A DIY Synthesizer You Built From A Magazine - The Digisound 80

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

I have been contacted by a couple of people who tried to buy this, gordon was not aware of the look mum no computer malarkey (to be honest if he had been aware of it he probably would not have wanted to sell it to me incase i set it on fire or something! ha) but what happenned is i left my number, he called and mentioned someone had offered a couple of hundred quid more then backed out, and if i could match that offer i could have it. I always try to deal with second hand deals fairly. Im not sure how it worked out this way, but it did. so i apologise if you were trying to get this synth. sound pack and a WAV file of the song at the end aswell as the jam link in the description! PS if anyone has any crusty Magazine Synth projects sitting in a box in the garage and up for a trade or something! deffo get in touch!!! Next open Day At This Museum Is Not Obsolete :- Feb 26th information link in the description.

[@SpectrumDIY]

Idk, too blown away by the size of that thing 😅😅

[@TRIPPLEJAY00]

Electric Dreams

[@mastercylinder1939]

You snooze you lose. Sounds like people had the opportunity to buy it and dithered, that’s their loss, it went into good hands with you as it’s new custodian. My advice, if you want something, reach out and get it, you can always second guess yourself later, he who hesitates, loses.

[@myvideosetc.8271]

@@mastercylinder1939 "he who hesitates, loses": Inverse SAS motto.

[@musicatgmc]

I’m sorry if anyone feels I didn’t treat them fairly. After posting it on Facebook Marketplace someone offered the original asking price and I agreed to the sale. It turned out they were in Paris and they said they would contact me the next morning to arrange transport. In the meantime things went mental - loads more people contacted me with higher and higher offers and I rejected them all because I considered it sold. However, when the buyer got back to me the next day they’d changed their mind because of the transport issues. Sam was one of the previous bidders, he matched the highest bid and he was willing to pick it up immediately so he was the lucky one. Sorry to everyone else who was disappointed but I tried to do it as fairly as possible.

[@EwenBates]

Applying the fx to your voice as you describe them is pure genius! Well done :)

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

Woooop wooop

[@EwenBates]

@@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER You missed a trick with the Liverpool Echo though ;)

[@stormevans6897]

Yeah I really liked that touch, makes me respect you even more

[@jakefinnegan1932]

It actually sounds like a great commercial.

[@thyme676]

That was my favorite part before you started playing with it!

[@CircularMirror7]

Glad it ended up in the right place. There is a lot of history in that synth.

[@peter.stimpel]

Entertaining. The time this came out I was a 10 ys old boy living in the former GDR. We had silicon shortage all year long. There was one shop in our 500k citizens town selling resistors and stuff. We visited it at least once a week to get parts for several projects. Queuing up for at least 15 minutes, and get your list for asking: "resistors 10k" - "Not availabele, but we have 33k" - Me: Ok, just triple those to get about 10K! "Do you have 10k pots, linear" - "No, but... " And so on and so on. It was quite a challenge to decide if you could use the stuff they were able to sell - and it was a decision of a few seconds. And, you had to buy the stuff no matter what, just to have stock for exchanging parts with your friends. Oh, I would have sold 3 fingers for a more reliable delivery at that time. Still, all 10 fingers on my hands ...

[@activelow9297]

Wow, what a story... waiting in line for east German war surplus electronic parts. Still probably better than Radio Shack here in the states... I often had that problem too when shopping for parts, having to substitute something else as a workaround.

[@peter.stimpel]

@@activelow9297 You know, at that time, queuing up was a normal thing. Buying more than you need was as well standard. How crazy this was came apparant to me only after the wall came down.

[@peppersalt]

I find it weird how an *analogue* synthesizer is called " *Digi* sound" but then again I guess "Analsound" just don't quite have the same ring to it

[@almightyEsquilax]

Well, I guess there IS a ring involved...

[@Ranakade]

AHAHA 🤣

[@firefly2472]

This a GOLD 🤣

[@GizzyDillespee]

Back when this was developed, analog wanted to pretend it was digital. Now it's the other way around. Digital filters call themselves VCFs now. Used to be the other way around, back when digital tech was still fresh from the oven.

[@tungtobak]

Every time I get a mail from Mix: Analog gmail abbreviates it to Mix: Anal

[@ianwhittaker2296]

Built one of these myself, apart from the Alphadac. Sold it for peanuts. You've spurred me on to build another. Still got all the diagrams

[@LifeforArt]

Thank you for this video. I built the FORMANT after the German magazine ELEKTOR. I made the print plates myself using photochemical methods. I'm still proud of that today. I made the keyboard out of a modified Wurlitzer e-piano. Unfortunately I gave everything away when I moved. My biggest mistake, because the synth sounded very good with its 3 oscillators and a 24 db filter.

[@pl5bnsf]

I so wanted to do things like this when I was younger (and now). But don't have the smarts or patience to do it. Thanks for giving me a look at what is possible.

[@praticle]

Patience and knowledge are both things you can acquire with time. Just don't be scared to try it out!

[@thb-music]

Don't be afraid to try it.

[@mrfashionguy1]

Just try, blow up capacitors, burn out ICs, learn!

[@martindooley4439]

Love the way you can bring this old tech back from the dead and make it sing. Awesome, a real antidote to our throw away culture. In so many ways a lesson for society...........

[@ken2391]

"it might actually be working but something else is up" What anyone who works on analog circuits has said more than once.

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

Lolll yep

[@UNSCPILOT]

Analog kit can have some funny quirks, but really that's part of the charm isn't it, even my modern PC has a little hybrid Vacuum Tube amp attached to it just for the fun of something *different* from the usual digital precision

[@daccrowell4776]

Lucky you, Sam! I've got one of these with 21 Digisound 80 modules and, interestingly, an Aries (same form factor!) power/output module. Not going to question that, as that was something done by Kevin Lightner (RIP) and the actual P/S inside is probably something he specced out. What I've seen of it when I've had some modules out definitely suggests that Kevin put a honkin' big linear supply in there. Anyway, you've GOT TO get a VCDO for this thing...that's the module that has 32 fixed wavetables (4 banks of 8) and with trigger stepping control over those, you can sequence(ish) through the oscillator's timbres. Mine also has what's probably a user-built transistor ladder LPF, which says it's supposed to be a Moog copy. It's also got a few modules you'd not mentioned, such as the Quad LFO and the VCLFO. And before anyone asks if they can buy it, the answer is "No and HELL no!"

[@EarthnikNews]

I’m listening to this on tiny speakers. I imagine that in person the sound is so gratifying! Thanks for this one.

[@russellwaite5874]

you wanna try it through half decent headphones, Awesome

[@DANGERTIM112]

that bass-line in the song when you test it is just top-notch

[@yesbecauseyes]

I don't always understand the engineering, but LMNC has so much enthusiasm and introduces me to this whole world I knew nothing before. I'm down whenever he posts stuff. More music streams would be cool.

[@danielmendes5682]

yo those magazine synths are cool as fuuudge, thanks for the amazing content Sam!!

[@scarletskunkjob9842]

It's lovely, what a warm organic sound. Even when you listed the chips I still didn't expect such a lovely sound, yet there it is, just gorgeous. What an absolute pleasure this is and well done to the chap who originally put it together in taking his time and care to get it right.

[@verdatum]

I'm only halfway through, and this video is already like overload-good. Incredible data-dump with incredible photography and tight editing. I'm sure you've been told this many times before, but your productivity and level of output is just astounding. Even in a group of talented friends, all working on one project, I can barely collect footage before one to many unexpected mysteries or other time-sinks happens, and documenting the build on video gets back-burnered, and we miss our deadline, and we look at our initial list of stretch goals , and we'd laugh, and then, we'd weep. And then, we'd laugh again.

[@aurora3655]

WOW! that's a bloody amazing keyboard! when you plugged in the Noise sample and hold, it blew my mind!

[@CausticCatastrophe]

I really appreciate your deep dives on this, it's a lot so the breakdown helps me parse it all.

[@Delboy666]

Bloody awesome sounds you were teasing out of that beauty. Every time I watch one of your videos, I wish I had kept up my interest in building synth modules when I was a teenager. Pushing 70 now, but still love this stuff.

[@twizz420]

1:47 something about this whole part of the video has been stuck in my head for weeks now. I can't stop watching it. The combination of the music and the announcer/commercial style voice is absolutely perfect.

[@tegan333]

Love your shows they really remind me of the 80's getting home from school and watching a cool science music type show on the bbc, your creative energy and determination is inspiring, a great style, i found this channel after seeing the Uncompressed video, i'm looking forward to seeing more of that, it's like top gear with music equipment :)

[@richardballinger517]

I have a huge pile of electronics mags from the 70s my old boss gave me. I'll have to have a good look through them. I reconised one you showed. BTW, I have a Maplin 5600s synth.

[@Stuartrusty]

Rescued and restored. I know there's much more to do, but this is for future. You're a awesome dude Sam, this is a true home built monster and a part of home brew analogue synth history. Amazing.

[@curtishoffmann6956]

It sounds GREAT! Especially after 15:00. Great job on cleaning it up and getting most of it working. Really looking forward to hearing it at full capability.

[@peterpiper0815]

Thanx to Gordon. You put your Synth in the right hands and now we all can enjoy the sound 😃

[@ashpowell9451]

So good, this lucky synth went to a great home. You're doing great work man, keep it up.

[@brozu81]

Man that song at the end goes hard af! Really sounds like music from the future, keep up the good work!

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

kosmo drive by!

[@80spodcastchannel]

man so many great old sounds brings back memories of great tunes using them

[@BlackSunCompany]

Loving the energy on this vid! The demonstrations with applying those effects to the VO make it easy to understand. ...I don't need any more projects. I don't NEED any more projects. Dang it. I'll have to add this to the list.

[@MS-Patriot2]

Utterly mad and utterly brilliant. Gotta love that squelchy filter modulated by S&H. I used to spend hours on the EDP Wasp in an Eastbourne music shop making that sound. It sold loads of them.

[@marc-andrerenaud1394]

@9:50 When you hear that first clean sound coming out of the beast. What a project!

[@UNSCPILOT]

Oh my lord, at around 10:00 in the video when you test the nob, oh heck I love that sound, your videos never disappoint when it comes to finding really freaking neat sounds!

[@gravyboatdrone4060]

That video is the nuts, they way you've played with the panning and fx with your voice is class! I love this

[@danielhowlett8140]

I'm just starting to lay out a couple of digisound modules in eurorack format. First is the envelope shaper from Sept 80, back when I was just getting into electronics. Nice to see a system up and running

[@violator_alba]

I started mine with the CEM3340 VCO (using AS3340 instead). Sounds fantastic, just like in this video. Grin is an understatement...

[@KeritechElectronics]

What a beautiful synth! Definitely worth restoring.

[@lasciencedelamusique6245]

I don't watch you that often, but I totally love your projects and I enjoy your videos! Thank you from Québec Canada :)

[@davidlovering6033]

My two favourite hobbies, Synths and Metal Detecting. Woo hoo!

[@Colin_Ames]

Another outstanding video. Thanks Sam!

[@loopmasta5104]

Wow. Great to see that diy synth are still a thing. I spend my youth building synth stuff with CEM / SSM chips. Cheers.

[@ErraticPT]

Excellent! Makes you wonder how many partially built examples are left and how many were scrapped. Luckily this one has found a new home with the ultimate audio (over-)enthusiast.😉

[@BigEpinstriping]

I'm loving the vintage DIY synth coverage! The digisound is very funky. Great tone too.

[@StCyp]

Just want to say you are a legend sir. Back in music a year ago and new so synthesis. Your channel, work and music are all a breath of fresh air. Love it. Thank you for the hard work.

[@omniaservicios5827]

> @15:00 What a impressive sound!!! Mate!!

[@algorithminc.8850]

That's a beauty. Loved those days - 70's and 80's - designing analog and digital synthes and guitar signal processors. Analog was the favorite. Would go to a local piano/organ store in Atlanta, and for $25 pick up old scrap tube organs to get keyboards and other parts for prototyping/research. One home-organ had a true analog push-button drum synthe on it - a button for each drum. Loved those days - the magazines were full of fun projects - there were stores everywhere providing access to quick parts. Really great channel ... Cheers ...

[@kattphloxworthych]

I've been watching your videos and it has given me a greater understanding of how analog synthesizers work and an appreciation for folks like Wendy Carlos and others who make these synthesizers pretty much bend to their will. I've already subscribed and look forward to more of your videos!

[@hidikitalks]

Running your narration through the circuits pleased me oh so much!

[@jameshamaker9321]

If I had access, to a space like this, I'd be so happy and making alot of things. Also I'd have room, for music making and video recording. I'd totally build, stuff like this, if I had the space. I can only dream, about that at this point, in my life.

[@88Spint]

I fking love the audio editing u did here! So much effort for such a nice result.

[@greylocke100]

It reminds me of the old direct to video B grade Sci-Fi movies I used to watch as a teenager.

[@ringtone_rhythm]

Loved the editing and presentation of this video. Unreal jams too.

[@makeshiftmonk]

ITS ALIVE, AAALLLIIIIIIVVEE!!!! Great work finding all the mags with the adverbs in them for all the kit you found brother!!! Best channel on UTUBE :::=^)

[@replicated]

I can't wait to hear this on the next album.

[@thejoshuathomas]

I love content like this, combining creativity of the present with a nod to the past. So glad I happened upon this channel during my journey into modular. Cheers, mate.

[@GadgetUK164]

Amazing getting it working, and it sounds fantastic =D Looking forward to a follow up!

[@howarddykes7674]

I remember as a kid seeing the sign for the digisound office on Queen st Blackpool where I grew up, I was about 14 and already hooked on synths. I’m 55 and still am.

[@cpcnw]

15:00 defo somewhat VCS3 / Emerson - "Welcome Back My Friends, To The Show that Never Ends!"

[@heatexchangeskittles]

That is absafuckinlutly amazing!! And your abilities are endless in this stuff....so gel!!:

[@PrankZabba]

Was listening to this in headphones. Sounded awesome.

[@AsmodeusMictian]

Bro, you are a regular musical mad scientist. All the tech in this is absolutely mind-blowing! Thanks for the vid, looking forward to more in the future. :)

[@いつもの通りすがりの猫]

5:28 The bucket brigade device was not made by Mitsubishi. It was made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now Panasonic). The markings are very similar, so even some Japanese people make the mistake.

[@Trottelheimer]

This was my second synth. I built a single fully stuffed case + keyboard, after building the Powertran Transcendent Polysynth :-D You're reviewing my innocent youth years :-))

[@Maxxarcade]

That's an awesome project! And you really put some work into the presentation/editing too. Really enjoyed this whole video.

[@craggercragger8989]

Maxx! Good to see you about.

[@reggiep75]

Very nice, nice, nice synth with a great sound and those S&H shenanigans were totally sweet!

[@andrewyoung785]

Ok this is so cool, I am always amazed at the stuff you find and you build. It feels like magic watching the stuff you’ve done.

[@Rhidongo]

Gordon sounds like an absolute lad. What a unit, this synth is!

[@1980VINZ]

I’m just speechless LOVE IT

[@tothemaxx1991]

This is the coolest infomercial I've ever watched

[@synthesizedchill8258]

I love the look of this. The white on wood looks super nice. It kind of reminds me of the white MS20. I bet it looked really nice when it was brand new. I would do my best to get it as bright white as possible. I'm not sure what the collectors value is, but if having it repainted with new stencils wouldn't hurt the value, I would powder coat it, and add new stencils. Adding some new rare type of wood would also be really cool. Some of that swirly African style wood would be awesome. It's such a cool old synth, I think it deserves to look even cooler.

[@bjmorley]

This is amazing. Hope you can get the newer controller to work. 15:35 You're a 21st Century Keith Emerson! Sounds like Karn Evil: 1st Impression, Part 2. 15:00 reminds me of the Bertha theme too.

[@Sun-ut9gr]

That's a crunchy groove. I like this thing lol

[@SharpblueCreative]

That is awesome. When it was working the stuff you played reminded me of Eat Static

[@noiseydogs3288]

This was a great video! The editing was top notch!

[@kerzwhile]

F-ing Brilliant!! That Chunky Mcwoodie sounds Great! Love the white face too!

[@mickandrews9458]

You lucky lucky b... d! I built a digisound when it came out but as a school kid could only afford a few modules. Would love to have got this with loads of modules but brill that going into your museum. I interfaced mine to an Acorn Atom computer with software control for sequencing, patterns and arpeggios but all mono as I only had two VCOs. Fab video, thanks.

[@rogergregory5981]

That sound at 15:15 awsome ...great work and video

[@1vootman]

Totally awesome, I love the sound of that thing!

[@beautifulsmall]

Impressive work getting it all talking. The output is etheral, untouchable, the audio frequency. its a kind of magic. Would be great to have a white board circuit of whats happening as you connect the parts together.

[@citruscyanide]

Bet Gordon is stoked to see his old project get so much love, and a new lease of life!

[@jamesh5460]

Wow! You are sooo close to 1/2 million subs! Would like to see a scratch build of something from a 60's, 70's or 80's catalog.

[@weapea]

Wow! If i ever get money, i want one of those to build my own as i want, carefully relook all of what else also can done abou with it..

[@PnPModular]

In terms of DIY analogue watching this makes me realise how little we have developed since the 80s but by inverse how cool and complete this synth is!!!

[@lisajohnson1528]

You make my inner synth heart smile just love what you do how much did he sell it to you for if you don't mind me asking its a beast! Looks bloody too technical for me wires wires and more wires I had enough just putting a scart lead in the back of my tv back in the day love the kraftwerk sounds at 15.33 you're like a young Paul hartnoll nice orbital vibes love your energy to all your videos thanks for this vid

[@jlucasound]

Very awesome gift you gave ToT! Really cool! I Love synths as well. I have a Sequential MultiTrac from the 80's. 18V AC!! It still works but the pitch drifts down as it heats up. (Power supply?). Have to load the stock sequences with the cassette! (Or do it manually). It is pretty powerful for the Sequential "Cheapy". I need to get it out again and play with it. Love your work! So Subbed. Thank You! You are GOOD!

[@realnutteruk1]

I so remember that issue of ETi, not for the the beginning of the synth series, but for the 555 timer article!!

[@alexthelion335]

0:36 I recognize that organ. I always remember going to my great aunt's place for thanksgiving and seeing that organ in her living room.

[@MarkTillotson]

Great find - it does need some sort of cable tidy tray to stop leads dangling over the keyboard though!

[@LOOKMUMNOCOMPUTER]

Naaa the cabled dangling is good 👍

[@nibblrrr7124]

01:43 - 06:50 - 08:24 🔧 - 11:58 🎶 - 17:27 - 00:00 *Intro* 01:00 *Picking it up* 01:43 *Series overview* 06:50 *Story* 08:24 *Oscillator troubleshooting* 10:13 *ALPHADAC 16* 11:12 *Keyboard & other stuff* 11:58 *Sounds* 17:27 *Outro* 18:59 End screen / Patrons

[@Itsurecanglitchsomemore]

Drooling all over the shop!

[@15-Peter-20]

Sinf-fa-size-a. Chav-tastic !!!! Great video 👊

[@hartpa]

Genuinely impressed!!!!!!

[@BritishBeachcomber]

I so wanted to build a modular synth back in the day, but couldn't afford it. Then I won a competition in Sounds Magazine. There were 3 prizes, one was an ARP 2600 synth, worth a fortune now. But I won a PA system, so ended up becoming a DJ.

[@dcallan812]

I hope the builderis happy to see this up and running again. great video 2x👍

[@molotovctail6972]

Thanks for this. I built one, just the one row of modules plus keyboard. It needs some TLC!

[@maxine2798]

The first synth I started and never finished building. Unfortunately the bits are long gone. Now I’ve got the time and money to finish it……great video.

[@static-audio]

What a find! Sounds great 😃😃😃

[@jlucasound]

In your demo, you get so close to sounds/effects used in the music I (and I am sure many here) grew up on.

[@mikaellob9438]

Amazing work! And what a machine!!

[@McTroyd]

Damn Sam. How do you keep that energy up?? ...Even if it's only for however long you were shooting. In any case, amazing stuff, and looking forward to diving into the other boards!

[@emulatorretro]

I miss that magazine. I used to check it out from the local library and made a ton of weird shit back in high school. 89-92