black cat

Lilly and Yamaha DX21

Black cat sitting on top of a synthesizer (Yamaha DX21)

Beautiful Lilly sits atop a Yamaha DX21 synthesizer. Behind her, we espy a Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator. (The reel-to-reel tape recorder is nice as well.)

Submitted by N3ncehead on Reddit.

Cat on my first synth, the Yamaha DX21

The DX21 was a 4-operator FM synth in Yamaha’s DX line. Not quite as powerful as the 6-operator instruments like the DX7, or the later 4-operator synths like the TX81Z, but nonetheless fully capable of complex FM synthesis. It also featured multiple layers and keyboard splits, which separated it from the other 4-operator instruments at the time like the DX27 and DX100. (Yes, there were a lot of DXs in the 1980s.)

Sidney Crosby on Pedals and Mini-Synths

Sidney Crosby does what cats do best and has jumped up on the platform with numerous pedals and mini-synths belonging Scott Smigiel.

Submitted by bittersweetdb on Mastodon.

Here’s Sidney Crosby on @ssmigiel’s live setup of many pedals and mini synths.

https://mstdn.social/@bittersweetdb@mastodon.social/110996206662452109

Lou and Yamaha CS-15

Lou basks in the sun above a vintage Yamaha CS-15 synthesis. From synthguy216 on Instagram.

That’s what a sunny afternoon is for. Lou recharging next to my CS-15

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdEQoKeOBGb/

The CS-15 is not one I know much about, compared to some of the others in Yamaha’s famous CS series. A bit from Vintage Synth Explorer:

This synth really has its own sound. The CS-15’s got style. Built like a tank with a lot of nice knobs and best of all, not one but two of those funny sounding multimode filters…The best things about it are the flexibility of the VCFs and the routings to the filters and envelopes. You can rout VCO 1 to both VCFs and the VCFs to any of the envelopes positive or negative voltage. The VCFs are 12 dB/Oct and are switchable between low, band or high-pass. They are the key to the nice sound of the Yamaha CS family. Other nice features are noise, external-in for processing other sounds, LFO with Sample & Hold for those bubbling sounds and an individual auto-bend for the VCOs.

https://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/cs15.php

Kielbasa and Teenage Engineering OP-1

Kielbasa – also known as “Not Tuna” in a previous video – is jamming on the Teenage Engineer OP-1. I like the combination of chords, pads, and more percussive bell-like tones.

Submitted by our friend Antoine Macrroncles at thedigitalpurrgatory on Instagram.

Not-Tuna with Teenage Engineering OP-1

For Black Cat Appreciation Day, we have some photos of “Not-Tuna”, a black cat who looks a lot like our friend Tuna, with a Teenage Engineering OP-1. From thedigitalpurrgatory on Instagram.

Pretty sure Not-Tuna is a synth cat, too.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvo6PNvP233/

Tuna, Novation Bass Station, Yamaha DX7

Tuna naps atop a Novation Bass Station and a Yamaha DX7. From thedigitalpurrgatory on Instagram.

Tuna reclaiming his spot.

Presumably, Tuna is reclaiming from Sora, whom we saw napping on this same Bass Station a week ago. We at CatSynth know this territorial rivalry all too well, as Sam Sam and Big Merp are constantly vying for territory and resources (i.e., they are being cats).

Albert with Korg Electribe, Roland SH-101, Elektron Digitone, more

Albert has found a nice sunny spot in the studio. We see a Roland SH-101, Korg Eletribe, and Elektron Digitone next to him. It appears that he is sitting on a Roland TB-303 (or similar) with a dark panel, and another rhythm machine.

Submitted by David Cole via our Facebook page.