"Longing for lullabies" - on Elka X-30

video upload by organfairy

"This is probably the newest song I have ever presented here on YT. But I wanted to make something in multitrack where everything is played on the X-30 and I thought this particular melody by Kleerup was a good choise. In this video I open up the instrument to fix some bad connections. And I also answer the somewhat relevant question 'what is Percussive Maintenance'."

"But love me" - on ELKA X-30

YouTube via organfairy
"The ELKA X-30 has the wonderfull capability to act like a pseudo-three-manual organ (the lower manual can split in two sections each with their own voicing). Here I use it to play an old middle-of-the-road/country song - originally recorded by Janie Fricke - that I recall from my early teenage years.
The organ is also controlling the Roland JX-8P synthesizer (not visible in the picture)."

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - on 5 organs...

YouTube via organfairy.

Interestingly this one kicks in at :51 as well (see last post).
"...and two synthesizers, two toy keyboards, and a computer soundcard. This is one of the most complicated arrangements I have ever done. Most of the orchestra was pre-recorded as a MIDI file that runs on the computer driving the Roland soundcard, the Yamaha HE-8 and ELKA X-30 organs, and the SIEL DK-80 and Roland JX-8P synthesizers. The parts that I am playing manually is performed on the ELKA EP-8 and X-1000 and Technics SX-C600 organs, the little CASIO SA-1 toy keyboard, and the MT-240 for the gong in the very end. I don't know if Freddie Mercury who wrote it was a genius or a madman. But it is one of the strangest pieces I have ever played.... "

Elka X25

images via this auction

"ELKA X25 Keyboard / Organ / Synthesizer, in VGC.

Serial Number 4058.

This is a vintage, circa 1980 to 1984? proffessional instrument, from Italian manufacturer ELKA."

Anyone know more about these?

Update via organfairy:
"The ELKA X-25 was produced from 1984 to 1988 or 89 when it was replaced with the X-45. It is the portable version of the EP-8 and a little brother to the X-30. It is an analog/digital hybrid design - as far as I remember based on the 80C51 microprocessor. There were also a version with accordeon buttons available. "

The Top 100 Synths According to the A-Z of Analog Synths

via Ethan Callendar in the comments of this post. Thank you Ethan! Click the image to shoot Peter an email on the availability of the A-Z Books. I have them and they are very, very good - an absolute must have for synth enthusiasts.

"Here are the top 100 according to Peter Forrest's "A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers:

1. Moog Memorymoog (LAM)
2. Roland MKS-80 (w/MPG-80 + MKB-1000)
3. Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (Rev 3)
4. Moog Memorymoog Plus
5. Sequential Circuits Prophet-10
6. Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (Rev 2)
7. Oberheim Matrix-12
8. Sequential Circuits Prophet-T8
9. Moog Original Prototype
10. Oberheim Xpander

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vintage Synth Scans

Click here for pdf scans of various synth brochures and articles. I tried to list all models below. Apologies for the long list but if you are searching for this stuff via your favorite search engine, this is the only way it'll come up, and finding that oddball rare scan can be absolute gold.


Roland
JX-8P and PG-800, JX-3P and PG-200, Jupiter-6, Juno-106, Synth Plus-60 (HS-60), SH-101 and MGS-1, EP-50, MPU-101, MPU-103, TR-707. TR-909, TR-606, TB-303, CR-8000, CR-5000, SBX-80, MSQ-100, MSQ-700, JSQ-60, BOSS Dr. Rhythm DR220A and DR-220E, Alpha-DRUM DDR-30/PD-10/PD-20, Alpha Juno-1 and Alpha Juno-2, DEP-5, DG CMU-810 Compu Synth, Juno-106, Juno-6, Super JX JX-10, MKS-100, MKS-50, MKS-7, MKS-70, SBX-80, SDE-3000/1000/2000, TR-505, Octapad PAD-8, TR-727, Jupiter-8, MC-8, System 700, CPE-800, VCA-800, System 100M, System 100, Jupiter-4, Promars, SH-2, SH-09, CSQ-600, CSQ-100, SH-1, SH-5, SH-2000, SH-7, SH-3A, SH-1000, VP-330, RS-09, RS-505, SA-09, SIP-300, SIP-301, SPA-240, SPA-120, SPV-355, SVC-350, SBF-325, SDD-320, SPH-323, SMX-880, SRE-555, RE-502, DC-30, DC-20, CR-78, CR-68, TR-66, MKB-1000, MKS-30, MKB-300, MKS-10, MKS-80, MPG-80, JX-3P, MC-4, MM-4, MC-202, MIDI-DCB, MTR-100, CV Interface, Piano Plus-400 HP-400, Piano Plus-300 HP-300, RE-150, RE-501, RT-1L, MPU-104, MPU-105, Cube-100 (CK-100), Cube-60 (CK-60), Cube-40 (CK-40), KS-2, KS05, KS-6, KS-11, KS-1000, TB Series Carrying cases, PSA AC Adapters, KS-1100, SC series soft cases, AB series resin-molded cases, MR-1, RH-10, DP-2/6, FS-1/2/3, M-16C/64C, BR-2/3, RD-1000, MKS-20, MKB-200

Yamaha (note the documentation adds the - in the descriptions. So you CS70M in the title, but CS-70M in the body). I thought that was interesting.
CP-30, CP-20, GS-1, CP-10, CP-11, CS-70M, CS-40M, CS-20M, MQ802, CP-80, SK-50D, SK-15, CS-15D, CE-20, CS-01, CS-15, CS-5, SK-30, SK-20, SK-15, SK-10, GS-2, CE-20, MA-10, MM-10, MH-10, KS-50, KS-100, E1005, E1010, MQ802, CP-80, CP-70B, CP-35, CP-25.

Korg
PS-3300, PS-3200, PS-3100, PS-3010, PS-3040, PS-3050, PS-3001, VC-10, MS-10, MS-20, MS-50, SQ-10, MS-03, MS-02, MS-01, 800DV, 700S, 900PS, M-500SP, PE-2000, PE-1000, KA-180, FK-3, FK-1, V-C-F, Mr. Multi, SE-500, SE-300, EM-570, SP-2035, SM-20, Mini Pops 120W 120P, Mini Pops 7, Mini Pops 45, Mini Pops 35, Mini Pops Junior, Korg Quartz, WT-10A, GT-6, RT-10,

Vintage Synth Story - magazine scans
Crumar DS2, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, RSF Kobol, Roland TB-303 and TR-606, TR-808, PPG Wave Computer, PPG Wave 2, Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar, EMS Polyvoks, Oberheim OB-X, Octave-Plateau Voyetra Eight, EMS Polysynthi, Moog Minimoog, LinnDrum, Korg PS-3100, Korg MS20, EMS Synthi AKS, ELKA Synthex, ARP Sequencer, ARP Quadra, Korg Polysix, Korg PS-3200, Moog System 3P, Korg Trident mkII, Moog Liberation, Memormoog, Mutron Bi-phase, Oberheim 2 Voix, Oberheim Xpander, PPG Wave 2.3, Roland CR-78, Roland VP-330, RSF PolyKobol, Moog 960 and 961, Sequential Circuits Prophet 10, Vox Super Continental, Yamaha CS-15, ARP, Chroma, Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, EMS Vocoder 5000, E-MU Drumulator, Korg Story, Yamaha CS70M, Korg, Synton Syrinx, Roland MC-4, Oberheim 6 voix, Simmons SDS V, Simmons SDS.3, PolyKobol RSF, Keyboards Synthe Story Part 1 and Part 2.

Ultravox Synths Take 2

Title link takes you to a previous post I put up on Ultravox Synths. Micke just posted the following on this VSE thread.

Did you know:

1) that the fat bass line on Ultravox' song "Slow Motion" (off of Systems of romance, 1978) was actually played by Chris Cross on his EMS-Synthi?

2) that the EMS synthi, Arp Odyssey (and Elka Rhapsody) were the only synths used for U-Vox' 2nd album "Ha, Ha, Ha" (1977)?

3) that the Elka Rhapsody 610 was used for the string sounds on U-vox' first three albums?

4) that Brian Eno programmed the Minimoog (his own synth) on the early U-vox songs "My way" and "Slip Away"?

5) that the kick drum, snare and hi-hat on U'vox' cues "Dislocation" were done on Billy Currie's Arp Odyssey with lots of fx added?

6) that the Minimoog is responsible for the bassline on "Quite Man"

7) that the Oberheim OB-X was used mainly for solos on U-vox album "Rage in Eden"?

8) that Billy Currie bought a Yamaha CS-80 in late 1979 and used it on songs like "Mr.X" (Vienna), "Western promise" (Vienna") "I Remember" (Rage In Eden), "Hymn" (Quartet)?

9) that U-vox' main string-machine between 1980-1984 was the Yamaha SS-30?

10) that the Yamaha GS-1 FM synthesizer was used for the solo in "Mine for life"?

11) that the EMS-Synthi was U-vox's very first synth back in early '77 or thereabouts?
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Also see Midge Ure on the Minimoog used for the bassline in Viena.