Sunday Synth Jam: This video, via Danielle (aka TheSynthFreq), captures an ambient improvisation, using just a strings patch on the Roland Alpha Juno-2 and an effects unit.
Alpha Juno-2 Ambient Synth Jam
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Tag Archives: strings
A Virtual Orchestral Performance, With Miroslav Philharmonik
Sunday Synth Jam: Here’s something a little different – a virtual orchestra performance, via bylcj246 on YouTube.
Here’s what he has to say about it:
This song was recorded using the orchestral sounds from IK Multimedia’s Miroslav Philharmonik virtual instrument. The digital organ it was played on is a Content D4330.
At a few points near the end of the video, you will see a “ghost” third hand appear. This just illustrates the addition of higher notes after the initial recording of the song.
The video was post-recorded by me, so there a few discrepancies in the video where the fingers don’t match the song – see if you can find them 
Unfortunately, bylcj246 doesn’t include any information about himself on his channel. If you know anything more, leave a comment!
Gnomehammer 2010 Bringing The Most ‘Emotionally Disturbed Christmas In The History Of Virtual Instruments’
Tonehammer has announced Gnomehammer 2010, the return of the gnomes:
Yes? they are coming? the dreaded gnomes! But with more vengeance and teenage angst then ever!
You may wonder if we are releasing our long awaited POP “Passion Of Panflute” library ? You may even fear that it will be our first 192 khz release ? But fear not my friend ?
Gnomehammer is our way of celebrating and ending the year with the sickest, baddest, memorable and emotionally disturbed Christmas in the history of virtual instruments.
The deal is that we will be releasing something new EVERY day here on www.tonehammer.com from December 1st to 25th. But make sure you check our site every single day during December, since we will have some hot, hot offers ? some only lasting a single day.
Roland Jupiter 4
Vintage Korg Sigma Advertisement
This vintage ad, from around 1976, is for the Korg Sigma synthesizer.
According to a Korg Sigma synth review by Gordon Reid:
When Korg released the Sigma its design and a handful of its facilities put older preset monosynths to shame. It was heavily endorsed by Rick Wakeman (who at one time replaced his Minimoogs with four of them) and also used by Keith Emerson. Yet it never caught on, and within a few years had vanished. And that’s a pity because the range of possibilities contained within its weird architecture was huge.
Nowadays, its resale value can be very low, but who knows… if a bit more fuss had been made of the original rather than focusing on its limitations, there might have been a Mark II, and that could have been a very weird and wonderful synthesiser indeed.
via abertronic
Solina String Ensemble
The ARP String Ensemble, produced by Solina (a.k.a. Eminent NV) from 1974 to 1981, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard.
The sounds it offers are violin, viola, trumpet, horn, cello and contrabass. The keyboard uses ‘organ style’ divide-down technology to make it polyphonic.
A built-in chorus effect gives the instrument its famous sound.
Famous players include Deodato, The Buggles, Elton John, Air and Pink Floyd.
If you’ve used the ARP Solina String Ensemble, leave a comment with your thoughts/ratings!
Resources:
- Wikipedia entry for ARP String Ensemble
- Retrosound’s Solina String Synth page
- Eminent Solina String Ensemble page at dse.nl
- Video via epservice