MATRIXSYNTH

DIY Sequencers and a Minimoog Music

YouTube via nathanielscott
"I am trying to figure out a good ways to use my two DIY eight step sequencers and a multi-frequency clock in conjunction with a good synth (like the minimoog used in this video) to make musical real-time music. This session was OK but I would like to develop a system of switching between sequencers to vary the patterns even more than I do in this vid. BTW, if you don't like the music at least fast forward to 7:39 and listen to the fat patch I dial in at the end.

I would like to once again thank the Reuseum in Boise for providing the parts for the sequencers!"

Kurzweil K250 Complete Sound Library

via this auction via gpoltrock in the comments of this post

"complete set of original disks for the famous, groundbreaking Kurzweil K250 keyboard as used by Stevie Wonder, Paul Schaffer, Kenny Rogers and others. There are 12 boxes of 10 disks each. 120 disks that include a great variety of sounds: piano, guitar, choir, drums, bells, harpsichord, ethnic, sound effects and more. Eleven of the boxes include documentation on the sounds and install process.

Of course, you have to have a Kurzweil K250 of RMX to use these and I offer these disks not really expecting much interest as the K250 sold for around $11,000 in the early 80s. 4000 were manufactured and there are probably few around in working order. Not being familiar with the instrument’s operation, I wonder if an old Macintosh computer is needed, too. The documentation states:

'The sound library is a growing collection of Kurzweil sounds on Macintosh disks accessible to you for playing in your K250 or RMX through QLS and the sound modeling program.'

The QLS might be a faster sound loading system for the 250... using the Mac instead of the floppy on the keyboard. It then lists the procedure on how to load a Kurzweil sound library disk using QLS. (Quick Load System)."

Jarrography - Jean Michel Jarre Synthography and More

Click here for a list of instruments used by Jean Michel Jarre on Jarrography. Each synth listed has a link to more info and images.

Pictured:
The MOOG III and the RMI Harmonic Synthesizer

via Mr. Array

Sequential Circuits Prophet T8 Synthesizer

via this auction

PAiA Modular

via this auction

"In the first enclosure there are two 4770 Watt Block power modules for 8 and 18 VDC, there is a 4740 Envelope Generator, a 4710 Balanced Modulator, a 2720-12 Inverter Buffer and a 2720-11 Envelope Follower.

In the second enclosure there is a 4771 Regulated Power complex power generator with variable voltages and polarities (rare), a 4730 Voltage Controlled Filter, a 4711 Four Into Two Mixer, a 4761 Wing power block, a 4720 Voltage Controlled Oscillator, two 4710 Balanced Modulators and a 4750 Control Oscillator Noise Generator.

There is included also the May 1973 Radio-Electronics article by John Simington (PAiA founder and recently unfortunately passed) titled Build A Modular Electronic Synthesizer wich provides wonderful background and support infos for the line of PAiA synth modules.

Also included are original copies of the documents for the 2720-1 Voltage Controlled Amplifier, 2720-2A Voltage Controlled Oscillator, 2720-3B Voltage Controlled Filter (Band-Pass), 2720-3L Voltage Controlled Filter (Low-Pass), 2720-4 Function Generator, 2720-5 Control Oscilator / Noise Source, 2720-7 Power Supply, 2720-8 Keyboard/Case ( and the assembly diagrams, the 2720-11 Envelope Follower/Trigger, 2720-12 InverterBuffer, and 2720-14 Sine Converter / Pulse Width Modulator. These manuals provide a great amount of context for the 4700 modules and included schematics are basic to the functions they describe. There is also a wealth of information out on the net as you'd expect detailing the internals and functions of these PAiA modules. Check out http://www.synthdiy.com/files/2008/4700ug.pdf which is a User Guide for the 4700/S synth system.

These hip PAiA pieces have come into their own recently as Doepfer, Moog, etc, modules have skyrocketed in price and the vintage analog synth community recognized in the PAiA modules the value engineering and forward thinking design John Simington employed when he created this line of analog treaures.

There are a number of great articles about this fine (very underrated, known as "Poor Man''s Buchla" in some hip synth circles) series of vintge synth modules. One article is http://www.johnnypumphandle.com/johnny/Paia/paia.htm, but the most comprehensive is the legendary http://www.musicofplexus.com/paia4700/. In this extensive photo journal essay one can see the scope and depth of the capabilities of these modules when properly handled and with only quite modest upgrades made (High quality caps, ten turn pots on teh VCOs, etc)"

PAIA Stringz n Thingz - Vintage String Synthesizer

via this auction

"the Assembly & Operation Manual is typewritten."

Farfisa Syntorchestra

via this auction

not the best shots, but you don't see these often.

Roland SH 101

via this auction
"Monophonic analog synthesizer with 4 mixable oscillators (pulse/PWM, saw, noise, sub-oscillator), -18 dB/octave resonant LPF, multi-wave LFO, fast ADSR envelope, arpeggiator and step sequencer.
Oscillator (VCO)
* Range: 16'/8'/4'/2', waveforms: pulse/PWM, saw
* PWM: manual, envelope, LFO
* Sub-oscillator: square -1 oct., square -2 oct., pulse -2 oct.
* Mixer: pulse, saw, sub-oscillator, noise

Filter (VCF)
* Resonant/self-oscillating, -18 dB/octave low-pass
* Modulation: LFO, envelope, keyfollow
Envelope generator
* ADSR envelope
* Range: A: 1,5 ms .. 4 s, D: 2 ms .. 10 s, S: 0 .. 100%, R: 2 ms .. 10 s
* Modes: envelope+gate, gate, triggered by LFO
Amplifier (VCA)
* Mode: gate, envelope

Modulator (LFO)
* Frequency: 0,1 .. 30 Hz
* Waveform: triangle, square, random/S&H, noise
* Destination: VCO pitch, VCO PW, VCF cutoff, VCA
Sequencer
* Arpeggiator (up, down, up and down)
* 100-step sequencer
Controls
* 2,5-octave keyboard (32 keys)
* Pitch bender, mod lever (VCO/VCF LFO depth)

Connections
* CV/gate input
* External clock input (for arpeggiator/sequencer"

Syndrum Drum Synth

via this auction
"Used by many of the 70's-early 80's drummers. Was made famous by the disco tune 'Ring My Bell' by Anita Ward. This is much more than a disco sound, it's flexible and very cool synth. Even Terry Bozzio (big haired drum god) used to rock one of these back in the day. This can also be triggered via CV which is nice. I triggered with a 707 drum machine and it worked like a charm. Comes with pad, control pedal and power adapters for 240V and 120V. Nice."

Yamaha CS60 Modded with MIDI

via this auction
"Here's some feature of the Kenton MIDI retrofit: For incoming MIDI:
- Any MIDI channel can be selected
- Notes (MIDI note numbers 36 - 96) - transpose possible
- Program change (numbers 1 - 14 top row and 17 to 30 bottom row)
- Pitchbend - (bends up and down a second)
- Mod Wheel (switch to enable)
- Filter cutoff frequency (of low pass filter)
- Portamento
- Sustain
- Volume

By default:
- pitchbend is controlled by pitchbend messages
- mod wheel is controlled by Mod Wheel (CC#1) and also by Aftertouch messages
- filter cutoff is controlled by CC#16
- resonance is controlled by CC#17
- Volume is controlled by MIDI volume (CC#7)
- Sustain is controlled by Sustain (CC#64)
- Portamento is controlled by Portamento (CC#65)