Ableton Live 5 Review on Harmony Central

If you have the interest and time, there is an extensive review of Ableton Live 5 on Harmony Central News. What's really interesting about this review is that it's also in discussion format. You can actually post comments and questions. Pretty interesting. Title link will take you there.

Minimoog Model E

Update: From Tom at Music Thing via the comments of this post:

"They still own the name in the UK - you can't buy any Moog products here, they're all badged 'Big Briar': If you look at these product pages, you won't see any mention of Bob at all:
http://www.turnkey.co.uk/tkweb/stockdetail.jsp?sku=BIGB-VOYAGERS&context=BSTOCK
or
http://www.turnkey.co.uk/tkweb/stockdetail.jsp?sku=BIGB-PHASER&context=BSTOCK "

Interesting! I didn't know that.

Another rarity up on the *bay. This one is a Moog Minimoog Model E. What's so rare about it? Well, the original Moog Minimoog production run stopped at Model D. The Model E is a remake produced in the UK in 1999. Title link will take you to a SOS article on the Model E. Side Note: There was also the Donimoog produced in the US. This was the company Bob Moog fought over to get the Moog name back, not the UK Moog Music Ltd.

"The Minimoog 204E was an authentic reissue from Moog Music Ltd. which was based in Wales. They acquired the rights to the name in the UK some time in the '90's. I don't know how many they made (I waited six months for mine) but I do know they folded some time in 2000, so I was lucky enough to get one when I did. This makes this version of the Minimoog somewhat of a rarity."

Click here for a bigger pic.

Roland System100M on the 'bay

System 100 up for sale on the 'bay. Saved the shot for posterity. Title link takes you to a much larger shot.

Electronik Supersonic

Title link takes you there. Click here for more streaming options. Yep.... : )



Update: See this post.

Audiopad

I remember when this first came out. I haven't looked it up for some time. The site has been revamped with more info, pictures and video. Man, I want one.





"Audiopad is a composition and performance instrument for electronic music which tracks the positions of objects on a tabletop surface and converts their motion into music. One can pull sounds from a giant set of samples, juxtapose archived recordings against warm synthetic melodies, cut between drum loops to create new beats, and apply digital processing all at the same time on the same table. Audiopad not only allows for spontaneous reinterpretation of musical compositions, but also creates a visual and tactile dialogue between itself, the performer, and the audience."

Polishing Scratched Keys

In via AH. Ever think about cleaning up those scratched keys? I have. Someon on AH asked and the following came up. One of these days, I'm definitely going to have to give this a try.

"In the plastic shops you will find a product called Novus. It comes in
grades 1,2,&3, with 3 being coarse and 1 being fine. It is for polishing
and or removing scratched in plastics like plexiglass display cases. You
might try a 2 grade. Its sold in small bottles. Any sandpaper would be
likely to scratch things and open up the sealed plastic finish, so I'd go
with the novus if you have to. Lorne in Canada We use it in a museum on
display cases but we use glass cleaner for daily fingerprint problems.
Lorne in canada"

Korg Legacy Digital

No *free* upgrade path for current Legacy Wavestation users. More info and demos via title link.

Update: A couple of comments in that the upgrade path will be $99 for current owners. I think the gripe for some will be that there is no option to just update the Wavestation free of charge.



"Introducing the KORG Legacy Collection – DIGITAL EDITION; stunning software versions of two Korg digital synthesis masterpieces – the M1 and WAVESTATION – plus the MDE-X multi-effect plug-in."

Jomox M-Resonator Filter Box

Via Music Thing.



"The M-Resonator has a true differential envelope follower and 2 Filters that can be fed back in every way. The filter distorts smoothly...Audio samples come very soon."

YMO

Two great YMO performances from the early 80s. Analog synth heaven.

YMO Technopolis Live


YMO Day Tripper Live


Update (reworded and prompted from the comments below, thanks CM!):
I heard about YMO in the 80s, but never followed up until recently. They were somewhat known. However, the guy in the yellow suit playing the majority of leads and getting a fair amount of camera action is Ryuichi Sakamoto. Do a search for him and you will find a LOT of stuff he has done including the soundtrack to The Last Emperor. He worked with David Sylvian of Japan fame, Iggy Pop, Thomas Dolby, David Byrne (whom he co wrote the score for The Last Emperor), Bootsy Collins, and Tony Williams. He is an artist's artist, so to speak. He has an amazing body of work. See http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-262586-bio--Ryuichi-Sakamoto for more.

Another bio: http://www.sonyclassical.com/artists/sakamoto/adbio.html
Official Ryuichi Sakamoto Website: http://www.sitesakamoto.com/
Wikipedia on Ryuichi Sakamoto: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryuichi_Sakamoto
Wikipedia on YMO: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YMO

Update (via comments. Thanks Ron!):
"I've been a fan of YMO for some time now. If you want to see what the other two are up to (Yukihiro Takahashi and Haruomi Hosono), do a search for band called Sketch Show. The are on Mr. Hosono's label, Daisyworld. The have 3-4 disks out, and a DVD of a live performance. Excellent stuff -- highly recommended."

Electronic Sound Maker CD

Click through for more including downloadable samples of the Ensoniq Mirage, Yamaha TX816, and PPG Wave.



"Electronic Soundmaker and Computer Music was a magazine published in the UK between 1982 and 1985 to compete with Electronics and Music Maker (E&MM). The magazine features bands of the time, the gear of the time and readers’ musical efforts.

From October 1984 to September 1985 it also came with a C60 cassette"