Synth Rorschach #77

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via this auction

What does this remind you of?

See the Synth Rorschach label below for more.

Synth Rorschach #78: The Crown Teaser

Bendu

"A teaser for a new single, 'The Crown.'"

Spacey retro-vibe teaser from supporting member Bendu, for his upcoming release. Giving this one the Synth Rorschach label for the light pen, monitor intro.

Synth Rorschach #71: Terrapin Station

via Terrapin Station

Terrapin Station is the ninth studio album by the Grateful Dead and the name Terrapin is close to Tcherepnin, aka Serge Tcherepnin of Serge modular. Note the triangular shapes created by the bars holding around the speakers. Reminds me of Serge modular synthesizers producing sound.  The rows on the left almost symbolize a touch interface as well as patch points. The black and gold reminds me of Make Noise which pays tribute to "West Coast" synthesis which Serge was a part of. Pretty cool. Check out the Synth Rorschach label for more.

On a related note, check out the vintage Black Panel Serge from Cal arts here.

Synth Rorschach #79: SUPERBOOTH21

via @NonlinearLabsHQ

What does this remind you of?

SYNTH RORSCHACH

Synth Rorschach #72

This one is in via an anonymous reader who briefly thought it someone poking out of 5U system. :)

The sticks on the right remind me of DIY controllers, EMS, and the Bahn Sage.

The image is actually: “Finishing days at the construction of the factory workshop. Photo by Vladimir Vorobyov, Novokuznetsk, USSR, 1980”


See the Synth Rorschach label for more.

Synth Rorschach #47: Modular Ford GT

Photo credit Kurt Bradley, via jalopnik.

Serge & Buchla jacks!

See the Synth Rorschach label below for previous posts.

Synth Rorschach #40: "The Lives Of Others (2006)"

This one in via ronan casey.

Note only the rack to the left but behind on the right. A number of things come to mind for this one. Feel free to share what comes to mind for you in the comments.

What comes to mind for me: Fairlight monitor on the left, Akai racks with PPG buttons, Bit 99 racks, and finally a monome merged with a Triadex Muse in the back right.

See the Synth Rorschach channel in the comments below for more.

Synth Rorschach #59: Scanimate: The Origins of Computer Motion Graphics

Scanimate: The Origins of Computer Motion Graphics from LinkedIn Learning on Vimeo.

This one is for the video synthesis fans out there.  As for the Synth Rorschach, see what specific synths you are reminded of watching this one. This one is in via Soviet Space Child.

"Digital artists have been trying to replicate the ephemeral quality of graphics from the 70s and 80s for years. But nothing comes close to the real (analog) thing. Get to know the first computer used for motion graphics and animation, Scanimate, and the men who've kept the machine alive for the last four decades. In this short documentary, Nick Campbell of Greyscalegorilla talks to Roy Weinstock, one of the original Scanimate animators, and Dave Sieg, the engineer who has kept it running all these years. Find out how this system of "tubes and 2x4s" became the predecessor of many modern motion graphics plugins and controls, and how the unusual collaboration between operators and engineers led to some of the most iconic motion graphics of the 1980s—including spots for Super Bowl VIII, Star Wars, and children's shows like The Electric Company and Sesame Street."

Synth Rorschach #48: MULTICS is ALIVE - booting MR12.6e 6180 emulation

Published on Feb 19, 2017 Redmartian

"This panel came from the University of Michigan and likely hasn't been driven this way in well over 20 years. Here we see the 6180 Multics emulator reading the switches set on the panel to 024000717200 and the initialize button been pressed to boot the virtual machine. The 6180 Maintenance Panel is being driven by a Xilinx BASYS3 which in run drives two logic boards that are cabled into the 6180 panel wiring harness. All switches and lamps are available to the emulator and you can dial through the scroll to check the various states of the machine. Once Multics has booted you'll see the famous Idle Pattern (or snake). Multics lives once again!"

Reminds me of Digisound meets EMS, meets something else I forget at the moment.

See the Synth Rorschach label below for more.

Synth Rorschach #61: Apollo Mission Control

This one is more synth meet than synth. Get behind your synth console for the event. Wouldn't that be cool? Someone should set that up with a bunch of PPG Waveterms.

via Engadget:

"NASA reopens Apollo mission control in time for Moon landing anniversary"

Synth Rorschach #1

flickr by gordonwatts

I subscribe to the term "synth" on flickr. When I see something that meets the bar I put a post up. Every now and then an image or more like this comes up. Anyone know why this one might have the synth label? I can of course ask the person that put it up, but then there's no fun in that. That a Creamware synth there above the doors there in the balcony? A KORG PS-3200? Actually, it looks like a Mattson Mini Modular.

Programmable #Arduino Synthesizer Watch

Published on Dec 6, 2019 element14 presents

A Buchla for your wrist. Almost gave this one the Synth Rorschach label, but it is a synth after all... Definitely Synth Bling though.

"In 2016 Clem built a very annoying synthesizer in the form of a wristwatch. After showing it around at various Maker Faires it broke, so he decided to rebuild it better louder and more annoying than ever before! It is user-programmable thanks to the Arduino MKR and a haptic interface with satisfying sliders! Download the files for free and make one yourself: http://bit.ly/2DMIKIU"

Synth Rorschach #42: JJ Abrams Synth Reference in Star Wars The Force Awakens

So did anyone else catch the synth reference in The Force Awakens? Hint: It has to do with that planet in the right of the image on the left. If so, leave a comment, and please do not reveal any other spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet, although anyone that hasn't might be due for some punishment. I've seen it twice already in 3D and 2D - a note on which was a better experience for me is below. That said, if you haven't seen the film yet do not look in the comments, but see my note directly below.

And for those that do not know, JJ Abrams is into synths.

A small tip for those that haven't seen the film yet: I saw it the first time in IMAX 3D and again today in IMAX 2D at the same theater. I'm not sure if it was the theater, but both the audio and video quality of the 3D version blew the 2D version away. The screen was sharper, brighter and the audio was significantly better in the IMAX 3D version. I almost think something was just wrong with the 2D theatre, the quality was that much worse. It was like going from stereo to mono.

Update: someone got the answer in the comments below, so don't look if you still want to guess.

Update2: related via skkatter in the comments: Cool Guys Don't Look At Explosions - JJ Abrams on Keys

Synth Rorschach #73: GEM SPA

Spotted this one on Seth Elgart's Twitter feed, @selgart:

"*heavy sigh* Been going there for probably more than 45 years, since the 1970s. The best egg creams. Period. #gemspa"

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So... This one is pretty nuts. I was curious when the black & white image was taken so I zoomed in and started looked for cues. If you look carefully you will see the synth connection. If you give up see this post for a tip.

P.S. I don't want to give too much away. If you get stuck leave a comment and I'll give you one hint. And if you do get this one, please don't give it directly away in the comments. Just say you got it.

There is a cool reference to synth history here.

The Gmebaphone Concept and the Cybernéphone Instrument

This one is in via Asbjørn Blokkum Flø. "Here is an interesting synth produced in various forms from 1973-2001. It was produced in various analogue and digital forms. If you do a Google image search for 'Gmebaphone' you will see a few different versions. The music of Christian Clozier and Françoise Barrière probably includes the instrument. I tried the instrument at the Bourges festival in 2004, and it was quirky but fascinating."

via https://ur.booksc.eu/book/43779232/b24219

"The Gmebaphone is an instrumentarium consisting of amplifiers, sound-treatment systems, loudspeakers, a console, and a processing system designed and built for live diffusion and performance. The specifications for the instrument were dictated by musical criteria. The musical interpretation of a work is based on analysis of the work and on analysis of its physical signals. Thus, the instrument is able to provide a pertinent acoustic rendering of a work’s sonic complexities (in terms of timbre, time, and space) directly under the performer’s control, thereby allowing transparent and expressive interpretations. The Gmebaphone is a processor/simulator of sonic electroacoustic space, as well as a polyphonic acoustic synthesizer of musical spaces. It is an instrument comprised of the hierarchical combination of a control system with memory, tablatures, and combinatory modes of play that give rise to a rich and workable system of interpretation and expression."

Also see https://collectionsdumusee.philharmoniedeparis.fr/

Image below with an E-Mu Modular in the back ground, and EMS Putney on the left via here.  Not sure what the black system on the farl left is.  If you know feel free to leave a comment. Also if you know if any demos of the Gmebaphone let us know!

P.S. The design reminds me of various equipment featured in synth rorschach posts.

See the exclusive label for more of the rare of the rare in the synth world.

Update: additonal info in via Asbjørn Blokkum Flø:

I've looked further into the Gmebaphone.

It basically looks like a system for live surround sound for electronic music, or as it is called "diffusion" of electroacoustic music. The surround setups could be very complex with up to 50 loudspeakers of various shapes and placements, a bit like the Acousmonium (GRM 1974-) [link]

The term 'acoustic' is used several times in the article. This seems to describe how loudspeakers interacts with the acoustics of the space, and not acoustic sound sources in the traditional meaning the word.

Being built as a custom instrument for live performance of electronic music, it is more of a musical and compositional tool than a conventional analogue or digital mixer.

It evolved over the years, but the latest model seemed to have a 76 channel mixer with 8 inputs and 16 outputs, with the possibility of digital treatments (phasing, delay, reverberation, and detuning).

From the article:
'The console has a total number of 76 channels of diffusion (36 are touch-controlled and 40 are digitally controlled via the screens) spread over 16 master outputs and eight master inputs. [..] Pull-down menus control digital treatments (phasing, delay, reverberation, and detuning).'

The article describes 6 different models (with photos):
Gmebaphone 1 (1973)
Gmebaphone 2 (1975) - 6 inputs, 2 "networks" (outputs?).
Gmebaphone 3 (1979) - 8 inputs, 22 outputs. Manual analogue control as well as digital computer control.
Gmebaphone 4 (1983) - Digital playback of soundfiles. Digital treatments (phasing, delay, and timbre).
Gmebaphone 5 (1992) - sequencing, graphical interface, automation.
Gmebaphone 6 - (renamed Cybernéphone) (1997) - 8 inputs, 16 outputs, 50 loudspeakers. Possible to save files to CD-ROM.

This page mentions the Gmebaphone number 7 / Cybernéphone (2005): [link]

The convoluted language of the article reminds me of the writings of French composer Pierre Schaeffer, and can be a bit hard to decipher.
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There is also some information on a large number of synthesizers that they produced between 1973 and 2008. called Systhysysop (1976), Charybde (1985), Gmebogosse (1972-1999) and Cybersongosse (??-2008?).

They are described in this article (with images): [link]

Many nice images here: [pdf link]

Another article: [link]

More images: [link 1 Also captured here] [link 2] [link 3 Also captured here]

These instruments was also made at the International Institute of Electroacoustic Music at Bourges /IMEB. Read more about IMEB here (use Google translate). [link]

You have written about the Cybersongosse before: [link]

I could not find any audio clips.

All the best"

Synth Rorschach #17: ColossalCon 2011 P0221 f

flickr By ntcrwler

"Hatsune Miku, everyone's favorite Vocaloid!"

What synth do you see?

Synth Rorschach #46: Box of Pot

A box of pot/cannabis/marijuana

What do you see?

Spotted this one on BoingBoing.

More Synth Rorschachs here.

Synth Rorschach #27 Grace Hopper and UNIVAC

What synth do you see? I'll post what I see in the comments in a bit.

flickr by public.resource.org

"SI Neg. 83-14878. Date: na...Grace Murray Hopper at the UNIVAC keyboard, c. 1960. Grace Brewster Murray: American mathematician and rear admiral in the U.S. Navy who was a pioneer in developing computer technology, helping to devise UNIVAC I. the first commercial electronic computer, and naval applications for COBOL (common-business-oriented language). ..Credit: Unknown (Smithsonian Institution)"

via Boing Boing's post for Happy Sysadmin Day. Happy Sysadmin Day! :)

Synth Rorschach #34: Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks' Sherilyn Fenn via Boing Boing.

What in the synth realm does this remind you of? Answer in the comments.

Synth Rorschach #51: Synth Station

via f*mass

"bÖsch soundcheck"