Ben Kreap | Selector https://selector.news The Electronic Music Journal Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:40:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 https://selector.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-cropped-selectorIcon-32x32.png Ben Kreap | Selector https://selector.news 32 32 Moog Celebrate 100 Years of Theremin with the Claravox Centennial https://selector.news/2020/10/23/moog-music-100-years-theremin-claravox-centennial/ https://selector.news/2020/10/23/moog-music-100-years-theremin-claravox-centennial/#respond Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:40:40 +0000 https://selector.news/?p=4978 2020 marks the Theremin‘s 100th birthday and Moog Music are celebrating with their latest iteration of the instrument, the Claravox Centennial.

Leon Theremin with his device.

First conceived in 1920 by Russian inventor Léon Theremin and patented in 1928, the Theremin became a respected instrument in the field of classical music. Its sonic contributions to film scores and early science fiction sound effects made generations of hairs stand on end.

The Theremin’s electromagnetic interface baffled early audiences who watched in awe as a musician played what appeared to be invisible strings of air. Instead of keys and a volume pedal the theremin uses two antennae: the rod antenna for oscillator pitch and the loop antenna for volume. These extremely sensitive antennae give the musician direct control of vibrato to deliver expressive and emotional results.

Paul Tanner with the Electro-Theremin.

It took considerable skill to master the Theremin. Although it’s timbre imitates that of a violin, the technique used to play it is more akin to a trombonist. The telescope like slide mechanism on the trombone varies the size of the instrument to change the pitch. For that reason, trombonists were often more instinctive and adaptable users of the Theremin in its early days.

In the late 1950s it was this insight that lead trombonist Paul Tanner to persuade amateur inventor Bob Whitsell to help him develop the Electro-Theremin. Tanner liked the sound of the sine wave oscillators in the original design but lusted after greater control of pitch and attack. The suggestions he gave to Whitsell consequently led the innovator to ditch the antennae in favor of a trombone-inspired slide controller for pitch and a mechanical knob for amplitude.

It was the Electro-Theremin that Brian Wilson would record in 1965 for the album Pet Sounds and again to more critical and commercial acclaim in his 1966 hit single, “Good Vibrations.” Due to the tonal similarities it’s widely misconceived that an original Theremin was used on Good Vibrations which soon boosted the sales of Theremins among a growing psychedelic community.

The Birth Of Moog Music

In 1953, Robert Arthur Moog began his much-renowned career with the release of his own Theremin design. It was originally only available through mail order as a DIY kit where it was purchased by American composer Raymond Scott. Scott modified Moog’s theremin by adding a keyboard to give the instrument glissando capability with adjustable portamento, and he also installed an amplitude envelope to shape the length and attack of the notes played.

Manhattan Research Raymond Scott Clavivox - Manhattan Research - EncyclotronicIn 1956 Scott patented his adaptation of the Theremin as the Clavivox, which in turn inspired Moog to design his first synthesizers.

“A lot of the sound-producing circuitry of the Clavivox resembled very closely the first analog synthesizer my company made in the mid-’60s,” said Moog of the device. “Some of the sounds are not the same, but they’re close.”

Ed Sussman demonstrating the Moog Stringer.

By the early 1960s Moog’s close association with the Theremin led him to forge a partnership with recording engineer and one-time customer Walter Sear. Moog befriended Sear after he bought parts to build his own Theremin in the late 1950s. This soon grew into a business partnership as Sear used his music industry connections to spruik Moog’s instruments. When Brian Wilson’s cousin, occasional collaborator and touring Beach Boys band member Steve Korthoff needed a stage version of the Theremin, Sear was on hand to assist in the demonstration.

Steve Korthoff immediately discovered it was far too difficult to use the instrument to reproduce the “Good Vibrations” lead melody, so Sear asked him to visit Bob Moog at his facility to further explain what he needed. After listening to Korthoff’s need for traditional frets, Moog constructed a ribbon controller connected to an oscillator that could be played more easily by Korthoff and the band. This reinvention became the Moog Stringer, which was first seen publicly in the promotional film shot for Good Vibrations.

Then and Now

Clara Rockmore plays Tchaikovsky "Berceuse" - YouTube

Clara Rockmore performing with the Theremin.

The Claravox Centennial takes its name from  Clara Rockmore, whose virtuoso performances and recordings brought a more sophisticated approach to the instrument. Rockmore used the Theremin to sing like a human voice rather than emulating a violin with the wild vibrato of her many contemporaries.

The Claravox has two modes. Traditional mode uses classic heterodyne oscillators for an authentic Theremin sound while Modern mode uses multimode DSP oscillators (sine, triangle, saw, wavetable) with assignable scales, quantization, octave ranges, and response curves.
An analogue wave-shaping circuit (as used in the Etherwave Pro) allows you to tame and balance the gain of the signal as well as adding saturation to fatten the harmonics. For onboard FX there’s a BBD delay that conveniently gives you a classic analogue delay to echo and spiral your Theremin playing.

Connectivity

The Claravox Sentinel with optional stand.

MIDI IN and OUT plus two CV inputs and outputs expand your Claravox as an external instrument that you can program from your DAW, hardware sequencer or even a modular system. This could result in accurate programming capabilities as well as experimental happy accidents.

The Outs convert your Claravox into a sophisticated MIDI/CV controller to trigger and control external samplers, instruments or any device with a MIDI/CV input. An application for this feature that comes to mind would be to use the Claravox like the D-Beam controller that was used in the Roland MC-505. You can accurately calibrate this data to produce the sub bass lines vital to modern hip-hop, house and techno tracks, using your choice of synth or 808 kick samples just to give an example.

USB MIDI is also an option if you wish to use the Claravox without an interface. Alternatively you could just play these sub bass lines live using the onboard generators that cover a five-octave range in Traditional Mode or four to seven octaves in Modern Mode. The video below demonstrates how expressive the Theremin’s controls can be when used for bass lines.

The Claravox has enough specifications to give you these options. The side-entry calibration ports are easy to access for fine tuning adjustments and the dedicated Response knobs allow for the creation of recallable custom antenna curves in Modern mode. Front-panel pitch and volume knobs give fast and immediate control for dialing in to new playing environments.

The front-panel preset storage provides instant recall of your sounds and settings and there’s even a software librarian to back up and organize your presets. This software can also access a host of under-the-hood features.

The Claravox’s retro design gives it aesthetic appeal, although the classic wooden tripod stand is an optional extra. You can use a standard mic stand if you’re not keen on spending extra cash for the full vintage look.

Alternative Moog Theremins 

The Moog Etherwave Plus could also be used as a controller with CVs for pitch and volume. These CVs can be patched to any CV inputs of your choice. The scaled-back Standard version comes without connectivity.

The Theramini made playing the instrument easier with assisted pitch control. It carried one CV output and USB MIDI. It’s 32 wavetable sound presets and stereo output broadened the sonic scope of the instrument.

The Claravox Sentinel can be pre-ordered now for $1,499, and it ships out in December. More information can be found on the Moog Music website.

Image credit: Moog Music, Lindahall, sundazed, encyclotronic, Youtube.

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Erica Synths Release EMS Synthi-Inspired SYNTRX https://selector.news/2020/10/21/erica-synths-ems-synthi-inspired-syntrx/ https://selector.news/2020/10/21/erica-synths-ems-synthi-inspired-syntrx/#respond Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:44:56 +0000 https://selector.news/?p=4874 Erica Synths have announced they’re taking orders for their EMS Synthi AKS-influenced SYNTRX analogue matrix synthesizer. You can pre-order it now for €2,500 and they’ll soon be shipping worldwide.

The E.M.S Synthi AKS, 1972.

The Erica Synths SYNTRX is not an exact replica of the groundbreaking Synthi AKS – nor is it supposed to be. Erica’s ambition was to build a matrix synthesizer that mimicked the workflow and features of the Synthi AKS for a new generation of analogue synth users.

The EMS Synthi AKS was the machine that inspired a generation of sci-fi sound effects. It was designed by David Cockerell whose contributions to the Akai MPC-60, MPC-3000, S-900 and S-1000 place him in the highest tier of engineers. When released in 1972 the Synthi AKS was popularized by Pink Floyd, Brian Eno and Jean-Michel Jarre. Its innovations also heralded a new era for The BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

The Matrix

The SYNTRX is Erica Synths’ first collaboration with fellow Latvian engineers at Riga Technical University. It focuses heavily on three highly accurate VCOs (8 octave) and a digital matrix. Gone are the board game pins from the E.M.S Synthi design that originally freed us from patch cables, and you can now save the matrix configuration – a truly powerful addition.

Two external analogue inputs can be routed through it’s matrix to a ring modulator, resonant filter, output signal filter, spring reverb, 3 x VCA’s and an ASR/AD looping envelope generator. If you were to buy these modules individually you would’ve already passed Erica’s price point, and that’s only the beginning.

Two analog outputs also give you external processing options. MIDI IN and THRU sit alongside two CV inputs and one Gate input. All of this routability makes the SYNTRX a perfect fit in a modular system.

Erica or Behringer?

No photo description available.

Behringer’s Synthi software design model using Siemens’ Digital Twin technology.

Around the same time Erica Synths announced their production, Behringer revealed that they have partnered with Siemens to develop their own Synthi AKS-inspired product. Using Siemens’ groundbreaking Digital Twin technology they’ll be able to design hardware within a software package that adapts to a fully automated manufacturing plant to be based in Malaysia.

Digital Twin technology has previously been used in the automotive and aeronautics industries, but this is the first time it’s been applied in the music technology field.  Streamlining the process of research and development while minimizing human error is bound to deliver faster and cheaper products to a growing user base. It may be some time before you see a Behringer Synthi clone rolled out, though. The question of how soon you want to get your hands on the controls should be considered if you’re thinking about waiting.

The Cloney Project, VCS3 Clone.

Another option is the The Cloney Project‘s VCS3 Clone. The DIY kit is a viable prospect if you have the skills of an electronic engineer with a lab worth of tools and equipment to build it.

Considering the time, effort and cost required compared to paying €2,500.00 right now for the SYNTRX brings everything into focus – especially when you can save a matrix patch.

For more information on the SYNTRX or to place an order, visit the Erica Synths website.

 Image credit: Erica Synths, Soundgas, Behringer, The Cloney Project

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Behringer to Begin Production of Korg MonoPoly Replica https://selector.news/2020/10/19/behringer-korg-monopoly-reproduction/ https://selector.news/2020/10/19/behringer-korg-monopoly-reproduction/#respond Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:10:56 +0000 https://selector.news/?p=4723 Behringer are getting ready to start manufacturing their reproduction of the Korg MonoPoly with the first units to ship from their factory by November. A price point will be revealed once they calculate manufacturing costs.

The Korg MonoPoly was produced between 1981-1984. It packed powerful features like arpeggiator, chord memory and oscillator sync into an affordable and lightweight package.

In the early ’80s the Korg MonoPoly was reviewed for One.. Two.. Testing magazine by Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo) who famously commented, “It sounded like four cheap synthesizers all playing together.” Harsh as his criticism may have been, Clarke did give honest insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the device’s design.

It would turn out that the original incarnation wasn’t built to last. Very few MonoPoly’s survived the test of time which made them highly sought after on the resale market.

Enter The Behringer MonoPoly

The Behringer MonoPoly.

Behringer’s recreation shares the same layout of the original; it doesn’t cut features but instead introduces potentially useful additions. Most notably, the Auto-Tune function that shifts the oscillators back into A440 tuning is a great feature for the stage and recording studio alike.

The introduction of Midi ushers this classic into the present as Korg ended production of the original just before Midi was born. Midi IN, OUT and THRU are available via hardware ports or USB. Behringer also keep the CV/Gate options intact making it easy to integrate into a modular setup.

The flexibility of key modes offered can split the oscillators into four simultaneous Arpeggios as well as Poly, Chord Memory, Unison and Unison Share (which divides the oscillators as each consecutive note is triggered). Contrary to its name, the MonoPoly isn’t a fully polyphonic mode but rather paraphonic, giving you four simultaneous notes at a time (much like their recent Minimoog clone the Poly D).

 

At 8:38 in the above video, Behringer demonstrate the round robin arpeggiation that made the MonoPoly a worthy synth to resurrect. When switched to Poly mode, the MonoPoly’s arpeggiator can even behave as a simple rhythm machine. Assign different waveforms to each of the four oscillators and a producer can build a drum pattern as it cycles through them.

Those hoping to sync the clock externally will be pleased to hear Behringer have just announced their updated firmware is rock solid after recent beta testing. This should be available publicly for the RD-8 within the next two weeks. It’s safe to assume the MonoPoly will also be stable when slaved.

Industry Opinions

Detroit techno pioneer Thomas Barnett told Selector, “The MonoPoly looks like an amazing chance for any producer to get a four-voice synth. At such a discount, you’d be silly to pass on this classic!” You can follow him on Instagram to see what he does with the MonoPoly.

“MonoPoly looks tasty; I have the CAT and Pro1,” said U.K. house new schooler Madvilla. “I think the MonoPoly would be good for quick melodies where you wanna experiment more with synth parameters rather than the chord progression itself.”

More information on the MonoPoly reproduction can be found on the Behringer website.

Image credit: Behringer, Korg

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Melodic Distraction Forced to Relocate from Baltic Triangle in Liverpool https://selector.news/2020/10/12/melodic-distraction-relocate-baltic-triangle/ Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:18:59 +0000 https://selector.news/?p=4480 Popular Liverpool internet broadcaster Melodic Distraction are looking for a new premises due to the land where their building is located on being put up for sale.

Independently operated by James Zaremba and Josh Aitman, Melodic Distraction have been on the air six days a week since 2017. They’ve reassured their loyal listening base that the change of location won’t be affecting their regular broadcast of up-and-coming Liverpool talent. The lineup of resident hosts has previously included stalwarts like Crazy P, Reedale Rise and ASOK.

Josh Aitman and James Zaremba of Melodic Dstraction.

Their current lease has only been renewed with short extensions. With redevelopment high on the cards due to the Baltic Triangle’s growing economy, they’ve conceded it’s time to find a new base of operations.

“Melodic Distraction have decided to move on, and focus our time and attention on local radio, broader plans, our hosts and community of listeners,” reads a press statement. “We’re endeavoring to find a new location rather than fighting to stay for tiny incremental slivers of time in our current studio.”

Having cultivated a dedicated fan base, their SoundCloud also hosts an eclectic mixture of premieres covering a broad range of genres from disco, funk, soul and jazz to house, techno and UK garage.

 

 

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