Mitchell Sigman, keyboard player for Berlin, sent me some shots. Pretty cool as I grew up on Berlin, specifically Pleasure Victim, with Metro being my favorite track. The year was 1982.
Mitchell also has his own project, called Celebutante. Check out this video for some ARP Odyssey, Moog Polymoog, and green on black retro monitor action - gotta like that. Mitchell Sigman is on guitar and vocals. The video features both beauties on the left. Who is that btw? I sent Mitchell an email asking, but haven't heard back yet. Update: Her name is Diana Dencker. She's done a few commercials.
Title link takes you to Mitchell's My Space site. Make sure to check it out. I'm listening to the track Electrolux as I type this and there is some good Polymoog action happening on that track. BTW, definitely flattered Mitchell lurks on my site. Pretty cool... Thanks Mitchell. : )
Update: Udpate via Mitchell in the comments:
"Actually every synth in that song is either Logic Audio's ES2 or Native Instruments Pro-53 (except for the little square wave lead after the chorus which is Logic ES1). I swear it's true. If I fooled everyone with the Polymoog, well, cool, that was the idea (the strings are all ES2)." Nice. That definitely sounded like a Polymoog to me.
Keyboard Magazine Presents: Korg King Korg Filter Showdown
Published on Apr 17, 2013 celebutante·11 videos
"Mitchell Sigman compares the King Korg's modeled Prophet-5, Oberheim SEM and Moog filters to the real instruments. Opening sound montage created with King Korg. Watch for the full King Korg review in the June 2013 issue of Keyboard!"
Keyboard Magazine Presents: Korg King Korg Oscillator Control Knob
Published on Apr 17, 2013
"Mitchell Sigman explains the powerful wave modulation lurking behind the King Korg's front-panel oscillator "control" knob parameter. Intro music montage created on King Korg. Read the full King Korg review in the June 2013 issue of Keyboard."
"Music Technology Discussion with Rob Puricelli, Ben Simpson, Kent Spong and our very special guests, Dan Goldstein & Mitchell Sigman of Cherry Audio!
This week we're delighted to welcome back Dan & Mitchell of Cherry Audio, a company that in the last few years has grown its reputation for quality, affordable and quite excellent software synths that emulate some of the more quirky synthesizer classics such as the ARP Quadra, Jupiter 4 and Realistic MG-1, as well as classics like the Memorymoog, Synthex and Polymoog, their own Dreamsynth and their latest instrument GX-80!
Join us to hear the story behind the creation of GX-80, an instrument that fuses together two giants from Yamaha!
"Music Technology Discussion with Rob Puricelli, Andrew Longhurst, Kent Spong and our very special guests, Dan Goldstein & Mitchell Sigman of Cherry Audio!
This week we're delighted to welcome back Dan & Mitchell of Cherry Audio, a company that in the last few years has grown its reputation for quality, affordable and quite excellent software synths that emulate some amazing synthesizer classics such as the ARP Quadra, Novachord, Jupiter 4 and 6 as well as classics like the Memorymoog, Synthex, GX1/CS80 and Polymoog, plus their own Dreamsynth & Sines!
Join us to hear all about the latest synths to be added to their collection, Harmonia and the brilliant recreation of the PS-3300!
We appreciate your help! All donations go directly toward making the show run smoothly. If you'd like to help support our streaming platform, you can make a donation via PayPal here:
"Part Two of Mitchell Sigman's interviews with analog synthesis legend Tom Oberheim about the new SEM analog synth module. The new SEM is available exclusively from audioMIDI.com."
"http://www.celebusite.com
http://www.analogsuicide.com
http://www.synthesizers.com
Filmed by Maf Lewis in December 2007, Mitchell Sigman takes us for a divine tour of his beloved synthesizers.com modular system from his North Hollywood studio."
Click here for the full review by Mitchell Sigman.
"Volta is so unique that it has no direct competition. Though some of its functionality can be duplicated with Native Instruments Reaktor or Cycling ’74 Max/MSP, Volta makes it far easier, and it’d be tough to replicate Volta’s oscillator calibration. Of course, to do this with other software, you’d need hardware MIDI-to-CV converters, and Volta blows that approach into the tumbleweeds. For modular synth owners, it’s like getting a great big box of new modules that sync up with your DAW in ways hardware never could, for a fraction of the cost. If you use analog synth gear and a Mac-based DAW, you need Volta. We hereby award it a Key Buy for technological innovation."
"Synth expert Mitchell Sigman talks about M-Audio's new Venom virtual analog synth with integrated audio interface. Part Two with computer editor review/demo coming soon! Get Venom at www.audioMIDI.com!" product page Part 2 video to follow.
Update:
audioMIDI.com Presents The M-Audio Venom, Part Two
YouTube Uploaded by audiomidicom on Apr 8, 2011
"Synth expert Mitchell Sigman talks about M-Audio's new Venom virtual analog synth with integrated audio interface. Get Venom at www.audioMIDI.com!"
"I have a .com system with modules that I've built from Ken Stone and Music From Outer Space PCB's, and I just finished doing my own silkscreening for the panels (I'm not that good at it yet though... you can see some glitches). I did all the artwork in Photoshop. I got the "tic mark" patterns for the knobs from yusynth.net, who has a lot of his own .com style art on his site.
Here is a single panel with both a Ken Stone CGS31 Digital Noise module as well as a CGS RR Real Ring Modulator (my system needs some passive attenuators to make the ringmodmodule more useful)."
"Music Technology Discussion with Rob Puricelli, Kent Spong and our very special guests, Dan Goldstein & Mitchell Sigman of Cherry Audio!
This week we're delighted to welcome back Dan & Mitchell of Cherry Audio, a company that in the last few years has grown its reputation for quality, affordable and quite excellent software synths that emulate some amazing synthesizer classics such as the ARP Quadra, Novachord, Jupiter 4 and 6 as well as classics like the Memorymoog, Synthex, GX1/CS80 and Polymoog, plus their own Dreamsynth & Sines!
Join us to hear all about the latest synth to be added to their collection, the Octave Cat!"
Introduction to Harmonia - Oscillator Basics | Cherry Audio
"Synth designer Mitchell Sigman of Cherry Audio introduces HARMONIA, a new and original virtual instrument designed to effortlessly create rich, evolving polyphonic sounds often associated with vector and wavesequencer synthesizers of the 80s and 90s.
In this tutorial video, Mitchell details the unique oscillators at heart of Harmonia. Using techniques similar to those found in additive synthesis, each Harmonia oscillator can simultaneously produce up to eight pitches, individually tuned to a harmonic series or semitones. Using modulation, producers can effortlessly create unique morphed and sequencer-like tones by varying the combinations of waveform selection and harmonic presets.
Harmonia is available at https://cherryaudio.com and authorized resellers worldwide for $49 (MSRP $69)"
Harmonia is the latest innovation in virtual synthesizers from Cherry Audio, following on from their acclaimed original instruments, Dreamsynth and Sines. We designed Harmonia to create rich, evolving polyphonic sounds like those associated with vector and wave sequencing synthesizers of the 80s and 90s, but through a more effortless and visual technique.
The magic behind Harmonia lies in its two sample-based oscillators. Using techniques similar to those found in additive synthesis, each Harmonia oscillator can simultaneously produce up to eight pitches, individually tuned to a harmonic series or semitones. The volume for each pitch harmonic can be fixed or dynamic, and Harmonia’s unique interpolated harmonic scanning enables dramatic sweeps and melodious sequences through a single modulatable slider.
Harmonia derives its distinctive organic sound from hundreds of sampled waveforms recorded from various synthesizers, traditional instruments and voices, colorful “lo-fi” sounds, and more. User samples can be imported, further expanding Harmonia’s tonal palette. Producers can effortlessly create unique morphed and sequencer-like tones by varying the combinations of waveform selection and harmonic presets.
Harmonia reaches new heights by providing four syncable polyphonic LFOs, an expansive stereo multimode filter, click-and-drag envelopes, and a massive mod matrix with eight slots for dozens of sources and destinations. Harmonia includes support for aftertouch, flexible MIDI mapping, and a collection of over 350 breathtaking, professionally designed presets. Harmonia also has 17 studio-quality effects such as distortion, chorus, phaser, echoes, reverbs, and more - all fully modulatable through the matrix.
Harmonia Preset Pack Preview - Euphonic Sonics by James Dyson
Also available: Euphonic Sonics for Harmonia Preset Pack (sold separately), featuring 100 fabulous presets further showcasing Harmonia's outstanding atmospheric tones, compelling sequences, dreamy pads, basses, poly synths, keys, leads, and more.
'A Moment in the Rain' by James Dyson, performed with presets from the Cherry Audio Preset Pack "Euphonic Sonics for Harmonia." This preset pack for Harmonia is a collection of 100 additional presets by sound designer James Dyson. Available exclusively through Cherry Audio for $9.99, sold separately and requires Harmonia.
• Harmonia is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats.
• A free 30-day demo is available. This demo will play white noise periodically, but is otherwise unlimited.
• macOS Requirements: macOS 10.13 or above. 64-bit required. Native Apple M1 processor support, including Apple M1 Ultra. 3.4 GHz Quad-Core or M1 CPU with 8GB of RAM recommended.
• Windows Requirements: Windows 7 or above (including Windows 11), 64-bit required. Quad-core computer with 8GB of RAM recommended.
• Hard disk space: 116 MB
When it starts, click on the HQ icon on the bottom right menu of the vid.
"Lou Dawson and Mitchell Sigman of LA-based synth band Celebutante performing MGMT's "Kids" live in the studio 3/24/09. More on Celebutante @ www.celebusite.com."
via Mitchell:
"This is a video of myself and Lou Dawson from my band Celebutante shot 3/25/09 performing the MGMT track "Kids" live. I'm playing a Roland Jupiter-4 and a Synthesizers.com modular controlled by a customized Studiologic MIDI controller. Lou is playing a Yamaha P-70 piano. Drums are a Linn LM-2 (started and stopped by footswitch). All live!"
I posted the following to the Waldorf list in response to someone leaving a snide comment asking "where's the music" in regards to Cikira's synth shots. I see someone left one in the comments of the previous posts as well. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in response to people with larger collections of synths. I thought it would be fun to put up my reply along with a poll on what others do. Feel free to comment. In the end, for me, people do different things with their synths and I can respect that. What I can't respect are people that are inconsiderate of others and feel the need to tell others what they should be doing just to justify their own perspectives on things...
"The thought of people dictating what others should or shouldn't do is kind of sad. Not everyone enjoys the composing part of making music. My favorite thing to do? Grab a synth off a shelf and explore it. The music comes out of the exploration, not the other way around for me. And 99.9% of the time I do not record it because the music comes in spurts and the focus is definitely not in making a piece of music but listening to the sound and the effects of different parameters. Does "music" come out of it? Usually yes, but it's different. The sound drives it.
The following is a loaded question, but why would anyone who only wants to make music have that many synths? Note that I'm not saying that people who like to compose music shouldn't have that many synths. What I am saying is if you do have that many synths, you probably appreciate them in a slightly different way - not just as sound sources for making music, but rather for the love of synths and all the different characteristics of each.
This always reminds me of the difference between the art of synthesis and the art of keyboard playing. They are different. I'm reminded each month when I get my copy of Keyboard Magazine. I see synths, but it's about 90% music composition and keyboards, not synthesizers. Thank you Mitchell Sigman! His column on synthesis techniques is about the only bit I'm guaranteed to enjoy every month. That and the reto synth section as well as Peter Kirn's articles (Peter also runs CDM). The rest might as well be on pianos... The point of this is there is an appreciation of synthesis I think most of us enjoy that is very different than the focus you might have in composing a piece of music. I like to think Cikira shares this enthusiasm for synths with the rest of us. In my book, anyone that makes the comment of "show me the music" is either ignorant of what synthesis is about or is just trolling." That or just plain inconsiderate. So are you a synthesist/ sound explorer, musician, or both?
Synth spotting. Sequential Circuits Prophet-5
"Second video from Los Angeles alternative electro band Celebutante, from the"Nightlife" full-length release, now on iTunes ( http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nigh... ). For more info go to http://celebusite.com
Mitchell Sigman- guitars/synths/programming
Eric Skodis- drums
follow-up to Parts One and Two.
"audioMIDI.com's Mitchell Sigman shows off Arturia's new Origin hardware DSP modeling synthesizer- part three of a series. Call audioMIDI.com at (866) 283-4601 for more info!"
