So yes there are a lot of new table top analog synths such as the new Arturia MiniBrute and Moog Minitaur. But what if have three times the cash in your pocket and 10 times the need to impress the hell out of your friends? Clearly the new Pittsburgh Modular Foundation should be on your short wish list. It’s a selection of Eurorack modular Modules in a Monorocket case. This selection gives you a solid synth at about a 10% discount. Pretty isn’t it?

“The Foundation is a fully modular, eurorack, analog synthesizer. A patchable system styled after the great monosynths of the past with no hardwired signal path or fixed voice architecture to restrict creativity. Driven by two wide range analog oscillators the Foundation produces a huge, warm sound that can’t be matched by digital or VST synths. All of the elements of a classic voltage controlled synthesizer are available as an open, patchable, modern synth.

The Foundation is a “complete voice”. It contains all the modules needed to produce a wide variety of complex sounds such as monster analog bass, cutting leads, evolving pads, and short percussive hits. All of which can be controlled directly using the Foundations’ 42 knobs and switches then played with any standard Midi controller. The Foundation is also fully compatable with Expert Sleepers Silent Way software plug-ins.” – Pittsburgh Modular

For more info: pittsburghmodular.com/foundation

It’s now hard to imagine that not too long ago you couldn’t buy a new small inexpensive analog synth from a major manufacturer. Today you have many options. I use to have a Waldorf Pulse+. I used it on many of my releases in the late 90s including the song Can You Hear the Sound?. I always regretted selling it. Well here’s my chance to fix that error. Waldorf is about to release the Pulse 2. Like the the original number 2 has 3 oscillators and a cascading filter. Now Waldorf have added Highpass and Bandpass modes, analog Filter FM and Ring Modulation.

“Sometimes they do come back, and this time, it’s with even more brute-strength power onboard. You are looking at a completely analog synthesizer that accurately delivers what synthesizer enthusiasts around the world truly crave. Pulse 2 is the reincarnation of it’s legendary ancestor, the Waldorf Pulse, that dominated the electronic music of the 90s.” – Waldorfmusic.de

For more info: waldorfmusic.de/pulse-2-overview

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

Minitaur Quick Demo from Moog Music on Vimeo.

Could it be a $600 100% analog Moog with MIDI based on the Taurus pedals will be announced at Namm? It seems so!

“The MINITAUR is a compact table-top monophonic MIDI-and-CV-controllable analog bass synthesizer module with a 100% analog audio signal path, based on the design of the Taurus 3 bass synthesizer.” – proaudiostar.com

For more info: moogmusic.com

via Matrixsynth

Wave Alchemy has created a Kontakt sampled version of the classic Sequential Circuits Pro One synthesizer called the Pro-II. The Pro One is best known as the synth heavily used on every Yaz record. It has a very clear sharp sound with very fast envelopes. In addition to the sample library there is a sequencer and “fully editable effects as well as specially created reverb IR’s (Impulse Responses) recorded from our Eventide DSP-7000 Harmonizer.”. As usual I recommend getting the real thing. However, with the Wave Alchemy you can save your presets, work on an airplane, have polyphony and skip the vintage synth repair bills. 3.9GB sound library including 6587 multi-sampled 24-bit WAV samples. £39.95

“Inspired by one of the most popular synths of its time, Pro II combines classic sounds with modern sound shaping tools to achieve a versatile and fully programmable hybrid synthesizer!” – wavealchemy.co.uk

For more info: wavealchemy.co.uk/pro_ii_synthesizer

In my quest to find a place in the NYC area to buy Modular synth modules I came across MeMe Antenna. It seems they recently started carrying an interesting collection in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sometime next week I will head over there and check it out! They are located 218 Bedford Ave (Corner of N5 inside Mini Mall) Brooklyn, New York 11249.

“MeMe Antenna, annex of Concent Productions Inc. , is a gift & music store, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. We carry vintage jewelry & furniture, idea stationary, vinyl record & CD, rare synthesizer, local brands merchandise, and more….” – memeantenna.com

For more info: memeantenna.com

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

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

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

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