MATRIXSYNTH

Syndrum Drum Synth

via this auction
"Used by many of the 70's-early 80's drummers. Was made famous by the disco tune 'Ring My Bell' by Anita Ward. This is much more than a disco sound, it's flexible and very cool synth. Even Terry Bozzio (big haired drum god) used to rock one of these back in the day. This can also be triggered via CV which is nice. I triggered with a 707 drum machine and it worked like a charm. Comes with pad, control pedal and power adapters for 240V and 120V. Nice."

Yamaha CS60 Modded with MIDI

via this auction
"Here's some feature of the Kenton MIDI retrofit: For incoming MIDI:
- Any MIDI channel can be selected
- Notes (MIDI note numbers 36 - 96) - transpose possible
- Program change (numbers 1 - 14 top row and 17 to 30 bottom row)
- Pitchbend - (bends up and down a second)
- Mod Wheel (switch to enable)
- Filter cutoff frequency (of low pass filter)
- Portamento
- Sustain
- Volume

By default:
- pitchbend is controlled by pitchbend messages
- mod wheel is controlled by Mod Wheel (CC#1) and also by Aftertouch messages
- filter cutoff is controlled by CC#16
- resonance is controlled by CC#17
- Volume is controlled by MIDI volume (CC#7)
- Sustain is controlled by Sustain (CC#64)
- Portamento is controlled by Portamento (CC#65)

however, any controller or aftertouch or velocity can be mapped to control other things so for example velocity could be mapped to control volume."

video below

Yamaha CS 60 demonstration
YouTube via kyleresumevideo

Björn Schülke - Supersonic #1, Responsive Sonic Interface, 2007

YouTube via MediaArtTube
"The white glossy object houses a theremin which responds to the proximity of a viewer, emitting a range of bass frequency notes.
Interface: Theremin, digital delay, 9' inch subwoofer, motion sensor, fiberglass, wood, car paint More info: http://www.schuelke.org/"

Circuit bent Hing Hon EK-001 - New Video modulation options

YouTube via frostedminipete
"Well, here's a clip of the craziest visuals you can get with this thing. I may not be making any more of these soon, I'm almost out... plus I'm so tired of making them! The last one I'm putting on eBay is for sale now"

Mattson Mini Modular on Twitter

http://twitter.com/MMModsynth
http://mattsonminimodular.com/

Serge Creature controlled by cardboard box

YouTube via JargMarbin.

video response to EVI Serge by vgermuse. Also see these.

"This is a cardboard box with a contact-mic ($1 piezo buzzer) controlling a Serge Creature. It's essentially the same patch I used on the previous video using the HSS2, except I have an oscillator controlling the VC GAIN at the begining to get a tighter sound. If you look closely you should see the brightness of the green light increase after a trigger pulse is received; since the decay of this oscillator is set long, it only can receive a trigger pulse once in a given interval (the first knob adjustment shortens it). Later in the vid voltage is removed from VC GAIN and the sound gets crazier."

Serge Creature controlled by audio from Hardware Software Synth 2 from Gijs Gieskes

"I realize it sounds really crazy, that's the point of this demonstration. I'm sure my neighbors hate me. The left channel is the sound of the Serge Creature (Sound Transform Systems). The right channel is the output from the Hardware Software Synth 2 (HSS2) (http://gieskes.nl). The audio input from the HSS2 is removed from the Creature several times begining at 2:39 to demonstrate the constant pitch of the oscillators without input from the HSS2. The audio output of the HSS2 is being piped into the Creature at the filter's TRIG input and AGC IN, and at the the oscillator's TRIG input. The Creature's black OUT jack is feeding back into the HSS2, which is making it's own sounds and applying effects to the incoming signal, before routing to an amplified mixer and coming back to the aforementioned connections on the Creature. The Creature's 1/4" output jack carries the signal you hear in the video."

Bug-updates April2009 (General + Modular)

via the BugBrand mailing list.

"Hi All,

While I've been quiet on the mailing lists, plenty of work has been going on here..

[I'm sending this mail to both the General list and the Modular list - usually I'd do these separately, but there's a fair crossover here - if you've got the message twice that'll be because you are on both lists, so sorry for the double-posting]

Small news:
- BugShop Stock - including WOM kits & Weevils
- Modular Developments
- other little bits'n'pieces

**********************************************
***ShopStock -> http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/shop.html ***
**********************************************
I just got back from a couple of workshop events in Spain, so have made up some more WOM kits - now available through the online shop
Actually, many of these have already sold, but I should have further kits available over the next couple of weeks.
Have a read, also, of the BugBlog post about the new boards used (red with gold-trim!) and showing pics of the recent workshops: http://bugbrand.blogspot.com/2009/04/workshops-woms.html
And check the forum thread about the WOM kits: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2174

BoardWeevils & PostcardWeevils are also currently back in-stock + again, there will be more coming over the next couple of weeks.

************************
***Modular Developments***
************************
The BugModular continues to grow - though, sorry to say, availability is still limited to the initial 12 system users.
Some new modules have been announced - http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/modular.html
Plus some pics of the new prototype PortaCase on the BugBlog - http://bugbrand.blogspot.com/2009/04/bugmodular-portacase-proto-new-modules.html

Basically, at this stage I am just adding names of people interested to the BugModular mailing list - hopefully in a few months time I will be able to expand to offering some further systems.
The work on the initial systems is going well though it is busy and constant!

********************
***Other Little Things***
********************
No concrete plans as yet on new standalone BugCrushers or AudioWeevils - some background work is going, but nothing can be confirmed as yet - it is all a matter of time (or lack of)!

This weekend in Bristol: Interesting Sounds at the Arnolfini, Bristol - many people talking about a wide variety of audio ideas etc - inc. myself, just before lunchtime.
11am -> 5pm - http://arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/music/details/255

And the following Sunday (May 3rd) - Depth of Field at the Cube Cinema, Bristol - TomBugs (Modular) vs. Nahum Mantra (Theremin) plus several other live performances.
8pm onwards - http://microplex.cubecinema.com/cgi-bin/diary/programme.pl#4472 //&&// http://www.myspace.com/depthoffieldbristol

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I think that covers the most things for now.
Thanks and best wishes to all.
& enjoy the spring sunshine if you can.

Tom"