Weekend Cat Blogging #330 and Photo Hunt: Covered

This week we are reaching back into the archives once again for our combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt. This week’s theme is covered, and we have photos of Luna covered by a glass surface.

She quite enjoys sitting under glass during the daytime. It’s a way to experience the sunshine and feel “inside” at the same time.


Weekend Cat Blogging #330 is hosted by Mind of Mog.

Photo Hunt 285 is hosted by tnchick. The weekend’s theme is covered.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted here at CatSynth tomorrow! If you would like to participate, you can use the Handy Carnival Submission page™ or leave us a comment below.

CatSynth pics: Mattson 3X Experiment

From George Mattson, via matrixsynth.

“I was wondering if I could do a ‘piano finish’ for the case I’m going to make for my EML sequencer/ modular.

In a moment of insanity, I decided to do a test run by building a 3X wide horizontal case. I figured that if it worked, great! If it didn’t, I’d still have something I could use.

One day of building out of canary wood and 15 days of coating, sanding, re-coating, sanding, etc and the final polishing process let me know that yes, I CAN do a piano finish. But, My EML project isn’t going to get one 🙂 It’s a lot of work.

I was trying to set it up where I could get a good angle to catch the reflective surface. Once I scrubbed the kitchen floor, it was as good as spot as any. Our cat decided to check out the new ‘thing’ that was invading the floor. I figured that it gives a good scale comparison. So, there he is, being a cat.

The case measures 44″ W x 11″ H x 3″ D. It contains 36 module spaces.

I decided that it was perfect for creating a system synthetically comparable to an old stock Moog 55. I researched the ‘standard’ module compliment from their brochure and had to sort out cross-generation compatabilities. I came up with the following modules that I’ll need to create a comparable system:
6-VCO’s
1-Noise
2-VC Dual LFO
1-Sample/Hold
3-ADSR EGs
1-MIDI/CV
1-Envelope Follower
1-Quad AD/ASR EG
1-4X Gate Delay
1-8-stage Sequencer (which, I have to finish)
3-VCFs
1-Quad VCA
3-Full VCA’s
1-4-channel Mixer
3-4X Buffered mults
3-4X VC Mixers
1-Utility 1

There was a lot of ‘back and forth’ due to some of the functions were standard within certain modules of mine.

Whether it’s the same or not, who cares. It’s going to be a lot of fun either way :)”

I wonder what the cat thinks. 🙂

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Yellow

Today’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt is on the theme Yellow.  So we reach into the CatSynth archives for this photo of Luna with a yellow lens effect on Hipstamatic, taken in August 2010.

I don’t particularly like doing re-runs on the blog, but this photo seemed perfect and I am a bit pressed for time this morning, with preparations for San Francisco Open Studios next week and a meeting for another upcoming project.  So it will have to do.  It’s also surprising to see how far things have come in one year, both with the app and my ability to use it.  Many of the recent Wordless Wednesday pictures have also used the Hipstamatic.

Yellow is also the color of the LIVESTRONG campaign, in support of those who are currently fighting cancer and the memory of those who have lost their lives.

Many in the cat-blogging community participated in an event the first week of October last year, and will be doing so again this October 2.


Weekend Cat Blogging #329 is hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome at PaulChens FoodBlog?! We send them our thoughts this week for the recent loss of their beloved dog, Ben.

Photo Hunt #284 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Yellow.

Carnival of the Cats will be up tomorrow at Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat. Next week’s COTC will be hosted right here at CatSynth!

And the Friday Ark is back at the the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Wooden Cats

For this week’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt on the theme “Wooden”, we present some wooden cats:

We also reach back into the CatSynth Archives™ for this photo of Luna enjoying some sunshine near a wooden table.

In an environment I like to think of as dominated by glass and chrome, wooden objects and surfaces abound. Indeed, many of my acoustic musical instruments are made of wood.


Weekend Cat Blogging is hosted by Billy Sweetfeets, who is also hosting Carnival of the Cats this weekend (we pulled double duty recently ourselves, so good luck).

Photo Hunt 283 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Wooden.

MiniMoog Voyager OS …just a first check…

From synthypnosis on YouTube, via matrixsynth.

“VELVET VOYAGE – “MiniMoog Voyager OS …just a first check…” – by Bruno Ender Lee, September 9. 2011

MiniMoog Voyager (Old School) with a bit delay
…and of course a little help from out cat Eumel… :-)”

If you have a cat-and-music-gear video (synth or otherwise), that you would like share, you can let us know via facebook, twitter @catsynth, or by contacting us.

CatSynth pic: Maplin ETI4600 Synth

Originally from this auction, via matrixsynth, where you can see additional pictures.

The description from the auction (below), is worth a quick read.

“Firstly, this is NOT a synthesiser. It’s a machine for travelling through time and space – sideways. Transport yourself to the far flung corners of the universe and beyond. For some of you, it may be a one way ticket…

As is often the case with these rare beasts, a lot of work initially needed doing. Jim at ‘Singing Cat Services’ has been a godsend, performing shamanic rewiring rituals, voodoo based calibration and much cat orientated strangeness…

… So, if you’re looking to recreate the BBC radiophonic workshop, or have just got too old to drop acid, this is the tool for you!

In short, a delicious slice of history.”