Cats

SOMA Laboratory Lyra 8

This cat has found a nice warm napping spot atop a SOMA Laboratory Lyra 8. Submitted by Robin Hill via our Facebook page.

We at CatSynth are quite intrigued by the instruments coming out SOMA Laboratory, who are based in Russia and Poland – not our neighborhood of San Francisco. They seem quite original and inventive.

Welcome to the world of sound of LYRA-8, the unique organismic analogue synthesizer designed by Vlad Kreimer. “Organismic” means that LYRA uses some principles that lie in the base of living organisms. The way how LYRA’s modules interacting between each other and the behaviour of the instrument resembles a live conversation.

https://somasynths.com/lyra-organismic-synthesizer/

Serum, BeatStep Pro, Eurorack, Strymon Big Sky…

A cat sits in the command char or a small studio featuring the Serum wavetable software synthesizer, a large Eurorack system, an Arturia BeatStep Pro, Strymon Big Sky, and more. We are particularly curious about that small device with the grid of purple buttons. The cat, on the other hand, looks ready for a nap.

Malestro plays the Serum

The kitten Malestro looks to be having a lot of fun scamping up and down the keys and making beats with the Serum and other synthesizers. From sonofanuzi on Instagram.

One Random Note: Roland SH1000

Josie performs a one-note jam on a Roland SH1000 courtesy of our friend Merce the cat. Here are some more detailed photos.

The SH1000 was perhaps Roland’s first keyboard synthesizer. It had a single oscillator and filter, along with an ADSR, two LFOs, and separate noise sources. It’s look is more like an electric organ and demonstrates the conceptual bridge between these instruments, even if their architecture and playing techniques are quite different. As our feline friend demonstrates, it is particularly good for drones or unique bass tones.

[The SH-1000] features 10 Preset sounds, but they are pretty weak. Fortunately you can create your own sounds for some really great mono-synth bass, lead, percussion and FX sounds. Basic square, ramp and pulse-width waveforms are available from the oscillator and the LFOs have sine, square and sample+hold. It has a terrific ‘Growl’ and ‘Wow’ effect for a pretty scary analog sound. It also features white noise, pink noise, portamento, octave transposition and a Random Note Generator. Although there is no user memory, unique sounds can still be quickly recreated or discovered thanks to its simple interface.

http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sh1000.php

It also paved the way for later classics like the SH1 and SH101.

CatSynth Pic: Milo and MOTM 490

Our pal Milo is inspecting an MOTM 490 filter that has been modified by Keith Winstanley.

It looks like Milo is falling asleep on the job 😸

The MOTM 490 is a lowpass ladder filter designed to sound like classic synthesizers from the 1970s – or as Synthesis Technology puts it, “that synthesizer sound”. You can hear some demos on MOTM’s site.

MOTM-490

CatSynth Pic: Ed and PJ (Roland Boutiques)

Ed and PJ faithfully guard the kit of Pete Dolan. (Photo submitted via our Facebook page.)

we see three Roland Boutiques on the shelf, along with the original boxes arranged in a colorful pattern. Among them is the JP-08 that we have here at HQ. Two of the keyboards are (wisely) under dust covers, and the identity of the third is left as an exercise to the reader.

You can see our many posts featuring the Roland Boutiques here.

CatSynth Pic: Moog Grandmother and Sub 37 (Universal Audio)

Our friends at Universal Audio are getting into the CatSynth-pic business with this post on Instagram 😺

Who’s making music in their living room these days 🙋‍♂️⠀

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAWVWL0jT-0/

We see Moog Granthmother and Sub 37 synthesizers, a few pedals, and of course a UA Apollo interface.