Studio Tour: Ham Plaza - synths a plenty

Published on Oct 21, 2019 sonicstate

"Ham Plaza is the name of the project that Ben works under. A lifelong self-confessed synth nut, he's what you call an enthusiastic hobbyist.

Fortunate enough to have a day job that supports his habit, Ben uses synth time to completely disconnect from the day to day pressures of work, he calls this "being in the flow", which is the place you can get to when time stands still and you are in the moment when creating.

I think we can all identify with that feeling.

Some really lovely pieces in Ben's home studio collection, some of you may recognise the Memory Moog from our recent FIVE MINUTES WITH series, there's also many other classic: Juputer 8 , Minimoog, Steiner Parker, 2600 and an OB-X to name a few.

For links to Ben's musical projects see below:

AH NAWEE - latest release:
https://open.spotify.com/album/2XznVY...
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/ham..."

SH-101, Juno-60, Drumulator 10/20/2019

Published on Oct 20, 2019 SynthMania

'80s ditty with disco cat
Roland SH-101: bass line
Roland Juno-60: chords and arpeggio
E-mu Drumulator: drum machine
Steinberg Cubase Pro 10: additional brass, bells, toms, cymbals

HT8950 "robot voice" Eurorack Module Build

Published on Oct 20, 2019 Reckless Experimentation Audio LLC

"I take a Holtek HT8950 voice modulation chip and turn it into a Eurorack module. I found the best spot in your signal path for this module is between the VCO and the VCA, acting as an 'overdrive' effect."

Reverselandfill Apple Tree Noise & Drone Synth

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via this auction

"This is a fully build handmade drone / noise synthesizer.

The case is made of a solid block mahogany hardwood. The case is hollowed out with a router tool to fit the electronics.
The "appletree" picture is laser-engraved.
The wood is finished with tung oil & clear laquer.
Potmeters are all 16mm Alpha's, knobs are red plastic.
On the back the case is closed off with a metal plate. It has rubber / soft feet.

Sounds:

Section 1: (Drone)
Dual triangle oscillators are hard-switched through an analog switch by a fast squarewave clock.
Then the signal goes into a lowpass filter.
Sounds vary from deep rumbling drones to phasing screaming lead sounds.

You have control over the two pitches of the main oscillators, the clock frequency and the filter cutoff.

Section 2: (Noise)
4 squarewave oscillators that modulate each others frequency,
go through a clock divider and are mixed together.

You have control over the four pitches of the oscillators.

Section 3: (patchbay)
There are 24 patchpoints.
9 of these are touch based (also patchable by 4mm banana jacks), the other 15 points are 2mm banana sockets.
Drone section patchpoints: OSC1, OSC2, Clock
Noise section patchpoints: 12 clockdivisions, noise1, noise2, mix1, mix2, mix3

Output:
2x 6.3mm jack output.

Power:
Power: 9v/12v bus for adapter (outer ring is GND, center pin is +V)
Note: Power Adapter not included.

Size:
24x19x6 cm"

Tasty Chips GR-1 Granular Synthesizer SN 0001

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via this auction

"Tasty Chips GR-1 Granular Synthesizer in excellent condition. I was the first backer on Kickstarter to back this unit. This is serial #0001 of the worlds first hardware granular synthesizer. Nothing is wrong with it, it’s brought me so much joy that I’m looking to pass it on to someone else who’ll love it just as much as I did."

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Shredding on Stylophone GEN R-8

Published on Oct 20, 2019 Stylophone

"You can play fast guitar-style licks and slides with bends and divebombs on the touch keyboard. Here's a video we made earlier in the workshop."

E300 Ultra VCO - Overview and Demo

Published on Oct 20, 2019 SamiRabia
Update: Re-Published on Oct 27, 2019 SamiRabia

Synthech E300

Roland TB-303 Bassline Synthesizer

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

via this auction

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Moog PolyMoog Poly Analog Synthesizer Vintage Model 203A SN 1355

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via this auction

"Recently purchased from a musicians estate sale. Synthesizer has only been tested through a small practice amp and has not been checked out by a professional technician. Synth makes a variety of sounds. A 1/2" plastic piece has broken off the back bottom corner of case. The 4 adjustable feet on bottom are good. Buttons and switches all there and the lights work. Synth does not come with a carry case or a foot pedal controller."

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E&MM Spectrum Synthesiser Preview

Published on Oct 20, 2019 Reuben Jones

"The E&MM Spectrum is a British DIY synthesizer designed by Chris jordan and released with Electronics and Music Maker magazine in 1981.....

The magazine provided a painted metal faceplate, keyboard assembly, and printed circuits boards. The rest was sourced by the builder using a supply kit provided by the now defunct Maplin Electronic Ltd, UK (see also the Maplin/ETI 3600, 3800, 4600, and 5600S synthesizers).

The synthesizer uses the famed Curtis integrated circuits: VCOs (CEM 3340), VCF (CEM 3320), VCA (CEM 3330), and envelopes (CEM 3310). These chips were used by many companies at the time, including AKAI, ELKA, Ensoniq, Oberheim, Roland, and Sequential Circuits.

Perhaps the closest synthesizer to the Spectrum is the Sequential Circuits Pro~One, both of which use the same CEM chips for VCOs, filter, and envelope; and use a similar two-VCO architecture. However, whilst the Pro~One is known for an extensive modulation section, the Spectrum is very interesting in its own right.

The design makes the most of the CEM 3340 VCOs, with a total of five waveforms, including a SUB square wave. The LFO, with multiple waveforms including random and regular sample and hold (the latter of which produces more defined sequencer like voltages), can be routed in positive or negative polarity to the VCOs, filter, ringmod/noise, and output. The multimode LP, LBP and BP filter is a self oscillating one and can be modulated by the joystick, envelope generator, and the LFO. There are also two sync options, as well as FM, ring mod, and an envelope shaper. The stereo output can also be modulated for panning and stereo FX; and there are eight jacks for external connectivity including CV/Gate in and out, and pre filter in.

In conclusion, I would describe the Spectrum as a drunk and wonky Pro~One. Mine is temperamental, and sometimes has a mind of its own, but when tamed, the Spectrum becomes a very live and organic synthesizer. The tech who serviced it for me said it reminded him of an ARP 2600, and described it as a 'proper synth'. GreatSynthesizers.com describe it as "...a mixture of EMS Synthi, Sequential Pro-One and Roland SH-5" and "one of the most outstanding monophonic analog synthesizers in history".

This audio was recorded directly from the Spectrum in mono, using a TC Electronic Alter Ego delay pedal for some parts. All parts played from the keyboard, or using the LFO to gate the amplifier."