Modified Yamaha DX-100 Mini FM Synthesizer

YouTube via rolandsh1000
"The DX-100 is a fun, little, fully-programmable FM synthesizer. It's probably most famous as the synth that Roger Troutman of Zapp used for a lot of his talkboxing (he originally used a minimoog). If you search Youtube, you'll find a lot of videos that demo the talkbox capabilities of the DX-100.

This modification isn't a talkbox, but enables a capability that used to be dedicated to the breath control input. On the big brother of the DX-100, the DX-7, you could route the mod wheel to the EG BIAS of various operators. This would allow you to selectively control the relative amplitude of a modulation operator with the mod wheel. Depending upon the algorithm you had set up and the relative frequencies of the carrier and modulation operators, this could give you filter sweeping effects similar to those found on analog synthesizers by rotating the mod wheel.

On the DX-100, the mod wheel can only apply relative amount of LFO to various operators. Only the breath control input can do EG BIAS!?! I thought that sucked, so I changed it. (I actually play with windcontrollers and I think breath control is amazingly expressive for synthesizers, but sometimes you just want to use your hands.)

So, on this DX-100, I added a switch that can route the voltage on the mod wheel to either the mod wheel analog input of the main microprocessor (stock performance) OR the signal from the breath controller jack of the DX-100. This mod I think is acceptable, because (1) I'll bet 99% of the breath control jacks on the existing DX-100's out there have never been used; (2) most people playing with the DX-100 are probably using their mouth to talkbox anyway.

Ignore my lame playing in this video - it's just a demo of the capability."

"synths of love"

YouTube via TheSynthFreq
"Hi. This is a new composition using an older pattern on the EMX, written 3-30-10 is still a work in progress. This song is about my deep passion for synthesizers and the joy of creating music from the heart.

Synths lovingly used: D-50: strings Alpha Juno-1: e-guitar lead CZ-500: MIDI controller for pitch bend messages Yamaha QX-3: MIDI data recorder, 1 track

(P.S.: Check out my synth pictures at Flickr.com!)
PLEASE ENJOY!
:) TSF"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesynthfreq/

Drone Machine

YouTube via bchris1776
"I've been messing around with minimalism - via this Drone Machine - Here I'm just twiddling the controls a bit - listen for the harmonics....
Inside the case is 4 CMOS 40106 oscillators, Psuedo Ring-Mod by 4011 CMOS, Oscillator Synch, 2 low pass filters controlled by a vactrol and LFO - and some other stuff :) Mostly it's just low frequency oscillators beating in unison. I Love it.
Through a good subwoofer you really feel it...."

AngryOctopus Webotron Updated With Input from Monotron Designer

AngryOctopus, wrote in to let me know he heard from the designer of thew new KORG Monotron. He actually received some tips on how it works. +1 for KORG. You can find the updated version here. There is now QWERTY keyboard support so you can play with your keyboard. I had to click on a note first to get it to work, but it does work fine.

Some notes on the Monotron:
- filter doesn’t sound nearly as aggressive at maximum peak.
- LFO is slower at minimum (about 15s period) and faster at maximum (>1kHz).
- monotron resets the LFO at the moment the ribbon is touched, so it
works like a simple cycling EG at slow LFO rates.
- monotron has fixed intensity keytrack. cutoff tracks ribbon position
by factor of two. only tracks ribbon not pitch knob.

follow-up to this post. Remember you can search on Monotron here to find all posts mentioning the new device, including videos, details, comments, pics and more.

Jean-Jacques Perrey "Good Moog"

flickr by E_sus

"Jean-Jacques Perrey disc, "Good Moog". Kosinus Music Library 1998."

http://www.jeanjacquesperrey.com/

CLICK FOR MORE »

Moog module price list

flickr by E_sus

via the E_sus Moog Synthesizer flickr set

Tech Talk Jomox

JOMOX pt.1

YouTube via spainwaxlove Jomox interview documentary.

JOMOX pt.2


via Mr. Array of Ocean Orbit

michael nervous live with korg ds 10 at the temple gallery chicago il 3-27-10 "prog 1"

YouTube via michaelnervous

"using korg ds 10 on the ds lite, michael nervous jams out the song prog 1, live for an audience gazing over artwork by jessica wagner and tony vega. midstates and the choir of ghosts headlined."

KORG Poly-61M ~ VINTAGE POLYPHONIC SYNTHESIZER

via this auction

"Sounds fantastic & has several custom Moog Modular sounding patches [ :) ] that work great with the Arpeggiator, a lot like early Tangerine Dream sequences. There are also nice, polyphonic pads, vibes, Hammond B-3 Organs, grungy 80's patches & experimental sound effects. This synth has midi & comes with the original manuals, plus a Kaces gig bag which has normal wear. Sounds & plays like a dream, so much warmer than virtual analog."

I guess you'd have to ask, what patch on a Moog modular...

x0xb0x by x0x Source

via these auctions

"The x0xb0x is an analog replica of the legendary Roland TB-303 synthesizer. It uses the same components, in the same schematic, to match its sound — perfectly.

AcidVoice has judged it as having the best sound out of the nine TB-303 clones it tested.

This x0xb0x is made using old, original transistors for an unmatched sound, and brand new buttons and potentiometers for a long life. The difference in sound between a well-made x0xb0x and a TB-303 is about the same as the difference between one TB-303 and another. Constructed by x0x Source, it comes with a 1 year warranty. The aesthetic design is customized, featuring a beautiful front panel that feels rich to the touch. Also bundled is a manual and a CD with documentation, software, and complete source code and schematics. The x0xb0x, after all, is an open source product.

The reasons that we [the seller] think make x0x Source the biggest and most trusted supplier of fully assembled, tested, and warrantied x0xb0xes are:

* Experience and quality -- We've already assembled and shipped dozens of x0xen. We use computer-aided testing and calibration, together with careful A/B listening tests to guarantee each x0x.
* Solid return policy and warranty -- Full refund within 30 days. Comprehensive warranty on parts, labor, and two-way shipping for three years.
* Honesty and communication -- All questions answered in one day. If there is ever a problem or delay, we bite the bullet and tell the truth.
* Fast delivery -- Next-day shipping via EMS. Delivery to most European countries takes one week (including customs).
* Reputation -- We really can't say much more than our customers. Their cumulative rating of our x0xes (known as "Item as described") is 5.0 out of 5.0.

For those who have more interest in creating music rather than electronics, buying an assembled x0xb0x makes sense. The x0xb0xes we sell are assembled with experience. Moreover, they are tested thoroughly. The analog section is carefully compared to a reference machine in A/B listening tests, to guard even against flaws that change the character of the sound only subtly — flaws which may slip unnoticed without reference testing. Finally, the x0xb0xes are tuned using a high-end oscilloscope. The tuning is aided by high-precision trimpots that are ten-fold more precise than the ones bundled in the official kit."


x0xb0x Testing by x0x Source YouTube via x0xSource - previously posted