Synthesizer Gear Porn ;-)

[battema]

I do a lot of experimenting that would definitely be considered more avant/experimental. This usually doesn't get released though; it culminates as a bunch of R&D type work for "proper" albums.

Case in point: there are lots of odd noises near the start of In this Hour that sound a bit like FM or ring mod. They're actually an application I found that allowed me to convert visual images like JPG files into audio files. So if memory serves, those sounds were literally from pictures of me transformed into music. I did LOTS of experimenting, but only a small bit ended up incorporated as texture.

Thanks for listening though! I do like Isham, and his Windham Hill albums were a big early influence on me. And yeah, my tastes are a bit varied: in terms of influence the "Big 4" would be Bruce Hornsby, Vangelis, Richard Wright and Johannes Schmoelling.

[GuitarGeek]

Well, I ended up buying the Tip Top Folder. I'm not sure if I made the right choice, but it was a bit cheaper than the other two options I was considering. I'm sure I'll end up liking it, I'm just not sure if I should have gone for the A-137-1 or not. Oh well, what's done is done.

[hippypants]

I've been listening to this album at night. I generally listen to music when I bed down for sleep. For whatever reason I've done it for years. Most of the time it helps put me in the mood for nodding off. I doubt it would be a great daytime listen. It's called Electro Acoustic Music Vol IV and has various musicians on it. I don't know if something like this would go over today or not. But I like it.

[battema]

If you want a real "secret sauce" pedal try out the Hungry Robot "The Wash" pedal. Ambient reverb/delays in one pedal. Makes anything sound sublime!
http://www.hungryrobotpedals.com/the-wash

Took a few weeks but I finally ordered one of these bad boys. Can't wait to start diving in in the next couple of weeks! Thanks again for the tip

[Gizmotron]

Took a few weeks but I finally ordered one of these bad boys. Can't wait to start diving in in the next couple of weeks! Thanks again for the tip

I am so pleased to hear, battema! I know that almost every pedal claims to be "amazing" and "unique" but this one lives up to the press. You could buy three DD's and three reverbs and then spend a few hours screwing around or you could buy one of these and get on with it.

Let us know what you think.

[battema]

Thanks! I just got the shipping notice so hopefully it'll be here sometime next week!

[GuitarGeek]

Well, I'm not sure if I like the TipTop Fold Processor or not. You can get some great sounds out of it, and it's awesome for processing CV, but I somehow thought it would be more versatile. (shrug) There's a lot of dead spots, where if the bias and fold controls are set at certain settings, you get a null response. But when it's actually working, it's pretty cool.

I'm trying to make up my mind what to buy next. I think by the end of May, I'll have the money to get something. I'm thinking maybe a random voltage module, such as the Wogglebug.

The other thing I've been doing, is watching the various Serge demo videos on Youtube, and I'm thinking maybe when I get ready to put together a second case, it's going to be all or mostly Random Source Serge modules. But that's still a way's off.

[Rarebird]

Well, I'm not sure if I like the TipTop Fold Processor or not. You can get some great sounds out of it, and it's awesome for processing CV, but I somehow thought it would be more versatile. (shrug) There's a lot of dead spots, where if the bias and fold controls are set at certain settings, you get a null response. But when it's actually working, it's pretty cool.

I'm trying to make up my mind what to buy next. I think by the end of May, I'll have the money to get something. I'm thinking maybe a random voltage module, such as the Wogglebug.

The other thing I've been doing, is watching the various Serge demo videos on Youtube, and I'm thinking maybe when I get ready to put together a second case, it's going to be all or mostly Random Source Serge modules. But that's still a way's off.

Sounds a bit like a Kraakdoos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraakdoos

[GuitarGeek]

Sounds a bit like a Kraakdoos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraakdoos

Mmm, no, judging from that Wiki page. According to the link, the Kraakdoos involves linking the human body into the circuit, with different people generating different sounds. Compared to that, what I'm talking about is really just a garden variety modular synthesizer, something more like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_synthesizer

[Progbear]

I mean, I get that they’re trying to make “synths for the masses, not the classes,” thus design and style is not a priority, but I’ve always found Serge synths to be hideous!

[GuitarGeek]

I’ve always found Serge synths to be hideous!

How so?

[Rarebird]

Mmm, no, judging from that Wiki page. According to the link, the Kraakdoos involves linking the human body into the circuit, with different people generating different sounds. Compared to that, what I'm talking about is really just a garden variety modular synthesizer, something more like this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_synthesizer

I was aiming at the random voltage module, with which one don't know what voltage it will generate.

[GuitarGeek]

I was aiming at the random voltage module, with which one don't know what voltage it will generate.

In theory, yes, though some modules have ways of limiting the randomness of the voltage generated. Buchla came up with the first random voltage modules back in the late 60's, and Serge continued on the tradition in the 70's, and now there's dozens of Eurorack companies making such modules.

[Progbear]

How so?

It’s just how slapped-together they always looked. They always look to me like stuff some guy just threw together in his garage. Those ugly banana-plugs they use for patch cords sure don’t help.

[battema]

I am so pleased to hear, battema! I know that almost every pedal claims to be "amazing" and "unique" but this one lives up to the press. You could buy three DD's and three reverbs and then spend a few hours screwing around or you could buy one of these and get on with it.

Let us know what you think.

USPS delivered my new little rectangular bundle of joy yesterday! Didn't have a TON of time to experiment but put it into the signal path for my Voyager and experimented with leads. Ooooh yeah, that's lovely stuff right there. Found some great settings that added an awesome, subtle backdrop against the synth lines. Looking forward to tinkering around even more tonight after work

20170508_192703.jpg

[Gizmotron]

USPS delivered my new little rectangular bundle of joy yesterday! Didn't have a TON of time to experiment but put it into the signal path for my Voyager and experimented with leads. Ooooh yeah, that's lovely stuff right there. Found some great settings that added an awesome, subtle backdrop against the synth lines. Looking forward to tinkering around even more tonight after work

20170508_192703.jpg

Congrats! I am glad that so far you like it.
I think it is a very special device.

[battema]

Heck yeah!

In unrelated and potentially wallet-crushing news, this now is imminent:

http://www.deckardsdream.com/

I am sorely tempted, although the DIY is going to be a definite challenge. I'm also wanting to know how much the "expansion" bit will cost, as it has at least one feature I'd consider essential (the ring modulator).

[Rarebird]

Heck yeah!

In unrelated and potentially wallet-crushing news, this now is imminent:

http://www.deckardsdream.com/

I am sorely tempted, although the DIY is going to be a definite challenge. I'm also wanting to know how much the "expansion" bit will cost, as it has at least one feature I'd consider essential (the ring modulator).

It looks like it's inspired by the Yamaha CS80.

[battema]

It is absolutely inspired by the CS-80. Although it is an approximation, not a perfect clone.

I'd personally prefer an actual keyboard to a rack version, but it seems the trick there is finding a keybed that allows for polyphonic aftertouch.

[GuitarGeek]

It’s just how slapped-together they always looked. They always look to me like stuff some guy just threw together in his garage. Those ugly banana-plugs they use for patch cords sure don’t help.

I'm not sure where you get "slapped together" from. I thnk they're as professional looking as any other make of synth. Now, if you have someone who did a sloppy job of DIYing some Serge front panels, yeah, I guess that could look a bit thrown together, but my experience in general is they look very good.

As for the banana plugs, Buchla was using banana plugs/jacks back in the late 60's (ie at least a few years before Serge Tcherepnin went into business), and there's a lot of people who still swear by them. In fact, Morton Subotnick seems to feel that using quarter inch or 3.5mm jacks/plugs for everything is an inferior way of operating a modular synth. Or at least, that's the impression I get from his commentary in the I Dream Of Wires documentary.

[Progbear]

It looks like it's inspired by the Yamaha CS80.

The sliders remind me of my old ARP Odyssey.

[Rarebird]

The sliders remind me of my old ARP Odyssey.

The sliders do, but the configuration looks like the Yamaha CS80.

[battema]

Yep...the front panel pretty closely emulates the layout of the CS-80, but since the unit is far more compact (just a 4 unit rack size) the sliders are smaller.

My Linnstrument will do polyphonic aftertouch, so it'll be interesting to experiment with that sort of expression.

[Rarebird]

A keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch would be nice. I only have a weighted keyboard.

[battema]

They're pretty hard to find these days; most keybeds do channel but not polyphonic aftertouch. Apparently that's one of the reasons the Deckard's Dream is only planned for rack format.

Some of the non-traditional controllers like the Linnstrument and Roli can do it.