ROLAND JD-990

via this auction

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Macbeth X-Series: Oscillator

flickr By Analogue Haven

"The next Eurorack module from Macbeth Studio Systems will be the Oscillator. More than just one half of the Dual Oscillator, this single module retains the full and rich sound of the original but offers a wide range Osc Sweep knob as opposed to the octave switch while still using the luxury multi-turn fine tuning pot. It also has a switch to put it into LFO mode as well as two seperate sub oscillator outputs- in addition to all the standard waveform outputs.

We expect the X-Series Oscillator in early January for a price around $699. The size is 21 HP. For those who already have a Dual Oscillator, it makes a perfect third oscillator/modulator for that classic "Minimoog voice".

LINK: www.analoguehaven.com/macbethstudiosystems/."

Don't miss Ken MacBeth's New Years video.

WMD: Gamma Wave Source (Eurorack)

flickr By Analogue Haven

"Now available from WMD is the Gamma Wave Source for Eurorack. It is a dual output oscillator with wavetables and a unique "effects" section generated via 8-bit mathematics. The module is in-stock and costs $299. Our website will be updated this weekend with more details.

LINK: www.analoguehaven.com/wmd/."

Intellijel Designs: μScale and other new modules

flickr By Analogue Haven

"Coming soon from Intellijel, the μScale will be released with the first of the new Eurorack modules in early January. Shipping at the same time will be the μAtt, μMod and re-stock of the (now almost sold out) Buff Mult. For updates see Intellijel's Twitter page: twitter.com/intellijel.

LINK: www.analoguehaven.com/intellijeldesigns/."

Korg PS3010 - Keyboard

flickr By rick403
(click for more)

"Refinished 3010 Keyboard"

Happy New Year via Aliens Project

Bernie and his modular via Aliens Project

"I wish all my friends, colleagues and acquaintances all the good health and a lot of success in the new year!"

The First 2011 Close Up of the Week from Aliens Project

EMS VCS3 via Aliens Project

Update via Computer Controlled in the comments: "Wow, the first VCO to shape from butt to boobs. Awesome! I want one."

Hollow Sun $1 YULETIDE GIVEAWAY and A WEE $1 HOGMANAY GIVEAWAY

"As we welcome the start of not just a new year but see the end of the 21st century's first decade, what we have on offer here are some multi samples from the rare Polivoks.

Manufactured in the 80s in the then communist Soviet Union, the Polivoks is a two oscillator synth with low and band pass filter, two ADSR envelope generators and an LFO with a chunky cosmetic design that looks like it might have come from the Soviet Ministry Of Defence!

This is thought to be the first 'proper' sample set from this unusual sounding analogue synth. It contains a variety of distinctive basses, pads and leadlines and is available for a mere $1 throughout January as a gesture to welcome the new year in.

And on that note, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy 2011."


"Now that Waldorf have released the magnificent PPG Wave 3.00, it has been decided to discontinue the Hollow Sun 'Definitive PPG' library as it makes no sense to be in competition with 'the real thing', so to speak.

But before that happens, here's an opportunity to grab it for a measly $1! That's about 64p in real money or roughly €0.75!!

And in fairness, HS's PPG lib is quite old now as well but it IS a 'real' PPG Wave 2.2 with all its quirks and sonic foibles and covers most of the characteristic sounds from this classic digital/analogue synth hybrid from sweeping wavetables to glassy and mellow pads, from delicate chimes to razor sharp textures that can slice through butter plus chunky and solid basses, digital vocal pads, analogue leadlines and much more in 50 Kontakt 3.5 programs containing around almost 300MB of multi-sampled data, much of it stereo directly from the PPG's outputs."

Both available on Hollow Sun.

Eraser

YouTube via callmekorbi | December 31, 2010 |

"Happy new year! :D

Check out my DJ sets at:
http://soundcloud.com/korbi

...and my BlogTV live streams at:
http://www.blogtv.com/people/Korbi

Download Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?fo47l13u9d9..."

pure_data_minimal_from_scratch_livecoding.mp4

YouTube via borgmechaniker | January 01, 2011 |

"this tutorial shows how to build a minimal pattern sequencer
from scratch with pure data and some MASCHINENMUSIK externals.
the screen has been recorded live while building this patch.

With the use of externals the screen of pure data gets more organised
and its better to view the data flow than to fight against the spiderweb
of typical pure data patches.
the externals used here can be downloaded at www.maschinenmusik,de.
Pure Data extended is required and used here."

::vtol:: Robo II "ASAM" robot talk

::vtol:: Robo II "ASAM" robot talk from ::vtol:: on Vimeo.

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ether^ra ANTIVAPOUR

YouTube via potterpaint2000 | January 01, 2011 |

"an improv featuring my Buchla 200e and a Chimera synth. http://etherra.blogspot.com"

ether^ra B INERTIAL CRUNCH

potterpaint2000 | January 01, 2011 | 0 likes, 0 dislikes

"a Buchla 200e improv."

Anime "Urusei Yatsura/HachaMecha Daikonran 2 (Slapstick Scene BGM)" part 4

Added to this post.

AKAI MPC5000/MPC60

YouTube via WISSJE | January 01, 2011

"simple sound comparison"

KORG M01 Demo 10

YouTube via karenevil | January 01, 2011 |

"Fly me to the moon on strings ;-)"

Nintendo DSi on eBay
Nintendo DSi on Amazon
KORG M01 on eBay

KORG M01を使ってみようmovie001

YouTube via DETUNEltd | December 31, 2010 |

"DETUNE公式サイトの「KORG M01を使ってみよう」用ムービーです。
紹介記事はコチラ▶http://bit.ly/hyzdBL"

KORG M01を使ってみようmovie002


Nintendo DSi on eBay
Nintendo DSi on Amazon
KORG M01 on eBay

Loomeer - Ambient Drone 2 (10-12-31) 环境雄蜂2 - 电子音乐器乐

YouTube via Loomeer305 | January 01, 2011 |

"2010 last evening improvised performance. You can download as mp3 at http://www.last.fm/music/Loomeer/Live..."

From now to another Year

YouTube via skoulaman | January 01, 2011 |

"A new vid in a new Year, but the vid was made on 31-12-2010.

It started with a short, not sequenced intro, and after a minut or so the sequence came in. Actually I processed the audio and video due to (again, vintage!) technical problems, the intro should be longer but the juno had a distorted left channel for a period. With the help of Ableton I was able to fit the good parts. The solo is made with the Moog.

Let me know which part you do like the most.

greetings Skoulaman"

New Year Drone

YouTube via humankoala | January 01, 2011 |

"Perfect after an hangover ;o)
The Usuals Suspects : Hertz donut, anti-oscillator, QMMG, A172 max/min, Borg 1 Filter, Tyme Sefari, And Stg Wavefolder directed By Wogglebug, maths, A147 lfo, A138C mixer, A156 quantizer

a better & longer audio recording here : http://soundcloud.com/human-koala/new..."

New Year Drone by Human Koala

new year noodle! by Ken MacBeth

YouTube via macbethsynthesizers | January 01, 2011 |

"Here's a short vid that I did in a New Year feel!
...featuring a Korg CX3 organ, a Korg Prophecy providing keyboard control/arpeggiation of a small MacBeth Mk1 Modular Synthesizer and a MacBeth Mk1 Analogue Keyboard Controller driving a larger MacBeth Mk1 Modular Synthesizer...the smaller system is doing the arpeggiated bass lines while the larger system is doing the lead stuff. The lead stuff has that favorite 'detuned' sound at the higher end as one of the Mk1 Oscillators has the instablity control on slightly. Its a fun control- the tracking of two Oscillators can be in perfect unison- over the whole keyboard range- but when the instability control is used- the tuning becomes more vintage! ie- tracking goes out wherever one wants to used it. Again- my playmanship of the keys could be better- but one gets a good idea of that classic synth sound.
Shot on a Canon 60D- Lens is Canon 10-22mm USM EF-S, audio comes from my audio mixer directly in to the camera via a stereo input jack!
Enjoy...............Ken M"

"The wish" by TSF and Msmotif6 (Happy new years!)

YouTube via MsMotif6 | December 31, 2010 |

"New composition for 2010. :)
Happy new years everyone!"

animalvideo - happy new 卯!!

YouTube via churulin | December 31, 2010 |

"** Happy New Year 2011 **
http://about.me/animalvideo

**Works**
http://soundcloud.com/animalvideo/
http://monstar.fm/animalvideo
http://animalvideo.bandcamp.com"

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to 2011! Synth posts will follow shortly. I am still alive!!! :)
New Years is slowly becoming my favorite holiday. It is a time to start clean and move forward. It represents freedom and hope in who we are and who we want to be. We get to shake off the past and just look forward. Don't ever let yourself down, you are all that you have.

That said, New Years Eve, and for this site, New Years day, has become the one day I look back and reflect on the year. I look back on the numbers and the posts and I share that with you, the readers and contributors of the site. I think it's fun to look back and see how large this particular audience is. I like to think of us as the hardcore synth enthusiasts in the world. We all love some aspect of the art of synthesis, whether that be analog, digital, hardware, software, tonal music, atonal, noise, circuit bending, DIY, or in short, "EVERYTHING SYNTH!"

First of all, I want to thank you, the readers and contributors of the site. THANK YOU! To the readers, thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the site, and to those that spread the word on the site. To the contributors/makers of synth content, thank you for taking the time to share your hobby, and in many cases, your passion with others. Thank you to all the DIYers and manufacturers for providing these fascinating and esoteric works for us to explore. To the dealers and shops, thank you for providing an outlet for us to pick, and in many cases, try gear out. We have a very boutique interest, and because of this a relatively small market, so thank you for doing what you do.

Before I go over the stats on the site, I thought I'd share a little on what was popular over the last year and what in my opinion, posting every day, really stood out. The two break out areas in the world of synths and posts this year was no doubt the iPad and boutique modulars. This year we saw the start of the slate as a new platform not only for synthesis and sound manipulation, but also, alternative control interfaces for existing gear. On the modular front, there is no denying the surge in the number of manufacturers and modules now available, as well as the format becoming more popular amongst users, and even getting some exposure in the mainstream (see Kesha). There was a time when modular systems seemed distant and unobtainable. A modular used to be equated with a complete modular system. Now people are discovering that you don't need a full system to get started (see this post). Will it ever become fully mainstream? That's hard to tell. The biggest challenge as before is still the cost of entry - a case and power supply. If it wasn't for that, modulars would be just as popular as effects pedals, as essentially, that is what modules are.

As for the most popular individual posts, here's what Blogger had for "all time". They just started providing this feature, so I have no idea how far it actually goes back, but all posts are dated 2010, so here it is. Note I post like crazy of course, an average of 46.35 a day this year, and most people see posts on the front page. That said, this is still interesting to look at. Worth noting is both Twitter and Facebook have become much more popular, so a bit of what you are seeing here are direct click-throughs to the posts from them. What's up with the Technics SX-WSA 1R?

New Moog Voyager XL
Sep 8, 2010, 24 comments
3,349 Pageviews

Bob Dylan Goes Electronica
Jul 12, 2010, 6 comments
1,344 Pageviews

RIP Keith Barr - Founder of Alesis and MXR
Aug 25, 2010, 16 comments
1,269 Pageviews

Santa came early...
Dec 22, 2010, 6 comments
1,216 Pageviews

eml 400 ebay
Jul 20, 2010
1,125 Pageviews

TECHNICS SX-WSA 1R ACOUSTIC MODELING SYNTHESIZER
Nov 7, 2010
851 Pageviews

Moog iOS App on the Way
Oct 11, 2010, 3 comments
818 Pageviews

Something Wicked is Coming From M-Audio
Dec 20, 2010, 13 comments
780 Pageviews

Daft Punk's Modcan Modular
Nov 3, 2010, 5 comments
753 Pageviews

RIP David Hillel Wilson - Curator of the New Engla...
Aug 29, 2010, 17 comments
730 Pageviews

Total number of posts for the year? 16,917, up from 13,002 in 2009. That's an average of 46.35 posts a day. Not a single day missed.

Number of posts by year:
2010 16,917
2009 13,002
2008 10,066
2007 6,673
2006 3,871
2005 1205


3,048,111 visits came from 209 countries/territories

I think I'm still banned in some...

According to Google Analytics, the blog had 3,048,111 Visits for a whopping total of 6,988,389 Pageviews. That's up from 2,565,300 Visits (18.82%) and 5,804,265 Pageviews (20.40%). When you look at the numbers, realize this site reads like a roster of posts, it's not a multi-page forum or site that requires you to constantly click through pages to get to the info you are looking for. Everything is there on the front page or two depending on how often you visit.

Total Visits:
2010: 3,048,111
2009: 2,565,300
2008: 2,010,102
2007: 1,383,340
2006: 513,060
2005: 207,750 (via AdSense)
Total: 9,727,663

Total Page Views:
2010: 6,988,389
2009: 5,804,265
2008: 3,865,863
2007: 2,519,689
2006: 912,490
2005: 207,750 (via AdSense)
Total: 19,385,956

The numbers by country for the year:
1 United States 1180153
2 United Kingdom 266338
3 Germany 209723
4 Canada 168485
5 France 168127
6 Italy 109265
7 Sweden 90540
8 Netherlands 82509
9 Japan 72101
10 Australia 62750

Again, THANK YOU for a great year!!!

Something for 2011 - TouchOSC Wireless Editors for Your Synths

If you recall from my XMas post, this year, a big focus on the synth front for me has been the iPad. What you are looking at here is a TouchOSC template for the Waldorf Pulse+. Every editable parameter on the Pulse is represented. Click each image for a full size shot. The kicker is I have it working wirelessly with The Missing Link. I am able to control my Waldorf Pulse+ with my iPad without wires. I was literally able to control it from a different room. This is BIG for two reasons. One, the obvious wireless control of synths, and two, creating an entirely new OPEN interface for editing synths. For those of you that used Sound Diver, this is like it on steroids.

No, the Waldorf Pulse is not that complex, BUT, you are limited to six knobs, small print, and it sits in a rack which may or may not be close to you. Now, imagine having an iPad sitting on your MIDI controller and having a custom editing interface in front of you. OR, imagine picking up that interface and kicking back on a chair in the studio while you tweak away. If you look at the last image of this post you will see a keyboard control and the ARP controls. You don't even need a MIDI controller to get going. You can use the iPad all on its own. You can create any number of custom controls - unlimited x/y pads, unlimited sliders, knobs, keys, etc. With a MIDI merge box you can run a sequencer into your synth and edit away with the iPad.

Back in November you might recall my Rhodes Chroma TouchOSC template. I now have that running wirelessly with The Missing Link as well.

Next up will be a template for the Yamaha FS1R. The Yamaha FS1R is Yamaha's most powerful FM and Formant synthesizer to date. It is a four part, 8-Op, FM and Formant synthesizer. The DX7 was only 6-Op with no Formant synthesis. There was only a rack mount version of the FS1R and editing it was like trying to paint on a wall sized canvas through a keyhole. It is a powerful and beautiful sounding synthesizer, but most have barely scratched the surface because of it's editing interface. The iPad coupled with The Missing Link will finally unlock this synth. Note, the Missing Link does support sysex and I have verified it does work with the FS1R. I was able to watch the parameter values on the FS1R change as I manipulated a slider on the iPad, all wirelessly. That said, see you on the other side! My New Years post will follow tomorrow. All done for the year! :)

Update: you can find the template here. It's mapped for The Missing Link, but you can remove the mappings by checking the auto box in TouchOSC for each parameter, followed by making a mapping with OSCulator.

Update: screens captured direct from the iPad added below.

Update: I updated the template to use toggles instead of sliders for selection parameter, so screens here are slightly different.

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"The wish" by TSF & MsMotif6 (happy new years!)

YouTube via TheSynthFreq | December 31, 2010 |

"A new synth/funk composition for the new year! :)

Synths used:
Motif-6: rhythm guitar
D-50: strings
DX-9: FM bass
E-mu Emax SE: Organ sample from Motif6
Korg Emx-1: new pattern

Please enjoy! :)
:) TSF"

Roland Guitar Synthesizer Challenge - Wayne Joness - GR-300 - GR-700

YouTube via WayneJoness | December 31, 2010 |

"Roland Guitar Synth Challenge entry by Wayne Scott Joness featuring vintage Roland Guitar Synthesizers, the GR-300, GR-700 and GM-70. These synthesizers are all controlled by a vintage Roland G-303 Guitar Synthesizer Controller. In addition to the GR-300 and GR-700, the GM-70 is used to play a Roland XV-5080 Sound Module. All Parts were played by guitar, with the exception of the drum loop programming."

Vintage Analog CRUMAR T-1 Hammond vk Clone Organ synth

via this auction

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DSP Card For Symbolic Sound Kyma Capybara 320

via this auction

"2 (two) dsp cards available for the Symbolic Sound Kyma Capybara 320 system. Each card adds 2 DSP's to your system."

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Finality Of The Arbitrary

YouTube via JohnLRice | December 31, 2010 |

"I just got this Modcan 69B Scanner and couldn't resist taking it out for a spin! I'm just scratching the surface of it's potential here and I'm sure it will get a lot of use in the coming year and beyond.

The overload distortion isn't coming from the 69B, it's somewhere else in my effects chains but I left it because I was in a hurry and I kinda like it at times.

The video clips are from my bus/train commutes to my present job and from the window by my cubical. End of an era as I start a new job on January 17th. The only thing sadder than leaving would be staying . . . .

Here's to hoping 2011 will be a better year for all . . . . ."

Soundlab Ultimate/Expander DIY Keyboard Synth

YouTube via bchris1776 | December 31, 2010 |

"I picked up a couple Ray Wilson MFOS PC boards - The "Ultimate" and "Ultimate Expander" - and since he had nice panels available I got those as well.
I started the project with the idea of building a complete portable keyboard synth - and am quite happy with how it turned out. I built this so with the removal of two bolts they synth unit and the keys can be taken apart and used separately from each other. Both units have their own power supply, and the synth section includes a small monitor amp/speaker.
It sounds great, stays in tune - and is very fun to play. Unfortunately - I don't play keys... Sorry about the noise on the audio - it's not the synth but the recording process.
You can find pics and a better description of this build and my other projects at SDIY.org/RFeng"

This Second Sleep - Ototoxic Pathway

YouTube via arthurpainter | December 31, 2010 |

"http://thissecondsleep.blogspot.com/
An ode to tinnitus using my Buchla 200e as the solitary sound source."

Another Part Of Me - Michael Jackson (Moog Bass Along)

YouTube via Geeljasjes | December 31, 2010 |

"Just another bass along video before the new year kicks off.

On the album version a DX7 bass was used, but I think it sounds funkier with a Minimoog on this version."

Buchla 200e - Bubble Device

YouTube via spindizzyman | December 31, 2010 |

"Fun patch I was noodling with"

Korg Poly-61 Analog Synthesizer

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

Xciddose Xhip - Free VST synth - vstplanet.com

YouTube via vstplanet | December 31, 2010 |

"Xciddose Xhip - http://www.vstplanet.com/News/10/Xhip...
Developer: xhip.presetexchange.com/xhip/"

Arp 2600 Audio Demonstration

YouTube via treschsales | December 29, 2010
via this auction. Also added to this previous post.

video demonstration of arp 2600


Walkaround of Arp 2600

Rare Viscount Organ ARP - 2600 SYNTHESIZER, AD 1971

via this auction

"VISCOUNT ORGAN - 2600 SYNTHESIZER
APPROX. AD SIZE: 30 x 20 cm / 12,5" x 8""

The image isn't the biggest, but you can read it. Note the bit on Viscount. Anyone know the relation at the time?

ARP 2600 overview

YouTube via heathfinnie | December 31, 2010 |

"This is an overview with horrible narration by myself for my ARP 2600."

I thought I saw heath's listed on eBay but I'm not seeing it at the moment. Here is a search on ARP 2600.

Farewell to 2010 via CatSynth

via CatSynth

New Year's Eve Electro-Music Live Streaming Concert

on electro-music.com

via Modulate This!

via brian c

Silent Strike - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! by Silent Strike

Remember, holiday posts are still welcome. You do not need to ID the synths in them.
Note this is not my New Years post, that will come tomorrow when I see you all on the other side. Keep it fun but safe tonight, otherwise there is no other side...

Look At Me

YouTube via PhilThomasKatt | June 17, 2007 |

Some synth spotting in via Ian.

"This Song was a Big Hit on KattLine, my Answering Machine that gained a huge following back in 1986. The song was also featured on my first album, "Nine Lives" and it sold great at the local record stores due entirely to KattLine Promotion. The Music Video was shot at Bracken Recording Studio back then where the tracks were laid down and features Ty Bracken and Kenny Stitcher playing backup."
Some chillpop.

Home Studio Tour 2010 - interim studio

YouTube via grauoliv | December 31, 2010 |

"Yes, before it's 2 late, here is the tour of my setup at the end of 2010. My setup this year had a lot of faces, but as I'm not finished yet, it's kind of an interim studio. A lot of gear still has to find it's place, like the virus, the micron, mam sq-16 and more. So, stay tuned for the 20XI tour! ;-)"

Acidcode ML 303 TB-303 Clone

"Acidcode ML 303 v5 (software v6)
The ML 303 is the best and rarest clone of the legendary cult synthesizer Roland TB 303rd The circuits were adopted by the TB 303 and up, the ML is thus the clone of the TB sound comes closest. There were only a limited number of kits, which now no longer available.

The ML 303 offers:
- A great filter (Tune, Cutoff, Resonance, Envelope Mod, Decay, Accent, Volume)
- 2 waveforms Saw / Square
- Built-in step sequencer
- Stereo Out (Headphones), Mono Out
- LED running light display
- Powerful analog sound, the classic acid sound!

Compared to the ML TB has some modern features:

Midi In / Out (Can sound modules - Fashion be used as a pure tone generator)
Audio In (Mono)
LCD Display
-16 Memory banks of 8 patterns = 128 patterns (pattern length 16 steps)"

See the Acidcode label below for more posts including video.

Roland SynthPlus60 Hs-60

via this auction

Roland Juno-106 with speakers. Note the Mini 106 was a Juno-106s also with speakers, but the standard Juno-106 color scheme.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Debra Played Hexadecimal

YouTube via retrotechnical | December 29, 2010 |

"Cold wave oscilloscope 80s timewarp? Recorded in Reason 3.0"

Korg DS-10 I'm Back

YouTube via retrotechnical | December 30, 2010 |

"Written on an acoustic, recorded on the DS-10 and imagined on the Epson HX-20.."

Korg DS-10 TI-58

retrotechnical | December 24, 2010 |

"Simple pop tune on the Nintendo Korg DS-10...in desperate need of vocals."

Korg DS-10 Megaton Afternoons

retrotechnical | December 29, 2010 |

"Watching Protect & Survive public information films on my Casio calculator watch in 1981.....or maybe not."

Nintendo DSi on eBay
Nintendo DSi on Amazon
KORG DS-10 on eBay
DS-10 on Amazon

Panasonic GH2 Microphone Test with ARP 2600

Panasonic GH2 Microphone Test with ARP 2600 from Ralph Baumgartl on Vimeo.

"I wanted to test the sound quality of the built in microphone of the Panasonic GH2 camera. In the video I switch between the soundtrack recorded by the GH2 Mic and a Zoom H4N recorder. Just playing around on an ARP 2600 analog synthesizer. This vintage machine features built in loudspeakers (not that good), which I was using for this test video. Video footage was a bit color graded."

Yves Yusson VCO, Moog filter clone, and function generator FM

Yves Yusson VCO, Moog filter clone, and function generator FM from Evan Stalker on Vimeo.

Leo and I tear it uppppp synth nerd style with some modular synth.. modules.. we just finished building.

"Leo and I tear it uppppp synth nerd style with some modular synth.. modules.. we just finished building."

Bass and Plick Modular Noodle

YouTube via humankoala | December 31, 2010 |

"Just for Archive, love the bass on this one
Hertz Donut tri with waveform discontinuity, automodulated with max/min in the path filtered by qmmg
AntiOsc for the plick
Melody from wogglebug quantized by A156
Sequenced by A147/A160/161/166 & wooglebug"