Robert Henke Workshop and Monodeck Explanation

This one was sent my way via Hielo Patagonia Sounds where you can find some info in French (Googlish). The video was filmed by Tom Cosm. Before you hit play, be warned that this is a long one at roughly one hour and thirty five minutes, but it is interesting. It starts with Ableton's spectrum analyzer and the Operator FM synth followed by the Monodeck II. If you are pressed for time, you can forward to 19:55 to see the Monodeck II shortly followed by it's use. In short the Monodeck was created by Robert Henke to control Ableton. You might remember it from these previous posts. Directly below is a shorter video of the original Monodeck prototype.

Ableton Artist: Monolake on Monodeck

YouTube via AbletonInc

QWERTY Keyboard analog synth

YouTube via elvisjer
"A home-made synthesizer based off of an old function generator and a standard qwerty board. Three wave types--sin, square, sawtooth--and HI+LO outputs. It connects to the keyboard with a stereo 1/4" cable (TRS) so new controllers can be made."

Moog Synth: Advanced Sequencer

YouTube via DoKashiteru. You might remember him from these videos.
"Visit our website to see more stuff: http://do.k.music.googlepages.com"
Little Einsteins.

moodula

YouTube via junkyyykkk
"It's a performance with my machines ... Vostok (analoguesolutions.com), a qsp 44 (synthesizers.com), a portable doepfer a-100 (doepfer.de), bombass2 (acidlab.de) everything is sequenced with reaktor5 (nativeinstruments) and massive for drums!"

MooCowMusic Drummer

YouTube via HirnW
"The iPhone Drum Pad. Played by the iBand's drummer.
For iPhone and iTouch.
www.moocowmusic.com
www.iband.at
To hack an iPhone might void your warranty!"

BTW, the iPhone SDK is coming in March. :) I can't wait to see what comes out of that. For those not familiar with the term SDK, it stands for Software Development Kit. Apple will be opening up the iPhone to 3rd party developers, so music applications and soft synths are shure to come and you will not have to void your warranty. What I am curious about is if there will be restrictions in what and how you can load apps to your iPhone as poorly written code could result in major support issues/costs for Apple.

Moog Little Phatty Tribute into Fulltone Tube Tape Echo TTE

YouTube via bigcitymusic
"Duron is playing our Moog Little Phatty Tribute Edition synthesizer through the Fulltone Tube Tape Echo (TTE)."

Moog voyager solo jam time

YouTube via filtersweeperVCO
"Here's me, Jay Bos noodling on the ol' moog voyager. I'm using the F7 preset title 'T wolf guitar'"

Cynthia Zeroscillator in Synthesizers.com Format

via this auction
"Here is some info from cyndustries.com: Dr. John Chowning first described FM Synthesis technique in 1967. Since that time, no analog quadrature oscillator with through-zero capability and dynamic linear FM control has been commercially available... until now! Cyndustries is proud to announce a major breakthrough in analog VCO design, the amazing Zeroscillator. Liquid Smooth Analog Design The Zeroscillator is a full-featured electronic- music- quality analog VCO capable of linear frequency modulation through zero hertz and into negative frequencies. This makes it capable of the FM Synthesis stuff, wild and crazy sounds simply not available from traditional VCOs, and timbres not available from digital FM synthesizers. Of course, Zeroscillators also make insane LFOs! Traditional FM Synthesis oscillator implementations, such as the DX-7, are sine wave only. The Zeroscillator also makes available sawtooth, reverse saw, triangle, pulse (with PWM), and a special set of four quadrature outputs capable of unique bi-phase wave morphing, (more on that later). Look Ma'... No Aliasing! FM sounds take on their vibrant life when the amount of modulation is varied dynamically. In the analog world, this requires a special VCA to regulate the depth of frequency modulation, (often called the "modulation index"). Since this is required almost universally for Linear FM patches, the Zeroscillator has this VCA built-in. We decided however, to take this feature one extra step beyond and provide you with a four-quadrant multiplier instead of a traditional two-quadrant VCA to expand your modulation possibilities into the unexplored. The output of this multiplier is available at the panel, so you get a free ring-mod function and an interesting pick-off point for self-modulation patches called Mod Out. In addition to it's precision 10-turn tuning knob, the Zeroscillator has 1V/octave plus attenuated exponential inputs and can behave just like the VCOs you're used to. You are not forced into any specific modality and are free to use all or any subset of its 7 different modulations: 1-Exponential FM 2-Linear Through-Zero FM 3-Linear FM Dynamic Depth Modulation 4-Bi-Phasic Waveform Morphing in Quadrature 5-Pulse Width Modulation 6-Variable Sync (from none to hard synch) 7-Time Reversal The through-zero capability may be switched off which bars the oscillator from reaching into the negative frequency netherworld. If the linear modulation goes negative, the oscillator simply stops, restarting when the modulation returns to positive territory. This results in another class of sounds and is also very interesting and rhythmic when used at LFO rates. Now back to the Quadrature Outputs with Bi-phase Wave Morphing. These four outputs present the oscillator waveform at four different relative phases separated by 90 degrees (0, 90, 180, 270). If the 0 and 90 degree outputs are presented to the left and right speakers respectively, a definite stereo spread effect is obtained, and when the oscillator beats with its modulator, harmonic characteristics shift back and forth across the stereo image. This effect is unique to the Zeroscillator. Quadrature Waveform Voltage Controlled Wave Morphing in Four Phase Quadrature At LFO rates, the quadrature outputs can be used to control quad panning or create circular illusions. Remember, when the Zeroscillator is heavily FM'ed, the waveforms fold back on themselves and create patterns that look nothing like the waveforms on the label. This ain't your Daddy's oscillator! You can also morph the waveform coming from the quadrature outputs from triangle to sine to square! The 0, 180 pair and the 90, 270 pair have separate morphers which can move in tandem or opposition to each other. The morph is not simply a waveform crossfade, but a true morph which creates all the in-between waveforms in its travel and it can even be modulated at full audio rates! The morph is also constant-power which means the perceived loudness does not change as the harmonic content is being radically altered. With the morph feature, youll find yourself not needing a filter in a great many patches. We even threw in the kitchen, (Sync that is)... The Zeroscillator has Variable Synchronization from, "no sync at all... "to Totally Hard Sync". You just dial-in the right amount for your particular patch, (for classic FM type synthesis, you'll be glad you have this control on a dedicated knob). Finally, there is the mysterious "Time Reversal" Input, (which is actually what occurs when the oscillator passes into negative frequencies). Your external signal here forces the waveform to reverse its direction of travel as seen on an oscilloscope. The resulting effect is most similar to hard sync, but a completely separate circuit, and they both may be used together. Traditionally, a VCO was something that gave you a tone, a starting place from which you built your sound with other modules. The Zeroscillator however, is practically a synthesizer unto itself."

Hammond Condor GSM

images via this auction

"This is the Condor synthesizer made by Hammond in the early 70's. It has slider controls for vibrato. Intensity and rate, treble, bass sensitivity, tone and volume. It also has organ type switches for repeat, attack ,tremolo/ vibrato, sub-octave, dynamute, fuzz, oboe, sitar, natural amplify, sopano sax, tuba, oboe, english horn, cello, clarinet and a few others. There is an e tuner control, a switch for mono and stereo and a silver bar, push all controls return to normal! There are also some adjustments on the bottom of the synth."

This model was used by Jimi Hendrix and Kraftwerk according to the auction.

Jacques Singing Geisha

images via this auction

"rare Jacques Singing Geisha Synth Siren Wah. Only 150 of these were ever produced and distributed. This is an unusual multi-effect pedal that can be used as either a straight wah, or with a combination of great effects. The pedal actually contains a synth chip that incorporates wacked-out sci-fi madness. It also features a " Sing " feature, which to me sounds similar to the siren effects of some 1970's era pedals. This device works on either a 9volt battery, or can also be powered with a Boss Type connector for powered pedalboards."