The Analog Lab NYC – EMS VCS3 mkII
An EMS VCS mkII was recently in for service at The Analog Lab in NYC. The joystick was repaired, VCO2 was brought back into cal, and the unit had a general cleaning/tuneup.
The VCS3 (nicknamed the Putney) is an analog monosynth housed in a distinctive angled wooden case, a truly classic synth. EMS (Electronic Music Studios) was created in England back in 1969. The VCS3 was one of their first synths and it is still a great, unique, funky little unit! Pictured above is the Mark I model. Pictured is another unit with the small wood-cased DK2 voltage-control keyboard required to play the VCS3.
It has three oscillators, and a unique matrix-based patch system. Instead of patch wires, the VCS3 uses a patchbay grid in which the synth components are laid out, and signal routing is accomplished by placing small pins into the appropriate slots. The VCS3 was, in actuality, a modular type synthesizer reduced down to an extremely portable size.
It generates familiar sci-fi sounds (Dr. Who) and other truly analog sounds. Unfortunately, the oscillators tend to drift out of tune. There’s a Noise Generator, 2 Input Amplifiers, 1 Ring Modulator, 1 Voltage Controlled Low Pass Filter (VCF), 1 Trapezoid Envelope Generator, Joy-Stick Controller, Voltage Controlled Spring Reverb unit and 2 Stereo Output Amplifiers.
Additonally, the VCS3 was also sold in a plastic breif-case and called the Synthi A. The major Synthi 100 system was based on three VCS3’s strung together. Some ultra-rare commercially unavailable synths EMS made include the VCS4 in 1969 which was basically 2 VCS3’s plus a keyboard. And the Synthi Keyboard 1 of 1970 was just a VCS3 with a mini 29-note keyboard.
Full-Modular Synthesizer ‘Kamioooka’ Demo – VST for Windows
Polyphonic Full-Modular Synthesizer with Patch-cable system, “Kamioooka”
VST Instrument 32/64bits for Windows freeware.
Participated in KVR Developer Challenge 2012.
http://www.kvraudio.com/kvr-developer-challenge/2012/
Jordan Passmore Demo, NI Maschine, U-He’s Diva
Here is a demo Jordan Passmore composed with Native Instruments’ Maschine (loaded with DMX samples, courtesy of ToneBldr, http://www.drivenmachinedrums.com), U-He’s Diva and Native Instrument’s Kontakt. Maschine is loaded as the host and is doing sequencing and drum machine duties. Diva is doing the bassline and the HPF’d lead. Kontakt is playing back a string sample I captured from the Roland Juno-60. A few effects were used, namely the Valhalla DSP’s Ubermod on the lead and the reflex verb (built into Maschine) on the strings.
Trailer for AnalogFour by Elektron
The Elektron guys seem to have a passion for movies!
Kraftwerk returns to Düsseldorf
Kraftwerk will be playing live for the first time in over 20 years back in their hometown of Düsseldorf in Germany. Spread over 8 nights, the pioneers of electronic music will play their entire oeuvre. Krafwterk which was founded in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider already did a similar event in the Museum of Modern Art in New York in April 2012. Just like in New York, every evening, a full album (but also other work from their catalog), will be played.
Radioactivity – Kraftwerk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Retrospective #1 Autobahn at the MOMA NYC
Tutorial: Recording and sampling sounds with iPad for the PPG Wavegenerator
This tutorial shows you how to record and sample sounds with your iPad2 and import them on the PPG Wavegenerator with the help of two additional free available Apps: APT (Acoustic Picture Transmiter) and a picture editor like Photoshop express.
If you want to try it, you can download the soundbank which has some examples and a preset for starting your own import at the following link: “www.axxim.de/media/axxims.wgbnk”. Just input the link on your iPad and choose “open with wavegenerator” Enjoy!
EINKLANG – the most intuitive synthesizer
EINKLANG details below:
After nine years of research and over three years of development, we at Eisenberg are very proud to present EINKLANG, our first software synthesizer. At the moment, we are working on its completion so EINKLANG will be available in stores in early December.
Discover what makes EINKLANG so special and pre-order here at a discount of up to 66% of the retail price:
indiegogo.com/einklang
Tone2 RayBlaster (IMS) preview
Short intro video to show Tone2’s new synthesis called IMS and the forthcoming release of Tone2 Rayblaster.
Tone2 tells us that Impulse Modeling Synthesis (IMS) is a radically new and different approach to synthetic sound generation, based on the latest research in psychoacoustics. It’s first exponent, Rayblaster creates its characterful sound from many short bursts of energy, then combined to form a more complex sound.
Tone2 says that this innovative and unique approach to synthesis is very close to what happens within the human inner ear, sounds more authentic and gives you access to a wide range of sounds.
Features
- Revolutionary new synthesis method
- Access completely new sonic territory
- High-end sound quality
- Create professional sounds with character and impossible with any other synthesizer
- Lets your music stand out from the crowd!
- Professional sound quality that is never muddy and fits well into the mix
- Sounds more detailed, pleasant, fat and louder than conventional synths
- Independent control over pitch, timing and timbre
- Filter import: Mimic filters of other synthesizers or create your own fantasy filters.
- Resynthesis allows easy import & manipulation of your own sounds
- Huge sonic range and very flexible
- Easy to use & fun to play
- Over 500 ready-to-use sounds by professional designers
- Psychoacoustic processing
- Expandability
- Low CPU
- Fair price
Pricing and Availability:
Rayblaster will out for Mac & PC in December 2012
More information:
Eurypharynx – new 4-voice virtual analog synth for the iPad
Developer Sobal Corp has introduced Eurypharynx, a 4-voice virtual analog synth for the iPad.
Key Features:
- In each OSC, you can select two waveforms and also morph them.
- Flexible patching operation is available with Matrix Patching.
- Alter numerous parameters sequentially with Modulation Sequencer.
- Intuitive performance is available with XY Pad Control.
- It is possible to save up to 256 patches.
It’s CoreMIDI compatible and $1.99, so check out the details and let us know what you think of it!
Specifications:
- 4-Voice Polyphony
- OSC x 2 / NG x 1
- OSC Modulation
- Ring Modulation
- OSC Sync
- Glide
- Filter x 1
- EG x 2
- LFO x 2
- Arpeggiator Type x 6
- Matrix Patching
- Modulation Sequencer
- XY Pad Control x 2
- FX
- Delay
- Chorus
- Over Drive
- Keyboard (Scale) x 35
- Real-Time Recording
- Others:
- Wireless Sync-Start Technology (WIST) is supported.
- AudioCopy is supported.
- CoreMIDI is supported.
Eurypharynx is available now in the App Store for $1.99.
BeatEvolve – new generative music app
Team Popo has released BeatEvolve, a generative music app in which the grid of notes can ‘evolve’ according to rules such as Conway’s Game of Life.
Anyone can make music with BeatEvolve! With 31 instruments to choose from, the intuitive interface lets you combine 3 layers of harmonies to create awesome riffs!
Select from one of six preset evolution rules or create your own from scratch then sit back and watch as the music changes all by itself.
BeatEvolve features
- Three layers.
- 31 instruments.
- Six evolution presets including Conway’s famous Game Of Life.
- Experiment by creating your own evolution rules.
- Flip, rotate and shift the patterns you make.
- Tempo adjust.
- Save your musical creations to use later or show off to your friends.
DATAMASKIN
