MATRIXSYNTH

A book of images of textures including synths. I saw a few pages of Carbon111's Texture and it's actually a very interesting concept. When you see images of textures, both nature and man made, you tend to pause, reflect and take the image in. When walking through the book, your reference point becomes that of viewing and appreciating textures. When you come across an image of a synth you can't help but look at it from that perspective. You see the physical textures of the synth much like you see the physical textures in nature. You then make the obvious connection that not only do these devices communicate physical textures, but the texture of sound. You can find more info on the book here on Carbon111's blog.

Casio DZ 1 MIDI Drum Translator Pad Machine

via this auction

"Be minded that this unit does not produce any sounds.
The idea is such:
1. Get some trigger pads or anything that produces an audio click.
2. The unit turns trigger input into a velocity responsive MIDI note!

This is almost too cool to be true.
Get a series of metronomes together and create weird and random sequences.
Plug your old-school drum triggers into it!
Get creative!
Assign any channel to produce any MIDI note!
Create four different programs to the unit's memory.
Stay creative!"

Update via scotty in the comments: "when used with the casio rz-1 (as a trigger) you can have total control over the sequences, since the rz-1 has separate outputs for each drum. this means you only have to plug one thing into the dz-1 to get a ton of cool sequences. not to mention it looks like it could be the rz-1's baby brother "

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Admin: Update on Ebay Feeds

The Ebay link on the top menu of this site and on the right filter out a bunch of stuff such as CDs, synthetic hair (yum), and the like. I created them to make parsing Ebay easier and faster for me. Recently I noticed a few items going up from the same seller with images from other auctions. I decided to remove that seller from the search feed. I'm not going to go so far as to state that the items listed were a scam, but they were definitely from well known sellers. Be careful out there. That said, if you notice obvious scams on Ebay, feel free to send them in, but please be sure to call out exactly why you think it is a scam. I will review it and if I also find it suspect I'll go ahead and remove the seller from the link. Once they are removed they will no longer show up on the Ebay feeds here. Hopefully in time we'll have a much cleaner, safer Ebay feed. BTW, if you are a seller and would prefer you not show up on the search let me know. Note I will require you contact me directly via Ebay to make sure someone else isn't pretending to be you.

DJ Mag review - Akai MPD32 Midi Controller

YouTube via djmagtv
"Take the tour of the Akai MPD32 Midi controller, knobs, faders and pads - MPC style."

annabelle does super-8

YouTube via widdlytube

"Loads of diy modular bleeps and bloops sampled, chopped then sequenced.

Modules used were LF398 Sample and hold, Baby10 sequencer, MS-20 filter, CA3080 Ring modulator, TH VCO1's and VCA's, 555 ADSR's, CGS LFO's and a Midi Gate converter I designed.

The dodgy video was shot with a Canon Powershot a720 running CHDK and processed in VirtualDub."

asmtweak

YouTube via lesingemonotone

"Playing and tweaking the ASM with it new MFOS singlebus 1 v/oct keyboard kontrollercard. The keyboard is an old modified novation mm10. A little sequencing help from the x0xb0x."

Game Audio: Selected Student Works

Game Audio: Selected Student Works from Matt Ganucheau on Vimeo.
"This video is a combination of selected student final projects from the Expression College for Digital Arts' Game Audio class. The students are required to remix the classic video game Space Invaders by creating their own generative audio engine inside max/msp. For more information please visit expression.edu."

Rare Yamaha Prototype Synth DX-2000

via this Craigslist post
"Hi, this is a prototype synth (DX-2000) from Yamaha I bought off of some one who worked there. It was a concept that was never actualized. The synth works identically to the FM8 software and has several effects and operators can call up pre recorded wav sounds which can be loaded in via USB. It features a sequencer and 200 notes polyphony. I have two and am selling one. The unit is one of a kind, you will not find this any where else. I will consider any trades or offers." Anyone know more about this? I sent an email in to see if I can get some shots. I'll report back if they come in.

Update: image from Chip Collection.

New Modules from stg/soundlabs

the Time Buffer
"The Time Buffer is a critical element of the Time modules series. It acts as an inlet, conditioner, and buffered distributor for DIN sync (or Sync 24) from your drum machine or other source of Sync 24 to the Time modules in your modular synthesiser. There is also a courtesy outlet so you don't lose that precious DIN sync output on your master device. For some reason they kept on making boxes that had a DIN jack for sync input or output but never through! Here's a diagram to explain a bit more visually how it all fits together in an example use scenario:" [link]

the Voltage Mini-Store
"The Voltage Mini-Store is an 8 stage voltage sequencer which draws syncronisation from the Time Buffer, to allow it to run at musically-useful divisions of quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes. There is a toggle to select its clock divisor, and this selection does not become active until the sequencer returns to stage one. Because of this behaviour logic, not only the dials but the divisor control itself becomes an exciting performance control in a live or studio situation." [link to more info]

the Trigger Mini-Store
"The Trigger Mini-Store is a 16 stage trigger sequencer which draws syncronisation from the Time Buffer, to allow it to run at musically-useful divisions of quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes. There is a toggle to select its clock divisor, and this selection does not become active until the sequencer returns to stage one or advances to stage nine. Because of this behaviour logic, not only the toggle switches but the divisor control itself becomes an exciting performance control in a live or studio situation." [link to more info]

the Shift Manager
"The Shift Manager connects to up to three Mini-Store units (labeled left, middle, and right) and allows you to control their sequence length and behaviour. These functions are thoroughly delineated in their respective product pages, located here and here.

Here's a diagram to explain a bit more visually how it all fits together in an example use scenario:" [link]