MATRIXSYNTH

Complicated Handshake - "Timmy Hard".m4v

YouTube via timtsang3. Moog Voyager.
"Complicated Handshake @ Wonder Bar, Allston MA 02.16.2010"

Boss DR550 drum demo

YouTube via gavin916freak. BOSS DR-550 on Ebay
"cool lil machine i got for $35 off craigslist, doesn't save very well but easy and simple to program, I figure Ill just make an hour long drum CD with it, just simple old school styled beats for fun mainly, well this descriptions gone on long enough :)"

Akai XR20 ( Portable MPC ) Unboxing - Part A Intro

YouTube via VJFranzK. Akai XR20 on Ebay

Moroder and a Roland System 700 Modular

Image via this Sound on Sound article on Giorgio Moroder and Donna Summer's ‘I Feel Love’. Note the article is primarily on the Moog modular and the image caption states "Giorgio Moroder with his Moog modular system" but that's actually a Roland System 700. I wonder what the story is behind this shot - is it his system and studio, was it sent in for the article? Regardless, it is a great article and Sound on Sound is a great synth magazine. Note the Roland MC-8 system and ARP 2600 to his right. Minimoog to his left. This one spotted and sent in via Thomas.

Update via 7ate9 in the comments: "this is my fav moroder pic:
http://www.synthmania.com/Famous%20Sounds/Images/Moroder.jpg
(it also has the moog modular in it)
cheers"

The Cure on Echo Des Bananas - Cold

YouTube via silong1976.

"1982-04-11 Best performance of this song I have ever seen"

I never realized the synths in this one reminded me a bit of Jean-Michel Jarre's Rendez-Vous. Some synth spotting: KORG Maxikorg 800DV, ?. Anyone recognize the bass pedals? They don't quite look like Moog Taurus pedals. What's under the Maxikorg. A bit OT, but does anyone else think the dude from the Twilight films looks like a young Robert Smith? I haven't seen them yet.

Update: some notes on the synths via Wid on the AH list:
"So here are the 3 main synths Matthieu Hartley used by 1980 :

- Korg Mini 700S.
- Roland SH-2.
- Roland RS-09 aka String Organ (late version with multicolored switches).

That's basically the sounds for "17 Seconds" : the Mini Korg was used to play the bass lines, the Roland SH-2 the higher register. Check out the video clip of "Play for Today". On stage, Hartley played the Mini 700S invariably, but switched between the 2 Rolands.

By then, Hartley was plugged in a Roland JC-120 amp. The SH-2 was dropped when Hartley left.

The RS-09 and Mini 700S were still used for "Faith" in 1981. Robert kept the RS-09 but added a Korg Maxi 800 DV to the rig. The intro of "Holy hour" was played with a RS-09, for example. "All cats are grey" and "The funeral party" were played with both RS-09 and Maxi 800 DV. The Korg Mini 700S was played by Simon Gallup on stage (for instance, on the intro of "A forest" and on "At night"). But this synth was not used after 1981, as far as I know.

Smith began adding some bass pedal synth too, by 1981 : in studio, some pictures clearly show a Moog Taurus. On stage their preference went to a far cheaper Eko K320 (played until 1982, for example on "Cold" by Simon Gallup).

The RS-09 was still used in 1982 : the synth heard on "One 100 years", played on stage by Lol Tolhurst. The Maxi 800 DV too (on "Cold" for the bass line, added to a - well I think, for this one I'm not 100 % sure, sorry - Korg Trident).

That's it for early early Cure synths. I really do not know if any of these synths are available on softwares such as Reason.

Hope the answer helps. ;-)

Wid."

DIY Faceplate Etching

Some shots of Luigi's DIY modular featuring some acid etched faceplates. You can find more shots on Muff's faceplate etching thread.

MAX FOR LIVE (M4L) Class in NYC

via Daniel
"MAX FOR LIVE (M4L) FULL WEEK INTENSIVE
Mark Triant, Dafna Naphtali, Adam Rokhsar
Monday through Friday, March 15 - 19
10am to 6pm (40 hrs) - $1200 + $75 for membership

http://tinyurl.com/m4l-at-hw

Harvestworks in New York City offers a 40-hour crash course in Max for Live (M4L) - a new incarnation of Max/MSP that runs natively within Ableton Live, enabling users to design and share custom-made instruments, processors, and interfaces, with a level of integration beyond what third-party plugins are capable of. This full-week, 40-hour crash course is designed to help new M4L users dive into the construction of new devices to run within Live, including MIDI and audio processors, new instruments, and interfaces to Live's API which allow M4L patches to monitor and control application-wide behavior in real-time.

Max for Live combines the limitless customizability and open-ended creative process of Max/MSP with Live's robust, integrated production and performance environment, setting a standard of performance and versatility never yet seen in an audio workstation. The course is taught by our Ableton Live and M4L specialist Mark Triant, and veteran Max programmers Dafna Naphtali and Adam Rokhsar. The course is designed for beginners to Max/MSP, with or without experience in Ableton Live, who want a head-start with this software package. The course may be especially appealing to artists living outside of New York City who don't have the opportunity to learn Max for Live in their own hometown and who would enjoy a week in New York City.

The cost of the course is $1200, plus $75 for the annual Harvestworks membership that is required to take the course. The courses are Mondays through Fridays 10am to 6pm. Working in our computer lab after 6pm can also be arranged. Lecture demonstrations will alternate with practice time, and some of our Max-savvy interns can be available to assist during practice time. The course will provide lots of practice and sample patches. Students enrolled in Max/MSP/Jitter related classes at Harvestworks are eligible for Cycling 74's educational discount when purchasing the software. The course is limited to 10 students.

Prerequisites: Students have to use their laptops with all necessary software installed. Call us if you have problems.

We will not provide meals or snacks for the course, but can point to lots of cheap dining places in the neighborhood. We also cannot provide accommodations, but can help with posting requests or bringing you in contact with other artists who might be able to help.

In his interview on Cycling74's website, Hans Tammen gives a few insights into Max teaching at Harvestworks: http://www.cycling74.com/story/2008/9/15/113650/347

Harvestworks: From our central SoHo location in New York City, we bring together innovative practitioners from all branches of the digital arts, and provide a vital context and catalyst for creativity in the field. For the last thirty years we have offered artists on-site recording studios, programming services, workshops, classes and one-on-one tutorials in emerging technologies supporting the pioneers of computer music with equipment and instruction. As a tool for artists, Max has been a central part of the Harvestworks program for almost 20 years. We offer regularly scheduled year-round classes and workshops on a wide variety of topics relating to Max/MSP and Jitter; as well as our Certificate Program, a flexible course of one-on-one instruction."

Korg ds 10 plus while driving

YouTube via michaelnervous.
"In a parking lot i plugged my dsi thru the car speakers. I recorded it thru the iphone and mikey while driving around a parking lot in merrillville indiana."
via Palm Sounds

Korg KR-55b drum machine + Korg GR-1 spring reverb + Yamaha CS-5

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Please note: this video is for demonstration purposes only, not meant to be musically interesting.

The two Korg units are currently being auctioned by my on Ebay. Both end on March 8 2010.

KR-55B: http://tinyurl.com/yztbnet

GR-1: http://tinyurl.com/yzytcxx

Here we see/hear all of the sounds, and most of the functions, of the KR-55B in action. The video also serves as perhaps the only decent demonstration available online of the GR-1 stereo gated spring reverb -- it should give you a sense of both the sound, and of how the gate/VCA section works. It's a great sounding spring reverb, and the gate is a really useful and musical feature.

The CS-5 is here for 2 reasons: (1) to demonstrate the trigger-out feature of the KR-55B, (2) to demonstrate the GR-1 effect on synth sounds. BTW, this CS-5 has some significant electronic music history attached to it, to be revealed by me in a future YouTube video... stay tuned!"