YAMAHA PSS-680 with light-theremin mods

images via this auction

"Yamaha PSS-680 "MusicStation" digital synthesizer, with mods. It comes stock with: MIDI in/out/thru jacks, 99 voices, 99 rhythms, vibrato/ duet/ sustain/ reverb/ portamento & stereo-chorus effects, transpose/tuning/attack rate/decay rate/ frequency/ feedback level/ modulation level & total level synth parameters, a four-bank drumpad array, a "custom drummer" mode that let's you program your own beats, bass/chord/orchestra accompaniments, a programmable pitchbend wheel, plus some memory banks and other cool buttons. I've added a mod to the pitch wheel function. the first toggle switch engages the photocell while the second toggle switch determines if the pitch will go up or down. The photocell then lets you "play" the pitch of the keyboard notes much like a light-sensitive theremin. The manual is online in case you'd like a copy."

MOOG The Rouge with Original Box

images via this auction

"Moog 'Rogue' analog synthesizer. It was purchased new in 1984 from Goodman Music in Anahiem, Ca. The serial# is 7639. It has not been powered up for 10yrs or so, but all functions worked well the last time it was played. It comes with all of the original documentation; owners manual, technical service info including schematics with some part#'s, service center listings. Lots of info about this unit is on the web.

Some of the white lettering is worn off around the master volume knob and one of the sliders in the area, upper right hand side, see pic.

The original box has water stains on one end but I don't believe the unit itself has gotten wet, it is isolated in the box with styrofoam packing and a cardboard insert, see pics."

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Waldorf XTk

images via this auction

The Akai S900 Blog

click here for a new blog on the Akai S900 by KONEY. Remember if you have an RSS reader like Bloglines, subscribe to it and you will get new posts as they come in.

There's a ton up on the Akai Blog already including a JoMoX X-Base 09 drum kit.

Electribe EMX-1, no faceplate

flickr by jimgskoop (click for some mouse-overs)

via JimG in the comments of this post. Click here for the set with more shots of the inside.

Moog prototype SL-8 synthesiser

flickr by Neil Vance
1983 - full size

You can find more info and another image here.

Update via Jared in the comments: "A nice first hand write-up of its development and how quickly it met its demise at NAMM can be found here."

Update: one more scan via Niel here. This one is a full article.

Update: another panel shot via Niel.

Update via rick in the comments:
"more pics here: Audities Foundation
its currently not on display."

Editing on the JD-990

"Shown is an edit screen from the JD-990. This is the "structure" page, which determines how the processing blocks are to be organized in a given patch. The ability to do this is one of the improvements that the JD-990 has over the JD-800; the JD-800's processing architecture is fixed in the configuration shown on the left side. On the right side, we see a ring-modulation type patch. Tone C goes through a TVA (equivalent to a VCA), and then is multiplied by tone D. (The "R" in the box represents ring modulation, which is implemented in the digital realm by simple multiplication of the individual samples from each input. Ring modulation is one of the few synth functions that is difficult to do well in analog circuitry, but trivially easy to do in digital synthesis.) The patch then passes through two TVFs (equivalent to VCFs), and a final TVA to shape the output." click here for the full post on Sequence 15.

Workspace and Environment: Yip-Yip

"What is your favorite piece of hardware?
Jason: Korg MS-10. I've had it for five years or so and it's the perfect synthesizer.
Brian: I just got a Moogerfooger freqbox, so I am pretty excited about that. My Synare PS-1 is probably still my favorite though."

click here for the full interview on trash_audio.

LL Electronics RozzBox thru Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo (tape)

YouTube via bigcitymusic
"Here's the new L.L. Electronics 5-voice Polyphonic Rozzbox running into a vintage Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo (tape echo). Sounds amazingly cool, huh? bigcitymusic.com"

Harmonic Hum

YouTube via Analogger
"This was just a happy accident I came across today. I was getting ready to do another video and I engaged the Pigtronix Attack Sustain pedal with the volume and harmonics knobs turned up. My guitar wasn't plugged in so I got this loud hum...made even louder by the Attack Sustain's massive compression. I engaged the HOG and it generated perfect harmonies relative to the hum. Instant drone. Pretty cool. I fed that into the Echolution and messed with the HOG's lowpass filter.

If you don't have the expression pedal plugged into the HOG then you can use the Expression Button which will alter a parameter depending on which expression mode you are in. I did all this before my wife got home from work. She has not yet discovered the zen-like quality of drones. Oscar, however, admits his very feline being has been immesurably enriched by the noise. I gotta go with Oscar on this one."