TMP-2-02 Vintage Synth TV Series from Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

Additional Vintage Synth TV episodes by Benge

00:00 Opening Titles
00:32 Introduction
01:29 Little Black Boxes
05:23 Switched On Cybersynths
14:14 Synthesiser Club
16:59 Commercial Break
17:54 Patching Today
30:59 Video Lab
34:56 Outro

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Episode two of the second series of the TV program from Benge, made at his Memetune Electronic Music Studio

The series explores his passion for vintage synthesiser instruments and studio gear and how he uses it on his productions and collaborations

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It is divided into the following sections:

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - A look at some classic rack mount synths of the 80s and 90s

SWITCHED ON - This second series looks at a type of synthesis based around the ideas of Cybernetics, which Benge calls CYBERSYNTHESIS

SYNTHESISER CLUB - A short musical demonstration of a synthesiser classic or three

PATCHING TODAY - A deep-dive into vintage modular systems and how to set up a patch on them, starting from scratch

VIDEO LAB - A look at old video equipment and how to create experimental visuals

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In THIS episode:

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - The Emu Proteus 2 Orchestral, from 1990

SWITCHED ON CYBERSYNTHS - A trip back to the 1960s for a look at the very first Cybersynth, the Buchla 100, including a patch based on Allen Strange’s seminal book Electronic Music, taken from the chapter “‘Real-time Networks’

SYNTHESISER CLUB - Connecting up the Korgs - featuring the Monopoly, DW6000, S770 and DDD1 drum machine

PATCHING TODAY - The Polyfusion 2000 system, with the AS1 sequencer, from the mid-1970s

VIDEO LAB - A look at some of the inspiration behind and planning for the making of Benge’s short film “Proof of Hyper-travel”

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LINKS:
Benge's Studio Blog: http://myblogitsfullofstars.blogspot.com
Memetune Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memetunestudio
Benge on Bandcamp: https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com

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The MemeTune Programme Credits:
Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge)
All music, design, writing, filming and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2023

Entropical Paradise on the Buchla 100

video upload by zack dagoba

"This is a patch similar to the one published on page 141 of Allen Strange's 1972 book Electronic Music, under the heading Real-time Networks. It is a recreation of Douglas Leedy's Entropical Paradise patch from his 1969 album of the same name

This system is mostly original 1960s Buchla, and I have adapted the patch slightly to make use of the 191 Sharp Cutoff Filter, and to take out the 'birdsong' part of the patch which was originally done with pink noise / envelope follower modulation on the main VCO. I still used the VCO, but took out the modulation and put it through the Bandpass Filter instead"

TMP-2-01 Vintage Synth TV Series from Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

Additional Vintage Synth TV episodes by Benge 00:00 Opening Titles
00:32 Introduction
01:36 Little Black Boxes
05:37 Switched On Cybersynths
14:59 Synthesiser Club
18:51 Commercial Break
19:41 Patching Today
31:58 Video Lab
42:50 Outro

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

First in a new series of the TV program from Benge made at his Memetune Electronic Music Studio

The series explores his passion for vintage synthesiser instruments and studio gear and how he uses it on his productions and collaborations

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

It is divided into the following sections:

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - A look at some classic rack mount synths of the 80s and 90s

SWITCHED ON - This second series looks at a type of synthesis based around the ideas of Cybernetics, which Benge calls CYBERSYNTHESIS

SYNTHESISER CLUB - A short musical demonstration of a synthesiser classic or two

PATCHING TODAY - A deep-dive into vintage modular systems and how to set up a patch on them, starting from scratch

VIDEO LAB - A look at old video equipment and how to create experimental visuals

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

In THIS episode:

LITTLE BLACK BOXES - The Yamaha TG77, from 1989

SWITCHED ON CYBERSYNTHS - An introduction to the concepts behind this fascinating synthesis technique, using vintage Serge and Emu modulars to create some very abstract music

SYNTHESISER CLUB - Roland synths: SH5, Sh3A, Jupiter4, System 100 (101 and 102), MC4 Microcomposer, RE201 Space Echo, DEP5 Reverb/Multi FX, SDE1000 Digital Delay

PATCHING TODAY - Modcan A-Series modular synthesiser

VIDEO LAB - Short film “Proof of Hyper-travel” by Benge

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

LINKS:
Benge's Studio Blog: http://myblogitsfullofstars.blogspot.com
Memetune Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memetunestudio
Benge on Bandcamp: https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

The MemeTune Programme Credits:
Everything in this video was created by B D Edwards (Benge)
All music, design, writing, filming and production completed at Memetune Studios, UK, 2023

Sideways by Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

"Messing with the Buchla 257 Dual Voltage Control Processor. I'm using gates from the MARF to switch between the VbM + MVc inputs, which gives the pitch changes in this patch"

CyberMoog, by Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

"Here is a long-ish improvisation on the Moog modular system

The lower 2 cabs are vintage 1960s Moog 3C, the upper cabs are more modern, with most modules from Roger Arrick

This patch uses cybernetic principles for the main note generation - a combination of VCOs going into an S&H which controls the pitch and there is a feedback loop to control another connected VCO set to LFO which triggers the envelope. It's all interconnected so that it resembles randomness, but it technically isn't - it is cybernetic!

The rest of the performance is me messing with the amazing 914 Fixed Filter Bank, and also a low-fi CV-able delay in Moog format, which I love because of the wonkyness. There is 905 reverb in there, lots of panning, cross-mixing on the very cool 984 Matrix Mixer - and no other FX on this recording 😁

Some of the visuals were made with my new favourite iPhone app - Polycam 3D - it uses all those cameras on your iPhone to work out objects in 3D - then I put it into Blender to make it better

Enjoy!"

Modernetics by Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

"A self-playing cybernetic patch made on the Modcan A-Series modular system

The modules have been set up so that they interact with each other using CVs and triggers generated by themselves, based upon two initial VCOs which are the source of all the sounds and also modulations. There are no Random Generators in this patch

In other words, by creating a modified feedback path between the audio outs of the VCOs and their own CV inputs, chaotic interactions occur, for both pitch and timing attributes. The modifier in this case is a VC Waveshaper

Another important part of the patch is the derivation of gate pulses from audio signals. For this, I am using a Gated Comparator module. There is also a Sample & Hold module and various other CV and timing modifiers and processors in the patch

The whole idea of cybernetics is to set up chaotic systems in a controlled and productive way, something that this Modcan synthesiser can do really well"

Modways by Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

"A simple sequencer sketch on the Modcan A Series, using the ever-wonderful Modcan Wiard/Blacet Mini-Wave wavetable VCO"

emusing myself

video upload by zack dagoba

"Emusing myself on the Emu Modular, and a Boss bucket brigade delay"

Benge on Alesis QuadraSynth

video upload by zack dagoba

"Some ambience made on the Mk1 Alesis Quadrasynth I just bought on eBay for £40"

sergeizer

video upload by zack dagoba

"I have finally added a quantiser to my system

Its a 2HP Tune eurorack module that Keith very skilfully transplanted into my Serge cabinet, using a space created when I swapped out the MIDI to CV converter that had been put in years ago by a previous owner but which I never used. So that end of the panel now houses this new quantiser and also the clone of the 1050 mix sequencer. This means I can now do some extremely complex sequencing on this system. For example, I can use the 2 programmers to go into the mix sequencer giving me up to 60 steps (because it can act like a sequential switch). Add in the new quantiser and everything gets a bit easier to keep in tune, not something I am particularly used to with the Serge. Hopefully this will help. The 2HP Tune has a bias cv input so I can keep it evolving"

Benge - Forms 15 "Dawn" made on the DK Synergy

video upload by zack dagoba

"New album by Benge - part 15 of his FORMS Series - albums made on one synthesis system. Here is an ambient album made entirely on a Digital Keyboards Synergy II+ and Lexicon Model 200 / Primetime early digital FX

https://zackdagoba.bandcamp.com/album...

'The pure digital sounds of the D K Synergy, and the two very special effects units from the same year (1984), feature the same no-compromise approach to digital sound production, which in the early 80s was a very new territory for manufacturers and musicians to explore. To my ears, these abecedarian digital devices have a purity and warmth that is particularly suited to simple ambient pieces of music such as those presented on 'Dawn'. In some ways, it was the dawning of a new era for electronic music in general, and one which I happily reexplore on this album'"

Dawn - D.K.Synergy ambient music by Benge

video upload by zack dagoba

"Good morning!

Here is an ambient study by Benge, made on the D.K.Synergy digital synthesis system, Lexicon Model 200 reverb and Lexicon Prime Time Model 95 Stereo delay unit, SSL SiX mixer/compressor, SSL 2+ sound card. Shot on JVC KY-1900 video camera. Font used: Lazenby Computer. Field recordings of the dawn chorus, England, April 27th, 5:37am"

Seiko Babble

video upload by zack dagoba

"Some abstract tonalities on the Seiko DS250 / DS310 additive synthesiser from 1985

This is a very interesting instrument - I love these kinds of early digital systems!"

Crumar Roadrunner/2

video upload by zack dagoba

"Some noodles on the Crumar Roadrunner Mk2. I love the built-in chorus on this thing - it's very late-70s sounding (I think the Roadrunner/2 was introduced in 1976, according to the service manual). It also has a really creamy bass sound with its own output, so you can bypass the chorus (which I think sounds more like a phaser) and send it to its own channel on your mixer. These demos have a bit of Yamaha REV-7 hall reverb for good measure"

Roland Robots

video upload by zack dagoba

"A little robotic sequence on the Roland SH-09 using the CSQ600 Digital Sequencer. Robots rule!"

Emu UAF clone demo

video upload by zack dagoba

"This is a demo of a desktop module based on the legendary Emu Universal Active Filter. The module here is not an exact replica, it uses more modern circuitry and has a few things that are different to the way the original was set up, although the panel is the same as the original, so this makes it very confusing! For example, the HP / BP / LP outputs have their own attenuators, absent on the original, and also it has some changes to the CV inputs, the way the Notch Frequency knob works, as well as the Course and Fine knobs. Anyway, it's a fine sounding unit, and its been quite fun working out what everything does"

10 Minutes of DK Synergy and Emu Modular

video upload by zack dagoba

"10 minutes of random digital tonalities

A DK Synergy being played by random voltages from an Emu Modular by way of a CV to MIDI converter"

Phased Out (1975) EMS Synthi-100 film

video upload by zack dagoba

"Here is an amazing film from 1975 (I think), featuring an EMS Synthi 100

'An electronic music composer working late one night is considered obsolete by the Synthi100 electronic music synthesizer'

ENJOY 😉 😋"

10 Minutes of Emu Modular Bleeps

video upload by zack dagoba

"Another one to have on in the background perhaps"

10 Minutes with a Buchla 200

video upload by zack dagoba

"Just stick this on in the background.."