MATRIXSYNTH


Saturday, January 23, 2010

NAMM: CME

http://www.cme-pro.com

Images of the U-Key in pink and blue and the VX-60.

"CME professional will release U-Key - the first mobiltone keyboard of the world during winter NAMM 2006. It will fill the gap of the particular hardware for composing cell phone ring, which has the market of billions of dollar.

U-Key uses ultra thin full action semi-weighted keys and the total ply of U-Key is only 3.7cm, but the key feel of U-Key is as same as keyboards in standard ply. U-Key has build in high 64-polyphony high quality mobile phone sound module, and internal high fidelity speaker droved by digitally amplifier. U-Key also builds in many MIDI songs and accompaniment in different styles, including loop variation and chord change, which are elaborate made by professional musicians and can be sprung by U-Key's unique 'PadStyle'. All MIDI songs and styles can be downloaded from Internet and transferred into U-Key via USB. U-Key supplies a brand new Game mode, users could use this function and music books with U-Key to test their skill of performance, and students could learn many tips in this mode. U-Key is the first mobiltone keyboard that has build in muiti ethical scales of the world, and it will surprise you, no matter you want to play Arabian music of Asian music. U-CTRL is a brand new concept by CME, it provides the easiest way to communicate between controller and music software. You do not need to load template or presets, just press U-CTRL button and all the controllers for software you may use will be ready.

U-Key supplies more than 20 user-defined controllers in different types, including joystick, trigger pads, encoder for data entry, pedals. All controllers are programmable and all functions of U-Key can be quickly and easily setup by press certain keys. User can save their controller settings into U-Key and load at any time they want. U-Key has plug and plays USB MIDI driver for Windows XP / MAC OSX, and it can be powered via USB. With U-Key's line out, phone out and compact cubage, it's a wise idea to use U-Key for mobile composing on laptops.

U-Key will follow CME's persistent competitive price like their other products as well."

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Infinite Response

flickr set by matrixsynth

http://www.infiniteresponse.com/

These were surprisingly nice keyboard controllers. Note these have polyphonic aftertouch. This is the only new keyboard I am aware of that has this.

Update: video of it folding added below.




YouTube via InfiniteResponse

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: John Bowen Synth Design

flickr set by matrixsynth
(click for more)

http://johnbowen.com/

Remember to click on the All Sizes link followed by Original Size for the super sized sized shots.

I need to give a special thanks to John Bowen for hosting my NAMM pass this year. Thank you John! Carbon111 and Bernard were showing the Solaris at the booth.


NAMM: Moog Taurus 3, Little Phatty and Moogerfoogers


http://www.moogmusic.com/

Three shots from the Moog booth at Winter NAMM. Click on the images for the full size shots.

I spent most of my time at the booth talking to Michelle Moog-Koussa of the Bob Moog Foundation, Chris Stack of Moog Music, Amin Bhatia, Larry Fast, and Eric Norlander. All great people.

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Dave Smith Instruments

flickr set by matrixsynth
(click for more)

Two prototype Mopho Keyboards. One in yellow and one in black. Which do you prefer? Vote below the image of the man behind the machine, Dave Smith.

http://davesmithinstruments.com

I had a short but nice conversation with Dave Smith. He is so down to earth!





Mopho Poll

Experimental Music (1984-1989) - EMS SYNTHI 100


YouTube via zijun01.

via THE SYNTHI EMS SYNTHI 100 track comes in at 3:46.

"I recorded these pieces in the 1980s and recently recovered them from twenty-year-old cassette tapes. The first excerpt is from a work that was recorded at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. The other songs were recorded at Carleton University in Ottawa.

The video clips are processed (using AfterEffects) screen captures (using CamStudio) of music visualizations (using the iTunes and Dr. Glitter visualizers).

'Blade' features drums, synthesizer (Yahama DX-7), alto saxophone, voices, a bicycle pump, coins, pieces of wood, water and probably a few things I have forgotten about.

'Ýoung Sycamore' has a live vocal and percussion part that wasn't recorded. The lyrics were adapted from a poem by Wlliam Carlos Williams (http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/35368-Willia m-Carlos-Williams-Young-Sycamore). The piece was written/played using the software 'PC Composer' and a midi controller.

'Untitled' features an EMS Synthi 100, a very early synthesizer from the early 70s. It takes up half of small room and is interesting to use because you have to physically connect all the different sound items like sine waves, noise and filters. According to Wikipedia, only about 30 of these synthesizers were produced and their original selling price was 25,000 USD (the equivalent of over $100,000 USD today). If I had known it was so rare and expensive, maybe I would have appreciated it more back then. The arpeggios and background sounds are from a Korg Poly61 synthesizer.

For 'Sting Quartet No. 2', all the notes were typed into a computer (using the PC Composer programme) and then played back through a midi controller before being recorded on a reel-to-reel tape deck.

'Mammals I Have Known and Loved' features the EMI Synthi 100, a tam tam (a kind of gong, but this time played with a violin bow), alto saxophone, empty pop bottles, voices, loops made of sound effects and laughter. The voices mainly came from outtakes of interviews I had been recording.

Well, I hope you enjoy the pieces, weird as they may be."

Ladydust - Marina Tsigonaki and a Yamaha SHS-10 Keytar



http://www.myspace.com/ladystar23

shot by Akiss Paraskevopoulos

via John

PPG WAVE 2.3 Full of Knobs


A knob laden PPG Wave 2.3. Click on the image for the full size shot.

via John

Phaser Tests



You can find them on It's Full of Stars. Pictured here and included in the tests:
"Roland 100M 172 module. From the lovely 1978 modular series"
"Serge Modular. Made in the mid 70s in california and uses bananas"

Moog Voyager Old School Blowout

via mark:

"Nova is blowing them out for $1899 on their site. Won't last long. Get yours today!"

"The MINIMOOG VOYAGER Old School Synthesizer is a monophonic analog performance synthesizer. It has extensive patching facilities, and expanded modulation capabilities.The signal path starts with a bank of three wide-range, high-stability voltage controlled oscillators, one noise source and one audio preamplifier for externally-applied audio signals. The sound modifiers are two Moog filters and one stereo VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier).

Control devices include a 44-key keyboard with velocity and afterpressure outputs, pitch bend and modulation wheels and many control/pedal input jacks.The MINIMOOG VOYAGER OS has a hinged, multi-position panel and a solid hardwood cabinet. The power supply accepts any power voltage from 100 volts to 240 volts.

Oscillators Module
Three wide-range, high stability VCO’s (Voltage Controlled Oscillators) with continuously-variable waveforms. * FREQUENCY controls (2) vary the frequencies of Oscillators #2 and #3 over a +/-7 semitone range with respect to Oscillator #1.* OCTAVE selectors (3) set the frequency ranges of the oscillators in six octave steps.* WAVE controls (3) provide continuous control over the waveforms of the oscillators, from triangular, to sawtooth, to square, to narrow rectangular.* 1-2 SYNC switch synchronizes the Oscillator #2 waveform to the frequency of Oscillator #1, for dramatic timbral effects.* 3-1 FM switch provides linear frequency modulation of Oscillator #1 by Oscillator #3.* 3 KB CONT switch disconnects Oscillator #3 from control by the keyboard, thereby enabling it to function as a drone.* 3 FREQ switch lowers the frequency of Oscillator #3 into the sub-audio range, thereby enabling it to function as a low frequency audio or modulating oscillator.

Mixer Module
Five-input mixer for combining the audio sources prior to filtering. * Input Level controls (5) adjust the relative levels of the oscillator, noise, and external audio input signals.* Input switches (5) enable the player to quickly switch individual audio signals in and out.* External Level LED enables the player to set the correct external audio signal level.

Filters Module
Dual mode filter module includes dual lowpass and highpass-lowpass filtering. Dual lowpass mode consists of two Moog lowpass-resonant filters in parallel, one per output channel. Highpass-lowpass mode consists of Moog lowpass filter in series with a highpass filter.* CUTOFF control sweeps the frequencies of both filters throughout the audio range.* SPACING control sets the spacing between the frequencies of the two filters, over a +/-3 octave range.* RESONANCE control adjusts the resonance of both filters, from none (pure lowpass response) to filter oscillation.* KB CONT AMOUNT control sets how much the filters open and close as the player presses different keys on the keyboard.* Dual Lowpass/Highpass-Lowpass switch selects between dual lowpass operation or highpass-lowpass operation.

Envelopes Module
The Envelopes Module generates two wide-range ADSR (Attack Decay Sustain Release) envelopes. The Filter Envelope sweeps the filter and is available for modulation shaping. The Volume Envelope shapes the overall volume.* ATTACK controls (2) determine the attack times of the envelopes.* DECAY controls (2) determine the decay time constants of the envelopes.* SUSTAIN controls (2) determine the sustain levels of the envelopes.* RELEASE controls (2) determine the release time constants of the envelopes.* AMOUNT TO FILTER control determines how much the filter envelope will open and close the filter, from full negative (inverted envelope) to full positive (non-inverted envelope).* ENVELOPE GATE SWITCH selects whether the envelopes will be triggered by the keyboard, on , or by an externally-applied gate.

LFO Module
Low Frequency Oscillator generates triangular, square, Sample & Hold, and smoothed Sample & Hold waveforms for use as modulating signals.* RATE control sets the LFO rate over the range 0.2 Hz (one cycle every five seconds) to 50 Hz (fifty times a second).* WAVE LFO selector selects Triangle, Square or Sample & Hold (Stepped or Smooth) waveforms for use with the Mod Busses. * RATE LED provides visual indication of the LFO rate.

Enhanced Modulation Busses Module
Selects the sources, destinations, and shaping signals for the two modulation busses.* SOURCE selectors (2) selects the modulation source from the LFO, Oscillator 1, Oscillator 2, Oscillator 3, noise or the external modulation input (MOD2).* DESTINATION selectors (2) selects the modulation destination from Pitch, Oscillator 2, Oscillator 3, the filter cutoff frequencies, the oscillator waveforms, or LFO Rate.* CONTROLLER selectors (2) selects the Mod Wheel, MOD1, Velocity, Pressure, Filter Envelope or Volume Envelope to shape the modulation signal on that bus.* AMOUNT controls (2) sets the overall modulation amount for each bus."
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