CATSYNTH

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Author: catsynth

  • NAMM 2014: Big City Music (Metasonix, Mellotron, Leon Dewan)

    One of our perennial stops at NAMM is to the Big City Music booth to see what’s new and play with old favorites. There is always an impressive display of analog modules, including the “wall of synth” from Analog Solutions.

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    Of course, Big City Music also prominently displayed a full complement Metasonix modules. This included the new spring reverb (at the bottom) that does not conform to the usual yellow color.

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    I spent a little time with the Mellotron, including a demonstration of the original instrument and its extensions. You can see a bit in this video:

    Towards the end, you can see the mechanical elements for the tapes at work.

    We also visited again with Leon Dewan, who presented his Swarmatron instrument. Here he demonstrates, and I tentatively try to play as well (one handed as I am also holding the camera):

    Although most of these instruments were familiar ones, it is great to see them in action again.

  • NAMM 2014: Sensaphonics Ear Protection

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    We at CatSynth take ear protection very seriously, so our first visit and first article of NAMM 2014 was Sensaphonics for custom ear protection, now in a variety of colors. These devices better preserve overall frequency response while attenuating volume. They are also good for those of us whose ears don’t fit the “average”. These will come in handy when I play out with my bands.

  • Wordless Wednesday: Mound

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  • CatSynth at NAMM 2014

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    Once again, we at CatSynth are going to be attending the big NAMM show in southern California, starting on Thursday. I will be focusing on synths and other music technology, but I also enjoy finding fun and esoteric musical instruments of all sorts.

    Stay tuned to these pages for full coverage during the show, along with live updates via Twitter @catsynth and Instagram. And if you’re attending, maybe I will see you there 🙂

  • Weekend Cat Blogging with Luna: Glass Table and Clothing Pile

    Weekend Cat Blogging with Luna: Glass Table and Clothing Pile

    As per usual, Luna is enjoying morning sunshine by sitting underneath one of our many glass tables at CatSynth HQ. Unfortunately, her favorite one is completely covered with piles of clothing right now, but that doesn’t stop her from claiming her usual spot.

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    The glass dining table has become a staging area for a major clothing purge. Here things are separated into items to be sold, donated or given to friends. After a zealous start, I have been busy with work and rehearsals for upcoming shows (including a performance tonight), so the piles remain for now. But Luna and I will both be happy when they disappear.

  • CatSynth pic: Metasonix Synth Cat

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    From metasonix.com.

    I really should get a Metasonix R54.

  • Wordless Wednesday: Industrial Oasis (Tulare Park)

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  • CatSynth pic: still life with Mixtape Alpha (and Nord)

    CatSynth pic: still life with Mixtape Alpha (and Nord)

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    This one is my own composition, with the Mixtape Alpha atop the Nord Stage EX 🙂

  • CatSynth video: Uninterested Synth Cat

    CatSynth video: Uninterested Synth Cat

    Uninterested Synth Cat in uninterested.

    From Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers, via matrixsynth:

    “Playing with one of the Pittsburgh Modular cases headed to NAMM in a few weeks.”

    Looking forward to seeing this and much more at NAMM 🙂

  • Weekend Cat Blogging with Luna: More Metal and Glass

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    Luna continues her fondness for sitting underneath glass tables. This time she found a very symmetric spot underneath I side table that I recently cleared. A lot of things are moving around here at CatSynth HQ at the moment.