Kinetic Labs has introduced Mot-Box – a sound generator built for musicians and sound designers.

According to developers, “It’s capable to produce sounds from drones to helter-skelter noises.”

It retails for 250 Euro.

Functional details below. Audio demos at the Kinetic Laboratories site.

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 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!

Sunday Synth Jams: Astral Flyover, a live modular synth improvisation.

Details on the patching below.

via davidryle:

Arrick modular synth live performance. Used Cubase 4 and Addictive Drums vst plug-in to clock into the Q960 Sequential Controller.

Well – you could do worse than reading the archives of Synthtopia and checking out Computer Music magazine’s Make Synth Music special.

I haven’t seen a copy of this yet, but it looks like it should be a good intro to synth music.

All the software you need is on the included disc, along with ten video tutorials .

Features:

• The history of synth music
• Synthesis fundamentals
• How to create classic riffs and cutting-edge sounds, step-by-step
• Free start-up synth kit – everything you need to create your own sounds with your PC or Mac
• Ten exclusive CM video tutorials on disc

Sunday Synth Jam: Proof that there is hope for an electronic music scene in Iowa: Blutiger Fluss performing their Klaus Schulze-esque Minima at Vaudeville Mews, June 27th, 2009.

via h0mrs1mpsn:

Sorry about the audio, we were playing pretty loud and the camera person was close to the stage.

Datarock visits Big City Music and checks out all the “antique synthesizers”.

This synth jam, via magevers, features Roland SH 3a synthesizer + Eminent 310 U for the Jean Michel Jarre style synth strings.

Description:

Inside a crumbling socialist office block in former East Berlin, synthesiser store owner Andreas Schneider preaches the way of analogue to a loyal following of infamous electronic musicians, who flock to his store, ‘Schneiders Buero’, for unique boutique instruments. His business has prospered against the odds throughout the digital revolution in music, and in parallel, through a period of huge change in East Berlin. His is a haven for maverick instrument builders and passionate collectors alike. But as the twin forces of capitalism and digital technology seep through the last bricks of the Wall, how much longer can this analogue asylum survive?

The film features an informed selection of inventors and artists alike, including Dieter Doepfer, Junior Boys, Cassy, Ken MacBeth, Anthony Rother, Jessica Rylan, Daniel Miller, Wowa Cwejman, Per Salzwedel, Ricardo Villalobos, Magda, Marc Houle, Max Loderbauer and many more.

You can preview a section of the DVD below that features Ken Macbeth, of Macbeth Studio Systems. Macbeth talks about what inspires him, his vision for the M5 synthesiser, and making noise.

Click here to view the embedded video.

via TotallyWired, Matrixsynth

This is a demo of the very rare EKO ComputeRhythm drum machine.

via kovalmoog:

This is a pretty rare drum machine manufactured by EKO in 1972 in Recanati, Italy.

Model ComputeRhythm, maybe one of 15-20 ever made (curiously SN #0113).

This particular one is owned by a musician living in Madrid, Luis De La Cruz, and It was repaired and slightly modified by me on the past months (www.synthoma.net).

Before giving back to its owner I have the chance to made these demonstration videos to show its features and incredible programing methods.

Due to the price it was mainly used by famous electronic musicians like Jean-Michel Jarre and Manuel Göttsching (founder member of Ashra Tempel). J-M Jarre has used it extensively on his first albums: “Oxygene” and “Equinoxe”.

If you’ve used the EKO ComputeRhythm, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s another demo, via kovalmoog:

Three jacks was applied on this drum machine, Trigger IN, Trigger Out and Start / Stop Out. On this demo, the Trigger IN feature is shown.

When a 1/4″ jack is connected on the Trigger input, the sequence stops, and remain in “waiting” mode for an external trigger.

On this case the trigger is provided from a gate out of a Roland MPU-101 midi converter, then a midi software running on a PC (not shown) controls the tempo of the drum machine, beyond its own internal clock capabilities.

On high speeds the refresh of the webcam can’t permit to see the MPU-101 gate LED flashing synchronized with the EKO sequence, but in very low tempo is easily noticeable.

Resources:

• EKO Computerhythm at Jarrography
• EKO Computerhythm photos at Synthmaster

Morbius demonstrates pattern bussing with a Synthesizers.com step sequencer in a Moog-style modular synthesizer.

via morbius001:

This is only a DEMO showing how easily the anlog-modular Q960 sequencer can be used to change sequence patterns ‘on-the-fly’, which is especially great for improvisational work. Imagine you have other music-tracks playing (or even other instruments in a band)… and you wish to change-up how the sequence patterns sound… not just ’skipping’ notes, but completely re-ordering reset-points. My technique works really well when you’re looking for “that feel” that works with what you’re doing or hearing at that time.

This video captures a Radikal Spectralis piece by Spectralis creator Jörg Schaaf, Autumn Rain.

via SCHAAFJOERG:

This song is dedicated to all the people, who posted these kind comments after listening to “Stories”. I hope, you will enjoy this one as well. All what you hear comes live from one Spectralis 2 synthesizer recorded simply from the stereo main out. No external FXs were used. Just the two built in digital delays are giving some room and atmosphere. The song gives an impression about the dynamic range of this incredible synth. OK – I am one of the fathers of this instrument but on the other hand, I am trying hard to become a musician too. And as a musician I must admit, that this is simply the best synth, money can buy;-)

Tom Oberheim has put up pricing on his site for his new Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM).

Here are the details:

The SEM has the same single-voice analog circuit design as the original – 100% analog! – and is paired with a versatile MIDI to CV converter that allows the routing of MIDI messages to the various control voltage inputs. I’ve been showing the prototype around a little and musicians love the sound.

The pricing is as follows:

• SEM with MIDI input and MIDI to CV routing panel (as shown in above photo): $899
• SEM with patch panel connections to internal inputs and outputs (no MIDI input, same as above photo but left panel controls are replaced by CV/gate/audio I/O patch panel): $749
• Basic SEM module with front panel (no case or power supply, good for drop-in replacement of original SEM): $599

You can sign up to get on Oberheim’s mailing list by sending a message to tom (at) tomoberheim (dot) com.

Sunday Synth Jam: A little Berlin-school style fun from the German housewife mit die synthesizer, Synthiefrau.

And, if you’re a synthesist, Synthiefrau may just be your match:

Synthesizers are my life.

If I can two Synths take on a lonely Island, I want my Mini and my Dot.com Modular. The two are the best.

I want to marry a synthesist;-)))

via Synthiefrau

So, if you’re a synthesist…..

Growing up, synthesizer advertisments were the only way for me to find out about new synths. Gear advertised in magazines such as Keyboard Magazine and Electronic Musician.

Its not that my local music shop didn’t have knowledgable staff, I was just scared of them until I was in my late teens.

Please join me in my infatuation with vintage synthesizers, drum machines and sampler advertising.

Seeing these ads, it’s not so difficult to understand why so many synth companies met early demises.

via MatrixSynth

It’s the weekend, so it’s time for a bit of Saturday Synth Porn, right?

This is a bit of unofficial, underground synth goodness, the first shot of Dave Smith Instruments’ #Tetr4 synthesizer.

There’s no announcement for the #Tetr4 at the DSI site yet, so we can’t vouch for the accuracy for this info, but the #Tetr4 is rumored to be like a 4-voice Mopho, and to be priced at $800.

Hot or Not? Leave a comment with your thoughts!

via Oliver Chesler, Sequencer.de, Keyboard Editor

Image: ALH84001

Eric Archer’s Drone Commander is a $325 portable synthesizer housed in an awesome Riot Control Agent box.

With a total of 9 knobs, the Drone Commander offers two manually-tuned oscillators and two LFOs, plus an unusually colorful and nasty filter. LFO1 is an analog variable-shape oscillator, and LFO2 is a pulse waveform that auto-synchronizes to LFO1 at a ratio of 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x. Both LFOs can be routed to the filter for rhythmic patterns. A line-level output jack is provided for connection to amplifiers or effects.

Six of the Drone Commander’s nine knobs double as push-pull switches to control signal routing and waveform selection.

The Drone Commander is housed in a dark green military ammunition case with engraved aluminum control panel. The case is welded steel with an easily removable, rubber gasketed lid.

The unit is powered by a 9V battery accessible through a slide-out drawer in the side, as well as a 9VDC adapter.

You can preview the sound of Drone Commander below:

Details at Archer’s site.

via the Synthtopia Flickr Group

After an extensive public beta test phase OS3 is ready to roll. The new operating system for the entire Virus TI product line introduces new and existing effects such as additional distortion types, a tape delay and last but not least a ring shifter.

The new version is recommended for every user and can be downloaded free of charge as of today.

We also launched the next public beta cycle for OS version 3.0.2 which will focus on stability and performance. The new OS version is available for public testing today.

The idea is simple: The new blog will focus on stories, articles and interesting posts with the subject focus of synthesizers and other music machines that you have to plug in to make music.

You don’t have to be a synthesizer player to enjoy it either – we’ll be applying our same weird and slightly off-kilter way of doing things to SynthGear as well.

A clip from the first part of the set by Modulator ESP recorded live at Awakenings on 18-04-09.

The first half of the set was very ambient in style.

If you were at the concert – let us know about the rest of the show!

via filbyhyde22