MATRIXSYNTH

Teenage Engineering OP-1 Unboxing

YouTube via Uploaded by djthomaswhite on Mar 17, 2011

"The long-awaited OP-1 from Teenage Engineering is here. Just a box opening video here, but more videos to come of what it can do! Stay tuned..."

Yamaha CS-40m Demo Video

YouTube Uploaded by soundsubs on Mar 17, 2011
via this auction
"This is a demo of the Yamaha CS-40m analog synth. It is intended to show most of the functionality and features of the synth. It also demonstrates the interesting sounds you can get when the memory gets scrambled. It was recorded straight into the computer with no effects, eq, or compression."

Bliptronic step-sequence synthesizer / controller

via this auction
"Here we have a relatively rare little synthesizer which looks and works much like a Tenori On or Monome- it provides you with a matrix of LED illuminated buttons, on which you compose patterns which can then be looped. Its a unique, addictive and intuitive way of composing little tunes and great fun to muck about on!

The Bliptronic is a basic unit; besides its 8 x 8 grid of buttons, you get 8 simple lo-fi voices (FM synthesis- akin to a toy keyboard), control over the speed in 20 BPM increments, loop on/off and ports for headphones, line out and trigger in/out. Its finished nicely however, and has a good look and feel with its aluminium panel and knobs.

The Bliptronic has a lot of potential- just run a search on google or youtube for ‘Bliptronic 5000’ to see what people have been getting up to with them! Here are some ways you can get the most out of it:

* Putting it through external effects, kaoss pads or the Korg Monotron etc.
* Using (freely available) audio -> midi programs to use the grid as a midi controller, turning it into a drum machine or software synth controller
* Circuit bending- some interesting results have been achieved and guidance is available online
* Daisy-chaining several using trigger in/out to play and compose collaboratively on the fly
* Conversion into a full monome clone or OSC/midi controller using an Arduinome-based upgrade (not supplied)

The bliptronic requires 4AA batteries (not supplied) so its totally portable, and comes with 2 link cables for linking with other bliptronics, basic instructions (not really required!) and boxed in its original packaging."

54 FSR MoogerFooger Love

YouTube Uploaded by 7thDanSound on Mar 17, 2011

"The FSR is ideal for working with the Moog MoogerFooger pedals as they have plenty of voltage control possibilities. But what makes it so easy is that the MoogerFoogers supply their own control voltage on the ring of the control inputs for use with passive devices such as the Moog foot pedal. As the FSRs are passive this is a great feature. They are unattenuated however and as the FSRs are slightly sensitive ideally you'd need some kind of attenuator, like in the CP251."

Testing the Brazilian analog synth Voltix

Testing the Brazilian analog synth Voltix from Marcus Chiado on Vimeo.

follow-up to this post

Haken Continuum Meets Erik Satie

YouTube Uploaded by copperleaves on Mar 17, 2011
follow-up to this post
"One of the great things about the Haken Continuum fingerboard is that you can play it with one hand and still take advantage of all its expressive capabilities while your other hand plays another instrument - in this case I am playing a Korg Triton Extreme keyboard with my left hand. This composition - GNOSSIENNE #3 - was written by the French impressionist composer, Erik Satie, and is one of a series of pieces written for piano in 1890. It is a popular piece among players of the "ondes martenot" but unlike the Continuum, the ondes must be played with two hands so the ondiste is unable to accompany himself.

I used one of the Continuum's built-in sounds for this performance because I felt it had a very pure and enchanting timbre that seemed to go well with the music.

The word "Gnossienne" is a reference to the capital of ancient Crete (also Knossos) which was excavated by European archaeologists in the 1870's. Satie was inspired by the extraordinary frescoes and artwork that was unearthed at that time."