Keyboard synths | MMMMAVEN

Moog Announces Re-Release of Modular Synthesizers with Film, “Back to the Future Sounds”

Posted on 11.10.15 by admin

Earlier this year, Moog Music Inc. announced a limited re-release of three modular synthesizers. The three mod-synth models, which were originally manufactured back in 1973, include the System 55, the System 35 and the Model 15.

To celebrate this announcement, Moog uploaded a short film to their Youtube entitled, “Back to the Future Sounds,” which chronicles the history of the modular synthesizer.

This 20 minute short is a time warp, alternating between gritty, retro, sci-fi cutaways and recent interviews at the Moog Factory, held with a range of electronic musicians from Dick Hyman to Holy Ghost.

So be sure to plug in your highest quality headphones or monitors, as Moog suggests in the video, for the “proper listening experience,” and enjoy.

Our Music Synthesis class can guide you through the new world of music synthesis. Times certainly have changed, but the synthesizer, created in 1876, isn’t going anywhere.

Keys: Modular LED Music Keyboard with Gestures

Posted on 04.28.15 by admin

Keys is the first music keyboard and MIDI controller that’s completely modular, linking together through magnetic technology, called AMON.

FEATURING:

A sleek, portable and ultra durable design that will last
Keys with full scale width for superior touch and control you can feel
Works with iOS, Android, and any program that supports USB-MIDI
8-hour battery life for continuous playing
Rich and vibrant LED lit keys to breathe life into your performances
Change sounds and octaves with a wave of your hand
Two apps for beginners to learn their favorite songs

You can expand to a full sized keyboard in seconds – without cords – by simply magnetically linking multiple Keys together, and easily breakdown to pack Keys away in your backpack.

Dimensions: 20 mm x 320 mm x 106 mm (approx. 0.78″ x 12.59″ x 4.18″)
Weight: 1 lb.
Materials: Plastic reinforced with PCB (fiberglass) keys connected to a metal baseplate to add durability and rigidity
Octaves: 24 keys (use gestures to transpose through 7 full octaves)
Gesture sensors: Sensitive proximity sensors that are capable of recognizing gestures and can be used to modulate parameters like pitch, sustain, and mapped midi parameters
Processor: Texas Instruments 80Mhz ARM Cortext M4F
Output: Mini USB — charges Keys and can be used as a USB-MIDI connection
Power: Rechargeable LiPo Battery
Battery Life: Up to 8 hours
Keys Device / OS Compatibility: USB-MIDI compatible with CoreMIDI on iOS, Mac, PC, and Android. Connect quickly and easily to your computer via Mini USB or to your iPhone / Android using the optional dock.
Learn and Play App OS Compatibility: Keys Learn and Play apps will only be supported on iOS when we ship this summer, but Keys works with any MIDI-compatible app for Android, so you can play using over 150 available apps right away.

For more info on Keys and to donate to their campaign, click here.

Want to get hands on experience with synthesizers? Click here for more info on our new synthesis program!

Buyers Guide: Keyboard Synths

Posted on 03.04.1503.05.15 by admin

Here are reviews of the Six Best Keyboard Synths (according to the MusicTech Buyer’s Guide).

BEST MONO : Novation Bass Station II

“The focus is squarely on electronica and dance music (old and new). No big pads or digital textures, no polyphony, no chords, no ‘real’ sounds or emulations, just pure, ferocious, proper analogue synth sounds. Just the sound of the circuit at its raw, dirty, animal-like best. And at just £399.99 – a mere £50 more than the original cost on its release two decades ago – it’s stunning, simple as that.”

Click here for the Full Review.

BEST PROJECT : Korg MS-20 Kit

“In total, assembly will take around two to three hours. The instructions are excellent and there’s even a troubleshooting guide, but fortunately we didn’t need it. Technical know-how, soldering ability and an understanding of electronics are not required to construct this MS-20 Kit, so it’s ideal for a beginner’s DIY project. Even so, it should be (and indeed is!) a very satisfying undertaking for experienced constructors too.”

Click here for the Full Review.

BEST VARIETY OF SOUNDS : Yamaha MOXF

“If you need a great sound source that covers every base and has a lot of scope to edit on-the-fly and create all-new sounds, look no further. I can easily see this used as a standalone composing tool, say, while a band is touring and then blending those ideas into their recording setups when they get back. Yamaha has done a cracking job at updating the workstation for today’s studio.”

Click here for the Full Review.

BEST CREATIVE : Nord Lead A1

“A totally unexpected synth from Nord with one of the most ‘instant’ feature sets I’ve ever used. And while it’s smaller than the Nord Lead 4 (in physical and sonic terms) I can’t help thinking that its simplicity, its creativity and its quality will win it many friends. If you have an analogue heart, hold a note, dial some dials and after five minutes you’ll be won over too…”

Click here for the full review.

BEST WORKSTATION : Roland FA-06

“A great workstation for the studio and the road. It sounds big, is supremely easy to use and is packed with tones that you can dramatically alter with both synth and effect engines.” “Everything you need to make great-quality tracks in one package. The FA-06 is truly a pinnacle of the hardware workstation genre.”

Click here for the Full Review.

BEST COMPACT : Arturia MicroBrute

“MicroBrute is a lot of fun and easy to get your head around. It can probably go to more places than any other single-oscillator machine out there. It’s a crazy amount of synth for the money.” “A great little synth that you can have a lot of fun with and use as the hub of a bigger network of gear. Superb value, too

Click here for the Full Review.

Want to learn how to synthesize? Fortunately for you we have launched a new class for that.