This video, by Dvorkys, is a Korg Kronos ‘video song’ style cover of the original Knight Rider theme, by Stu Phillips.
Knight Rider Video Song
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Tag Archives: Keyboard Synthesizers
The Roland Juno-60 Keyboard Synthesizer (1982)
This Roland Juno-60 is a great sounding keyboard synthesizer from 1982. In the video above, via MusicMarketingTV, Marko Ettlich demonstrates the range and power of the Juno-60.
The Juno-60 features:
- 1 Osc per Voice + Sub osc
- 6 Voice Polyphonic
- LFO – 1 LFO
- Filter – analog lowpass with ADSR envelope
- Arpeggiator
- Chorus
- 61-note keyboard
If you’ve used the Juno-60, let us know what you think of it!
Wave Alchemy Pro II Software Synthesizer Review
Wave Alchemy recently introduced the Pro-II synthesizer – a new virtual synth, inspired by the Sequential Circuits Pro-One.
Open Mic: How Do You Decide What Gear To Buy?
We live in a great time for synth lovers.
There are more companies making synth gear than ever. Many classic synths continue to evolve, in great synths from companies like Dave Smith Instruments, Moog Music and Oberheim. There’s an insane variety of modular synth modules available. And software synths are getting cheaper and showing up on new platforms.
All this great gear and software, though, raises a problem: what to buy? You could go broke buying gear, and still just be scratching the surface of what’s available.
I bought gear impulsively for a few years – until I realized my music room was getting crowded and something had to go if I wanted to get anything new.
Now, I’m trying to hold out for instruments that represent the best in class for various types of synthesis. For example, a large format modular synth, with modules from MOTM, Synthesizers.com, Encore Electronics and others. Or a Yamaha DX-5, which is one of the great 80′s FM synths.
A lot of musicians look for gear that their favorite artists use – so that they can perform with those same types of sounds.
How do you decide what gear or software to buy? And what’s next on your list?
Hohner Multimonica I – Vacuum Tube Synthesizer From The 50′s
The “Hohner Multimonica” is a combined double-manual keyboard instrument consisting of a monophonic synthesizer (sawtooth oscillator, vacuum tube technology) and a polyphonic harmonium with fan-driven reeds. This electro-acoustic musical instrument comes from the German postwar era. It was produced in two main variants (“Multimonica I” later “Multimonica II”). The “Multimonica I” even had a built-in AM radio for local station reception. But there was also a version available without radio.
Roland Jupiter-50 Review
Dan Goldman takes a deep look (30 min) at the new Roland Jupiter-50 keyboard synthesizer, the portable version of Roland’s Jupiter-80 synthesizer.
The Jupiter-50 inherits the sounds and Live Set architecture of the Jupiter-80, but packs them into a relatively lightweight keyboard.
The Jupiter-50 offers the synthesizer and acoustic tones found in the Jupiter-80. With the Jupiter-50, though, Roland puts the synth engine in a portable instrument designed for live performance.
Goldman’s bottom line? “It’s a great board. You really are getting the quality of sound that’s in Roland’s flagship synthesizer.”
via musicradartv
The Sequential Prophet VS Synthesizer
This video demo, by Marko Ettlich, explores the capabilities of the Sequential CIrcuits Prophet VS synthesizer. The Prophet VS is a vintage keyboard synthesizer from 1987 that uses ‘Vector Synthesis’.
About the Prophet VS, Sound On Sound wrote:
The Prophet VS really sounds like no other synthesizer of its time — and, I would venture, none since. Capable of emulating a Prophet 5, an Oberheim, a PPG or a Jupiter 8, the VS can also create sounds that are unmistakably DX7-like, and still others that are completely unique to it. Some sounds caused such a sensation when the Prophet VS was first heard that they have become a part of synthesis folklore. Patch 69, ‘Filmusic’, is one such sound, a haunting combination of strings and pads that swirl from left to right and back, as the oscillators seem to vie for attention.
In the VS, Sequential practically single-handedly pioneered the use of stereo and multi-dimensional sound positioning for keyboard players, giving them a totally new way of expressing themselves. One indication of the popularity of the VS method and sounds is the sheer number of film soundtracks that were composed almost entirely using the Prophet VS. These often haunting, flowing textures are unmistakable, and they’re still used to this day. Nine out of ten movie sound designers will own a Prophet VS — and treasure it.
If you’ve used the Prophet VS, let us know what you think of it!
Thomas Dolby Explains How Synthesis Works To Kids & Ghosts
This vintage video captures Thomas Dolby explaining how synthesis works on The Ghost of Faffner Hall, a children’s show about music that aired in 1989.
Other guests on the show included Ry Cooder, Mark Knopfler, Joni Mitchell, Patrick Moraz and the Gil Evans Orchestra.
Buy A Roland Jupiter-80, Get An iPad
Roland UK has announced a promo for the Jupiter 80:
Buy a JUPITER-80 from a participating Roland UK dealer, and we’ll throw in an iPad 2 on which to run the newly announced iPad synth tone editor. (Available May 2012)
The iPad synth tone editor is part of the JUPITER-80 version 2 software update, which also includes the following improvements:
- New synth sounds
- New MFX structures
- Vintage low-pass filters
- Improved SONAR integration
- New Registration Play screen
See the Roland UK site for details.
The Arturia MiniBrute Synthesizer Is ‘An Amazing Little Beast’
Sweetwater’s Daniel Fisher takes a look at a prototype of the new Arturia MiniBrute Analog Synthesizer, which was one of the most exciting introductions at this year’s NAMM Show.
Fisher takes a thorough walkthrough of its parameters and features, with plenty of audio demos. The Minibrute can be controlled with CV, MIDI, or USB-MIDI, and it’s even got an external audio input that lets you run signals through the multi-mode filter and amplifier sections.
via SweetwaterSound