somebody else's synthesizer

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | November 11, 2010
See if you can ID the synth.
"hello my name is solvent. a friend of mine bought this synthesizer. i'm borrowing it for a project. it used to belong to some guy from cornwall."

MFB Urzwerg + Roland SH-101 + EHX Memory Boy

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | November 11, 2010

"hello my name is Solvent. here i am making beats with my new MFB Urzwerg analog sequencer.

ch1+2 (chained) Urzwerg CV-Gate-Out to 101 CV-Gate-In (though no VCO, so CV's only affecting sound as per VCF-kbrd-follow)

ch3 Urzwerg CV-out to 101 VCF-CV-In (101 modification)

ch4 Urzwerg CV-out to EHX Exp-Pedal-in (controls delay time)

why does the Memory Boy laugh at me so?"

Solvent Curtains - RDJCS5 EP w/Aphex's CS5 -- official video

"Slices / Electronic Beats, is hosting the video premiere of "Curtains" by Solvent, from the "RDJCS5-ep" - the whole EP was made entirely on Aphex Twin's old Yamaha CS-5 synth with the liner notes to SAW vol2 etched into the bottom of it. EBTV will host the video exclusively for the next 2 weeks.The video features more close-up shots of the synth:
http://www.electronicbeats.net/music/features/solvent-curtains-video-premiere

In the future it will also be uploaded to my Solvent YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/s0LVentCIty

The EP was released on Sept6, and can be ordered digitally via iTunes, Amazon, etc... Also available digitally or on limited edition 12" vinyl (300, currently less than 25 left) via Solvent's BandCamp page: http://solvent.bandcamp.com"

Korg KR-55b drum machine + Korg GR-1 spring reverb + Yamaha CS-5

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Please note: this video is for demonstration purposes only, not meant to be musically interesting.

The two Korg units are currently being auctioned by my on Ebay. Both end on March 8 2010.

KR-55B: http://tinyurl.com/yztbnet

GR-1: http://tinyurl.com/yzytcxx

Here we see/hear all of the sounds, and most of the functions, of the KR-55B in action. The video also serves as perhaps the only decent demonstration available online of the GR-1 stereo gated spring reverb -- it should give you a sense of both the sound, and of how the gate/VCA section works. It's a great sounding spring reverb, and the gate is a really useful and musical feature.

The CS-5 is here for 2 reasons: (1) to demonstrate the trigger-out feature of the KR-55B, (2) to demonstrate the GR-1 effect on synth sounds. BTW, this CS-5 has some significant electronic music history attached to it, to be revealed by me in a future YouTube video... stay tuned!"

via this auction

Roland CR-78 vs Moog FreqBox (Solvent demonstration)

YouTube via s0LVentCIty | Feb 24, 2011 |

"Hello my name is Solvent, and I like my electro funky.

This funky little setup consists of a Roland CR-78 drum machine, a Moogerfooger FreqBox VCO, with some help from an MFB Urzwerg analog sequencer, and Ableton Live.

The CR-78 and Urzwerg are synced to Ableton's midi clock. The CR-78 is going into the FreqBox's audio input. Initially you hear the dry CR-78, but then I fade the mix, from 100% source to 100% VCO. The FB's VCO pitch is being sequenced by the Urzwerg, while at the same time it is hard Sync'd to the CR-78's audio signal. Then I bring in a audio loop of the same CR-78, recorded into Ableton just a few minutes before.

If you enjoy analog electronic music &/or gear demos, please be sure to check out my channel for more."

Solvent "RDJCS5-ep" promo [suction022] - Featuring Aphex Twin CS-5

YouTube Uploaded by s0LVentCIty on Jul 24, 2011
Interesting bit of a specific synth's history.

"Artist: Solvent
Title: RDJCS5-ep
Label/Cat: Suction Records / suction022
Format: 4-song EP digital/lim.12" vinyl
Release Date: Sept. 6, 2011

Occasionally one reads about some musical instrument with an illustrious past, Jimi Hendrix's guitar, John Lennon's piano, selling for exorbitant amounts of money at auction. And typically, that's the last of it, the instrument disappearing into some rich collector's display case, never to be heard from again. Here then, is a bit of a different story. In April 2006, a Yamaha CS5 monosynth, having been owned by Richard D James (Aphex Twin), with the actual liner notes for his landmark "Selected Ambient Works Volume II" etched into the bottom, was sold at VEMIA auction for approximately $1200 - a bargain in retrospect. The winning bidder was, in fact, a friend of Solvent's, and the synth resides not in a display case, but in Solvent's studio, on generous long-term loan.

"RDJCS5", a new 4-track 12-inch / digital EP by Solvent, is the result. This is Suction022. Each and every sound on this record came from RDJ's old CS5, painstakingly programmed and multi-tracked by Solvent over the course of several months. The limited capabilities and sound palette of this humble little synth provided quite a challenge, but ultimately the results are not merely an exercise in technical synthnerdery; "RDJCS5" speaks more of Solvent's musical kinship to thee Analord. Opening track "Curtains" bears similarity to early Rephlex signing Bochum Welt, while "Radiator", "Mould", and "Tassels" each contain hallmarks of the classic AFX sound. At the same time, each track also sounds distinctly and unmistakably 'Solvent'.

The 12" vinyl edition is limited to 300 copies, in brown chipboard sleeve with sticker, and also contains an additional noise/drone piece at the end of side B. Entitled "Sandpaper", this cut will be individually hand-etched by Solvent, for a 1-of-a-kind cut/click/loop experience.

A1: Curtains
A2: Radiator
B1: Mould
B2: Tassels
B3: Sandpaper [vinyl-exclusive]

For more information:
http://www.suctionrecords.com/rdjcs5"

Intellijel Rubicon + Dr Octature

YouTube Published on Sep 18, 2012 by s0LVentCIty

"Just a quick demo of a couple of modules that seem to be under-represented on YouTube (or at least, direct audio recordings of): the Intellijel Rubicon VCO + Dr Octature VCF. First we hear Rubicon's Sine with some slight FM from a Pittsburgh VCO Triangle. Both the Rubicon and the Pittsburgh VCO are being sequenced via the Roland SH-101's arpeggiator. I bring in some FM on the DrO, coming from the Rubicon's Double-Saw. Then I'm using a Manhattan Analog Mix to bring in & out the Rubicon's Sub Out, and the Double-Pulse - between those 3 you get 3 octaves from a single VCO. Is fat, no?"

Solvent meets the Make Noise Phonogene

YouTube Published on Aug 7, 2012 by s0LVentCIty

"Hi my name is Solvent and I make electronic music. Here is a rather indulgent video of my first experiment with the Make Noise Phonogene module. Actually, indulgent as this may be, I liked this enough to press record. I used a square wave LFO to chop the splices evenly, and the SH-101 krbrd is choosing the splices via the "Organize" Cv-in. End-of-splice ("EOS") triggers a TipTipAudio BD808 kick drum, running through the Doepfer A-189-1 Bit Modifier. Phonogene loop is processed through a Pittsburgh Modular Filter + Midiverb reverb. The source of the sample was some lame YouTube film trailer about space."

"My Dadio" Solvent feat. Iris on vocoder

YouTube via s0LVentCIty
"Iris Amm on vocoder. Music by Solvent, vocals and lyrics by Iris."