Sonic State Reviews Novation ReMOTE SL

Title link takes you there.

Serge Music CD - Serge Modular Music: Now

Also via AH. There are streamable tracks. Title link takes you there. Enjoy. : )



"In 1983 Serge Modular Music Systems produced a demo cassette featuring many talented musicians playing the Serge Synthesizer. Recently a few Serge fans got together and thought, wouldn't it be cool if we did another Serge compilation and released it on CD! This is the result. Ten people from Europe, Asia, and America contributed to this fun-packed CD."

Serge Music Tape, 1983

In via AH. Title link takes you there. Enjoy. : )

"In 1983 the Serge Modular company produced a demo cassette featuring many artists using the Serge Modular synthesizer. I'm posting this music here as a public/historical service. Each track is a few megs, the whole tape is 100Mb."

Technosaurus on Retro thing

Trip. Retro thing has a post up on the Swiss made Technosaurus. Title link takes you there.

Analog Data Synth

Via GetLoFi. Currently on the *bay.



Details via the auction saved for posterity:

Here we have a multi-oscillating/multi-LFO desktop synth. The data synth is capable of producing classic moog/jupiter/tb-303 type sounds.Pulsating squeals, sub-harmonic drones,anti-rhythmic beats,nasty acid lines and whole bunch more bundled in a neat little package.A total of 10 knobs to fondle.

1. Frequency knob

2. Frequency knob 2

3. Frequency knob 3 with on/off switch

4. LFO rate knob

5. Frequency cutoff filter.

6. Volume knob.

7. Ring Mod Frequency knob with on/off switch

8. Ring mod Volume knob

9. Extra LFO with Speed and depth control. This mod can create a off beat rhythm.

10.1/4" mono output jack, hooks right into your amp or mixer

11. DC jack. That's right no battery needed for this unit. Accepts standard 9vdc Boss style adapter. Sorry not included.

12. Blue power LED

13. Master on/off switch

samples are here

http://www.geocities.com/teststrikego/synth.html?200528

Unit has been made using all high quality brand new parts, and will function for years under normal conditions. I've housed the unit in what use to be a data switch box. The connections to the data terminals are no longer active, the terminals just adds to the aesthetics of the unit.

Theremin World and Spellbound iPod Nano

Trip. Theremin World and Spellbound are having a contest for a 2G iPod Nano filled with Theremin music. Title link takes you there. Groovy pumpkin logo, btw.

Zork.... I mean Quoth

Title link takes you there. I ain't gonna ruin it for you. Start with the demo and then click on huh? I think I'm still in a state of huh? but it was worth it. I will definitely need to check it out more.

Site Update

Well, I am officially done! What a crazy two days that was. All 594 posts on the old blog have been migrated over, links have been updated, and I've set up redirects from my old site to here. Now I can focus on what I like to do, browse the net on synth stuff and post it.

I want to thank Peter Kirn of Create Digital Music and Tom Whitwell of Music Thing. They both contacted me offline and offered their help. Thanks guys. It really made a difference.

Now, back to blogging! : )

Oh, and a plug for Blogger/Blogspot.com. So far it rules! Super easy to use and more importantly, I feel much safer knowing it can handle the load. I was back up in about an hour and fully up in two days. It literally saved my blogged. Cheers.

Mind the Puppet - New Flickr Shots

Bdu has some new pictures up on Flickr. Title link takes you there. Enjoy.

Stolen gear: Jim O'Rourkes Synthi AKS

In via AH. Spaces in email and @ to AT intential to prevent spam bots from picking it up. Make sure to correct that if you send email.

"Jim O'Rourke's EMS AKS Synthi was stolen last week in Gothenburg, Sweden.

"Please contact joachim AT idealrecordings.com if you have ANY information or
you can leave the synth at Nefertiti Jazz Club. No questions asked."

http://www.idealrecordings.com/01.php

So please be cautious if offered a Synthi from Sweden.
I am sorry i don't have any more info than this.

Johan"

Yamaha Analog Delay

Another one via Craigslist Seattle. Never saw one of these before.

Synergy for sale - Craigslist Seattle

Title link takes you there. You don't see these for sale too often. I once played one at a local music shop. It's all digital, but it had a certain organic quality to it. It sounded beuatiful for what is was.



From the post:
"Digital Keyboards came out with this instrument called the Synergy. The Synergy is a push-button machine and it doesn't offer any programming like the GDS, but it has some interesting aspects to it. One is that it has a sequencer. It was the first keyboard that had a sequencer anything like this. The sequencer allows you to overdub and play on top of the sequence. It is real easy to use. The Synergy provides the ability to be able to control multiple sounds [up to four] simultaneously from the keyboard - also a first. You can do that with some analog synths, but you wouldn't actually know which key was going to play what sound, and have absolute control over that kind of thing, with the synergy. It can track your hands up and down the keyboard. You can get six floating split zones, and there are all kinds of different modes for assigning sounds to keys. There are various other features of the synergy that make it a useable peice of music history "

Wiseguysynth

This is a tough post to write. I posted on Larry Hendry's passing just yesterday. Someone posted a link to this page on what Larry did for his day job. I hadn't been to his site before. I back tracked to an amazing site rich with modular synth content. It's an odd feeling having missed his site for so many years only to discover it with his loss. It also makes me wonder what will happen to his site now that he is gone. I hope it lives on as a tribute to his love for synths.

MOTM 300 VCO

Aemit Modular

In via AH. Title link takes you to more including full specs and a few more shots.

Carbon111's DSI Evolver Resource Site is up!

Includes samples, the definitive guide to the Evolver, wallpaper, and... WAVETABLE CHARTS!!! Wow. Carbon111 has been busy. Click through title link for more.

Site Issues

Update: And I am officially done!!! Thanks for hanging in there with me.

Update: Actually it looks like I can save the static links!

Update: Well it looks like all my external link redirects are bust. I can either redirect unique posts to one given post or to the default site and hope people find the article. I opted for the default site obviously. Cie la vie. Sorry all.

Udate: All posts have been moved over to matrixsynth.blogspot.com. This will be the blog's permanent new home. I need to scrub links back to previous posts as they will need to be updated to the new blogspot links. I also need to take a look at the comments, but I have a feeling they are gone. Unless I want to open myself up to spam (I received 28 spam comments on my last post in a matter of minutes), I'm going to keep the text verification up. Feel free to add new comments.

Update: I'm getting there. I'm litterally moving all posts over. I've gotten a couple of emails offering help and asking for thier synth crack. : ) Thanks for that, made my day. I promise more will come soon enough. I just want to get everything over first just in case. Thanks all.

Update: If you've been back a couple of times you will notice that this site is changing format and content. Pleae bear with me or enjoy the rebuilding process. : ) You can watch this evolve over time.

I had site issues with my previous hosting provider. I am temporarily moving the blog here and will decide whether I want to keep it here or move it back. Posts coming shortly. And of course the content will need to be built back up if I decide to stay here.

Baldwin Syntha-Sound and Tempo-Matic

Ran into these on a post on Vintage Synth Explorer. I never knew these existed. Title link takes you to Audio Playgrounds Synthesizer Museum page on Baldwin. Click through to get a bigger shot of each. Oddly you have to click on the Syntha-Sound picture on the first page to get to the Tempo-Matic picture.

I found the following in the AH archives regarding the Syntha-Sound:

"Interesting box, but not what I recall as a terribly remarkable sound.
Three sections: a variable synth department, some preset synth tones
(trumpet, trombone, sax, cello) and a monophonic organ section comprising
flutes at 16', 8', 4', 2-2/3' and 1-1/3'. I think they can all be used at
once, but they were all monophonic.

Some controls on sliders, a lot of mode selection controls on pushbuttons,
like the VCO octaves, waveforms and 'mode' controls, which essentially set
you up with preset envelopes. The filter, as I recall was a multimode and
had at least low-pass and bandpass modes.

hmmm, what else? Built-in spring reverb, built in amplifier, *and* a speaker
on the side of the unit. There are a couple of push bars right above the
keys- one of them shut off the LFO momentarily, if I recall. Three octave
square-front keyboard, more wood than most synths (in fact, essentially all
wood except for the keys and front panel, don't remember what the bottom is
made of). I think there's an external input, but I don't know whether it can
be routed through the filter/VCA or not.

Different architecture, and an interesting concept. I don't remember being
blown away by any particular characteristic of the sound though...

Frank"

There is also a little piece on the Syntha-Sound in this article.

I haven't found anything on the Tempo-Matic.

Enjoy - Casio MT-100 Diddy

Wow. I was reading this post on Sonic State's the gas station, and I went to go check out the track, Mayhem Without the "H." It's good and definitely worth a listen. While there I decided to check out the Casio MT-100 track. I mean what can you make with a measley Casio MT-100. I've heard it's the musician and not the instrument a hundred times, but come on... a Casio MT-100? Well... Just check it out. Pretty cool little tune.



This is the best shot Google came up with for Casio MT-100, so I guess it will have to do.
Somehow it fits. Dance little kitty, dance!

Yamaha DX7ii D - New Flickr Shot

Yamaha DX7ii D. If I were to get a DX7, this would be the model. Real clicky buttons instead of those membrane ones. For years I thought of the DX7 as the nemesis to my Oberheim Matrix-6. I used to have my-synth-is-bigger-than-yours arguments with a good friend of mine who opted for the DX7, while I went with the Matrix-6. I have grown out of my synth prejudices and now respect all synths including the mighty DX-7. Instead, I now blame the manufacturers for moving away from analog for so long. But still. The Matrix-6 is better! : )

Kurzweil VA1 Resurrected?

I posted earlier on the Kurzweil VA1. Well rumor on Sonic State's the gas station has it that the real reason the VA1 dissapeared was due to red tape around patents, which have now been lifted, and... VA1 development has been ressurected. Urban Legend or truth? Who knows, but my fingers are crossed. : )

Yunost-21 on the *bay

Saw this one on Music Thing. Russion Yunost-21 keytar synth up on the *bay. Title link takes you to the auction shots saved for posterity. And yep, it definitely looks and sounds like a Juno-106 clone based on the name. Check out this post I put up a bit ago on Russion synths for two great sites with samples.

RIP Larry and Anne Hendry

I didn't know Larry personally. You will hear when the big names like Bob Moog leave us, but rarely will you hear about those that love synthesis and make it their hobby. Although I never had the fortune to meet Larry, many on AH have and they all have kind words to say about the man. This is a synth blog. It's about the instruments, the music and more importantly, the people. My condolences go out to those hurt by this sad news. RIP Larry, you made a lot of lives better out there.

Larry and his MOTM


More shots of Larry at the yearly AHMW

Should I open the site to other posters?

I've been thinking about opening up this blog to other posters. That would mean you and others could create an account, login and start posting your own content. You would be limitted to just posting and editing your own posts. The rule is that it has to be about synths. If anyone abuses the site, they would be banned from posting again. Let me know if you think this is a good idea or not via the comments link below. Currently I am the only one posting. If I do open this up then I lose this site being my personal blog, but if I do open it up, Matrixsynth would have the potential of becoming something bigger. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
matrix

EML 400 Modular on the *bay - Are dealer markups worth it?

You don't see these come up to often. Minimi123, aka synthland123, has this EML 400 and a ton of other gear up for sale again on the *bay. Some complain that dealer prices on vintage gear are marked up. Are they worth it? I say a big fat YES. Well, of course it depends on the markup, but I personally think it's worth it knowing that you will get a quality piece of gear.

My story: I once picked up a Prophet 5 in "the best condition ever!" from the *bay. Turned out it looked nice but had some serious problems with it. I wasted a couple of months sending it to a tech recommended by the seller (who said he'd pay for it). The seller dragged me along just enough to get past the feedback limit of three months (I was unknowing and naive having never dealt with a bad experience on the *bay and him being local to me). Well, he disappeared and I got my synth back from the tech unrepaired. I ended up sending it to Wine Country Sequential. After a few hundred dollars of repairs there was still work to be done and it was in such bad shape that they did not know how much more work was needed. We needed to try things one step at a time, each one paid up front. I ended up deciding to recouperate some of my losses by trading it in for one of thier Perfect Prophets before I sunk too much into the bad one, and I have never been happier. So, unless I can fully test a used piece of gear before I buy, I won't bother. But... I do trust dealers and if I can't test it out, I'll gladly pay the mark up to be sure I get what I pay for. In my experience it is more than worth it. Why do I trust vintage dealers? Because they have too much on the line to screw you over.

Synth Color Schemes & Custom MacBeth M5

Interesting post on Vintage Synth Explorer regarding synth color schemes. Some pictures of the usuals and then this...

Tim Love Lee's custom MacBeth M5. Wow.

Altres: An Evening of Space Music - Scotland

Via Electro-Music.com. Title link takes you to post. Looks interesting.



"ALTRES are presenting an "Evening of Space Music" on the balcony of the Mills Observatory, Balgay Park Dundee [map] on Thursday 13th October 2005 (weather permitting - if it's raining we're not doing it!).

We'll be playing two sets of mostly improvised music between 7.30 and 10pm. Come along - it's free!"

I made Music Thing!

Sweet shot of me in via Music Thing (guys I'm a Chimp, not an Ape!) They know that. : ) I'll be a chimp and post this. Title link takes you there.



BTW this has become my background wallpaper. If anyone asks I'll tell them, "Ever hear of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hide? Well, that's actually me after a few minutes under the influence of a modular.

PS: And no I didn't take that shot. Click through title link for who did.

Korg MicroKorg - New Flickr Shot

Two beers, a smoke and a MicroKorg. Nice. : )

Roland History - Sound on Sound Article

Click here for a Sound on Sound article on Roland's history. This came up on the AH thread discussing the SH-3 vs SH-3A. I didn't realise the SH-3 was originally sold under the Ace Tone label.

"Then there was Japan's first synthesizer, the SH1000 (see the box on the previous page) and its more powerful sibling, the SH3, which appeared as both the Roland SH3 and the Ace Tone SH3, and remains highly sought-after to this day."

"Not everything was plain sailing, and it appears that Kakehashi infringed one of Bob Moog's filter patents when he designed the SH3. So a new version appeared in 1974. Externally, the SH3A was almost identical to the SH3, but it sported a new VCF and VCA, and it was this model that Vangelis and a handful of other famous keyboard players adopted in the mid-1970s."

2A03 Synthesizer - NES Virtual Synth

In via Tom McClintock. Interesting. Title link takes you to a site hosting the virtual 2A03 Synth. The 2A03 was the synth chip used in the Nintendo NES.



"For those of you familiar with the 8-bit music scene, the 2A03 was the integrated circuit at the heart of the old Nintendo Entertainment System. The 2A03 was a custom IC containing, among other things, a 6502 processor and audio generator circuits. These circuits are what gave the NES it's unique sound."

"It is an 2A03 freed from the limitations of the original hardware. The core 2A03 "sound" howerver is preserved and faithfully reproduced.

At it's core, the 2A03 contains 4 sound generation circuits:

triangle generator
2 square wave generators (each having a slightly different sweep algorithm)
noise generator"

Synhouse MIDIJack DINSynth

via Synhouse

"The Synhouse MIDIJACK DINSYNC is designed specifically for Roland x0x DIN sync machines (also known as sync 24). It receives MIDI start messages, MIDI stop messages, and MIDI timing clocks, allowing you to synchronize those techno classics to your PC or Mac software MIDI sequencer or other hardware MIDI sequencer. It does not receive MIDI notes. A lot of techno musicians believe that there is something about the quirkiness of the drum / bass sequencing on a TR-808 and the programmed accents and slides on a 303 that simply cannot be duplicated on a MIDI sequencer. With the properly installed MIDIJACK DINSYNC on those machines, they can run alongside your MIDI tracks in perfect sync. The MIDIJACK DINSYNC is designed to be compatible with the following machines:

Roland SH-101 *
Roland MC-202 Microcomposer
Roland TB-303 Bassline
Roland TR-606 Drumatix
Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer
Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 *
Roland CompuRhythm CR-8000 *
(It also includes the TR-707, TR-727, and TR-909 but they already have MIDI).

* The MIDIJACK DINSYNC is designed to be compatible with these machines but Synhouse has not yet had the opportunity to do a test installation on them. It may have been tested by someone in the field unknown to Synhouse. "

Buchla Series 200 - New Flickr Shot

Landscape shot of a Buchla 200. Look at that color. Title link takes you to a bigger shot.

Some Korg MS20 Acid

Via Punkdisco.

As promised, here is the MS20 track out of our new song:

http://www.punkdisco.co.uk/misc/audio/MS20_PlayedBy303ViaESP.wma
http://www.punkdisco.co.uk/misc/audio/MS20_PlayedBy303ViaESP.wav

Starts to get quite heavy at 0:36.

Being played using the audio from a 303 into the ESP. Got some reverb and
delay on it (with some overdriving on the analogue delay) - recorded wet so
can't get rid of this.

Can't remember exactly how this was patched (main reason why I love
analogue!) but something is modulating the MS20 filters. Pretty sure we
also took the ESP envolope out and used that somewhere along the route..

Anyway, its from our new track so pls dont pinch it. Gunna be really pissed
off if I suddenly hear this in the latest Dido track or similar..

Paul
London
www.punkdisco.co.uk

B&W MicroKorg - New Flickr Shot

Nice black and white shot of the MicroKorg. Title link takes you to a bigger shot.

OB12 Shot

Thought this was a nice OB12 shot. It's too bad Viscount used the Oberheim name on this synth. It practically ruined any chance the synth had; those were some mighty big "shoes" to fill. The OB12 has one of most beautiful preset pad sounds I've heard.

Rhodes (Arp) Chroma on the bay

Some great picutures of the Chroma. It's one long jpg which is convenient to download, but obviously a pain if you want them separate. Grab it while there.



Link to Auction

Syntho-holic! - New Flickr Shot

Syntho-holic! I like that. : )

1977 Korg MicroPreset

Never saw one of these before. Title link takes you a couple more shots.



Via Craigslist, Vancouver BC
"-small and portable;
-cool "retro" fake-wood chassis;
-very expressive
-warm analog sound;
-sound "matrix" with 30 presets.
This is a little, fun synthesizer! I find it very expressive, and - after a bit of practicing using the Traveler and Modulation Depth sliders, you can get amazingly "felt" usic passages. Of course, being this small, it has many limitations: the attack and sustain knobs won't work with all families of sounds, and so the traveler (filter) effect.

The momentary Portamento-on switch is very useful - so you can add portamento only when you need it (i.e., on a trombone patch, only when you want it to "slide"). The Random Repeat feature is a "random vibrato" effect, but it subtle and chaotic-sounding. This synth can sound very similar to a Theremin, and it can definitely nail down the sound from "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys.

Reportedly this synthesizer was used for the synth line in the '80s hit "Enola Gay" by OMD!"

I got the above off the internet. Really, this is an awesome keyboard that i don't have much use for anymore. If you're into spacey blips and bleeps, or into collecting cool keyboards, this is the one for you. As you can tell by the picture a couple of knobs are missing, but the last time it was played there was nothing wrong with the machine sound wise. "

AES - NeKo Gen2

Via Harmony Central.



"Open Labs today announced at the Audio Engineering Society (AES) conference the release of the first Athlon 64-bit dual-core keyboards, the NeKo64 Gen2, a powerful new version of the NeKo line, and the NeKo LET Gen2. Boasting a 2.0 GHz Athlon dual-core 64-bit processor, the NeKo64 Gen2 maintains the NeKo64's legacy as the most powerful production stations available, by providing the latest generation of advanced processors, while substantially lowering the price. Both models are shipping today; the NeKo64 Gen 2 will list for $5,995 and the NeKo LET Gen 2 will list for $2,295."

AES - Native Instruments

As you all probably know the 119th Audio and Engineering Society convention is on. I've been watching the news trickle in via Harmony Central and other blogs. I'll post synth specific items that catch my eye like the title link that takes you to Native Instruments new offerings. But if you want to get the full scope on other items like audio hardware, monitors, and DAW do check out Harmony Central.

Virus Ti Shots

I told myself I would believe it when I see it. Well, the Virus Ti has shipped. Title link takes you to some shots from one of the first delivered via the Virus Ti forums.

Kraftwerk Gadgets

GetLoFi has a post up on what he beleives are the instruments in the following picture of Kraftwerk. Pretty cool. Title link takes you there.

Howard Jones on Synths

Great video interview on Howard Jones the RL Music site. He talks about Emerson's influence on him and synths in general. Howard definitely loves his synths. : ) His favorite synth? The Roland Jupiter 8.

Synth Secrets - Buying your first Vintage Analogue Synthesizer

Wow, I'm really impressed with what I'm finding on the RL Music site. And no I have no affiliation with them. Remember this blog is just about me sharing stuff I find out there. If I get paid for any of these posts, yeah right, I'll be clear that it's a sponsored post and precede the post with Sponsored Post -. Hmm.... I haven't thought about that. Anyone out there interested? : )

Update: Also check out this First Time Owner's Experience PDF on the RL Music site.

Digisound 80 Modular & RL Music

I was poking around the RL Music site and found this picture of a Digisound 80 Modular for sale. If you are addicted to synths I recommend checking out their site for more. There are tons of high quality synth shots and much more there. Now if I only had a ton of cash to burn... : )

Digisound 80 Modular


Tip: Click on the Title Link, then click on the RL Music logo and then the For Sale button to see some great shots of old analog gear.

Two Amazing Yamaha CS80 Tracks

In via the CS80 User Group. Wow. Title link takes you to RL Music, Europe's largest Vintage Analogue Synthesizer dealer, which hosts these two tracks. Off to puruse their site for more. : )

http://www.rlmusic.co.uk/mals_site/mp3s/cs80Demo.mp3
http://www.rlmusic.co.uk/mals_site/mp3s/cs80_700.mp3

Tracks by Richard Lawson and Kent Spong

This CS80 is listed for sale on RL Music's site.

Another SH-3 Shot & Early Synth Clones

The SH-3 with Moog filter, not the SH-3a. Roland Polyphonic - 505 and Yamaha CS01.

It's interesting, I never knew the original SH-3 had a Moog filter. Now I'm wondering what the SH-1000 had before it. I also wonder how many synths had cloned features from other manufacturers in the early days.

So far I am aware of the following:

- Ionic Performer - clone of the EMS Synthi
- ARP 2600 with Moog Ladder filter clone
- Octave CAT - said to be an Arp Oddyssey clone
- SH3 with Moog Ladder filter clone

I'm sure I've heard of others, but I don't remember. : ) If you know of any, feel free to share and I'll put them up.

Update via the comments:

Almost everything Multivox put out for several years was a complete Roland ripoff. I had the MX-202 string synth for a while, and it was a part-for-part copy...it sounded very good, too.

Image via http://www.ph.k12.in.us/~drew/ahmw/pics/2001/P1010217.gif

Two Roland SH-3's on the *bay

Update: Via this Sound and Sound article.

"Not everything was plain sailing, and it appears that Kakehashi infringed one of Bob Moog's filter patents when he designed the SH3. So a new version appeared in 1974. Externally, the SH3A was almost identical to the SH3, but it sported a new VCF and VCA, and it was this model that Vangelis and a handful of other famous keyboard players adopted in the mid-1970s."

Also, the SH3 was originally released ast the ACE Tone SH3, not the Roland SH3:

"Then there was Japan's first synthesizer, the SH1000 (see the box on the previous page) and its more powerful sibling, the SH3, which appeared as both the Roland SH3 and the Ace Tone SH3, and remains highly sought-after to this day."



Update: In via the comments. Thanks Shoontz!

"The Sh-3 is worth WAY, WAY more. Some have even gone for around $10,000.

The SH-3 was the original model, but it plagiarised Moog's 4-Pole filter design. After a lawsuit it's production was halted, so only a few were ever made, (some say around 100, others say less). It's supposed to sound much nicer than the 3A too. "

Link to auction. Title link takes you to Sonic State's page on the SH-3a. Two things stand out with the SH-3a. One, it was Roland's first programmable, non preset mono synth. It came out in 1974, the year after Roland's first synth, the SH-1000 (see this post for a Roland timeline). And two, it had a form of analog additive synthesis in which you used sliders to adjust stages of the different analog waveforms. Click through title link for more. Thanks goes to Ben Shannon Illustrator who sent this my way.

Two shots pulled form the auction.

Two Buchla Music Easels

Two beautiful Buchla Music Easels and a 208 Stored Programed Sound Source (half the synth of a Music Easel). Title link takes you to a larger shot.

New Depeche Mode Video - Precious (analog synth goodness)

Title link takes you there. Some light analog synth p*rn in the begining including what looks like a shelved rack of synths flying in and out as if on escalators mounted on the walls. Gotta get me one of those. : )

Video re-posted here.