kingdom melody on synthesizers

Published on Nov 24, 2013 Kingdom Melodies·13 videos

"Kingdom melody played on different analog (string) synthesizers with diashow."

I'm guessing the synths used in order are the ones pictured starting with the EMS Synthi for noise swashes, Eminent 310 for percussion and organs, KORG Poly-61 for fx, and the Eminent 310 again for the string ensemble. A KORG monotribe and Roland Juno-106 with full on custom wood case also show up in the video.

NUSofting Strings Dream

You might remember NUSofting from the Broken Drum Machine, daHornet, Groove Analogizer, Harp Time, Peti and more.

"Strings Dream is able to reproduce the infinite array of rich, analogue pads from the most famous strings machines in synthesizer history. Emulate the classic Eminent Solina as well as its sister keyboards from Elka, Crumar and even their Japanese cousins.

"Strings Dream Synthesizer" will be released in May 2009 first as VST plugin and later as AU. Extimated price 89 USD

Nice intro to strings machines features and history Check it out! [excerpt below]
SDS GUI screenshot Check it out!
First beta recording Check it out!"

"'Strings Dream Synthesizer' writings for docs,
2009 Luigi Felici nusofting.com
Edited by Scot Solida and Cj

About Strings Machines.
A remarkable number of musicians recognize the desirable sonic character of “string machines”. String machines were unique to the Seventies and nearly every major manufacturer offered some variation on the theme. ARP’s biggest selling instrument was in fact their Omni, an instrument that combined a string machine with a simple synthesizer. Even Moog got in on the act with their Opus 3.

Just as the Rhodes piano and Hammond organs were intended as portable solutions to musicians who desired the sound of more cumbersome (and expensive) instruments, string machines were seen as the gigging musician’s alternative to the orchestra. Or, at the very least, it was easier to carry around than a Mellotron! Of course, the string machines didn’t sound like an orchestra, but had a character that today’s musicians find quite appealing on its own merits.

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EMINENT 310U Unique DEMO - the JEAN-MICHEL JARRE ORGAN!

YouTube via AnalogAudio1
"This video shows the Eminent 310 Unique in action. This is the organ heard on Oxygene! The Eminent 310U was the first organ featuring an electronic string ensemble. It is a great instrument - even so in 1972, when it came out. An analog reverb is built in, also a leslie / chorus, which can add life to the sounds.

Addtional effects were not used in this video (except the introducing music with Small Stone pedal and delay to obtain the Oxygene-Sound). The best on the Eminent is the STRINGS ENSEMBLE, which produces the best synth-strings I ever heard."

Classic 1973 version 1 ARP String Ensemble (Eminent Solina)

via this auction

"If you are reading this, then you know what it means to have a real ARP/Eminent Solina in your setup instead of settling for "Solina" samples or "String Ensemble" patches on your other synths... The organic, lush, animated washes of sound that come from a genuine Solina are like no other instrument before or after, and quite simply defy sampling because of the "living" quality achieved by its raw oscillator tones passing through the wonderful triple-stage analog chorus with vintage 1970s TCA350 BBD chips. In fact, how many clones of the Solina chorus have we seen over the years attesting to the desirable sound of this effect?

But did you know that there were 3 versions of this famous instrument?

The original 1973 model (this one for sale) is the closest electronically and sonically to the fabled Eminent 310 Unique organ made famous by Jean Michel Jarre's Equinox and Oxygene albums. Very few of these original (ver.1) Solinas were made compared to the later versions, and it is widely accepted that with each revision the build quality and sound suffered due to cost-cutting and inferior circuit redesigns. You can identify an original 1973 model because it does not give the player the option of turning the chorus effect off. Later units have an extra red button either to the right side of the keyboard (ver.2) or on the front panel (ver.3) labeled "modulation" which toggles the chorus on/off. Frankly, the chorus is such an integral part of the Solina sound, I don't know why you'd ever bother turning it off. So don't be mistaken thinking that the original ver.1 Solina doesn't have that signature chorus just because the red button isn't there...it most certainly does, and sounds perhaps even better than late models because of those original warm TCA350 chips.

In the 1970s the Eminent Solina was imported by ARP for the US market and stickers for "String Ensemble SE-IV" were simply stuck over the original logos on the instruments. So if you are on the hunt for one or the other, it's the exact same instrument....in real life you can even see the original "Solina" logo raising slightly through the thin "SE-IV" sticker on the instrument.

So enough history...let's talk about this specific unit for sale:
This ver.1 Solina is in truly outstanding shape inside and out. Electronically is it 100% with the exception that the lowest G# key is not triggering. I've opened it up, and I can see that there is a tiny bit of corrosion on one of the circuit traces associated with that specific key, and I believe that flowing a little solder across that trace (or adding a centimeter's worth of jumper wire) will solve that issue..."

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Eminent Unique 310

via Jos: "I finished the repair of my Eminent Unique 310. You can read the reports in my blog [Eminent Unique 310 Restoration]. It took me a lot of work. I had to exchange 5 germanium diodes, 2 shorted capacitors, and a fried resistor. Cleaning the key contacts was very time consuming."

The ARP Ensemble Organ

There was some discussion of the ARP Ensemble Organ on AH.
From Ivan:
"I finally found the photo!? Took me a few hours of digging through back copies of Musical Merchandise review.? It is from the August 1974 issue and was shown at the June 1974 NAMM show: link [pictured]

So what David has is the same unit that was called the "Arp Ensemble."? Evidently it was sold with a Pro Soloist to make it a three-manual organ per the letter I got from a dealer ages ago: [link]

While searching for this info I also found a pic of the rare double-keyboard Mellotron: [link]"

Previously from Dave Hillel Wilson of the New England Synthesizer Museum had to say:
"It helps to remember that the ARP String Ensemble IV was really the Solina, manufactured by Eminent and rebadged by ARP. I bought a Pro Soloist a few years back from someone who told me it was the top keyboard on an organ. I played this organ and it sounded amazing, so I bought it for the Museum. It is called the Eminent 310, and is similar to the 310 U used by Jean-Michel Jarre."

images mirrored here

Update via Milo Johnson in the comments:
"That "double keyboard Mellotron" looks to be the Mellotron/Novatron Mark V prototype, and the year would be correct for it. There were 28 or 30 units made before the company finally folded. The Mellotron Mark I, Mark II, and SFX Consoles were all double-keyboard models as well, and there were an approximate total of 500 two-manual Mellotrons made in the early days. Fast forward to nowm when both Mellotron and Mellotronics are offering or developing new two-manual Mellotrons."

GForce String Machine

GForce's String Machine previously announced here is now available.

"Instrument Overview
The modern, polyphonic string synthesizer was invented in 1970 by Ken Freeman, a British keyboard player and engineer who discovered that if you layered a note with another detuned and slightly modulated version of itself, a pleasant ‘chorused’ sound resulted.

Even though Ken's invention wasn't the first instrument of this genre to be commercially released (That honor fell to the Eminent organ company with their 310 Unique organ) there's little doubt that Ken's vision contributed immeasurably to electronic music over the next few decades in the guise of over 100+ different models that followed from a huge variety of manufacturers.

The VSM is an intuitive but highly powerful Virtual String Machine which captures many of the sounds from this genre of instrument, containing a wealth of sounds from a small mountain of classic and rare string machines. These range from the first commercial string ensembles (Eminent 310 & Freeman String Symphonizer) through to the highly lauded Solina, Elka Rhapsody, Logan String Melody, Korg PE2000 and many more.

With the sheer amount of instruments captured within the VSM, it's simplicity itself to recreate all those golden string machine tones from yesteryear. However, with the VSM's comprehensive, yet intuitive feature-set, plus a two-layer option it's now possible to create your own hybrid instruments taking these sublime vintage tones into hitherto unchartered territory."

GForce Software

Update: Looks like the Yamaha GX1 will be added as well. Macaixa in the comments noticed this image and the following blurb after clicking through.

"?
A teaser of something that should appear in a VSM add-on pack. This instrument is a true rarity and something that we were truly privileged to play, let alone record."

If you look at this post you will see it's the programmer for the GX1.

Eminent 2000 Grand Theatre demonstration

YouTube via VintSynth
"This is not the Eminent 310 Jean-Michel Jarre used, but the string section is identical. Jarre used a Small Stone phaser, I have a Digitech."

Pure Analog 2

YouTube via magevers
"Pure analog with the vintage Roland SH-3a + SH-101 + TR-606 and with the Jean michel jarre organ Eminent 310
EFX
Delay: Roland DEP-5,
Reverb: SONAR 8,
Phaser: EH small stone on the Eminent.
Live recorded on 2 audio tracks with SONAR 8"

Eminent 310 String Synthesizer in Custom Case

Published on Jun 20, 2015 Roustem R

"This Eminent was broken to debris while transportation and decided to assemble its electroncs into new compact box. It took some years.."

ROLAND RS-09 - OXYGENE / JARRE sound with RS-09 + SMALL STONE

YouTube via AnalogAudio1
"If you want the OXYGENE / JARRE sound - and an Eminent 310 organ is to heavy, to big, to expensive for you - a Roland RS-09 "Organ / Strings" for example, can deliver a similar sound. Of course the sound is not 100% authentic like played with an Eminent, but it is a quite good compromise. On this video you hear a Roland RS-09, a Roland DEP-5 for delay and an Electro-Harmonix Small Stone Pedal."

OXYGENE Part 1 played with EMINENT 310 U Jean-Michel Jarre

YouTube via AnalogAudio1
"OXYGENE variation - played with Eminent 310U + Small Stone + digital delay and Lexicon MPX500 reverb... Music by Jean Michel Jarre. I love this organ!"

portable Eminent

YouTube via albertspyker
"This is a demo of the portable Eminent 310 I made."
Jean-Michel Jarre String Machine.

Chronologie 6 on portable Eminent

YouTube via albertspyker — May 25, 2010 — "Jean Michel Jarre's Chronologie 6 played on my portable Eminent 310 and Reason 4. The Roland Juno106 is just used as MIDI keyboard."

M-AUDIO GForce Virtual String Machine

"The Virtual String Machine from GForce brings the evocative tones of over a dozen of the finest vintage string synthesizers to your personal studio—Freeman String Symphonizer, Eminent 310, ARP Omni II, ARP Quartet, Crumar Multiman, Polymoog, Elka Rhapsody, Korg PE2000, Logan String Melody, Eminent Solina, Roland RS202, Yamaha SS30 and more. Far more than a preset device, the Virtual String Machine lets you layer any two of the 60 Sample Sets and apply an intuitive synthesis engine to each—as well as add master vintage phaser/ensemble effects. The result is a truly authentic and highly versatile range of textures, perfect for just about every musical genre. Mac/PC stand-alone or host operation (RTAS, VST, AU)."

Note this is from GForce/Gmedia, the group behind the Oddity, Minimonsta, M-Tron and impOSCar. If it's from then, it's sure to sound good.

Title link takes you to more info including samples.

JMJ Faux Pas

Some of you might have known that in this Sunday's UK Newspaper 'The Mail On Sunday' Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygene was given out for free with the price of the paper. Apparently the liner notes are as follows:

"Original score re-recorded (sic) and mixed by Jean Michel Jarre at JMJ Studio in High Definition 24 bits/96KHZ. "This album is dedicated to the following people without whom OXYGENE would never have existed: Pierre Schaeffer, who taught me everything in electro- acoustic and electronic music, Peter Zinovieff, who conceived the first European synthesizer and my first one, the VCS3, the Dutch company, Eminent, who built the fantastic string ensemble Eminent 310, Alan R. Pearlman, who created the ARP 2600 and 2500, Les Bradley, who developed the Mellotron, Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland , who gave us the Minipop (sic) and so many other marvels, Mike Matthews, who imagined these crazy pedals such as the Small Stone and the Electric Mistress, and my friend Robert Moog for obvious reasons."

Yep... That would be KORG that brought us the Minipops. If anyone can confirm this please do. This one via Benjamin Ward on the AH list.

SOLINA EMINENT 310 U - KORG MS 20 - ANALOG MUSIC

Video re-uploaded here.

Oxygene 4

YouTube via albertspyker | July 06, 2010

"Jean Michel Jarre's oxygene 4 played by Torben, Peter and myself on Roland XP80, Eminent 310, Roland Juno 106 and Keyo Minipops 7.
Recorded at our musicweekend in Denmark."

Vintage

albertspyker | July 06, 2010

"Jean Michel Jarre's "Vintage", played by Torben and me on Roland xp80 and Roland RD700.
Recorded at our musicweekend in Denmark."

EMINENT 310 U Handmade Miniature 1 6 scale

video by Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

Equinoxe 4 live jam

YouTube via Sydreyc. Sent my way via Mr. Array: "Per Kristian is the dude on the left playing the Synthex."
Video description:
"Me and a friend of mine is playing Jean Michel Jarre's Equinoxe 4, totally live and without rehersal :)
Instruments used are:
Access Virus TI
Roland D-50
Eminent 310 U
Elka Synthex
Mooog Etherwave Theremin
Roland TR-909"
perkristian