In this video, Espen Kraft takes a look at the Crumar Bit 01 – a vintage analog synth that he describes as a sort of time machine to the 80’s!
If you’ve used the Crumar Bit 01, leave a comment and share your thoughts on it!
Video Summary:
In 1985 Crumar released the souped up version of the BitONE synthesizer that addressed many of the problems of the BitONE, detune on DCO2, programmable volume on whole patches, noise generator and much better MIDI specs.
The Bit01 has real personality and I show off many of it’s sonic possibilities in this video with some original patches I made.
The opening track is the theme from the Italian horror movie “Zombie Fleash-Eaters” aka “Zombie 2” by Lucio Fulci. Released late in 1979 in contained music from the fabolous Fabio Frizzi, one of my all time favourite soundtrack composers. All the sounds in my recreation of this theme, apart from the drums, is from the BIT99 synthesizer. Multitracked. Additional effects used throughout this video.
I had the BitOne for a few years. At first I thought it lacked some heft. But the filter rez sounds sooo good, that it still ended up being my go to for bass because it sounded funkier than my juno-106. Ultimately, I thought it sounded very similar to my AX-80, which had more features, so I sold it, but in retrospect, I think the Bit One sounds a BIT better. Not quite as plastic-y, and the top end is pretties IMHO.
I bought the BIT 99 back in ’85. Just wish I could find someone who could repair it. It was capable of such a diverse range of sounds. Loved it. Sadly, at the moment it makes some very odd whispering squelching noises and that’s it
battery change , i suggest
Thanks Kay, it’s worth my trying that but I know from previous experience that the main board is littered with dry joints as well which doesn’t help
I had a BitOne for a while, but the build was so bad, I felt like screws would pop out if I sneezed on it. It was great in a MIDI stack, but it was flimsier than any Casio of the time. It made me downright nervous to play the keys. I got a Juno-1 and sold the BitOne to a punk pal for $20. A month later, I was at his place and he’d nailed it to a wall. He said “Its worth $20 as wall art, but not as a synth. F*CK that synth!” I need decent keys, because I’m going to whomp that sucker.
THIS. THIS is how you do a gear overview video.
Music first, spec run-through next, then noodling.