TRASH_AUDIO SYNTH MEET 14 Muff Wiggler Event, Portland Oregon Pics via MATRIXSYNTH

[Click here if you don't see the slideshow.]
My set of pics from the event. A funny side note is that this is the first synth event I've been to where I didn't hear a single synth sound. No joke. The event was held at the new Muff Wiggler store front, and it was jam packed with both people and gear, so understandably everything was hooked up to headphones so people wouldn't drown each other out. I was planning to check out the gear and take some direct audio video but I ended up spending the entire time chatting with people. I do have to say, that actually is the best part of events like these for me. You get to meet people you only know online face to face. You get to talk shop and just about life in general with like minded individuals. The gear is great, but it's the people that actually make the event. If you ever have a chance to go to a synth meet, do it. You won't regret it. That said, enjoy the pics and see if you spot anything you haven't seen before. The pics always speak for themselves. MATRIXSYNTH is a log of everything synth in the synth community and events like these are a reflection of not only the current scene, but the venue. This was a TRASH_AUDIO event for the grand opening of the new Muff Wiggler storefront in Portland Oregon. As you can see, eurorack dominated. It's crazy to think that when I started this incarnation of MATRIXSYNTH back in 2005 (1st incarnation started back in 1997), eurorack was pretty much limited to Doepfer, Analogue Systems, and Analogue Solutions. Modcan/Cynthia, Moog/Synthesizers.com, and MOTM 5U dominated with Serge Transform Systems and Wiard format. The new Buchla 200e just launched and posts featuring them were few and far in between. Buchla bongos and banjos were a bit of a synth meme back then. That said, everything you see here is relatively new in the world of synths. The number of eurorack manufactures has skyrocketed. You can see a list of the new manufacturers of 2013 in my 2013 New Years post here. I've been tracking new manufactures this year as well, and the current count is 66. Not all eurorack, but most are. I believe the oldest synth at the event was the PMS Syntar from George Mattson who currently runs Mattson Mini Modular. Kudos goes to Division 6 for the full on synth bling Vegas style signage.

HUGE THANKS TO TRASH_AUDIO and specifically Surachai for making these events happen!

Mattson EML Sequencer Renovation Keyboard Panels

via George Mattson on Facebook

Top: "Left keyboard panel complete. Included a Syntar left-hand keyboard controller, a ribbon controller and two VC multi mode Filters with VC resonance."

Bottom: "Right keyboard panel complete. Included a Utility 1 clock +divider, variable voltage source, two 4-channel VC mixers and a two-channel oscilloscope."

See the Mattson EML channel below for more.

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Pics of the One of a Kind Performance Music Systems S.W.A.N.

S.W.A.N.  stands for Syntar Without a Neck.  As most of you know, the Syntar was the first  synthesizer keytar and was developed by George Mattson, the man currently behind Mattson Mini Modular.  It is an all analog monophonic synth that dates back to 1981. You'll find some additional details on the S.W.A.N. previously posted here.

Only one SWAN was ever produced and you are looking at it. And no, I am not the lucky owner.

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Mattson Syntar 1st KeyTar ever made, at thee MMTA Meetup in Seattle 2013

Published on Nov 1, 2013

http://www.synthrotek.com

"Mattson Syntar 1st KeyTar ever made, at thee MMTA Meetup in Seattle 2013
Some kid slaying it on the Mattson Syntar. Only 1 of 15 made!"

See the Syntar & MMTA SYNTHFEST 2013 channels below for more!

New MMTA SYNTHFEST Black & White Pics via Computer Controlled

New pics added to this set. They start after the LX4 pic. There are some great shots in the complete set. Don't miss them!

Pictured here is the Syntar from George Mattson of Mattson Mini Modular. The Syntar was the first portable "keytar" style synthesizer.  It's interesting when you thing about it.  The name could have been Syntar which is a mix of Synth and Guitar.  Instead keytar stuck through the years.  The Moog Liberation followed the Syntar and became the first mass produced all in one portable synthesizer.  See the Syntar channel for more.

The Syntar Turns 35 Today

via George C Mattson (inventor of the Syntar & Mattson Mini Modular) on Facebook

"35 years ago today I was trying to stretch between a keyboard and a control knob. A patch cord jumped out of a jack, stared me down and told me I needed one of these....

The Syntar was born...."

You'll find a write-up on Syntar on Carbon111 here.
And an exclusive interview with George Mattson on the Syntar posted here back in 2006.
And of course see the Syntar label below for mentions in posts over the years.

via George: "A rare pic of the prototype I was lugging around..."

"The prototype was made of wood and steel. It weight 26 Lbs. Therefore, "lugging" is an active verb. Production models were 14 Lbs. Much lighter..."

Cowboy and the Vocoder by Redmartian

The track is now available here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/redmartian9

"The song was recording using the MMM for bass and vocoder carrier. The lead is a jupiter-6 and the drums were done using a Sequential DrumTraks. The lead and vocoder (Roland SVC-350) parts were played manually along with the bass/drums which were sequenced using midi via Logic."

Some of you might remember Cowboy and the Vocoder from these previous posts.  The story behind this track has a somewhat intersting and quirky history.  Cowboy was VoiceEncoder's dog.  VoiceEncoder is known for his vocoder videos and demos that became somewhat of an obscure synth meme.  His demos actually came up in a recent conversation I had with someone.  VoiceEncoder would often feature his dog Cowboy in his videos.  Cowboy would just be lying on a bed somewhere while VoiceEncoder talked to him through a vocoder.  Sadly Cowboy passed away on Monday, March 23, 2009 (click through for a tribute post).

The second half of what makes this track special is that it is one of the first tracks predominantly featuring the Mattson Mini Modular (it might actually be the first) [Update: according to Redmartian, "it was the first 'song' on the MMM. I did a few musical demos and orchestrated lute pieces, but this was the first 'pop song'."] It was composed by Redmartian as a tribute to Cowboy.  The lyrics are a dedication to Cowboy and the videos he was featured in.  Below are two videos for the track.  The bottom video was taken at the 2009 PNW Synth Gathering and features the Performance Music Systems Syntar in place of the Jupiter-6 for leads.   The Syntar was the first fully contained keytar synthesizer created by George Mattson, the man behind Mattson Mini Modular.

Cowboy and the Vocoder and the MMM

Uploaded on Nov 5, 2008 redmartian·73 videos

"A song written for a dog who likes to listen to the sound the Roland SVC-350 vocoder. This song features the MMM as well as a Sequential Circuits Drum Traks and a Roland Jupiter-6. (I don't have a Poly-800 .. sorry cowboy).

Here are the lyrics:

Do you know Cowboy
and the SVC-350?
Do you know Cowboy
and the Roland Vocoder?

Hey there Cowboy
I see you there
Lazy gazing
Gazing lazy
Whos my sweet boy?
You know its you.
I like to vocode and you do too.

No Poly-800 to drive the SVC
So I use an MMM as my carrier wave
No Poly-800 but Cowboy doesn't mind.
We all know its the Roland SVC-350 vocoder time.

Audio version can be found here:
http://redmartian.com/napster/Red_Mar...

Don't hate the dog or the vocoder."

1978 JEN GS-3000 SYNTAR VINTAGE ELECTRIC GUITAR SYNTH

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

via this auction - learn how to sell on eBay here

"For sale is this vintage 1978 Jen GS-3000 Syntar electric guitar synthesizer. This particular example, serial number 013, is in very excellent all original condition and includes; the original case, the original pickup and cable, and the original template settings cards. The JEN Syntar is a very powerful Moog-style mono-synth, having been modeled after the MiniMoog, and features: (2) VCOs utilizing triangle, saw, and square wave forms, relative tuning for 5ths and 7ths, independent ADR envelopes for the VCA and VCF, an LFO, and a Glide control. This particular desktop synth unit is quite rare, and this is an extremely early production example. The original pickup includes a non-original plastic surround. This rare unit is being sold with No Reserve and FREE Worldwide shipping, so don't miss out on this awesome addition to your arsenal, as the highest bidder will win... regardless of price!

As mentioned, the design for Jen Syntar was inspired by the Moog MiniMoog, and is effectively a similar sounding mono-synth created specifically for guitar. It has the basic signal-layout of the old Moog. Instead of a keyboard there is a 6-pin dim input jack on the front for the original glue-on guitar pickup. 

 

It is a simple but quite powerful mono-synth. Two VCOs capable of tri, saw and pulse/square waves. VCO2 is tuned relative to VCO1 for some fat detuning or those classic 5ths and 7ths. Sound is fed though a lowpass VCF (24dB/oct) before reaching the VCA. VCA and VCF have independent envelopes of the atypical ADS variety (no release).

These rarely come available for purchase, and this particular unit has been completely serviced and calibrated. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a great vintage guitar synth for a fraction of the price of a MiniMoog.

Since the Jen Syntar was originally produced in Italy for European distribution, it is setup for 220v. For an additional $50, we can include a step up transformer for use with 100v/110v power sources."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Syntar on a Bar Napkin

via David Lovelace on Facebook

"You've gotta love this one! George C Mattson (inventor of the Syntar, and therefore the keytar) came back for more with a generous donation, and got himself a deluxe Anything Napkin. You too can enjoy priceless, custom-drawn embarrassment like this for a mere five bucks (and up). AnythingNapkin.com"

Billy Corgan's Ichabod on a Bar Napkin

via David Lovelace on Facebook

"Requests like this command a very large price, but George C Mattson, inventor of the keytar (a.k.a. SYNTAR! look it up!!), foot the bill to pose with Billy Corgan's Mattson Mini Modular in his 2nd Anything Napkin! AnythingNapkin.com"

BTW, the price for a custom art bar napkin is going up to $10 after napkin 100. See here for details.

OP-1 Syntar In Action

השקת הספר "באימבאיב" 3/7
Published on Jan 10, 2013 Merhav Yeshoron·10 videos

"להקת ג'ק אין דה בוקס מבצעת את שיר המוות מתוך עבודות שבת בימי חול מאת רומן באימבאיב, ערב השקת הספר באימבאיב בהוצאת מעיין, לבונטין 7 תל אביב, 21.12.2012צילום: מיה זיידמן"

Googlish:
"Band Jack in the Box performs the song Death of work Saturday on weekdays by Roman Baimbaib, evening book launch Baimbaib published by spring, Levontin 7 Tel Aviv, 21.12.2012 Photo: Mia Seidman"

Vintage Synth Brochures Including The Syntar

via this auction

- TEXTURE software by Roger Powell (Utopia)
- 3) OBERHEIM MATRIX-1000 flyers - color - small smudge
- SYNTAR series I 'KEYTAR brochure & price list (George Mattson)
- FREEDOM I - Poly Keyboard Interface Controller (rare)
- STUDIO ELECTRONICS 'SE-1' MIDIMOOG flyer
- STRIDER SYSTEMS 'DCS II' pioneering digital synthesizer brochure & price list
- SEQUENTIAL CIRCUITS 'PROPHET T8' analog synth 6 page color brochure!!
(small split on last page seam - not torn)
- SIEL 'DK 80' hybrid synth 8 page color brochure
- SIEL Expander 80/DK600/EXPANDER/PX JR/MIDI INTERFACE

CLICK FOR MORE »

Final Set of A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers

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

via this auction

The listing is from the author Peter Forrest who states this is likely the last set.  These are great books and imo the most comprehensive.  Click on the pics to get an idea of what they are like.  Peter also has other items listed including The Museum of Synthesizer Technology and Synthesizer von Gestern II.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Jen Syntar Vintage Guitar Synth 1979 with Patch Overlays

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

"It is a Minimoog rip-off for guitarists!

It has the basic signal-layout of the old Moog. Instead of a keyboard there is an input socket on the front for connecting to a custom set of glue-on guitar pickups (no joke). 

 

It is a simple but quite powerful mono-synth. Two VCOs capable of tri, saw and pulse/square waves. VCO2 is tuned relative to VCO1 for some fat detuning or those classic 5ths and 7ths. Sound is fed though a lowpass VCF (24dB/oct) before reaching the VCA. VCA and VCF have independent envelopes of the atypical ADS variety (no release). There is also an LFO and Glide control."

The Plugin Guru Visits Mattson Studio

Two pics of George Mattson's studio by John Lhmkuhl of pluginguru.com.

via John Lhmkuhl on Facebook:

"That silver modular is over 30 years in the making! To the right, are 'downsized' versions of the Goliath silver modular in Euro Rack and his own Mattson Mini Modular format. What a treat to watch George fire all these modules up!"

"George got into the synthesizer world when he invented the syntar 34 years ago YESTERDAY - I'm holding (and playing) the very FIRST Syntar that George created. I was also given an introduction to many of the cool modules that George has created including a really powerful sequencer (in the background behind my Left Hand is a whole bunch of Mattson Mini Modular modules, all making beautiful music!) The Analog synthesizer world is very much alive in the Pacific Northwest!"

Check out George Mattson's creations at http://mattsonminimodular.com/. You can find additional posts on the massive EML via the Mattson EML label below.

34 Years of Syntar

via Juliana Jaeger on Facebook

Today marks the 34 year anniversary of the Performance Music Systems Syntar. It was the first "keytar" with a built in synthesizer.  Before it, keytars were merely controllers for external synths. The prototype was shown by it's creator George Mattson at the 1979 Atlanta NAMM show.

George Mattson currently makes modulars as Mattson Mini Modular.  His latest creation is the Mattson SQ816 Sequencer with Scott Rise of Division-6.  I've seen the sequencer in action and it works great.  It is close to being released.  You can catch a video of it here. 

You can read up on the Syntar at Carbon111's Syntar page here, as well as my email exchange with George Mattson here.  And of course see the Syntar label below for numerous posts that have gone up on the site including video performances. On a side note, you can find Syntar swag at Cafe Press here.

Below is a scan from the Idahonian newspaper from Moscow Idaho (photo credit: Randy Klisek) Oct. 03 1978.  Pictured is George Mattson to the right and his brother Gregg Mattson in their studio also in Moscow, Idaho.  The interesting thing about this photograph is that it was published the day before George came up the idea for the Syntar. The bottom pic is the same but with the caption. Further below is a recent pic of George Mattson playing the first production Syntar via Wikipedia, uploaded by clusternote on Oct 29, 2011, which would place this at the 2011 PNW SynthFest at Shoreline Community College.

George Mattson in the Early Days - 1981

via George Mattson on Facebook

"A long, long time ago in a State not-so-far away....."

EML, ARP & his Performance Music Systems Syntar.

You can find his current creations at http://www.mattsonminimodular.com/

"This was a photo shoot Michael Garrison (RIP) and I did for one of his albums. We tossed our gear together for the pic. All of the Arp stuff was his. The ARP stuff now belongs to Craig Padilla."

electro-music 2012

"The electro-music festival, known as the "Woodstock of electronic music," is the world's premiere event for experimental electronic music. Now in it's eighth year, this year's gathering features three mind-bending days of innovative electronic music concerts, seminars, workshops, demonstrations, jam sessions, video art, a laptop battle, and a swap-meet. Action starts at 1pm on Friday, September 7 and runs until midnight on September 9. Musical activities will be running continuously throughout the three days of the festival.

electro-music 2012 takes place at the Greenkill Retreat Center in Huguenot, New York. On-site lodging and meals are available. Tickets range from $35 for a single day to $385 for a 3-day pass including meals and lodging.

More information, including a complete schedule of events can be found on the web site at: http://event.electro-music.com/ You may also contact us at event@electro-music.com

A wide variety of instruments and musical styles will be represented, ranging from theremin to analog modular synthesizers to home made devices, from classic space music and ambient to abstract electronica, glitch, electro-pop and beat-oriented music.

The following artists will be performing:

CLICK FOR MORE »

MMTA SUMMER SYNTHFEST 2012 - Shannon Overman Roach & George Mattson

via Shannon Overman Roach on Facebook

"This right here is the inventor of the keytar. And I'm holding the first ever keytar invented." Read about the Syntar on Carbon111's site here, and of course check out the Syntar label below.

Shannon is the Executive Director of Pacific Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences aka NARAS.


I have a couple of good shots of George and Shannon coming up in the next post. Remember you can track all of he event's posts via the MMTA SYNTHFEST 2012 label.

Custom EML Spotted in IDOW Pere Ubu Interview

To the far right. EML was known for doing custom work for people including for George Mattson of Mattson Mini Modular and his PMS Syntar back in the day. See this post for the video and update.