original song composed by Phil Oakey, Ian Burden.
Performed here by DX5 Jose Maria Bara"

Ancient Passage

video upload by davidryle

"This basis of this project was between the new Synthetic Sound Labs 1655 Geo-Gruvn euclidean sequencer and a few different Low Pass Filter modules. The new SSL 1015 LPG with the cadmium sulfide CdS element, the Mega Ohm Audio CdS VCF/A module and the Cyndustries Quad Low Pass Gates module. The Cyndustries module was enhanced by Phil from Mega Ohm Audio to be much more responsive. A big change and very useful.

The Geo-Gruvn module from SSL is an adaption of the Hagiwo board and was also enhanced to provide a more efficient response all the way to audio rate clocking.

The main orchestration automation module in this piece was with the synthesizers.com Q170 Midi Gates module. The use of eight channels of midi gate streams from Cubase were the way each section were enabled on and off. My hands-on modulation was simplified to allow me to change timbre, filter settings and delay rates with ease.

The center section featured the Dove Mu-Seq D900 sequencer for a pattern which began by me running the sequencer in reverse and recording the track to Cubase, then reversing it back into the mix. I started with the Woven Spirits (MI Plaits) at a higher octave and drew it down until it matched the timbre for the rest of the midsection.

The last part was the dual Matrix run into a pair of quantizer modules in which I timed the pitch voltage outputs with the Geo-Gruvn gate outs. These voices were the Dotcom Q206 and Q206A modules through the Frequency Central X Series Low Pass Filter and an Empress Reverb pedal.

Other delays included the Modcan 73B dual delay with loads of modulation, and the SSL 1310 Digital Delay.

The opening drone is a feedback from the TipTop Audio Z-DSP VC-Digital Signal Processor with the Halls of Valhalla chipset in Plate Reverb mode. This drone also arose in the center section.

A pair of frequency shifter modules (Encore Electronics and Behringer Bode Clone) were used for the Snare and Hi Hats enhancement. The kit drums were the LDB-2E Analog Drums from Delptronics and the TipTop SD808. They were sequenced from the Mutable Instruments Grids module and a pair of Turing Machines and an MI Marbles module."

Top 86 Greatest Intros and Tunes on Sequential Prophet 6

video upload by jami.m

"Not all these were originally played on Prophet synths. These video clips are just for amusement - Enjoy -"

00:00 The Final Countdown - Europe
00:27 Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
00:52 Save a Prayer - Duran Duran
01:19 Blinding Lights - The Weeknd
02:02 Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche mode

CLICK FOR MORE »

Creating a New Patch with the Waldorf Iridium Core

video upload by mutech.media.australia

"m-tech's Phil Tucker explores building a custom patch from scratch using the Waldorf Iridium Core. Nothing beats the satisfaction of building your own sound, but these days it's far too easy to just pick one from the list! The Iridum Core is a powerful synth with fantastic features – in this video Phil explores building a sound from a basic sine wave to a juicy pad, saving it, and then finding it again later in the library!"

ARP 2500

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

via this Reverb listing

This appears to be the one previously listed on eBay featured here.

This new listing features additional pics and a new description including a list of the modules.

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Mythical Yamaha DX7 Bass Cartridge

video upload by Espen Kraft

"Stock, Aitken and Waterman used a lot of DX7 basses in their hits. In interviews in the 80s they would occasionally talk about their cartridge with DX7 bass patches and how no one would get access to it.

Many decades later and the patches can now be found online. Just to make sure I asked Phil Harding if he was able to verify that these are indeed the real mythical patches and he, in turn, asked Ian Curnow. Ian Curnow is of course the guy that actually did the programming of most of it. He also made the Fairlight patches/sounds for 'Never Gonna Give You Up' which uses one of these bass patches. Ian Curnow did confirm this is it."

ARP 2500 Modular Synthesizer w/ Pair of Fully Loaded Wing Cabinets

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

via this eBay listing

This one was spotted and sent in via
M Me.

"Vintage ARP 2500 Modular Synthesizer system. Accompanying the ARP 2500 main cabinet is a pair of fully loaded wing cabinets. The main cabinet and keyboard were fully restored by Phil Cirocco (CMS) around 2011 as well were most of the modules in the wing cabinets. However the system has not been powered up or played since 2018 when I moved from Los Angeles to Tucson Arizona. It was working perfectly in 2018. Since sitting for 7 years the system will most likely need some small service to get it back to perfect. IT IS UNTESTED AND WILL NOT BE TESTED. IT IS BEING SOLD AS IS.

The previous service was meticulously done to satisfy my serious demand for the system to remain as original as possible. No modifications were done and all parts replaced with original or appropriate parts. The system is hyper clean in person and was clearly babied. It was used on notable lp's. You may live a 100 more years but will likely never find a better more complete ARP 2500 for sale. This system is priceless and was the most expensive new instrument when it was produced in the early 1970's.

I collected and played many Moog, ARP and Buchla modular systems. However owning so many systems became a burden. As well, switching between using Moog, ARP and Buchla took too much bandwidth. I sold all of my Buchla systems and this is my last and best ARP piece from my massive collection. Time for someone else to own it

CAN BE PICKED UP IN TUCSON AZ OR I CAN DELIVER TO LOS ANGELES CA"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Famous Yamaha DX7 Sounds

video upload by RetroSound

"(c)2007-25 by RetroSound
supported by UVI: http://bit.ly/retrosound-uvi

❤️ Support #RetroSound​ channel: https://retrosound.creator-spring.com

Famous Yamaha DX7 Sounds part2

0:06 Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
0:19 The Commodores - Nightshift
0:34 George Michael - Careless Whisper
0:46 Clio - Faces
0:57 Johnny Hates Jazz - Shattered Dreams
1:11 Berlin - Take My Breath Away
1:23 The Cars - Drive
1:34 a-ha - Take On Me
1:44 Phil Collins - Easy Lover
1:55 Kool And The Gang - Cherish"

Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 SN 935492

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

via this listing

Pics of the inside below.

"One owner - Cleaned and Serviced - Fully Operational - WS-1 Available - Original User Manual - 240v

Super rare Roland drum machine the CompuRhythm CR-78. In so many iconic songs including Phil Collins 'In The Air Tonight' and Blondie's 'Heart of Glass'.

This unit has some very minor marks on the wood finish and also some very minor marks on the black finish of the front panel that I've tried to photograph with light right on it. Overall fantastic condition for this one-owner unit.

It also has a 5-pin XLR plug at the rear with a switch that was added a long time ago. It may be an external controller mod (maybe an early MIDI mod?) but I'm not sure what it could be as I can't interface with it.

The only non-original thing is that the tempo knob has been replaced by an Evans knob with red line for similarity.

Internally it is all original.

The unit is fully functional (check the video) and ready for loop/topline creation and sampling.

It's set for 240v (Australian standard) but it's often easy enough to rewire the transformer or replace it if 110 or 100 is required."

CLICK FOR MORE »

ORIGINAL ARP 2600 SN 26597 - Pro-Serviced w/Restoration by Phil Cirocco

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

via this listing

Additional Analog U.S Listings

Also on eBay

"This one is in good cosmetic condition and working 100%. This is for the synth only and not the keyboard. It has been professionally serviced and with a lot of restoration by Phil Cirocco of CMS. As some of you know, Phil is highly respected and is the premiere ARP specialist. This ARP 2600 is a V3.0 made on the 23rd week (June) of 1973. It has some unusual markings for V3. As you can see, it has the G-Clef sticker, but with the Tonus logo Silkscreen. It has the 15.5" panel which is correct for a V3.0, but has the squared speaker grille instead of the oval. All of this is cosmetic, however. It will be properly packaged when sold and will arrive in the condition as stated. Proof of the actual shipping cost will be provided if needed. This unit is listed as a USA sale only, but I am willing to ship to other countries. Not sold as-is!

Cosmetically - Nothing is mint, minty, super mint, etc., in my opinion, and this one is no exception. There are plenty of imperfections on this one as you can see, but the synth itself looks very good in my opinion. Please check out the photos. The handle was replaced with a new one, it has new Switchcraft washers, and all the jack nuts were ultrasonically cleaned.

Internally- Apart from any repairs (there were many), the unit has been disassembled and cleaned, all of the original sliders cleaned and re-lubed, the power supply has been rebuilt, it has a new Accutronics reverb tank, several encapsulated modules replaced, some switches replaced, several connectors cleaned & tightened, and the main out jacks replaced. There was a lot done to this unit so this will likely be updated."

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Waldorf Iridium Core Tutorial Videos

Waldorf Iridium Core Part 1 - Envelopes

video upload by mutech.media.australia

"Multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer Phil Tucker takes us on a tour of the Waldorf Iridium Core desktop synth. In this first video, Phil explores manipulating envelopes in real-time with the Core's hardware encoders"

Waldorf Iridium Core Part 2 - Loading Programs

video upload by mutech.media.australia

"Multi-instrumentalist, composer and sound designer Phil Tucker continues his tour of the Waldorf Iridium Core desktop synth. In this second video, he looks at speeding up workflow and loading programs"

Phil Collins Sussudio - Pre Production Demo for Arcade Orchestra

video upload by JimDaneker

"Arcade Orchestra producer Jim Daneker shows a pre-production demo clip of Phil Collins' 'Sussudio.'"

KORG Trinity, Orbital, signed provenance

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

via this Vemia listing

See the site's other listings for more. You can find listings by category here

"I bought this at VEMIA about five years ago It's only got the original OS in it (1.00) but it sounds so good I didn't upgrade it, so its the same as when Orbital used it. all I've done to it is carefully clean the case, coming from a pro environment it had the remains of gaffer tape etc.. Its now better to look at as well as good to play. I didnt change any of the existing programs so you might recognise some??

I really like it but I have too many big synths. It has a provenance certificate signed Phil Hartnoll Its now back at VEMIA so they can pack it professionally. Packing 15GBP."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roland CR-78 CompuRhythm SN 945892

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

via this listing

"Up for sale today is my Roland CR-78 vintage drum machine—as heard on Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight and a bunch of Radiohead live stuff. Legendary.

Just completed a servicing at Shook Sound in Vancouver, Canada, where the kick module was serviced and all other components were checked and confirmed to be in good working original condition."

CLICK FOR MORE »

DX5 performing The Human League "The Sound of the Crowd"

video upload by DX5

"A simple but interesting song not much known by the early days of The Human League V2 (when the female vocalists joined). If you don't know the original version, check it out. I found it catchy, specially the chorus. So I decided to pick my two analogues plus the JP8000 and give it a try

Gear used:

Left:
Roland MRS2 Promars: single VCO bass (and extra sub bass on backtrack)
Roland JP8000: Cross Mod lead

Right:
Korg Polysix: Sawtooth lead

Backtrack previously recorded, instrument by instrument, on Pro Tools (just drums and the extra sub bass). Original song composed by Phil Oakey, Ian Burden.

Performed here by DX5 Jose Maria Bara"