In A Monastery Garden - THEREMIN

YouTube via copperleaves
"One of the very first theremin recordings ever made was thereminist Lennington Shewell's transcription of British composer Albert Ketelbey's hugely popular 1915 composition, IN A MONASTERY GARDEN. It was released in 1930 by RCA at virtually the same time as they began to distribute the first RCA theremins.

This is a wonderful piece of magnificently schmaltzy, unabashedly sentimental, early 20th century "light" program music and it launched Ketelbey into the forefront of the popular composers of his day and made him one of Britain's first music millionaires. This piece of music was wildly popular and would have been very familiar to our great grandparents. We need to remember that it was written after the start of World War I, and Europeans were reeling from the tragedy and brutality of the destruction of the world they had known.

The score calls for birdsong, chapel bells, an organ, and for a chorus of monks to be heard singing "Kyrie Eleison" (a phrase from the Greek meaning, "Lord, have mercy") in a nearby cloister. The monks' voices were to be (according to the original score) the "gentlemen of the orchestra" who were required not only to play their instruments but to sing as well!

Here's what Ketelbey himself wrote about this composition: "The first theme represents a poet's reverie in the quietude of the monastery garden amidst beautiful surroundings - the calm serene atmosphere - the leafy trees and the singing birds. The second theme in the minor expresses the more personal note of sadness, of appeal and contrition. Presently, the monks are heard chanting "Kyrie Eleison" with the organ playing and the chapel bell ringing. The first theme is now heard in a quieter manner as if it had become more ethereal and distant; the singing of the monks is again heard - it becomes louder and more insistent, bringing the piece to a conclusion in a glow of exultation".

The theremin in this video is a Moog Ethervox and I used it not only for the melody but also for the birdsong. The voices of the monks singing "Kyrie Eleison" are me singing into a Digitech VOCALIST."

Jean Michel Jarre Live fan vidio NIApart2.mpg

YouTube via minsky57. Moog Liberation.

Jean Michel Jarre live fan video NIA09 Part 1.mpg

"Jean michel Jarre has made synth music more popular
than anyone and has led the way to become uniqe
and so well known over the world .its a joy to see him
make music"

micro size atari punk console by properboy

YouTube via theproperboy. www.properboy.com

KORG Trinity Rack TR Review

via Hexfix93. Full review with samples here.

"This is my secret weapon. It can step in and do most any job. Yeah, the sounds are compressed rompler stuff, but seriously, the filters in this have this wet sound, this air to them that really makes things cut in the mix and sound lush and vibrant. I love the filters on this, I tried to like the triton, but the filters were not the same."

The Definitive Roland TB-303 vs Adafruit x0xb0x shootout

YouTube via phono1337
"I hope you have your flame resistant suits on because here we have it, the definitive Roland TB-303 vs Adafruit x0xb0x shootout.

more info at http://dinsync.info"

Eigenharp Alpha | Pro Audio News | Nov 2009

Eigenharp Alpha | Pro Audio News | Nov 2009 from LoopTV - The Producers Channel on Vimeo.

"After eight years in the making, the most revolutionary new musical instrument of the last 60 years has launched…

Launching in October 2009, the Eigenharp Alpha - is a brand new instrument, the very first of its kind. Designed specifically for live performance, it is simply the most expressive electronic musical instrument ever made. Developed by British innovation company Eigenlabs, it redefines everything we have come to know about electronic instruments.

With the Eigenharp, the musician can play and improvise using a limitless range of sounds with virtuoso skill. The Eigenharp can play and record loops, change key, transpose, alter tempo, program beats, switch and layer sounds, all while the musician is performing live on stage.

LoopTV investigates this brave new world of intuitive performance controllers!

Enjoy!"

Logan String Melody + Minimoog + Taurus 1

YouTube via retrosound72

"vintage synth demo by RetroSound

analog strings: Logan String Melody II
lead sound: Minimoog
deep bass: Moog Taurus 1 bass pedals
drums: Keio (Korg) MiniPops Junior
fx: EHX Small Stone phase shifter (String Melody)"

Time Machine Version 4

via the Folktek Arts blog where you'll fine more shots.

"A different style of Time Machine for processing sound or as a standalone sound generator synth with magnetic patchbay/touchboard (for touch based synthesis), patchable keys and thousands of possibilities from the subtle to the extreme."

Folktek on Ebay

Felt Birthday Minimoog

via Miguel

"Here is a link to the amazing felt Minimoog that my friend Grace Kim made for my birthday. The knob panel is adjustable, there is a lot of detail and it even lights up the power light... just check out the pictures."

Giving this the synth cake label even though it's not a cake. The label is about birthdays as well.

doepfer dark energy tracks by shagghie

High Sage by shagghie

"tracks 17 & 18 are the D.E. being triggered by the 303 CV/Gate, doing the glitchy background stuff. amazing little box."