CATSYNTH

cats synthesizers music art opinion

Category: Cats

  • CatSynth pic: Video on a Wurlitzer Electric Piano

    CatSynth pic: Video on a Wurlitzer Electric Piano


    “Video” the Cat takes a stroll on a Wurlitzer 200e electric piano. Submitted by The Wiggly Tendrils via our facebook page.

    One may argue that a Wurlitzer electric piano isn’t a “synthesizer” per se. But electromechanical pianos (Wurlitzer and Rhodes) are among my favorite instruments and feline pictures with them are always welcome here!

    Me too. I bought this one in Oshkosh Wisconsin years ago at the music store that time forgot. The guy was renting them out to piano students who didn’t have pianos at home. (their original purpose) I eventually talked him into selling me one. I love it. I also briefly had a Yamaha CP-70 but had to sell it when I moved from Philly to Berkeley.

  • Weekend Cat Blogging: Play with Me!

    Weekend Cat Blogging: Play with Me!

    On sporadic mornings, I have been taking Instagram photos of Luna like the one above. She is often basking in the sunshine on one of the dining-area chairs, but on this occasion she was rolling on the floor with one message: “Play with Me!”

    And it was a good message for her to give. Like many mornings, it was a bit frenzied with things pulling me in multiple directions. Luna made it clear what I should be doing, which was to drop everything and come play with her, even if only for a few minutes before work. And so this is a very roundabout way of interpreting this week’s Photo Hunt theme of DROP. Weak, perhaps, but it means something to us.

    Weekend Cat Blogging #352 is hosted by Pam at Sidewalk Shoes.

    The Weekly Photo Hunt theme is DROP.

    The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted this Sunday by Nikita and Elivra at Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat. We also wish Nikita and his dad a Happy Birthday this coming week!

    And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

  • CatSynth pic: Taro Cat

    CatSynth pic: Taro Cat

    Another from Sawa Masaki featuring Taro.

    If you would like to have your own cat-and-music pictures appear on the blog, you can submit it via Facebook, Twitter @catsynth, or contact us.

  • CatSynth pic: CATS

    CatSynth pic: CATS

    Via matrixsynth.

    If you have your own cat-and-gear or cat-and-music picture you would like to see on the blog, you can share it with us via Facebook, via Twitter @catsynth, or contact us.

  • CatSynth Video: Arp Odyssey Strange noises and drones, using sample and Hold modulations

    From our friends at polynominal.com, another video featuring images of Mimi. The modulated sounds are quite interesting as well – lots of rich noisy timbres.

    “For more info, longer demo and more, please visit the arp odyssey page at this URL:
    http://www.polynominal.com/site/studio/gear/synth/Arp_odyssey/index.html”

  • Weekend Cat Blogging: Luna encounters the Skatchbox

    Weekend Cat Blogging: Luna encounters the Skatchbox

    Those who read yesterday’s review of Music of Invention concert encountered Tom Nunn’s musical invention, the Skatchbox. Today, Luna discovered this instrument for herself:

    I chose this model of the limited-edition mini-Skatchboxes made specifically for the concert because of its visual aesthetics. It reminds me a bit of paintings of Kandinsky. As for the sound, it can make a variety of loud noisy timbrally rich sounds. They were a bit new to Luna’s ears:

    I literally just scratched the surface (no pun intended). I wouldn’t yet play this in a formal musical setting. But it is loud, and a somewhat sneaky way to participate in this week’s Saturday Photo Hunt on the theme LOUD. Here is another image of Luna with the Skatchbox using the new America pack in the Hipstamatic app.

    Those who have regularly seen my photos know I tend to prefer crisp images with high contrast, whether from the Hisptamatic or the DSLR. But this one seemed to work best blurred. And Luna was not going to cooperate for another take.

    Weekend Cat Blogging #351 is hosted by The Bengal Business.

    The Saturday Photo Hunt is up with the theme of LOUD.

    The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted this Sunday by When Cats Attack!

    And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

  • CatSynth pic: Roberta and KAOSS Pad

    CatSynth pic: Roberta and KAOSS Pad

    Submitted by vlern via our Facebook page.

    Roberta still likes the Kaoss Pads.

  • CatSynth video: PHOENIX – Love Like A Sunset Sound (nearly)

    By KidsAtMidnight on YouTube, via matrixsynth.

    PHOENIX – Love Like A Sunset Sound (nearly)

    Was supposed to be working on new track (and feeding the cat) but got sidetracked by the MoogerFoogers. Found a sound a bit like the mad glissando CS80 at the start of Love Like A Sunset so tried to work out the part a bit. Stole the Marimba-like bit from the Multitrack they put online.

    Arthur (cat) was just hungry and attention seeking. He’s not normally too bad a chewer. Mind you, I did find all but one knob from my Digi002 in the hallway once. Bad boy …

  • Carnival of the Cats #414

    Carnival of the Cats #414

    We at CatSynth are happy to host Carnival of the Cats #414!

    The Carnival of the Cats occurs every Sunday and features feline-themed posts submitted from around the “blogosphere.”  You can participate by leaving a comment or using the handy submission form.  Although we are questioning the handiness of the submission form this week, as we have very few participants.  But we’re here for those who are participating, so let us get started.

    Elvira turned two years old this past week. Please join us in wishing her a happy birthday!  It looks like she had a good celebration with her family.  Her birthday week also happened to coincide with Valentine’s Day.

    Meanwhile, Nikita relates his dad’s recent acquisition of cat-themed books.  It looks like they have quite a collection going, including some vintage books from the 1940s and 1950s. [Note: it is actually Elvira in the photo above.]  It reminds us at CatSynth that we should do a similar post one of these days.

    In addition to hosting this carnival, we did a photo of Luna for the Weekly Photo Hunt on the theme of “point”, along with a pointing maneki neko. We encourage visitors to check it out.  There is a highway sign as well (yes, we’re a little odd).

    It’s Flash Back Sunday at Life from A Cat’s Perspective, with significant pictures from the past, including one of the last with Samantha and Mr. Tigger together. They all miss him very much.

    Over at Sweet Purrfections, Truffle and Brulee claimed this bed as their own and are enjoying a nap on it. I think they match the bed and the room quite nicely.

    Jill of BabyBakes introduces Chuck (aka “Kat”), a new kitten. She relates the story of how this tiny kitten came into their lives, and also the adventures of putting together a new “kat tree.”

    At Animal Shelter Volunteer, Moosey knows exactly how to spend a Sunday: enjoy a nap in a patch of sunshine. He looks quite comfy and relaxed there.

  • Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Point

    Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Point

    There are so many interesting ways that one can interpret this week’s Photo Hunt theme of Point. Mathematics and highways come to mind, but this is of course also Weekend Cat Blogging, so as usual we feature cats. First, one of our many maneki nekos points its paw:

    And here is Luna pointing while basking in the morning sun:

    Both of these photos were taken with the latest lens and film options I got for the Hipstamatic app on the iPhone.

    Another Hipstamatic photo on the theme does veer into the realm of highways. Here is one of several studies I did with the freeway entrance shield for the Bay Area’s infamous Interstate 238 for an upcoming article on the highway. It has the customary downward pointing arrow of freeway entrances in California.

    Tomorrow (Sunday), we at CatSynth will be hosting the weekly Carnival of the Cats. If you have a feline-themed blog post from the past week, you are welcome to participate. Just visit the handy BlogCarnival submission form or leave a comment below.

    Weekend Cat Blogging #350 is hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome.

    The Weekly Photo hunt theme is Point.

    As stated above, we are hosting the Carnival of the Cats tomorrow.

    And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.