MATRIXSYNTH: Monday, March 10, 2008

Detroit graffiti

flickr by ExcuseMySarcasm

full size

KORG strikes again. Click on the graffiti link below for two others.

1970/71 R.A. MOOG Minimoog # 77

images via this auction

"This is one of the earliest Minimoogs ever made - the 77th Model D (serial #1077) from around late 1970 early 1971. It was when the company was still owned by Bob Moog himself, following the 1960s modular synthesizer wave, so the badge still reads "R A MOOG" as on the old modulars. The front panel is metal, unlike the plastic/vinyl of later Minimoogs. The mod and pitch wheels are clear plastic - which only lasted a short time. Even the panel markings are different - with actual times (see "DECAY" in photos) listed instead of simple 1-10 markers.

This one is also unusual in that it was made with all-white switches, unlike the white-blue-orange of later Minimoogs. Some early Mini's have all-blue or all-white (I have never seen all-orange though). This one comes with an original owner's manual and two pieces of service receipts, when it has an oscillator upgrade done (tuning stability, octave buffer added, and calibration). It has been tested and DOES work as it should. It sounds great - that fat, yet clear, early Minimoog sound. The condition is quite nice - not perfect but still pretty clean considering its age - see the photos."

via Lyle

Update via Dave Cornutt in the comments (see them for more from others):
"More info: I looked up SN 1077 on moogarchives.com. It says it was shipped to Central Music on April 29, 1971. Central Music was David VanKovering's music shop in Orlando, and they were one of Moog's biggest dealers in the early days. This was before VanKovering joined Moog. Unfortunately, I can't find anything on who Central Music sold it to.

Doing some Googling, I found a message in the Analogue Heaven archives dated February 7, 1998 from someone identified as "steve" (you can see the email if you search the AH archive on retrosynth.com, although there's certainly no guarantee that he is stil at that same email address now). Oddly, he says it was modified by a previous owner and "it is now 2 pieces". He says the keyboard was painted black and was separated and connected to the synth by a cable. Obviously it isn't that way now, so either he or some subsequent owner must have restored it."

Korg MS-20 Bubble Machine

YouTube via Newueel
"The MS-20 is very useful for creating weird sounds, like some different types of 'bubbles'. Without using any patches the modulation generator can be used for three different types of frequency modulation (also combined):
- highpass filter cutoff frequency modulation
- lowpass filter cutoff frequency modulation
- VCO frequency modulation
Of couse many varieties can be made by changing waveforms and frequencies for the oscilators and modulation generator, and eh... but that'll up to you...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

KNOBS (First sound):
VCO1: [Sawtooth] [(not used)] [32']
VCO2: (not used)
PORTAMENTO: [0]
VCOMIX: [10] [ 0] [ 0] [ 0]
HPF: [10] [ 7] [ 5] [ 0]
LPF: [ 5] [ 5] [ 0] [ 0]
MG: [^(middle)] [5]
EG1: (not used)
EG2: [0] [2] [0] [10] [3]
ESP: (not used)"

Roland JX-8P + Moog Taurus bass pedals by RetroSound

YouTube via retrosound72

"pads: Roland JX-8P
bass: Moog Taurus 1 bass pedals
drums: Roland TR-606"

KORG DW-8000

images via this auction

"State of the art circa 1986. The arpeggiator is very fun, a big plus on this keyboard, especially with sounds using the built-in delay (Program 88 in my keyboard is very nice for this). The 8 note polyphony means you can get chordal complexity and arpeggiated lines sound very rich.

Useful site: Manuals, description, DIY: link"

MOOG Multimoog

images via this auction
"This Multimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer manufactured by Moog Music from 1978 to 1981. Derived from the earlier Micromoog, the Multimoog was intended to be a less expensive alternative to Moog's flagship, Minimoog. It nevertheless had some advanced features which the Minimoog did not include: It was one of the earliest synthesizers to feature aftertouch capability (pressure-sensitive keys).

Key features include:
♫ 44 note monophonic keyboard with aftertouch
♫ Ribbon-type pitch bend controller
♫ Glide (portamento)
♫ Two voltage-controlled oscillators with waveform continuously adjustable from sawtooth, through square, to narrow pulse
♫ Oscillator sync
♫ Noise source
♫ 24db/octave Moog transistor-ladder lowpass voltage controlled filter
♫ Dedicated low frequency oscillator with triangle, square, and random waveforms
♫ Extensive modulation routing options, including sample & hold, audio-frequency modulation of the VCF for quasi-ring modulation, waveform sweep/quasi-pulse width modulation, and more
♫ Two AR (attack/release) envelope generators with switchable percussive/sustaining profiles
♫ * * * External audio input for processing instruments, vocals, etc.
♫ External control voltage and trigger inputs/outputs for interfacing with other synthesizer equipment
(Serial #2173)

What's cool about this one is pressure (not velocity) sensitive keys. By pushing a little harder on the key, you can bend the note by routing its pressure sensitivity to either or both oscillators, a filter or some other effect. It's especially cool when doing the intro to Loverboy's, "Take Me to the Top," or anything from Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

On the far left, there's a pitch ribbon - basically, a metal screen stretched over a resistive material - like a tuning knob you adjust with your finger tip. By running your finger above or below center, you change the pitch of the note. Next to that, there's a wheel that changes the note in other ways, depending on which filter or effect you route it to. The kinds of sounds you can make with this thing are nearly endless. It's the beauty of analog.

Pitch ribbons eventually need to be rebuilt or replaced because over time, the screen flexes inward, touching the resistive layer underneith it, leading to notes you weren't expecting. Most of the time, this one works. Occasionally, it sticks. Luckily, Moog Music has them, as do other suppliers. If you decide to get one, contact Mike Bucki at ModuSonics Music, 6300 Old Beattie Rd. Lockport, NY 14094 Phone/Fax (716) 438-0756.

Likewise, switches, keys and potentiometers (volume & tuning knobs) get dusty or oxydised on the inside and lose their connections or sound fuzzy when you turn them. Whenever this happens, all you need to do is move them back and forth until the metal or resistive surfaces inside them are shiny again. Whenever a key stops making contact, simply turn the synthesizer over, pull out the two plastic covers, exposing the wires below the keys, and rub the surface of the larger wire with your fingertip or an alcohol-soaked swab or some fine-grit sandpaper. The keys have small vertical wires below them that when pressed, connect these small wires to a thicker horizontal wire. Once a year or so, pull the panels off and clean the larger wire. If one of the smaller wires looks out of place, it's easy to bend it back to look more like the ones on the other keys. Do this while the unit is turned off and unplugged."

I once picked up a Pro-One from Guitar Center for $125 because it had a sticky note. Turn out one of the J-Wires (as pictured here on the Multimoog) was bent and in constant contact with the bar. I bent it back and it was fine.

Future Retro XS Demos

via Brian: link
via Rui: link

Nomad - Nord Modular Editor

via Manuel:
"Hi everyone, the second release of Nomad - Nord Modular Editor is finally out. After 1.5 years of developing since the first release we are happy to announce that Nomad is almost feature complete. Apart from the basic things we implemented some new features to improve the experience with the editor: - embedded file browser - macros: create tiny template patches which can be inserted into other patches - module transformation: transform a module into another without loosing parameter values and connections - randomizer: randomize the parameters of a patch or a set of modules - arbitrary number of Nord Modular/Micro Modular synthesizers supported." Runs on Windows, MacOSX and Linux. More info including video at http://nmedit.sourceforge.net/ For support, questions, bug reports or anything else visit the forum.

The Swiss Army Bass

"Yup-that's right. It's a bass guitar with a midi keyboard mounted on it. Yes, the two are played simultaneously. The bass is played with the left hand alone by means of a guitar technique known as “hammer-ons” while the keyboard (which emulates a distorted slide guitar most of the time. among other things) is played with the right hand. This instrument has a weight equivalent to that of a small motorcycle, and as you might imagine, requires years of time and patience to 'master'."

click here for more including some video. Also check out The Droning Betsy. via cebec who found it on Ektopia.

Admin: Word Verification is Back on for Comments

Been getting a bit of spam in the comments lately, so word verification is back on.

Estradin Analog Russian Phaser

images via this craigslist post.
"This is a rare soviet military type phaser. I have owned the Moog 12-stage, Boss, Ibanez and DOD phasers and this phase has a unique sound of it's own.

The front controls are frequency, balance and brightness. The back panel features input, dry and wet outputs, and a shift switch. A red LED flashes to the rate of phasing. The pedal is 7 ½” wide by 6” long. Estradin made synthesizers in Russia in the 60's and 70's.

I’m including a brand new Step Up/Down Transformer 220V-110V setup to plug and play a unique phaser sound. The pots are not scratchy and it is not noisy."

via brian c

Synthesizer-Welt at Frankfurt Musikmesse

Just a reminder for those fortunate enough to be attending this year's Musikmesse, do not miss Synthesizer-Welt (World) hosted by Synthesizer-Magazin.

Halle 5.1, Stand B66
March 12-15, 2008

Industrial Grade Digital Synthesizer for Linux

"Minicomputer is a standalone Linux softwaresynthesizer for creating experimental electronic sounds as its often used in but not limited to Industrial music, IDM, EBM, Glitch, sound design and minimal electronic. It is monophonic but can produce up to 8 different sounds at the same time. It uses Jack as realtime audio infrastructure and can be controlled via Midi. Minicomputer is free open source software distributed under GPL 3 written by Malte Steiner 2007/2008." Click here for more info including samples and manual. The software will be shown at the SYNTHESIZER-WORLD booth (hosted by Synthesizer-Magazin) at the Musikmesse.

Logan String Melody 2 + EHX Small Stone + Moog by RetroSound

YouTube via retrosound72

"analog strings: Logan String Melody 2, the presets and different settings through original EHX Small Stone phase shifter from the 70`s years
bassline: Moog Prodigy, triggered by the SCI Pro-One internal sequencer
drums: Roland TR-606"