Well how about that? An all analog hardware synth from Arturia. The MiniBrute has some unique features including a Steiner Parker filter, supersaw ocillator, “metal” triangle oscillator, Brute factor (re-input staging) and an arpeggiator with tap tempo and 6 swing settings. CV, Midi… 499 Euro, $549 USD!

“MiniBrute is Arturia’s new analog synthesizer. With a pure analog signal path and several innovative features, it sets a new standard for what a hardware synthesizer should be. The pure analog, multi-wave oscillator combined with a huge sounding classic multi-mode filter, and wide range of modulation capabilities will bring new life into your recordings and stage performances. Add to that outstanding features like the Ultrasaw, Metalizer, Brute Factor™, Arpeggiator, LFO with sample & hold, full USB/MIDI/CV connectivity; all of which are housed in a rugged metal enclosure and it is almost too brutal to think about!” – Arturia

For more info: arturia.com

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 is going to hurt my bank account ($2,000 USD). I really like how you can record real time effects on the two pad strips (link). I hope the included samples don’t ruin a near perfect analog thing. So far the demos sound pure enough for me. Anyone NOT getting one?

“The all-new Tempest analog drum machine (created by none other than the living legends Dave Smith and Roger Linn) is expected to be available sometime in Fall 2011.” – Sweetwater.com

For more info: davesmithinstruments.com/products/tempest

Eventide Space – Sneak Peak from Richard Devine on Vimeo.

A few months ago when Eventide announced their new hardware box called Space the music tech crowd was buzzing. I admit I didn’t totally get why. Like many producers I know I’ve returned to using a lot of hardware but reverbs wasn’t a box I needed to go back to. Yesterday I saw the above demo video from Richard Devine on my Facebook feed (thanks Daniel Meyer) and this morning again on Synthtopia. Needless to say I have to have one of these. It’s the sound. I wonder if these will become as common as the Boss-SE50 did? Probably not and that’s a good thing for those who are in the know. The Space is $500.

“Never before has there been a more dazzling collection of reverb algorithms combined with delays, pitch shifting, tremolo, modulation, and spatial effects in such a compact and affordable package.” – eventide.com

For more info: eventide.com/stompBoxes/eventide_space

Jason Duerr the Director of Engineering at the Aimtron Corporation contacted me. His company build circuit boards for many of the companies on display at this year’s Namm. He let me know about a modular synthesizer module he thought was full of fun stuff. His choice was the Lunar Experience 569 Quad Sequential Voltage Source. I’m very much of the opinion that if you create electronic music you should own at least one hardware sequencer. Lunar has a YouTube channel here: youtube.com/moonmodular. Do you guy agree? Anyone know of Lunar Experience and used their modules?

“This was a lot of fun to use: Switch up, note on, turn the knob for your CV. Switch middle, note off Switch down, now it’s the loop point for all the steps before it!” – Jason Duerr

For more info: lunar-experience.com

The East Germans known as vermona.com have some new hardware on the horizon. First a synthesizer called the Mono Lancet: 2x VCO (triangle, sawtooth, square / sawtooth, rectangle, noise), 24dB lowpass filter, ADSR, envelope generator (VCF, VCA, VCO), LFO (triangle, square, s/h), MIDI for 449 EURO. Next, the Kick Lancet based on the KICK channel of the DRM1 MKIII Waveshaper (sine -> square), FM, trigger inputs (switch, audio, gate), MIDI for 265 EURO. Doepfer Dark Energy and DSI Mopho you have some new friends.

“The Lancets approach for landing and finally will arrive internationally in August/September 2010.” – vermona.com

For more info: vermona.com

We all can’t be Robert Moog but with all the info online it’s easier than ever to give it a shot. I installed a dimmer switch in my living room recently… here’s a photo: click here

“Every useful electronics project deserves a good enclosure. Providing a proper case for your circuit can protect it from accidental spills & falls – plus give it a cool look you can proudly show off to those unfamiliar with soldering and such.” – makemagazine

For more info: blog.makezine.com/circuit_skills_electronics_enlosure

Novamusik hooks some Tenori’s up to a Vermona DRM-MKIII and a Doepfer A100 Mini System. I don’t love the song they create but this is the way to use Tenori-On’s! Click to 1:06 in the video to see the great action. Thanks Chuck!

“The guys of Nova Musik playing with some new toys that just came in… First thing we thought of? Can we hook these things up to the modular? The answer is yes, and much much more.” – novamusik.com

Do you want a set up like this too?

I was flipping through the latest issue of Sound on Sound and came across a cool looking hardware box called the Fucifer from Evolaudio. It’s a distortion synthesizer, mic-pre and EQ. I like what it does and how it looks but how it sounds will determine if it’s worth $2600. More and more I have been returning to hardware lately. Has anyone played with one of these?

“The Evol Fucifier is a distortion synthesizer & sound shaper, designed to give you many colors with which to create and shape your palette of sounds. Everything in the signal chain, from the Mic Pre, the Vintage Germanium Preamp, the Filter, and the inductors in the Equalizer to the output transformer, is designed to be overdriven, saturated, overloaded or distorted in a pleasing way. Mix & match the Vintage Germanium Preamp for a little warmth or overdrive, the Tape Saturation overdrive for a little compression and limiting or a bit of saturation, the Filter/Crossover (which in itself sounds great overdriven or even pushed into self oscillation with a sufficient amount of resonance), the Dual Band Distortion which allows you to mix many different kinds of distortion, and the vintage-style inductor based equalizer to shape the overall tone and color of the sound.” – evolaudio.com

For more info: evolaudio.com

Ben Houston and Arius Blaze create very interesting musical instruments under the name Foltek. The garden reminds me of my recently acquired Ekdalh Moisterizer. If your looking for a studio toy that no one else has, something that can’t be downloaded or bought at Guitar Center Foltek should be considered. To see some of the Foltek works currently for sale: click here

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlLFmeFjp2Y

“The sound very much reflects the asthetic – an electric garden with waves growing from the sound field they’re created from. The sound board and spouts of wire extending from it are picked up with high sensitivity and run through a series of effects intended to reflect the visual aspect of the whole. Every sprig of string has a unique sound and the Garden can be played as a percussion piece or soundscape generator. There is as much musical potential as there is a potential for strange sounds.” – folktek.com

For more info: folktek.com

via Synthtopia