SYNTH FEST 2: Snapchat Story Day 1 (air travel, fruit, live music and bitRanger) #TTNM

Published on May 27, 2016 The Tuesday Night Machines

"Here's my Snapchat Story of day one at Noise Kitchen Synth Fest 2016. Watch me get up early, fly to Vienna, eat, drink and encounter the Bastl Instruments bitRanger!"

SYNTH FEST 2: bitRanger Presentation #TTNM

Published on May 27, 2016

"People were excited about the presentation of the Bastl Instruments bitRanger, followed by an awesome performance by Peter Edwards of Casper electronics at NOISE KITCHEN SYNTH FEST 2016 in Brno. Here's a quick capture of the beginning of the show. Jump to 3:10 for the start of the performance."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Bastl Introduces New Product at Moogfest ­- The bitRanger Handheld Patchable Analog Logic Computer

Published on May 18, 2016 Bastl Instruments

"Bastl Instruments introduces a new product at the Moogfest: the bitRanger designed by Peter Edwards a.k.a. Casper Electronics who moved recently to Brno, Czech Republic to join forces with the Bastl crew. The bitRanger brings together the legacy of the previous products debuted at Moogfest ­ the Werkstatt and the Pocket Operator and bridges both realms of these instruments together.

The bitRanger is a patchable analog logic computer which sculpts sonic worlds ranging from data noise to melodic arpeggios. While being a handheld standalone synth it is also right at home in the music studio. Extensive connectivity makes it so flexible that it can connect to almost anything: CV control its unique sound, sync it with drum machines and sequencers or use it as an algorithmic CV / GATE pattern generator.

The patchbay of the bitRanger (in the same style as the Werkstatt) is a place for exploration where you can simply connect outputs to inputs to see what happens. This can be done methodically or with complete experimental abandon. Go nuts! Battery Power and a built in speaker make the bitRanger totally portable. Tweak it's 4 knobs, 8 switches and more than 100 patch points in the woods, on the beach, on a train and in the studio.

There are only 3 places in the world where you can try out the bitRanger: the Moogfest in Durham NC, freshly opened store of Bastl & Casper ­ Detective Squad in Brooklyn NY and original Bastl store Noise Kitchen in Brno Czech Republic. The first limited edition will be available for sale at Moogfest for special price 259 USD.

BitRanger is available at noise.kitchen website for 222 EUR excluding TAX and will be shipping in June."

via Bastl Instruments

"The bitRanger is a patchable analog logic computer which sculpts sonic worlds ranging from data noise to melodic arpeggios. While being a handheld standalone synth its extensive connectivity makes so flexible that it can connect to almost anything: CV control its unique sound, sync it with drum machines and sequencers or use it as an algorithmic CV / GATE pattern generator.

The patchbay of the bitRanger is a place for exploration where you can simply connect outputs to inputs to see what happens. This can be done methodically or with complete experimental abandon. Go nuts! Battery Power and a built in speaker make the bitRanger totally portable. Tweak it’s 4 knobs, 8 switches and more than 100 patch points in the woods, on the beach, on a train and in the studio.

FEATURES

LFO clock oscillator for rhytmical modulation
VCO oscillator is synced to the HFO oscillator
4 modes of operation selectable by 2 switches
built in speaker with volume control
9V DC center positive power supply input
9V battery compartment from the bottom
less than 20mA power draw on headphones, less than 60mA with speaker (minimum 20 hours on battery)
On /Off switch
expansion connector
package includes 3 photo resistors – make your oscillators respond to light by plugging these into the Bend socket

PATCHBAY

118 jumper cable patch points
each oscillator has 3 differently slewed CV inputs, sync inputs, rate knob and bend points
Divider Bits section – use clocks at different speed to create patterns
Adventure Bits section adds irregular rhytmical elements
MUX 1 and MUX 2 input sections to modulate data loops and waveforms
stereophonic output from MUX 1 and MUX2 sections
BYTE CV section is R2R DAC converter which takes bits and converts them to CV
DATA modulation section witch a switch adds more flavour
Utility Belt section adds advanced features
Left and Right audio override section

EXTERNAL CONNECTIVITY

3.5mm stereophonic headphone output
Clock Input to sync the LFO oscillator
Clock Output with selectable LFO division (2 or 64)
CV Output from the BYTE DAC section
CV Input for the VCO
CV In and CV Out connectors can be routed to dedicated patch points on the patchbay"

4 New Modules by Bastl Instruments ­Coming to NAMM

via Bastl Instruments:

"We are happy to announce 4 new modules and 2 expanders by Bastl Instruments. Come to see us at NAMM 2016 at Booth #5000 ­ Hall C!

The biggest highlight is the POPCORN non­linear CV/GATE Sequencer which performs original sequencing in tonal landscape. There is an entire universe of very musical ways how you can browse thru the 8 steps. This is all determined by a combination of triggers and CV signals you feed into the sequencer. 2 trigger inputs A and B advance the sequencer by the number of steps that you set with the knob (­4,­3,­2,­1,+1,+2,+3,+4). Reset sets the sequencer to step 1, OR, you can use the assignable CV Input to make it go to the step determined by CV. The CV input can also select the step directly or transpose the signal or do many other things! There is also a built in quantizer, selectable output range, gate and slide active per step with adjustable gate and slide times.

POPCORN has two EXPANDERS: one with jump button and individual GATE outputs for each step and another one that adds 5 more CV INPUTs to control the sequencer.

Foot control is a great way to enhance how modular synthesizer can be played as an instruments and this is exactly what modules CLUTCH and DUPDUP are for! CLUTCH can be used as a simple quad passive attenuator in modular setup but when you connect a stereo cable to the input and connect an expression or a volume pedal into it, it turns into continuous voltage source for your feet! And you can connect 4 pedals! DUPDUP on the other side implements 2 foot switches that can re­route your modular, bypass a signal processors, select between trigger sequences, mute signals or just send gates.

The last but not least is CIAO! 4 line outputs and headphone amp in just 5 HP is ideal for recording or live performance. Switches on the module enable you to make a patch just for your headphones and then mix it into the main output!

Modules are now available for pre­order at Noise Kitchen shipping in March 2016. Modules will be available from local dealers in Spring 2016.

Prices exclude tax.
POPCORN ­ 10HP non­linear CV/GATE sequencer ­ 210 EUR
POPCORN CV EXPANDER ­ 2HP ­ adds more CV inputs ­ 49 eur
POPCORN GATE EXPANDER ­ 2HP ­ adds individual gate outputs + jump ­ 49 eur
CLUTCH ­ 5HP ­ quad attenuator and volume pedal to CV interface ­ 75 EUR
DUPDUP ­ 5HP dual VC footswitch ­ 90 EUR
CIAO ! ­ 5HP ­ quad line out + headphone amp 109 EUR"

New Bastl Expander Modules Announced at #knobcon

If you are at Knobcon this weekend, be sure to check them out. Bastl Instruments is in the house.

"Slim Fit line of 5 new eurorack expanders / modules by Bastl Instruments

We are happy to announce 4 new slim expanders and 1 module to enrich the line of our eurorack modules. The expanders enhance functionality of existing modules and and new fascinating features.

SPA - the grandPa expander adds CV input for nearly all parameters of your grandPa granular sampler module.

CV Trinity Expander pairs with CV Trinity - the 6 channel modulation source and adds independent RESET / RETRIGGER inputs for each channel.

Knit Rider Expander pairs with Knit Rider trigger sequencer and adds clock output and reset jack. The reset acts as input or output depending whether the sequencer is master or slave. There is also a 3 way passive multiple and a clock inverter as part of the module.

Solenoid Expander pairs with Solenoid 4 channel motor driving module and adds independent CV input for each channel to set the output pulse width which results into the way how hard the solenoid can hit the object - thus velocity control.

Wackel Kontakt - this unique 1HP module emulates broken contact or cable in form of a 4 way passive multiple! You can calibrate it to obtain the right level of broken-ness. It is not only a random type of generator to break your patches, it is also very useful as a CABLE HANGER or as 1HP blank panel. And most of all… it is the ONE module you would love to talk about with your friends!

Modules are available now from http://noise.kitchen/ and soon from other retailers. Prices exclude tax.

SPA - 5HP grandPa CV input expander - 82 EUR
CV Trinity Expander - 2 HP reset / retrigger expander - 49 EUR
Knit Rider Expander - 2 HP clock and reset expander 49 EUR
Solenoid Expander - 2 HP CV input expander - 49 EUR
Wackel Kontakt - 1HP broken contact emulator - 8 EUR"

http://www.bastl-instruments.com

Jožka Říhák plays the ELEKTRON - 83 drum machine / synth

Published on Jun 15, 2015 Peter Kirn

"From Brno, CZ - Synth Fest 2015, hosted by Bastl Instruments / Noise Kitchen. A one-of-a-kind instrument from Communist-era Czechoslovakia."

This is the ELEKTRON - 83 posted here. We now have some additional details on this unique system via CDM: "The Elektron-83 is the creation of Jožka Říhák, legendary in Moravia as a genius electronic instrument builder. His Syntezátor – 83 Unisono went into production, but the ELEKTRON – 83 is one of a kind. We got a live performance and demo/ explanation of the creation at Brno’s Synth Fest hosted by Bastl Instruments and their new Noise Kitchen shop in the Czech Republic.

And this thing is simply amazing.

First of all, it does so much that Jožka – now into his 70s and mostly retired from playing – was worried he wouldn’t remember everything he’d made it do. It’s really an early rendition of a workstation/arranger keyboard. It’s part organ, an analog synthesizer with loads of timbral variations. It’s also part drum machine, with a rich analog sound set that might be as at home accompanying techno as playing Czech folks songs. And it’s part effects box, with various additional processing onboard or accessible via a set of stompboxes he also designed.

It’s when you look closer at the design that you begin to realize how deep the rabbit hole goes. Some of the controls are obvious: okay, those are drawbars. But then the drawbars are augmented with switches, and knobs, and combinations of switches “unlock” other features, and then you find more knobs and more switches augmenting the other knobs and switches. If there was a spare bit of panel, he added a control. If he ran out of space for controls, he kept adding functionality anyway, by using combinations of additional switches and knobs..."

See the full post with additional pics on Create Digital Music.

ELEKTRON – 83 Custom Drum Machine & Synthesizer at Upcoming Noise.Kitchen Synth Meet

Some additional info on that synth pictured in the previous event post.

via Noise Kitchen

"Local legend Jožka Říhák will take part with his ELEKTRON – 83 combined analog drummachine and synthesizer. also his master piece Syntezátor – 83 Unisono will be present"

NOISE.KITCHEN SYNTH FEST - June 12 - 15 Brno, Czech Republic

"NOISE.KITCHEN SYNTH FEST SynthFest = tweak + listen + build + enjoy SYNTHS

Bastl Instruments, Kabinet Múz and Skleněná louka are inviting you to the first year of Synth Fest in Brno, Czech republic. Whole friday in Kabinet Múz will be dedicated to Synth Meeting where you can try and listen to many various synths from all over the world which will be presented by their own makers. In the evening the main hall will turn into a place where dance will be inevitable.

Saturday will host informal moderated brunch with Peter Kirn of Create Digital Music about the present and future of electronic musical instruments. In the afternoon the festival will move to Skleněná Louka where various synth building workshops will take their place. But mainly there will be opening of very unique synth shop NOISE.KITCHEN. The evening will be dedicated to more experimental electronic music in the basement stage. Sunday, Monday and maybe also tuesday will give a chance to build mainly (but not only) Bastl Instruments modules and synths for really crazy cheap prices!

The event is supported by the best deputy major for culture Matěj Hollan.
more info at w​ww.noise.kitchen/synthfest​or h​ttp://www.bastl-instruments.com/modular/

Program

Friday 12.6.
Synth Meet​- 11:00-21:30 - meet the makers, try out and buy crazy instruments !
(Kabinet Múz, Sukova 4, Brno)
Synth Party​- 21:30 - ??:?? - epic music ! dance inevitable ! HRTL(Cz), PROJEKT DATALINE(Se), PETER KIRN DJ SET(Us/De), MASTER CLOCK sharing (Kabinet Múz, Sukova 4, Brno)

Saturday 13.6.
Synth Talk​- 12:?? - 15:?? - talk about the future of music with Peter Kirn of CDM (Kabinet Múz, Sukova 4, Brno)
Synth Workshops​- build synths ! 14:30 - ??:?? (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)
Noise.kitchen grand opening​- 16:30 (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)
Noise.Kitchen Party​- 20:00 - ??:?? - experimental, noise, dance, ambient, electricity, love (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)

Sunday 14.6.
Synth Workshops​-11:00 - ??-?? - (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)
Bastl synth workshops​-11:00 - ??-?? - (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)

Monday - Tuesday 15-16.6.
additional B​astl synth workshops​if needed :) (Skleněná louka, Kounicova 23, Brno)
21.5.2015 vaclav@bastl-instruments.com

Confirmed participants:
E l e k t r o n ​( S E ) , K​ o m a E l e k t r o n i k ​( D E ) , M​ e e b l i p ​( U S / C A N ) , E​ r i c a S y n t h s ​( L V ) , B​ u r n k i t 2 6 0 0 ​( U S ) , Soulsby​(UK), G​inko Synthese​(NL), F​alafular​(NL), E​rror Instruments​(NL),​D​in Sync​(DE), B​R Laser (AT), L​.E.P.​(IT),L​OM Instruments​(SK), Jožka Říhák - E​lektron​(CZ) B​astl Instruments​(CZ), BuranElektrix​(CZ), A​utiolab​(CZ),​S​tanda Filip​(CZ), P​avel Ondračka​(CZ),​P​avel Richtr​(CZ)
Still considering participation:
E n d o r p h i n e s ​( A T ) , A​b s t r a c t D a t a ​( U K ) , X​a o c D e v i c e s ​( P L ) , B​e f a c o ​( E S ) , A​D D A C S y s t e m ​( P T ) , T​e e n a g e E n g i n e e r i n g ​( S E ) , G​i e s G i e s k e s ​( N L ) , A​l w i n W e b e r - C i r c u i t C i r c l e ​( D E ) , P​r a s e S y n t h ​( C Z )"


Women's Synth Workshop Coming to The Kitchen on May 10th New York

Facebook Event Page
And via The Kitchen:

"Organized by Molly Smith in collaboration with The Kitchen, Women's Synth Workshop is the first event in a continuing series focused on inspiring women to learn about the technical aspects and ideas behind modular synthesis and experimental electronic music. Led by various prominent women in the field—including Alice Cohen, Rose Kallal, Delia Gonzalez, Lori Napoleon, Abby Echiverri, Liz Wendelbo, and Xeno and Oaklander—the event will feature daytime discussions, lectures, and interactive demonstrations before transitioning to performances. Floor model synthesizers will be provided by the Williamsburg synth shop Control. All visitors welcome regardless of gender.

Created in 1971, The Kitchen is among the oldest non-profits in the country, whose legacy in electronic and experimental music is especially strong. Among composers and performers who presented some of their earliest and seminal works here early are Maryanne Amacher, Laurie Anderson, David Behrman, Harold Budd, Philip Glass, Pauline Oliveros, and Steve Reich. Today the organization’s board features such composers as Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly.

12:00 – 12:15: Introduction
12:15 – 1:00: Abby Echiverri
1:00 – 1:45: Lori Napoleon
1:45 – 2:15: Open Synth Play
2:15 – 3:00: Liz Wendelbo
3:00 – 4:00: Delia Gonzalez, Alice Cohen, Rose Kalal, Camilla Padgitt
4:15 – 5:00: Open Synth Play

May 10, 12–5pm

This Woman’s Synth Workshop is presented by The Kitchen as part of the 2014 Vulture Festival sponsored by New York Magazine. Music programs are made possible with support from The Amphion Foundation, Inc., Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and by public funds from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Floor model synthesizers from Make Noise and littleBits are generously provided by the Williamsburg synth shop Control."

Mattson 3X Experiment

via George Mattson

"I was wondering if I could do a 'piano finish' for the case I'm going to make for my EML sequencer/ modular. [see these posts]

In a moment of insanity, I decided to do a test run by building a 3X wide horizontal case. I figured that if it worked, great! If it didn't, I'd still have something I could use.

One day of building out of canary wood and 15 days of coating, sanding, re-coating, sanding, etc and the final polishing process let me know that yes, I CAN do a piano finish. But, My EML project isn't going to get one :) It's a lot of work.

I was trying to set it up where I could get a good angle to catch the reflective surface. Once I scrubbed the kitchen floor, it was as good as spot as any. Our cat decided to check out the new 'thing' that was invading the floor. I figured that it gives a good scale comparison. So, there he is, being a cat.

The case measures 44" W x 11" H x 3" D. It contains 36 module spaces.

I decided that it was perfect for creating a system synthetically comparable to an old stock Moog 55. I researched the 'standard' module compliment from their brochure and had to sort out cross-generation compatabilities. I came up with the following modules that I'll need to create a comparable system:
6-VCO's
1-Noise
2-VC Dual LFO
1-Sample/Hold
3-ADSR EGs
1-MIDI/CV
1-Envelope Follower
1-Quad AD/ASR EG
1-4X Gate Delay
1-8-stage Sequencer (which, I have to finish)
3-VCFs
1-Quad VCA
3-Full VCA's
1-4-channel Mixer
3-4X Buffered mults
3-4X VC Mixers
1-Utility 1

There was a lot of 'back and forth' due to some of the functions were standard within certain modules of mine.

Whether it's the same or not, who cares. It's going to be a lot of fun either way :)"

I wonder what the cat thinks. :)

Alba Ecstasy - Inheritage - a Virus Ti2 demo

YouTube Uploaded by adimsimion on Jul 31, 2011

"A Virus Ti2 demo in multi mode.
Was very painful (and not because of my finger!) to work with it: problems with polyphony, with browsing the patches for every part (only in the right up corner you can see the patch?? - I have to read the manual!) and some other stuff...
I had to hit the panic button for 4-5 times and to record the video as many times...

It is a synth that intrigues me A LOT!

All sounds are coming Virus Ti2 - some of the are made by Alba Ecstasy. The ground noise from beginning is coming from I don't know where!

Alba Ecstasy

PS: beware of kitchen robots knifes in kitchen!

http://albaecstasy.ro"

bolide overload - Pics of the New Sunsyn in the Flesh

via Cikira on the AH list:

"'Bolide' is my favorite word this week. :-)

After enjoying much ear-candy tonight from an impromptu kitchen table setup, I took these snaps. My original Jomox Sunsyn has a new friend. This was my first synth-GAS attack in quite a while.

I should have taken a photo of the dangerous looking red glow through the back ventilation slots. This synth is a beast from any angle.

I set out to be systematic and organized about noting differences between the two, but I tossed that idea in short order and went nuts playing, layering them (madness!!), and fading between them. Sunsyns in symphony are pretty darned agreeable.

The one I bought in 2006 is going back to Jurgen soon for the OS v2 update, and it's going to get ruthenium knobs too. The new knobs feel great, by the way. It will be good to know that the older synth won't wig out permanently if it gets wrong MIDI messages.

The black and purple Mark II looks better than I expected--the purple accents aren't garish. Some first impressions are: the noise floor is improved as advertised. The fan's quieter. Some of the presets are different, and some with the same name sound like they may have been re-tweaked. The arp speed setting seems to behave differently (but it could have been me). Next order of business will be to connect in multi mode to a sequencer and see how multis work now. Cheers to all!"

CLICK FOR MORE »

POLYVOX POLIVOKS

via this auction

"IT FEATURES TWO VCOS (SWITCHABLE BETWEEN TRIANGLE, SAWTOOTH, SQUARE, AND RECTANGULAR WAVEFORMS AND TUNABLE BETWEEN 2' TO 16'), A NOISE GENERATOR, ONE LFO, A FILTER (SWITCHABLE BETWEEN LOW-PASS AND BANDPASS), AND TWO ADSR ENVELOPE GENERATORS. VCO1 (CALLED "GENERATOR 1") CAN BE CROSS-MODULATED BY VCO2. EACH ADSR CAN BE SWITCHED TO AUTO-TRIGGER, EACH WITH INDEPENDENT RATES. CHECK THE PANEL TRANSLATION BELOW"





YouTube via williamenroh | April 15, 2007
previously posted
"This is a demonstration of the Soviet Polivoks Analog Synthesizer.

Ever so often I'll get a comment or email about how I refer to it as "built like a tank".

It was a bad choice of words - I simply meant that it looks like a piece of military equipment. Physically, it's no more solid than an Arp Odyssey."

Polivoks Live in kitchen

YouTube via chicotilo | March 10, 2008
previously posted
"Midnight live on Soviet analog synthesizer Polivoks."

kitchen noise

YouTube via UnearthedCircuits

"circuit bent circuit bending, weird sound generator, music from outer space, MFOS, WSG, delay, looper, electronics, noise, IDM, jam" Unearthed Circuits

Serge Modular System

images via this auction and this auction.
Auction 1:
QUANTIZER MODULE
ASR MODULE
ASR MODULE
DUAL TRANSIENT GENERATOR MODULE
RANDOM SOURCE MODULE
SMOOTH STEPPED GENERATOR
CV PRO MODULE
DUAL UNIVERSAL SLOPE GENERATOR
EXTENDED ADSR MODULE
SMOOTH FUNCTION GENERATOR
NOISE SOURCE MODULE
DUAL PROCESSOR MODULE
DUAL PROCESSOR SLOPE GENERATOR
PHASER MODULE
VOLT CONTROLLED STEREO MIXER
NEW TIMBRAL OSCILLATOR MODULE
PRECISION VCO (2 MODULES)
WAVE MULTIPLIER MODULE
VARIABLE QVCF MODULE
DUAL TRANSIENT GENERATOR
DUAL AUDIO MIXER MODULE
TOUCH ACTIVATED KEYBOARD SEQUENCER

Auction 2:
"PREAMP DETECTOR
FREQUENCY SHIFTER
C/M MODULE
WILSON ANALOG DELAY MODULE
MIXER MODULE
VARIABLE SLOPE VCF
RESONANT EQUILIZER MODULE
DUAL PHASER MODULE
DUAL CHANNEL STEREO MIXER MODULE

Serge gets its name from Serge Tcherepnin (pronounced "Cher - epp - nin"), a multitalented composer and electronic designer born of Russian-Chinese parents and raised in France. Self-taught in electronic design and circuit building, Serge enjoyed doing 'junk electronic' projects early on, making tape compositions using various electronic noisemakers cobbled together out of transistor radios and the like.

After studying music and physics at Harvard and Princeton, he taught music composition at the California Institute of the Arts. This was the early 70's, the heyday of Moog, ARP, and Buchla synthesizers. Calarts had a few Buchla-equipped studios. These were expensive, highly sought-after instruments, kept under lock and key. Getting studio time on one at Calarts meant being either a recognized staff composer or someone who maneuvered themselves into favor. The Buchla, ARP, and Moog synthesizers were interesting in their way, but could be improved upon. They were both expensive and bulky, a system with a decent number of functions could take up a whole wall in a small room. Serge and students Rich Gold and Randy Cohen wondered what they could do about this. After kicking around some ideas, they decided they were going to do their own synthesizer.

The first modules were designed, soldered, and built at Serge's home in what was essentially a kitchen tabletop operation. Before long, the word got out to other professors, students, and musicians about this new synthesizer. They wanted a piece of the action. Serge set up a strange sort of guerrilla manufacturing operation at Calarts on a second-story courtyard balcony. People paid $700 upfront for parts, worked on the 'assembly line' soldering and building modules, and eventually got themselves a six-panel system. Somehow, the Calarts administration either didn't find out or wasn't too bothered by this.

Another interesting player in this drama was composer Morton Subotnik, a professor at Calarts. He had a long association with instrument designer Don Buchla in the early 60's, the two of them collaborating on fundamental aspects of synthesizer design. When Mort spoke, Don listened. Serge caught on to this, and sought to woo Morton away from the Buchlas, but that was difficult. Eventually, Serge did build Mort some custom equipment.

In the 70's Serge collaborated on the design and construction of TONTO, a large polyphonic modular system. TONTO had the ancestry of many early Serge designs, some packaged behind faux-Moog front panels, including the NTO.

Serge eventually quit teaching and began to build synthesizers more seriously, using the first designs as a springboard. The Serge company was started in 1975, in the West Hollywood area, then headed north to San Francisco's Haight Street a few years later. It was always a humble bohemian concern, running more on enthusiasm and the love of making music than money and hardheaded business sense. Business tapered to a trickle in the middle 80's, and Serge, to support his family, started doing various outside electronic consulting projects. In 1992 Serge decided to move back to France. It was at this point that he sold the closely-guarded circuit designs to longtime associate Rex Probe, who then founded Sound Transform Systems. Production record keeping was pretty informal; it's estimated that "hundreds" of Serge systems were produced in the early years.

Today, Serge is again doing musical composition and is involved in helping Russian Jews move to Israel.
As Moog was a powerful East Coast influence that inspired ARP and Polyfusion, Buchla was the West Coast influence on Serge. Several Buchla designs, including the use of touch sensitive nontraditional keyboards, sequencers, random voltage generators, function generators, and matrix mixers found their way into Serge's repertoire. But that's not to say that Serge is merely a Buchla clone. Serge made many unique contributions, including the wave multiplier module, and some ideas were taken to new heights. Serge's oscillator designs have extraordinary accuracy and stability, especially considering their discrete nature. His philosophy of allowing the easy interplay of audio, control, and trigger signals, combined with the use of banana plugs, makes these systems wonderfully flexible.

There's no denying the amazing staying power of the Serge designs. Largely because of the development of convenient microprocessor-based keyboard synths, the 80's were a nasty time for analog synthesizer makers, practically all of them throwing in the towel. Serge's business slowed way down but never completely went out of production. With the recent clamoring for analog gear fueling successful production, Rex Probe and Sound Transform Systems look poised to carry the cream of analog modular music synthesis over the threshold of the 21st century, into their fourth decade of realization.

Sound Transform Systems has done a great job of continuing the analog modular lineage. Most of the traditional Serge modules are there, a few old ones were dropped, a few new ones added. The details are constantly being improved in many visible and invisible ways. They are still laboriously handmade, though the entire build process has been improved. Turnaround time has been improved from several months to 'just a couple'. All the components are top notch. The panel graphics and layout of many of the modules have been redesigned to make them more compact while keeping or improving the functionality. The circuit designs on many modules have been updated."

Serge Modular

Click here for shots via this auction.

Details:
"SMOOTH FUNCTION GENERATOR, NOISE SOURCE, DUAL ANALOG SHIFT REGISTER, DUAL UNIVERSAL SLOPE GENERATOR, DUAL PHASER, UNIVERSAL EQUAL POWER AUDIO PROCESSOR, TIMBRAL OSCILLATOR, PRECISION VCO (TWO OF THESE), WAVE MULTIPLIER, VARIABLE Q VCF, DUAL TRANSIENT GENERATOR, DUAL AUDIO MIXER, TOUCH ACTIVATED KEYBOARD SEQUENCER.

Serge gets its name from Serge Tcherepnin (pronounced "Cher - epp - nin"), a multitalented composer and electronic designer born of Russian-Chinese parents and raised in France. Self-taught in electronic design and circuit building, Serge enjoyed doing 'junk electronic' projects early on, making tape compositions using various electronic noisemakers cobbled together out of transistor radios and the like.

After studying music and physics at Harvard and Princeton, he taught music composition at the California Institute of the Arts. This was the early 70's, the heyday of Moog, ARP, and Buchla synthesizers. Calarts had a few Buchla-equipped studios. These were expensive, highly sought-after instruments, kept under lock and key. Getting studio time on one at Calarts meant being either a recognized staff composer or someone who maneuvered themselves into favor. The Buchla, ARP, and Moog synthesizers were interesting in their way, but could be improved upon. They were both expensive and bulky, a system with a decent number of functions could take up a whole wall in a small room. Serge and students Rich Gold and Randy Cohen wondered what they could do about this. After kicking around some ideas, they decided they were going to do their own synthesizer.

The first modules were designed, soldered, and built at Serge's home in what was essentially a kitchen tabletop operation. Before long, the word got out to other professors, students, and musicians about this new synthesizer. They wanted a piece of the action. Serge set up a strange sort of guerrilla manufacturing operation at Calarts on a second-story courtyard balcony. People paid $700 upfront for parts, worked on the 'assembly line' soldering and building modules, and eventually got themselves a six-panel system. Somehow, the Calarts administration either didn't find out or wasn't too bothered by this.

Another interesting player in this drama was composer Morton Subotnik, a professor at Calarts. He had a long association with instrument designer Don Buchla in the early 60's, the two of them collaborating on fundamental aspects of synthesizer design. When Mort spoke, Don listened. Serge caught on to this, and sought to woo Morton away from the Buchlas, but that was difficult. Eventually, Serge did build Mort some custom equipment.

In the 70's Serge collaborated on the design and construction of TONTO, a large polyphonic modular system. TONTO had the ancestry of many early Serge designs, some packaged behind faux-Moog front panels, including the NTO.

Serge eventually quit teaching and began to build synthesizers more seriously, using the first designs as a springboard. The Serge company was started in 1975, in the West Hollywood area, then headed north to San Francisco's Haight Street a few years later. It was always a humble bohemian concern, running more on enthusiasm and the love of making music than money and hardheaded business sense. Business tapered to a trickle in the middle 80's, and Serge, to support his family, started doing various outside electronic consulting projects. In 1992 Serge decided to move back to France. It was at this point that he sold the closely-guarded circuit designs to longtime associate Rex Probe, who then founded Sound Transform Systems. Production record keeping was pretty informal; it's estimated that "hundreds" of Serge systems were produced in the early years.

Today, Serge is again doing musical composition and is involved in helping Russian Jews move to Israel.

As Moog was a powerful East Coast influence that inspired ARP and Polyfusion, Buchla was the West Coast influence on Serge. Several Buchla designs, including the use of touch sensitive nontraditional keyboards, sequencers, random voltage generators, function generators, and matrix mixers found their way into Serge's repertoire. But that's not to say that Serge is merely a Buchla clone. Serge made many unique contributions, including the wave multiplier module, and some ideas were taken to new heights. Serge's oscillator designs have extraordinary accuracy and stability, especially considering their discrete nature. His philosophy of allowing the easy interplay of audio, control, and trigger signals, combined with the use of banana plugs, makes these systems wonderfully flexible.

There's no denying the amazing staying power of the Serge designs. Largely because of the development of convenient microprocessor-based keyboard synths, the 80's were a nasty time for analog synthesizer makers, practically all of them throwing in the towel. Serge's business slowed way down but never completely went out of production. With the recent clamoring for analog gear fueling successful production, Rex Probe and Sound Transform Systems look poised to carry the cream of analog modular music synthesis over the threshold of the 21st century, into their fourth decade of realization.

Sound Transform Systems has done a great job of continuing the analog modular lineage. Most of the traditional Serge modules are there, a few old ones were dropped, a few new ones added. The details are constantly being improved in many visible and invisible ways. They are still laboriously handmade, though the entire build process has been improved. Turnaround time has been improved from several months to 'just a couple'. All the components are top notch. The panel graphics and layout of many of the modules have been redesigned to make them more compact while keeping or improving the functionality. The circuit designs on many modules have been updated."