MATRIXSYNTH

Friday, January 08, 2010

Crumar Performer 70's String & Brass Synthesizer

via this auction.

"Here we have a working 1979 Crumar Performer Analog Synthesizer. As a huge Duran Duran fan, I nearly fell out of my chair when I found this online, it provided the strings on some of the most influential and popular New Wave 80’s albums. Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran used the Crumar Performer extensively with his Roland Jupiter 8 and Sequential Circuits Prophet. In fact, those were the only synthesizes he used on the first few albums (Notably Duran Duran and Rio), before he moved onto digital and sampling synths, starting with Seven and the Ragged Star and the Fairlight sampler synth. This synthesizer was also used by the rock band Kansas, further providing that iconic Performer string sound."

Update via Steamy Vicks in the comments: it was a Jupiter 4, not 8 in the early albums. Sold For: US $249.00

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Cheap Metasonix Knock Off?

via Deviant Synth

Note the tubes. No source link at Deviant Synth though. Anyone out there know where this is from?

And of course, the real deal: http://metasonix.com/

Play the piano

YouTube via kokokaka3000
"Play on the YouTube piano.
An interactive video from Kokokaka.com"

HarriL - Midnight Jamming (Live)

YouTube via HarriL

"Time to fire up the EMX-ESX-309-Revolution gang once again and make the machines scream. This one went on a bit longer that I had planned (like it always does with improvised stuff) so I had to cut the video a bit so that it's ok for youtube.

The same camera and lense as the previous video, still waiting for the wider angle lense to be fixed; hence the tight shot.

Comments greatly appreciated!"

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Hold Your Phone Up - homage to sound pioneer Maryanne Amacher

follow-up to this post

"UPCOMING: HOLD YOUR PHONE UP (2010)

As part of the Baltimore Contemporary Museum's PROJECT 20 series, celebrating their 20th Anniversary, Neighborhood Public Radio will host a coast-to-coast audio-project for broadcast.

In homage to sound pioneer Maryanne Amacher, who died in October, NPR will re-imagine her seminal radio-locative sound project CITY LINKS (1967) as a community remix project to be aired locally in Baltimore, and streamed to Portable Radio Instruments for broadcast in San Diego, Chicago, and Albuquerque.

Broadcasts will occur every Sunday night at 9pm (EST).

We will collect these recordings every week and remix and process them for broadcast. We will also post the files on our website, inviting anyone to remix and reuse the recordings.

If you remix these sounds, send them to: nprphoneup@gmail.com
and we'll put them on the air."

Be sure to see this post. Comments disabled here to keep them there.

Max For Live Devices via Robert Henke of monolake

via monolake where you'll find the full list and downloads.

"This page hosts a selection of MaxForLive devices. MaxForLive is a flavor of the Max programing language that only works in conjunction with Ableton Live and allows users to create their own devices and to share those. In order to use these effects, one needs to own Ableton Live Version 8.1 or higher and the MaxForLive extension. More info about MaxForLive can be found on the websites of Ableton and Cycling74."

Wikipedia actually has a decent write-up on Robert Henke if you are not familiar with his work. He is actually the man behind the Monodeck (see here for prior posts). "Henke is a software engineer who develops custom software and hardware for live performances. As well as working as an engineer for Ableton, Henke designed the Atlantic Waves software for performing live with other producers in different countries simultaneously[2].

In 2003, Henke designed the Monodeck, a midi-controller interface for spontaneous editing and effects work during live performances, even without having to look at the computer screen[3]. The Monodeck and its successor, Monodeck II, control Ableton through patches designed with Max/MSP."

Mr. Braska Visits Apollo Studio

more pics and a write-up of his adventures on Synth.nl.

"Here is mr. Braska approving the drum module I build from the Thomas Henry Electronics Drums Cookbook on Breadboard."

NAMM Synth Booth List Update

OK, I went through the complete list of exhibitors at the NAMM website. You can find the updated list for all synth related manufactureres in this post. NOTE there are HALL location changes! If you captured the prior list, update your records! The list is now grouped by hall and in booth order.

If there are any missing or if you are being shown in one of the existing booths like Noisebug, Big City Music or Analogue Haven, let me know and I will add you.

You can find an excel spreadsheet of all exhibitors here.
You can find a pdf of the floorplan here.
And for $1.99 you can pick up the nifty NAMM iPhone app here.

I haven't downloaded it yet, so I have no idea if it is any good. If you have, feel free to comment.