Historic Synth With More Questions Than Answers - Steim Black Box Synthesizer

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"Today we Chat with @Elektortek about the STEIM synthesizer
You can support these videos and get lots of extra videos and songs here :- / lookmumnocomputer
Patreon is a massive enable to making videos, the larger DIY projects would be a lot more strung out without it! so i cant thank my supporters enough.
It Also keeps the lights on at @THISMUSEUMISNOTOBSOLETE where you can come and play this synth! -------- ACID SOLDER CLUB Veerle Pennock :- https://veerlepennock.com/ --------- SIMON CLAESSEN :- https://drukknop.nl/ ---------- HACK 42 :- https://hack42.nl/blog/"

See the STEIM label directly below for additional posts.

ADDAC System Introduces Michel Waiswisz's Cracklebox ADDAC708 Eurorack Module

Pics and details below via ADDAC System

[The video of an original Cracklebox box on ADDACs site was previously posted here back in 2009. You can find additional posts including demos of other designs of the Crackle Box here.]

Introducing a limited edition re-release of this iconic electronic instrument in a modular format.

This limited edition of 75 units is a tribute to the pioneering work of Dutch musician and instrument maker Michel Waiswisz (1949 - 2008), who first invented the Cracklebox with Geert Hamelberg in the late 1960s.

The Cracklebox was a small, handheld device designed as a way to explore new sonic territories. It was one of the first electronic musical instruments to use circuit bending techniques in the creation of electronic music. It allowed musicians to manipulate and control electronic circuits in real-time, creating a wide range of unique and experimental sounds. He used a circuit from a toy piano as the basis for the instrument, and then added a series of touch-sensitive pads that were connected to the circuit. When a player touched one of the pads, the circuit would be completed, producing a crackling sound.

The Cracklebox was probably the first commercialy available portable selfpowered alternative 'keyboard' analog electronic instrument with inbuilt loudspeaker.
In the 1970s about 4000 Crackleboxes were built and sold by STEIM in Amsterdam.

Nowadays many people refer to the The Cracklebox as the archetype of 'glitch' or 'circuit bending'.

In the decades since its invention, the Cracklebox has continued to be an important and influential instrument in the world of electronic music. It is still in use today, and is considered a classic example of the potential of electronic music to create unique and innovative sounds.

This Eurorack recreation includes a 9v battery, swappable through the frontpanel, this allows to isolate the current flowing through the user's fingers from the Eurorack frame PSU, protecting the user from undesired electrical shocks. We also removed the internal speaker and used a transformer instead to isolate the output signal.

The output generated can be used as an audio, as a gate or a cv signal, when using it as a cv source, due to the specific qualities of the signal, users may want to send it through other modules as slews, sample and holds, quantizers to tame/control it's peculiar cv output.

Controls:
- The module features an on/off switch to turn off the 9v battery (remember to turn it off when you turn off your Eurorack system).
- A Power Starve knob, reduces the 9v voltage feeding the circuitry changing it's overall timbre/pitch
- An Output Gain knob to control the output volume.
- A Boost switch to add more presence to the signal.

Tech Specs:
12HP
5.5 cm deep
20mA +12V
20mA -12V
9v battery required

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EXTREMELY RARE LYRICON I ANALOG ELECTRONIC WIND SYNTHESIZER

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STEIM Crackle Box 242 of 500

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"Michel Waisvisz designed and built the very first Crackle circuit in the late 60ties together with Geert Hamelberg. This was simply a wooden frame with some print boards mounted rear-side up to be touched by the fingers. The circuits were ‘malformed’ oscillators that were very unstable and highly sensitive for finger connections. The Crackle circuit, as well as the powered speaker box, were battery powered to avoid hum and repeated exposure to dangerous electrical shocks. In 1973 Michel Waisvisz joined STEIM and started working on more touchable electronic instruments together with Peter Beyls, Nico Bes and Johan den Biggelaar, and by the mid-seventies they had created both the ‘Crackle Synth’ and the ‘Crackle Box’.

The Magnetic Fields recently used one in their album Love at the Bottom of the Sea. Swedish percussionist Sven-Åke Johansson carries one often and uses it frequently in recordings and improvisation. Mazen Kerbaj tours with one of the original Crackle synthesizers.

I used this once and it's been in the box since 2012. I have the pin that keeps the box closed in a baggie in the box. Get it, it's a cool little device."

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STEIM's TriggerSequencer Prototype - First Eurorack Module from STEIM

TriggerSequencer from STEIM Amsterdam on Vimeo.

"prototype of STEIM's first Eurorack unit, a 4-track, 8 steps variable gate sequencer."

STEIM Cracklebox | 2005 edition #287 of 500

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

via this auction

"From the STEIM Website, by way of introduction:

'Welcome to the world of Crackle.

Michel Waisvisz designed and built the very first Crackle circuit in the late 60ties together with Geert Hamelberg. This was simply a wooden frame with some print boards mounted rear-side up to be touched by the fingers. The circuits were ‘malformed’ oscillators that were very unstable and highly sensitive for finger connections. The Crackle circuit, as well as the powered speaker box, were battery powered to avoid hum and repeated exposure to dangerous electrical shocks. In 1973 Michel Waisvisz joined STEIM and started working on more touchable electronic instruments together with Peter Beyls, Nico Bes and Johan den Biggelaar, and by the mid-seventies they had created both the ‘Crackle Synth’ and the ‘Crackle Box’...'

I bought this item from STEIM in 2005 when I was in a band, doing this kind of stuff. I'm not anymore but I do need cash to pay the rent, so I'm going to let this delightful and crazy machine go to someone who'll use it for what it's meant for, which is making weird electronic music.

The cracklebox is a beautiful thing. The wooden case feels amazing in the hand, and this example, mine, is in perfect nick. I treasured it and kept it safe from knocks or scratches. The playing surface is so tactical. Anyone who sees it, has to touch it. And anyone who touches it, smiles when they do as it responds to every nuance of movement. Now, I used to mic this up and run it through an ableton channel - I've seen folks add an audio out for a 100% wet line, I always meant to do that but never did, it worked just fine in the air - this cracklebox is 100% original and unmodded. It's lovely the way it's meant to be.

It's also 100% functional. It takes a little learning what that means; the cracklebox is a strange beast, but she'll reward your investment and give you back more than you give.

If you're looking for a way to set yourself apart, then this box will turn heads wherever and however you play it."

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Robert Henke and Lumiere II.2

This one in via 060171:

"Yesterday i was at Lumiere II.2 by Robert Henke in Utrecht the Netherlands. The performance was part of the International Computer Music Conference 2016.

By change we had seats next to Roberts desk and took this pic. (sorry Gregory Taylor from Cycling '74)
Rober (Monolake) controls four big lasers with the sound, these sounds are also the music. The laserlight projection is super vivid, a real spectacle, combined with multi channel audio.

Last year is saw version II in Amsterdam, where Robert also gave a lecture at STEIM about the technique. (Ableton and Max for live and the special lasers)

quality videos are at:
https://vimeo.com/roberthenke"


Deep Web from Robert Henke on Vimeo.

"DEEP WEB

KINETIC AUDIOVISUAL INSTALLATION AND PERFORMANCE

BY CHRISTOPHER BAUDER AND ROBERT HENKE

COMMISSIONED BY THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS LYON

Deep Web is a monumental immersive audiovisual installation and live performance created by light artist Christopher Bauder and composer and musician Robert Henke. Presented in enormous pitch dark indoor spaces, Deep Web plunges the audience into a ballet of iridescent kinetic light and surround sound. The work was presented as a preview at CTM 2016 Festival Berlin and will be followed by its original presentation at the Festival of Lights Lyon in December 2016.

The generative, luminous architectural structure weaves 175 motorized spheres and 12 high power laser systems into a 25 meter wide and 10 meter high super-structure, bringing to life a luminous analogy to the nodes and connections of digital networks. Moving up and down, and choreographed and synchronized to an original multi-channel musical score by Robert Henke, the spheres are illuminated by blasts of colourful laser beams resulting in three-dimensional sculptural light drawings and arrangements in cavernous darkness.

The installation brings together decades of separate research and experimentation by two artists with unique visions and passions for sound and light, and by innovative companies working in these fields. High-end laser system manufacturer LaserAnimation Sollinger provided the technical expertise and development for this very specific spatial laser setup. The high precision motor winch systems with real time feedback and the main control software are provided by Design Studio WHITEvoid in collaboration with Kinetic Lights. This novel combination of computer controlled kinetic elements and laser systems allows for setting animated end points to normally infinite laser beams. DEEP WEB uses light as a tangible material to construct threedimensional vector drawings in thin air.

The work was originally commissioned by the Festival of Lights Lyon 2015, and developed in cooperation with local producer Tetro. Due to the festival’s cancellation after the tragic events in Paris, Berliners had the unique chance to attend an exclusive preview before the project will be presented in December 2016 in Lyon for the Festival of Lights 2016.

The Artists:

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A Visit to Oberlin's TIMARA Program Featuring the Bell Labs Hal Alles & Other Vintage Synths

Laurie Spiegel Playing 1977 Bell Labs Hal Alles Synth

Uploaded on Jan 26, 2007 Laurie Spiegel

Above: a now classic video of Laurie Spiegel performing on the Bell Labs Hal Alles.

Mark Boyd of Audulus, Endangered Audio Research and Bimini Road met up with Peter Swendsen of Oberlin's TIMARA program to talk synth. Mark showed Peter Audulus, and Peter showed Mark TIMARA's collection. Included was the historic Bell Labs Hal Alles, the first realtime digital synthesizer; made famous by synth legend Laurie Spiegel. See the video above (1st posted here, and then here with a second video).

Pics include the Bell Labs Hal Alles, vintage Buchla & Music Easel, ARP 2600, Blue EML 200 & Silver EML 300 Manual Controller, STEIM cracklebox, and an EMS VCS3 Putney.

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Upcoming Sound Labs at Amsterdam Dance Event Oct 14 - 18

Workshops at this years' Amsterdam Dance Event currently include Moog, STEIM, Ginko Synthese, and Falafular Synths. Details follow.

ADE Sound Lab: a modular synth heaven

"The modular synthesizer has always been an integral part of dance music, and ADE Sound Lab will shed a light on its heritage during a three day modular synth bonanza.
If you're planning on visiting ADE Sound Lab make sure to grab the annual ADE Card, which allows you to access MusicTalks and live performances.

Modular synths have been on the rise of late. Their new found popularity boosted the modular market in unforeseen ways. The market has spiked like never before, and there are ever more and more musicians, artists and producers making their own modular set up in search of unique sounds and machinery.

ADE Sound Lab focuses on the history and heritage of synths by inviting sound designers, inventors and even some legends of the modular world to inspire you with talks, workshops, performances and a Modular Market. By exhibiting the latest inventions in (modular) synthesis ADE explores the realm of the development of new electronic instruments, (modules for) modular synthesizer systems and audio installations, as well as innovations in the field of image and visualisations of sound. Amongst other work, ADE Sound Lab introduces the Modular Expo.

Do It Yourself Synth Building Workshops
You can not only play around with existing modules and modular systems, but you can also build your own synthesizer. ADE Sound Lab offers several Do It Yourself workshops, some free of charge, others for a fee. The latter will ensure you can take your brand new, playable synth back to your home studio.

Moog’s Chris Howe will head the workshops on Thursday and Friday. Friday will see a workshop that will be led by STEIM - Hypothetical Instruments, which will focus on the future of electronic music, what instruments will be needed and how we will correspond with those yet-to-be-invented modules. On Saturday, the DIY Workshop will be hosted by Ginko Synthese who will let you build your own synth with their very own DIY kits. They’ll even let you make a case to harness the instruments. Falafular will host on Saturday. If you like to learn more about prices and workshop registration, keep a close eye on our website and the respective event pages.

Workshops
Moog Werkstatt by Chris Howe (Moog Music Inc, US)
Werkstatt Workshop provides a way for synth experts and novices alike to explore subtractive synthesizers. Through hands-on instrument modifications, participants will learn the fundamentals of subtractive analog synthesis and the control voltage paradigm. Analog synthesizers have long had their own maker culture born of curious engineers, physicists and hobbyists who have created and crafted their sounds through electronic experimentation. It is our goal to share our love for learning, music, and electronics by encouraging everyone to create the world they want to hear, one mod at a time.

STEIM - Hypothetical Instruments
In this workshop you can design machines for creative expression. Working with low and no-tech, you’ll build non-functional instruments aimed at inventing the music machine of the future. By taking as a starting point how an individual imagines the experience of playing electronic music, we will spend the afternoon making the perfect machine or instrument for that person. This process is directly informed by the designers and researchers from Native Instruments, Johannes Kepler Universität and STEIM, with the goal of making instruments that are positioned on the bleeding edge of technology.

Ginko Synthese
Ginko Synthese, the braindchild of Jan Willem Hagenbeek, aims to close the gap between the stage and the studio. At ADE Sound Lab they will be presenting easy to build cheap DIY kits. The components are available at a reasonable price. The popularity of these kits is currently spreading across the world fast, meaning that a lot of new user codes are becoming available almost weekly. You can use these modules as granular oscillators, wavetable oscillators, drum synths and even as clock sources just by uploading a different code.

Falafular Synths
Falafular is the SDIY brand that enabled Falafelbiels (Niels Kloet) to build himself a fabulous modular synthesizer. The ’S’ in SDIY stands for soldering, and Niels Kloet will show you the nit and grit of Do It Yourself synth building.

ADE Sound Lab is organised by ADE, in cooperation with Creative Industries Fund NL, the Dutch fund that offers sound pioneers and innovators an opportunity to demonstrate what they are working on, as well as helping them to develop their talents further in a 'hot house' environment.

ADE Sound Lab
Dates: Thursday Oct. 15 - Saturday Oct. 17
Time: program starts at noon
Venue: Compagnietheater
ADE Sound Lab is a free program (except for the ADE MusicTalks series and live performances, free for ADE Card holders, also accessible for 1 & 5 Day conference ticket holders)."

Steim Summer Party 2014 (Aftermovie)

Steim Summer Party 2014 (Aftermovie) from STEIM Amsterdam on Vimeo.

"On the 18th of June 2014, STEIM invited former artistic director Jan Werner to curate the concert portion of the STEIM SUMMER PARTY. He came iup with a great lineup including Peter Kirn, Kathy Alberici and ofcourse the man himself. Next to these performances there was also the Soundart installation LINES by Ivo Bol and Katinka Marac and Tapage closed the evening with some downtempo grooves. This aftermovie includes several interviews that provide an insight into the creation process of the artists."

2007 Steim Cracklebox Synth SN 69 of 500

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via this auction

"Here is a Steim Cracklebox (Kraadoos) synth. Developed in the 70's it was one of the first examples of a bent circuit synth. You become part of the circuit by touching the metal pads. Crackling, fizzing, squealing, sputtering noises emerge in unpredictable way that is a blast. Battery operated and complete with it's own internal speaker. Loads of fun. Very rare, these never come up for auction. This one was made in 2007."

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the cracklebox and a noisy setup

Published on Nov 5, 2013 pianoloft·221 videos

"the first crackle box was used in the 60th of the last century. fingercontacts influence and create unstable sounds. info: http://steim.org/product/cracklebox/
the MASF SCM and two effects generate some destructive soundfields, the MASF pedal consits of an enclosure with a contact mic in it, There is a small hole under the mounted spring so the box acts as an acoustic resonator (http://masf.figity.com/pedals/scm). the sound is run through the Dod Fx 69B and the subdecay noise box. joyful noise !"

This is the first MASF post.

STEIM Cracklebox: VLOG #4 - Kraakdoos and Modern Ruins - Rene Splinter

Published on Oct 3, 2013

"New video blog, again featuring another unusual electronic musical instrument. This time it's the 'Kraakdoos', or 'Cracklebox'. Designed by late Michel Waisvisz from STEIM Foundation Amsterdam, generating sounds by disturbing the electronic circuitry of the device with the skin of your fingers.

More info:
Michel Waisvisc:
http://www.crackle.org

STEIM Foundation:
http://www.steim.org

The track "Modern Ruins" features on my album 'Modern Ruins' (2013). It's available at Groove Unlimited by following this link:
http://www.groove.nl/jump2.php?artnum=gr-199

Please subscribe to my channel if you like.
Also, please check out Facebook for updates:
http://facebook.com/renesplinter

You can find my regular website here:
http://www.renesplinter.com"

Prototype Demo: Breadboard Based Modular Synth System

Prototype Demo: Breadboard Based Modular Synth System from Phillip Stearns on Vimeo.

"This video demonstrates some prototype modules being developed by Phillip Stearns and Pete Edwards for a larger breadboard based modular synth system. The current collection of modules demonstrated here were developed and designed by Phillip Stearns using a stackable, header-based form factor designed by Pete Edwards. Each module features a curated collection of CMOS chips configured into powerful core multipurpose functions. At the heart of the design approach and ethos is the desire for endless musical and electronic invention, exploration, and discovery from the bottom up or the top down.

The current lineup of modules includes:
The Shifter: A complex signal generator that utilizes an 8-bit linear feedback shift register.
Divide by 2 by 2 by 2 by 2...: a frequency divider that produces 12 sub octaves with three programmable 1 of 8 outputs.
Divide by 3 - 10: A frequency divider that produces subharmonics
The Digitizer: A real-time 3-bit ADC
The Rhythm Brain: Three synchronized, independently programmable binary rate multipliers."

via STEIM

Steim Crackebox

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via this auction
Perfect Circuit Audio (RSS)

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Standuino Synth Building Workshop Tour

Just a heads up, Standuino will be hitting the road with an number of DIY synth building workshops. The next one is coming up on 17th March 2013 in Berlin. That's this Sunday. You'll find the full details here.

Upcoming dates and locations (RSVP here):
17th March, Neue Heimat, Berlin, Germany
23rd March, Školská 28, Praha, Czech republic
24th March, Školská 28, Praha, Czech republic
30th March, VillaLab, Hague, Netherlands, call
3rd April, microGranny workshop, Steim, Amsterdam, Netherlands
6-7th April, building and hacking open-source synthesizer, Steim, Amsterdam, Netherlands
April, Meetfactory,Prague – still negotiating
5th May, 4AM, Brno - still negotiating
16th May, Linz, Austria
?May, Vienna, Austria - still negotiating
June, Neu/Now festival, Amsterdam, Netherlands, call
June, Utrecht, Netherlands, call
26 workshops with 247 people in 7 countries

Pretty awesome!

WiGI Improvisations

WiGI Improvisation 45 Feb 2013 from richard scott on Vimeo.
"The WiGI is a heavily modified Buchla Lightning midi controller and wireless Arduino boards plus JunXion, LiSa, Aalto software. Thanks to STEIM for all their help!"


WiGI Improvisation 43 Feb 2013 from richard scott on Vimeo.

Steim synth

Published on Oct 5, 2012 by casperelectronics synthesizers

"Heres the first video of the research I'm doing at STEIM in Amsterdam. this is a simple analog synthesizer which can be patched and modified using a breadboard interface. The visuals are made by setting my oscilloscope to XY plot mode. The X axis is a triangle wave. The Y axis is a ring modulated signal between the same triangle wave and another triangle wave. There are 5 oscillators total which are all inter-modulated. There's also a sample&hold in the mix which gives the visuals a stepped appearance which you can see once in a while."

HMM Amsterdam 0911

Handmade Music at STEIM Patterns + Pleasure

YouTube Published on Jun 4, 2012 by cdmtv

Update: YouTube description in:

"'What are they building in there?'

Create Digital Music presents Handmade Music at Amsterdam's famed STEIM center, during the Patterns + Pleasure Festival 2011.

Presented with support from Livid Instruments, makers of the Builder series of hardware for DIYers. http://lividinstruments.com/

Camera: Rigel Kilston

Edited by Peter Kirn"

MMTA SYNTHFEST - Lorne Hammond and His Sound Makers

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
YouTube Published on Jun 3, 2012 by matrixsynth

Lorne Hammond showing his myriad of sound makers at the MMTA Summer SYNTHFEST.

Featured: Roland MC-202, Teenage Engineering OP-1, Brian Castro modded x0xio x0xb0x, Allessandro Cortini & The Harvestman's SuONOIO, the vxxy chiptune synth, original Sequentix P3 sequencer, Paul Maddox aka Vacoloco's Gorf sequencer, original STEIM cracklebox, Tom Bugs' aka Bugbrand Board Weevil, and various Mutable Instruments Shruthis. Note each Shruthi is different. Lorne picked up the larger red Shruthi featuring three different Shruthi's from a DJ on a farm in South Africa.

Also worth noting: MATRIXSYNTH T-Shirt!

Update via Lorne: "The P3 Sequentrix was made in the uk by Colin Fraser who is producing the cirkilon now and I bought of ebay from a south African dj on a farm.

The shruthi-xt is a design by Frank [mailto:daniels@daniels-cards.de] aka on forums and flickr as fcd72. He runs a card company in Germany.

Frank designed the programmer knob system and did the case layout as a kit. He has done dozens of wild kits in various colours and designs.

The shruthi’s pcb designs and code and many different filter designs are the work of Olivier Gillet in Paris.

Frank’s shruthi-xt box holds 3 filters, I controller and a power regulator. The ver .96 code allows them to cascade in series or parallel.

Olivier took mutable into a small but fully registered company and took the big plunge. He has 800+ kits out there working.

He’s a friend of Todd Bailey (WTPA) and also wrote the code for the Dr Otto biscuit to turn it into a synth."