Peter Zinovieff

 It's a sad day.

Just heard the news that Peter Zinovieff passed away.

He was one of the great synth inventors and designers.

Up there along with Bob Moog, Alan Pearlman, and Don Buchla.

 

The Beatles, Kraftwerk, Pink Floyd all used his synths.

 

He will be sorely missed.

EMS Synthi E - Using the keyboard

 The EMS Keyboard is not standard I think... I purchased mine separately in the hope it would work.

(EMS Rehberg .. Germany) 

http://www.emsrehberg.de/

And yes it did.

 

The 5pin din cable is very similar to a midi cable.

Plugs into the left (envelope follower section)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure the slider is set to external.

and take a cable to  the VCO 1/2 F input.

 

 

The gates to trigger the envelope shaper are generated internally ... no patching is needed.

 

The keyboard is powered from the synthi e.

I probed the socket with my multimeter 

EMS Synthi E - VCO sequenced with a Korg SQ-1

 The Synthi E is quite a rare synth.

I think there are only about 200 of them around.

I understand, the year of production was 1975. Designed by Tim Orr 

(Tim also designed the EMS Vocoder 5000, worked for AKAI & designed the Powertran Trancedent 2000)

The Synthi-E was produced as an educational tool and appears very simple at first glance.

Just one filter, EG, Oscillator, LFO, noise, inverter, VCA and mixer.

 

Apparently, "a complete teaching course has been built round it allowing teachers and students to learn the techniques and background of electronic music and its production". 

When I first bought this I didn't have a keyboard and the ribbon controllers were not functioning very well.

I'm sure there was a manual however it alludes me (as do the schematics).

 

 

Patching doesn't use a matrix. Just very simple cables. 

I only had a limited supply of the original cables, but discovered that 2mm banana cables also worked just fine. They have the added advantage that they are stackable.

 

 

From  what I can decipher from the internet, the general signal level at the patch nodes is  3V P-P.

This however, seems to vary quite a bit depending on which module you are talking about.

It should be safe however to patch 2Vp-p voltages. (I don't have any definitive data regarding this so do so at your own risk).

The Korg SQ-1 is ideal for this.

You can limit the voltage range to 1V, 2V and 5V/oct.

I found the 2V setting provides a good range of pitches 

 

 

Remember to also set the SQ1 to Negative (S-trig) gate.

You will need to ground the sequencer with the synthi. The scope output is prefect for this.

The sleeve is ground.

Here are the specs of the VCO:

Total frequency coverage: 1 Hz to 10KHz.

 

There are 3 waveforms available: Sine,Tri, Rectangle.

All three waveforms are accessible simultaneously and can also be
used as modulation sources.
Sine wave distortion: 5% THD (TYP)
Triangle symmetry (rise and fall): 3% at 1 KHz.
Rectangular wave mark space ratio voltage control range: 0 to 100%.

Two CV inputs: Width & Frequency

Interestingly, the frequency CV input has two flavors .. 1/2 and 2.

There is a trimmer to fine tune the V/Oct scaling.

Deviation of voltage control of frequency from ideal exponential law
Over musical range 100Hz—2KHz: .8% (B.S.L.)
Over audio range 10Hz — 10KHz: 1.7% (B.S.L.) 

General short term stability. Drift at 1 KHz: 2% per hour.

 

I really like the sound of the filter... squelchy ... almost acid like.

Instagram post

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#emssynthi #ems #synthie #synthi-e #synthesizer

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Oct 21, 2020 at 2:32am PDT.....

 

If there are any mistakes, errors or omissions, do let me know.

Cheers J

Erica Synths Syntrx and an original Synthi AKS.

 Part One of the shootout between the Erica Synths Syntrx and an original Synthi AKS.

Simple patches are compared highlighting a single Oscillator, FM, RingMod, Filter, Reverb & Noise.

This video simply compares Sound and Timbre, not the functionality, extras or differences in the Matrix implementation.

It's important to remember that no two original Synthi' are the same. I have a Putney & AKS and I can

never get exactly the same sounds from each even when the patch is identical.

The mechanical pins used in the matrix have different resistances .. and just these can alter the sound. 

 

The Erica Matrix of course doesn't have these "limitations" ..... though I like to see the inconsistency of the old fashioned EMS matrix as part of its charm.

 (Part Two will look at a Putney VCS3 and some more complex patches).

Thanks to Allinaire for the use of his new Syntrx.

Allinaire - youtube channel

EMS Synthi-E - Trapezoidal Envelope Generator

 Playing around with the Synthi-E's envelope shaper.

It's an unusual beast.

 

We are all used to a 4 stage ADSR style of envelope.

EMS however used the Trapezoidal Envelope.

This also has 4 stages. They are Attack, ON, Decay, Off.

 

The Synthi AKS uses knobs to adjust the 4 stages, and can be set to

"manual" or "free run" triggering.

The Synthi E is much simplier. 

Attack (rise) & decay (fall) are set using the rise & fall sliders.

On /off are determined by the gate length.

 

The 3 variants of the envelope are available simultaneously. 

Variation 1 : attack & decay are adjustable using the sliders.

Variation 2 : attack is variable, but decay is fixed (fast)

Variation 3 : attack is fixed (fast) and decal is variable.

Connecting a gate to the second black input form the bottom  (bipolar "?") will make it behave as if it were an LFO. 

The envelope starts on both the rise & fall of the gate ... I think this is the equivalent "free run mode".

The gate itself is interesting ... it's a short to ground.

Touching a cable with your bare fingers will produce the required gate.

This is essentially an S-trig. 

Manufacturers like (vintage) Korg & Moog use S-trigs.

 

About the patch:

I'm using a square wave to trigger the EG.... which is opening /closing the VCA.

The filter is in self oscillation mode.

 

If you still want to trigger the Synthi' gate with eurorack, you will probably need a V-trig to S-trig converter. I haven't tested this myself. These synthi's are rare and expensive so be careful if you plan to try this.

BTW, I don't recommend plugging anything into your synthi which is not from EMS.

 

The Synthi E's envelopes seem to have a 1.7Vpp range.

 

 

Analogue Systems still produce a Eurorack version of the Trapezoidal Generator.

(Thanks to James from Synthwerks for the info) .

"AS make both it (RS-510e) and the EMS filter module (RS-500e) both 
now with universal mounting hole and power connector for both AS and 
Doepfer systems".

..

Erica Synths also has a Euro format envelope generator module... It looks like

two EMS Synthi functionality inspired looping envelope generators with simultaneous unipolar (0V - 10V) and bipolar (-5V - +5V), VCA, Noise generator and Sample & Hold.  ...... That's nice :-)

 

I wonder if it's inspired by the Synthi 100, who's envelope shapers also have dual trapezoidal outputs.

The Synthi 100's envelopes however differ in that they have 5 triggering modes (Signal threshold, Hold, Single Shot, Free run & Gated free run) & the 4 stages are Delay, Attack, On, Decay.

The addition of a second output for each of the synthi 100's trapezoidal generators is pretty neat.

The second output lags behind the first by one quarter of a complete trapezoidal cycle.

 Links

+ The Synthi AKS Envelope Generator 

Erica Synths Syntrx - battle patch

 Jam with a Erica Synths Syntrx

 

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#battlepatch #syntrx #ericasynths

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Sep 11, 2020 at 8:14pm PDT

 

Sounds great. We tried to copy a patch from my AKS synthi.

They sounded very similar.

 

 

Thanks to Paul and Dee

+ The Battle Patch 

 

 

Acid 303 Index

My Index for all things Acid ... Roland TB303, TT-303, XoXboX, Roland MC-09, etc


Roland TB 303 stuff

+My notes on using the TB 303
       + Intro & Setting up
       + Pattern write
       + Track Write


+ Phuture - Acid Tracks - TB 303 remix 
+ TB 303 - New Order - Confusion - Pattern
+ TB 303 - Edge of Motion - Set Up 707
+ Roland TB-303 acid with a Korg Volca drum
+ Acid Glitch - Korg Volca Sample, Kaoss Pad mini & Roland TB 303
+ 303 Marf (Buchla 248r & a TB 303) 
+ Famous 303 Bassline Patterns - page 1

Misc Acid

+ Intellijel Metropolis meets VC-303

+ Roland Phrase Lab - MC-09

+ Roland MC-09 Phrase Sampler - Acid Demo

+ Novation Bass Station One - Acid

+ DinSync 303 Acid

+ EMS Synthi - Tweaking the filter

+ TT 303 Acid with EleKtron gear

+ How to program a Bass Bot TT 303  

+ TT 303 Bass Bot - Higher State of Consciousness - ...

+ Bass Bot TT 303 - demo 2 - Alesso - Years

+ Korg SQ 1 vs Monotribe - Demo 2 - fat acid

+ Arp 2500 sequenced by a Roland TB 303

+ Deluge Sound design - making acid /303 sounds  

+ Eurorack 303 filters

+ 303 style sequencers

+ Modular - eurorack - 303 patch 

 

Portabellabz VCS3 Card for 208

These are some pics taken during my build of the Portabellabz synthi/vcs3 card/
Its designed to be an expander for the Buchla 208 / Music Easel.
These are un-official notes and I'm not affiliated with Portabellabz.

The Official website is here:
+ http://www.portabellabz.be/vcs3.html 
+ Official Manual
+ Official Build notes
+ Muffs build thread

Resistors, IC sockets, Voltage regulators etc

Trim pots and caps.
The order of placement of my components isn't ideal. It was dictated by the components I had at hand and more were added as components arrived.

The rear so far.

More pots arrived :-)

This 2n5172 trannie is for the noise. Cut off the centre leg.
You need a to order a few of these so you can select the best one for the noise. (see build notes).

Some close ups .. esp of that 2n2916 and the 1K TC resistor

initial panel wiring

The noise transistor

There is one standoff missing .... between the freq and sync inputs.

New Sound Waves - Live EMS Synthi Performance - Papz

Saturday June 1, 2019

Some pics and a video of a  the

EMS Synthi performance of  Constantin Papageorgiadis

Constantin is well known for his expertise in all things EMS.

His website is Portabellabz, 

EMS 256 Sequencer

Who doesn't like seeing nixies

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#ems #256sequencer #vcs3 synthi

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Dec 23, 2016 at 4:57pm PST

The EMS 256 sequencer

"Everything sounds better with a Nixie readout" 
(Gwaidan)

EMS Index

This is the index for all EMS stuff

Synthi AKS
+ Papz Repair
+ Papz - NSWaves
+ Synthi AKS performance (Papz) - New Sound Waves 
+ The Envelope Generator 
+ The Battle Patch 
+ Tweaking the filter 
+ Synthi meets Arturia Beatstep 
+ Synthi patch with Justin

Synthi AKS Manual

+ EMS Synthi - 1. Playing the keyboard

+ EMS Synthi - 2. Using the KS for the first time.

+ The Envelope Generator 

Synthi E

+ Trapezoidal Envelope Generator

+ VCO sequenced with a Korg SQ-1  

+ EMS Synthi E - Using the keyboard 

 

Synthi 100

+ Synthi 100 Live Melbourne Australia

+ Trapezoidal Envelope Generator

VCS3

+ The Putney and the video synth

+ VCS3 - Putney 

+ Erica Syntrx & EMS VCS3 - The Putney (Part two) 

Racks
+ Pitch to Voltage converter

256 sequencer
+ Nixie readout 

Synthi patches with Justin

,,,,,....

View this post on Instagram

#emssynthi #analog #synthesuzer

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Apr 22, 2017 at 12:49am PDT...

,,

Patch 2

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#emssynthi #aks #eurorackmodular #synthesizer #synth

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Apr 17, 2017 at 2:16am PDT

The old malpin used a very similar matrix to the synthi

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#maplin #synth #5600s #emssynthi

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Apr 16, 2017 at 6:19pm PDT

Patch 3

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#ems #synth #synthi #aks #vintage #modularsynth #synthesizer

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Apr 16, 2017 at 6:03pm PDT

Patch 4

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#thunderbirds #ems #aks #synthi

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Apr 16, 2017 at 5:58pm PDT

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