Blue Mondayish ELKA OMB5 with Custom Drum Kit

video upload by ohm_studi_ohm

"I just finished servicing an Elka OMB5 and building a custom drum kit for it so I had some fun with it.
All sounds are from the OMB5, no fx used."

ELKA OMB 5 with custom drum kit

video upload by ohm_studi_ohm

"herre is a demo of an Elka One Man Band with custom drum sounds.

The OMB5 is a nice 4 part arranger with rhythm channel, bass channel and 2 accompaniment tracks. Sounds are FM (from the elka ER/EK/EM 44) and the drums are PCM sampled from the Drumstar 80. It has MIDI in and out so you can either control and play the different part from the keyboard or from MIDI, it syncs and transmits clock as well as single input notes or sequenced notes. I like using it with external midi controller so I can play the 3 different melodic part separately (when playing from the keyboard notes always trigger the 3 part together).

Though the drum samples are actually quite good if you like 80s sounds (especialy percussion and cymbal sounds), I decided to replace some of them with some I favor more, using sounds from LinnDrum, Oberheim DX, Roland TR808, CR8000 and TR707. I also adjusted level by using compression on some other stock sounds.

The audio format used in the OMB5 (and the Drumstar 80 which drum part is derived) is the same as in those classic 80s PCM drum machines, ie 8 bit µ-Law unsigned sample. Sample rate is 25000 hz (or so) in that one.

Replacing sound is not as straightforward as in those drum machines because instead of using 1x eprom per sound there are several samples per eprom (7x 256 kbyte eproms are used in the OMB5 to accomode for 32 sounds) so you need to edit the audio file and replace the existing sample with your own but it needs to start at the exact same adress as the original one and it should have the same length or be shorter.

So basically what you do is:
read the eprom bin
convert to uncompressed audio
edit that file and edit/replace the sound you want making sure you dont change file size nor start adress of the sound
convert the uncompressed audio to µ-law 8 bit
burn the new bin file

if you're interested in getting those sound I can sell you a full 7x eproms kit ready to use. I can be fitted in the DrumStar 80 too.

here is a list of the 32 sounds, with original and replacement when there is:

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Roland TR-909 Rhythm Composer

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Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer w/ Kenton MIDI Mod

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Roland TB-303 Bassline Synthesizer Module w/ Kenton CV Mod

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Roland Vocoder SVC-350 SN 433761

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"Roland SVC-350 Vocoder in good condition. The “Balance Control” between the direct mic signal and the vocoder, and the lower bands of the frequency “Voice Character Controls” have slightly scratchy pots when adjusting. Briefly exercising them removed it almost completely. Once the desired setting is made there is no audible imperfections and the unit functions perfectly. Note: I did not test the three 'Remote' 1/4” inputs or the guitar amp output as I do not own the necessary equipment to do so. Some of the white 'Voice Character Control' plastic tabs are flaking or starting to flake, and there is a slightly sticky substance below where the power cable plugs in, see photos. This unit will ship with the rack ears removed. A power cable will be included."

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Roland Jupiter-6 Analog Synthesizer w/ Europa Upgrade

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Yamaha DX5 w/ Carts

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"Yamaha dx 5 with cartridges shown. Amazing . Cosmetic damage - perfect working condition"

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CRUMAR BIT 99 SYNTHESIZER MIDI CONTROLLED

video upload by Davide Micheli

"The video I made is on the BIT 99 electronic synthesizer built by CRUMAR in 1984. The purpose is to show some technical characteristics of the vintage electronic synthesizer.

In particular, I updated the firmware by changing two EPROMs (see the following site: https://www.untergeek.de/shop/crumar-...)

The MIDI controller is the 'Stereoping's Synth Controller'.

In the video I play some patches whose synthsizer parameters are changed in realtime by means of the MIDI Synth Controller.

To emphasize the versatility of the MIDI Synth Controller and the deep 80's sounds of the BIT 99 synthesizer, I recorded a bass sequence on CUBASE and transmitted via MIDI to the BIT 99 synthesizer.

While the sequence is being played by the BIT 99, some parameters of DCOs, VCOs, VCF etc...are edited in realtime. LFOs are modified too.

The video is improvised and I hope it is useful and fun for fans of vintage electronic synthesizers. In some part of video the LINE 6 DL4 MKII Delay is activated."

GRPA4 Synthesizer: music and sounds exploration

video uploads by Davide Micheli

"In this series of videos I used the GRPA4 analog synthesizer to explore and experiment some of the sound possibilities in electronic music and beyond.
The GRPA4 is suitable for creating dynamic and very entangled situations in electronic music and sounds.
To emphasize the rhythm and sequence of sounds created with the GRPA4, I inserted a very simple rhythmic pattern of the Roland TR-8S electronic drums machine synchronized via midi with the GRPA4 by means of CUBASE.
In this first video I inserted some initial vocal notes with the GRP 22 Vocoder.
In the other videos of the series dedicated to the GRPA4 that follow, I continue to explore the sound possibilities of the synthesizer arriving, in the last video of the series, to add a part of an chords amrony using a piano. This demonstrates once again the possibility of using electronic synthesizers together with more traditional instruments with success.

ITALIAN
In questa serie di video ho utilizzato il sintetizzatore analogico GRPA4 per esplorare e sperimentare alcune delle possibilità sonore nella musica elettronica e non solo.
Il GRPA4 è adatto per creare situazioni dinamiche e molto intrecciate nella musica elettronica e nei suoni.
Per enfatizzare il ritmo e la sequenza dei suoni creati con il GRPA4, ho inserito un pattern ritmico molto semplice della drum machine elettronica Roland TR-8S sincronizzato via midi con il GRPA4 tramite CUBASE.
In questo primo video ho inserito alcune note vocali iniziali con il Vocoder GRP 22.
Negli altri video della serie dedicati al GRPA4 che seguono, continuo ad esplorare le possibilità sonore del sintetizzatore arrivando, nell'ultimo video della serie, ad aggiungere una parte di un'armonia di accordi utilizzando un pianoforte. Ciò dimostra ancora una volta la possibilità di utilizzare i sintetizzatori elettronici insieme a strumenti più tradizionali con successo."

Playing with generative melodies on the Teenage Engineering OP-XY

video upload by hudhawk02

"Messing around with some generative melodies using step components on the OP-XY. Also using the accelerometer to modulate the filter and the punch in effects.

Only had this for a couple weeks but continue to be blown away by its depth."