Back on March 31, I put up a post on Hataken, a Japanese DJ artist who primarily uses analog synths. At the time, Shane Chisolm, the manager of Don Juan Dracula mentioned Hataken was working on a remix version of DJD's "Take Me Home". Shane asked me if I'd be interested in doing an interview with Hataken, and I thought why not. It would be interesting to hear his perspective on the world of synths as a live DJ artist. The following is the result of that interview. Note, this is a long one. You will want to use page down to scroll through. If it is too long for you, I recommend reading one or two questions each time you visit the site. Each DIY item below would typically have been a separate post. There is a lot of interesting stuff here. That said, I start with an introduction followed by asking Hataken how it all started for him. Note the focus is primarily on synths as this site is about everything synth, and Hataken delivers. The gear he has both worked with and designed to meet his specific needs is overwhelming. There's also an interesting interlude on experimenting with frequency counters to produce specific frequencies of sound known to have healing properties, and of course there is a bit of the age old discussion of digital and analog.
Before we start the interview, I want to thank Hataken for taking the time out for this, and I want to thank Shane for suggesting it. It's a fascinating history of a DJ synth artist with interesting perspectives that I'm sure I will come back to over time. Be sure to check out the video and link to more at the end. And of course be sure to check out Hataken's website.
"The Revolution is a concept synthesizer with an intuitive interface that we feel most accurately represents the principles of time and music. From ancient sundials to modern day analog clocks, time has been represented as the circle, a cycle which never ends. Time itself is nothing more than our perception of the revolution of planets as they journey through their celestial orbit. It is this motion that we call time that can be measured, divided, and arranged to provide the foundation of music. This circular cyclic theme can furthermore be found throughout music in everything from song structure and repeating rhythms to the fundamentals of sound itself, being the sine wave. With this understanding we must conclude that music is cyclic and should so be represented in its natural form.
And so it is...the Revolution, a true analog monophonic synthesizer with an easy to use step-based digital sequencer, analog and DSP effects processing, and various interfacing for controlling MIDI, CV/Gate, and Din Sync devices.
Continuing in the tradition of building quality products, this unit is housed in a rugged aluminum chassis with aluminum side panels, a high contrast white on gun metal grey finish for superior viewing of controls in dark environments, and bright blue LEDs all around.
Published on Oct 16, 2012 by MoogMusicInc
100 Presets & new CV modulation destinations! Full list of the desinations below.
"Moog Product Development Specialist, Amos Gaynes, introduces Minitaur Revolution 2. REV 2 adds localy stored presets, assignable CV, CV to Midi conversion as well as an update to the Minitaur editor/librarian.
Minitaur REV 2 owners can now create up to 100 presets and store them directly within their Minitaur. Presets are managed from within the free Editor/Librarian software and can be conveniently recalled from the Minitaur's front panel controls.
Also in REV 2, a new operational mode for the Decay/Release knob provides users independent control of Decay and Release times from Minitaur's front panel. Users can easily switch between this new mode and Minitaur's legacy mode from the front panel.
In addition, Minitaur's CV and Gate inputs are now assignable from the Minitaur Editor/Librarian software. The Pitch and Mod CV inputs can be routed to any function, while the Gate input can be routed to functions with on/off behavior. REV 2 also enables Minitaur to effectively function as an intuitive CV to MIDI converter.
OS V2 ads the following modulation destinations for the Pitch and Volume CV inputs (think interfacing with your modular here): Volume Attack, Volume Decay, Volume Sustain, Volume Release, Filter Attack, Filter Decay, Filter Sustain, Filter Release, VCO 1 Level, VCO 2 Level, VCO 1 Wave, VCO 2 Wave, VCO 2 Frequency, VCO 2 Beat, VCO Reset On/Off, Filter Cutoff, Filter Resonance, Filter EG, Amount, Filter KB Tracking, Filter EG Velocity Sens., Volume EG Velocity Sens., Trigger Mode, Release On/Off, Key Priority, LFO Rate, LFO Clock Division, LFO MIDI Sync On/Off, LFO Key Trigger On/Off, VCF LFO Amount, VCO LFO Amount, Pitch Bend Up Amount, Pitch Bend Down Amount, Glid On/Off, Legato Glide On/Off, Glide Rate, VCA Level, External Input Level, Mod Wheel.
"Moog Announces Revolution 2 of its Minitaur Analog Bass Synthesizer
Free Update to Analog Bass Synthesizer Unlocks a Host of Performance Features and Implements Several User Requested Updates
ASHEVILLE, NC - October 16, 2012 - Moog Music announced the release of Revolution 2 for its Minitaur Analog Bass Synthesizer, which was recently nominated for a 2013 TEC Award in the 'Musical Instrument (Hardware)' category. REV 2, which is a free update for Minitaur owners, unlocks a host of new performance features (watch the video here) and implements a number of user requested updates to Minitaur and the free Minitaur Editor/Librarian.
Among these updated features, Minitaur REV 2 owners can now create up to 100 presets and store them directly within their Minitaur. Presets are managed from within the free Editor/Librarian software and can be conveniently recalled from the Minitaur’s front panel controls.
Also in REV 2, a new operational mode for the Decay/Release knob provides users independent control of Decay and Release times from Minitaur’s front panel. Users can easily switch between this new mode and Minitaur’s legacy mode from the front panel.
In addition, Minitaur’s CV and Gate inputs are now assignable from the Minitaur Editor/Librarian software. The Pitch and Mod CV inputs can be routed to any function, while the Gate input can be routed to functions with on/off behavior. REV 2 also enables Minitaur to effectively function as an intuitive CV to MIDI converter.
Minitaur: Analog Bass Synthesizer
The Moog Minitaur is a powerful, compact analog bass synthesizer that features a classic one knob per function design. At only 8.5" x 5.25" and less than 3lbs, the Minitaur puts legendary analog Moog bass into a package designed to fit seamlessly into today's performance and production environments.
NOTE: This Firmware update requires the Minitaur REV 2 Editor/Librarian.
To receive the Minitaur REV 2 Editor/Librarian, register your Minitaur at
http://www.moogmusic.com/register
Currently registered Minitaur owners will receive an email from Moog with download instructions.
• Over 500 hand-drawn illustrations of vintage synthesizers, drum-machines, samplers and pre-modern electric instruments.
• A reference book for every synthesizer, drum-machine and sampler manufactured between 1963 and 1995 with key stats, fascinatingly quirky facts and company profiles.
• Destined to be the new ‘bible’ of synthesizer information, following in the footsteps of the classic ‘KeyFax’ series by Julian Colbeck.
• Tells the story and impact of the synthesizer on all forms of modern music and culture with geek appeal for the music fan and synth fan alike.
From acid-house to prog-rock, there is no form of modern popular music that hasn’t been propelled forwards by the synthesizer. As a result they have long been objects of fascination, desire and reverence for keyboard players, music producers and fans of electronic music alike. Whether looking at an imposing modular system or posing with a DX7 on Top of the Pops, the synth has also always had an undeniable physical presence.
This book celebrates their impact on music and culture by providing a comprehensive and meticulously researched directory of every major synthesizer, drum machine and sampler made between 1963 and 1995. Each instrument is illustrated by hand, and shown alongside its vital statistics and some fascinatingly quirky facts. In tracing the evolution of the analogue synthesizer from its invention in the early 1960s to the digital revolution of the 1980s right up until the point that analogue circuits could be modelled using software in the mid-1990’s, the book tells the story of analogue to digital - and back again.
Francis Ford Coppola is into synths? Both the Moog Modular and Steiner EVI were used in the soundtrack for Apocalypse Now. See here for a couple of mentioning the story.
SWITCHED ON - BOB MOOG AND THE SYNTHESIZER REVOLUTION PRE-ORDER
BY ALBERT GLINSKY
PUBLISHED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
FOREWORD BY FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
The Moog synthesizer "bent the course of music forever" Rolling Stone declared.
Bob Moog, the man who did that bending, was a lovable geek with Einstein hair and pocket protectors. He walked into history in 1964 when his homemade contraption unexpectedly became a sensation---suddenly everyone wanted a Moog. The Beatles, The Doors, The Byrds, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Yes, Stevie Wonder, and many more discovered his synthesizer, and it came to be featured in seminal film scores including A Clockwork Orange and Apocalypse Now . The Moog's game-changing sounds saturated 60's counterculture and burst into the disco party scene in the 70's to set off the electronic dance music movement. Bob had single-handedly founded the synth industry and become a star in the process.
"Superb for TB303 style acid sequencing, and with the addition of swing to the 303's accent and glide it's arguably superior to the X0X sequencers it's based on.
The Orb is an easy to use, single track, step-based digital sequencer, ideal for controlling our XS semi-modular synthesizer as well as other analog CV/Gate or MIDI synthesizers. The Orb is also a perfect solution for controlling 303 clones which often lack the essential sequencer.
Based on our highly successful Revolution concept, the Orb provides an intuitive interface that we feel most accurately represents the principles of time and music. From ancient sundials to modern day analog clocks, time has been represented as the circle, a cycle which never ends. For time itself is nothing more than our perception of the revolution of planets as they journey through their celestial orbit. It is this motion that we call time that can be measured, divided, and arranged to provide the foundation of music. This circular cyclic theme can furthermore be found throughout music in everything from song structure and repeating rhythms to the fundamentals of sound itself, being the sine wave. With this understanding we must conclude that music is cyclic and should so be represented in its natural form.
Continuing our tradition of hand building quality products, this sleek compact unit is housed in a rugged aluminum chassis with a high contrast white on gun metal grey finish for superior viewing of controls in dark environments, and bright blue LEDs all around. New spherical switches allow quick selection of multiple steps by sweeping through the surface of step keys.
The following is the latest press release from OXI Instruments for their new Coral eurorack module. It claims that Coral is the only "multitimbral synthesizer module marketed for Eurorack", but there are others as you can see in previous posts here, including the Mayer M800 (16 voice in 4 parts), Ryk Vector Wave (16/4 as well), Percussa SSP, and Rossum Assimil8or (8 part though sample based). If you know of others, feel free to leave a comment. Regardless, OXI Instruments Coral is an impressive module. You can find demos of it in previous posts here.
The press release follows:
OXI Instruments introduces Coral as only multitimbral synthesizer module marketed for Eurorack, empowering users to create basslines, drones, drums, pads, and riffs
NIGRÁN, PONTEVEDRA, SPAIN: having hitherto made musical waves with its inaugural OXI One product release as a battery-powered performative sequencer, controller, and composition tool with four fully-independent sequencers (originally raising 1,178% of its fixed funding goal with American crowdfunding website Indiegogo in 2021 and regularly updated with new features since shipping), inspirational and innovative music-making tools-crafter OXI Instruments is proud to announce (limited stock) availability of Coral as the only multitimbral synthesizer module marketed for Eurorack — embracing eight-voice polyphony (freely splittable into different parts and allowing every parameter to be independently set for each voice or part) and several sound engines (each assignable to different voices) all accessible via a colourful, organic interface arranged around an anodised and beautifully silk-printed aluminium panel, premium finished with custom aluminium knobs, empowering users to create basslines, drones, drums, pads, and riffs while effortlessly manipulating voices independently to craft complex patches out of the box — as of August 30…
Ultimately utilising lots of computing power to deliver rich-sounding engines in an eight-voice package that could conceivably be termed the ultimate multitimbral synthesizer — depending on the sound engine involved, one voice can have up to eight oscillators, meaning up to 64 oscillators playing at once making for a massive sound, for example, Coral can be played in a number of ways. While it is fair to say that it breaks free from conventional polyphonic synthesizer behaviour, Coral can conveniently be played polyphonically using only one CV (control Voltage) and gate connection, allocating a new voice every time it registers a new note — be that part of an arpeggio, strummed chord, or pad with long decayed notes — on the oct (V/Oct) input. Independent filter, amplifier, and modulation envelopes are available to each of those voices — in fact, every parameter can be independently set for each voice, including individual effect sends! It is also possible to play all eight voices in unison — all voices playing the same note for drones and thick textures, as well as triggering the internal envelopes with the trig input or directly controlling the amplifier level with the amp CV.
Coral also benefits from full MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) integration, meaning multitimbral operation is a given while also allowing for control over any part’s parameter via MIDI CC (Continuous Controller) commands. Indeed, its eight voices can be freely split into different parts; this time, every parameter can be independently set for each part to craft complex patches out of the box. But there’s more: once those voices have been grouped across different parts, users can distribute the modulation signals across them using the part CV; so, for instance, if there are two parts, the first part will be addressed if the part CV voltage is between 0 and 2.5V while the second will be addressed if the voltage is between 2.5 and 5V.
But better still, several sound engines can be assigned to each of Coral’s voices; included instances available from the outset are Virtual Analog, Waveshaping, FM (Frequency Modulation), custom Wavetable, MDO (Multiple Detuned Oscillator), String, HiHat Synth, Snare Synth, Digital Kick, and Wav Player, now boosted by new Additive with Wavefolder and Diode Distortion additions. As one such sound engine implies by name, Coral supports almost any kind of WAV file — 16-, 24-, and 32-bit mono or stereo — with no limit to playback time! Thinking outside the box comes easily when working with Coral — add overdrive to samples, sculpt them using the filters and envelopes, pitch them up and down in tune, and even modulate the sample file or folder in real time using the CV inputs or MIDI CC commands! It is possible to load any wavetable WAV file to the SD card for Coral’s Wavetable engine; wavetables can even be morphed into three dimensions using OXI Instruments’ OXI Wave app — based on the amazing Wave Edit app created by Andrew Belt — that makes creating and editing them both fun and interesting in equal measures.
Clearly, Coral can go far beyond the realms of a conventional polyphonic synthesizer, then, thanks to the comprehensive voice management and manipulation on offer. On the face of it, those powerful sound engines speak volumes in and of themselves — as does Coral’s full-featured polyphonic sample playback plus built-in space (deep atmosphere) and chorus (rich ensemble) effects potential. It is, indeed, the only eight-voice polyphonic, multi-engine, multi- part synthesizer module marketed for Eurorack, one whose freedom of voice management is even hard to match in desktop gear. Going from rich polyphonic patches to a fully-fledged groove box with basslines, drums, and leads comes quickly to Coral, which, of course, can be fully controlled using MIDI and CV — or both! All available to all in a compact (14HP) form factor for a reasonable price — particularly when pitched against a conventional polyphonic synthesizer.
“The introduction of Mutable Instruments’ Plaits module was a revolution in terms of compact, multi-engine synth voice modules,” maintains OXI Instruments CEO & CTO Manuel Vázquez Rodríguez, good-heartedly giving credit where credit is due before digging deeper to end on a high note: “Thanks to their open source contributions, we have taken some of their algorithms and put them into a tasty, compact package that contains eight ‘instances’ of that module with custom-developed engines alongside new ingredients like independent envelopes and filters per voice, effects, full MIDI implementation, and a colourful, organic interface. On top of that, custom wavetables and a sample playback engine are also available per voice. But we didn’t want to just create another polyphonic synth, so, to allow users to make the most of every voice, we’ve introduced the multi-part concept. Consequently, users can arrange and use the eight voices as they wish — with eight monophonic parts, one polyphonic part of eight voices, or any combination thereof, such as two polyphonic parts of three voices each, plus two monophonic voices in the same module, meaning Coral can be corralled into acting as a versatile and powerful polysynth, drum machine, groovebox, and sound exploration module... all at the same time! We won’t stop there, though, adding more features in future through regular firmware updates — just like we’ve been doing with OXI One!”
"Yamaha to Exhibit Rare Vintage Synthesizers From 40‐Year History at the 2015 NAMM Show
BUENA PARK, Calif. (January 6, 2015)—Yamaha today announced that it will exhibit around a dozen rare vintage synthesizers at the 2015 NAMM Show, the largest musical instrument trade show in North America, to be held January 22‐25, 2015 in Anaheim, California. This showcase, which celebrates Yamaha’s 40th anniversary of manufacturing synthesizers—a milestone reached this year— plans to include analog synthesizers like the SY‐2, CS30 and a special guest or two, the gorgeous GS1, the DX7, which was one of the most commercially successful synths of its day, and the rare VP1—a polyphonic physical modeling synthesizer. Some of the models will be playable. Yamaha introduced its first synthesizer, the SY‐1, in 1974 after decades of research and development and established a high technological benchmark when it released the CS80 polyphonic synthesizer in 1976. The company made musical history in 1983 when the DX7 debuted as the most commercially successful electronic keyboard of its time. This keyboard, which helped shape the sound of popular music in the 1980s, relied on frequency modulation—the leading‐edge technology of the time. By the end of the decade, Yamaha synths evolved from performance instruments to full‐fledged music workstations. The rise of music production synthesizers helped spur the home recording revolution by providing arrangers with a single tool to orchestrate almost any combination of musical instruments with ever‐more realistic tone generation. Yamaha helped develop the use of
sampled—or recorded—tones, along with physical modeling that went beyond sound by recreating instrument behavior as a mathematical model. Building on years of experience and distilling all of Yamaha’s technical innovations into one synth, the Motif series, introduced in 2001, evolved into an industry leader by offering great sound, computer integration and the ability to create sophisticated musical performances with ease. To celebrate the anniversary, Yamaha released the latest iteration of this series, the Motif XF, with a special edition white finish—the only Music Production Synthesizer on the market available in this color. The model offers an exclusive 40th Anniversary Premium Contents Pack that includes FL512M flash memory expansion, a USB drive with content from vintage Yamaha synthesizers and more than $1,000 in rebate offers on Yamaha products and third party soft synths, editors and sound libraries. Beyond hardware, Yamaha became an early adopter of digital technology. Earlier this year, the company launched www.yamahasynth.com, a new community for Yamaha synthesizer users. The site features a forum where members can interact with Yamaha’s product experts including the legendary Phil “Bad Mister” Clendeninn, Yamaha Synthesizer artists and other enthusiasts, along with resources to help all players get the most out of their instrument and download sounds directly into their synthesizers. 'Yamaha has long mastered the art of drawing on past technologies to improve on future synthesizer models,' said Nate Tschetter, marketing manager, Music Production, Yamaha Corporation of America. 'We continue to make high‐quality synthesizers for every stage of one’s musical career from the bedroom studio to the sold‐out stadium.' For more information, visit the Yamaha Booth at the 2015 NAMM Show in the Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Marquis Ballroom, January 22‐25, 2015, or http://4wrd.it/yamahasynth."
Former MODE MACHINES CEO Michael Thorpe joins Behringer to lead its German synthesizer team
Michael Thorpe — former CEO of MODE MACHINES — has joined Behringer to lead its German synthesizer, lighting, and accessory divisions in his newly-appointed role as Customer Solutions Leader (CSL).
Michael has been in the audio industry since 1996 and successfully ran his own company, MODE MACHINES, which designed and manufactured products for the music industry. During more than 20 years Michael gained tremendous experience in product design, manufacturing, and also marketing, which he will now bring to Behringer.
Michael commented: “I am so excited to join the Behringer team and be part of the synthesizer revolution. For decades my passion has been with synthesizers, as well as the music industry in general, and in February 2018 I had the chance to personally meet Uli Behringer. I was immediately inspired by the vision and energy behind the company and the man, and it became clear that I wanted to join the team and help execute this vision which is so close to my heart.”
Uli Behringer commented: “For 30 years, Behringer has had only one mission — to carefully listen to our customers and deliver great products at prices they can afford. As a musician and engineer myself, my passion has always been with synthesizers. At Behringer, we are extremely dedicated and passionate about bringing incredible instruments to the market and helping musicians to fulfill their musical dreams. We are on the constant lookout for amazing talent, and when I met Michael Thorpe I was greatly impressed by his tremendous experience and love for the industry. I am very happy for Michael to lead our German synthesizer team, whose purpose is to design classic as well as innovative new analog synthesizers, drum machines, and sequencers, etc. He will also lead our recently-founded lighting and accessory divisions, where we will deliver equally-innovative and extremely cost-effective products and solutions.”
Michael continues: “During just two years, Behringer has become a leader in the synthesizer market and we will now deliver the same success related to lighting equipment and accessory products. My team and I are very excited and we will go the extra mile to deliver amazing results for our customers. We are constantly looking for new Customer Solution leaders and Product Category Managers, as well as engineering talents to join our other divisions. We encourage you to join this incredibly creative and powerful team — just like I did!”
The X-Bay Ultimate Synthesizer by Anatal Electronics is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. Note you can find a banner link to the X-Bay campaign in the top right banner section here on MATRIXSYNTH, so you can get back to the campaign anytime.
In short the X-Bay is an analog modular synthesizer and patchbay in a 4U rack mount enclosure. It will host analog modules featuring designs from classic vintage synths, for example Roland oscillators and Oberheim filters. You can freely patch and route the modules as you would on a classic modular system, however you do so in a software editor. One way to think of it is as a true analog version of Clavia's Nord Modular, or a software modular with an analog synth engine. What is the main advantage? Size, flexibility, true analog synth engine, and of course, the ability to save patches, all at a lower cost; and it will be expandable. Interestingly, the system can also be used as a cable free patchbay for full integration with your other gear, including other modular hardware and software. The X-Bay offers a cost effective and space saving way to expand your current system or to explore the world of modular from scratch.
The following is the description from the Kickstarter campaign. Be sure to check out the campaign for additional demos and images.
Imagine that you can capture all the patch capabilities of your analog modular in one magic box. Maintaining the full analog signal path, configuration and recall via software. Imagine that you can put together an analog synth like a car in a computer game. A Jupiter oscillator, an Oberheim filter, a Korg envelope ... assembled in a few clicks and with endless routing options.
Nothing virtual, genuine vintage analog sound with famous synth chips from the 70's and 80's.
Completely modular with cable-less analog patch matrix.
Patch cable-less with analog switching chips and software, full digital control.
Without AD/DA conversions between matrix input and output for 100% analog signal path and true zero latency.
Option to function partly or fully as cable-less patchbay for all external devices too.
Option to cable-less patch and control other 3th party modular synths too.
Total analog recall, switch between cable-less wiring configurations instantly. Option to work with downloadable presets too.
Extendable cable-less patch matrix with switching cards, can grow to your needs and desires.
Extendable sound with vintage module cards.
Compact and robust 19" enclosure with optional custom front plate for enclosure pledges that fill up our goal.
Xtreme price break, affordable automated analog audio matrix (search ebay on "64 audio matrix" and see for yourself).
Hard gold plated pcb's assembled in Europe, build to last a lifetime.
We from Anatal Electronics worked for many years on an extendable analog patching matrix that works with chips and software. Upon that patch matrix we build a modular synthesizer with real analog sound that can be controlled with chips and software instead of cables. All analog settings and patch configurations can be saved and restored. For your reference it can be seen as a real analog Nord Modular, an extendable polyphonic Arturia Matrix Brute or a modular Omega infinity with up to 256x256 modulation matrix size.
X-Bay works with cards for extending the matrix and also for adding more of our our vintage modules. The matrix can be extended from 32x32 to 256x256 IO.
Affordable quality
Because every aspect can be controlled digitally there is no need perse for physical buttons or sliders, they are optional not mandatory. This saves a lot of development time and production costs and is the reason why we don't need to compromise on quality for an affordable price. We use ddr pc memory connectors for all extension cards because they are around for decades and many are familiar with their ease of use. Another benefit of not having physical knobs or sliders is that they cannot wear out and cause noise.
The price of components and connectors often depends on how many are sold. Because the connectors we use are in every pc they are affordable and reliable.
Our offer is so generous compared to comparable products that one might wonder if it can be any good. Our pricing is partly business strategy but for the greater part the result of having the right group of people get together at the right point in history. Over a century of combined experience in electronics, software development and vintage synthesizer technology, ignited with passion and the desire to make a difference, can cause a true genuine revolution in a significant industry. We did it because we can and now we need you to make it happen. Be part of something majestic!
Proven technology and components
The underlying concepts for the switching modulation matrix is like other networking technologies, complex but around for many decades. The audio signal switching chips we use are in production for more than 25 years. Our effort made it possible to have such a matrix in a small enclosure so that it will fit in a 19" rack.
The synthesizer modules are implemented with reissued, cloned or original chips from Curtis Electronics and SSM. By many considered as the best choice and many well known vintage synthesizer from the 70's and early 80's are implemented with these chips.
How to play
Connect a midi keyboard or midi software like cubase and control it like any other midi device. Modular connections and analog settings can be applied with our software that runs on devices with internet browsers. Also over WIFI for phones and tablets. Separate mouse and touch interface is provided. It does not mean that X-Bay cannot be controlled by knobs or sliders. It is even remarkably easy to make a true analog controller with direct contact pots. Mind you many, if not most, synthesizer have encoding controllers which is basically digital control and differs not much from a midi controller that you can already use since X-Bay is midi controllable. For sure in the near future an analog controller will be provided by either us or 3th parties."
"Circa 1975: A photo from the Frankfurt Music Fair
Peter Zinovieff in the EMS synthesizer booth.
They are featuring the rare SYNTHI P model, just announced on the left side and stand. Underneath the board listing EMS musical artists is a SYNTHI HI-FLI effects unit is barely seen. Another unusual/prototype model is next to the Hi-Fli."
Peter Zinovieff and Electronic Music Studios video upload by JeffreyPlaide
Peter Zinovieff: Synth Pioneer video upload by Sound On Sound magazine Jul 21, 2016
Peter Zinovieff talks about modern musical interfaces video upload by Expressive E Jan 6, 2016
Peter Zinovieff feature uploaded by Erica Synths on Nov 23, 2020. This was the latest video to feature Peter Zinovieff that I am aware of.
Peter Zinovieff interview 2015 video upload by 香港電子音樂社 Hong Kong Electronic Music Society Jun 30, 2015
Dr Peter Zinovieff intro & performance excerpt - Deliaphonic 2017 video upload by Deliaphonic Aug 29, 2018
And a few perspectives from others:
Bright Sparks Behind The Scenes - The Brits video by GForce Software published Feb 16, 2021
Cosmic Tape Music Club Podcast hosted by The Galaxy Electric - E1 Peter Zinovieff
video by The Galaxy Electric published Jan 27, 2021
"Peter Zinovieff, a hugely influential figure in British music whose early synthesisers helped to change the sound of pop, has died aged 88. He had suffered a fall at home earlier this month.
With its marketing slogan 'think of a sound – now make it', his company Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was one of the first to bring synthesisers out of studios and to the public. With products such as the portable VCS3 and Synthi A, EMS customers – including David Bowie, Kraftwerk, the Who, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd – were often taught to use the instruments by Zinovieff.
In 1967 he collaborated with Paul McCartney on Carnival of Light, a performance of a 14-minute avant garde composition created between Beatles sessions for Penny Lane that has never been released.
He was also a respected composer of his own work, including early experiments with AI composition and sampling – he claimed to have invented the latter technique." You can read the full post here.
"Peter Zinovieff (26 January 1933 – 23 June 2021) was a British engineer and composer, whose EMS company made the VCS3 synthesizer in the late 1960s. The synthesizer was used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd[3] and White Noise, and Krautrock groups[4] as well as more pop-oriented artists, including Todd Rundgren and David Bowie. In later life he worked primarily as a composer of electronic music.
Zinovieff was born on 26 January 1933;[5] his parents, Leo Zinovieff and Sofka, née Princess Sophia Dolgorouky, were both Russian aristocrats, who met in London after their families had emigrated to escape the Russian Revolution and soon divorced.[6] During World War II he and his brother Ian lived with their grandparents in Guildford and then with their father in Sussex. He attended Guildford Royal Grammar School, Gordonstoun School and Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in geology.[7][8]
Zinovieff's work followed research at Bell Labs by Max Mathews and Jean-Claude Risset, and an MIT thesis (1963) by David Alan Luce.[9] In 1966–67, Zinovieff, Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson ran Unit Delta Plus, an organisation to create and promote electronic music. It was based in the studio Zinovieff had built, in a shed at his house in Putney. (The house is near the Thames, and the studio was later partially destroyed by a flood).[10][11] EMS grew out of MUSYS, which was a performance controller operating as an analogue-digital hybrid.[12] It was a synthesiser system which Zinovieff developed with the help of David Cockerell and Peter Grogono, and used two DEC PDP-8 minicomputers and a piano keyboard.[13] Unit Delta Plus ran a concert of electronic music at the Watermill Theatre in 1966, with a light show. In early 1967 they performed in concerts at The Roundhouse, at which the Carnival of Light was also played; they split up later in 1967.[11] Paul McCartney had visited the studio, but Zinovieff had little interest in popular music.[14]
In 1968, part of the studio was recreated at Connaught Hall, for a performance of pieces by Justin Connolly and David Lumsdaine.[15] At the IFIP congress that year, the composition ZASP by Zinovieff with Alan Sutcliffe took second prize in a contest, behind a piece by Iannis Xenakis.[16]
In 1969, Zinovieff sought financing through an ad in The Times but received only one response, £50 on the mistaken premise it was the price of a synthesiser. Instead he formed EMS with Cockerell and Tristram Cary.[17] At the end of the 1960s, EMS Ltd. was one of four companies offering commercial synthesizers, the others being ARP, Buchla, and Moog.[18] In the 1970s Zinovieff became interested in the video synthesizer developed by Robert Monkhouse, and EMS produced it as the Spectron.[19]
Jon Lord of Deep Purple described Zinovieff as "a mad professor type": "I was ushered into his workshop and he was in there talking to a computer, trying to get it to answer back".[20] Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, in their history of the synthesizer revolution, see him rather as aristocratically averse to "trade".[21]
Zinovieff wrote the libretto for Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus,[22] and also the words for Nenia: The Death of Orpheus (1970).[23] The section Tristan's Folly in Tristan (1975) by Hans Werner Henze included a tape by Zinovieff."
Update:
Peter Zinovieff: A Tribute by CatSynth TV
video upload by CatSynth TV
"We look back at the life and work of Peter Zinovieff, who passed away last week at the age of 88. His work at Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was a major influence on musicians of the 1970s and beyond. At EMS, he co-created the well-known and coveted VCS3 and Synthi series. But he was also a composer in his own right, working on pioneering electronic music in the 1960s and returning to active composition in the 2010s with several collaborations with artists in other media and exploring massive sound spatialization.
Additional background music provided via the Arturia Synthi V as a tribute."
"The History Center in Tompkins County Debuts Bob Moog Exhibition
Ithaca, NY - April 2014... The History Center in Tompkins County, in partnership with the Bob Moog Foundation, has announced the opening of the exhibition Switched-On: The Birth of the Moog Synthesizer.
Illustrating the story of Dr. Robert Moog and the creation and evolution of the groundbreaking electronic instruments bearing his name, Switched-On: The Birth of the Moog Synthesizer provides museum visitors with a wide-ranging, interactive insight into Dr. Moog's inventions and the creative process behind their design and development.
Based on interviews with family members, colleagues, and contemporaries, including Herbert Deutsch, Bernie Worrell, Shirleigh Moog, David Borden, and many more, the exhibition provides a unique view into the creative genius of Bob Moog, one of the founding fathers of modern electronic music. With rare Moog instruments such as a vacuum tube theremin, a Trumansburg-era Minimoog, and one of only three R. A. Moog Company PMS-15 amplifiers ever sold, Switched-On: The Birth of the Moog Synthesizer will be the first major exhibition on Bob Moog and Moog Synthesizers to occur in the region, and will run through May 31st, 2015.
Robert Moog came to Ithaca, NY in 1957 to begin his PhD work at Cornell University. He founded the R.A. Moog, Co. in the late 1950s, selling theremins and theremin kits throughout Ithaca. In 1963, Moog opened a storefront for his small factory in nearby Trumansburg, NY. It was there that the Moog modular synthesizer and the iconic Minimoog were born. The factory grew to become a mainstay in the region until Moog sold the company in 1971, and the new owners moved it to Williamsville, NY.
Switched-On: The Birth of the Moog Synthesizer tells the story of Moog's Trumansburg years, through the oral histories of those who knew him, worked with him, and shared his path in shaping a revolution in sound, technology, and music.
"Introducing the Orb... the first offering in our new line of XS-ories.
The Orb is an easy to use, single track, step-based digital sequencer, ideal for controlling our XS semi-modular synthesizer as well as other analog CV/Gate or MIDI synthesizers. The Orb is also a perfect solution for controlling 303 clones which often lack the essential sequencer.
Based on our highly successful Revolution concept, the Orb provides an intuitive interface that we feel most accurately represents the principles of time and music. From ancient sundials to modern day analog clocks, time has been represented as the circle, a cycle which never ends. For time itself is nothing more than our perception of the revolution of planets as they journey through their celestial orbit. It is this motion that we call time that can be measured, divided, and arranged to provide the foundation of music. This circular cyclic theme can furthermore be found throughout music in everything from song structure and repeating rhythms to the fundamentals of sound itself, being the sine wave. With this understanding we must conclude that music is cyclic and should so be represented in its natural form.
Continuing our tradition of hand building quality products, this sleek compact unit is housed in a rugged aluminum chassis with a high contrast white on gun metal grey finish for superior viewing of controls in dark environments, and bright blue LEDs all around. New spherical switches allow quick selection of multiple steps by sweeping through the surface of step keys.
Let's start with the sequencer....
As you can see, the sequencer's interface is circular, which provides several benefits over the traditional linear-style step sequencers. Visually, it is easier to divide a measure of music into equal parts. The circular interface also provides a more intuitive way of displaying patterns playing as cyclic loops, either forwards or reverse, and will help you better understand the underlying geometric symmetries used throughout our Remixing process. This design also allows the user to carry out all sequencing functions with a single hand.
There are 256 recordable patterns available, each recording note duration, pitch, accent , glide, loop point, time signature, and swing amount. Pattern editing features include copy/paste, pattern shifting, pattern transposing, multiple pattern cueing for chaining patterns together live, and LED chase. In addition, all pattern editing and recording can be done while the sequencer is running, and it will automatically save all your edits so you don't have to stop creating!
The Orb also provides the ability to play patterns forwards or backwards, as well as remotely select patterns to play using MIDI program change messages.
There are 16 songs to arrange the patterns in, each recording its tempo, the bank/pattern for each step, the transposition of each step, and the song's loop point. Each of the 16 songs can contain up to 3,580 measures, and multiple songs may be chained together so they play sequentially.
In addition, the Orb provides our unique Remix feature which gives 256 variations for every pattern and song, for more than 65,000 possible patterns right out of the box. Whether you're improvising during a live set, creating variations for other parts of a song, or simply have a case of writer's block, our Remix feature is sure to inspire you and speed up your creative process.
Patterns and songs can be backed up via SysEx dumps to other Orb units, Revolution units, or your computer. In addition, all patterns and songs created in the Orb can be played in the Revolution units, just as all Revolution patterns and songs can be played in the Orb.
Interfacing....
The Orb provides separate 1/4" jacks for the CV out (1V/oct standard) with adjustable Glide Time control, Gate out (positive polarity type, 0 to +12V), and Accent out (positive polarity type gate, 0 to +10v) for playing most analog synthesizers. Or if you prefer, the Orb can act as a MIDI to CV converter allowing any MIDI keyboard/controller, or sequencer to contol an analog synthesizer. It's also possible to sync most pre-MIDI analog sequencers and arpeggiators to MIDI clock by using the Gate out signal as a programmable clock source.
MIDI In/Thru/Out are all provided for syncing playback with external sequencers, playing MIDI sound modules, or using the Orb as a MIDI to CV converter."
$550 available now. More info and images here.
You all know what this is, but for those that don't, or need a refresher here's the product info:
"Intuitive hands on sequencing for your MIDI and CV/Gate synths and sound modules!
The Orb is an easy to use, single track, step-based digital sequencer, ideal for controlling the XS semi-modular synthesizer as well as other analog CV/Gate or MIDI synthesizers. The Orb is also a perfect solution for controlling 303 clones which often lack the essential sequencer.
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via this auction
"This a crazy rare treasure trove of vintage 1970's original material from the Electronic Music Laboratories Inc, (EML), makers of the Electrocomp Synthesizer line. The company was based in Vernon, Connecticut and made a line of quasi-modular synths that competed with Moog, Arp and Oberheim. More rare than these other well known names, these synthesizers had unique features for the price and a distinct sound to them.
Included in this package are:
(1) EML Family of Synthesizer Brochure, half folded into a four page brochure. The last quarter page is a response card that was returned, presumably to receive the other brochures that are included. This brochure includes pictures and features of the EML 101, EML 200, EML 400 Series and the Syn-Key
(1) "The Best Portable Synthesizer In The World" Electrocomp 101, half folded into a four page brochure with detailed illustrations and technical features. Note the price of $1495 back then! The keyboard player in my high school and college band has this synth and I spent many hours hearing it do bass lines and leads, cool stuff!! It was duophonic, patchable and hot stuff at the time!
(1) This Synthesizer Started a Revolution! ElectroComp 200, half folded into a four page brochure with detailed illustrations and technical features (note there are two of these in the picture, but only one is included in this auction). This is an interesting unit that seems to be designed to teach synthesize to students at school and appears to be an "expander" unit to the 101 with a price of $950
(1) Todays Sound, The Right Price!, Electrocomp 500 $895 half folded into a four page brochure with detailed illustrations and technical features. This one does not have patch points and appears to hard connect key features from the 101.
They are in excellent condition and perhaps some of rarest vintage synth literature from the period. EML was relatively short lived despite the quality of their products and it is hard enough to find any of their synthesizers let alone a set of documents like this!!"
Moog Music sent the following out to subscribers of their newsletter. I thought I'd share it with those that aren't subscribed, as well as capturing it in the archives. Keith was legendary.
"Thank you, Keith Emerson
'In general, everything we've ever done has always been in collaboration with musicians... there's constant experimentation. Keith Emerson was the first guy that really, in a professional way, took a large modular system on stage and made it work.' - Bob Moog
The sudden loss of Keith Emerson, a beloved member of the Moog Family, has profoundly impacted us. We were shocked and saddened to lose our hero, friend and collaborator so soon.
Keith discovered the Moog synthesizer with his band The Nice in 1969. Shortly thereafter, he reached out to Bob Moog and acquired one of the first Moog modular synthesizers, which was built for the Museum Of Modern Art's "Jazz In The Garden" public performance. From then on, the names Emerson and Moog were entwined forever. Keith became the most-visible proponent of the synthesizer revolution, using the Moog loyally onstage for almost every show of his career. Emerson became the brightest name in the world of progressive rock music, his influence and creativity rivaled only by Jimi Hendrix. He was a masterful musician in many styles, but also a renowned showman who understood that elaborate theatrics would elevate the experience of the audience to a fever pitch. Part of his "show" was to faithfully include the monstrous wall of modules and cables that his Moog had become over the years, as it had developed an instantly recognizable sound that no other instrument could duplicate.
In 2015, nearly 45 years after the beginning, Moog and Emerson worked to create newly-built exact duplicates of Keith's legendary modular instrument. Matching his original Moog to painstaking details, the new EMMS (Emerson Moog Modular System) was the first artist signature-series Moog synthesizer. It was an honor to recognize the great contribution Keith Emerson has made to the long Moog history, and to his enormous influence felt still today on the world of synthesis.
Through his enduring friendship with Bob Moog, his pioneering use of the Moog Modular and his lifetime of creative collaborations with Moog Music, Keith's fingerprints are on the very DNA of electronic synthesized sound. We can say for certain, that our company would not be where it is today without Keith's prophetic contributions. Our hearts are broken knowing our journey together has come to a close.
Thank you, Keith. Your spirit will live on forever in those electric moments when technical brilliance and unconstrained expression collide."
Bob Moog and Keith Emerson, 1974 (photo credit: Greg Hochman)
The China Concerts (Part 8 of 9) - Jean Michel Jarre
YouTube via 9thenazeing. China’s First Post-Revolution Concert was a synth concert. 1981 with Jean Michel Jarre and featuring the Electro Harmonix Mini Synthesizer. You can see Jean Michel Jarre and the Electro Harmonix Mini Synthesizer at 8:01. Some general synth spotting as well. Via EHX.com, where you'll find a great image of Electro-Harmonix founder Mike Matthew showing the Mini Synthesizer in Russia two years earlier. These are fascinating views of history and how music bridged and you could say broke through cultures. You can read more about the Russian trip here.
Via EHX.com: "Jarre breaks the barrier and steps out into the audience with his Electro-Harmonix Mini Synthesizer, using it as a literal and figurative bridge between East and West"
video description: "Peking: October 21st and 22nd, 1981 & Shangai: October 26th, 27th and 28th, 1981.
... After two years of negotiations, the Government of the People's Republic of China agreed for the first time to officially invite a western contemporary musician to give a series of concerts in Peking and Shangai.
... On October 12th, a team of sixty musicians and technicians left Paris for Peking with 15 tons of stage gear in the plane's hold. A gigantic stage installation, one of the most sophisticated concert happenings yet seen, and the technical, diplomatic and human accomplishment of five triumphant concerts fired the Chinese public with enthusiasm.
... The film of the China Concerts retraces this unique adventure, and, with Jarre's music, illustrates post-Mao China: its sufferings, its beauty, its desire for modernity, its aspiration for liberty ... images captured in 1981, at a historical moment when it seemed China was opening itself to the outside world...
... In 9 parts. :-(" You can find the other parts here.
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via these auctions from Future Retro. The different versions / skins / faces of the Future Retro Revolution. All auctions are "for (1) new-old-stock Revolution synthesizer from our private collection. This item was boxed up at the time of production and has never been used."
Which do you like best?
In the order pictured:
one "This is a Revision 2 with the latest V2.0 OS, has the battery holder and a brand new battery installed. This was the last Rev2 unit ever made, another unique thing about this unit is that the tuning is 1 octave lower than most other Revolution units (although the last 100 units were all tuned this way)."
two
"This is a Revision 2 with the latest V2.0 OS, has the battery holder and a brand new battery installed. Serial# 1200, notice the unique button color scheme, and is the only Rev2 unit to have wood end panels."
three
"This is a Revision 1 with the latest V2.0 OS, has the battery holder and a brand new battery installed. Serial# 666, notice the unusual color scheme of the buttons."
"This is a Revision 1 with the latest V2.0 OS, has the battery holder and a brand new battery installed. This unit has the black alluminum end panels, with a unique black/red color combination of buttons."
"This is a Revision 1 with the latest V2.0 OS, has the battery holder and a brand new battery installed. This unit has the black alluminum end panels, and notice the unusual all white color scheme of the buttons."
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