NAMM: Plan B Wave Splicer - First Listen

via Peter Grenader of Plan B:

"On this Namm-eve I give you the first audio sample of the proposed Plan B Wave Splicer:

http://www.ear-group.net/splicesamp.mp3

The patch is not complex. A single Model 15's saw is being fed into the Waveshaper of a Model 26. That output is fed into INPUT A of the Splicer. Into the Splicer's INPUT B is the Square out of the same Model 15. A single Model 10 is being self-cycled and is pacing a sequencer which is controlling the Model 15's pitch. The Envelope output of that Model 10 is sweeping the VC Splice Input of the Wave Splicer.

There is no PWM going on, the timbral sweeps are being caused by the edit point of the Splicer being VC's by the Model 10.

See you at Namm."

Jupiter sounds (so strange!) NASA-Voyager recording

YouTube via hryzunik. via Mr. Array.
"From an original CD: JUPITER NASA-VOYAGER SPACE SOUNDS (1990) BRAIN/MIND Research
Fascinating recording of Jupiter sounds (electromagnetic "voices") by NASA-Voyager. The complex interactions of charged electromagnetic particles from the solar wind , planetary magnetosphere etc. create vibration "soundscapes". It sounds very interesting, even scary.
Jupiter is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium. The entire planet is made of gas, with no solid surface under the atmosphere. The pressures and temperatures deep in Jupiter are so high that gases form a gradual transition into liquids which are gradually compressed into a metallic "plasma" in which the molecules have been stripped of their outer electrons. The winds of Jupiter are a thousand metres per second relative to the rotating interior. Jupiter's magnetic field is four thousand times stronger than Earth's, and is tipped by 11° degrees of axis spin. This causes the magnetic field to wobble, which has a profound effect on trapped electronically charged particles. This plasma of charged particles is accelerated beyond the magnetosphere of Jupiter to speeds of tens of thousands of kilometres per second. It is these magnetic particle vibrations which generate some of the sound you hear on this recording. Visit http://www.inner-net.com/bmr/bmrpg2aa... for more sounds."

NAMM: Metasonix G-1000

Nice shot and full disclosure now up on umop. Click the image for the full size shot.

Update: I missed it, but apparently Mike Brown of Livewire came up with the name. You can read more about it on the Metasonix site.

Mini-Magitron - is it a Mellotron?

"Here's my Mini-Magitron. This video is recorded in stereo. More than 2 000 people have seen my babytron at YouTube in less than three months! My babytron contains a laptop computer, a pair of active PC-speakers and a midi-keyboard. This MM400 looks like a M400 mellotron and it has sounds from mellotrons.
You can see the project in progress at: link. The text is originally written in swedish and is partly translated to english."


YouTube via maxbackstrom.
"A Midi-keyboard and a computer, put together in a piece of wood that looks like a M400 mellotron, can make the sound from a mellotron for real at hardly no cost at all."

ARP 2600 and ARP Axxe

flickr by Zilla -Boo

NAMM: AFE Analog Factory Experience Released

" Analog Factory Experience offers the immediacy of a hardware synthesizer combined with the flexibility of a software based solution. How is it possible? Analog Factory Experience is a unique combination of a software synthesizer that brings 3500 sounds, along with a high quality dedicated hardware controller. Once the Software is started, you can put your mouse away, all functions can be activated from within the keyboard controller: select a sound to play, modify this sound, recall snapshots... This is a true hands-on experience : simple, straightforward and fun." More info

Also Prophet V 1.2 available
"It was very much anticipated so we are glad to announce the release of an important update to the Prophet V. It comes with improvements such as
• VST 2.4 support, allowing for Cubase 4 compatibility on Mac Intel
• RTAS 7.3 support
• Correction of different bugs such as the cracks some would experience when using several instances of the Prophet V in their sequencer."

Big Briar Etherwave Waveforms

via Thumbuki

CalArts Plan B System

another shot of the CalArts Plan B system sent to the Plan B list. Mmmm... Green....

NAMM: MOOG MP-201 and New Voyager

via hispasonic, via sighup in the comments of the prior post. The description is in Spanish and mentions the Voyager. Here it is Google translated:

"Moog Music has prepared two surprises for the NAMM show that is about to take place, first is the new Multi-Pedal MP-201. It is based on the EP-2; work with HP and MIDI (standard and USB). You can control up to four Moogerfoogers at once. It has four independent LFOs and sincronizables and four control outputs. The second surprise may like the fans of sintes: the new release "Old School" of the Minimoog Voyager. This is a cut Voyager, in fact: they have left the analog system, eliminating all digital controls (pure "old school").

MP-201

Features Multi-Pedal MP-201

* Work with control voltage (CV), MIDI (standard and USB) and can simultaneously monitor up to four Moogerfoogers
* Four independent LFOs, and sincronizables generated internally, which may emerge as a CV and / or MIDI (4 waveforms more noise H and S%)
* Quick Setup of analog equipment using the preset levels for storing HP (this opens up many possibilities with sintes as Voyager, Little Phatty, sintes modular and other sintes analog)
* Four simultaneous control outputs: each can transmit MIDI and CV
* MIDI Clock Sync and Tap Tempo
* Converting MIDI-to-hp four-channel
* No mechanical parts: the pedal is optically coupled to the electronic

With this pedal, you have a driver with optical presets for CV, MIDI and USB. You could connect all your analog equipment, your team and your MIDI computer through a central controller. There are 100 presets available, which can be used through the LCD on the front panel.

Its price will move around the 400 2008

A new Voyager

The Minimoog Voyager OS (Old School) will be the engine sound analog Voyager original, but without digital controls. It caters to a segment of musicians of a certain age who simply want something to replace its Model D, and for young musicians who want a minimalist approach to his musical creativity. The classic design and capabilities HP expanded doing interesting couple users sintes modular.

The price of around $ 2,400, somewhere between the cost of a Little Phatty Voyager and a complete, and will be available in March 2008.

Moog Music"

NAMM: Sneak Peak on New MOOG Products

via Peter Forrest on the AH list:

"If I missed some posts, forgive me.. but I just saw that Future Music February UK edition has details of three interesting Moog items:- a Little Phatty II with arpeggiator and USB; a retro Voyager with no MIDI, presets, or touchscreen but 'enhanced modulation', different knob layout, and a lower price; and the MP-201 pedal - USB, MIDI, and four CV outputs.

Maybe, I just thought, FM jumped an embargo on this. In which case apologies to Amos and the Moog company, but if the guys who read FM can know about it, I guess AH can as well. [and MATRIXSYNTH]

Same mag has my interview with Peanut, the keyboard player with the Kaiser Chiefs, whose favourite stage instrument is and always has been the SH-101. He's had all his keyboards re-finished in white by list member Jeff Toman of Custom Synth. They look very good indeed. (Kaiser Chiefs are one of the top indie/rock bands in the UK, and their live shows are legendary.)

Peter F"

Regarding photos:
"There were photos, yes.
But although watson asked really nicely, I'm not going to do it.
I just checked on the Moog site, and it's obvious that FM did forget an embargo, and that's basically cheating in magazine / manufacturer circles.
I doubt they meant to, but there we go.
Both look good. The retro Voyager is like a cross between a Mini and a modular in visual design - lots of module-like vertical divisions between sections.
I expect pics will be up soon enough on the web.
Peter"

I completely respect Peter on this one, but if you have a shot, and feel like sending it in, feel free. FM UK is print and it's been released meaning all of the UK can see it. If no one does send one in, we'll know soon enough as NAMM starts tomorrow.

Roland GR-500 Ibanez

images via this auction.

via dlmorley on the forum.

"Roland GR-500 and GS-500 Guitar Synth. 30 years old! Complete and highly collectible system with:
GS-500 Guitar. Built by Ibanez GR-500 Analogue synth section 24 pin Cable to connect the synth to the guitar

Original case for the guitar (stamped with Nils Tuxen Hamburg. He is a respected guitarist and was in the Danish group Savage Rose) pdf manual and service manual The Guitar was built 30 years ago. serial number A781030 (January 1978) It is a superb guitar. 2 piece top, set neck and best Ibanez quality from the late 70's. The guitar alone is highly desirable and plays extremely well, with a low action and a solid neck and has no issues or damage apart from a few small spots on the back and headstock. 9/10"

Polymoog - slightly broken!

YouTube via buchla300. via this auction via dlmorley on the forum.
"Here is my Polymoog 203a taken out of it's case for the first time in years! I bought it as in need of work, but it doesn't seem that bad. A few voices don't work, sometimes craps out and some waveshapes need sorting etc etc but, worth doing though as I LOVE polymoogs. Better than people think. Crap phone quality video. Sorry!" images here

Olivier Grall's Yusynth Modular

via Yves:
"it has been added in the modular section of Olivier's web site.

It is the serial #001 and was built in parallel with my own yusynth modular serial #000. It's a jointed project by Olivier (front plate engraving, assembling,
woodwork) and I (electronic design, electronic construction, woodwork).

Here is a picture of my yusynth #000 in construction.

For those who wonder the availability of such systems, this is DIY stuff ONLY and these synths are not commercial products, they are not for sale and I do not build synths for others ( sorry about that ;-) ). However, I provide all the information at my site for those who would like to build their own.

Cheers
Yves"

Casio SK-1 Tattoo

via Jasyn

Announcing TipTop Audio

Something tells me more exciting synth news is actually coming outside of NAMM this year. I have just been tipped (pun intended) that there is yet another new synthesizer company coming. Yesterday I announced Synthasonic, and today we have TipTop Audio.

More will follow so be sure to check back.

jupiter synth jam

YouTube via rebelbassnz. Sent my way via Raphael.
"Jupiter 4 run thru a distortion pedal"

AvrX

Remember AvrX going open source?

altemark found some pictures and sound examples posted by troy sheets on the avrx.se forum.

sixcylinder teaser

YouTube via robotpickle. "wierd machine #72"
DaevlMakr daevl.sixcylinder. You can find more info and more daevl plugs here.

Girl Talk - Mike Holme (Moog Synth)

YouTube via michaeljholme.

SUZUKI WARAKU

Remember the Waraku? It looks like one's up for auction. images via this auction. See the previous post or the auction for the description.

Computone Lyricon Vintage Wind Synth Driver

images via this auction

FAEMI-1M

images via this auction

"Faemi -1M it is fully polyphonic synthesizer (made at the same Kachkanar radio factory as the great Polivoks synth) and has a 4-octave (F-E - Fa-Mi, hence the name FAeMI) keyboard, 1 VCO, 1 LFO, 1 VCF with ADSR envelope and 1 VCA. The control panel is divided into four main sections. The first is for the oscillator, with controls for decay, tuning and glissando. The second section is subdivided into two parts. The first subsection is called "timbre" - this is essentially the waveshape-control section - with knobs labelled piano, strings, clavesin and brass. The second subsection is called "vibrato": this controls the LFO, and has knobs for frequency, depth and delay. The third and biggest section is the "filter" section, with knobs to define the ADSR envelope as well as controlling cutoff frequency, resonance and modulation.

There is also an interesting little red button in this section which toggles between "brass" and "filter" - that is, when it is depressed, the signal from the VCO is processed through the filter, but when unpressed the signal goes straight to the VCA. The last section is the VCA control, and this has only a knob for volume.

Knob names in English

You can find samples on the excellent Ruskeys.net

Oberheim Xpander

images via this auction