MATRIXSYNTH: Monday, September 26, 2005


Monday, September 26, 2005

Ultravox Synths

Update: See new post on Ultravox gear p*rn.

Update: Add the Oxford Synthesizer Company's Oscar to the list. Can't beleive I forgot that one.

Ultravox at one point was my favorite band growing up. They defined a pivotal period in my adolescence and had a huge impact on me. They are actually what prompted me into wanting to play synths to begin with. There is an excellent thread going on Vintage Synth Explorer on Ultravox and the synths they used.

Listed so far (the majority of credit goes to Micke:

  • Elka Rhapsody 610 - first three albums (pre Midge Ure)
  • Yamaha SS30 string machines - Vienna up until the mid 80s
  • Yamaha CS80
  • PPG Wave 2.2 - 1982/83 onwards
  • Yamaha DX7/TX816 - TX816 sometime in 1984
  • Oberheim OB-X - on 1981's "Rage in Eden"
  • Emu Emulator I - Sampled Synclavier strings on Hymn
  • ARP Odyssey - Lead on Hymn
  • Emu Emulator II - Strings on Reap the Wild Wind live (the Yamaha SS30 was originally used - I always wanted to know what those beautiful strings were)
  • Moog Minimoog - in Vienna


Amazing. I always wondered what they used. The strings in Ultravox's Reap the Wild Wind and early New Order/Joy Division are my absolute two favorite string sounds. New Order/Joy Division used ARP strings.

Yamaha SS30

Favicon!


No title link. This is a funny post for me, but Fernando Alves just sent me a favicon! I never really thought of having one. Well it's up, so enjoy. : ) Thanks Fernando!

Hillwood SY-1800


Update: From Mikael Lindgren via AH:
"Hi there,

It's a dual-voice synthesizer that dates from 1979 or 1980.
The same synth was also released as the Multivox MX-75 dual-voice synthesizer.
I'd say with 99% certainty that these were made by the Hillwood company in Japan.

here's a couple of pics. Aside from the different logos they look pretty much identical.

This example says Multivox on the front panel but "Pulser" on the backpanel:
(the ID plate reads "Model: MX-75")
http://hem.bredband.net/linmik/multivox-pulser_MX-75.jpg

and the front panel on this says "Pulser":
http://hem.bredband.net/linmik/Pulser_M-75.jpg
"

Update: Via slabman in the comments below. More on Hillwood featured in this Sound on Sound article titled A Tale of Two String Synths.

From the article:
"Flipping the lid on the [Multivox] MX202 provides a bit of a shock. I expected to see either the Roland or Multivox name on the circuit boards -- but I was disappointed. Instead, I found the name Hillwood, a little-known Japanese manufacturer who were active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was a company founded by a Japanese gentleman called Kazuo Morioka, whose name translates as First Man Wood Hill. Morioka thus gave his name to the Hillwood synths and keyboards released throughout the mid-to-late '70s, as well as the short-lived manufacturer Firstman. Furthermore, Morioka was working in partnership with other manufacturers, rebadging some Hillwood products as Pulsar, and developing yet more for another Italian company, Solton. But where did Roland fit into all of this?"

I checked my image stash for the Hillwood M-75 posted below. I didn't find any, but I did find some shots of the Hillwood SY-1800:

Hillwood Pulsar M-75


Update: It's actually the Hillwood Pulser not Pulsar.

Update: Some shots from Brandon Daniel via the comments of this post: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bdu/sets/1036641/. Very cool. Thanks Brandon.

In via Brandon Daniel on AH. Never saw one of these before. Anyone know what it is? The search engines are coming up nill. I'll post back if anyone on AH has more info.

Tim "Love" Lee - Electrocomp EML 100 & Macbeth M3X Musings

In via AH. Some interesting tracks by Tim "Love" Lee featuring an Electrocomp EML 100, Macbeth M3X and Roland TR77.

"While I'm in a posting mood, let me tell you about my new album (which was released last week):

It's called Against Nature (after the novel by JK Huysmans) and was made almost entirely with an Electrocomp EML 100 and a Macbeth M3X. You can check it out on iTunes, Amazon etc and at www.myspace.com/timlovelee. There's a tiny bit of Roland TR77 drum machine and some live kit drum and percussion (recorded by Pere Ubu's Tony Maimone no less !) but mostly it's analog synths.

cheers

Tim Love Lee

www.tummytouch.com"

Jazz Infection


Sent to me by liam cloyd (lu-chu). Some interesting music happening at the Jazz Infection. Title link takes you there. A note from lu-chu on his gear, "the beasts i use in my setup currently are an arp axxe a juno and a mikrokorg (which to me has surprisingly more power than i would have expected) plus all sorts of non synth instruments. all solo stuff. recorded in ableton live" B'Angelo has some interesting tunes there as well. Good luck guys, I definitely like what I hear. : )

Worm Synth and More Oddities


Create Digital Music has a post up on an Analog Synth Jacket. I clicked through and found the Worm Synth. I remember seeing the wonderful Worm Synth a while back. It basically works by literally placing a worm or two on the surface of the synth and let it do it's thing. When worms touch the different pegs, different effects occur. Click through title link for more. I don't believe the worms feel anything based on his other designs. My first thought was that would suck to be the worm. Also do they even have nerves? : )

http://www.ciat-lonbarde.net/crowns/index.html

3rd Annual Pacific Northwest Synth Meeting


In via AH. In Renton, Washington, near Seattle. It's from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. I missed last year's meeting as I was out of town, but I'm hoping to be at this year's from 10:00 - 12:00; then I head out to my 2 year old daughter's, b-day party. : )

Image from last years meeting. Not sure what this is but it shure looks perty. : )

3rd Annual Pacific Northwest Synth Meeting

Saturday, October 1, 2005

Renton Technical College
Building C, Room 111

Additional information at www.sound-photo.com

Take care,
John
http://www.sound-photo.com/

A6 Easter Egg?

No title link for this post. In via the Alesis A6 user group. Apparently there is a hidden page on the A6 that lists the OS history, development team members, and an ASIC page with paramaters that should not be tweaked. I almost didn't post this because of that last bit, but I figure there are plenty of other ways to damage a synth. Obviously be careful and take a peek at your own risk - I take no liability for you, strangers or crazy friends around your synths. : ) Protect and serve your synths. To access this screen hit global, soft button 7, and then soft buttons 7 and 8 at the same time.
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