MATRIXSYNTH: Monday, January 11, 2010

Monday, January 11, 2010

MMM Meets Eurorack

http://mattsonminimodular.com/
http://www.theharvestman.org/
http://flightofharmony.com/

Eurorack case via http://monorocket.com/

Colored cables via http://www.adinfinitummusic.com

Euro modules and Monorocket case picked up from http://analoguehaven.com/

Chipmunks via McDonald's - not mine.

click the images for the supersized shots.

Update: one thing I forgot to mention is to use the screws that come with the Monorocket vs the ones that come with the modules. They are threaded differently.

Oberheim OB-1 Vintage Synth

via this auction

ROLAND SUPER JX10 Duran Duran Ad Scan 1986

via this auction for the JX-10

"12 voices and 24 oscillators, nothing comes close to this powerful machine. Released in 1986, it features a full semi-weighted 76 keys, aftertouch, and velocity sensitivity. The same model has been used throughouly by Duran Duran, Pink Floyd, The Cure and many other notable artists"

YAMAHA DX5 Vintage Synthesizer

via this auction

"Here we have Yamaha’s flagship product of the 1980’s…the Rolls-Royce of linear synthesizers. The Yamaha DX-5 was low production run monster of a synth, stacking 2 of the industry standard Yamaha DX-7’s into one massive and beautiful machine. It was released in 1985, and came in 2 versions, the DX-5 (being sold here), and the DX-1, which is identical under the hood and in sound to the DX-5, with added wood panels, aftertouch, and illuminated grids. The quality of this synthesizer is incredible, everything from the keys, to the buttons to the sliders feels like new. The medium-weighted keys feel far better than anything I have felt today"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Waldorf Q

via this auction

Roland RS-101 Analog String Synth 1975

via this auction
"This 1975 RS-101 model is exactly the same as the later 1976-77 model RS-202, except the RS202 added a switch to turn the ensemble off. As the ensemble effect is the main key to the string synth sound, you never want to turn it off, as that is what makes the classic and lush 70's/80's synth string sound, so the RS-101 delivers that dreamy sound you can get lost in."

NAMM: Arturia Prophet V 2.0

via Arturia
"2.0 FEATURES
* A revolutionary preset navigation system called SoundMap
* New Syncrosoft copy protection
* MIDI RPN "pitch bend range" message is now recognized
* Ability to use NRPN midi messages for automation
* Fresh batch of presets made by a selection of top sound designers
* Presets now respond to modulation wheel
* Double click on joystick resets to center position
* Lower CPU utilization on Mac OSX
* Better Audio Unit compatibility (Digital Performer most notably)
* Better handling of control surfaces while changing preset
* Better mouse response of Audio Unit version
* Windows 7/Snow Leopard officially supported
* Vista/Windows 7 compatibility no longer requires UAC deactivation
* and numerous bug fixes

MAIN FEATURES

* Three synthesizers in one: Prophet 5, Prophet VS, Prophet Hybrid
* All the original parameters of the Prophet 5 and Prophet VS
* New audio connection matrix
* New modulation matrix switch for the 2 synthesizers
* New Chorus and Stereo delay effects
* More than 400 presets created by talented musicians and synthesizers specialists
* Compatibility with the Presets of the original synthesizers
* No aliasing from 0.1Hz to 16kHz
* Calculated precision : 64 bits
* Sample Frequency : until 96 kHz
* Compatible with a MIDI keyboard
* 2 analog oscillators for the Prophet 5
* 4 wavetables oscillators for the Prophet VS
* Capacity to synchronize Osc2 on Osc1 for the Prophet VS
* 1 Mixer with joystick and automation envelope for mixing the 4 oscillators of the Prophet VS
* 1 resonating low pass filter for the Prophet 5
* 1 multimode resonant filter for the Prophet 5
* 3 LFO that can be synchronized with the tempo of the host sequencer
* 5 envelopes: 2 ADSR; 3 5 point envelopes
* Polyphony of 2 to 32 voices with the unison possibility
* Audio quality and purity as in the original Prophet 5 and VS"

Arturia will be at NAMM at Hall A Booth 6310. See all booths here.

Roland TR-808 Sample Pack via TRASH_AUDIO

available via Surachai on TRASH_AUDIO

Jomox M.Brane - Additional Info

an-schlag midicube.MP4

YouTube via Moogulator
"Demo of An-Schlag MIDI Cube. Hit the Glass to accellerate the 3D "Cursor" that triggers notes or other events when the "wall" was hit again. well, see yourself.

www.sequencer.de synth database"

Diy midi controller, Loop Daft Punk - Harder Better FASTEST Stronger

YouTube via Jimmy333x2
"one of the first test about midi loop.
I'm playing a midi base on cubase in a loop, it's not the same as the original one...
it's just to show recently added functions, as improved ADSR, Filters, delay...

at least my project has reached a better structure, now I can develop new features in a easier way.

New features:
startup memory control(EEPROM) just 2 blocks: 256kb , up to 1MB
Nokia(3310) display BMP images available.
more analog input enabled (3 MUX-8channel =24 IN) [it reamains just the last one to solder for 32 total IN]
Encoder enabled for menu selection.

Nowadays works:
complete menu implementation,
dual encoder
memory mapping for Sequences , BMP, Presets, other kinds of file..."

MIDI controller box (step 1)

"Underlying the project is a PIC18F452, I programmed using the CCS C compiler for PIC
Starting from a crystal oscillator and having from 10MHz internal PLL enabled (which multiplies the frequency x4) CIP process the code at a frequency of 40MHz, providing excellent uptime.
In the code I used for dynamic allocations, readings via analog MUX, management of double alphanumeric LCD display and LCD display (that of the Nokia 3310)

midibox receives the keys pressed on the keyboard via MIDI (note.on and note.off) and saves them on a buffer-based software dynamic lists.
the buffer is read and emptied at each interrupt caused by Timer1.
Meanwhile, the analog port multiplexers read and scroll through the various slider (16 hours), each of them has an associated MIDI Control Change command.
displays the values associated with each slider, the middle displays the bar charts."

NintendoDS MIDI controller for SID-BOX 6581 (Filter)

YouTube via Jimmy333x2
"Filter test for 6581
My nintendo DS is running my custom midi controller app
you can act on the graph bars modifying Control change midi events
and playing notes as a keyboard
this app is written with Devkitpro C++ tools, using Libnds libraries (for Nintendo DS)
and in CCS C (for pic+6581 module)

MIDI commands are sent from nintendo DS using DSMI libraries by WiFi and routed with Beup to SID-box with an external MIDI cable"

NintendoDS MIDI controller for SID-BOX 6581 (Waveforms)

NintendoDS MIDI controller for SID-BOX 6581 (Envelope Generator)

Legend Of Zelda Theme - real 8bit SID 6581 (test1)

"this is a MOS 6581 MIDI interface based on a PIC 18F452 20Mhz,
MOS 6581 and MOS 8580 were the Sound Interface Device of '80s Computer Commodore 64.
in this box the PIC acts as a serial to parallel converter allowing MIDI events elaboration, including at this stage:
NOTE-ON /OFF
Control Change
(osc freq, Envelope Generator, Filters, Pulse Witdh, WaveForm, RingMod, Sync..) for all 3 internal oscillators)

in this video I'm testing monophonic 2voices played by guitar pro5 without a dynamic buffer"

Legend Of Zelda Theme - real 8bit SID 6581 (test2)

Elektor Formant Synthesizer - First shot

YouTube via G4C4
"Running this synth for the first time. First demo patch after unpacking. It needs to be cleaned, repaired and tuned"

"A degree of humility" (für E.)

YouTube via corporozzidentity. LL Electronics RozzBox V2 and Roland MC909.
"Some nicely stoned tune for mildly stoned moods."

Oberheim OB-8 Page 2 Panel Graphics Scan

via michael barber on the AH list, posted here with permission:

"i scanned the Page 2 functions a year or so ago for someone, it's been sitting quietly on my internets here.

enjoy!"

uda

YouTube via masuidrive
"宇田さんによるサビテルの演奏"
"UDA's played by Sabiteru"

via Jafafa Hots: "interesting controller being played at the Japan Make Mag fair.
Called a Uda"

ウダー練習 - 04/08/2008

電子楽器ウダー3.3

Make: Tokyo Meeting　手作り電子楽器「ウダー」 - 01

"2008年4月20日（日）「Make: Tokyo Meeting」にて、宇多さんの演奏"
"April 20, 2008 (Sun) "Make: Tokyo Meeting" at Uta's play"

You can find more vids in the thumbnails that come up after the video ends.

Update via Jafafa Hots in the comments:
"Found a little more info which I am swiping word for word from a poster on another message board:

'Found out a little more about this sweet music maker... The Uda is an ELECTRONIC instrument that is played with both hands by pushing down pieces of rope that correspond to certain notes. Each twist of the rope represents an octave, and each segment of the rope represents a different note. The resulting data is output as MIDI, and although it could technically be used with any MIDI sound, Uda-san (Uda is also the name of the person who made this instrument) chooses to stick with the flute-like textures. So basically its a funny shaped keyboard... i like it though!'"

Nikon D-5000 with real Cinema Lenses

YouTube via nathanielscott. Some DIY synth spotting. The video description is on the Nikon.

Silent Way Quantizer

YouTube via expertsleepers
"Demo of the basic features of the Expert Sleepers Silent Way Quantizer plug-in, processing a ramp signal from the Silent Way LFO plug-in."

Feelings on a screen (akai s612 slowmotion mix) Akai s612 + Korg ps900

YouTube via zaphid
"just me checking out a Korg ps900 before it ships to the new owner in Sweden. I made some samples with it on my akai s612's and made a short track (cover) with it. You should check Bochum Welt's original Feelings on a screen wich is an absolute masterwork of simplicity. Hope you don't mind Gianluigi ;-)"

Handmade Music Austin #4

"This Sunday we’ll be building the Nebulophone, an Arduino based synth with a Stylophone like keyboard. It has adjustable waveforms, a light controlled analog filter, LFO, and arpeggiator that can be clocked over IR."

Full details including some audio and video at Handmade Music.

via Dr. Bleep

Live Techno Series #4 - MC-909 & Virus - Simon Stokes

YouTube via siedgey
"Thanks for checking this out!

This is part 4 of my new series of live techno videos. For this one, the track ended up being quite a bit harder and faster, but keeping the funk!

This is the same setup as the last video, with the 909 providing all the sequencing and percussion and the Virus providing all the sounds (created from scratch, of course!). The mad IDM type noise you can hear from the start of the track is created by setting the decay of a sound right down while it runs on the 16ths. This is then fed through the Virus' awesome tape delay, and the feedback amount is set to above 100% so it feeds into itself. Tweaking the delay time then makes everything go mental, as you can hear!

Hope you like it, all comments are warmly received. Please rate this video if you enjoy it - the last video quickly soared to the 35th top rated / most discussed music video on YouTube - so thank you to everyone who rated / commented!

If you have any questions, I'm always glad to help out.

Thanks,

Simon"

Gesture Controller

YouTube via alkopop79
"Gesture controlled music using infra red proximity sensors, Processing and Ableton Live."

Admin: Two Ways to Search the Site

I added the Google search box on the right. You can now use it and the top left Blogger search box. Note they are different and bring up slightly different results, so be sure to try both when searching for things.

NoDNA midi glove bend - Datenhandschuh, hör mir mal zu Teil 1

YouTube via Moogulator
"Ein Besuch bei NoDNA (C) www.sequencer.de synth database"

MIDI-Glove, Besuch bei No-DNA Teil 2

Vintage Oberheim CPS-1 Synthesizer Expander Module

via this auction

Sold For: 0 bids

AC Power to the Electronic Music Studio

A non synth post. Making the exception to this one as this pertains to how we power our synths. Via David Kronemyer:

"It’s astonishing how many synth studios ignore the requisites of proper AC power. Power behind the racks typically is an afterthought. It ends up as a confused jumble of cables. This not only is conceptually offensive, but also results in marked degradation of audio sound quality.

Here is the solution we have implemented (see picture). We have six separate 20-amp AC lines coming into the studio from the main power service. First they go to Tripplite power conditioner-line stabilizers. These maintain the incoming voltage at a steady 120 V and also filter out noise, spikes and other undesirable artifacts. Then they go through a metering panel, which shows amperes – volts – watts. This gives a ready indication of each circuit’s capacity and status. Then they go to balancing transformers manufactured by Equi=Tech. Usually AC line voltage is 0 V on one leg and 120 V on the other. What balanced power does is change this to 60 V on both legs. This promotes common-mode rejection (analogous to balanced audio cabling) and lowers the noise floor by at least 10dB. It also eliminates ground loops (audible as 60 Hz hum) and complex star-grounding schemes. We can turn our main mixing system all the way up without audible hiss or noise. Oversized cabling is used throughout to reduce impedance and promote headroom. We also have uninterruptible power supplies for computers (not depicted).

Here are a few other observations:

1. Most studios have at least three separate cabling systems (AC, audio, MIDI). Power cabling should be physically separated from audio and MIDI. If they run parallel, there should be space between them; if they cross, they should do so at right angles. These same principles apply to digital cabling, computer cabling and time-code cabling.

2. Power to anything but sound-producing keyboards or modules must be on a completely separate AC circuit. Lighting and computers, for example, always should be on their own lines (as seen in the picture, four circuits are devoted to audio and two circuits to non-audio). It is difficult to over-emphasize the importance of this step. Back in the days of 24-track analog tape recorders, we even went so far as to rewire them, segregating power to the electronics from power to the motors. This considerably improved the sound of the electronics, because they did not have to deal with motor factors such as torque and slew. It also improved the performance of the motors, because now they could have a consistent power source without also worrying about powering electronic components.

3. Multiple wall-warts of the same power type (e.g. 12 VAC) easily can be replaced with a single, larger AC transformer. This provides consistent power to all of them and results in significantly improved sound quality. Many modules are 9 or 12 VDC. We have two large transformers (made by Acopian) to make these conversions, then distribute the power along separate lines, to the same effect.

In conclusion, studios typically spend thousands of dollars on gear while at the same time ignoring basic principles of how to make it sound good. This doesn’t make a lot of sense because the way things sound is constrained by the least-satisfactory variable. It’s important to optimize every step of the process in order to achieve a desirable outcome."

Pro One with SK-1.mov

YouTube via smoovbasket
"Demonstrating a Sequential Circuits Pro One. Its synced to a Casio SK-1 thru the audio in. Seq 1 is programmed to Rock, and Seq 2 is programmed to Disco. +1 Tempo."

See this post for the lighted mod wheels.

NAMM: Doepfer Dark Time Sequencer

This one appears to be making the rounds. It will not be shown at NAMM, but it has been informally announced.

"This sequencer is not shown at NAMM as we could not finish the prototype in time. In the first place it is planned as an analog sequencer for DARK ENERGY (same design and dimensions) but can be used in combination with other devices too.

It features 16 steps with on/off, skip, reset and stop switches for each step. Different modes are are available: 16 steps, 2 x 8 steps and different repetition modes. It has available CV/Gate outputs, Midi and USB. It is equipped with an internal clock oscillator but can be synced to Midi clock as well.

Features like transpose, direction (forward/backward/random), quantize on/off and ranges switches are planned."

NAMM: MMA to Present HOT (Hands-On-Training) MIDI Sessions at NAMM

via MIDI.org:
"NAMM has invited various partner organizations (like MMA) to rethink, rebuild and plan for the future of the music products industry by participating in the new H.O.T. (Hands-On Training) Zone on Level 2 of the Anaheim Convention Center.

More than 15 industry partners, publishers, organizations and associations will offer FREE training seminars, face-to-face meetings, networking opportunities, and one-on-one mentoring to strengthen the knowledge base of industry colleagues.

We'll be showing how MIDI technology is making playing, creating, and learning about music easier and more rewarding. See below for more info on the MIDI Sessions at The NAMM Show 2010."

via Steve Turnidge of SYNTHWERKS and AES PNW

NAMM: An evening celebrating vintage keyboards through documentary film

"At Winter NAMM 2010

Dianna Dilworth, Amin Bhatia and Michelle Moog-Koussa invite you to:
An evening celebrating vintage keyboards through documentary film
January 15th from 6-8pm
Avila Room at the Anaheim Hilton

The Making of Bolero Electronica
Neo-symphonic synthesist Amin Bhatia (Virtuality, Interstellar Suite) and Michelle Moog-Koussa, Executive Director of the Bob Moog Foundation host a question and answer session followed by a screening of a short documentary on the making of Bhatia's innovative realization of Bolero Electronica, for which he used over 70 synthesizers covering 75 years of evolution in synthesis in music.

Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie
Following Bhatia, Dianna Dilworth and Markus Resch of the Mellotron Archive will screen Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie which explores the rising and falling fortunes of the Mellotron – the first musical keyboard to “sample” the sounds of other instruments – from its birth in a California garage in the 1950s, through its dominance on concert stages in the 1970s, through its almost religious cult of followers in the 2000s.

Please come and join us for this very special evening ~
www.moogfoundation.org
www.aminbhatia.com
www.diannadilworth.com"

Also see this post and this post.

Xsample Chamber Ensemble and Accordion with Finale

YouTube via bestservicegmbh
"This demo shows Xsample's Chamber Ensemble and Xsample's accordion played directly through Finale's Human Playback.
Dieses Demo zeigt die direkte Wiedergabe über Finales Human Playback von Xsample Chamber Ensemble und Xsample's Akkordeon.
More Info:
http://www.bestservice.de/detail1.asp...
http://www.soundsondemand.com/sort1.a..."

Monday, January 11, 2010

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