Malcom Cecil Releases iTonto for iOS

iTunes: iTonto - malcolm cecil

"iTONTO the App, documents the Engineering and Design of “TONTO”, The Original New Timbral Orchestra.

DISCLAIMER: iTONTO is not a functional iOS recreation of TONTO.

TONTO is one of the most important innovations in musical history. TONTO is the first synthesizer of popular music and is displayed and described in great detail within the App. This historic instrument, the invention of Grammy winning Malcolm Cecil, helped influence American cultural and musical history and is one of the most recorded instruments of all time.
The App includes detailed photos of the front and back of each panel with drill down and zoom capabilities, circuitry and schematics, personal comments, hand drawn notes in design, and stories about TONTOS history. Collaborations include Steve Wonder, Billy Preston, Gil Scott Heron, Little Feet, Doobie Brothers, George Harrison and The Isley Brothers. TONTO is on over 160 albums including 2 of Rolling Stone’s top 100 best selling albums of all time.

TONTO – The Original New Timbral Orchestra uses the principle of analog subtractive synthesis to create multi-timbral polyphonic sounds.The heart of a subtractive synthesizer is its filter. TONTO has a compliment of fourteen filters: two full MOOG 904 band-pass filters,
two Arp Low Pass filters,
four Oberhiem SEM filters;
two Cecil/Serge dual filters;
one ARP 1040 multi function filter
and one Cecil Custom low pass filter.
It also has 39 oscillators; 22 envelope generators;
18 VCA’s and many more modules,
including processors, sequencers and controllers which can be patched to create at least fourteen discrete “voices” – each with it’s own unique timbral quality and all of which are able to be controlled simultaneously. As its name implies, it is truly an integrated orchestra of new timbres.
Optimized for iPhone 6, IOS 8.0 or better."

CLICK FOR MORE »

NAMM 2015: Malcolm Cecil

Published on Jan 25, 2015 Electronic Musician Magazine

"Electronic Musician interviews Malcolm Cecil about TONTO at the NAMM Show 2015."

Steve Austin Battles Bigfoot To A Synthesizer Soundtrack by Tonto's Expanding Head Band

Published on Nov 3, 2014 Jay Calloway

"Secret agent Steve Austin, the bionic Six Million Dollar Man, battles Bigfoot---who turns out to be a part-android alien creation! The music is 'Cybernaut' by Tonto's Expanding Head Band. I don't own anything---neither the film footage nor the music. (The government owns this. It's classified Above Above Top Secret.)"

For those not familiar with Tonto's Expanding Head Band, via wikipedia: "Tonto's Expanding Head Band was a British electronic music duo consisting of Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. Despite releasing only two albums in the early 1970s, the duo were (and still remain) influential because of their session work for other musicians (most notably Stevie Wonder[1][2]), extensive commercial advertising work and the unique warmth and personality of their work."

And of course, see the TONTO channel label for more specifically on the TONTO modular system.

Malcolm Cecil, Designer of TONTO Coming to Moogfest 2014

via Moog Music on Facebook

"Happy CV Sunday! Love, your friends at #Moog.

Malcolm Cecil, the designer of TONTO, the largest multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer in the world, will be at #Moogfest 2014: www.moogfest.com/tickets"

TONTO Arrives at the NMC Calgary Alberta, Canada

"National Music Centre acquires TONTO, world’s largest synthesizer. Credit: Chad Schroter-Gillespie."

This one in via Greg on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge.

The National Music Center in Calgary Alberta is the new home of TONTO

"TONTO was the first and the largest, multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer. This means that it was one of the first synthesizers capable of producing many tone colours with different voices simultaneously.

TONTO was created by Malcom Cecil and Robert Margouleff in 1968 and marked the first attempt at creating a universal language for different synthesizers to communicate with each other, which was revolutionary. TONTO remains the largest analog synthesizer in the world."

Check out the full post at the NMC site here.

Is it the world's largest synthesizer considering modular systems can be endless in size?  It depends on how you look at it.  It is interesting to think of it as a single massive synthesizer. As for possible contenders, my first thought was Benge's studio, the old Aliens Project SynxsS studio (interview here) as well has Hans Zimmer's bookshelves of modulars, but their modular systems are effectively separate.  Are there others?  If you focus on sheer number of modules in one exclusive system there's Billy Corgan's Ichabod which consists of all Mattson modules and the recent Siggi's Super Formant Synthesizer.

"Malcom Cecil, co-creator of TONTO. Credit: Chad Schroter-Gillespie."

The following is a track featuring Tonto by Malcom Cecil & Margouleff from 1971.

Moogfest 2014 Presenters Include Makers Roger Linn, Dave Smith, Tom Oberheim, Don Buchla, Forest Mims & More

"Moogfest 2014 Announces Daytime Presenters Including Futurists, Musicians, Scientists, Authors, Filmmakers, and Pioneers of Electronic Music Instrument Design

Phase 1 tickets start at $199 for 5-Day General Admission, and $499 for 5-Day VIP Admission while supplies last through December 19 when Phase 2 GA tickets go up to $299. All prices exclusive of applicable fees.

ASHEVILLE, NC – November 14, 2013 – Moogfest is a five-day festival dedicated to the synthesis of technology, art and music. Since its inception in 2004, Moogfest has been a magnet for artists, engineers, and enthusiasts of Bob Moog. With an experimental lineup of daytime conference programming featuring cultural, artistic and technological luminaries and punctuated by a diverse line up of landmark nightly performances, Moogfest honors the creativity and inventiveness of Dr. Robert Moog and pays tribute to the legacy of the analog synthesizer. This is no ordinary festival.

CLICK FOR MORE »

The Simpsons Meet Phantom of The Paradise - Ultimate Halloween Synth Flick?

via Moog Music Inc. on Facebook

"The #Simpsons pay tribute to doom-synth composer Winslow Leach in the opening sequence of Treehouse of Horror XXIV"

And the trailer for the original featuring the massive modular TONTO.  The Ultimate Halloween synth movie?

Uploaded on Dec 2, 2007 mousepod·22 videos

"The original theatrical trailer for DePalma's masterpiece. See it now!"

Phantom of The Paradise on Amazon

Tonto: It`s About Time LP + Poster

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

via this auction

"1974 UK pressing on the POLYDOR label. Cat No: 2383 308. Sleeve graded EX. Vinyl has clean labels and barely noticeable spindle wear. There are a couple of light hairlines on each side that are only/more visible when held at an angle to a bright light. Only the occasional instance of light background. Vinyl graded EX+. Complete with very hard to find poster. Poster graded Near Mint..."

CLICK FOR MORE »

YOUTH by KiNo & Video with Jeff Blenkinsopp & Malcom Cecil's TONTO

YOUTH from KiNo on Vimeo.

KiNo and his producer Sonic Wizard Jeff Blenkinsopp [Pink Floyd insider]

KiNo Live Rig from KiNo on Vimeo.

The above is a video on KiNo's live rig featuring Jeff Blenkinsopp & Malcom Cecil's TONTO. You might recall the suitcase sized rig Jeff refers to from this previous post on KiNo's Kickstarter campaign. KiNo is working on an new concept single called YOUTH.

About KiNo
http://poetofsoundandimage.com/9

Details on YOUTH via Facebook (be sure to click through for a gallery of pics):

"Written, demoed and performed in New York.
In production: Los Angeles, New York, With contribution from Nyc, Roma, Istanbul, Paris, Korea.

I got on to making YOUTH, ever since the Gezi Park events in Istanbul broke out the mass movement of young people, among them my friends, mostly apolitical creatures lunging protests against their mobster government led by a cunt. YOUTH is a concept/single that I wasn't planning on embarking on until I secured some sort of backing. But, I found myself in the thick of it, thanks to my friends who have been demonstrating incredible tactics of subversion, to expose, expose and disarm their oppressors in the government and the media. It has been an intense period of pounding successful resistance coordinated on facebook and twitter. I couldn't escape the net of solidarity. They are young people getting some results. So, I couldn't resist turning to YOUTH. It's my reaction, a unifying (re)action in fact to connect the dots on what has been happening across the globe for quite sometime, created by the organic, non-idealogical energy, the sole capacitor of change, bearer of subversion and crafty people of liberty, the youth! As a poet, instead of sticking labels on people, I must help remove them to remind the essence of a human being unadulterated by nationality, religion, language and ideology. The concept-single is all about this. It's form is in the ubiquitous cross-cultural language of image, sound and word. And it is being made as we speak, with many collaborators contributing. It's an exciting time to focus and inspire each other, the bolt of awareness is conducting in a very fast pace. We all know what's in progress. We are the current face of change.9, Los Angeles"


Also see the KiNO and TONTO labels below for more.

Mark Mothersbaugh's Tour of Mutato Muzika

Published on Jun 4, 2013 keyboardmag1·273 videos

"In this archival clip from May 2010, Mark Mothersbaugh gives us a tour of some of the vintage synths in Mutato Muzika, DEVO's headquarters in L.A."

EMS SYNTHI AKS, Oberheim TVS, Moog Memorymoog, Minimoog & Sonic Six, various circuit bent gear, EMS VCS3, custom DIY modular Aries Modular, EDP Wasp, Novachord, Electronium, TONTO, EML 500, Polybox, Octave CAT, Pink Floyd's Ondioline, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 & more.

Update via Michael Hewel in the comments: "the modular around 08:00 is an Aries"

DIY Electronic Music Symposium, Cornell University, 2013 Pics

Follow-up to this post.

flickr set by exakta
(click through for more)

Pictured here:

Top: "Malcolm Cecil [portion of TONTO in background], James Spitznagel and Trevor Pinch Jamming.  Trevor is playing an analogue synth which he himself built in the early 1970s." [see this post for details & pics]

Bottom: "Simeon Coxe of Silver Apples"

Description for the set:
"On March 30th, 2013, Cornell University and The Fanclub Collective sponsored a day-long electronic music workshop. It included a panel discussion with Professor Trevor Pinch, Malcolm Cecil, Simeon Coxe and Jeff Perkins (a veteran light-show producer) and a hands-on DIY synth-circuit-building workshop. The final events were performances, first by regional acts (First Atomic Lunar, members of Atomic Forces & First North American Lunar), 100% BLAKK), then by Ithaca synth ensemble Electric Golem (Trevor Pinch and James Spitznagel). Malcolm Cecil and his vintage mega-synth, TONTO (that's "The Original New Timbral Orchestra") played an incredible set, as did half of the sixties electro-rock duo Silver Apples, Simeon Coxe.

I would highly recommend any of these acts' recordings!

More info here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TONTO#The_TONTO_sy nthesizer
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_apples
www.facebook.com/electricgolem
firstnorthamericanlunar.bandcamp.com/
(Atomic Forces) www.myspace.com/107098519
(100% BLAKK) www.facebook.com/pages/100-Black/3858969 81449017"

DIY ELECTRONICS SYMPOSIUM: Workshops, Silver Apples with Malcolm Cecil on TONTO, Electric Golem with Trevor Pinch on DIY Modular

via Trevor Pinch: "This Saturday March 30 at Cornell Schwartz Center for The Performing Arts we are putting on a cool event which we are calling a 'DIY Electronics Music Symposium'. It will feature panel discussion on DIY electronics (starts 2pm), workshops where you can build your own gear, and a concert (starts 8pm) featuring, Silver Apples, Malcolm Cecil with TONTO, Electric Golem (with Trevor Pinch on DIY Modular [see this post]) plus more.

I know it's short notice but any synth heads in the area might want to check it out. As far as we can tell TONTO and Silver Apples have never been on the same bill together."

Details:

"DIY ELECTRONICS SYMPOSIUM:

SATURDAY MARCH 30
An afternoon and evening celebrating innovation in electronic media,
///TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER:
the legendary Simeon Coxe of Silver Apples and Malcolm Cecil of Tonto's Expanding Head Band,

The afternoon symposium will commence with a panel discussion led by Science and Technology Studies professor Trevor Pinch followed by demonstrations of various home made electronic instruments including the largest synthesizer in the world, The Original New Timbral Orchestra. Doctoral candidates Taylan Cihan (Music), Laewoo Kang (Information Science) and Owen Marshall (Science and Technology Studies) will then lead a DIY Electronics workshop allowing participants to create and keep their own small electronic instruments.

~challenge the politics of expertise~
~explore motivations for innovation~

In the evening from 8-11 a musical and visual 'happening' will be put on with Tonto's Expanding Headband, Silver Apples, The Electric Golem, First Atomic Lunar and more to perform.


__S_C_H__E__D__U__L__E_

2PM-3PM

Panel Discussion Chaired by Trevor Pinch
featuring: Malcolm Cecil, Simeon Coxe, Jeff Perkins, Park Doing.


3:30pm-5:30pm

DIY Electronics Workshop and Demonstrations
-Circuit hacking, bending and creating your own instruments from parts. All materials provided for limited number of participants
provided by Cornell Electroacoustic Center, led by Taylan Cihan, Owen Marshall, and Leo Kang

____________________________________

8PM-11PM
MULTIMEDIA PSYCHADELIC PERFORMANCE

*Silver Apples
*Tonto's Expanding Head Band
*Electric Golem
*First Atomic Lunar
*100% Black

feat DJ Andris Balins

Visual media provided by Jeff Perkins, Park Doing, Leo Kang

The events are free and open to the entire Cornell Community.
Contributions are encouraged to support opening acts.


Made possible by The Cornell Council for the Arts, The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Cornell Electroacoustic Music Center, The Society for the Humanities, The Science and Technology Studies Department, and the SAFC."

See the TONTO & Trevor Pinch labels below for more including videos and pics.

TONTO [The Original New Timbral Orchestra]

via Music Marketing Inc. on Facebook

"TONTO [The Original New Timbral Orchestra], the first and largest, multi-timbral polyphonic analog synthesizer in the world, was famously used by Stevie Wonder on all his early 70s albums. Essentially, it was a massive combination of modular synths from Moog, Oberhiem, ARP, EMS, Roland and others. Originally made for record producer Robert Margouleff, Tonto has changed owners several times and currently resides in a studio in upstate New York. When you are this BIG they call you TONTO!"

See the TONTO label below for more. You can watch a video tour of TONTO here.

Analogue Synthesizer goes Berlin Old school (GRP A8, Minimoog, Moog Prodigy & friends)

YouTube Published on May 17, 2012 by Synthiefrau

"Hi lovely Synthfreaks, here is a new improvisation from me. My new cat 'Tonto' listen to my music. I use my Synthesizers.com Sequencer, the Sequencer of the GRP A 8, Moog the leads are from theProdigy, Minimoog, Roland V-Synth, the effects comes from the Dark energie and the Juno 60 (LFO sounds), welcome to the analogue sound universe!"

TROGOTRONIC 666 M

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

Note this render is in red. You can see one in black here.

"The plug and perform simplicity of our stand-alone Triple Six synth has been carefully distilled into Eurorack format by hirsute hands. We designed a single module as powerful as an expensive array of traditional VCO/VCF/VCA modules patched together. While no compromise to the true spirit of the original circuit was afforded we worked especially hard to make this one of the most compatible Eurorack instruments available with a generous array of 9 distinct control voltage inputs:

Added into the Euro-Format bargain are three additional new controls not available on the original:

· Shape-Knob
· Patch-Knob
· Three-way Patch Switch

In essence it is quite possible that this one module alone, placed under the control of up to 9 separate sequenced CV channels, could sound like someone slipped a C4 charge into Tonto’s “expanding headband”.

Features:
· 2 for Twin Oscillators Freq.
· 1 for Threshold (Osc. Gate/Selection/Etc.)
· 4 for Twin Amplifiers (FX/2nd Osc.)
· 1 for Signal Shape parameter (filter)
· 1 for Output Drive parameter
· Plus audio input (modulation/filter/etc)

Sound Samples:
§ 666 Solo 1
§ 666 with Reverb; Troggota & Fugue in D Minor
§ A 666 M-series demonstration by Weinglas
§ 666 with old Drum Machine patched to the Input
§ 666 with Bob & Doug McKenzie"

KiNo kickstarter Campaign Featuring TONTO & Pink Floyd's Jeff Blenkinsopp

KiNo kickstarter campaign for Development New Suitcase Analogue Processing Block

on Kickstarter

"KiNo wants to maximise his musical output as a solo artist.

He wants to perform and record a series of singles on what would be the suitcase version of the original KiNo Live Rig*: a custom, one of a kind analogue sound processing device built by Pink Floyd insider, sonic wizard Jeff Blenkinsopp.

KiNo’s sound and craft has been produced independently for the past 6 years by Blenkinsopp.

The funds generated here will be used for the evolution and construction of this unique sound system. Also, it will send KiNo to studio and set up a tour itinerary.

The current state of the project: Jeff Blenkinsopp has developed the road map for the suitcase rack unit. To create this equipment, we need your help!

KiNo will embark on the recording process when the machines are completed. He will collaborate with Andy Rourke. The music will be produced by Jeff Blenkinsopp.

KiNo Website
KiNo on Facebook
Jeff Blenkinsopp's Analog Lab
Andy Rourke"

Live! - Trailer from KiNo on Vimeo.

World's Biggest Synth Tonto - Malcolm Cecil & KiNo from KiNo on Vimeo.

Blenkinsopp explains KiNo from KiNo on Vimeo.

Trogotronic m666

via this auction

"this thing is wild an unpredictable in glorious ways. The best way I've heard this described is a "a sound artifact generator.

essentially, it mangles and spit out chunks of crazy noise, by way of a collection of 2 inter-modulating oscillators, a pre-amp, envelope follower, filter and distortion circuits.
it sounds like nothing else out there!

plus there's 3 nifty bright LEDs showing the output level of the 2 oscillators and the 3rd being the drive level.

comes with 4 mounting screws, and its standard eurorack (doepfer type) power cable.
new it cost £335!!!

technical details are:

the plug and perform simplicity of our stand-alone triple six synth has been carefully distilled into eurorack format by hirsute hands.

we designed a single module as powerful as an expensive array of traditional vco/vcf/vca modules patched together. while no compromise to the true spirit of the original circuit was afforded we worked especially hard to make this one of the most compatible eurorack instruments available with a generous array of 9 distinct control voltage inputs:

- two cv ins = frequencies of twin oscillators
- one cv in = threshold (osc. variant/gate/selection/etc.)
- four cv ins = twin amplifiers (distortion/secondary osc.)
- one cv in = new signal shape parameter (filter function)
- one cv in = for output drive parameter
- plus audio input (for unique modulation and triggering).

into the bargain are an additional three new controls, shape-knob & patch-knob / threeway switch, which make our most flexible circuit even more so.

in essence it is quite possible that this one module alone, placed under the control of up to 9 separate sequenced cv channels, could sound like someone slipped a c4 charge into tonto's "expanding headband".

specifications:
eurorack format 14 hp
module depth ~2 inches
peak current draw at 125ma"

TONTO -- The Coolest Modular Synthesizer Ever Video Demo

YouTube Uploaded by symphorobot on Dec 2, 2010

"http://symphorobot.com/"

The Analog Lab NYC-A Brief Tour of TONTO

YouTube Uploaded by TheAnalogLab on Dec 26, 2011

"The Original New Timbral Orchestra designed and built by Malcom Cecil. The TONTO features such synths as:

2 Moog Series III Modular Synthesizers
2 Arp 2600s
Serge Modules
4 Oberheim SEMs

and many more..."

Trogotronic m/666 eurorack synth/fx module

via this auction

"rom manufacturer website:

the plug and perform simplicity of our stand-alone triple six synth has been carefully distilled into eurorack format by hirsute hands.

we designed a single module as powerful as an expensive array of traditional vco/vcf/vca modules patched together. while no compromise to the true spirit of the original circuit was afforded we worked especially hard to make this one of the most compatible eurorack instruments available with a generous array of 9 distinct control voltage inputs:

- two cv ins = frequencies of twin oscillators
- one cv in = threshold (osc. variant/gate/selection/etc.)
- four cv ins = twin amplifiers (distortion/secondary osc.)
- one cv in = new signal shape parameter (filter function)
- one cv in = for output drive parameter
- plus audio input (for unique modulation and triggering).

into the bargain are an additional three new controls, shape-knob & patch-knob / threeway switch, which make our most flexible circuit even more so.

in essence it is quite possible that this one module alone, placed under the control of up to 9 separate sequenced cv channels, could sound like someone slipped a c4 charge into tonto's "expanding headband".

specifications:
eurorack format 14 hp
module depth ~2 inches
peak current draw at 125ma"