Visions - Patches 1 to 32 - UDO Super 6

video upload by GEOSynths

"Out Friday 8th July

Hand In Hand distribution kindly sent me a UDO Super 6 to try out for a few weeks and I managed to get some time on it and created 64 Patches. This is the first Video (of 2) demonstrating Patches 1 to 32 and are in the order I made them.

As usual, there's lots of Pads, Motion and Strings, plus Bass and Lead and a whole range of other Sounds. Once the 2nd Video is live, then they will be released on my website, ready for purchase.

Hand in Hand Distribution - https://www.handinhand.uk.net/

00:00 - 1. Looking Glass GEO
00:53 - 2. Signal Sweep GEO
02:08 - 3. Retina GEO
02:53 - 4. Bladerunner GEO
04:02 - 5. Hi Pass GEO

CLICK FOR MORE »

UDO Audio SUPER 6 Now Available

Check with the dealers on the right for availability. See the UDO label for previous posts including demos.

The official press reelase:

'UDO Audio announces availability of new take on traditional analog synthesizer with SUPER 6 show-stopper


BRISTOL, UK: having made a show-stopping splash upon its introduction to the musical masses assembled at SUPERBOOTH19 in Berlin, the trade fair for electronic musical instruments presenting the latest developments in (modular) synthesizers, keyboards, effects, studio equipment, and software, subsequently resurfacing somewhat closer to home at SynthFest UK 2019, the UK’s biggest synthesizer event held annually in Sheffield, then taking an award-winning transatlantic trip this year to The 2020 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, the world’s largest trade-only event for the music products, pro audio and event tech industry, new musical instrument company UDO Audio is proud to announce availability of the eagerly-expected SUPER 6 — its inaugural release representing a new take on the traditional analog synthesizer as a 12 VOICE POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY tendering some unique sound design functionalities, featuring state-of-the-art FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) digital hardware oscillators coupled with analog filters and amplifiers — as of September 1…

CLICK FOR MORE »

Analogue Solutions Mr Hyde and Dr Strangelove synthBlocks Signal Processors Now Available

"AS announces availability of Mr Hyde and Dr Strangelove synthBlocks signal processors


KINGSWINFORD, UK: British boutique electronic instruments innovator Analogue Solutions is proud to announce availability of Mr Hyde and Dr Strangelove — introducing its synthBlocks series of small and affordable desktop signal processors with two tantalisingly-named new products squarely aimed at laptop and audio plug-ins-focused digital musicians wishing to apply analogue, hands-on hardware processing to their sometimes sterile-sounding computer- based creations — as of November 17…

The synthBlocks series represents an all-new range of small and affordable desktop signal processors produced by British boutique electronic instruments innovator Analogue Solutions, an acclaimed company with over 24 years of designing serious-sounding synthesizers featuring fully-analogue audio paths with analogue LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators) and EGs (Envelope Generators) to its notable name. Similarly, synthBlocks are all-analogue affairs — albeit with some lo-fi digital effects thrown in for good (musical) measure. Menus and software are all eschewed in favour of a hardy hardware approach. As such, synthBlocks are squarely aimed at laptop and audio plug-ins-focused digital musicians wishing to apply analogue, hands-on hardware processing to their sometimes sterile-sounding computer-based creations. Cue simply plugging the synthBlocks in question into an audio interface’s I/O connections, then routing drums, synths, vocals, or whatever out of the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and through the transistors and op-amps of the synthBlocks and recording the results back into the DAW. Something similar can be achieved by connecting the synthBlocks to the auxiliary buss of a mixing console — just like any other effects processor. Whatever the workflow, turning the dials and flicking the switches by hand of course changes the sound in realtime — often with radical results. Results of course can be radically different — depending on which of the two available synthBlocks are applied to any given sound signal.

Many might have heard of Mr Edward Hyde, an abominable alternative personality of Dr Henry Jekyll, a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde gothic novella first published in 1886. However, hearing Analogue Solutions’ Mr Hyde in the here and now is something else entirely! As announced, Mr Hyde was the first out of the starting blocks in its synthBlocks series as an analogue filter effects box bringing subtle to extreme filtering and modulation effects to the analogue processing production table. To further aid ease of use, Mr Hyde has quarter-inch input and output jacks on its rear, so can be connected straight to an audio interface or mixer without the need for adaptors. The topside of its distinctive blood-red panel features minijack sockets to patch with a semi-modular synth, such as Analogue Solutions’ relatively recently released Fusebox — an aptly-named, three-VCO (Voltage- Controlled Oscillator) true analogue monophonic synthesizer that favourably fuses the company’s characterful vintage sound with an advanced choice of modulation and melodic possibilities (in a beautifully-built box); ever-popular Eurorack small-format modular systems; or other modular systems.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Welcome UDO Audio Super GEMINI!

video upload by Hand in Hand Distribution

"There's a new top G in town 😍."

"If you're at @superbooth_berlin come and see us in the usual spot, tucked away in the Bungalowdorf at B005."

Note the two rows of controls. Likely inspired by the Yamaha CS80.

Some info via Soviet Space Child spotted on Sonic State:

UDO Audio has launched a new synthesizer, the Super Gemini, which is a 20-voice polyphonic, bi-timbral analog-hybrid instrument. The binaural aspect means it can run in 20 voice mono mode (non binaural oscillators) or 10 voice binaural mode - which if you've heard the Super 6, sounds pretty good.

The Super Gemini comes with a dual-layer design that offers control over both timbral layers. It has a powerful FPGA based hybrid sound engine and a 61-note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch. The Super Gemini features custom-engineered ribbon sensors for individual note articulation, and a gestural way to explore your sound.

The Super Gemini has 256 performance and patch slots, 64 interchangeable waveforms, and 16 sequences that can be safely stored and edited. The synthesizer is equipped with dual synth-control levels that gift the player with immediate and comprehensive control over multiple timbral layers. It also features a true-stereo signal path that empowers you to create extremely dynamic spatial sounds. The Super Gemini is built from aluminum and steel and comes with an array of superior quality mechanical controls - as we know designer George Hearn is a stickler for components look and feel"

George Mattson and The Syntar

I recently engaged in an email discussian with George Mattson, creator of the Syntar. That's him next to Bob Moog who's trying out his Syntar at the 1980 Chicago Summer NAMM Show. The discussion we had was fascinating and private, and I thank him for sharing his story with me. As it was part of synth history I asked George if it would be ok to put up a post here, as I'm sure other synth enthusiasts would enjoy this bit of synth history as well. He gave me the go ahead, so here it is. Note that this was originally private and not meant to be a post - this was just me and George going back and forth. The references to Starship are to Jefferson Starship. Many thanks to George for taking the time to share this with me, and for letting me put this up.

"I was born as a non-Mormon in Salt Lake City, Moved to Anchorage, Alaska in Sept '64 3 weeks before my 10th birthday. Graduated from High School there in 1973. That Fall I moved to Moscow, Idaho where I enrolled in the School of Mines studying Mining and Metallurgy. Bought my first synths at that time-the 101 and 200 when there were only 3 manufacturers. ARP, Moog and EML. I liked the versatility of the EML line and went that route. That was the days that you had to send a certified cashiers check for the full purchase amount and they were made to order. Went to College 5 semesters and stayed a freshman with a 1.18 GPA. My older brother moved down and had a bunch of recording gear so we started a recording studio trying to break into commercials. I had picked up a Poly-box by then and my Yamaha YC-45D. Then bought the EML sequencer and a 300. Couldn't stand the clutter and built the box for the sequencer, Told EML what I was doing. They bought the original cases back from me and credited that against another 416 panel and another 300 just to fill 2 big gaping holes in the box. I had most of the synth panels on one side of my bedroom and all of the keyboards (including a Baldwin upright, a Rhodes and a friends EML 500) including the 101 keyboard on the other side of the room. We'd hire musicians to play the tunes and I ran/programmed the synths. Oct. 04 1978 I was alone in the room running back and forth between the consoles and the keyboards when I said to myself: "what I need is...." and the concept of the Syntar hit me. Then I said "somebody should make one of these" Then I said: "Hey, I could do this!" (I talked to myself a lot.) Jan '79 I moved to Bend, OR. Moved in with my folks and tried to find investors. I built a hand-made prototype using EML circuit modules and went to the 1979 Atlanta NAMM lugging this thing around trying to get a manufacturer to go for it and hire me as a team leader on the project. The only person that had any emotion about it while talking to me was Herb Deutsch from Norlin. He said he'd talk to his Board of Directors and call me. In Jan '80 I went to the NAMM winter market in Anaheim with Michael Garrison (He landed his distribution agreement with Ariola on the way down) and Mike asked if I saw the Moog booth. He took me over and we saw the prototype of the Liberation strapped onto a mannequin. I went home devastated and my folks put up the investment money to get started. They're no slouches; both my Mom and step Dad have electronics degrees. I advertised the Syntar in the mags a month before Moog advertised the Liberation. The thought was if I could beat them to it, at least people couldn't say I copied them. That never worked. They had a little bigger budget than I did. But, anybody researching it will find that I had it first. No big deal now. I had to close shop because we were broke and were facing a takeover. So, I closed it down, called Starship, told them I needed a job and got hired. A year and a half later They wanted me to move to San Francisco rather than flying me back and forth from home. I didn't want my 4.5 and 3 year olds growing up in the California rock and roll scene and moved here in July of 1983. Went out one more time with Starship in Aug/Sept 1983 and told them I was leaving. Been here since doing different things."

"Well, that's the way it went down. Can't change the facts. Of course, I would loved to have made money from all of the work I put into it. The sad part is that I still can't play keyboards. I'm a guitar player since I was 10. Hey, right after I moved to Anchorage."

"That picture was taken in June of 1980 at the Chicago NAMM. That's me next to him- I was 26 YO. Notice that he's playing prototype #3.( The first was the one I hand built from EML circuit modules, the second used forked plasic keys over fluted shafts-that one was later modified and used as a LASER controller by the guy doing the LASER shows for Blue Oyster Cult and Tangerine Dream)) The Syntar hanging in the background is just a panel and cardboard simulated left hand keys. The prototype Bob is playing has curved aluminum keys that dragged a resined string over a pulley. The final (and production)version was much more aesthetic and worked like a charm."

Thanks again George. Fascinating story. I really can't play either. : )
BTW, George also provided the EML Poly-Box Samples in this post.

Update: George later made up the 1.18 GPA with a 3.8 GPA with his AA in Electronics. : )

Richard Lainhart - Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival Lecture & Performance

Slideshow of Richard Lainhart's lecture at the Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival (BEAF), Friday, May 6, 2:PM PST, 2011 (mentioned in this post). Below is a video of the Buchla and Haken Continuum portion of the lecture followed by a performance of Olivier Messiaen's Oraison written for the ondes Martenot at the 48:00 mark (see this post for the original version and this post for another performance by Richard). You will notice Richard makes references to earlier parts of the lecture. These included his training on the CEMS modular synthesizer system and the ondes Martenot (don't miss this post and this post on the CEMS). See the labels at the bottom of this post for more info on each. I will upload those videos at a later date. They were background to Richard's experience with early modular synthesizers and controllers that eventually lead him to the Buchla and Haken Continuum. It was a great lecture and I hope you enjoy it. Be sure to bookmark this one. I also want to thank Richard Lainhart for doing lectures like these. They are a rare treat.


YouTube Uploaded by matrixsynth on May 19, 2011

The following is a full transcript. BTW, if anyone is interested in transcription services, let me know.

"RICHARD LAINHART: BUCHLA AND HAKEN CONTINUUM LECTURE

Speaker: Richard Lainhart
Lecture Date: May 6, 2011
Lecture Time: 2:00 p.m. PST
Location: Western Washington University
Event: Bellingham Electronic Arts Festival 2011 (BEAF)
Length: Digital AVI recording; 57 minutes 32 seconds

[Beginning of recorded material]

Richard Lainhart: Okay. What I want to do now is actually talk a little bit about the system itself here and about the design of the system and explain what's actually happening here and why it's designed this way, and again, my focus on, on expression. So this is, as I mentioned, this is the Buchla 200E. This is a current electronic music instrument that is still being made now by Buchla. Don Buchla again was a contemporary, or is a contemporary of Bob Moog, and he took a very different path than Moog did. And one of the reasons I think that Moog's instruments became so popular, of course the Mini Moog was like the first real break-out electronic music synthesizer, was that Moog's instruments had keyboards on them. They had black and white keyboards. And you could use them to play, you could use them to play rock and roll with them basically because you could plug them into a really loud amplifier and it could be louder than a guitar. And it could be a bass, you know, it could be louder than a bass and all that sort of stuff. And of course a lot of, you know, a lot of wonderful music was made with that instrument.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Getting Komplex with Waldorfs Iridum Keyboard

video upload by Hand in Hand Distribution

"Up and down, back and forth

6 Envelopes, 6 LFOs and many more are just waiting for being used as sources in the 40 slots of the Modulation Matrix. Each slot has one additional control amount. Modulations can be directed to almost every numerical value in Iridium. All sources and destinations can be used as many times as desired until the Modulation Matrix is full. If you ever happen to run out of LFOs or Envelopes, you can use the Komplex Modulator for generating a custom shape LFO or Envelope.

Komplex Modulator curves can be drawn with your finger."

Update on I Dream of Wires Documentary Release

via Modular: the documentary on Facebook:

"When is "I Dream Of Wires" going to be released?

Hi,

My name is Jason Amm, and I'm the producer for "I Dream Of Wires" (IDOW), an upcoming documentary about the resurgence of modular synthesizers. If you're reading this, you probably already know all about IDOW, and have been anticipating it's release for quite a while. Chances are you may have even contributed money to one of our IndieGoGo fundraising campaigns, and have been wondering when you're going to receive your perk.

It was suggested in our IndieGoGo fundraising write-ups that the film would be completed sometime around Sept/Oct 2012. When we started this project, IDOW was in our minds going to be a small, straight-to-DVD niche film, and so this release date was a realistic goal. But the scope of the film, and the ever-growing interest in it, has gotten so much larger than we originally expected. We've been overwhelmed by all of the support from everyone following our progress, and it's largely this massive interest in the project that's ended up making it so much bigger than we originally anticipated. Though it has delayed the release, we are extremely excited by the wealth and quality of the material we've collected. With just two people working on IDOW (myself and director Robert Fantinatto), the task of sorting through over a hundred amazing interviews, and organizing those into a coherent and compelling film, has been daunting to say the least. We've really struggled to work out how to do this properly in a way that will satisfy the community of hardcore modular synthesizer fanatics (ourselves included), while also hopefully having an impact outside of that world.

So... "When is 'I Dream Of Wires' going to be released?"

CLICK FOR MORE »

XFM FPGA-based FM synthesizer module

Published on Jul 17, 2019 René Ceballos

via future3soundz

"XFM is a polyphonic, 32-voice, 6-operator FM synthesizer stereo module that you can build yourself.

Essentially, the module receives MIDI messages from a controller/sequencer, produces audio and delivers it via digital (SPDIF) and analog outputs.

The sound range XFM can create and its feature set have a very broad intersection with most pure-FM synthesizers of the past (Yamaha DX series, OPL chip series, TX81Z/802/816 modules, etc.).

Complete Feature Set
32-voice polyphonic

Polyphonic or Monophonic Legato modes

6 operators per voice

CLICK FOR MORE »

Unwrapped | Waldorf Iridium ♡ Core Synthesiser Unboxing & Factory Patch Playthrough

video upload by Hand in Hand Distribution

"Unwrapping the @WaldorfMusicChannel Iridium ♡ Core : What's in the box! (Insert Brad Pitt voice) and then a run through of a few of the units factory patches.

Team HinH."

Visions - Patches 33 to 64 - UDO Super 6

video upload by GEOSynths

"Out Now - https://www.geosynths.com/super6

Hand In Hand distribution kindly sent me a UDO Super 6 to try out for a few weeks and I managed to get some time on it and created 64 Patches. This is the first Video (of 2) demonstrating Patches 33 to 64 and are in the order I made them.

As usual, there's lots of Pads, Motion and Strings, plus Bass and Lead and a whole range of other Sounds.

00:00 - 33. Flux GEO
01:01 - 34. Inca Tribes GEO
01:48 - 35. Yazoo GEO
02:09 - 36. Hard Kick GEO
02:40 - 37. Amped Bass GEO
03:14 - 38. Synthex GEO
04:24 - 39. 6 String GEO
05:00 - 40. Cylon Sync GEO
05:38 - 41. Vintage GEO
06:35 - 42. Sky Lead GEO
06:57 - 43. Take On Me GEO
07:28 - 44. Analog GEO
08:36 - 45. Eminence GEO
09:40 - 46. Jazz Bass GEO
10:18 - 47. Prayer GEO
10:40 - 48. Hard keys GEO
11:31 - 49. Arpanet GEO
12:12 - 50. Superposition GEO
13:14 - 51. Prog Rock GEO
13:49 - 52. Night Flyer GEO
14:42 - 53. Waveguides GEO
15:47 - 54. SoLow GEO
16:20 - 55. Razor GEO
17:11 - 56. Pulse GEO
17:46 - 57. String Section GEO
18:36 - 58. Red Weed GEO
19:57 - 59. Wired Pluck GEO
20:37 - 60. Sonus GEO
21:36 - 61. Ramp GEO
22:41 - 62. Wizards GEO
23:19 - 63. For Dave GEO
24:04 - 64. Take Hold GEO"

Analogue Solutions Treadstone Press Release & Price

We've seen the demo videos including initial details (scroll down when you get there). We now have the official press release and the price: £499.00 GBP, $599.00 USD, and €589.00 EUR.

"Analogue Solutions spreads synthBlocks series wings with tiny Treadstone true analogue mono synth

KINGSWINFORD, UK: hot on the heels of its inaugural Mr Hyde and Dr Strangelove so-called synthBlocks (launched late last year to widespread critical acclaim), British boutique electronic instruments innovator Analogue Solutions is proud to widen the self-explanatory series’ scope with Treadstone — taking the same smart, small, and affordable desktop design-driven analogue attributes of its similarly superior-sounding signal-processing siblings and applying them to a true analogue mono synth that packs a lot of (patchable) punch into a perfectly-matched, portable package — as of January 19…

Treadstone takes its intriguing name from a fictional highly-classified, heavily-guarded secret program that features in the series of books based on a fictional spy and associated feature films; it is shut down as the thrilling plot thickens, alas. As the latest addition to Analogue Solutions’ synthBlocks series — squarely aimed at laptop and audio plug-ins-focused digital musicians wishing to apply analogue, hands-on hardware sound-sculpting creativity to their sometimes sterile-sounding computer-based creations, the tiny Treadstone true analogue mono synth is far from fictional, however; hearing is believing, but it would, without question, make for a superior-sounding, space-saving desktop addition to any discerning film composer’s creative studio space — or anyone else’s, for that matter!

More meaningfully, maybe, Treadstone treads far from carefully, but boldly goes where few analogue synthesizers dare to win... with an all-analogue audio path and modulation circuits based on superior-sounding designs dating back to the mid-Seventies, so no CPU (Central Processing Unit) stabilised and quantised circuits, no DCOs (Digitally-Controlled Oscillators), and no digital EGs (Envelope Generators), as are often found on other ‘all-analogue’ affairs. Analogue as in really analogue — aside from the MIDI-to-CV circuit (which, by its very nature, must include a digital element) — in other words.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Rare Clef PDSG (Programmable Digital Sound Generator) up for Auction

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

via this auction

Via the seller: "I was recently clearing out some BBC Micro stuff and came across this Clef PDSG (Programmable Digital Sound Generator). It was the last product made by Clef. They hoped it would be taken up by Acorn computers, but it didn't happen, and I think they went out of business after that. It was supplied pretty much as seen, as a DIY project. I initially couldn't find any mention of it online, so I've put up a page to commemorate it here, with pictures and sound samples:

http://www.lemontiger.co.uk/clef.html

There's some information about it here:

http://audiotools.com/en_mi_dead_b.html

"In 1982 the company introduced the product it is best known for these days in the form of the Clef Microsynth (Later the B30 Microsynth), a budget 2 oscillator analogue subtractive synthesiser that was the only product sold by the company that was not developed by Mr. Boothman but rather a design originally published in P.E. magazine as a construction article and conceived by Allan Bradford, it is similar conceptually to the slightly more complex Jen SX-1000 and EDP Wasp in that it uses digital electronics to keep down costs but with it come some operational oddities such as the use of a 0.35V/Octave control voltages meaning that the only other synth that it interfaced with was the EMS, but it was cheap and thus sold reasonably well.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Epic Soundscapes - The Waldorf Quantum MK2 Synthesizer

video upload by Hand in Hand Distribution

"Will Eason with the @WaldorfMusicChannel Quantum MK2 - Creating the sounds of distant realms not yet discovered and bringing them to life 🌌"

Waldorf Quantum MK2 - Will Eason Favourite Features

video upload by Hand in Hand Distribution

"Will Eason takes us through some of his initial favourite features with the limited time he spent with the @WaldorfMusicChannel Quantum Mk2."

Moog Filtered Ale

Bob Moog Foundation Unites with Asheville Brewing Company to Launch 'Moog Filtered Ale'

Proceeds of Limited Edition Brew to Benefit Foundation

May 5, 2010 – Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation are proud to announce the launch of the limited edition Moog Filtered Ale, a pale beer named in honor of synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The Ale will be available beginning May 27, 2010 at the Foundation's fundraising event, Moogus Operandi, featuring synthesizer wizard Erik Norlander. All profits from the sale of the beer will be donated to the Bob Moog Foundation to benefit their projects. The timing of the launch of the beer coincides with the inventor's May 23 birthday.

Moog Filtered Ale will be be distributed nationally and internationally in 22-ounce bottles through Asheville's Bruisin' Ales and will be available on tap in various locations throughout Western North Carolina. The beer will be sold from May 27 through July 31, after which it will no longer be available.

"Moog Filtered Ale is an American-style pale ale with distinctive notes of caramel and pine. It's a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy. I've been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and I am excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer,” says Doug Riley, brewer and part owner of the Asheville Brewing Company.

Asheville Brewing has been making outstanding craft beers since 1998 and has won several awards for its beers. As an active supporter of local non-profit groups they are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation, whose work is innovative and historical. Through Moog Filtered Ale, Asheville Brewing aims to support the interactive educational programs that the Foundation is developing to teach science through music as well as the eventual creation of a Moogseum.

Asheville Pizza Company President Mike Rangel says, “We are thrilled to be working with the Bob Moog Foundation to help keep Bob's vision and legacy alive. By donating the profits from Moog Filtered Ale, we will be supporting innovative science education through the Foundation's MoogLab outreach project. We are proud to be joining some of the larger beer companies in supporting important educational work in our community. Moog Filtered Ale is absolutely the most exciting project our company has been involved in."

"Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation, comments, 'Creating Moog Filtered Ale with the Asheville Brewing Company has been a rewarding project. We are very grateful to Mike Rangel and Doug Riley for their support of our innovative projects, which will benefit Western North Carolina and beyond. The unique partnership between the Asheville Brewing Company and the Bob Moog Foundation marks a true match of venture philanthropy and creative fundraising in a economically precarious environment. The proceeds from this project will assist us in continuing our important work.'

The label for the Ale was designed by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. The label, an original graphic in vibrant shades of purple, green, and orange, shows Bob Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs, and patch cables floating from his head. The number “76” graces the upper right-hand corner of the label, commemorating Bob Moog's 76th birthday which falls on May 23.

A launch party for Moog Filtered Ale will be held on May 27, 2010, at the Orange Peel in Asheville. The event, Moogus Operandi, will feature virtuoso synthesist Erik Norlander and his massive custom modular synthesizer, affectionately called “the Wall of Doom.” An auction of Moog-inspired art will be held on eBay a week prior to the event and will conclude the night of the event.

Tickets to the event are $10 in advance and $12 at the door and can be purchased through the Orange Peel.

The Ale will be sold exclusively by Greenlife Grocery, the Orange Peel, and Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company from May 27 through May 30. Beginning May 31, Moog Filtered Ale will be available for international retail distribution in bottles exclusively through Bruisin' Ales. It will be available on tap throughout western North Carolina."

Note on the two images in this post: I decided to post both as the top made me reflect on how the label might look printed on the bottle, while the bottom was more clear for digital print.

Hans Zimmer 'RadioPhonic' Synth @ Superbooth 24 w/ AJH Synth

video upload by AJH Synth Official

"Hans Zimmer's 'RadioPhonic' Synth from AJH Synth @ Superbooth 24 - This monster MiniMod Eurorack modular system was commissioned by Hans himself, and he was kind enough to allow us to build a limited number of exact replicas which will be individually built to order by AJHSynth. Full details of the system, along with an interview with Hans Zimmer about his use of the MiniMod system, can be found at https://ajhsynth.com.
We will have one such RadioPhonic system on display in our bungalow at Superbooth 24, along with a MinMod Keyz, a 9U full system, and a huge monster case full of AJH modules.
Richard Quirk, and Wayne Taylor (DreamsOfWires/Tomorrow the cure) will also be there representing AJH with Allan J Hall himself. We'd be glad to chat about the modules and demonstrate some in action, so feel free to pop by.

The AJH SYNTH Eurorack range consists of high-end modules, all hand-made in the UK, most of which are based on classic, vintage designs, authentically recreating the circuitry of much sought-after analogue instruments and technologies of the past, whilst greatly expanding them, and bringing them to modern Eurorack levels of convenience, limitless flexibility, and reliability.
Official website page: https://ajhsynth.com"

Update: press release and pics follow:

CLICK FOR MORE »

SUPERBOOTH16 in Funkhaus Berlin Set for March 31 - April 2

Many of you will be familiar with previous Superbooths hosted at the Musikmesse. All of were the brainchild of Andreas Schneider of Schneiders Buero, Schneiders Laden, Stromkult, and Alex4. This year he is hosting the Superbooth at its own event and it looks like it will be massive. For a list of exhibitors see this page. The event runs March 31st – April 2nd
 in Berlin. The following is the official press release:

"The first annual SUPERBOOTH16, music and culture fair will be taking place from March 31st - April 2nd in Berlin. What started as a small stand on the Musikmesse in Frankfurt, will now be presented in Berlin as a broadly programmed Culture festival organized by SchneidersBuero in Berlin. The exhibition will take place at the historic Funkhaus, which is a former German radio station that will provide an uncompromised acoustic and architectural setting.

Over the last 15 years, SchneidersLaden has grown to become a leader in the distribution and marketing of innovative musical and sound instruments in Berlin and throughout Europe. The founder and CEO, Andreas Schneider, can be attributed as one of the main worldwide drivers behind the present modular synthesizer HYPE. One might consider the worldwide distribution and purchase of electronic instruments is the basic reason for electronic music.

The present momentum is so strong, that even the larger well known manufacturers have invested in developing new concepts to compete with the small manufacturers.

SUPERBOOTH16: Idea and Beginnings

Although Berlin is one of the most modern electronic music centers on the globe, it has never had an adequate music fair to support the scene. With SUPERBOOTH16, this will change the landscape. SUPERBOOTH16 will be the large format presentation of the stand which has been seen at the Frankfurter Musikmesse over the last 15 years. The stand magnetized the visitors to see directly what one can do with these instruments. Many of which are hand made and only available in limited runs.

Over 100 exhibitors are registered for SUPERBOOTH16 with the larger synthesizer names like Yamaha and Roland, classic specialists like Dieter Doepfer (Original Kraftwerk Synthesizer maker) through many self-made and smaller exhibitors like Make Noise and others. Also, classic manufacturers of keyboard instruments like Dave Smith and leading software companies like Ableton or Native Instruments will also be present to show and demonstrate their latest developments.
SUPERBOOTH16: The Fair as Culture Festival.

To promote and support the living and evolving Berliner Music scene, SUPERBOOTH16 provides a base concept of an instrument fair and cultural program. It is a living come-together for manufacturers, dealers, musicians, tinkerers, new-comers and the scene.

Aside from the mixture of interesting instruments, over the course of three days, there will be daily presentations, demonstrations, discussions and DIY workshops. Each evening there will be a night program that will be presented with well-known artists involved.

On the weekend nights, April 1st and 2nd, SUPERBOOTH16 will hold a large concerts and party in the special Funkhaus Culture Hall where notable artists will be performing.

SUPERBOOTH16: The Berliner Funkhaus as Special Location

The selection of the Funkhaus as a fair location is an architectural and integration win. The design of the fair not only presents the incoming exhibitors a rare ambient, but integrates the presently running or in operation recording studios and function halls. This special integration will allow for a very high level of acoustics for the presentation of instruments, which is quite rare for a musical fair.


Schneider also has made travelling to and from the Funkhaus a special experience. A free boat shuttle is being provided from Mitte near the Jannowitzbrücke and Chinese Embassy which will take visitors and exhibitors through a small tour of the Berliner Spree and land directly at the Funkhaus.

Further information to the concept, the exhibitors and program can be found at www.superbooth.com.

SchneidersLaden Presents: SUPERBOOTH16
Fair und Festival for electronic Soundculture

March 31st – April 2nd

Funkhaus Berlin

Nalepastraße 18, 12459 Berlin
Opening Times:
Trade Visitors: 10:00am – 22:00pm
Public: 14:00pm – 22:00pm
Price
Day ticket: 35 EUR, Weekend-Ticket: 85 EUR
Free Boat Shuttle
Daily From 9:00am through 10:30pm (Jannowitzbrücke – Funkhaus)"
Press contact: 
Nicole Creutzburg
nc@superbooth.com
+49 (0) 176 647 577 65

New Synthetic Sound Labs 1620 “NURSE RATCHET” MU Module

"Synthetic Sound Labs has just released its new 1 MU width 1620 Nurse Ratchet module.

Nurse Ratchet is a trigger processor and generator, designed to add an organic chain of events (bursts) to your modular setup.

When activated, either manually or with an external trigger, the selected number of triggers are generated. Time Division, Distribution, Quantity, and Probability of the bursts are both manually and CV controllable.

Based on Befaco’s popular Eurorack module “Burst” Produced in collaboration with Befaco and based on their excellent Eurorack “Burst” module,

With Nurse synced to your tempo, you can create all kinds of ratcheting effects, with divisions and multiplications leading to doubles, triplets, quintuplets, and true Poly Rhythms for your modular system.

With very short time windows, Nurse can help to synthesize fast repeating transients for “hand-clap like” sounds or modern drum hits.

Working in Cycle Mode, is also an excellent master clock with tap tempo functionality, and is able to achieve non-linear distributed clocks.

FEATURES

• Custom trigger bursts up to 64 triggers.
• Voltage Control burst Quantity with dedicated attenuator.
• One Shot and Cycle play modes activated via manual controls or dedicated Trig
Input.
• Pingable clock input.
• Voltage Control burst Distribution, Time Division and Probability.
• Tempo and End of Cycle individual outputs for sync other modules.
The SSL 1620 is an easy-to-use ratcheting / burst with powerful features that would otherwise be difficult to create.
SSL uses quality fiberglass-epoxy printed circuit boards, precision automated robotics and meticulous hand-crafted assembly assure years of trouble-free service.
Synthetic Sound Labs has been in the analog synthesizer business since 1973. The 1620 is yet another in SSL’s growing line of new synthesizer modules. Proudly made in the USA.

Pricing is $345 US - available directly from SSL and through NoiseBug, Pomona, CA.

CLICK FOR MORE »

VGA Synth - Documentation 2008 - Phillip Stearns (Pixel Form)

YouTube via pixelform
"http://www.art-rash.com/pixelform

Statement:
Within all media technology, signal and noise are held apart as polar opposites. The vary nature of digital encoding and transmission technologies eliminates the possibility of noise from corrupting the fidelity of a signal. This feature is necessarily political in nature and brings with it myriad issues of content creation, control, and dissemination. There are political ideologies embedded within the very systems we use to create art and express ourselves from the manufacturing and distribution supply chain arising from post-industrial systems of capital to the capturing devices of media technology, all the way down to the software we use to cut, splice, effect, process, and manipulate streams of data. Apeiron | Peras is not overtly political in nature, but starts with the notion of blurring the boundaries between analogue and digital signals video as well as audio - as a metaphor for dissolving hierarchies and exploring interrelatedness. The resulting audio visual work is the end of a process seeking to exert some measure of expressive control over an otherwise raw electronic signal stripped of its usual conventions of format or data type.

Design Concept:
The concept behind the VGA Synth begins in the design of a finite, circularly organized circuit which produces complex and unpredictable behavior in response to minute external changes. The system stands as a representation of binary relationships codified in the design of the core electronics. On one hand is the continuity and fluidity ascribed to analog circuits and on the other is the abstract, quantified discrete and discontinuous nature of digital electronics. However, the electron indifferent to human intent - cares not for digital or analog. Audio signals are converted into a video outputs which is then fed right back into the instruments audio inputs, closing a loop that is constantly churning out electronic signals shaped by the slightest change in the system. There is an intricately tangled relationship between what is heard and what is seen as the sound and image cycle through, taking turns leading and following the other."

TI99 - Modifications Documentation - Phillip Stearns (Pixel Form)
"http://www.art-rash.com/pixelform
Documentation Clip of my Texas Instrument TI99/4a computer modifications. I started outwith a circuit bending approach and moved gradually to more advanced modifications and hacks. 5 Different versions exist. The prototype and v1 Pixel Maelstroms, as I've named them, are both raw circuit bent machines. Version 2 introduces some rudementary audio ractivity circuitry for functions resembling a glitched music visualizer. Version 3 integrates an onboard oscillator bank in addition to the audio reactivity circuitry, creating the possibility for mixer fascilitated feedback. Version 4 integrates light sensors in addition to the onboard oscillator bank and audio reactivity circuitry."

NES - Circuit Bent Mod - Phillip Stearns (Pixel Form) 2008-2009

"I have been commissioned to modify another NES console. This audio reactivity mod will feature 3 x 12 position rotary selector switches to combine up to 3 different bend points at once. Audio reactivity will also be selectable from one of 4 filter outputs. There are some special features in there too. This clip shows the prototype circuit in action, which I'm currently tranferring to a final perf board layout.

http://www.art-rash.com/pixelform"