Realistic Moog MG-1 Meets the Oscilloscope

YouTube via defzeppardica — May 25, 2010 — "A quick video showing what the MG-1 sounds and looks like. Go Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets!"

Sequential Synth Tips With Evan Hodges: Scoring For Film With The OB-6, Part 2

video upload by Sequential

"Welcome back to 'Sequential Synth Tips,' where some of our favorite artists share their tips, tricks, and techniques on a Sequential synth. In this episode, we feature composer Evan Hodges demonstrating the techniques he uses to integrate the OB-6 with other instruments and sounds for a film score.

Evan Hodges is a composer for film and mixed media that holds a degree in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University. He has scored more than 50 films, including both feature films and short films, two musicals, and a full video game soundtrack. Scoring comes intuitively to Hodges. His background and training in jazz, with its highly improvisational component, allows him to adapt quickly and easily to score both simple and advanced thematic musical cues appropriate for every scene. In 2017, Hodges scored the feature, The Canadoo. He was Emmy-nominated in 2018 for the PBS documentary feature, My Dear Children.
Follow Evan here:
http://www.evanhodges.com/

More about Sequential and the OB-6:
https://www.sequential.com/product/ob-6/"

You can find additional Sequential Synth Tips here.

Gospel Musicians' "BlueBeast" vs. the og EX5

video upload by

Check out Gospel Musicians video below.

"BlueBeast is here: https://gospelmusicians.com/products/...
Here's an A/B comparison of #gospelmusicians ' "#bluebeast " plugin vs. the original #YamahaEX5 . Also, a closer look at #PureSynth, the underlying software used to create that plugin. Table of contents:"

00:00 intro (G01 Swell Strings)
00:25 hi
01:00 creating one of the patches in PureSynth/BlueBeast: about PureSynth
01:37 Reaper's "Snapshot" extension for quick A/B testing
01:58 examining the original patch on the EX5 (F11 SynthClassic)
02:20 loading the correct waves into PureSynth
02:36 filter setup
02:46 amp & filter envelope
02:59 pitch lfo
03:22 volume adjustment
03:36 effects
04:24 finetuning
04:55 summary
05:21 sending in the first batch of patches and feedback ;-)
06:01 A/B testing some patches: A01 Piano
06:39 A12 Georgia
06:56 some important things to consider!
07:25 A14 Soulful
07:58 B02 Made in USA
08:15 Jazz Organ
08:43 C15 Fast Organ
09:05 D05 Tube Crunch
09:26 E04 My Big Section
09:42 E10 VeloTrombone
09:58 F07 Obersync
10:28 F13 Oberbrass
10:49 G01 Swell Strings
11:15 G11 AnaOrch
11:40 G16 Abendstern
12:31 H05 DreamPad
12:52 H12 Luminosity
13:13 A01 Oberweich
13:59 A03 Silverlake
14:37 D07 Kunimotone
15:10 E13 Boogie Bass
15:23 F06 UniPulser
15:50 G12 Flute
16:01 G16 Shakuhachi
16:22 H05 Kosmik
16:43 H07 Asian Rain
17:01 A05 Analog Bros
17:19 B04 Alaska
18:01 conclusion

HÄLP ZIS CHANNEL
https://www.patreon.com/floyd_steinberg
https://floydsteinberg.gumroad.com/
https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/

the BlueBeast® - Yamaha EX5 Virtual Sample Library for Desktop and iOS

video upload by Gospel Musicians

"Released in 1998, this was the first synthesizer I actually fell in love with. The EX5 was way beyond its time as it featured Analog Modeling, Virtual Acoustic Modeling, FDSP multi-Synthesis Modeling and of course sample playback. With a mixture of all of these sound synthesis techniques, the EX5 was literally a Blue Beast®. We were not able to capture all of the virtual modeling, but what we were able to capture was the warmth, phatness, and essence of the machine. We also were able to convert the analog waveforms into our own Phat Table™ format to capture all of the analog goodness of the VL technology. What you get in this virtual instrument is a beautifully sampled nostalgic representation in the spirit of the EX5. This is by far the most exhaustive and meticulously sampled EX5 virtual instrument, and is the closest you will ever get to the real thing.

Yamaha EX5 Virtual Instrument
30GB Sample Library Size
384 User & Perf Factory Presets
Includes all RAW Waveforms
Sampled Factory Voice Presets
AN Modeled Wavetables
Includes all Drum Kits
All Sampled VL Elements"

Sequential Synth Tips With Evan Hodges: Scoring For film With The OB-6

video by Sequential

"Welcome back to 'Sequential Synth Tips,' where some of our favorite artists share their tips, tricks, and techniques on a Sequential synth. In this episode, we feature composer Evan Hodges demonstrating the techniques he uses with the OB-6 to create scores for film.

Evan Hodges is a composer for film and mixed media that holds a degree in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University. He has scored more than 50 films, including both feature films and short films, two musicals, and a full video game soundtrack. Scoring comes intuitively to Hodges. His background and training in jazz, with its highly improvisational component, allows him to adapt quickly and easily to score both simple and advanced thematic musical cues appropriate for every scene. In 2017, Hodges scored the feature, The Canadoo. He was Emmy-nominated in 2018 for the PBS documentary feature, My Dear Children.

Follow Evan here:

http://www.evanhodges.com/"

2010 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition winner - The Double Slide Controller by Tomas Henriques

YouTube via GTCMT | March 15, 2010

"Tomas Henriques plays his First Prize instrument, The Double Slide Controller, at the 2010 Guthman Musical Instruments Competition held at Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology."

The Producers - She Sheila - Oberheim OB- X Keytar

YouTube via Louvers. via khoral.
"The New Wave band from Atlanta, Georgia called The Producers with their MTV hit video "She Sheila" from 1982. I posted this up for my wife. This is one of her all time 80's favorites."

Move over Edgar Winter. We have an Oberheim OB-X keytar. :)
Anyone know more about this? Update: answer via Brian in the comments.

For reference: Edgar Winter's Frankenstein with the ARP 2600 Keytar previously posted here.


YouTube via joneps.

Update via Adam in the comments:
Matt Berry spoof on second vid:
Snuff Box - Empty Room

Empty Room Suicide song.
previously posted here where you'll find a few more.

Moogfest 2014 Presenters Include Makers Roger Linn, Dave Smith, Tom Oberheim, Don Buchla, Forest Mims & More

"Moogfest 2014 Announces Daytime Presenters Including Futurists, Musicians, Scientists, Authors, Filmmakers, and Pioneers of Electronic Music Instrument Design

Phase 1 tickets start at $199 for 5-Day General Admission, and $499 for 5-Day VIP Admission while supplies last through December 19 when Phase 2 GA tickets go up to $299. All prices exclusive of applicable fees.

ASHEVILLE, NC – November 14, 2013 – Moogfest is a five-day festival dedicated to the synthesis of technology, art and music. Since its inception in 2004, Moogfest has been a magnet for artists, engineers, and enthusiasts of Bob Moog. With an experimental lineup of daytime conference programming featuring cultural, artistic and technological luminaries and punctuated by a diverse line up of landmark nightly performances, Moogfest honors the creativity and inventiveness of Dr. Robert Moog and pays tribute to the legacy of the analog synthesizer. This is no ordinary festival.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Lainhart Performance at CitySkies09

via Richard Lainhart

"Friends: for your listening pleasure, here's a link to MP3s of my performance and the music from my workshop at City Skies 2009 on Saturday May 9 at Kavarna in Decatur, Georgia (along with many of the other sets from the three-day festival). The music is all performed live with Buchla 200e and Haken Continuum, with no prerecorded tracks. The evening performance is about an hour, and consists of structured improvisations and compositions that provide the soundtracks to six of my digital films which were projected in the space. The first part of the workshop performance is a free improvisation, and the second is the world premiere of my transcription of Olivier Messiaen's "Oraison", written in 1937 for six Ondes Martenot. I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.cityskies.com/May2009/recordedsets.html"

Form Thirty-One & Creature ll by Richard Devine

Published on Jan 2, 2013 thedeepelement·103 videos

http://trashaudio.com/2013/01/form-thirty-one/

"Richard Devine & Surachai. Quick patch recorded in mono.
Filmed in Richard's new studio in Atlanta, Georgia."

Extended version of the "Creature II" composed entirely on the MakeNoise Modular system. 2012

Label info:

www.makenoiserecords.com/

MakeNoise Records facebook page

TA site

Shared System page

Physical Synthesis Cicada Acoustic Vibration Synthesizer & Nymph Eurorack Module Update

video upload by Physical Synthesis



You might remember the Physical Synthesis Cicada - Acoustic Vibration Synthesizer posted back in April of 2021 - you'll find a playlist of demos there. The initial run was sold out. They are now teaming with USA-based distributor Electro Distro on a new run of Cicadas as well as a Nymph eurorack module.

The press release follows:

NEW YORK, NY, USA: having sold out of its initial production run, unique products-producing hardware startup Physical Synthesis is proud to announce that it is working with San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) to bring its game-changing Cicada — an ‘acoustic synthesizer’ that transforms electronic signals into physical vibrations that can be fully manipulated before being reconverted back into a new, never-heard-before electronic sound — to a wider audience in advance of Nymph, its upcoming Eurorack module…

It is fair to say that every once in a while, a moment comes along whereby human interaction with sound changes completely. Cicada is effectively one of those moments — one of those new instruments that moves the needle in music technology. Indeed, it is pioneered by unique products-producing hardware startup Physical Synthesis as an ‘acoustic synthesizer’ that transforms electronic signals into physical vibrations that can be fully manipulated before being reconverted back into a new, never-heard-before electronic sound. Says company founder Spencer Topel: “Cicada was the first step in introducing physical synthesis methods to the synth community; it is an award-winning interface that really lets musicians explore microscopic sounds with precise control.” Clearly, Cicada made musical waves when winning the Judge’s Special Award at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition 2022, hosted by Georgia Tech School of Music — one of the few schools in North America that offers Music Technology as a major in undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D levels of study — as an annual event dedicated to identifying the newest and greatest ideas in music.

Musical waves notwithstanding, ‘noise' is a subjective term; while electromechanical devices like speakers or headphones try to minimise the distortion inevitably introduced in physical systems, Cicada is designed to precisely exploit these distortion products as the basis of a new kind of synthesis. Cicada converts voltages to vibrations in a mechanical oscillator to create intermodulation — the addition of frequency content in a nonlinear system — in place of typical analogue or digital oscillators. By bringing the signal chain into a physical space, Cicada allows users to shape such content with natural, tactile gestures that truly transcend twiddling with a knob or pushing a slider. “As a violinist and composer, my experience of creating sound is highly physical,” proclaims Spencer Topel, adding: “With Cicada, I wanted to make an instrument that connects these elements, allowing musicians to produce complex, compelling sounds, but through tactile interaction.”

Insofar as actually doing what it does, Cicada receives two Eurorack-level signals that drive oscillation in a cantilevered Bridge positioned atop a Soundboard at an adjustable height. Digging deeper, distortion caused by the Bridge-Soundboard interaction adds frequency content to the input, determined by the specific qualities of the system. Self-explanatory Polycarbonate Soundboard, Foam Soundboard — made of EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) foam, and Wood Soundboard — made of Birdseye maple — options each provide a range of resonating/filtering properties that combine uniquely with the likes of the Coral Wing Bridge — tip made of solid oak (resulting in a bright, clear tone), Coral Dual Tip Wing Bridge — tip made of premium rubber (allowing for a hard, precise attack with a balanced low-end), and Grey Wing Bridge — tip made of soft neoprene foam (resulting in a mellow, balanced acoustic effect); each pairing opens up a portal to a distinct sonic universe.

Users can dynamically change the system (and, therefore, how it is transforming signals) by adjusting the Bridge height, changing the region and degree of contact between Bridge and Soundboard, or applying pressure to either — effecting real-time, tactile timbral control, in other words. With that being said, premium vibration damping materials, such as Delrin, and custom circuitry minimise unwanted noise, allowing the intermodulation products to shine, while the output, captured by a pickup microphone positioned beneath the Soundboard, can be monitored directly, processed modularly, or recorded into a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

With behaviours akin to those exhibited by a traditional acoustic instrument, Cicada is highly responsive to differences in the excitation mechanism — the input signal, in other words. As an example, striking a snare drum with a stick or using it with brushes produce vastly different-sounding results; driving Cicada with quiet or loud, spectrally simple or complex, or bass- or treble-heavy signals similarly yield very different timbres.

Though Cicada is designed to work with a Eurorack setup out of the box, one of its strengths lies in its inherent flexibility. Indeed, it can just as easily receive signals from a DAW, boosted to the appropriate 5-10Vpp level via an outboard mixer. Moreover, the choice of input is completely left open to the user: an Ableton Live loop run through Cicada acting as a physical filter to provide timbral variety over time, for example; an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) from a Eurorack module, generating rich percussive tones on the maple Soundboard as the foundation of a beat; or a harmonically dense signal — similar to the output of a Max/MSP FM patch (which many would, without doubt, prefer to navigate physically rather than digitally) — made by moving the Bridge around the Soundboard to amplify certain harmonics and suppress others, finding a grittier sound with the Bridge barely touching or coaxing a more ethereal tone with it centred and depressed.

Endless exploration possibilities are a given, guaranteeing that any sonically-ambitious Cicada user is likely to while away the hours playing with input signals, system configurations, gestures, modulation combinations, and more.

It is hardly surprising, then, that Physical Synthesis sold out of its initial Cicada production run, really hitting a home run by counting luminaries like renowned electronic music composer and performer Hainbach — citing Cicada as being “The Tesla of electro-acoustic workstations, miles ahead of standard piezo and solenoid boxes...” — and Ableton CEO Gerhard Behles amongst its fan base, and has now turned to working with US-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers to bring its game-changing ‘acoustic synthesizer’ to a wider audience. “I want to bring acoustic synthesis to a wider range of musicians,” maintains Spencer Topel, before ending on a high note: “We are building some really exciting expansions of Cicada to different formats, including a Eurorack module called Nymph, which is coming soon.”

Physical Synthesis’ ‘acoustic synthesizer’ is now available as Cicada Founders Edition Extended — encompassing two dual AMPs, one PRE, one Actuator, five Bridges, three Soundboards, three Meanwell power supplies, three custom SATA Cables, and one custom Nanuk 935 Flight Case — for $2,700.00 USD or as Cicada Pro Series individual modules — starting at $79.00 USD — via San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) or directly from Physical Synthesis’ online Shop (https://shop.physical-synthesis.com).

For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated Cicada webpage here: https://www.physical-synthesis.com

Four-pole lowpass voltage controlled filter, using vactrols

YouTube via abovenyquist — May 01, 2010 — "Project for Spring 2010 "Electronics for Music Synthesis" class at Georgia Tech. See here for more info:

http://users.ece.gatech.edu/~lanterma..."

Also added to this post.

Buchla 291e Triple Morphing Filter & 261e Complex Waveform Generator Teardown Videos

Teardown of the Buchla 291e Triple Morphing Filter: PCB Analysis
video upload by Lantertronics - Aaron Lanterman

0:00 -- Introduction
1:32 -- Interconnects
3:03 -- Opening like a book
3:22 -- Microcontroller/DAC board
5:29 -- User interface board
7:53 -- Analog board
10:31 -- Wrapping up"

Teardown of the Buchla 261e Complex Waveform Generator: PCB Analysis


"Support this channel via a special purpose donation to the Georgia Tech Foundation (GTF210000920), earmarked for my work: https://youtu.be/VBu-LST1p9c"

These are in via Soviet Space Child who had the following to say about them:

"I found these to be super fascinating. Both modules are very complex in their builds/engineering. The 291e on its own looks to be a lot more involved than a lot of modern day synths. Also it's pretty interesting how the 291e uses a discrete circuit through hole design, where as the 261e uses surface mount technology, even though both modules were designed at around the same time. In any case, Don Buchla was really a brilliant guy!"

Moog Werkstatt Guitar

VCG "Live Performance with exStellarator !!!" Published on Feb 20, 2015

"The VCG (Voltage Controlled Guitar) is a Breath-Controlled Synth Guitar based around the Moog Werkstatt.

Built on 15th Feb 2015 for the Moog/Guthman student design challenge at Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology.

Performed at Under The Couch by exStellarator on 18th Feb 2015.
https://www.facebook.com/exstellarator
exstellarator.bandcamp.com"

Moog Werkstatts on eBay

LaGrange College Moog Poster & Bob Moog's Sense of Humor

via Eric Frampton:

"Bob had a good sense of humor.

He and I were on the same lecture schedule together at an electronic music festival at LaGrange College down in middle Georgia. We got to spend a fair amount of time just hangin' out, so I brought him a printed copy of the 12 Steps of Syntheholics Anonymous, a posting on Analogue Heaven from back in 1995, which I thought he'd enjoy. He indeed thought it was funny, enough that when I asked him to sign my poster, he signed it thusly.

I brought a bunch of my vintage keyboards down there as as show-and-tell sort of thing. I had the Memorymoog, the Mini, a Source, and I forget what all else (this was in 1998, at the height of my G.A.S.), and I remember him saying, 'I see you don't have a Polymoog here.' To which I replied something along the lines of, good lord those things are awful, what a maintenance nightmare, not worth the trouble, etc. He simply gave me a knowing smirk, and a nod of agreement. Nothing more needed to be said.

Also, I asked him what was the last product he directly worked on at the old Moog. Turns out it was the Micromoog.

I've copied the original 12-step email here for reference. And sorry about the fuzzy poster shots…I hope they still get the message across.

From: SuperBad MoFo
Subject: Syntheholics Anonymous
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1995 10:08:39 -0700

–

Hello, my name is Mr-808. I am a syntheholic.

I bought my last synth 5 days ago. I was talking to a friend, and he said he was selling his Polaris for US$300, and I just couldn't resist.

I would like to review the 12 steps of SA now:

1. We admitted we were powerless over analogue synths at good prices and that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Bob Moog, as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our gear collection.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the number of times we used each synth in a piece of recorded music in the past year.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these synths from our studio.

7. Humbly asked Him to give them back if we promise not to buy any more until we master what we have.

8. Made a list of all persons we had sold gear to at too high a price, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others, or embroil us in a flamewar.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it on both Analogue Heaven and rec.music.maker.synth.

11. Sought, through patch editing and sequencing, to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of Control Voltages and DIN Sync conversion, and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to syntheholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."

Brew Music with Korg: Red Hare Brewing of Atlanta, GA

Published on Jun 11, 2019 Korg

"KORG joined with Red Hare Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia to celebrate the art of synth music and beer for its growing Brew Music campaign. Brew Music provides musicians with the opportunity to get hands on with Korg’s newest and most popular synthesizers. Tell us where you’d like us to go next!

Music: “soft focus” off the album "beets 4"
by Birocratic (http://www.birocratic.com)
The songs used in this video were licensed via Birocratic License
v05.2016. For info on how you can use this music in your project,
check out http://www.birocratic.com/license-app.
To download Birocratic’s 60+ song discography, visit http://
birocratic.bandcamp.com."

Vangelis & Lionel

Published on Jan 24, 2017 Lionel Habert

And an intermission to our regular synth programming. Those little boxes are Vangelis' preset managers. Anyone ID the other gear?

"Just for fun, Georgia on My Mind by Vangelis Papathanassiou & Lionel Habert (Paris 2012)"

Drone Lab | Nosaj Thing | Moog Werkstatt Workshop

Published on Aug 7, 2015 Moog Music Inc

"At Slingshot 2015, a multi-disciplinary celebration of the arts in Athens, Georgia, Moog Music presented a unique synth-building workshop. Led by Moog Engineer Chris Howe, attendees learned the fundamentals of synthesis from the ground up by building a Werkstatt-01 analog synthesizer kit.

Once built, the 12 attendees crafted drone patches. Later that evening, Alpha Pup recording artist Nosaj Thing took control of all 12 synthesizers, adding and subtracting their signals in a long-form drone performance. The improvised result was an ever-shifting and complex soundscape.

After his performance, Nosaj Thing designed 12 evolving drones with the Werkstatt-01 that we are making available to you.

Download the Werkstatt-01 drone patches designed by Nosaj Thing at www.soundcloud.com/moogmusicinc [embed below]

Experiment with stacking and layering Nosaj Thing's Werkstatt-01 drones to create your own shifting palettes. Run them through filters and compressors, or use them as background textures to lay other sonic components on top of.

However you choose to use them, experimenting and learning will reward you with a lifetime of rich synthesizer experiences.

Hear more from Nosaj Thing at:
www.nosajthing.com

Learn more about Werkstatt-01 at:
www.werkstattworkshop.com"

KORG MS20 SketchWiz

Some MS20 pics using Jordan Rudess' SketchWiz in via Oren. These were taken at the Georgia Tech (Electronics for Music Synthesis) course ECE3893. You find some unprocessed pics of the MS20 as well further below.

SketchWiz on iTunes

CLICK FOR MORE »

Kyle Evans - Electronically Modified Didgeridoo Performance @ Georgia Tech

YouTube via yakthekyle. Be sure to see this video.
"A performance with my Electronically Modified Didgeridoo for the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition on Feb. 27 2010. In the finalists round, the competitors were given five minutes to describe and perform their instrument. Besides someone repeatedly stepping on my audio cable (and at one point disconnecting it completely) I thought my performance went pretty well. It was a good opportunity to try out some new techniques."

DSC_0634

flickr by Georgia Mackay

full size