Gas 0095 Studio - name that synthesizer, win a CD

YouTube via microscopics — April 06, 2010 — Gas studios around 1999. Name that gear, win the Gas 0095 CD.
http://microscopics.co.uk

The video is quite blurry, so its a good way to test your synthesizer geeking skills.
Name the gear in the comments or on our blog http://www.microscopics.co.uk/blog/ and we'll send three copies of Gas 0095 on CD + MP3 + Flac24 to the three geeks who guess/ identify the most gear correctly.


This is most of the gear used to record the Gas 0095 album, with a few additions and subtractions.


Each copy of Gas 0095 on CD or flac bought from us comes with a FREE Minimoog model
http://microscopics.co.uk"

Free Minimoog with Gas 0095

flickr set by Matrixsynth
(click for more)

"Microscopics special offer; a free Minimoog model with every copy of the Gas 0095 album on CD or 24bit Flac. The 1:8 scale model is printed at 600dpi on 350gsm, matt laminated card, die cut and hand scored."

Gas - Microscopic (Ambient Electronic Space)

"http://www.microscopics.co.uk to buy this album.

Fan made video for Gas - Microscopic.

This track can be downloaded from http://www.microscopics.co.uk for free!

From 'Gas 0095', the classic and rare (up to $460 on eBay) electronic album on the legendary Emit (em:t).

Now remastered and is available again from http://www.microscopics.co.uk
CD, 320k mp3 or 24bit Flac

Check out Mat Jarvis other work as High Skies too."

Gas 0095 remastered on CD and a Free Minimoog!

Well, a free mini at 1/8th scale for all pre-orders before 30th June.

"The Cd also comes with the 320k mp3 of the album and free shipping.

Get the minimoog while it's hot (yet somehow still in tune)

More info...
Album preview and order...
Free mp3 from the album...
Video on YouTube..." [embedded below]

More images here.


Gas - Microscopic (Ambient Electronic Space). YouTube via bigblogg
" http://www.microscopics.co.uk to buy this album. Fan made video for Gas - Microscopic. Update: Not an offical video. This track can be downloaded from http://www.microscopics.co.uk for free! From 'Gas 0095', the classic and rare (up to $460 on eBay) electronic album on the legendary Emit (em:t). Now remastered and is available again from http://www.microscopics.co.uk "

Mini Moog Modular 1P

Smaller than my Mattson Mini Modular.

via Microscopics:

"It's a Moog Modular 1P synthesizer from 1969, and the card model is actually a compliment slip, so it comes free with all t-shirts from our site. All Gas 0095 CDs and Flac come with the Minimoog Model [posted here] and Moog Modular 1P model. Printed at 600dpi on 350gsm card, matt laminated, die cut, and hand scored.

This month is the 15th anniversary of the Gas 0095 album and we have the Gas 0095 Collection to give away. The Collection = Gas 0095 CD + t-shirt + MP3 + Flac24 + Minimoog, Modular and mini CD models." Note the drawing is this coming Monday, see this Microscopics post for details.

Free Mini Moogs (Gas 0095)

"Free Minimoog and Moog Modular with every CD.
Microscopics are offering free 1:8 scale models of a Minimoog and Moog Modular with every 'Gas 0095' CD. Copies of Gas 0095 Flac and t-shirts also come with the free Moog Modular. Models are printed at 600dpi on 350gsm matt-laminated card, die-cut and hand scored, nonphonic. Get your free Moogs..."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Gas 0095 Minimoog manual page

Click on the image for the full size shot. You might recognize the image from this post on the Microscopics gas0095 promo where they were giving away a tiny Minimoog and manual.

www.microscopics.co.uk/blog wrote in to let me know that the tiny pages were actually Keith Emerson Minimoog patches.

If you have a Mini (real or virtual), give them a shot.

Microscopics Micro MiniMoog

via Microscopics, this mini comes free with the Gas 0095 album on CD or Flac24 here. The "Minimoog model is printed at 600dpi on 350gsm matt-laminated card, die cut and hand scored. 1:8 scale, nonophonic." :)

microscopics gas0095 Mini Mini

I recently picked up my copy of microscopics gas0095. If you remember this post, for a limited time the CD came with a mini Mini. It's made of cardboard and it's actually pretty nice. It was a bit smaller than I expected but it is definitely pretty cool. The control panel tilts. The back has graphics of the jacks and the underside actually has the electronics pictured. What really surprised me was the tiny printed manual. You can see it and more shots of mine here. If you are not familiar with gas0095, check out their site and check out these prior posts for a couple of videos. Note one of the videos are now available for direct download at the following URLs:
Gas - Vapourware (mpeg 60mb)
Gas - Vapourware (ipod video 11mb)
minimoog

Mark Pulver on "the Minimoogs"

Mark Pulver is one of those iconic names you come across in the world of synthesizers. He's just a person like you and me, but he has a pretty extensive and respected background when it comes to synths, and he's someone that helped me re-discover the bigger world of synths nearly ten years ago on Sonic State's the-gas-station (it used to be THE synth forum back then), later Analog Heaven, and a private email now and then. He is a "deputy" on Analog Heaven (one of the people that helps administer and keep it under control) and he was good friends with Bob Moog himself. Check out his tribute to Bob. So let's just say I have a huge amount of respect for Mark.

So, I've heard that a Voyager can nail the Minimoog sound as indeed it is a Minimoog plus more, and on the flip side, I've heard that it doesn't quite sound the same. So I thought I'd ask Mark. The following is what he had to say. It's interesting in that after reading it seems so obvious. You'll notice that in a sense it's inconclusive - that is what's obvious about it. Time and design both impact a synth. And no two minis are exactly the same. Title link takes you to Mark's Voyager page for more of his thoughts and notes.

"I think that the Voyager is a great instrument, and it's capable of a lot
more sounds and textures than the original Mini - including some of the
sounds that have made the Mini famous, and some sounds that will make
itself famous in its own right.

I think that a lot of the love of the Mini is how it plays, and that comes
from the 30yo keyboard, caps, trannys, etc. Audio circuits that actually
have bleed through, power supply rails with dirt on them, etc. There are
ways that the Mini handles when you tune the OSCs to a harmonic that
overdrives the filter "just" that way - VERY hard to define, or to catch on
a scope, or to make happen on a modern machine. I really think that stuff
like this comes from design flaws turned into features. Not a bad thing,
just something that can't really be replicated.

There are a lot of things like that in the Mini.. Lay the filter on the
edge of howling - notice how it loves to distort the VCA. _AND_ that
character will change based on the pitch you're playing. _AND_ that
character will change based on if you're gliding between notes. _AND_ _AND_
_AND_...

It's like, the Voyager is a pure design - lotso the same schematic work
from decades ago, but then with grit _designed_ into it. No happy accidents
waiting around the corner like the first time that Bob pressed a key on the
Model A.

It's not a bad thing to design in "flaws that have become features", it's
just different. Ya' know?

I guess the bottom line is that I don't have a concrete answer - to me,
something like this really needs ethereal babble.

And... feel free to post it in your blog if you think it makes sense. : )"

Mark

It does. Thanks Mark!

Experience the Power of the Pedal – Moog Introduces Multi-Pedal OS 2.0

"ASHEVILLE, N.C. (November 12, 2009) There’s good news for all you control freaks out there. Moog’s mighty Multi-Pedal has received a major software upgrade. OS 2.0 adds a host of innovations that reinforce the Multi-Pedal’s position as the premier Analog, MIDI and USB Control Hub.

New features include: MIDI-to-CV conversion, Loopable Envelope Generators with four Envelope Shapes (Linear, Logarithmic, Exponential and Complex), CV Lag, CV Scaling and the ability to trigger Gates and MIDI events. These new features add to an already impressive list including, MIDI Clock Sync, Tap Tempo, Programmable Heel and Toe Voltages, four LFOs, four Analog Control Voltage Outputs, MIDI and USB connectivity. Many of the original features, such as Quad Mode and Noise Generation also received significant enhancements.

The number four comes up quite often when discussing the Multi-Pedal because practically anything it does, it can do on four independent channels simultaneously.

"I just started messing around with the Multi-Pedal not too long ago, and I love it!!! I incorporated it into my rig as I was rehearsing for our summer tour, and it opened up all new sonic possibilities for me" said Chris Kilmore of the band, Incubus. "It takes what I can only do with at least four hands and puts the control at my feet via a gas pedal. I use the four outs of the Multi-Pedal sort of like a patch bay. I have a four channel snake that runs from the Multi-Pedal to my Voyager or any one of my Moogerfoogers. I love the mobility that pedal gives me."

So that even more musicians, DJs and producers can experience the power of the pedal, Moog Music is announcing a special promotion. From November 15, 2009 through December 31, 2009, the Multi-Pedal’s price will drop to $399 at participating US dealers and through the Moog website.

“The features in OS 2.0 take the Multi-Pedal to a whole new level” said Moog Music President, Mike Adams. “With four channels of MIDI-to-CV conversion, hooking the Multi-Pedal to a laptop sequencer gives you the flexibility and power of an analog step sequencer that can also communicate with MIDI gear.”

OS 2.0 is available as a free download for current Multi-Pedal users.

For more information, including new videos and a Quick Start Guide visit www.moogmusic.com/controllers

About Moog Music: Moog Music and its customers carry on the legacy of Bob Moog, the inventor of the synthesizer. Moog designs and manufactures electronic musical instruments, including Little Phatty® and Minimoog® Voyager® synthesizers, Moogerfooger® effects modules, Etherwave® theremins and The Moog Guitar. Founded by Bob Moog, Moog Music designs and manufactures its products in Asheville, N.C."

gas 0095 Update

Quick update via Microscopics:
"We're going to delay the official release of the CD until July 14th because of time restraints, but the free Minimoog offer will still end on Sunday night. But if your readers enter the code 'MatrixSynth in the 'Add special instructions for the Merchant' field in PayPal, we'll extend the offer until July 14th."

Switched On Synthesizer

images via this auction

"SWITCHED ON SYNTHESIZER: Popular Musical & Electronic Arrangements" book & record by Dr. Philip Springer.

Printed in 1977. Softcover. 127 Pages.

Contents Include:

+ how to use this book, the theory of voltage control, table of abbreviations, glossary

+ musical arrangements and patch diagrams:
- classical gas: patch "latin harpsichord"
- good vibrations: patch "bass-soon", "bouncing bass" and "homo voce"
- i won't last a day without you: patch "flugel brass", and "bass string"
- morning has broken: patch "morning horn", "tuba-ahh", "twittering birds"
- out in the country: patch "ethereal melodicum", "bass string", and "monophonic marimba"
- show me the way: patch "talkin' wah-wah", "twangy bass", "perking xylo", and "funky calliope"
- somebody to love: patch "dirty sitar", and "drybone bass"
- tubular bells: patch "clear bells", "celeste chimes", and "gregorian growl"
- the way i want to touch you: patch "sensual wah-wah", "sensual squawk", and "bass string"
- we've only just begun: patch "whistling wind", "liquid vibes", and "clicking bass"
- white rabbit: patch "filtered pipes" and "snared bass"

+ book includes beautiful red flexi vinyl record with sound examples of every patch! The record has never been played and is in great condition! Still attached to the book binding! The record is the same bright red color as the front and back of the book!

+ hopefully from the pictures you can see this book is like a tab book but made for people who play analog synthesizers! I've never seen anything like it! Hopefully you can see in the pictures how on each song, it's shows you where to set all the knobs for your synthesizer to get the different sounds. It is especially written for people with a minimoog or arp odyssey, with the diagrams layout exactly like the layout of those synths, but it says it's universal for people with any other synthesizer, because the settings listed are settings that most older analog synths have. It says to listen to the sound examples to get your synth sound to match."

Arturia Analog Factory Experience

Saw this on The Gas Station.
"Arturia has announced Analog Factory Experience, which they describe as "the first hybrid synthesizer". By combining a native software application and a dedicated controller-keyboard, Analog Factory Experience offers a straightforward, innovative and enjoyable experience.

Based on Analog Factory 2.0, a software instrument offering 3500 legendary synthesizer sounds, Analog Factory Experience includes a high quality 32-key MIDI keyboard. Just plug the keyboard in via USB and launch the software. From there you can put your mouse away, everything is easily controllable from the keyboard. The user experience is the same as on a traditional Hardware synthesizer, except that Analog Factory Experience brings more sounds, better integration within DAWs, at a far better price.

Hybrid synthesizer based on advanced Software/Hardware combination: Analog Factory 2.0 inside the box. 32-key Universal MIDI keyboard built by CME. Plug and play: the Hardware and Software is instantly recognized and offers perfect integration. Analog Factory 2.0: 3500 synthesizer sounds that have shaped modern music production. All preset are carefully selected from the Arturia Classic Synths: Minimoog V, Prophet V, ARP 2600V, Moog Modular V, CS-80V and Jupiter-8V. Smart preset manager: fast filter the presets to your requirements, by instrument, type, characteristics. Straightforward editing: only the key parameters are accessible to modify the sounds. Full compatibility with major formats and hosts on Mac OS X and Windows XP or Vista (VST, AU, RTAS). The Analog Factory Keyboard: Developed by CME and based on the U-key technology. Ultra-thin aluminium and wooden case. 32 semi-weighted keys with velocity response. Everything you can do on the Software is easily achievable on the Hardware: Allows to select sound categories and browse presets, to modify each sound, recall snapshot sounds, save snapshots, etc.

Works as a Universal 32-key MIDI keyboard. Analog Factory Experience is compatible with Windows XP / Vista and Mac OS X.2 or higher (Universal Binary) and supports Stand-alone (ASIO, Direct Sound, Core Audio) VST, Audio Units and RTAS (ProTools 6 and 7).

The anti-piracy system is based on Syncrosoft's new native solution. No USB port required but an Internet connection is necessary.

The retail price will be £249 / €299 / $349 and it is expected to be available in November 2007."

EL-KA live mit Lasershow im Gasometer Oberhausen HD

YouTube Uploaded by IIOOraymanOOII on Aug 2, 2011
Synth spotting after the two minute mark. Via Hajo: "This is a HD Video from our last year EM live event in the GASOMETER Oberhausen Germany."

"EL-KA live im Gasometer Oberhausen
im Rahmen der Ausstellung "Sternstunden" .
Mit live gespielter Lasershow.
Der Abend im Gasometer Stand unter dem Motto "Per Anhalter durch die Galaxis"
Die Synthesizer Formation EL-KA (HaJo Liese und Till Kopper) featuring Hermann Lipinski (lila),welche die Musikrichtung der alten Berliner Schule "Klaus Schulze,
Edgar Froese, Tangerine Dream" favorisiert, gab ein Konzert
in einer wirklich spektakulären Umgebung."

Googlish:
"EL-KA in live Gasometer Oberhausen
within the exhibition "Out".
With live laser show.
The evening at the Gasometer booth under the motto "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
The formation synthesizer EL-KA (HaJo Liese and Till Kopper) featuring Hermann Lipinski (purple), which the music of the old Berlin school "Klaus Schulze
Edgar Froese, Tangerine Dream favors, "gave a concert
in a truly spectacular setting."

Update via Qwave in the comments: "Here a hopefully slightly better translation (I am a native german speaker, sorry for my english):
"EL-KA live at the Gasometer [huge gas storage tank, 100 m high] in Oberhausen [Germany] as part of exhibition "Highlights" [actual translation does not fit, due to some word pun used].
With live performed laser show.
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was the title of the evening in the Gasometer.
The synth duo EL-KA (Hajo Liese and Till Kopper [that's me]) featuring Hermann Lipinski (of Lila) was playing a concert in a real spectacular setting. They prefer the style of the Berlin School "Klaus Schulze, Edgar Froese, Tangerine Dream."

The text on YoTube was written by the video uploader.

I used a 1979 Minimoog, Waldorf XTk (30 voice version), Manikin Electronics Memotron, Korg k25 keyboard to transpose Hajo's Schrittmacher, iPhone to play the Apollo 11 samples, Behringer mixer.

HaJo Liese used:
Manikin Electronics Schrittmacher (step sequencer), Vermona Perfourmer
Vermona DRM1, EMU Vintage module, Kawai K1 rack, Roland as master keyboard, submixer.

Hermann Lipinski used:
Nord Modular, PC-laptop with different soft synths and a sampler app, E-guitar, sub mixer.

We played to the laser show done by friends. We did three shows of about 45 mins that day. We had some sequences prepared. And some ideas in our head. But as usually, it was mainly improvised live music."

Synth Dreams

Dave of umop.com and The Packrat sent an email on a synth dream he had, to me and a couple of others. I replied with my own. Dave and Peter Forrest thought they were a good read so I figured I'd put up a post. Dave gave me the go ahead to start with his. If you have any similar stories, feel free to post them in the comments. I thought this particular Packrat Toon held a little bit of truth to the experience behind the dreams. BTW, title link takes you to the rest of The Packrat strip. Hmm... Now that I think of it, all the toons would make for great dreams. : ) Click the image to read it.


Before we start. Question: How many of you realized it was a dream in the middle of it and actually tried to take it back to the other side? I have.

Via Dave:
"Not for nuthin', but after I bought some office furniture at Ikea the
other day, I guess the store invaded & scrambled my thoughts, because
I dreamed I bought a little 2-osc analog synth from them.

I'd supply a picture but it was so nondescript it doesn't really
matter. It was about half a MaxiKorg with similarly colored switches;
plain black cheapo plastic body. Mixer faders all the way over on the
side, embedded in the end cheeks like an OB-Xa retrofit (for only two
VCO's?... there were so many faders...); and of course those cheeks
were Ikea's specialty "birch effect" particle board in composition.

One other detail I remember is the waveform knob was a simple knob
which went from brass (saw) to EP (electric piano [??]). When cranked
all the way left, this thing sounded fatter than the brass from ELP's
"Touch and Go" and I recall remarking to my girlfriend in the dream
(who was naked of course...TMI?) that I planned on bringing this
little $199 beauty out with me to Pong* shows as a dedicated brass
synth.

The name? "Ikeaboard" of course.

Just thought I'd share. It's weird to have dreams with this many
technical details skirting so close to the realistic."

############################################################################

Via Matrix:
"Too funny, I used to have synth dreams all the time. There was a time in
real life, where I was hitting up pawn shop after pawn shop looking for
"that deal." I had major GAS. At that time I'd have dreams about shops in
various cities with crazy analog gear I've never seen before. Bizarre
Roland/Oberheim combo analogs. The shops always seemed to have mini lofts
in the back where they stored a bunch of dusty old analogs. I have
re-occuring dreams about making rounds through pawn shops on Santa Monica
Blvd. in LA between Van Ness and Western, which I just realized there isn't
a single pawn shop in that stretch if I remember correctly, and rounds in a
downtown that's a mix between LA, Venice Beach, and Seattle. The most
memorable synth of all things was a Red SH-101 that was shiny and had curves
which slanted in by the keys. Imagine a shiny red SH-101 designed by
Ferarri and you'll get the idea.

Here's a couple of real life experiences similar to my synth dreams:

1) I used to go up to Vancouver B.C. about twice a year and run through this
routine:

1. Check-in at hotel.
2. Walk out and down one side of Granville Ave hitting every pawn shop on
the way to the liqour store (mostly avoiding eye contact with the porn shop
displays in between - Granville basically has pawn shops, porn shops, clubs,
and convenience stores with .99 pizza by the slice). And then walk back up
the other, hitting all the pawn shops on that side.
3. Buy a synth if I was lucky enough to find one (I bought my JD-800 for
$650 Canadian there)
4. Bring it and the drinks up to the hotel room, and go through my cleaning
ritual while drinking these Canadian berry flavored drinks with MuchTV
(Canadian MTV) in the background (my wife liked that show when we visited).
I'd also watch life go by out on Granville. I always got a second to third
story room with a view of the street. I'd spend about an hour clianing the
synth and then play a bit and head out for the night. Back from the night
I'd stare out the window and watch the craziness that happens when people
start leaving the clubs. The whole time I'd be glowing and thinking about
how cool it was that I actually found something. There was a Kurzweil
K2000S I was eyeing in a shop for a while, but I thought the asking price at
$800 or so Canadian was too much for it to be a deal. Visiting Granville
was my pawnshop dream in real life minus of course the mass cool gear, but I
usually found something interesting too look at if not buy. I'd always go
up for my birthday as well, so finding something on that trip was always
better.

2) I went to Maui once, and made a point to hit the pawn shops at some
point. I didn't get around to it until the last day. To my wife's
reluctance, we hit shop after shop and found nothing. We burned out and
gave up. On the way back to the hotel, my wife spots Taco Bell. We go in
and I see a pawn shop around back. I say just one more. She's says no, but
I pull the what if that's the pawn shop that has the $50 Minimoog?! She
gives in. I walk in and in the back I see what looks like either a TR-707
or 909. I figure of course it's the 707 with my luck. I get closer and
it's pretty dusty, and... It's the 909. I get that sick feeling in the
stomache, that feeling of panic like someone or something is going to go
wrong. I grab it and look at a sticker on it. It says 220, but no $. I
ask the guy working there if that's the price. Turns out he's the owner and
he says a little nervously, "oh..., we can take $30 off of that" A 909 for
$190! I say sold! But... He only takes cash. I have no cash and he is
about to close! He's in a hurry to go see some blockbuster that just came
out. The shop opens again after my plane leaves. I ask if there is an ATM
close by. There is one across a high speed highway. but he says I better
hurry because he needs to make the movie and will not wait. What do I do?
I bolt across the street. I manage to withdraw the money and run back just
as he's locking the shop. I get that sick feeling like I knew it was too
good to happen, but... he has the 909 in hand and I make my purchase. : )
Only... They didn't have any 1/4" cables for me to try it, and as he was in
a rush, I had to buy it hoping it was ok. I almost didn't get it but I
figured I could get it repaired at that price, so I'm hoping it's just not
too bad. I get back and plug it in. I hear it thumping away. Big grin.
; ) I clean it up and it's immaculate, no issues whatsoever."

A Misunderstood Synth...

http://www.tapeop.com/magazine/bonus/fizmo.html

There is a thread on the-gas-station.com, on the Voyager which evolved to comparisons to the soft synth Minis (Arturia's Minimoog V and GMedia's Minimonsta) as being even better. The thread like most goes off into tangents and the notorious OB-Mx comes up. But the theme is all the same. Synths that disappoint, which the OB-Mx is notorious for. So far I've only heard neutral to negative comments on the synth. Neutral is bad when something as anticipated as an uber all analog Oberheim with Don Buchla on helm comes out. But this particular post was *not* another bad one, it was an actual "hands off to Don Buchla." I remember being in awe when the OB-Mx came out (heck, matrixsynth and matrix comes from my first synth the Matrix-6 and my love for it and my "ultimate" synth, the Matrix-12). As the saying goes, there's nothing like the first... : )

I am curious as to what the poster, Giant Robot, has discovered that so few if anyone else has with the OB-Mx. What is the hidden treasure in there? Does it exist? This reminded me of another little flop in the synth world. A little magical synth that was killed before it was ever allowed to shine, the FIZMO. See the link above to read the interview. It's worth reading.

From my post:
"I remember being intrigued by the FIZMO when it came out. Not on the synth legend level but pretty intrigued nonetheless. Then it got horrid reviews and I finally got my hands on one. I wasn't too impressed, but again... only a "2 second" trial and I was in the VA mode digging the Nord Lead and JP8000; so like everyone else, when it couldn't make "those sounds," I dismissed it. Just recently I was more intrigued and out of my everything analog and VA stage. So many beautiful synths out there and just a few methods of synthesis. Transwave being something missing in my gear I thought I'd try it again. One came up locally pretty cheap. I read up on it again and found an article by the maker who stated how sad the whole thing was. The FIZMO was supposed to be anything but VA. It was supposed to be a new take on transwave synthesis with more motion and immediate control. It was supposed to be a beautiful evolving synth, and a synthesist's synth not some sample playback preset synth. And sadly it flopped because of the power supply issue and people just couldn't see past the knobs, thinking knobs = analog/VA.

I picked it up and man... I was and still am blown away. It's an ethereal synth. Just beautiful; in motion. It actually reminds me of a softer version of the Evolver. It kind of sounds like the FS1R, but different - almost more delicate for lack of a better description. It's a beautiful synth that was misunderstood and mistakenly given a bad wrap. I think all synths have something to offer. I keep wondering what the OB-Mx has. Even if Oberheim cut it short, it did have some of that Buchla magic didn't it?"