Suzanne Ciani Synth Commercials

GE Dishwasher Production Session

YouTube via SuzanneCiani. NED Synclavier. Note the Buchla in the background.

You might remember this video from this prior post on Suzanne Ciani.
"This video was filmed by Julio Cintron as a documentary about the GE "2800 Dishwasher" at my small studio in 1984."


The following video, just posted by SuzanneCiani, is the finished commercial from 1984.


GE Beeping Dishwasher


"Here is the finished product after spending a lot of time in my production studio putting it together. All that beeping won me a Clio (Awards for Excellence in Advertising) in 1984."


And a few more just posted by SuzanneCiani on YouTube:

Black and Decker Cutter


"How many times have you seen this commercial when you were young?"

Columbia Pictures Introduction Logo


"Now you know where the music came from (me). :-)"

Bull in the China Shop


"This is my award-winning commerical. Amazingly, nothing fell (that's no bull)."

I remember all of these.

BTW, be sure to click here and scroll for some great posts on Suzanne Ciani including more video.

Suzanne Ciani Live at Lincoln Center

Published on May 9, 2014 Suzanne Ciani·26 videos

"April 3, 2014 - Suzanne Ciani performed a live project concert with Neotantrik (Demdike Stare's Sean Canty and Andy Votel) at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center in New York City.
This video (taken by Stephanie Zieman) shows the preparation and live concert."

Omni-Suzanne Ciani

YouTube via crystalsculpture2. I remember playing this pinball machine, little did I know I was listening to Suzanne Ciani and a Buchla amongst other vintage synths. Crazy. Now I want one. :)
"Suzanne Ciani working on the music and sounds for the Xenon pinball game from the Omni televsion show. hypnotic in places"

Suzanne Ciani on YouTube

Looks like Suzanne Ciani has a YouTube account. The following are some vids she posted. Note some of the equipment (notably the rack with vocoder) is the same as what she had in this Letterman appearance. Click here for all Suzanne Ciani posts on Matrixsynth. The following are a bit long. If you do not make it through them, do check out the last two videos, one of her recording a bit for a GE commercial and a more recent video of what she is doing now.

Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 1 of 3


Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 2 of 3


Fifth Wave Recording Session Part 3 of 3


"My recording session of the fifth wave song called, Water Lullaby. It appeared on my first album, Seven Waves. You can buy my first album at link"

GE Dishwasher Production Session


"This video was filmed by Julio Cintron as a documentary about the GE "2800 Dishwasher" at my small studio in 1984."

VH1 - A Summer's Day


YouTubes via SuzanneCiani. "This was from my Neverland album"
via U.S.O. Project via AudioLemon.

Suzanne Ciani with Bob Moog

Great pic of Suzanne Ciani with Bob Moog via @moogmusicinc.

"We're pleased to announce that synth pioneer Suzanne Ciani @sevwave will receive the 2017 Moog Innovation Award"

Previously announced here.

Free Public Performance By Suzanne Ciani at Dial-Tones: San Francisco

via Moogfest Dial-Tones:

"Youth Synthesizer Workshop and Electronic Legend Suzanne Ciani Public Performance

Friends of Moog,

San Franciscans have the opportunity to experience a live performance by legendary synthesist and electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani during Moogfest Dial-Tones at Gray Area Art & Technology Center on Saturday, March 5th.

Taking place in select cities around the world, Dial-Tones is an event series offering an exclusive preview of the Moogfest 2016 experience. Curated by Moogfest, Dial-Tones celebrates the form and frequencies surrounding ambient, drone, and microtonal compositions, as well as the technology behind the art of synthesis. The San Francisco edition is presented in partnership with Gray Area, a Moogfest 2016 Program Partner.

We want to let you know that RSVP for this performance and after-party is now open. Dial-Tones is free and open to the public, but space is extremely limited, so be sure to RSVP at dialtonessf.eventbrite.com. Access to the performance and after-party is granted to the RSVP list on a first come, first served basis."

Click here for details on how to RSVP.

These Hopeful Machines - Documentary on Early Days of Electronic Music

On Radio New Zealand here.

"A six-part series in which James Gardner traces a personal path through the evolving world of electronic music – and meets some of the people who made it happen."

Interesting bits:

Part 4: "20:00 "I was Born to Synthesize" - 1967: It's 'Sex, Drugs and Moogs' as rock adopts electronics, while synths sell soda on Madison Ave. Including exclusive interviews with Suzanne Ciani, David Cockerell, Bernie Krause, Morton Subotnick and Peter Zinovieff."

Part 5: "19:00 "Load Your Program. I am Yourself" - Born of war and raised on mainframes, computer music comes of age in the 70s and hits the charts thanks to the sampler. Stanford University hooks up with Yamaha to the sound of FM. Including exclusive interviews with John Chowning, Suzanne Ciani, David Cockerell, Barry Vercoe, Peter Vogel and Peter Zinovieff."

Part 6: "19:01 "A Dance To The Music of Time" - For many in the 90s, electronic music was synonymous with Techno and Intelligent Dance Music. Was this Dancing about Art? And has the laptop really brought about the democratization of music? Including exclusive interviews with Mark Ayres, John Chowning, Suzanne Ciani, David Cockerell, Phill MacDonald, Irmin Schmidt, Morton Subotnick, Barry Vercoe, Peter Vogel and Peter Zinovieff."

via Pierre Serné on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge via PatchPierre.Net

Suzanne Ciani on synthesizer

video upload by The First Cat in Space

"We saw her play live a couple of years ago in London, which was fantastic!
This is a recording of her in Paris in 1971"

Also see 17 Year Old Suzanne Ciani's Fish Music & More on Vinyl

You can find additional posts mentioning Suzanne Ciani here.

Suzanne Ciani Facebook Pics

via Pierre on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

"Suzanne Ciani ( wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Ciani ) is uploading some awesome gear-pics to her FB account here and here"

Be sure to do a search on Suzanne Ciani on the right here on MATRIXSYNTH for more.

Suzanne Ciani BUCHLA CONCERTS 1975

Suzanne Ciani's Buchla Concerts from 1975 will soon be available from Finder Keepers Records on April 29th. Click through for the full write-up and two demos.

"These 'concerts' are the epitome of rare music technology historic documents, performed by a real musician whose skills and academic education in classical composition already outweighed her male synthesiser contemporaries of twice her age. At the very start of her fragile career these recordings are nothing short of sacrificial ode to her mentor and machine, sonic pickets of the revolution and love letters to an absolutely genuine vision of and ‘alternative’ musical future. In denouncing her own precocious polymathmatic past in a bid to persuade the world to sing from a new hymn sheet, Suzanne Ciani created a bi-product of never before heard music that would render the pigeon holes “ambient” and “futuristic” utterly inadequate. Providing nothing short of an entirely different feminine take on the experimental “records” of Morton Subotnick and proving to a small, judgmental audience and jury the true versatility of one of the most radical and idiosyncratic musical instruments of the 20th century. These recordings have not been heard since then."

Lixiviation - New Suzanne Ciani Compilation

via boomkat, where you can order the release in the UK. It is also available on Amazon here.

"After completing an MA in music composition, Ciani was introduced to synth designer Don Buchla, whose Buchla 200 synthesizer would come to define much of her work for the next two decades. She counted the likes of synth maverick Vangelis and electronic music pioneer Harold Bode among her close friends and would set up Ciani Musica Inc. to publish her commercial endeavours for companies such as Coca Cola and Atari, while constantly working at the cutting edge of advances in electronic music and amassing an expansive vault of underexposed music which has remained untouched for over 30 years… until now..."

The release includes a booklet with intro by Andy Votel and track notes by Suzanne Ciani.

Guy Gets High Working on Legendary Buchla Covered in LSD

Update: video is back. I switched to their YouTube upload thinking it would be a better option long term for the archives, but apparently not.

Update2: bonus video on YouTube while it's up:

Web Extra: Buchla Model 100 Synthesizer at Cal State University East Bay

Published on May 23, 2019 KPIX CBS SF Bay Area

"Here more about the groundbreaking musical instrument at Cal State University East Bay and what it can do. Interviews with retired professor and composer William R. Shannon, electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, musician and Buchla representative Joel Davel, and CSUEB Associate Professor Inés Thiebaut."

This one is in via Brian Comnes. The legend of the CSU Hayward acid/LSD soaked vintage Buchla 100 is true. Apparently it was dipped in LSD back in the 60s. It wasn't clear, however, if all panels or just the red one was dipped. You can find some additional pics of the infamous CSU Hayward Buchla 100 here. BTW, this was likely some Owsley Stanley LSD.

Left image via Todd Barton: "I love that the red panel is a 156 Control Voltage Processor which can blend, invert and mix up to 6 different CVs! You’re only as trippy as your CVs. Oh, and I love the squiggly line pattern on the faceplate 🤩"

And the article via KPIX5 San Franscico for the archives:

"SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — For years, an urban legend circulated online and in documentaries, purporting how part of a groundbreaking musical instrument — versions which are stored at a Bay Area university and other institutions — was dipped in a psychedelic drug.

Online chatter detailed how musicians who used the instrument would wet their finger, touch the device, and then lick their finger to get a little bit of mind-expanding inspiration.

Now this supposed myth may turn out to be a reality.

—

At the helm of KPIX Television, Broadcast Operations Manager Eliot Curtis tackles all sorts of technical problems to keep Channel 5 on the air. Recently however, a strange electrical transmission threw him for a loop. It happened inside his brain.

“It was … felt like I was tripping on LSD,” remarked Curtis.

It turns out that Curtis was indeed tripping on the infamous psychedelic drug known as lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD for short. He got dosed by accident at home in his workshop — in front of his wife.

“I think it’s super wild. I think this whole situation is a nice chapter in the history of the counter culture,” commented Curtis’ wife Holly.

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MOOGFEST REVEALS MUSIC LINEUP AND PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Details are in. Via MOOGFEST:

"Over 150 participating artists including Flying Lotus, Animal Collective, Gotye, Suzanne Ciani, Derrick May, 808 State, Jessy Lanza, Simian Mobile Disco, Moor Mother, Syrinx, Visible Cloaks, Princess Nokia, and Function added to growing list of Moogfest 2017 participants

Gotye Presenting a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey, The Center for Deep Listening Honoring Pauline Oliveros, and Peanut Butter Wolf Honoring Bernie Worrell and Other Musicians We’ve Lost

Over forty performing artists also leading workshops and sessions in four-day conference program

The independent, annual, four-day festival will take place in
Durham, North Carolina from May 18-21, 2017. This year marks its 11th iteration honoring the spirit of inventor Bob Moog.

$249 for 3-Day General Admission and $499 for 3-Day VIP

All prices exclusive of applicable fees.

Durham, NC (March 7, 2017): Today, Moogfest reveals its lineup of musical performers, led by Flying Lotus, Animal Collective, Gotye, Suzanne Ciani, Derrick May, 808 State, Simian Mobile Disco, Syrinx, Jessy Lanza, and Function. Building on the experimental format of previous years, Moogfest continues to integrate Future Sound (performances) and Future Thought (conference) programming, with many of these artists also leading sessions during the daytime conference program.

Moogfest’s trademark mix of intimate venues and masterful collaborations creates an unforgettable experience festival-goers will not find anywhere else. Experimental electronic and avant-garde dance music is complemented by thematic programming like Black Quantum Futurism, Protest, and Techno-Shamanism that span day-into-night. This year returns with adventurous formats such as live film scores, an overnight live music sleep concert, prelude to sleep listening parties, long-form durational performances, and presentations by leading Instrument Designers.

Moogfest has also invited artists including Gotye and Peanut Butter Wolf to help honor some of the innovative musicians we lost in 2016, including Jean-Jacques Perrey, Pauline Oliveros, Bernie Worrell and Keith Emerson. This 2017 lineup reinforces Moogfest’s commitment to bold experimentation, with some of the most important musicians and thinkers of our day helping to blur the lines between audience and artist, conversation and collaboration, technology and creativity.

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Historic Ciani

click here for an archive of Suzanne Ciani including articles and images.

From the site:
"Welcome to the 'Smithsonian' of articles and pictures of the early technical achievements of Suzanne Ciani. Her webmaster began collecting and posting these articles electronically in 2001. Go ahead and explore three decades (or more) of magazine articles, videos, and early photos of the 'Diva of the Diode.'"

Pictured: "Suzanne's family portrait. ARP String Ensemble, ARP Pro-Soloist, and Buchla Modular Synthesizer."

via Brian Kehew

Coca-Cola Star Snacks Drive In Intermission Snipe (1979)

FT Depot

"35mm scan of a Coke commercial"

Some serious synth action in this. Curious what was used. The year was supposedly 1979.

Update: CR Wallace in the comments suggested this might be from Suzanne Ciani who was doing commercials for Coke at the time. That would make sense; from this happy birthday post: "In 1974 she formed her own company, Ciani/Musica, and, using a Buchla Analog Modular Synthesizer, composed scores for television commercials for corporations such as Coca-Cola, Merrill Lynch, AT&T and General Electric."

You can find some the commercials in this previous post from 2009.

P.S.  That might make for some Buchla vs. Moog Popcorn above at :24 seconds in.  :)

The following is the classic "Pop & Pour' Coca-Cola Logo" w/ some Buchla fizz.

Pop & Pour' Coca-Cola Logo

Suzanne Ciani - Topic

Studio Science: Suzanne Ciani on the Buchla

Published on Dec 14, 2016 Red Bull Music Academy

"Created in the early 1960s by Don Buchla, the Buchla synthesizer revolutionized electronic music through its innovative design and endlessly variable modular system, encouraging new methods of creation and performance. Few artists pursued the emotional and sonic possibilities as comprehensively as Suzanne Ciani, an early disciple of Buchla and an undeniable master of the machine who first got her start composing music for advertisements before redefining herself as a Grammy-nominated new age artist. In Ciani’s hands, what can often look like an impenetrable tangle of wires becomes an instrument of beauty, capable of producing truly far-out sounds.

In this impressive display of expert knowledge, filmed at the 2016 Red Bull Music Academy in Montréal, the synthesizer pioneer takes us inside the Buchla in all its complex glory.

The Red Bull Music Academy is a global music institution committed to fostering creativity in music. We celebrate music, its culture, and the transformative minds behind it. Begun in 1998, the Academy has taken the core principles that underlie its annual workshop for selected participants and applied this curatorial approach to events, lectures, and city-wide festivals throughout the year."

A LIFE IN WAVES - Documentary on Suzanne Ciani Now Available for Streaming

Published on Jul 2, 2017 FilmBuff Movies

"If you watched TV, went to the movies, or listened to the radio in the 80s and 90s, you probably heard Suzanne Ciani's work, whether you knew it or not. Suzanne is a five-time Grammy nominated composer, electronic music pioneer, and neo-classical recording artist whose work has been featured in countless commercials, video games, and feature films. "A Life in Waves" explores Suzanne's life and innovations through her own eyes, offering a feminine glimpse into the world of electronic music."

You can find streaming options at http://www.alifeinwaves.com.

Suzanne Ciani on David Letterman

YouTube via specialkvi. Sent my way via Lars.
"After Suzanne's huge success of creating sound effects for the disco version of "Star Wars," she appeared on the David Letterman Show when originally broadcasted on NBC.

Let's watch the little "voice distorter" bring laughter to the audience. It was produced on August 14, 1980. We are sure that Suzanne will share some insight of her nine minutes of late-night fame."
Update: uploaded by Suzanne Ciani here.

TC-11 2.0 Patch: Ciani Arpeggio

TC-11 2.0 Patch: Ciani Arpeggio from Kevin Schlei on Vimeo.

iTunes: TC-11 - Bit Shape

"In 1980 Suzanne Ciani did a segment on 3-2-1 Contact where she demos a Buchla 200 series. Check out the great video, which inspired this new patch for TC-11 2.0"

Suzanna Ciani on 3-2-1 Contact

Published on Dec 23, 2006 Magnetic Ring

"Suzanna Ciani on 3-2-1 Contact
Demonstrating Sound Synthesis."

Moog Releases Model 15 Modular Synthesizer for iOS

Published on May 3, 2016 Moog Music Inc

Now available on iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

Update: a quick note worth mentioning from Quincas Moreira who beta tested the app: It's a "brand new engine, they even worked directly with Apple to improve the ios's handling of heavy audio processing like this. Geert Bevin, the Dev, has said there is no dynamic voice allocation as this is a modular, all modules are constantly running, just like on a real one." You can find a list of Quincas Moreira's presets in the comments below.

"Suzanne Ciani, one of the first and most influential female electronic music composers and synthesists, creates a short sonic sketch using the Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer app. Ciani explores the custom-programmed sounds she designed in the app alongside Moog technicians as they hand-build the app's hardware modular namesake at the Moog Factory in Asheville, NC.

Listen to Suzanne's full composition here:



Ciani's unique patches are available as a free expansion pack in the Model 15's in-app store.

The Moog Model 15 App is an iOS version of the iconic 1970’s instrument. It is designed to evoke the joyous experimentation and sonic bliss of it’s predecessor’s vintage hardware, the Moog Model 15 App meticulously recreates the look, feel, and sound of its highly expressive analog namesake."

And a couple of user videos:

Moog Model 15 Synthesizer - Factory Sounds Demo

Published on May 3, 2016 Synth Anatomy

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

Please support me on Patreon if you enjoy my content: https://www.patreon.com/synthanatomy?...

"This is the new Moog Synthesizer App Model 15 based on the Model 15 Analog Modular Synthesizer."

Moog Model 15 Modular - Monster New iOS App Exclusive

Published on May 3, 2016 sonicstate

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

"In yet another beautiful studio room at the Funkhaus in Berlin, we saw a preview of the Model 15 - a lovingly emulated Moog System 15 modular modeled on iOS - sounded pretty tasty - Geert Bevin takes us through it"

Side note: Geert Bevin is the man behind the MPE: Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression MIDI specification. You can find previous posts featuring Geert and his work here, including the LinnStrument, Eigenharp, Madrona Labs Aalto, and Symbolic Sound Kyma.

iTunes: Model 15 - Moog Music Inc.

"The Moog Model 15 App is the first Moog modular synthesizer and synthesis educational tool created exclusively for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

* The Model 15 App requires iOS version 9.3 or later to work. *

Each facet of the Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer has been meticulously recreated in this application to ensure the power and transcendent sound quality of each module remains intact. The character, harmonic complexity and mystique of the Moog Model 15’s modules, from the legendary Moog 921–series oscillators and 904A Low Pass Filter, to the coveted 907 Fixed Filter Bank have been painstakingly preserved.

In order to develop the most immersive and expressive modular interface possible, the Model 15 App has been designed utilizing Apple’s new Metal advanced graphics engine. This ensures that all zooming, panning and modular patching throughout the application feels completely natural, something that would have been impossible otherwise.

The Model 15 App features both monophonic and 4-voice polyphonic operation is easily commanded via 4 seamlessly integrated controllers. Simple swipes and taps provide instant access to a traditional Moog keyboard, 1150 ribbon controller, 8-step sequencing arpeggiator and the award-winning Animoog keyboard with 22 built-in scales and polyphonic modulation capabilities.

Also included are extended features which expand the capabilities of the app beyond the traditional offerings of the hardware Moog Model 15. These include total MIDI integration, assignment for external control, use as a MIDI controller, dedicated Audio Bridge and MIDI Bridge modules, looping recorder module with overdubbing, a master ping-pong delay module and a new extension cabinet that includes additional amplifiers and voltage-controlled reversible attenuators that can be used for effects like ring-modulation.

Because the Model 15 App utilizes Apple’s Metal technology, only 64-bit devices are supported. Compatible devices include iPhone 5s or newer, iPod touch 6 or newer, iPad Air or newer, and the iPad Pro.

Additional Features
• Ships with over 160 unique presets
• Recreates the sound of a hardware Moog Model 15 modular synthesizer
• Easily share presets and recordings with anyone
• Tutorial patches to assist all experience levels
• Intuitive patching and cable coloring
• Support for landscape and portrait modes
• Voltage-controlled stereo ping-pong delay
• Expressive sequencing arpeggiator
• Moog 1150 Ribbon controller
• Real-time looping recorder with overdub and immediate sharing
• Up to two controllers on-screen (iPad only)
• Optional left-handed UI operation

Supports
• 3D Touch and Apple Pencil integration for after pressure
• Note-per-channel MIDI controllers
• Ableton Link
• Inter-App Audio and Audiobus
• MIDI Bridge and Audio Bridge
• 7 and 14-Bit MIDI
• MIDI Program Change
• Bluetooth LE MIDI controllers
• Typing keyboards for shortcuts and musical typing
• AudioCopy, AudioPaste and AudioShare"

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