Who wouldn’t want a big red button to hit?

This nifty little gadget is the Sync2 from Mungo Enterprises lets you start and stop sequencers in sync while leaving your master clock running. This is great for live shows where you are using both hardware and software sound sources. You could keep your drum machines and hardware synths grooving along while you load up new tracks on your laptop all without having to start/stop.
More info here.

No I haven’t been swallowed whole by NYC and become a suit wearing wall street stiff. I’ve just been busy busy busy, everything takes longer out here despite everyone moving faster so it’s left me with less time to blog.
I did happened to stumble across a very cool, retro-arcade styled midi controller today.

It’s someone’s implementation of the MIDIbox project.
Where do I put in the quarters?

Probably best known for writing the song “Powerhouse” Raymond Scott became more and more interested in electronic music and synths. In 1971 Berry Gordy of Motown hired Scott to run his electronic music and research department and he started building the Electronium. It’s an AI machine for automatic composition of music. Supposedly it worked but he felt like the project was never really finished. It’s currently owned by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo fame.

Previously known for making knock-off VST emulations of classic hardware synths, Arturia is releasing their first hardware synth, Origin. It’s a DSP box running their synth plugins. Yawn. A VST Arp 2600 or CS-80 will never sound like the real thing and there are a million virtual analogs out there already. I heard an amusing conversation on a ride in the Manhattan subway last month. Two late-teen/early twenties guys were riding next to me and one was talking about how there wasn’t a difference between VST synths and hardware and VSTs were just as good and there wasn’t a reason to ever buy hardware. I almost fell out of my seat laughing but I didn’t have time to get in a debate with a guy who’s probably never even written his own synth patch or played on a decent hardware synth before. Plainly put, you owe it to yourself to check out the real thing.

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Get ready for tinny sound!

Some classic 80′s advertising there.
The first synth I ever bought was a DX-21 which is essentially the same synth but with a larger keybed. No velocity output, crappy FM synthesis and a bitch and a half to program. It’s usable for quirky noises but I would never use one for lead synth sounds. Right now mine gets used as a doorstop.

Looks like Whitney needs to pay a few bills and is auctioning off some music equipment to pay them off. Items range from some old ass samplers, Roland keyboards, even a church pew. Even Bobby Brown’s music awards must go.

Finally we’ll be able to rock out like the Wyld Stallions.

Bleep Labs have put out an anthropomorphic synth that’s customizable and pretty damn cute. The perfect stocking stuffer for the electronic musician.
Check it out.

I usually don’t do product endorsement but I have to take a moment to give respect to Rode microphones. I’ve owned one of their microphones for a few years and lately it’s been starting to act up and making odd noises during recording sessions. I called up their customer service line and they had me send it in for repair, free of charge. They received it on Friday and I got it back on Wednesday. That’s pretty rare for a music equipment manufacturer, most of the larger companies I’ve dealt with in the past charge you for repairs and take several weeks. So thanks Rode for fixing my mic.
I also just noticed that they now share a website with Event Electronics, I wonder if they just merged?

I wonder if anyone else has had as hard of a time as I getting Tascam’s customer support to e-mail them back.
I’ve been patient but it has been over a week already. No response of any kind, not even a “hey, we know you wrote us and we’ll get back to you” message.