MATRIXSYNTH

at 8/13/2006 12:01:00 AM

GRONDO2001 of SHEPITOLOGY got himself a Novation Xio. He put the video above up on YouTube. Make sure to check out his impressions here.

at 8/13/2006 12:00:00 AM

flickr by lkvamme

"Dr. Bob Moog and Linda with MOOG #4 restored by CMS."

at 8/12/2006 08:16:00 PM

Title link takes you to a slew of beat videos on Music Thing. My picks:

Set The Beras Free - Masaaki Yoshida from Tokyo, Japan.

Just Blaze on his MPC 4000

Both via YouTube

at 8/12/2006 07:32:00 PM

flickr by echslectir

"These are actually 1999 re-issues. The original records were released in 1964. It contains really cheesy and psychedelic synthesizer music by electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott" "This music was created to sooth babies but I think it's more effective for brainwashing or creating some sort of mental disorder (especially for the parents). It's fantastic!"

at 8/12/2006 09:45:00 AM

"Oakley Modular are proud to announce the re-issue of a limited number of modular synthesizer PCBs designed by Tony Allgood of Oakley Sound Systems. Short production runs of these popular boards will be offered on a first come, first served basis. Depending on the popularity of this first run of boards, further PCBs from the Oakley range may be offered."

Note it's Oakley Modular and not Oakley Sound Systems. Via Oakley Sound Systems News:
"I have formed a new partnership with two individuals to allow PCBs and hopefully ready made modules to become available again.

Oakley Modular is the newly formed company that is handling all the merchandising of the modular PCBs and parts.

This week they started shipping the first batch of re-issued boards. Depending on sales, we will then look at introducing new versions of some of the obsolete modules, and perhaps some new ones too.

The new Oakley Modular website can be found here. Please note that although the website is fully functional, we still have plenty of things to add to it. We hope to update all the User Guides and give you new pictures of the new RoHS compliant PCBs and parts.

Tony"

This one via Sjaak Thanks Sjaak!

at 8/12/2006 04:01:00 AM

Three synth p*rn posts in via sequencer.de: 1, 2, 3. This shot of a Matrix-12 and DX1 is classic. Matrix-12s are pretty sizable synths. Now check out the size of the DX1. Massive.

at 8/12/2006 02:44:00 AM

Looks like we are in an alternative MIDI controller run. Next up, the Sonic Palette. Via this electro-music.com post (there is a sample in the post).

• 84 arrayed (7 by 12) pressure sensitive pads
• Completely portable seven octave range
• 2 pitch bend sensors, 2 pre-set or assignable knobs
• Multi-channel MIDI set-ups
• Custom set-up options
• Hand finished wood body
• Superior ergonomics
• Play standing, moving, or sitting
• Professional quality
• Easy to learn system

at 8/12/2006 02:35:00 AM

Never thought I'd put up a shot of one of these on this site. Title link takes you to Star Labs, home to a number of custom midi instruments including this one, the Z6. There are some interesting controllers worth checking out including the Kurzweil EventStation 1.0. "We have released to Kurzweil Musical Systems the beta-run of the EventStation MIDI percussion controller and event-processor. This is a new type of MIDI drum-brain that combines a fast, responsive percussion controller with robust support for Continuous Control functions, two sequencers, and multiple looping and stacking features."

via Awakened_Yeti in the comments of this post.

at 8/12/2006 02:34:00 AM

This one is in via Frédéric.

"A design study for a follow up to the VCS3 case containing the same boards.This was believed lost until it recently appeared in Sound on Sound Oct 97/p190. When this was being considered some engineers from the EMS factory arrived carrying a briefcase which turned out to be the prototype Synthi A. There was no contest."

See http://www.ems-synthi.demon.co.uk/emsprods.html for more.

Update 5/29/21: unfortunately the link no longer works. I'm no longer sure if this design was ever designated as a VCS4. You can find two known models of the VCS4 in additional posts here. If anyone does know, feel free to leave a comment below.

at 8/12/2006 02:33:00 AM

Analog harmonizer that allows you to take an input signal and create square waves based on that input signal for chords and other effects. Similar to the EML Polybox: link 1, link 2.

Title link takes you to more including samples on Sendling.

at 8/12/2006 02:32:00 AM

Keeping the Emulator III alive - part 1: Internal Hard Disk
Keeping the Emulator III alive - Part 2: Disabled outputs
Keeping the Emulator III alive - Part 3: The Power Supply

Relay switch pictured

at 8/12/2006 02:31:00 AM

flickr by john-mike

And another via sequencer.de:

at 8/12/2006 02:30:00 AM

Title link takes you to more on CDM.

at 8/11/2006 05:25:00 PM

I remember seeing this alternate scaling controller in the past. The black and white buttons are the keys. This link takes you to more on Sendling.

at 8/11/2006 11:17:00 AM

Looks like the Schaefer Moog Beer commercial is up on YouTube.
Thanks goes to MusicThing for putting this one up.

YouTube by kidsplash

New upload:

Schaefer - Edd Kalehoff (HQ Audio)

YouTube Uploaded by CoastersNSich on Apr 28, 2010

"Composer Edd Kalehoff at the Moog Synthesizer in 1973.

"Schaefer
Is the
One beer to have when you're
Having more than ooonnne!!"

(love how Edd holds the note at the end)"

at 8/11/2006 11:00:00 AM

"Wolfgang Düren became more widely known to people as the chairman of Waldorf Music. Before founding Waldorf Music he partnered with Wolfgang Palm, the man behind PPG, and distributed his synths in the late seventies till the fall of PPG in the mid eighties. Later Wolfgang distributed the synths of Waldorf, Access and Novation with his company TSI.

While he was distributing or later in charge of building synths, he was also a musician. In the late seventies he recorded the LP "Eyeless Dream". This record featured many sounds of the early PPG wavetable synths that just have had become available to some musicians searching for a new kind of sound beyond the conventional synth sounds using filters and modulations as main building blocks to shape their sound. These very new sounds in electronic music made this LP an insiders favourite over the years. Today this rare LP is of cause not available anymore.

Thanks to some Waldorfian's MP3 encoding of the LP and Wolfgang Düren's kind permission, these tracks are now available for free as 208 kBit/s variable bit rate mp3s."

Click here for more. Thanks goes to Frederic for sending this one in. Thanks Frederic!

Update via the comments: "Thanks for the link to my serer. I am sure it will glow red of the traffic. Thanks to Wolfgang Dueren for allowing us to release his work .

keep on turning these knobs, Till 'qwave' Kopper"

at 8/11/2006 10:57:00 AM

Title link takes you there.

I never knew how much Kraftwerk influenced Bowie both musically and his look. Apparently when Bowie left his Ziggy Stardust phase, he went with more of Kraftwerk influenced look.

at 8/11/2006 10:29:00 AM

BTW, I found this via a link to the following video on YouTube sent in by Greg. The following was sitting with a bunch of Kraftwerk videos including We are the Robots above. The video is Untitled. If you know what it is please comment. Disturbingly funny stuff. Enjoy... or not. "I'm so roernry..." Update below.

Update via Till "Qwave" Kopper in the comments:
"The puppets are from the very old "Thunderbirds" SiFi series. And the music is Karftwerk ofcause: "Kometenmelodie 2"."

at 8/11/2006 12:43:00 AM

So I found this image of the Metasonix Agonizer on this VSE post of stuff for sale including a Realistic MG-1, Nord Lead 2, Akai S612, and a couple of other pedals. I don't remember checking out the Agonizer before, so I head over to Metasonix for more info. It's not listed as a current product but I did find the manual in the support section. I take a look and the first thing in the manual is:

"AAAGGGGHHH!!!!!
YOU SLIME!
YOU PERVERTED ANUS-MAGGOT!!
YOU ACTUALLY BOUGHT ONE??!??
WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU???"

Eventually followed by:

"The Agonizer is great for driving the bloody hell out of a tube guitar amp, but don't whine at US if it blows your speaker's cone across the room.... Because of the construction techniques required, the Agonizer cannot be kicked around like a fuzzbox. You WILL BREAK A TUBE if you kick it around. And thereafter, we will kick YOU around, shortly after charging you a large amount of money to fix the damn thing.The Agonizer is for the DISCIPLINED, intelligent, non-risk-averse musician. It is NOT SUITABLE for drunken/stoned bozos who play dude-guitar in Creed cover bands. Dude! MAN! Like, it SUCKS, right? (Getting the damn PICTURE yet??)"

Suddenly it all makes sense...
I have to admit, I found the image of the cone flying accross the room pretty funny. Aah! My eye!

Update via phloem in the comments: "The TX-1 Agonizer art was done by Sarah Combs."

Update via Dave in the comments: "I am happy to say I provided about a dozen custom illustration for the TX-2 Butt Probe manual, and my soul still aches from the process. Easily the filthiest shit I've ever drawn in my life."

Now it really makes sense. Dave did The Packrat series and Retarded Animal Babies. Be sure to check out Retarded Animal Babies for some cute, wholesome toons. You can find more of Dave's work on UMOP.com.

at 8/11/2006 12:42:00 AM

Title link takes you to a ton of scans by bdu on Flickr. This one of a Sequential Circuits Prophet 5.

at 8/11/2006 12:41:00 AM

flickr by zonkout.

Another cute little modular by Analog Solutions that's no longer in production.
Also see the Black Coffee. I'm starting to think I should have picked these up.

BTW, anyone know what happened to the Analog Solutions webiste. The link I have for them is surrounded by garbage ads and p*rn - the non synth kind. There's a pop-up being blocked by Firefox as well. Here's a link but consider yourself warned.

Update: Here's the URL via polardak in the comments.

at 8/11/2006 12:40:00 AM

Click image or title link for animated version.

at 8/10/2006 10:18:00 AM

Title link takes you to some shots pulled from this auction. Looks like it went for $3050.

via Doktor Future.

at 8/10/2006 12:40:00 AM

Paul Sop, aka Doktor Future, got his Ionic Performer back. Click here for some shots he added to his gallery. The Ionic Performer has gone down in synth history as a Synthi clone. You can find more on the Ionic Performer here.

According to Paul Sop:
"It's totally Dr. Who and Blakes Seven. It's totally Synthi like, but in a whole new package, with some other odd controls."

Update via the comments: Apparently this is the same Ionic Performer listed in this Music Thing post. Doktor Future picked it up from that auction. Kind like we are keeping it in the family folks. : )

at 8/10/2006 12:31:00 AM

Monolake is a project by Ableton co-founder and software architect Robert Henke. I somehow missed this one. Create Digital Music had a post up on Monolake on July 24, and Analog Industries just put up a post on the Monodeck II by Monolake. I put up a Monodeck II post and headed over to the root of the Monolake site to check it out.

On the site you will find a number of esoteric projects including MIDI controlled light bulbs, virtual surround sound thunderstorms, cross Atlantic network live performances, the Monodeck II, and more. Too much for one post. Title link takes you there.

at 8/10/2006 12:14:00 AM

Ableton co-founder and software architect, Robert Henke's new custom MIDI contoller.

"All 96 LEDs are full RGB and can display several colors, allowing to assign multiple functions to the buttons. I plan to put up more in detail informations about its structure and the implementation or a video clip of it once it is fully functionable. The first concerts with it are planned for fall 2006."

Damn. via Analog Industries.

at 8/10/2006 12:12:00 AM

You might remember Larry Hendry passed away in October of 2005. His MOTM modular is up for sale. Title link takes you to a page put up by his son Jim Hendry with more shots and details.

The following was forwarded to AH from the MOTM list:

"Hello from Jim Hendry, Larry's son.

The whole story is in spelled out on the page below, but my brother and I have worked through enough of the estate that we're down to dealing with the music gear, which at this point means his synth. I spent a lot of hours just setting up this page, so I hope it does the synth some justice. I hope everyone is ok with posting for sale items on the board. I've seen a few others over the months so I was thinking I wouldn't offend anyone by posting this. Please drop by to at least have a look at it, even if you're not looking at purchasing. I know he'd want to show it off! :-)

If you need any further/more specific pictures, feel free to request them. If you need any questions answered, I'll do my best to do that as well.

Thanks for your time,
-Jim

link"

at 8/10/2006 12:11:00 AM

flickr by echen007. Title link takes you to more including Moog and Sequential Circuits.

This shot is like a who's who of Oberheim synths:

OB8
OBX-a
OBX
OB1
TVS - Two Voice System
XPander
Matrix-12

at 8/10/2006 12:10:00 AM

flickr by zonkout.

at 8/10/2006 12:05:00 AM

Title link takes you to some spectacular synth shots by stretta. The rack reminds me of the Monolith in 2001 a Space Odyssey.

at 8/09/2006 02:14:00 AM

Title link takes you to the following items for sale by Obliq:

- Steiner Parker SynthaSystem Modular
- ARP 2600 Orange Black version
- ARP 1613 Sequencer Orange Black version
- Boehm Soundlab Modular
- Korg Mono/Poly
- Echolette E51 tape delay
- Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo

Each item has a page with more details and shots. These are some tasty shots. Hopefully the pages will stay up as a resource, but just in case... I of course saved them off here. Note, as usual, I have no offiliation with this sale. I never do unless I say so otherwise, so pursue at your own risk.

via thesimulacre

at 8/09/2006 12:04:00 AM

flickr by Elfworld. Title link takes you to the set.

Update via Elf in the comments:
"I wrote a review of their concert in Oslo 2.5 years ago, and it pretty much sums up how I felt about this concert as well -> link."

at 8/09/2006 12:03:00 AM

Michael Ford of Metalbox. Title link takes you to more shots via Doktor Future in the comments of this post:

"This looks similar to Michal Ford's (of Metalbox) synth. May not be from him, but it's very similar. I visited him about a month ago. Shot of modular:
one
two

Full gallery: link

I got 3 racks of Metalbox in Banana from Michael Ford in July. You can see one of those racks in an earlier picture resting atop his big ass modular. Here is a funny pic of Michael finishing up the racks: link

I recommend buying from him. He's aces."

Thanks Doktor Future.

at 8/09/2006 12:02:00 AM

at 8/09/2006 12:01:00 AM

Title link takes you to the track by feraillus posted on this VSE thread. Cool track. Also saved here for posterity.

at 8/09/2006 12:00:00 AM

Via Blacet news, prices are going up by 10% in the Fall.

"I hope everyone is staying cool and having a nice Summer so far!

Everything is currently in stock, except for the DIY panels, which should be here any moment....pauses to listen for UPS truck.

We had to fire our cable assembly house, so we are looking for another.

Shipping charges for foreign customers are going up a bit. In the past we have gotten away with using "Letter Post" for small shipments to save our customers money. There is no insurance with this type of mail, however, and our luck has run out lately with a few missing shipments.

The Post Office is not very interested anymore in finding lost letter post shipments so except for items under $50, we will now use insured Air Parcel Post. Your best value is when you order 2 or more modules, etc. The USPS still beats UPS, etc for pricing.

After 5 years or so of keeping pricing the same, look for a 10% hike across the board in the Fall. This is due to parts cost increases, shipping increases and the higher cost of lead free PCBs., etc, etc......

John Blacet"

at 8/08/2006 01:04:00 AM

YouTube by rtermini. Synthesizers.com modular featured.

at 8/08/2006 12:59:00 AM

YouTube by Sharpblue. Features the EMS Synthi 100 and Putney. I think there might have also been a MUSE.

at 8/08/2006 12:45:00 AM

No, not me. YouTube via mustanghovercraft. Note: The Synthi 100 has an ignition key. : )

"Here's a clip of myself being interviewed by SonicState in 2003. We had nearly completed restoration of a EMS Synthi 100 and were showing it in London. I HATE having my pic taken - being filmed - whatever! And to have a mic shoved in front of you with no rehearsal - yikes! No wonder I forgot everything and stumbled all the way through!!

Just to correct a couple of things - this Synthi was researched in depth (with help from R. Wood!)and found to be the original DIGITANA (the name for the prototype before Synthi 100) as used and pictured in the EMS Studio. The sequencer was designed slightly later around '70 - 71... This being the original it consisted several veroboards!
An awesome instrument when its restoration was completed - and one I miss... "

at 8/08/2006 12:40:00 AM

YouTube via liquidcolor.

at 8/08/2006 12:37:00 AM

Wiard. YouTube by liquidcolor.

at 8/08/2006 12:36:00 AM

YouTube by Sharpblue

at 8/08/2006 12:25:00 AM

YouTube by Sharpblue

at 8/08/2006 12:20:00 AM

Roland Jupiter 8 featured.

at 8/08/2006 12:15:00 AM

flickr by _f1guy68_.

GEM Promega 3 Performance Keyboard"

at 8/07/2006 03:01:00 PM

Remember this? Failed Muso has the download. Title link takes you there.

Update via GodzillaFrog the comments: "Try the update from here It fixes a problem that manifested on machines with no MIDI in ports."

at 8/07/2006 02:47:00 PM

Title link takes you the tracks on Indigo Blue, all comprised of a Synclavier 9600. You can find more info and a few more links on this DVDBorn post.

at 8/07/2006 02:36:00 PM

"Designbox was founded in 1995 by the industrial designers Axel Hartmann and Stephan Leitl in Ravensburg, Southern Germany."

Take a look at the keyboards to the left. Design Box was part of the design of each as listed on this page. Going from left to right, top down you can see the following:

Alesis Andromeda
Moog Voyager
Waldorf Wave
Access Virus TI
Moog Little Phatty
Waldrof Q Keyboard
EMU Xboard
Hartmann Neuron

Title takes you Design Box. via sequencer.de.