So, my wife reserved a studio with a lot of vintage 70s and 80s gear as a birthday present (
her).
I have got four hours, with an Arp 2500, EMS Putney, ARP 2600, PPG synth and step sequencer, EMS Synthi, Wasp and Serge Modular, amongst others.
Planning to record as much sample fodder for my AR as possible, mainly for dark/minimal techno and ambient.
Any ideas/experience with above named gear?
The 2600 and PPG are good places to start, as they are pre-normalled, so you’ll be able to make sounds right away.
On the VCS3 and Synthi, remember that the sound needs to be patched through the envelope shaper (rather than the envelope being patched into a mod destination) for envelope shaping of the VCA. The Trapezoid can be used to send the envelope to a mod destination. Also, on the Envelope’s OFF knob, any setting below fully clockwise will loop the envelope. Very handy if here isn’t a keyboard around.
Also, the vertical column on the matrix represents sources, the horizontal represents destinations.
A typical VCS3 or synth patch might be:
VCO1 > Ring Mod A
VCO2> Ring Mod B
Noise > Filter
Ring Mod > Filter
Filter > Envelope Shaper
Envelope Shaper > Reverb
Envelope Shaper > Out 1
Reverb> Out 2
Trapezoid > Filter Cutoff (the rightmost filter input in the Matrix)
OSC 3 > Filter Cutoff
Joystick X> to OSC 1 Frequency
Joystick Y> Decay
Joystick X> Reverb Mix
Joystick Y> Filter Frequency
You get the idea…
(there are some Synthi/VCS3 dope sheets available online with patches, too. Ditto for the 2600)
Oh, and if the EMS synths are properly calibrated, unity gain of each section will be at a level of about 7 on the Level knobs. The filter is the exception - it’s unity gain is quite a bit lower.
Do you get it as 4 hours straight or can you spread it out over a few sessions ?
Just me but i’d probably spread it out over two or three sessions if i could.
I also might think of inviting a friend who shares your musical sensibilities, as a second set of eyes and ears. You may spin off new ideas spur of the moment with someone else in the room to bounce ideas off. Maybe that’s your wife — you know giving the gift she dreams of herself.
I assume the whole four hours get recorded, but a video might be helpful to give you some feedback later too.
That is such an amazing present. Your wife is so clever to think that up !
Four hours in a row, on my own, but with a technical guy in the neighbourhood.
I think my wife will be reading a book in the meantime 
Pick one synth and hit record on your DAW
…4 hours!?..to catch as much as possible from all these deep dive classics…
…u’ll end up totally exhausted, worn out, nerve wracked and frustrated, i’m afraid…
focus on one…
This would be a good start. The red pins are used if there is a keyboard in play (in which case you’ll need to set the INPUT LEVEL for Channel 1 if you want to skip the ring mod and play the oscillators in tune. This is time consuming and both oscillators will need to be calibrated properly so I’d just omit them and trigger from the TRIGGER button by the joystick).
Yeah, I’ll certainly skip the modular section. But also depends on my own vibe/mood tomorrow.
Golden info, thx!
my thoughts are thats not enough time, for me at least lol
i look up at the clock sometimes and 4 hours is gone in what feels like maybe one hour to me
it is soo easy to get lost in these wonderful machines
where is this place at, Vintage Synth Museum in the Bay Area?
If I were in your shoes, I’d just enjoy playing them, hearing them in action for four hours. If you can get some good samples, that’s great, but this is your chance to touch history. Don’t feel any pressure, just enjoy your time with these wonderful machines.
^This. I’d probably use a portable recorder and just record each machine as I used it. More of a peripheral thing as opposed to just the experience. I love the aesthetics of wares from bygone eras. Dope gift.
Yeah, true, and there is something special about what one can produce when one is unfamiliar with the machines in play. I always record newcomers to my room when they are playing around on a synth for the first time.
Portable/field recorder would be my choice.
Walk in knowing this is going to be awesome and enjoy! Let us know how you make out, sounds like an unbelievable opportunity!! Good luck!
Enjoy
The 2600 is an outstanding source of punchy kick drums. You can route the VCA output back into the PREAMPLIFIER input, and then route that back to the MIXER’s VCA input and use the PREAMPLIFIER’s gain to add some oomph. The Kick patch itself need only consist of the filter with the resonance cranked and using an envelope to snap the filter open and closed. You could send a bit of noise or ring mod through the filter and play with envelope amount, cutoff and envelope shape to get dozens of cool drum sounds.
(I can take a photo of a typical patch I use for this is you like)
Also, if this is a professionally outfitted studio, don’t overlook the opportunity to record these synths through any high-end outboard pres, etc, they might have on hand. A PPG loves a tube pre…
This seems like it would be an amazing time. And what a great gift, your wife is awesome!
My advice, have fun.
Thanks for all the cheers and tips, everyone! Good call to say: just enjoy it and don’t bother too much about sampling/the end result.
I can record straight into Ableton from their mixing desk. I’m gonna hit the record at the start and just see what’s going to happen. I can always book it again if I want to dig deeper.
And yeah, my wife is awesome!
