Category: Cats

  • Weekend Cat Blogging with Big Merp and Sam Sam

    Weekend Cat Blogging with Big Merp and Sam Sam

    We have exciting news. Big Merp (aka “Marlon”) has come to live with us at CatSynth HQ!

    Big Merp on the sofa

    That is a soulful face a cat who has seen a lot in his short life (our vet thinks he actually isn’t that old, but life on the streets can certainly age one quicky). Due to circumstances beyond the scope of this site, our buddy in Oakland found himself needing a new place to live – otherwise, he would be back out on the streets. We’ve come to know him and love him over the past year, so it seemed like the obvious solution to welcome him into our home. Things were rather tentative at first, a new place and concept in a new city.

    Big Merp arrives at HQ

    But it didn’t take long for him to get comfortable, and now he practically owns the place.

    Big Merp on the balcony

    Sam Sam, on the other hand, is not too pleased with this intruder into her idyllic life. She has been a bit nervous and skittish, often looking for places to hid and decompress.

    Sam Sam hides in the studio

    She has mostly stayed on the upstairs level while Big Merp mostly stays downstairs for the time being. Their encounters to date haven’t been all that friendly, but Sam Sam is slowly gaining confidence. She prefers to stay upstairs, and I’m doing my best to shower her with affection and remind her that this is still her home and she is my special little girl.

    Sam Sam is a wonderful and pretty cat

    Merp is a very friendly cat, but Sam Sam has had some bad experiences in her past and it’s understandable she’s taking a little longer to adjust. I certainly hope that in the long run, they get along.

    Sam Sam comfortable but wary
  • CatSynth Pic: Ceephax Acid Crew ‏

    CatSynth Pic: Ceephax Acid Crew ‏

    Cats find interesting ways to sit, with or without synths. And this kitty is no exception. From Ceephax Acid Crew on Twitter.

    I espy an Ensoniq DP/4 signal processor, Yamaha TX802 FM module, Korg Wavestation A/D module, and more that are left as an exercise to the reader.

  • CatSynth Video: Brian Eno and his manipulative cat, Angel

    CatSynth Video: Brian Eno and his manipulative cat, Angel

    We know Brian Eno loves his cat, but his cat really runs the show as we see in this interview.

    Brian Eno and Angel definitely give us something to aspire to 😸🎹.

  • CatSynth Pic: Casio SK-1

    CatSynth Pic: Casio SK-1

    A cute cat contemplates a Casio SK-1 sampling keyboard. Seen on matrixsynth.

    “My cat came to look at it (pictured, looking at speaker), when I sampled his name and ran it in demo mode.”

    We at CatSynth have a soft spot for our own SK-1. I have used it in several live performances over the years.

  • CatSynth Pic: Studio Panther (Arturia, Elektron, GameBoy)

    CatSynth Pic: Studio Panther (Arturia, Elektron, GameBoy)

    A gorgeous house panther shows off her studio, which includes a MicroBrute and controllers from Arturia, an Elektron SidStation, and a Nintendo GameBoy. From Shaun Steven Struble on Facebook, who says this about the GameBoy:

    My main composition machine. If I can write it in three voices on the gameboy and it sounds good, I know it’ll sound good when I expand it to the other synths.

  • CatSynth Pic: Big Merp and Roland JD-Xi

    CatSynth Pic: Big Merp and Roland JD-Xi

    We all know and love Big Merp, but he never had a “CatSynth pic”. Until now. Here we see him sitting in front of a Roland JD-Xi synthesizer.

    The JD-XI is a cool little instrument, a hybrid analog-digital synth with a built-in vocoder. I haven’t had a chance to try the vocoder yet, but I’m curious how it compares to our VP-03 (also from Roland).

  • CatSynth Pic: Gracie, Moog, LinnDrum, Arp, PPG

    CatSynth Pic: Gracie, Moog, LinnDrum, Arp, PPG

    Gracie is back, and inspecting the current crop of repaired instruments, including a Moog Subsequent 37, LinnDrum, PPG Wave, and what appears to be an Arp Odyssey (1st version). She always has quite the collection.

    From Alsún Ní Chasaide (Alison Cassidy) via Facebook.

  • CatSynth Pic:  Chancer Von Chonkerfloof (with Moog and Nord)

    CatSynth Pic: Chancer Von Chonkerfloof (with Moog and Nord)

    This is Chancer Von Chonkerfloof, a rather handsome fellow if we say so. This studio portrait comes to us from skinfitz via Instagram. And he is posing with synthesizers from Moog and Nord, two brands dear to our hearts at CatSynth.

  • CatSynth Pic: Nepal and synths (Moog, Novation, Arturia, Yamaha)

    CatSynth Pic: Nepal and synths (Moog, Novation, Arturia, Yamaha)

    Nepal sits in the studio ready to compose a magnum opus on an impressive collection of synths including a Moog Sub Phatty, Arturia MiniBrute 2S, multiple Novation instruments, and several vintage Yamaha boxes with that cool diagonal front panel. Submitted by Brian T Geigner via our Facebook page.

    Nepal composing a new song.

    We can’t wait to hear what Nepal comes up with 😻🎹

  • CatSynth Pic: Atop the Korg

    CatSynth Pic: Atop the Korg

    Cat sitting proudly atop a Korg sytnhesizer. Submitted by J Curtis Scott via our Facebook page.