Roman Sowa's Synth Site

click here for Roman Sowa's synth site. You will find a DIY modular section, a custom Polysynth, Mini MIDI controllers, DSP Development System, and more. There are descriptions, schematics, and samples of the modular and the 8 voice polysynth which features both a DCO and Wavetable.

Roman Sowa's simple AD633 RingMod

flickr by fonik2000

full size

www.sowa.synth.net/modular/rm.html

korg mono/poly synthesizer

flickr by tomn7 (click for more).

full size

David's "STAR WARS" on KOCO 5 Alive News (1978)

YouTube via quantumdave. via Nusonica.

"In 1978, KOCO 5 Alive News came to Producers Workshop to do a piece about the music business. It ended up being a feature on me . . . Al Franken. Just Kidding. Me . . . David Powell, and my synthesizer version I was working on from the "original" score of
'STAR WARS'."

Veqtor - Analogik1

"So, I had been spending loads of time at EMS, where i study electro acoustic music composition and been recording a bunch of sessions with a buchla, serge and spring tank reverb and I thought: “Hey, this is pretty cool, maybe someone would like to listen to this?” So I decided to release it for free! Basically everything is recorded on the fly, sometimes several takes on top of eachother. I plan on releasing more of ‘em as I go along, I’m actually on my way there right now. What are you waiting for?"

click here for the download.

Aliens Project Toy of the Month - MOOG Modular

click here for more images and samples on Aliens Project.

POLIVOKS (aka POLYVOX, POLIVOX, POLYVOKS) - Interviews

"For many years Russian Federation has been an isolated economy. Ministry of Culture, for example, wouldn't allow import of foreign instruments and Soviet musicians at the time didn't have a musical instrument that would offer capabilities and sounds of the equipment available to the rest of the world. This had triggered creation of a completely new and unique instrument.

Polivoks was designed by an engineering team lead by Vladimir Kuzmin from the Urals Vector Company later built by Formanta Radio Plant in the early 80's. First commercially available Polivoks was sold in 1982 with the last unit sold in 1990. Polivoks is one of the most popular vintage synths today because of its history and extraordinary industrial look. Many consider its sound capabilities to be comparable to a MiniMoog."

click here for more including two interviews. via Kevin in the comments of this post.

"Counterfeit Umbrella" Video Single!

YouTube via inverseroom.
"Inverse Room dramatizes the recording of his song "Counterfeit Umbrella" earlier this month at Mabel Sound."

"--it's not a very synthy song, just one solo line from the Frac/Euro modular (with particular attention to the Harvestman Malgorithm and Wiard Borg Filter). But you can also make out some other vintage keyboards in there, including the Yamaha SY-2, SCI Pro One, Yamaha YC-25D, and a Wurlitzer 206."

You can find more at www.inverseroom.com

Workspace and Environment: Atom™

I have to get me a chair like that for my MicroKorg.

click here for the post on trash_audio.

Electronic Music Box #4

via this auction. via Tony

"The Electronic Music box is a hand built, custom designed, small format, one of a kind, modular analog electronic instrment. The design is inspired by classic Buchla and Serge modular synth systems.

Listen to it here:
Make Noise

The enclosure is reclaimed medical surplus.

The interface is entirely modular and analog and uses mini banana cables (supplied) for signal distribution. The size is 5"x7"x3"

The unit can run from a signle 9 Volt transistor battery or a 9 Volt wall transformer (supplied).

This instrument consist of the following sub-modules:

1 Clocked LFO Bank. A master clock drives a bank of 5 LFOs all of which are rythmic divisions of the master clock. The LFOs are arranged slowest to fastest (left to right) with the slowest capable of 3 minute cycles and the fastest going well into audio range (for sideband). Each LFO has it's own attenuator (useful for setting modulation amonts and achieving desired pitches from the oscillators).

3 Triangle Core Linear Voltage Controlled Oscillators with dynamic wave clipping which allows for the triangle wave to be shaped into a square wave as well as different variations of trapeziods. Each oscillator has 2 Frequency Modulation inputs, 1 output and panel controls for Frequency and Wave Clippping.

1 Six Channel Mixer with 2 attenuators and Master Volume Panel control.

1 Expression Pedal/ external input. 1/4" TRS socket with +5V supplied to the ring allowing for the use of an expression pedal. Additionally, this socket can be used as an external input for either Control Voltages or Signals.

A single LED indicates power on/ off, and a Wall Transformer may be connect via DC barrel jack on the faceplate.

With this box you can creat everything from gurgling sequences to pure noise to complex drones (listen to the demos). The LFOs are not the only sorce of modulation. The oscillators are capable of modulating each other and the external input allows for modlation from an another source.

The Electronic Music Box will ship with MANUAL, power supply and 14 mini banana cables."

MAQ 16/3+Doepfer+Dalek----3

YouTube via DavideModu.

Polymoog - slightly broken!

YouTube via buchla300.
"Here is my Polymoog 203a taken out of it's case for the first time in years! I bought it as in need of work, but it doesn't seem that bad. A few voices don't work, sometimes craps out and some waveshapes need sorting etc etc but, worth doing though as I LOVE polymoogs. Better than people think. Crap phone quality video. Sorry!"

keybdwizrd - Battling Monsters (softsynths)

YouTube via keybdwizrd.
"All software synths used. Bass - Oddity played via Polar keyboard. Sync Lead - NI Pro-53 played via M-Audio MIDI controller. Synth Lead - Arturia Minimoog V played via Micro X keyboard. Drum track sequenced in Digital Performer using MOTU MachFive2 sampling software."

KIMI dance the house !

YouTube via imkimi. "dance dance"

Yamaha CS50

images via this auction

"serial # is: 1841. 77 pounds by itself"

BTW, do check out Matrixsynth-b. Some interesting items have gone up.

PAiA Strings n Things

images via this auction

It's smaller than I expected.

Why do I feel like I'm setting myself up for something...

White ARP AXXE Overlays

via this auction

Not the best images, but you do not see them in white often.

Note the auction is not for the ARP AXXE but just the patch overlays.

E-Mu SP1200

images via this auction

"The SP-1200 was THE drum machine & sampler combo of legendary status among old school rap and hip hop artists from the eighties and nineties. It is similar to today's Akai MPC samplers - it is a sampler plus drum machine. It has limited sampling specs: 22 kHz and 12-bit resolution. However the dirtiness of that sound is great for hip hop and house music. They say it sounds like "old vinyl"... It features groove quantizing and a disk drive for sample storage. As an upgraded version of the 1985 SP-12, the SP-1200 focused on its coolest feature - sampling. The preset drum sounds of the SP-12 were omitted, leaving room for up to 32 user samples of your own custom sampled and edited drum sounds.

Although this machine was originally released in 1988, E-mu has reissued them again and again due to popular demand. They continued producing them until they ran out of the SSM filter chips they used, around 1998. It was just too legendary to give up as it was THE beat machine for old-school rap and hip hop! Pictured above is the final reissued version in 1997 with the cooler looking all-black case. With the SP-1200 it's easy and fun to grab those sliders and tune or tweak your sampled drum sounds all around!

Specifications
Polyphony - 8 voice
Sampler - 4 2.5 second blocks (10 seconds)
SPECS - 256 KB memory
22KHz 12 bit sampling
Patterns - 100
Songs - 100
Keyboard - 8 Touch Pads
Memory - 32 patches
Control - MIDI, SMPTE"

Waldor Blofeld to Have XT and Q Wave Tables

via sequencer.de

"Blofeld will have all Waldorf MicrowaveXTk, MicrowaveXT Wavetables on board plus those of the Waldorf microQ / Waldorf Q. The first batch of blofelds are ready to sell and will be available very s.o.o.n (in about 1 week). It will come for 399€ over here in europe."

MOOG Pedals

images via brian c.

The single pedal is 12" x 4"

AnalogLive! Photo Set

"It was an amazing night, as a packed house of 250 plus applauded Alessandro Cortini, Richard Devine, Thighpaulsandra, Gary Chang, Chas Smith,Paul Tzanetopoulos and Peter Grenader as they twisted sound and sight alike at the Redcat Theater in Los Angeles. Click here for the first flickr images taken from the final rehearsal and the performance itself and check back in the next few days as more are added." Previous posts on Analog Live!

Update: be sure to check out the comments in this post for some details on the show.
Update: More images via Anateur Chemist here.

Sovtek 7474 IC - Oct 1988

Anyone know what this is? A reader, Steve, sent this in hoping someone could identify it.

MIKE HUCKABY - My Life With The Wave

"Another top-tier dub techno submission from the inimitable Mike Huckaby, and another priceless offering from his perfectly formed SYNTH imprint. You can sort of guess what you're going to get here - next level Deepchord meets Chain Reaction reductions with the kind of padded propulsion that Huckaby has made his own. The title alludes to the Waldorf Wave with which Huckaby produced these three tracks, opening with "Wavetable No.9", a crushing companion to the recent Scion Versions transmission from Scion and Vainqueur. "Fantasy" on the flip revolves around a House based template and with a deeply padded square bassline manages to sound like Theo Parrish battling it out with Rod Modell - and you just know how that pushes all the right buttons for us. "Jupiter" ends the set with a more shimmering techno variation, the sort of thing that Convextion has been producing of late, airy, breezy and BASS dominated 4/4 of the finest kind. Highly Recommended - Limited copies."

click here for tracks.

via Mr. Array

Hall & Oates - Maneater

YouTube via ziggig1. Sent my way via ben shannon.
Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

Magic Bus

YouTube via robotpickle.
"-Two Oberheim Matrix 1000s
-Akai Ax80
-Alpha Juno 1
-Access Classic Virus
-CR-78 CompuRhythm
-Roland R8
-Arturia Arp2600 (soft synth)
-Fxpansion Guru (soft drum machine/sampler, very very cool)

The video, in case you're wondering, is a public domain film called "America for Me." It was a commercial for Grey Hound buses."

Fairlight Xynergi's revolutionary new paradigm -- Xplain!

YouTube via cyber4nic.

"Visit http://www.fairlightau.com/ for more information. Watch a demo about "Xplain" showing you the online help system built right into the Xynergi Tactile Controller which lets you "see into" the buttons on its surface. You don't have to stop working to use the Xplain system. Quickly dip in and out of it without waiting for screens to load, and without searching through lists of topics to find what you need."

Doepfer Eurorack Modular Demo: plan b, livewire, harvestman

YouTube via hexfix93.
"Velvet Acid Christ messing around in the studio tweaking the heck out of their modular that is being driven by the jomox xbase 09 drum machine."

CM SYNDRUM

images via this auction

"Designed by one of th pioneers of the Electronic Drums, Joe Pollard. 8" Pad w/ Controller. Weaved Head. 4 controls - missing 1 plastic knob. I guess this drum was used by Roger Tyler in Queen. link"

Oberheim OB-Xa

images via this auction

SIMMONS SDS 8

images via this auction

"SIMMONS SDS8 ELECTRONIC DRUM BRAIN. THIS IS THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS ALL THE PADS FOR DIFFERENT SOUNDS. IT IS AN ANALOG UNIT."

Oberheim Xpander

images via this auction

ROLAND CA-30 Arranger Synth CF-10 Digital Mixer

via this auction
"CA-30 INTELLIGENT ARRANGER SPECS FROM THE MANUAL:
*32 INTERNAL MUSICAL STYLES -
*MUSIC STYLES CARD SLOT
*INTRO / ENDING / FILL / BREAK
*CHORD INTELLIGENCE
*MELODY INTELLIGENCE
*CHORD HOLD
*VARIATION
*31 BUTTONS (sheet type)
*11 BUTTON INDICATORS

*MIDI MESSAGE INDICATOR
*LCD DISPLAY
CF-10 DIGITAL FADER SPECS FROM THE MANUAL:
*9 PAN BUTTONS
*10 FINE BUTTONS
*VOLUME FADER
*MIDI IN / OUT
*MERGE SWITCH "

SUZUKI UNISYNTH XG-1 GUITAR SYNTHESIZER

via this auction

1980's Suzuki UNISYNTH Electronic Guitar - Model # XG-1.

Maestro USS-1

images via this auction

"This is what many purists consider to be the forerunner of today's modern guitar Sythesizers. What is it? It is one of the first all-in-one Multi Effects pedals circa mid 1970's and a fine example of state of the art analog effects from that era.

It is difficult to articulate precisely what these wonderful old vintage analog devices sound like and what they can impart to those of you looking for that certain signature tone. Perhaps some of you out there in the E-bay audience can remember seeing one of these in action. I believe the late great Tommy Boland used one on the Billy Cobham album of the day Spectrum. I believe another ad mentioned a certain Buckethead-esque quality to the fuzz effect and I would have to agree with that wholeheartedly. Again, those are just two of the infinitely adjustable sounds possible and there are many other countless combinations for you to discover. There are many, many more artists along the years who may have utilized one of these USS-1 systems for getting THAT tone. This device can only be described as...and I really dislike the use of the word but it certainly fits well here; AWESOME.

Back in the day, this was it. A wonderful assemblage of analog effects including (and from left to right;) Waveform (distortion), Filter, Sample & Hold with fully adjustable frequency & brilliance, Phase Shifter, Envelope Modifier with controls for attack & decay, Sub-Harmonic with control options of percussive or sustain attack and finally Sensitivity. The Sub-Harmonic was always one of my favorites for getting a great fretless bass sound with a Les Paul through an Orange stack...WHEW! Sounds great with single coils or humbuckers. Two of the black slider knobs are missing. No pedals are included and I never needed them. There is a small threaded socket under the unit so you can support it with a common tripod. Or, as I had always done, stacked it on top of my amp head where I could easily dial in the sound. Has it's own internal power supply (as it should.)

This is not some re-tooling of some vintage effects pedal hoping to get some vintage sound. No, this is the actual real deal and stands head and shoulders above other devices that try to emulate sonically what this analog device just does naturally. Today's electronics are great. So, please don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of what digital has evolved into. But, that is not what we are talking about with this piece. The palpable, rich, opulent sounds that ooze out of this thing is absolutely incredible sounding...just mind blowing. This is what today's systems evolved from but somehow lost a little magic in the translation. Ask yourself how many present day digital devices actually try to emulate an analog unit?" Orange

Livewire Dalek Modulator Demo

video upload by jamescigler

"A not-as-brief-as-hoped demo of the Livewire Dalek Modulator. http://felixinferious.blogspot.com/"

Plan b, SSM, Doepfer Eurorack Demo by Velvet Acid Christ

YouTube via hexfix93.
"Showing off a detuned pwm plan b osc based ssm filter sweep. More modular madness from VAC."

The Idyllists on Amateur Chemist

Trippy shot of The Idyllists via Amateur Chemist. BTW, if you haven't checked out Amateur Chemists, just do it and subscribe to it if you have a blog reader like bloglines. Tons of shot from various shows. I subscribe to it and use it as my personal "must check out this band" list. I actually found out about Silversun Pickups a while back from the site.

Pictured:
Access Virus Ti
Clavia Nord Lead?

wiard joystick axis generator demo (joybox)

YouTube via katavist.
"wiard joystick axis generator with two joysticks, custom built into chinese casket, controlling blacet modular. just testing - don't expect any "musical value". very intuitive controller with 12 cv outs."

in progress

YouTube via spmaspma.

"a monome VSTi is making all the sound.. (top 8 rows are loop slots, lower 8 are single-hits). Near the end I capture a couple notes from the Arp2600 and manipulate via re-arrange/pitch."

Toy Theremin & Tape Echo

YouTube via electro303.
"Japanese toy Theremin + ELK old tape echo."

KORG M1R + ATARI 1040STE C-LAB Notaror

YouTube via surroundyokota.
"KORG M1R,ATARI 1040STE,C-LAB Notator DEMO."

Kaossilator + KP3

YouTube via Denkitribe.

Resonator Neuronium

YouTube via katavist. via Nusonica.
"after omegaattraktors very nice clips, here's my contribution. the text and the illustration at the end is taken from the jayemsonic website. in case you wonder why the hell no one's tweaking knobs for longer periods of time, that is because of the mutations happening inside the synth, i.e. the machine is playing itself... thanks and full respect to juergen michaelis who built this wonderful instrument!"

Sounds from a Korg MS-10 and 20

via hfinn on this VSE post:
"Korg MS-10 being sequenced by a SQ-10 with MS-20 over top. Don't mind my sloppy playing on this. In this clip I'm not really pushing any of these to their limits as I could. Korg MS"

Moog Voyager RME

flickr by GeschnittenBrot

full size

Navs' Modular Lab

via Navs:
"just wanted to give you the heads up: there's two new sets of tests at Navs' Modular Lab.

Doepfer + Bananalogue Wave Multipliers - from inverse filtering and easy FM to outright destruction, go forth and multiply!

Swayed by Cwejman - VCA-2P, VCO-2RM + MMF-1. Modular basics from the Rolls Royce of Eurorack.

While you're there, be sure to check out Navs' Patch of the Day - diary of a week of wiring.

LINKS:
Modular Lab
PotD"

Waldorf Wave

via this auction. Not the best image but you definitely do not see these often.

# Advanced Modular Wavetable Synthesizer
# Basisversion 16-stimmig, erweiterbar auf bis zu 48 Stimmen
# 2 Oszillatoren pro Stimme
# 2 digitale Wavetable-Generatoren pro Stimme
# 1 analoger 24dB-Tiefpaß- und 12dB-Hochpaß-Filter pro Stimme
# 2 LFOs pro Stimme
# 4 Hüllkurven pro Stimme: ADSR, DADSR, 4 Zeiten/ Pegel, bipolar 8 Zeiten /Pegel inkl. Loop
# Bedienfeld klappbar
# 61 Tasten Tastertur mit Velocity, Aftertouch und Releasevelocity
# 480 x 64 Pixel-Display, hintergrundbeleuchtet
# 83 Taster
# 54 Drehregler
# 9 Endlosregler
# 8 Fader
# 3 Daumenräder
# 3 separate Stereoausgänge, monophones Aux-Send, stereophones Aux-Return
# 4 Audioeingänge zur Bearbeitung externer Audiosignale durch Filter- und Verstärkereinheit
# 1 MIDI In, 1 MIDI Thru, 2 MIDI Out

machinedrum and 777 live tweaking acid

YouTube via ripe909.
"just some acid foolery, focusing on using the machinedrum delay. recorded directly out of the machindrum into the videocam. the 777 is patched into the machinedrum input. plastikman inspired"

. . ..::..::..::..::..::..::..::.. . .

YouTube via cretin4321.
"Short demo of handmade synthesizer sequenced with tr-606 drum-machine.
http://cliplead.blogspot.com/"

micromov002

YouTube via Cranda11.
"This is a memetic version of a Micronaut song I'm working on, Factor1. Obviously, I'm just dicking around with the parts at this point, but most of the song is there, at least in baby form."