Roland EM-101 Sound Plus - filter mod

video by wildchurch

"video in two parts:
1. brief demonstration of filter adjustment
2. multi-tracked piece (all EM-101 except drums)

--------------------------------------------------------------
the Roland EM-101 is an analog sound module from the mid-80s
it's all about preset sounds and has very basic MIDI functionality
there are 2 banks: ensemble (polyphonic) and solo (monophonic)
there's also a 3rd hidden bank accessed through a button press/power on combination

the EM-101 is paraphonic and any VCF adjustment requires opening the case to access trim pots
i've simply replaced these with potentiometers mounted to the front panel

while this allows adjustment to the sounds, it's not a particularly practical solution from a playing point of view
the available space to mount the pots is very tight making it too fiddly for musical adjustments

a better solution would be a break out box with a decent cable length so the controls could be positioned ergonomically
in addition, this could incorporate switch jack sockets for foot pedal control (especially for the ensemble voices)

depending on selected preset, the filter has variable impact on the sound, from barely noticeable to harsh self-oscillation
it's impact is most evident on the solo voices but it can also give a pleasing sizzle to some ensemble sounds"

Roland Museum Germany Massive Synthesizer Selloff - Most Gear for Sale in a Single Auction

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

This one in via Marko of Retrosound.de.

26.000,00 Euro gets it all.

via this auction

Someone needs to contact the Guiness Book of World Records. Longest list of gear for sale ever:

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Synamiitti 2015

Published on Sep 6, 2015 Petri Kauppi

"Turun syntetisaattoriseuran Synamiitti 2015"

Video from this year's Synamiitti synth event in Finland.

Some details on the event via http://synamiitti.com for the archives:

"12:00-18:00 Synamiitti, Loads of synths on display
The Daytime event is free of charge and the bar is open.
Päivätapahtuma on ilmainen ja Dynamossa on A-oikeudet.
AFTERPARTY
21:00-02:00 Live performances by:
RONSKIBIITTI (21:30)
MR VELCRO FASTENER (22:30)
visuals by:
VJ TURU SANOMA
Ovet/doors 21.00, liput/tickets 6e, ennakot/advance 8raita & Ticted
The Afterparty is presented by: TELMU & Turun Syntetisaattoriseura

ON DISPLAY / PETTING ZOO

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Roland EM-101 SoundPlus analog sound module demo (1985)

Published on Mar 21, 2018 Dr Ralf Madness

"A Berlin-school track only made with this rare sound module.it produces Juno-6/60/106 like pure analog sounds.The filter and DCO/VCA come from the Juno-6.Sequenced by MFB Step-64 and played with Roland A-30 keyboard."

You can find additional posts featuring the Roland EM-101 here.

Roland EM-101 SoundPlus Analog Midi String Machine - Juno-106

YouTube Uploaded by SynthesizerDemos on Jun 14, 2010

"Demo of Roland EM-101, an early Midi module from the early 1980's. This module is analog and has similar voice architecture to the Juno-60. It is modeled on the String Machine/Poly Ensembles of the 1970's, such as the Arp Solina and produces Analog Strings, Analog Brass and the like."

Roland EM-101 Sound Plus Synth Hidden Presets Demo

Published on Jan 8, 2018 Kemek

"A quick demo of the functions and presets of the unusual Roland EM-101 Sound Plus analog synthesizer module. Includes the hidden presets as well."

Voltron Meets Moog

And I'll Form The Head - Voltron Music by Praxis Axis

YouTube Uploaded by PraxisAxis on May 8, 2011
[Re-posted. This one was a casualty of the recent Blogger outage.]
"Voltron. Yeah! This video proves once and for all that Chuck Norris *can* be beaten. Original music by the Axis of your Praxis. Don't forget to subscribe, you PUNKS.

Dedicated to Sprinklerhead.

Gear I used:
Little Phatty
Voyager
Electribe S mk II
TX81Z
MU80
Casio SK-1
Some other stuff I've forgotten.

By the way there's some fairly straightforward arithmetic encoded in this tune... 10 points to anyone who can figure it out."

Powerup Happytime

Uploaded by PraxisAxis on Nov 25, 2010

"This track is just one from our upcoming album; it's not available yet but it will be soon. If you had fun, please subscribe... we'll be doing more videos.

Info:
"Powerup Happytime" Performed by Praxis Axis.
Composition/recording/mixing/editing etc Thomas Green
Video and artwork by Thomas Green
Trumpet: Clint Allen
Guitar: Paul Henderson
Keys: Thomas Green
Bass: Sam Vincent
Drums: Mark Henman

Principle Artistic Concept Advisors, and additional artwork:
Charlie Green and Toby Green

This track has not yet been professionally mastered. If you like it, stay tuned for its online release on an upcoming album by Praxis Axis. Note that this video's audio quality is better at higher definition settings (bottom right of the video screen).

Synths used:
Moog Little Phatty
Nord Stage EX 88
Korg Electribe SMKII
Roland EM-101 Sound Plus
Hammond Autovari 64
Yamaha TX81Z"
And the gear candy:

Just Stay Home (and play synthesizers)

Uploaded by PraxisAxis on Mar 7, 2011

"A line out of the song Inner City Pressure by Flight of the Conchords served as the inspiration to this tune. The Flight of The Conchords is a totally rad duo from NZ. You can see their song here http://www.youtube.com/user/FOTC0123

For fellow synth geeks here are the ones I used:
Moog Voyager Electric Blue
Moog Little Phatty
Korg Electribe ES-1 mk II
Yamaha DD-7
Yamaha Portasound PC-50
Yamaha TX81Z
Roland Sound Plus EM-101
The delay, reverb and vocoder are audio plugins.

Starring:
Thrusterhead and Friends"

Roland EM-101 Sound Plus - filter mod - mkII

video by wildchurch

follow-up to this post.

"A quick update on my EM-101 filter mod...

I wasn't happy with the previous approach - trimmer pots mounted to the front panel - it was too fiddly to make any meaningful adjustments.

So here's an improved version - a breakout box connected via a 9-pin D-sub cable.
Proper sized pots to play with, plus the option for foot pedal control.

Cheers!"

Super Fat Analog Roland Guitar Synth Video

Super Fat Analog Roland Guitar Synth - GR-300 VG-99 Control Voltage MIDI Demo

Published on Nov 26, 2012 by WayneJoness

"http://www.joness.com/gr300/vwham.htm Inspired by the original Analogger GR-300 video using control voltages [embed added below], this clip shows a simple VG-99 GR-300 patch being modulated using MIDI CC commands for filter cutoff and resonance. With its built in effects, including poly compression which puts a compressor on each individual string, the VG-99 is capable rich, thick, analog synthesizer tones. In this demo, the two VCOs of the GR-300 are layered in 5ths for a fatter sound."

Update: some additional info from WayneJoness:
"Quite some time ago, I was really impressed with a demo of the Roland GR-300 that Analogger did, using a MIDI sequence, then converting the MIDI sequence to control voltages using a Roland MPU-101, and then taking the output of the MPU-101 to the CV/filter pedal input on the GR-300.

So I thought: couldn't you do this directly with the VG-99? It would be easy to make a basic MIDI sequence that would send MIDI CCs to the VG-99. I came up with a simple pattern and added a drum loop. See the video below. Most of this video is me playing a four note pattern on the VG-99: E, G, F and Bb, with the VCOs tuned in 5ths. In some sections I added a top note on the high E string, and in other sections, I just played minor chords: Em, Gm, Fm and Bbm. I added in a low bass at one point, with the second VCO pitched one octave down.

I used poly compression and regular compression to reduce the natural attack of the GR-300 to give it more of a keyboard sound. Anyway, I was surprised at how analog the entire thing sounds, it fell together quickly, and I spent as much time tweaking the video as I did playing the track! Because of the nature of the GR-300 waveform, and the fact that the guitar almost never plays the same note the same way twice, I think this is very convincing analog simulation, on par with the best virtual analog synths."

Update 9:47PM: Here's the Roland GR-300 video referenced in the description above.

Roland GR-300 Guitar Synth (filter modulation)

Uploaded by Analogger on Jul 18, 2007

"Greetings everybody! Please check out my new Myspace music page when you get a chance. The project goes by the name "Mr. Dithers." thanks!

http://www.myspace.com/mrdithersnoisebox
I have this immaculate Roland GR-300 guitar synth and the G-707 guitar controller. (I have the 505 as well which actually works better with the GR-300 but I wanted to test the 707 with the 24-pin cable I bought on Ebay!)) I am not really a guitar player but wanted to use the 300 for textures - kind of like what Andy Summers did with his on certain Police tunes. The GR-300 is not midi in any way. It is triggered by a guitar equipped with a GK-1 pickup and rare 24-pin cable. The GR-300 features six voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs)-one for each string. It also features a hexa-fuzz unit (again one for each string) which can be layered with the VCOs. You can also blend the actual clean guitar sound as well. The key to the sound is that the VCOs and Hexa-fuzz go through a beautiful fat 24dB analog filter. The cutoff and resonance are adjusted from the guitar. However, in the back of the unit you will find an input for an expression pedal. This is designed to sweep the filter to give you wah-wah efx. This is for all the synth geeks out there who are compulsive 'tone chasers.'"

Also see this post for the GR-300 on it's one.

Korg Electribe ER-1 Drum Machine Through Roland RE 101 Space Echo & Yamaha EM 90 Ensemble Mixer

Yamaha EM 90 Ensemble Mixer w/ Drum Machine, Spring Reverb test Published on Dec 5, 2018 SUBTOKYOSHOP

"Yamaha EM 90 Ensemble Mixer w/ Analog Drum Machine, Spring Reverb 70's Rare Vintage Test

+ Roland RE 101 Space Echo
+ Korg Electribe ER-1 Drum Machine"

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Update via subtokyoshop in the comments:

"Hi, I am Shin subtokyoshop, I like to add one point, this main drum sound is from yamaha EM-90 mixer, it contains vintage analog beatbox and spring reverb inside. Korg ER-1 is for adding some drum sounds for EM-90. thank you for attaching my youtube anyway."

Note this is the first post to feature the Yamaha EM 90.

Vintage Synth Scans

Click here for pdf scans of various synth brochures and articles. I tried to list all models below. Apologies for the long list but if you are searching for this stuff via your favorite search engine, this is the only way it'll come up, and finding that oddball rare scan can be absolute gold.


Roland
JX-8P and PG-800, JX-3P and PG-200, Jupiter-6, Juno-106, Synth Plus-60 (HS-60), SH-101 and MGS-1, EP-50, MPU-101, MPU-103, TR-707. TR-909, TR-606, TB-303, CR-8000, CR-5000, SBX-80, MSQ-100, MSQ-700, JSQ-60, BOSS Dr. Rhythm DR220A and DR-220E, Alpha-DRUM DDR-30/PD-10/PD-20, Alpha Juno-1 and Alpha Juno-2, DEP-5, DG CMU-810 Compu Synth, Juno-106, Juno-6, Super JX JX-10, MKS-100, MKS-50, MKS-7, MKS-70, SBX-80, SDE-3000/1000/2000, TR-505, Octapad PAD-8, TR-727, Jupiter-8, MC-8, System 700, CPE-800, VCA-800, System 100M, System 100, Jupiter-4, Promars, SH-2, SH-09, CSQ-600, CSQ-100, SH-1, SH-5, SH-2000, SH-7, SH-3A, SH-1000, VP-330, RS-09, RS-505, SA-09, SIP-300, SIP-301, SPA-240, SPA-120, SPV-355, SVC-350, SBF-325, SDD-320, SPH-323, SMX-880, SRE-555, RE-502, DC-30, DC-20, CR-78, CR-68, TR-66, MKB-1000, MKS-30, MKB-300, MKS-10, MKS-80, MPG-80, JX-3P, MC-4, MM-4, MC-202, MIDI-DCB, MTR-100, CV Interface, Piano Plus-400 HP-400, Piano Plus-300 HP-300, RE-150, RE-501, RT-1L, MPU-104, MPU-105, Cube-100 (CK-100), Cube-60 (CK-60), Cube-40 (CK-40), KS-2, KS05, KS-6, KS-11, KS-1000, TB Series Carrying cases, PSA AC Adapters, KS-1100, SC series soft cases, AB series resin-molded cases, MR-1, RH-10, DP-2/6, FS-1/2/3, M-16C/64C, BR-2/3, RD-1000, MKS-20, MKB-200

Yamaha (note the documentation adds the - in the descriptions. So you CS70M in the title, but CS-70M in the body). I thought that was interesting.
CP-30, CP-20, GS-1, CP-10, CP-11, CS-70M, CS-40M, CS-20M, MQ802, CP-80, SK-50D, SK-15, CS-15D, CE-20, CS-01, CS-15, CS-5, SK-30, SK-20, SK-15, SK-10, GS-2, CE-20, MA-10, MM-10, MH-10, KS-50, KS-100, E1005, E1010, MQ802, CP-80, CP-70B, CP-35, CP-25.

Korg
PS-3300, PS-3200, PS-3100, PS-3010, PS-3040, PS-3050, PS-3001, VC-10, MS-10, MS-20, MS-50, SQ-10, MS-03, MS-02, MS-01, 800DV, 700S, 900PS, M-500SP, PE-2000, PE-1000, KA-180, FK-3, FK-1, V-C-F, Mr. Multi, SE-500, SE-300, EM-570, SP-2035, SM-20, Mini Pops 120W 120P, Mini Pops 7, Mini Pops 45, Mini Pops 35, Mini Pops Junior, Korg Quartz, WT-10A, GT-6, RT-10,

Vintage Synth Story - magazine scans
Crumar DS2, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, RSF Kobol, Roland TB-303 and TR-606, TR-808, PPG Wave Computer, PPG Wave 2, Oxford Synthesizer Company OSCar, EMS Polyvoks, Oberheim OB-X, Octave-Plateau Voyetra Eight, EMS Polysynthi, Moog Minimoog, LinnDrum, Korg PS-3100, Korg MS20, EMS Synthi AKS, ELKA Synthex, ARP Sequencer, ARP Quadra, Korg Polysix, Korg PS-3200, Moog System 3P, Korg Trident mkII, Moog Liberation, Memormoog, Mutron Bi-phase, Oberheim 2 Voix, Oberheim Xpander, PPG Wave 2.3, Roland CR-78, Roland VP-330, RSF PolyKobol, Moog 960 and 961, Sequential Circuits Prophet 10, Vox Super Continental, Yamaha CS-15, ARP, Chroma, Sequential Circuits Drumtraks, EMS Vocoder 5000, E-MU Drumulator, Korg Story, Yamaha CS70M, Korg, Synton Syrinx, Roland MC-4, Oberheim 6 voix, Simmons SDS V, Simmons SDS.3, PolyKobol RSF, Keyboards Synthe Story Part 1 and Part 2.

Roland EM-101 Sound Plus

via this auction

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Roland EM-101 Analog Synthesizer

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

via this auction

You can find demos of one in previous posts here.

Roland EM-101 Sound Plus Vintage Analog Sound Module

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

via this auction

Pic of the inside below.

You can find a few demos in previous posts here.

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Roland EM-101 Sound Plus Preset Sound Variations

video upload by SUBTOKYOSHOP

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Circuit Bent Roland EM-101

YouTube via circuitmaster of GetLoFi.com

Roland JX-8P repair

Published on Jan 9, 2017 organfairy

"My Roland JX-8P synthesizer had developed a problem in the left channel: Sometimes the sound would disappear but I could bring it back by moving the plugs on the back side back and forth. So I knew that it was probably a bad connection somewhere.

The music in this video is 'Remember the nights' by The Motels which I play in a somewhat understated fashion. In addition to the Roland JX-8P I also used Roland CR-68 for the rhythm, Siel DK-80 for the bass, Korg Poly-800 for the strings, and Elka EM-44 and Casio CZ-101 for the rest."

A Nutting They Did Go

Published on Mar 4, 2015 John L Rice

"A bit of a zany tribute to NASA and other space exploration organizations around the world and also to science fiction writers and producers. They both inspire each other and provide the rest of us with some of our most exciting hopes, dreams and fantasies.

Thanks for watching, liking and commenting on my videos!

DETAILS:

Main Bass Line: 3 x Synth Tech MOTM-300 VCO's, sub-mixed with a Moon Modular M526 mixer and then into a Grove Audio PM Resonator followed by a prototype/beta sample of Grove Audio's G294A low pass filter kit I built (basically a Moog 904A clone) and finally into a MOTM-190 VCA that is being modulated by a Moon M511C VC EG. A Moon M569 sequencer provides 1 row of pitch control for the VCOs and gates for the EG, 2 rows of CV for the EG and the 4th row is transposing rows 1 and 2 via my custom modification. A MOTM-380 quad LFO also modulates the overall CV level of the EG. Strymon Mobius and BigSky pedals provided effects processing.

Occasional Melodic Line: Novation UltraNova MIDI'd to a Korg microStation playing preset patches in unison.

Rhythm Line: Roland TR505 drum machine playing stock patterns. MIDI out of the TR505 also goes to a Moon Modular M553 MIDI-To-Clock module to drive the M569 sequencer.

Lift Off Roar: Just a quick bit of sound design I did with the 5U modular. Two outputs from a MOTM-101 Noise module go into a Happy Nerding Fun VCF with a little help from a Synthesizers.com Q125 Signal processor etc.

Asteroid Thump And Following Explosion: these are licensed from Pond5.com and I had used them in a previous video a couple years ago.

Movie Dialog Clips: There are all licensed from Loopmasters.com and from two different movies; Assignment Outer Space and Cosmic Mission. (except for the word 'DERP' that I recorded myself ;-)

Video Clips: A majority of the clips are public domain and I downloaded them for free from www.pond5.com! Such a great resource for video makes, check 'em out! Some of the clips I had licensed before and used in prior videos.

Modular synth audio was recorded to a Marantz PMD-661 flash recorder and then transferred to my PC. Keyboard synths were recorded direct to the PC via the Ultranova's USB interface. My 'Derp Voice' was recorded direct to the PC using a Blue Microphones Yeti USB mic.

Everything was mixed/assembled in Sony Movie Studio Platinum 12."

First patch with the Mutable Instruments, Clouds, Elements, Streams and Shelves modules

First patch with the Mutable Instruments, Clouds, Elements, Streams and Shelves modules from Richard Devine on Vimeo.

Sequence starts with a cable connection to the clock output from the Steady State Fate Ultra Random module. This clock output was sent to a intellijel hub mult. From here the clock was sent to first to a 4ms RCD/QCD, Delptronics Trigger Man, and to the MakeNoise Rene. First output gates from 4ms RCD 4 divide output to the trigger input on the Braids module top row, running in "WLM" mode. Second multi output was sent to a 4ms QCD output green channel 4, set at division trigger time of 16. This would trigger single notes on the "Elements" module, that begin at 1:42. The playback mode is running in "Secret Easter Egg Mode" :-) The selected note sequence from the QCV output from Rene. Final output from Elements was sent to the Eventide "Pitch" pedal using the "Crystalizer" algorithm.

Clouds - was processing recorded chunks from the drum percussion, kick used from the top row "Peaks" 808 kick drum synthesis model. Then a snare created from the "grey" noise output from the SSF Quantum rainbow running through right side of Streams to make a snare drum, which was running in envelope mode with shape position to the left, short decay. Then a third voice using the blue noise output from the SSF quantum rainbow for hi-hats. Amplitude triggered/controlled by a HexVCA. The drum sequence was programmed from the Delptronics Triggerman, using all 8 patterns stringed together running in pattern play mode but being CV controlled by the S&H # 1 output from the SSF Ultra Random. Output for all voices was grouped and multiplied into two separate mixers. First three channels of the Intellijel Mutamix, which was then sent to output channel B. From there the summed mix was sent into the "left" side input of Clouds. Then triggered in time with the sequence by a 8th division trigger from the 4ms RCD. The freeze input in Clouds was triggered in time 7th divisions from the 4ms RCD, so that the chunks would process and record then play back in spurts of timed randomness. The mode was set in the pitchshifter/timestretcher configuration, where the grains where spliced so that created interesting granular pitching repeats and percussive glitch effects, as the rhythmic beats played through. Focused ranges where selected for the "Density/Pitchshifter" and "Timestetcher/Texture" controls. These where being controlled by the S&H #2 output from the SSF Ultra Random. The 1/volt pitch input was controlled by the toggle A/B output from the SSF ultra random. The clean drum outputs also sent to the channels 5, 6, and 7 on the Blue Lantern "Mix 'Em Up" module.

Streams left side processing from the MakeNoise Mysteron output, which was being triggered by the 5th division output, for the metallic ripple delay like sounds, with the mutation knob set to counter clockwise, low bit mode.
The "Shelves" module was processing the acid like filter parts that get un-muted at 12 seconds. The sound source running into "Shelves" was the "Braids" module bottom row, running in "CSAW" mode. CV controlled by the CV output from the MakeNoise Rene sent to another intellijel hub mult. From here each CV output was sent to the "Frequency" inputs pink, green and white jacks on "Shelves". The "Tides" high tide output modulation the CV controlling the top frequency input on "Shelves" Each filter knob was set so the incoming "CSAW" input was being processed like a formant filter effect.

Smooth Sub OSC bassline coming from the MakeNoise STO. This was being CV controlled by a intellijel µScale (B) output. Playing back 8 notes while being triggered from the 2nd division trigger on the 4ms RCD. Triangle wave output from a Intellijel Dixie (syncd) to the sequence controlling the input (1V/Oct). Second STO at 55 seconds, alternating high note triggers from the 1 channel output from the 4ms QCD 6th division output. The second STO output sent to a MakeNoise Optomix for short quick plucks.

The light reverb soft lead at 1:15 from sine wave output from another intellijel Dixie, being CV played from the 1V/Oct input from MakeNoise PressurePoints. The output was then ran into a Strymon "BigSky" pedal running the "nonLinear" reverb algorithm. The Chords coming in at 1:35 played by a Qu-Bit Nebulae module. The 4 chord sequence was hand played and recorded from a Roland Jupiter-6,. The sample was then cut into a 32 bar loop and then was restarted/played from a the 3rd output trigger on the 4ms QCD. This output was manually volume controlled by a Intellijel µAttQuad log/lin attenuator. Grids was being clocked from multi output from the SSF Ultra Random, from here the first output trigger channel was sent into a Addac 101 .WAV Player. Notes sequenced and recorded from the Mutable Instruments "Elements" Module. 4 notes in a specific order was played 4 times 32 bars/samples. This was triggered by the gate input triggered by the Gate Y output on Rene. Trill high notes from Microbe Modular Equation Composer running in Synth3Osc is a 3 osc synth mode.

Strange Synthesizers of Japan by Hiromichi Oohashi - Synth Book w/ CD

Hiromichi Oohashi wrote in to let us know about his new synth book featuring rare and somewhat strange synthesizers from Japan. The book features synths from his collection along with a CD of audio/music. You can find the book via the publisher Rittor Music (Japan) (published Nov.2021), and on Amazon JP here.

You can find a list of the synths featured by chapter further below.

Details on the book from Hiromichi Oohashi follow.

"This art book introduces many of Japanese most rare and strange electronic musical instruments (1960s~1980s) from author's private collection for long years.

Contains over 130 synthesizers, rhythm machines, organs, toy instruments, speech synths, etc most of these rare instruments will be the first public release. All color pages, lot of beautiful photo of these unique instruments with simple and detailed text, all photos and book design by author himself.

Contribution from Mark Mothersbaugh (DEVO)

Foreword by Eric Schneider (author of TOY INSTRUMENTS/MBP)

Attached CD has original music using these strange instruments so you can hear what these synth sounds like.

CD's music made by author's band KINO-MODERNO (world-renowned electronic music duo)



Hiromichi Oohashi is an artist born in Tokyo 1961
after studied art & design at Kuwazawa Design School in Tokyo
works as an artist and producer for Art, Design and Music
also known as collector of rare electronic musical instruments
in 1990 released groundbreaking [ VIDEO DRUG2/Phuture ] and get noticed
member of electronic music duo KINO-MODERNO since 1984
president of DAT PLANET PRODUKT"

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