MATRIXSYNTH

Remember the Technos Acxel Resynthesizer (pictured)? I just read this post on Music Thing. Apparently the creator of the Acxel, Pierre Guilmette, is working on a new version. Check out Music Thing for a letter from Pierre.

You can find his website, iDarca Audio here. You'll find a bit of info on resynthesis and some audio samples.

Update some more info on the Acxel:

"Don Garbutt writes: Freaky, obsure, expensive, unique, weighs a lot, robust construction (lots of VLSI chips inside). This machine is impossible to find, although I have one. Lucky me!!! Graphical interface is totally intuitive, and tell me if you know of any other machines that are resynthesis- based, as this is , if you care to use it in this fashion. Digital filter emulation (oscillator # filter) is unequaled.

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Circle Synth

"Something interesting is happening in software synthesizer design: after years of trying to boast more of ingredient “xx” (whether it’s modulation, eight-zillion-point envelopes or other whiz-bang features), the new challenge is to make the user experience itself different. The challenge: don’t just do more sonically — make it easier to actually make music. I’ve personally been a big fan of the elegant tabs in Cakewalk’s Rapture, the minimalist aesthetic of Ableton’s Operator, and the drag-and-drop routing in Native Instruments’ Massive. Now, could one instrument really leap forward in terms of guiding its design?"

Read the full post on Create Digital Music.

Human League-New Romantics Top 10

YouTube via chrisf242
Don't miss the crazy stacked Roland System 100 towards the beginning. Some more synth shots throughout. Anyone know what the sequencer looking device on the top left of the screen during the brunette interview is? Silly personal note: Fascination Street always reminds me of reading X-Men comics back when the song first came out. Good times.

Roland Paraphonic 505 Demo

YouTube via meastempo
"I bought this beauty only to get the strings similar to VP-330 (or exactly the same??) but it hade other nice features to, a stereo chorus with external input, a strong mono bass section and a simple synth part with resonance filter. The video shows only it's functions in a hurry, going to do another more serious demo of it later on."

KORG MS10

images via this auction

FORMANTA P-432

images via this auction

"It was made in Soviet Union (Russia) by well-known Polivoks/Formanta plant in Kachkanar city. This instrument is analog synthesizer with preset patches and midi. Synth has 37 patches in memory (electronic piano, strings, bass, organ etc.), vibrato and chorus effects. Also there is joystick for pitch/modulation control. It’s a great instrument for any music or collection.

This FORMANTA is in a perfect shape and well working condition. Instrument has original configuration: with standard midi in/out/thru, ¼ Jack audio out, 220V power."

Future Retro Mobius

images via this auction

Note the different font types for "Future Retro" on the front vs. back. How many synth manufactures used different styles for their name and/or logos?

"MIDI in/out/thru, Dinsync, CV out for both Volt/OCT and Hz/OCT, +/- Gate, trigger out, accent out, clock out, reset out..... The Mobius has the glide and accent functions to mimic the TB-303 sequencer"

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