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

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.

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Synth Rorschach #19: Hubble Space Telescope Control System

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

What do you see?

"NASA ARTIFACT VPI Vehicle Power Interface Rack & Console Hubble Space Telescope

Being offered is one of the most important pieces of hardware associated with the Hubble Space Telescope that will ever be offered for public sale.

This is the Vehicle Power Interface (VPI) Equipment Rack and 2 Person Control Console for the Hubble Space Telescope.

It was the heart and soul of the HST during it's testing phase at the Space Telescope Assembly/Verification Facility and the Thermal Vacuum Chamber Facility at the Goddard Flight Center.

The VPI Console provided power to the HST and performed tests to it's batteries and solar panels as it was undergoing final testing before it's planned launch in September of 1986

There are two log of operation books that come with the VPI, chronicling it's history from it's first entry of "initial power on" 6/7/84, through it's Validation Test on 6, June 1986, to it's final entry date of 3/19/90, just a few weeks before STS 31 launched on 4/24/1990 to deploy the most famous telescope in world history!!!

The more prominent features of the VPI Equipment Rack are:

Six (6) HP 6012B DC Power Supplies,
Two (2) Lambda Power Supplies
Two (2) Battery Loads
Two (2) Remote and Command Monitor Modules
One (1) Vehicle Power Control Module
One (1) Vehicle Power Conditioning Module
One (1) Vehicle Battery Control & Monitor Module
One (1) Vehicle Power Conditioning Solar Array Input Module
One (1) AC Power Distribution Module
One (1) Clear-Com Intercom System Remote Station

Everything is housed in a very substantial 3 rack metal cabinet with lockable 3 door access in the back.

Cabinet is completely hand wired, as only NASA can do, it's a thing of beauty!

All pieces of equipment have wire seals that have not been tampered with

There are three large Heat Vent Stacks with internal fans on the top of the cabinet.

This rack is large, and has quite an impressive Presentation!

Overall size is 79" wide by 48" deep by 82" tall

Weight of the VPI Console is 2750 lbs.

The more prominent features of the Dual Control Console are as follows:

PSSP Simulator Panel
HUBBLE PSSP Simulator Panel
(2) Ball CRT Monitors
(2) ADDS Keyboards
T-O Control Panel
Telemetry and Command Panel
Auxiliary Monitor Panel
NorthStar Computer
Battery Trickle Charge Panel
(2) ADDS Panels

Control Console measures 7' long and weighs about 800 lbs.

This was a multi-million dollar piece of sophisticated electronic equipment with a remarkable place in history.

It is an Investment Quality NASA Hubble Space Telescope Artifact!"

Rorschach: I'm seeing Fairlight racks, Roland MSQ-700 buttons, Movement MCS Percussion Computer, EMS meets ARP 2500, & Akai samplers.



I'm thinking this one belongs in Bernee's Aliens Project SynxsS studio.

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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?"

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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.

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Modular Synthesizer Cabinets

YouTube via ISOTROPOSPHERE | October 22, 2010
I spy some MATRIXSYNTH cards and magnets! :)

"This is a follow up video to my desktop modular synth video featuring a showcase of my new cabinet (DFMZ-2) and the desktop controller (DFMZ-Desktop) alongside my first cabinet (DFMZ-1). The Technosaurus Small Wonders Series Tower was also finalized this Summer and now all are set up and being used in my little studio.

The cabinets feature a custom stencil graphic to simulate the graphic style of the Technosaurus small wonders on all of the sides, back and bottom. The first cabinet was left raw after graphics and the front faces left natural oak to kind of give it that old school desk or laboratory equipment look. The second cabinet was laquer clearcoated (6 coats) after the graphics and polished to a glossy shine. The front face has decal pro graphics buried under the clearcoat at the corners and features custom hand laid pinstriping by BRUCE. The desktop controller features custom solid mahogany end caps with woodburning graphical pattern, cleacoated and polished to a high gloss shine. Sheet metal between the wood sides and fitting into milled groove on sides, also, the Doepfer rails feature a notch on the back side which receives the sheet metal enclosure for a snug, secure fit. Sheet metal painted with same colors and graphical pattern as cabinets, clearcoated and polished. The inside of the desktop was painted white to allow maximum radiance of the bright blue led's on the Monorocket distribution board, custom light pipe made for amplifying this light.

The music that accompanies this video was something I had on an old tape in the deck and was just used to have something to listen to in the video. Having some fun with the Korg DVP-1 vocoder with vocals from my friend Marcus Maximus. "He'll save everyone of us" - Enjoy"

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.

-Ichabod- Construction and Module List

Be sure to click on the image for the full effect.
Photo by Michael Mattson.
"Cabinets:
Ichabod consists of an assembly of 9 separate cabinets interlocked together.

The cabinets were constructed out of 3/8” African Padauk, sanded to 600 grit and oiled with Linseed oil. Paste wax was applied and hand buffed as a sealer and protector. The color was originally as orange as the graphics but, the linseed oil and exposure to UV has darkened the wood to a dazzling deep reddish-orange.

The cabinets are all mitered at the corners and the 13 Ga. steel module mounting frames are embedded into a ¼” deep groove, 1” back from the front edge.

The 4X wide main cabinets (qty=3) contain two Condor power supplies, one for each pair of panels. There are connectors on the back for connecting the satellite cabinets to the main cabinet DC power bus. Four El-Pac external power supplies were supplied for the satellite cabinets if they were to be utilized independently, separate from the main system.

The four satellite cabinets and the two cable caddies are stock MMM cabinets. The cable caddies were modified with an orange electro-luminescent light strip and inverters to light the strips. A reverse light mask with the name “Ichabod” was manufactured and placed over the EL strip.

Modules:
The modules were distributed to provide a left-to-right signal flow per each 2-panel section. The 4X cabinets have two identical left and right layouts and the satellites are identical pairs. A few redundant modules were added to the left and right satellite cabinets in order to provide a fully functioning stand-alone system.

The full Ichabod module list as delivered is as follows:
16 OV1-J VCO’s Jacked version
16 OV1-S VCO’s Switched version
7 NS1 Noise sources (1 per cabinet)
16 EG1 ADSR Envelope generators
16 AV1 VCA’s
16 JPVCF1 VC Filters
14 MX1 4X Mixers
10 DLFO1 Dual LFO’s
8 PE/MIDI 2-wide MIDI controller with V 2.0 software
8 AF1 Amplitude Followers (Envelope Followers)
8 GD1 4X Gate delays
8 BF1 4X buffers/signal distribution
8 VCM1 4X Voltage controlled mixers
5 SH1 Sample and Holds
5 LP1 Lag processors/ Glide
2 UT1 Utility modules/ clock/ divider/ manual voltage source

Coming soon:
2 SQ1 3-wide 8X3 sequencer

Module descriptions can be found on our WIKI site: http://mmm.sevcom.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Or, by going to the main web site http://www.mattsonminimodular.com/ And clicking on the WIKI link."

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"

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. : )