And Interview with Ramon Sender on Astronauta Pinguim

Check out the full interview on Astronauta Pinguim here.

Excerpt:

"ASTRONAUTA - What are your memories about your first meeting with Don Buchla? And how did the arrival of the 'Buchla Box', in 1964, change the compositional process at the San Francisco Tape Music Center?

RAMON SENDER - We were in desperate need of a main mixing board, some pre-amps, etc, but also looking for someone who could designed our 'dream instrument' for us. Buchla came to one of our concerts - or perhaps answered an ad we ran in the newspaper.

Did the Buchla Box change the compositional process at our center? For Subotnick almost immediately. For Pauline more gradually, but more once the Center moved to Mills College and she took over as director. I was in the process of leaving the city when the Buchla first arrived, but then during the winter of 1967-68 I needed a job and Don allowed me to stuff circuit boards for him and live in his manufacturing warehouse. In the warehouse he had a complete Buchla studio set up and I spent happy hours there."

WMD Poly Pressure Key-Array Teaser

Published on Oct 1, 2014 William Mathewson

"Quick teaser of playing the prototype WMD Pressure Key-Array, demonstrating a few early modes on the performance side."

http://www.wmdevices.com/

AniModule Teaser

Published on Oct 1, 2014

AniModule.com
http://animodule.bigcartel.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AniModule

New DRM1+X Expanded Major Drum

via Bugbrand

"Resplendent with a panoply of Banana Sockets and smattering of Control Dials, the DRM1X MD Expander truly opens up the synth-roots of the DRM1 Major Drum. This arrangement, the DRM1+X, combines the two in a 5FW powered case.

I/O / Functions from the top: (banana colours follow my Modular Standards)

-Envelope Outputs- Independent outputs for each of the four envelopes - range 0 to +10V
-Filter Input- Direct input to the filter (sums with Noise/Ext if selected on DRM1) - expects +/-5V audio signal
-Audio Outputs- Direct outputs of the Osc waveforms (Triangle & Square) along with White Noise - all +/-5V audio signals
-Osc FCV / ACV + FM2 / AM dials- CV inputs for the Osc side, each with bipolar attenuator (gives inverted anti-clockwise, centre off and non-inverted clockwise). The Amp Init dial manually controls the section VCA, allowing it to be opened for drones. The FCV can be switched to an internal 0.5V source so that the Osc FM2 dial becomes a Fine Tune control covering 1 Octave range - inputs expect typical 10V peak-to-peak signals, +/-5V or 0-10V.
-Filter FCV / ACV + FM2 / AM dials- As for the Osc controls above, but minus the fine-tune option.
-Sync- Allows the Osc to by sync'd to an external signal for rich Hard-Sync sounds. When switched to Mstr the Osc is sync'd by the Master Trigger inside the DRM1 (previously set with internal jumper on DRM1) - Syncs from any signal over approx +1V.
-Filter Mode- Replaces the internal jumper setting which selects Low-or-High-pass output from the filter (combines with Filter Output switch on DRM1)
-Filter Trig- Allows independent triggering of the Filter Envelopes (kind of makes the device a two drum system!). The Envs can be fired by the Manual push button or a signal to the FilterTrig Input, plus they can still also be fired by the Master Trigger from the DRM1 - Triggers from any signal over approx +1V.
For sounds - check the DRM1 page - most of the sounds there are made with a setup of one Expanded and one normal DRM1.

The DRM1+X is housed in a custom aluminium enclosure (7.5 x 5.25 x 3.5 inch) with PCB material front and side panels. The case holds a DC/DC converter which converts the 12VDC external supply (minimum 500mA, 2.1mm centre positive) to the bipolar +/-15V internal power. A 90-250VAC worldwide power pack is included with interchangeable plug socket adaptors.
As with the DRM1, the DC input & black banana Ground socket are mounted on the back of the unit.

The DRM1+X is covered by a 2 year parts warranty.
Price - £415 (+VAT in EU - £498) + shipping
Note - for now the DRM1+X combo does not have a stamped cardboard box like other devices"

Spatial and Sonic Gestures Using the Buchla Music Easel iProgram Card

via Todd Barton: "I'm really stoked about this new use of the iCard in tandem with the 206e/227e to bounce different sounds around in space!

Here’s my little study in Spatial & Sonic Gestures using the Buchla Music Easel/iProgram Card and Skylab with the 227e System Interface.

By programming the 227e with the 206e Preset Manager I was able to create separate patches for separate speakers in a quadraphonic array. Using the Last and Next buttons on the to 206e I can scroll through various speaker configurations.

I created 6 patches and saved them to the iProgram Card. Using the Down and Up buttons the iProgram Card instantly scrolls through these patches. By simultaneously pressing the buttons on both the 206e and iCard I can precisely control speaker placement and swirl speed. Or I can create a wide variety of patch changes and speaker changes.

The recording is from the headphone output of the 227e and thus captures all four speakers. My wish was to be able to do an actual 'concrete' style piece in real time. So . . . this is in real time with just an Easel/iCard and a Skylab with a 259e/281e/292e. The effect for the majority of the piece are the Easel’s spring reverb. Near the end I kick in an Eventide Space pedal."

Make Noise FUNCTION

Published on Oct 1, 2014 MAKEN0ISE

"FUNCTION is part of the MATHS family of control voltage utility modules. It is a small analog computer designed for solely musical purposes.
Generate a variety of linear, logarithmic, or exponential functions

Functions as short as 2ms and as long as 25 minutes per cycle!

Triggered Functions (Envelope)

Continuous Functions (LFO)

Invert and/ or Integrate (Lag, Slew, Portamento)

Discrete Time Functions (S&H, T&H)

LEDs indicate activity on all outputs

End of Rise and End of Cycle Pulses facilitate programming of more complex functions

All outputs capable of driving a passive 4 way mult without loading effects (no buffered mult needed here)

Perfect for modulating the DPO and just about anything else

http://www.makenoisemusic.com/function.shtml"

KrAnKeR____SCheIss___LEider_geil

Published on Oct 1, 2014 Ra Pha

"Vielleicht ein wenig übertrieben aber es ging mit mir einfach durch"

Vintage ARP 2600 Synthesizer SN 0359

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This ARP 2600 might be considered a "Barn find". It was owned by a small junior college and spent most of it's life tucked away in a storage closet. It has never been on the road and judging from the way it looks, was barely used. I am the second owner. It was not working when I purchased it. I sent it to Phil Cirocco of CMS Discrete Synthesizers for repair. Phil went through the unit and rebuilt the power supply as well as repairing a multitude of other issues caused by age and lack of use. Unit now sounds great. A copy of the repair invoice from CMS will be provided to the new owner. The only cosmetic issue is some minor surface rust on the clasps and corners....I have pictured the worst one. Other than that the cases are in near mint condition with no tears in the Tolex covering at all. Paint on the face of the 2600 is perfect. The synth and keyboard serial numbers match and put them as manufactured sometime in 1975. This is one of the best 2600's I have seen. A photocopy of the owners manual is included..."

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MOOG OPUS 3 VINTAGE SYNTH

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

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YAMAHA CS-20M Vintage Analog Monophonic Synthesizer w/ Hard Case

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via this auction

"The CS-20m is another of Yamaha's classic CS-series analog synthesizers of the '70's and '80's. It is a monophonic analog synthesizer with dual-VCOs that use subtractive synthesis to create superb bass, synth, lead, bubbly-squirty and percussive sounds. It has all the essential components of a classic synth: There is a resonant filter with switchable high, band or lowpass filtering with its own ADSR envelope controls. There is an ADSR VCA envelope generator which contains a third oscillator which generates a sine wave to modulate and enhance your sounds. And there is an LFO which can modulate the PWM sweep. Fortunately, the CS-20m features 8 memory locations for patch storage of your favorite or most used sounds."

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