SUPERBOOTH 2024: Wee Noise Makers - PGB-1

video upload by sonicstate

"At Superbooth 2024, We Noise Makers unveiled their latest creation, PGB-1 a pocket groove box designed by *Fabien*. This compact device offers six synthesizer voices and two samplers, all in a portable and battery-powered form factor. The device features various tracks for different sounds, one of the tracks being polyphonic, a sequencer with 16-step patterns, song mode, probability-based triggers, parameter locks and more. Additionally, it includes USB-C for charging and data transfer, audio output, stereo audio input, MIDI in and out, TRS-A, and an onboard microphone for creating custom samples.

The standout feature of this pocket groove box is its open-source nature, allowing users to add more synth engines and customize the firmware. With plans to expand the ecosystem and potentially introduce new devices in the future, We Noise Makers aims to create a community-driven platform for music production. The crowdfunding campaign on crowd supply has been successfully funded, giving backers the opportunity to support the project before it ends on May 30th.

https://weenoisemakers.com/"

See the Wee Noise Makers label below for additional posts.

Wee Noise Makers PGB-1

video upload by Crowd Supply

"Wee Noise Makers PGB-1 is an advanced synthesizer and sequencer that allows you to craft complex musical pieces anywhere. This all-in-one, portable, open-source, customizable device is designed to empower aspiring musicians, seasoned creators, and makers."

See the announcement post with additional details here.

Wee Noise Maker PGB-1 – The all-in-one open-source pocket groovebox

video upload by Crowd Supply



via Crowd Supply

"Wee Noise Makers PGB-1 is an advanced yet portable sequencer that lets you craft complex musical pieces anywhere. This all-in-one, open-source, customizable device is designed to empower aspiring musicians, seasoned creators, and makers. It isn’t just an instrument—it’s your gateway to the world of music production and audio synths.

Rock Out, Anywhere
PGB-1 has an open-source stock firmware that makes it a playful and powerful groove box. It allows you to craft complex musical pieces with drums, bass, lead, samples, reverb, bitcrusher, overdrive, and others.

Orchestrated by an advanced sequencer with conditional steps, repeats/ratcheting, pattern chaining, chord sequencing, song mode, live sequencing effects, and more. And it’s also a hackable and customizable device, with CircuitPython, C\C++, and Ada support for programming your own synthesizers, video games, or any audio based projects.

Features & Specifications

Processor: Raspberry Pi RP2040

16 MB Flash
Audio IC: Cirrus Logic WM8960 (or equivalent)

Up to 32-bit at 48 kHz digital audio link
On-chip Headphone Driver, 1 W Stereo Class D Speaker Driver
Up to 3 stereo Line-in/Microphone interfaces
User Interface

128 x 64 monochrome OLED screen
24 addressable RGB LEDs
30 tactile switches
1 capacitive touch strip
Input & Outputs

1x USB Type-C (Power & Data)
1x 3.5 mm Headphone/Headset
1x 3.5 mm Audio Line-in
1x 3.5 mm MIDI Input (TRS type-A)
1x 3.5 mm MIDI Output (TRS type-A)
Internal microphone
Open Source
PGP-1 is an open hardware project. Right now, you can browse the GitHub repo for the device’s firmware. Later, we will make the schematics available to the public."

Haxophone - A Hackable Electronic Saxophone with Mechanical Keys

Javier Cardona, the maker of Haxophone wrote in to let us know about his upcoming instrument. Here's what he had to say followed by details from the upcoming crowdfunding campaign.

"I'm excited to connect with you as the creator of the Haxophone, an open and hackable electronic saxophone. The instrument's design files and software have been available to the public on GitHub for some time now at https://github.com/cardonabits/haxo-hw.

We are gearing up to launch a crowdfunding campaign for pre-assembled Haxophone units, bringing the magic of this instrument to a broader audience. The campaign is scheduled to kick off on September 7th.

via Crowd Supply

Haxophone is an inexpensive and fully customizable electronic musical instrument that resembles a travel saxophone. Under the hood, Haxophone is a particularly elegant (and fun!) Raspberry Pi HAT. The mechanical keys and custom ergonomics give Haxophone a unique and satisfying feel. The design is fully open source, hackable and OSHWA (Open Source Hardware Association) certified. This means that you can make Haxophone entirely your own, from changing the type of key switches to making your own note and instrument mappings. It is a good fit for musicians who are looking for a way to practice saxophone silently, musicians who are also hackers, and for hackers looking for a fun musical project that won’t break the bank.

While it is not a substitute for a traditional saxophone, Haxophone is accurate enough to allow saxophone players to rehearse both in silence and "on the go". Muscle memory when practicing on Haxophone is transferable to the traditional instrument, and vice versa. This means you can rehearse in all kinds of places that would be unthinkable with a standard saxophone. If it breaks, it is relatively cheap and easy to repair. And, Haxophone is smaller and lighter than any saxophone.

Haxophone has been designed to utilize standard mechanical key switches as fingering keys. In addition of being cool and unique, these are cheaper, more reliable and more repairable than the custom molded keys that you find on digital saxophones. Hackable Haxophone
Haxophone is purposefully designed to be hackable. Inspect it, modify the fingerings, change the sounds, add features like beats or LEDs. The software is written in Rust, a modern language that has been the most loved code language for the last 7 years (according to Stack Overflow).

Haxophone is designed as a HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) for the Raspberry Pi family of single-board computers. This HAT is a special type of keyboard laid out in the same way that saxophones are. We’ve also designed a mouthpiece and a pressure sensor to detect breath intensity. The HAT includes an audio amplifier, so Haxophone does not need to rely on the amplifier built into the Raspberry Pi 3 and 4. This means the HAT will work with the least expensive of the Pi family, the Raspberry Pi Zero.

Haxophone is fully repairable and customizable. Did you break the thumb rest or would like to use a different color? (3D) print yourself another one. The source models for all 3D printed parts are included in our repository."

You can find additional details at https://www.crowdsupply.com/cardona-bits/haxophone/

Gliss Dev Diaries: Physical Models

video upload by Bela Platform

Gliss Dev Diaries

"In this dev diary we look at Gliss controlling Rings by Mutable Instruments. This is not the original Rings but rather a Pure Data implementation running on our Pepper module. We love Mutable Instruments and take great inspiration from their open source ethos, design philosophy and incredible synthesiser modules. We will miss them!

Gliss is the perfect counterpart for complex synthesis models as you have two dimensions of highly sensitive and high resolution control literally under your fingertips, position and touch size. In the video above we are using touch size to control the Damping and Brightness parameters of the voltage-controlled resonator. The touch position on the other hand is used to control the speed at which the excitation signal is repeated. You'll hear more about Mutable Instruments and Pepper in coming weeks but for now here's a snippet for you to enjoy.

Help bring Gliss into the world and be one of the first to get this module by backing us on Crowd Supply: https://www.crowdsupply.com/augmented..."

Gliss Dev Diaries: Expressive Keyboard Mode

video upload by Bela Platform

"These videos show the current state of the Gliss firmware and each focus on a specific mode. Please note that we are actively working on the firmware for Gliss with a group of beta testers and everything is subject to change. We welcome any feedback you have.

The expressive keyboard mode transforms the touch strip into 5 pressure sensitive buttons with vibrato. Each button can be tuned to a fixed voltage. When you first touch one of the five buttons you will always be in tune and then it is possible to slide continuously between the fixed notes (performing glissandi) for violin or theremin-like performances. The great thing about this keyboard is that you always know that you'll find the in-tune note when you arrive at the centre of the next button.

The vibrato amount is configurable through the submenu. Also to change the tunings of the individual button you just need to go to the submenu, select the button you want to change the tuning of, and then press and drag to retune.

Help bring Gliss into the world and be one of the first to get this module by backing us on Crowd Supply: https://www.crowdsupply.com/augmented..."

Gliss Modular Touch Control Overview Videos

video uploads by Bela Platform

"These videos show the current state of the Gliss firmware and each focus on a specific mode. Please note that we are actively working on the firmware for Gliss with a group of beta testers and everything is subject to change. We welcome any feedback you have.

Help bring Gliss into the world and be one of the first to get this module by backing us on Crowd Supply: https://www.crowdsupply.com/augmented..."

Playlist:
Gliss Dev Diaries: Scale-Meter Mode
Gliss Dev Diaries: Mode Selection and Direct Control
Gliss Dev Diaries: Record and Waveshape Mode
Gliss: Modular Synth Touch Control

Gliss: Modular Synth Touch Control

video upload by

Find us on Crowd Supply: https://www.crowdsupply.com/augmented..."

"Gliss is an elegant and intuitive synthesizer module for touch control. This Eurorack module lets you draw waveforms directly into your system so you can add a human touch to your control signals. It also can act as a signal visualizer, slider, or expressive capacitive keyboard. Gliss is small but powerful (4HP), and allows you to control your signals through high-precision touch sensing. See how waves behave with descriptive and immediate visual output via LEDs mounted behind the touchplate.

Modular synth systems are complex musical instruments, and parameter control is usually through buttons, knobs and sliders. These beloved interfaces are great for precise and accurate control but are not the most performative, and can feel one step removed from the actual control signals. Gliss introduces a kind of touch control which is intuitively and immediately connected to the output signals: you can literally draw the shape of your signals directly into your system.

Powered by the technology behind the Trill capacitive touch sensors from Bela, Gliss has high-resolution position and pressure sensing which is used in combination with a Cortex-M4F microcontroller to create complex behaviors like drawing in waveforms and looping them, with captivating visual feedback from the embedded LEDs. Gliss gives you control over the signals in your modular synthesizer in a way that’s inherently musical.

Features
Control your modules directly, with touch position and pressure sent out as control voltages
Record in gestures, up to 1 minute
Loop the recorded gestures to create LFOs with custom waveforms
Trigger the recorded gesture for custom envelopes, use the button or an external trigger
Play on a 5 button expressive keyboard
Scale and offset all CV outputs to get the perfect range for your other modules
Visualize and process CV and audio signals in your system

Open Music Labs x0x-heart Eurorack Module Seeks Funding on Crowd Supply

The Open Music Labs x0x-heart has been available as a desktop DIY project for quite some time. Open Labs is now seeking funding on Crowd Supply in order to produce a eurorack version.

"The heart of a TB303 synth recreated in modular format.

The Roland TB303 voice practically defined Acid music, heavily influencing the development of electronic music. Add that voice to your own setup with the x0x-heart Eurorack Module.

The x0x-heart module is the analogue section extracted from the x0xb0x (a TB303 clone) and made small enough to fit the Eurorack format. More nimble as a module, you no longer need to work within the constraints of the original TB303’s sequencer.

Features
CV control of frequency, gate, accent, slide, env-mod, decay, and cut-off
Switches for waveform selection (square and sawtooth), external/internal oscillator mix
VCA and VCF outputs

Specifications

Eurorack standard format (3U height)
18hp
~1.75in depth (45mm)
+/-12V current draw 10mA
5V current draw: 50mA

Includes

10” Euro power cable (16 pin to 10 pin connector)
Black anodized aluminum knobs with a diamond knurl pattern and two set screws (with slot heads and flat points)
A .063” (1.6mm) highly durable satin aluminum Metalphoto panel with a black print
Stretch goals
If, during the campaign, the funding amount reaches $15,000, the pacemaker circuit board (the one with the knobs) will be re-designed to allow for easier tuning and manufacturing.

If and when the first stretch goal is met, more goals may be announced during the campaign - let us know what you’d like to see as a stretch goal! No promises, of course. Here are some things we’ve been considering to make available - either for additional purchase or as options:

Red-anodized aluminum knobs
Laser-cut and engraved wood faceplates (which would be more fragile, of course!)
Open source hardware
To help you truly understand and control what you and your module are doing, Open Music Labs makes all schematic and board layout files available for your perusal and use."

Open Music Labs were also behind the Mixtape Alpha, and other devices.

Circuit Classics - Bringing Forrest Mims Vintage Designs to Life

Circuit Classics from Crowd Supply on Vimeo.

Circuit Classics is a project currently seeking funding on Crowd Supply.  The goal is to bring a number of Forrest Mims' early DIY projects to life as prefabbed circuit boards.  What's particularly interesting is that the original descriptions and illustrations will be etched onto the circuit boards.  They will also come with stands as you can see in the video above, effectively making them pieces of art in tribute to the original designs.  And of course, they will also be a great introduction to DIY.

Exquisite printed circuit boards that bring to life Forrest Mims' vintage designs from "Getting Started in Electronics.

Forrest M. Mims III is a trusted name in the electronics world for good reason: his charming and engaging texts have drawn millions of people into the world of electronics for the first time. I am bringing some of those hand-drawn circuits projects to life by creating an exquisitely designed series of finely crafted and highly detailed boards. These are the Circuit Classics. They make a great gift for a first-time learner, an expert tinkerer, or even just as a fun conversation piece for your desk.

This initial release includes three of Forrest’s circuit designs in kit form: the Dual-LED Flasher, the Stepped Tone Generator, and the Bargraph Voltage Indicator. Each kit includes:

Printed Circuit Board (PCB): Includes the circuit itself, the circuit’s schematic, and a description of the circuit, all in Forrest’s iconic hand-drawn style, traced directly from his books. (Prototypes are OSHPark purple, but the final production run will be blue.)
Through-hole Components: All the components you need to build a working circuit. Easy to place and solder on the PCB thanks to clear footprints and large, friendly solder pads.
Display Stand: made of high-quality blond ash wood, each stand is crafted to let you proudly display your work."

On the Stepped Tone Generator:

"This circuit gained a life of its own, jumping from the pages of the 555 Timer IC Circuits Engineer’s Mini-Notebook and out into the world as the storied Atari Punk Console. Well-known for enabling the creation of sounds just like classic Atari console games from the 1980s, it provides a fun audio-centric project, as well as an interesting introduction to digital circuitry, feedback, and oscillators."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Mixtape Alpha Crowdfuning for Re-Release

"Mixtape Alpha is currently crowdfunding on Portland, Ore. based Crowd Supply (www.crowdsupply.com). Mixtape Alpha is a re-release of our pocket-sized 8-bit synth. Complete with four voices, four effects, five-note polyphony, record, playback, and more!

http://www.crowdsupply.com/open-music-labs/mixtape-alpha (click through for additional details & video)

Mixtape Alpha has:

· a stylophone style input for continuous tone generation

· six buttons for discrete notes

· four voices

· four effects

· five-note polyphony

Loop. Play. Record.

You are able to loop a pattern and play a second part on top. But, the best of all, you can record the songs you make. Trade Mixtapes with your friends! Each Mixtape Alpha will come in its own cassette case, with instructions.

Open Source Design

If you want to dig into the guts of this 8-bit synth, check out the wiki page. You will find all the schematics and code, and we even have a Pure Data patch for making your own wavetables.

The project is based on the same processor used in the Arduino (the ATmega328p), and all of the source code is online, so it can be hacked to make even crazier sounds than we came up with.

Thank you for considering posting this project!

Cheers,

Phil Gentile"

STEAMPUNK Axiom 25 Controller and Stand

This one is via Criagslist Chicago

Some details from the listing:

"Custom steampunk 25 key midi controller.

Pictures don't do this justice. 80+ hours of labor, about $900 in parts. This was built for a steampunk band I was in last year.

The stand has a weighted base, main shaft rotates fully. Collapses, and is easy to transport.

The "chassis" that the keyboard attaches to was custom welded from copper pipes, and a WWII ammo case. Easily detaches from base by four large lug nuts. 1950's Triumph motorcycle headlights are also detachable from chassis, and plug in to power supply.

The power supply on the chassis contains two headlight power inverters, specific to the Triumph headlights power requirements. A 1920's brass on off switch, powers the headlights off and on. A great effect on stage, as you can literally "start up" your keyboard before playing, and shine the lights at the crowd and across stage.

The keyboard itself latches in to the chassis via a hinge and latch system from the same WWII ammo case. If you've ever opened one of these, the mechanics are the same. It pops out easily and quickly, but will stay secure throughout any stage antics.

Keyboard is/was a axiom 25. The wonderful thing about them is that if they ever break, their replacement parts are completely modular. I've had several, and they come apart like tinker toys.

Last but not least, included is a vintage 30' fire hose. Whether you need a usb controller, or a midi cable going to a racked synth, you can feed all cables through the hose. This has proven very effective on stage as far as protecting the cables, plus it screws into the back of the chassis, so nothing can ever possibly come undone.

All of the detailing on the keyboard was hand painted/welded/soldered/bolted. The gauges on the keyboard are from vintage german fighter planes, and several of the rivets and metal sides are reclaimed from Russian aircraft."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 rev 2 w. MIDI SN 1008 with Updated OS

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"As you can see from the pictures, this machine was generally well cared for, but it's not mint. I found extra knobs and SSM chips as well as some wheels and modulation pots and brackets. There's at least three SSM 2030 VCOs with tempco resistors, three SSM 2020 VCAs, one SSM 2040 VCF, one SSM 2050 Envelope generator. There's a couple other ICs and I'll update the listing when I remember what they are.

This Prophet 5 has been sent out to Greg Montalbano for a complete overhaul. Greg cleaned it up, recapped the power supply, replaced the key bushings, replaced the large multi-pin connector on PCB3, did a calibration and test, removed one of the regulators and updated the EPROMs (this reduces the load on the power supply so it runs cooler and is more stable). In addition, he changed the fixed power cord to a removeable one so switching between US and Euro power is easy (as well as making it easier to transport and set up). Finally, Greg installed a Kenton MIDI kit.

After I got it back, I installed the new Prophet 5 OS from Riku-Sakari Kujanen (his site is at analog.fi). His OS adds a second LFO, goes into edit mode simply by turning a knob or presseing a button, bypasses auto-tune on startup (great for those times when the power flickers) and shows which voice is being tuned when you do press the tune button (no more blank front panel leaving you guessing if the synth is dead), adds new unison modes (all 5 voices, a single voice - monophonic rev2 p-5!, and an option to select one or two voices in that mode), a mode to display the current value of a knob as well as indicating when you move that kknob to the current value in the preset (great for learning how sounds were created or for using the same amount of modulation or resonance of your favorite patches), a playable A-440 reference (tracks the keyboard for an additonal monophonic sine oscillator), and the factory presets are available to be loaded into user memory.

The second LFO in particular is a really nice feature that expands the Prophet 5's sonic abilities into new territories. Of course, you can disbale all the new features and only turn on the one(s) you can about and simply enjoy the ability to directly edit the patch like on the rev 3's (no more pressing the edit button). Although, I would say you are missing out if you don't at least try sequencing a fast note run using the new mono unison mode. Very tasty indeed.

So at this point, it's safe to say this particular Prophet 5 is one of a kind. I don't know anyone else on the planet with a Greg M serviced P-5 that has the Kenton MIDI kit and the new Riku OS installed.

The Prophet 5 (for those that don't know) had 2 oscillators, noise, a low pass filter, 2 ADSR envelopes, VCA, and an LFO. At the time, it had 2 more features that really made it stand apart from the crowd. The first was patch memories. The second, and possibly more important feature, was the poly mod section. This gave you incredible control over the type and amount of modulation that could be routed around the synth. It was really stunning to get this type of almost modular functionality in a polyphonic synth with memories."

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Open Labs MiKo Synthesizer / Keyboard

via this auction

"500GB harddrive. Dressed in an all-new Arctic White Chassis color scheme, the Timbaland Special Edition MiKo will stand out in any crowd.

The Timbaland Special Edition MiKo features E-MU™'s new Proteus™ X2 Streaming Sound Module V2.5 with over 7,000 instruments, including the new Ensoniq™ Urban Legends™ Sound Library that contains the sounds from Ensoniq's ASR™/EPS™/MR™/ASR-X™/ZR™ instruments.

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Spectral Audio Cyclus3 16-step

via SchneidersBeuro

Googlish: "As the compact stands out is the step sequencer Cyclus3 of Spectral Audio out from the crowd of its competitors. Although he may have to offer, unfortunately it only eight Eingabepotis relatively quick edit once you understand how to toggle between menus and Venzago. The tracks themselves can modulate each other in record mode, any trace of the Midi are included and keeps your original timing. All tracks can then be in your play at different speeds simultaneously. Unfortunately, the resolution of a pot-revolution in direct touch input 127, which means is that rather delicate must be rotated to make a certain sound.

Eight lanes sequencer with up to 16 steps, 112 Patterns, 30 Songs, complex relationships among the patterns can be edited, high resolution 32nd. ..

MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, IN for external power supply 6 to 12V AC or DC, backlit two-line display"

Designed by the man behind Gotharmusic according to this post.

NOT NAMM: DIYcisions DIYcisions - MMM Circuit Boards!

Mattson Mini Modular for the DIY crowd. You can find full details here.

snip:
"Assembled, tested circuit boards are now available for those customers who have the desire to create their own panels, graphics, layout and use that collection of parts that have been accumulating in a drawer for years.

All available modules have both 6-pin 0.100" MTA and 4-pin 0.156" MTA power connectors mounted on-board. Most modules will perform equally well using +/- 15VDC or +/- 12VDC power supplies. The modules that are affected by the lower power supply will be noted. For those, the shopping cart will ask you to select the power scheme that will be used.

All components used in the module boards are certified RoHS compliant according to the EU directives.

The module circuit boards with the green solder mask and silkscreen are manufactured RoHS compliant. The non-solder mask boards are short run boards and are not RoHS compliant."

The first set of boards available:
# Voltage Controlled Filter Board
# Voltage Controlled Amplifier Board
# Dual Low Frequency Oscillator Board
# Sample and Hold Board
# Envelope Generator Board
# Glide Board
# Noise Board
# 4x 1x2 Buffer Board
# 4x Mixer Board
# Amplitude Follower Board
# 4x Gate Delay Board
# Utility 1 Board
# Voltage Controlled Mixer Board

Moog Little Phatty Stage II Sweetwater Exclusive Solar CV Edition

"Exclusively from Sweetwater, the custom Little Phatty Stage II combines new features and flexibility along with a new look that's sure to stand out in the crowd! The Little Phatty Stage II is an analog synth with the last sound engine designed by the late master innovator, Bob Moog. Little Phatty Stage II is the realization of Bob Moog's dream to combine his great analog sound with an instrument that is both accessible to most musicians in terms of price, and also designed for live performance. Sweetwater worked closely with Moog Music to find the perfect color for our exclusive edition of this popular analog synth. And to really take it over the top, we've had Moog pre-install the CV Output Option, giving this Sweetwater Solar CV Edition far more control and interfacing capabilities than the standard version. Moog Music Little Phatty Stage II Sweetwater Solar CV Edition at a Glance: * 37-key, true analog synthesizer with Real Analog Control * Exclusive "Solar" orange back panel extrusion * Control Voltage output modification pre-installed at the Moog factory * Multiple interfacing capabilities and universal power supply" more details at Sweetwater. via aves

OSCar monophonic/duophonic synthesizer

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. SN 0639 via this auction

"OSCar - Best of British vintage monophonic/duophonic synthesizer
* 'As new' condition - 25th anniversary next year but one owner, never gigged, lightly-used, carefully stored
* Incredible sounds - fattest bass, wild leads, amazing special effects
* Instant response tactile knobs, performance wheels and buttons - no hard-to-use menus
* Fully-programmable with 36 User Patch Memories, arpeggiator and step sequencer
* Factory-fitted MIDI In/Out/Thru
* Serial number 0639 one of the last produced after February1985 with final firmware revision 'M2'
* Original Operation Manual included*
* Original factory patch data cassette tape included
* Data CD on which I have included factory presets**, images, and interesting OSCar web addresses
* Stand apart from the crowd with unique sounds - and the look!

OSCar is now regarded as a classic in the synthesizer world. OSCar is a highly-versatile vintage workhorse, suited to many musical genres, but more recently has found particular use in Dance, House, and Electronica. It is an analogue-sound digitally-controlled synth using the classic subtractive but also additive synthesis models to produce its sounds. The OSCar is also a performer's synth, direct and immediate access to its sounds makes playing an intuitive dream

If you've lusted after a vintage MiniMoog synth - don't bother! The OSCar has absolutely stable oscillator tuning, massive programmable dual-oscillator sound with separate modulation LFO, and has been built to take on the road if needed.

This OSCar is 240V 50Hz (but can be internally set to 110V) and doesn't require a separate power supply. The rechargeable internal memory battery may need to be replaced soon (but currently is working OK).

*Operating manual - the cover has come loose from the pages through age (but this is an easy fix), my name is stamped in small font on the front cover, and there is some highlighter on some of the text. Also, my name is written in ink in small discrete font on the OSCar's lacquered wooden base (this can be easily sanded off by the new owner).

**Factory presets - currently not stored in memory. I have put around ten of my own sounds into memory and the rest have been left 'blank'. You can load the factory sounds in if you want to, but I recommend that you make your own sounds and store them in memory, it's very easy to do.

Note that if sounds are 'lost' from memory (through memory battery failure), it is possible on power-up (depending on the random position of the control knobs) to have no apparent sound, or at least a 'nonsense' sound, on key-press. This is not a fault and is resolved by setting the control knobs to appropriate positions and saving patches, or loading-in a set of patches - check the manual for details.

http://www.airburst.co.uk/oscar/ (plenty of detail about OSCar specifications and operation, also sound samples, even hand-drawn schematics)

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep99/articles/oscar.htm (fantastic more recent muso's article "Life of OSCar")"

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Y2K International Loop Festival

Via brian comnes:

"This has been a busy week with the NoiseFest Saturday and Loop Festival Thursday.

Attached are some pics from the Y2K6 Live Looping Festival. Rainer Straschill's rig has the Korg Wavestation (gratuitous synth porn) He's from Germany see www.straschill.de for more) and I threw in some cool shots of him in action. Rick Walker (festival organizer and looper par excellence) is the guy in the white suit. - love that chain and cymbal stuff

The Thursday night event was their "experimental" night so the sounds had some common DNA with the noise folks. The big difference of course was the musicality and nuance, much more of that with the loopers than the noise crowd. I know you focus on synths in your blog, but in effect what these looper folks are doing is capturing waveforms on the fly and then sustaining and layering them with the looper gear, then modulating the results and keeping it all interesting in real time. Is that really fundamentally different than drifting through a sequence of waveforms driven by a Korg Wavestation?? This year the computers were way more prominent than Echoplexes compared to last years presentation. The coolest instrument there by far was the Zaxophone which is basically a fiberglass or bamboo stick (pinned to a piezo much like a one note kalimba) played with a bow and modulated by a block of wood. This thing was almost human sounding, ranging from kids chatttering to orgasmic moans. There's a picture of that too. Unfortunately the artist from Japan was not on the official program so I am sorry he is anonymous. (maybe rick can supply the name)"

Title link takes you to more shots. Previous post on the festival.