Synthesized Scarlatti in W. Carlos Style - Stereo

YouTube via Elhardt

"Here are some experiments I did in trying to mimic the style of Walter/Wendy Carlos' synthesizer technique and style of timbres. Carlos was using a 1960's era patchable modular Moog synthesizer with a different architecture than that of the Alesis Andromeda synthesizer. Each one has some advantages and disadvantages over the other but both use analog circuitry.

This video includes about 3/5 of a harpsichord sonata by Scarlatti. It is played by hand on a velocity sensitive keyboard, one monophonic passage at a time, and overdubbed onto multi-track.

Be sure to check out other related videos in my synthesizer series, and check back now and then as I will be posting more in the near future."

Korg Mini KP

YouTube via mtheadded
"All sounds from patch 99 "Synth + Looper. Background pre recorded on computer"

Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 Bronski Beat - Small Town Boy

YouTube via lewisjp8young
"i made this clip before i changed my studio around. i already played this song on a minimoog an memorymoog but i thought i will stick this on here anyway. hope you like it."

ribbon controller 2008

video upload by ouijafeet

"Demo of ribbon controller made by me and played on my Minimoog Voyager."

and one more:

ribbon controller demo


"Analog synth ribbon controller demo of "In Search Of" theme."

STUDIO ELECTRONICS SE-1

images via this auction

"'Seen where the sound of success was heard, the SE-1 recreated the power of the classic Moog tone and far more. The distinctive Oberheim filter and numerous additional features helped to make this Hiphop and R&B legend the serious professional's source for the boominest basses and smoothest, wormiest leads on the planet. The SE-1X continues in this tradition, remaining true to its roots, while stepping up its functionality and form; wide open to future expansion and exploration via its Flash-ROM operating system –not to mention the boundless creativity of our supernal sound designers!' It is well known that this instrument was created with the help of Bob Moog himself!" Is it? If you know feel free to comment.

Roland MC-202

images via this auction

"The MC-202 was sort of a next-generation TB-303. So the idea was to program sequence/patterns into it internally which would give you those 303 basslines that we've come to love. You can control it externally by hooking up a MID-CV/Gate converter. Then you basically have yourself an SH-101!

The sequencer is actually a 2-channel CV/gate sequencer, with both channels being capable of driving a separate external synth. It's a very useful unit, also, for its DINsync capabilities; it can receive on one port, and send over two, and also can 'split' DINsync to branch a sync signal out to multiple devices.

This machine is best for those who want to get 303-like patterns (it has accent just like the 303) and basslines with an SH-101 sound. If you can handle programming the notes into its sequencer you can have a lot of fun.

The MC202 is a sequencer and simple monophonic synth with 32 buttons arranged like a small keyboard (F-C).

The monosynth is similar to the SH-101. The VCO is based around the ever-so-popular Curtis 3340 chip and features a slider switch for octave (2', 4', 8', 16'), a slider for pulse width, and one for modulation (LFO) amount. The VCO outputs a square/pulse wave, a sawtooth wave, and a sub-oscillator which are mixed together in the "Source Mixer" section. The sub-oscillator is switchable between a square wave 1 octave down, a square wave 2 octaves down, and a pulse wave 3 octaves down. There are knobs which control fine tune and portamento. The VCF section has a slider for cutoff frequency and resonance. There is a slider for each of its control sources: envelope, LFO, and keyboard. The VCA can be controlled by a simple gate or the Envelope. The envelope is an ADSR with a slider for each stage.

The sequencer is quite powerful for its time. The MC-202 features a large (for the time) LCD display, upon which all the sequencing editing is displayed. The two available sequences can be played simultaneously using the CV/gate outputs to control another sequencer. The sequences can have a combined total of 2729 events. Sequences can be entered in real time via the pushbutton keyboard or via another keyboard using the CV/gate inputs. This feature has a negative side, though. Since all incoming CV/gate signals are routed through the microprocessor, there is a bit of a lag when the MC-202 is played by a another keyboard or a MIDI-to-CV device. The Sequences can also be programmed using step-time, setting a separate pitch and duration for each note. Also programmable in a sequence is accent and portamento. Accent works the same as in the TB-303, with an accent amount knob that can be adjusted in real time as the sequence is playing. The speed of the sequence is also controlled by a knob.

The back panel has a sync input and two sync outputs, a tape interface for saving and loading sequences, CV/gate inputs and two CV/gate outputs (one for each sequence), a headphone jack, and a main output jack.

The MC-202 came out at a time when the synthesizer market was just starting to impliment MIDI. After MIDI became an accepted standard, sequencers such as the MC-202, using the old-style CV/gate interface, quickly lost popularity and died away."

Oberheim OBX in a Dime Bag

via this auction

just add water

chi, chi, chi, chia

Thighpaulsandra's Clisto

Peter Grenader of Plan B actually sent the following to the Plan B list. I thought I'd put up a post.

"All,

Another fantastic CD offering from Thighpaulsandra, without a doubt one of the strongest works he's released. We're humbled by his decision to include our instruments in it's production. The Model 13 is immediately evident at it's start.

Without hesitation I can recommend you purchase a copy, else suffer from second-best syndrome with every other record in your collection.

There's nothing more I can add. Just buy it."

You can find the CD on Thighpaulsandra's website. You might also remember Thighpaulsandra from the recent Analog Live!

A day with analog synths

YouTube via thomasalsina. Sent my way via Jez.
"December 2007, Marigny theater. That day, all the synths decided to give up on Jean Michel Jarre, who spent the day re-tuning them. And in the evening, the main synth lost its tune at the beginning of the show, leaving JMJ struggling to play the right note. Painful."

How to Play the Synth Update

Remember this book? Some scans of the content are up! Click here for them courtesy of Adamo W .Jr. II.

"Due to popular demand, I've scanned a few pages out of this classic book, I stumbled across in my last visit to India. I saw the cover and thought it was simply irresistable.

It's obvious that the Indian conception of this instrument is a complete 170 from how any western musician would see it. This is from another planet, albeit very serious. There's no intention to offend anyone here, but this stuff in my view is simply hysterical.

It was difficult to select the pages to scan here, but there's some true gold here.

Enjoy!"

Update via heliospace in the comments:
"I don't think it's a 170. Knowing that many Indians are not educated the same way we are here, I think those pages describing how a synth works and such are in good detail for those who are unable to follow technology to its fullest.

I have a friend, assistant professor at the UMN who has done extensive research on Goa, India particularly and I highly recommend his book: "Psychedelic White: Goa Trance and the Viscosity of Race"

It talks about white people and their influence on India, particularly the area in and around Goa. It's non-biased and mostly based off of supported evidence. A great read if anybody reading this cares at all about that culture, the electronic music scene and where a lot of EDM styles came from...or were being created before they made it to the states ;)

-d"