Plan B at NAMM - Update

follow-up to this post. More detail via Peter Grenader, the man behind Plan B, on the Plan B mailing list.

"Both Plan B and Buchla will be at the Noisebug booth 6108 which is on the main hall this year in the vicinity of Moog and Motu.

Sometime this week I will be posting further details on what we'll be showing on the Plan B Analog Blog (go to www.ear-group.net to sign up. On the module end will be the models 21C Mini Milton VC Sequencer, the Model 32 Vector Plotter and the M30 and 30A - two components of the mighty Triple Digital VCO Subsystem. There are four other products being introduced which are part of the big move into cases and systems.: The he Ringer, a single row rack frame offering a low-cost solution to a previously expensive expansion requirement, and the Model Zero, which is the same three row Zero Halibuton case used by NIN with some significant improvements, including power saving modes, top/bottom strip modules and the option of expanding to six rows. A photo has been posted in the PB Analog Blog.

The Performance System, which has it's own case not unlike the Doepfer portable although two rows of 102 HP and eight inches deep is our fist venture into the systems arena and will also be on display and operational.

To support the Ringer, the Zero and the PS we're introducing an external power system which utilizes two high-grade second party switching supplies as it's engine. The supplies are audio grade and protected to the point that key'd power connectors on the bus will not be required...the PSU will shut itself off instantly if a module is installed incorrectly.

Along with Noisebug's, Plan B goods will be on display at a couple of other booths as well - keep a sharp eye out!

Again, when my schedule allows I will be posting more details on all this, including photos to the PBAB. Please grant me patience with this and in getting back with anyone who may need to contact me as I'm deep into Namm hell at present and time away to post is minimal.

Thanks again and I look forward to seeing you all at the show!

- Peter Grenader"

Update: see the comments of this post for some notes from Peter.

Ondes Martenot Ring Controller Project

YouTube via happymoogman
"I'm building a Ring Controller, in the style of a vintage Ondes Martenot, to control my modular synthesizer. Here is the first video, showing my progress, so far.
I'm controlling a synthesizers.com Q125 Signal Processor, which in turn, is controlling an oscillator on the big synth.
This is a work in progress, and I'm continuing to complete this instrument.
Another video will follow this one, when it is completed."

Analog Computer Bouncing Ball

YouTube via EA78751
"In this video I'm demonstrating an analog computer that models a bouncing ball, with control voltage and trigger outputs that could be interesting with synthesizers, sequencers, etc.

I designed the circuit as an excercise in understanding analog computer techniques. I found that almost all textbook descriptions of analog integrators are incomplete, lacking adequate description of how to set the initial conditions of the integrator and reset it at the end of each computation.

An obvious application of this particular circuit is to generate nonlinear rhythms for electronic music... check out Aphex Twin's track "Bucephalus Bouncing Ball" for a good example of this effect.

more info:
http://ericarcher.net/devices/analog-...

Many thanks to Matthew Thies for filming and editing this video.

-Eric Archer
2009"

ollup

YouTube via cray56. follow-up to this post. "buchla n delay"

Touchram controller

flickr by rylos51

full size

"Touch control panel for music synthesizer being used with a Yamaha DX7. Real-time dynamic control makes all the difference in the world."

See this post for more info on the Touchram.

Esben Schack and Wetterberg, freestyle in Studio

YouTube via machinate
"a live looping session with Esben Schack, recorded some time in early '08, I think?

no pre-recorded material, no nothing. Just voice and effects. Lemur + Live 7 working overtime."

circuit bent yamaha PSR-11 and Danelectro fab echo

YouTube via 3rdness. Synth lobotomy.
"Instead of adding connections where they shouldn't be, this kind of bend cuts the connections between the FM chip and the main processing chip.

By withholding data transfer between the chips, you can mix-up the sounds and preset rhythms and make them do some pretty messed up junk.

The D-LAY is a modded Danelectro Fab Echo. The chip they use has much greater function than they let you access. If you circumvent their hindrances, you can get a really cool, fully functional delay for under $20.

http://www.mobiusband.com/blog
http://www.myspace.com/3rdness"

Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 on Ebay

YouTube via higleyvideos
I'm not seeing it listed yet. Here's a search on Prophet-10: link in case my Ebay feed on the right doesn't pick it up.

musical synth R&D

YouTube via nathanielscott
"The first device is an Optical Theremin, and is a Forrest Mims design. The second device is a bent design of Mim's. The last third of the video shows a 10 step sequencer which is where I will be spending more time trying to develop it into a viable performance device.

I have been toying with the idea of building a modular synthesizer. I was fortunate enough to have had access to a minimoog for a year and I am a huge fan of that design but would like a system that is more modular.

I have started by building some very basic ocillators and sequencers, as you can see. I am using Radio Shack Electronic Project Kit 150 in 1, and the Radio Shack Electronic Learning Lab to learn the the basics. So far so good."

Siel Expander 80 Resource Site

"This page is dedicated to the Siel Expander 80 synth module, which seems to constantly be slated for being an inadequate copy of the Korg EX800. This web page is a complete resource for the Siel Expander 80, showing that if time is given to understand it, and accepting it's limitations, then a very capable synth will become apparrent."