If you’re looking for a very good sound analog synthesizer you may want to check out the new Analogue Solutions SEM clone Telemark. I can think of a long list of main brand synthesizers that cost around the same price ($1250) or higher than the Telemark that don’t have 1/10th of it’s character. Check out the video and audio sample below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rv_ftljSWo

Telemark audio clip: click here

For a history lesson concerning Oberheim’s SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) head over to vintagesynth.com: click here If your about to go shopping keep in mind Tom Oberheim is also preparing to release a new version of his own classic. Read about the new SEM and check out a video over at Matrixsynth: click here

For more info: www.analoguesolutions.com

As musicians we all spend time checking out music tech blogs, participating in pro-audio forums and listening to tunes on various social music sites. We can all justify the time we spend on such sites as learning (and it really is!). I’ve found a new time waster: Craigsphone (iTunes link). I know the iPhone app has been around for a while. I know you could do the same searching over at Craigslist. However, I had not searched for local synths for sale on my iPhone until today. There’s something to be said for laying in the backyard on a chaise lounge chair and finger flicking through used goodies with knobs. There’s some great stuff you can find such as “3 Non-Working ADATS”.

Ever find a killer deal on Craigslist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSEHEJM9_JA

Want a nice afternoon project? How about taking a Styplophone, hacking it to make the “Dominator” sound (Roland Juno-1) and added Midi to it? Sounds crazy but that’s exactly what Jason from the UK did in the video above.

“Just for fun… not the most useful synth mod ever made. The technicals… Soldered wires to Stylophone PCB to use its keypad / resistor ladder.. put 5V across it and read voltage at stylus by analog input pin on arduino clone (miduino). Found out input value for each note and sent out MIDI note on/off messages thru serial connection when notes are detected. Simple.” – hotchk155

Just for a bit of comparison here’s the video for one massive classic techno by Human Resource called Dominator (iTunes link). This song really showcases how a stock synth preset can become a monster hit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dohzrXT09w

I’m Bigger, and Bolder, and Rougher and Tougher, in other words Sucker there is no other. I used to own a Juno-1 and loved the toms on it.

For more info on the Roland Juno-1: click here

Who’s the Big Dog now? from Calvin on Vimeo.

Here’s a nice video that drove me to discover Calvin Cardioid from Toronto, Canada. Besides this nice video he’s got a nice blog called cl516. It’s full of original content with a synth slant. Here’s a nice set of sounds of a Frostwave Resonator, modulated by Freqbox and Sherman Calvin posted over at SoundCloud:

For more info: http://cl516.blogspot.com/

Sound Scope Space demo from strange agency on Vimeo.

I’ve been consistently using music applications on my iPhone. Recording the iPhone’s output through the headphone jack directly into Ableton is remarkably pleasing for some reason. I’ve been enjoying Curtis (App Store link) from The Strange Agency (based out of Los Angeles). They recently posted a preview video of their next toy “Sound Scope Space”.

What do you think?

For more info: thestrangeagency.com

Related post: Use an iPhone to bring sounds into your DAW.

velosynth+003 from velosynth on Vimeo.

A bicycle with a synthesizer attached to the wheels. This thing would have been perfect in Berlin.

For more info: velosynth.com and twitter.com/velosynth

I like drum kits made from analog synths. A band from Sweden called the Steelberry Clones have posted a drum kit created solely with a Minimoog Voyager. They wrapped the kit up neatly into a Drum Rack for Ableton Live 8.

“Unlike many classic analog drum machines, the Voyager with its dual filters can create wonderful stereo imagery.  I’ve taken the time to program detailed percussive patches & from these i’m creating sample sets.” – steelberryclones.wordpress.com

Go to the full post to download the set: click here Audio demo: click here

photo credit: allert

yr3wk48 moog & tonematrix from longcat on Vimeo.

A few posts back I compared Retro vs Future audio producing technique videos. Today’s video shows old and new working together. The Moog Opus 3 was released in 1980. Vintage Synth Explorer has the Opus Manual available for download: click here ToneMatrix, Andre Michelle’s Tenori-on software clone is pure 2009: http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

“With the ever wonderful moog opus 3, and the insanely addictive tone matrix from andre michelle… it’s freely usable so long as you have the most recent flash update, it reminds me of early software drum machines like hammerhead… it seems he is creating a whole reason-ish music creation world online all run with flash, it’s quite heavy on the CPU but very interesting x lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix the moog is still missing it’s string sound, but one of it’s faults allows me to just have the filter with no sound underneath which you hear at the beginning… i love this synth x” – longcat

Thanks for Robbie Knight for this video. Isn’t time shifting on a rainy (in NYC at least) Friday nice?

Related post: Thoughts and photos from the Tenori-on Berlin event.

Here’s two videos that both help you make music with hardware. One is based on 1970’s tech and the other is pure 2009. What’s more lust worthy? A green lit Minimoog Voyager or an iPhone with polyphonic velocity sensitive keys controlling Ableton and more?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W868tnYADDk

“The MF-101 Low Pass Filter’s ENV OUT Control Voltage makes a number of amazing Rhythmic Modulation techniques possible. This video shows some of these applications in a Dance Music setting. This technique is not limited to Dance Music. The applications are as endless as your imagination.” – MoogMusicInc

MSA Remote + VDMX + Ableton Live from Memo Akten on Vimeo.

“MSA Remote is a remote control application for iPhone & iPod Touch that sends OSC messages over the wifi network. This allows you to control any OSC supporting applications such as Max/MSP/Jitter, PureData, Reaktor, VDMX, vvvv, Resolume, Quartz Composer etc. In this video, OSCulator is routing the OSC (& TUIO) messages coming from MSA Remote to midi and forwarding to Ableton Live and VDMX simultaneously. Nothing is done in post, the same signal is controlling both audio and video. At the beginning of the video you can see the polyphonic velocity sensitive keys in action (yes, the harder you hit the keys, the louder the sound – works equally well when the iphone is laid on a table), and later on the faders, triggers and multitouch tuio-pad. Should be in the app store soon: www.memo.tv/msaremote_for_iphone” – Memo Akten

I like you so you can have both set ups but for fun answer me this: Which set up would you rather have?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoOSAlscNeE

Above is a nice video find of Manfred Fricke’s newest toys made in Berlin. If you like knobs and sounds nothings better than a semi-modular analog drum machine and synthesizer!

“Five-Voice Modular Analogue Drum Synthesizer with Six-Channel CV/Gate Step-Sequencer with Shuffle Quantization Algorhithmen” – nirvanabeach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u48Qq0TsZaI

How about some Kraftzwerg, MFB-STEP64 and another Berlin creation the Flame Midi-Talking Synth? Yeah I thought so…

More info: mfberlin.de and shelaq.de