ARP 2600

images via this auction

Roland System 100m

images via this auction

"- 110 VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR (2 MODULES) SERIAL No. 051202 & 051206
- 140 ENVELOPE GENERATOR MODULE SERIAL No.042019
- 150 LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR MODULE SERIAL No. 001420
- 132 ANALOG MIXER MODULE SERIAL No. 980670
- AND ANALOG KEYBOARD CONTROLLER MODEL 180. SERIAL No. 760348 "

Akai AX60

images via this auction

Machinedrum mp3

via electronicvibes on the Matrixsynth Forum

Machinedrum mp3

"Following mp3 is pure synthesis from Elektron Machinedrum, no sample and external effect. That's one ultra minimal pattern created on my legs while watching TV and recorded with crackling on my minidisc."

MISC Synth Brochures

click here for the full set.

Picutured: Akai S612 Sampler

"casa dell' orchestralle"

house of the orchestra?

Update: see the comments for some translations.

sheaves / don mennerich

Click here for the tracks

track 1: Korg MS-20
track 2: Ensoniq EPS (arp soloist and rmi waveforms)
track 3: electric bass and Wurlitzer MLM (4 track tape processed through a Nord G2)
track 4: Korg MS-20
track 5: Clarinet (into an akai headrush -> 8 track) + Hammond M3

Sonicbrat - W E A V I N G

"The W E A V I N G project builds on the ideology of minimalism and improvisation. The album is meant to be listened to from top till the end as a sole entity of sounds and melodies. The sub-harmonics, subliminal changes in timbres and the play of sub-frequencies and hyper-frequencies will leave your ears ringing at the end of the sonic experience."

100% Triton ST88.
Click here for the free download of WEAVING.

sfxr - sound effects for all!

"What I present here is, if you will, an MS Paint for sound effects… or something along those lines. It’s meant to make it dead easy for anyone to whip up a few simple sound effects and save them as .WAV files for playback using most game/media libraries like SDL or pygame.

Basic usage involves clicking the left-most buttons to automatically generate random sounds loosely targeted at certain categories. For more advanced users it’s possible to spend some additional time to manually create fairly varied and interesting sound effects.

The interface is based entirely around sliders for controlling sound parameters, along with a few buttons. Even if you don’t want to spend time learning about all the sliders you can still have some fun just hammering away at them and listening to the various sounds that come out."

Click here for more info including the download. via Analog Industries.

Jomox Xbase09 & Dj Puzzle - Red Acid

YouTube via DjPuzzle73.
"Live improve set by Jason Donnelly aka Dj Puzzle. Rare footage of the whizerd in action. Gear used Dr.Walker XBASE 09 Quasimidi Rave-O-Lution 309 Alesis Metavox Novation Xiosynth"

Robot Sleigh Ride

YouTube via robotmakers.
"Robotmaker's all analog modular holiday tune. Recorded in one live take, with some prerecorded tracks. The polysynth part uses Kontakt instruments created from modular samples (MOTM GX1 Filters)."

tabloid

Another Waldorf Blofeld demo from Stefan Trippler. This one showcases the wavetables.

tabloid.mp3

Note that with the Blofeld you can assign an independent wavetable to each oscillator while on the microwave/XT both oscillators share the same wavetable.

Nerd Party Program

flickr by Pablo Noel

full size

There's just something about this shot. The title, Pole Position, Converse, the mini cassette, and the mini skateboard.

A Red Head and A Blonde

Image via Derek on the Waldorf list. Be sure to click the image for the full size shot, also posted here.

Waldorf XT
Waldorf Q

The title is a little bit of an inside joke - there's some discussion on the Waldorf list regarding wive/partners and synths. Apparently the Q is Derek's German blond whom he only gets to visit on weekends. :) I wonder how much action the red head gets. da-dum! Oh, man, did I just say that?...

Technomage LIFE 2

"L2 will be available in several formats. It will follow the concept of the first incarnation of LIFE in the form of a hand held device. There have been several requests for a rack mount version (to be compatible with the modular synthesiser systems available from other manufacturers). We hope to make this version available as well. Versions of L2 (as pictured on the left) have been undergoing field trials. Feedback has been very positive and comments received are being used to finalise the design. Further details of the control surface on L2 are listed below. Please note that the control knobs and surface finish of the production version of L2 will differ to those shown in this image.

Rotary Controls:
Clock Speed - LFO Speed - LFO (positive or negative) to VCO - VCO Manual Frequency - LFO (positive or negative) to VCF - VCF Manual - Frequency - VCF Resonance 'Q'- EG (positive or negative) to VCF - EG Decay - EG to VCA - Combined Drone and Power Switch.

Touch Switches:
- LFO Speed (Lo/Hi - for ring-mod type effects) - LFO Waveshape (The appropriate LED will light indicating LFO speed and intensity) - LFO Sync on and off (toggle switch) with LED status - Oscillator Pulse Width with LED status - VCF Type (Low, High, Band and Phase) with associated LEDs - showing VCF selection (and also EG intensity) - Divided Clock (b) to EG (with LED indicator) - Divided Clock (a) to sync LFO (with LED indicator).

Interface Sockets:
LFO Select - LFO Sync In - VCO CV In - Signal In to VCF - VCF Select - VCF CV In - Clock (b) Out - Clock (main) Out - Clock (a) Out - Clock In - Signal (audio) Out."

click here for more info including the LIFE 1. Look familiar? Also check out the Chimera.

Omni-Suzanne Ciani

YouTube via crystalsculpture2. I remember playing this pinball machine, little did I know I was listening to Suzanne Ciani and a Buchla amongst other vintage synths. Crazy. Now I want one. :)
"Suzanne Ciani working on the music and sounds for the Xenon pinball game from the Omni televsion show. hypnotic in places"

Mr Duff does what he does best.

YouTube via Deelhs. "Making 'cool sounds'."

Roland JX-8P Analog Synthesizer

YouTube via retrosound72.
"synth demo by RetroSound

The Roland JX-8P is a classic analog Polysynth with a very soft nice sound.

more info: www.retrosound.de"

Kraftwerk

YouTube via AnnaHeidiBourne.
"Vates News

Radio-Activity (German version: Radioaktivität)

Kraftwerk (pronounced [ˈkʁaftvɛɐk], German for "power plant") is a Grammy Award-nominated, German musical group from Düsseldorf.

The Kraftwerk sound combines a driving rhythm section with catchy, synthesized melodies and harmony; mainly following a classical style of arrangement accompanied by simple lyrics which are sometimes sung through a vocoder or generated by computer speech software. The Moog synthesizer is heavily present in the majority of the group's works, adding to their signature sound creations. In the mid to late 1970s and the early 1980s, the Kraftwerk sound was revolutionary for its time, and it has had a lasting impact across nearly all genres of modern popular music.

R A D I O A C T I V I T YTschernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield, Hiroshima
Tschernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield, Hiroshima
Stop radioactivity
Is in the air for you and me
Stop radioactivity
Discovered by Madame Curie


Chain reaction and mutation, contaminated population
Stop radioactivity
Is in the air for you and me
Morse:
Radioactivity is in the air for you and me
Radioactivity discovered by madame Curie
Radioactivity is in
Stop radioactivity

R A D I O A C T I V I T Y
R A D I O A C T I V I T Y
Tschernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield, Hiroshima
Tschernobyl, Harrisburgh, Sellafield, Hiroshima
Stop radioactivity
Is in the air for you and me
Stop radioactivity
Discovered by Madame Curie
Chain reaction and mutation, contaminated population
Stop radioactivity
Is in the air for you and me"

Kaossilator Solitaire 4(Xmas Special)

YouTube via denka51. "Happy Christmas!"

My Cat Listening to Acid

YouTube via matrix12x.
"So I decided to to a quick montage of my cat named Kicia (kitten in Polish). I did the music with my x0xb0x and a Electribe Er-1. Kicia is a great little cat."

Vermona MARS

images via this auction
"sound-generation: analog, subtractiv
oscillators: 2x VCO with sawtooth, square and pulse; 4x suboscillator; ringmodulator; sync; 2x glide; glissando
filter: VCF, 24dB lowpass; resonance
modulation: 2x LFO with 2x sine, square, triangle, random; variable ratio on each waveform;
LFO 1 with additional preceding Attack-Decay envelope generator
2x ADSR envelope generator
connections: footswitch, envelope out; mono output; MIDI IN, OUT/THRU
memory: 127 patches
housing: 19inch, 1U
optional: programmer with 56 controllers

The M.A.R.S. is a monophonic synthesizer which gives you real analog power in only one rackspace. VCOs, VCF and VCA are build-up discrete upon the classical structure - of course with some special functions - so everyone who know a little bit about analog synthesizers is able to program the M.A.R.S., although its user interface is menu-based.

Oscillators
The two identical oscillators of the M.A.R.S. are completely analog - no DSPs. One oscillator has a sawtooth, a square and a pulse (with fixed pulthwidth) waveform as well as two sub-oscillators which produces squarewaves one and two octaves below the main oscillator. The sub-oscillators can be activated / deactivated separately from each other.
VCO1 can be synchronized to VCO2 (hard-sync) and both VCOs can be multiplied via the ringmodulator. One special feature is, that each oscillator has its own Glide, so you can set individual Glide times which sounds more fat than using the same Glide time for both oscillators. Beside the Glide, both oscillators also have Glissando. Glide and Glissando can be used at the same time!
The oscillators can be modulated by LFO one and its Attack-Decay envelope.

Filter
The M.A.R.S. has a 24dB lowpass filter with resonance. Its CUTOFF frequency can be modulatied by one of the two envelope generators, velocity, keytrack and a LFO. The filters Resonance can be modulated by both envelope generators and LFO2. Additionally, the CUTOFF frequency and RESONANCE can be modulated by different controllers like modulaton wheel, aftertouch, etc.

Low Frequency Oscillators
The M.A.R.S. has two LFOs. Both LFOs have two sine waveforms, a pulse and a triangle wave. The specialty of the LFO shapes is, that their symmetry can be changed. I.e. you can change the pulsewidth of the square waveform or transform the triangle to a negative or positive sawtooth.
LFO1 has an additional preceding ATTACK-DECAY envelope generator that can also be used as Delay parameter.

Envelope Generators
The M.A.R.S. has two classical ADSR envelope generators which modulates the VCA and the VCF. The envelopes can be triggered by keyboard, LFO or both - that offers interesting possibilities for rythmical modulations.

Modulation
Pitchbender, Modulationwheel, Aftertouch and a connectable footswitch can control various functions like CUTOFF frequency, LFO speed and / or intensity, Fine Tune, Glide on/off, etc.
This allows very expressive playing of M.A.R.S. programms.

Memory
The M.A.R.S. offers memory for storing 127 programs."

Serge Modular System

images via this auction and this auction.
Auction 1:
QUANTIZER MODULE
ASR MODULE
ASR MODULE
DUAL TRANSIENT GENERATOR MODULE
RANDOM SOURCE MODULE
SMOOTH STEPPED GENERATOR
CV PRO MODULE
DUAL UNIVERSAL SLOPE GENERATOR
EXTENDED ADSR MODULE
SMOOTH FUNCTION GENERATOR
NOISE SOURCE MODULE
DUAL PROCESSOR MODULE
DUAL PROCESSOR SLOPE GENERATOR
PHASER MODULE
VOLT CONTROLLED STEREO MIXER
NEW TIMBRAL OSCILLATOR MODULE
PRECISION VCO (2 MODULES)
WAVE MULTIPLIER MODULE
VARIABLE QVCF MODULE
DUAL TRANSIENT GENERATOR
DUAL AUDIO MIXER MODULE
TOUCH ACTIVATED KEYBOARD SEQUENCER

Auction 2:
"PREAMP DETECTOR
FREQUENCY SHIFTER
C/M MODULE
WILSON ANALOG DELAY MODULE
MIXER MODULE
VARIABLE SLOPE VCF
RESONANT EQUILIZER MODULE
DUAL PHASER MODULE
DUAL CHANNEL STEREO MIXER MODULE

Serge gets its name from Serge Tcherepnin (pronounced "Cher - epp - nin"), a multitalented composer and electronic designer born of Russian-Chinese parents and raised in France. Self-taught in electronic design and circuit building, Serge enjoyed doing 'junk electronic' projects early on, making tape compositions using various electronic noisemakers cobbled together out of transistor radios and the like.

After studying music and physics at Harvard and Princeton, he taught music composition at the California Institute of the Arts. This was the early 70's, the heyday of Moog, ARP, and Buchla synthesizers. Calarts had a few Buchla-equipped studios. These were expensive, highly sought-after instruments, kept under lock and key. Getting studio time on one at Calarts meant being either a recognized staff composer or someone who maneuvered themselves into favor. The Buchla, ARP, and Moog synthesizers were interesting in their way, but could be improved upon. They were both expensive and bulky, a system with a decent number of functions could take up a whole wall in a small room. Serge and students Rich Gold and Randy Cohen wondered what they could do about this. After kicking around some ideas, they decided they were going to do their own synthesizer.

The first modules were designed, soldered, and built at Serge's home in what was essentially a kitchen tabletop operation. Before long, the word got out to other professors, students, and musicians about this new synthesizer. They wanted a piece of the action. Serge set up a strange sort of guerrilla manufacturing operation at Calarts on a second-story courtyard balcony. People paid $700 upfront for parts, worked on the 'assembly line' soldering and building modules, and eventually got themselves a six-panel system. Somehow, the Calarts administration either didn't find out or wasn't too bothered by this.

Another interesting player in this drama was composer Morton Subotnik, a professor at Calarts. He had a long association with instrument designer Don Buchla in the early 60's, the two of them collaborating on fundamental aspects of synthesizer design. When Mort spoke, Don listened. Serge caught on to this, and sought to woo Morton away from the Buchlas, but that was difficult. Eventually, Serge did build Mort some custom equipment.

In the 70's Serge collaborated on the design and construction of TONTO, a large polyphonic modular system. TONTO had the ancestry of many early Serge designs, some packaged behind faux-Moog front panels, including the NTO.

Serge eventually quit teaching and began to build synthesizers more seriously, using the first designs as a springboard. The Serge company was started in 1975, in the West Hollywood area, then headed north to San Francisco's Haight Street a few years later. It was always a humble bohemian concern, running more on enthusiasm and the love of making music than money and hardheaded business sense. Business tapered to a trickle in the middle 80's, and Serge, to support his family, started doing various outside electronic consulting projects. In 1992 Serge decided to move back to France. It was at this point that he sold the closely-guarded circuit designs to longtime associate Rex Probe, who then founded Sound Transform Systems. Production record keeping was pretty informal; it's estimated that "hundreds" of Serge systems were produced in the early years.

Today, Serge is again doing musical composition and is involved in helping Russian Jews move to Israel.
As Moog was a powerful East Coast influence that inspired ARP and Polyfusion, Buchla was the West Coast influence on Serge. Several Buchla designs, including the use of touch sensitive nontraditional keyboards, sequencers, random voltage generators, function generators, and matrix mixers found their way into Serge's repertoire. But that's not to say that Serge is merely a Buchla clone. Serge made many unique contributions, including the wave multiplier module, and some ideas were taken to new heights. Serge's oscillator designs have extraordinary accuracy and stability, especially considering their discrete nature. His philosophy of allowing the easy interplay of audio, control, and trigger signals, combined with the use of banana plugs, makes these systems wonderfully flexible.

There's no denying the amazing staying power of the Serge designs. Largely because of the development of convenient microprocessor-based keyboard synths, the 80's were a nasty time for analog synthesizer makers, practically all of them throwing in the towel. Serge's business slowed way down but never completely went out of production. With the recent clamoring for analog gear fueling successful production, Rex Probe and Sound Transform Systems look poised to carry the cream of analog modular music synthesis over the threshold of the 21st century, into their fourth decade of realization.

Sound Transform Systems has done a great job of continuing the analog modular lineage. Most of the traditional Serge modules are there, a few old ones were dropped, a few new ones added. The details are constantly being improved in many visible and invisible ways. They are still laboriously handmade, though the entire build process has been improved. Turnaround time has been improved from several months to 'just a couple'. All the components are top notch. The panel graphics and layout of many of the modules have been redesigned to make them more compact while keeping or improving the functionality. The circuit designs on many modules have been updated."

KORG MS10 in Wooden Case

images via this auction

JUNOST-21

images via this auction

"vintage Russian portable analog poly synthesizer JUNOST-21. It’s unique guitar-like instrument with warm and aggressive analog sound. It’s “soviet Moog Liberation”! Synth has 12 factory patches (each patch can be changed), excellent analog filters, modulator, chorus and ADSR control."

Waldorf Microwave Preliminary Manual

via this auction

Anyone know when this manual came out in relation to the Microwave?

Update via swissdoc in the comments:
"The "Waldorf Microwave Preliminary Manual" was shipped with the first units and later replaced with the final Manual, which you can download here: http://qwave.de/georg/mwmanual/

The manual was refering to V1.0 of th e firmware, addenda for V1.20, V1.25 and the final V2.0 are available under the link as well.

The preliminary manual had no graphics, only the text and there was just a very fragile glue binding. The final manual used a spiral binding."

Yamaha VL7

images via this auction

"Yamaha VL7 Physical Modeling synthesizer. This is an incredible synth and very rare. There were less than 2500 of the VL1, VL1m and VL7's made in total. This synth originally sold for $2,995.00 US. This has the Version 2.0 ROM's which are no longer available and are rarer than the VL7 itself. I have included a Breath controller that makes the performances even more expresive. Find out more about the VL7 at

Yamaha VL7 web page"

JoMoX T-Resonator

via Nova Musik, via sequencer.de.

"Just Announced!!! Available this February!!! The T-Resonator is an expanded filter box based on the M-Resonator technology, but with an ionternal digital stereo delay that is integrated into the multiple feed back analog signal path which offers amazing and awesome sound effects."

Update: you can find some samples here. via SIGHUP in the comments.

Octopus BlackSea - special edition

"Curiosity and an idea on color variation.. When we were done*, what we saw took our breath away! Check out the picture book and decide for yourself!"

More info on the genoQs site; be sure to check out the BlackSea Book for more images.

via Cikira

Uni-Fiestas

YouTube via vivipedraglio.

Go Santa! Vivi on myspace.

"Music by Vivi Pedraglio, Roland SP-555 and Roland V-Synth XT."

Talking Heads "Burning Down the House"

YouTube via cockaleekieman. Sent my way via Dustin. Spot the synths.
"Talking Heads "Burning Down the House" taken from the Stop Making Sense dvd."

Tom Oberheim's Marion MSR-2

via this auction via jan.

"Some facts/rumors about the MSR-2:

* it probably uses the same VCO chips as in recent Prophet08 and DSI Evolver.
* It has Audio-In, so you can process external audio signals thru the envelope/filter et al.
* The Marion MSR-2 is known for having the 'Oberheim sound' packaged inside a compact single-space rackmount module with modern digital reliability and MIDI implementation.
* Despite its rather harmless and simple appearance, the MSR-2 allows for some fairly complex but intuitive programming. The filters, envelopes, LFOs and other parameters are very analog-like in their sound and editing methods.
* The module is also 16-part multitimbral.
* And external inputs route a signal through the envelope and filter sections.
* The MSR-2 is rare but definitely worth checking out."

Update: see the comments for some useful info.

SCI Pro-One

images via this auction, via inverseroom.

"The MIDI jack receives only, and will only decode note and gate info--no mod and pitchbend (you can still use the wheels on the P1 when the MIDI jack is engaged). This means you can play the synth from a larger external keyboard, which I always did--or you can sequence it. The little toggle next to the jack switches the keyboard between using its own keys or accepting MIDI signals."

The Birth of MOTM

I just saw this on the My Synthesis Technology MOTM Analog Modular Synth blog. It's a letter from Paul Schreiber, the founder of MOTM, sent to the Analog Heaven mailing list back on Tuesday, April 22, 1997. Fascinating bit of modular history.

"Subject: My evil modular plans
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 1997 11:50:43 -0000

Here are my plans (well, to date at least) for my modular projects

1) The $35/module synth

This will presented 1 module at a time on the website. All documents will be in PDF format. I plan to author in Visio Technical for the schematics (or maybe OrCAD 4.3 DOS using Postscript output). The verbage will be MS Word 7.
(People who want these 'native' files can get them as well).

The modules are presented as a schematic, theory, parts list. No pcb. No front panel. All parts are either from Digikey/Mouser here in the States, or CEM chips (from me!).
I will avoid CEM when possible (saving them for item #2).

The schematics will be a merge of Electronotes, Moog, ARP, and stuff I plain make up. These are presented "as is": hey, they're only $35 in parts!! Some modules will have SPICE analysis charts as well.

This is to encourage a "jumping off" point for DIYers. I suggest a contest for:

a) nicest looking unit
b) best audio use . Make a big .WAV or something, let's all vote!

2) Re-Issue Digisound

These are updates/redesigns of the Digisound modules. Same "footprint". People with existing racks can shove these right in. Presented (from me, at least) as "semi-kit": all CEM chips + pcb + front panel. All other parts Mouser/Digikey again.

Guessing these will average about $85 each (from me) plus the R's & C's (not much!) I may go off and buy 1000 good pots and throw those in as well. Note that in my modules, ALL pots/jacks are SOLDERED to the pcb. NO WIRES!!

Since everybody likes sequencers, I'll do that one first!

3) Titan Modular

Makes the Serge and Moog stuff look like a SH101. The no-holds-barred design (for me. And anybody else who tags along!). This is a CD quality, (but FAAAAATTTTTTT) modular using DSPs, Xilinx gate arrays, $25 optical
shaft encoders, etc etc. Fully MIDI. patchable, and reload-able using any old computer with RS232. And the best part is, I expect a Moog 55 equivalent to fit in the size of a Moog 15 cabinet and cost around $4000. Last time I checked, Moog 55s were around $15,000.

As a teaser, the "low end" VCO has 16 independent outputs!

4) Moog 35 on a ISA card

I am pondering doing a full EXACT copy (part for part, slop and all) all on an IBM ISA card. Plugs into your PC. Can patch it, CakeWalk it, etc. Guessing this will run about $750. Any response? Have I lost all sense on this one???

Your kind comments and feedback welcome!

Paul Schreiber
Synthesis Technology"

Yamaha Tenori-On

images via this auction. Via donnachacostello on the Matrixsynth Forum. Note these are still only available in the UK, so if you are not in the UK and want one, here's your chance. Cute message.

Analog Solutions TransBass XPress

Saw this one on Analgue Haven where you can find samples.
"Key Features of the TBX-303:
Pure analogue voice circuitry.
Accurate TB303 circuitry clone.
Physically the same size and layout.
Extra tone controls and circuits for more sound variety e.g. LFO, CrossMod. Rugged steel construction.
MIDI In for software sequencer control."

More info on the Analog Solutions page as well. It's also referred to as the TB-X and TBX-303.

keybdwizrd - Motif Demo #4 (Brass and Woodwinds)

YouTube via keybdwizrd.
"Video demo of some of the brass and woodwind presets on the Yamaha Motif synthesizer."

Chimera Synthesis bC16

"bC16 miniature patch analog synthesizer [VCO, LFO, ADSR, VCF, VCA, ring mod,noise & headphone amp - powered from two 9v batteries] in a CD sized CNC machined case. $229 (inc. delivery) LIMITED NUMBERS available for (US) delivery 9-11 Jan 2008."

Chimera Synthesis

Cwejman VCO-6

"The VC0-6 is a single voltage controlled oscillator and has six individual waveforms. The frequency is controlled with manual controllers (knobs) and FM (leveled inputs). The VCO-6 can by sync-ed by an external signals frequency,

as well.
Frequency controllers
The oscillator's frequency is controlled by RANGE (from C2 to C8), TUNE knob

(± 6 semitones) and leveled FM inputs (DC coupled FM1 and exponential F2

and FM3). Frequency modulation (leveled FM1, FM2 and FM3 ) determinates the intensity of frequency modulation and/or pitch control. The FM2 and FM3 inputs are carefully calibrated for 1Volt/octave sensitivity and it tracks the musical

scale for more than 8 octaves."

via Mr. Array

Funkattack '07 6/6

YouTube via CountFunkulaMusic. via Count Funkula:
"I am a long time matrixsynth reader, first time contributor. I perform down to mid-tempo electronic music while simultaneously doing the visuals. I played a show in Columbus, OH about 2 weeks ago and have some youtube clips posted of the show. I've seen a few posts featuring Atari video music units; they're almost all demos and few really take into account the potential of the AVM as a really interesting live visualizer. My visual set up for that night included an Atari video music with my mixer's aux. output running into it, a Panasonic Wjmx-10 a/v processor, DVD player, vcr, and the house projector. If you want any more info or have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks."

Kawai SX-210 Analog Synthesizer

YouTube via mcvadsr. "Analog Keyboard (1983)"

Update via Qwave:
"Here is a short personal review of this Kawai SX-210 I now own for half an year:

Kawai SX-210
common info:
This is a single DCO per voice synth from the pre Midi times. It got 32 sound memories on board and a HUGE 6 digit alphanumeric display for the sound names.

sound:
Well a single DCO per voice (8 voices all together) is nothing special. But the filter is a SSM 2044 analog filter chip. As used in many great synth. Including the PPG wave. But this is the only thing it got in common with a PPG.
The DCOs are of cause very stable in pitch. No autotune needed (or featured). And they are not sounding bad just because they are digital controlled. The wave shaping is still analog.

interface:
Think Moog Source:
a single endless rotary with a two digit (0 to 99) LED display for the values. All switches and buttons got an LED to show their status (on/off on button switches). Or the LEDs show what gray button is selected to be edited with the big wheel. There are no hidden functions and no second level button use. This makes it straight forward.

features:
You can stack 2 voices for an 4 voice mode. Or stack them all for a bug monophonic sound. Of cause the DCOs will be slightly detuned (preset) for a wider sound. No split or layer mode, because this is a non-multi-timbral synth. You can use a chord memory. And it will be stored with the sound.
The DCO got saw, pulse, sub (- 1 oct) square wave and (white) noise. You can use a combination of them or all together. But no mixer available.
The LFO is routable to the pulse wide, the filter, the VCA or retriggering the envelopes in any given combination. The LFO got saw, triangle and square wave. The reverse button let you change the phase. This is a great help on the saw wave. There is only one LFO shared by all voices. That is most like noticed if you use the delay parameter of the LFO.

The pitch bender is a Roland styled one. This is nothing I am used to (yet).

On the top right of the userinterface there is a red button to switch the preset analogue ensemble FX on or off. And this FX makes the Kawai SX-210 to the very best programmable string keyboard

A clear 6 letter/number read out for the sound names was a big plus in the early eighties. And although you have 16 or more digest on most synths today, you will prefer six digit read out more then no user sound name at all.

likes:
- anlog SSM filters
- pwm by the LFO to widen the sound
- 2 envelopes
- clear layout and easy to use interface
- preset ensemble FX

dislikes:
- no mod-wheel. But you can shut of the LFO with a single button
- no velocity or aftertouch
- mass storage beyond 32 patches by tape interface only
- no user changeable detune for stacks
- no other FX parameter then on/off for the ensemble FX
- no S&H on the LFO
- no visual feedback for the pitch of stacked notes (chord memory function). Nice for octave layers.

__________________
keep on turning these knobs

Till "Qwave" Kopper"

Korg esx-1

YouTube via poesinoire.
"First delete all the crapy samples from korg: reset the machine! Then record on a computer your sound with quality effex and then load it and sequence it in the esx. The most important knobs are Modulation, Filter, and EG! Use the out for different channel of a mixer and send effex. Dub it live my friends!!!"

Kaossilator Solitaire 3

YouTube via denka51.

MOOG The Source

images via this auction

Roland Juno-106

images via this auction

Studio Electronics ATC-1

images via this auction

From the manual:
"The ATC-1 is a truly modern Analog synthesizer, incorporating authentic discrete component circuitry with complete MIDI implementation and total programmability. Control of the parameters from the optical encoder is smooth and precise. Its creative and intuitive design incorporates unique features and functions, allowing the discerning musician complex tone manipulation and seemingly infinite patch variations.

The electronically produced sound of the ATC-1 is vibrant, warm, and "punchy"; possessing the highly pleasing qualities of inherent randomness in pitch and timbre, like those of a fine acoustic instrument."

CrackleBook by WorthEkik

via Sendling where you can find one more shot and some links. CrackleBook version of the CrackleBox.


WorthEkik - CrackleBook. more info: link
YouTube via worthekik.

trent's keyboard laboratory...

via Adrian Belew's elephant blog. Sent my way via Mike. That would obviously be Trent as in NIN's Trent Reznor. Mike previously sent us this video of, I believe, Alessandro Cortini, also of NIN.

BTW, check out my "Matrixsynth Thanks" section on the right. It contains a list of some of the more known synth oriented artists that have contributed to this site either via the comments, submissions for posts or just kind emails showing support. BTW, if you know of someone I missed, let me know.

DEVO - Girl U want / Gates of steel

video upload by UNDERGROUND NOISE

"Devo performing live on 'fridays' in 1980."

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5, Moog Minimoog, & ARP Odyssey.

Keyboards TR 61 jamming

YouTube via jmjjnco. "just some fun with the tr 61"

roland sh09 demo

YouTube via sawwaveanalog.
"a video of my ugly sh09.. for sale or trade if you have something neat. ugly, but very functional."