Saturday, June 14, 2014
Q Are high-end cables worth the money?
Sound Advice : Recording
Hugh Robjohns
In a shop recently, I was almost persuaded to buy some Mogami XLR cables. The sales guys said that there's an audible difference between using cheap XLRs and high-end ones, but we didn't have time to test their assertion. Is there any truth in this? I understand that they might last longer — but can they really sound better? My main use in this case would be for feeding active studio monitors.
Via SOS web site
SOS Technical Editor Hugh Robjohns replies: The short answer is no, they're very unlikely to sound any better. The longer answer is that there are complexities and subtleties involved that can, in specific circumstances, conspire to affect the sound when using different types of cables and connectors.
In essence, provided that the cable is appropriate in terms of its construction — particularly in having low capacitance and good screening — and the connectors used are of good quality and manufactured to meet the appropriate specifications, then there is no audible difference that I have ever detected reliably.Are branded audio cables better than unbranded ones? Probably not, but they might be worth it anyway! The problem is that some inferior cables allow interference to get in via the cable or connectors, or have some inappropriate properties such as high capacitance, or they are wired in a way which creates ground-loop problems, and in those cases a properly made cable may appear to work better, simply because the reality is that the inferior cable didn't work properly. However, you should be aware that some very expensive cables are not built properly either (and, amazingly enough, that's often on purpose!)
Mogami cables are generally well made and fit for purpose (so you should have perfectly decent cables there!) but so too are a great many other branded and unbranded cables. I tend to make all my own cables, but if I have to buy pre-made ones I always look for genuine Neutrik connectors — I reason that if someone is going to the trouble of fitting those, the chances are they know how to choose a decent cable too, and wire it up correctly!
Hugh Robjohns
In a shop recently, I was almost persuaded to buy some Mogami XLR cables. The sales guys said that there's an audible difference between using cheap XLRs and high-end ones, but we didn't have time to test their assertion. Is there any truth in this? I understand that they might last longer — but can they really sound better? My main use in this case would be for feeding active studio monitors.
Via SOS web siteSOS Technical Editor Hugh Robjohns replies: The short answer is no, they're very unlikely to sound any better. The longer answer is that there are complexities and subtleties involved that can, in specific circumstances, conspire to affect the sound when using different types of cables and connectors.
In essence, provided that the cable is appropriate in terms of its construction — particularly in having low capacitance and good screening — and the connectors used are of good quality and manufactured to meet the appropriate specifications, then there is no audible difference that I have ever detected reliably.Are branded audio cables better than unbranded ones? Probably not, but they might be worth it anyway! The problem is that some inferior cables allow interference to get in via the cable or connectors, or have some inappropriate properties such as high capacitance, or they are wired in a way which creates ground-loop problems, and in those cases a properly made cable may appear to work better, simply because the reality is that the inferior cable didn't work properly. However, you should be aware that some very expensive cables are not built properly either (and, amazingly enough, that's often on purpose!)
Mogami cables are generally well made and fit for purpose (so you should have perfectly decent cables there!) but so too are a great many other branded and unbranded cables. I tend to make all my own cables, but if I have to buy pre-made ones I always look for genuine Neutrik connectors — I reason that if someone is going to the trouble of fitting those, the chances are they know how to choose a decent cable too, and wire it up correctly!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Q Do I need a powerful PC to use Acustica Audio Nebula?
Sound Advice : Mixing
Martin Walker
I've tried Nebula (with Reaper) and, sonically speaking, I really like what it can do, but the best libraries have my computer creaking at the seams! What specification of PC do I need to use multiple instances of Nebula without having to worry about processing power?
Jim Thorne, via email
SOS contributor Martin Walker replies: There's no denying that Nebula has evolved into the enfant terrible of the plug-in world. Some users find it difficult to adapt to its careful gain-staging requirements, while others fall in love with the 'expensive hardware' sound it promises to give you at almost pocket-money prices. As you say, running multiple instances can bring even a powerful PC to its knees, but before you start looking to upgrade to a new PC, there are various things you can do to minimise the CPU and RAM drain.
First, by all means load your Nebula programs into the standard Nebula 3 plug-in for low-latency tracking purposes, but during mixdown use the Nebula 3 Reverb plug-in instead. Although it has higher audio latency (defaulting to an acceptable 26ms at 44.1kHz or 11.9ms at 96kHz, both of which are automatically compensated for by most DAWs), its CPU overheads are less than half, and it also offers slightly better audio quality.
Second, use your ears when auditioning the various quality options provided in many Nebula libraries. Although it's tempting to always choose 11-kernel versions that model the fundamental frequency along with the first 10 harmonics (each consuming its own portion of CPU), some developers are, in my opinion, too enthusiastic about capturing every last detail, even when the higher harmonic contributions are vanishingly small. High-end preamps, EQs and the like often rarely have much to offer above perhaps 4th or 5th harmonic distortion, so if you can't hear any difference between the five-kernel and 11-kernel versions of a particular preset, choose the five-kernel version — this one decision will halve your total CPU overhead.
When it comes to the PC spec itself, Nebula 3 is now optimised for fourth-generation (Haswell) processors, so a machine based around an Intel quad-core 4770K is likely to give you better performance than a more expensive third-generation model such as the six cores of the Intel 4930 processor. As for RAM, 16GB is a sensible amount to install in a Nebula monster PC, as its libraries can be enormous, and theyWell-behaved Nebula libraries (like this Fairchild preamp from the AlexB Preamp Colours & Saturation collection) keep CPU overheads down by only modelling those harmonics that can actually be heard (in this case it uses just six 'kernels'). in turn are best installed on a dedicated SSD if you want to minimise program loading times.
Yet another approach is to buy the Nebula Server version, which spreads the CPU/RAM load across networked computers, or the Local Server version that offers a low RAM-usage mode if you want to run multiple instances of the same program across each track of a large mix — each instance of the same preset shares the same RAM.
If you can't afford a PC powerful enough to run as many instances of Nebula as you'd like, a different approach is to use Franci Zabukovec's NebulaMan utility (http://zabukowski.com/software/?page_id=26), which is available for both PC and Mac. Effectively this stand-alone batch-processing utility lets you apply a Nebula program or FX chain (such as a channel strip) to each and every audio track in your project in off-line mode, to add (for instance) the cumulative analogue flavour of a large mixing desk. You can process many hundreds of audio files quickly, and then reload the entire project into your favourite DAW to hear the results. It may not be real time, but you can finally experiment with truly extravagant suites of analogue excellence even on a modest computer!
SOS Reviews Editor Matt Houghton adds: As computing power grows, I'm sure thirstier Nebula libraries will consume it, and you'll probably never have quite enough power available to do what you want! Martin mentions the NebulaMan utility, and for me that's the best way to save precious resources when working with Nebula. I've been doing a similar thing, but instead using Wavelab to do the batch processing.
Your DAW, Reaper, also offers the option of applying whole plug-in chains as a batch process (go to File / Batch file / item converter), so you could easily give it a try. Use Nebula to process all the tracks in your project with your choice of preamp and/or analogue tape presets before you start mixing, and import the different treatments as different 'takes' to choose between in your DAW. It's very easy to apply, say, an API preamp to every track, then do the same with a Neve preamp, and leave the final choice for any given track between these two (as well as the unprocessed version) until you mix.
I tried this out on a recent project and was struck by the difference it made when changing the selection from Clean to API to Neve for all the drum multitracks — they all 'worked' but each had a certain character. Note that you'll need to have recorded the parts very cleanly to gain any real advantage from this approach.
Martin Walker
I've tried Nebula (with Reaper) and, sonically speaking, I really like what it can do, but the best libraries have my computer creaking at the seams! What specification of PC do I need to use multiple instances of Nebula without having to worry about processing power?
Jim Thorne, via email
SOS contributor Martin Walker replies: There's no denying that Nebula has evolved into the enfant terrible of the plug-in world. Some users find it difficult to adapt to its careful gain-staging requirements, while others fall in love with the 'expensive hardware' sound it promises to give you at almost pocket-money prices. As you say, running multiple instances can bring even a powerful PC to its knees, but before you start looking to upgrade to a new PC, there are various things you can do to minimise the CPU and RAM drain.
First, by all means load your Nebula programs into the standard Nebula 3 plug-in for low-latency tracking purposes, but during mixdown use the Nebula 3 Reverb plug-in instead. Although it has higher audio latency (defaulting to an acceptable 26ms at 44.1kHz or 11.9ms at 96kHz, both of which are automatically compensated for by most DAWs), its CPU overheads are less than half, and it also offers slightly better audio quality.
Second, use your ears when auditioning the various quality options provided in many Nebula libraries. Although it's tempting to always choose 11-kernel versions that model the fundamental frequency along with the first 10 harmonics (each consuming its own portion of CPU), some developers are, in my opinion, too enthusiastic about capturing every last detail, even when the higher harmonic contributions are vanishingly small. High-end preamps, EQs and the like often rarely have much to offer above perhaps 4th or 5th harmonic distortion, so if you can't hear any difference between the five-kernel and 11-kernel versions of a particular preset, choose the five-kernel version — this one decision will halve your total CPU overhead.
When it comes to the PC spec itself, Nebula 3 is now optimised for fourth-generation (Haswell) processors, so a machine based around an Intel quad-core 4770K is likely to give you better performance than a more expensive third-generation model such as the six cores of the Intel 4930 processor. As for RAM, 16GB is a sensible amount to install in a Nebula monster PC, as its libraries can be enormous, and theyWell-behaved Nebula libraries (like this Fairchild preamp from the AlexB Preamp Colours & Saturation collection) keep CPU overheads down by only modelling those harmonics that can actually be heard (in this case it uses just six 'kernels'). in turn are best installed on a dedicated SSD if you want to minimise program loading times.
Yet another approach is to buy the Nebula Server version, which spreads the CPU/RAM load across networked computers, or the Local Server version that offers a low RAM-usage mode if you want to run multiple instances of the same program across each track of a large mix — each instance of the same preset shares the same RAM.
If you can't afford a PC powerful enough to run as many instances of Nebula as you'd like, a different approach is to use Franci Zabukovec's NebulaMan utility (http://zabukowski.com/software/?page_id=26), which is available for both PC and Mac. Effectively this stand-alone batch-processing utility lets you apply a Nebula program or FX chain (such as a channel strip) to each and every audio track in your project in off-line mode, to add (for instance) the cumulative analogue flavour of a large mixing desk. You can process many hundreds of audio files quickly, and then reload the entire project into your favourite DAW to hear the results. It may not be real time, but you can finally experiment with truly extravagant suites of analogue excellence even on a modest computer!
SOS Reviews Editor Matt Houghton adds: As computing power grows, I'm sure thirstier Nebula libraries will consume it, and you'll probably never have quite enough power available to do what you want! Martin mentions the NebulaMan utility, and for me that's the best way to save precious resources when working with Nebula. I've been doing a similar thing, but instead using Wavelab to do the batch processing.
Your DAW, Reaper, also offers the option of applying whole plug-in chains as a batch process (go to File / Batch file / item converter), so you could easily give it a try. Use Nebula to process all the tracks in your project with your choice of preamp and/or analogue tape presets before you start mixing, and import the different treatments as different 'takes' to choose between in your DAW. It's very easy to apply, say, an API preamp to every track, then do the same with a Neve preamp, and leave the final choice for any given track between these two (as well as the unprocessed version) until you mix.
I tried this out on a recent project and was struck by the difference it made when changing the selection from Clean to API to Neve for all the drum multitracks — they all 'worked' but each had a certain character. Note that you'll need to have recorded the parts very cleanly to gain any real advantage from this approach.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Q Where can I find multitrack recording sessions to practice my mixing skills?
Sound Advice : Mixing
Matt Houghton
I'm really interested in mixing, but I need decent material to practice on, and I don't think my performance and recording skills are up to that! Can you recommend anywhere I can find full recording sessions for Pro Tools or Cubase?
Via SOS web site
SOS Reviews Editor Matt Houghton replies: You don't really need to look for Pro Tools or Cubase projects specifically: you just need a bunch of multitrack audio files, all starting at the same point in time, just as if they were the recordings taken from a tape machine. That's how we take receipt of most of the mixes chosen for our Mix Rescue features. You can find many such 'multitracks' using a Google search, including some of rather questionable provenance (note that not all will be of great sonic quality!),Mike Senior's library of free multitrack downloads is a great resource for aspiring mix engineers out there who are looking for multitrack projects with which to practice. but one great resource is Mike Senior's library of free multitrack downloads. These include many of the Mix Rescue projects Mike and others have written up in the pages of SOS over the years — and those ones also have the benefit of including finished remixes, with a full explanation of how they were created. The page includes a number of other projects Mike has discovered or been granted access to over the years. Go to www.cambridge-mt.com/ms-mtk.htm to find out more.
Matt Houghton
I'm really interested in mixing, but I need decent material to practice on, and I don't think my performance and recording skills are up to that! Can you recommend anywhere I can find full recording sessions for Pro Tools or Cubase?
Via SOS web site
SOS Reviews Editor Matt Houghton replies: You don't really need to look for Pro Tools or Cubase projects specifically: you just need a bunch of multitrack audio files, all starting at the same point in time, just as if they were the recordings taken from a tape machine. That's how we take receipt of most of the mixes chosen for our Mix Rescue features. You can find many such 'multitracks' using a Google search, including some of rather questionable provenance (note that not all will be of great sonic quality!),Mike Senior's library of free multitrack downloads is a great resource for aspiring mix engineers out there who are looking for multitrack projects with which to practice. but one great resource is Mike Senior's library of free multitrack downloads. These include many of the Mix Rescue projects Mike and others have written up in the pages of SOS over the years — and those ones also have the benefit of including finished remixes, with a full explanation of how they were created. The page includes a number of other projects Mike has discovered or been granted access to over the years. Go to www.cambridge-mt.com/ms-mtk.htm to find out more.
Ask Eddie | Power Serge
Ask Eddie
Power Serge
Feb 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Eddie Ciletti
THREE-AND-A-HALF GEEKS REVISIT A CLASSIC SYNTH
A Serge Modular Synth has been in my shop this fall for a little TLC. It’s filled with late ’70s-era 4000 Series C-MOS ICs, so it’s technically straightforward. But it’s such a unique piece of gear, the kind of technology that begins to ask its own questions. In this case, the questions start with its user interface, which is unlike the more familiar Minimoog and ARP 2600-style “touring” synths that the world is more familiar with. I’ve invited a few of my friends to share some insights after a brief introduction based on a conversation with Logan Erickson.
FOUNDATION
The typical (analog) synthesizer convention consists of four primary building blocks: a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO), Filter (VCF), Amplifier (VCA) and Envelope Generator (EG). You can think of it as a four-wheeled vehicle that is relatively linear and easy to drive. The Serge panel system has the four basic wheels (VCO, VCF, VCA and EG), but it’s what you don’t see that makes it more like assembling a continuous track system for a tank, with the ultimate benefit of having control over every element within that system.
In addition to using a conventional VCO, there’s a “hidden option” to roll your own oscillator by patching together multiple non-oscillator modules—envelope generators, for example. This approach requires, and ultimately teaches, a deeper understanding of synthesis. Also, the typical sequencer has an internal clock source, while the Serge uses a module called the Dual Slope Generator for its timing. When mastered, the Serge Modular Synth provides much wider—and wilder—control of everything, like being able to choose the size, shape and placement of each tank “wheel” to expand the possibilities of how the tank can move. I think of this as “event-based synthesis.”
Serge systems are typically described in terms of 7x17-inch “panels” that could be customized with an assortment of module options. The 1970s panel systems are known as “paper faced” due to the thin white piece of printed paper with geometric shapes labeling each function of the module. Later the Paper Faced System was replaced with a more rugged aluminum panel with silkscreen-style labeling of each function.
More recently, Serge Panels have morphed into fixed-module arrangements. While this makes manufacturing easier and more cost-effective, the set group of modules per panel may or may not fit all customer preferences. That said, the current build quality is audiophile/military-grade.
ABOUT THIS SERGE…
Frank L. Eaton, the original owner, provides his synthetic right of passage: “During my junior year at Oberlin College (1977-78), I bought a six-panel Serge Modular Synthesizer in kit form. At that time, Serge was the competitor and economic alternative to the Buchla. My classmates Marc Canter (founder of Macromedia and social media agitator) and Bob Ostertag (avant-garde composer) also bought their Serge modulars at about the same time.
“The kit consisted of assembled circuit boards, pots, wires, graphics and metal boxes, together with instructions. I recall the assembly time being about 40 hours and that the process severely tested my soldering skills! Serge Tcherepnin, the eponymous founder, was very patient in fielding questions from his small workshop in California and appreciated the three Oberlin kids putting his product to use.
“The instrument is an amazing piece of technology that inspired hundreds of hours of experimentation, from live improvisation to heavy studio use. I used it actively until I sold my recording studio, Noise New York, in the late ’80s. Since then, I would take it out on rare occasions until about a year ago, when I contacted Eddie to do a major overhaul. Future plans are to integrate the Serge into a home digital studio.” THREE-AND-A-HALF GEEKS REVISIT A CLASSIC SYNTH
photo of Serge Modular Synth
Eddie Ciletti says that the Serge Modular Synth in his shop is "filled with late ’70s-era 4000 Series C-MOS ICs, so it’s technically straightforward."
WEST COAST CULTURE
Thanasi Frentzos, a mod and repair guy in Minneapolis with a penchant for analog synths and drum machines, says:
“Over the last couple of months I’ve stumbled upon some surprising insights, either while researching the Serge Modular Synth or by way of various books that I just happened to have been reading at the same time.
“In The Serge Modular Creature: An Unauthorized User’s Manual, Ken Tkacs describes Moog-style ‘East Coast’ synths as effecting sound at the molecular level, while the ‘West Coast’ synths by Buchla and Serge allowed sonic manipulation at a more ‘atomic’ level. In doing so, I feel the West Coast synths expanded the consciousness of sound. Wendy Carlos describes Bob Moog on her site as ‘a creative engineer who spoke music: I was a musician who spoke science.’
“Don Buchla and his contemporary, Dr. Robert A. Moog, both released their first products in the ’60s. Buchla completed his first in 1963; Moog demonstrated his contribution at the 1964 AES. Moog was trying to create something that could replicate orchestral and band sounds, using a conventional keyboard. Buchla wanted to bring unique and completely original sounds to electronic music. Outside of synth circles, Moog’s name is perhaps better known, but Buchla managed to make his mark in the history books both in music and counterculture.
“Buchla is mentioned in Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, a book that documents the West Coast hippie culture of the 1960s through the eyes of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. It was a time of pushing boundaries of the mind as well as of light and sound, inadvertently laying the groundwork for our current concept of multimedia concerts. Buchla continued developing new ways to dig deeper down the rabbit hole, expanding the technology as well as the sonic possibilities. Then Serge came along in the 1970s and kept on digging.
“While late to the party, I’m very glad to finally have a chance to explore such a wonderfully crafted shovel, as both an electronic musician and a tech.”
SYNTHS IN HIS BLOOD
Logan Erickson is the owner of Low-Gain Electronics, a small Eurorack-format modular synthesizer manufacturer and custom audio electronics designer (low-gain.com). An electronic musician and DIY synth enthusiast by night, he is the production manager at Great River Electronics by day. A 100-percent synth geek and proud of it! He says:
“When it comes to pop culture, electronic dance music has become the new norm, and synth geeks are finally getting their well-deserved 15 minutes of being ‘cool.’ While always popular within the DIY community, a renewed interest in synthesis has inspired a new wave of analog (and digital) modular synthesizer manufacturing!
“After finally getting to see a vintage paper-faced Serge Modular System, I immediately started snapping pictures and posting them online. Quite a few people shared their stories, and a bit of history unfolded before my eyes. It was great to see how the old systems were made, and it might surprise many that the Serge Modular has been in continuous production since the 1970s. [Serge is now STS—Sound Transform Systems—no Website, but you can call 262/367-3030.—Ed.]
“I wasn’t always so impressed. I often wondered, ‘What is so great about Serge that justifies the huge price tag?’ Then a friend forced me to sit down and patch up his six-panel system, and this one humbling experience flipped my opinion 180 degrees!”
For more info about Serge Modular, visit serge-fans.com.
Mix Contributing Editor Eddie Ciletti can be reached at eddie@tangible-technology.com. Send him your Serge story!
Eddie Ciletti’s virtual residence is at tangible-technology.com.
Power Serge
Feb 1, 2013 9:00 AM, By Eddie Ciletti
THREE-AND-A-HALF GEEKS REVISIT A CLASSIC SYNTH
A Serge Modular Synth has been in my shop this fall for a little TLC. It’s filled with late ’70s-era 4000 Series C-MOS ICs, so it’s technically straightforward. But it’s such a unique piece of gear, the kind of technology that begins to ask its own questions. In this case, the questions start with its user interface, which is unlike the more familiar Minimoog and ARP 2600-style “touring” synths that the world is more familiar with. I’ve invited a few of my friends to share some insights after a brief introduction based on a conversation with Logan Erickson.
FOUNDATION
The typical (analog) synthesizer convention consists of four primary building blocks: a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO), Filter (VCF), Amplifier (VCA) and Envelope Generator (EG). You can think of it as a four-wheeled vehicle that is relatively linear and easy to drive. The Serge panel system has the four basic wheels (VCO, VCF, VCA and EG), but it’s what you don’t see that makes it more like assembling a continuous track system for a tank, with the ultimate benefit of having control over every element within that system.
In addition to using a conventional VCO, there’s a “hidden option” to roll your own oscillator by patching together multiple non-oscillator modules—envelope generators, for example. This approach requires, and ultimately teaches, a deeper understanding of synthesis. Also, the typical sequencer has an internal clock source, while the Serge uses a module called the Dual Slope Generator for its timing. When mastered, the Serge Modular Synth provides much wider—and wilder—control of everything, like being able to choose the size, shape and placement of each tank “wheel” to expand the possibilities of how the tank can move. I think of this as “event-based synthesis.”
Serge systems are typically described in terms of 7x17-inch “panels” that could be customized with an assortment of module options. The 1970s panel systems are known as “paper faced” due to the thin white piece of printed paper with geometric shapes labeling each function of the module. Later the Paper Faced System was replaced with a more rugged aluminum panel with silkscreen-style labeling of each function.
More recently, Serge Panels have morphed into fixed-module arrangements. While this makes manufacturing easier and more cost-effective, the set group of modules per panel may or may not fit all customer preferences. That said, the current build quality is audiophile/military-grade.
ABOUT THIS SERGE…
Frank L. Eaton, the original owner, provides his synthetic right of passage: “During my junior year at Oberlin College (1977-78), I bought a six-panel Serge Modular Synthesizer in kit form. At that time, Serge was the competitor and economic alternative to the Buchla. My classmates Marc Canter (founder of Macromedia and social media agitator) and Bob Ostertag (avant-garde composer) also bought their Serge modulars at about the same time.
“The kit consisted of assembled circuit boards, pots, wires, graphics and metal boxes, together with instructions. I recall the assembly time being about 40 hours and that the process severely tested my soldering skills! Serge Tcherepnin, the eponymous founder, was very patient in fielding questions from his small workshop in California and appreciated the three Oberlin kids putting his product to use.
“The instrument is an amazing piece of technology that inspired hundreds of hours of experimentation, from live improvisation to heavy studio use. I used it actively until I sold my recording studio, Noise New York, in the late ’80s. Since then, I would take it out on rare occasions until about a year ago, when I contacted Eddie to do a major overhaul. Future plans are to integrate the Serge into a home digital studio.” THREE-AND-A-HALF GEEKS REVISIT A CLASSIC SYNTH
photo of Serge Modular Synth
Eddie Ciletti says that the Serge Modular Synth in his shop is "filled with late ’70s-era 4000 Series C-MOS ICs, so it’s technically straightforward."
WEST COAST CULTURE
Thanasi Frentzos, a mod and repair guy in Minneapolis with a penchant for analog synths and drum machines, says:
“Over the last couple of months I’ve stumbled upon some surprising insights, either while researching the Serge Modular Synth or by way of various books that I just happened to have been reading at the same time.
“In The Serge Modular Creature: An Unauthorized User’s Manual, Ken Tkacs describes Moog-style ‘East Coast’ synths as effecting sound at the molecular level, while the ‘West Coast’ synths by Buchla and Serge allowed sonic manipulation at a more ‘atomic’ level. In doing so, I feel the West Coast synths expanded the consciousness of sound. Wendy Carlos describes Bob Moog on her site as ‘a creative engineer who spoke music: I was a musician who spoke science.’
“Don Buchla and his contemporary, Dr. Robert A. Moog, both released their first products in the ’60s. Buchla completed his first in 1963; Moog demonstrated his contribution at the 1964 AES. Moog was trying to create something that could replicate orchestral and band sounds, using a conventional keyboard. Buchla wanted to bring unique and completely original sounds to electronic music. Outside of synth circles, Moog’s name is perhaps better known, but Buchla managed to make his mark in the history books both in music and counterculture.
“Buchla is mentioned in Tom Wolfe’s Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, a book that documents the West Coast hippie culture of the 1960s through the eyes of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters. It was a time of pushing boundaries of the mind as well as of light and sound, inadvertently laying the groundwork for our current concept of multimedia concerts. Buchla continued developing new ways to dig deeper down the rabbit hole, expanding the technology as well as the sonic possibilities. Then Serge came along in the 1970s and kept on digging.
“While late to the party, I’m very glad to finally have a chance to explore such a wonderfully crafted shovel, as both an electronic musician and a tech.”
SYNTHS IN HIS BLOOD
Logan Erickson is the owner of Low-Gain Electronics, a small Eurorack-format modular synthesizer manufacturer and custom audio electronics designer (low-gain.com). An electronic musician and DIY synth enthusiast by night, he is the production manager at Great River Electronics by day. A 100-percent synth geek and proud of it! He says:
“When it comes to pop culture, electronic dance music has become the new norm, and synth geeks are finally getting their well-deserved 15 minutes of being ‘cool.’ While always popular within the DIY community, a renewed interest in synthesis has inspired a new wave of analog (and digital) modular synthesizer manufacturing!
“After finally getting to see a vintage paper-faced Serge Modular System, I immediately started snapping pictures and posting them online. Quite a few people shared their stories, and a bit of history unfolded before my eyes. It was great to see how the old systems were made, and it might surprise many that the Serge Modular has been in continuous production since the 1970s. [Serge is now STS—Sound Transform Systems—no Website, but you can call 262/367-3030.—Ed.]
“I wasn’t always so impressed. I often wondered, ‘What is so great about Serge that justifies the huge price tag?’ Then a friend forced me to sit down and patch up his six-panel system, and this one humbling experience flipped my opinion 180 degrees!”
For more info about Serge Modular, visit serge-fans.com.
Mix Contributing Editor Eddie Ciletti can be reached at eddie@tangible-technology.com. Send him your Serge story!
Eddie Ciletti’s virtual residence is at tangible-technology.com.
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