MOTM / Synthesis Technology's Paul Schreiber Has Passed Away

Paul Schreiber at CONTROL in 2018


It has come to my attention that Paul Schreiber has passed away.

Pictured: Paul Schreiber at the 2006 NAMM show. Top from this previous post (pic by fr1zz), and bottom from this post (pic by Synthtopia) - this is the first image of Paul on the site. There is one comment in that post: "He's a good guy." Indeed.

Readers of the site should be familiar with his work. He was the man behind MOTM and Synthesis Technology.

To say Paul was one of the greats to influence the synth community would be an understatement. He was pivital to the rebirth of modular synthesizers. He started when modular as we know it today was in its infancy, as one of a very small group of large format DIY modular manufacturers along with Blacet, Modcan, Cynthia, Wiard, Oakley, STG, Catgirl/CGS, Tellun/Lower West Side Studio YuSynth, Jurgen Haible, and of course DIY staples like Thomas Henry/ MFOS, Ray Wilson and PAiA (see this post for some modular formats back in 2007). I focused mainly on those offering DIY. There were other manufacturers including Synthesizers.com, Club of the Knobs, MOS-LAB, Moon Modular, MacBeth, CMS, and more. Feel free to mention others in the comments. This post is about Paul, but I think it's important to reflect on some of the large format modular manufactures he was amongst at the time.

Paul created the MOTM format of 5U modules in 1998. MOTM stood for Module of the Month offering monthly DIY kits. From Wikipedia: "MOTM was created by Paul Schreiber in 1998. The system was created in part due to the renewed interest in large-format analog modular systems that occurred in the late 1990s. Between 1998 and 2021, over 8000 modules were sold. The company, Synthesis Technology, also offered a limited number of modules in Eurorack[2] and Frac[3] format."

He was also helped design the Moog/Realistic MG-1. From Wikipedia: "In 1980, Moog Music was seeking to contract manufacture a mass-marketable synthesizer which could be sold via a large retailer. Moog representatives secured an appointment at the Radio Shack corporate offices for a 5-minute demonstration. Radio Shack approved the concept, and Paul Schreiber (then employed by Tandy Systems Development) worked together with Moog on the synthesizer's design to achieve Radio Shack's price requirements.[2][3]"

He later joined the eurorack scene with Synthesis Technology branded modules. FYI, his site for MOTM was always http://www.synthtech.com/, short for Synthesis Technology. The first post to mention Paul and MOTM was posted just under twenty years ago here on MATRIXSYNTH back on August 26, 2005. If you click through you will see it was a post announcing the MOTM/synthtech.com site was going down for the weekend. He announced he was retiring from the synthesizer business in August of 2023.

I beleive the first synthtech eurorack module was the MOTM E340 Cloud Generator. The first demos were posted on July 14, 2009, followed by a mockup of the front panel on July 20. The first post to mention Synthesis Technology was an Epic Son track by John L Rice in August of 2011. Since then there has been approximately 845 posts to feature MOTM, and at least 398 Synthtech.

You can find a number of interviews with Paul in previous posts here.

It's worth repeating, Paul Schreiber was one of the key figures that brought modular back to the masses. He was both respected and loved by the synth community. It's impossible to overstate his influence. He will be missed.

The following are the first the last video interviews with Paul to be featured on the site:

The SynthSummitShow Episode 2: Paul Schreiber (Synthesis Technology) and A.Dapt (music producer) ...

Streamed live on Oct 2, 2015 Flux302 of Fluxwithit.com. Details previously posted here.

SysEx Dumpster - Episode 44 - a conversation with Paul Schreiber
video upload by Sysex Dumpster on Jul 30, 2023. Details previously posted here.

The first videos to feature Paul presenting a module was back on January 3, 2010, and the first interview on SoundCloud in 2013, and he was of course featured in the modular documentary film I Dream of Wires.

MFOS VC Echo

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Playing around with the Delay setting on the Music From Outer Space Voltage Controlled Echo.

The echo tends to distort as the delay lengthens providing some interesting sonic possibilities.

The sound running through the VC Echo is a BMC018 Analog Drum module.

The output signal is processed through a Yusynth VC Panning Mixer then into a Mackie Onyx mixer (1640i).

Reaper's Compressor and Limiter were added at the end of the recording chain but no other effects have been added."

Lazarus Bubbles

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"While playing around with a CGS29 Wave Multipliers I came up with a bubbling sound that reminded me of The Lazarus Pit from DC's Batman.

Here is a sample of the sound created by feeding some LFOs into a CGS29 then modulating it and twisting it with an Oakley Overdrive and MFOS 8-Stage Phase Shifter"

LM714 - Modular Mashup

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Inspired by Sigue Sigue Sputnik's Love Missile F1-11 I came up with this mashup of sounds that sort of sounded ok together.

It started as a test for the Fonitronik Sequential Switch but as with most patches it expanded from there. The Sequential Switch is used to change track of the quad-sequencer during the Ode to Joy segment

Visit us at lowerwestsidestudio.com"

Rain Song

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Rain Song by Just The 5

www.lowerwestsidestudio.com

Thanks to the creators of the animated GIFs"

The Eternal Now

video upload by davidryle

"American Format (5U) modular synthesizer performance in real time to a stereo track in Cubase.
For an atonal wash I used the Dove Audio Waveplane and WTF vco's through an Oakley Sound Systems Ring Modulator. I then sent it through A dotcom Q150 transistor ladder filter and a Lower West Side Studio Multimode Filter/Resonator and on to a fixed filter bank and a Frequency Central Stasis Leak digital delay. This drone wash comes in at the final section and ending.
The opening reed sound and accompanying organ sounds were derived from the Synthetic Sound Labs/Mutable Instruments (Braids) Woven Spirits module.
The initial reed sound is from the AUX output of the Woven Spirits through an SSL/Ian Fritz 5 Pulser and Oakley Sound Systems State Variable Filter. The filter is stepped with a random S&H from JNP Electronics.
The secondary organ chord sound is the Main direct output of the Woven Spirits in Chord mode. The combination of both elements are sent to an Electro-Harmonix Grand Canyon in DMM mode. Feedback is applied as needed for the drone sustain throughout the piece.
The bass line comes in next with a pair of STG Soundlabs Oscillators through a Dove Audio D502 Multimode filter in -24dB LP mode. The pitch voltage is from the upper Q960 step sequencer. It's timing is from a Catgirl Synth Master Divider, clocked from a custom Dual LFO/Analog Shift Register of Ken Stone (Catgirl Synth) design. An additional tap from the STG oscillator through a Corsynth C103 Frequency Divider/Multiplier module for a sub-octave feed.
The melodic line blended into the latter section is from a pair of Q106 dotcom vco's which are pitch controlled by the lower Q960 sequencer. Each vco pitch is from a separate row of the Q960. The Q960's shift timing is from the CGS Master Divider module. The output is routed through an Empress Reverb pedal in Blue Ghost mode. Panning is from the LWSS/Yusynth Panning Mixer.
All pitch quantitization is through a Moon Modular 565 series setup.
Additional voltage modulation to the Woven Spirits module are from the STG Soundlabs voltage mini stores, and vaious LFO's etc. Timing for the additional sequencers is also managed by the Moster Divider."

Custom Mixed Module Synthesizers.com Box11 Modular Synthesizer System

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

via this auction

"MU Synthesizers.com format modular synth in Box 11 case powered by QPS4 power supply.

Includes the following modules:

Electro-Smith 3340 VCO (3)
Synthesizers.com Q114 Mixer ++
Electro-Smith 2144 LPF filter (2)
Lower West Side Studio Oakley Modular Dual LFO (sticks out of case slightly due to deep pcb board)
Analog Craftsman 5 channel attenuator
Synthesizers.com Q109 envelope generator (2)
Corsynth C108 Dual VCA"

CLICK FOR MORE »

M140 Clock Divider / Universal Logic Block Beat

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Quick patch using the Lower West Side Studio M140 Clock Divider / Universal Logic Block.

The patch clock is an Oakley Dual LFO. From the LFO the signal is divided by an M122 Master Divider and passed to the M140 Clock Divider / ULB.

Gates have been created using the M712 Sequencer Sidecar which will be used in an accent portion of the beat.

The 'hi-hat' is a Hexinverter Jupiter Storm (modulated) through a Journeymen VCF (dual Oakley Journeyman).

Drum sounds are all produced with Barton BMC018 Analog Drum Modules along with a LWSS Duo-Bop (2 x BMC018)"

M700 Complex Resettable Address Programmer - raw footage

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"First test of the M700 Complex Resettable Address Programmer. This is and advanced new sequencer designed by Hale and adapted for MU with Lower West Side Studio."

LISA BELLA DONNA AND DINA PEARLMAN-IFIL ANNOUNCE ALBUM RELEASE “SYSTERS IN SYNTHS

March 8, 2023, Kingston, New York In conjunction with International Women's Day March 8, 2023, we are happy to announce a new music release featuring all-new works by Lisa Bella Donna (multi-instrumentalist and Sorceress of Synthesis) with Alan's daughter Dina Pearlman-Ifil (keyboardist and bassist.) All proceeds to benefit the Alan R Pearlman Foundation

Systers in Synths / Medusa was recorded in Lisa's Appalachian Mountain studio over the weekend of July 29-30th, 2022. This full-length album features one composition by Lisa Bella Donna, and two collaborations between Lisa and Dina. The instruments used in recording and production are almost entirely ARP vintage or ARP inspired instruments and reissues including the ARP 2600 (original and Korg), ARP String Ensemble, ARP Odyssey, Antonus Step Brother, Moog Sequencers, ARP Omni, and a Multimode filter by Lower West Side Studio.

To purchase, go to the Foundation’s BandCamp Page (all proceeds go to the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation)

For more information about the Foundation, visit alanrpearlmanfoundation.org

DONATE TODAY

Pursuit

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Pursuit - A poem by Stephen Dobyns

Reading and performance by Just The 5"

Serge Dual Universal Slope Generator 5U First Impressions...

video upload by Rhythmicons

"These are just a few snippets messing around with the DUSG for the first time.
DUSG & DSI Tempest to STG Mixer.

This module was built by Rich at Lower West Side Studio from Ken Stone's Catgirl Synth PCB."

Lisa Bella Donna's hidden sonic sanctuary

video upload by EarthQuakerDevices

"Join us as we take a detailed tour of Lisa Bella Donna's legendary home studio, Appalachian Recordings, deep in the Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States. Lisa is a longtime friend of Jamie Stillman’s since before the inception of EarthQuaker Devices in the early 90s, when they would play punk house shows together. Lisa is a renowned recording artist, composer, sound designer, modular synthesist and educator.

In this incredible episode of Show Us Your Junk, Lisa talks about her early inspirations that led her to start playing music, and eventually using electronic synthesis to craft the unique voice that she envisioned. After hearing Black Sabbath's “Paranoid” and Wendy Carlos's “Switched on Bach” and “Sonic Seasons,” it became clear that music was her destiny. Her stories include recording and editing commercial jingles in the 80s, selling her car to put a down payment on an Arp 2600 synthesizer, and discovering the rich characteristics of recording to 8-track tape.

While this studio packs in a ton of rare gear, Lisa claims she doesn’t consider herself a collector. “My choices are very utilitarian; pretty much everything in here is here for a purpose, and it’s part of the big picture - the great stream of what my albums become,” she says. Some of her staple instruments include the ARP 2600, ARP Odyssey, ARP Omni, Mini Moog, and Fender Rhodes. EQD pedals she frequently uses include the Rainbow Machine, Arpanoid, and Grand Orbiter, but her favorite EQD pedal is the Avalanche Run. She loves it so much that she had a custom rack mount version built, which is patched directly to her main console. “It's one of my favorite reverbs still - one of my most used for sure.”

Lisa has an interesting perspective when it comes to connecting music to visual concepts in nature and her environment. “When I compose music, I see it just as much as I hear it. I look at my arrangements as landscapes or deep woods mountain paths with all the textures and colors of the elements that surround it,” she says. This all makes sense when you see the picturesque plot of land in which she chose to settle down to build her studio and raise her daughter.

Shot by Chris Tran, Jeff France, David Whited, Dannesh Moosa
Edited by David Whited
Additional footage shot by Tristan Whitney Weary
Music by Lisa Bella Donna, EYE, Deadsea

Music Provided by Lisa Bella Donna
'Turning Points'
'Twi Spirit, One Life'
'Kohoutek'
'Emerald's Run'
'Ascension'
'Pure Stereo Time Machine'
'Falling Leaves'

Special thanks to:
Moog Music Inc.
Waves Audio
Antonus Synthesizers
Hologram Electronics
Lower West Side Studio / Canada
Behind The Sky Records
SFI Records

Check out more of Lisa Bella Donna's work:
https://lisabelladonna.bandcamp.com/
https://lisabelladonna.com/"

Wogglebug Wind and Noise Demo

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Here the Wiard Wogglebug, built in MU format by Lower West Side Studio, is being used to modulate wind and rain sounds generated by 2 noise sources and filtered by 2 separate voltage controlled filters.

Modules used in this patch include;
Wiard Wogglebug
Yusynth Sample & Hold
LWSS M401 Multimode Filter / Resonator
Synthesizers.com Q110
Yusynth ARP VCF
Oakley VC-ADSR/VCA
Yusynth Quad LFO
CGS114 Dual Universal Slope Generator
Yusynth VC Panning Mixer

For more information visit http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

Wogglebug in MU Format

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"The Wiard Wogglebug is a random voltage generator designed by Grant Richter and inspired by the Buchla 265 / 266 Source of Uncertainty module.

The module features multiple simultaneous random audio and control voltage signals. It can be used to create the most incredible other-worldly sounds.

The patch in this video features the following modules;
- The Wogglebug
- Oakley Croglin VCF
- CGS114 DUSG
- MFOS VC Echo
- Oakley Classic VCA
- FCUK System X ADSR
- Tellun Doomsday Machine (for LFO modulation)
- Yusynth VC Panning Mixer

For more information visit http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

CGS49 VCF Spread Demo

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Short video of the Cat Girl Synthesizers CGS49 Dual Wasp Filter

For more information visit http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

TLN-712 Doomsday Machine Demo # 3

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Tellun TLN-712 Doomsday Machine from Lower West Side Studio.

Self-resonating Oakley Discrete Ladder Filter output fed into TLN-712 and modulated.

Visit http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

Bat Modular

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"In this small tribute to my favourite Batman, the late Adam West, I really used up my clock dividers and counting modules.

Multiple sequencers play their part in this piece that will give no peace to the OCD listener : )

Whap - Biff - Ooof!

Enjoy

http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

Lo Rez - A Modular Mez

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Early morning patch inspired by strong coffee and the desire to patch some of my favourite filters; CGS49 Dual Wasp, M401 Multimode Filter / Resonator, SEM VCF, Discrete Ladder Filter and ARP 4072 clone. Oh, and a TLN-442.

Visit http://lowerwestsidestudio.com"

TLN-712 Doomsday Machine Demo # 2

video upload by Lower West Side Studio

"Short demo of this versatile and powerful quad LFO and waveshaper module.

For more information visit lowerwestsidestudio.com"

Demo 1 posted here