"Fully serviced and working great. The Synergy II+ is a digital additive/FM synthesizer that sounds like no other. Somewhat similar to the extremely popular Yamaha DX7, it's tone is mellower and warmer. A popular website states 700-800 were made and estimates less than 100 are in operation today. We don't know how they came up with this estimation, but this one's working great, as we just fully serviced it. Famous users include Jay Wires, Wendy Carlos, BT (crumar gds), Junkie XL and Steely Dan. Carlos used it on the Tron soundtrack and other recordings.
Previously, one needed an old Kaypro computer with special software to edit sounds, but someone recently developed an editor that can be run on a modern computer."
"Demo of original presets I've created using the Synergize editor with the Crumar DK Synergy synthesizer, and then recorded with the Synergia emulated version of the Synergy on an iMac M1. Synergize editor by Steve Tynor available at https://chinenual.github.io/synergize Synergia by Jari Kleimola available at https://jariseon.github.io/synergia/"
"Here’s the DK Synergy II+ we just refurbished and will soon put up for sale on our website at tonetweakers.com. The Synergy is an incredibly powerful FM / additive synthesizer that sounds somewhat similar to the famous Yamaha DX7 series, but many feel it sounds much better. We love both. Famous users include Jay Wires, Wendy Carlos and Donald Fagen. In the past, one needed to hook up their Synergy to a Kaypro computer running special software to create their own Synergy sounds. However, someone recently developed a new editor that runs on modern computers. This is a game changer - we can’t wait to hook our Synergy up to it!"
"Don’t have a Buchla 200 and Digital Keyboards Synergy to hand? No worries! Just put this video on in the background (in full-screen mode), and have the next best thing 😁
Here is 10 minutes of self-playing modular synthesiser randomness. Why not put it on loop - then you can have it bubbling away in the background while you do other things. Or maybe check out the playlist I have made with all the Background Modular Series videos: [playlist below]
A note on the patch: The Buchla (cloned) MARF is sending note and velocity (ie CV) data to the Synergy via a Kenton CV to MIDI converter - a very handy unit if you have a lot of analogue sequencers!
The Synergy is extremely flexible and you can set virtually any parameter to respond to velocity - and using the Kenton you can send any CV to modify the velocity over MIDI - something I am exploring at the moment
The Buchla 200 chimes really well with the Synergy. Don spent most of the late 70s and 80s exploring digital synthesis - starting out with hybrid systems (the 500 and 300 Series) and later fully digital systems (the Touche, 400 and 700 Series). The Synergy was developed at exactly the same time taking fully digital ideas to their logical extreme. It is a very capable system and the pairing with the 200 Series is sublime"
"The Synergy is a digital additive synthesizer that uses phase modulation with 32 digital oscillators and produces a unique sound. All functions have been tested and are in great working condition. This is a vintage Digital Keyboards Synergy synthesizer. This gem is a piece of music history, with an iconic sound that can be heard in such places as the Tron soundtrack. It has been used and loved, which shows, but is a great synth!
This unit is in excellent working condition, with only one known function issue. The Eb key in the 2nd octave on the keyboard seems to stick after the first time it is struck (it is playable again 1 time after each power-up). There are no other known issues. The pictures are of the actual item."
"These days, the Synergy is a super rare synthesizer to come across in the wild. Originally produced in 1982, it is estimated that less than 100 are still in operation across the globe. Interestingly, it ran off cartridges, something it had in common with the Nintendo Entertainment System!
Recently, I had the opportunity to recreate some of my favorite video game music on a Synergy. This video demonstrates some of the sound textures the synthesizer is capable of, while showcasing a beloved soundtrack through a unique lens.
Audio: Marble Madness Level One Music (Cover by Will C.)
Instrument: Digital Keyboards Synergy I Synthesizer
Spatial Audio Re-Mix in Binaural Stereo
• Marble Madness was released by Atari Games in 1984.
• Marble Madness was Atari's first game to use an FM sound chip produced by Yamaha, which is similar to a Yamaha DX7 synthesizer and creates the music in real time so that it is in synchronization with the game's on-screen action.
• The music composers behind Marble Madness, Brad Fuller and Hal Canon, first collaborated on a video game based on Michael Jackson's Thriller. The project was canceled and the two began working on an idea that eventually became Marble Madness."
"New album by Benge - part 15 of his FORMS Series - albums made on one synthesis system. Here is an ambient album made entirely on a Digital Keyboards Synergy II+ and Lexicon Model 200 / Primetime early digital FX
'The pure digital sounds of the D K Synergy, and the two very special effects units from the same year (1984), feature the same no-compromise approach to digital sound production, which in the early 80s was a very new territory for manufacturers and musicians to explore. To my ears, these abecedarian digital devices have a purity and warmth that is particularly suited to simple ambient pieces of music such as those presented on 'Dawn'. In some ways, it was the dawning of a new era for electronic music in general, and one which I happily reexplore on this album'"
Here is an ambient study by Benge, made on the D.K.Synergy digital synthesis system, Lexicon Model 200 reverb and Lexicon Prime Time Model 95 Stereo delay unit, SSL SiX mixer/compressor, SSL 2+ sound card. Shot on JVC KY-1900 video camera. Font used: Lazenby Computer. Field recordings of the dawn chorus, England, April 27th, 5:37am"
"Someone asked how I did something in another Synergy video so I'm showing how I went about it here. It looks like the overdubbed sequences are cutting off the last note played so its possible that you do need to enter an extra note for the overdubbed sequences as well. I will investigate this more in the next couple days."
"Using the sequencer on the DK Synergy to play back a beat. The sequencer has 4 channels and is a little tricky to program but it allow you to play 4 different sequences and play a 5th sound over top. Using a cartridge of sounds called VCart2."
"Messing around with some sounds on the DK Synergy. This is the MK1 version so no MIDI and no connectivity to the old Kaypro computers that work with the MK2. I have a couple cartridges for it with extra sounds one programmed by Wendy Carlos called Bells/Whistles and one called VCart2 which has some drum sounds and other things. I play a few of those sounds here along with some of the stock presets. It has a cool but weird 4 track sequencer so it's possible to sequence 4 different sounds and play a 5th over top. No way to sync it with other gear though."
00:00 Opening Titles 00:35 Introduction/Coming Up Today 01:16 Switched On - Digital Synths Part One 23:47 Commercial Break 25:08 Synthesiser Club - Moog Modular 27:20 Patching Today - Roland 100M 41:40 Video Lab - Video/Audio sync 46:14 Outro/Coming Up Next Time
SWITCHED ON - Featuring in-depth discussions about the history and development of the synthesiser over the years, including demonstrations and feature guides of many classic and iconic instruments
SYNTHESISER CLUB - A short musical demonstration of a synthesiser classic or three
PATCHING TODAY - A deep-dive into vintage modular systems and how to set up a patch on them, starting from scratch
VIDEO LAB - A look at old video equipment and how to create experimental visuals
SWITCHED ON DIGITAL SYNTHS (PART ONE) - a brief history of digital synthesis featuring some classic vintage instruments such as the Korg DW6000, Yamaha DX5, Emulator II and DK Synergy II+
LINKS: Benge's Studio Blog: http://myblogitsfullofstars.blogspot.com Memetune Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memetunestudio Benge on Bandcamp: https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com
The MemeTune Programme Credits: Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge) All music, design, writing, filming, editing and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2022"
"The Whole Synthesizer Catalgue, book, paperback, 1985 copyright, 158 pages. Excellent condition, no writing, Overall very clean. Covers many iconic and legendary analog synthesizers and some digital synthesizers. Includes Moog Mememorymoog, EMU Modular, Korg PS3300, Oberhem OBXxa, Oberhem 4 Voice, Oberheim Matrix 12, DK Synergy, DX7, Sequential Circuits Prophet T8, Prophet 10, MKS80, PPG Wave, Serge Modular, Chroma, Voyetra 8, Yamaha CS80, drum machines, and many more vintage legends. Some great information compiled from the pages of Keyboard Magazines. Edited by Tom Darter. Great book for the electronic music and synthesizer book library."
