yamaha

CatSynth pic: Gravitarium 2.

Via matrixsynth:

This one in via Silent Strike who composed the tracks for the app with a Clavia Nord Modular 1, Micron Alesis, Jomox Mbase, Reason 4 Propellerheads, M-audio Axiom 25, Elektron Drumachine (pic at the bottom of this post). The app does not allow you to manipulate sound, but I thought it was interesting to acknowledge some of the gear used to create the audio for this app. The Waldorf Blofeld and Yamaha AN200 pictured however were not used.

Looks like Silent Strike had a studio supervisor involved.

There is also info on the app itself.

Gravitarium 2 combines music, art and science in one relaxing experience. Use all your fingers to guide the star flow. You can create 10 different animations depending on the number of fingers touching the screen:

1 – Rocket, 2 – Sparkle, 3 – Energy flow, 4 – Atomic, 5 – 3D freeze, 6 – Circularium, 7 – Fish, 8 – Vortex, 9 – Lasers, 10 – Lightning.

Use different options to create spectacular drawings made of stars. You can load the “Drawing” preset from the “Options” screen.

I will be taking a look at this app. The idea of creativity and relaxation does appeals to me, but the game-play part is a bit less exciting – though it is the trend in the mobile-app space.

CatSynth video: kitchen electro jam: Moog Slim Phatty, iOS Midi Touch & bent QY10

From burnkit2600 on YouTube:

Sick with a cold, Miette keeps me company while I take a 1st test drive of this portable little setup. I’m using my newly created iOS Midi Touch controller for the Moog Slim Phatty. I’m controlling the MSP arpeggiator and using it’s DIN MIDI output to play the drums on my circuit-bent Yamaha QY10. Also sloppily playing the tiny keyboard on the QY10. The audio from the QY10 is partially routed back to the Moog for processing. My bent megaphone toy circuit (red box) offers some echo on the unprocessed drums. The crappy Boss mixer & homemade stereo amp combo make the cats ears twitch. Fun.
Links:
QY10- http://www.burnkit2600.com/yamaha-qy-10/
Midi Touch- http://iosmidi.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=114
Moog Slim Phatty- http://www.moogmusic.com/littlephatty/
Miette- http://www.burnkit2600.com/graphics/ani-miette-sunbath.gif

I like how Miette just sits quietly there. It reminds me of Luna on her beanbag chair in the studio.
I will have to try out MIDI Touch when sometime soon…

CatSynth pic: Pallina the Synth Cat Strikes a Pose

Two photos from Davide Mancini, via matrixsynth:

“Pallina, my housecat. She also loves the analog warmth.”

“Same cat, another synth. She loves to sleep near the SIEL DK80, KaossPad3 and Tenori.on power supply… should be warm and humming there…”

We have seen Pallina before, click this tag to see her previous posts.

CatSynth pic: Yamaha Electric Organ

This is a vintage late-1970s Yamaha electric organ that I played at a jam session yesterday evening. I am not sure of the exact model, but I think is a B40 from 1977.

Organs can be a bit of a challenge to play if one is trained on piano and synthesizer. Basically, I just try to find a few settings that work and stick with them. Nonetheless, it was a good session, with talented drummers including one out-of-town visitor. The only harmonic instruments were organ and bass guitar, so essentially we were just a giant rhythm section. And we were able to get some interesting rhythms, including a 6/4 version of John Coltraine’s Equinox, and an extended minor blues that moved freely among different rhythmic styles and pulses while maintaining a beat.

CatSynth pic: Yamaha DX7 Synth ExtraS

Via matrixsynth (originally from an auction):

“YAMAHA DX7 SYNTH EXTRAS. Original list price $2195 EXTRAS(see pics)3 CARTRIDGES, PADDED “PROTECT” CASE, YAMAHA VOLUME/MODULATOR/SUSTAIN 3 PEDALS, MIDI CORD.”

How the mighty have fallen! When I first got into synthesizers back in the mid 1980s, the Yamaha DX7 was the instrument to have – and at that list price out of reach for most teens. Now they go for about $250 on eBay. And they are no longer all that interesting. I do have a TX802 but have rarely used it.

CatSynth pic: Yamaha CS-01 Documentation and Charlotte the Cat

From Lee Tizzard, via matrixsynth:

“Included in these pics [of the CS-01 and documentation] is a captioned pic of Charlotte the cat revealing a common misnomer about the little cs-o1 ‘analogue”‘synth.”

The original post includes some photos of the manual:

You can see more as well as some discussion of MIDI-retrofitting the CS-01 on the post on matrixsynth.