Wham Last Christmas Video feat. Yamaha SHS10 Keytar for keyboardists with guitar-envy

YouTube via 123synthland

"That's right, after many years of being vintage synth dealers, we're trying to break into the music video business. Considering the high quality of this video, it may shock you to learn that this was our very first attempt at making a serious music video! We would like to personally thank George and Andrew for their patience. But seriously, this video was really meant to show you the beautiful Yamaha SHS10 Keytar we're about to offer up for sale. For some reason, hardly a day goes by when we don't get an email from someone looking for a keytar. We find this quite annoying considering, although we sell 'tars once in a while, we really specialize in vintage analog synths like Moogs and ARPs and don't usually cater to keyboardists who wish they were guitarists. (No offense) But back to the video! This SHS-10 is unlike most keytars in that it's got built in sounds. A couple of them are actually pretty good. And the analog drum patterns are really cool too! But you might not know it from listening to this clip of the onboard demo tune, a cover of Wham's "Last Christmas". If you don't like the internal sounds, there's a MIDI out so you can control external synths with it as well. We hope you enjoyed getting your Wham on like we did. Email us anytime at minime123@onebox.com"

Roland JV-2080 playing around with pads #2

YouTube via hoeppc. follow-up to this post.
"This is a Roland JV-2080 sound module in Performance-Mode playing some ambient, drone-like pads."

x0xb0x OVERDRIVE

YouTube via BIM0X
"early stage of development for the Overdrive on x0xb0x.
Just 1 OpAmp and 2 blue LEDs !
Circuitry will be adapted to fit the circuit of the x0x ; stay tuned !"

Samples Back Again!!!!!!

YouTube via ArhythmticProduction. beatles
"Arhythmtic Myspace- http://www.myspace.com/arhythmticprod..."

Mattel Synsonics w/ Speakers

via this auction
"You can hit its pads with your fingers or drumsticks to trigger 4 sounds - snare, hihat, and two tom toms. One of the toms has a variable pitch control wheel on the side so you can either tune it to your liking or better yet vary the sound as you play. so, sounds like fun, right? But wait... THERE"S MORE!!!!

What made this thing so wiggy back then was the ability to RECORD phrases and use them to make songs. I actually used the Synsonics when I made demos on my 4 track cassette way back when. The way it works is, you turn on the bass drum, which serves as a steady beat - then you can record 16 beats on any of three channels. It can get crazy, and onplayback, you can actually switch between "loops." Hope all these words help, it really is just loads of fun and sounds cool too. You can adjust the rhythm, theres an accent button to "close" your hihat, you can use the buttons on the front to set rhythms by instrument if you don't play drums (my choice) . All of these options are explained clearly on the sticker on the back. Instructions are long gone.

And, this model has STEREO speakers - unbelieveable!!! Plus there is a midi plug (NEVER USED IT) [It's not actually MIDI - via craig m in the comments: "it's for footpedals for accent/bd and two flavors of sync."] left and right stereo RCA plug outputs for direct connections, headphone jack, and power adapter jack (never used it either, do not have the plug). I use the batteries, they seem to last a long time (6 "C" batteries not included). Oh, yeah, there is also a jack for "CASSETTE INPUT" - more old school opportunities, but never used that either.

A GREAT fun vintage retro analog drum machine. Sold as a toy (why do I remember this being expensive back then?) but way better than anyone ever expected."

Access Virus A

via this auction

Access Virus B

via this auction

MEMORYMOOG PLUS

via this auction
"Memorymoog Plus synthesizer with factory midi and poly sequencer... Autotune version is 84. Synthesizer was recently serviced and calibrated by Mike Bucki, former Moog tech with 25 years experience. Second set of rare factory programs patch sheets included. Program tape included."

johnson intonation trainer synthesizer tunable keyboard

via this auction

"Johnson Intonation Trainer
Made by the E.F. Johnson Co.
Waseca, Minnesota U.S.A.

* Cool four-voice tunable electronic keyboard (scale selector switch offers choice of standard/tempered tuning or tunable modes)
* Originally used to test the relationship of pitch-matching and pitch-discrimination abilities

Highlights
* Three octave keyboard
* Scale Selector - choose between reference (tempered tuning) or tunable
* Tunable Scale Controls - correspond to notes on keyboard and adjust pitch in tunable mode
* Voicing - choose from four voices - - basic sine wave to reedy / edgy

* Speaker in case (can also connect to external amp, mixer, etc)"

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Smother - Luis Gispert, 2008

via Josh Kay (Phoenecia): "I just finished a soundtrack for a 26 minute film called Smother. I used my monster-case housed Euro-Rack modular and an Arp 2600 as the primary sound sources. These analogue synths were made for drones. There was plenty of post-processing involved, but not a single vsti."

Regarding the image:
"This is my system (the monster case on the left) mixed with Richard Devine's setup. That's the Arp I used on the soundtrack, it used to be mine. Actuality, Rich sold it to me many years ago and eventually I sold it back to him. Since then he's had Phil Cirocco (CMS) thoroughly baptize it (all options except the Moog ladder filter).

In my system, I'd have to say my favorites are the 2 Livewire AFG's the Frequensteiner, the Zeroscillator, the Bananlogue Serge VCS (I wish I had 3 of them), The Plan B model 10 and 24, the Doepfer BBD's (I do have 3 of them), and without a doubt, the MakeNoise QMMG. "

Smother - Luis Gispert, 2008 (Phoenecia's Alternate Score & Edit) from Josh Kay on Vimeo.

"Smother (Phoenecia's Alternate Score & Edit)
Directed by Luis Gispert
Score & Sound Design by Phoenecia (Joshua Kay & Romulo Del Castillo)

From the New York Times review:
"A boy lies on a trampoline, clutching a boombox to his chest. Gradually the blue tarpaulin turns a sickly green as he empties his bladder. “Smother,” a riveting new 26-minute film at Mary Boone Gallery by the New York artist Luis Gispert, explores the relationship between this 11-year-old chronic bed-wetter, also depicted in the photograph at right, and his domineering mother. Like “Stereomongrel,” Mr. Gispert’s 2005 film collaboration with Jeffrey Reed, it follows a precocious pre-adolescent’s odyssey through a perilous adult landscape - in this case 1980s Miami (where Mr. Gispert was raised).

“Smother,” which has a script by Mr. Gispert and the artist Orly Genger and a soundtrack by the experimental duo Phoenecia, is the throbbing, flamingo-pink heart of Mr. Gispert’s two-gallery show, at Mary Boone and Zach Feuer. With its tropical palette and episodic magical realism (which might be too real for some animal lovers), it can seem less like a film than a tenuously linked series of Mr. Gispert’s stills. Dialogue is sparse, and as melodramatic as a telenovela’s. The camera lingers over the spectacular stucco-mansion setting, which Mr. Gispert has aptly described as “narco-nouveau-riche.”

At Zach Feuer Gallery, a sculptural installation echoes the film’s lurid scenery. Photographs of truck interiors, racing-striped walls and high-gloss, heart-shaped speakers put forth a Miami version of the hot-rod-inspired art that emerged in 1960s Southern California. - Karen Rosenberg

Notes:
The alternate score & edit is a remixed version of Smother including parts that were omitted from the release version. An alternate reworked 20 minute version of Smother appears on Phoenecia's Echelon Mall, a collection of works for film & gallery exhibitions. Echelon Mall is scheduled for release in March on Schematic.

Links:
Mary Boone Gallery page:
maryboonegallery.com/exhibitions/2007-2008/gispert/index.html
Zach Feuer Gallery page:
zachfeuer.com/luisgispert_2008.html
New York Times review:
nytimes.com/2008/01/25/arts/design/25wart.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=zach+feuer&st=nyt&oref=slogin
Artnet Magazine review:
artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/davis/davis2-15-08.asp
New York Sun review:
nysun.com/arts/dislocating-dreams/70863/
Phoenecia:
schematic.net & schematic.net/phoenecia"