tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51817163778002628922024-03-14T11:16:55.810+00:00The Music bunkerA collection of music-related posts, rantings and shares.Southernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008852307497075187noreply@blogger.comBlogger291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-52258255551768511162020-11-06T12:17:00.001+00:002020-11-06T12:17:20.320+00:00MyVolts Crazy Chain - reviewed!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Oq-BqnZ_5hLg8qjag3CAgbieDVyBikztgIuxfILEVgIdOEM6jfQu5ZIZsHd9Af8GJiK7nBcOO60M5kqNtbiluBl91N3X2r1-I4fgeDmMToEB4tSilW4DGYkmK2lILMJqPDdeEnQxQCU/s1028/crazy-chain-modular-dc-power-system-square-e1604094693705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1028" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Oq-BqnZ_5hLg8qjag3CAgbieDVyBikztgIuxfILEVgIdOEM6jfQu5ZIZsHd9Af8GJiK7nBcOO60M5kqNtbiluBl91N3X2r1-I4fgeDmMToEB4tSilW4DGYkmK2lILMJqPDdeEnQxQCU/w366-h277/crazy-chain-modular-dc-power-system-square-e1604094693705.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">MyVolts are no strangers to making power solutions and I make no secret that I get free samples from time to time to test out. <a href="https://myvolts.co.uk/CrazyChain" target="_blank">Crazy Chain</a> is their latest foray into powering multiple items with a twist; it's a fully modular power solution that you can mix and match equipment of different plug sizes and even polarities so you can add as many devices as you need.</span><p></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Clearly the opportunities extend to more than just powering Korg's Volcas this time around, but clearly there is much more to this than meets the eye, so I was delighted to be sent a couple for review.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Packaging</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love the small packet size for the cables and the resealable bag, it looks really professional. Reduces p&p costs, environmental costs, the whole shabang. The folded up instructions work well, as do the stickers - I now need to figure out where to use mine!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Crazy Chain is available either in single packs with different sized tips and cable lengths, or larger Volca or Guitar Pedal "chain gang" packs of five cables. The Volca pack comes with four volca-sized connectors plus an inverted cable for an effects pedal and at around £13 was a no-brainer for me to pick up for myself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbIv3p5FoMPOYr6EUFCiIqRQqG73EAGbNbiYTu4twe8qSyfS0luohop1QMUxu4Llmdxoq895sVwv1wSpdgYzOvF85uajzr_EGZ0yvK7h-VVNlNYCU1P7pQbjBLhyleu_0ocS5TltWuW8/s2048/PXL_20201106_114341193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRbIv3p5FoMPOYr6EUFCiIqRQqG73EAGbNbiYTu4twe8qSyfS0luohop1QMUxu4Llmdxoq895sVwv1wSpdgYzOvF85uajzr_EGZ0yvK7h-VVNlNYCU1P7pQbjBLhyleu_0ocS5TltWuW8/w400-h300/PXL_20201106_114341193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Instructions</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I did have some initial difficulties in understanding which parts of the cables to use and only "got it" after re-reading the instructions and then looking at the website for some examples of how to use them properly. It's fairly straightforward: a grey plug matches the polarity of the incoming supply, whereas the orange plug inverts it (both back and forth in a chain as you need). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I highly recommend that you get a polarity checker when you buy a packet of Crazy Chains - as it turns out, there's actually one that MyVolts offer called Hot Tip and it takes the guess work (and heartache when you break things) out of checking polarity down a chain.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtNZ1eie4RRqBwiO40UH-R_MlLNH6GWcVTGNrzuZWNhjve8SxL0IGARQ1RYVESJEy0g3KB3k2CKyqDUo1Er9zbcmVdVNcT2tbaLHfhYUjvWjXoUqjvGsvKeMHB5PV8CpM-XioLNA1ZPg/s2048/PXL_20201106_114520435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtNZ1eie4RRqBwiO40UH-R_MlLNH6GWcVTGNrzuZWNhjve8SxL0IGARQ1RYVESJEy0g3KB3k2CKyqDUo1Er9zbcmVdVNcT2tbaLHfhYUjvWjXoUqjvGsvKeMHB5PV8CpM-XioLNA1ZPg/w400-h300/PXL_20201106_114520435.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Appearance</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every product MyVolts have every made is better than the last one and this is no exception. The moulded plugs feel great - very solid indeed - while the braided cables look and feel like a premium product and in general it's all very impressive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Plug colours are a good choice - orange, black and blue are all easy colours to identify AND they should work for users who have common forms of colourblindness.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQzbhVzhL2ddj41CgmtoMXQx3n-0761tLbPcCA0Ay01x-om4eGwHVRq_AriqUCDyG4aHXzV_P1PCA5QJP56YtOUqMGa2clfMKnhYdRt8ZzKIuTYt9MQyL0QYC455O2EJKW-wp84cpjLA/s2048/PXL_20201021_193308847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQzbhVzhL2ddj41CgmtoMXQx3n-0761tLbPcCA0Ay01x-om4eGwHVRq_AriqUCDyG4aHXzV_P1PCA5QJP56YtOUqMGa2clfMKnhYdRt8ZzKIuTYt9MQyL0QYC455O2EJKW-wp84cpjLA/w400-h300/PXL_20201021_193308847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">General use</span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once you get the right end worked out, Crazy Chain is a breeze to use. With the SUNVAR1 and 2 I have two volcas and a centre negative mini guitar pedal working off a USB Ripcord on my PC and I can see that it's easy enough to add more.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Being able to use a few centre negative items in a power chain like guitar pedals means that I can really cut down on all the trailing wires and only use as many as I need in one go - brilliant idea, innovative even! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Something I was concerned about initially is the way that the T shape of the Crazy Chain connector going into the volcas might cover any buttons etc but I was surpised to see that the power switch fits well into a corner piece of the T so you can switch it on with no issues. Compared with the connectors of the 5 way splitter the Crazy Chain covers much more of the face plate of the volca but the relatively low profile and the fact that it doesn't cover any crucial controls helps mitigate this.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cable length is definitely going to be an issue for multiple volcas or larger sized gear but that's why you have the longer SUNVAR5 cables should you need them.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Noise</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nada. None. Zero. Or at least, so low that I couldn't hear it. Kudos to MyVolts for this one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was one of those products that I had to get more of as soon as I tried it - well done to MyVolts for putting this product out there and for quite such an affordable price.</span></p>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-57606285263304198312020-10-21T20:05:00.003+01:002020-10-21T20:06:04.876+01:00Blog update 2020<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who would have thought having children would be such a busy experience? Between becoming a dad, moving house, a voluntary redundancy, COVID19 and all the other fun and games, there's not been much to report for some time. But things are finally settling down, so hopefully I can get back to more thoughts and ideas on music.</span></p>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0Faversham ME13, UK51.315994 0.88935823.005760163821158 -34.266892 79.626227836178856 36.045608tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-37557823551909811352020-10-21T20:02:00.001+01:002020-10-21T20:02:07.207+01:00New Soundcloud music<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/882591553&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/southerntrax" title="Southerntrax" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Southerntrax</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/southerntrax/my-heart-beats" title="My Heart Beats" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">My Heart Beats</a></div>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-61283381152829034442018-08-20T06:00:00.000+01:002018-08-20T06:00:03.689+01:00MyVolts mickXer - interview with Caroline Swords<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHHyVxn_PAm8wAExbZIY41PP7F8yf02p07qZTxzSrxGW0Dlyyt-dtw6FRkjszgofgMboJXiYgvzJ4CyZBQ7EHy9xGFtQNrU5Eoc_gdnfTxJpg1paciu6PjQ1UjSuvtgBo_nBgIlCM-Ws/s1600/20180816_225956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHHyVxn_PAm8wAExbZIY41PP7F8yf02p07qZTxzSrxGW0Dlyyt-dtw6FRkjszgofgMboJXiYgvzJ4CyZBQ7EHy9xGFtQNrU5Eoc_gdnfTxJpg1paciu6PjQ1UjSuvtgBo_nBgIlCM-Ws/s320/20180816_225956.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As mentioned last week, I've been trying out a beta version of myVolts' latest product; <a href="https://southerntrax.blogspot.com/2018/08/myvolts-mickxer-volca-mix-killer.html" target="_blank">a five input passive mixer</a>. I was so impressed with the product so far that I fired some questions to Caroline Swords, Director of Operations at the company, to get a bit of an insight into the product and what they were aiming for here. Caroline was kind enough to come back to me with some detailed answers, plus a first look at the version 2 of the mickXer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>What was the impetus for developing this product and were there any specific goals in mind?</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">myVolts has been around for more than a decade now, powering everyone's gear. We love talking our customers, seeing what power problems they have, and trying hard to solve them. But as each users' setup is unique you really have to listen, see what the sticking points are, and develop products that really make a difference to the creative - like we tried to do with the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=http://myvolts.co.uk/product/36889/5-way_power_splitter_cable_for_Korg_Volca_by_MyVolts_(5-way_splitter_only)&source=gmail&ust=1534543474329000&usg=AFQjCNHWwilMeyBLKBKq0FLqM-DGfVEBQw" href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/36889/5-way_power_splitter_cable_for_Korg_Volca_by_MyVolts_(5-way_splitter_only)" target="_blank">myVolts 5-way power splitter cable for Korg Volcas</a>. The (very vocal Volca) community really embraced it, made some suggestions on how to improve it, and we listened, getting V2 of the product out within a couple of months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">myVolts became matey with Sonic State's Gaz Williams, Bassist and Music Technologist, when we sent him our power splitter for Korg Volcas - he loved it, and Sonic State featured it in their <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DMzo8l5GBQ3E&source=gmail&ust=1534543474329000&usg=AFQjCNFbVq6gQwcFY-ja_JsKpeOKT6g4LA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzo8l5GBQ3E" target="_blank">Volca Vibes</a> series of vids. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We kept in touch, and Gaz reached out later when he was looking for a passive mixer - he wanted something with a few 3.5mm outputs, 1 x 3.5mm output, to simply mix down gear like the Korg Volcas, Roland Boutiques, Pocket Operators, and the many other lovely little noisemaking miracles that seem to come out over other day, making us all happy but broke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There were some other things he wanted too, like coloured audio cables, straight on one end and right-angled on the other, and we have those in the pipeline, available soon - but breaking his wants down, it seemed like a little passive mixer was definitely doable, could be a whole new area for us, and might even be fun to develop. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We reckoned if we could make him happy, we could make most of our other customers happy! So Gaz's unbridled joy = goal number one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And we all know powering multiple doo-dahs from the same PSU can introduce ground loops and other unwanted hums and noises, so we wanted our little passive mixer to clean up the signal too, especially good for users of our power splitter cables for Volca and Boutiques. So more fun gear but less unwanted noise = goal number two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lastly, it presented a good chance to make a more structured process in the myVolts week for developing new products, so it led to what we called NoiseLAB - a weekly Thursday session for brainstorming and doing, under the guidance of our mate maker Mick Kelly, just up the road in his workshop in <a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=Pearse+Street,+Dublin+4&entry=gmail&source=g">Pearse Street, Dublin 4</a>. We developed a few products there - the new <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=http://myvolts.co.uk/product/38549/myVolts_Hot_Tip&source=gmail&ust=1534543474329000&usg=AFQjCNFf00hBXsBOh-agvFjVZIJTmvKqcA" href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/38549/myVolts_Hot_Tip" target="_blank">Hot Tip PSU tester</a> came out of these sessions too. So some structured in-house development = goal number 3. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 seemed like too few and 6 seemed like too many! It's hard to know with something like this, so we asked around, used our common sense, and 5 was the answer! If i we got it wrong, you guys can let us know, and we can make more options.</span></div>
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<i><b>What interesting challenges have you faced when developing this?</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a steep learning curve to making, really! And figuring out what to do, more or less from scratch. The version we're releasing is our 6th iteration, here's a couple of the earlier first gos- compete with very lumpy solder. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My soldering capabilities have greatly improved over the last year - seriously, if your want something soldered, just give me a shout.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>What's the next step for this product? </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A simple case is getting designed as I write this, I just talked to the designer this morning. We've our manufacturer armed and ready for final files, so we're just gearing up to press go...</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What options for cases are you planning?</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was talking to Ian Bradshaw, <span>Korg Hi-Tech Products Category Manager</span>, and sent him on prototype to check out. He's mad into 3D printing, so he made a lovely case for it</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and sent me the files, and stuck them up on </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&q=https://www.thingiverse.com&source=gmail&ust=1534543474329000&usg=AFQjCNE2mG737KH14-ap08fE_qHMKYUF5g" href="https://www.thingiverse.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.thingiverse.com</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> - it made me think, would our users like a case-less, bare version for a little bit cheaper, and for us to provide .STL files so they can mod and print them themselves? I'll need to ask around, but if anyone has thoughts on that, please get in touch!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How much is this projected to cost? (I am guessing around £15-20 plus postage)</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You've guessed right! It'll be a little bit dearer than the Belkin Rockstar, but not much.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>When might this be available?</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm hoping October or November 2018!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks to Caroline and myVolts for their time and detailed answers!</span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-8395532864029536672018-08-16T23:32:00.002+01:002018-08-16T23:32:43.883+01:00MyVolts mickXer - the Volca Mix killer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfcXuVH4apPXsp_yWMENotWN4US02p0kGydMY3vRyGyP8UxH99XBajzcSXAQIfhEP-ujRqPcuFmzDDjR45s2elcLQgY_NqdlsUBipt8rO9abiXL6L7W0odNJje0LmCQ6XNAOLetNGgHQ/s1600/20180816_225956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfcXuVH4apPXsp_yWMENotWN4US02p0kGydMY3vRyGyP8UxH99XBajzcSXAQIfhEP-ujRqPcuFmzDDjR45s2elcLQgY_NqdlsUBipt8rO9abiXL6L7W0odNJje0LmCQ6XNAOLetNGgHQ/s320/20180816_225956.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MyVolts are no stranger to electronics for musicians, having previously worked on iterations of their Volca power splitters for powering more than one Volca at a time. <a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.com/2016/01/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable.html" target="_blank">As mentioned in other posts</a>, I've had quite a lot of respect for this for my growing collection of Korg's grooveboxes and Kaoss pads, however the subject of how to mix the audio out of so many devices working at once created a new problems.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, it seems that MyVolts have been considering the same issue and reached out to me to get feedback on an upcoming product that they dubbed "the mickXer": a 5 channel passive mixer with a footprint not that much larger than a credit card (as shown) that sums the audio ins to a single audio out. I've been working the mickXer hard with a variety of different hardware synths to try and induce noise or issues and so far the mickXer has done exactly what is says on the tin: provide extremely low noise summing with no need for external power.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMpUBjgVD2YIFWkL-AIRUB_Fz76ghHiR1LMEYf0DcipG993WpYwipU-VI0Ic5hr2Yvsd_IgcsqPVd91qVK8SeeUhH3ravVyqOqrCqFmk-R3E1NccuAc6rEK9PotiW8WT3_rOv6jPCPaM/s1600/20180816_230052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMpUBjgVD2YIFWkL-AIRUB_Fz76ghHiR1LMEYf0DcipG993WpYwipU-VI0Ic5hr2Yvsd_IgcsqPVd91qVK8SeeUhH3ravVyqOqrCqFmk-R3E1NccuAc6rEK9PotiW8WT3_rOv6jPCPaM/s320/20180816_230052.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Given the market has been crying out for a mixing solution, it seems only natural that other companies would come up with their own solutions in tandem with Korg. Naturally this will lead to comparisons, though for me they really are aimed at different markets. The Volca Mixer combines a power solution, mixer and effects into one package at the tradeoff of relatively high expense, lack of portability and limiting mixing to three channels only. Meanwhile, MyVolts are aiming to undercut existing Roland and Belkin options by pricing the mickXer at around the £20-30 mark, providing five channels, volume control and passive operation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, the mickXer does exactly what I need it to, both for quick connections in the studio as well as on-the-go jamming outside of the studio. I don't need the built in compressor, VU meters or external clock out on a dedicated display on the Volca Mixer so this ticks all the essentials. I've also really enjoyed the fact that the mixer "just works" and I can plug even fairly hot signals of stereo outputs into them and the mixer handles it all fine. Whether it's for Volca jamming or a combination of Volcas, Pocket Operators and other "proper" synths like the Korg DW8000 or DSI Evolver, I can tell that this is going to be a pretty major part of my day-to-day setup. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The success of this has actually meant that my Behringer Xenyx1202 has gone largely unused, as for most cases I've found the mickXer to be more than enough for what I need to use it for.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl1BPX6wdyWf8ScboNU5PEeQYbOkM6ly0r7ncIyO7PXOrIWTKNIHPwdzqES2T420-xE51_jXZ8S373PzyugzqtbtJp6uZExQrDIcy6RgObZN2VIxyTD3c3FqpXoJU1M0yKkq1FMtE-4o/s1600/20180309_191805_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAl1BPX6wdyWf8ScboNU5PEeQYbOkM6ly0r7ncIyO7PXOrIWTKNIHPwdzqES2T420-xE51_jXZ8S373PzyugzqtbtJp6uZExQrDIcy6RgObZN2VIxyTD3c3FqpXoJU1M0yKkq1FMtE-4o/s400/20180309_191805_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps the only feature I would have liked on the unit that I thought would be relatively straightforward to implement is toggle button mutes for each channel, however on inspection of the top end of the board there's not a lot of real estate to put the buttons and whether this would affect any noise cancelling features of the design. I did look at push button pots but not only are these expensive but also pose an ergonomic question - imagine if you wanted to twist a pot and accidentally mute a channel instead in a live setting. Of course, this will also need a case, but this is something that MyVolts are working on for version 2.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of Version 2, I managed to catch up with Caroline of MyVolts for an in-depth interview, check out the responses in a future post on Monday. In the meantime, what do you think of the mickXer</span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-70546874151768025262018-03-13T14:15:00.001+00:002018-05-08T18:55:58.425+01:00Revenge of the clones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKALn5jtvnKU5-_QUfxHt_YA-jCT6TG8mu-_NXnjy1OlQWsNW3Pmp2WJJTWXeL2RNkDI_0tqG9bm3IUZO9h_keurysyriMhOOZG83GnUpmDrkqCgvsaIwSvz9LsfdBPKAeeClXGVFUDQ/s1600/Behringer+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKALn5jtvnKU5-_QUfxHt_YA-jCT6TG8mu-_NXnjy1OlQWsNW3Pmp2WJJTWXeL2RNkDI_0tqG9bm3IUZO9h_keurysyriMhOOZG83GnUpmDrkqCgvsaIwSvz9LsfdBPKAeeClXGVFUDQ/s320/Behringer+Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Uli Behringer has been stirring up the synthesiser fanbase but good of late. In numerous posts on the Gearslutz forum, he proclaims his love for vintage hardware synthesisers and, astonished at some of the prices that the second hand market commands, has taken it upon himself to mass produce low priced clones to make the hardware of yesteryear available to all. If the quality and price is right, this could be the most disruptive force in decades.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Rocking the boat</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Take one of the more prominent clones to leave the Behringer stables of late: the <a href="http://www.musictri.be/Categories/Behringer/Keyboards/Synthesizers-and-Samplers/MODEL-D/p/P0CQJ" target="_blank">Behringer D</a>. A desktop module clone of the ur-monosynth the Minimoog Model D, it pulls favourable comparisons with its originator and at the time or writing is finally shipping preorders to the UK. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I suspect that a lot of the positive press comes not only because the D provides a very close experience to the Minimoog in a more compact form factor but also because of the price. The D can be picked up for the princely sum of £299, an incredibly attractive price for your first monosynth and in the same ballpark as the Arturia Microbrute, Korg Monologue and Novation Bass Station 2. Even Moog’s closest product, the Minitaur, still clocks in at over £400 for a dual oscillator desktop monosynth, though both are small fry for the cost of the real thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Race to the bottom</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let's not mince words: original Moog Minimoog Model Ds that inspired this product typically cost anywhere between £2,300 and £3,900 on the <a href="https://reverb.com/uk/p/moog-minimoog-model-d#used_listings" target="_blank">second hand market</a>. Even Moog’s short lived reproduction will run you into a good £3,000 to own an official D. The gulf between these prices makes it clear what this instrument is marketed to: it's for the collectors, professional musicians, or even investors looking for one of a small run.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To detractors who say that this the Behringer D is going to cannibalize sales from Moog, the difference between prices and products could not be clearer. For most hobbyists and bedroom musicians, whether you go new or chance a second hand, getting 80 or even 90% of the way to the sound of the original for less than a tenth of the price tag is an absolute bargain and much more attainable for this sector. There will always be a market for the prestige of owning an original or who prefer a full sized keyboard for live play, and there will always be a market of others who want a similar sound but either lack the funds or don't care enough about badge names. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Luckily there is a great example we can look at when it comes to clones and how they are received. Korg also produce low cost and upgraded versions of their MS-20 in the form of the MS-20 Mini, which has done little to stop the <a href="https://reverb.com/price-guide/guide/19391-korg-ms-20" target="_blank">demand for the original</a> while also satisfying new customers who want to get their hands on a very similar sounding synth with most (if not all) of the synth's original features intact. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Korg also supply the smaller Volca grooveboxes that can also be used as a sound module, which are cheap enough to buy as an impulse purchase as they are the first hardware synthesiser. Once their limitations are met, cheaper products can act as a gateway for synth owners to buy other products, now that they are used to the advantages and/or associated workflow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Putting affordable hardware like the Behringer D in the hands of musicians who may not have been able to may also produce a halo effect in getting more business for high-end manufacturers once they need additional things that the D doesn't provide - like integration with a full sized keyboard or a more expensive alternative that enables more polyphony or performance features. Imagine if they buy a D, then get the bug for hardware synths and then go on to consider the DSI Rev2 or Novation Peak afterwards? I am sure that other manufacturers would be happy to gain more new customers who they wouldn't heard from before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>New Money, Old Synth</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's also another interesting point here about reliability. There are plenty of opinionated fans who will smirk at cheaply made products <a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/the-moan-zone/1144740-uli-behringers-deeply-concerning-post.html" target="_blank">flooding the market</a>; Behringer make no secret that their success is down to grass roots marketing and the bulk manufacturing that Chinese factories make possible. But in the case of clones vs synthesisers that are now getting on for over 40 years old, wear and tear and component failure in particular is something that should be expected in a second hand “vintage” synth and factored into buying process. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One calls to mind the trouble that Roland Juno 106 users have had with failing voice chips in that machine and the efforts to either clone or find replacement chips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Consider this: the only reason <a href="https://www.moogmusic.com/news/final-countdown-minimoog-model-d-production-ending" target="_blank">Moog stopped their production run</a> on their reissue was the lack of supply of older components needed to recreate some of the designs. If those older parts fail in even a relatively recent build, then good luck getting replacements if even the manufacturer cannot source enough. At £300, the D or the recently announced Neutron are should be more easily fixed with more immediately available components, or even replaced under warranty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As an aside: the fact that Moog have happily reported that they have sold out their reissue proves to me that there is still a market of customers for top-rate reissues, regardless of whether there are clones or not available.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>What's next?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's kind of a mixed bag as to what Behringer are looking to clone. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are working prototypes of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvrDFdriTUc" target="_blank">VC340 Vocoder/String synth</a> that are competing</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> directly with Roland's own boutique <a href="https://www.roland.com/us/products/vp-03/" target="_blank">VP-03</a>, both of which reimagine the Roland VP330. I recall reading that the initial 1000 orders Behringer is looking for have not been met, though vocoders and string synths do seem a bit of an obscure type of instrument, even within the synthesiser world, and the cost is closer to $700.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_MUcJICjlI1b_N47IgIhPx4KNFhOL9skYNin11cfRKZRRMb7VeqBurdg2n2x_QxwMO6gXTwawrhu-lR5UlqDM2spQpiVG2_PUaDiG4trE8lLw5WC68i9xQOkbcDVnK2utlTSLZFbww/s1600/ubxa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="948" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFK_MUcJICjlI1b_N47IgIhPx4KNFhOL9skYNin11cfRKZRRMb7VeqBurdg2n2x_QxwMO6gXTwawrhu-lR5UlqDM2spQpiVG2_PUaDiG4trE8lLw5WC68i9xQOkbcDVnK2utlTSLZFbww/s400/ubxa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's also the </span><a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-and-electronic-music-production/1196469-ub-xa-synthesizer.html" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">UB-Xa</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, a desktop module clone of the rather large and sought after Oberheim OB-Xa that at the time of writing looks amazing, the unusual <a href="http://www.factmag.com/2017/12/13/behringer-synth-drum-machine-clones-planned/" target="_blank">EDP Wasp</a> monosynth, a mass produced <a href="http://www.factmag.com/2017/03/13/behringer-arp-2600-synth-budget-clone" target="_blank">ARP 2600</a> as opposed to the TTSH and more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whether Behringer have targeted these products either because copyright has expired or that there are currently no competitors remains to be explained, but at least with these three there shouldn't be any treading on others' toes to directly compete. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Korg owns the Arp name but have said in the past that they don't see enough of an audience to make a reissue, EDP have long since bit the dust and Oberheim are concentrating on their two voice pro, SEM and DSI collaborations to consider a clone of the OB-Xa.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Conclusion</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Simply put: I believe that the competition created by the disruptive nature of well made and affordable clones can only be a good thing. The future looks good for us synthizens and musicians who can get their hands on new hardware, plus there is potential for manufacturers to gain new customers as well. As long as Behringer aren't cloning existing products, they are only competing with the dwindling second hand market - isn't giving people what they want what it's all about?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course, there are plenty of official and unofficial VST emulations of discontinued synths as well - Arturia and Native Instruments both have well-regarded emulations and versions of classic synth hardware. <b>Ultimately the ability to have the choice of hardware or software of your favourite synth and that suits different budgets and preferences means we are truly living in a golden age.</b></span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-48069753758347030642018-02-18T16:17:00.001+00:002018-02-18T16:17:51.226+00:002018 - Unsealing the door on the bunker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been quite a long time since I posted on this music blog, but quite a lot has happened in the year since I have and I deserve to provide an update,<br />
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While <a href="https://www.superbooth.com/en/landing.html" target="_blank">Superbooth17</a> and <a href="https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2018" target="_blank">NAMM 2018</a> have been and gone, I was busy on an event of my own: finally ended up proposing to my girlfriend of over ten years and setting up the wedding. I can't really take any credit for the majority of the wedding though; this was very much all her doing from start to finish and I could not be more proud of her when we married at the end of January.<br />
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In less soppy yet more food related terms, I have decided that the <a href="http://thoroughlyniceburgers.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Thoroughly Nice Burger blog</a> is on permanent hiatus. Burgers as a fad around London have come and gone and after eating and reviewing over 70 of them I feel that the blog ran its natural course. I still make my own and eat them when I am out, as my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/southern_trax/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> can attest, but it is a much more enjoyable process when you aren't thinking about a review the day after.<br />
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Speaking of Instagram, I started a new channel to focus on music and synth pics, though with a side helping of burgers, baking and booze to spice things up and it seems like a lot more open and active than a blog. I get the feeling that older blogs are rather web 1.0, but I don't see the point in moving over to something more social just for the sake of more Internet points. Reddit’s <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/" target="_blank">r/synthesizers</a> remains a decent hangout.<br />
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I also went through a period of buying and selling hardware, though I haven't really reduced the amount of equipment I own in a very meaningful way. The Rhythm Wolf and XioSynth went to some very weird characters via Gumtree but were replaced by a massive <a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/dw8000.php" target="_blank">DW-8000</a> that I am still fixing up. I suspect that after the marriage and kids that I might decided to eventually downsize but until then, I hope that some of it appreciates a bit!<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/348078329&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>
Otherwise I am gonna try to update a bit more often and hopefully put some longer-form ideas together. Roll on 2018!<br />
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Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-19105288451405828352017-08-26T17:09:00.001+01:002017-08-26T17:13:36.235+01:00Hungry like a Rhythm Wolf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Rhythm Wolf is a drum machine released several years ago at the NAMM show. In a post-Volca world of musicians keen to get hold of analogue equipment in a relatively small and cheap package, it seemed to provide a good alternative to Korg’s grooveboxes and Roland’s (at the time) non existent competition.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I managed to get hold of one for very cheap on the second hand market and thought I would share my experiences of using one and why I ultimately sold it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Joining the pack</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Following the Volcas around 2014, Akai pounced in with the Rhythm Wolf, which packs a five instrument drum machine (Kick,snare, percussive hit, open and closed hat) with a single oscillator synthesiser into a flat box the size of a child’s sized pizza. It also comes with solid MPC style pads that are velocity sensitive (with three levels of sensitivity), A/B variants for each patch, patch memory, multiple sequencing methods, 5 pin MIDI in and out/thru and USB MIDI, plus dual outputs for the drums and synth voice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This setup is clearly meant to ape a classic combination of a 303 and a Roland drum machine for some acid sounds, though in practice the results leave a little to be desired. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Kick drum is a deep kick that instantly reminds me of the 808, which is no surprise given this sound’s enduring popularity. You can coax other 909-alike sounds but it lacks the weight to do this with any conviction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile the Snare drum is a lovely bright splashy number that definitely evokes the TR-909 but not quite. In fact, I will have to say that it is the best sound on this thing by far for punchy dnb snares and that I sampled pretty quickly. The less said about the hit hats and the percussion the better, however the bass part can be used to make acid lines with the simple envelope and either saw or square wave shapes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Connectivity is pretty good for the price as well, with 3.5mm jacks for sync in and out, 5 Pin MIDI in and out, USB for external sequencing or firmware updating and separate quarter inch mono jacks for the bass synth and drums. You can also run the synth just using the output of the drums jack, which functions as a master out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>A hoot not a howl</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One of its selling points, the Howl function works like a distortion effect akin to the Minimoog output hack to dirty up a signal. Even at 30% or so, the affect is very pronounced and does wonders for the snare and square wave to dirty them up nicely. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, my praise with this feature is short-lived and there are issues that make this a massive turn off for me, at any price.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The first is that this is a global effect that works for all the instruments, meaning that it affects the already crunchy hi hats and all the instruments as well as the bass part. Second is that the effect adds a significant amount of noise, even at 20% or more. Both of these issues render this feature pretty much unuseable unless you want to do heavy glitch or punk sounds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is a redeeming feature of the Wolf in that it does have separate outs for the bass synth and drums, meaning that you can use external effects to spice up the sound. I turned to a number of cheap distortion, delay and chorus pedals from Amazon and was quite impressed with the results, though it would have been nice not to have to rely on external effects in the first place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Underwelming</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is difficult to offer any praise about the Rhythm Wolf without adding significant caveats or a healthy collection of phrases starting with “but”. When you examine the thought processes behind each of the features, it is easy to understand why they have been included. Unfortunately it is the execution of those features that so sorely lets down the Rhythm Wolf and it is this that makes it so disappointing as a musical instrument.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MPC pads:</b> it's great to get six MPC pads to craft beats with, but sadly they only respond to three levels of velocity: soft, medium and hard. In practice it is difficult to trigger the medium setting and the difference between medium and hard is not easy to discern either. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Howl:</b> as explained before, this function works like a distortion effect akin to the Minimoog output hack to dirty up a signal. Even at 30% or so, the affect is very pronounced and does wonders for the snare and square wave to dirty them up nicely. But even at 10% the Rhythm Wolf also adds a layer of very pronounced static to the output. If that wasn't bad enough, this is a global effect, meaning that it dirties up the already very crunchy percussion as well as the bassline. Both of these side effects renders the feature completely useless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Lackluster Percussion: </b>whether it's the non-descriptive “percussion” sound or the closed and open hats, all of them leave a lot to be desired. I have failed to make any valuable sound with (or that matches any famous vintage drum machine sound for that matter) and I wonder what exactly they were aiming for when Akai put this in. As for the hats, it is difficult to tell the difference between the two as the sounds are so noisy/crunchy that they are indistinct.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>MIDI woes:</b> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I felt that even if I found it difficult to use the sequencer controls that if the Wolf had MIDI that I could at least control it from my DAW. So imagine to my distaste that the MIDI component ONLY sends note data to the bass element and I have not yet found a way to trigger the drum pads over MIDI. I suspected there must be a way but it's <a href="https://c.getsatisfaction.com/akai_professional/topics/is-there-a-midi-implementation-chart-available-for-the-akai-rhythm-wolf-the-user-manual-does-not-contain-one" target="_blank">certainly not obvious</a> and certainly not in the manual.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Oscillator tuning: </b>My musical theory is pretty terrible at the best of times, but even I know that an octave is composed of 12 semitones for a well-tempered piano. So why in all that is holy is it that the Wolf has 14 per octave? It doesn't matter if you wait for it to warm up or try to use their third party tuning app, or even use MIDI over the built in sequencer, the Rhythm Wolf just can't keep in tune. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have looked online and it seems that a bunch of early models have this issue but say that it is fixable. That said there seem to be plenty of others who say that later models also suffer from this but that Akai won't admit it. All this points to a design fault with the Rhythm Wolf or that it was put together on the cheap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Goodbye and good riddance:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is for these reasons why I was able to pick up the Rhythm Wolf for less than half of the RRP, though I was able to sell it for slightly more than I paid for it. I suppose I should be grateful; the internet is awash with bad press about the unit, although some like <a href="http://cdm.link/2014/11/akai-rhythm-wolf-review-analog-doesnt-always-mean-better/" target="_blank">Peter Kirn's CDM review</a> is more disappointed rather than negative. Combining enough instruments to do analogue acid in one box sounds great on paper and is not based on overly new technology, so this should have been straightforward.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>"...it seems that people either are forgiving of the Rhythm Wolf’s eccentricities and are happily making music with it, or they react rather negatively as I did – and without a whole lot of middle ground. It’s good to see some discussion, though. I’d much rather talk frankly about what we think of gear than have the same vanilla review of everything – and the surprising upshot is that the criticism here appears to be giving the Rhythm Wolf some impassioned advocates." </i>Peter Kirn, 2014.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can see why people have these strong opinions; I can appreciate that it if you didn't have anything else or are able to get around some of the misgivings of the Rhythm Wolf that it might be a good starter synth. For around £140 I can appreciated that it's not going to be the best equipment, but having a bass synth that doesn't keep in tune is pretty unforgivable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This makes me wonder why Richard Devine, a man who I respect for patch development and modular synth music, was asked to promote it. From his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4dA7dqgET0" target="_blank">promotional video</a>, even he admits that the wolf needs stomp boxes and external gear to get the most out of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Rhythm Wolf, and perhaps its brother the Tom Cat, are good examples of the premature rush to the analogue market and warnings to manufacturers that if the implementation is not up to the standards set by other companies, don't expect a warm reception.</span><br />
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Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-41202259048321735072017-01-22T17:42:00.001+00:002017-01-22T17:42:30.702+00:00Second Hand: Roland MC-303<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadQbU_yejVht6Bb10u0Kjz2qrN4avY2UqHd536ij6r9BpqUsCOVSkxENVsF30SNjLLh26zaaBfamENLnt39Pk2cpr43oOE9KpSqU6hD1kCcWt_EW1Tx_IW7sXL4lDBoDGkGxsQRjlVsw/s1600/mc303_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadQbU_yejVht6Bb10u0Kjz2qrN4avY2UqHd536ij6r9BpqUsCOVSkxENVsF30SNjLLh26zaaBfamENLnt39Pk2cpr43oOE9KpSqU6hD1kCcWt_EW1Tx_IW7sXL4lDBoDGkGxsQRjlVsw/s320/mc303_01.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">I forgot to say that I actually owned an MC303 groovebox for a short time: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">it's a pretty darn big module, whose buttons and presentation ape older Roland drum machines, and I thought that it might be worth a try when one came up for £100 in east London.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">I noticed quite a few people still like to use this for lots of different sounds to augment their hardware setup, so it couldn't be all bad...could it?</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What is the MC-303?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Born during the heady days of 90s dance hits, Roland had noticed the keen interest that producers had in their earlier TB-303 analogue bassline unit loved for its distinctive sound and tweaking for </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">acid house</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> sounds</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">. Capitalising on the latent success of the product, Roland decided to release an updated ROM-sample based version of the 303 with more capabilities, giving musicians access to classic Roland sounds from their back catalogue of synthesisers and drum machines alongside powerful sequencing and pattern manager, MIDI control and much more. It was the first of its kind, dubbed a Groovebox that musicians could make entire songs with, together with the live tweaking that the original also offered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to the <a href="https://vimeo.com/30584610" target="_blank">popular 303 Documentary</a>, Roland sold over 50,000 units in the two years following its release in 1996, but divided those who were fans of the original unit. I expect that this is one of the more prominent machines that started the Digital vs Analogue debate, but as a machine full of interesting and useable sounds it has plenty of value for anyone who wants the sounds of all the electronic hits of the time but not necessarily the money or the space to get hold of vintage analogue gear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>What does it sound like?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Well, for a ROMpler it's actually surprisingly good and diverse, with tons of different sounds including the creme-de-la-creme of sampled Roland Juno, 808 and 909 sounds plus the GM sound set of samples and sound effects. I can spot lovely pad sounds that made there way into music I used to listen to growing up, particularly some of the pad sounds that made their way into drum and bass records (LTJ Bukem in particular). Each of the seven synth channels can host a different sample, with the eighth channel reserved for drum sounds (including the GM soundset of silly effects). It's great to hear where some of these classic sounds come from and are well worth sampling if nothing else!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's also worth mentioning the filter and effects, more for their inconspicuous nature than because of merit though. The digital low pass and high pass filters are both very weak and underwhelming indeed, so I can see why a lot of people use an additional filter in the signal chain. Meanwhile, the effects are slightly more useful and the delay and reverb are useful in adding a bit of weight to lead sounds but I can't say I enjoyed the flanger/chorus effects as these were pretty weedy. YMMV but I couldn't find a way of effecting single sequencer tracks only, so the filter affected the global output only, which is a shame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Speaking of affecting outputs, the unit's outputs are just left and right audio jacks meaning that you can't add per-sequence effects either in or out of the box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Hardware headaches</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Once I got hold of the manual from the original owner, I was surprised to see just how much functionality lies under the surface. Every button on the unit (and there are plenty of those) has at least two or three different functions depending on what you want to accomplish. Plus, depending on what you want to achieve in the MC303, you have to go to one of five different modes, which affects what some of the buttons do as well. In short: </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">with all this menu diving and option selecting being very difficult to navigate the MC303 doesn't help the creative process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">It's also about tactile response as well. The knobs feel light and effortless to work with and I found it sometimes difficult to nail the right spot for, say, the effects section. And the sheer multitude of different buttons are something else too and it's not helped that the unit tries to pack a load of different things in one box. However </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">the shift button on my unit was incredibly sticky and needed a slightly harder press to get it working - evidence that some of the major buttons were getting a battering through use. I could tell that if I was going to use the unit for any length of time then the contacts were going to give up after lots of hard presses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Programming the machine is a bit of a chore, though you do have copy/paste functions between patterns that you can use to build up phrases into verses, choruses and so on. There's also plenty of space for user patterns too, plus a lot of ideas in various 90s dance styles to get you started. Feasibly you could write entire records using long lengths of patterns on the MC303 and record them using an external device. The only drawback for me is the workflow being rather labour intensive compared to the options we have now and certainly if you have a computer and DAW, then the flexibility of a visual editor for your track, with much finer editing capabilities, just blows this hardware-only option out of the water.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Conclusions</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">I can see why this unit was so popular in its hey-day. For the bedroom composer who didn't have a computer (an expensive thing at the time), you can make all manner of electronic music that sounds pretty close to the records people were releasing in the 90s, all in one small box. It's rugged, has a full complement of MIDI implementation, packs all the different sounds and classic drum samples you're going to need and even allows some improvisation on the fly. I am sure the MC 505 and 909 build on the template set out in this box, though I've never tested them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, in a world where samples are easy enough to come by over the internet and hardware ROM-based samples in particular, there's probably more worth in having this as an eight channel MIDI sequencer for other equipment. Or failing that, you can use the device in much the same way as the CM64 I have, which is to use it as an eight channel sound module via MIDI. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a result, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">I actually sold mine as I prefer to sequence any synthesisers using my DAW rather than a piece of hardware. Its convoluted interface, sticky shift key and lackluster effects meant that it would be better off in someone else's studio than mine.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Further reading:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MC-303">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MC-303</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/mc303.php">http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/mc303.php</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Resources:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIGilpWWI7k">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIGilpWWI7k</a> - Owners Manual, an in-depth video tutorial in how to use this machine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD675gIhM8A">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD675gIhM8A</a> - A slightly more user-friendly demo and tutorial</span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-49582499844907512822017-01-16T13:49:00.000+00:002017-01-16T13:49:13.377+00:00No More Heroes Any More - Requiem pt 2<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Part two of all the deaths in 2016, the worse year for musicians in a long while - not to mention all the actors and comedians as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>September </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><strike>Fabric Nightclub - 07/09/2016 - 17</strike></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">After a couple of teenagers died from class A drug overdoses in the summer, Fabric took the decision to close indefinitely, pending the outcome of their license review. I remember waiting up for hours as the press covered the outcome of the review, but despite passionate pleas, it seemed that the police and local counselors were adamant about closing the venue. Arguments ranged from the logical to the bizarre, with Islington council considering that drug taking was somehow <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/fabric-review-board-actually-considered-lowering-bpms-to-get-the-kids-off-drugs-a7229511.html" target="_blank">linked to the BPM of music</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Luckily, the venue was able to reopen, albeit with an event more restrictive licensing agreement for security and drugs than it had ever been before. Whether Fabric manages to reopen and retain the same vibe as before remains to be seen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Prince Buster - 08/09/2016 - 78</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hot on the heels of Fabric, news broke that rocksteady pioneer Prince Buster had finally given up the ghost. I was sad to hear that he had suffered a series of strokes in recent years, as his music was always lively and energetic, a real jukebox favourite of mine when my dad used to play reggae records.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Donald Buchla - 14/09/2016 - 79</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A pioneer of synthesisers and counterpoint to Moog, Don Buchla was responsible for the development of alternative methods of electronic music. Hailing from San Francisco, the source of inspiration for the name "East Coast Synthesis" to denote the difference from Moog, we have Buchla to thank for all manner of weird wavefolding and additive synthesiser madness (not to mention the different control layouts). Truly a loss whichever camp you prefer, the consolation is that at least Moog and Buchla are back together again, making wild noises in the sky.</span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">October</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Pete Burns - 23/10/2016 - 57</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While I knew of Pete as Dead or Alive's lead singer and his brief appearance on Big Brother some time ago, the only real reason for me mentioning this is that he is the person responsible for the hit "Spin Me Round". That said, 57 is far too young for cardiac arrest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>November</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Jean-Jacques Perrey - 04/11/2016 - 87</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Another pioneer of electronic music from as early as the 60s with early synthesisers including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondioline" target="_blank">Ondiolin</a>, Jean-Jacques' musical output can too easily be dismissed as cheesy pop. It takes a real master to make whimsical tracks that are both simple to hear and yet full of interesting complex tones - just check out Little Ships as a great example. I had been looking into his older releases over the last 12 months, as I had first been introduced to him via a Luke Vibert collaboration album, and to hear of his death while I was doing this was a bit of a shock.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><i>Leonard Cohen - 07/11/2016 - 82</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Here's where I level with you; I never took that much interest in Leonard Cohen aside from the times where his records were covered by contemporary bands while I was growing up. But a heavyweight writer and performer to be sure and a great loss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Craig Gill - 22/11/2016 - 44</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Performing as drummer with the Inspiral Carpets, a great 80s Manchester-based indie rock group, I had tapes of these guys when I was growing up. Such a shame that he only made it to 44, but the band will hopefully soldier on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>December</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Greg Lake - 8/12/2016 - 69</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Following in the footsteps of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake lost his battle with cancer and joined his bandmate in the great gig in the sky. I didn't realise that he was a part of Kid Creole until after his death either, leading to a foray down the rabbit hole of back catalogue releases. God knows how Carl Palmer got through 2016.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">George Michael - 25/12/2016 - 58</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not much to say over what everyone else has; a massive pop star the likes of which Britain has not seen in decades whose hits straddle the 80s all the way to the 00s. Say what you will of his controversy in the tabloids, his musical prowess was second to none. What's ironic is that families across the world listened to Last Christmas as normal, not realising that it literally was the case for George.</span><br />
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Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-38083019723419176832016-12-26T00:39:00.001+00:002016-12-26T00:40:35.608+00:00No More Heroes Any More - Requiem pt 1<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">2016 has been a tough year in many respects; Brexit, Trump, Syria, terrorist bombings, Snooper's Charter. The same has been true for celebrities, with a large number of musicians in particular having been sent to the great gig in the sky this year. This post is not meant to state the obvious but to highlight some of the artists who perhaps didn't get as much screen time as others and to remind us all of the losses of these cultural icons.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">January</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">David Bowie - 10/01/2016 - 69</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A multitude of different hits and never afraid to reinvent himself and his sound, David's death came hot on the heels of Motorhead's Lemmy in the past December and caught everyone by surprise. Staying musically active right up to his death and having only just released his last album, a sort of musical farewell, it seemed incredulous that Bromley's own wonder boy had really been taken too early - another victim of a cancer he hadn't made public. I was most familiar with his 90s work on the soundtrack for "Buddha of Suburbia" and had fond memories of all his popular singles, though it was only in the candlelit vigils around London that I realised how he was so consistently strong across multiple decades.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Glenn Frey - 18/01/2016 - 67</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though The Eagles were very much before my time, everyone and their mum knows the single <i>Hotel California. </i></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Their work is an unmistakeable part of the 70s and even listening to some of their other well-known singles has the effect of taking me back to the days of four piece rock bands, Fleetwood Mac and all the rest.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">March</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Sir George Henry Martin CBE - 08/03/2016 - 90</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A prolific record producer and audio engineer, George Martin helped inspire an entire generation of recording engineers. His most famous productions are undoubtedly the works he made with The Beatles, often being credited as the fifth Beatle responsible for the arrangements and experimental nature of some of their many hits, though he also worked in television and film scoring. A true trailblazer who could record, arrange and compose, I am glad that he managed to reach a ripe old age to enjoy the fruits of his colourful career in stark contrast to some of the other people on this list.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Keith Emerson - 11/03/2016 - 71</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One third of Emerson Lake & Palmer and the first player to haul a Moog Modular on stage to play virtuoso pieces, Keith Emerson very much took synthesiser playing to the next level and broke new ground. His death was made all the more tragic in that it was caused by suicide: a cocktail of depression from drinking and the pressure of dissapointing his fans at upcoming concerts. A really unfortunate tale and I am glad I got to enjoy a couple of their opening songs when they played Victoria Park in London. Sadly, this wouldn't be the only time ELP would be in the news in 2016.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Frank Sinatra Jr - 16/03/2016 - 72</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While to a certain extent riding the coattails of his father, Sinatra Junior continued to keep alive the timeless sound of the Rat Pack / Big Band records and his rigorous attention to detail in the bands that he played with demonstrated his commitment to show business.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>April</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Prince - 21/04/2016 - 57</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like Bowie only three months earlier, April saw another giant of pop bite the dust and a glut of nostalgia for his singles. I remember reading the stories where it was reported he was found slumped over in an elevator, unresponsive, and that he had died of a fairly common illness. A great funk / pop crossover, I am mostly familiar with him through his singles (in particular Kiss via its inclusion in the Radio Soulwax Volume 2 mix album), though like many others I was perplexed about the fact that he changed his name to a symbol. Regardless, 57 is far too young to lose his talent and especially over something so mundane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>June</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>MC Tenor Fly - 17/06/2016</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This artist might be slightly obscure, but anyone who is into their reggae and drum and bass will recognise this name as one of the more prolific names in the 90s dance music scene. Younger audiences will recognise his work on the Pendulum single <i>Tarantula</i> and with The Freestylers' debut album, but his real talents come to the fore with live performances and MC toasting. A real loss to the UK scene, for sure.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Prince Be - 17/06/2016 - 46</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, another loss occurred in the form of hip hop group PM Dawn's lead singer Prince Be. I have a particularly strong connection to their sophomore <i>The Bliss Album? </i>as this was played regularly when my mum drove me around as a kid in the early 90s and gave me an appreciation for hip hop that was melodic and in some ways experimental. It was only in the last few years that I realised that they had sampled Spandau Ballet's <i>True </i>for their debut single and it was only by chance that I even heard of his death after reading YouTube comments in August. While not musically active, this one really hurt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Bernie Worrell - 24/06/2016 - 72</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A real funky mother who played with George Clinton to develop the P-Funk sound as "The Wizard of Woo", I got to know Bernie not only through his music but also the numerous product demos at NAMM of Moog Music's latest synthesisers. Another victim to cancer, Bernie has been one of my inspirations in terms of how to get the most out of simple monosynths by encouraging expressive play and adding phaser effects to give the impression of movement with sustained notes.</span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-76629840868440084942016-12-05T11:35:00.000+00:002016-12-05T11:35:00.198+00:00A guide to Second Hand Synths in UK - part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySQ9qYGJYg3rSy9kUQBPgmtNq0pfOVyv5e1wkg_zftaoPtbHi7LR2Qna8s_rXwCI6uXRYkPb018BZ4wbbtVc5nIZzkJBLaN5Co15a4CCWy7dmQrY3hNuE0LyjYsKl1NDYgWwW5Cgi_Co/s1600/7ec446eb998ece80ea734745.apple-touch-icon-180x180.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySQ9qYGJYg3rSy9kUQBPgmtNq0pfOVyv5e1wkg_zftaoPtbHi7LR2Qna8s_rXwCI6uXRYkPb018BZ4wbbtVc5nIZzkJBLaN5Co15a4CCWy7dmQrY3hNuE0LyjYsKl1NDYgWwW5Cgi_Co/s1600/7ec446eb998ece80ea734745.apple-touch-icon-180x180.png" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The internet is a great thing; connecting people with similar interests together in a meaningful way that allows for more collaboration and idea sharing as well as the buying and selling of goods. In some cases, second hand websites are the only way you can get hold of older equipment that isn't available through retail channels and there's a great number of them to check out that I <a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/a-guide-to-second-hand-synths-in-uk.html" target="_blank">have covered before</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The problem I have is over the bad rap that certain sites get when targeted by the criminal element in society who use these sites to lure victims into situations where they get robbed...or worse. In fact the impetus for these articles was a story about a court case where a 28 year old university graduate was stabbed trying to sell his Apple laptop via Gumtree (luckily he made a recovery, b</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">ut I digress!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, I want to share some best practice tips for meeting up to do a swap or purchase. It makes a lot of sense for sellers to do face to face </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Do your research</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While I have no problem going all over London and beyond to pick stuff up on Gumtree, my girlfriend is put off by the idea of going round to someone’s house with a fistful of notes to buy something. This is something I don't tend to consider when it comes to Gumtree </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">because I have done my best to suss out the seller before I bother stepping out the door, but I get the whole stranger-danger thing. Know where you're going and if you don't feel confident in meeting them at their house, offer to go to a local cafe where you can at least plug in the synth and try it out if not in their own place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Communicate</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Get a phone number from the seller, a full name and a decent street address so that you can Google to figure out a swift entry / exit to the area. Otherwise, keep communicating with the seller: you're doing them a solid by keeping them up to date, though just because they don't reply doesn't necessarily mean that they are up to no good. Musicians are an okay bunch on the whole but can be a bit slow are replying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Bring a Friend</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you are not sure about going round to some random person's house, just get a friend to come round with you. There are sometimes situations where two heads are better than one and if you are going to a sketchy neighbourhood or just one you aren't used to, this is invaluable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For example, I have a friend who is not used to doing Gumtree pickups so if they are convenient I tag along to give him some support. When the opportunity arises, why not pay the favour forward once you are confident on your own?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Obviously this can inadvertently make your seller nervous, especially is there only one of him and two of you. In this case, I find it's always best to introduce whoever is playing the support role, in the interests of being open, and to remain friendly and keep out of any of the negotiations if you aren't buying the item. Everyone I have met with have been fine with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Leave a note</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you can't bring a friend along with you, at least tell someone where you are going. You never know, it might be helpful if you are picking up something particularly heavy or bulky and you need a car later down the line. But for obvious reasons at least someone can track you down later if you need an extra pair of hands or </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Bring as much cash as you need</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All deals I have done, whether buying or selling, are done with cash only. So bring what you need, plus a little extra in case you can work out a deal for buying more than one item or some additional leads. Of course, it might mean that you have a bit more liability when it comes to muggings etc but do your pickups during the daytime and you are bound to do okay.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Reduce your expectations</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">A seller is only looking to sell his item; don't be surprised if you find s/he has already sold the deal of your dreams to someone faster or more desperate than you. Mileage may vary of course, but as long as you react quickly and don't mess the seller around, they are usually able to work with you - unless you get an idiot who refuses to deal with you for no decent reason.</span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-24024113575340116042016-12-04T00:09:00.000+00:002016-12-04T00:09:04.684+00:00Monologue: too many mono synths?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJa3ciA4NxDpd-UIOgo5zvp3ntvJYow_qqpHLmMGnfhhhnAcy_4cLhQWQ2ArJ3VpFgox9mtb2u6Ob5duM4J4fCvaLyOIRoCho7G43lXAPwSzvMJAJdecVsCxkZE9fEdaVr487MH294Qw/s1600/monologue.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJa3ciA4NxDpd-UIOgo5zvp3ntvJYow_qqpHLmMGnfhhhnAcy_4cLhQWQ2ArJ3VpFgox9mtb2u6Ob5duM4J4fCvaLyOIRoCho7G43lXAPwSzvMJAJdecVsCxkZE9fEdaVr487MH294Qw/s320/monologue.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After hyping up their November announcement with images of five different coloured bands, Korg unveiled their latest product; the <a href="http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/monologue/" target="_blank">Monologue</a>, a dual oscillator monosynth from the same stable as the Minilogue, though sporting more than a few tricks under the hood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the colours seemed to echo those on older synths, the Mono/Poly and Polysix respectively, many fans felt that they were going to be looking forward to a new recreation of these classic synths. Korg’s partnership with ARP over the Odyssey had already born fruit, so there was plenty to suggest this may have been on the cards. That the new product was something completely new and the colours merely reflected the cosmetic choices available meant that some were understandably deflated by the Monologue's unveiling. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Put simply: do we really need another keyboard mono synth?
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Monosynths are perhaps one of the easiest and straightforward synthesisers to build. Forget about adding various amounts of polyphony or controlling multiple keyboard signals at once, just make sure your oscillators and filter sounds great for leads and bass sounds and you are pretty much set. If you can, add some additional parameter control in the form of LFOs, sequencers, assignable envelopes semi modular routing, modulators for basic FM and so on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Perhaps the ur-monosynth that I think of when someone mentions one is the Minimoog - simple, elegant and capable of a wide variety of sounds with just three oscillators. Yet from of this limited feature set the synthesiser carved its way onto a whole host of different records, though part of its success is surely due to its prominence as the first accessible synthesiser. However there is no denying how easy it is to use a monosynth and how quickly a satisfying patch can be dialled in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My collection of hardware synths also reflects the large number of monosynths there are and their variety of features but also how many have been released in the short time that I have been collecting them. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtB9K14mDNadouniJrOr6xM_hkua6_2rolcblNFcEcYqLczZQxV8f-dXfr0fB5Diyc7-YscMb5EMaGCNkBFrkCMukHyiZp6lCiWYYQagK223gg-Z2me8ALl26OQqXX_aVYNHUZzM1ceDc/s1600/MoPhoEvolver01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtB9K14mDNadouniJrOr6xM_hkua6_2rolcblNFcEcYqLczZQxV8f-dXfr0fB5Diyc7-YscMb5EMaGCNkBFrkCMukHyiZp6lCiWYYQagK223gg-Z2me8ALl26OQqXX_aVYNHUZzM1ceDc/s320/MoPhoEvolver01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Proof that Monosynths can come with many different feature sets - and colours</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>DSI MoPho</b> - a two oscillator, two sub oscillator analogue monosynth in a desktop module with dual LFOs and envelopes together with an assignable sequencer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>DSI Evolver</b> - a four oscillator (two analogue, two digital waveshapes) hybrid monosynth module with multiple envelopes, LFOs and sequencers, dual low pass and high pass filters and three sets of delay effects.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nONKbMFRQApxzyQgBxlXfOjCE0_1Y_YRiLbTrxRWAoFr5VYJCOd6wnlt4HKZFXtgKR5kB2rlr_FnM2Dkoy_X5kvlAnR4ORVTi5UB_fhYtStwo4VFH12iStlFTVyVcf_kCHB-V5cD_q4/s1600/DSCF0537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nONKbMFRQApxzyQgBxlXfOjCE0_1Y_YRiLbTrxRWAoFr5VYJCOd6wnlt4HKZFXtgKR5kB2rlr_FnM2Dkoy_X5kvlAnR4ORVTi5UB_fhYtStwo4VFH12iStlFTVyVcf_kCHB-V5cD_q4/s320/DSCF0537.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Loud and proud</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Arturia MiniBrute</b> - a monosynth and sub oscillator with an oscillator mixer, LFO, dual envelopes, feedback distortion and arpeggiator, plus a full sized two octave keyboard with aftertouch. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjQz-3ExCKdsC2fd7s1NjF3fwSvrfueRzVmC2LW4OQaMGYe1DYpyM1nUYOOEzTpxm35SHoWK4vPaQgYY3hcUbF3UeuskhoiLiKnbN38Y19DdnQbEN74eLfY2ziRPBCXpGVSjKdb77oKY/s1600/IMAG0363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjQz-3ExCKdsC2fd7s1NjF3fwSvrfueRzVmC2LW4OQaMGYe1DYpyM1nUYOOEzTpxm35SHoWK4vPaQgYY3hcUbF3UeuskhoiLiKnbN38Y19DdnQbEN74eLfY2ziRPBCXpGVSjKdb77oKY/s320/IMAG0363.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Micro in name only.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Arturia MicroBrute</b> - similar and reduced features to the Minibrute in a smaller package, with overtone on the sub oscillator, semi modular patch points for the single LFO and envelope and a 32 step internal sequencer. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEueSmLtDHQTorpelfH2bFmKV6neW0pH9RROhTp7_ZhUi7UH3GIbyFPgslC5H5dOtxqdi-2HvYmzvAaoSJkEvuSz_pPRx1PKwTQHXTg-XHSLhsvCDECquyTtCBB638AJKo5TzdRR6C9D0/s1600/volcabass04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEueSmLtDHQTorpelfH2bFmKV6neW0pH9RROhTp7_ZhUi7UH3GIbyFPgslC5H5dOtxqdi-2HvYmzvAaoSJkEvuSz_pPRx1PKwTQHXTg-XHSLhsvCDECquyTtCBB638AJKo5TzdRR6C9D0/s320/volcabass04.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Huge sound in a small package.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Korg Volca Bass</b> - three oscillator monosynth with a sequencer per oscillator with a shared LFO and A/DR envelope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But it's not just these: there's also the Novation BassStation 2, Dreadbox Erebus, Waldorf Pulse 2, Moog Sub Phatty, Roland SH-101, Korg MS-20, Arp Oddyssey - indeed, the internet is awash with <a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/914582-currently-available-analog-monosynths-huge-list.html" target="_blank">lists</a> running into the several dozens of available hardware synths. To release a new monosynth means going into a highlight saturated market, that it either has to ape a former release as a remake or tries to have features that others either don't have or is good value for money. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">It follows that it is not surprising to see how deflated people get when another mono comes out, as was the same with the Monologue - if Reddit's </span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/5agxs7/the_news_from_korg_monologue/" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">/r/synthesizers</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> board is any indication of popular reaction. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now that the dust has settled and I have tried one out in the flesh, I am pleased to see that the Monologue isn't just a scaled down Minilogue; a smaller version of its bigger brother and made just for the sake of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Microtuning </b>- I imagine that Aphex Twin's involvement with the synth actually gave them the impetus to implement this. It is very rare to see any other keyboard scaling on synthesisers other than Western scaling and being able to set, save and recall tunings quickly might just be the breakthrough that musicians are looking for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Battery power</b> - try finding a full-sized, two-oscillator monosynth that runs on batteries and the list will be pretty small. That Korg were cheeky and didn't pack a power supply is perhaps the biggest drawback of this decision, given that the proper Korg supplies are around £30 plus postage - I can see a gap in the market there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>OLED display</b> - again, a useful feature for a monosynth that has been carried over from the Minilogue.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>Motion Sequencing -</b> a very handy feature to have that has been takne from the Volca Keys. While this is admittedly limited to four parameters, this basically means you can record up to four parameters not covered by the LFO - more modulation for complex patches!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><b>16 step visual sequencer</b> - while the venerable MicroKorg has eight buttons for step indicators and the MicroBrute has a longer sequencer but no feedback, having 16 buttons and indicators for each step is immensely useful - especially for the acid-style patterns that suit this machine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Not to mention that this is a fully featured dual oscillator monosynth with multiple shapes, a full filter, LFO, patch memory and more plus a full gamut of connectivity including MIDI in/out, sync in/out and USB.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this new release, Korg have actually tried to add some interesting features that are difficult to come across in a hardware monosynth and certainly not something you might expect in its price category. So perhaps there's room in this produce category for store shelves and space in someone's studio for yet another monosynth!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Further reading</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/monologue/">http://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/monologue/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/914582-currently-available-analog-monosynths-huge-list.html">https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/914582-currently-available-analog-monosynths-huge-list.html</a></span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-70361659893105434082016-11-19T10:30:00.000+00:002016-11-19T10:30:18.992+00:00Saturday Soundtracks: Grand Theft Auto Vice City Theme<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ag6H1e1rXJ0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ag6H1e1rXJ0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kicking off with a cheeky Commodore 64 reference to the burgeoning home computing revolution at the time of the game, Vice City is a stylish follow up to the first Grand Theft Auto to grace the Playstation 2 console and rather than continue with a present-day story looks to the past for inspiration and motifs - the 1980s.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the superb introduction video illustrates, this GTA was trying more than ever before to be a stylish movie, with all the nods to famous TV shows of the time (Miami Vice, Magnum PI etc) in both visual style as well as the cheesy synth pop that echoes the same shows, complete with saxophone and guitar riffs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This was also the first title in the series that ushered in a complete story, where the protagonist is a fully rounded character with his own reactions and lines, meaning that you actually felt that you were controlling someone's destiny rather than Claude's mute avatar that was a blank canvas for the player to fill. As such it's the first total GTA experience that would define the sequels, a full story from rags to riches.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And it would be rude of me not to cover the soundtrack; from early hip hop to synth wave and from funk to stadium rock (not to mention two sets of chat radio), there's something on every radio station for every taste and situation, doing an excellent job of recreating a car drive in the 80s. </span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-58403665321624216862016-11-01T23:34:00.000+00:002016-11-01T23:37:41.717+00:007 things I learned about Korg from their AMA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkYkegue7fQsZ9K3FJnOIOsaZPhfpCPQdBeoiwD6DI8Q-VVdZSl9gfiR_NHulNr8Hz3zldm1SMzjwu_cDHZlbglKwRwljHMoNh4u54YN67bioTUagosPHxYMEV4VtIKUVhvAmdsr7tsg/s1600/RedditAMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkYkegue7fQsZ9K3FJnOIOsaZPhfpCPQdBeoiwD6DI8Q-VVdZSl9gfiR_NHulNr8Hz3zldm1SMzjwu_cDHZlbglKwRwljHMoNh4u54YN67bioTUagosPHxYMEV4VtIKUVhvAmdsr7tsg/s200/RedditAMA.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Following a recent </span><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/5ajurp/hello_were_korg_usa_and_we_sell_synths_and_synth/" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Reddit AMA</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> on the r/synthesizers subreddit shortly after the announcement of the newly minted Monologue, Nick Kwas from Korg was on hand and able to answer questions from the synthesiser community and it was gratifying to see how many questions Nick was able to go through.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Having read the rather large post, I have collected some of the insights I found of interest from the AMA based on Nick’s responses in a short form version here.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Module versions unlikely</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While the recent announcement of a desktop module version of the Arp Odyssey suggested more desktop versions to come, the line from Nick highlighted the use of minikeys to reduce overall space but give people the option to play directly if they wish. On the one hand, I wish that module versions were an option as these definitely save more space but mean that you have two sets of every product to support. On the other I understand the thought processes behind the decision to use minikeys and at the very least synthesisers are generally smaller than they used to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Staying out of Eurorack</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to Nick, Korg seems happy to leave this market to the smaller makers in terms of module development, though their products will continue to feature the capability to sync with Eurorack gear (SQ1 and Volca sync). Nick also felt that Roland’s start to Eurorack was abortive as their modules used too much current and their analogue modules didn't sound enough like the originals, though I infer this is more his own opinion than that of Korg. I am sure that Korg are careful not too make a false move and I am sure they have noticed how saturated the market is already with the number of Korg filter and oscillator clones already available.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgv0gc1AISEEvWN_d3IYLgSX9iX113G0YxmNBLfndBfik9zNVcSdv17CpJxvcewEogo3egUpO9VMCrGp46cbMZpBKLsFR5lDOT0aOHfhz2VLI3ssBQzu5d4GH6Fa8Bbm-2ItjWVvpPu4/s1600/Cv7ilFQWgAAwO72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLgv0gc1AISEEvWN_d3IYLgSX9iX113G0YxmNBLfndBfik9zNVcSdv17CpJxvcewEogo3egUpO9VMCrGp46cbMZpBKLsFR5lDOT0aOHfhz2VLI3ssBQzu5d4GH6Fa8Bbm-2ItjWVvpPu4/s200/Cv7ilFQWgAAwO72.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Those SonicState Volca mockups were not official</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Though impressive, unfortunately the two renders (courtesy of <a href="http://www.matrixsynth.com/2016/10/new-korg-volca-wave-wavetable-vc-1.html" target="_blank">MatrixSynth</a>) of potential new Volcas seen during the weekend before Halloween were simply just that - some conceptual ideas from a fan for future products. Though coy, Nick didn't rule out anything similar in the future, but we are back to the guessing game in terms of predicting Tats’ next move.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuyTke7tqnHrIMim3KtCXKZLyWZNdpQMmjhduPI58AwW1ZfWO114pRnvzkpzNaVhBGsyVu0bx7SVNJHaEKfP3fqPGlEXnRalZOtmaMoi2QEDvZVhJMe5D5W3-Cg7XkfRJyyJ75yNU7IA/s1600/Cv7ioWpXEAEG-aw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuyTke7tqnHrIMim3KtCXKZLyWZNdpQMmjhduPI58AwW1ZfWO114pRnvzkpzNaVhBGsyVu0bx7SVNJHaEKfP3fqPGlEXnRalZOtmaMoi2QEDvZVhJMe5D5W3-Cg7XkfRJyyJ75yNU7IA/s200/Cv7ioWpXEAEG-aw.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Incoming Minilogue Firmware Updates</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Nick has confirmed that new firmware is in the works to address suggestions about the sequencer functionality and other bugs. However, it seems that there won't be an update to add all the new functionality seen on the new Monologue, citing potential issues with the hardware of the Minilogue. I expect they will want to keep some of the new features back to ensure that there are some specific and unique differences between the two so people will pick up both.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Korg Polysix remake unlikely</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Most responses to questions about a new polysix reissue in the vein of the MS20 Mini were directed to the iOS version instead. Whether there is not enough of a demand for Korg to look at a reissue of this keyboard or that it simply isn't a high priority, who can say? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>ARP 2600 remake equally unlikely</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Likewise, Nick indicates that Korg don't seem to be looking at the 2600 as a likely candidate for a remake following the Oddyssey, mentioning that they don't know if it would be commercial enough to do so and that impressive remakes already exist. I imagine there might be a bit too much of a niche market for someone like Korg to put in the time and effort to go after it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Korg has two synthesiser teams</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">According to Nick, one team is lead by Tatsuya Takahashi and focuses on new developments and products like the Volcas and Minilogue, while the other concentrates on reissues of their past synthesisers. While it's a stretch to think that products will leapfrog each other, it does show that Korg are dedicated to continued synthesiser development both from their back catalogue as well as new designs, meaning more things from them in the not too distant future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thanks again to Nick, Korg USA and the subreddit moderators for organising this and I look forward to the next one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Links:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/5ajurp/hello_were_korg_usa_and_we_sell_synths_and_synth/" target="_blank">The original Reddit AMA</a></span><br />
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Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-25754648717573558922016-10-29T10:00:00.000+01:002016-10-29T10:00:24.635+01:00Saturday Soundtracks: GTA San Andreas Theme Song<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">GTA 3 was big, a full playground in three dimensions that full realised what the meagre Playstation was trying to achieve with the first two releases. Vice City expanded on the former, with a full story with all the 80s music and tropes you could ever wish to have in all of the main and side missions, plus helicopters, boats and loads more besides. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But at some five times the size of Vice City, itself a large world to play in, GTA San Andreas is an absolute monster of a game and at times it's amazing to think of how Rockstar managed to pack so much into just a Playstation 2 disc.</span><br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I didn't have a PS2, it was a good few years later that I got to play this title on the PC, with my brother and I taking Carl Johnson back to Grove Street. Running round a perfectly rendered simulation of downtown LA in the early 90s, the soundtrack just just about everything covered - from rock, new jack swing and pop to funk, rap and hiphop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But for me the opening theme sets the scene so well in the same way that Vice City did and immediately establishes the tone and West-Coast P-Funk styles that you are going to expect from the game. It is almost as if Dre had composed this on a whim; a simple, clean beat with a deep bassline and high-pitched MiniMoog lead that could have been taken <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OR-131imhM" target="_blank">from any of his hits</a>. A perfect entrance to the last PS2 GTA title: this is clearly about 90s West Coast street gangs and violence with a hip hop bent, something that you are reminded of each time with little samples carrying the leitmotif each time you complete a mission.</span><br />
<br />Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-46748400990013625982016-10-09T09:30:00.000+01:002016-10-09T09:30:31.680+01:00MyVolts Splitter Version 2 - review<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL39QfLwD0ZK8KZ_0_XuWBcVSkevNtJ12mcXLr4SviNoaJZA-HnXZKFpe7YD1ltOqv5iSX8g8txq3EsJDXGEDoqLn7-yfKZjfvqZ-ClyWwU8Iw0NVAxHbChLJ0iYEYvCtP_zg4OQqOc4w/s1600/Myvolts_SplitterV2_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL39QfLwD0ZK8KZ_0_XuWBcVSkevNtJ12mcXLr4SviNoaJZA-HnXZKFpe7YD1ltOqv5iSX8g8txq3EsJDXGEDoqLn7-yfKZjfvqZ-ClyWwU8Iw0NVAxHbChLJ0iYEYvCtP_zg4OQqOc4w/s320/Myvolts_SplitterV2_03.jpg" width="320" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thanks to MyVolts for supplying the review cable for this post. If you want to get your own with a discount, CAROLVOLCA2 on <a href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/" target="_blank">their website</a> will get you £3 off before 14 October 2016.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As alluded to earlier in the week, the folks at MyVolts have just released version two of their power splitter cable for up to five Korg Volcas, and now that mine has arrived I thought I would take it for a quick spin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the flesh, the updated cable is almost exactly the same as before with connector on one end for a 9V power supply, a point roughly two thirds of the way down the cable where the cable splits into five separate cables which end in five Volca-compatible connectors, though this time the connectors are right angled rather than straight up. Unless there are some other changes under the hood, this is the sole change that will be obvious or will matter to most users, myself included, as the length of the cable and build quality remains the same.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7o_9eZEJZ7daOg7rxL6RaEn1YPk0A3eDDOFim_BYgBAafXQB6-1EDe5qbdkwNn3QZ1R7uLXHM37l4rj5aCdtlYmd_lNfeqkhQB-pPEi_YKirG_Dnb0uVYA20ccS0NwbOcGK8B3CUfVo/s1600/Myvolts_SplitterV2_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7o_9eZEJZ7daOg7rxL6RaEn1YPk0A3eDDOFim_BYgBAafXQB6-1EDe5qbdkwNn3QZ1R7uLXHM37l4rj5aCdtlYmd_lNfeqkhQB-pPEi_YKirG_Dnb0uVYA20ccS0NwbOcGK8B3CUfVo/s320/Myvolts_SplitterV2_01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Version one on the left, version two on the right</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I believe Nick Batt of Sonic State was one of the first people I had heard asking after this when the original cable was going around (at the time I was just pleased to be be able to power my Volcas with just one power supply rather than four), thought it wasn't until I replaced the cables in my rack setup that I realised what a difference this little change makes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As you can see from the comparison pic, the cables now route nicely round the sides of the Volcas and out of the way, whereas in the past they often got in the way of other controls because of the way they were plugged in. It's only now that I have the new splitter that I fully appreciated this new development.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwMysA3GyDD_974YifMRoc4U4-eWEyhcWkI3gBdtn0Q0delVGuz5A8QvbdCCU_bTtN5xRIxkPi-q8fUx4S8cGgYyhHjnJMZuGAj3PFSR2l4a6cfOcUYqJAHzZFanb-wN2ULggH8NSKOE/s1600/Myvolts_SplitterV2_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwMysA3GyDD_974YifMRoc4U4-eWEyhcWkI3gBdtn0Q0delVGuz5A8QvbdCCU_bTtN5xRIxkPi-q8fUx4S8cGgYyhHjnJMZuGAj3PFSR2l4a6cfOcUYqJAHzZFanb-wN2ULggH8NSKOE/s320/Myvolts_SplitterV2_06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Version two on the left, version one on the right</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">There is one area I have found where the previous version excels over the latest, which is where you can use the splitter to power the Kaossillator range. As you can see, the angled connectors mean that you will have to angle the connectors upward if you want to use these on a flat surface without obscuring the other connectors. In comparison, the straight connectors are perfect as they do not cover any of the other plugs or sockets and keeps things out of the way, so if like me you have the kaossilators and version one of the splitter as well, you can upgrade your Volcas with the new right angled plugs and will be able to power your Kaossillators too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Conclusions</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I <a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable.html" target="_blank">recommended</a> the original version one splitter earlier in the year as an excellent way of powering up to five Volcas at once and this new cable is recommended for the same reasons, plus it does its job more conspicuously with the new right angled cables. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">if you haven't already got one of these and have multiple Volcas, now is a good time to jump in and get one now that they are better adapted to do so. Even if you have an original one, a tenner plus shipping is not going to break the bank either and as Korg use the same connectors in multiple devices, your older cable is going to see further use elsewhere with different gear or simply five additional Volcas. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Links</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><a href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/">http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/</a> - MyVolts' Website and listing for the splitter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;"><a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable.html">http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable.html</a> - review of the original splitter.</span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-16594255277845670072016-10-08T10:51:00.000+01:002016-10-08T10:51:04.137+01:00Saturday Soundtracks: Star Goose for Atari ST<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8TP9Y1vy-_E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8TP9Y1vy-_E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Back to the old school Atari ST with this vertical scrolling shooter, featuring a tank that fired bullets or collected missiles and disappeared down 3D tunnels picking up tokens to recharge fuel and shields. The premise is simple: shoot down everything in your path, collect the gems and don't run out of shields or fuel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A game that featured exactly zero sound effects during the game but made up for it with a wonderfully pumping soundtrack. Now that I think about it, I struggled to get the link with geese and I assumed that it was something to do with the shape of the ship, but nevertheless a solid scrolling shooter.</span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-40909536590997641142016-10-02T12:33:00.001+01:002016-10-02T12:35:24.224+01:00MyVolts Power Splitter Version 2: Power Harder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAedq0Vmst13QWxxwf5l67vwxCcB3Qyrjvg6x4t-AbpAzvBR2kOsGuDcytFrbfkX7W61uZVXLv5ZJ9un2Ou8bSKqy71vt4kam23ZZrS8mmpqzn6zXZeQwV4OTt6N1-X9GqNTavHOvEJrY/s1600/MyVoltsSplitter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAedq0Vmst13QWxxwf5l67vwxCcB3Qyrjvg6x4t-AbpAzvBR2kOsGuDcytFrbfkX7W61uZVXLv5ZJ9un2Ou8bSKqy71vt4kam23ZZrS8mmpqzn6zXZeQwV4OTt6N1-X9GqNTavHOvEJrY/s320/MyVoltsSplitter2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fresh from coverage and feedback from all the major synth sites including <a href="http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2016/05/26/ripcord-lets-you-power-your-music-gear-via-usb/" target="_blank">Synthtopia</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzo8l5GBQ3E" target="_blank">SonicState</a>, those geniuses at MyVolts have been busy updating their five-way Korg Volca power splitter for powering multiple Volcas through either one wall wart or a single USB charger. I have been a fan of this device ever since it was <a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable.html" target="_blank">announced</a>, so more updates are very much welcome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From the looks of things, the <a href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/" target="_blank">cable</a> seems to be the same length from the split point and the connectors are now right angled rather than upright/straight ones. I recall this was one of the main suggestions that Nick Batt had when they covered this via YouTube and when you're using Volcas in an upright rack or next to each other the upright connectors can obscure the controls of another Volca. With right angles I'm hopeful that the connector will be much more inconspicuous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">MyVolts have kindly provided me with one of the new splitter leads to try out, </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">so as soon as I get it plugged in I'll let you know how it fares. In the meantime, if you have multiple Volcas and haven't sorted out a power solution, you can do a lot worse than picking up one of these, plus use code CAROVOLCA2 on the MyVolts website before 14 October 2016 and save yourself a few quid too.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Links:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/">http://myvolts.co.uk/product/18809/</a>- New 5 way splitter</span></span>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-41459426270092488302016-09-11T13:46:00.000+01:002016-10-04T19:39:00.155+01:00Ikea RAST 6U rack case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZDych2YOZH70PZ1tW0agObrBmwDafYax0ngQe4lRFOgvOHT8bTPLVRaUxEIDrih6XO8K1TWK6s5ODhJbdYQ3I176Rk5fblX6KoiliehDSrBdlGUrP53UgqTDrl5ppoR2tXcXPv3JQzE/s1600/RAST_Rack07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZDych2YOZH70PZ1tW0agObrBmwDafYax0ngQe4lRFOgvOHT8bTPLVRaUxEIDrih6XO8K1TWK6s5ODhJbdYQ3I176Rk5fblX6KoiliehDSrBdlGUrP53UgqTDrl5ppoR2tXcXPv3JQzE/s320/RAST_Rack07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For about a year or so, I've had a couple of rack sized effects units on my table that were being used for live jamming for my MiniBrute; a Behringer Virtualizer and an Alesis Microverb 4. For the longest time, they have been taking up space on the side of my room in a non-optimal place to store and use them, so I have been looking for another solution.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Step in the Ikea RAST, a cheap side table with an amazing feature: it's 19" wide, the perfect fit for a rack unit. Just add some <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Metal-Parts-Rack-Strip-Rail/dp/B00APFFNXO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472679404&sr=8-2&keywords=all+metal+6u" target="_blank">6U metal rack rails</a> and M6 bolts and you can convert this into a 6U rack unit - the cheapo wood preserver from B&Q was a couple of quid so in total the project was only £15 if only.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can't take any credit for being able to build this, as I completely followed the great Instructables how-to for the 6U version and managed to get hold of a Rast unit before they were discontinued in the UK.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPlzhF_8cpof8MqC7Fr-nVp3c3Ls5r8ez0ZXAuCEOcFHWHQWuPfXfLM-zNvVIrl4X2E9ClU-TYfJFh66qeaDxaThyphenhyphen73qr1HFlFZQOOvZSye399IrD1y4u3_LKkBfiIfQacpHmzB3obow/s1600/RAST_Rack01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPlzhF_8cpof8MqC7Fr-nVp3c3Ls5r8ez0ZXAuCEOcFHWHQWuPfXfLM-zNvVIrl4X2E9ClU-TYfJFh66qeaDxaThyphenhyphen73qr1HFlFZQOOvZSye399IrD1y4u3_LKkBfiIfQacpHmzB3obow/s400/RAST_Rack01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Putting the unit together, but not fully together so we can take it apart easily for painting. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymYXeL3tw0zKDZNezbYHWBTZCdIcbCZSPoKevAYTAQMJR1os6pdQHAx9oiVBtkABC-wx_V-AMENpAnuHceEfFeK2bZjCKsXfyMloUAfhSsUsfyLexIFU9LaaCYybnRnxDCo0wbU-J7d0/s1600/RAST_Rack02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymYXeL3tw0zKDZNezbYHWBTZCdIcbCZSPoKevAYTAQMJR1os6pdQHAx9oiVBtkABC-wx_V-AMENpAnuHceEfFeK2bZjCKsXfyMloUAfhSsUsfyLexIFU9LaaCYybnRnxDCo0wbU-J7d0/s400/RAST_Rack02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Offering up the rack units on the inside of the side table. I measured 10mm at the bottom edge and used the racks and some pencil markings for the screw holes. After putting the marks in I used the tip of a wood screw to make some pilot holes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfGdmmOn6mVr9nhaugkhkClrNNuPQdtnX6C9LYPaENVq8E-2DWEnPrPXOp-JYaE8wRuJmQ4JDLArHa6LyCZNVjGH-E8tqqjUvurOL3lR9UclREIPfIjcpRLB75U993XIL5ELAOVKrLeI/s1600/RAST_Rack03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfGdmmOn6mVr9nhaugkhkClrNNuPQdtnX6C9LYPaENVq8E-2DWEnPrPXOp-JYaE8wRuJmQ4JDLArHa6LyCZNVjGH-E8tqqjUvurOL3lR9UclREIPfIjcpRLB75U993XIL5ELAOVKrLeI/s400/RAST_Rack03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Taking it all apart before using the wood preserver on each section</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5ezVHC9I5Ic77QWf-srGcKiQr7cu7lgzbdGchwefF8iqT8U2O1nH-0Nzznqfg48c0r5zQsJAO_vVKX3ie5PKKuTsFUKY0vtFDx84TeCfX2XDfUJQgFLBd8KlceisbpcIK9vYn78Ixao/s1600/RAST_Rack04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5ezVHC9I5Ic77QWf-srGcKiQr7cu7lgzbdGchwefF8iqT8U2O1nH-0Nzznqfg48c0r5zQsJAO_vVKX3ie5PKKuTsFUKY0vtFDx84TeCfX2XDfUJQgFLBd8KlceisbpcIK9vYn78Ixao/s320/RAST_Rack04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Putting it all back together once it had a good coat of wood preserver and screwing the rack ends on. As you can see, it comes together very easily - obviously your mileage will vary but it took about 20 minutes to coat all four pieces of wood and 50 minutes for this to dry. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFpk6dtLAh7i4YZ5G3Ld3W6jZo6apmMf2_Qyuz12f7gIppzBYqdAsuwV1v3Na5VM7bZ1XqjpvZhOoWYnbDNr47OxspUGlp-uvp2_BDTKvSPeKVRuMXu-5UfCCTvuDs8T9v8gvwQtZ8Ic/s1600/RAST_Rack05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFpk6dtLAh7i4YZ5G3Ld3W6jZo6apmMf2_Qyuz12f7gIppzBYqdAsuwV1v3Na5VM7bZ1XqjpvZhOoWYnbDNr47OxspUGlp-uvp2_BDTKvSPeKVRuMXu-5UfCCTvuDs8T9v8gvwQtZ8Ic/s320/RAST_Rack05.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All done! Plenty of space for the couple of rack units I have and loads of space for other units, trays etc. What's nice about this is that I can put things on top of the table as was originally intended by Ikea, plus a unique way to put the rack unit gear in.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9cITIHbYBM_kDPe1EW02fxAtc7Er9x7NV_zIaG-BH0aX0pcVYyMlhozS9DOvhGjt4chG2dXUE2fdLERf4B2qh2tNWXIAjkcnoYYB3kOA_KtPiR89AS29gOJxj5Vq_Ygj7yQryRiCiBw/s1600/RAST_Rack06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9cITIHbYBM_kDPe1EW02fxAtc7Er9x7NV_zIaG-BH0aX0pcVYyMlhozS9DOvhGjt4chG2dXUE2fdLERf4B2qh2tNWXIAjkcnoYYB3kOA_KtPiR89AS29gOJxj5Vq_Ygj7yQryRiCiBw/s320/RAST_Rack06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I've already asked my dad if he has any rack unit gear to add to this, plus there's plenty of cheap accessories for under a tenner each from Amazon.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Alternatives</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you want a cheap audio rack, there are some quite cheap alternatives on Amazon that are worth a look at. I have seen one of these in the flesh from <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-13278-19-Inch-Desktop-Equipment/dp/B000OR7TU8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472733407&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+rack" target="_blank">Stagg</a> that is also under £15, but the practical advantage of the Rast is that you can use it as a normal piece of furniture regardless of how many rack units you're using.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The biggest problem as I can see is the availability of the Rast side table. It's still available in the US, but as it's probably at least triple the cost to ship one to the UK, an alternative to the Rast needs to be found. Some ideas are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">HOL Side table: <a href="http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70161320/">http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/70161320/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">50cm wide, but not sure how wide the end legs are so potentially could be just too small.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">LACK table: <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60284213/">http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60284213/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif;">Cheap and would work, but apparently the legs are not constructed so that they are strong enough to deal with the weight.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Links:</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/8U-Rack-Case-From-IKEA-RAST-Table" target="_blank">http://www.instructables.com/id/8U-Rack-Case-From-IKEA-RAST-Table</a></span><br />
<br />Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-88589917075352162312016-09-08T07:56:00.000+01:002016-09-08T07:56:25.712+01:00DSI Evolver and MoPho<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRHE96hiWBZTZOGx_Jtx9dL06BW-ze64g8fzW4AecZsUSyaImlkRQgREnQ7zsqp3UShgFLFAWWtd3Bw61L3rwy7gPe7FqLF2g2QBoos0oSXRTQz2jXYMTkfo_x7ZRTAzIu_VNm_lYNdU/s1600/MoPhoEvolver01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRHE96hiWBZTZOGx_Jtx9dL06BW-ze64g8fzW4AecZsUSyaImlkRQgREnQ7zsqp3UShgFLFAWWtd3Bw61L3rwy7gPe7FqLF2g2QBoos0oSXRTQz2jXYMTkfo_x7ZRTAzIu_VNm_lYNdU/s320/MoPhoEvolver01.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, good things come in pairs. I recently jumped on the chance to buy two second hand synthesisers from a chap in Kensal Green; a MoPho module and Evolver module from Dave Smith Instruments. Despite only wanting the Evolver initially, I found that to buy both was only £100 more so I jumped at the chance to grab another cheap analogue box.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have always been attracted to the Evolver, initally because the keyboard versions looks and sounds like a blue UFO but now because a 4 oscillator monosynth with three delay lines and four sequencers sounds immense.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both synths, now discontinued, have had a good run; the MoPho in particular providing cheap and reliable analogue bass and lead sounds to a generation of musicians with both enough hands on control with a deep and rich feature set for those looking to get under the hood.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Back to basics</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Getting these second hand at the price was a boon but as always there are always caveats with second hand gear. Luckily the biggest issues with this one were a few odd dings in the plastic case, the missing DSI sticker on the near side of the case and a weird pencil point shaped hole in the display (which thankfully disappears in operation). The MoPho meanwhile was not so lucky; a few dings in the plastic over the display were joined by a few missing encoder knobs, though to be fair all the knobs were pretty loose on the splines so it's no wonder they had gone missing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To counterpoint this, at the very least the paintwork wasn't chipped on either synth, all the buttons and knobs worked more or less perfectly and as both have been used in smoke free studios at least the ought to be in good condition inside and out.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YugE7MdDDwz2-8fOBbx51goRo_rbs66Uq-VndW36UNL-xlESuYAQWO880KkDZ5N5JhptfuYBLTbI1it4QtR0ksQhFphej2vgWw1Ha1rmbklUZuvJ9QaiZ6ZMPtkquhBKEAQ_G8nHSCk/s1600/IMG_20160814_152330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YugE7MdDDwz2-8fOBbx51goRo_rbs66Uq-VndW36UNL-xlESuYAQWO880KkDZ5N5JhptfuYBLTbI1it4QtR0ksQhFphej2vgWw1Ha1rmbklUZuvJ9QaiZ6ZMPtkquhBKEAQ_G8nHSCk/s400/IMG_20160814_152330.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">I think this is even better than the originals</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let's tackle the MoPho first: a couple of knob caps were missing, but I imagine that’s often the issue with a few synths as they don’t tend to sit very snug on either the MoPho or the Evolver. Taking the MoPho down to my dad's workshop, we quickly found a few knob caps in yellow and black. Despite the encoder splines being slightly too short for the new caps, once we sanded them down to the right height they suited the synth so well that we replaced all of them. They sit much more rigidly on the unit and I think you will agree that they suit the colour and style of the MoPho perfectly. (Side note: if anyone in the UK wants a pack of 9 MoPho encoders for spares pay me the postage and they are yours!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Additionally, there's always a certain amount of gunk, finger grease and general crud on second hand synths and a bit of isopropyl alcohol and a blue kitchen cloth did wonders at getting the yellow and orange shining again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Programming time</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As with all digital synthesisers that are in module form space is always at a premium when it comes to controls and patch programming, though thankfully for both the MoPho and Evolver this has been thought of and catered for by specific approaches with the endless encoders and buttons provided.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the Evolver, a matrix of 8x8 rows are assigned by buttons on the side, with each of the eight parameters per row assigned to one of the endless controllers across the top. There is also a shift button that can be held down to access another eight parameters per row, meaning there are 128 parameters on this synthesiser alone, plus the step sequencers and general options.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGyFFjvIWevEqSiZir5w8kDiRasor0IlU7eM1fwHAW6rRAT2orzB6R-1DlpMqiClDPjNdiqcPmWrq2J3mCi5FE5x9rxw4_a6Fb1-T0PiNkpSexjYIsDjk7ve7uVwK6szX9mHOrZ2VGK4/s1600/MoPhoEvolver03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGyFFjvIWevEqSiZir5w8kDiRasor0IlU7eM1fwHAW6rRAT2orzB6R-1DlpMqiClDPjNdiqcPmWrq2J3mCi5FE5x9rxw4_a6Fb1-T0PiNkpSexjYIsDjk7ve7uVwK6szX9mHOrZ2VGK4/s320/MoPhoEvolver03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While this can be slightly overwhelming for the initiate synthesist, I found the Evolver more straightforward to use in terms of accessing all the parameters and things are laid out from top to bottom in a straightforward manner, with oscillators at the top rows leading into filters, envelopes, modulators, effects and finally sequencers at the bottom; much like a traditional subtractive synthesiser displays elements from left to right. Anyone who is familiar with programming the Korg MicroKorg will also be at home here and as soon as I saw a favourable comparison with that method of accessing all the features, I found it a lot easier to use. However, as the only indicator of values are three sevensegment displays (also like the MicroKorg!) it can sometimes be difficult to see at a glance what you are programming, together with some creative uses of the segment displays to highlight each parameter.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the Mopho, the opposite problem occurs. While the MoPho has a lovely two row LCD display that shows full alphanumerics for patch and parameter names, each patch has to be edited one parameter at a time, which can be rather slow and tedious despite a better understanding of what you are changing each time. This is exacerbated by not having any idea of the order that the patch parameters appear in and due to the size of the unit it is impossible to have the parameter list or matrix setup presented on the unit like the Evolver. This is actually one of the biggest reasons why I sold my Akai Miniak; it’s far too much menu diving on small screens to take full advantage of the synthesiser’s engine.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Under the Hood</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks to the prompt action from the former owner and the quick response from Soundtower employees (thanks Kris!), I have managed to get hold of licenses for the Evolver and MoPho standalone editors. While originally the synths came bundled with light versions of the software, these full versions are streets ahead of the free versions and until I got confirmation of the license transfer I was seriously trying to justify spending the best part of £100 on new licenses for editors for both synths.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0Pc1dnzrUPjzRnfMiD32bTIVaf6QRQtwqhNau94yjGRWZ0qN_HWmaNO9uSkrwEs5ATfmqToVU7e4GAK120h3vByNRypAqHMOtoOgOL5-iNxIQ754hIID5p_TCQiYDiaF_NOuMjo2Obo/s1600/EvolverEditor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0Pc1dnzrUPjzRnfMiD32bTIVaf6QRQtwqhNau94yjGRWZ0qN_HWmaNO9uSkrwEs5ATfmqToVU7e4GAK120h3vByNRypAqHMOtoOgOL5-iNxIQ754hIID5p_TCQiYDiaF_NOuMjo2Obo/s400/EvolverEditor.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Get access to all the options and functions via this editor panel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What the sound editors do is put your MIDI ports to good use by squirting SYSEX messages from your PC to the synth in order to change every parameter of the synth from one panel. Envelopes in particular are much clearer and can be adjusted via knobs and/or graphical representations. Signal flow is much easier to follow when tweaking. You can backup and load new sound banks and keep track with a built in librarian. Genetics creates program variants on the fly from two source patches, leading to wild, serendipitous sound creations. There is just no getting round it; both these synths demand integration with the PC editors and in the case of the MoPho this is near essential for manual patch generation. It turns a hardware analogue synth into a programmable hardware synth with VST integration...well not quite, as Soundtower have arranged VST integration as a separate product, so there's still something I will need to fork out for. The workaround I have found in Bitwig involves mapping CC values to controllers via devices so I can still automate the hardware synth in a roundabout fashion.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Tl:dr </b>- be mindful of the need to grab a full editor for these synths if you decide to pick them up and the extra expense. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In fact if I didn't have the editor I think I would probably have flipped the MoPho straight away as editing or creating patches with the display would be far too difficult. Additionally, I wouldn't be able to adjust the user waveforms held in the Evolver’s RAM either, so it's a win all round.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Conclusion</span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both synths are very much a product of their time, when the trend for PC and DAW based music making was tipping the balance against hardware and integration of hardware with software was the best approach to get Cubase, Fruity Loops and Logic users interested in unique (Evolver) or classic (MoPho) sounding hardware synths. Great without the editors but absolutely astounding for the price with them, I am really going to enjoy these two!</span></span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-49839976836916233352016-06-20T13:54:00.000+01:002016-06-20T19:38:19.943+01:00A guide to Second Hand Synths in UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xAJ-g_bk_7oCVIyO6lQEM3qZ9J8edv0Es9x51E3Wr2xhWgW7odn4fvCaXbGPwMZNB4GSEbnvDCqQ-wqgx9OJE3x6tse-ZQ4vT7ODwpPT2BECm0FLzH0ro4HLvjDDjCLOgN13CtuVklQ/s1600/004.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xAJ-g_bk_7oCVIyO6lQEM3qZ9J8edv0Es9x51E3Wr2xhWgW7odn4fvCaXbGPwMZNB4GSEbnvDCqQ-wqgx9OJE3x6tse-ZQ4vT7ODwpPT2BECm0FLzH0ro4HLvjDDjCLOgN13CtuVklQ/s320/004.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So you want to buy a synthesiser, but don't necessarily have the budget to go all out on a new item: where do you go next? The UK second hand market is full of options and people selling their gear for a variety of reasons, whether it's to raise funds for newer hardware, whether children on the way, a change to all in the box or perhaps relocating to another country.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">However, it can be daunting for newcomers to know where to get the best deals or just what to expect in terms of prices, availability, selection and so on. So here's a little run down of some of the places to go where you can check listings and maybe pick up something fun to play with at a decent price.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And as always with these things; <i>Caveat Emptor!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ebay</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGNpsFYNPOx9XeY-p1diLQRb5_zclTqR6Mwcq7zIQwaWxTRVxyBq5vofNkW6BSeFJsgwMh87pgH1FOblk-2s_AXqsUCulUeE3eZ7v9wGfBHWwobsOhqb7YnZIXZlMv7bnV6e3eCHfuxk/s1600/ebay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGNpsFYNPOx9XeY-p1diLQRb5_zclTqR6Mwcq7zIQwaWxTRVxyBq5vofNkW6BSeFJsgwMh87pgH1FOblk-2s_AXqsUCulUeE3eZ7v9wGfBHWwobsOhqb7YnZIXZlMv7bnV6e3eCHfuxk/s200/ebay.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The big boy of the second hand world, boasting the biggest variety of items and prices of all sites on the internet. However, it can be tough to get a decent bargain as everyone else is also checking ebay for the same thing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">One tip I have seen is to check the recently posted listings in a section and be prepared to hit the buy it now button to secure your purchase. You may not get an amazing bargain but you will at least get that rare or elusive item. You can also try searching under both Keyboard and Pro Audio sections in case they have been poorly listed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Otherwise, Ebay is always useful to get an idea of what second hand prices are generally like to compare against listings elsewhere or for when listing your own gear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Biggest selection and variety on offer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">National and worldwide reach</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Postal delivery or local pickup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Great online, mobile and app support</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Negatives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ebay and PayPal fees for sellers, who often ask buyers to foot the cost.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Potentially expensive postage costs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Issues with missing/damaged packages</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">No chance to view or demo the item</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">PayPal account mandatory</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ebay.com/" target="_blank">www.ebay.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Gumtree</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrrKEvz2YfvF7NnUqmfvFfH5lKvCUE0j_C9UZZ5Pagp580Bi5Hc0JYe_OvPzJFrqtGCNXeZQfLnfoBTDSUYq4s7RTJGT3OTEyeTYQeeFpin1mC6VJamti4i9ws3E7ki_6MuU-DAS9-gg/s1600/gumtree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrrKEvz2YfvF7NnUqmfvFfH5lKvCUE0j_C9UZZ5Pagp580Bi5Hc0JYe_OvPzJFrqtGCNXeZQfLnfoBTDSUYq4s7RTJGT3OTEyeTYQeeFpin1mC6VJamti4i9ws3E7ki_6MuU-DAS9-gg/s200/gumtree.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some may not realise this, but Gumtree is actually owned by eBay, making this a more local alternative than the monolithic eBay to try. Gumtree is all about the looking for more local listings, meaning that you limit yourself to people you can visit in your area to try before you buy and for convenient pickup. Interestingly there has been a recent shift in people listing their items on Gumtree and offering Paypal and national shipping as an option (presumably to get around paying Ebay's fees). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In general, this site is the one I have had the most success with and I have picked up quite a lot from here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good turnover of new listings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Emphasis on local items, as well as national listings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ability to check and test out items before you buy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Opportunity to haggle a few quid off an item</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good for networking with likeminded people in the scene</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A good selection of items, with some rare things from time to time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Free to list items, free to buy items (ad supported)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Great online, mobile and app support</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Negatives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Majority of listings are for Face to face selling - personal security issue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Limited audience if you are not in a built up area</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Car needed if you want to travel distances to pick stuff up</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Usually cash only accepted.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.gumtree.com/music-instruments/" target="_blank">www.gumtree.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Craigslist</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMsC7B2zhXbwwRWVh00MGSCxYo04UmxVgGH2h0onxH9LlUwAev7zrIBKpRpDo62wvrRnjz09WS_CajUCaB1dqPcw2naRQs5uoSit-IrhegxEHgBD1aA-aSibWTKeZXEdqc3t-CoqXqAI/s1600/craigslist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMsC7B2zhXbwwRWVh00MGSCxYo04UmxVgGH2h0onxH9LlUwAev7zrIBKpRpDo62wvrRnjz09WS_CajUCaB1dqPcw2naRQs5uoSit-IrhegxEHgBD1aA-aSibWTKeZXEdqc3t-CoqXqAI/s200/craigslist.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While Gumtree has cornered the market for local listings in the UK, Craigslist still has a presence in the UK and their London site in particular is a notable alternative to Gumtree. Given this, it is only their selection of items and traffic that differentiates them from Gumtree so a lot of the pros and cons are similar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A <a href="http://london.craigslist.co.uk/search/msa?query=synth" target="_blank">cursory glance</a> highlights a number of vintage synths available under the section for musical instruments (abbreviated as MSA on their site), though they do not seem to have a lot more and certainly not in the price range that others have. Still, if you are looking for that elusive older synth then this is a decent option to consider.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Great selection of rare vintage synths</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Free to list items and free to buy (ad supported)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Listings based across the UK</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ability to check and test out items before you buy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Potential opportunity to haggle a few quid off an item</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Negatives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Majority of listings are for Face to face selling - personal security issue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not a great deal of variety or turnover of new items</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Limited selection of items, particular for low to medium sized budgets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Slower turnover of items due to limited userbase</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Limited audience if you are not in a built up area</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Car needed if you want to travel distances to pick stuff up</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Categorisation not as detailed as other sites</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.craigslist.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.craigslist.co.uk</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Preloved</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrJ9u7R_YxXTz41I2PSEdFkuey1EyM30qw0pIJRLFVZMoC9pKqVfC9rQzs7w_OtI5I9OizbjQr7Mfa4np0urakrBkxp19dN-vLj_MeWNiXdbhzrR5F05ZU5meZ8BwSkP2VfQwsAAJEqc/s1600/preloved.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrJ9u7R_YxXTz41I2PSEdFkuey1EyM30qw0pIJRLFVZMoC9pKqVfC9rQzs7w_OtI5I9OizbjQr7Mfa4np0urakrBkxp19dN-vLj_MeWNiXdbhzrR5F05ZU5meZ8BwSkP2VfQwsAAJEqc/s200/preloved.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Again, another listings site that puts an emphasis on local listings and adds a charitable on things to boot. It does take some looking through to find the musical instruments section (helpfully called <a href="http://www.preloved.co.uk/search?keyword=musical%20&sectionId=2175&sectionName=Making%20Music" target="_blank">Making Music</a>), but therein you can find plenty of older keyboards and some synthesisers as well and while most seem to be keyboards bought for school and the like, there are some good listings there (as well as plenty also listed on Gumtree). The search functionality and mobile app are nearly on par with Ebay and Gumtree, though with a reduced audience don't expect a high turnover of different items.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My own experience with this site has been positive; while I haven't ever bought anything through it I have successfully sold through it where other sites were unsuccessful. I have also noticed a recent ad campaign on London's underground, so while they are not currently as busy as their competitors, they could grow significantly in the future. One to watch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Local audience, better chance of picking up what you want</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ability to check and test out items before you buy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Opportunity to haggle a few quid off an item</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good for networking with likeminded people in the scene</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Free to list items, free to buy items (ad supported)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good online, mobile and app support</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Negatives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Majority of listings are for Face to face selling - personal security issue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A lot of listings duplicated on more popular sites like Gumtree</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Limited audience if you are not in a built up area</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Slower turnover of items due to limited userbase</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Car needed if you want to travel distances to pick stuff up</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.preloved.co.uk/">www.preloved.co.uk</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-size: x-large;">Sound On Sound</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7XHzGopis_MBdbKKGHqb_XTl1c7U4ruQcLCbt2fd7yfycj9qKD4zZAz1KzT9JI1lZIhloatGqaTB71YGkzpgd00pDNPBVJvHSR3rBr-qtkvjHq4HFU5h5tgKB6_27Madw_eqnP-CMIc/s1600/sos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7XHzGopis_MBdbKKGHqb_XTl1c7U4ruQcLCbt2fd7yfycj9qKD4zZAz1KzT9JI1lZIhloatGqaTB71YGkzpgd00pDNPBVJvHSR3rBr-qtkvjHq4HFU5h5tgKB6_27Madw_eqnP-CMIc/s200/sos.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A website as old as I am, Sound On Sound is one of the longest running titles in the UK, having run a successful magazine and website that continues to this day. Their subject material is rather all encompassing, taking into account all manner of areas of music making, hardware, recording and so on (and well worth a read!), meaning that they also have a varied audience for their readers' advertisements section.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For medium and large budgets, as well as for more esoteric and rare synths, SoS' readers' ads is a real goldmine of different synths and if you are happy to organise private transactions over email and deal with the hassle of shipping without much protection or returns policy, this could be a good place for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Positives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Great selection of items for medium to large budgets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Quite a few rare items</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Keyboards and Synthesiser sections</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Free to list items, free to buy items (ad supported)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Negatives:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Potentially expensive postage costs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Less likely to find a bargain as audience is very savvy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Issues with missing/damaged packages</span><a href="http://www.soundonsound.com/readersads/AdBrowse.php?page=1&Cat=23" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif;"></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.soundonsound.com/">www.soundonsound.com</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>And the rest...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some other ideas that I have looked at briefly include:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Facebook Buy / Sell groups - varied results, need to belong to many buy/sell groups or specialist groups to get exposure to the listings you want.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.muffwiggler.com/" target="_blank">Muffwiggler</a> - dive into the world of buying and selling on the forum, but you do need to have a positive reputation beforehand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://b.matrixsynth.com/" target="_blank">Matrixsynth Classifieds</a> - a very small number of classified ads, though sadly none in the UK.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://vivastreet.co.uk/" target="_blank">Vivastreet</a> - no listings for "synthesiser" and very few relevant ones for "keyboard".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Car Boot sales - your mileage may vary, but the only musical things I have ever picked up from a car boot sale has been cheap Casio and Yamaha keyboards, which are very basic and toy-like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Got another suggestion for a site? Let me know!</span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-86003304374238204992016-06-10T09:30:00.000+01:002016-06-10T10:12:36.785+01:00KMR Audio Synth Expo - May 13th<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb37cGxppY1QlnJNRGyDmJKeNGXpiiU6MBXiA2sPBBLRcnG9LVlFGRlL2O-3lSyWnRKQ1OPAz237Cr7MB3PVfroaUkirL_cpyMm5dA6znt9sqTZXB5g0WbnDX-yLOFIgc8JedbSEjKdI/s1600/KVR_Synth14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb37cGxppY1QlnJNRGyDmJKeNGXpiiU6MBXiA2sPBBLRcnG9LVlFGRlL2O-3lSyWnRKQ1OPAz237Cr7MB3PVfroaUkirL_cpyMm5dA6znt9sqTZXB5g0WbnDX-yLOFIgc8JedbSEjKdI/s320/KVR_Synth14.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In an effort to get some interest in their new range of synthesisers, the good folks at KMR Audio in North London organised a little get together of synth makers last month. I popped up to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">a far off place at the end of the Northern line called Totteridge and Whetstone </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">to see what all the fuss was about, chat with makers and have a few free beers.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Fm-L1jSpZ0MMsT5RyzDNpmdXEN4EXAmZSc-JGkdiZJPOyJoMlYUGi0xbAPL6_NUP0nkSvLja1lyGVgvop06y8TrlklvV6ZGGOumhwcgEDWv4DAJ7fwv6MKhqC8zzl8KZYZQvGv_Rd1Q/s1600/KVR_Synth01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Fm-L1jSpZ0MMsT5RyzDNpmdXEN4EXAmZSc-JGkdiZJPOyJoMlYUGi0xbAPL6_NUP0nkSvLja1lyGVgvop06y8TrlklvV6ZGGOumhwcgEDWv4DAJ7fwv6MKhqC8zzl8KZYZQvGv_Rd1Q/s400/KVR_Synth01.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The excellent Eurorack Moog clones from <a href="http://www.ajhsynth.com/VCO.html">AJH Synth</a> (as featured at this year's Superbooth16) was available to check out in one corner. While I cannot say anything about its authentic Moog-like sound, these were some seriously well made Eurorack modules that even with a few basic patched points produces a pleasingly deep and phat bass sound. Definitely worth getting a look at if you want that Model D sound!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3isWsElzPtwSDWeo7JjGOY0x3xiLkpsXWZxj1KNW3HZHFiBJ-YcUK6RVXa5TFyLaIgygxfZZ0WHGGmGJmOodoEb_8s0RyV3ijk8UHBGjsotCJ2sWYAfYvtXyxWT-xwcdXzEaMG9hbLc/s1600/KVR_Synth02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3isWsElzPtwSDWeo7JjGOY0x3xiLkpsXWZxj1KNW3HZHFiBJ-YcUK6RVXa5TFyLaIgygxfZZ0WHGGmGJmOodoEb_8s0RyV3ijk8UHBGjsotCJ2sWYAfYvtXyxWT-xwcdXzEaMG9hbLc/s400/KVR_Synth02.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Some rather interesting modules from a German chap who calls himself <a href="http://www.rebeltech.org/news/">Rebel Technology</a>, this small yet powerful Eurorack system features quite a few special modules. The first is a Wireless MIDI module (on the left side), which allows you to control two lanes of CV into your modular from any compatible device - in this instance, I believe this was controlled by an Android tablet running a sequencer. Secondly, the two larger modules on the right side are programmable modules with an ARM core, so you can download and assign functionality to the controls as you see fit. Perfect for the hacker or software DIY'er, though the lack of feedback (screen, lights etc) might be an issue if you can't remember what you are editing!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDndcukwTqerrx5cT7ezCoJY6B9gEY3BFFSuZ26ds8Z9OrFFA02zgzlku8Jle_ZWyioWfVeRW2Rr46A7gKZrTZqjnxOGYrFqtD1HO01tuY1rhBmUneiILPR-HZ9Fu-Bq9JW4bYzAYbIs/s400/KVR_Synth03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Paul Soulsby was all out in fine fashion and was showing off his <a href="http://soulsbysynths.com/" target="_blank">Atmegatron synths</a> in module, DIY Arduino and Eurorack forms. In particular, the new Strings firmware for the Atmegatron provided a lovely string machine with a crunchy, 8bit aftertaste.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMz-a4qwSFjx-5unOKzBbJQeDTDPrVX51zt9cfE9nErME9E1Pg0SJuaHYJQUwNbFAkZmmGIMgDxZVrUxttjMaHMn5y2TVS5TuWDvAHG_Fo_L1yc8pd2xkqIpwBhozF-Mg1WsJsPdtQyQU/s400/KVR_Synth04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">According to Paul, there are quite a few new ideas for new firmware updates down the road to compliment the drum machine, string synth and atmegatron firmwares. Seems like a great time to buy one of these!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkOlQuqLP5cDAFy0fmXi2ecqTppon7LO9NwlwhoCaRdbvr_qn8yyBXVObPxN9X0b8L5X3J7iweMQYK1udawSvTdBjyQhuAoAnsH10vs4oesWU-QfpeHLmiIodbvIVssumNc7wzn145Q9s/s400/KVR_Synth05.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Roland's stand, replete with green modules and Eurorack setups, was one of the more complicated of the setup, though at times it was difficult to hear other stands as Roland's was so loud!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgItybPgQqYUWX5ldV64hMx3SmdDTX4uaLNi3qv4M9xYOkYdXNV6mROiNwSOUIF3V-51o69FqRFeQbrOzzBlJD-bDEsnj934ma92YQmPCNCKa9Jk-SQdJIf3B95DZMg0gWNl76rvA46Nrw/s400/KVR_Synth06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">All five of the Korg Volcas in one place, including the most recent FM unit so I got to play with this a few weeks before I had the chance to pick up my own. More interesting here was the Ikea laptop stand with pre-cut holes for all the sync and power cables so four of them could be presented together, which seems like an easy and straightforward Ikea hack to share.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeznrA0Sg907WDkMWYuMpRm1_oc7H13azt9louqFHsZGey9Pn3kBZJkOwAa-GmR7PogJxzOjF1y1gJGAJILC1NNIMWazpFLNkZwTEnak26AyIU5gx1GociGBV13NtHmGUZrhxx7YgVQw/s400/KVR_Synth07.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's not just the exhibitors who had a chance to show off products; KVR Audio had a great selection of keyboards including these two from Tom Oberheim and Dave Smith. Both are far over the top in terms of features and price, but were nonetheless impressive - my favourite of the two was by far the OB6 that put out some absolutely stunning and complex sounds.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_Cz9WQazdurB6FeReP-I4hyphenhyphenSVpuH4uRHBS2L2c4vtu5yyZ22lawh0yjPzueqSroHgWQVqCDe5M8qypgN0Z7_phYVR_H-9p39EhkQvgU-sNGBn6M8EKzTc4XggMmXCPCmkkRXn0fUr64/s400/KVR_Synth08.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://uk.novationmusic.com/" target="_blank">Novation's</a> lineup, including the Bass Station 2, Mininova and most recently released Circuit showed off some pretty awesome tricks. I hadn't been much taken with Circuit but within a few minutes I was able to start jamming something pleasing out - a small yet feature-packed setup, but I don't think it's going to tempt me just yet.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoArGq-_gBEoExSqELihW_xWVwFH_ZdcQCGYNQz3_oZr7PoXxv98M_1VEIK5ql-srucewY0zZzMXeQ9n5g4rjTQSN676gMYyvIzM0VnhVaA-dmDWBmxUy1jaQB49BnoYsF2-H11Xdquo/s400/KVR_Synth09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thanks to product demonstrator Alex (Mylar Melodies and Source Distribution), this was a great little stand full of interesting gear, not limited to a Roland JP-08 module linked to an <a href="https://www.arturia.com/keystep/overview" target="_blank">Arturia Keystep</a> (apparently the only one in the UK!) and a 3 way Moog Mother32 setup. The Keystep demo that I got showed off just how easy it is to set up comlpex arpeggios and one note chords for those great old school House sounds or just sound doodles. As a unit, it feels solid enough with the same synthesiser-like keys found in other products. Arturia should have another great controller on their hands for players as long as they can keep quality control high.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-CA0sGluX2Z5z-JndPrpR38-Nf5OMhsfkfT6jOcGvt8pK2Nu9UbW6cw_QH_PNDPRmeEuvnTe_YBVTonJ2bq3NAxsOMbILywrAmjA8leUX7yNHmqPboXBb9COFVGYQDUEIhI7ST4SdDo/s400/KVR_Synth10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Can't talk; too much synth noodling (apart from the chap from Arturia in the foreground!)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHlZTCGX_PN2E8mYs03xT9NO6_UpHNQGwx-nPw5qYyncpaaYXolWgg26nSUxXx4nbKF1zP5NDxF6z1QiaE1ezlepidonYD2LM3E7hFMpsQGY_YH9aiVPNtTc6l_Jpo7mBPdo_47e1CkM/s1600/KVR_Synth11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHlZTCGX_PN2E8mYs03xT9NO6_UpHNQGwx-nPw5qYyncpaaYXolWgg26nSUxXx4nbKF1zP5NDxF6z1QiaE1ezlepidonYD2LM3E7hFMpsQGY_YH9aiVPNtTc6l_Jpo7mBPdo_47e1CkM/s400/KVR_Synth11.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Finally, Korg brought along a Minilogue in the UK to play with! Naturally, this was the star of Korg's stand and had loads of people playing it throughout the afternoon. Getting some hands on time really helped to develop my opinion of this new synth and I hope to put this into a larger post later, but sufficed to say I am very impressed with what Korg have packed into a relatively small package.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcO1vQKahxLh9W3YpA1Uz1vVy49RgLqXATd-EqEKcRcte9AABHDl9noouGbxG8WImvX-4W0_AQBSjyz1iBurYGSK4H64DCt4kL3T2oRksC7c2D6NBEj2-cOl-E2rfKKb17Qx8X9Jyo9E/s1600/KVR_Synth12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcO1vQKahxLh9W3YpA1Uz1vVy49RgLqXATd-EqEKcRcte9AABHDl9noouGbxG8WImvX-4W0_AQBSjyz1iBurYGSK4H64DCt4kL3T2oRksC7c2D6NBEj2-cOl-E2rfKKb17Qx8X9Jyo9E/s400/KVR_Synth12.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">I had to take a quick photo of this - KMR's busy outboard racks, complete with loads of 19 inch units and blinking lights. Not necessarily something I am that interested in but it looks very impressive nonetheless.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YJptlFQWyQ1gQsib4OBlolscylVyKrPnsZr4UKpbMv1DN8izj8OnxzgXhEE0DN-YJKMJ4XNplYz7brFKUv4NCAngeMGJ-c3Zb7ESEIZTdRr2X6yIdJNV7VZbQdfsG0TzR2wtAXRB-oQ/s320/KVR_Synth13.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="180" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.dreadbox-fx.com/" target="_blank">Dreadbox</a> in full effect, complete with their Eurorack modules, FX boxes and the famous Erebus / Hades synthesisers. Again, a firm favourite on the day, probably because of the strong delay on the Erebus that everyone was driving pretty hard.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>Thanks to <a href="https://www.kmraudio.com/" target="_blank">KMR Audio</a> for the shindig!</i></span></div>
Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-78454817277593040912016-05-13T12:30:00.000+01:002016-05-13T12:30:06.235+01:00Ripcord - USB flavoured power for music gear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4rChj44uc_F9Gv9WkE5HE_lSZ3XNweg-KX0DNwProtEmOFYrB2VLkWCrTZPSdCgXdyiaKmg9w_M921kY1i-lCilKvFMjhLWDZP4ALvmfgdrtZtL4oEwob1UnpLiI4IdBPQfq8TbznAg/s1600/Ripcord01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4rChj44uc_F9Gv9WkE5HE_lSZ3XNweg-KX0DNwProtEmOFYrB2VLkWCrTZPSdCgXdyiaKmg9w_M921kY1i-lCilKvFMjhLWDZP4ALvmfgdrtZtL4oEwob1UnpLiI4IdBPQfq8TbznAg/s320/Ripcord01.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As I have already made clear on this blog, I am a fan of sensible, no nonsense solutions for synthesiser power. With quite a few different products to power, it's not always convenient to run around with power supplies and multi-way adaptors - not to mention the ugly, bulky bricks that some come with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thankfully, there's a new project from the guys behind <a href="http://myvolts.co.uk/" target="_blank">MyVolts</a> that they are calling <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48955335/ripcord-the-plug-n-play-anywhere-usb-power-cable" target="_blank">Ripcord</a>, which they are touting as a a plug and play anywhere USB power cable. Powered either from a laptop, computer, phone charge or even a portable battery recharger or micro USB enabled phone, it's clear that this opens up more opportunities for playing with your gear on the go as well as making it easier to power things in a desktop scenario. I'm not entirely sure with the battery power I get out of my LG G4 that I would find this viable but I do like having the option!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUMmoI__5wdvR9KhfOxAzvEhDhzDoFQ_h8uVqjOW5pfIUUQ3mXhTmDxJMFXtGRdjQIIAlwHn8KAor_ndSM8-jAbYFveky3oyu46PTdYWDaOJiwNro3XLu60jsK1jEugixkKU4pF8_hV0/s1600/Ripcord02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUMmoI__5wdvR9KhfOxAzvEhDhzDoFQ_h8uVqjOW5pfIUUQ3mXhTmDxJMFXtGRdjQIIAlwHn8KAor_ndSM8-jAbYFveky3oyu46PTdYWDaOJiwNro3XLu60jsK1jEugixkKU4pF8_hV0/s400/Ripcord02.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From what I can see, Ripcord is clearly positioned as the next stage in the evolution of the USB splitter cable that powers the Volcas (which I had lovely things to say </span><a href="http://southerntrax.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/myvolts-5-way-power-splitter-cable-part.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">about here</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">) and is currently available via a Kickstarter, which at the time of writing has just over 20K EUR to go. The video there explains everything more succinctly, so take a look and see what you think!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jump on the kickstarter page here:</span></b><br />
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48955335/ripcord-the-plug-n-play-anywhere-usb-power-cable"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/48955335/ripcord-the-plug-n-play-anywhere-usb-power-cable</span></a>Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5181716377800262892.post-72430809105535162512016-05-13T00:26:00.000+01:002016-05-13T00:26:18.079+01:00Hiatus ended (hopefully)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_b2vgaz9b7M7IcH1_MjC5XCa3JJgt6v7nEQHJg3qYjEafIAMWJ5N8CEPd4z3Tf88MBJ6kaxUC4Si4ACgg8bt85sB13TvVVvsMyEJxMZ01-bPGj3wnW2JtnnJI4uJFsnVzwcj8onR_2A/s1600/Bitwigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_b2vgaz9b7M7IcH1_MjC5XCa3JJgt6v7nEQHJg3qYjEafIAMWJ5N8CEPd4z3Tf88MBJ6kaxUC4Si4ACgg8bt85sB13TvVVvsMyEJxMZ01-bPGj3wnW2JtnnJI4uJFsnVzwcj8onR_2A/s400/Bitwigs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been pretty busy with work and other projects, while being distracted by Reddit's <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/" target="_blank">r/synthesisers</a> group and <a href="https://twitter.com/Southern_Trax" target="_blank">Twitter updates</a>, but I'm hoping to get back into blogging again soon. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Priorities for me:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More Saturday soundtracks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Modular DIY building</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Experiences with Bitwig</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">KMR Audio's <a href="https://www.kmraudio.com/news/london-synthesizer-expo-2016-kmr-audio/" target="_blank">Synth Expo</a> tomorrow</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Novation's XioSynth - new second hand hardware!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Novation BassStation II - borrowing for a while</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Volca FM impressions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally finishing some stuff for <a href="https://soundcloud.com/southerntrax" target="_blank">Soundcloud</a></span></li>
</ul>
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Chris Smouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126432657324957651noreply@blogger.com0