Teenage Engineering OP-1 (Sold out!?)

Posted on January 16, 2011 by admin

One of the most hyped “synths” throughout the last 2 years is available now – Teenage Engineering OP-1. We’ve been following the development of this little unique synthesizer and finally it arrived at NAMM 2011 or at least we thought so. The price is ridiculous high, set to be sold for $799. but it’s already sold out.

From Engadget:

From Teenage Engineering:

Sound Engines
Dr Wave – Raw 8-bit yupe sound engine
FM – Easy to tweak FM synthesis engine
Pulse – Square wave type engine
String – Physical modeling with a twist
Digital – Raw digital type of engine
Phase – Phase distortion engine
Cluster – Multiple Wave Cluster

Sample Engines
Dedicated instant Synth Sampler with 6 seconds sampling time for each slot.
Dedicated instant Drum Sampler with 12 seconds sampling time for each slot.
With automated layout feature.
Instant sampling with built-in Microphone or Line in

Link:
www.teenageengineering.com

Digital Sound Chips Blue Box

Posted on January 6, 2011 by admin

Being an oldschool warez trader, vaguely remembering blueboxing and the Captain crunch whistle, this Blue Box synth is a must have.

The Blue Box pocket synthesizer use digital synthezis to make raw digital sounds that are impossible to make with analog gear. The Blue Box is based on a new intuitive menu system without submenus, that enable you to play tunes and change any sound parameter on the fly with a minimal user interface

* 2 OSC’s with 32 different waveforms to choose from.
* 2 Digital filters. Low Pass in series with High Pass.
* 1 Preamp output stage. Can be overdriven for distortion.
* 3 Fast step sequencers, for SID drums, arpeggios and more.
* 1 LFO. Wide range and 32 different waveforms and more.
* 3 ADSR’s, for filter, volume and sync.
* PM (phase modulation), Subtractive and True Noise syntesis.
* Uniqe percussion mode for live performance and more.

Link:

http://digitalsoundchips.com/

GameBoy Case Synth

Posted on November 29, 2010 by admin

As you might have noticed, we like noise, 8bit sounds and strange glitches. This Gameboy case synth is kind of extreme in a good way, it makes use of 6 oscillators and it runs on a single 9V battery. In circuit bending we trust.

Now go build one for us … please.

Link:
www.getlofi.com

MEEBLIP – we want one!

Posted on November 11, 2010 by admin

A cute little synth, DIY open source synth actually. We really want one – now!
It only costs $129, but then you have to assemble the machine yourself.

MeeBlip is a hackable, affordable digital synthesizer, made for accessible sound and hands-on control. It can be someone’s first synth. It can be a unique-sounding addition to your music setup, playable with MIDI hardware and software. It can be a synth you open up and modify, learning about sound creation, code, and electronics. Or it can be the basis of new projects and ideas.

The instrument is designed by James Grahame, synthesist, aficionado of things both digital and retro, and engineer at Reflex Audio, in collaboration with Create Digital Music. We wanted something playable and hackable, and the MeeBlip fits the bill.

The MeeBlip’s story doesn’t end when you get it. It’s built to be a community synth. We’re not just releasing code and schematics and calling it a day; the MeeBlip will be supported by Create Digital Music and the Noisepages community to help get you started with ideas for how to use, play, and modify it.

Link:
meeblip.noisepages.com

Vince Clarke music

Posted on November 10, 2010 by admin

One of the new wave pop pioneers, Vincent Clarke, has his own website called: www.vinceclarkemusic.com. You know him? Vincent Clarke was a member of the early Depeche mode, later he went on to make music with Alison Moyet and thus formed the band called Yazoo. Today he is a part of Erasure, with Andy Bell as the lead singer and they are still very active.

The website itself contains a lot of material, webcam and some quite funny videos explaining about his favourite vintage synths.

This website is definitely worth a visit, even though it looks like it’s build 10 years ago by some teenage kid.

Enjoy…

Link:
www.vinceclarkemusic.com

Trash invaders #001 – Schneiders Buero

Posted on September 23, 2010 by admin

Recently I was on a trip to Berlin, fooling around as a tourist, but I did have one plan: To visit Schneiders Buero (The largest store in Europe with showroom when it comes to modular synths and the more special filter/fx brands).

I had a good talk with the owner himself (Andreas Schneider) who has run the shop for more than 10 years. Before Schneiders Buero he was working with sales for Jomox.

He claimed that the store was the biggest of its kind in Europe and I have to admit that I’ve not seen so many modulars/drum machines/filters in a store showroom before (Here I’m talking about the more rare equipment). The best thing is that you can try all of it and the people working there are very helpful.

The store itself is quite hard to find and is placed in Kreutzberg (Berlin), but if you ever go there and have just a little interest in modular synthesis or rare filters/effects then you need to go to Schneiders Buero.

I made a little video (with sound from the pocket cam) and there are more pictures from my visit on our website – justastudio.

(Sorry for the English, but it’s not my native language)