Vintage 1970s EML Electrocomp 101 Semi-Modular Analog Synthesizer

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"Vintage 1970s EML Electrocomp 101 Semi-Modular Analog Synth Synthesizer. This one is in average used shape cosmetically - study all pics closely for details. The stickers should be easily removable. Functionally it's in good working order, having been serviced by a qualified tech a few years ago. Since then the main issue is that the calibration has drifted, so that will have to be scaled in order to play standard in 12-tone equal temperament. This should be a relatively straightforward process for a qualified tech. The keys all play smoothly and trigger cleanly/correctly. Note that this is the earlier version without the "SEQ" (aka CV) input, and it doesn't otherwise have any mods to accept standard CV. I'm not aware of any other mods to this unit either. I'm not the original owner, so I don't know the full history of it.

The demo video features some simple demo tracks I produced with this synth awhile back when it was still mostly scaled well. All sounds except drums and police scanner noises are from the EML. I used the trigger input for rhythmic sync with my sequencer, and played the notes manually on the EML keyboard as the sequence ran. After that is a bunch of noodling, some of which I recorded when I created this listing in Sept 2022. It's not very "musical" but will give you a sense of the range of sounds this synth can make. I did very little/basic manual patching for this demo- the range of sounds you can get with manual patching is even more varied."

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Optigan Demo - Swing It!

YouTube via peahix

"OK, this is especially for all the folks out there who refuse to believe that the music in the car commercial was, in fact, made using either an Optigan or samples of an Optigan. In this video I use a not-very-well-working and very dusty Optigan (I buy authentic 70s-era dust on eBay to sprinkle on all my Optigans) to show how this music was created. Whoever put together the music for the commercial almost certainly used samples of the Optigan (a comprehensive set of which is available from my website: http://www.optigan.com), but the result is more or less the same as if they'd played it on a real Optigan drenched in reverb.

Incidentally, you can hear Optigan sounds in LOTS of TV commercials- it's just that they're usually mixed in with other instruments as a texture, rather than played solo as is the case here. There were 40 different musical style discs made for the Optigan, so it doesn't just sound like a big band. Most of the folks who've bought my sample set are commercial and/or pop music producers, and I've stopped keeping track of all the commercials and songs that feature Optigan sounds.

Oh, and back in the year 2000, my band Optiganally Yours used the "Swing It" disc to record a song called "Walk & Chew Gum" for the Powerpuff Girls: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc-jxj...



To sum up: the music in the commercial is not a "song" from ANY old record. It is a series of one-bar big band riffs (arranged by Art DePew in the style of Tommy Dorsey) strung together either manually on an Optigan, or by assembling a set of Optigan loops on a computer.

My blog post here has further info and sound examples:

http://www.optigan.com/content/2010/0..."

And the Chrysler commercial

Roland MC-8 MicroComposer Unboxing & Demo

YouTube via peahix

"I just bought this old beast on eBay. Since it came complete in the original box in essentially unused condition, I thought I'd make an unboxing video. After spending an hour or so getting familiar with its arcane operating system, I made a quick programming demo. It's brain seemed to be a bit frazzled when I first turned it on, but it seems to be working OK now, except that it needs to be calibrated because the pitch CV's are off scale. Anybody know someone that can do this for me?"

1972 Moog Sonic Six Analog Synthesizer Demo

YouTube via peahix.

images via this auction. http://www.myspace.com/peahix

"1972 Moog Sonic Six. This synth is currently listed on eBay: item #130238825211. This is a quick demo showing some of its features, definitely not a comprehensive demo. Also I cover the two main problems this unit currently has:

1) There is a problem with the lower portion of the keyboard, where the pitch sort of does a "bump and glide" down to those notes after playing higher notes. It's a bit unpredictable and hard to describe- just watch the video. Not sure what the source of this problem is.

2) The modulation input for the ring mod is currently not working. In the video I demonstrate that the signal input works (Osc B), but the mod input switch does nothing. Again, not sure of the source of this problem.

Apart from these issues (which should be fix-able by a qualified tech), and a few missing knobs, slider caps and screws (replacements should be available), the synth works quite nicely.

The oscillators have been calibrated, and once warmed up, they hold their tuning well. All the key contacts seem to be in good shape and the keyboard has a nice, playable feel to it.

This unit features the earlier non-Moog filter.

The audio was recorded direct. There's also and onboard speaker which works well and sounds nice."