Vince Clarke Music Introduces New IMAGINATOR VCX-378 Eurorack Module for the Holidays

Vince Clarke Circuits - The Imaginator (Demonstration Video) from erasureinfo on Vimeo.

"Vince Clarke is proud to announce the second in a series of Eurorack modules, the Imaginator.

'I wanted a practical writing tool that would generate musical patterns based on user controlled variables'

With an ingenious use of high-level algorithms and a calculating time of less than two seconds, The Imaginator will produce inspiring musical phrases well beyond the 12 days of Christmas."

Official press release & pics below.


Vince Clarke Circuits - The Imaginator (Overview & Set-Up Video) from erasureinfo on Vimeo.


Vince Clarke Circuits - The Imaginator (User Video Manual) from erasureinfo on Vimeo.

On the heels of Vince Clarke's first eurorack modules, we have the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 musical phrase generator.


"Vince Clarke lets his musical imagination run riot with new namesake Eurorack module

'I wanted a practical writing tool that would generate musical patterns based on user-controlled variables.'
- Vince Clarke, 2015

BROOKLYN, NY, USA: synth-pop pioneer Vince Clarke is proud to announce availability of the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 — the second product release in an ongoing series of creative and utilitarian modules for the ever-present Eurorack small-format modular system under the namesake Clarke company name, designed and built to exacting standards in close collaboration with British ‘boutique’ analogue synthesiser and accessory designer/manufacturer Analogue Solutions — as of November 24…

Musical imagination is a wonderful thing. Synthesisers and associated modern-day music technology can help make that happen in wonderful ways. With an amazing number of hit singles and chart-topping albums to his Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriting name and an accompanying hard-earned and hard-working synthesiser collection to die for, synth-pop pioneer Vince Clarke clearly has it all in spades. So just imagine if you could call upon an amazingly musically inspirational device for assistance when seeking that defining elusive musical hook… well, you need not imagine anymore as the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 does just that, fresh from the imaginative musical mind of Vince Clarke! After all, sometimes serious songwriting synth-pop pioneers still need a helping hand (or Eurorack module): “I wanted a practical writing tool that would generate musical patterns based on user-controllable variables.”

Vince Clarke got what he wished for… the ingenious IMAGINATOR VCX-378 produces one-bar musical phrases based on either user-control of the Clarke company’s clever bespoke musical algorithm or a quasi-random solution. So anyone seeking to trigger their own musical imagination (and MIDI synthesisers) should simply add an IMAGINATOR VCX-378 to their Eurorack small-format modular system setup. The result? Almost unlimited combinations and permutations that will both inspire and amaze as it helps when searching for that defining elusive musical hook.

Housed in a 36 HP-width Eurorack module, the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 has a front facia-located one-octave ‘keyboard’ — with each ‘note’ having a push button and associated LED — alongside two Quantize sections, Octavize and Transpose sections, a Velocity treatment, plus internal (Sequencer) and external (Midi/Clock) clocking, as well as a full MIDI interface.

In most cases, users will want to sync to their sequencing software by sending the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 a MIDI note clock. This can be downloaded from the Clarke company website. The IMAGINATOR VCX-378 then references these notes and uses this information to clock the musical patterns it produces. With everything correctly connected, users can use soft synths or send those musically imaginative patterns out to an external synthesiser — something close to Vince Clarke’s musical heart.

Helpfully, Vince Clarke himself has taken time out from an always musically successful schedule to prepare some seriously user-friendly tutorials to transport the new IMAGINATOR VCX-378 user from novice to expert in no time. “For full operation of the unit, I suggest you make yourself a nice cup of tea and watch the user video,” he says, before later concluding: “Thanks for watching… and now I must get back to my day job.”

Jesting aside, while the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 makes for a musically imaginative holiday season gift for the seasoned synth lover in someone’s life, note that it will produce inspiring musical phrases well beyond the 12 days of Christmas! Let’s hand off here to ‘tutor’ Vince Clarke to blow our musical minds with some insightful IMAGINATOR VCX-378 note-related number crunching: “With one note there are 16 possible positions within one bar for the note to go. With two notes there are 120 possible positions. With three notes there are 560. This increases and then decreases exponentially. So, if we do the math, we can say that using one to 16 notes there are a possible 65,535 combinations. Remember: we are only talking about one note. Once you start adding pitch to this equation then the numbers really go through the roof. No wonder there seems to be an unlimited number of one-bar patterns.” Perhaps the IMAGINATOR VCX-378 is not just for Christmas, after all?

The IMAGINATOR VCX-378 is priced at £349.00 GBP (plus tax and delivery) and available to order online from Analogue Solutions here.

For more detailed information, please visit the Clarke webpage here."

Vince Clarke's Apex Ultimate Support Stand for Auction

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction
See the seller's other items for more.

"VINCE CLARKE'S (ERASURE VCMG DEPECHE MODE YAZ) AUTOGRAPHED ULTIMATE SUPPORT AX48B APEX 2-TIER KEYBOARD STAND

ladies and gentleman...
here for your consideration is...
an ultra rare…
and highly sought after piece…
from vince clarke's personal studio…
perhaps** the most important part of erasures sound! ??…
a vince clarke…
signature edition….
Ultimate….
Support keyboard....
stand!!!!!

**but probably not

a founding member of depeche mode, yaz, erasure and VCMG (a recent techno collaboration with former depeche mode band mate martin gore), vince clarke has greatly influenced countless electronic musicians, including us. its a real pleasure to have him as a customer.

http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com
http://www.erasureinfo.com/
http://mute.com/artists/vcmg
www.yazooinfo.com/
http://www.depechemode.com/index.html
https://twitter.com/thecabinstudio/

having recently moved from a spacious log cabin studio in maine to a smaller basement studio in new york city (see pics at vinceclarkemusic.com), vince decided to replace his free-standing ultimate support keyboard stands with space-saving wall-mount units and asked us if we wanted them. we agreed to take one off his hands to offer it to you folks here on ebay. now, vince is quite a modest guy who doesn't normally go around autographing his stuff, but after several very long and painful negotiations, he finally agreed to autograph this stand for you!

so why should you want this lovely keyboard stand? well, some might argue that this piece is a crucial part of the erasure sound! others might not. whatever the case, this awesome 2 tier ultimate support ax-48b apex keyboard stand would be a great place to put 2 of your beloved keyboards. designed to be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, its ideal for gigging musicians who are in a rush. the arms come off in a matter of seconds and can be stored in the compartment on top of the stand. the 3 legs slide out from the compartment on the bottom of the stand. its great for studio use as well. see our pics above for a photo we took of this or one of the other similar stands in vince's maine cabin studio where it was ultimately supporting a Moog Minimoog and Roland Juno-106. and if you dont play keyboards, well, this item would probably make a rather handsome coat rack as well!

this particular stand is in very nice shape, with some typical scratches and dings but nothing worth mentioning in detail. the autograph is in silver marker which seems to be coming off slightly. we will likely tape a piece of paper over it before packing and shipping it but once you get it, you might want to apply a clear coat over it if you wish to preserve it. want more general info on the ultimate support ax-48b? please search the web. keyboards not included.

if this auction goes well, we may ebay a couple of the spare synths and drum machines vince traded us a while ago. we may also pick up some extremely exciting new items from vince, such as an ultra-rare vince clarke signature series snare drum stand / roland mpu-101 holder! (yes, really.)"

Vince Clarke - The Analogue Monologues

YouTube Uploaded by BobbyOForTheMasses

Playlist:
Vince Clarke - The Analogue Monologues - the Pro One
The Vince Clarke Analogue Monologues - Roland System 100m
The Vince Clarke Analogue Monologues - Arp 2600
The Vince Clarke Analogue Monologues - Roland Jupiter 4 and Boss DR-55
The Vince Clarke Analogue Monologues - Synton Syrinx synthesizer
Vince Clarke - The Analogue Monologues - the Polyfusion
The Vince Clarke Analogue Monologues - RSF Kobol

All of these have been previously posted but not embedded. The set is missing Part 1 on the Pro-One and Part 6 on The Polyfusion. You can find all episodes in high quality on Vince Clarke's the Analogue Monologues.

Update: Part 1 and 6 added.

Vince Clarke's ULTIMATE SUPPORT AX48B Stands For Sale - Synths May Follow

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

According to the description some of Vince's synths may follow. See the seller's other items for more.

"Having recently moved from a spacious log cabin studio in maine to a smaller basement studio in new york city (see pics at vinceclarkemusic.com), vince decided to replace his free-standing ultimate support keyboard stands with space-saving wall-mount units and asked us if we wanted them. we didn’t! but we felt bad that they were taking up precious space in one of vince’s closets and agreed to help him unload them. we received 8 stands in total. as of writing this, two have been sold so we have six left. hopefully they’ll sell soon cause now theyre taking up precious space in one of OUR closets! >:[ now, vince is quite a modest guy who doesn't normally go around autographing his stuff, but after several very long and painful negotiations, we convinced him to autograph this stand for you!

so why should you want this lovely keyboard stand? well, some might argue that this piece is a crucial part of the erasure sound! others might not. whatever the case, this awesome 2 tier ultimate support ax-48b apex keyboard stand would be a great place to put 2 of your beloved keyboards. designed to be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, its ideal for gigging musicians who are in a rush. the arms come off in a matter of seconds and can be stored in the compartment on top of the stand. the 3 legs slide out from the compartment on the bottom of the stand. its great for studio use as well. see our pics above for a photo we took of this or one of the other similar stands in vince's maine cabin studio where it was ultimately supporting a Moog Minimoog and Roland Juno-106. and if you dont play keyboards, well, this item would probably make a rather handsome coat rack as well!

NOTE: the photos shown here may not be of the actual stand you receive since we have 6 of them, but they are all autographed and are all in similar condition.

this particular stand is in very nice shape, with some typical scratches and dings but nothing worth mentioning in detail. it was autographed with a silver paint pen. we taped a piece of paper over it before loading it into our synthmobile (tm) and will leave it the way it is so it doesnt smudge before you get it. once you get it, you might want to apply a clear coat over it if you wish to preserve it. want more general info on the ultimate support ax-48b? please search the web. keyboards not included.

if this auction goes well, we may ebay a couple of the spare synths and drum machines vince traded us a while ago. the ones he used most may become part of the massive vintage synth recording studio we may make available for select projects.

check out erasure’s new album (the violet flame) and find erasure tour dates near you here."

Artists & ARTURIA # 22 - Vince Clarke meets MiniBrute

Published on May 6, 2013 Arturiaweb·87 videos

"Check out our exclusive interview with synth legend Vince Clarke at his studio in New-York, talking about MiniBrute, his relation to synths and his up-coming projects."

Minibrutes on eBay

Update: and the press release:

"Synthpop Svengali Vince Clarke cherishes compact and bijou MiniBrute

“They’re French, but MiniBrute is in English! The MiniBrute features on my new electronic dance music record; I’m using it a lot for basses at the moment, and also for odd squeaky sounds.”
- Vince Clarke, 2013 (Erasure)

GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce that legendary synthpop Svengali Vince Clarke — musical mastermind behind one of the most successful songwriting duos of all time — has added a MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer to the stunning synth collection currently residing at his Brooklyn-based studio...

Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure all have two things in common: one, they were founded by Vince Clarke; two, they have all enjoyed catchy Clarke-penned, synth-driven Top Ten hits in the UK and beyond. In a noteworthy career spanning four decades and countless millions of records sold, Clarke has had more hit singles than most of us have had hot dinners, clocking up no fewer than 17 Top Ten entries in the UK with Erasure alone. And let’s not forget five consecutive chart-topping albums — not bad going in the increasingly disposable world of pop, be it synth-driven or otherwise.

Clearly, Clarke knows a thing or two about songwriting, as attested to by being honoured with 2009’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection by BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors). Of course, Clarke can comfortably find his way around a fair number of synths, too, as attested to by the well-earned songwriting success-funded collection of analogue classics currently residing at his NYC studio, recently relocated from a custom-built cabin in rural Maine to inner-city Brooklyn. But this is no millionaire’s museum piece, but rather a unique personal workspace, where each and every awe-inspiring instrument within regularly earns its keep on a variety of musical projects, with Clarke becoming something of a sought-after remixer of late, as well as collaborating with former Depeche Mode bandmate Martin Gore for the first time in 30-odd years as techno-inspired two-piece VCMG.

Yes, Vince Clarke certainly knows a great-sounding synth when he hears one, which is exactly why an Arturia MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer has made the transatlantic crossing to join him in his Brooklyn basement studio: “When I first tried the MiniBrute, the first thing that struck me was the fact that it’s small, so I thought, ‘Excellent! It will fit in my studio!’ The fact that it has MIDI and CV and Gate is pretty cool.”

While Clarke’s trademark British sense of humour shines forth for all to witness from the outset of this investigative pairing, there’s no denying the compact and bijou nature of the musical beast in question. Yet the Musikmesse International Press Award-winning MiniBrute manages to pack a lot of punch into its diminutive 390 x 325 x 70 mm frame. Setting a new standard for what a hardware monosynth should be, its 100 percent analogue audio signal path features an Oscillator Mixer (Sub, Sawtooth, Square, Triangle, White Noise, Audio In) and classic Steiner-Parker Multimode Filter (LP, BP, HP, Notch) approved by Nyle Steiner himself, together with additional analogue innovations: Metalizer (adds complex harmonics to the triangle waveform); Ultrasaw (adds a lively and bright ensemble effect to the Sawtooth waveform); and Brute FactorTM (adds anything from subtle overdrive to wreaking full-blown intermodulation havoc). These flexible features help the MiniBrute make its own distinctive musical mark alongside legendary analogue monosynths like the Minimoog, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, Korg MS-20, and ARP Odyssey — all of which Clarke, coincidentally, owns!

And all of which resonates deeply with this most musical Englishman in New York: “I really like the filter; you can put the resonance on full and get all those Kraftwerky-type sounds. It sounds like a synth with a Decimator or something like that on it! But whatever it does, or however it does it, I think you can get some very vicious sounds. The Brute Factor... that’s brutal!”

One thing’s for sure: present-day developments like the MiniBrute are helping to ensure that hardware synths are likely to remain Clarke’s calling card for the foreseeable future. “I personally think it’s great that all this hardware stuff’s coming out now; it’s what I grew up with,” he says. “I think there’s nothing that can compare to having a hands-on synth with knobs, dials, and sliders. For me, making sounds with a synth is also physical; I can use two hands and don’t have to pre-think or work it all out. So I think this resurgence in physical synths is a really cool thing.”

Never one for resting on his laurels, Clarke recently spread his wings with a couple of low-key DJ dates in Texas. Here, too, the MiniBrute might well be sharing the musical limelight with him in the not too distant future: “Rather than just play records, I’d like to incorporate some of the technology that I have into the shows as well. I could take along a sequencer or a synthesizer and actually mix it into the stuff that I’m playing.”

Compact and bijou... but packing a pure analogue punch wherever it may roam, MiniBrute is the revolutionary new analogue synthesizer from Arturia. Available now from a dealer near you..."

Vince Clarke Enters the Eurorack Market with New Line of MIDI to CV Utility Modules

Vince Clarke Circuits - The VCM & VCS Auto Tune System from erasureinfo on Vimeo.

In collaboration with Analogue Solutions.

"This self contained Eurorack expandable Midi to CV converter/calibration system offers an uncomplicated solution to the problems of tuning and scaling both vintage synthesisers and modern VCO Eurorack modules. With 16 bit voltage resolution and a tune time of 10 seconds. The unit can compensate for VCO alignment issues and environmental factors that cause tuning drift with the push of a button. Its Digital Automatic Audio Gain Control Circuitry (DAGCC) enables the unit to be connected to most synthesiser outputs, and has been tested on a large array of makes and models. While obviously not being capable of fixing the problems of faulty circuitry it will however save time and money on re–calibration, and ensure the technical side of synth ownership doesn't impinge on the creative process.

MORE DETAILS:
http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com/circuits/"

And the press release:

"Vince Clarke keeps tuneful tracks tuned with namesake clever CV/Gate tuning system

BROOKLYN, NY, USA: synth-pop Svengali Vince Clarke is proud to announce that he will be releasing a series of creative and utilitarian modules for the ever-present Eurorack small-format modular system under the namesake Clarke company name, designed and built to exacting standards in close collaboration with British ‘boutique’ analogue synthesiser and accessory designer/manufacturer Analogue Solutions, starting with the now-available Auto Tune — a self-contained, expandable Eurorack-compatible MIDI-to-CV converter/calibration system offering an uncomplicated solution to the problems of tuning and scaling both vintage analogue synthesisers and modern Eurorack VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) modules — as of March 18...

So why simultaneously sidestep into this creative and utilitarian synthesiser module manufacturing (ad)venture alongside superlative synth-pop music compositional creativity? Who better qualified to address this than the Ivor Novello Award-winning songwriter himself... hardly surprising, really, since Vince Clarke can, of course, comfortably find his way around a notable number of synthesisers, too, as attested to by the well-earned songwriting success-funded collection of analogue classics currently residing at his NYC studio, relatively recently relocated from a custom-built cabin in rural Maine to inner-city Brooklyn. But this is no millionaire’s museum piece, but rather a unique personal workspace, where each and every awe-inspiring analogue instrument included in his sizeable collection of vintage and modern synthesisers comfortably housed within regularly earns its keep on a variety of musical projects, be they synth-pop based or otherwise. “For those of you who work with synthesisers using CV and Gate, you will all be aware of the problems of calibration,” notes Vince Clarke, continuing: “Having tried many a cumbersome software-based package over the years, I wondered if there might be a neater solution — a kind of all-in-one MIDI-to-CV convertor with auto-calibration.”

And, as if by musical magic, the collaborative Clarke company concept was born. And with it the first of those creative and utilitarian modules for the ever-present Eurorack small-format modular system that is increasingly popularised (and heavily populated) by an ever-growing band of merry ‘boutique’ manufacturers now numbering hundreds worldwide... welcome into the world Clarke’s clever Auto Tune system! So, let’s learn a little more about what it is, what it does, and how, exactly, it does it...

In a nutshell, then, the Auto Tune system consists of a VCM20 master module, which can control up to 16 VCS20 slave modules, each of which provides one channel of CV (Control Voltage) and Gate. With 16-bit voltage resolution and a tune time of 10 seconds, this straightforward system can compensate for VCO alignment issues and environmental factors that cause tuning drift quite literally at the push of a button!

The VCM20 master module has an LED (Light Emitting Diode), an increment push button to select the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) channel, and MIDI IN and MIDI THRU sockets; the VCS20 slave module has four 3.5mm jack sockets for communicating with the outside analogue synthesiser world, which is where the tuning action really gets going: CV1 connects to the synthesiser’s pitch control voltage and can be set to either V/oct (Volts per octave) or Hz/V (Hertz per Volt); CV2 is mapped to keyboard velocity — typically to control a VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) or VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier); the 11 Volt GATE output can be set to either V-Trig (Voltage Triggers) or S-Trig (Switch Triggers), its use being indicated by the Gate LED; the VCO input connects to the synthesiser’s waveform or audio input and allows the VCS20 slave module to read audio frequencies during the calibration process — a square, sine, or sawtooth waveform without modulation is recommended for doing this. The oscillator output can either be split or an unused waveform connected in the case of modular system setups while with typical hardwired analogue synthesisers it’s a case of splitting the audio output or, in most cases, using the headphone output. Either way, the synthesiser needs to be set to output a single oscillator without filter or modulation with the VCA envelope set to zero attack, zero decay, full sustain, and zero release. For the most accurate calibration of the control voltage the synthesiser’s oscillator range should be set to 8’ or its initial oscillator frequency set midway.

Having correctly connected everything, pressing the VCS20 slave module’s Tune button automatically tunes the analogue synthesiser, compensating for calibration errors between 0.5 and 1.5 V/oct. (During the tuning process, the Gate opens and its associated LED lights up, going out once complete.) Calibration data is duly stored — solving the problem with a neat solution! Still better, the VCS20 slave module retains the calibration data on power down — no need, necessarily, to repeat the process.

Suffice to say, Vince Clarke’s canny vision of an all-in-one MIDI-to-CV convertor with auto-calibration has truly become reality with the Clarke Auto Tune system since it is possible to set the individual MIDI channel for each VCS20 slave module and see which MIDI channel a slave module is set to at any time by simply pressing its Show button. Beauty is in simple things, after all. Equally easy, the VCS20 slave module’s Oct. (octave) button transposes the incoming MIDI signal by one octave with each push, cycling around four octaves — useful if the synthesiser’s range circuit is detuned. Don’t forget, each VCS20 slave module connected can be individually set to work with V/oct or Hz/V synthesisers so a variety of older and newer analogue instruments can be calibrated and automatically tuned by the Clarke Auto Tune system. Start with a VCM20 master module and one VCS20 slave module, maybe? Then simply add more VCS20 slave modules as your analogue instrument collection grows... guaranteed to stay in tune, each and every one of them — just like Vince Clarke’s Brooklyn-based sizeable collection of vintage and modern synthesisers! Synth-pop songwriting success, sadly, cannot be guaranteed.

The Clarke Auto Tune system is priced at £189.00 GBP (plus tax and delivery) for the VCM20 master module and £189.00 GBP (plus tax and delivery) for the VCS20 slave module; all are available to order online from Analogue Solutions here: http://analoguesolutions.com/clarke/

For more detailed information, please visit the Clarke webpage here: http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com/circuits/"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vince Clarke showing off the Fairlight Computer, Complete track

YouTube via ASUKLTD | July 07, 2010

"Vince, Erasure fame, showing off the Fairlight Computer. This taken from a free tape that came with UK magazine, 'Electronic Sound Maker and Computer Music', from the mid 1980s. Nice track"

Vince showing off the Fairlight Computer, Guitar riffs

" ASUKLTD | July 07, 2010

Vince showing off the Fairlight Computer. This taken from a free tape that came with UK magazine, 'Electronic Sound Maker and Computer Music', from the mid 1980s"

Vince Clarke, Erasure, sample CD track

" ASUKLTD | July 07, 2010

Vince Clarke, Erasure, taken from his analogue synth sample CD"

Note ASUKLTD is Analogue Solutions

Vince Clarke's KORG MS50 Modular Analog Synthesizer Expander

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"We got this unit from our friend Vince Clarke of Erasure, Yaz, Depeche Mode, etc.
Here's the story behind this particular MS50, as we told it on Instagram when we got this unit in:

JUST IN: Vince Clarke’s (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure, etc) Tone Tweakers serviced Korg MS50. For sale soon (on our website). History: many years ago, Vince swapped us his first MS50 (which needed servicing) for one of our fully serviced MS50s. He hadn't really used it though, so yesterday he asked us if we wanted it. Duh! 😂 Although we encouraged him to move it across the studio so he could use it with his vintage MS20, he wasn’t into it, so we snagged it and bagged it. It's still working quite well after all these years, thanks to us servicing it before we delivered it to his old studio in Maine, but we still intend to service it again prior to sale. Vince and Andy Bell are still releasing albums as Erasure. Also check out Vince’s record label Very Records. Use google to find them, since we can’t post links here.

This MS50 was fully disassembled, cleaned, and electronics were completely overhauled, sparing no expense, so it works like new again and is better than the rest. All pots and jacks were cleaned. Replaced some capacitors. Performed a slight power supply modification. Recalibrated. This process required approximately 6 hours of skilled labor. We didn't need to do it since it worked fine when we got it - we WANTED to do it to hopefully extend the life of this beautiful instrument so it outlasts all others of its kind.

If this unit fails to sell for its current price, we may be open to counter-offers… or we may just keep it along with the other MS50 in our studio."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Mike Hall's & Vince Clarke's EMS Polysynthi For Auction

via this auction

"[The seller is] selling this Polysynthi on behalf of it's owner, Mike Hall, who used to be synth technician for the previous owner of this eccentric electrical item, a certain Mr. Vincent Clarke of Basildon - former founder member of Depeche Mode, and Yazoo, and currently with Erasure.

Mike bought the synth on behalf of Vince in 1990 from the latter day Mr EMS himself Robin Wood (a scan of the letter from Robin confirming which is included in the photos in this listing) but he literally ended up rescuing it from Vince's rubbish skip, after having been both surprised and shocked to hear Vince claim it was 'the worst sounding synth ever made' and had decided to get rid of it. Mike was to be its saviour, and he whisked it away to the safety of his abode - this Polysynthi has subsequently been used by fellow Mute Records artists Komputer (previously known as I Start Counting) who've borrowed it from Mike occasionally, as indeed have I for my own musical exploits.

For corroborative purposes, take a look at this link to the official Erasure website (circa late 1990s), which features an interview with Mike, where he mentions the very Polysynthi for sale here...

Sadly, the time has finally come, and Mike has decided to sell his beloved Polysynthi. Fair enough really, seeing as he rarely uses it himself!

The EMS POLYSYNTHI

Made in 1979 by the legendary EMS, alledgedly no more then 29 were ever produced. Size-wise, it's bloody massive, and it really looks the business, despite its multicoloured, toytown style exterior. It houses the first ever (only?) velocity sensitive, aftertouch responsive 100% POLYPHONIC keyboard - if you've enough fingers and toes, you can play every single one of its 49 notes at the same time. The keyboard has a totally unique velocity sensitivity and aftertouch implementation - the entire keyboard itself moves as one mechanical piece. And, it has to be said, the Polysynthi also has one of the most difficult to fathom control surfaces ever to appear on any synthesizer!

It uses a switchable bus matrix system to determine, amongst other things, the signal and modulation sources, which can also be variably assigned to velocity and/or aftertouch. This switchable bus system on the Polysynthi is quite frankly bonkers. When I've used it in the past, to be honest, there have been times where I really couldn't make head nor tail of what was actually happening - but I'm sure(-ish) that this was probably just my own ignorance of it's more intricate workings!

As you can see from the specifications below, it has a somewhat standard set of synthesizing functions, but it does have some additional useful abilities too. The two ADSRs onboard are also routable and patchable through the bus system, though take some getting used to, and there's an external audio input, routable through the filter section and modulation matrix, as well as a fantastic analogue delay line. This delay was the original design for what became the ElectroHarmonix Memory Man, and produces very peculiar and interesting effects indeed, especially with higher feedback settings - you seriously have to watch out for your bass bins when using it.

It's in really good condition despite it's age, apart from a couple of scratches in the decal, and one cap is missing from a knob on the delay line. We're also including it's very own, high quality, custom-made flight case, so you can take it on the road to wow synth-nerds with at your gigs.

What else can I say? There's nothing else like it. It's weird. It's at times frustrating. It's great though - even if Vince does hate it.

Specifications
4 Octave velocity sensitive keyboard
100% FULLY POLYPHONIC Oscillator Bank - Sine, Square and Triangle Waveforms
Noise and External input with envelope follower
2 x VC LFO
2 x VC ADSR
VCF: 2 pole (12db per octave) /4 pole (24db per octave) resonant filters
Switchable Modulation Bus matrix system
VC Analogue Delay
Designed by Graham Hinton
Delay Unit designed by David Cockerell

(For full specifications, see the included photo of the original promotional leaflet)

Previously owned by:
Vince Clarke

As used by:
Komputer
Mechanical Cabaret
LCD Soundsystem"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Synthpop Svengali Vince Clarke loves Leipzig-S

"KINGSWINFORD, UK: British ‘boutique’ analogue synthesiser and accessory designer/manufacturer Analogue Solutions is proud to announce that legendary synthpop Svengali Vince Clarke — musical mastermind behind one of the most successful songwriting duos of all time — has added a Leipzig-S analogue monosynth/step sequencer to the stunning synth collection currently residing at his NYC-based studio...

Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Assembly, and Erasure all have two things in common: one, they were founded by Vince Clarke; two, they have all enjoyed catchy Clarke-penned, synth-driven Top Ten hits in the UK and beyond. In a noteworthy career spanning four decades and countless millions of records sold, Clarke has had more hit singles than most of us have had hot dinners, clocking up no fewer than 17 Top Ten entries in the UK with Erasure alone. And let’s not forget five consecutive chart-topping albums — not bad going in the increasingly disposable world of pop, be it synth- driven or otherwise.

Clearly, Clarke knows a thing or two about songwriting, as attested to by being honoured with 2009’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection by BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors). Of course, Clarke can comfortably find his way around a fair number of synthesisers, too, as attested to by the well-earned songwriting success-funded collection of analogue classics currently residing at his NYC-based studio, recently relocated from a custom-built cabin in rural Maine to inner-city Brooklyn. But this is no millionaire’s museum piece, but rather a unique personal workspace, where each and every awe-inspiring instrument within regularly earns its keep on a variety of musical projects, with Clarke becoming something of a sought-after remixer of late, as well as collaborating with former Depeche Mode bandmate Martin Gore for the first time in 30-odd years as techno-inspired two-piece VCMG.

Yes, Vince Clarke certainly knows a great-sounding synth when he hears one, which is exactly why an Analogue Solutions Leipzig-S analogue monosynth/step sequencer has made the transatlantic crossing to join him in Brooklyn: 'It’s a real ‘hands-on’ synth — lots of knobs, thick sound, and truly analogue.'

Leipzig-S creator Tom Carpenter echoes Vince Clarke’s considered sentiment, for it is, indeed, truly an analogue affair; both its voice and modulation circuitry are analogue through and through, fashioned from discrete components. No naughty digital LFOs or EGs are allowed here, thank you very much! All its well-spaced, high-quality potentiometers are hardwired directly to the circuitry beyond to ensure all that old-school, carefully-crafted analogue goodness gushes forth for all to hear. And no memories mean that each and every parameter is ‘live’ to the touch, without any unwanted CPU-induced quantisation and stabilisation side-effects — What You See Is What You Hear, in other words!

But that’s not all: a direct descendant of its namesake Leipzig (rack-mount) and Leipzig-k (keyboard) analogue monosynth predecessors, the rack-mountable/desktop Leipzig-S literally goes several steps further by incorporating an inbuilt eight-step analogue sequencer that can be used to produce superficially simple melodic lines, as well as acting as a modulation source to affect the (fat Moog-style) filter cutoff, or to create additional effects — depending on other control settings, with VCO1, VCO2, and the VCF all available as sequencer destinations. Seemingly simple, yet favourably flexible, the step sequencer can be creatively clocked by multiple sources — at audio frequencies (using VCO2 as a clock source), or using the output of the sequencer itself as an audio source to be ‘played’ via MIDI while the eight step controls then alter the ‘waveform’/tonal content, for example, such are the adventurous advantages of amalgamating an analogue step sequencer with a true analogue monosynth! Vince Clarke is, naturally, no stranger to the joys of step sequencing: 'I really like it that the sequencer is hardwired to the oscillators and filter, which makes for instant electro-ness.'

One thing’s for sure: synths are likely to remain Clarke’s calling card for the foreseeable future, an analogue-accepting, sweet-sounding time ahead that’s sure to include Analogue Solutions — analogue by name, analogue by nature. Clarke just can’t get enough... of his Leipzig-S: 'I’ve used it on a couple of EDM tracks I’m working on, creating some big, fat bass sounds; there’s still lots more to explore.'

Leipzig-S is available to order online directly from Analogue Solutions (http://www.analoguesolutions.org.uk/concussor/leipzig.htm) for £749.00 GBP, excluding VAT and delivery, or through one of their dealers. (Alternatively, a keyboard-equipped version — the Leipzig-SK — is available for £1,099.00 GBP.)"

You might remember the pic from this previous post.  This is one is quite a bit larger.

Vince Clarke UMI Sequencer

images via this auction
"original system owned by Vince Clarke (probably used as a backup in his studio 37B). He has used UMI sequencers for decades to compose dozens of pop hits. You have the chance to own the latest UMI version created exclusively for Vince Clarke. You get the backup system located on the left side in pic 1. For further pics of the running system in Vince Clarke´s studio 37B see homepage of Gareth Jones. Pics 2 and 3 were made in 37B. You see Vine Clarke working on a pattern using the Microeditor.
This is what you get:
1. One UMI software (release 1.10, located in 6 eproms), modified in 2 versions excusively designed for Vince Clarke --> RND and MTC mods
2. One UMI MIDI-Interface
3. One BBC Master computer with one 3,5" floppy drive (80 tracks) and one Microvitec "Cub" color monitor
4. One copy of user manual (last official release 1.08)
5. Two ROM cartridge holder (each can hold 2 eproms)
6. One formatted disc containg a single pattern for testing the system
7. One short introduction for handling the BBC (e.g. formatting dics)
The system runs on 220 V. All needed cables included."

VINCE CLARKE - The Analogue Monologues - Part VIII: The Korg MS20

YouTube Uploaded by erasureinfo on Sep 3, 2012

"The Analogue Monologues is a series of mini video-documentaries made by Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode/Yazoo/Erasure). In each webisode Vince talks about one of his analogue synths and explains where the on/off switch is. This series proves, once and for all, that he really doesn't know much about anything (a must see!).

See all The Analogue Monologues in the 'Video' section at Vince Clarke's official website at http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com"

2018 The Synthesizer Show Episode #6 "The End" HIGHLIGHTS & Morton Subotnick's The Wild Bull

Published on Jun 20, 2018 Vince Clarke Fanpage

This one caught my attention for a number of reasons. Obviously, Vince Clark and Reed Hayes, as well as the title, and... the set starts out with an excerpt of Morton Subotnick's The Wild Bull composed on the Buchla 100. You can find it in full further below.

Details for the live set above:

The Synthesizer Show Episode #6 "THE END" HIGHLIGHTS
hosted by Vince Clarke and Reed Hays
June 20th, 2018 on http://www.makerparkradio.nyc

The Show Highlights:
- Jingle
- Buchla and Hawaii dancing Girl
- Erasure "Solsbury Hill"
- Alka "Betablockers"
- Reed & Caroline "Entropy" exclusive
- Yazoo / Yaz 'Nobody's Diary'
- Jingle
- Outro "THE END"

NEW ALBUM "Hello Science" from Reed & Caroline
out on July 6th, 2018 on http://www.veryrecords.com

Reed & Caroline support Erasure on their
North America Tour 2018 in July and August
More information on http://www.erasureinfo.com/concerts

more info about Vince Clarke on http://www.vinceclarkefanpage.de

Morton Subotnick - The Wild Bull (Full Album 1968)

Published on Mar 3, 2017 sound light

1. The Wild Bull (Part I) 13:00
2. The Wild Bull (Part II) 14:50

A composition for electronic-music synthesizer
A Nonesuch Records commission

Composed on the modular electronic music system originally built for Morton Subotnick by Donald Buchla at the San Francisco Tape Music Center.
Composed By – Morton Subotnick

Happy Birthday Vince Clarke!

A little birdy told me it was Vince's birthday today.  Happy birthday Vince!
We love you and your synths!  Wowza!  :)

Image via I Dream of Wires on Facebook

"Vince Clarke with his EMU modular synth...ARP 2500 behind him."

Yazoo - ONLY YOU - Re-created w/ Sequential Circuits Pro-One Synth

Published on Jul 19, 2014 peahix

"Some friends needed the backing track of this song for their wedding, so I took the opportunity to geek out with it. The original is well-known by synth nerds as having been produced by Vince Clarke using only a Sequential Circuits Pro-One monophonic analog synthesizer. So, since I have a Pro-One, and there are scans of an old music magazine article online which show the settings for some of the sounds Vince used on this track (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8478882...), I figured I'd have a go at re-creating it.

First I transcribed the music (sequenced with Cubase), using soft-synth sounds as temporary stand-ins for the Pro-One. Then I had to dial in all the Pro-One sounds one-by-one and record each part via a Kenton MIDI-CV interface. I found that all of the patches from the article needed adjusting to get them in the ballpark, plus I had to create the other sounds from scratch (I've credited each patch accordingly). Having done so, I'm not convinced that every single sound on the original is actually a Pro-One. The "Tinkle" sound, for instance, sounds more bell-like on the original, so it could possibly have been something like a PPG. I don't think Vince had his Fairlight yet, otherwise I'd say it was that. Also, the string line toward the end of the song sounds like it might have been played on a polysynth, ie maybe the Jupiter 4 which Vince used alot at the time. Of course, there's also the snare, which was an 808.

In any event, I think I got pretty close with my rendition. Of course the effects and mix are going to be different, and some of the sounds are closer than others, but whatever.

If you want to give it a shot yourself, you can download the MIDI file and the patch sheets here (be sure to let me know if you make your own version, and give me a shout out if you post it online!): https://www.dropbox.com/s/lfn3vb1pxwq...

One tip: the cutoff of the "Wobble" sound varies a bit, getting slightly brighter during the chorus, etc. The only way to do this is manually while recording. I tried to use automation for this via the Pro-One's filter CV input, but doing so cancels out the Keyboard Amount setting, which is crucial for this sound, so I simply adjusted the knob in real-time.

If you liked this re-creation, check out my other videos for four "Speak & Spell" tracks that I re-created using only a Yamaha CS01-II synth.

Thanks to FrankPerri.com for the blank patch sheets!"

As Used by Vince Clarke - SUPER RARE Vintage UMI-2B Midi Sequencer & Acorn BBC & Disk Drive

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"UMI 'Songwriters sequencer', used for countless 80s hits - as used by Depeche Mode, A-ha, Queen, Genesis, Vince Clarke, Erasure, Blancmange

Some tracks the UMI was used on.

Erasure - Sometimes (Basically every Erasure track made used the UMI)

Aha - Take On Me

"When they came to RG Jones, my equipment was already there,” adds Tarney. "This included a Roland Juno 60 that provided the song's main theme and which I still use, as well as a UMI computer system that a friend of mine put together, and which Vince Clark also used. That's what I used to drive the instruments"

Queen - A Kind Of Magic (most of the album made using UMI)
Blancmange believe

And Many Many More......

Check out Vince Clarke using the UMI in the Studio here"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Electric Independence: Vince Clarke and the Temple of Synth

via Pea Hicks and Matt Musick of Motherboard.TV. Click here and scroll for prior posts.
"The new episode of Electric Independence documents a visit to Vince Clarke's incredible home studio that features more analog gear than, well, probably anyone we've ever encountered. The founding member of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Erasure is enjoying the country life in Maine but still cranks out the jams, or as he likes to put it 'making something from nothing.'"
Vince Clark of Depeche Mode, Yaz/Yazoo and Erasure.

Vince Clark's studio synth list via here:
ROLAND SYSTEM 700
ROLAND 100M
ROLAND JP8
ROLAND JP4
ROLAND MKS80
ROLAND SH1
ROLAND VP330
ROLAND JP8000
ROLAND JUNO 60
ROLAND JUNO 106
ROLAND SUPER JX
ROLAND D550
ARP 2500 MODULAR
ARP 2600
PPG WAVE 2.2
WALDORF MICROWAVE
WALDORF PULSE
MOOG MODULAR
MINI MOOG
MOOG SOURCE
EMU MODULAR SYSTEM
PROPHET 5
PRO ONE
OSCAR
SYRINX
KORG MS20
KORG MS10
KORG 700
KORG M1
KORG DVP
SERGE MODULAR
POLYFUSION MODULAR
OBERHEIM XPANDER
OBERHEIM SEM SYSTEM
RSF KOBOL
SYNTHI VCS3
SENNHEISER VOCODER

Vince Clarke studio tour - Waveshaper TV - IDOW archive series

Published on Jan 8, 2019 Waveshaper Media

"In anticipation of our next episode of WAVESHAPER TV, a previously unseen/unheard interview with synthpop maestro Vince Clarke - from the I Dream Of Wires archive - we've decided to make this I Dream Of Wires DVD/iTunes bonus feature available online!

In July 2012, the I Dream Of Wires team visited the Brooklyn studio of one of the most influential and revered electronic musicians of all-time: Depeche Mode/Yazoo/Erasure founder/songwriter/synthesist, Vince Clarke. Join Vince Clarke mega-fan Jason Amm, aka Waveshaper Media producer and recording artist Solvent, on a nerdy studio tour with his hero... Enjoy!"

Spitfire Signature Library via The Human League's and Heaven 17's Martyn Ware

Spitfire presents: MARTYN WARE - NIC library

Published on May 29, 2014 Spitfire Audio·114 videos

"A look at our new signature library from the synth pioneer Martyn Ware - founder member of The Human League and Heaven 17
http://www.spitfireaudio.com/martyn-w..."

And the press release:

"Spitfire swells Signature Range with synthpop production pioneer Martyn Ware

LONDON, UK: compositional tools creator Spitfire Audio is proud to announce availability of MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS — the latest addition to its swelling Signature Range of sample libraries (where legendary composers, producers, and sound-smiths curate award-winning sonic DNA for future music-makers) for Native Instruments’ KONTAKT 4 or 5 (Mac OS X 10.7 or higher and Windows 7 or later) — as of May 30...

A distinctive pattern, product, or characteristic by which someone or something can be identified. So reads a typical dictionary definition of the word signature. Spitfire Audio’s Signature Range sample library luminaries certainly have a signature sound, hence the apt appellation. As one of the most successful, influential, and prolific film composers of his generation, Hans Zimmer — with whom Spitfire Audio previously collaborated on the HZ PERCUSSION - LONDON library, a definitive collection of hybrid cinematic widescreen percussion ensemble excellence — surely needs little in the way of introduction, for example.

Today it is with great pride that Spitfire Audio welcomes another trailblazer to its legendary Signature Range sample library lineup with MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS. This time namesake legendary synthpop production pioneer Martyn Ware — founding member of electronic trailblazers The Human League and synth-funksters Heaven 17, and also a revered record producer in his own right with a sizeable number of super-successful credits to his sought- after name with over 50-million sales worldwide for the likes of ‘Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll’ Tina Turner, American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D’Arby, and eternal electro-poppers Erasure — offers up an exclusive collection of favourite analogue synth and drum sounds from his prized collection of rarefied electronic delights. These include Korg’s mid-Seventies-vintage Mini-KORG 700 ‘simple’ analogue monosynth and the Roland System 100 semi-modular monophonic synth with which Martyn made his name on early Human League classics like ‘Being Boiled’ — though the examples used on MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS were actually gifted to Martyn by Erasure synth Svengali Vince Clarke (who openly admitted to being influenced by those early electronic recordings) upon discovering that Martyn had long since sold his originals — and the early-Eighties-vintage Jupiter-8, Roland’s first truly professional programmable analogue polysynth that formed the backbone of Heaven 17 hits like ‘Temptation’. Before making their own distinctive mark on the hit parade, prior to owning a drum machine, Martyn and his Human League (and Heaven 17) synth-playing partner Ian Craig-Marsh’s make do and mend modus operandi involved rhythmically riding faders on the aforesaid System 100 and its associated Model 104 Sequencer to create bass and snare drums on the fly! Little wonder, then, that the then-young Vince Clarke sat up and took note during his fledgling Depeche Mode days.

Having joined forces with Vince Clarke to form The Illustrious Company, combining their talent to exploit the creative and commercial possibilities of their unique three-dimensional sound technology in collaboration with fine artists, the performing arts, and corporate clients worldwide, Martyn extensively lectures on music production, technology, and creativity at universities and colleges around the world when not working in his studio space at London’s Tileyard Studios complex — coincidentally, also home to Spitfire Audio!

By way of further background to the welcome MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS release, Spitfire Audio co-founder Paul Thomson tellingly pays tribute to the accomplished individual in question before going on to introduce the latest Signature Range sample library itself: “Martyn’s a legend in the electronic music field. He’s a founder member of The Human League; his first massive hit was ‘Being Boiled’. And then he left to form Heaven 17 with Ian Craig-Marsh; they had another massive hit with ‘Temptation’, although American audiences may be more familiar with the hit ‘Let Me Go’, which was played hugely on KROQ and MTV over there. He went on to produce with huge success; he helped relaunch Tina Turner’s career with ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and ‘Private Dancer’. He produced Terence Trent D’Arby, Marc Almond, Erasure, and many others. His early albums were direct precursors, in many ways, to the directions that hip-hop took Stateside when it went electro in the early Eighties. We believe that the key to sampling synths is not just good signal chain, but it’s also the curatorship of the sounds, and this is a rare opportunity to share in Martyn’s sonic approach — the buttons and dials that he tweaks to suit his taste and his heritage. So we get to see what he can come up with on these machines — fantastic synths like the Roland System 100, Jupiter-8, and the Korg 700. We’ve also got a warped collection, which is kind of sound designed from this original material. We’ve got some modern interpretations, but it’s largely curated to be in the spirit of Martyn’s style — how the young electronic acts in the UK inspired the likes of Afrika Bambaataa with the burgeoning electro and hip-hop scene Stateside in New York and the South Bronx.”

It goes without saying, therefore, that Martyn Ware and his creative cohorts proved inspirational back in the day while MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS clearly is inspirational today to anyone looking to make musical use of a broad selection of pads, leads, drums, effects, tempo-locked sequences, and all manner of curios created by the man himself, with additional sympathetic sound design by award-winning composers and producers — all presented in ‘Super Mono’ to provide a selection of channels processed via vintage Class-A analogue outboard. With over 270 piquant presets — some with up to five distinctly-different mixable signal paths — providing a total library size of 13.5 GB in compressed downloadable data from 25.1 GB of WAV files totalling 11,016 samples, such musical inspiration from a true trailblazer is unlikely to dry up anytime soon. Just ask the now-not-so-young Vince Clarke — all set to release his 16th studio album with Erasure, his third successful group since first hearing Martyn Ware’s time-honoured Human League tones 30-plus years ago!


MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS can be purchased and downloaded directly from Spitfire Audio for an introductory promotional price of £75.00 GBP (subject to VAT within the EU) until June 12, 2014 (rising to £99.00 GBP thereafter) from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/products-page (Note that this will require a full version of Native Instruments KONTAKT 4 or 5 to run.)

For more detailed info and individual demos from Spitfire Audio co-founders Christian Henson and Paul Thomson skilfully showcasing MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS’ creative sound design visit the dedicated webpage here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/martyn-ware-no-illegal-connections

Watch Spitfire Audio co-founder Paul Thomson’s telling MARTYN WARE - NO ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS video walkthrough here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdmFXFj7GQw"

John Foxx takes you on an Arp odyssey and MORE

YouTube via Synthasy2000
"John Foxx takes you on an Arp odyssey."

Vince Clarke describes an early sampling drum machine



"Vince Clarke describes an early sampling drum machine."
Anyone remember what this one was called? See the update below.

Phil Oakey describes how the Human League got the drum sound to Being Boiled


"Phil Oakey describes how the Human League got the drum sound to Being Boiled."

OMD Andy McCluskey breaks down the structure of Enola Gay


"Andy McCluskey breaks down the structure of Enola Gay.
From Synth Britannia"

Update on Vince Clark's drum machine via 7ate9 in the comments:
"drum machine = movement 2

first one i've seen in brown, all others seem to be in a tasty orange

movement 1 had a seperate monitor on top of a flat main unit"

See the Movement-MCS label below and scroll for more.