Primary Optics: How Robert Henke used five 1980s computers to create his CBM 8032 AV show

Published on Apr 29, 2020 FACTmagazine

"Primary Optics is a series that dives into the ideas and technology behind some of the world’s most innovative audiovisual shows and artists.

In this episode, filmed at Berlin’s Radialsystem during CTM Festival 2020, FACT goes behind the scenes of CBM 8032 AV, the latest show from the mind of musician and visual artist Robert Henke, aka Monolake. The show revolves around a simple but technically challenging idea: what if you could create an audiovisual show using computers and technology from 40 years ago?

'This work is about the ambivalence between a contemporary aesthetic and the usage of obsolete and limited technology from 40 years ago,' Henke says. 'Everything presented within the project could have been done already in the 1980s, but it needed the cultural backdrop of today to come up with the artistic ideas driving it.'

The computer used by Henke for the show, the Commodore CBM 8032, was originally released in 1980. For comparison, the microchip you'd find in today's average domestic washing machine would be around 100,000 times more powerful that those inside each of the five computers Henke uses live on stage.

One is used for sequencing, one for creating visuals and three for creating sounds. Although he uses hardware effects from the era for filtering, pitch-shifting, looping and reverb, and expanded the computers' capabilities with a self-produced digital to analog converter, the sonics generated are a sparse, simple combination of sine waves, clicks, bleeps and cuts.

'The sound quality on one side is very limited, it's very rough,' Henke says. 'But exactly this kind of rough, edgy sound is something that suddenly becomes interesting because we are used to perfect sound.'

The graphics evoke a nostalgia for a more primitive age of computing, yet push the visual capabilities of the machines into a more psychedelic realm. This part of the show was developed by software engineer Anna Tskhovrebov, and required some clever hardware modification to interpret the computer’s visual data for projection.

'These machines can only display green and they can only display a limited number of graphic symbols, so in 1980 this was not seen as sufficient to do a one-hour performance' Henke says. 'Nowadays we are surrounded by virtual reality, millions of colours with unlimited channels of sound and suddenly the experience of going somewhere and watching for one hour a green screen is something special.'

Directed, filmed and edited by Pedro Küster
Produced by Scott Wilson

Special thanks to:
Robert Henke and Studio Robert Henke for their contribution and archive material
CTM Festival
All at Radialsystem, Berlin
Nai Fowler
Celia Solf and Soho House Berlin

https://roberthenke.com
https://www.ctm-festival.de/
https://radialsystem.de"

Korg M1 - Modern Analog & Ambient Sounds In Action!

Published on Apr 29, 2020 LFOstore

"#korg #m1 #patches

Buy: https://sellfy.com/p/0hjzoa/

After successful Korg Wavestation series we've got in our hands one of the most iconic workstations of 90s - the M1

It sounds fantastic but many of the sounds was overused in years & we didnt find any modern recreations around the globe.

So we made a challenge to ourselfs - made analog style patches with modern vision & also re-create classic ambient sounds.

In this soundset you will find:

Prophet-5 leads, pads
Oberheim strings & pads
Pro One leads & basses
JX & Juno Series sounds
CS-80 pad & string

Various ambient pads, drones,swells - cosmic, organic, nature,water.
Various bells & plucks - classic, modern, unreal.

All the patches are handcrafted & reacts on MW & Aftertouch.

Using great internal fx & classic waves we just scratch the surface with first 50 patches from the series."

Korg 01R/W

Published on Apr 29, 2020 No Nag Recordings

"A short take on the Korg 01R/W early 90's romplar that came out after M1 and T-series. It has one feature not seen in any of the other Korg workstations untill rescent years, Waveshaping.

If this had not been implemented, I think this synth would be pretty boring. But with it , it really becomes alive."

TRAUTONIUM JAM - LudoWic

Published on Apr 29, 2020 ludoWic music

Trautonium (VT)
Trautoniks

See the labels below for more.

Hammond Solovox Model K {two] early organ synthesizer

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

via this auction

"Two Model K Hammond Solovox. Both power up and only get a faint "tink tink" sound when pressing keys. Sold for parts or possible repair. The one organ with the wooden base that I had made for the keyboard I had some service done to 25-30 years ago. I used to use that one and the sound was amazing. The sound reminded me of a hunted house. That one some of the stops or tone controls are sticking together and not all the tone controls move independently and need some repair there as well."

Tubes on the back.

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Roland MKS-80 SN 511822

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

via this auction

Little Matrix box on the top right.

"Vintage Roland MKS-80 Super Analog Synthesizer. A must for REAL analog synthesis.

S/N 511822 - Rev 5

Good operating condition. Original owner.

LCD display not as bright as it used to be but readable.

Cosmetic condition nice with these exceptions: (see pictures)
Front: rack ear wear
Top: A few light scratches, nothing deep
Back: XLR jacks a bit off color from aging"

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Oberheim Strummer Perf/x MIDI guitar simulator + AC Adapter Manual Original Box

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

via this auction

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Sound Theory and Minimalist Modular Exploration (VCO+VCF+SEQ+KASTLE)for Modul@rnice

Published on Apr 29, 2020 Bastl Instruments

"We are going to focus on the fundamentals of sound theory and exploring minimal modular setup that participants built as part of this series before the lockdown (VCO - Tromso, VCF - Cinnamon and step sequencer - Popcorn and semimodular synth - Kastle).

Lecture by Václav Peloušek (Toyota Vangelis) https://band.link/carC7

Lecture for Modul@rnice workshop series is organised by Projekt Atol Institute, with financial support from the Slovenian Ministry of Culture and the Department of Culture of the City of Ljubljana."

Nodes & Wires: In Conversation With George Hearn of UDO

Published on Apr 29, 2020 Paul Dither

"In the 6th episode of 'Nodes & Wires,' I'm chatting with George Hearn about his musical background, instrument design, the Super 6 synthesizer, his company UDO Audio and more.

Chapters:
Intro — 00:00:00
Musical Background and Influences — 00:01:44
Past Synthesizer Designs — 00:20:22
Instrument Design — 00:21:25
Collaborating with Axel Hartmann — 00:37:04
Inside the Super 6 Synthesizer — 00:44:51
Current and Future Plans — 01:03:13
The Company: About UDO Audio — 01:04:56
Challenges and Opportunities — 01:07:45
Modern Expressive Controllers and Advanced Music Technology — 01:25:08
Final Words — 01:28:22"

Paul Dither Nodes & Wires w/ the makers

pocket operator modular 170 - build tutorial & demos

Published on Apr 29, 2020 teenage engineering

"the POM-170 is a home build analog monophonic synthesizer with built-in programmable sequencer. complete kit with powder coated aluminum chassis, keyboard, oscillator, filter, envelope, lfo, vca, speaker, power distro, psu, a screwdriver, 8 patch cables, and illustrated build guide. in this video you will learn how to build it yourself."

Playlist:

1. pocket operator modular 170 - build tutorial
2. pocket operator modular 170 - patch creation
3. pocket operator modular 170 - pocket operator sync