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Teenage Engineering's new pocket synths mine the sounds of the '80s
Until last year, buying a Teenage Engineering synthesizer meant spending hundreds of dollars. But the Pocket Operator series that debuted at NAMM in 2015 changed that equation by putting the company's sound in your pocket for only $59. Sure, they're not nearly as capable as the company's flagship OP-1, but that'll set you back $850. For less than a quarter of that, you could buy all three Pocket Operator synths, chain them together and start making music.
Korg outs $500 Minilogue analog synthesizer ahead of NAMM
NAMM doesn't start until next week, but that's not keeping Korg from announcing new gear ahead of the show. The pro audio company usually reveals a new synth at the winter soirée, and it looks like this year will be no different. The newest installment is the Minilogue: a polyphonic analog synthesizer with a mighty tempting price. At $500, the instrument offers a truckload of great features at the price of typically reserved for digital synths.
Roland taps iconic 808 sounds for rhythm-based gaming
Roland revived the iconic sounds of the TR-808 with last year's AIRA TR-8, and now its leveraging those tones for mobile gaming. With TR-REC, the audio company uses sounds from both the TR-808 and TR-8, as players recreate rhythms played by the app. As the game moves on, tones are layered on top of the original rhythm to create a piece of dance music. In order to progress to the next stage, you must correctly tap out the sequence before time runs out. If that sounds too intimidating, don't worry: the game starts with the basics. You can think of it like Guitar Hero, but for a drum machine.
Two-player synthesizer looks just as wild as it sounds
Noodling on a synthesizer is normally a solo affair, but Ben Bengler and Fiore Martin have found a way to spice things up. Their Collidoscope lets two musicians play in tandem thanks to the combination of twin keyboards and a clever sample-grabbing mechanism: all you have do is record something and use a hybrid knob/slider to determine what you're sampling. It looks cool (somewhat like a musical, multiplayer Pong), but the big deal is that dueling artists can quickly create a track without breaking their flow. Perfect for live sets, we'd say. The team isn't selling the Collidoscope right now, but there are hints that you'll one day get to buy this competitive composition tool.
Moog adds to its analog arsenal with the Mother-32 semi-modular synth
Moog announced that it would no longer produce the legendary Minimoog Voyager earlier this week, but that doesn't mean the company isn't slowing down. Today, the North Carolina-based synth maker revealed the Mother-32: a semi-modular analog synthesizer that's built to "inspire unique sound creation, new music and endless sonic exploration." How exactly does it go about doing that? For starters, there's a voltage-controlled sequencer and 32-point analog patch bay to create a load of unique sounds. No patching is required to get started, so musicians at any skill level can begin making music in no time.
Roland's 'Boutique' synth line leaks, ratchets up the nostalgia
Roland may have already teased its upcoming 'Boutique' line of synthesizers, but thanks to a leak, we now have a lot more info. The trio of instruments offers modern takes on the classic Jupiter 8, Juno 106 and JX-3P synths with the JP-08, JU-06 and JX-03. Of course, this isn't the first time Roland has turned back the clock, as it revealed the AIRA line in 2014 that included new versions of the TR-303 and TR-808. The JP-08, JU-06 and JX-03 are all sold as individual modules, with the option of docking them in a K-25m keyboard that packs 25 velocity-sensitive keys (hence the name). The trio also feature 16-step sequencers, can run off four AA batteries and connect to your computer via USB.
'I Dream of Wires' synth documentary is streaming on Netflix
Looking to learn about the history of modular synthesizers? The documentary I Dream of Wires serves as a primer and it's now streaming on Netflix in the US. If you don't happen to live in the States, the film from Robert Fantinatto and Jason Amm is also available on-demand from Vimeo and for purchase over at iTunes. Featuring interviews with Trent Reznor, Gary Numan and others, the documentary focuses on "exploring the passions, obsessions and dreams" of those who are smitten with the instruments. Sounds like some solid weekend viewing if you ask us. [Image credit: Mark Venema/Getty Images]
Recommended Reading: How baseball's tech team changed television
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. The Changeup by Ben Popper The Verge The streaming tech that powers HBO Now? It was built by Major League Baseball Advanced Media (BAM). Yes, the same outfit that handles MLB.tv and announced a partnership with the National Hockey League to handle its streaming services this week. The Verge takes a behind-the-scenes look at the department and what it's doing to build the future of television.
Yamaha's Reface mini keyboards put classic sounds in compact instruments
New keyboards and synthesizers that carry not only classic tones, but some classics stylings as well, are becoming quite popular. Despite leaking a bit early, Yamaha officially debuted its Reface line of mini keyboards at the summer session of NAMM this week. The compact instruments are meant to be used on the go, whether it's in the backseat or in a dressing room before a show. Members of the group include the CS analog modeling synth, DX FM synth, CP electric piano and YC combo organ. For the sake of our discussion, we'll focus on the two synthesizers. The Reface CS is an 8-note polyphonic "Virtual Analog" synth that's said to be capable of sounds comparable you'd normally get from both analog and digital instruments. The FM (frequency modulation) synthesizer, the Reface DX, is the only one of the four with built-in patch memory, and it also packs in mulit-touch controls. In terms of audio, the DX offers sounds that range from "retro 80s to cutting edge modern at the flick of a switch."
Korg brings its classic M1 synthesizer to the iPad
If you're fond making classic synth sounds with your iPad, Korg offers quite the library of apps that'll do just that. As of this week, there's a new addition: the M1 digital synthesizer and music workstation. The "complete reproduction" of the instrument is available for Apple slates as the iM1 app, and thanks to detailed circuit analysis by its engineers, Korg says the software carries the sound of the original and then some. These are sounds you've likely heard from Depeche Mode, The Cure and others. The included effects were bumped from two up to 18 and there's a Kaoss pad for adjusting audio with swipe -- both of which are new items absent on the original M1. If you're familiar with synthesizers, the Kaoss feature mimics that touch-friendly surface for tweaking sounds found other other synths like the Moog Voyager XL.
Jack White's Third Man Records now has its own synth and amp
Jack White has been know to go all out for Record Store Day events with his Third Man Records imprint. This year, in addition to transferring Elvis' first recording from acetate to vinyl for release last weekend, White and his label revealed a synthesizer/amplifier combo that offers some stellar retro aesthetics. The pair, which includes the Septavox synth and Terz amp, was designed and built by Brooklyn instrument company Critter & Guitari. If the synthesizer looks familiar, the same outfit also makes a more compact Pocket Piano instrument. For the Third Man version, though, a metal enclosure houses 41 maple keys alongside seven modes and seven tones. That adds up to 49 different sounds, combining electric organ, vibrato and more. There are controls for tweaking parameters, tuning and volume alongside MIDI input/output, too.
Making beats with Teenage Engineering's pocket-sized synthesizers
When I first heard about Teenage Engineering's Pocket Operators at last year's Moogfest, I was pretty skeptical. A card-sized digital synth in your pocket? Sure, it sounds cool. And yes, the folks at Teenage Engineering certainly have the know-how to make something like that happen, but I needed to get my hands on one to be sure. After spending the last few weeks pushing buttons and turning knobs on the battery-powered loop makers, I can say without a doubt that spending $59 on one of these bad boys is a decision you won't regret -- even for a novice like me.
Roland adds modular options to its AIRA synths
Just over a year ago, Roland unveiled its successor to the iconic 808 and 909 instruments that have a firm grasp on the modern music landscape. That drum machine, the TR-8, was part of a new AIRA line with the System-1 synthesizer, TB-3 bass synth and VT-3 vocal processor. At this year's Musikmesse in Frankfurt, the company revealed the AIRA Modular: a standalone instrument that can be paired with a handful of external effects or other audio gear. What's more, it's designed to be rackmounted or used at your desk, either with all four of the aforementioned add-ons or one or two at the time. While last year's System-1 offer a more traditional keyboard-driven approach, the AIRA Modular's centerpiece is the System-1m. The unit features Control Voltage (CV) and Gate control needed to produce a range of sounds and plug-out ability allows the System-1m to be used with other classics, like the SH-101 and PROMARS. On board, the modular synth packs in tone, crusher, reverb and delay effects alongside MIDI and LED-lit controls and inputs.
littleBits' synth kit plays nice with analog gear and audio software
littleBits and Korg first teamed up on a kit for aspiring musicians back in 2013, and now the duo is at it again. This time around, the two companies collaborated on MIDI, CV and USB I/O modules, adding to the existing Lego-like DIY audio collection. With the MIDI module, you can control the Synth Kit from a compatible instrument (like Korg's MS-20 mini), or use a littleBits setup to wrangle sounds from gear and software, too. Connecting the USB I/O module adds a way to capture your homemade instrument with recording software (DAW). And as you might expect, it'll allow littleBits controllers, sequencers and effects to tweak any audio coming from a computer.
Here's a synthesizer made with beans, dolls and ducks
Who said that electronic music couldn't be silly? Certainly not the folks at Minimalogue. The South Korean graphics firm recently built Knuckle Visualizer, a synthesizer that replaces buttons, knobs and sliders with fun bits like jelly beans, rubber ducks and tiny matryoshka dolls. And yes, it works -- while you won't get a yarn-based waveform display like in the video below (that's just for show), the Visualizer itself beeps and squeaks like any "serious" synth. This art project is clearly a one-off, but there's a making-of clip that could help you recreate it in your own studio.
Recommended Reading: The most advanced coffee lab in the world
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Inside the World's Most Advanced Coffee Laboratory Jason Koebler, Motherboard If you're at least somewhat interested in coffee, you've likely researched a bit about where your favorite spot gets its beans and who roasts them. Thanks to Motherboard, we can take a look inside the walls of Cenicafé: a government-backed facility dedicated to analyzing Colombia's coffee varieties.
Korg's new ARP Odyssey reboots the iconic analog synth
Korg may have missed its September target, but the company's take on the legendary ARP Odyssey analog synthesizer was officially introduced today at NAMM. If you'll recall, Korg enlisted the lead designer of the original unit from 1972 to pitch in, and the result is a synth that's 86 percent of the size of that classic instrument. While its stature may be smaller, the new ARP Odyssey still carries the same overall look, with a front panel of sliders for tweaking a range of sounds. In fact, Korg claims the new parts used here operate more smoothly than the original. There's a 37-note keyboard and MIDI output alongside a new Drive switch to help wrangle the sonic possibilities. The ARP Odyssey debuted in the '70s, becoming a popular choice for acts like Genesis, Devo and Deep Purple despite the line going out of production in 1981.
Teenage Engineering will put a synth in your pocket for $59
Teenage Engineering has carved out a niche in the electronic music world. Its OP-1 is a highly adaptable synth that puts industrial design on par with sound quality and features. If there's one thing the OP-1 isn't, it's affordable. The basic synth is priced at a cool $799, pitting it against considerably more-established options from Roland, Korg, Moog and others. With its latest products, however, the Swedish startup is looking to put a whole lot of music-making power in your hands for a very low price. The Pocket Operator (PO) series is a set of three miniature battery-powered synths, all priced at $59. There's the PO-12 "Rhythm" drum machine, the PO-14 "Sub" bass synth, and the PO-16 "Factory" melody unit. All three have 16-step sequencing and a selection of 16 sounds to choose from, and also offer 16 additional effects. There aren't any official videos available just yet (we'll update the article when they become available), but you can check out a clip of musician Cuckoo playing with a prototype PO-12 (which has been known about for some time) after the break.
Moog revives its massive modular synthesizers
In 1973, Moog first began manufacturing its huge large format modular synthesizers that pack a wall of knobs, patch cables and other controls. The System 55, System 35 and Model 15 went out of production as musicians desired to have something a bit more portable, but just before the start of NAMM 2015, the company announced those giant setups are coming back. Last year, the folks at Moog remade Keith Emerson's (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer fame) modular system, and during the three-year-long process, learned a thing or two about recreating the original 1970s circuitry. Similar to Emerson's model, the new trio will be "a true recreation of the original," using the decades-old schematics to accurately reproduce the specs -- right down to all of the hand soldering, traditional wiring and photo-etched front panels.
Behringer plans to revive the classic ARP Odyssey synth, too
Korg isn't the only instrument company planning to reboot the classic ARP Odyssey synth. Tipping its hand via Facebook, Behringer revealed that it too has a remake of the iconic '70s analog synthesizer in the works. Details are scarce for now, but the post indicates that Behringer may be planning to use three-mode VCF circuitry in order to pack in sounds from the ARP Odyssey MK I, MK II and MK III series with full MIDI control via USB. The company says it can do all of that and keep the price around $500. Korg's "faithful recreation" was scheduled to arrive in September, but that date was pushed to early 2015, so we could see its final product at NAMM near the end of January. There's no word on when Behringer's instrument will ship.
