Category Synthesizers

In category Synthesizer Modules on  February 8, 2010  No comments

This synth was used on the song Arabia (Horn section)

The M-OC1 Orchestra module contains patches and waveforms from the SR-JV80-02 Orchestral Expansion Board. It is a nice, general orchestral sound bank unit with usable effects. Nice strings and horns. 4 outputs!

Tech Notes: To reload factory default settings, hold the F3 and power on.

Roland-MOC1-Patch List (PDF 16k)

Acquired: 1999

In category Synthesizer Modules on  February 8, 2010  One comment

The juicy sounds of an Oberheim in a funny, awkward to program rack unit. You gotta love it!

Acquired: 2008

In category Synthesizer Modules on  February 8, 2010  No comments

I wasn’t looking for a new synth when I found/bought this one. It showed up at a fair price and, well, I nabbed it. What can I say? I’m weak. I have a problem. I might even need some form of intervention.

After a couple minutes on this machine I think it will rise on my list of devices that will get a lot of use. The fellow I bought it from said it’s been a staple in his rig for a few years. I can understand why. It’s easy to program, sounds good, and has a great personality.

• Eight-note polyphony.
• Three oscillators featuring variable pulse, sawtooth, sine and triangle waveforms.
• Oscillator FM and sync plus a ring modulator and noise generator.
• Low-pass filter, switchable into 12 or 24dB-per-octave operation.
• Two LFOs with four waveforms and delay.
• Two main...

In category Synthesizer Modules on  January 8, 2010  No comments

This synth was used on the song Closure (Piano sound)

This was a great little piano module when it came out. The strings are limited but actually pretty good.

The Kurzweil Micro Piano was the piano in What’s That You Said?

The DEMO Sequence: To hear some of the capabilities of the Micro Piano, try listening to the DEMO sequence. This can be done by selecting CHANNEL mode and turning the Data knob past 16. The display will look like this “dEn” and the DEMO will play. Fun times.

In category Synthesizer Modules on  January 8, 2010  No comments

This synth was used on the song Apart (The saw bass sound)

What is not to love about a synth module with a row of 16 traveling, red, blinky lights running along the bottom of it?

• Programs: 128 programs
• Effects: Modulation effects (3 types), Delay (3 types), Equalize
• Arpeggiator: 6 types
• Inputs: AUDIO IN 1, 2, Level switch LINE/MIC, [AUDIO IN 1, 2(LINE)]Input impedance = 39 k-ohms, Maximum output level = -3.5 dBu (Audio In knob maximum), [AUDIO IN 2(MIC)] Input impedance = 22 k-ohms, Maximum output level = -33 dBu (Audio In knob maximum), Input source impedance = 600 ohms
• Outputs: L/MONO, R, Output impedance = 1.1k-ohms (MONO = 550 ohms), Maximum output level = +6...

In category Synthesizer Modules on  January 8, 2010  No comments

In category On the Bench (internal pictures), Synthesizer Modules on  January 8, 2010  One comment

This synth was used on the song New Gods, New Ideas (The synth in the intro)

This is the rackmount version of the DW-8000, a hybrid digital/analog poly synth (except the EX-8000 does not have the arpeggiator). This is quickly becoming one of my favourite synths at the moment.

The machine was a bit dirty when I bought it. I cracked it open and gave it a cleaning.

The Korg EX-8000 guts

In category Synthesizer Modules on  January 8, 2010  No comments

This is the rackmount/desktop version of the Poly-800. I like this little machine but don’t use it very often as I have no good place for a desktop synth in the studio. I have to get this bugger racked somehow.

In category Synthesizer Keyboards on  January 8, 2010  No comments

A classic. This is the first version of the DX-7. I bought this in 2007 from a fellow who bought it new back in the day. He took fantastic care of it. When I bought it he still had the original box, manuals, and other stuff. This synth is museum quality.

Of course, no matter how pretty and clean, it still sounds like a DX-7.

Acquired: 2007

In category Synthesizer Keyboards on  January 8, 2010  No comments

This is a wacky synth. I haven’t decided if I love it or hate it. Powered up it is covered in lights.. so it has that going for it.

• 8-polyphonic, 4-part multitimbral PCM synthesizer workstation with a PCM drum machine.
• 3 OSC architecture without a filter. A sound is made of Attack Source (1 OSC) and Body Source (2 OSC).
• The Attack Source is basically a short transient sample like Roland D-50 / D-110 .
• The Body Source is a combination of 2 samples called Basic and Harmonics. They seem to be basically single-cycle waveforms, and some Harmonics waveforms includes ‘Spectrum’ type longer loops.
• The Basic sets the overall character of the Body Source, and the Harmonics determines the second waveform added to it...