PNW Synth Meeting This Saturday

Just a reminder that the PNW Synth Meeting is this Saturday. Title link takes you the previous post with some pics.

Pacific Northwest Synthesizer Meeting

Saturday, October 21, 2006
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Renton Technical College
Building C, Room 110
3000 NE 4th St
Renton, WA 98056

No charge. (Contribute for the Pizza) Free.

There will be several more first time visitors this year. Please bring
synths that you have brought in the past. Don't forget power cords, patch
cords, adapters. I am planning on having a small Mackie mixer and powered
speaker for your use.

Performances are welcome.

Talks are welcome.

Lookers are welcome.

Good Lookers are welcome.

Jim Patchell will not be coming this year. A pending marriage takes
priority.

More information at www.sound-photo.com

Take care,
John
www.sound-photo.com
www.antenna-farm.com

Buchla 200e

Another shot from this HC thread. Click image for the full effect. Yeah, I think I could get lost in that.

www.syntezatory.prv.pl - roland jx3p bare pg200

YouTube via Jexus of www.syntezatory.prv.pl.

www.syntezatory.prv.pl - korg polysix

YouTube via Jexus of www.syntezatory.prv.pl.

303909x0x

YouTube via wyllytesla. Sent my way via brian comnes

Optimus Upravlator

You might have seen images of the Optimus computer keyboard before. In short it's keyboard with the ability to display custom graphics for it's keys. I didn't put up a post, because directly it's not synth related, however... With soft synths and DAWs, I realize I can swing it as a custom "MIDI" controller. : ) Regardless, I want one. The Upravlator is the latest incarnation. Title link takes you to more shots and info.

Harmony Central Synth P*rn Thread

Title link takes you to a thread on Harmony Central with a ton of synth shots and more. I'm linking to the last page (page 54) in the thread for reference. If you look at the thread you will recognize a ton of pictures pulled from various sites. Anyone know more about this particular modular?

Update: Nevermind, found it. Thought I saw it before. ; )

Via sequencer.de.

Yamaha Superstar!

via googoofish:

"Saw your great bit on the FX1 and I thought I recognised it from the cover of an old record I had, It turned out to be a yamaha EX42 but I thought you might find it intresting anyway. You can never have too many covers of Light my fire."

Indeed. Title link takes you to the mp3. Thanks googoofish!

Update via Andre:
"I've found a download link for the "Yamaha Superstar" record (Koichi Oki)"

Jimmy and the Yamaha FX1

You are looking at the Yamaha FX1. The FX1 was a three manual FM based synthesizer under the Electone organ moniker, similar in look but not synthesis as the coveted analog GX1. GX1, FX1, get it? I have searched for images of the FX1 on the net and have come up empty.

Well.... Jimmy managed to run accross my site and informed me that he actually has one. To give you an idea of how rare the FX1 is, according to this Sound on Sound article there is only one in existence in the UK. The SOS article does not have an image of one. Think about that. This is about as rare as it gets folks. From the SOS article: "Lest you think that (other than the DX1) all FM synthesizers were small, neat affairs, let me tell you about the FX1. This was a huge three-manual beast very much in the mould of the GX1, but based entirely on FM synthesis. If you've never heard of it, I'm not surprised. Costing £36,000 in 1986, there's only one working example in the UK, and not many more elsewhere." Well, we now know there is at least one more working sample out there. Title link takes you to more shots sent my way via Jimmy. I need to stress how thankful I am that Jimmy took the time out to take pictures and share some of his story with me (during our conversations he stated that he would takes some shots and send them to when he had time. To my surprise that ended up being much sooner than later). I decided to include a bit of his story as well, as I found it fascinating. It also gives you a bit of this particular synthesizers' history and gives it context.

The following are excerpts from an email exchange I had with Jimmy:

"I do a single - organ, piano, sing, comedy, etc. One of the last night club entertainers left, I guess. I've been doing essentially the same type of show for the last forty-five years. I'm 65, but I'm going on 30. I definitely don't act my age, on or off stage. I still play a B-3 Hammond with two Leslie speakers. The B-3 I'm playing is the one I started playing in 1960, when I started in the night club business. I only play three nights a week. I really don't want to work more than that. I'm married and have raised two sons. I've met most of the musical stars through the years and have maintained a friendship with most of them."

"Back to the FX1, I tried to get it fixed one time (I spilled a coke into a small section to the left of the lower keyboard). Yamaha company said that they could replace the boards if I sent them to them one at a time. I really didn't know what was wrong with the organ at the time, so I sent one circuit board at a time and Yamaha replaced them, one at a time. Yamaha didn't even have a prototype of the FX1 in their repair facility so that they could compare the one I had with one in their shop. Sending parts to them really didn't solve the problem, because they didn't have a prototype in which to insert my parts to note a problem. I hadn't realized that the spilled drink was the problem. I brought the organ here from Florida and within a week, the repairman had diagnosed the problem and repaired it like new. It really is a workhorse piece of equipment. It will probably be around long after I'm gone."

"I wonder how many of these FX1s are left. I was told that there weren't too many of them to begin with. I'm not sure, but I had been told that there were twelve of them in the USA. I was told that Stevie Wonder owned one when they first came out. He has to have used it in studio. There was a train wreck (I believe) where all but a couple of them were destroyed. It was going from California to New York. Mine was one which survived the wreck. There is a corner of the keyboard where the edge is slightly bent. This supposedly happened in the accident. I don't know if this is true, Matrix, but that is what I was told (after I bought the organ!)"

"You asked how the FX1 plays, etc. It is a wild piece of history. It is the most powerful sound because of the huge external speakers. The speakers can be turned up so loud, that the sound can be deafening. I never really turned it up to max, but it is scary. The speakers are on wheels and they match the organ, which is an off-white. The organ as well as the speakers and the bench are extremely heavy - extremely. I thought that the B-3 Hammond was heavy. The organ itself weighs probably 300 pounds. The bench, alone, has to weigh 80 pounds. In order to get to the guts of the organ, you have to unscrew aload of screws and the whole front lifts up in two sections. The inside looks like the most complicated thing you've ever seen. It has six (I think) large circuit boards which pop out. It was way ahead of its time! When you change registrations, all of the sliders automatically move to the desired preset settings. It is quite amazing."

"You [Matrix] are a pretty crazy person [indeed ; )]. Very interesting that you have that site! I am really a collector of everything, so I guess I just never got rid of keyboards when I used them through the years. I also have a mini-moog that I've had for twenty five years. I'm not a great synthesizer player - I used the mini-moog for effects in my show. I should really use it for effects today. I'm trying to get informed enough to sample it down to my Kurzweil sampler. You see, on the job, there isn't a lot of time to play synthesizers, changing stops to be interesting, plus keep everyone's interest as a singer and comic. I'm a very busy guy on the stage. It's a very little one-man show that relies on personality as well as technical ability. I'm sort of the entertainer's entertainer. Andy Williams, Ray Stevens, Pet Clark, and the like, come out and watch me after their shows. Not much use for them with the type of shows here. They are playing pretty straight stuff. The town used to be known for country, but it is changing by the year. There are Beatles shows and good old Rock and Roll shows. Synthesizers are quite scarce in the shows. A bunch of my friends are into them, though, and have them at home. I am from the school of Earl Grant, Shay Torrent, Buddy Cole, Lenny Dee, Ethel Smith, Jimmy Smith, and the like. Most of them were personal friends. Petula Clark came in to see me on Saturday night. She sat in with me and sang a couple of old standards. It's a gas, because, I'm sort of a retro act. Although I have had some of these keyboards throughout the years, I am really not proficient in using them with any great knowledge of wave lengths, etc. I've been friends with a lot of the great players, and they think I'm a monster in my own way, but I've always been crazed with the way they play. I probably have thirty old keyboards - none of them are the ones mentioned in your blog - they are simple, usable keyboards that I've picked up in pawn shops, etc. I don't know if you knew who they were, but years ago, Joe Mooney, Del Statton, and Jocko Pastorius (and his dad, Jack) were good friends. Jocko was a mega monster on keyboards, as well as the bass. We were friends from the time he was 13. His dad was a good buddy. Jocko was the freak of all freaks. He would sit, as a kid, and watch me kick footpedals, without even looking up at the keyboards. I'm rattling on. I just wanted to fill you in."

Rattle on. : ) Again, I want to thank Jimmy immensely for taking the time out to share this with us. Folks, if you have any questions for Jimmy please feel free to post a comment and I'll make sure he gets it. Thank you more than words can say Jimmy. Wow!

Update: link to the manuals via hugo:
FX1E_1.pdf
FX1E_2.pdf
FX1E_3.pdf
FX1E_4.pdf
FX1E_5.pdf

Update via Jimmy in the comments: "The FX1 I have has a mini-disc recorder/playback unit attached to the underside near the right knee which can replay as though it were live. I think you can see it in the picture. Not bad for the time! I also have a second recorder. - J"

Update via the comments: More shots and info here

Update: be sure to check out the comments for more. The following via Jason:
"Add another FX1 to the list of found. This one was purchased new to be, of all things, a church organ! My father was a Yamaha dealer at the time and he was offered the chance to "test" a new model of the Electone series. It was actually purchased in 1982 (yep, before it was released). The serial number on it was "XXX" and there was nothing on the organ indicating it was an FX1. I always thought it was kind of strange Yamaha would send something like this to such a small town to be tested. Anyway, the organ is now gone after being struck by lightning in 1989. It sat out in an alley exposed to the elements for 7 years before it was finally hauled off to the dump. I tried to stop that, but I was only 15 when it was drug off, so I didn't have a choice.
I'll always remember that organ as being the "Star Trek" organ. The kids of the church would just sit at it and change the settings to make the sliders move on their own. Anyone else think it looked like a console out of Star Trek TNG? haha
btw, here's a link to an MP3 file of a demonstration of the organ playing."

Update via Andrew in the comments: "Yamaha made a promotional album for the FX-1 in 1983, you can grab it here"

Update via Rockstardave in the comments: "I did a write up on my FS-500, very similar to the FX-1, with some pictures and such:

http://freeorgansusa.blogspot.com/2010/03/yamaha-electone-fs-500.html

Come have a look at my "new" baby."

FLAME

This link will take you to FLAME, home to a number of esoteric MIDI and audio projects. You can find the Google translated site here . Pictured is the FLAME-MIDI-SPEAKJET. Make sure to check out the samples (mirrored here) and videos when there.

Details on the FLAME-MIDI-SPEAKJET (Google translated from German):

"With the current project it concerns a small MIDI controllable sound module on basis of the similar language chip “SpeakJet” (TM) of the American company “Magnevation LLC”. Originally for simple artificially generated acoustic output (American discussion) conceived, it lay close one, an 8-bit 8-bit-artiges sound module with pseudo language to develop. The possibilities are quite due to the structure of the chip (complex Soundsynthesizer, Presetsounds, serial interface etc.) impressing. Are implemented 72 elements of speech (Allophone), 43 Soundeffecte and 12 DTM Touch of clay/tone. An 8-bit input and/or a serial input serve for control of the functions. Now possible a sound module is to be developed with an external CONTROLLER and the appropriate software, which the internal possibilities use depending upon need. It went simulating primarily not therefore language, but in music applicable sounds, Pattern, producing sequences in the 8-bit style of the 80iger among other things years. It is of advantage among other things that the sound elements are be correctable and tonally can be used. In the current project two SpeakJet chips are used, in order to produce larger more complex sound variety. The equipment is still in the development stage and vorraussichtlich at the end of of 2006 finished will become. With the development board of produced test sounds and sequences can be down belonged by MP3-Download."

Swing Out Sister PPG and Minimoog

No title link. Just a shot of Swing Out Sister with a PPG and Minimoog.

Musicians

flickr by pantufla.

MC202 through a high pass filter

Title link takes you to a 236K sample via dmxkrew.

"it's an MC202 going through the high pass filter from an Analogue Systems modular with an LFO modulating the cutoff. it's the beginning of a new tune I made today. the drums are TR707 plus some extra sub from a SCI Pro One"

pinky vs the incubator

"tube synth - neon VCO driven by pinky's sequencer (look for the blue glow of the neon bulb near the top right tube) pinky - Paia VCOs driven by super psycho lfo, sequencer and EG into Steiner VCF, CGS mixer, the whole lot thru a tube pre-amp. output on 'scope at the start"

YouTube via cirtcele. Sent my way via frederic. Remember Pinky?

Hagstrom Guitars Patch 2000 Synthesizer Guitar Demo

"Steve Pacelli demo's the Hagstrom Patch Guitar system in the Umea Store (original footage from 1977) courtesy of Lennart Johnsson, presented by Hagstrom UK www.hagstrom.org.uk"

Note he states the synth is in the next of the guitar. An Oberheim SEM makes an appearance. YouTube via DeeCee333. Sent my way via frederic. Title link takes you to the Hagstrom Guitars UK Appreciation Site.

via z of New Alliance East

Album Art

Anyone know where this image is from?

"LEM Studios." Via Cynthia on AH:

"The picture appears on the back of the LEM album MACHINES (highly recommended), Wavefront Records 1977. It is Bryce Robbley's chrome mannequin and Serge System next to Doug Lynner's Serge System, and Alex Cima's Steiner Parker SynthaSystem... It was shot in Star Track Studios on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood, circa 1977 or so. Danny Sofer of Oberhiem Electronics also played with them and may have contributed the Polyfusion modular on the right side of the picture? They also used an ARP String Ensemble, a Synthi AKS, and an EML PolyBox, a Syndrum, some Oberheim, and a little Buchla 200. These guys were good friends of mine and part of the Synapse/LEM/Triode crowd. They recorded together under the names MOBIUS and LEM (Live Electronic Music). Bryce (RIP) and Doug went to Cal Arts, and Doug's 5-panel Serge was the very first sold as an assembled unit, instead of as a synth kit from the CIA "staircase assembly party" days. Doug went on to use his Serge in the band INVISIBLE ZOO which enjoyed radio airplay of their pop tune "Synthesizer Man" and he performed with it as recently as last October when he and I played live at the the Sacred Elixirs Festival at the San Jose Convention Center."

Update via Loren in the comments: "I use to have that album. You forgot to add Steve Roach as another person who played with these guys. I know Steve played in MOBIUS and I think he made a guest appearance on the LEM album if my memory is correct."

Update: more from Peter Grenader of Plan B:
"A bit more trivia about one part of that photo - the Steiner-Parker
Synthasystem shown in the photo to the left of the robot's ear. - that was
Alex Cima's..

After Alex stopped rep'ing Steiner Parker in Southern California, this
system became the property of John Waddell, who already had one other and
along with a VCS3, were being used for the Electronic Music Studies
department of Birmingham High School in the SF Valley, LA. John was my very
first EM mentor and is wholeheartedly responsible for me being accepted to
CalArts as he pushed me to enter a concert competition that Alex hosted. I
did, I made it, I submitted that to Cal Arts, I made that. Waddell gave me
the best music theory instruction I've ever had, up to and including CIA.

John passed away four years ago, and willed that Steiner-Parker to
me...which I really loved and, although it's recently found a very good home
in Marina Del Ray. It's a great system.

Back about 1977 (?) Alex and I hosted a couple of EM concerts together, one
of which LEM performed live on the seond half. Cima and I also performed
live once with Emmett Chapman, which was one of the highlights of my
performance career. Oddly enough i didn't touch electronics on that one - i
was playing flute and sax, w/Alex on synths, this dreadful percussion player
Alex found and Chapman, who as usual played the stick like no other.

I ended up inheriting Alex's EM concert series, called Electronic
Explorations, after he had had enough. I did three or four of them, one
co-produced by John Waddell, which got that horrible review in Synapse by
Doug Lynner (of LEM) i've spoken about here before. The poster for that
event was done by a very good friend of Cynthia's at the time who used the
name of Sue Dinim (get it?) for her artwork credits.

Ain't it weird how the fabric of the LA electronic music scene was sewn?

Alex Cima is still around, teaching recording and electronic music at
Fullerton College and while he has long departed with his various Steiners,
still owns his Synthi AKS."

Keith Emerson Limited Edition Sculpture

"Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) is portrayed in this limited edition sculpture with his signature keyboard. Combining unearthly sounds with classical influences, Emerson has carved out his position as a Rock Icon. The Keith Emerson Limited Edition Sculpture is created in intricate detail by a team of artists who have hand-painted and hand-numbered this collectible. Figure is created in 1/9 scale. Keyboard stands just under 12" high. Only 3000 available worldwide."

$150. Title link takes you there.

Synth Dreams

Dave of umop.com and The Packrat sent an email on a synth dream he had, to me and a couple of others. I replied with my own. Dave and Peter Forrest thought they were a good read so I figured I'd put up a post. Dave gave me the go ahead to start with his. If you have any similar stories, feel free to post them in the comments. I thought this particular Packrat Toon held a little bit of truth to the experience behind the dreams. BTW, title link takes you to the rest of The Packrat strip. Hmm... Now that I think of it, all the toons would make for great dreams. : ) Click the image to read it.


Before we start. Question: How many of you realized it was a dream in the middle of it and actually tried to take it back to the other side? I have.

Via Dave:
"Not for nuthin', but after I bought some office furniture at Ikea the
other day, I guess the store invaded & scrambled my thoughts, because
I dreamed I bought a little 2-osc analog synth from them.

I'd supply a picture but it was so nondescript it doesn't really
matter. It was about half a MaxiKorg with similarly colored switches;
plain black cheapo plastic body. Mixer faders all the way over on the
side, embedded in the end cheeks like an OB-Xa retrofit (for only two
VCO's?... there were so many faders...); and of course those cheeks
were Ikea's specialty "birch effect" particle board in composition.

One other detail I remember is the waveform knob was a simple knob
which went from brass (saw) to EP (electric piano [??]). When cranked
all the way left, this thing sounded fatter than the brass from ELP's
"Touch and Go" and I recall remarking to my girlfriend in the dream
(who was naked of course...TMI?) that I planned on bringing this
little $199 beauty out with me to Pong* shows as a dedicated brass
synth.

The name? "Ikeaboard" of course.

Just thought I'd share. It's weird to have dreams with this many
technical details skirting so close to the realistic."

############################################################################

Via Matrix:
"Too funny, I used to have synth dreams all the time. There was a time in
real life, where I was hitting up pawn shop after pawn shop looking for
"that deal." I had major GAS. At that time I'd have dreams about shops in
various cities with crazy analog gear I've never seen before. Bizarre
Roland/Oberheim combo analogs. The shops always seemed to have mini lofts
in the back where they stored a bunch of dusty old analogs. I have
re-occuring dreams about making rounds through pawn shops on Santa Monica
Blvd. in LA between Van Ness and Western, which I just realized there isn't
a single pawn shop in that stretch if I remember correctly, and rounds in a
downtown that's a mix between LA, Venice Beach, and Seattle. The most
memorable synth of all things was a Red SH-101 that was shiny and had curves
which slanted in by the keys. Imagine a shiny red SH-101 designed by
Ferarri and you'll get the idea.

Here's a couple of real life experiences similar to my synth dreams:

1) I used to go up to Vancouver B.C. about twice a year and run through this
routine:

1. Check-in at hotel.
2. Walk out and down one side of Granville Ave hitting every pawn shop on
the way to the liqour store (mostly avoiding eye contact with the porn shop
displays in between - Granville basically has pawn shops, porn shops, clubs,
and convenience stores with .99 pizza by the slice). And then walk back up
the other, hitting all the pawn shops on that side.
3. Buy a synth if I was lucky enough to find one (I bought my JD-800 for
$650 Canadian there)
4. Bring it and the drinks up to the hotel room, and go through my cleaning
ritual while drinking these Canadian berry flavored drinks with MuchTV
(Canadian MTV) in the background (my wife liked that show when we visited).
I'd also watch life go by out on Granville. I always got a second to third
story room with a view of the street. I'd spend about an hour clianing the
synth and then play a bit and head out for the night. Back from the night
I'd stare out the window and watch the craziness that happens when people
start leaving the clubs. The whole time I'd be glowing and thinking about
how cool it was that I actually found something. There was a Kurzweil
K2000S I was eyeing in a shop for a while, but I thought the asking price at
$800 or so Canadian was too much for it to be a deal. Visiting Granville
was my pawnshop dream in real life minus of course the mass cool gear, but I
usually found something interesting too look at if not buy. I'd always go
up for my birthday as well, so finding something on that trip was always
better.

2) I went to Maui once, and made a point to hit the pawn shops at some
point. I didn't get around to it until the last day. To my wife's
reluctance, we hit shop after shop and found nothing. We burned out and
gave up. On the way back to the hotel, my wife spots Taco Bell. We go in
and I see a pawn shop around back. I say just one more. She's says no, but
I pull the what if that's the pawn shop that has the $50 Minimoog?! She
gives in. I walk in and in the back I see what looks like either a TR-707
or 909. I figure of course it's the 707 with my luck. I get closer and
it's pretty dusty, and... It's the 909. I get that sick feeling in the
stomache, that feeling of panic like someone or something is going to go
wrong. I grab it and look at a sticker on it. It says 220, but no $. I
ask the guy working there if that's the price. Turns out he's the owner and
he says a little nervously, "oh..., we can take $30 off of that" A 909 for
$190! I say sold! But... He only takes cash. I have no cash and he is
about to close! He's in a hurry to go see some blockbuster that just came
out. The shop opens again after my plane leaves. I ask if there is an ATM
close by. There is one across a high speed highway. but he says I better
hurry because he needs to make the movie and will not wait. What do I do?
I bolt across the street. I manage to withdraw the money and run back just
as he's locking the shop. I get that sick feeling like I knew it was too
good to happen, but... he has the 909 in hand and I make my purchase. : )
Only... They didn't have any 1/4" cables for me to try it, and as he was in
a rush, I had to buy it hoping it was ok. I almost didn't get it but I
figured I could get it repaired at that price, so I'm hoping it's just not
too bad. I get back and plug it in. I hear it thumping away. Big grin.
; ) I clean it up and it's immaculate, no issues whatsoever."

8 Bit on La Orange Factory

Title link takes you to some Commodore 64 goodnes on La Orange Factory. The post is in French. Here's a link to it translated to English.

Update via the comments. You can find the software available for Windows and Mac here.

MKS-30 ROM Upgrade

Title link takes you to a software update for the Roland MKS-30. The following are just two of the many feature updates:

"Key Window Function - The Key Window function allows you to specify a split point and only MIDI notes above or below that split point will be played by the MKS-30. This function adds two new parameters for each patch."

"Chorus Speed - Chorus speed is now adjustable and programmable. The high pass filter must be sacrificed to enable this feature. Chorus speed can be assigned to the 'hold' switch allowing realtime MIDI control. Chorus now has three programmable parameters"

Buchla 200e Sample

Title link takes you a Buchla 200e mp3 (2.87M) via mritenburg.

"my demo is recorded in one pass with no efx or multi-tracking. My system is identical to the the system shown on the front page of the buchla.com site."

I mirrored the mp3 here as well.

Carbon111 Goes Soft?

Title link takes you to a post by Carbon111 on Synthwire that features a very nice shot of the Moog Little Phatty on top of a DSI PolyEvolver Keyboard. I was about to put that shot up, when I scrolled down and found the following on Massive:

"Its a 3-oscillator wavetable synthesizer with one of the broadest palletes of sound I have ever heard. I know I've only come to softsynths lately but, right now, I would have to say its my favorite synth ever! Previously the MicrowaveXT held that honor...don't fret though, I'll never get rid of my beautiful orange beastie but for a realtime scanning-wavetable synth, nothing else can touch Massive right now. The interpolation between waves is smooth as silk. It can be brutal or caress your ear like a butterfly's wing."

Now I know this probably isn't that big of a deal to anyone out there, but, a few of you know how much Carbon111 loves his XT. Crazy. Carbon111 knows his synths. He's gone through quite a few including a Yamaha CS60 he recently parted with and he has a Serge Modular. Nothing has dethroned the XT until now. Crazy... Apologies for any images the title might infer. Apologies Carbon111. : )

Custom Waldorf Q

via synthforum.nl. If you can read the thread and/or know more about this, please comment.

Update: The synth is a project by Roelant.

via Hans.

FPGA - Martin Hollingers Airböurne AVS04A Synth

Another shot from the Swiss Synth Meeting. Check out this post on sequencer.de for more shots of this particular synth.

What's funny is not too long ago Moogulator of sequencer.de told me about how we were lucky in the US because of all the synth gatherings, and the images that come back from the events. Then we see stuff like this. : ) Hmm...

Update via sendling: "oh yes, and btw the rest is here."

dataton03

"Dataton modular synthesizer. Made in Sweden, from the late 70's. Spotted in the Synthorama, Switzerland."

Flickr via hugo_33_im_toaster, via the synthesizerforum flickr set. Title link takes you to more Dataton modular pics in the set.




Update via M. Aftermark in the comments:
"Dataton means "computer tone" in swedish. some more pictures in this sales thread on 99musik.se.

less than 40 made

Apparently, dataton nowadays produce watchout a software which controls visual projectors to create huge video screens. used in bond movies. link

info from AH list:
"My info sheet came from Bjorn sandlund in the fall of 1977. Dataon AB was in Linkoping Sweden (sorry about the umlauts etc). About half the units were available in October 1977 with several units expected in2nd quarter 1978, such as the Quad bus tranceiver and the force sensitive keyboard. Lots of QUAD modules, tactile controllers and a light sensitive element, a module with 2 quad-axis joysticks, and quad universal filter, each with 4 modes per filter), a power amp unit, a digital sequencer unit, lots of links to lighting voltages, ring mod unit, analog electronic cross-coupled reverb unit (3102), octave based graphic equalizer unit, quad enevelope generator that can be patched for use as a tremelo unit or vocoding. The module brochure is 33" x 23" so it wont scan on my scanner, sorry, and it is an odd colour. The modules were in 5x7" aluminum boxes that plug (din) or cable together with connectors on all four sides for most of them. Lots of mixer slide units, so it was sold as an EM studio item, mixer console for film and theatre, and multimedia installations. The unit sat flat on a table, the more modules the bigger the table in the brocure, but stage racks were available, never seen., also XLR rack adapters. The sequencer was $1375CDN or 5.455 Swedish Crowns in Oct. 1977. There were pedal controllers, dissolvers and printer units planned. Datatron AB was copyright 1975 according to the fine print. Sweden's answer to the Synthi and the Wavemaker. Known recordings: ? "

Synthesizerforum on Flickr

Moogulator of sequencer.de set up a Flickr set for users on his forum to post images. Pretty cool idea. Feel free to join and submit your own photos. I'll subscribe to it and keep an eye out for good shots.

Pictured: Fredrik and his friends via Zebra Pares.

Norcal NoiseFest via Brian Comnes

Some shots and notes from this year's Norcal NoiseFest via Brian Comnes. Title link takes you to a couple more shots. "OK here is a beat up SH-09 , kinda sad actually .. I guess .those noise boys are tough on their gear. I will say that the acts that had the best "quality" sound had a strong analog presence in their mix , Stimbox (pic also attached) was using a lot of Metasonix gear and a Frostwave Resonator (your favorite)[indeed]. The harmonic variations and sound artifacts he was able to coax out of the din were exceptionally better than the rest of the crowd relying pretty much on gobs of 9VDC guitar pedals. The other act that got a strong rise from the crowd was using an old HP tube-based oscillator for sound sweeps that were "sweet" in a noise fest kind of way. Best visuals goes to the guy in the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestler mask with a piezo contact pickup glued on a number 10 can that he then pushed into a carborundum grinder - hearing that through a large PA with a pair of cranked Mackie 1801 subs in a small room is an earful for sure. Noise fest will definitely push your boundaries for what really is synthesis and sound, I enjoyed it overall in part because it also puts the stuff I do into a clearer context. Hey the show is now 10 years old so it has some legs. Also because they are a city-funded arts event, they are exempt from noise ordinances, I'm sure the neighbors next to the event loved that." Click images for a bigger shot. Check out IDX1274's Lucha Libre mask.

Vintage Audio Equipment

Title link takes you to Vintage Audio Equipment, home to a slew of vintage gear including synths and drummachines.

via brian comnes.

Roland MKS-80 and MPG-80

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction.

Details via the auction:
"A classic. One of the greatest synths of all time and the king of the MKS series. Made from 1984 through to 1987 the MKS80 is a rack version of the Jupiter series of keyboard synths. Some claim it's is a version of the Jupiter 8 and others a Jupiter 6. In reality it is somewhere between the two. The only MKS series synths with real VCO's was produced in 2 distinct versions. Serials number up to 511800 (OS Version 4) used standard CEM 3340 VCO chips. Most people claim that these early versions are disctinclty better.

Editing the MKS80 is possible from the front panel but most don't even bother to attempt without the partner MPG80 programmer. The MPG80 connect to the MKS80 using standard MIDI connections. A switch on the rear of the MKS80 let's it know a programmer is connected to it's input rather then a standard MIDI signal.

This is a Version 4 with curtis chips"

via blixton who is selling this pair.

Draw The Sound

"The general concept is the following. There are six key 'frames' which can be edited manually. It is possible to generate intermediate sounds by interpolation between the frames.

The overall duration of the generated sound is limited only by available memory and your patience (the calculation might appear time consuming): please note the Steps control which determines how many intermediate sound frames would be generated between the 6 given reference sound frames. Another point is that every frame might be as long as 10 seconds - that gives a minute if number of steps is 1, two minutes if it's 2, and so on."

Title link takes you there. Make sure to have the volume down if you try this out - read the warnings on the site and always, run these through a virus scanner before installing.

EMS Synthi AKS Tests

YouTube via 123synthland. Via this VSE thread.

Theiss CV to MIDI Converter

CV to MIDI. Title link takes you to the post on sequencer.de. If you have any more info on this, please feel free to comment.

Update via Moogulator in the comments:
"since I posted it earlier I left out the info..

it is triggered via s or v gate, 0-5V, if it's more you can attenuate it to fit into the range, the midi signal will be generated when triggered, ..

I have the (german) info on the site already, english added so far to understand what it is..

this is directly from theis, who sent me the info, so .. hmm, it's available via Horst Theis, see the adress on my older sections to get into contact.."

Swiss Synth Meeting Pics

Pic from sequencer.de, from a synth gathering in Switzerland. FPGA modular pictured.

Update via Moogulator in the comments:
"it is completely new, made by martin hollinger.. it is not ready today, but almost closed.. check for "FPGA".. digital based tech, really cool in sound..

I will put a post up somewhere later, but there are ppl that can tell more on the forum.. but since it is very new and somewhat limited to synth geeks, he brought it .. we will do some more on it when it is ready .. some german words can be found in our synthesizer-magazin "dummy" zero-issue which is just an excerpt..

well, there will be more in the next months.. (aka s.o.o.n)"

Update via swissdoc in the comments:
"It is a voltage controlled synth, but the VCO and VCF are internally digitally created and based on FPGAs, so you have an oscillator or filter done in real hardware with very high precission and clock rate. All ins and outs are analog voltages, as well as the pots, but they are digitized at high rates and then used to controll the algorithms in the FPGAs. The envelopes are done in SW by a PICT, the VCAs are modern SSM chips compensated for temp drift. The patching is done with real pro cables, small they are, indeed. Front panel is from special multi-layer paper, not conductive.

It is a no compromise design, stable, no trimmers internally, well 2 for the whole synth.

I was impressed by the concept and the build quality for a DIY synth.

Well, Martin is a PRO, working on this kind of things on a daily basis in his professional life.

Georg."

Fun with a Buchla 200e - Samples by Chris Muir

"Each of these was recorded live in a single pass. Some were then edited for length. Four channels of audio from the Buchla 227e System Interface were recorded into Logic Pro, along with a reverb send and a delay send. The two sends come from the 210 Signal Router and are, by necessity, pre 227e faders. The Buchla quad mains were mixed down to stereo in Logic. The delay, when used, is the Logic Stereo Delay, and reverb is either Space Designer or Audio Damage's Reverence." Title link takes you there.

Update: module list:
Top: blank, 266e, 210e, blank, 227e
Mid: 256e, 225e, 281e, 292e, 291e, blank
Low: blank, 249e, 261e, 261e, blank

synthi.se - johan boberg : electronic music

Title link takes you to Johan Boberg's (JB) website where you will find a number of resources for the Oberheim Xpander, Kraakdos or Crackle Box, EMS Synthi, Buchla (to come), and Modular Synthesizers. JB also provided the Buchla 200e sample in the previous post.

Buchla 200e Sample by JB

For those of you that want to hear something a bit more "familiar" from a Buchla 200e, here you go. Title link takes you to a .99M demo sent in by JB on the 200e list (posted here with his permission), and also mirrored here. BTW, make sure to check out JB's website, http://www.synthi.se.

"The 291e is doing all the timbre modulation here. Just two oscillators (259e & 261e) mixed into the 'all in'. I've set some stages in the internal sequencer and i am morphing the seq with CV. I took each of the three nodes out separately to the 227e where i do some pan modulation. You hear frequency and bw LF modulation and some AR FM modulation in one of the nodes (different amounts at different stages). This is a very fun filter to program."

Update: BTW, if you want to see and hear another example of a Buchla (in this case the original 200), check out the video in this post of Suzanne Ciana yesterday.

Images for reference (click each for larger shot):

Vangelis - Making of "China"

YouTube via yearofox. Sent my way via Tim.

Electric Dreams - Duel

YouTube via kdx125XD. Sent my way via Tim.

Mini-Prophet / Prophet-One

Remember this Custom Sequential Circuits Pro One? Title link takes you to Stephen's latest creation in walnut. There are more shots after the hop.

Update via Stephen: "BTW, we're making nameplates now using the same technique Sequential did. Hopefully we'll be able to reproduce the wheel boxes soon as well. That is definitely something we'll want to include with the Prophet-One kit."

Details:
SCI Pro-One rev 1.2 in a Black Walnut case
T-8 mod wheel box
J-Wire keyboard
Switched 1/4" phone jacks

Minor, but Necessary modifications that were performed:
Keyboard tray needs to be shifted 1/2"
(Drilled two new holes in the front tray and two in the case for the back mounts)
Two new holes to anchor the wheel box
(Two more could be added to anchor box to the side of the aluminum case)
twisted 2 and 3 conductor 26 awg wired jacks (7)
(Replaced the (broken) plastic surface mounted Switchcraft jacks)
Visible ToDos
Center piece should be a little wider, probably by 1/2" and 1/16" thicker.
Increase length of the rear piece by 1/16" to eliminate gap.
Rotate wood block infront of wheel box by 90 degrees.
Hidden ToDos
Front wood groove should accomodate the three machined screw anchors.
Two notches in the control panel frame need to be slightly bigger.
Filler key needs a notch about 1/2" deep x 1/2" tall to accomodate PCB.

Plastic Is Girls Best Friend

flickr by BastArd StarFiSh.

"Plastic" Roland SH-101

Electronic Music Summit 2006 - Indianapolis

"Electronic Music Summit 2006 will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 3rd. EMS is a free, all-day celebration of live electronic music, featuring performances from nationwide artists, seminars, and interactive workshops. EMS showcases performers creating music in front of the audience using a wide array of music machines and instruments. This event is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for musicians and fans to experience emerging forms of modern music.

From the beginning, EMS has set out to raise awareness of electronic music in all its forms, but especially live, artist-driven, original music. It provides a showcase for up and coming artists to share their music with an audience of hundreds of open-minded music fans. But EMS is more than a concert, it is an opportunity for musicians to network and collaborate with their peers during afternoon workshops. These sessions provide a casual environment where artists may swap tricks and secrets of the trade, as well as pass their knowledge on to aspiring new producers.

For more information, visit emusicsummit.com. The Electronic Music Summit is a not-for-profit event, sponsored by community businesses. If you would like to be involved with EMS, please contact Ryan Faubion at info@emusicsummit.com or via the contact page of the website."

Rhodes Chroma Registry Hits 200 Chromas

Via Chris Ryan on the Rhodes Chroma List:
"With the addition of Mal Meehan's Chroma 21030075, we now have 200 instruments in the registry. Whether there were 1500 or 3000 Chromas manufactured and sold, this is surely a significant portion of those still in use. I think this is one of the more interesting parts of the site, as it documents the history of the individual synthesizers. If you haven't sent me info on your Chroma, please consider forwarding even just the serial number and a brief blurb."

BTW, if you haven't checked out the Rhodes Chroma site, you owe yourself a visit. It is hands down the best resource site I've seen for any given synth. If you have a Chroma, please take the time out to visit and register - you can do so anonymously. The point is not to keep tabs on who owns one, but rather on how many are still out there. Think about it. 200 people took the time out to register on this site. That's pretty amazing. If you do take the time to register feel free to post an anonymous, or not, comment here. I'm curious if I manage to help the cause. : )

Pickledonion Phase Toy

Title link takes you to Pickedonion, an online sequencer. So is it pronounced "pickled onion" or "pickle donion?" BTW, that sequence you see in this gif? It's what was playing in the back ground while I posted this. Must... kill... it... now.... Very annoying.

GRUTRONIC LIVE

YouTube via funkychorlton. Sent my way via Frederic. Note that the music in the beginning is intro music - it does not match the performance. It does starting at 1:30.

barbez

flickr by conform.

Computer Controlled Gear P*rn

I'd be smiling like that too if I had that gear. Title link takes you to more shots on Computer Controlled MySpace page.

Roland TB-303 and Quasimidi Rave-o-lution 309.

MFB Step Sequencers

These have been around for some time, however, I just recently started looking at them again and I figured I'd put up a post.


"The MFB-Step64 is a step-sequencer with up to 64 monophic steps or 16 4-voice polyphonic steps. In monophonic mode it is possible to enter 16 steps with five parameters each, 32 steps with 3 parameters each oder 64 note on/off steps."


"The digital sequencer MFB-602 is an updated and expanded version of the legendary MFB-601. Use it to create sequences of up to 64 steps with individual note lengths and rests that are played back by the MIDI and CV/Gate output. One new feature is the ability to store 8 sequences in a set. There are even outputs for start and trigger."

In the U.S., I only see the MFB-Step64 available at Infant Noise, the U.S. distributor for MFB. Title link takes you to MFB.

MISC Synths Take II

More shots from the same seller (Analog U.S. INC) of this previous post.


Moog Rogue


Oberheim OB-1


Moog Multimoog w/Kenton MIDI


Maxi Korg 800DV


Oberheim SEM


Moog Dual VCO


Korg Synthe Pedal
Update via Moogulator in the comments: "funny, the synthe bass looks like there is another same module called vcf by korg: link"

Note the seller has more (link). I just grabbed the shots I liked. Definitely a nice list of gear and obviously a dealer. I haven't seen Analog U.S. INC's list before, but then I haven't been scoping the bay much until now.

BTW, the links to the auctions go through the affiliate program so anything you do pick up helps this site, however, obviously don't bother unless you actually want the piece. I just want to be transparent so you know I'm not being sneaky. I will also not go nuts with these, so please don't send me auction links unless they warrant a post aside from the auction. Interesting details in the description, bits of history, rarities, and nice shots like the above, which btw, dissapear once the auction expires, are worth saving, and hence worth posting in my book. I will ONLY put up shots that I'd post regardless of the auction. Which means, the posts are more about the shots and or the info, that is, I do not discriminate against the source.

Electro-Acoustic Research welcomes Synthbox

"The EAR Group is excited to announce the addition of Sean Price and the Synthbox into the consortium.

The Synthbox Space Case fills the need for a functional cross-platform Eurorack housing system by offering a unique solution which scores big on ergonomics, versatility and eye candy, while scoring small where it counts - in your wallet. Check out the new Eurorack standard - the Synthbox line of synthesizer cabinets by clicking this link."

Also on Analogue Haven: "The Space Case is made from clear 3/4 inch acrylic sheets. This material is much stronger than wood for its weight and offers a unique presentation for your modules." FYI, that is Doepfer in the shot.

Check out this post for a little premonition on this. Read Adam's comments in the post itself. ; )

Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog at Mercury Lounge

flickr via Farinas.