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:

drawdio

I'm heavily considering making this for my nephews - they would really get a kick out of it. You can build it from a kit or make it yourself with your own parts. Check out the website for schematics and where to buy a kit here.

busted gear: a visual guide

I found a great gear repair website recently that lists certain repairs on keyboards and amps with schematics and close-up photos for every step. Really wonderful for the visual learning type.

Check it out here.

boardx motherboard

This is what I love about electronics and the diy community. Not only is this motherboard compatible with any processor and is Arduino SDK compatible, all of the designs for this motherboard are open source for greater innovation, giving you the most amount of flexibility in using and expanding on this product. The Kickstarter campaign is so he can produce them en masse and sell them at a fair price to students and hobbyists.

Please help support this project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/upgradeindustries/boardx-the-open-source-miniature-motherboard

Can't wait to get my hands on one!