The ARP 2500

This one actually just popped up for auction with a buy it now of $13,800. The 2500 was ARP’s first modular flagship and consisted of the 2003 synthesizer and 3003 keyboard controller. As mentioned in last week’s post, the ARP 2500 was also the synth played by ARP engineer Philip Dodds in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. You can actually see him play it in the film. You can find a demo of the 2500 in last week’s post as well. Some details from the auction:
“This is a very rare and early version of the ARP 2500 Modular Synthesizer. It has a larger cabinet with 3 x 5 Modules (instead of 2 x 6 Modules on standard ARP 2500s) and the switch matrix in the top section has 10 positions (instead of the 20 positions on later ARP 2500s).

The ARP 2500 for sale here has the serial number 014 (model 2003, serial 70 – 014).

I have been told that these very early 2500s were hand-built by the ARP/Tonus crew to the most exacting standards, they are probably better than later models (which of course are excellent as well).

The Buchla 500 at CalArts

A little bit of Buchla synth history via Peter Grenader of Plan b. That giant modular in the background is the Buchla 500, the rarest of the rare in the modular synth world. It is possible there were only three ever in existence. “The following flckr stream [link] was from CalArts studio B-304 taken in the fall of 1976 featuring Barry Schrader, Morton Subotnick and John Payne and a whole lotta Buchla 500. John as you may remember came up a couple of months ago on Matrixsynth in the posting regarding Mort’s use of the 300 at Ircam [link]. He went on in later years to become the Assistant Dean of the CIA School of Music and founder of it’s Music Tech department. Photo b_304.2 has a good view of the entire studio, save the three other JBL’s which are out of frame (it was a quad studio – there was one in each corner).

There are two more 500’s that I know off – at Evergreen and another somewhere in Europe (pardon the senior moment, i don’t remember where exactly). This is not to say there aren’t others…I’m just not aware of any. The one in the photo here was the first – the development system Don constructed while on staff at CalArts. I do know the 500 was adondoned quickly and resurfaced as the 300 series which included direct routing of computer control the various modules (259 VCO and 292C Gate for example) -and- the digital VCOs.”

AHNE 2007 – Happy Syntho De Mayo

Every year synth die-hards migrate East for AHNE. It is an amazing gathering filled with vintage gear as you will see in the links that follow. This year’s event looks like it did not disappoint. Unfortunately I was not able to make it due to having to make a trip out East just before the event due to unforeseen circumstances, but one year I will make it! The following are links to photo sets and some video of the event.

A Casio in Iraq

Ok, not technically a synth, but check this out. It’s a Casio AT-40 with Arabic labels spotted in Iraq of all places. Via Daniel: “A casio AT-40 with arabic lettering that I spotted in Hewler/Arbil in northern Iraq in december last year. I should have bought it!” Yeah he should have. : ) Click here for the full sized shot. It does make me wonder how much, if any, electronic music is being made in Iraq. I seem to vaguely remember there being an online music site from the country. If you know of any, please do comment. I ran a quick search and I did find one artist that goes by “phreaque modi” in Baghdad. Click here for the site with full tracks. It’s inspirational to think music like this is making its way through a situation like that.

A TB-303 Birthday

Check out this TB-303 Birthday cake, also from Daniel.

“When I turned 30 one of my friends gave me this utterly nerdy cake. The colours look a bit funny but it really was gray at first. The knobs were eatable too!”

Very nice. I suddenly want a life sized Matrix-12 birthday cake.

Click here for a full sized shot. It kind of reminds me of a giant techno bling napoleon.

This week I thought I’d start of with something a little different. An artist that goes by the name Latinsizer of Mil Records (Latinsizer on MySpace). I first discovered Latinsizer via a number of great synth videos on YouTube posted by pepemogt. I personally like nearly all synth videos I see because regardless of the music being played, it gives me a chance to hear what the synth sounds like as well as a peak at its interface, however these videos stood out. They not only showcased a particular aspect of each piece of gear extremely well, but musically they were all interesting – some in ways not typically associated with a given synth. I particularly liked the following video for the Future Retro Revolution. Note the vids are not full tracks, they are just short demos of what the gear can sound like.