MATRIXSYNTH Review and Overview of the Novation UltraNova

Hi everyone, you might remember, back in July I posted some pics of my newly acquired UltraNova, and mentioned that review posts would eventually follow. Well, I’m happy to tell you the first post is here. The UltraNova is one powerful synth, so to make the overall review a bit more consumable, it will be broken up over time. This first section includes an Overview, the Oscillators, and the Mixer sections. When new sections go up, I will be sure to let you know via a new post.

As with most of my reviews, I will say this one goes pretty deep into the synth engine and all editable parameters. If you are the type of person that likes to dissect and explore all of the available parameters on a synth, then this post is for you. I will touch on what each parameter does and will call out any interesting features and limitations as I do so. There are some pretty special parameters on the UltraNova that give you control beyond most other synths. Hopefully this review will give you some insight into what makes the UltraNova special.

Overview & Quick Comparison to Previous Nova Synths

The Novation UltraNova, released back in 2010, is a 20 voice virtual analog & wavetable synth with three oscillators, two ring modulators and one noise source per voice. The UltraNova also features two audio ins that can be assigned to the oscillator section and/or a 12-band vocoder. It’s worth noting that the Novation Nova from 1999 featured a 40-band vocoder, while the Supernova II from 2000 featured a 42-band vocoder. The UltraNova is a monotimbral synth while the 12 voice Nova was six part multitimbral and the Supernova II (24, 36, or 48 voice) was eight part multitimbral. The UltraNova supports up to 5 simultaneous effects per patch. The Nova supported 42 simultaneous effects, while the Supernova II supported up to 56. The Supernova II also supported FM synthesis while the Nova and UltraNova omit it.

The UltraNova, however, is the first Nova synth to feature wavetable synthesis. An interesting side note is that all of the oscillators on the UltraNova are actually stored as wavetables, including the standard waveforms. According to Novation, “The wavetables in the Supernova series are all calculated. The wavetables in the UltraNova, even the standard analogue waves are wavetable oscillators. This change in oscillator generation was first used on the A-Station and K-Station and subsequently in the KS series, X-Station and Xio.” This allows the UltraNova to have some advanced tricks when it comes to the oscillator section, which will be covered in detail below.

I asked Novation about the lack of FM synthesis and they told me, “FM would have been a lovely addition to the UltraNova, but it would have been asking too much of the DSP to be able to run everything the UltraNova can do and also add in FM. The wavetables were a really good way to introduce a new (to Novation) type of synthesis that is able to cater for some of the synth sounds that FM is known for and also to be able to create lush evolving pads.”

The UltraNova features two routable filters per voice with a total of 14 filter types to chose from including 6dB (no resonance), 12dB, 18dB, and 24dB with Lowpass, Bandpass and Hi-pass modes. The Nova and Supernova II lacked a 6dB mode.

As for hardware, although the UltraNova may have fewer knobs per function than its predecessors, it is extremely well laid out and super intuitive to use. Along with both keyboard velocity and aftertouch, the UltraNova has touch sensitive knobs. They literally respond to touch and can be assigned to various parameters. Worth noting, velocity is configurable, however, aftertouch is not. I found the aftertouch to be good, but it does require a little extra force than I prefer; it’s good for not accidentally triggering it, but not so good for subtle, natural performance.

Please note the above comparisons with the Nova and Supernova II were only for quick reference. The UltraNova of course is its own synth with a few tricks up its sleeves that are lacking in the original Nova line, including a level of control over the synth engine often only found in the modular realm. It sounds incredible, and for the price, currently only $599 new, it is an extremely flexible and powerful synth. You get the current top-of-the-line Novation Nova synth engine with new wavetables and more. The UltraNova is both a performance oriented synth as well as a synth programmers dream. It can be configured for easy access to specific parameters for a live situation, or you can dig as deep as you want with a clearly well thought out interface.

That said, let’s dig in.

The following review and overview will essentially go over the signal flow of the UltraNova followed by performance controls including the arpeggiator and the hardware interface. I’ll go into a little detail on what each feature can and cannot do in an attempt to give you a detailed idea of what the synth is capable of. Because my reviews tend to be a bit on the longer side, I will be posting the sections in chunks over time to make it easier on you to consume and for me to compose.

First we start with…

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Roland Museum Germany Massive Synthesizer Selloff - Most Gear for Sale in a Single Auction

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

This one in via Marko of Retrosound.de.

26.000,00 Euro gets it all.

via this auction

Someone needs to contact the Guiness Book of World Records. Longest list of gear for sale ever:

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New Elka Synthex 2 Digital Desktop Synth From Mario Maggi in the Works

This one is in via swissdoc and indirectly via Florian Anwander on the AH email list. This is not the new analog Elka Synthex clone from the new Finnish Generalmusic. This is however from the creator of the original Elka Synthex, Mario Maggi, and it is all digital. An interesting side note mentioned below is that Mario Maggi owns the Synthex name. Not sure what impact if any this might have on the upcoming Generalmusic Elka Synthex remake.


An Update: via swissdoc. It appears a filing for the name SYNTHEX was made on April 29, just three days ago. The filing is under category 15 which covers: "Electronic musical instruments; Electronic synthesizers; Electronic musical apparatus and instruments; Electric and electronic musical instruments; Mechanical, electric and electronic musical instruments; Electronic apparatus for synthesising music [musical instrument]."

"Hello to everyone,

my name is Enrico Cosimi, I'm the author of the text on ACM concerning the Synthex 2. I have been in touch, here in Rome/Italy, with Mario from the late Eigthies and, from the mid Nineties, I'm working with Mario on his "version two"; as you can imagine, Mario is a very very very busy kind of genius, who conceived and realized a lot of third party non-musical items (especially for telecommunications and health). I am not allowed to reveal all the data concerning the new Synthex 2 (b.t.w., it will be a digital equipment: would you dare to conceive an analog instrument with 128 LFOs and 64 EGs in the same box?), but - trust me - when it will be done, it will be a GREAT machine.

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New ADDAC504 Probabilistic Generator - Overview Videos

ADDAC504 Probabilistic Generator - Part 1 from ADDAC System on Vimeo.


ADDAC504 Probabilistic Generator - Part 2 from ADDAC System on Vimeo.

"This is a complex Gate / CV generator based on probabilities.

Modules Knob Functions
Each of the 5 Knobs have 3 diferent functions, each of these these can be accessed through the Menu/Trigger push-button.

Here’s the functions:

Knob 1:
%1 = Gate 1 Probability
5TG = Fifth Output Type: Trigger/Gate
N1 = Note 1 Tuning

Knob 2:
%2 = Gate 2 Probability
T.SIZE = Trigger Size
N2 = Note 2 Tuning

Knob 3:
%3 = Gate 3 Probability
DIR = LOCK Mode Direction: Backwards/pendulum/forward
N3 = Note 3 Tuning

Knob 4:
%4 = Gate 4 Probability
S.SIZE = LOCK Mode Sequence Size: up to 16 steps
N4 = Note 4 Tuning

Knob 5:
SWING X = Clock Swing X: 1 to 16
Y = Clock Swing Y: 1 to 16
N5 = Note 5 Tuning

Gate Outputs Behaviour
At every clock input, based on the four knobs probability settings, the module will select one active gate out, only one of the five gates will be active at all times. All Gate outputs can also behave as a Trigger instead, Trigger size can also be adjusted.

The knobs set the probabilities of each gate to be chosen, here's an example of how this operates

With all first four knobs at 12 o'clock the first Gate has 50% of being the chosen one, the remaining 50% of the times will be passed through the next knobs. So Gate 2 at 12 o'clock has 50% of the remaining 50% left by setting one, which leaves it with 25% chance of being the chosen one, the remaining 25% will be passed through Knob 3 which will have 12.5% chance of being the chosen one, the remaining 12.5% will be sent to Setting 4 which will have a probability of 6.25%. The remaining percentage left by the 4 Settings will always be the probability of Gate 5, in this case the remaining 6.25%.

Here's a couple more examples.

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Video Tours of Vintage Analog & Digital Synth Shops in Japan

Published on Dec 18, 2014 ED電音頻道 E.D.Music Channel

Playlist:
1. Analogue Synth Museum Tour ~ Five G @Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan 2014 (Part 1)
2. Analogue Synth Museum Tour ~ Five G, Japan 2014 (Part 2)
3. Analogue Synth Specialist Shop Tour ~ Five G Music @Tokyo, Japan 2004

BGM: 'Randomness' by Timmy Lok
*Special thanks to:
Five G from Tokyo, Japan.
Copyright: E.D. Music Co.

Analogue Synth Gallery Tour ~ Echigoya Music, Japan 2014

Published on Dec 21, 2014

Analogue Synth Gallery Tour ~ Echigoya Music, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan 2014
BGM: "Zeus" by Timmy Lok + Eddie Hui
*Special thanks to:
Echigoya Music from Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
Copyright: E.D. Music Co.

Analogue Synth Shop ~ Miyaji Wurly's @Tokyo, Japan 2014

Published on Dec 23, 2014

"*Special thanks to:
Miyaji Wurly's and Yukihiro Kanbe.
Copyright: E.D. Music Co."

Pro-Music Shop Tour ~ Rock On Music @Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan 2004


Published on Dec 27, 2014
BGM: "Randomness" by Timmy Lok
*Special thanks to:
Rock On Music, Tokyo, Japan
Copyright: E.D.Music Co.

Analogue Synth Shop Tour ~ Andy's Music @Shimo-Kitazawa, Japan 2004

Published on Dec 27, 2014

BGM: "Randomness" by Timmy Lok
*Special thanks to:
Yukihiro Kanbe, Andy's Music, Shimo-Kitazawa, Japan
Copyright: E.D.Music Co.

Pro-Music Synth Shop Tour ~ Junction Music @Tokyo, Japan 2004

Published on Dec 27, 2014

BGM: "Randomness" by Timmy Lok
*Special thanks to:
Abe Takashi, Junction Music, Tokyo, Japan
Copyright: E.D.Music Co.

korg prophecy virtual analog synthesizer

Published on Feb 7, 2015 bulishearth

KORG Prophecy's on eBay

The video description comes from Sound on Sound

"It's not a new synth -- it's seven! Korg's amazing new Prophecy offers analogue and FM synthesis, and physical modelling, and still costs under £1000. Unsurprisingly, SOS staff have been dying to review one ever since it was unveiled at this year's Frankfurt Musik Messe. Lucky man GORDON REID won the toss...

This is the story as it was told to me... In 1987, the former Sequential Circuits design team (responsible for classics such as the Prophet 5 and Prophet VS) began working for Korg. The company immediately bundled them out of sight, locked them in a room full of computers and said "design something for us". Locks were locked, bolts were bolted, and most people forgot that they had ever existed.

Years passed. Every day somebody from Korg would shove some food and water through a hole in the door. Then, one day, there was a timorous knock from inside. Locks were unlocked and bolts were drawn. When the door was opened, a pasty-faced individual peeked out, blinked in the light, and said, "We've designed something. It's called a Wavestation". "What does it do?" asked the guys from Korg. "Well, it's sort of a wavetable synthesizer, with vector synthesis, and wave sequencing". "Not bad" said the guys from Korg. "Now get back inside and design something else".

Years passed. Every day somebody from Korg would shove some food and water through a hole in the door. Then, one day, there was another timorous knock from inside. The door was opened, and an even pastier-faced individual peeked out, blinked in the light, and said "We've designed something else". "What does it do this time?" asked the guys from Korg. "Well, it does analogue synthesis" said the pasty-faced one. "And FM. Oh yes... and physical modelling of plucked strings. And brass. And reeds. And it can be programmed to handle any new synthesis techniques that may come along in the future... and it does them all simultaneously. We've called it the Open Architecture Synthesis System, or OASYS for short."

The executives at Korg were delighted, and instead of shoving the team back into their room, bought them dinner at an expensive Japanese restaurant. But there was a problem. At £10,000, the OASYS was expensive. Very expensive. So Korg turned to the developers and said, "Sorry guys, we've got to put you back in your room. We need something cheaper, something that will appeal to the average musician. Something, to be blunt, that we can sell in the mass markets."

Months passed. Every day somebody from Korg would shove some food and water through the hole in the door. Then, quite recently, there was a knock from inside. An extremely pasty-faced individual peeked out and said, "We've done what you asked". "What does it do?" asked the guys from Korg. "Well, it does analogue synthesis" said the pasty-faced one. "And FM. Oh yes... and physical modelling of plucked strings. And brass. And reeds. And, before you shove us back in the room... it does all that for less than £1,000." Thus did the Prophecy, as they say, come to pass.

OUTSIDE AND IN

Externally, the Korg Prophecy is a light but robust 37-note monosynth with a velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive keyboard. The styling is, to my eyes, new and refreshing, although a few people have commented on its similarities to the Yamaha VL1... A 2 x 40-character backlit LCD dominates the control panel, and is surrounded by buttons to the left and right, and knobs underneath. Conventional modulation and pitch-bend wheels, plus the 'log' (a combined mod-wheel and pressure-sensitive ribbon controller), round off the package. Most people will either love it or hate it. I love it...

Round the back, you'll find the inevitable MIDI In, Out and Thru, alongside inputs for an expression pedal, an on/off (sustain) foot-switch, and a socket for an EC5 MIDI controller. This can be used for patch selection when your hands are otherwise occupied. There's also a socket for a RAM card that will store arpeggiator patterns as well as patches. And, finally, there are the stereo audio outputs.

Internally, the Prophecy is just a computer, although it boasts no fewer than five processors. Three of these are the Texas Instruments TMS57002 DSPs used in the Korg G-series effects. The other two are for housekeeping: an NEC V55 looks after the user interface, key-scanning, and display, and a Toshiba H8 (which I've never heard of) looks after the three DSPs."

Happy New Year From MATRIXSYNTH! - A Look Back at 2014

Happy New Year everyone!

I want to start by thanking everyone that comes to MATRIXSYNTH and helps make it what it is - the readers, the supporters, and of course all the sponsors on the right.

THANK YOU and have a GREAT 2015!!!

This site is a labor of love and a ton of work. This site is ultimately meant to be an testament to everything synth in the making. We have over nine years of daily synth history captured here, 119,983 published posts. I can't wait to see what the future brings us in 2015!

That said, here are a few interesting bits from 2014 in the longest post of the year. ;)

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Vintage Maas-Rowe G-123 Grand Symphonic Carillon Electronic Keyboard

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

via this auction

"This extremely rare Maas-Rowe Symphonic Carillon is in excellent functional (manual playing only) and cosmetic condition. This electromechanical rarity plays up to 123 chimes of four different kinds using a keyboard interface. It can either play Flemish Bells, Westminster Bells, or the Symphonic Carillon bells, the latter of which is comprised of both minor-third-tuned bells ("Minor Bells") or major-third-tuned bells ("Major Bells"). For the Symphonic Carillon bells, it uses relay that allows the player to choose the key in which he will be playing by pressing the corresponding button for that key, which in turn selects an appropriate set of minor-third-tuned bells and a set of major-third-tuned bells. Being able to select which bells are tuned minor or major allows for much greater melodic and harmonic possibilities.

This carillon was purchased from Otero Junior College, Colorado. This particular symphonic carillon cost the college $28,000 when it was installed new in the college by Maas-Rowe in the early 1960s, which equates to over $200,000 in today's dollars. Receipts and other documentation will be provided to the buyer.

An external speaker that can be used in conjunction with its current monitor speaker. If you plan to mount this in a church and amplifiy it through a bell tower, 4 large tower speakers/horns can be provided to a buyer at an additional cost of $250/each, plus shipping. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of the most extensive (and expensive!!!) carillon systems that Maas-Rowe ever built.

Chime bell types include:
37 Major bells (which, when combined with minor bells, comprises the Symphonic Carillon)
49 Minor bells (which, when combined with major bells, comprises the Symphonic Carillon)
37 Flemish bells
11 Westminster chimes

One of the two large wood-paneled cabinets is the amplification section, which includes five power amplifiers. One of these power amplifiers is for powering a monitor speaker, and four of them are for powering tower speaker horns in a church belfry, facing in four separate directions. The Hammond speaker shown on the right is not original to this carillon. The other of the two large wood-paneled cabinets houses Maas-Rowe Chronobell system, which is the timing and roll-playing system. The Westminster chimes have their own cabinet. The Flemish chimes have their own cabinet as well. The minor bells and major bells are all housed in the carillon console itself.

If you want this instrument for recording studio use rather than for church use, the footprint of this instrument can be reduced by 75% for more compact use, so that it takes up only the same amount of space as a Hammond organ. If you put a preamplifier/amplifier at the bottom of the keyboard console, you wouldn't need the electronics in the two tall cabinets, and you wouldn't need the Westminster chimes, as they are controlled by the clock cabinet only. Also, if DI the instrument-level signal directly from the keyboard console's Symphonic Carillon bells and from the Flemish Bells cabinet to an external preamplifier, you wouldn't need the Hammond speaker. Then, if you stick the flemish cabinet behind the console, the amount of floor and wall space that this would take up would be the same as that of a Hammond C3 organ.

Also included are 15 mylar player rolls. Please note that we have bypassed it (it was working before we bypassed it) several years ago, so we do not guarantee the functionality of the automatic player system...only the manual-playing system is guaranteed to be fully functional. There are about 8-12 songs on each roll, thereby providing 120-180 songs total. This also comes with three copies of the on-off switch key for the carillon console, as well as four copies of the key needed to open and close the two cabinet doors.

Due to the size of this carillon, it will need to be shipped freight, for which the rate varies depending on the buyer's location. Please contact me get a specific shipping quote to your location. The $500 is just an estimate; the buyer will be responsible for the actual shipping cost."

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Roland's AIRA Officially Unveiled - Massive Pic Gallery, Details, Videos

AIRA — Artists make first contact with AIRA

Published on Feb 13, 2014 RolandChannel·835 videos

"Groundbreaking artists talk about their experiences with Roland instruments and make first contact with the AIRA gear. Artists appearing are: Arthur Baker, Ricardo Villalobos, A Guy Called Gerald, Rain Man, Netsky, Oscar Burnside, Boys Noize, Dr Meaker, Hardfloor, John Heckle, Hisashi Saito, and Akkord."

This post might take a bit to load. :)

Update3: You can find a write-up on Novamusik here.

Update2: You can find comments and discussion on this post on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge here. I also added a page break for this post on the main site so it doesn't slow the site down for new posts. Click the "Click for more" link to get to the full post.

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TB-303 Clone＜BassBoy+[Juteon-Shonen]＞ 【重低音少年】 Sound Demo

Published on Jan 8, 2014 電子音屋ヨクシー·47 videos

"TB-303のクローンであるセルビア共和国製の音源ボードBassBoy+を
日本人のエンジニアによりオリジナルでガジェット化した「重低音少年」という製品の
サウンド・デモを私、電子音屋ヨクシーのオリジナル動画でお届けします。
小さいながらも、そのサウンドは分厚く、よりTB-303に近い音がします。
圧巻の暴れ具合をご堪能下さい。

※途中のDelayサウンドは本機の機能ではありません

The sound demonstration of the product called "重低音少年" which it was original,
and made sound source board BassBoy+ made in the Republic of Serbia which was
a clone of TB-303 a gadget by a Japanese engineer
I send it by me, an original movie of electric sound organizer YOΞ.
The sound is thick although being small, and I hear a sound nearer TB-303.
Of the best part act violently, and, please thoroughly enjoy condition.
※ The Delay sound on the way is not a function of this plane

音源ボード「BASSBOY+」についてはこちらのメーカーサイトをご覧下さい。
Look at this maker site about sound source board "BASSBOY+".
http://www.mikroe.com/add-on-boards/a...

「重低音少年」については販売店 Five Gのサイトでご覧下さい。
Look in a site of store Five G about "重低音少年".
http://www.fiveg.net/

デモ・トラック、Freeダウンロード⇒https://soundcloud.com/yo-17
電子音屋ヨクシーのブログ⇒http://yoshitb303.blogspot.jp/

Please listen to Demo Track⇒https://soundcloud.com/yo-17"

Playing DarkEnergy2 by MS-20 mini with Log/Exp Amp

Published on Jan 5, 2014 Motohiko Takeda·63 videos

Update:

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iPad iPhone Music App: CrazySpace Gravity Synth

Published on Aug 13, 2013

Please subscribe!
Read the review and info here: http://synthuniverse.com/crazyspace-g...

iTunes:
CrazySpace - Gravity Synth - Mordapps

"CrazySpace is the App Stores very first gravity modulated subtractive synthesizer. Using our unique multitouch control system, musicians and non-musicians will be able to start shredding in no time at all.

Featuring a powerful synthesis engine with a total of fifteen high quality oscillators, delivering five voice polyphony at 16 Bit 44,100Hz and a high quality resonant low pass filter. This synthesizer is suitable for jamming on a train or performing huge synth lines on stage.

The easy to use programmable scale system allows the user to access twenty well known scales in any key they desire. Ranging from major and minor scales all the way to the beautiful sounding dorian scale, the possibilities are endless.

Gravity modulation is controlled via the displayed objects orbiting a central point. Each object represents an oscillator in the synthesizer engine. The size of the each object correlates to the oscillators volume. Using gravity to modulate individual oscillator volume creates a movement to the sound which is not present in traditional subtractive synthesis.

CrazySpace is a universal application for iOS 5 or above, compatible on iPhone 4S/5, iPad 2 or above and iPod Touch 5th Generation.

Visit us at www.mordapps.co.uk or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mordapps."

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Serge ASR/Quantizer

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

via this auction

"VCTimeGen Clock (TGC)

The VC TimeGen Clock has the left cell "blue" out being an asymmetrical tri wave & "red"out being a 50% duty cycle square wave output which stays constant through the manual "freq' POT range in combination with the "both" position selected w/ external CV -- BUT with the ability to modify the duty cycle (pulsewidth) of the output(s) using external CV source from either the front or the back ofthe pulse by selecting "rise" or "fall" on the CV source select switch. That way you can create syncopation in the rhythm patches & pulse width mod in the audio range use.

The right cell has DTG functionality, just like the CV TimeGen OSC.

÷N Comparator (NCOM)

The ÷ N COMPARATOR (NCOM) consists of two sections: a comparator and a voltage-controlled pulse divider. The divider section outputs a pulse once every "N" comparator pulse, where "N" is a number from 1 to 31, settable with a control voltageat the divider's VC input (or manually via the divider's control knob). Additionally, the Divider outputs a staircase wave with "N" steps.This will produce whole-tone steps when plugged into the 1 V/Oct input of aVCO.

This module has two distinct areas of use (in addition to the normal functions of the comparator):

For audio frequencies, the divider can be set to output sub-divided frequencies with digital precision. Output frequency depends on "N". If "N"= 2, 3, 4, etc., the output frequencies will be an octave, an octave and a fifth. or two octaves below the input, respectively. Because "N"is voltage controllable, arpeggios and various melodies can easily be programmed. The nature of this type of division (integer division), results in frequencies that fall along the sub-harmonic series, a series that has great tonal charm.
For sub-audio frequencies, the divider acts like a counter, outputting a pulse only after "N" number of input pulses. Input pulses can be fairly random, or regular. This capability is especially powerful for determining tempos and rhythmic patterns when using several sequencers (especially if the "N" vc input is taken from one of a sequencers rows of controls). In a more random situation, using a microphone preamp/detector as input. the divider might be set to count how many times a sound of a certain loudness will have occurred, and be set to trigger an event upon reaching the count. Since the count can be made variable (from 1 to 31), fairly complex and subtle inter-actions can be generated.
Wizardry: With feedback, this can be patch-programmed to oscillate.You can vary the frequency by turning the divider control knob. Using this module to divide clock pulses is an obvious application; it is also useful for dividing high-frequency audio.

DualAnalog Shift Register w/ input attenuator pot (2ASR)

The ANALOG SHIFT REGISTER (ASR) is a sequential sample and hold module for producing arabesque-like forms in musicalspace (see diagram). Whenever pulsed, the previously held voltage is sent down the line to three consecutive outputs to produce the electrical equivalent of a canonical musical structure. A pulse output permits linking two or more Analog Shift Registers together to form longer patterns.

Quantizer(QUAN)
The QUANTIZER (QUAN) provides a simple means to turn any control voltage into voltage steps corresponding to well tuned (equal - tempered) tones of the musical scale. It is scaled to 1volt per octave. Thus, a zero to +5 volt envelope at the Quantizer's input produces a staircase of voltages corresponding to a chromatic scale spanningfive octaves.

If patched to the 1 volt per octave input of an oscillator tuned to "E", a gradual slope of 1 volt applied to the input of the Quantizer will produce the following steps of the musical scales:
E - F - F# - G - G# - A - A# - B - C - C# - D - D# - E. (normal chromaticscale)

If the 1/6 Scale Select is HIGH, then the scale produced will be:
E - F# - G# - A# - C - D - E. (whole - tone scale)

If the 1/3 Scale select is HIGH, then the scale produced will be:
E - G# - C - E. (scale of major third steps)

If both the 1/6 and 1/3 inputs are high, the scale will be:
E - F - G# - A - C - C# - E. (alternating half - step/minor third step)

Since the Scale Select inputs can be activated very quickly, the Quantizer can produce a very wide variety of tonal effects, quickly moving between four different types of musical scales(chromatic, whole - tone, the augmented triad, and a six - step major - minor scale often heard in certain oriental musics).

The Quantizer features six channels, as a "stand - alone" module, and takes up two inches of panel space. Accuracy of the Quantizer is 3 cents maximum deviation from the ideal equal -tempered semi - tone over a five octave range (i.e. just about the limits ofpitch sensitivity of the human ear). Response time for all channels is about 8 milliseconds."

Vote for x0xb0x Creator Limor Fried as Entrepreneur of 2012

In glorious hot pink hair, the maker who brought us the orginal x0xb0x, Limor Fried, aka ladyada of Adafruit Industries.

Vote for her for Entrepeneur of 2012 here. Go ladyada! Worth noting is she directly employs 25 people according to the contest, but she also indirectly contributes to all the x0xb0x makers out there.

via Boing Boing

Maker Camp Week Five video below featuring ladyada. Below that you'll find a great interview from 2009 previously posted here.

You can see the x0xb0x featured in her portfolio for 2005 here (dated 2004-2005). And of course see the x0xb0x label here for 490 x0xb0x posts to date!


YouTube Published on Aug 10, 2012 by makemagazine

"Join Maker Camp on Google+ http://g.co/makercamp"

Blip Festival 2012 NYC with Hand-Ons Events

Blip Festival NYC 2012
"NEW YORK, NY - Thrift-store electronics collide with dancefloor sensibilities as Blip Festival makes its long-awaited return to New York City. Produced by 8bitpeoples in association with The Tank and Live Nation, the Blip Festival 2012 finds Manhattan once again at the center of the chipmusic universe. From May 25-27, musicians and visualists from all corners of the globe assemble at the Gramercy Theatre to perform astonishing music & motion graphics, produced on & inspired by early-generation home computers and gaming consoles.

The Blip Festival Blog launches with artist interviews and the debut of a short documentary film by 2PLAYERPRODUCTIONS. The 10 minute piece documents the 2011 edition of Blip that took place at the Eyebeam Art & Technology Center last May. The past few years have seen 2PLAYERPRODUCTIONS move on from their humble origins documenting the first Blip Festival in their feature length debut Reformat the Planet, to leading high profile Kickstarter campaigns for documentaries about game industry heavyweights Mojang and Doublefine.

WATCH BLIP FESTIVAL 2011 // FIVE YEARS by 2PLAYERPRODUCTIONS

READ Blip On: Danimal Cannon

READ Blip On: Monodeer

DAYTIME EVENTS:

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Modular at Five G Synth Harajuku, Tokyo

via Music of Sound

Five G Synth Shop, Harajuku

YouTube Uploaded by youshriek on May 10, 2011

waving the camera around Tokyo last year. the music is "Well Enough Alone", a remix in-progress for You Shriek's "Heaven & Sorrow Ex Post Facto" collection. Original is on the album Somewhere Between (Heaven & Sorrow).

Five G Moog TAURUS RACK

via Five G

via pokmijn

"It is the one that MOOG TAURUS was rackmounted with FiveG.JAPAN ON/OFF of the note and the pipe bend and ON/OFF of the MOD wheel and GLIDE can be controlled with MIDI."

ROCK SCHOOL Series 2

You might want to bookmark this one to come back to as you have time. I have posted videos from the Rock School series in the past, but this is currently the most comprehensive set if not the complete series - eight episodes broken up into twenty four videos. I opted to create eight playlists for the eight episodes so you can read the description for each under each set of three videos. This one in via willy who sent in Series 2 - Episode 5 (part 3 of 3) with Bill Bruford explaining his simmons drums. I figured I'd put the whole series up. Videos below.


YouTube Uploaded by tomstimemachine on Jul 14, 2008

"Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day.

Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement.

This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987.

EPISODE ONE

KEYBOARDS
THE ACOUSTIC PIANO WITH THE COMMUNARDS ON "BREADLINE BRITAIN" AND HERBIE HANCOCK.

HISTORY OF THE SYNTHESISER
TOUCH SENSITIVITY, MODULAR SYNTHS, MINI MOOG, CLIP OF JAN HAMMER AND THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA IN 1972, CLIP OF RICK WAKEMAN, POLYPHONIC SYNTHS, MELLOTRON, TONY BANKS, SYNTHS WITH MEMORY SUCH AS THE PROPHET FIVE, CLIP OF JAPAN ON THE "OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST", RACK-MOUNTED EFFECTS.

HOW DOES A SYNTH WORK ?
WAVEFORMS, OSCILLATORS, HOW TO CREATE A SOUND, WHAT TO PLAY - CLIP OF THOMAS DOLBY."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Where is this?

via tumblr via Obscotch-

Five-G is the first to come to mind. Anyone know?