Gentle Giant - The runaway

YouTube via McArtRidge. Sent my way via ZonkOut.

huppo studio

Title link takes you to more shots.

via huppo

Note: if you've been following this blog for some time you will realize cats seem to outnumber most other animals when it comes to the pets of synth owners and their synth shots. Not at huppo studio. I see a Beagle. : )

SynthMantra 1

Title link takes you to a post on SoNiCbRat featuring an improv of the Zebra VCF, MOOG MF105, Casio SA5, Roland RS09, SH101 and Sherman Filterbank II.

That's the Zebranalogic VCF (from Peru) to the left of the Moogerfooger.

Update: Seems the URL for the mp3 isn't working. Sonicbrat sent over this link for now.

Rhodes Chroma Knob Box

Remember the Rhodes Chroma knob box mentioned in this post? Title link takes you to a first look of the layout in PDF format.

Update: Waveshape knob added to the pdf.

Electro Harmonix Micro Synth

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction. Samples here.

Casio CZ-101

Title link takes you to images pulled via this auction.

PAiA Modular

Another one is up for sale. You can see the previous one here. This one is two cases. Click here for shots via this auction

The First Digital Synthesizers

A friend of mine asked me what the first digital synth was. To my surprise I wasn't sure. We all know it was the Yamaha DX7 (1983) that changed the landscape from analog to digital, but it clearly wasn't the first. The NED Synclavier (1975) and the Crumar/DKI GDS (197x?) and Synergy (1982) predate it. If anyone out there knows for sure, feel free to comment. Image of the Crumar/DKI GDS via synthony.

Snip on the GDS via Synthmuseum.com:
"'The GDS came out of some early research at Bell Laboratories in the early '70s,' explains Mercer 'Stoney' Stockell, who himself shared in developing the GDS and Synergy. 'Hal Alles, a researcher there, designed the high-speed additive engine that was put into the GDS and later systems. He was a very bright man. The work originally came out of some stuff he was supposed to be doing for echo-cancellation on telephone lines.'"

BTW, regarding the DX7, be sure to check out this post on the Yamaha FX1.

Update via adam s in the comments:
"The Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer is the Synclavier's ancestor. This is recognized as the first digital synthesizer existing as a self-contained instrument, closed system or whathaveyou. Of course, the first digital synthesizer (that is, first digital device to synthesize sound for the sake of music), is the IBM 704 Mainframe computer, on which Max Matthews created Music I in 1957. It's amazing how far computer synthesis predates 'digital synthesizers'. I'm sure that in that almost 20 year span, plently of people had developed (successfully or not) digital synthesizers, especially during the early 70's microprocessor boom."

OP:L Bastards

video upload by Cyberyayo

Sent my way via HarriL.

Circuit Bent Analog Synth Drum Machine

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Details:
"Here is a totally unique old school circuit bent noise generator/synth. I picked up this mystery box recently and do not know any details as to its origin. My guess is it is early 70's home/custom built. The circuit board is hand wired bread board and it was done by someone who knew what they were doing. The sound is somewhere between a sound Aphex Twin might use or The 60's group Silver Apples. The tone can range from a drum machine like hi hat sound to bleeps with noise added in varying degrees. The tone frequency can vary the pitch and sounds like a pretty cool resonate filter. The emphasis puts the tone on a continous 4/4 to 4/2 4/3 4/1. Pretty simple overall but absolutely loads of fun to tweek in real time. The design is interesting in that it was built into a japanese wood box and works like a traditional music box, ie when you open the lid the unit is turned on. This is a self contained unit with a built in speaker. There are currently no provision for an output jack but that would be easy to do wired off the 2 leads from the speaker. I could not see what chips were used in the design as they are not visible without taking the unit apart. The unit runs on a hard wired 9v wall adapter. Maybe someone out there knows the origin of this vintage piece? Perhaps it was built for a specific music experimentor back in the day or just as a hobby project I do not know. At any rate this a cool conversation piece and a complete one off synth. Way kooler than a speak and spell! The unit measures 8.5 x 5 x 3.5 inches."

via Brian Comnes.