MATRIXSYNTH

ARC Serge DIY Eurorack Build Guides

Published on Mar 11, 2018 ARC

Playlist:
Serge Audio Mixer eurorack kit build guide
Serge Dual Processor eurorack kit build guide

Abbey Road Institute: The Moog session - The synth that shaped musical history

Streamed live on Dec 1, 2017 Abbey Road Institute

"On the 1st of December we are featuring another historic instrument that shaped musical history: The MiniMoog!

How did it become such an icon?
What makes it so special?
And why does it sound so massive?!

We got you covered. Tune in on the 1st of December.

Shaping musical history:
The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of synthesizers in rock/pop music.
Jazz composer Sun Ra was the first to use a prototype of the Minimoog in his music and Keith Emerson (musician and composer) was the first musician touring with a Minimoog, demonstrating some amazing pitch-bending techniques for the first time with many keyboard players following his example afterwards. Just like the Hammond organ (as shown in our previous event) the Moog became a serious competitor to the electric guitar, making guitarist looking for eleven on their volume control as the only way to compete. Because of its fantastic and cosmic sound, it soon was embraced by the gods of the new progressive rock with bands like Yes and Emerson Lake & Palmer.

As keyboardist of Yes, Rick Wakeman said the instrument 'absolutely changed the face of music.'

Besides progressive rock, Jazz legends like Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock added the Minimoog to their arsenal, delivering devastating jazz solos and Bob Marley introduced the Minimoog when the band first played in the UK on the BBC.

After taking the progressive rock and jazz world by storm, it made its way back towards the synthesizer’s roots, in electronic pop and experimental music. One of the most well-know band using the Minimoog for this purpose was Kraftwerk on their albums Autobahn and The Man-Machine. Shortly after that, the characteristic sound of the Minimoog became an important part of the synth-pop era and inspired an entire generation of electronic musicians like Brian Eno and Ultravox.

Since then the Minimoog transformed the music landscape of every musical genre, from the R&B/Soul of Earth Wind & Fire and the most successful recorded album of all time, Thriller from Michael Jackson, till the West-Coast sound of Dr. Dré and the industrial music of Trent Reznor.

But a major transition occurred when electronic music was slightly forced back into the underground and analog synthesizer started shaping the sound of House Music, Techno and all other genres of electronic music. This is where the Minimoog found a new homebase in the hands of producers and bands like Carl Craig, 808-state, Portishead and many more leading to the iconic sound in today’s electronic music and the production of new Moog synthesizers and soundalikes.

The original Minimoog is a true classic. But what makes the sound so special?
On the 1st of December, MarcoAntonio Spaventi (music producers, mastering engineer, analog synth evangelist and Abbey Road Institute lecturer) will give a Masterclass about the Minimoog and it’s unique sound at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam. In order to share his love for the Moog, this masterclass will be live streamed through Facebook Live.

MarcoAntonio will talk about the differences between the original Minimoog Model D and the Minimoog Voyager, the unique features of both instruments and the technical aspects that makes it sound so special. But most important, you can hear them live including a jam with an hardware sequencer at the end of the session!

Next to the above mentioned synths, we will have a variety of other Moogs to explore the different sounds and flavours of Robert Moog’s legacy. With one very special model…

The Memorymoog!
Many say the Memorymoog is like having 6 Minimoogs stacked in one machine! While thats not entirely true it does sound like no other poly synth with a very specific and massive character. Just like the Minimoog, the Memorymoog gets his monumental sound due to certain imperfections of the instrument. A perfect example of finding perfection in imperfection! MarcoAntonio will explain you all about the different features that makes this synth so unique."

MTBLSM Introduces The MECHANISM Eurorack Case

via MTBLSM

"The case is aimed at musicians willing to have a compact eurorack setup they can use as an expressive instrument.

The analog tool provides the perfect set of compact utilities modules allowing you to compress your setup without sacrificing usability and complexity. It is also perfect for people entering the modular world without having to spend big bucks on the equivalent modules. The analog tool arrays includes :

2 joysticks with attenuverters on each output
3 Voltage controlled wide range LFO's (full stop to entire audio range, 1V/Oct)
1 Sample & Hold with noise output and Voltage controllable clock
2 CV Processors with attenuverters, slew limiter and offset generator and buffered dual output (CV processor 2 has two inputs)
2 VCA with logarithmic response curve and level control"

Update: see the MTBLSM below for video demos and new pics.

Key Control - MIDI Mapping for Key and Scale by Artificial Noise

Published on Mar 11, 2018 Artificial Noise

Artificial Noise are the people behind the LAB:1 Synthesizer and Cimmerian Caves.

"Artificial Noise is excited to announce, Key Control a MIDI device that maps your keyboard controller or synthesizer to a chosen Key and Scale. The white keys will play all the notes in the desired Key & Scale (removing all unused notes), while the black keys will play chords within the Key & Scale. Choose between 11 scales and all 12 keys.

Simply hook up the Key Control between your keyboard controller and your desired MIDI destination (computer, synthesizer, sequencer, etc) via standard 5-Pin MIDI DIN cables. Or put your synthesizer in "Local OFF" mode and send the MIDI out from your synth through the Key Control and back into the synth, to always play 'in key.'

With a fast and easy 2 knob interface, you can quickly dial in one of a possible 132 possible key and scale combinations and get down to making music fast and with no fuss.

In “Chromatic” mode, 127 MIDI notes are passed through unchanged, while the “Key” knob will transpose the incoming MIDI notes up to 11 semi-tones.

MIDI notes are changed depending on the Key & Scale chosen, but all other MIDI data passes through unchanged, with low latency and fast operation.

Great for musicians just starting out or for bands & songwriters who would like to add some keys to their songs.

Compact but tough aluminum case. Ships with 9v power supply.

For more information and how to order see:
http://www.artificialnoise.ca"

Endorphines Shuttle Cameos

Published on Mar 11, 2018 Todd Barton

"4 different short explorations with the Endorphines Shuttle System"

Macbeth Elements Videos by VGU39

VENUS from VGU39 on Vimeo.

Improvisation with Macbeth "Elements" synthetizer - reverb and delay: Eventide "H9"

BLOW from VGU39 on Vimeo.

Improvisation with Macbeth "Elements"

© 2018 VGU39

VENUS from VGU39 on Vimeo.

Improvisation with Macbeth "Elements" synthetizer - reverb and delay: Eventide "H9"

Classic 808 Tracks Using TR-08 - Cybotron - Clear

Published on Mar 11, 2018 chisel316

Love that he pointed out what we are hearing at the start. Some Kraftwerk in there.

"In the 4th video of my Classic 808 Tracks series, I cover another classic - Cybotron's Clear. Hope you enjoy it!

Gear used:

Roland Boutiques
TR-08 - Drums
JU-06 - Sub Bass
SE-02 - Res Bass
JP-08 - Pad
JX-03 - Arp

Yamaha Reface DX - Synth Strings
MFB Kraftzwerg - Sweep
Intellijel Korgasmatron - Final Sweep

Social Entropy Engine - MIDI Controller
Korg MicroKEY Air - MIDI Keyboard Controller
Novation Launch Control XL x2 - MIDI Mixer Controller

iPad Mini 4
Kymatica AUM - Mixer
Audio Damage Dubstation - Slapback Delay
AltiSpace - Convolution Reverb

Recorded directly using Zoom Q2n"

Oberheim TVS Pro Patched w/ Cables

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Thought this was a cool shot as you rarely see them patched.

Unique Lego Cased Midibox MB-6582 SID Synthesizer w/ R2-D2s

Note: links to listings are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This is a rare chance to get a MB6582 SID chip Synthesizer.

The MB6582 is an extraordinary DIY synthesizer based on SID chips known from the famous C64. More infos here:

The synth was assembled by me, works perfectly and is in a very good condition! It is a very unique *Lego Edition* - only one of it's kind!

Case and potentiometer knobs are made of Lego (suitable for SIDchip sound)
The display is in 'rusty-orange' and matches the orange flat-top LEDs.
This MB6582 is also expanded with a custom active mixer circuit (+/-12V supply). It has a main L/R out, volume-pot for each engine and a Stereo/Mono switch for each engine.
Single outputs are switched, i. e. if a single output is connected to a jack, the signal is not routed to the mixer (can be changed internally)
Following chips are built in at the moment:

4 SID 6582 (1x stereo engine and 2x mono engine at the moment)
3 cores (4th core included)
The MB6582 can be expanded to 4 stereo engines by adding another 4 SID chips (SID 6581 / 6582 / 8580 - beware 6581 needs different voltage set by jumpers internally). In stereo mode 2 SID chips are used for L/R channels seperately to generate more space! i.e. by controlling filter cutoff seperately for L/R channels.
This MB6582 requires a power supply which supplies +12v/+5V/-12V/GND. I built my own specific power supply around a MeanWell RPT-60/100kHz, it can operate from 90-264VAC.

Since I am not an electrician I have to ship my power supply dissassembled and buyer must reassemble it at his own risk! (it's a very easy process!)"

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