I’ve started to plan a modular synthesizer. I really like the Monorocket cases and I’ve picked out some modules to start with: Doepfer A-190-3 Midi to CV interface, Doepfer A-155 Analog Sequencer, Doepfer A-198 Ribbon Controller, Livewire Audio Frequency Generator (AFG), Harvestman Hertz Donut digital oscillator, Doepfer a-118 Noise Module, Livewire FrequenSteiner Filter, Doepfer A-140 Envelope Generator (two of them), Doepfer a-147 LFO, Pittsburgh Modular Analog Delay and a Doepfer a-199 Spring Reverb.
I have some questions: Do I need to know anything about powering these? If I got the Monorocket M9B could I just plug the above in and expect it to work? Is there a shop or meet up in the NYC are where I can try out some modules? What about my choices above? For example I picked two Doepfer A-140 Envelope Generators because I have two Oscillators. I assume I need them otherwise the Oscillators will just drone on. I know there are a lot of other exciting modules out there but any recommendations are welcome.
“Combining the signals generated by multiple modules into a common audio output allows a potentially infinite number of configurations, leading to a potentially infinite number of sounds.” – Wikipedia
For more info: modularplanner.co.uk
This entry was written by , posted on November 25, 2011 at 10:09 am, filed under modular, synthesizer and tagged Doepfer, Livewire, modular, Monorocket, Pittsburgh Modular, synthesizer, The Harvestman. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Have you ever been watching modular synthesizer videos and wondered what the touch “keyboard” was you were seeing? It most likely was the Make Noise Pressure Points. A module like this makes you part of the CV circuit. Don’t you want one? $215 USD.
“Pressure Points is a controller in which 1 of 4 sets of 3 tuned voltages are selected by touching the corresponding printed copper wire at the bottom of the instrument (aka the Touchplate). Touching Pressure Points, you become part of the circuit, generating a gate signal (Gate OUT), a control signal proportional to the amount of pressure applied (Press OUT) and activating the corresponding Stage. The Tuned Voltages for the activated Stage appear at their respective OUTs along the right side of the module. In this way, Pressure Points is like an analog sequencer that is played by hand. 2 pots allow the circuit to be adjusted for desired playing response.” – makenoisemusic.com
For more info: makenoisemusic.com/pressurepoints.html
This entry was written by , posted on November 21, 2011 at 6:38 am, filed under modular and tagged Make Noise, modular, Pressure Points. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Analogue Solutions Telemark Unboxing from Oliver Chesler on Vimeo.
I received a delivery from Noisebug yesterday and made the above unboxing video for you. I was also inspired to add the Analogue Solutions Telemark to an EBM song I am working on for my next album. You can hear the song in the video above. It still needs plenty of work and of course vocals. You’re also hearing a Jomox Brane 11 and the sequences are being fired off by a Doepfer Dark Time. The Telemark is created in the UK by Tom J Carpenter. He recently repaired some of Alan Wilder’s (Depeche Mode) equipment for an auction. The Telemark starts off as an Oberheim SEM clone but adds Noise (to me VERY important) and some other goodies. It’s a large beautiful synth and it sounds incredible.
“More features than the original SEM such as Sample and Hold, LFO Square wave, Noise, extra inputs, many more signal modulation options via rotary switches.” – analoguesolutions.org.uk
To see a full set of Telemark photos: click here
This entry was written by , posted on November 19, 2011 at 4:38 pm, filed under hardware, synthesizer and tagged Alan Wilder, Analogue Solutions, clone, Jomox, Mbrane 11, Oberheim, SEM, Telemark, The Horrorist, Things to Come Records, Tom J. Carpenter, unboxing. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Nitzer Ebb’s early and wonderful EBM track Isn’t it Funny How Your Body Works? reproduced by a DIY modular system. So here’s my proposal to the builder Henrik Nydell… make me some original patterns and I’ll scream for you! Imagine taking that beast live?
“My DIY MFOS modular – the Modulator – playing Isn’t it funny how your body works by Nitzer Ebb. The 16-step sequencer’s gate outputs trigs two ADSRs for bass drum. Clock out is sent to slave 10-step sequencer and to two ARs controlling filter cutoff and VCA. 16 step seq CV out gets patched to both VCOs. The stereo auto panner is used during the last few seconds.” – hnydell
For more info: nydell.se/projects/modulator
This entry was written by , posted on November 10, 2011 at 5:26 am, filed under music, synthesizer and tagged EBM, electronic body music, modular, Nitzer Ebb. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Two words: stocking stuffers. I’ll take the Delay thanks.
“The powerful and fun-to-play monotron analog synthesizer has been joined by two siblings. The Dual Oscillator monotron DUO offers X-MOD capabilities for generating even more extreme sounds. The monotron DELAY features a Space Delay that can produce intense, analog-like echo effects.” – korg.com
For more info: korg.com/monotrons
This entry was written by , posted on November 4, 2011 at 3:39 am, filed under hardware, synthesizer and tagged Korg, Monotron. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Here’s some proof I have been making music a long time. I’m the one in black of course next to Peter Lopez and Jay Serken. I don’t know that exact year but it’s somewhere in the late 80s. The photo was taken at Suny Purchase in one of the music building’s practice rooms. Imagine sequencing on an IBM PC? You don’t know how good you have it these days. The Roland Juno-106 in the photo was later stolen. This photo is also proof that extreme hair styles dont make you go bald (I still have a full head of hair). Before you ask… no I never smiled back then.
“Suny Purchase offers a unique education that combines programs in the liberal arts with conservatory programs in the arts in ways that emphasize inquiry, mastery of skills, and creativity. It is dedicated to creating opportunities for transformative learning and training in a community where disciplines connect, intersect, and enhance one another. Purchase College is included in the Princeton Review’s Best 371 Colleges (2010)” – Wikipedia
photo credit: Josh Saitz
This entry was written by , posted on October 29, 2011 at 6:42 am, filed under hardware, synthesizer and tagged 1980's, Jay Serken, Oliver Chesler, Peter Lopez, Roland Juno-106, Suny Purchase. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
A new Moog synthesizer is here. The Animoog for iPad looks nice, has an X/Y Pad, a “Notes Follow on Screen” function (see video above), Rates & Orbits LFOs, touch keyboard with individual and polyphonic articulation, custom key scales, envelopes you can touch to adjust and more. In my fantasy brain I would have liked a true polyphonic hardware Moog with no controls on it; just a dock for an iPad and some Moog control software. That said, Moog is going what makes sense I think. You have to be in it to win it as they say and touch interface is something they need to cut there teeth on. At a .99 intro rate it also let’s everyone into the Moog world. The bottom line is it’s one of the better pro-audio apps for iOS and a creative tool in the hands of an artist. Download it now: click here
“Animoog is the first professional synthesizer designed for the iPad. Powered by Moog’s new Anisotropic Synthesis Engine, Animoog captures the vast sonic vocabulary of Moog synthesizers and applies it to the moderntouch surface paradigm, enabling any user to quickly sculpt incredibly fluid and dynamic sounds that live, breathe, and evolve as you play them.” – moogmusic.com
For more info: moogmusic.com/products/apps/animoog
This entry was written by , posted on October 17, 2011 at 4:03 am, filed under iPad, synthesizer and tagged Animoog, iOS, iPad, moog, synthesizer. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Sit back and listen to the birth of the synthesizer.
“We were fortunate to have Herb Deutsch join us for Moog Fest 2010 in Asheville, North Carolina. In this video, Herb shares his thoughts on the events that led to the birth of the Minimoog.” – moogfoundation
via synthtopia.com
This entry was written by , posted on October 13, 2011 at 12:39 pm, filed under synthesizer and tagged Bob Moog, Herb Deutsch, moog, synthesizer. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
French company Arturia will release a software recreation of the Oberheim SEM on October 25th. The original SEM’s trick was a 2-pole multimode filter which along with low-pass had high-pass, band-pass and band-reject settings. This gave the unit some wicked sharp sounds. For a while the SEM sound could only be had if you hit eBay. Then Tom Oberheim followed in Bob Moog and Dave Smith’s footsteps and got things going again. I have to mention my favorite SEM sounding synth the Analogue Solutions Telemark which I had a chance to play with recently. It adds a few tricks to the mix including in my opinion a very important feature: noise. It’s good to see Arturia back in the game emulating classic synths because I think it’s what they do best. It’s going to be tough for them to get the sharp filters right on the SEM. That said, the plug-ins are a good stepping stone to get people into hardware or for when you need SEM on an airplane, beach, hotel room, etc… They sure look very pretty too!
“After years without any addition to their Synthesizer Anthology series, Arturia has announced that it will soon bring back to life in software format one of the world’s most sough-after synthesizers. The Oberheim SEM V accurately emulates the famous sound and interface of the original Synthesizer Expander Module introduced by Oberheim Electronics in 1974. Faithfully reproducing the tone, waveshapes, multi-mode 12dB/octave filter and other detailed characteristics, the Oberheim SEM V also brings the benefits of polyphony, MIDI control, arpeggiation and some innovative functionalities such as the 8-voice programmer, or the advanced keyboard follow.” -kvraudio.com
For more info: arturia.com, tomoberheim.com and analoguesolutions.org.uk/v2
via kvraudio
This entry was written by , posted on October 9, 2011 at 6:52 am, filed under plug-ins, synthesizer and tagged Analogue Solutions, Arturia, filter, hardware, Oberheim, SEM, synthesizer, Telemark, Tom Oberheim. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
Vostok ::: MIDI to CV + Patches from arthur joly on Vimeo.
Yeah a nice track from Arthur Joly on an Analogue Solutions Vostok suitcase synth. Follow the man who created this machine on Facebook: Tom J Carpenter. Read a review of the Vostok at Sound on Sound: click here.
“Creating some music.” – arthur joly
For more info: recohead.com.br and Analogue Solutions
This entry was written by , posted on October 1, 2011 at 6:05 pm, filed under hardware, synthesizer and tagged Analogue Solutions, Arthur Joly, patch cable, synthesizer, Tom J. Carpenter, Vostok. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.
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