Top 20 Weirdest Instruments Episode One

Be sure to check out the write-up on Sonic State.

Inside an Oberheim Matrix-12

click here for more images via Heath Finnie on VSE. 

Note the "Xpander and Matrix Pot Board." images mirrored here.

CS-30

flickr by gargar1974

full size

Yamaha CS30

a better pic of the synth

flickr by gilesthompson
(click for more)

full size

dinosaur
walrus
mantis
power ranger
Casio CZ-5000

ESI K.ON

via ESI. Click the image for a supersized shot.

"K.ON is our new expandable USB controller keyboard with 88 hammer action keys.
Equipped with a stable aluminium cabinet, K.ON is not only stylish, but perfectly optimized for professional usage live on stage or in any studio environment. Various faders and dials as controllers are provided, allowing remote control of software and hardware synthesizers. K.ON has a total of 4 expansion slots, compatible with existing synth modules from other vendors.
Features

* 3 digit LED display
* 9 endles dials
* 9 faders
* modulation wheel / pitch bend
* numeric keypad
* transport control buttons
* varios editing functions for programming
* power supplied via USB or optional external power supply
* expandable via 4 expansion slots on backside
* Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003, Mac OS X 10.3 (and higher) compatible
* bundled with Steinberg Cubase LE 4.0 for PC and Mac"

Synthesizer-Magazin Heft 6 Vorschau

Issue 6 of Synthesizer Magazin features the following:

" * Analoge Polyphone Synthesizer von heute
* Yamaha Tenori-On - Geheimwaffe oder Spielzeug?
* NI Kontakt 3 - Sampling 3.0?
* Roland SH201 - Kann der was?
* Bob Moog Foundation und Hintergründe
* Goldfrapp
* Alec Empire
* Karlheinz Stockhausen
* Ringmodulator in Theorie
* Bending Korg DDD1/5
* Elektronische Musik im Film Serie"

Synthesizer-Magazin via sequencer.de.

Sparky's Magic Piano

Another one via Tara Busch of AnalogSuicide. I actually missed this in the last post, so here it is.

Sparky's Magic Piano is a surreal trip back in time. It was "Written and produced by Alan Livingston With Henry Blair, narrated by Verne Smith Music by Billy May." Most importantly it features the Sonovox.

It's such an odd bit of synth vocoder history I thought I should put up a new post vs. just updating the last (so you do not miss it). Comments disabled to keep them all on the previous post.

Do be sure to check out AnalogSuicide for more info on the Solovox including some links to other sites, and be sure to check out Sparky. Creepy stuff. :)

Yamaha YS-100 presets demo

video upload by vlad1gavrilchik

"The keyboard of my YS-100 is now of little help because of it's age and bad state. So I used my Korg SP-200 digital piano as a controller here to show some sounds. The Yamaha YS-100 is 4-op 8 voice polyphonic FM synth with some extra source waveforms and a simple effect processor."

Triwave Picogenerator TB303 TB-303 TR-606 BOSTICH NORTEC

YouTube via bostich1.
"Ramon Bostich (NORTEC)working with the Triwave Picogenerator , TB-303 and a Roland TR-606.

Triwave Picogenerator
Roland TB-303 the BORG MOD
Roland TR606 MODIFICATION ROUND UP

http://www.myspace.com/bostichnortec
http://www.myspace.com/nortecbostichf...
http://www.myspace.com/bostichpointloma
www.bostich.org"

Incredible Sonovox - Kay Kyser - 1940 film "You'll Find Out"

YouTube via MisterScott99. via AnalogSuicide (click for more info including a sample of the Sonovox featured in Sparky's Magic Piano."
"Amazing device that gives voice to musical instruments. The Sonovox consists of one or two louspeakers placed on the throat that play the source sound. The performer whispers the words while the speakers stand in for the voice box. Used for the talking train in Disney's Dumbo, uncountable radio promos, a tube-in-the-mouth version "Talk Box" was used by Frampton to make his guitar sing, and all-electronic "Vocoder" versions are still used in current pop music."