Thursday, June 26, 2008
Rolling with 88 weighted keys, live on bike.
YouTube via rockthebike. You know you want one. I want one that will hold this.
"Paul Freedman of Rock the Bike mounts a seat and instrument rack on a Mundo utility bicycle. Watch as Janaysa performs her song, London Bridges, on the back of the bike on its maiden voyage."
via Synthtopia.
The San Francisco Tape Music Center Images via Pete - Update
This post updated with some notes by Pete.
Club of the Knobs and Synthesizers.com FAQ
YouTube via synthesizerman
"A video showing how the Club of the Knobs power conversion board hooks into the synthesizers.com wire harness."
Pink KORG Polysix
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
images via this auction
Looks like the Pink KORG Polysix in these videos is up for auction.
"Modifications...
Once I had restored the Polysix to working order and wired the retrofit properly (with help from the guys at Kenton) I decided to go a little further...
Case...
The original chipboard base and sides were rather battered. So they were the first things to go, and I replaced them with solid pine sides and a plywood base, covered with multiple layers of varnish.
Next I sanded down and resprayed the control panel pink. Then using Waterslide Decal paper (look it up) I recreated the lettering and artwork, adding extra lettering for the Kenton interface, and transferred it to the control panel before applying some layers of clear acrylic laquer.
LEDs...
Then I replaced the original LEDs with bright blue ones and also added blue LEDs to the pitch bend and modulation wheels. Inside the Polysix on the voice circuit board are six small LEDs that indicate which of the six oscillators are in use at the time. I also added this to the front panel.
Modulating the VCFs with the VCOs...
It is a feature on some of the more expensive synthesisers, that you can modulate the cutoff of the filters with the voice oscillators (as well as the LFO.) I have added a switch for each voice to enable the Polysix to do this. It is quite a hard effect to describe (see the first video for a demo.) It can be applyed to any number of the six voices, which makes it quite effective when using the arpeggio and unison modes. In short this Polysix is now capable of making sounds that no other Polysix is able to! I believe that this is the first time this mod has been done.
ExtendaBend!..
I have also added a switch to extend the range of the pitch bender. This is best used for effects as when the bend range is set to full and the switch is active, the tuning will be slightly unstable.
Finishing touches...
I have also added an IEC socket to the back,instead of the mains cable, and replaced all the knobs with rubberised soft-touch knobs. The panel screws are now all shiny steel.
Please note that the although fairly hard wearing, the paint on the control panel is not as durable as the original, so care must be taken when transporting or moving this keyboard.
Kenton MIDI retrofit...
The Kenton retrofit has sockets for MIDI In, Out and Thru.
It can control the Polysix's Notes, Program change, Pitch bend, Modulation, Filter cut off and Note Volume (Filter cutoff and note volume are monophonic and use last-note priority. You can also transpose. It would also cost you a small fortune to fit one of these into a Polysix (see Kenton website for prices.)
Here is a direct link to the Polysix Kenton retrofit instuction manual..."
images via this auction
Looks like the Pink KORG Polysix in these videos is up for auction."Modifications...
Once I had restored the Polysix to working order and wired the retrofit properly (with help from the guys at Kenton) I decided to go a little further...
Case...
The original chipboard base and sides were rather battered. So they were the first things to go, and I replaced them with solid pine sides and a plywood base, covered with multiple layers of varnish.
Next I sanded down and resprayed the control panel pink. Then using Waterslide Decal paper (look it up) I recreated the lettering and artwork, adding extra lettering for the Kenton interface, and transferred it to the control panel before applying some layers of clear acrylic laquer.
LEDs...
Then I replaced the original LEDs with bright blue ones and also added blue LEDs to the pitch bend and modulation wheels. Inside the Polysix on the voice circuit board are six small LEDs that indicate which of the six oscillators are in use at the time. I also added this to the front panel.
Modulating the VCFs with the VCOs...
It is a feature on some of the more expensive synthesisers, that you can modulate the cutoff of the filters with the voice oscillators (as well as the LFO.) I have added a switch for each voice to enable the Polysix to do this. It is quite a hard effect to describe (see the first video for a demo.) It can be applyed to any number of the six voices, which makes it quite effective when using the arpeggio and unison modes. In short this Polysix is now capable of making sounds that no other Polysix is able to! I believe that this is the first time this mod has been done.
ExtendaBend!..
I have also added a switch to extend the range of the pitch bender. This is best used for effects as when the bend range is set to full and the switch is active, the tuning will be slightly unstable.
Finishing touches...
I have also added an IEC socket to the back,instead of the mains cable, and replaced all the knobs with rubberised soft-touch knobs. The panel screws are now all shiny steel.
Please note that the although fairly hard wearing, the paint on the control panel is not as durable as the original, so care must be taken when transporting or moving this keyboard.
Kenton MIDI retrofit...
The Kenton retrofit has sockets for MIDI In, Out and Thru.
It can control the Polysix's Notes, Program change, Pitch bend, Modulation, Filter cut off and Note Volume (Filter cutoff and note volume are monophonic and use last-note priority. You can also transpose. It would also cost you a small fortune to fit one of these into a Polysix (see Kenton website for prices.)
Here is a direct link to the Polysix Kenton retrofit instuction manual..."
PAIA PROTEUS 1
via this auction
"MONOPHONIC SYNTH -2 VCO.-ADSR-VCF-LFO-GLIDE-PITCH-VOL.16 PRESETS PROGRAMMABLE- PATCH BAY- LOW-LINE OUTPUTS-RS-323 COMPUTER PORT-ANALOG WITH DIGITAL INTERFACE-THE KEYBOARD"
PAiA Gnome on MATRIXSYNTH-B
ESTRADIN-230
images via this auction"Altair-231. It was made in USSR at Zhitomir factory "Estradin" in 1983. A monophonic synthesizer Estradin - 230 (plant "Elektroizmeritel" of Zhitomir) contains 4 main sources of sound - 3 tone generators and the source of noise. Such external sources as electroguitar and electroorgan can be connected to the instrument. The filter of lower frequencies is intended for changing harmonic compound of signals of audible frequency in self-excitation condition. This filter can be used as fifth source of sound. There is a possibility to control attack, release and sustain. One use such an interesting effect as sliding transition from one sound to another. There is a memory device in the synthesizer that saves sounding of tone as soon release time. There are some other devices in the instrument such as glissando, modulation mixer and filter controlled from the keyboard. Frequency range is from 1 to 20000 Hz One can use an internal generator "A" for tuning (440 Hz)
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MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
© Matrixsynth - All posts are presented here for informative, historical and educative purposes as applicable within fair use.
MATRIXSYNTH is supported by affiliate links that use cookies to track clickthroughs and sales. See the privacy policy for details.
MATRIXSYNTH - EVERYTHING SYNTH
