RIP Mike Brown of Livewire Electronics

Via an Interview with Mike Brown on Vicmod
(Be sure to click through for the full interview):

"Mike tell us a little about yourself.

This is the one I usually dread... (I'm not one for talking about myself much) but how about this: Played in a few bands during the '80s & '90s... if anyone remembers Cafe'Noire, Aura Circuit, or my solo project, Electronium (probably not... haha) Studied electronic music at Cal State University San Bernardino under Dr.Raymond Torre-Santos (now at Hunter College in New York). At the time they did not have an electronic music program, so when I showed up for recitals with my reels of tape music... the jury of music dept. administrators threw me out... haha...2 years later they had a full blown electronic music major program. figures.

I had always wanted a modular synth... but being married with small kids,had no hope of justifying the expense. Then around 1994, I discovered a book in the local library... 'build your own synthesizer' by Thomas Henry. I thought "I can do *this*!" so I set about gathering parts from local surplus stores and schematics from anywhere I could get them... library books mostly... I was on the internet, but this was pre-web days I think... So then I went about starting small fires for the next six years or so... ;) Eventually, the circuits began to actually work... and then I was thoroughly hooked."

And we were too. Thank you for everything Mike, we are going to miss you.

http://www.livewire-synthesizers.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Livewire-Electronics/301279517212 - Livewire
https://www.facebook.com/L1V3W1R3 - Mike Brown


Image of Mike Brown and Gur Milstein of Tiptop Audio at NAMM 2011.

I met Mike at NAMM 2010. I was pretty humbled. He was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. He just made you feel comfortable and happy to be around. Like a beacon of peace in chaos. A great soul of a man.

For a look at the influence of his work: 510 posts and counting. His work, memory, and legacy will live on forever.

NAMM: Details on the New Owners of Buchla

See the update via Ross Healy of Vicmod in the updated dated 1/26 in the original post here.

NAMM: Buchla Acquired by Former Industry Veterans?

via DedMousie aka Les Mizzell on Muffs:

"... some industry veterans (including Michael Marans, former Keyboard tech editor) have acquired Buchla & Associates, with Don Buchla now acting as Chief Technology Officer for a new company, Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments. They have some really exciting plans for new products that Don's wanted to do for a long time, and now has the resources to do so."

I checked with a source and this one just might be true. No formal announcement on the Buchla site. Note this is speculation until confirmation.

This one in via Soviet Space Child.

Update 1/20/12: and we have confirmation from Synthopia (note the new keyboard controller):

"At the 2012 NAMM Show, several interesting announcements were made about electronic music legend Don Buchla, above, and the future of his electronic music instruments:

His company, Buchla & Associates, has been acquired by a group of investors, who are creating a new company Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments. Buchla wil be the Chief Technology Officer of the new company. The organizational change will bring design, manufacturing, sales and marketing resources to Buchla. The intent is that, by freeing Buchla from some of these areas, he’ll be able to spend more time to ‘introduce more innovations in music technology’, expand the Buchla product line into new areas and make his instruments available to a wider range of musicians.

Buchla also introduced a new modular synthesizer, the Buchla Skylab. The Buchla Skylab is a compact and slightly more affordable configuration of the Buchla 200e modular line.

Finally, Buchla announced that, after 50 years of not making a keyboard for his synthesizer [Buchlas aren't known for piano style keyboards, but he did have polyphonic keyboards with velocity and aftertouch in 1971 - 237/238 in 1971, touche in 1979 and the 406 in 1983 - see the Buchla 406 here.], that there will finally be a Buchla Keyboard controller. The Buchla Keyboard is currently in early stages, but don’t plan on it being a standard control keyboard. Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments expects to release a keyboard design that is as different from other keyboard controllers as its modular synthesizer is from other modulars."

Update 1/26/2012 via Ross Healy of Vicmod:

"The 3 owners are Aussies all working in the music equipment business and huge synth lovers. Lewis Chiodo, John Fuller, Danny Olesh are the new owners of Buchhla Electronic Instruments. Michael Marans is CEO in the US. Their intention with Buchla Electronic Instruments is to keep the brand as cool as it has been in the past allowing Don to do what he excels at ( creating/ designing). I have no doubt this will be a brilliant future for our beloved Buchla and Don/ Ezra etc. I have known Lewis for 12 years and believe me this guys LOVES synths/ playing synths since he was age 5."

Buchla Ringtones by Todd Barton

"Jingle Tones Todd Barton has kindly created a wonderful present in the form of Buchla ringtones. Here are 15 mp3 ringtones made from his 'ausprobeiren' and 'analogie' albums!"

Available for download at Vicmod Records here.

Semi-Deterministic SWAMP (Probability Acid)

"VICMOD crew exploring the use of CGS Serge SWAMP sequencer panel. The comparator section can be used to create constantly changing sequences that utilize the mathematical concepts of probability."

Todd Barton Interviewed on vicmod

Interview on vicmod here.

"Tell us about yourself.
Cut my analog teeth on my friend Doug Leedy’s Buchla Music Easel in the late 70’s. Couldn’t afford a ME so hocked the house and got a Serge Modular Music System in 1979. Remember going to Haight/Ashbury and picking it up from Serge. The only book/manual at the time was Allen Strange’s Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls which I ate, drank and slept with..."

Click through above for some Serge & Buchla eye candy.

Todd Barton recently released and all Buchla album here.

CLICK FOR MORE »

vicmod: Fringe Festival & Electronic Abstractions Back Catalog Free

via vicmod
"To celebrate VICMOD Records involvement with the Fringe Festival 2011 night Electronic Abstractions, Melbourne's abstract electronic label are giving away its entire back catalog for free for the month of September! You can download all previous releases by Cray, Ryou Oonishi, VICMOD Ensemble, Richard Lainhart, Healy/Hassler, Rod Cooper, Steve Law etc So what are you waiting for start downloading and listening! http://www.vicmod.net

Don't forget 21 September is an amazing night of abstract electronics featuring
ROBIN FOX
COR FUHLER
CRAY
VICMOD ENSEMBLE
WILLIAMS AND HAYES
Tickets on sale via Fringe Melbourne"

Note this is a rare opportunity to see some vintage synths performed live:

Robin Fox EMS Synthi
Cor Fuhler EMS Synthi
Cray - Serge Modular or Buchla 200e
VICMOD Ensemble - modular synths
Williams Hayes - VCS3 and Roland System 100

Electronic Abstractions

"Robin Fox on EMS Synthi
Cor Fuhler on EMS Synthi
Cray on Buchla and computer
VICMOD Ensemble on modular gear
Williams and Hayes on VCS3 and modular"

"Tickets are now on sale for the brilliant Fringe Festival night Electronic Abstractions.
Show starts at 8pm, 21 September 2011, Bar Open Fitzroy."

via Vicmod where you'll find additional details.

RIP Conrad Schnitzler

The above is the complete setlist from Conrad Schnitzler official videos
Playlist below. This one in via VICMOD

via Wikipedia

"Conrad Schnitzler (1937 – 4 August 2011) was a prolific German experimental musician.

Schnitzler was born in Düsseldorf. He was an early member of Tangerine Dream (1969–1970) and a founder of the band Kluster. He left Kluster in 1971, first working with his group Eruption and then focusing on solo works. He continued to record from his home studio in Dallgow, Germany, creating CD-Rs which he sold independently. Schnitzler also participated in several collaborations with other electronic musicians. [1]

Conrad Schnitzler died from stomach cancer in the evening 4 August 2011."

He continued to create electronic music throughout his life. Truly an inspiration for us all.

Playlist for above:

CLICK FOR MORE »

DIY Serge Meditation

via VICMOD

"gdfp from Muff Wiggler forum uploaded this image and its just about one of my favourite images ever. Its all DIY too :-)"

Serge Buddha

Site Issues on Safari

I've had a couple of reports of the site not fully loading for people, specifically with YouTube posts coming up blank. It seems to be happening when clicking on the Older Posts link on the bottom of the page. I am not seeing the issue on Firefox but I am on Safari. However, if I open the Older Posts link in a new tab, the posts come up fine. If you are seeing the problem try it, and of course feel free to comment. I am using the default embed code for YouTube. This is not happening on Firefox.

Update: Finally got a chance to look into this in more detail and I think I might have fixed the problem. There was some old script I implemented a while back so I could paginate super long posts. The code let you set the number of characters you wanted to display in a post and added a more link to see the rest of the post. Well, Blogger rolled out their own and the two collided. I removed the old script and things are now appear to be working in Safari. Hopefully this also takes care of some of the other problems people were seeing mentioned in the comments. Thanks goes to VICMOD for the tip that helped me identify the problem. He reported seeing odd bxAv110 links at the bottom of each post on the second page on. These links were generated by the old script.

Snow Fall - EMS VCS3 Filter Clone

via AMSynths

AM8071 Module - "Snowfall" Diode Low Pass Filter

"During the exceptionally snowy weeks of early 2010 I built a redesigned version of this classic filter which was used in the EMS VCS3 and AKS synthesizers in the 1970’s. With snow falling and the wonderful bubbly sound of the filter, I named this module - Snow Fall. It was a 4-pole diode ladder low pass filter using all discrete and rather old components. The Roland SH-3 filter (AM8003) and PE Minisonic 2 (AM8050) filters are close copies of this legendary design.

EMS originally (in 1970) described the filter as Low Pass and with a cutoff rate 12dB for the first octave and then 18dB per octave thereafter, with band pass filter response at medium Resonance levels and a maximum Q of 20. From early 1974 EMS updated the filter with an extra capacitor at the base of the diode ladder to provide a steeper 24dB per octave response, this appears to have changed the character of the filter. The filter frequency response is stated as 5Hz to 10kHz.

In terms of electronic design the standard filter is 4-pole but the characteristics of diode ladders makes this sound more like 18dB, and the 24dB version is really 5-pole. No matter, the filter sounds fantastic....

Visit the AMsynths web site for the full story here..." You will find samples there as well.
Be sure to see the rest of AMSynths for more DIY clones and projects.
via VICMOD

VICMOD 2010 BBQ JAM

VICMOD 2010 BBQ JAM from cv slime 800 on Vimeo.

"Some excerpts from the VICMOD synth jam session December 11th 2010."

Lainhart December Performances - Buchla and Haken Continuum

A chance to see these instruments live.

"Friends: I wanted to let you know about two performances coming up soon, a new review, and a free download of a recent concert, along with some video performance documents as well.

First, I'll be playing a Buchla 200e/Haken Continuum set, as well as jamming with some of the other artists, at "A Night of Clutter" on Saturday, December 11 at Funkadelic Studios in NYC.

After that, I'll be performing on Thursday, December 16, as part of the "Super Coda Festival 2010", four nights of experimental and improvisatory music at Cafe Orwell in Brooklyn.

Next, I've uploaded the direct board recording of my recent Buchla/Continuum performance at the Omega Sound Fix festival at Alfa Art Gallery in New Brunswick - it's available on SoundCloud as a downloadable high-quality MP3

And here are some video clips (with camera audio) of that performance, along with my improvisation with Philippe Petit at the same festival, in which I play vibes as well as Buchla: [posted here]

Finally, Caleb Deupree at furthernoise.org reviews my recent Vicmod label release "The Wave-Sounding Sea", featuring early Moog CEMS recordings from 1973-75:

http://www.furthernoise.org/index.php?url=page.php&ID=367&iss=89

And Happy Holidays to all!"

photo is by Winnie Sokoloff

Jurgen of Jomox on the Price of the New Sunsyn

If you recall from this post a new SunSyn is on the way. Mr. Array spotted the following from Jurgen on gearslutz. BTW, I'm not seeing the price on the Sunsyn page, but according to VICMOD in the comments of the last post it was around 5000 Euros which currently comes to about $7000 US. Update via Mr. Array on the price: "5000 Euro price includes VAT, so it's closer to $6000 USD"

"Very simple:

1. a very essential part ( the vcas used - there are 20 on each voice card
plus 20 on the main board -180 per SunSyn) is obsolete and not produced any
further. There is no direct replacement, so I would have to redesign the
whole circuitry. The sunsyn voice board layout which I made 10 years ago was
the worst thing I ever did...it's dense like a persian carpet. sometimes I
say to myself it's a wonder that it works;)

2. The processors that were used are ****ing old and too small in power and
many more little issues. a COMPLETE redesign is necessary. Also a complete
new OS programming.

3. The whole market for these bolide synths is fairly overestimated...it's a
big rush now because none has one to sell. But if I go down and make it, it
will take me years though and once it's finished, the market is elsewhere.

4. It's a damned ****ing job to BUILD sunsyns. Every build is a repair
because this monster is just way too complex and there are millions of
possible errors. And these errors OCCUR according to murphys law. It took me
(and I'm fast, trust me) about 2 days to build one SunSyn from scratch if I
count all the time of failure search, modifications, repairings and more. I
have had only 1 guy in 10 years that was able to make them (almost) alone
without my help.
I forgot to say...SunSyns don't grow on trees;)

5. discussions about OS bugs. There were times when many people were yelling
at me about SunSyn bugs and noises, tuning instabilities, VCO mod offsets
and more....and I have to say, yes, they were right up to a certain point.
But I'm not masochistic, too and it didn't make fun, honestly. I would do it
better now...but that would require to make a redesign.

6. it's not that easy to really make money on such a thing...I could tell
you some stories if we were sitting in a bar and having a drink;)

7. My life time is just too precious to make another one. Why should I do
this? I have made it once, and it would not be better if I did it another
time. There are easier ways to make your living than to build and sell
sunsyns. It's made with blood, sweat and tears...

8. SunSyn was always a bit backward oriented...it's an analog poly synth
with some features and a great sound. But it's like refurbishing oldtimers.
I want to go forward with new ideas, admittedly.

Guess why the Wave hadn't been produced any more? same issues...time, money,
human resources, market. To expensive, too sensitive, too much risk. It took
me years, but I think I've learned my lessons and almost went bankrupt.

Hope this was an honest and exhausting explanation:-))

JM

PS....and I didn't say I would never make another synth...but not likely a
SunSyn;)"

New Buchla Modules - 223e, 296, and 260e

http://buchla.com
Update: prices added after each description below.
via Ross / cray5656 / vicmod

"Model 296e SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

A 16 channel bandpass filter with built-in analysis and synthesis capability, the 296e can function as a real time performance filter, a programmable compound equalizer and even as a spectrum transferring vocoder.

Center frequencies are selected to complement the ear’s discrimination curve. Each frequency band has its own VCA input and envelope follower output, allowing for rather intricate transformations. The 296e can be split into two 8 band filters, with vocoding interconnections internally provided, or two 296e’s can be cascaded (with a behind-the-panel connection) with one performing spectral analysis, and the other synthesis.

A unique user interface can present instantaneous envelopes, thus creating a real time spectrum display, or two response curves may be entered, stored and edited in real time. Modulation may be applied to the response curves, creating some rather strange effects, and a “freeze” facility allows for storage of the instantaneous envelopes.

Envelope decay times are adjustable, and pre-emphasis may be applied to smooth the frequency response when vocoding.

All settings can be stored as presets in systems with a 225e or a 206e preset manager." $4600

"Model 223e TACTILE INPUT PORT

You don’t care for spatial control? The 223e substitutes an innovative arpeggiator for the rings of the 222e

This three panel unit tactile sensor responds to a feather-weight touch, or to several pounds of pressure. An additional (1 panel unit) module houses the outputs, the arpeggiator controls, and the edit facility.

The tactile surface is normally mounted in the first row of a 201e-12 or 201e-18 cabinet: alternatively, it may be mounted in the recently announced 201e-3u frame, relieving spatial binds in crowded systems.

An ergonomic array of 27 keys sense pressure and velocity; fourteen respond to location in one or two dimensions. Arrayed into multiple user-defined groups ranging in size from 1 to 25 keys, they produce a variety of user-programmed control voltages.

Location, pressure, impact and tuned voltages, as well as pulses, are presented at a total of 30 outputs. The LCD based user interface is remarkably simple and flexible. The arpeggiator features multiple patterns, internal and external clocks, and many other sundry features.

All settings, including key programming, can be memorized and recalled by the 225e or 206e preset manager" $2550

"Model 260e DUOPHONIC PITCH CLASS GENERATOR

The Model 260e Duophonic Pitch Class Generator consists of two independent, voltage controlled pitch class generators. (A pitch class generator produces a singular pitch in every perceivable octave.) Frequency modulation inputs and a five band spectrum-shaping facility are provided.

When switched to the "barber pole" mode, an internal computer takes over pitch control of both generators, and issues pulses for triggering an external envelope generator (a model 281e, for example), which in turn can drive a voltage controlled amplifier (like a model 292e dynamics manager). When the 260e's output signals are gated through the latter, Shepard tones and other auditory illusions (such as the tri-tone paradox) may be produced.

The rate of change is variable to 2.5 octaves per second in either direction, and is voltage controllable. Additionally, the pitch intervals can be adjusted from quarter-tones to tri-tones to continuous (for Risset tones).

With its multi-voicing, equalization, envelope shaping, and frequency modulation capabilities, you will find the 260e musically more interesting than the standard Shepard tone generator employed in perceptual psychology experiments.

The settings of the 260e can be stored and retrieved as numbered presets with a model 225e or 206e preset manager." $900

Amazon Beat Box

YouTube via NPerez | July 31, 2010
"Amazing Amazon Box"
"An Amazon parcel exercising.

[This is a re-upload. I take no credit whatsoever]"

via VICMOD

Lainhart Live Online Audio/Video Performance Friday May 7

"Friends: Sponsored by the ImprovFriday group, I'll be performing a realtime audio/video set from my studio on Friday, May 7, at 9 PM EDST (GMT -4). In honor of ImprovFriday, I'll be playing structured improvisations for electric guitar and lapsteel processed with the Kyma System and laptop, and streaming live video and audio of the event with interactive chat on the ImprovFriday site:

http://improvfriday.ning.com/

To find your local time, go here

I hope you can tune in, and I encourage you to join the ImprovFriday group for more wonderful spontaneous music from around the world."

Richard Lainhart will also be performing Monday May 10 with Buchla and Haken Continuum along with Jessica Feldman and Michael V. Waller:

"LMAKseries - Live audiovisual performance event

Monday, May 10, 7:30 pm
Featuring: Jessica Feldman, Richard Lainhart and Michael V. Waller

Richard Lainhart is an award-winning composer, filmmaker, and author - a digital artisan who workswith sonic and visual data. Since childhood, he's been interested in natural processes such as waves, flames and clouds, in harmonics and harmony, and in creative interactions with machines, using them as compositional methods to present sounds and images that are as beautiful as he can make them. Lainhart studied composition and electronic music with Joel Chadabe at the State University of New York at Albany. He has composed music for film, television, CD-ROMs, interactive applications, and the Web. His compositions have been performed in the US, England, Sweden, Germany, Australia, and Japan. Recordings of his music have appeared on the Periodic Music, Vacant Lot, XI Records, Airglow Music, Tobira Records, Infrequency, VICMOD, and ExOvo labels. He has worked and performed with John Cage, David Tudor, Steve Reich, Phill Niblock, David Berhman, and Jordan Rudess, among many others. In 2008, he was commissioned by the Electronic Music Fondation to contribute a work to New York Soundscape. Lainhart's animations and short films have been shown at festivals in the US, the UK, Canada, Portugal, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Korea, and online at Souvenirs From Earth, ResFest, The New Venue, The Bitscreen, and Streaming Cinema 2.0. In 2009, he was awarded a Film & Media grant by the New York State Council on the Arts. In January 2010, he performed as a featured Live Media audio-visual artist at Netmage 2010 in Bologna, Italy."

LMAKprojects
139 Eldridge Street
New York NY 10002

VICMOD One Synth Feature Releases

"A quick run down on VICMOD Records new releases and future releases."
Two releases that feature only one synth are mentioned:
Richard Lainhart and the Moog Modular
Don Hassler and the EMS SYNTHI
Cray, the man behind VICMOD, and who has been featured here a number of times (cray posts, cray56 posts) is also featured.

Sculptress of Sound: The Lost Works of Delia Derbyshire

"The broadcaster and Doctor Who fan MATTHEW SWEET travels to The University of Manchester - home of Delia Derbyshire's private collection of audio recordings - to learn more about the wider career and working methods of the woman who realised Ron Grainer's original theme to Doctor Who."

via VICMOD, whom BTW "is having a record label launch tonight if anyone is in Melbourne , Australia and wants to see the VICMOD ENSemble perform alongside Cray, Steve Law and Rod Cooper.

The label as of today has 6 releases.
http://vicmod.blogspot.com/2010/03/tonight-tuesday-30-march-vicmod-records.html"

Side note: I originally thought it was this Matthew Sweet. Turns out it is this one. Thanks to STG for catching it.