This video, via LaPietradelParagone, is a demo of the Roland Ax-Synth in the recording studio.

Enjoy the goodness!

IKWN, looking and sounding a bit like they got cut from Liquid Sky, do Poison.

In this video synth jam, elfferichfour pits the analog goodness of a vintage Yamaha CS-10 synthesizer against the Yamaha CS2X synth, a digital beast.

This is a preview/promo for Daedelus‘ Fin de Siècle, from the upcoming release, Righteous Fists of Harmony:

In this release, Daedelus presents a soundtrack-of-sorts to the Boxer Rebellion.

What, you ask, could make such ancient history an inspiration for modern electronics? Well, Daedelus has found a strange relevance to our modern malady in these epic events of long ago…

After seventy years of China’s opium-related subjugation by Queen Victoria and her allies, a force of resistance fighters — termed “Boxers” by the British — rose to the challenge in 1898. Calling themselves “The Righteous Fists of Harmony,” this secret society of martial artists felt they held magical powers: they believed themselves bulletproof, able to fly, and capable of raising the dead (who would then fight alongside them). And so began the brief Boxer Rebellion; three years later 100,000 Boxers had fallen, their magic helpless against the cutting-edge machinery of war. The British prevailed only to face ultimate defeat, as their empire rapidly declined.

Daedelus endeavors to compose a requiem for the end — of beliefs, of lives, and of an era. This elegy for a bygone battle sheds light on our own contemporary conundrum: will our faith in modernity be our downfall? Are we blinded by this age of wonders, doomed to be destroyed by our ingenious inventions? Although Daedelus’ music has always juxtaposed organic and electronic elements, they war as never before on “Righteous Fists of Harmony,” a portrait of a tumultuous era that came crashing to a close.

Gorgeous track and video, eh? Does anyone else hear echoes of early Tomita?

Daedelus‘ Righteous Fists of Harmony will be out March 23rd.

Tracks:

1. An Armada Approaches
2. Tidal Waves Uprising
3. The Open Hand Avows
4. Order Of The Golden Dawn (featuring Laura Darling)
5. The Finishing of a Thing
6. Succumbing To (featuring Kid A)
7. Stampede Me (with Amir Yaghmai)
8. Fin De Siècle

Video Credits:

• Music : Daedelus ( myspace.com/daedelusdarling )
• Song : “Fin de Siècle”
• Album : Righteous Fists of Harmony
• Label : Brainfeeder ( brainfeedersite.com )
• Director: Clay Lipsky ( goclaygo.com / destroyrockmusic.com )
• DP/Editing/Animation : Clay Lipsky
• Starring : Laura Darlington (The Long Lost)

This SoundWorks Collection documentary looks at the sound design of James Cameron’s Avatar:

Bringing to life the sounds of Pandora include the talent of Skywalker Sound’s Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Re-recording Mixer, and Sound Designer Chris Boyes in this SoundWorks Collection sound for film exclusive profile.

This is an audio demo of the Sonic Core (Creamware) Prodyssey ASB – a hardware replica of the ARP Odyssey with an ARP and Minimoog filter.

via triumphthruxton:

This video shows some tweaking with the preset bass patches. We really like it! www.clickpop.net.

This video, via Sam Square, covers the basics of Apple’s MainStage, including working with channel strips and the difference between the Concert, Set and Patch.

Topics covered include:

• Uses of MainStage
• Concert/set/patch and patch inspector area
• Preferences
• Create new channel strip
• Setting the default channel strip
• Creating a aux channel for shared effects
• Using Aliases
• The patch inspector
• Program Changes and reorganizing

Click here to view the embedded video.

Apple MainStage Essentials Part 2 covers layout view and mapping controls.

Pirate Bob Weigel looks at the Elka Panther organ, inside and out, and offers his maintenance tips:

This unit is actually going to be used by “The Like” and was purchased by Pete Thomas recently for the band his daughter plays drums in.

I love as I mention the construction, but, if you get one, plan on replacing all those 61 electrolytic capacitors and possibly the lamp for the tone decay (which is a decay envelope for the mixture tabs.)

via sounddoctorin:

This is the Arena arts interview with Brian Eno – a great new documentary that takes you into Eno’s studio and offers’ Eno’s own perspective on his work and his life.

via Alessandro Cortini

Roll The Dice’s The New Black.

via LumiereBetamax:

Roll The Dice, The New Black.

A music video by the photographer / film duo: Frode & Marcus.

Directed / Photographed: Frode & Marcus.
Music: Roll The Dice.
Character: Edward Lundqvist.
Mask made by: Ellinor Eklund.

This is syntesen’s Mortality Chorale, an original arranged in the switched on style.

via syntesen:

Well, i decided to upload this short, ostensibly choral piece (it was written for a 4-part SATB choir), performed on the Waldorf Blofeld and Clavia Nord Lead 2X synthesizers.

I wrote the piece, which you can get at —[ vizuali.se ]—, somewhat in the style of JS Bach harmonically, although obviously a bit simpler in the structure. I tried to do some nice counterpoint with this, although I tried to focus on simplicity rather than show off my “technical flair”.

I know there are some similarities to Purcell’s Requiem for Queen Mary, but I think they are quite superficial and brief I hope you like it

Sunday Synth Jam: This video captures a Berlin school style synth jam and improvisaton, via attorks, A Smooth Theme:

Kind of inspired by DoctorVague and Ian Boddy (when in Red Shift), I am experimenting with Ableton Live to see if it can be a help in analog sequencing.

I have 2 MIDI tracks and 1 track with a drum loop. One MIDI track controls the self-built Modular and the 2nd MIDI track the Creamware MiniMax ASB.

Both MIDI tracks have several clips with looping 8 step sequence in different keys. But I have not found out how to change the clip of the 2 MIDI track at the same time and at the right bar so I click the clip on each track which causes the odd discrepancy in clips/keys and changing too soon; sorry for that.

The melody is performed on the Roland XP-80 with a Mellotron voice. The Waldorf is doing what a Waldorf is good at; making these Waldorf sounds. The soloing is done on the Clavia Nord Lead 1 with an organ-type voice.

This is a demo of the Raagini Digital – an electronic tanpura.

The Raagini Digital electronic tambura produces a stable, digitally tuned pitch covering more than an octave. It is capable of playing in both Hindustani & Carnatic styles.

The Raagini Digital retails for around $150.

Features:

• Original Tanpura Tone: Raagini Digital delivers a high quality original tanpura sound using the latest technology.
• Accurate Pitch: This Electronic Tambora comes with an accurate digitally-tuned pitch
• Pitch Range in Excess of 1 Octave: The Raagini Tambura’s large pitch range spans over an Octave covering from A to the B of next octave. This makes it very versatile to tune with the vocalist as well as the instrument.
• Pancham, Madhyam & Nishad: The Raagini Digital comes with easy switch operation for selection of accurately pre-tuned Panchan, Madhyam & Nishad.
• Manual Nishad Tuning: In the Case if Nishad, Raagini Digital Tanpura also allows you to manually tune the Nishad to adjust to your needs.
• Hindustani & Carnatic Playing Styles: Raagini Tanpura is set to play Pa, Sa, Sa Sa (Kharaj) ( 6 Matras, Carnatic music style). Pressing Select switch while switching on Raagini Tambura sets it to play Pa, Sa, Sa Sa (Kharaj) (5 Matras, Hindustani Music Style).
• Keyboard Style Display: Raagini Tambura comes with a display that represents the keyboard of Harmonium to specially aid Novices in setting the Swar without any hassle at all.
• Fine Tuning: The Raagini is equipped with a digital fine tuning that helps with precise tuning of your Instrument.
• In-Built Battery Charger: The in-built battery charger of the Raagini Digital charges rechargeable batteries even when the instrument is playing.
• Auto Memory: The memory function helps retain the your last selection even when the power is switched off.
• External Speaker Socket: The Raagini Tambora has an External Speaker Socket to Connect it to Bigger External Speakers if Necessary.
• Dual Power Mode: Raagini Digital comes with a both 220v & 110v Power Input selection for an Universal Market.

via unklekarma:

Raagini Digital – electronic tanpura, We call it the indian box and it’s a very basic synthesizer with little possibilities. But it got that exotic new age sound which makes it a bit special.

Recorded using TC konnekt8 running Studio One.

made by… Kaare Bøje
Thanks to… Kristoffer “Teppop” Bredahl

Links:

www.justastudio.net
www.myspace.com/justastudiodotnet
www.soundcloud.com/justastudio
www.twitter.com/justastudio

Miss Jade, along with her babies, unboxes her new Access Virus TI WhiteOut synthesizer.

A handsome family if I ever saw one.

Let’s hope for more rituals like this in 2010.

via NerdRevolt:

Meet my new synth…

The Access Virus TI WhiteOut Limited Edition.

100 units made. 35 shipped to the US.

Serial number 027/100, baby.

Her name?

The SkriLLascope.

Nuff said.

The Korg MS-10 Monophonic Synthesizer

All sounds made with Korg MS10 – 2 mono tracks.
Recorded using TC konnekt 8 running Studio One.
Upstereo, Studio One EQ, Kjaerhus Master+Limiter added to final mix.

via unklekarma:

This is just a little teaser for our upcoming review of the Korg MS10.

camera… Andreas Stoubye Johansen
sound, edit & graphics… Kaare Bøje
thanks to… Lasse Sort

Visit these websites:
www.justastudio.net
www.myspace.com/justastudiodotnet
www.soundcloud.com/justastudio
www.youtube.com/justastudio
www.twitter.com/justastudio

Image: Brättli Airböurne 3

Martin Hollinger, together with Klara, Linda, Paula, Dorothea, Metha and Rosa in his Music Studio at Synthorama, Luterbach (Switzerland).

The Synthorama Synthesizer Museum is usually open the first Saturday each month (January only upon request).

via the Synthtopia Flickr Group

Sunday Synth Jam: Performed and recorded on February 4th 2010, this is the second installment of Progtronica’s weekly DJ performance series. 

via Nigel Sifantus:

This week I have mixed the tunes “Drum n bass for a Rainy day”, “Lets Face the music”, “Rolling with Strings” “Progtronica 2″ and part of “Progtronica 1″.

To download audio of the full set FOR FREE click here bit.ly/9zPZqs.

All music created by NIgel Sifantus, edited in Ableton Live 8, and mapped out on the Novation Launchpad dedicated Ableton controller. I have also incorporated Novation’s ZeRO SL Mk II for further controlling capabilities.

Filmed with only a Flip Video HD camera.

Visit nigelsifantus.com for more details on Progtronica music.

Ean Golden demonstrates using the MIDI Fighter arcade-style DJ controller with Traktor Pro.

via eangolden:

Download the MP3’s and mapping file at DjTechTools.com

Producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig (Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, The Rolling Stones, U2, Sheryl Crow, Weezer, Counting Crows, Pussycat Dolls, The Black Crowes, No Doubt, Mary J. Blige) discusses the role of instinct vs intellect in mixing.

via danielwaves

A comment on our recent Yamaha CS-80 post reminded us of this 4 part interview, Vangelis, The Man And His Music, which is one of the best interviews and profiles of electronic music pioneer Vangelis that we’ve seen.

Especially after you get past the stock footage of people walking around London.

It offers insight to Vangelis’ music philosophy, his approach to composing and features lots of unreleased Vangelis rarities and improvisation.

The interview comes from 1984 and Vangelis’ Nemo years.