u-he Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of Zebra & an Update for Diva

u-he has released new Version of Zebra 2.7 for the 10 year anniversary of the software synth. The update includes a new Distortion module, Howard's anniversary soundset & AAX support for Pro Tools 10 & 11.  Pictured above and below is the original version of Zebra.

Some interesting history via u-he:

"It all began with an innocent little synthesizer for Apple's newly introduced Audio Units (AU) platform. Zebra was one of the very first instrument plug-ins available for this format, long before even the biggest companies had those in stock."

"The Performance tab with 4 XY Controls was already in there, and visual artist Cris Pearson snuck a number of bogus advertisements into it. The Synthesis view, however, looked nothing like it does today. Zebra 1.0 had a modular architecture underneath the hood, but there was no user interface to change its signal flow. This happened later, when Version 1.5 came out in 2004."

"It took more than two years until Zebra 2.0 was finally released in October 2006 - this time for both MacOS X and Windows. From then on things went quickly. Howard Scarr discovered Zebra and completely revamped the factory presets. Shortly thereafter, Hans Zimmer decided to make Zebra his go-to soft synth. He asked Howard to co-design Zebra sounds for "The Dark Knight" movie, followed by several more blockbusters over the next few years..."

As for Diva, it has been updated to version 1.3 with the following:

"The Uhbie, a filter modeled after a famous analogue multimode VCF. Our take on this morphs from lowpass to highpass via your choice of notch or bandpass.

The Digital Osc, a dual oscillator with a flexible feature set reminiscent of the synthesizer that started the hardware VA revolution in the 90ies. Not only have we covered its typical waveforms such as the original Super Saw, Feedback and TriangleMod, we even gave both oscillators the full feature set! (we also sneaked in a high quality mode with less aliasing)

An Arpeggiator! - Not to be mistaken with the recent crop of sequencers that also arpeggiate, this one pays tribute to good old analogue style arpeggiators, including some of the lesser known modes such as the "Leap" mode found in rare monophonic synths.

Further improvements include:
60 new factory presets using the new modules
AAX support for Pro Tools 10/11!
vastly accelerated GUI opening
many little niggles fixed"

Curious if the Digital Osc is based on the Roland JP-8000 supersaw. If so, it wasn't the first VA of course. That title goes to the original Nord Lead 1 and to an extent the KORG Prophecy which followed shortly after and included physical modelling. The Access Virus, Yamaha AN1x, Novation Supernova and Roland JP-8000 came in the next wave.

Synthesizer Factory Synth Machine Complete Synth Voice Module

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via this auction

"The Synth Machine is a fully analogue synthesizer module developed by Michael Schweikard and Thomas Welsch (of Anyware Instruments). it is a Eurorack module made to the standards of Doepfer (meaning +/-12v power, cv and gate connections, cv pitch at 1v/oct., 3.5mm jacks on front etc.).

The Synth Machine is a 100% fully analogue synthesizer handmade in a small village in Germany named "Herborn". The module depth is only 2.8 cm. the width is 42 TE/HP (half a typical rack case). The build and component quality are very high. The 24db lowpass filter works great. It is a classic Moog-style filter. The envelope is more than fast enough to produce percussive sounds. The noise with Sample & Hold is programmed by Tom Wiltshire from Scotland. all modules pass trough a 24 hour test and check before shipping.


Features

High Quality Components
24dB Moog-Style Lowpass Filter w/ Resonance and Keytracking
Fast Envelopes
Mixer for 2 VCOs + Noise/Ring
2 Oscillators w/ Sync, Octave Switches, Shape Switch, Glide, and more
White & Pink Noise + Ring
Sample & Hold
Full Synthesizer Voice: 2 VCOs, ADSR, Filter, LFO, VCA"

Roland Juno-106 Analog Synthesizer SN 525837

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Pittsburgh Modular Cell 48 System 1

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"From Pittsburgh Modular website:

Modules
Synthesizer Block module: complete, fully patchable, semi-modular synthesizer voice
M3 module: audio and control voltage signal router
MIDI2 module: triple mode MIDI to CV converter
Outs module: dual independent output module
4hp logo panel
Cell[48] case
Single row hardwood side panels
450mA universal linear power supply
5 patch cables
System 1 user manual
The Cell [48] System 1 is a complete single voice, analog synthesizer and a great entry point into modular synthesis. Using the Synthesizer Block module as its centerpiece, the System 1 contains all of the most important components of a modular synthesizer. Connected internally, the Cell [48] System 1 is hardwired to create a complete monophonic synthesizer without needing to add patch cables. However, each major component within the System 1 is fully patchable and can function independent to the rest of the system by using the available patch points and included patch cables.

An unpatched Cell [48] System 1 offers direct access to a wide array of classic analog monosynth sounds. Without a single patch cable, deep bass and warm sweeping leads are just a few knob tweaks away. Plugging in a few patch cables opens the Cell [48] System 1 to experimentation by offering unlimited control over both the modulation and audio signal paths. The full functionality of the Oscillator, Filter, LFO, Envelope Generator, VCA, Midi, and Outputs can be broken apart and used like standalone synthesizer modules. All of the elements of a classic voltage controlled, modular synthesizer are available as an open, patchable, modern synth."

Rare Hammond 102100 Synthesizer SN 392208

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"Rare Hammond 102100 Synthesizer
Working and complete with stand and smoked plexi music holder.
Rumored to be one of about 20 still working in the world.
This is the more rare "made in USA" version, not the Hammond Japan built 102200 (which I believe is the very same model just rebadged)
The only issue is the first set of patch buttons does not always want to latch and you need to play with them a bit on certain frequencies. They all work though!"

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1991 ROLAND JX-1 PERFORMANCE SYNTHESIZER PRINT AD

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medusa synth

Published on Dec 10, 2013 Ebotronix·880 videos

4ms Noise Swash, Peg, QCD, RCD, VCA Matrix
Analogue Systems RS100²,RS110²²,RS 170,RS 360²,RS500e²
Arp Odyssey 2821 pink noise
Cyndustries ZO²
Doepfer R2m, A 101-2, A118, A134²², A141, A143-9 ,A148,
A 149-1, A151²²,A175²²,A185-2, A 138c
Flame Chord Machine², Talking Synth Module
Grendel Formant Filter²
foh choices
Make Noise Brains, PP², Maths²,Moddemix,Optomix,QMMG,René, Wogglebug²
Malekko Anti Oscillator²² ,Uncle³,Jag
Moog Freqbox²²,CP251,MP201
Oberheim Sem
Roland SVC 350 Vocoder
SSL Modulation Orgy
Tip Top Audio Z8000 manual voltage source
Toppobrillo Quantimator², Sportmodulator,TWF²
Logic masterclock to Kenton Pro 2000² , QCD,Peg, RCD
Ultrabeat kick&rim
FX :Boss VF 1,Lexicon MX 400,PCM 80, TC M one XL
mackie the mixer³
M!iM vid

Belkin Rockstar passive mixer demo

Published on Dec 10, 2013 Tony Horgan·37 videos

"The Belkin Rockstar is the star of this show. This jam session was recorded with a Korg Volca Beats and Bass in a coffee shop on battery power via a Belkin Rockstar. It works as a passive mixer, so it needs no power. The Korg Volcas run on battery power, as does everything else in this video. Sorry for the shaky footage but I'm recording the video on an iPhone in one hand while performing the techno tweaks with the other. You too can have this much fun with this little amount of gear! No computers, no mains power, just a few gadgets that will fit in a rucksack and go anywhere :-)"

Belkin Rockstars on eBay | KORG Volcas on eBay

Buchla Modular Sounds 25 - Full Track: The Space Bells

Published on Dec 10, 2013 pjoris2·117 videos

"Hey, it's a track. With overdubs and shit ! Drums, bassline, sequence ... With a Buchla !! Unbelievable !!!

All Buchla 200e & clones, only delays from the Korg PME-40X and Ibanez DM 1000.

Basic take was bassdrum (swept 258 clone oscillator), hihat (noise through module module VCA), bassline (258 trough 292e) and sequence (261e) - sequenced by the Marf-clone. Second take was beginning and end drone. Then 3 takes of "acid" lines (258 through 291e) and 3 takes of spacy effects (swept 261e modulation oscilator and noise through the 291e). Cut out the best bits, but no stuff was moved. Working on sonar combining everything was boring enough !"

The Hackme Vector 3D Sensing Gesture Controller for Eurorack

Currently on Kickstarter

Details captured for the archives:

"What is Vector?

The Hackme Vector is an entirely new and unique way to interact with a modular synthesizer. Vector is a three dimensional control interface designed for Eurorack modular system. It senses the location of a hand over its face and outputs a signal proportional to position for each axis: x (left and right), y (up and down), and z (in and out). So, you can control three things at one time, like turning three knobs all at once by moving your hand through the air. The possibilities are truly infinite. You could control the amplitude of a sound with the x axis, the pitch with the y axis, and the modulation of that sound with the z axis. By moving your hand slowly over the surface, you can create subtly evolving, changing and dramatic sounds. With quick movements, you can generate bursts of dynamic audio.

To provide feedback, Vector has LEDs ringing its active sensing area. These LEDs light up according to the location of your hand. It lights red for the z axis and blue for the x and y axis. As you get closer to the surface, the red LEDs get brighter. As you move closer to a location on the x-y axis, the blue LEDs in that region get brighter and those farther away get dimmer. This makes Vector visually stunning, brilliant for live play and, excellent for dark spaces.

Vector can also recognize a number of simple gestures. It recognizes swiping gestures as well as circular motions over its surface. These gestures can be used as trigger outputs and for interacting with the built-in looping feature. Vector provides a menu system that uses gestures to change the system behavior.

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