Metasonix Celebrates It's Tenth Anniversary

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Metasonix at Big City Music

NAMM 2009 - Metasonix R-51 and R-53 Eurorack modules at Big City Music booth

Here are the new Metasonix Eurorack modules at the Big City Music booth at NAMM 2009.

NAMM 2009 - Signal Arts Tetra MAPS sequencer at Big City Music booth

Here is the latest from Signal Arts at the Big City Music booth. The all new Tetra MAPS sequencer offers so many possibilities. Here is just a taste.

NAMM 2009 - Blues Saraceno demos Dirty Boy Octo '59 pedal

Here is Blues Saraceno, guitarist extraordinaire, demoing the Dirty Boy Octo '59 pedal at the Big City Music booth at NAMM 2009.

Blues' dad, Alex Saraceno, makes the Dirty Boy line of boutique guitar pedals. If you are a guitarist who is familiar with the best of the best vintage pedals, you will fall in love with Dirty Boy pedals. They are built the old-school way with vintage components and absolutely kick ass!

NAMM 2009 - Analogue Systems guitar synth w/ Blues Saraceno

Here is the monster guitarist Blues Saraceno at the Big City Music booth on Saturday at NAMM. He's playing his Les Paul into the Analogue Systems rs35 External Source Processor module, which is a pitch to voltage (1 volt per octave) module. The rs35 is triggering a pair of rs95 voltage controlled oscillators, which are then processed through several other A.S. modules.

The final sound is coming from the tiny 5" Yamaha speaker which was mic'd with a handheld SM-57.

NAMM 2009 - Evolution of a Neuronium patch

Here is Jürgen Michaelis at the Big City Music booth on Friday at NAMM. Jürgen is the man behind Jomox, the analogue synth & drum machine manufacturer. Jürgen is playing with a patch on the Resonator Neuronium.

Jürgen originally created this electronic device as an "art" project, but ended up building several dozen more for others. It became apparent that other openminded musicians appreciate his very unique form of art. We surely do!

NAMM 2009 -Day 1 Pictures

Jurgen Michaelis of Jomox and Markus Resch of Melltron

Bob Williams of Analogue Systems

NAMM 2009 -Day 1 Pictures

Metasonix KV-100 Assblaster

A brand new Mellotron Mark VI

NAMM 2009 -Day 1 Pictures

Sherman Rodec Restyler

Diabolical Devices Circuit Bent TR-707

NAMM 2009 -Diabolical Devices TR-707

Who would have thought that twenty-some years later the Roland TR-707 would be back at the NAMM show? We're guessing nobody did until they saw the Diabolical Devices circuit mangled TR-707 at our booth. The Diabolical 707 has a pitch control for every sound, various distortion and bit-squashing bends and a patch bay. The 707's patch bay can interact with other things like the Diabolical Devices circuit bent SK-1 or any of your CV-able gear. The great thing is that the original 707 sounds are still intact and can be completely brought back to stock. You can use it as a MIDI module too! Stay tuned for more demos from Sherman, Dirty Boy Pedals, Signal Arts and more.

1st Day at NAMM 2009 -Big City Music Booth Overview

Here's an overview of our booth this year. You can see shots of the new Metasonix eurorack modules and the new KV-100 Assblaster. You can also see the new Signal Arts Tetra Maps sequencer, the new Sherman Rodec Restyler, all of the Jomox Products, a giant Analogue Systems modular, pieces from Diabolical Devices and Folktek, as well as Cwejman, King Capitol Punishment, Bleep Labs L.L. Electronics Rozzbox, Schippman, Malekko, Vermona and more. We'll be making some demo videos shortly. Stay tuned!

Nortec Collective Visits BCM

We had a chance to hang out with Bostich and Fussible from Nortec Collective. They were on their way to a gig at the Echoplex. The show was fantastic. They're actually up for a Grammy for their tune "Tijuana Sound Machine". Check them out.

Cwejman's Bubbling Woodpecker Computer

Here's a little test patch we made while trying to figure out a NAMM setup. The Cwejman modules sound great! We're using the VCO-2RM, VM-1, PH-4. MMF-1, NS-4, AP-1, and the MX-4S modules, all temporarily racked in an Analogue Systems rs15 case.

Acid take 2 - Roland TB-303, Jomox 999 & Analogue Systems

We love the Roland TB-303 (who doesn't?), so we went nuts with some Analogue Systems rs95 oscillators, triggering them with the CV and Gate outputs from the 303. The sound of the 303 is given additional balls by processing it through the Malekko B:Assmaster Germanium pedal. You can hear the TB-303 without extra balls at the very end between 6:12 - 6:18.

Along with the A.S. rs95 oscillators we're also using the rs110 Multimode Filter, the rs120 Comb Filter, and the rs100 Low Pass Filter.

The drums sounds are from the behemoth Jomox XBase 999 and we're using the Kenton Pro Solo MIDI-CV converter to sync the 303. One of the cymbals from the Jomox is running through the A.S. rs310 Reverb/Chorus module, which is being modulated by the rs80 LFO's triangle wave. The rs290 Sample/Delay module is providing the delay for that cymbal as well. All of these sounds are being mixed by the rs165 Signal Mixer.

Deadmau5 Visits Big City Music

Mr. Zimmerman stopped by the shop on his way to his New Year's gig. We had a chance to see his new mouse head made especially for the big night. It was covered in shiny sparkling jewels. Check out his website.

Fever Dreams

Ever had those? We start with the King Capitol Punishment Utopia Synth, then the Zvex Box of Metal, to the Moog MuRF, and on to the Analogue Systems rs290 Delay/Sampler module.

All of these pedals sound incredible on their own. The A.S. delay time is being modulated by the rs80 LFO module. No, you do not need the huge system. You can buy these modules separately and there are a variety of cases available including small ones. I don't wanna go back to sleep.

A.S. rs510e EMS Synthi Trapezoid Generator Short Demo

Here's the fully capable Analogue Systems rs510e. It's the only licensed version of the Trapezoid Generator from the legendary EMS synths. The rs510e basically has an envelope generator and a VCA built into one module. You can trigger the EG with a gate from a keyboard, sequencer, or the trigger button on the face plate.

The Trapezoid Generator works a lot like a traditional envelope generator but only has three stages. There is Attack, On, and Decay. On a graph, depending on the settings, this forms a trapezoid shape. The rs510e also has an Off knob. Setting this knob fully clockwise results in a more typical EG. Turn it to the left and you have something special. The off knob controls the auto repeat function. The more you turn counterclockwise, the faster it goes. You still have all the other knobs to manipulate as well. Depending on the settings, the rs510e can repeat rather quickly.

The audio in and outs sport level controls, you can distort the input a bit too. You can also use the rs510e as a modulation source, sending the trapezoid out two different outputs. There's also a level knob for the trapezoid which allows you to attenuate the output or invert it.

Random Randomness Randomizer

Thanks to our friend Don for helping out with this patch. We're using the Analogue Systems rs380 Modulation Controller's random out function. We're sending it an external clock, in turn the rs380 is sending a sample and hold control voltage to our modulation destination. Other modules used include; the rs510e Synthi Trapezoid Generator, rs500e Synthi Filter, rs95 Oscillator, and the rs85 extended range LFO. The rs380 also offers an LFO with square and triangle waveforms, a white noise source, and a simple VCA.