We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Music For Synthi E

by Julien Palomo

supported by
Trevor Helminski
Trevor Helminski thumbnail
brian thrash
brian thrash thumbnail
massimojgmagee
massimojgmagee thumbnail
fanby56
fanby56 thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      €4 EUR  or more

     

1.
Library 386a 05:16
info
2.
Library 386b 29:21
info
3.
Library 386d 15:24
info
4.
Library 386g 08:48
info

about

Four pieces showcasing the sounds of EMS Synthi E (Tim Orr, 1975).

This perplexing antique modular synthesizer is basically - a toy. Aimed at the education market, it must have failed badly (less than 300 made between '75 and '79?), but sure would have had some appeal to children with its sunny yellow face and colourful banana plugs.

It's nothing much really as far as substractive synthesis goes. One LFO, misguidingly labelled "Oscillator", one VCO with 3 waveshapes, one VCF, a strange VCA that goes straight from AM to Ring Mod, a mixer with a Tone slider that goes from muffled to ultra hissy, a cheap impersonation of the EMS trademark Trapezoids, a "slider" and a "touch keyboard" that fail to work 80% of the time, and when they do, they track unpredictably.

My take on it was - think like a child when using it. For all its weaknesses, its incredible strength (it's EMS, it's innovative, right?) is the workflow. You can patch everything into everything, you can even stack like crazy. The few kids who were exposed to it when it was officially "in existence" must have loved it: nothing is forbidden. You don't start with the "do's and don'ts" of synthesis, you can try any combination. You can use the 3 waveshapes of the VCO at the same time. Not game enough? You can use them TWICE - it has 8 outputs total. Same goes for the VCF.

Besides - uncanny as the instrument is, the VCO and VCF have tremendous character. The instrument's design is by Tim Orr. True, it's not at all the same circuitry as the VCS3 and AKS, hence making the E a distant cousin, but Orr did his best to retain the acid, soaring character of its glorious EMS siblings' VCO. With a subtle "something else"... hard to pin it... chewy? rubbery? - The VCF (HP, BP, LP, 1/2 and 2!) is incredibly efficient, works at the speed of light without bumps, and it's regrettable its design isn't to be found in more complex instruments.

For once, these four pieces have no particular concept or story attached to them - they're just showcasing the E with and without effects, and a bit of sequencing on one track (ARP Sequencer 1611). The pieces are "as is", live improvisations on carefully prepared patches, no EQ, compression only to compensate the loss in attack induced by the effects.

If you feel like giving up one or two minutes into the first piece, at least visit the others for their artwork - I've tried to picture a few of the E's iconic features.

More to come if you show some love for the E!

credits

released July 27, 2017

Julien Palomo: EMS Synthi E
- - - - - - -
Effects: Alesis MicroVerb, Boss RPS-10, Boss Loop Station
ARP Sequencer 1611 on Library 386d
- - - - - - -
Rosnoën - Issy-les-Moulineaux, July 2017

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Boubi's image

Boubi's Palaiseau, France

Who? - Free Jazz producer turned Experimental Retro Pioneer.

How? - This is AAD. Oldies but goldies crafted with ARP 2600, EMS Synthi E, Eurorack, Solina, Farfisa.

What? - File under electronic/drone/noise/ambient/electro-acoustic/cute. ... more

contact / help

Contact Boubi's

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Music For Synthi E, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Beans joins the show to discuss his album release, "ZWAARD".

listen now