Music synthesizers…
I think I was about 10 years old when I first heard Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygène on the radio. Ever since I have developed a strong interest in electronic music. Well, maybe not all kind of electronic music. Also having interest in electronics and later doing an electronics (plus computer science) study, in my youth I have been working on my own analog synthesizer. The first trial in the early 1980's was kind of primitive (picture taken in 1981; no comments…):
n00300crBased on a book “Elektronische piano's en synthesizers” by Helmut Tüncker from 1976.
Somewhere later I redid the case of this first build. The following (bad) picture from April 1985 shows the same keyboard as above:
d00293crIn the above picture you can also see the two Sony tape recorders I had at that time (TC-252, of which I had painted the originally white panel black, and TC-355; both from around 1970). I got these sometime in the early 1980's from my late uncle.
Later, mid 1980's, I started over with something based on the Formant DIY modular synthesizer presented in (Dutch) Elektor magazine, but never finished. Case and keyboard were from an old InstaPiano Deluxe (an electric piano from Galanti Group) from the early 1970's, which earlier has been used by my late dad. Here you can see already the power supply, which more recently I have reused for my TTSH project (picture taken in March 1986):
d00467rBased on an old electronic piano and the Formant DIY modular synthesizer of Elektuur (Elektor) magazine.
Unfortunately I haven't made more photos at that time, so not much to see. Although I've never finished these first trials, I was able to produce sounds and to “play” with them.
Time elapsed…
Early 2014 I came across information about a scaled ARP 2600, named TTSH.
TTSH—Two Thousand Six Hundred
The story on a project I've started in February 2015: A DIY kit by The Human Comparator in Sweden, allowing to build a scaled remake of the famous ARP 2600 semi-modular analog synthesizer from the 1970's. Read more starting from the TTSH category page or from the first TTSH article page.
20160320_194420_8675crDDRM—Deckard's Dream (and Expander)
The story on a project I've started in November 2018: Two DIY kits by Black Corporation in Japan. “Replicants are not clones.” An 8-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer, inspired by the Yamaha CS-80 from the late 1970s and early 1980s. And the accompanying DDRM Expander, offering ring modulator, tremolo, chorus, delay and reverb. Very slow pace, I'm not able to spend a lot of time at once.
20191202_210027_1938c70 sliders (11 white, 15 grey, 17 green, 4 yellow, 5 red and 18 black caps).
20191120_210028_1919cThe Korg ARP Odyssey
A (86% scaled) remake of the legendary ARP Odyssey from 1972 to 1981. As a youngster I had a lot of interest in analog synthesizers (and I still have), but never had the chance to own one. This affordable model now allows to experiment a lot. It really sounds good and additionally may serve very well to control my DIY TTSH (ARP 2600) kit. See also Korg ARP Odyssey website.
20150328_174044_5109cThe Korg MS-20 mini Synthesizer
A (86% scaled) remake of the legendary MS-20 of 1978. Being an affordable model, I had bought it in 2014 to pick up my old (a long time ago) hobby on analog synthesizers again. See also Korg MS-20 mini website.
I've added the little Korg SQ-1 step sequencer, which can also control other synthesizers. See also Korg SQ-1 website.
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