MATRIXSYNTH

As you've all probably heard by now, the King of Pop has passed away. I wasn't expecting to put a post up as all posts have to be about the synths, however it just didn't seem right to not put something up, and I did find a bit of fascinating synth history, when you think about it, below.

I remember growing up listening to bits of the Jackson Five and later Michael Jackson. My sister was in love with his music, and Elvis Presley. The perfect match. I remember when Elvis was the King of Rock and Roll and Michael announced himself as the King of Pop. I wondered if it would stick. I remember when Off the Wall came out followed by Thriller. I remember staying up to watch the Thriller video with my sister, and her telling me how it was the most expensive video ever made. I thought it was crazy how long it would be. I recently remember watching that odd video of inmates somewhere in Asia performing Thriller, a hundred plus inmates in orange, prison garbs, all in sync. All crazy memories in time, all full of life and energy. That is the one thing Michael Jackson was to me - a man filled with wonder and energy. I will always remember him as that somewhat magical character who never lost that bit of childhood wonder. I'm sure he has influenced me in ways I have yet to realize, some bits I'm coming to realize just typing this. Pretty crazy... pretty amazing... I hope he is well wherever he is. He did bring wonder to life.

As for the interesting bit of synth history and the image from Thriller. The following is a list of the synths used and the players (via micke in this VSE thread). It is an interesting look at what synths were used on THE best selling album of all time. RIP Michael. RIP The King of Pop. It definitely stuck.

"Here's a rundown of the all (?) the synths used in the making of Thriller

Yamaha CS-80
Roland Jupiter 8 (x3)
NED Synclavier II
DK Synergy
Roland Jupiter 4
Roland MC-4 microcomposer/sequencer
Yamaha GS-1 FM synth
Oberheim Four-Voice
SCI Prophet 5 (x2)
Yamaha CE20 FM preset synth
Yamaha portasound keyboard
Roland VP-330 vocoder/strings
Bode Vocoder
E-mu Emulator I
plus a couple of Minimoogs

Linn LM-1 (mostly doubled with a TR-808)
Linndrum (LM-2)

And here's a listing of the keyboardists/synthesists performing on the album:

Greg Phillinganes
Michael Boddicker (Mr. Jackson's main synth-programmer)
Steve Porcaro & David Paich
Bill Wolfer
Brian Banks & Anthony Marinelli
David Foster
Greg Smith
Tom Bahler
James Ingram"

On another non music related note, we also lost Farah Fawcett today. Sad day today.

Update via VICMOD: "And Andy huges of The Orb passed away, thats got to be synth related" Indeed.

"Andy Hughes, (born 11th November 1965 - died 12th June 2009), was an English electronic music producer from Harrow, Middlesex [1]. He is most known for his work with The Orb, where he helped mix and produce Orbus Terrarum, Orblivion, and Cydonia, as well as The Orb's singles from this period. Hughes left The Orb during the production of Cydonia, which was reworked after his departure. He also did some additional original production work and performed remixes for The Cranberries and Tangerine Dream.

Hughes died at the Liver Intensive Care Unit at Kings College Hospital in London after a short illness on June 12, 2009." via Wikipedia. And Ed McMahon. And Sky Saxon of The Seeds.

Update: Michael Jackson and the Electronium

via the Raymond Scott blog:
"In August of 1970, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy read an article in Variety magazine about Raymond Scott and his Electronium. Along with The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Motown virtually controlled the 1960s pop charts with stars like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross & The Supremes. And with THE JACKSON 5 as his latest smash supergroup, Gordy was at the height of his influence. ...

Hoby Cook was a technician at Motown’s MoWest facility who tested Scott’s Electronium extensively. 'I wanted some reactions, so as an experiment, I’d open the door and turn the volume up — loud.' Cook’s technique worked. Motown personnel heard the curious sounds and wandered in. “Cal Harris did a lot of recording with it, and MICHAEL JACKSON was fascinated,' Cook recalled. 'He was just this kid sitting there, staring at the flashing lights. He said he wanted THE JACKSON 5 to use the Electronium somehow.'"

Doepfer MS404

via this auction

ARP Odyssey 2823 Analog Synth

via this auction

Ping Pong on Your Kurzweil

Kurzweil k 2000/2500/2600 keyboard Easter Egg - see the second update in this post. Also see the comments there for more.

Sequencer as VCO

YouTube via verstaerker
"using the Doepfer A-155 Sequencer as VCO"

lil 9v unit core - tb-76488, tb-apc, digital sinewave sequencer

YouTube via horchacha
"a rainy day jam while my daughter sleeps-
tb-76488 complex sound generator sequencer
tb-apc - tripple atari punk console/stepped tone generator w/ lowpassgate and dual sequencers -
digital sine wave generator w/ sequencer-
tonewheel bar sequencer -
all clocked to a mpc1k via kenton pro2k

gona dance
on the floor
in around
dave wright
www.notbreathing.com"

Spectre - Sample Management Tool for the Waldorf Blofeld Now Available

You can find it here.

You can now load your own samples into the Blofeld.

Note the English instructions in the user manual start on page 10.

"SPECTRE is a tool for creating and transferring Sample Content for Waldorf Blofeld with License SL and Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard. Both are synthesizers with the additional ability to play back Samples. If you have none of the above, you are still welcome to explore SPECTRE and fantasize what it would be like to own one of the above instruments"

Blofeld sample editor

FULLY ANALOG SYNTHESIZERS EVENING FUN

YouTube via mancio1
"A short improv starring chained analog machine.
The Styx (SoundMaster) 305 drum machine is gating the korg MS20 that is controlling the GATE of the MFB Kraftzwerg (re-housed in a low cost koffer form doepfer, along with some other modules. A single note is playing. KaossPad3 used to mangle the drum machine only.
A couple chords are coming from a Solton/Ketron PROJECT100. At the end i show you one of my DIY projects, a 8/16 step sequencer (analog AND midi). Coming soon.
Shot with an Aiptek SD camera (DVD quality).
Sorry for the audio quality and the noises coming from the (sloppy) handling.

ENJOYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Made In Italy With Love."

Casio CZ-1 Demo Track by Electronic Pop Artist Anjelicas Baby

YouTube via AnjelicasBaby
"Hi Paul Leishman from British new wave, dance, electronic synthpop and pop music artist Anjelicas Baby here. Just been experimenting with a now very rare Casio CZ-1 Phase Distortion synthesizer in cubase. All sounds are off the Casio CZ-1 with the addition of modern computer FX and a house drum loop for added effect.

Angelicas Baby music now can be downloaded or listened to from the following sites:

iTunes U.S., iTunes Australia/N.Z., iTunes Canada, iTunes UK/European Union, iTunes Japan, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, IMVU, Amazon MP3, Lala, Shockhound, Amie Street, last.fm, indiestore.com. In the near future there will be many more.

Many thanks for your ongoing support"