"I have had a number of requests to do actual music on my homemade synthesizers and sound gadgets instead of just an assembly video and a quick demo.
So, Gentlemen and the occational Lady, now I have done it!
I wrote the music AND build the instruments. If it should be more homemade I should have carved the keys out of wood myself or cast them in plastic (we have a 3D printer where I work so it could be done - but I have used keys from scrapped organs instead).
The rhythm comes from my XOR based drum synthesizer, the bass from the little polyphonic system with sequencer. Both are controlled by the telephone exchange step sequencer. The melody is played on a modular system with a waveshaper I made in 1995, The envelope generator was made in 1996 but has been modified a couple of times since (the first version was not very good because I didn't know much about synthesizers when I made it). The filter was made somewhere in the early 2000s and is light controlled by LEDs and LDRs. The keyboard is only a couple of years old. The solo is played on a simple synthesizer I made out of leftover parts in 1999. It is not completely in tune but that is one thing that has improved over the years: My newest instruments are more precise in tuning. The chords are from a little Oz-inspired mini organ that runs through a stereo phaser. Both are made in the early 2000s.
"In this video the audio is created only by Mutable Instruments 'Rings' running directly out of the Eurorack through a Digitech Polara for reverb. A simple sequence, and a couple of LFOs are used to control the module in 'Sympathetic Strings' mode. Then, the 'secret handshake' to enter the 'Disastrous Peace' mode is shared with some audio demonstrating the unique sounds of this mode. Recorded directly into Logic X through a MOTU 896HD @ 44.1kHz/24bit. No additional sound sources, post-processing, or FX were used."
"Just a Loverboy jam...this song makes me happy.... I believe it was originally done on an OBXa but not 100% sure...."
Update: someone mentioned he used a Prophet 5 and a Yamaha CS-50 at the time. Below is a video from them performing it live in 1983. You can see the CS50 on top at 2:58. Can't tell what's under it. The left side panels by the left knob box don't match a Prophet-5 or OB-Xa.
Update2: Turns out that is a custom case for the Prophet-5 that the CS60 sits on. Via the same source:
"He had a custom wood case built to hold the P5 under the CS. It sat on top of the electric grand. I actually talked to him about it when he stopped by Sweetwater when I worked there. He also used a Yamaha SS-30 string synth and sometimes a second P5 on his left."
Loverboy Working For The Weekend Live In Vancouver 1983
"Korg Volca Easter Jam !! I use the Korg Monotron Delay to grab audio from a local christian radio station and process is by touch into my Korg Monotron Delay for a sample effect. The Korg Volca Bass, Korg Volca Keys, Korg Volca Beats and Arturia Microbrute are all on sequencer duty. The Microkorg is played live. This track has ambient start that evolves into a synth build up. Enjoy !!
: Gear Used :
Korg MicroKorg
Korg Volca Bass
Korg Volca Keys
Korg Volca Beats
Korg Monotron Delay
Arturia Microrbute
Midi Solutions Quarda Thru
Behringer Micromix MX400
Tascam US-144mkII Audio Interface
Waves Supertap
Ableton Live 8 ( Used as digital mixer / multi track )
Ozone"
"Some pics of yesterday's Phoenix synth meetup. We had a fantastic turnout! Arizona eurorack manufacturers Blue Lantern Modules and Audio Damage were also in attendance displaying their latest modules. If anyone in the Phoenix area is interested in these kinds of events, check out the local meetup group.