“Sax” played on guitar, over GK3 Pickup and Roland GR 20 Guitar Synthesizer.

via MichaelSteinert

Tom at Waveformless put together a fun post taking a look at going vintage on the cheap.

There are a number of really underrated synths that seem to go for consistently low prices. They’re awesome synths, but nobody seems to know about them, which means you can get a great deal.

Here’s the list of synths that he highlights:

1. Casio CZ-101 (typically less than $100)
2. Ensoniq ESQ-1 (typically $150-$300)
3. Moog (Realistic) Concertmate MG-1 (typically $100-$500)
4. Oberheim Matrix-6R (typically $150-$350+)
5. Roland HS-10/80 (typically $25-$100)
6. Roland HS-60 (typically $200+)
7. Roland MKS-7 (typically $200+)
8. Yamaha CS-01 (typically $150-$250)
9. Yamaha TX81Z (typically $50-$85)

See Tom’s post for his take on each of these synths.

Are these great synths? No – but you can get great deals on them and make some great sounds.

As an alternative to the Casio CZ-101, I’d recommend the CZ-1, which has twice the polyphony plus a velocity + aftertouch sensitive full-size keyboard. And is still dirt cheap.

Got other ideas for cheap vintage synths that don’t suck? Leave a comment!

This is a demo of the Korg Minipops 20 S, the stereo Minipops, a rhythm box/drum machine from about 1970.

The Minipops was probably most famously used by Jean Michel Jarre.

via AnalogAudio1:

Jamming around with the Korg / Keio Minipops 20s.The Korg Minipops 20s is an early rhythmbox from Korg. It’s the only one Mini Pops model which has stereo outputs. Different sounds come from the two outputs – that’s great!

I used them like single outputs with different effects in the video. I used a Yamaha ProR3 reverb and a delay from Roland DEP-5.

On the second half of the video I sent one of the outputs through an old ELECTRO HARMONIX HOT TUBES.

I love the Minipops boxes – I recently bought the 20S. Now I have them all

Sunday Synth Jam: This track was done using only the Novation Launchpad and Ableton Live 8. Plugins used were Native Instruments Massive, Discovery DSP and ABL2.

It would have been nice to get an inset of the screen on this.

via SuicideServer:

The idea to this video came after someone asked me here on Youtube if i need all of my machines to make music – so you guys are the judge now Cheers

This video, via synthjunk, is a celebration of all that is good – with an emphasis on the pure analog electronica power, using classic synths, sequencers and drum machines.

via synthjunk:

Influenced by electronic music of the 70’s 80’s & 90’s.

Recorded using Ableton live with minimal overdubbing.

Robot featured is home made.

This video captures a session with the Korg Electribe EMX.

via StudioF:

Just a session with the Korg EMX what a wonderful little machine.

Sunday Synth Jam: this video captures a “midnight ambient performance”, featuring the sounds of the JX-305, two 03R/W, Prophecy and a Casio VZ-1.

via L00m33r

Sunday Synth Jam: This Berlin School style sequenced synth jam takes a few minutes to take off – but then the hypnotic synth sequences and guitar work really kick in.

via angelometz:

I started patching it when the power went down. I finished patching in the dark!

LDaySynths has released Bass-Cruncher – a free bassline synthesizer, inspired by the Roland TB-303.

Here’s what they have to say about it:

BASSCRUNCHER

Monophonic Bassline Synthesizer mit einem Quitschigem Lowpassfilter ähnlich dem tb-303.

Features:

• Monophonic Synthesizer
• 1 OSC (saw/pulse waveform)
• 1 LP Filter mit 303 artiger Resonanz
• Drivemode (Soft/Hard sience V1.1)
• Filter Stepsequencer in 16 Stufen

You can preview Bass Cruncher below.

The Berlin School lives on, with Martin Peters’ hypnotic interlocking sequencers + symphonic electronica synth jam, Another Symphonic Theme.

Details on gear + patches below!

via attorks:

This theme is somewhat like the symphonic theme I uploaded in February of this year, yet it is also quite different

The 3 rows of the Doepfer MAQ16/3 sequencer drive 4 voices. The first voice you hear is one Q106 VCO through the CGS Steiner Synthacon VCF and the Oakley Equinoxe phaser. The second voice one Q106 VCO through the Q150 transistor ladder filter. These first 2 voices have the same 4 step sequence running on row 3. Then you hear the self build Modular running on row 2 and after that the Creamware Minimax ASB running on row 1. These 2 voices start each with a 4 step sequence which after a while is varied between 5 and 8 steps manually. Then the bass and the theme are played on the Waldorf Q keyboard with a PPG-like sound. The Mellotron-like strings are played on the Roland XP-80. The solo is performed on the Clavia Nord Lead 1.

I noticed the video is gradually getting out of sync with the sound; I don’t know what caused that and I also didn’t know how to fix that when editing the clip. So, sorry for that.

This is a demo of Roland TB-303 Acid Sounds, a free collection of Roland TB-303 Bassline Synthesizer samples.

via LorDBassePL:

Acid Sounds from Roland TB-303 great for Hardcore/Rave/Hardstyle production.

Remember the Acid Symphony Orchestra?

This short video clip comes from Flow Festival Helsink, where the Acid Symphony Orchestra opened for Kraftwerk:

There are ten TB-303’s in this orchestra and one TR-707(?) operated by conductor Mr Jori Hulkkonen. This was very good performance, but unfortunately I only have some short clips with very bad audio quality. These guys were supporting Kraftwerk, which played excellent gig later.

Imagine ten 303’s from Kraftwerk PA system… Ahhh…

via Chris Randall

This demo of the rare Zion Turbo Guitar Synth Controller demonstrates how cool guitar synthesizers can be.

This clip shows the Zion Turbo synth guitar used with the Roland GI-20 to drive Native Instruments Reaktor 5.0 and Arturia V2600. A BX-13-VX is used to interface between the 24-pin and 13-pin interface.

via WayneJoness:

Super rare, American-made Zion Turbo Guitar Synth Controller, designed for the vintage 24-pin Roland Guitar synthesizer series, and build in the mid-nineteen eighties.

This is a video demo of the Roland Jupiter 8 Expander analog synthesizer.

via Obee1980:

Roland Jupiter 8 Expander with Midi

This is an official intro video for the JUNO-Di: Mobile Synthesizer.

The Roland Juno-Di is designed for the musician on the go, providing a wide array of sounds in a lightweight, portable design. The JUNO-Di is now shipping with an MSRP of $799.00.

The video lays it on a little thick – but offers a general overview of the Juno-Di and its sound.

via 7sick0Productions:

On stage or in the streets, the JUNO-Di is a traveling musicians dream. Its lightweight, it can run on batteries, and its easy to use, yet it performs and sounds like a heavyweight synth. Its packed with a wide variety of top-quality sounds — over 1,000 to choose from! It has a friendly direct access control panel for easy editing and a Song Player for larger-than-life performances. First-timers and pros alike will love this friendly, portable, great-sounding synth. * Professional synthesizer with over 1,000 instruments onboard * Friendly, intuitive user interface * Battery operation for mobile use (supports Ni-MH AA-size rechargeable batteries) * MP3, WAV, AIFF, and SMF playback capability via optional USB memory — perfect for backing tracks when performing live * Microphone input with dedicated reverb and vocoder effects for sing-along * PC/Mac Editor software included

via MacbethSynthesizers

This video captures A J McCluskey playing around with one of the last M5Ns that went to that famous French guy!

Recorded neat into a Nikon D90 cam using a 50mm F1.4 lens and a 18~105mm VR Nikkor lens. Some of the vid is shaky. Basic editing on Windows Movie maker…

Sunday Synth Jam: This synth jam comes courtesy of Ken MacBeth – the designer behind the MacBeth Studio Systems line of analog synth gear.

via macbethsynthesizers:

Ken MacBeth plays two X-Series Dual Oscillator modules with two of the ‘Backend’ Filter combo module prototypes. Used here are a Korg Prophecy being utilsed as a controller keyboard with a Kenton Pro4- this is doing the octaving arpeggio. The main lead stuff is being played via the first X-Series Keyboard 1 prototype- this is a totally analogue keyboard assembly! Recorded on a Fostex FD-8, ART LTX processor and filmed on a Nikon D90 camera using a Nikkor 18~150 VR lens on manual…enjoy!

Sunday Synth Jam: Here’s a little something for the fans of Berlin School electronic music – a nice sequenced synth jam, via attorks:

This theme is inspired by an arpeggiator from the Waldorf Q keyboard which I programmed as sequence to be performed by the Q. At first you hear a bass-like sound from the Creamware MiniMax ASB. After that the Synthesizers.com Modular and the self built Modular are added. At last the sequence from the Waldorf Q Keyboard is added. By varying the decay on the Q the sound becomes more lively.

The accompaniment is played on the Clavia Nord Lead 1 and the Roland XP-80.

Nina Belief, live at minimal synth party M/R/X-Wolfpak in Los Angeles 9/26/09.

via lizziegolightly:

In the second Get To Know Your Gear video, the guys from Blorp Corp get to know the Roland RE-201 Space Echo analog delay unit.