kelvin doe

shruthi-1

Hackable analog/digital monosynth! Check it out here.

molecule synth

Molecule Synth Kickstarter Video - http://kck.st/NSFuYT from Molecule Synth on Vimeo.

8 days left to go on their kickstarter campaign!

livid elements

Livid Elements - Modular Controller System from Livid Instruments on Vimeo.

music from outer space

A very rad electronics person I met recently told me about this website all about building your own analog synths: Music From Outer Space

The website is full of schematics, parts lists, tutorials, videos, etc., and I've become inspired to start a new project just looking through the site.

diy mic preamp

"Q: Who makes the best preamps for the money? A: You do." DIY mic preamp kits thanks to the folks at Seventh Circle Audio.

reel-to-reel tape decks

Bought a Teac 4-track tape deck the other day for $10, so I've been doing a lot of research on tape decks. Obsolete Media is a great resource on vintage tape decks (mostly 2 or 4-track) and has a list of manuals for popular models available.

snyderphonics

I've been following Jeff Snyder's work ever since he showed off the midi controller Manta for my class at Columbia years ago. It is velocity and pressure-sensitive and also has the ability to send additional midi data based on how much of your finger is covering the hexagonal sensor. Bonus points for being both versatile and tactile as a midi controller!

He most recently came out with a prototype for the JD-1 keyboard synthesizer equipped with some pretty cool features. Check out the video demo of it below. And if you've got some extra cash, you can buy the manta over at Snyderphonics.

JD-1: Testing Functionality from Jeff Snyder on Vimeo.

local electronic parts in nyc

Need some electronic parts ASAP and can't wait for Mouser to ship to me! NYC Resistor has a great list of spots left in the city if you don't have time for mail order. 269 Canal (pictured above courtesy of NYC Resistor) has been recommended to me before by fellow repair technicians.

Local Resources/Parts

UPDATE: It's a trek, but Allstate Electronics on the list above is the SPOT!

columbia-princeton electronic music center

The Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center was highly influential in the invention of synthesizers and electronic music as we know it today, and its members featured early electronic music pioneers such as Milton Babbitt, Pril Smiley, and Wendy (Walter) Carlos.

You can read a little more about it on the Columbia website.

I was fortunate enough to take classes at the Computer Music Center while at Columbia, and some of the old equipment like the remnants of the infamous RCA Mark II synth are still in Prentis Hall on 125th St. Need to thank Prof. Brad Garton for encouraging my interest in electronics and synths! There are still a lot of amazing electronic and acoustic projects coming out of the CMC, and I'll post about a few of them at a later date.

For now, a look at some of the records that came out of that early era for electronic music experimentation, which I'm always on the lookout for: