A fluffy white cat has gotten tangled up in modular cables 😸
From chichi_response on Instagram.
I am the only real Source of Uncertainty
Author: catsynth
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Weekend Cat Blogging with Marlon…and Sophia
Today we visit with our feline friends in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. First up is Marlon, formerly known as “Fluffy.”
Despite living outdoors, he is healthy and well-fed, and clearly has a past that includes life as a pet cat. He loves people and didn’t need much convincing to spend time indoors. Indeed, he is living it up with his indoor time, getting food and scritches and soft blankets to relax on.
He is a big fellow but has a tiny voice that sounds more like “merp” than “meow”. I don’t yet have any video of his vocals, but you can see him thoroughly enjoying himself in this Instagram video with the music of John Schott playing in the background.
You can hear more of John Schott and his Actual Trio in this CatSynth TV video. In the meantime, let’s check in with Sophia, formerly known as “Hissy.”
As one can see in this photo, she is a beautiful cat, with Siamese-like markings and a graceful bearing. We think she might have once been a pet as well, but she is still extremely skittish around people. I mostly just get a glimpse of her from a distance and she runs off at any attempts to get closer. But she usually remains hidden nearby when Marlon is around. The two of them seem to have a special bond, despite their divergent attitudes towards humans.
We hope all our human and feline friends have a lovely weekend.
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CatSynth Pic: Miko in the Studio
Miko, the newest member of Charles Whiley’s cat-and-synthesizer family, finds her place in the studio.
Miko has found her chill spot in my studio.
😽From Charles Whiley via Facebook.
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CatSynth Pic: Dahlia and Nord Drum 2
Our friend Dahlia returns, this time atop a Nord Drum 2. We also see sundry electronic percussion, keyboards and more.
From Rob Robinson on Facebook.
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CatSynth Pic: Pearl
Remember Pearl? She was a foster synth cat living with frequent contributor Anne Corwin. But she is a foster no more, as stated in this Instagram post.
Well, this one is officially our first foster fail. Welcome to the family, Pearl! #blackcatsofinstagram #catsynth#kittensofinstagram
Congratulations to Pearl on her new home. We look forward to more CatSynth Pics 😺
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Weekend Cat Blogging with Sam Sam
It’s been almost a month since our last check-in with Sam Sam on these pages, and that is too long. And she is expressing her desire that we give her the attention she deserves.
If you have seen any of Sam Sam’s videos on Instagram or YouTube, you know she is quite the talker. Usually, it’s her tiny raspy mew, though her voice occasionally blooms into full-blown arias.
This is a good time to remind folks that you can follow her antics regularly on our Instagram @catsynth. Please do follow us if you feel so inclined.
The main rug is definitely one of her favorite spots and shows evidence of her frequent scratch’n’rolls. Honestly, we don’t mind as we delight in her antics. But it does require vacuuming, which is on deck for today. I know she is not going to enjoy that, but it is necessary.
Fortunately, she has other spots to enjoy around HQ, including this comfy chair in the loft.
Honestly, I wanted to sit there to read 😸
We hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend.
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CatSynth TV: Benjolin!
Our latest video features the Benjolin, a module designed by Rob Hordijk and distributed by Epoch Modular. From the official website:
The benjolin is a multifunction synthesizer designed by Rob Hordijk. The module consists of four separate function blocks: two VCOs, a state variable filter and an additional circuit, invented by Hordijk himself, called a rungler. This particular arrangement emerged from his efforts to design a synthesizer that was, as he puts it, “bent by design”. As such, the module functions according to principles of chaos theory, where short to long sputtering patterns spontaneously transform themselves, at times, gradually, at others, quite suddenly, morphing into new pattern doublings and bifurcations.
The rungler is what gives the module (and its predecessor the Blippo Box) its chaotic character. It’s basically a shift register timed off the two oscillators which then fed as a control signal back to the oscillators, creating a nonlinear dynamic feedback system. It’s a lot of fun to just play and explore, but I have also used it in both recordings and live performance. It works particularly well with subtle control inputs, like the Theremini. -
Aretha Franklin: Rock Steady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB5sMYw37gw
We pay tribute to the late Aretha Franklin with one of my favorite tracks, “Rock Steady” from the album Young, Gifted and Black. It is the perfect coming together of soul and funk. Regular readers know that even as I am immersed in all things synthesizer and electronic, soul, funk, jazz fusion are close to my musical heart.
RIP, Queen of Soul 😿
