MATRIXSYNTH

see the write-up on Sonic State

Elektrokaos Minimal Techno Nord Modular G2 Performance 1301-vs2

Part 2 added to this post

Yamaha DX7 Sighting in Monsters vs. Aliens

via Scott Metzger via Yamaha
Spoiler Alert: do not read the following if you want to be surprised watching the film. Just know a DX7 is in it.
"— Animated President Tries to Woo Aliens by Performing Clichéd Alien Tunes —
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 31, 2009) — Movie goers who take in DreamWorks Animation's latest blockbuster Monsters vs. Aliens are treated to a Yamaha sighting of the now extinct DX7 synthesizer. YCAA, Inc. began working with Dreamworks in 2007 to fulfill the company's vision of animating the prized synthesizer for a specific scene.

In a rather comical attempt to make peace with the aliens aboard a UFO that has landed in the United States, an animated President (Stephen Colbert) performs the familiar alien melody from Close Encounter of the Third Kind. When that doesn't seem to be working, he breaks into "Axel F" from Beverly Hills Cop, and he plays both on none other than the Yamaha DX7.

The DX7 was one of the most popular digital synthesizers ever created, manufactured from 1983 to 1986. The DX7 family remains popular to this day with many recording and performing artists. It has been used by Stevie Wonder, Depeche Mode, Babyface, U2, The Cure, Elton John, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Beastie Boys, Herbie Hancock, Queen, Talking Heads, and more, and now, the President.

Monsters vs. Aliens revolves around a California girl named Susan Murphy who is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor full of outer space gunk on her wedding day and mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. Alerted to the threat of this new monster, the military jumps into action and Susan is captured and secreted away to a covert government compound. There, she is renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of other monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho half-ape, half-fish The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus.

Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious alien robot lands on Earth and begins storming the country. In a moment of desperation, The President is persuaded by General W.R. Monger to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the Alien Robot and save the world from imminent destruction.

The animated adventure dominated the weekend box office, pulling in a record-breaking $33 million on 3-D screens and a total $59.3 million in the United States and Canada.

For more information on Yamaha artists or the extensive Yamaha product catalog, please visit www.yamahaartists.com."

Update video found by rapture in the comments:

Monsters Vs Aliens Awesome President

Roland JD-800 + Minimoog + SCI Pro-One

YouTube via retrosound72

"vintage synth demo track by RetroSound

pads, fairlight voice and fx sounds: Roland JD-800;
bassline: Moog Minimoog sequenced by the MFB Step64 step sequencer and transposed by the DX7II,
percussive sound: SCI Pro-One;
drums: Roland TR-707"

acidlab Miami Status

via Peter on the AH mailing list:

"i got this mail today..

'Hallo Peter,

The first batch of the miami is built up and the first units are shipped, and the rest is already sold. The next batch will be ready in may. Then the miami should be constantly be available. The price is 800 Euro + shipping 17 Euro to sweden. Here you find more information:
http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/search?q=miami+acidlab

Soon there should be more information and manuals on my webpage! [http://acidlab.de/]

All products can only be ordered here directly in Europe.
Please email in may again!

Bye

Klaus'"

Rhodes Chroma Interface Manual

via Chris Ryan on the Rhodes Chroma list:

"I've updated the Interface Manual from the 1982 to the 1986 edition. This includes numerous changes and additions, particularly with respect to the Polaris (for instance, Polaris Structure and Polaris Objects and Streams). I may also at some point make the earlier edition available again, as it contains some information not in the later one.

Thanks to Dave Blees [21030552] and David Clarke [21030085] for getting this information to me."

Goofing around with JSQ60 JUNO 60 TR707 SYNC and TRIGGER

YouTube via se7ense7
"Just made a little sequence, trying out different sync-options with the TR707... It's cool. I can sync the TR and the Juno and the JX3P and other midi gear as well!"

Traktor Scratch Pro Demo by DJ Shiftee

YouTube via NativeInstruments
"DMC 2007 Champion DJ Shiftee shows a routine and some tasty household tricks on Traktor Scratch Pro."
Not a synth, but I'm going to make an exception on this one. It's intersting from the perspective of sound manipulation and creation. It not so much about the tracks in the bigining as the sounds "synthesized." Also it comes from Native Instruments, makers of synth software.