Karussell - Als ich fortging (When I left) - 1987 | Cover by Synthfluencer

video upload by Synthfluencer

"This song by German pop/rock group 'Karussell' became quite famous around 1989 when revolution started in the eastern part of Germany and many people left the country. The main instruments I'm playing here are the Vermona Synthesizer and the Vermona Piano Strings."

Das Model

video upload by Synthfluencer

"I do a quick performance of Kraftwerk's "The Model" trying out my new backing track. The Vermona Synthesizer has an issue with the upper G, I need to fix this.

Lead Synths: Vermona Synthesizer, Behringer Deepmind 12, Yamaha MODX
Backing Track: DAW/Reason"

The Vermona Synthesizer. Part 3 MIDI control with VS-MIDI

video upload by Synthfluencer

Synthfluencer Vermona posts

"I MIDI-fied my Vermona Synthesizer using the VS-MIDI kit from CHD Elektroservis. In this video I demonstrate how the VS-MIDI interface can used to control the Vermona Synthesizer with an external keyboard. If you like the video please give a thumbs up & subscribe to my channel!

-----------------------------------------------
0:00 - Intro
0:11 - Overview / MIDI-kit integration schemes
1:20 - Activating external MIDI-mode
1:46 - Operation modes explained
3:22 - Operation mode demonstration
4:44 - Velocity & Keyfollow
5:50 - Aftertouch
7:20 - Demo track 'VS-80'"

Lucia - Marinero [80s italo disco pop synth cover]

video upload by Synthfluencer

"I first listened to that song on a mixtape I copied from my grandparents in mid 80s. After decades I remembered that song when listening to that mix tape again (yes, it still exist!) and med this quick cover using my Vermona Synthesizer and other gear."

Reminds me of Alphaville, Big In Japan at times.

Door #17: Sind die Lichter angezündet (When The Lights Are Lit) - Synthmas '21

video upload by Synthfluencer

"The song:
This song was the best known Christmas carol in the former GDR and also named a Christmas album that was played in almost every family on Christmas eve. The text written as a poem contains all the ingredients for a typical Christmas celebration: The lights, a tree, gifts, joy and peace.

The gear:
What else can I use for this arrangement than the Vermona stack: Vermona Synthesizer and Piano Strings. Both instruments have been made by VEB Klingenthaler Harmonikawerke, a large instrument manufacturer of the former GDR based in Klingenthal/ Saxony. More than 3.000 employees produced accordions branded "Weltmeister" and later electronic organs and synthesizers under the brand Vermona until 1990. Today the brand name Vermona lives on hold by the company HDB electronic that still produces high quality electronic instruments.

The synthesizers lead voice is routed through a TC Flashback unit adding it's wonderful Mod Delay effect. The Piano Strings goes through a Zoom MS-70 CDR end is enriched with a stereo delay and a very neat Small Stone Phaser simulation. You see in other videos on my channel the Vermona Phaser 80, but in this case I preferred the silky dreamy Jean-Michel-Jarre-signature sound of the Small Stone over the harsh Vermona phaser. Here I compare the sound of the effect units: https://youtu.be/yraACszuvAA

Vermona Synthesizer is controlled via MIDI (I built in a VS MIDI device some time ago, video showing that will follow) and play the Piano Strings by hand cause it's lack of any external control input.

Trailer material: Pexels.com (image @seurafrancis99, video @cottonbro)"

Door #10: Leise rieselt der Schnee (Let it snow) - Synthmas '21

video upload by Synthfluencer

"Ho-Ho-Ho! This is Synthmas '21, the virtual calendar presenting a Christmas carol played by synthesizers - every day from 1st to 24th of December.

The song:
One of the best known German carols was written in 1895 by parson Eduard Ebel. The melody is most likely a traditional folk song.

The gear:
The lead melody is played by the Vermona Synthesizer from 1983. This two oscillator mono synth got nicknamed "Zonen-Moog" while "Zone" refers to the eastern zone of Germany where this synth was produced. Because of the import embargo for electronic parts produced in capitalist countries all circuitry had to be designed from scratch. However, these mostly discrete designed oscillator and filter ciruits give the synth a warm analog and unique sound.

In this stoned song's version Vermona synth is accompanied by Blofeld bringing a deep bass and Deepmind adding some dazed background harmonies.

Trailer material: Pexels.com (image @seurafrancis99, video @cottonbro)"

Door #7: Vorfreude, schönste Freude (Anticipation is half the pleasure) - Synthmas '21

video upload by Synthfluencer

"Ho-Ho-Ho! This is Synthmas '21, the virtual calendar presenting a Christmas carol played by synthesizers - every day from 1st to 24th of December.

The song:
In 1970 the non spiritual carol was recorded for the GDR's most popular Christmas album "Bald nun ist Weihnachtszeit" (Soon it's Christmas Time) by the Rundfunk Kinderchor Leipzig (childrens choir). Each of the four verses is about lighting one advent candle until Christmas eve.

The gear:
I play this song on my Vermona Piano-Strings. The instrument was built from 1978 by "VEB Klingenthaler Harmonikawerke" and is one of the very few string machines produced in the late Eastern Bloc. It's appearance might resemble famous string machines like ARP Solina, however the features of the Piano-Strings are quite limited. There is a piano part and a strings part, but they can't be played together. Each section has 3 tone faders changing its character. I feel oddly bonded to that instrument: in my youth I was playing the piano in our music school band. At a rehearsel I failed playing my part because I was too lazy to learn my sheet. So I was degraded to playing some simple string chords - on a Vermona Piano-Strings! I was very happy to get one of these after all those years. Most prominent Vermona player was Moby before his one was sold on Reverb.com [Moby Reverb posts]

Since the Vermona Piano-Strings neither got MIDI nor CV/Gate control I play by hand.

Trailer material: Pexels.com (image @seurafrancis99, video @cottonbro)"

[Kawai S-100F] 40 yo japanese beauty gets intense cleanup & service

video upload by Synthfluencer

"In this video I show how I cleaned and serviced the Kawai Synthesizer-100F. The 100F is a mono synth from the late 70s. It has one oscillator with sawtooth and square waveform, white noise (that can't be mixed), two envelopes and a LFO speeding up to audio rate, a lowpass and a highpass filter. The lowpass filter can be modulated by LFO, envelope and waveforms that gives pretty unique sound design possibilities.

The unit was very dirty when I purchased it. Almost all faders were banged, resonance didn't work at all. I decided to give it a deep clean-up and a fresh calibration. I didn't want to do a makeover but rather bring back the vintage beauty of this wonderful synth without removing all of its patina.

Background music was made usind the 100F among the Vermona Synthesizer, Yamaha CS-5, Waldorf Streichfett, Behringer Deepmind, Model D & Neutron and Elektron Model:Samples.

See the first review of the synth before cleanup: [posted here] See the 100f in action: [Dr. Who theme posted here]"

Muzio Clementi: Sonatina C major, op. 36 No. 1 "Spiritoso" (Synthsunday 24-10-21)

video upload by Synthfluencer

"I play the Clementi sonatina in C major on my Vermona Piano Strings using the so called 'Piano' section. Audio output goes through Vermona Phaser 80 and TC Flashback."

Vermona Piano-Strings (1978) - How does it sound?

video upload by Synthfluencer

"I play around with my Vermona Piano-Strings and some effect units. The Vermona Piano-Strings was produced in the GDR by 'VEB Klingenthaler Harmonikawerke' and one of the very few string machines produced in the late Eastern Bloc. Sound manipulation is sort of limited. There is a string and a "piano" section but you can use only one section at a time. For the string section you can mix three kinds of string instruments (Cello, Viola, Violine) and add two different choruses. Decay can be changed but no other envelope control. I pass the signal through a Vermona Phaser 80, a legendary effects unit built with discrete circuitry and compare it to some Small Stone phaser simulation by using the ingenious Zoom MS70 CDR multi effect unit. You may find some 'Jarrism' in this video ;-)"

Johann Sebastian Bach: Invention No. 1 (Synthsunday 2020-12-20)

Synthfluencer

"I play Bach's Invention No. 1 on two analog synthesizers: 1979 Yamaha CS-5 (lead voice) & 1983 Vermona Synthesizer (bass accompaniment). Some effects added by Yamaha MODX."

The Vermona Synthesizer. Part 2 VCOs, VCA, VCF and other features

Synthfluencer

Part 1 calibration below.

"The Vermona Synthesizer is one of only two synthesizer models developed and officially produced in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In my video series I want to intruduce this rare synth. Second part dives into the VCOs, comparing the wave forms of the Vermona Synthesizer with a Behringer Model D.

0:24 VCO1 Wave forms demo and comparison
2:30 VCO2 Wave forms
2:58 VCO1 + VCO2, "PWM", tuning, octave range
4:52 "Hacks", combining octaves and wave forms
6:23 LFO
7:32 Pitch wheel and glide function
8:36 VCF
11:12 Envelope (VCA/VCF), playing around"

The Vermona Synthesizer. Part 1 calibration


"The Vermona Synthesizer is one of only two synthesizer models developed and officially produced in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). In my video series I want to intruduce this rare synth. First part shows the VCO calibration process. The complete process (VCA, Envelopes, base voltage etc.) needs soldering and an oscilloscope. VCO calibration should be applicable to 90% of all calibration work so we focus on that."