Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope 2012 treated you well and I wish you the best in 2013!
As I do each year, I thought I'd reflect a little on the past year. These posts are always difficult to write, and I always wing them, so bear with me. It's impossible to justify a whole year's worth of synth coverage in a single post. The following is just a small bit of what comes to mind when looking back. You'll find a top ten list of posts with the most page views followed by my picks for the year further below. Apologies if I miss anything, and of course, if you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment below. I'm curious what you, the readers of the site, felt stood out in the world of synths this past year.
First, I want to begin this post with a HUGE THANK YOU!!! If you are reading this it obviously means you have come to this site and some of you have been coming here for years! Thank you for sticking with me. This site is a journey I hope to continue for years to come. Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to showcase their synths, and thank you to those that share what they find! Thank you to those that link to the site and help spread the word on MATRIXSYNTH via Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and your own websites! And of course, THANK YOU to all the sponsors on the right who believe in the site enough to support it!
A nod to previous New Years posts, pictured to the left is the MATRIXSYNTH world domination map. :) I always think it's worth taking a look at who's watching the site. Synths are global and you are looking at a map of the readers of MATRIXSYNTH. Everything you see in green represents a visit from that country. The darker the green, the higher the number of visits. This is just for the year, but for the life of the site, we still haven't gotten a single hit from North Korea! I don't know what they have against synths! ;) You'll find the top 10 visits by country further below.
This is the eighth New Year the site has gone through! The focus for the site this year has been the same as previous years, and I plan to keep it that way. This site is about showcasing specific synths, not just synths in general, and not just news and press releases. The focus is on the individual synths that have existed throughout history, the technology behind them, and the lives they lead with their odd owners, myself included. :) Yes it is about the gear, their makers, and their players. It has always been my opinion that synths in general have a tendency to be undervalued. Compared to say collectible guitars, they are often discarded and devalued in favor of next year's model, next year's technology. It has always been my opinion that every synth has something of value to offer, something specific and something unique that gives it its character. I built this site to showcase that. This site is about the history of synths as their history unfolds - videos and images of synths being played and used, by both those that make them and those that play them. Vintage synths being offered in the second hand market, being exchanged from one sonic explorer to the next. It really is a wondrous thing. Think of the magic synthesizers bring into your world. That is what this site is ultimately about. Some posts may not seem to make sense now, but they will in time, because they will be a look back in time. A day in the life of a particular synthesizer. I love analog and I love digital. I love all synths and this site celebrates that.
And now for a little reflection on the year. This year we had a total of 16678 posts including this one. That comes out to roughly 45.69 posts a day. Not a single day of the year went without a post. So what dominated the synth year? Mobile, modulars and a few dedicated hardware synths.
"Spitfire Audio adds another ‘off-grid’ twist to evolving, EMS VCS3-inspired VIs for its Producer Portfolio
LONDON, UK: Spitfire Audio, purveyors of the finest virtual instruments from the finest musical samples in the world, is proud to announce availability of PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS, the latest creative chapter in its evocatively-named, evolving EVO GRID series of ‘off-grid’ sample-based virtual instruments initially inspired by the trailblazing late-Sixties-vintage EMS VCS3 portable analogue monosynth and perfectly executed for the Native Instruments KONTAKT platform-compatible Producer Portfolio range — itself launched to satisfy repeated requests for drier-sounding, more manipulative samples for more non-orchestral material, as of September 18…
Following on from the success of Spitfire Audio’s prototypical PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and its phenomenal PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS followup, as implied by name, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS takes the so-called ‘Evo’ concept from its inception in strings into the wonderful world of woodwinds. What is an Evo, exactly? Evos are hyper-long, sample-based articulations that evolve — sometimes subtly, sometimes severely — over time before looping. These are then organised on a grid so users can plot which evolution or ‘Evo’ sits on which key range, resulting in a GUI (Graphical User Interface) inspired by the breakthrough British EMS VCS3, which made musical history upon its introduction in 1969 by being the first commercially portable synthesiser available anywhere in the world, thanks to its innovative modular matrix-based patchboard dispensing with the telephone exchange-like cabling of other (much larger) modular systems in favour of making space-saving connections with (removable) coloured pins.
PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS heads on a similarly flexible sonic bearing, but within the computer-hosted context of a truly 21st Century sample-based virtual instrument fit for ‘off-grid’ minimal musical explorations. Employing some of the UK’s finest, most progressive, and avant-garde woodwind players performing beautifully-orchestrated long notes that increase in intensity and expression, evolving into out-of-this world soundscapes, this eclectic collection of woodwind evolutions designed by Ben Foskett foster an exceptional edge to anyone’s musical endeavours. Returning to record at the ultra-dry, yet warm-sounding surroundings of Central London’s Air-Edel Recording Studios using the finest vintage microphones, Neve preamps, and the last Cadac studio console ever built, ‘Foskett & Co.’ set about creating a product that oozes originality and positively provides inspiration to all that use it. The result? 3,312 superlative samples — some 18.5GB of uncompressed .WAV files — that do just that by doing things with woodwinds that are totally unexpected, yet uniquely musical in execution.
At Air-Edel Recording Studios two subtly different performing lineups — Band A comprising FLUTE (3), ALTO FLUTE (1), BASS FLUTE (1), CONTRA BASS FLUTE (1), Bb CLARINET (3), and Bb BASS CLARINET (3); Band B comprising OBOE (3), COR ANGLAIS (2), Bb CLARINET (2), Bb BASS CLARINET (1), Bb BASS CLARINET (1), BARITONE SAX (1), and BASSOON (3) — led Spitfire Audio to ultimately provide PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS users with a nuanced selection of sounds. Some are more reedy-sounding, others more flutey. This time the resultant Evo count stands at a healthy 48 spread across 12 pitch regions — including an additional five grids of wonderfully-warped, saturated, and totally transformed versions of each and every Evo — resulting in an almost infinite number of possibilities. Pressing the save button is important… all the more so given the many randomisation options that are also provided!
Fortunately for (potential) PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS purchasers, Spitfire Audio has helpfully seen fit to carefully curate those extraordinary Evos into a number of spring-right-out-of-the-box-style patches — from seemingly-simple tutti-type affairs, featuring all Evos evenly spread across the keyboard, through to various diagonal patterns, as well as a handy feature for randomly creating pinned patterns from the near-infinite number of configuration possibilities — perfectly demonstrating not only the tense and extreme elements of the library but also the effortlessly-engaging ‘episodic’ Evos! Easily-accessible front panel-positioned FX controls (for Reverb, Delay, and Tape Sat.) help make this into a tool truly designed for producers — hence the Producer Portfolio range association, as well as composers, editors, and sound designers alike. Anyone needing a spellbinding solution from the moment they touch the keyboard, in other words! Like the self-explanatory SIMPLE TENSE SCARY subtitling of the PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and TRADITIONAL EPISODIC EXTREME subtitling of PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS before it, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS can be as time-saving as the trailblazing EMS VCS3 was once space-saving.
Saying that, PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS perfectly compliments that recently-released PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS sample-based virtual instrument — an extraordinary collection of long, evolving chamber strings orchestrated by Ben Foskett before being given Spitfire Audio’s adventurous Evo treatment — and its PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS sibling. Says Spitfire Audio Director Paul Thomson: “We’ve got a collection of incredible players here — very progressive, avant-garde wind players, playing beautifully-orchestrated long notes from Ben Foskett that evolve with increases in intensity and expression and different techniques to give you a really beautiful series of long, evolving tones that you can use to work with in a similar way to the STRINGS EVO GRID releases. The EVO GRID GUI is the same as before, so you’ll recognise all of the controls. There are lots and lots of possibilities — millions of possibilities, in fact, so it’s a really creative tool. We’re very proud of it. It’s very different from the strings evolutions that we’ve put out so far, but it’s very, very useful.”
Indeed it is. In this day and age of delivering more musical content against a backdrop of diminishing deadlines and budgetary constraints, composers are often asked to engage the listener by doing very little — least of all changing notes, all those EVO GRID releases represent Spitfire Audio’s masterplan for providing them with a solution to this taxing conundrum. Just ask award-winning composer — and fellow Spitfire Audio Director Christian Henson. Commissioned to write 13 hours of music for a sprawling, epic TV series, but with no budget for orchestra and only three months in which to do it, a quick string sampling session subsequently ensued, during which he fortuitously recorded a series of greatly differing long strings evolutions. Staggered by the resulting sample instrument, where the chaotic nature of different evolutions placed over different intervals made for exciting and unexpected results, he semi-seriously stated, “I could literally hit a big C minor chord, hold my sustain pedal down, reach for my sandwich, and the thing would still be writing itself a minute later while I was wiping mayo off my beard!” From the smallest seed… and all that jazz.
PP025 EVO GRID 004 WOODWINDS and its PP017 EVO GRID 001 STRINGS and PP020 EVO GRID 002 STRINGS sample-based virtual instrument siblings can be purchased and downloaded directly from Spitfire Audio for £179.00 GBP (subject to VAT within the EU) from here:
http://www.spitfireaudio.com/products-page (Note that Spitfire Audio’s free Download Manager application for Mac or PC allows you to buy now and download anytime while a full version of Native Instruments KONTAKT 5 is needed to run these Producer Portfolio products.)
I want to start by thanking everyone that comes to MATRIXSYNTH and helps make it what it is - the readers, the supporters, and of course all the sponsors on the right.
THANK YOU and have a GREAT 2015!!!
This site is a labor of love and a ton of work. This site is ultimately meant to be an testament to everything synth in the making. We have over nine years of daily synth history captured here, 119,983 published posts. I can't wait to see what the future brings us in 2015!
That said, here are a few interesting bits from 2014 in the longest post of the year. ;)
I'm not 100% sure, but this could be the first post to feature the original box of a vintage EMS SYNTHI. That's a rare little bit of synth history right there.
Looks like two EMS VCS3s in a custom keyboard controller case. There was a smaller VCS4 and XILS made a software emulation that looked just like this one. You can find both in the archives here.
"VCS4 day is a one day event (10–5pm) that pays tribute to the unique early music synthesiser, the EMS VCS4, which has recently been acquired for the Department of Music at Goldsmiths from the musician Simon Desorgher, with the support of the Goldsmiths Alumni and Friends Fund.
The VCS4 was produced by the world-renowned Electronic Music Studios Ltd (EMS) company in London in the late 1960s, run by pioneering composer Dr Peter Zinovieff. It was one of a number of early EMS synthesisers used by pioneers of electronic music in Britain, and was created initially for the composer Harrison Birtwhistle for use in his piece Chronometer (1971–72). The instrument, which is the only one in existence in the world, combines two VCS3 synthesisers to create a custom and highly versatile performance instrument. VCS3 synthesisers have been used by such luminaries as Delia Derbyshire, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Aphex Twin, Brian Eno, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Robert Fripp. For many years the VCS4 had been thought lost, until the advent of the Hugh Davies Collection arriving at Goldsmiths in 2019, when Desorgher approached the music department with a proposal for the VCS4 to be maintained and made available to students and researchers at Goldsmiths Electronic Music studios.
Shortly after Goldsmiths Electronic Music Studios opened in 1968 (one of the first electronic music studios at a university in the UK), the studio obtained two other EMS VCS3 synthesisers. It is fitting therefore that the VCS4 is now housed in Goldsmiths Electronic Music Studios, affording opportunities for it to be used by undergraduate and postgraduate students in both their compositions and performances.
VCS4 day represents an opportunity to gain detailed insight into this extraordinary instrument, through a series of talks from its inventors, protagonists and leading experts on the history of analog synthesisers and their cultural impact. A programme of performances on the VCS4 will take place throughout the day."
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction
"The Museum of Synthesizer Technology by Martin J. Newcombe (Privately Printed July 1994, First Printing; softcovers)
Scarce 118-page publication illustrating the collection of the short-lived (1994-1997) Museum of Synthesizer Technology in Berkshire.
Contents:
Foreword by Bob Moog
Aims and Services of the Museum
The Exhibits
A Voyage of Discovery
History of the Synthesizer
Moog - History of the Company
Moog - The Range of Instruments
Oberheim
E-mu
Buchla
Sequential
Arp
Polyfusion
EML
EMS
EDP
Roland
Miscellaneous
What a busy year it has been in the world of synths.
This is going to be one doozy of a post, so bear with me. This post is a review of the year in synths for 2013. We begin with Tributes to Those We Lost This Year, followed by New Manufacturers & Makers, Older Manufacturers Added to the Site, New Gear Announcements, Top 10 Posts by Traffic, My Standout Posts for the Year, and finally This Years' Synth Events. I did my best to keep things as short and concise as possible.
All missed and never to be forgotten. Take a moment to remember them.
------
New Manufacturers & Makers
Starting last January, I decided to keep a running list of every new manufacturer and maker introduced to the site during the year. This is something I haven't done before and I thought it would be interesting to see how many there were in the year. It's easy to focus on the big synth announcements throughout the year, but what about all the new makers and brands? I shouln't have to go considerably into the significance of new designers on the scene, so I'll just say two things regarding them. One, the number of new makers is a direct reflection on the interest in our scene, and two, these are the creators of new gear which directly translate into new designs not previously available to us. Think about that for a moment. These are makers and designs that did not exist before. They are part of our synth history. So what is the total count of new synth designers for the year? A whopping 113. Think about that a bit. One hundred and thirteen new synth designers and brands this year alone.
Here they are (note a handful date back to 2012, but 2013 marked their momentum and availability):
"Tape Leaders book review & flipthrough. Tape Leaders is a richly illustrated A-Z compendium featuring over 100 composers active with tape and electronics in the analogue era.
Containing information never previously uncovered, Tape Leaders shines a fresh light on many sound experimenters unacknowledged in the history of British electronic music. It also covers EMS synthesizers such as the VSC3, Synthi and others as well as BBC Radiophonic studio.
Tape Leaders: A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers is an indispensable reference guide for anyone interested in electronic sound and its origins in the UK. The book compiles information on practically everyone active with experimental electronics and tape recording across the country to reveal the untold stories and hidden history of early British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, it covers everyone from famous names like William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek to the ultra-obscure such as Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter.
There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and amateurs, groups and ensembles that experimented with electronics, including The Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
Author Ian Helliwell draws on his experience and extensive research into electronic music. After six years and dozens of interviews, he has amassed information never before brought to light on this fascinating subject.
With a specially compiled 15 track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works (exclusively available to the Velocity Press shop), this is an essential book for anyone interested in electronic music history during the 1950s and 60s.
This hardback book is 22.7cm x 17.7cm, and the 224 pages are printed and bound on heavyweight 130gsm paper. You can grab a copy at
----------
TIMECODES
00:00 - Intro & Overview
00:50 - Electronic Music Composers A-Z 12:07 - Experimental Amateurs 13:20 - Electronic Music Groups 15:31 - EMS (Electronic Music Studios) 16:32 - BBC Radiophonic Workshop 17:25 - Tape Leaders CD Liner Notes 17:41 - Info, Credits & Index
via this auction. This appears to be the same one recently listed on VEMIA, and posted here. Not sure if this one is legit. The seller has some other interesting items as well. Keep an eye out in the comments of this post to see if anyone chimes in.
"EMS SYNTHI Sequencer 256. One of the rarest pieces of equipment from EMS or any other manufacturer: the massive Sequencer 256. Not just a very important part of electronic music history (probably the first commercially available digital sequencer, and unrivalled for a decade or more). It is also a thoroughly viable piece of equipment in today's electronic studio, with some elements which would be very difficult to re-create with a state-of-the-art computer system. This particular machine was throughout its life by Dartington College in Devon, the arts college. It was loaned out by Dartington in the late 70s for the cult film 'The Shout' - see one of the pics which has a still from the DVD behind this actual machine. It has been thoroughly serviced by EMS experts Lucid Sound, as usual with the kind help of Robin Wood at EMS. Lucid's service notes tell the story of the thoroughness of this work:- Replaced Nestra PSU capacitors 12V supply has ripple, swapped +/12V cards, now OK, possible diode blown in 12V rectifier, checked, reswapped, no fault found. Cleaned Nestra edge connectors, now OK. Tested sequencer, functions basically work but control voltages are unstable. Traced to bad trimmer resistors. Replaced all trimmers on C card, +2.5V reference out of range of adjuster, traced to faulty 741 opamp, replaced. +/2.5V now calibrated correctly. Replaced trimmers on B card, recalibrated internal clock. Slew rate processor calibrated – note slew rate CV in is hardwired to Channel B dynamic out. Set Channel B vernier to 5 if you want to disable this facility. Replaced trimmers on A card, keyboard output voltage still unstable. Traced to noisy resistors in output circuit and FET’s loose in sockets. Soldered FET’s in place, added 10k multiturn trimmer in place of existing 1k pot and 4k7 padding resistors, octaves now stable and calibrated. Adjusted so that middle ‘F’ is reference note at zero volts. Adjusted trimmer so that Zero Store = full scale on meter when indicating free memory. Some keyboard contacts intermittent, cleaned Calibrated verniers so that 5 = zero volts out. Scaling adjustable on verniers to +/1.2V/Octave. Layer 1 key circuit has been previously modified for +/10V output, layers 2 – 4 are standard at +/5V, but can be modified on request. Clock rate vernier sometimes slips, replaced vernier (retained original knob and cap) and calibrated for zero volt on meter and 4Hz clock frequency when vernier set to 5. Cleaned panels, tolex top and keyboard. EMS Keyboard lead included, tested and cleaned pins. Mains lead missing, manufactured new one. Sourced manual. Final test of all functions with Synthi A and SH09. Cosmetically the end cheeks are not good - they have lost quite a lot of veneer on the corners and edges; but the important bits - the control panel, etc - are very good indeed."
"This is an EXTREMELY RARE, vintage synthesizer. It was purchased through an estate of a former music store owner. It is said to be new and never used. Has some dust from long term storage and is missing the power cord. The unit is being sold as described with no warranties. Here is some info on its history and legacy in recording [via wikipedia].
'The EMS Synthi A, first available in May 1971, and then in March 1972 a version of it with a built-in keyboard and sequencer, the EMS Synthi AKS, a portable modular analog synthesiser made by EMS of England. Most notable for its patch pin matrix, its functions and internal design are similar to the VCS 3 synthesiser, also made by EMS. E.M.S. is still run by Robin Wood in Cornwall, and in addition to continuing to build and sell new units, will repair and refurbish E.M.S. equipment.
The Synthi AKS has been used extensively by Brian Eno in his art rock and ambient albums. He particularly made prominent use of its signal-chain editing capability in order to add colour to his own voice as well as Robert Fripp and Phil Manzanera's guitar work. His early band, Roxy Music, supposedly requested that he join them after watching him tinker with the Synthi AKS for only a few minutes.[citation needed]
Jean Michel Jarre featured Synthi AKS on Oxygène and Equinoxe and has one for Oxygene Live in your living room (2007).
Pink Floyd used the synthesiser to create the electronic riff of the track "On the Run" and to play the solo of "Any colour you like", both from the 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. (The band reported to use a EMS VCS3 synthesizer although it actually was a Synthi).
Czesław Niemen in 1975 used Synthi AKS in recording of his album Katharsis.
Klaus Schulze and Pete Namlook refer to Synthi AKS in the name of their collaboration album The Dark Side of the Moog VIII: Careful With the AKS, Peter.'"
"IPEM: Established in 1963 as a joint venture between the then BRT and the University of Gent, the Institute for Psycho-acoustic and Electronic Music (IPEM) developed into an important centre of research and a studio where quite a few important composers of early electronica and contemporary music worked. People like Louis De Meester, Lucien Goethals and Karel Goeyvaerts are just a few of the important figures from this exciting period in recent (Belgian) music history.
During this evening, a number of original pieces from the IPEM studio are to be seen (coming from the collection of the MiM) together with the the EMS Synthi 100. The legendary synth in the possession of the IPEM since the 70’s.
We’ll start with a reading by Dr. Micheline Lesaffer on the history of IPEM. Right afterwards, a number of compositions played from from tape by Ivan Schepers, Head of Technolgy at IPEM.
screening: To Speak Or Not To Speak, R. Servais, 1970, 10min. Short animation film by Raoul Servais for which IPEM composer Lucien Goethals made music.
live set by Keith Fullerton Withman partly on the EMS Synthi 100
Screening: Harpya, R. Servais, 1979, 9min. Animation film in which Servais uses a technique with 35 mm projections on a multi-plane with a black back ground. The film won de Palme D’Or for best short-film in Cannes. Here too, the music is of Lucien Goethals is from the IPEM."
Via Ross: "Adelaide Australia will show a world premier short film about the history of the mighty EMS VCS3 in March 2007."
Title link takes you there.
Synopsis: "Post-war Britain was a period of intense scientific and industrial experimentation where art participated in, and reflected, wider social change. Out of this context came Electronic Music Studios (EMS), a radical group of avant-garde electronic musicians who composed a futuristic soundscape for the New Britain. Comprising of pioneering electronic musicians Tristram Cary (famed for his work on Dr Who) and Peter Zinovieff, EMS was one of the world's most advanced computer-music facilities. Its great legacy is the VCS3, Britain’s first synthesizer and rival of the American Moog. The VCS3 was a uniquely British invention, which changed the sounds of popular musicians including Brian Eno, Hawkwind and Pink Floyd. Almost thirty years on, the VCS3 is still used by electronic artists like Aphex Twin and Chicken Lips. Local filmmakers Matthew Bate and Claire Harris uncover a lost chapter in music history, emphasising a group of composers who used technology to re-think the boundaries of music and sound.
Matthew Bate, Claire Harris and Tristram Cary are Guests of the Festival"
via Vemia "One of the rarest pieces of equipment from EMS or any other manufacturer: the massive Sequencer 256. Not just a very important part of electronic music history (probably the first commercially available digital sequencer, and unrivalled for a decade or more). It is also a thoroughly viable piece of equipment in today's electronic studio, with some elements which would be very difficult to re-create with a state-of-the-art computer system. This particular machine has been owned throughout its life by Dartington College in Devon, the arts college. Funds from the sale will go to the world-famous summer school. It was loaned out by Dartington in the late 70s for the cult film 'The Shout' - see one of the pics which has a still from the DVD behind this actual machine. It has been thoroughly serviced by EMS experts Lucid Sound, as usual with the kind help of Robin Wood at EMS. Lucid's service notes tell the story of the thoroughness of this work:- Replaced Nestra PSU capacitors 12V supply has ripple, swapped +/12V cards, now OK, possible diode blown in 12V rectifier, checked, reswapped, no fault found. Cleaned Nestra edge connectors, now OK. Tested sequencer, functions basically work but control voltages are unstable. Traced to bad trimmer resistors. Replaced all trimmers on C card, +2.5V reference out of range of adjuster, traced to faulty 741 opamp, replaced. +/2.5V now calibrated correctly. Replaced trimmers on B card, recalibrated internal clock. Slew rate processor calibrated – note slew rate CV in is hardwired to Channel B dynamic out. Set Channel B vernier to 5 if you want to disable this facility. Replaced trimmers on A card, keyboard output voltage still unstable. Traced to noisy resistors in output circuit and FET’s loose in sockets. Soldered FET’s in place, added 10k multiturn trimmer in place of existing 1k pot and 4k7 padding resistors, octaves now stable and calibrated. Adjusted so that middle ‘F’ is reference note at zero volts. Adjusted trimmer so that Zero Store = full scale on meter when indicating free memory. Some keyboard contacts intermittent, cleaned Calibrated verniers so that 5 = zero volts out. Scaling adjustable on verniers to +/1.2V/Octave. Layer 1 key circuit has been previously modified for +/10V output, layers 2 – 4 are standard at +/5V, but can be modified on request. Clock rate vernier sometimes slips, replaced vernier (retained original knob and cap) and calibrated for zero volt on meter and 4Hz clock frequency when vernier set to 5. Cleaned panels, tolex top and keyboard. EMS Keyboard lead included, tested and cleaned pins. Mains lead missing, manufactured new one. Sourced manual. Final test of all functions with Synthi A and SH09. Cosmetically the end cheeks are not good - they have lost quite a lot of veneer on the corners and edges; but the important bits - the control panel, etc - are very good indeed. Packing at VEMIA will be 25GBP; personal delivery may be possible at economic rates in UK and north-western Europe"
Tape Leaders: A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers is a richly illustrated A-Z compendium featuring over 100 composers active with tape and electronics in the analogue era. Containing information never previously uncovered, it shines a fresh light on many sound experimenters unacknowledged in the history of British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, it covers everyone from famous names like William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek to the ultra-obscure such as Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter. There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and amateurs, groups and ensembles that experimented with electronics, including The Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
First published by Sound On Sound Magazine in 2016, this is the first time it’s been available outside their shop and this new edition has been extensively revised and updated. The hardback book is 22.7cm x 17.7cm landscape, and the 224 pages are printed and bound on heavyweight 130gsm paper. With a specially compiled 15 track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works (exclusively available to the Velocity Press shop and free with all pre-orders), this is an essential book for anyone interested in electronic music history during the 1950s and 60s.
Ian Helliwell: "Years before investigating the work of FC Judd for the documentary Practical Electronica, it was evident there was so much early British electronic music that had never been properly researched. The idea of a book examining this formative period began to crystallize during work on the film, as interesting facts were being uncovered that fed into a much broader-based history than has ever been available. A compendium to cover not just the acknowledged figures, but also those that never get a mention, was the objective so that famous names sit alongside the unknowns, and the reader gets a sense of the vast amount of electronic music activity that was going on, which has since been ignored or forgotten about.
“The graphic design was another important consideration and has been something of a labour of love to evoke the era of tape recorders, tone generators and analogue synthesizers. Many of the photos and images have come directly from the featured composers or their families, and form an eye-catching array of illustrations to support and enhance the text."
Two day event via Cube Cinema, Saturday April the 2nd and Sunday the 3rd.
"Day one of a weekend of special events, performances, screenings and more - dedicated to the output and legacy of the one and only BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
With their often primitive hand built devices, tape loops and early synth explorations, the workshop brought the sound of electronic weirdness out of the realms of academia and into the home, re-adjusting the ears and minds of an entire generation in the process. As interest in their oddly British, and often somewhat crackpot approach to electronic experimentation grows, and as many of their key instigators finally begin to gain the worldwide recognition their pioneering efforts deserve, we spend a special one-off weekend looking back on some of the characters, stories, sounds and inventions that shaped an era.
On day one (Saturday), we’re delighted to welcome very special guests - Radiophonic boffins, David Cain and Dick Mills - who will be presenting a history of the workshop, discussing their work, and presenting a wealth of material unheard for decades.
Pictured to the left is Professor William Hoskins (via). What you see there is not the mystery Moog, but his Moog modular system. This post is about another Moog synth, one most likely based on the Sonic VI. If you have any information on what this synth might be after reading this, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly. My contact info is on the bottom right of the site. I have already contacted Michelle Moog-Koussa and Brian Kehew author of Kaleidoscope Eyes A Day in the Life of Sgt. Pepper, as well as Trevor Pinch, author of Analog Days [Amazon hardcover & paperback, preview on Google books], and featured in this exclusive post. I also contacted James Husted of Synthwerks, George Mattson of Mattson Mini Modular, Steven Jones of Synthwood, and Carbon111, all of whom know their synth history. None were familiar with what the synth might be.
The story: I was recently contacted by a Paul Rego with the following:
"I've been searching the Internet for over a year now and have not been able find a specific synth. Since you seem to know and work with every type of synth known, I thought I'd ask you...
Around 1973 - 1974, I took private synthesizer lessons at Jacksonville University (Florida). The instructor was Professor William Hoskins and the synth was a custom Studio Moog assembled by Professor Hoskins.
One day, Professor Hoskins showed me his personal, portable synthesizer. He brought out what looked like a brown suitcase. When he opened it, I saw a Moog Sonic VI.
This is nothing new. I've seen lots of images of this synth on the Internet. The one aspect of this particular synth, that I cannot find anywhere, is that it had a touch-sensitive keyboard. The keyboard was made of plastic and had a gray / brown color. Outlining the keys (showing the location of the 'white' and 'black' keys) was an almost medium blue color (about an eighth-inch thick). (He and I tinkered with this synth for about a half-hour to an hour.)
Professor Hoskins passed away several years ago, so I can't ask him about it. I did contact his family but they don't remember anything about this synth.
I do remember Professor Hoskins telling me that he and Bob Moog had 'gone to school together'. I think he was referring to electronics school but I never asked him more about it. I thought I had read somewhere that Professor Hoskins and Bob Moog had briefly worked together on a Sonic VI prototype but I don't know if that's true. (Even if what I saw was a prototype, someone has to own it now and should be proud enough of it to post some photos somewhere.)
I thought the background story might help in your own research on this.
Basically, I'd just like to know if this synth ever existed or am I just not remembering it correctly.
Thank you for your time and attention."
My first obvious guess considering the blue was the Buchla Music Easel or separate Buchla touchplate keyboard modded into the case of a Sonic VI. I sent Paul a couple of links to various images.
Paul replied: "the synth I saw didn't look like the Buchla Easel. Good call though.
The 'blue', which outlined the keys on the Sonic VI I saw was a bit lighter in color than the blue in your photos and maybe had a bit of green in it (closer to turquoise). There was no red or other color on the keyboard (that I can remember) and the entire keyboard seemed to be one piece of plastic with only the blue / green outlines separating the 'keys'.
I also read a story recently about the time when Musonics bought Moog and had a synth ('Sonic V'?) of their own, at that time, but I haven't research this too much yet. One thought I had was the synth I saw was something from Musonics but was never officially released (until it had the 'Moog' name placed on it). I'm pretty sure the synth I saw had the 'Moog' logo and the word 'Sonic VI'. (Not 100% sure but it seems clear in my memory.)"
I also sent Paul images of the EMS Synthi AKS. Paul replied it was the closest, but definitely not it.
I contacted Michelle Moog-Koussa and Brian Kehew to see if they knew of anything. Michelle replied: "...I can tell you that we have several of William Hoskins reel-to-reel tapes in the archives, so there was obviously a significant professional relationship between he and Bob.
I don't ever remember reading anything about the Sonic VI, but maybe Brian does. One thing I can tell you for sure is that Dad began working with John Eaton in 1970 on the Multi-Touch Sensitive keyboard [left via]. The main component of the MTS was the touch-sensitive keyboard, of course. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Dad would have used his work with John to push boundaries on another project."
Brian replied: "Bob didn't design or build the original Sonic V (from Musonics before they bought Moog) that was Gene Zumchak: The Sonic V did have a brown wood style. It's even unlikely Bob did much on the Sonic Six as it was the same thing with a new outer case.
The Sonic VI was the version Moog made in 1972 and later, in a plastic suitcase version. Many of these were made vs the very few Sonic V's. So one might think they saw a Sonic VI when it was the V (same front panel and features). But the brown suitcase and colored keys and touch sensitive thing are ALL unusual. I know a little about Prof Hoskins from the paperwork of the past, but no mention of this synth. Definitely unusual to have keys like that anywhere, anytime!" Followed by: "And there IS touch (velocity) sensitivity on Wendy Carlos' synth by 1971 for Clockwork Orange, but it's used under the normal keyboard. THIS velocity was very possible, but would not make the keys look different. Again - maybe a Sonic V was retrofitted with a cooler keyboard later in the 80s, but why not do so on a BETTER synth!?" :)
On a separate thread, Trevor Pinch got back to me with the following: "Bill Hoskins was important in that he was one of the first people David VanKouvering approached about minimoog reiail sales etc. I have a good album of his somewhere! I think he may have been Bob's favorite composer for a while.
I have no idea about the touch key board but I'm in touch with Gene Zumchak the guy who designed the Sonic Six, so I'll ask him. (I guess you know the joke that the Sonic Six was known by Moog engineers as the Chronic Sick!)
Actually its story might be kinda interesting - Zummy (as he is known) told me that it was made with 741 op amps and in many ways was more advanced than the minimoog.
Maybe it has had an unfair press. I never heard one or saw one for real."
James Husted sent me the image of Professor Hoskins at the top of this post. I sent it to Paul to see if maybe it brought back any memories that might help.
He replied: "The custom Moog modular in that photo is the same one I took lessons on. However, this is an early photo and when I saw that Moog modular, Professor Hoskins had already added a top layer to that cabinet — which included a Moog sequencer. (I have a photo of it, that I took around 1990, but the top part of the photo, showing the upper section, is cut off.)
The reason you didn't see Professor Hoskins' 'Sonic VI' is... I'm guessing that he didn't bring it to the university very often. When I saw it, I was at his home. He had invited me over one Saturday afternoon to see HIS custom Moog modular. It was in his garage, which he had made-over into a nice studio. It also had a two-manual organ, at least two reel-to-reel tape decks and LOTS of recording tape. Later, during that same session, he said 'There's something else I want to show you. Come inside.' We went into the living room and I sat on the couch. He said 'I'll be right back.' After about a minute, he came back carrying a brown 'suitcase'. He set it on the coffee table in front of me and sat down on the couch. He opened it up and... Whoa! I had never seen one of these and it was the first time I had seen a Ring Modulator!
---
I remember seeing Professor Hoskins play his Sonic VI during a live performance of his album 'Galactic Fantasy / Eastern Reflections'. The Jacksonville University orchestra played most of his composition but at one point his Sonic VI was brought out and he played it while at center stage. I could see it clearly from my seat but, of course, I could only see the back of it, which simply looked like the back of a brown suitcase.
---
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Since I think this is important, I thought I'd try to recreate the 'Sonic VI' I think I saw. I 'Photoshopped' a production Sonic VI and attached it to this message. It's the best image of what I think I saw.
Modifying the image forced my memory to go into more detail. Here's what I'm fairly certain of:
• The outer color of the "suitcase" was almost dark brown.
• The outer shape was more square than the production Sonic VI.
• The thickness of the top and bottom sections was thicker than the production Sonic VI model.
• The keyboard was made of slightly textured plastic, otherwise completely flat, was brown / gray in color and had a vibrant blue outline between the keys. (I'm not 100% sure if the "black" keys were outlined or solid blue.)
• The background color of the back panel and the area surrounding the keyboard was almost dark brown. It looked like it was made out of either pressed cardboard or thin wood. It really reminded me more of the thin 'wood' used in old, tube televisions and radios (during the 1960s).
What I'm not 'fairly sure' of:
• I can't remember if it had a Mod Wheel.
• I think there was more space between the modules.
• I think it had two speakers (placed on the left and right side of the back panel). Each might have been the size of the center speaker-grill in my photo.
• I can't remember if there were any connectors, switches or knobs on the keyboard section."
Update: via Aaron aka theglyph in the comments: "Holy shit! That's the guy from JU. There was an electronics repair/pawn shop here in Jacksonville called Active Electronics that had a bunch of synths back in 90's. The owner had a sign in the store explicitly stating that the synths were not for sale and that customers were not allowed to walk up and look at them or touch them. I walked in day and walked close enough to notice that the MiniMoogs had very low serial #'s. It wasn't until I read Analog Days that I found out that the earliest Mini were sold here in Jacksonville. There so much more to this story that I don't know where to begin but I can say that I did an obscure Moog at the store that I've never seen photographed since and I simply thought I was loosing my mind recollecting it. WOW!
Cheers,
theglyph"
Update: Above, Brian originally mentioned Bill Hemsath as the person that designed the Sonic V. He meant to say Gene Zumchak. This has been updated.
Updates: via Dorothy in the comments:
"HI, as a Hoskins kid, I watched Dad perform on the synthesizer and I know we had the Sonic but I thought it was a "V". Dad had several custom modules built for him by Bob Moog. They were friends but didn't go to school together -- Dad went to Trumansburg NY to work with Bob on the synthesizer that they got for Jacksonville University (in 1969, I think). I will have to go digging in the Will Hoskins letters that I have. Those of you who knew Dad know that he was very meticulous about writing up the components that he bought and what they were for.
Late in Dad's life, when he was basically letting go of most composing effort except for revising existing scores, Bob helped Dad find a collector (in Germany, as I recall), who bought all of Dad's big home synthesizer. I think some of the smaller units were in the hands of Steve Smith, who was Dad's right-hand man at the JU studio for some years. Whatever happened to them, I don't think Dad would have cared as long as someone was using them to create music. He wouldn't have collected synthesizers as museum pieces, he actively used everything he got from Moog until he was ready to let it go."
Followed by: "BTW, that last time I spoke to Bob Moog was after Dad died, when Bob came to Rochester NY http://www.esm.rochester.edu/news/?id=132 which is near where I live now. Bob spoke very fondly of working with Dad, because Dad cared as much about the science of music synthesis as any composer Bob knew. Dad did some work with him on modulators and other components for JU and the Hoskins home studio."
Followed by: "Hoskins synth photo --not a Sonic -- in news article 1970 [link]"
Update 6/6/2010:
Some more interesting bits of Moog history:
Trevor Pinch checked with Gene Zumchak who had the following to say:
"I am not aware of a touch sensitive keyboard on the Sonic V or 6. It did have a two-note keyboard and the highest key pressed and lowest pressed could be routed to Osc 1 and Osc 2.
They removed the keyswitch bus and superimposed a highpitch (100KHz?) tone on the voltage string. This might have been the source of a whine that some users complained about that wasn't present in the Sonic V."
via Josh Brandt: 'Okay, I did hear back from David Mash [VP of IT at Berklee and friend of Bob Moog], who says that the story he was telling me several years ago was about a keyboard Bob was building for John Eaton. I asked about the story he'd told me and if the pictures you posted could be of the instrument he'd been talking about, and he said:
"The story I was no doubt telling was definitely about the keyboard Bob built for John Eaton [middle pic above]. Bob was going to show us the completed instrument (which my friends Jeff Tripp and Paul Derocco helped complete), but we never got to see it due to the way the conversation turned over dinner. I did see the instrument several times during the design/build stages and again later after it was complete.
The keyboard was simply a controller and not a synth, so definitely not the portable synth the blog is referring to. I know Brian, and was involved briefly with him and a bit more with Michelle Moog on the NAMM Museum exhibit, and they used a couple of my photos for the exhibit. They're great people and working hard to preserve Bob's legacy.'"
Update via WmJHeart in the comments:
"Thanks Matrix, for hosting this page. I own a copy of Will's Galactic Fantasy & Eastern Reflections (my personal favorite) recording on vinyl. But I also discovered and listened to the entire album on YouTube recently! Here:"
Galactic Fantasy - Eastern Reflections (1979)[Full Album]
video upload by
Published on Jul 12, 2017 TheHomecoming
"Rare electronic/synth/moog private pressing LP
TITLE 'Galactic Fantasy - Eastern Reflections'
William Hoskins, "Galactic Fantasy, Eastern Reflections" [CP-158]
TRACK 01 AUDIO TITLE "Overture : Stars Are Suns" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO TITLE "Intermezzo : Interplanetary Communique" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 06:39
TRACK 03 AUDIO TITLE "Star Nocturne" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 08:11
TRACK 04 AUDIO TITLE "Scherzo : Comets" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 16:35
TRACK 05 AUDIO TITLE "Beyond Beyond" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 18:54
TRACK 06 AUDIO TITLE "Prolog : Theme and Variation" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 23:40
TRACK 07 AUDIO TITLE "Lower Heterophonie" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 27:55
TRACK 08 AUDIO TITLE "Song : Open Skies" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 31:22
TRACK 09 AUDIO TITLE "Drum Chime" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 35:28
TRACK 10 AUDIO TITLE "Upper Heterophonie" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 39:41
TRACK 11 AUDIO TITLE "Epilog : Processional" PERFORMER "William Hoskins" INDEX 01 41:30
A1
Overture: Stars Are Suns
A2
Intermezzo: Interplanetary Communique
A3
Star Nocturne
A4
Scherzo: Comets
A5
Beyond Beyond: An Entropy Study
A6
Eastern Reflections
Eastern Reflections
B1
Prolog: Theme and Variation
B2
Lower Heterophonie
B3
Song: Open Skies
B4
Drum Chime
B5
Upper Heterophonie
B6
Epilog: Processional
Criminally under-rated set of Early American Moog Modular Synthesizer Music - the sole release by composer William Hoskins, the 'Director of Electronic Music and Composer-in-Residence at Jacksonville University in Florida.' Issued in 1979 by the Harriman, NY-based Spectrum - a 'Division of UNI-PRO Recordings, Inc.' the LP consists of a pair of discrete pieces, with each taking up a side of its own."
Update via Kimberly S Beasley in the comments:
"Hello, everyone. I am the current chair of the Department of Music at Jacksonville University and I have the original Sonic VI manuals and one of Hoskin's Moogs....happy to share photos tomorrow."
Kimberly sent in the images with the following:
"This has been in the possession of our Professor Emeritus Dr. William Schirmer as it was given to him by Hoskins. Hoskins' granddaughter Dorothy is also aware of the instrument. We also have a large collection of manuscripts of Hoskins.
There is also a mini-Moog we just refurbished in our recording studio."
You can see WM. Hoskins written on the top right of the manual. Note "Home Copy" on the blue cover. It's kind of neat to think of him perusing through the manual in the comfort of his home.
"A Compendium Of Early British Electronic Music Composers.Published 16th June, 2016.
In the form of a richly illustrated compendium, Tape Leaders is an indispensable reference guide for anyone interested in electronic sound and its origins in Great Britain. For the first time a book sets out information on practically everyone active with experimental electronics and tape recording across the country, revealing the hidden history of early British electronic music.
With an individual entry for each composer, starting with Daevid Allen and going through to Peter Zinovieff, it covers everyone from the famous names of William Burroughs, Brian Eno and Joe Meek, to the ultra-obscure Roy Cooper, Donald Henshilwood and Edgar Vetter. There are sections for EMS and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, as well as amateurs, groups and ensembles that seriously experimented with electronics, including the Beatles, Hawkwind and White Noise.
Author Ian Helliwell draws on his experience and knowledge of electronic music, and after six years and dozens of interviews, has
amassed information never before brought to light in this fascinating subject. With a specially compiled 15-track CD of mainly unreleased early British tape and synthesizer works, this is an essential volume for anyone with an interest in the history of electronic music during the 1950s and 60s.
There is also an ebook version with electronic music extracts, to highlight the work of 25 of the featured composers.
220 page Book + 15 track CD - available via Sound On Sound
£29.00 + p&p. soundonsound.com/shop"
Amazing series sent my way via John L Rice. Playlist and descriptions for each video in the playlist above, directly below. Enjoy. ;)
See here for previous posts featuring Battlestar Galactica.
Playlist:
1. Voice of the Cylon Pt. 1 The Synthesizer [ARP 2500]
Battlestar Galactica fans & synthesizer community, rejoice! For the first time in history the mysterious sound of the Cylon voice is revealed. I tracked down probably the last person alive who knows the entire formula, very private individual still works in visual arts. To him it was just a job he did 40 years ago, to me it's one of the most mesmerizing sounds in musical/sci-fi fx history. 6 parts to this series as of 11-2019.
2. Voice Of The Cylon Pt. 2 the Voice Recording
My contact told me "they brought us the voices" on Nagra III and IV tape machines. Vocoder recorded back to Nagra for film sync. Voice actor Micheal Santiago was hired to do the voice, but didn't, telling youtube user intromix later that "they ended up getting someone cheaper" to do it. One actor did all the voices, for consistency, reading the script in a lifeless, monotone voice as to not shift the frequency spectrum in the vocoder.
Finally it is known exactly which vocoder was used for the Cylon voice. Universal Studios had rented the EMS and Sennheiser, and when sound designer Peter Berkos was asked about it circa 2008 he mis-remembered due to having the Sennheiser manual still. Youtube user intromix has owned both and tested oscillators, it could not have been the Sennheiser but now we know for sure anyway.
The rare, quirky effect box that was used as an impromptu distortion device. My contact told me that they floated the idea of using a guitar amp and/or pedals, but did not even try it once they found this. ** Also, he told me NO Marshall Time modulator was used as it hadn't even been released yet.
5. Voice of the Cylon Pt. 5 Recording Gear
Two main pieces of studio recording gear that were present at Universal Studios in 1978 that had a big impact on the sonic character of the Cylon voice recording. Big thanks to Ken from Electrodyne for all his advice, as well as https://vintageking.com/ and http://petesplaceaudio.com
6. Voice Of the Cylon Pt. 6 Audio Demos & Credits
Resurrecting the sound of the Cylon Centurion from the original Battlestar Galactica 1978 using the original equipment. Once the vocoder was recorded, it was further altered/degraded by multiple tape transfers in the video editing process, post-production techniques (EQ and reverb, to "place" the character in a big room, spaceship, etc) My contact said there were just pieces of tape on the gear to place knobs/switches back where they were; and that the synthesizer frequently sounded very different from day to day or after a power outage. In the series there are wildly differing Cylon tones, tiny movements in gain or EQ settings (especially the ringy ARP 2500 filters) radically alter the vocoder due to the ultra-harmonic richness of the tone. So many preamps and transformers involved, it was hard for THEM to make the Cylon voice consistent. Supposedly sound designer Peter Berkos wrote notes on the process, Universal Studios couldn't locate any info at all, it likely all burned down in the great fire of 2008 as well as the golden ARP 2500 oscillator used all throughout Galactica 1980.
Preamp was running a bit hot in this demo, didn't catch until after, so this tone sounds extra crunchy in this example. I sampled my tones with lowpass filter a bit too low, hope to get another chance with the real thing some day.
7. Gold Cylon Voice Vulpa [extra video]
Recreating the lower voice of the Gold Cylon commander. There are so many steps and factors to re-creating the Cylon voice even the original crew could not make it consistent on a day-to-day basis. Out of hundreds of test files this year I'm only really happy with about 5 of them but will keep working to recreate it perfectly.
Update: in case you read this post when it first went up, be sure to give it another look for a few updates. It's a bit convoluted with quite a few tangents, but that's how it goes sometimes.
The following are some excerpts and tie-ins to other bits of synth history.
-----
Initially a saxophone player, Bruno Spoerri explored electronic music in the 1960s on.
"In 1964 he was invited to a job in an advertising agency and began to work with electronic music using a Ondes Martenot and, after, using lots of synthesizers and also experimenting with electrified/synthesized saxophones..." "As a saxophonist and jazz improviser I always looked for ways to play without a keyboard."
Pictured above is Bruno with his EMS Synthi 100 (videos previously posted here and here).
On the Synthi 100: "I bought the Synthi 100 in 1971. In 1987 I gave it to Felix Visser (Synton) in exchange for a Fairlight CMI; some years he had to sell it at an auction, and I don't know where it is now (I would recognize the instrument, as I did some small changes on it)." It was listed on Vemia back in 2009 posted here and here. Click though for pics.
In 1974, he recorded the album 'Iischalte (Switched-on Switzerland)'.
Bruno Spoerri - Le Ranz Des Vaches
Uploaded on Jul 25, 2011 Aura Archange Maudit·57 videos
Imágenes de la película La lunga notte di Veronique (1966)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183441/
Video made by Aura Archange Maudit"
-----
"On 'Voice Of Taurus' (1978), Bruno Spoerri experiments a lot with electrified wind instruments and also with jazz-rock and rock."
Bruno Spoerri - Hymn Of Taurus (Taurus Is Calling You!)
Uploaded on Nov 19, 2009 MrJJBonanza·29 videos
Re-Published on Sep 30, 2014 Bruno Spoerri - Topic
"First track of Bruno Spoerri's 'Voice Of Taurus'
1978 Gold Records, Switzerland
Cat# 11 061 (Vinyl, LP)
Bruno Spoerri on 'Hymn Of Taurus':
"The rhythm track was created with my very first primitive ring modulator (4 diodes and 2 transformers) that is why it is so dirty The voice went of course through the EMS vocoder, the choir was created through the VAKO Orchestron."
-----
Again, don't miss the full interview with Bruno Spoerri on Astronauta Pinguim here. There's some fascinating history there including Ginette Martenot and the Ondes Martenot, Oskar Sala with his Mixturtrautonium, and Joel Chadabe. Regarding his original gear, "most of my analog gear is sold (most of it to the remarkable Swiss Synthorama of Martin Hollinger), but I still have my first synthi, the EMS VCS-3 (from 1970), the ARP 2600 with sequencer and the Lyricon I and II. I use the lyricon quite often in performances, the other gear mostly for demonstrations to visitors."
I was fortunate enough to visit Synthorama back in 2008. You can find my pics and videos from the visit here. See the Synthorama label for other posts including a one of a kind modular, the Airböurne, created by the curator of the museum, Martin Hollinger.
The Bob Moog Fondation is a charitable organisation, based in Anaheim, North Carolina, just a few streets away from the current Moog factory. It acts both as a archive for Bob's work over the years, a museum to show the timeline of his inventions (and more general synth developement) and an educational resource for schools providing hands on experience for children and adults.
Imgaine you had to do all those things? It's pretty certain you'd quickly lose track of what day it is, what week it is or even what month it is (signs of recognition and enthusiastic ndoding from fellow COVID brain fog peepz at the back of the crowd)?
What you would need in that case is.....a calendar! Obviously you can get calendars with amazing inspritation quotes, beautifull sunsets and cute animals but what if you could get an unbelievalbe nerdy synth related calander featuring 18 of the world's most influential synth designers? That would be pretty freakin' cool, no?
"We are proud to announce the release of our epic 2022 Synthesizer Pioneers 18-month calendar, which honors 18 innovators in the field of synthesis from the past 60 years. This is the fifth calendar released by the Foundation focusing on the rich history of Bob Moog’s legacy and the web of innovation in synthesis to which he was connected.
This calendar is the first to bring to the fore the historic achievements of synthesizer pioneers from all over the world. It features:
Harry Olsen and Herbert Belar (RCA) Harald Bode Raymond Scott Bob Moog Don Buchla Peter Zinovieff (EMS) Alan R. Pearlman (ARP) Ikutaro Kakehashi (Roland) Fumio Mieda (KORG) Tom Oberheim Dave Smith Roger Linn Wolfgang Palm (PPG) Dave Rossum Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie (Fairlight) Ray Kurzweil Felix Visser (Synton) Makoto Fukuda (Casio) Many of the pioneers have contributed historic photos of themselves, with their hallmark inventions from their private archives. Also included within the calendar are scores of dates of particular historic importance provided by the pioneers. A brief narrative is included with each photo.
The 18-month calendar also weaves together connections between Bob Moog and many of the featured pioneers. His relationships with them ranged from inspiration to friends to colleagues to business associates. Secondary photos on many of the pages highlight that connection, showing Bob with his fellow pioneers.
The 18-month calendar is printed on #80 stock paper, making the images suitable for framing after the year is over!
This is the first time any of the Moog Foundation's products have been availabe outside of the USA so we're pretty happy to be able to bring it to you, and a portion of the profits are re-invested in the Bob Moog Foundation so it's a win/win situation.
The calander runs from Jan 2022 until May 2023 (and before you ask, we have no idea why it's an 18 month calendar...maybe they're just relaly indecisive and couldn't cut the list of synth pioneers down from 18 to 12?) and is available right now, right here.
A nod to previous New Years posts, pictured to the left is the MATRIXSYNTH world domination map. :) I always think it's worth taking a look at who's watching the site. Synths are global and you are looking at a map of the readers of MATRIXSYNTH. Everything you see in green represents a visit from that country. The darker the green, the higher the number of visits. This is just for the year, but for the life of the site, we still haven't gotten a single hit from North Korea! I don't know what they have against synths! ;) You'll find the top 10 visits by country further below.
