MATRIXSYNTH


Sunday, October 28, 2007

Linn LM-1

via this auction. via Rod.

click image for the full size shots.

"Up for auction is the famous Linn LM-1, serial #373, considered by many to be one of the best drum machines ever made. Only 500 were made and this is one of the later, more stable versions with removable/cleanable button caps (older models had buttons that could not be disassembled and had to be replaced if they went bad) and shuffle LED's (a must). If you're looking to get the Prince sound (or the Human League, or Gary Numan, or Visage, or John Carpenter sound), this is the machine you want. Samples don't do it justice and can't replicate it (I know, I've tried). This one has been extensively and professionally modified with sync input/output jacks (syncs up perfectly MIDI via trigger input), alternate sounds that can be toggled on/off (original LM-1 woody Claptrap clap/regular clap, 4 toms, 4 congas, or clave/Prince sidestick). In addition, all tuning pots have been moved to the front of the machine for easy access (replacing the useless left/right/center panning toggles - original hardware is included in case the user wishes to revert back to the way it was originally - but why you'd want to do this is beyond me because it really opens up the machine and allows for realtime drum tuning mid-sequence). Ideally you'll want to run each drum sound from it's individual output through a sub-mixer for optimum panning/EQ."

VEMIA Auction Update - Joel Chadabe Late 60s CEMS System Goes Up

The official auction start date is Nov 3 and runs until Nov 11, however you can see some items listed here. From the description it looks like you can start bidding now.

The rarest item to be auctioned? Joel Chadabe's late 60s CEMS system (pictured - click the image for the full size shot). The CEMS system was located at the Electronic Music Studio at State University of New York at Albany. You can see and read more about Joel Chadabe and the system at his official website. Joel also wrote Electric Sound which recently came up for auction here. Side Note from the comments of this previous post: Richard Lainhart of O-Town Media learned to play electronic music on the CEMS system pictured here.

Peter Forrest who runs the auction let me know that the auction will include Felix' Visser's own Syntons. Felix is the man behind Synton, pictured here . His items start at number 5500 and go to 5539.

Update via Richard Lainhart in the comments:
"Some notes about this system: the large knobless module at the end of each sequencer is a Linear Mixer that Bob custom-designed for this system. These were very clean simple mixers that could mix from DC up into the audo range. They were intended mainly to mix the CV outputs from the sequencer stages together, but since they were so clean, we would often use them to mix the oscillator and filter outputs as well.

The jackfields at the bottom of each cabinet are patchbays that connect the cabinets together. In its original configuration, there were bundles of cable behind each cabinet that connected the patchbays to each other, so you could cable between the cabinets without needing extra-long patchcords.

The cabinet with the large white panel contains all the components of the Master Analog Clock, another custom design. The four vertical slots in the third row down from the top are Nixie lamps; these would display the current time count (in 10th of a second, I think). The top row are 8 individual clock subdividers, which could be set to send out divisions or multiples of the basic clock pulse. Below all that are the 8 clock outputs, any of which could be routed to any of the sequencers. The purpose of all this was to provide a master timing source for the sequencers, so they could all be synced with complex rhythmic relationships. The sequencers could also free-run, so you could have any combination of master-synced and free-running.

The remaining cabinet contains most of the actual audio-generating modules, although as I recall there were a couple of additonal filters and oscillators in some of the control cabinets as well.

At the time, it was the largest integrated Moog system in the world, and probably the largest integrated Moog sequencer system ever."

Update via Richard Lainhart:
"By the way, all the pieces on the second half of this page. from "The Wave-Sounding Sea" to "A River On Cold Mountain" were created with the CEMS system. "

CAVAGNOLO EXAGONE XM64 Vintage Analog Synth



this auction.

via Boele of SCD.

"VERY RARE Vintage Analog Synth : CAVAGNOLO EXAGONE XM64. Less than 25 have been product for the entire world ! The Cavagnolo EXAGONE XM64 is a monophonic progammable analog synth made in FRANCE in 1982 .Some features : 2 VCO , VCF , LFO 1 , LFO 2 , LFO DELAY , EG , ADSR , NOISE , PORTAMENTO ... 64 memory locations to save and recall your synth patches! CV/GATE IN OUT ... For external controls . The Cavagnolo Exagone XM64 sounds like a mix of minimoog and a Roland System 100 . The synth is integrated in his original flight-case .CAVAGNOLO EXAGONE XM64 is perfect for a musician who is bored with moog roland and sequential circuits synths , and is looking for a strong analog vintage synth with a unique sound ! This CAVAGNOLO EXAGONE XM64 has been fully serviced : It is in Perfect working order and in very good cosmetic ! It's a 220Volt model , comes with a copy of the french manual .It's a unique chance to get a very rare analog synth in Museum Condition and in perfect working order"

YAMAHA DX7IID My Favorite Sounds


YouTube via surroundyokota. via Nusonica.
"There are my favorite YAMAHA DX7IID sounds, original edited and edited from some famous preset sounds."

ORQUESTRA MODULAR (Pt2)


YouTube via dinoboxe.
"Live PA Real time performance music and image.FILE 2007 Sao Paulo Brasil. Dino Vicente & Bill Meirelles.Performance em tempo real de musica e imagem apresentado no encerramento do File 2007 Hipersonica"

Plan B Model 10 Polyphonic Envelope Demo


YouTube via jamescigler, aka felix inferious.

"Demo of my Plan B Model 10 Polyphonic Envelope. Sorry for all the edits, wasn't on the top of my game today."

Jupiter-4 and Juno-60 Human League Cover


YouTube via analoguecrazy4.
"Here are 2 early Human League tunes played on my Jupiter-4 and Juno-60 synths."

Livewire Dual Bissell Generator Demo


video upload by jamescigler, aka felix inferious.

Novation K-Station Synthesizer


YouTube via axibi.
"Experimenting some voices and arpeggio´s with the little VA Synth."

MacBeth M5N Demo

click here for the demo on Street Electronics.

Doepfer A-100 and Plan B Analog Modular

images via this auction

Spot the Oberheim Xpander, Roland MC202, and Roland TR-606

Plan B Model 15 VCO
A-114 Dual Ring Modulator
A-118 Noise Generator
A-180 Multiple X 2
A-105 SSM VCFA-124 WASP VCF
A-106 MS-20 Filter
A-131A EXP VCA
A-138 Mixer
A-111 High End CEM VCO
A-148 Dual S&H
A-140 ADSR X2
A-147 VCLFO
A-145 LFO
A-149 RCV SOU
A-160 Clock Divider
A-174 Joystick
A-134 VC Panner (not currently mounted, but included with auction)
A-100P Portable Case Front PSU

75 - Garbledroidz


YouTube via atishmeh.

Sequential Circuits Prophet T8

images via this auction

"The T8 has been the finest analog synthesizer since its introduction in 1983. With fully polyphonic pressure sensors and velocity sensitivity, real wooden keys with flying hammers, it has also been (and still is) one of the most sought after midi controllers as well. It has an extensive MIDI capability and eight voices utilizing Curtis oscillators and filters, with split and double capability. The T8 is one of those instruments that requires precision while programming. The parameters seem to have greater range than the Prophet 5. It sounds wonderful and is a joy to play. The T8 is also one of the rarest synths ever produced at a total of maybe 500 units."

Nick Rhodes Setup

image via this link.

Alesis Andromeda
Roland VSynth
Roland Jupiter-8
Kurzweil K2000

Full setup Picture
Right setup
Back of right setup

Saturday, October 27, 2007

KORG MS20

images via this auction
Details:
"This MS-20 is of the earlier KORG 35 filter chip design, rather than the latter daughter board revision, which probably dates it to the late 70s, meaning that its probably just about coming up to its 30th birthday!

In 30 years some electronic components age. This isn't one of those 'snake oil - this tb303 sounds better than that tb303' lines, its just factual information. Any synth of this sort of age should have had, for example, its internal memory backup batteries replaced long ago (not an issue on ms20s obviously, but a common fault on early 80s synths), and its smoothing caps renewed (the smoothing caps 'smooth out' the ripple in the power supplies AC-DC conversion)

The power supply regulators can also be changed for fresh modern replacements, and then, beyond this, if you're feeling enthusiastic, the other electrolytic capacitors (the cylindrical ones you see all over the place) to stop any 'bleeding' of noise / signal etc. through the power lines, amongst other things. Further caps that are prone to ageing are tantalums, so these should be replaced also.

None of these components are particularly valuable, but the labour involved in changing them can be significant.

Beyond this level of service, the basic stuff also has to be done. All the pots should be cleaned, and then lubrication re-applied to ensure noise free operation. The keyboard contacts should be accessed (by disassembly) and these cleaned (the ms-20 derives pitch information from a resistor chain keyboard, and faulty contacts can affect note pitching as well as gating), and, importantly on the ms20, the jacks cleaned.

Jack cleaning is especially important on the ms20, as a lot of the signals are normalised through this panel, and faults here can result in considerably more irritation than the usual 'crackling' output jack.

This MS20 has therefore had :
# Every electrolytic cap replaced
# Every tantalum cap replaced
# Every pot cleaned and lubricated
# Ever jack socket cleaned
# Every key contact cleaned"

Walkman Project Music Pieces


YouTube via WalkmanProject. via Failed Muso where you can find a little more info on the ad. It is interestingly being touted as the first monophonic ad.
"Quality ad for the new range of Walkman products by Sony. Take 128 musicians, give them all only one note to play and you get a complete tune. Sony are trying to bring this to life with an online project getting people to play just one part of the track, then mixing them together to create 'complete' versions performed by four artists in different places."

Spot the synths.

syntezatory.prv.pl - Yamaha DX 7


YouTube via Jexus.

"1983 Yamaha DX7. Brought to you by WC Olo Garb. The sounds have been programmed by WC Olo Garb./// Syntezatory.prv.pl Videos: showing you not what a synthesizer can do, but what a man can do with a synthesizer."

Industrial Revolution 1 on Roland D50


YouTube via fischek.
"Finally found my own Roland D50 and thought I could record Ind. Rev. 1 on an original patch (Kokubo Strings)."

Music Machines

I noticed this image of the Arp 1045 on the Matrixsynth Forum. It was posted by dlmorley. I asked him were he got the image and he pointed me to Music Machines. Music Machines (hyperreal.org) was one of the first general synth sites I visited when I first started browsing the web in 1995 or so. Be sure to check out the site if you haven already. It might actually be the oldest general synth site. It launched in 1994, predating Sonic State (1995), Synthzone (1996), Harmony Central (1997) and Vintage Synth Explorer (2001). I launched my old Matrixsynth site as a personal portal for everything synth back in 1997. If anyone knows of an earlier site than Music Machines, please comment or shoot me an email.

"Welcome to music machines, home of musical electronica on the web. Music machines offers images, software, schematics, and lots of tips and comments from electronic musicians all over the Internet. Synthesizers, effects, drum machines, recording equipment -- anything people plug in, turn on, and turn up for music-making is welcome. "

The MOOG Strikes Bach


One of the many MOOG albums following Switched on Bach.

via daddio of tapewarm.

Update via Suit & Tie Guy in the comments:
"that's Hans Wurman. apparently he made a follow-up album which was never released.

there were alot of records which "followed" S-OB, but as far as quality goes the only two that come close are this one and Switched-On Nashville.

S-ON is quite interesting as there's some Tomita-like vocal synthesis on "Folsum Prison Blues" which blows my mind ever time i drop the needle on that cut. if you ever come across it, digitally or on vinyl, don't hesitate to grab it.

apparenlty John Mitchell claimed to feel The Moog Strikes Bach was either peer or superior to S-OB. if you check the Synthesizers.com Yahoo! group archive you should find some posts regarding this."

MOOGChild

via daddio of tapewarm.

San Fransisco's Wave Organ

"At the eastern edge of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco, a tiny spit of land juts into the bay. If you walk out to the end, you can see San Francisco's skyline on one side and the Golden Gate Bridge on the other.

The view alone is worth a journey, but the little peninsula offers more than scenery. It's also the home of a San Francisco wonder, the Wave Organ."

"And the sound? It's like listening to the world's largest sea shell. It's like distant drums, muffled cymbals, quiet thunder. The variety is endless, and the sounds of the pipes are punctuated by the cries of gulls and the barks of sea lions. The sounds of ships' horns drift across the bay, and little waves slap against the stones."

click here for the full article. via daddio of Tapewarm.

Matrixsynth by Muff Wiggler

you can listen to the patch here. Sweet!

via Muff Wiggler

"The "image synth" being used is Coagula. It's free software, and really cool. You can check it out here.

Open Labs "MimiK" Keyboard Cloning Software, Part 2


Update: Part 1 added below. Also check out Redmatica's AutoSampler. via Mibrilane in the comments.

YouTube via OpenLabsInc. If you know synths you know this isn't quite true. What they talk about can be done with almost any sampler. Yes the starting point can be the same but it's where you go from there that makes all synths unique.

"MimiK™ keyboard cloning software is a simple and easy to use software.
Features:
1. Can be setup to automatically sample any MIDI capable sound devices that is connected to a NeKo or MiKo.
2. Can capture different velocity layers, after-touch layers and note off sounds.
3. MimiK can sample any key range, note length, up to 96K/32bits and in stereo (or mono).
4. Creates sample files for each note sampled (WAV or OGG).
5. Options for automatically fading and chopping samples.
6. Can sample entire banks or sets of banks at a time.
7. Exports an open human readable sample library file (SFZ). Sample libraries generated by MimiK can be played back by the free SFZ player. SFZ files can be converted using third party software to most other formats."

Update: Part 1

Linn 9000 Rack Sequencer

images via this auction. via Joel.

Linn 9000 minus the drum pads.

"This is basic memory version 5.17 software. Has 10,400. sequncer note capacity."

ARP 2600

images via this auction

MOOG Moogerfooger Rack



via this auction


MF-101 Low Pass Filter
MF-102 Ring Modulator
MF-103 12-Stage Phaser
MF-104z Analog Delay
MF-105 MuRF
MF-107 FreqBox
CP-251 Control Processor
VX-351 CV Expander

Blacet Mixer Processor

images via this auction

Blacet VCA Quad Mix

images via this auction

Analogue Systems RS130 Scale Generator

images via this auction
"This is a cool quantizer with the usual scales (major, minor) and a mode where you can enter your own scale. Has some nice trigger in/out features and 2 summed voltage inputs. This is cool because it allows you to run your V/Oct into one input to track keyboard, sequencer, etc and occasionally whack the second input with an envelope generator for some scale-swept pitch modulation. Another cool thing is to run a slew generator after the 1 V/Oct and before the PSG for scale generated glissando."

KORG DSS-1

images via this auction
You can use the slider to draw single cycle waveforms to use as oscillators on the DSS-1. Hit the appropriate button and wiggle the slider to create some on the fly oscillator waveforms.
Features:
12-bit sampler with fixed sampling rates of 16, 24, 32 and 48kHz
# maximum sampling times range from 16 seconds to 5.5 seconds at the top rate of 48kHz.
# lush analogue VCF switchable between 12 and 24dB
# eight notes of polyphony
# 61-key keyboard
# two oscillators per voice
# noise source
# two multi-stage envelopes
# resonant filter
# auto-bend
# twin digital delays
# oscillator sync
# unison mode

Friday, October 26, 2007

'JEAN MICHEL JARRE: OXYGENE' CD & DVD BOX SET

"OCTOBER 22ND: Jean Michel Jarre's Management have provided JARRE UK, with their Official Press Release for Jean Michel Jarre's forthcoming 'OXYGENE', a NEW 30th Anniversary CD & DVD Box Set, featuring a NEW Master Recording from the Original 'OXYGENE' Score, and an Exclusive 'LIVE' performance of 'OXYGENE', filmed in both 2D & 3D High-Definition."
via JarreUK, where you can find more info.

Have fun synth spotting this one. Click the image for the full size shot.

Matrixsynth by Loscha

via Loscha

Yamaha Tenori-On... The Bay

via this auction. via Sam.

Grey Matter E! Expansion for the Yamaha DX7II FD/D

click here for more images via Loscha.

"This is what a virgin Uninstalled E! board for the Dx7IIFD looks like. Boxed, booked and stickered. No magic special components, just plain old 74HC/CMOS glue logic, EPROMs and some memory ICs. We could clone it if we wanted to, I guess, although, there are a lot of smart cookies out there who would be able to do the whole thing on one chip nowadays without too much drama. Original installation guide was on blue paper, but, I've made it a big more screen friendly black and white, 'cause I'm such a facist like that sometimes'."

Oberheim OB-Mx Voice Board

via this auction

Polyfusion Modular S&H


YouTube via buchla300.
"Once again, not musical really but just showing the S&H and Filter on my Polyfusion. I will do some musical stuff on it soon. Ex Moog employees built these to higher spec and although some might prefer the character of the Moog, I prefer this sonically and feature wise. The quality is absolutely incredible. 5 VCO, 3 LFO, 2 Lo Pass Filters, 2 Hi Pass Filters, 6 Envelopes (2 voltage controlled), dual ring mod, dual s&h, Voltage Controlled Reverb, Octave Divider, 6 Voltage Controlled Amplifiers, Voltage Controlled Phaser, Envelope Follower, Quadrature LFO, Parametric Equalizer, Variable Formant Filter, Quantizer, 7 Mixers, Various DC sources and Attenuators Plus a Velocity & Aftertouch sensitive Keyboard. This used to belong to Hans Zimmer btw A Sequencer rack would be nice, but hey, you can't have it all!"

Polyfusion Modular VCO tracking


YouTube via buchla300.

"Not really an exciting musical video but just showing how accurate the Polyfusion's VCO's are. They have a 10 octave range and track incredibly well. At some point I patch one VCO to another to do some FM and even then, they remain totally in tune (except for when I put one VCO too low by mistake) Try this on most analogues and it just doesn't work! Also, they sound massive. Probably not via YouTube, but standing in front of it is quite an experience."

Sequential Circuits Pro-One "sync-sounds" by RetroSound


YouTube via retrosound72.

Rhodes Chroma Expander


images via this auction.

If you are considering this one, don't miss the note on MIDI below.

"Rare keyboardless version of the Chroma. (Less than 250 expanders produced) The Chroma was the last instrument produced by Arp before the company went bust in the mid 80's. Rhodes then took over Arp and rebadged the Chroma. The Chroma is a very flexible instrument, the architecture is almost modular like, very patchable plus with the benefits of having user memories. Fantastic sounding instrument, on tons of records from the 80s/ 90s. Famous users include Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock (Future Shock) amongst others.. Check out Herbie Hancock playing his Chroma in this Youtube video below:





Herbie Hancock jams with his Fairlight CMI
YouTube via froady.

"Herbie shows off while Quincy Jones looks on. 1983" Herbie plays the Chroma starting at 2:40 into the video. Gives you an idea of how great the synth sounds! Personally i think the Chroma is a much better sounding instrument than many of the other classic analogue polysynths, like the Prophet 5, Jupiter or Oberheim OB series. Here are some more details on the synths specifications: -2 VCO oscillators per voice, 8 note polyphonic synthesizer OR 1 VCO per voice and 16 note polyphonic. *Velocity and aftertouch sensitive* -Oscillators have sawtooth and square waveforms. -Ability to modulate the width of the sawtooth wave giving sine and triangle waveforms. -Filter modes include: 4 pole Low pass/4 pole High pass/ 2 pole Low pass/ 2 pole High pass/ 2 pole Band pass/ 2 pole Notch all with resonance. -Filter FM, ring modulation and Oscillator sync! -Four envelopes and glide generator PER voice. 16 LFO waveforms. -Arpeggiator with random mode. Also check out the excellent Rhodes Chroma website for more further information. Super instrument. Sonically its really versatile, great for percussive, cutting lead lines great for experimental and effects sounds (has a ring modulator, frequency modulation, tons of assignable LFOs and envelopes!) also very good for traditional synth sounds, smooth brass, string/ pad sounds etc. Really rich sounding.. It has a dual voice architecture like the CS80, where each oscillator has its own individual signal path and settings, so you can build some really impressive sounding patches. There is also a wide selection of decent patches to download from the Rhodes Chroma website. This unit has just been fully serviced (October 2007) and been given a full bill of health by Roy Paynter, an Arp trained Chroma repair expert in the UK. As well as being serviced the internal PSU has been also replaced with a modern switching unit improving long term reliability and also makes the instrument a lot lighter! The Expander is great if you are limited for space, its about a third of the size and weight of the Chroma keyboard! Also included in the auction is a JL Cooper Chromaface midi interface and manual and the Chroma user manual. I havent been able to get this midi interface working, im not sure i have it hooked up correctly, im sure the midi interface works ok, but thought it was worth mentioning. I was considering purchasing a CC+ midi kit for this unit, a great midi interface new on the market, which really brings the Chroma into 2007, gives it a great midi spec. Unfortunately i didnt get round to it and need need to sell this Chroma now to fund something else. But i highly recommend the buyer to check out the CC+ midi kit"

Andromeda A6 Tracks

via the AH list:

"There is a new CD out from Symbion project (aka kasson crooker of freezepop & splashdown) and the CD is 100% A6. If you're into Vangelis & Wendy Carlos or just want to hear a raw A6 in action, check it out. Here are a couple of links.

http://www.symbionproject.com/audio/woundup_clip1.mp3
http://www.symbionproject.com/audio/woundup_clip2.mp3"

Vermona DRM1 Demo

DRM1mk3.mp3

Inside an Access Virus

flickr by temple1201.

click here for the full size shot.

Luray Caverns: Stalacpipe Organ


"Visiting the caverns at Luray, Virginia. The organ is played with hammers striking the stalactites."
YouTube via lostcheerio. via the Top 10 Bizarre Musical Instruments on The List Universe. The Ondes Martenot and theremin make an appearance on the list as well.

BTW, I created a new tag, Nature, for stuff like this. Check it out. If you find any posts that I missed let me know and as usual I will tag them.

Boats


YouTube via JimGordon5. via My Synthesis Technology MOTM...
"Boats at Dana Point California October 2007. Music by Jim Gordon."
You might remember the name from this post.

rare device

flickr by jm3

click here for the full size shot.

Update via jm3 in the comments:
"this was a sticker from last night's opening of Rare Device in san francisco: http://www.raredevice.net/"

How a NeKo is Born (a youtube exclusive)


YouTube via OpenLabsInc.
"We were up at work late the other night and decided to tape some of our silly antics. Happy Halloween folks!"

Blacet SB2780/2790 Ready to Ship

SB2780 Splitter
SB2790 Mixer
More info here.
SB2780/2790 Kit: $98 (Intro Price)

ms10

flickr by *Phil_K*

Korg MS10

click here for the full size shot.

TR-909 loves the TB-303


YouTube via aszent. Also see this post.
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