Hey everybody drop what you're doing, it's a synthquiz!

hfinn · Post by **hfinn** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:56 pm

There is a clue that eliminates the EML 101. The 101's filter does not self resonate.

The winner is:

RobotHeroes · Post by **RobotHeroes** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:45 pm

Sounds dreamy. =P~

At 58 seconds the sound reminded me of "Portishead - Humming". I am pretty sure Adrian Utley owns a synthi but from what I remember he used a Minimoog(or at least live anyway).

stikygum · Post by **stikygum** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:05 pm

Well this just means I need to go listen to the 101 and Synthi on youtube.

Alex Hamilton · Post by **Alex Hamilton** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:24 am

Hmmm, interesting...it sounds a lot sharper than most demos seem too. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

hfinn · Post by **hfinn** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:12 am

Most all Synthi demos don't have the Synthi playing 'musically' per say. A lot of people argue that you can't play a Synthi in a normal way and I hope this starts to show what a lie that is.

goom · Post by **goom** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:05 am

WA-HOO! I actually got one of your quizzes right!

Alex Hamilton · Post by **Alex Hamilton** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:52 pm

hfinn wrote:Most all Synthi demos don't have the Synthi playing 'musically' per say. A lot of people argue that you can't play a Synthi in a normal way and I hope this starts to show what a lie that is.

That squelchy filter bit did remind me of the start of Silver Machine - I guess I just didn't imagine that you could actually control it!

Post by **shaft9000** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:35 pm

Heath, why is it do you think, that people say the Synthi is not for lead?

Is it that the VCO's in many Synthis don't track consistently across the keyboard? Do you have to scale the Synthi keyboard CV manually or often at all?

Are the ranges of the individual circuits really wide like in other modular/discrete synths?

How about the EG's? Snappy w/ relatively short times like on Mini ? ...or is it much different? (other end of scale is A6 & OB Matrix : EG's w/ the epic loooooong swell) Trapezoid gen. is one difference, i'm sure.

johnwally · Post by **johnwally** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:15 pm

It`s a synthesizer (or synthesiser) is an electronic instrument capable of producing a variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies. Synthesizers create electrical signals, rather than direct acoustic sounds, which are then amplified through a loudspeaker or set of headphones.

Synthesizers are typically (but not exclusively) controlled with a piano-style keyboard, leading to the instruments also sometimes being referred to simply as "keyboards". Synthesizers can produce a wide range of sounds, which can either imitate other instruments or generate unusual new timbres.

The first electric synthesizer was invented in 1876 by Elisha Gray, who is best known for his development of a telephone prototype.[1][2] Robert Moog created a revolutionary synthesizer which was used by Wendy Carlos's Switched-On Bach (1968) a popular recording which introduced many musicians to the sound of synthesizers. In the 1970s, the development of miniaturized solid-state components allowed synthesizers to become self-contained, portable instruments, which made them easier to use in live performances. By the early 1980s, companies such as Yamaha began selling compact, modestly priced synthesizers such as the DX7, and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) was developed, which made it easier to integrate and synchronize synthesizers with other electronic instruments. In the 1990's complex synthesizers no longer required specialist hardware and began to appear as software for the PC, often as hardware emulators with on-screen knobs

Is there a prize ? and do I get it ?

Alex Hamilton · Post by **Alex Hamilton** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:32 pm

shaft9000 wrote:Heath, why is it do you think, that people say the Synthi is not for lead?

Is it that the VCO's in many Synthis don't track consistently across the keyboard? Do you have to scale the Synthi keyboard CV manually or often at all?

Are the ranges of the individual circuits really wide like in other modular/discrete synths?

How about the EG's? Snappy w/ relatively short times like on Mini ? ...or is it much different? (other end of scale is A6 & OB Matrix : EG's w/ the epic loooooong swell) Trapezoid gen. is one difference, i'm sure.

I'd heard the filters on EMS stuff were difficult to get something really useful out of, and that the EGS are quite slow. But I may be completely wrong.

My guess would be that, unlike a Mini, a Synthi is just not an immediately approachable synth - you need a bit of understanding of how it works, such that's it's not plug-n-play; so it's more of a historical view, than a more sophisticated judgement of the sound and what's it's good for.

hfinn · Post by **hfinn** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:28 pm

Here's another clip of the Synthi:

I would never call the envelopes bad (weird, yes.) but still very great and interesting and the filter is fantastic.

Alex Hamilton · Post by **Alex Hamilton** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 4:40 pm

^^^^Hours of fun

. 2:10-2:30 reminded me of sounds I like to make on my MonoPoly.

Hey everybody drop what you're doing, it's a synthquiz!

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