BillyBot1 World Tour

Robots
RoboGuts™
Children's Patriotic Song
Down the Rabbit Hole
One Step Beyond
 
 

Who gets BillyBot1 next?

SignON World Tour Host List

PICAXE µController Solutions Book

Robot Demo Videos

BillyBot Kit
BobbyBot3 Kit
 


 








14 Synth Modules & Periferals & Cables - $3000

Alesis:

MIDIVERB II

Casio:

VZ-10M 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 1-cartridge 

VZ-8M 1U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module 

CZ-101r 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module Phase Modulation with 4- cartridges 

Kawai:

K3M 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 1-cartridge 

K5M 5U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 2-cartridges 

K5M 5U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 2-cartridges 

Kurzweil:

K2000 Keyboard Synth w/external hard drive & Patches 

Roland:

TR-505 Drum/Percussion MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TR-505 Drum/Percussion MIDI Synthesizer Module 

Sequential Circuits:

DrumTraks-400 Analogue MIDI Drum/Percussion Synthesizer many extra sound chips 

Prophet-600 Analogue MIDI Keyboard Synthesizer 

Sony: 

DTC-700 DAT Digital Audio Tape Deck

Yamaha:

FB-01 2U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TX-81Z 1U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TX-81Z 1U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

Akai:

ME25S 1U MIDI Programmable Note Separator 

Casio:

VZ-10M 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 1-cartridge 

VZ-8M 1U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module 

CZ-101r 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module Phase Modulation with 4- cartridges 

Needs a new wall-wart power pack. 

TB-1 8-Channel MIDI Thru A/B Switch able Inputs 

TB-1r 1U Rack 8-Channel MIDI Thru A/B Switch able Inputs 

Kawai:

K3M 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 1-cartridge 

K5M 5U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 2-cartridges 

K5M 5U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 2-cartridges 

Kurzweil:

K2000 Keyboard Synth w/external hard drive & Patches 

Mackie:

Micro Series 1202-VLZ 12-channel mixer 

Passic:

8-Channel Mixer 1U Rack Audio Mixer 

Radio Shack:

Realistic Ten Band Stereo Frequency Equalizer 

Realistic Ten Band Stereo Frequency Equalizer 

Roland:

TR-505 Drum/Percussion MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TR-505 Drum/Percussion MIDI Synthesizer Module 

Sequential Circuits:

DrumTraks-400 Analogue MIDI Drum/Percussion Synthesizer many extra sound chips 

Prophet-600 Analogue MIDI Keyboard Synthesizer 

Sony: 

DTC-700 DAT Digital Audio Tape Deck

Yamaha:

FB-01 2U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TX-81Z 1U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

TX-81Z 1U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

MIDI Cables Several of various lengths 

Passive Mixers 2 or more 4-channel Stereo passive mixers 

Everything comes with a manual

Kawai:

K5M 5U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 2-cartridges 

The K5 is a digital synthesizer that employs additive synthesis harmonic-building as its method of sound creation. Basically, you can vary up to 126 harmonic levels generated by a sine wave via a bar-graph type graphic display to create, shape and change your sound. De-tuning can also be used to thicken or augment sounds too. In addition, each harmonic has an independent choice of four 6-stage envelopes for further tweaking and shaping. The K5 is also 15-part multi-timbral. Sounds can be split, layered, overlapped and de-tuned for creating thicker sounds or ensembles of instruments and sounds. It has 48 internal patches for memory storage as well as a 48 patch external memory card. There are also 48 patches for the multi-mode settings as well.

The K5 is very digital in its synthesis approach and its overall sound quality. However it has some surprisingly analog-like parameters. Its filter is a Dynamic Digital Filter that has familiar slope, cutoff, envelope amount, keyboard tracking and independent 6-stage envelope controls. The Digital Dynamic Amplifier is set up like a 6-stage envelope for overall sound shaping. The LFO has about six waveform shapes, speed, delay and a new Trend setting which is related to the delay parameter of the LFO. But programming Multi-Mode sounds is a bit more modern in its approach to synthesis than analogs and requires a bit of planning and experimenting.

It should be noted that the user interface makes it particularly difficult to program the K5 well. It's especially hard to tell the envelope-to-harmonic routings, and the various bits of nomenclature used by Kawai to indicate what does what can be a bit misleading. Nonetheless, the K5 is a very powerful instrument for creating digital sounds unlike any other. It works great in any MIDI studio or live situation due mostly in part to its multitimbral abilities, unique sounds and its approach to synthesis. It has been used by Jean Michel Jarre.

The K5m rack-module version is basically the same as the K5 except that it has 126 adjustable harmonics and 4 assignable audio outputs and a stereo mix output. If you plan to use the K5 strictly as a sound source in an established MIDI studio, the K5M desktop module version is more compact and practical than the keyboard version. The K5m has been used by Jan Hammer.

$500

Kawai K3m

Music Machines Spec Sheet

-------------------------

Synth: Kawai K3

Review by: Mike Nail

Summary: basic DCO-VCF-VCA midi synth

Years Made: 1984??
Polyphony: 6
Multitimbrality: no
MIDI: yes
Note on/off: yes
MIDI controllers (aftertouch, CC, etc):
Sysex patch dumping: yes
Sysex parameter control: yes
Other inputs/external control: no
CV/Gate:
Clock:
Other CV:
Audio:
Proprietary (DCB, etc):
Programmer:
Outputs: stereo
Patch storage: 50 internal, 50 cartridge
Patch dumping (tape, MIDI, etc): midi
Voice architecture: DCO-VCF-VCA, with LFO
Interface: key-per-function, with 2 digit LED and increment buttons
Sequencer/Arpeggiator: no
Keyboard/rack: K3 has keyboard, K3m is rack mount
Known problems:
Accessories:
Related synths/gear:
Price range: $200-$350
Availability: fairly common
Comments: basic architecture, but still capable of many sounds
Strengths: basses, pads, strings, leads (analog (tm) sounds)
Weaknesses: basic architecture! few mod routings.
Overall: good sounding, good midi control, good value. good. :)
Other:


$700

Casio:

VZ-10M 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module with 1-cartridge 
The Casio VZ-1 was released in 1988 hot on the heels of the successful CZ line and became Casio's flagship synthesizer, replacing the CZ-1 at the top end and going flat out to town with the feature list, easily putting it toe to toe with products from Yamaha, Roland and Korg. The case design also reflected a more professional approach that Casio was taking; a sleek and minimal all black design free from clutter with a brushed steel front plate, making it a very impressive unit to look at - it is also very well built having an all metal chassis, yet maintains a relatively light weight making it especially good for gigging.

The first notable departure from the CZ line is the programming interface, replacing analog-like button per function programming with a page driven system similar to that of the FZ-1 released the previous year. The large (for the time) backlit dot matrix graphic LCD display made programming this synthesizer far easier than Yamaha's DX7 and DX7-II; envelopes and signal path, for example, were edited graphically rather than a number at a time and in text only mode and several parameters were viewable on screen at once. Unlike other synthesizers on the market at the time, the edit pages were not nested and their location and function were clearly marked on the front panel above the menu and function buttons. The VZ-1 takes a hybrid approach to its sound generation. Where the CZ line used Phase Distortion Synthesis and the Yamaha DX line used Phase Modulation (incorrectly advertised as FM), the VZ-1 uses Phase Distortion for ring modulation and waveform generation but true Frequency Modulation Synthesis to generate harmonics. The end result is a unique and hauntingly space-age sounding synthesizer with many smooth "twangy" textures - but it can also be very harsh and noisy when complex phasing is employed. Thumping bass-lines and sweeping pads are its strongest points but it is also very capable of analog-ish brass and strings.

The voice architecture is similar to the Yamaha DX synthesizers in that you have several oscillators that link together to generate extra harmonics via some form of algorithm. Where the DX7 has six oscillators to choose from, the VZ has eight. Each oscillator is part of a "module" and each module has a long list of functions independent of the other modules: Waveform, detune, envelope, envelope depth (that also functions as oscillator volume), envelope velocity sensitivity, envelope key follow and amplifier sensitivity. Each module is then arranged in 4 pairs: A, B, C and D. The first module in a pair then has the option to mix with the second module (similar to a dual oscillator synthesizer), ring modulate the second module or phase modulate the second module. The output from this can then be sent to the main output, or used to modulate the second module of the following pair (for example: the output from Pair A modulates the second module in Pair B which is also being ring modulated with the first module in Pair B). This freedom to pick and choose your own voice combinations allows for some very wild and complex sounds.

Aftertouch was also rather generous for the time too, allowing modulation of vibrato depth and rate, tremolo depth and rate, portamento time, pitch modulation and envelope bias.

The VZ-1 also features a combination mode that lets you stack up to 4 patches on top of each other giving a total of 32 oscillators per voice. Working in combination mode does lower polyphony, however, with 4 patches only allowing monophonic operation. Each patch in a combination could then be velocity switched, velocity triggered, crossfaded, have their tremolo and vibrato inverted, detuned, transposed and split across the keyboard. Even today, this is an impressive list of features for a non-workstation synthesizer. The keyboard also has two outputs that come in great use when controlling over MIDI or when playing split. Some careful trickery with Tremolo in combination mode with these two outputs can also give you a stereo panning effect.

There are some drawbacks, however. Where other synthesizers of the time could store up to 128 patches in memory, the VZ only has 64 (8 banks of 8 slots) and the ROM cards were limited to a max of 64 patches due to the way the front panel was laid out. The synthesizer does not contain any onboard effects or a sequencer and the presets are of the typical cheap Japanese keyboard affair - with the only usable patches out the box being the DX7-ish slap bass guitar and e-piano.

Although easy to program, especially when compared to a D-50 or a DX7, the long list of parameters that need to be edited for each individual module make this synthesizer very tedious to program larger sounds and textures. Add on the complexity of its sound engine and how twitchy it can be and it may end up frustrating to those not well versed in synthesizer technology. Despite these failings, the synthesizer is still bewilderingly powerful and versatile if you spend time to become better aquaintted with it and it can easily become the focal point of any track with its uniquely warm yet cutting tonality. They do often spring up at low prices but have been increasing in popularity recently; some units in good condition can fetch up to $625, more-so if an RC-100 ROM Card is included.

Specifications Polyphony - 16 voices Multitimbral - 8 parts duo-phonic Oscillators - 8 iPD Modules across 4 Pairs Waveforms - 1 sine, 5 saw, 1 noise, 1 noise + sine LFO - 2 LFO generators for Tremelo and Pitch Filter - No Filter Envelope - 9x 8-stage envelopes (8 amp, 1 global pitch) Arpeg/Seq - None Keyboard - 61 keys with velocity and aftertouch, 3 wheels Memory - 64 preset patches, 64 user patches, 64 patch external cartridge (via RC-100 ROM card) Control - MIDI In, Out and Thru Date Produced - 1988 - 1991

$500

Casio:

CZ-101r 2U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module Phase Modulation with 4- cartridges 

It's small, it's cheap, and it's good! This is the pea-size version of the CZ-1000 with a mini-keyboard. The CZ-101 is a digital synth and although the programming is somewhat limited there are plenty of analog-like traits and sounds to interest most anybody. It has a good 8-stage envelope design and uses Phase Distortion (PD) synthesis which gives it some pretty great sounds. The sounds are very similar to the Yamaha DX synthesizers, and they're much more affordable. PD is Casio's own take on digital synthesis from the mid-eighties and is found in all of their CZ series. You basically modify digital waveforms (sine waves) to create various sounds. It can create wild new sounds, notably percussive sounds. But it's not too easy to program if you don't know much about waveform theory and design.

Make no mistake, the CZ-101 is no toy although it can be considered very entry level. Three sets of 8-stage envelope sections are used to modulate your sounds extensively. The first is used to modify the DCO pitches over time. Another 8-stage envelope section in the DCW is used to modify the Phase Angle over time (like filtering). Finally the DCA amplifier also has an 8-stage envelope to modify the volume of sounds over time. For further tweaking the CZ-101 employs some surprisingly analog effects. Four types of Vibrato make up a simple LFO-type section with triangle, square, ramp up or down waveforms as well as rate, depth and delay settings. Portamento adds that classic glide effect from one note to the next. Double up on the oscillators with 4-note polyphony. Built-in noise and ring modulation. It's also MIDI equipped with 4 monophonic multitimbral parts. However, with only 32 patches (16 preset, 16 user) storage is a bit slim.

The CZ-1000 is a full-size keyboard version of the CZ-101 for a slightly more practical edge. Later CZ-series models like the CZ-3000 and CZ-5000 used this new Phase Distortion synthesis in more professional instruments. But none are as small and portable as the CZ-101 is! It can even be strapped on like a guitar and run on battery power. The CZ-101 has been used by Cirrus, Moby, Jimi Tenor, Vince

Clarke, Jimmy Edgar, and They Might Be Giants. $400

VZ-8M 1U Rack MIDI Synthesizer Module 

$300

Yamaha:

TX-81Z 1U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

Yet another FM synthesizer from Yamaha, this one comes in a compact, multitimbral, 1-unit rackmount module and is basically a key-less version of the DX-11. It has far more professional features than its relative, the FB-01. The TX81Z features great FM type synth sounds similar also to the DX-21 and DX-27. It's still not as good as the classic DX-7, but it's an inexpensive source of those sounds with lots of programmability. Eight voice polyphony, 128 preset sounds, 32 user and lots of functions hidden behind 11 push buttons. The TX81Z features a new ability to use waveforms other than just a sine wave. There are eight voices that can be split, layered and detuned. Also onboard are pseudo-effects including delay and reverb. These features can be stored as performance setups. The effects are simply envelope and re-triggering effects. The TX81Z works great as a sound-module for any live or studio production. It's got a wider range of sounds than the DX-7, may not be quite as warm or 'classic' sounding, but at its low price and with the excellent MIDI implementation it makes a great alternative or backup synth for percussive, punchy FM synth sounds. It's used by Fluke, Roni Size, Astral Projection, Squarepusher, Jimmy Edgar, Future Sound of London, and Josh Wink.

$200

Yamaha:

FB-01 2U Rack FM MIDI Synthesizer Module 

The FB-01 is simply an inexpensive, 8 part multitimbral digital FM synth module. It's only a 4-operator synth which is less than, say a DX-7. This simply means its sounds are not quite as good. You will need an external MIDI system exclusive editor to edit the patches. This can be accomplished by a dedicated editor program like Unisyn, or by creating SysEx control messages within your sequencing program. The FB-01 has a lot of organ, piano, brass, bass, guitar, percussion, and lead sounds. Basically this is a good source of typical FM-sounds at a low price. It is used by Hardfloor and Moog Cookbook.

$200

Sequential Circuits:

DrumTraks-400 Analogue MIDI Drum/Percussion Synthesizer many extra sound chips 

The DrumTraks is a very programmable classic drum machine from the eighties. While its electronic drum kit sounds may not be as popular today as the TR-909 or TR-808, the DrumTraks exceeds them with superior editing capabilities. Thirteen drum sounds all with programmable tuning and level control. Extensive editing with copy and paste ability. There's even a mixer section for individual sounds, six individual outputs, one mono mix output, and cassette in/out for offline memory storage.

Pretty basic and easy programming, record a couple patterns and link them into a song. The DrumTraks can output a 24PPQN clock signal and is also fully MIDI capable. This makes it very easy to use with old analogs and new MIDI synths and sequencers. If your looking for classic eighties electro beats and the vintage instrument that generates them then look no further than the DrumTraks. It is used by Orbital, Freddy Fresh, and Prince.

$500

Internal ROM Set;

23CB      SCT         DRUM 0-3          
43E7                       BASS     
845B                      E. SNARE #1 & RIM         
72E9                       TOM     
C228                      CRASH 1              
18B4                      CRASH 2              
1555                       RIDE 4  
4067                       RIDE 3  
95BB                      RIDE 2  
7AAB                     RIDE 1  
30FF                       CRASH 4              
FE09                       CRASH 3              
5B7B                      HAT       
2448                       PERC 2 
6683                       PERC 1 

DrumTraks -400

Extra ROMs many new in box;


                                Instrument                                                                    Replaces
8FB0      DX011   Oberheim DX SNARE #1                                                SNARE
64FF       DX013   Oberheim DXROCK SNARE #1     SNARE
9A4D     DX014   Oberheim DXELECTRONIC SNARE #3                        SNARE
42AB      SC052    CONGA                                                                            TOM
C205      SC061    TEMPLE BLOCKAFRICAN BELL     SNARE
8077       SC064    TIMBALE                                                                         TOMS
0943       64           DRUMWARECLEAN TOM                                            TOM
9eba      64           DRUMWARELIMIT TOM                                               TOM
                                QuadraVerbUpGrade ROM        
CF01                      DRUM04             
D18D                     E. TOM #2          
4A22                      POWER KICK-5ROCK KICK-8        
5764                       SNARE/RIM       
7162                       TOMTOM.JHN  
6AD2     SC050    TABLA   TOM
C658      SC058    TIMPANI                                                                          TOM
2CAE      SC060    MOUTHCLICKFINGER SNAPS                                       SNARE
B340                      PITCH BENDCOWBELL   
1CEE                      CONGA SLAPAGO-GO BELL        
55D4                      E.SNARE #2        
6EF5                       NOISE BURST #1              

Sequential Circuits:

Prophet-600 Analogue MIDI Keyboard Synthesizer 

The first commercially available synth to implement MIDI!! It's a fun synth. Its big brother is the legendaryProphet 5. The P600 is very affordable today and is a great buy. Models with the newest software will enjoy polyphonic MIDI implementation and up to 100 memory patches to store their own sounds! The sound of the Prophet 600 is brighter and harsher than that of a Juno 106 but still just as funky.

The P600 has two oscillators per voice with sawtooth, triangle and variable pulse waveforms. The oscillators can be individually tuned or synced together. Similar quality VCF and VCA sections from the Prophet 5 can be found here too! The P5's Poly-Mod section has also been passed onto the P600.

The P600 is extremely versatile and easy to use! Its best functions include the onboard arpeggiator, 2-track sequencer and poly-modulation. The P600 is great for creating analog effects, swells and drones. It has a cool glide effect and has very flexible modulation possibilities! It is used by Hardfloor, The Higher Intelligence Agency and Eat Static. Perfect for Ambient, Dub and other electronic music.

MIDI Parameter Codes: Record + 1 = program change on/off Record + 2 = current program dump Record + 3 = center pitch wheel Record + 4 = wheel send/receive on/off Record + 5 = sequence dump Record + 6 = Omni mode on Record + 7 = voice defeat (hold key down first) Record + 8 = Poly mode on Record + 9 = channel +/-

Specifications Polyphony - 6 Voices Oscillators - VCO A saw / pulse / tri; VCO B saw / pulse / tri / PW LFO - pulse / tri Filter - cutoff / res / env / kybd VCA - ADSR Keyboard - 61 keys Arpeg/Seq - Sequencer: 2-track, real-time only; Arpeggiator: up, down, up/down Control - MIDI Date Produced - 1982

$800