Title link takes you to the rest on Sonic State.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Circuit Bent Casio PT-10
Title link takes you to GetLoFi where you'll find a map of the mods and more info.
Original PT-10 shot below via jarin.net.
Synth Trash
Zebra 2 Update
Remember Zebra 2? Version 2 has been realeased. Via Adam:"I'm an analog guy, but I just bought this amazing softsynth. If there is only one synth that everyone should have, this is it. U-he is a one man developer whose creation is worlds ahead of NI. Try the demo."
It has also received praise from CDM.
My New Happy Place
Yeah, that would make me happy. Title link takes you to a couple of more shots (thumbnails on the top left when you get there), and some notes on the studio. Via Analog Industries HCGP, btw, glad it's back.
'Making a beat' with a DX7 and a drum loop
This is a pretty cool. For more info behind the video check out Shepitology. It's a great example of what you can do with Elogoxa Elottronix XL. Creating loops with it really is that simple. When I finally explored it I had one of those "how did I ever play without this" moments.
Loopy LLama
Ok, this one gets a post just for the name and website design. What is it?"It's a looper... Made to emulate the Jam Man or DL-4 - but also generate a click track so it could be used with a drummer live. It is designed to work with Ableton Live or any other VST host such as Plogue Bidule for live performance."
Title link takes you there. via Phil on the SynthSights list.
A Preset System Concept for the Synthesizers.com Modular
Note this is not from synthesizers.com, just an idea submitted during a contest they had. Title link takes you to more info."Morbius asked for suggestions on a preset storage system for use with a Synthesizers.com modular synth. Here is a concept that I came up with. A guiding principle was Morby's comment that "no computers" be used. I believe that he was opposed to anything that would require a PC (personal computer) to use, whereas a computerized module was actually within his guidelines. Regardless, I took a stab at a system that could be built using discrete logic. Although the concept presented here stretches the limits of practicality, I think it is interesting."
Synthzone
Someone on the AH list was looking for a Matrix-6 editor, I directed him to the Synthzone Oberheim page where you will find few editors and more resources for everything Oberheim. If you haven't checked out Synthzone yet, do it. You will find a page for every manufacturer and much more. It was one of the first sites I visited when I started exploring synths on the web in the 90's.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Chris Strellis' Roland VP9000 Page
Title link takes you to Chris Strellis' VP9000 page with a few demos, info and shots. If you ever wondered what this unit is capable of, check it out. I remember when these first came out. It was pretty groundbreaking technology at the time and it was priced accordingly. I remember there being issues with it and the price quickly went down. The Variphrase technology eventually made it's way into the VarioOS chameleon like rack and of course the VSynth followed by the new OASYS and VP-550."It's a 6 voice (yeah only 6!) polyphonic sampler with 136MB RAM and a 250MB Zip drive. But - after you record a sample - you then "encode" it. Once encoded you can, in real time, affect the pitch, duration, formant and groove all in real time. I can stretch say a spoken phrase down to single wave and up to double speed without affecting the pitch. I can move the formant frequency around (male to female and vice versa) and on drum loops affect the swing and groove."
BTW, I love this second shot. : ) Also the Matrixsynth plug at the end of the page. Gotta like that. Thanks Chris! BTW, be sure to check out the rest of Chris' site while there.
Nanoloop
Via Brian Comnes:"Nanoloop and LSDJ are both now shipping their MIDI synch cables again after a hiatus, so if you find one of these cartridges used for a low price, you can get that 8 bit sound from a real 8-bit source and synch it to MIDI clock , does it get any better? (well maybe a Moog Voyager IS better, but.....)"
Nanoloop
LSDj
Racking the Unracked
Red Roland SH-101
Roland Juno-106
Moog Minimoog
Moog Source
E-MU SP1200
Roland TR-909
Roland TR-808
Saw this on Synthesizer-Magazine. The shots come from Synrise.
more racked goodness:
Racked Synths Done Right
Racked Juno-106
Korg MS Series in a Rack
Racked Roland SH-101
Racked Wasp
Access Virus TI Racked
Custom Oberheim Two Voice Modular
studio
flickr via altemark.Cool setup:
"Roland [correction: Korg] MS-2000, Syntecno Teebee MKII, Roland SDE-2000, Elektron Sidstation, Boss BX-4, Elektron Machinedrum UW, Boss DE-200, Casio VZ-10M, Future Retro FR-777, Behringer V-amp 2, Dynacord EQ-210, Yamaha E-1010, MAM Warp 9, MAM VF-11, TC Electronic Triple C"
LABELS/MORE:
BOSS,
Casio,
Elektron,
Future Retro,
Korg,
MAM,
Roland,
Syntecno,
TC Electronic,
Yamaha
crappy mellow2
flickr by devowski. Looks like he took it up a notch. This actually works:
"i built this mellotron for a sculpture class, each key plays a part of the intro to 'the power of love' by the legendary huey lewis and the news"
Title link takes you to one more image.
Buzzmachines
"Buzz is the first ever "easy to use" free modular software based synthesizer. What this means is that the entire system is based on objects, which may be routed in a modular fashion, giving you the freedom to be as creative as you want. For example, if you wish to run 3 Physical Modelling synths and a Drum Machine through 2 seperate Stereo Delays, into a Mixer, through a Compressor and Parameteric EQ, and finally out to your speakers - no problem. Lay down your synths, connect the wires and you're done. Check out the screenshots below for examples!"I was cleaning out my email and I found one I sent to myself back on 12/28/2001. In it there was just a single link, http://www.buzzmachines.com. I thought I'd check it out before moving it and low and behold it was the Buzzclick software modular. I completely forgot about it. I decided to check out the latest submissions link and to my surprise the latest generator, Mead Bassdrum Machine (picutred), is dated 9/6/06. The latest effect, Multi 2, is dated 9/16/06. Pretty cool considering how long Buzzmachines has been around. Title link takes you there. via me back in 2001.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Elektron TurboMIDI TM-1
Scott Stite's Synth DIY
"At this site you will find a running log on the progress of the design/construction of my KS-01 Synthesizer, sound samples, schematics (more to come anyway), module layouts, and links to other DIY'ers, Module and System suppliers, and music created by DIY'ers." Title link takes you there.
Sneakthief's Henry/Stites SN-Voices DIY Modular
Title link takes you to more shots pulled via this electro-music.com thread.Update: Sneakthief put up some samples on the thread. I added them to the title link share as well.
TB-303 PRO Kit
Remember the TB-303 PRO. Here's a few shots of what the kit looks like via this auction. No title link.
Analog.no
Title link takes you to analog.no, home to a number of resources including an MKS-30 MIDI upgrade, Polysix MIDI upgrade, Envelope performance times for a few synths, a list of cutom Roland ICs, simple mods and a list of patches for various synths.
The Last Gnat Special
Here's a rarity. The last Gnat Special being auctioned off by Adrian Wagner. Unfortunately it's a non working unit:"Here we have the last not working Gnat Special from the last of the stock from Wasp Synthesizers Limited: the company I opened 24 years ago after the demise of Electronic Dream Plant. There were only 30 unit of this particular
wooden model ever made!The unit does not work when plugged in so I am selling this as component spares, to a collector or to some enterprising engineer who feels like having a go to fix it. Hence the low start with no reserve!
Even though it does not work, the overall condition (including the touch sensitive keyboard) is very good indeed. Unfortunately, all 12 knobs are missing but these are easy to find on eBay. This was the smaller, single oscillator model to the Wasp but with a great and fat sound. Unfortunately, the manual and electronic schematics have been lost years ago so the synth is all you get but, despite this, you will be bidding on a slice of the past and the good old days of British Synthesizer enterprise and development!"
Sent my way via Chad. No title link.
The Casio CZ series
Title link takes you to an article by Tomás Mulcahy on the Casio CZ series. While there also check out the rest of his site including the articles page.via Music Thing.
202 Hack
"202 Hack is an application that converts sequence information stored in standard MIDI files into a format compatible with Roland MC-202™ sequences. You choose one or two MIDI channels, whose note information is then extracted from the MIDI file and converted into the "internal" and/or "external" sequences of the 202. Accent and Portamento can also be coded for, as well as some post-processing tricks to generate Roland TB-303™-like slides. The output of 202 Hack is an audio file that can then be played by your computer into the 202's "tape in" jack."Title link takes you there. via dmxkrew.
IDM SESSION 3
"Another track recorded while I recorded it, if you can understand that. Using and OB-12, AN200, DX200, DR660 and sequenced with FL studio. If you have any tips on how to record audio into a sound card and recombine it with the original video or any type of camera that can record good audio with good video (at a reasonable price) I am all ears."
YouTube via weatherkop. Sent my way via frederic.
Elogoxa's Elottronix XL
Note this is not a new VSTi. According to the download page the latest version was out on 5/11/04. That said, I've been playing with this for the last hour and I must say it is quite addictive. You can make some crazy loops with it by just adding layer after layer. I currently have it running a whacked out loop with Audio Damage's Reverence. Amazing stuff. The reviews on KVR for Elottronix also seem to be favorable. BTW, word of warning: on the top right of the plug-in UI there is a Stop/Start switch with REC to it's left. This is not what you switch to start recording loops, it's what you switch to start saving the audio looping to your hard drive. Don't turn it on unless you want to record and don't leave it on or it will eat up hard drive space with the file it saves. Also, you need to rename the file in the input box under "file" before hitting record otherwise you will probably overwrite the previous file. Overall, it takes a little experimentation to get used but once you do it's a pretty amazing tool. I need to check out the rest of Eogoxa's stuff next. Big thanks to brian comnes for sending this one in. "Emulation of Robert Fripp's tape delay effect 'Frippertronics': two Revox B-77 in continuous loop. This XL version supposes a complete rewrite of the old Elottronix, and adds a ton of new possibilities"
- Two independent routable delay lines, with a maximum delay time of 80 seconds.
- Tempo can be synced to host BPM.
- LFO controlled Pan per delay line, with definable Bar Divisions, Pitch and Waveform.
- Two global Pan modes: normal and inverted.
- Rehearsal option: when switched ON, the incoming signal doesn't pass through the delay lines, so you can try different things before inserting them into the loop.
- Biquad-X multimode filter per delay line. This advanced filter has 9 different modes: Low Pass, High Pass, Low Shelf, High Shelf, All Pass, Band Reject, Band Pass CSG, Band PassC0PK and Peak. Optional parameters to control are Gain, Cutoff and Q.
- Tape machine: this module generates tape hiss, which can be pitched up and down.
Completely automatable via MIDI CC.
- Moderate CPU use (-8% Athlon XP 2400+).
- Includes 8 Presets to give an idea of the effect (4 for sends, 4 for inserts). But what Elottronix XL does can't be covered with presets as you'll discover.
Via Brian Comnes.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Vince Clark Studio Shots
I just updated the previous post with a link to these shots, and figured I'd put up a separate post in case you missed it.
Pictures of Gareth Jones
Gareth Jones is the producer of Erasure's upcoming album. You can find a blog on the new album here.Title link takes you to some pictures of Gareth Jones and gear including the two I grabbed for this post. Check out the ARP 2500. In the shot below he's holding a small keyboard called a Chord Computer. Anyone know more about this little keyboard? Click the images for larger shots.
P.S. There is a nice close up of Gareth Jones and an E-MU Modular after the hop.
Update: Be sure to check out other shots of Vince Clark's gears as well.
Controlling Synths Via Your Cell Phone
In short, you can use Sailing Clickr to transmit messages to your PC via wireless. Jason Kramer wrote some software to have it control Ableton Live. Title link takes you to the full post on CDM.
Y2K6 Looping Festival and NorCal Noisefest
Two events coming up sent my way via Brian Comnes.
Y2K6 International Live Looping Festival
"Over 50 artists from around the globe will converge on the San Francisco Bay Area this fall for the Fifth Annual Y26K Live Looping Festival. Perfomers from across the United States and as many as 10 other countries will appear in Santa Cruz, Calif., on October 21 and 22, for the main two days of the festival. Additional festival-related events will be held in San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland during the week preceding the main festival."
Nor Cal Noise Fest.
"The Norcal Experimental Music Festival was started in 1995 and was held at the Guild Theatre in Sacramento, on November 3rd, and 4th. Performers came from all over the western United States and Canada. 2006 will mark the 11 year anniversary of NOISEFEST happening in the Sacramento area, and will be the 10th time this event has occured. After searching the web and beyond ..we have yet to find ANY other Noise/Experimental festival happening anywhere else in the World that has continued for as long as NorCal NoiseFest has. we thank you for your patronage."
Waldorf Wave Demo
Click here for Paris Open Sky's music page. You will find a list of tracks. The last one titled "risong 2 min DEMO," features the Waldorf Wave: "I remembered ppl asking how the wave sounded. I have just uploaded a 2 minute demo of my new trance composition which extensively makes use of my 32V wave. It is still a rough mix but the beginning is almost exclusively WAVE and shows the large stereo image of the synth very well. maybe some will now understand why I think that it is an extraordinary instrument."
Crimson Wave pictured.
The Keyboards of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Keyboards include:
Hohner electra-piano
Hammond M-100
Hammond C3/B3
EMS VCS3
Hohner clavinet
Fender Rhodes
Mellotrons
Steinway grand piano
Farfisa VIP-255
Yamaha CP70B piano
Yamaha GX1
bass pedals
Mobius - Free Software Looper
"Mobius is a program for the real-time creation and manipulation of audio loops. It has functionality based on the venerable Echoplex Digital Pro with Loop IV software. It is not a complete emulation, but it does implement many of the Loop IV features, as well as a number of useful new features. Mobius is essentially 8 synchronized stereo EDP's with the ability to copy loops and timing between them. Extensive MIDI and computer keyboard control is available. Audio content may be saved to and loaded from files.
Mobius is free, though I do request that you report any problems you encounter and offer suggestions for new features you think would be useful."
Title link takes you there. Via Tony. BTW, check out Loopers Delight for everything loopy. ; )
Frank Zappa - Documentary (part 5 of 6)
Features the NED Synclavier. YouTube via doogit. Sent my way via Tim.
ARP 2600 Samples
Title link takes you to a couple more shots and samples. This one sent in by one of the anonymous:"I made some riffs & Fx with my ARP 2600. No FX or EQ,direct to CDR, Includes 1 scifi and 1 drone track where the output was feedbacked into the filter."
White Modcan B Modular Analog Synthesizer
Title link takes you to a supersized shot pulled from this auction.2 VCO 01B
1 dual VCO 46B
1 dual mixer 27B
1 s&h/noise/ring mod 07B
1 VC DADSR 04B
1 dual ADSR 47B
1 moog LPF 44B
1 multi filter 10B
1 VCA panner 21B
1 freq shifter 39B
1 phase shifter/timbre mod 06B
1 3x1 mixer 09B
1 multiple 48B
1 attenuator 49B
1 pulse divider/VC switch 20B
3 cases with 50B power supply
Milton Users Group
Title link takes you the Yahoo! Users Group for the Milton Sequencer. The group currently has 142 members as of this post. Here's the Milton product page on Plan B. "BuIlt Milton sequencers in all flavors (standard silver with mini jacks, Wiard blue, Buchla, Serge, MOTM and Dot.com lookalike compatibles) are availible through Plan B starting at $1550 for a standard silver faced unit with 3.5mm phone jacks. There is a ten week delivery cycle once the deposit is recevied. Custom features are also availiable and will be quoted on an individual basis. Contact Peter Grenader at peter@buzzclick-music.com for a quote or for more information."
via sequencer.de.
Depeche Mode at the World Trade Center Video
via ortho. Title link takes you to the video. Synths featured: Two Emulator IIs. That said, I'll never forget seeing the WTC for the first time. If you love architecture and buildings, it was one of the pinacles. I always had a fascination with buildings. Monuments of what we can accomplish. I grew up in LA so the twin towers weren't part of my childhood, but I always knew about them and I always wanted to see them in person. When I went to New York for the first time in 1996, on a side trip from Connecticut, we stayed two nights and only had one day to explore the city. WTC was on the top of the list and then the Empire State Building. We were fortunate enough to have a drink and lunch at Windows on the World, a restaurant on the 107th floor. The view was spectacular. We had lunch at roughly 11:30 AM. I always wondered if any of the staff there was unfortunate enough to be there when it happened. The video captures the amazing view as well; they were really that high. It's hard to fathom how they were built when you are standing there.
Moog Little Phatty Shots
Looks like Carbon111 got his Little Phatty. Title link takes you to a couple of shots he posted on Synthwire.
The End of MOTM synth kits
I posted about this back on July 6. Looks like the day has finally arrived. Via Paul Schreiber on the AH list:"Tomorrow at 9PM Texas time, I am loading into the shopping cart: link
the last and final set of MOTM analog modular synth kits. I'm both relieved and
sad. About 7500 kits have been built by members of this list, in 17 different
countries. However, the sheer logistics of keeping up with 50,000 parts/month
means I am converting to assembled modules only. And letting other folks worry
about it.
The last *order* date will be Dec. 1st, assuming there are kits left to order :)
It will take until the end of the year to ship all of them (there are ~375 on
back order as of today). Yes, the shopping cart says 'In Stock' but that doesn't
equate to 'will ship by Friday'.
I have "turned off" the kit portion of the cart until I've completed the update.
Thanks to everyone for the many years of excitement. MOTM is far from dead: in
fact, just the opposite. By no longer spending 90% of my time shuffling parts
around, I can concentrate on *design* and *delivery*.
Paul Schreiber
Synthesis Technology"
Monday, October 09, 2006
Synton Fenix Modular
Update via the comments: "Electrically they're fine. Mechanically, they could use some help. Boards held in place with hot glue (and the wrong type that doesn't stick well to smooth surfaces), various pot shaft types, poor strain relieving, thin metal, etc. Wonderful in the design, poor in the construction. Fwiw, I've serviced at least 5 of them. Anyone that buys one should open it up after shipping and before powering up. The boards inside can flop over onto each other and short out."
Update: Be sure to check out the comments. Supposedly, this is Thighpaulsandra's Fenix. Link to studio shots posted here.
No title link. Two shots and details pulled via this auction. Sent my way via Vincent.
"Very rare semi modular synthesizer, one of only 75 designed and built by the original Synton team. A direct descendant of the Synton 3000 modular synthesizer and the Syrinx lead synth. Almost every module is unique: this means that every LFO and Envelope Generator (and most mixers, VCO's, VCF's) have different controls and ins/outs. The Fenix uses industry-standard 1 V/octave for pitch control, and positive gate signals. Internal audio levels are 4 VPP, control voltages are -4/+4 or 0-8 Volts. Uses sturdy banana jacks for patching.3 VCOs
3 LFOs
1 Noise module (2 independent sources with VLFO output)
2 Multimode VCFs
1 24dB/oct low-pass VCF
4 VCAs
3 General-purpose mixers, plus 1 integrated in VCF3
2 Dedicated CV mixers
3 EGs plus extra AD in EG1
2 Portamentos
2 Ring modulators
1 Slew limiter
1 Sample & Hold generator
1 Comparator
2 External signal processors
2 Main CV inputs (3.5mm mini-jacks on rear panel)
2 Auxiliary CV inputs (3.5mm mini-jacks on rear panel)
2 Gate inputs (3.5mm mini-jacks on rear panel)
2 External audio inputs (quarter-inch jacks on front-panel)
Grounding point
Power: 17V/17V @ 880mA. Universal 115V/230V external PSU."
malgorithm speaks
"Test of a voltage controlled digital signal processor, in the context of a small-format modular synthesizer. JUST SAY NO TO RoHS."
YouTube via meatlog. Sent my way via Stag Ejector.
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© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
