This demo showcases the new Korg SV-1 Stage Vintage Piano, which offers 36 vintage analog- and digital-style sounds.

The Korg SV-1 is designed for gigging musicians and is offered in 73-key and 88-key versions.

Fairlight co-founder Peter Vogel has put up a teaser about a 30th anniversary limited edition version of the Fairlight CMI, a pioneering polyphonic sampling instrument.

Vogel calls this image a pre-production mockup for the Fairlight CMI Series 30A.

If you’ve got more info or other thoughts on the Fairlight CMI Series 30a, leave a comment below!

More info, via Peter Vogel on the Fairlight Yahoo Group (registration required):

There have been discussions from time to time about replicating the CMI using a software emulation. These efforts will have limited success because the “Fairlight sound” relies on the peculiarities of the hardware used in the original design.

In the days when I was the designing CMI hardware, my greatest challenge was to minimise the distortions and artifacts that were inherent aspects of the hardware available at that time. In effect, we struggled to make the Fairlight sound less “Fairlight”. So the intimate details of what makes a Fairlight sound like a Fairlight are indelibly etched in my brain.

When Fairlight brought out the Crystal Core Engine last year, my imagination ran wild. Here was a tiny board with enormous capabilities that could be configured to faithfully reproduce the CMI hardware in its FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Every bit of the 1980’s CMI hardware, the essence of its sound, could be reconstructed faithfully in digital hardware form.

To fully appreciate the astounding potential of the CC-1, download the brochure here:

CC-1 Brochure

I also recently discovered that ALL the IP relating to the original Fairlight CMI including all of the hardware and filter designs, sample libraries etc are still retained by Fairlight.au in Sydney.

So I have been wondering if it would be worthwhile to develop a faithful reproduction of the CMI on the “Virtual Hardware” of the CC-1?

This would perform identically to the original CMI series II or III, but run on a PC fitted with the Crystal Core card. The MIDI input would come directly into the CC-1 so there would be no problem of latency introduced by the PC.

At this stage I’d like to “feel out” the market to assess the level of interest in this project and whether the significant investment in R&D will be worthwhile.

The Fairlight Series IV (CC-1, I/O box and software) might be sold for approximately $US5,000.00.

So my question is, what do you think of this idea? How would a Fairlight CMI at this sort of price be received by the market? Who would the buyers be and how would I tap into them?

What do you think?

Peter Vogel

via failedmuso

This is a promo for the DVD Jean-Michel Jarre – Live in Your Living Room, which is highly recommended for synth music fans.

via jeanmicheljarre

Retrosound, whose videos we’ve featured here frequently, has released a couple of albums of vintage-synth filled music, Ambient Traxx & Electro Traxx.

• Ambient Traxx features sound landscapes in the style of Vangelis, J.-M. Jarre, Tangerine Dream and John Carpenter. You an preview a track from Ambient Traxx, Cold Land, above.
• Electro Traxx features music in the 80’s styles of Kraftwerk, Yazoo and Human League.

Both feature the 100% virtual analog-free sound of vintage synths, directly played and recorded.

If you’ve listened to either of these albums, leave a comment with your thoughts!

This is an audio demo of the Roland D-550 (D-50 rack module) Linear Synthesizer. The Roland D-550 is a rackmount module version of the popular Roland D-50.

Here’s what Sound On Sound had to say about the D50’s synth engine:

So is a D50 worth tracking down? Well, as always, that is essentially down to the individual. If you’re after the aggressive bite of FM sounds, then the D50 is not going to satisfy. Similarly, if you want the squelch and immediacy of an analogue synth, then the D50 will probably disappoint. But I would defy anyone not to be impressed by the power and depth of many of the D50’s pad-type sounds — they swirl and swoosh in a most appealing manner, which few synths since have been able to emulate. It can’t be denied that there is a definite late-’80s edge to the D50’s sound, but that has much to do with the fact that the D50 was the late ’80s sound!

If you’ve used the D-550 synth module, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Features:

• 16 voice polyphony (32 partials with 2 per voice), or 8 voices (using 4 partials per voice in Dual or Split Mode)
• Oscillators: Digital (Linear Arithmetic Synthesis) ; PCM,
• LFO :  (3 x 2 tones = 6 LFOs)
• VCF/VCA FILTER: low-pass-resonant; ADSR envelopes
• 61 note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
• 64 patch memory

Resources:

• Retrosound D-550 page
• D-550 page at SoundOfMusic
• Roland D-550 Editor/Librarian and Virtualizer for Windows and Macintosh OS X

Musicrow has released Vintage Strings MkIII, a virtual string machine that replicates the sound of analog string ensemble keyboards from the 70’s, like the Arp Solina and the Crumar Multiman.

Vintage Strings MkIII can produce a wide range of rich warm string pads, and other atmospheric sounds. It make no use samples, so any of its presets can be tweaked.

The third version of Vintage Strings presents various new features that expand its sound capabilities and make it even better:

• The color control in the timbre section enables the creation of new choir and pad sounds.
• In the envelope section, you can now choose the analog envelope mode, for an accurate emulation of vintage string machines envelopes.
• The reverb section was revamped and now enables you to select between a smooth studio reverb and an authentic spring reverb.
• The new 7th buttons enables each string section to play seven notes above the original pitch, for thicker string sounds.
• The old user interface was replaced with a new one.

Main Features:

• Realistic emulation of vintage string machines.
• Two separate string sections.
• Chorus section that accurately emulates the chorus effect on vintage string machines.
• Advanced reverb section with a smooth studio reverb and authentic spring reverb.
• “Analog” and regular envelope modes.

Vintage Strings MkIII is available as a VST instrument for Windows and costs €59. Existing users of Vintage Strings MkII can upgrade to the new MkIII version for €19.

If you’ve used Vintage Strings MkIII, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Diagnosing Problems With Electronic Keyboards offers tips on identifying three common problems with vintage electronic keyboards. 

via expertvillage:

Get that classic keyboard working again! Learn tips for diagnosing problems with electronic keyboard in this free vintage electronics restoration video.

Juno-106 programming

via lesingemonotone:

Swiftly noodling through some of the sounds the Roland Juno-106 is capable of in manual mode. Also switching to Poly2 mode with portamento.

Dr. Who Demonstration-BBCTV ‘Corners’

In this great vintage BBC video, Keff McCulloch shows Sophie Aldred how he recorded “latest” version of the classic Doctor Who theme.

Watch closely, and you’ll see all sorts of classic synthesizers in use.

This video is an overview of a new Optigan disk, Mod Rock.

Description:

It’s a mod, mod world and you know you’re a mod rocker. Now you can prove it to your friends and family when you play the Optigan Music Maker with the new Mod Rock program disc.

Press the buttons with a left finger. What is that you hear? Drums, organ, guitar, bass! Who would have believed it? And it’s you playing it! Wow! And wait till you see what you can do with your right hand!

You’ll enjoy the Mod Rock program disc even more when you use it to play the contemporary songs that you’ll find in the Optigan Music books. Pick some up today!

MOD ROCK is the first in our series of Optigan discs newly mastered from the original source tapes. There are many sessions on the tapes that were never made into Optigan discs back in the 1970s. MOD ROCK was actually made into a prototype disc, but for some unknown reason it was never released. Two copies of the original prototype are known to exist.

This disc is not a simple “photocopy” of a prototype disc- it’s been completely remastered and recreated from scratch. The disc comes in a full-color jacket featuring artwork created by Mark Crafford especially for this disc.

The initial edition is limited to 25 copies. 

Mod Rock is $92.99 via the Shoptigan store.

Gary Wright – Love Is Alive (Midnight Special, 1976)

This video captures a great vintage synth performance by keyboardist and songwriter Gary Wright performing Love Is Alive on the Midnight Special TV show, 1976

His band features a young Steve Porcaro {keyboards for TOTO, Herb Alpert, Pablo Cruise, Brothers Johnson, etc.} on synthesizers along with a rockin’ lady cowbell player, dual keytars and some synth bass.

Wright’s best known for his synth-heavy track Dream Weaver.

A Tour of Andy Whitmore’s London Studio

Description:

This video captures a tour of Andy Whitmore’s Greystoke Studios, which claims to have “the largest working vintage keyboard/synth collection in Europe”.

Whitmore is a record producer with 14 UK top ten hits so far, with artists such as Lemar and Atomic Kitten.

Are you drooling yet?

via AndyWhitmore, audiolemon

Roland RS-505 Paraphonic Keyboard Synthesizer

Description:

This is a quick demo of the Roland RS-505 Paraphonic Keyboard Synthesizer’s string, synthesizer and bass selections, with and without the 3 selectable ensemble effects (except strings always through ensemble).

Specifications:

• Full polyphony – Full
• 1 VCO per section (Synth, Bass, Strings)
• LFO in synth
• Filter w/ cutoff, resonanc
• VCA with ADSR in Synth, AR in Bass.
• 2 Preset Strings, 3 Preset Bass, 4 Preset Synth Waveforms
• 49 note keyboard
• VCF CV In, Trigger, Gate

If you’ve used the Roland RS-505, leave a comment!

Resources:

• SOS Synth Secrets article on early polyphonic synths
• Overview at Vintage Synth

via zibbybone

This is a demonstration of the clavioline, a rare old analog synthesizer, featuring some old recordings where the clavioline was been utilized:

• Frank Chacksfield’s Tunesmiths – Little Red Monkey
• Del Shannon – Runaway
• Demonstration of sirredfox00’s clavioline. It’s the pure sound of the clavioline, its own Leslie-Sound and effects and its tube amp.
• Tornados – Telstar

Sound On Sound’s Gordon Reid described the clavioline like this:

Physically, the Clavioline comprised two parts: a keyboard unit, which also contained the sound generator and controls, and a combined power supply, valve amplifier and speaker cabinet that looked like nothing so much as a cheap public address system. A dedicated multi-pin cable connected the two together, carrying a considerable amount of power to the keyboard to heat the valves, as well as carrying the audio signal back to the amplifier/speaker.

Players could attach the keyboard to the underside of a piano keyboard using the supplied metal brackets, but had to position it carefully so that they could control its volume using the integral knee lever, while still being able to pedal the piano itself. Alternatively, for those who preferred not to mount the Clavioline under a piano, there were several stands manufactured to support it at a playable height. These ranged from a stylish collapsible tripod that seems to have hailed from the USA, to the wobbly Selmer stand pictured here.

Resources:

• The story of the clavioline at SOS
• Wikipedia on the clavioline

via Thomas Bloch:

Formule is one of the most virtuosistic piece written for solo ondes Martenot, composed by and played here by the French multi-instrumentalist Thomas Bloch (ondes Martenot, glassharmonica, cristal Baschet), who has played as well with Radiohead, Gorillaz and John Cage.

Video recorded live in the Barbican Center, London (October 2007).

Other names : Ones Martenot (Catalan), Ondas Martenot (Spain, Portugal), Martenot waves (English), Onde Martenot (Italy), Fale Martenota (Poland) – wrong name : Martinot

Tape 1 – Customized for Ableton Live, Kontakt and Logic

Microtron™ Tape 1 contains an expertly recorded Brass, 8 Voice Choir and String Section library. All of the original imperfections, vintage analog quality and performance nuances of the Mellotron M400 have been immaculately captured through a Neumann U47 Microphone and Reeves Custom 50 Amplifier.

The Ableton Live version contains 3 individual multisampled instruments and a full “tape” instrument that has similar sound blending functionality as found on the original M400. Microtron™ Tape 1 for Live also comes packed with 50 professionally performed Live Clips complete with Macro and effects integration.

Microtron™ Tape 1 for Kontakt includes all 3 multisampled instruments complete with effects and a custom KSP user interface. Logic and Kontakt versions both include a collection of 50 professionally performed Apple Loops in SIAL format.

Background:

Throughout the 1970s, the Mellotron had a major impact on rock music, particularly the 35 note (G-F) model M400.

The M400 version was released in 1970 and sold over 1800 units, becoming a trademark sound of the era’s progressive bands. Among the early Mellotron owners were Princess Margaret, Peter Sellers, King Hussein of Jordan and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Mellotrons were normally pre-loaded with string instrument and orchestral sounds, although the model 400’s tape bank could be removed with relative ease by the owner and loaded with banks containing different sounds including percussion loops, sound effects, or synthesizer-generated sounds, to generate polyphonic electronically generated sounds in the days before polyphonic synthesizers. Beneath every key is a disengaged tape head and roller. Depressed key engages tape head and roller.

The unique sound of the Mellotron is produced by a combination of characteristics: Among these are tape replay artifacts such as wow and flutter, the result being that each time a note is played, it is slightly different from the previous time it was played (a bit like a conventional instrument). The notes also interact with each other so that chords or even just pairs of notes have an extremely powerful sound.
Another factor in the strangely haunting quality of the Mellotron’s most frequently-heard sounds is that the individual notes were recorded in isolation. For a musician accustomed to playing in an orchestral setting, this was unusual, and meant that he/she had nothing against which to intonate. Thus, the temperament of the Mellotron is always somewhat questionable when it is used in the context of other instruments. Perhaps for this reason, and perhaps also to allow easy transposition of the instrument’s limited range, the pitch control is placed closest to the keyboard on the M400 model.

The Farfisa Syntorchestra is an Italian analog keyboard/synthesizer from 1975. It was used by Klaus Schulze on his album Moondawn, by Ash Ra (Ashra Tempel) and by Vangelis.

Basically, it is a simple monophonic synthesizer with some presets which can be modified and a polyphonic section. These two sections can be also combined and slightly detuned (intervals are also possible) to sound like a 2-VCO monophonic synth. 

Resources:

• An overview of the Farfisa Syntorchestra
• Overview of the Farfisa Syntorchestra at SynthMania
• Farfisa schematics

video via AnalogAudio1

This is a demo video of the Mellotron at the 2009 NAMM Show.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gearwire stops by Deltronics repair service in Chicago to check out a Fender Rhodes that’s undergoing some minor surgery. 

maintenance

This is a demo of Radioactivox, the first new Optigan disk in 34 years.

Here’s the official info:

Radioactivox is in the style of a familiar German synthesizer band from the seventies. We used the much sought after Optigan/Orchestron choir sound for the keys- a sound made famous by said band. We used the original source material from the master tapes and have totally eliminated the clicks and pops at the loop seams.

We are now accepting advanced orders for Radioaktivox. You can help us reduce the cost of the discs by placing your advanced order by 12/15/2008. The more orders we receive, the lower the cost. The minimum quantity we can make is 25 pieces for a price $100 a disc. We think that price is too high. If we could get about 100 advanced orders, we believe we can knock off another $10 to $15. Whatever the savings ends up being, we will refund that amount to you at the time we fulfill your order.

This is a very cool project – an Internet-organized indie release of new material for a classic electronic music proto-sampler. 

Because of advances in audio editing and mastering technology, the new disk promises to make the Optigan sound better than it ever has. It was a great idea, too, to revisit classic sounds used by Kraftwerk. 

You can find more info at the Optigan blog.