One Synth Challenge #104 - Zebralette by u-he (Photonic Wins!)

[doctorbob]

ahhhh...... the days of dicing and slicing tape .... early days on 1/2 track Revox - or at home with my 1/4" 2 track Akai Crossfield, a second cheapr Akai, and a dolby B unit - I could dolby up on one track and dolby down on the other. A dead cheap Grundig mixer (I/O on 5 pin DINS! Yuk!). But, could do lots of bouncing c/o the dolby - the Synthi-A got a lot of stick. Also built a spring reverb, and a fuzz box.

Shame nothing really survives - I think I may have a cassette of my Caravan-styled band I did FOH and electronics for from the early 70's. I'll see if there's anything there I would dare put out to public!

Oh yes, finally VOTED as well -

Thanks for the comments so far - all taken as they are meant!

dB

PS I like the analogy of the old times as "NO UNDO" -

[toonertik]

I ACTUALLY still have it in the garage with all my other wonderful hardware, so ruthlessly neglected....
the hardware gear just had a different sound than what we're doing these days. I can't help it. Possibly the recording circumstances, too, of course, but even the less expensive effects units somehow provided a warmth and depth that is hard to achieve with computer only. (

I still have an old (1960's) valve tape machine.. a British Ferrograph, weighs in at about 20Kg/45Lbs...
I got it in 1981 for £15.. say $20.. partly nostalgia as my first ever experience with audio was in 1968 using 2 of these for school plays and things... got my addiction then...
More recently I had it in my small studio until 2010 (no more studio ((( ) and used to mix out of one computer into a H_Ware Drawmer compressor then into the ferrograph and back into another computer..
the valves just gave that soft edge that really only real valves can do... yeah I know there are great emulators... BUT knowing it went all hot (thru the valves) makes me feel warm inside...

[doctorbob]

The first computers I programmed had loads of valves too! Yup - I remember the great old military green Ferrographs. They did have great transports and some models had a tape splier built in under the mode control knob!

I did buy a Ferrograph F307 amplifier for my HiFi at one point - the amp section of the 7 series tape machines.

dB

[toonertik]

The first computers I programmed had loads of valves too! Yup - I remember the great old military green Ferrographs. They did have great transports and some models had a tape splier built in under the mode control knob!

I did buy a Ferrograph F307 amplifier for my HiFi at one point - the amp section of the 7 series tape machines.

dB

OMG>> you worked on valve computers.. I was doing electronics at college and we learnt the basics of the "Rack" computer.. it was valve and memory was magnetic coils, I think!

Yes>> green Ferrographs.. BBC used them in their pioneering sound workshop>> mine still woks (it's a cross between a series 4 and 5... Ferograph kinda merged one model into the next).. needs some TLC and resetting all the various parameters that I tweaked to get MY valveY sound.. (I just used the amps in the studio>> straight through)
I remember the amps, nice ))).. though the tape machines never quiet caught up with the by then ubiquitous Revox in that domain.

[toonertik]

Seems we could now restart the discussion about having a fixed, restricted set of FX that are allowed in the tracks...because your right toonertik, I'm lucky that I can afford Cubase Pro with all it's fancy Plugins. Apart from the "Frequency EQ" I make heavy use of Multiband-Stuff...not easy to find as freeware...

Yes, I forgot to follow up on that.
I was thinking the same. that as technology and DAWs have moved on .. could it be time to level the playing field as far as these type of plugins is concerned..
or else I kiss my bank_manager somewhere special for a Cubase loan...
I am NOT a good kisser... just ask my 2 Ex_wives....

[Taron]

Some collector you are!

[ontrackp]

I still have a working M1R.... and D550 with the programmer and a Korg Wavestation keyboard, but I never use them. The M1 had such a unique sound!

[toonertik]

Some collector you are!

Yup.. The sole collector..
or is that soul collector>>
watch out Taron...

[ontrackp]

Not a collector -- it's the debris leftover from a lifetime in the music world.....

[toonertik]

Not a collector -- it's the debris leftover from a lifetime in the music world.....

haha... Oh yes>> how true!
But also how I regret selling some of the stuff I once had..
I can't believe the prices paid now for some of the stuff that I have owned

[doctorbob]

though the tape machines never quiet caught up with the by then ubiquitous Revox in that domain.

I did fancy the Series 7 tape machine - but the Akai Crossfield was a better machine. The Series 8 Studio was something I oggled at! There was also a very high end Philips of all things too, 4500 or something like that!

dB

PS. Yup, valves did/still make cool warm sounds. In 1966 I gave a talk on "Deriving the full adder circuit" using boolean algebra - yes, geeky, walls of logic on boards. Good job I'm not like that now ...

[ontrackp]

I'm loving this thread. There was something so tactile about tape, and the process of loading up the machine, getting everything ready, that moment prior to going into record, anticipating a performance, was meaningful because there was so much physicality to it (I think I made that word up) -- and it doesn't happen the same way anymore. I had the nice experience of doing a work project with Daryl Hall, who was a major recording artist during the 70's and 80's, which included recording some tracks, and we had a number of conversations about the difference in "feel" for recording the old way, vs the new way. There was something a little more magical about it -- even though today's computers and VST's seem only a step away from magic.

[doctorbob]

My friend Francis Monkman (google to see his bands!) feels the same. He's very hands on and plays wonderful stuff on real harpsichords and the like. He's very keen on the early French stuff, and works hard on their attribution. He did the recordings of Bach on the very instruments he would have played in E. Germany once he got access! Some amazing stuff with a Sony Minidisc system and a decent stereo mic!

Such a brilliant musician, now a litle reclusive musicwise - but we still net chatter now and then. Reminds me, not said "hi" for a while.

dB

[toonertik]

I'm loving this thread. There was something so tactile about tape, and the process of loading up the machine, getting everything ready, that moment prior to going into record, anticipating a performance, was meaningful because there was so much physicality to it (I think I made that word up) -- and it doesn't happen the same way anymore. I had the nice experience of doing a work project with Daryl Hall, who was a major recording artist during the 70's and 80's, which included recording some tracks, and we had a number of conversations about the difference in "feel" for recording the old way, vs the new way. There was something a little more magical about it -- even though today's computers and VST's seem only a step away from magic.

YES>>> anticipating a performance... It can still happen that way.. if working with a band. The only real difference is recording onto computer AND the lack of all those lovely shiny knobs to adjust but it can still be a performance. When I still had the small studio I was doing stuff with a young heavy metal style band.. not my personal style, but their enthusiasm was contagious )))#
Yeah, I might just have heard of Daryl, does he still get his oats?
It was a good idea of T suggest we open it up for chat as the OSC is over ))

[toonertik]

My friend Francis Monkman (google to see his bands!) feels the same.
dB

I thought I recognised that name... Curved Air... I still have the first and second albums... first is the original Picture disc.. Loved it
BTW do you remember a group called "Renaissance"? They also played in a classic style.