yamaha

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.

CatSynth video: arpeggicat – cat based note randomization

From ChrisLody on YouTube, via matrixsynth.

Okay, so this is one of my more strange experimental ideas. The keyboard at the top of the screen (a Yamaha SY-35) is midi’d into the lower keyboard (a Novation KS-5). The KS-5 is programmed with a simple arpeggio patch I created which can be played from the SY-35. Then I covered the keys of the SY-35 with cat biscuits and let my kitten Daisy loose on it. I was then able to control some aspects of the sound with conrols on the KS-5. I think she got wise to me about half way through as she stopped standing on the keys. Damn kitty!

CatSynth pic: Woody, Keyboard Cat

From Cardigan Lane on flickr, via matrixsynth:


“Woody chilling out with the Yamaha CS01.”

From the comments on matrixsynth:

Hey guys, that cat is my little friend Woody.
He’s a Bengal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat

A very cool little guy, a little crazy but lots of fun. He belongs to my friends. He is actually my friends cat, whenever I crash on their couch I usually wake up with him sleeping on my legs.

He got a little freaked out by the CS1… once I turned it on and started playing some keys from it, he didn’t find it such a great pillow any more and started attacking the speaker. He didn’t have any problem with the casio CT310 we were also fooling around with, so I guess I should have named him Casio Cat!

Midnight Monday CatSynth pic: More Luna in the Studio

A follow-up of sorts to Weekend Cat Blogging. Luna paused in front of this rack and of course I had to grab the nearest camera and snap a picture of her posing.

If Luna represents the present, the gear represents the past. The Yamaha TX81Z has a long personal history, but the other E-MU and Yamaha modules are just there, filling up space. I can remember when these were coveted items and each came with a large price tag. But they do make a nice backdrop for a “CatSynth pic.”