Bontempi Memoplay: A lofi "computer" synth from 1981 + FREE SAMPLES

[@Azeria]

my favourite kind of spoiler is seeing a new free pack on decent sampler and knowing a new video is coming

[@korneliusoderso]

Hahaha exactly

[@TheFreakingpanda]

dude releasing these as free instruments is literally insane. thank you

[@Brendan-Black]

Why is it literally insane that he releases free instruments? He has plenty of commercial stuff. Free instruments ultimately bring in more $ for him, nothing insane about it.

[@TheGreenDoggoOfWisdom]

@@Brendan-BlackBecause not many people provide samples for these obscure instruments

[@nicksalvatore5717]

@@TheGreenDoggoOfWisdom Let alone free of charge!

[@ZirkusRose]

This obviously is a commercial channel, come on …

[@bencorrell]

Your skill in getting such beautiful sounds out of what is essentially an old toy is astounding! It's like you infuse the history of the equipment into the music you make.

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

ah, thanks!

[@ethanstayer262]

Man the sounds you achieve are inspiring! It makes me wanna buy some old instruments and play around! Thank you for the packs!

[@svenmify]

Synthesisers essentially make cool sounds out of annoying waveforms, so it’s not that surprising that an old toy can be made to sound good with a bunch of effects. Still cool of course, but I’m more impressed by the fact he’s able to just add an audio out like it’s nothing.

[@TheChillMelodist]

no offense, but it's not hard to get a beautiful sound out of the Microcosm and Generation loss. You can feed it anything and it will sound great.

[@jimmoray]

Finally! A synth I own!! I bought mine from a market for £15 (about $19 USD) a couple of years ago. My favourite thing to do with it is set the speed of the memory to the slowest, and play an arpeggio, then set the speed to the fastest to make a weird sounding arpeggiator. Last time I did this I also set up some stereo mics and swung the keyboard around while playing the sequence back through the internal speaker to make an acoustic doppler effect. Great video. Thanks David!

[@darwiniandude]

It sounds like you're adjusting the speed of it's memory? How? Do you hold a button and press a key?

[@HotStrange]

Sick. The Yamaha Reface series can do weird things like that with the built in loopers. Great for experimentation.

[@jimmoray]

@@darwiniandude There's a small control on the underside of the keyboard that adjusts the speed. When David says in the video that the timing seems weird, it's because the memory quantises to a sort of grid, but you can only sync with it through trial and error. That control is the clock speed for the grid.

[@darwiniandude]

That’s wild! @@jimmoray

[@MangInutil]

I'm glad the algorithm recommends me to your channel. From your passion of music production, to the aesthetics throughout the video, It's very calming and interesting, perfect to listen to while doing chores.

[@prod.lanista]

I just realized David has the PERFECT nostalgic for the Minecraft soundtrack We need to make a petition for Mojang to ask him to do the OST lmao

[@kgbinfo]

Yeah, except the one by C418 is already perfect…

[@EliezerRoqueCisneros]

I agree! This addition would be an excellent fit alongside c418! I’m here for it!!

[@noreoalles]

C418 will not work under microsoft as they want the copyright for minecrafts music to themselves.

[@kgbinfo]

@@noreoalles oh wow, I didn’t know that. It’s been a while since I played.

[@prod.lanista]

​@@kgbinfo I know, but they add new music to it every update, so, if we can't have c418 no more, why not David? He's an incredible musician

[@blackjackfranco]

I grabbed this exact one the other week in Belfast for £5 in a charity shop! It's currently hanging on my studio wall, as I liked the look better than the actual sound of it! lol You've inspired me to give it another chance tho! Big thanks for sampling it and making it into a plugin, you absolute legend!

[@MrVLORSIRIS]

U SIR ARE A GREAT TEACHER!!! With words, actions & with pleasing expletives U make what seems complicated become...SIMPLE!!! THANK U! THANK U! THANK U! MZ

[@Nicolas_J3869]

Amazing, this Bontempi MemoryPlay is quite simply my very first synth that I had. My father bought it for me in 1986 or 1987, I tinkered with it by connecting two record player speakers to get a louder sound. What surprised me was that I never had to change the 4 large 1.5 volt batteries all the time I had used it. There was a small white potentiometer in a hole underneath to adjust the tone if I remember correctly. What emotion!!! Thank you for this work!!!

[@mattalber]

Wow, thanks David. Your videos are mesmerizing and I love listening and watching as you wander and explore!

[@VarionJimmy]

You can add pause between notes by pressing the Pause button button. (Yep, it has a sequencer! ☺️) There are two pots. One is for the tempo and the other for the pitch. I’ve had mine since it was new in the early 80’s. Still have the manuals. Oh and there is a volume control: The power slider has three modes: Off, On with low volume, and On with high volume.

[@bobrv8]

I remember first subscribing during the early days of Pianobook. Now 298k subscribers and still just as entertaining. Keep going David you've hit a winning formula ;-)

[@SKIPPISDEAD]

This is one of the best channels on youtube. Thanks for all the info and the samples!

[@jeffk9921]

Random fact : "Bontempi" is pronounced in french like the sentence "Bon, tant pis", which could be translated in english as "Well, never mind". So we had this perfect joke about those crappy little keyboards : "Je voulais un synthétiseur, mais Bontempi"... which means "I wanted a synth, but well... never mind". Still makes me laugh 40 years later .

[@JohnSmith-ki2eq]

My little sister wanted one of these so bad back in the early 80's, she actually got a knock off version that was actually better but didn't have the cache of the Bontempi.

[@jean-marcdecanter7719]

Amazing I ve had this when I was 6 😢 and I still remember it.... My sister bought me for my birthday 🎈. Love to see some of them are still alive.... Love to see that you do with effects and pedal to have an acceptable sound. Great work !

[@JoshGoodMusic]

As always, the perfect blend of cool vintage gear, musicianship and electrical skill here. Can't wait to try out the library!

[@BlackAera]

I love this channel for finding quirky instruments and turning them into inspiring plugins

[@thedavesavoie]

Easily one of the best accounts I've followed all year. So beautifully produced and narrated. Excited to start making music again!

[@caelibrat]

4:57 that was beautiful

[@sarvanchino]

This is wonderful. Hope you are doing great. Thank for your work!

[@marcelosuarez3027]

Love how your videos and projects have evolved.

[@DynamicRockers]

Really cool sound especially through the tiny speaker! Thanks David.

[@cristiansosa1512]

David I can't express in words how thankful I am of your videos. They really tickle my audio and electronic nerd side. Never quit, if I can be so selfish as to say so! Big hug from Argentina.

[@GabeWilliams]

That’s crazy! I can’t wait to try this. You may have cracked my months long music block

[@luke_woodruff]

Every time I watch your videos, it feels like a warm hug.

[@ctcarrillo91]

seeing this video took me back to my childhood years. i had to search for an organ that my mom had purchased for us in the early 80''s through Fingerhut's Catalog. Sure enough after finding the organ it was also made by Bontempi it was Bontempi B5 Electric Air 8-Chord Organ. I actually found it on Reverb exactly how i remember it; I recall playing silent night on it. Thank you and this truly was a nostalgic moment for me, i remember where it was set up and so forth... Check out the model..

[@Reidsmusic]

Sometimes it impresses me with what this man can find

[@artisticbuddha5584]

Your videos are truly some of the most inspiring content online David! I can't express enough how educational and fun your presentations are. Thank you for enlightening this crazy world with uplifting ideas and good intentions 😌

[@pedroferreira4799]

love your vids and the samples!!

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

so glad you’ve been enjoying them!

[@iamsimonmorris]

Hey David, a massive shoutout and heaps of thanks for this entertaining nugget of inspiration. Your content is an absolute blast, and I can't get enough of the exciting journeys you lead us on. It's a fantastic reminder that simplicity can be incredibly inspiring. Your videos always motivate me to push my boundaries, experiment, and actually create instead of sticking to presets in a VST. The only downside? Now I can't help but obsessively search every Aussie Op-shop (charity store) for a rectangle-shaped keyboard after witnessing your latest vid! 🚀🎹 Thanks for the constant inspiration!

[@AvtarGlenn]

Absolutely love what you are doing, you are making some truly beautiful sounds ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jackythepunk]

Fun Fact: Bontempi has the best customer suport ever

[@mipiaccionoifemboy]

This is literally my favourite youtube channel ever ❤❤❤

[@raccoonsparkle]

@David Hilowitz Music I can't describe enough gratitude. My biggest thank you for all you sample! I resonate with it and with DS :)

[@skellyTM]

I love you so much dude like just all your videos are so good

[@patricktremblay8700]

Another amazing video! Would honeslty LOVE an in-depth beginner tutorial series on circuit bending from you!

[@connerogrady5035]

Always love your vids. This sound is one that immediately made me want to have it in my songs

[@MusicalWizardryMarcoIannello]

Dave, you always surprise us ❤

[@DetroitMicroSound]

When you have owned a microcosm a couple years or more, but you still love hearing how others use it, is the mark of a piece of gear which has achieved greatness.

[@jondellar]

Fascinating to watch! Thank you 😊

[@mightyV444]

I remember Bontempi ads on German TV when I was a child (late 70's through to the early 80's), and their slogan was, 🎵"Spielspaß von 8 bis 80"🎵 - "Playing fun from 8 to 80" 😄

[@victordelmastro8264]

I picked up a toy 'electronic keyboard' on hunch. Once I looked inside and realized that I had a mono 32 sequencer for $5, I picked up a bunch more. I believe I can create some interesting surface mounted sequencer inputs for my synths.

[@Valtanen-music]

When I was kid we had a bontempi keyboard with many different sounds. One day it was left in the rain and after that it still worked but with a twist. It began to sometimes play different sounds like a demo playing, but very distorted and random. The melody was still there and it was still catchy when it played back. You couldn't play during the never before heard demo and the only way to stop it was to turn it off and on again. It's still in my childhood house waiting to be picked up 😅

[@crow_creek]

my favourite part is seeing david go "oh, theres not a headphone jack? ill just make one!", thats what i call determination lol

[@codedmelodiesofficial]

this is amazing!

[@gavincurtis]

Gave me Cosmos chills.

[@natfonck]

What an amaizing video, the fact that you can create so many products from sampling really amazes me. That ending could use a bit more cinematography to wrap up the video. Regardless, keep at it, I really enjoyed it.

[@MarkusAliasCmn]

brilliant video (ordering from the trashcan and creating something beautiful). great content - as always. kudos.

[@ResAffolterSoundproductions]

I'm afraid that every older keyboard is somehow lofi at the moment 🙏🏻✨🕊

[@sillysepia]

you channel single handedly got me interested in synths!

[@j-julien]

Incredible video as usual. Your voice is transporting

[@Ri2n3]

Wait this production value is insane

[@ourworldismorethanuthink]

This is true art 💛

[@danp420]

always very pleased when you upload a new video :)

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Happy to hear that!

[@antares4975]

your videos are straight up awesome

[@fe_oyt492]

yay, david hi-lo witz music video

[@PharaohGames00]

When you start tinkering with the sounds, I started to remember things that never happened! hahaha Love you channel... Keep doing what you do best! Love from Brazil.

[@Bkoded]

that memory recall feature is neat

[@k1lg0re50]

I had one back then in the early 80s. I remember playing with it for hours on end. Shame it did not have polyphony. I'm pretty sure mine had that hiccup glitch too (tempo beat?). Thank you for this piece of nostalgia!

[@Apolly799]

How beautiful music and synth❤

[@emiliofajardo6785]

Amazing! Keep it up!

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Thank you! Will do!

[@HotStrange]

Always a good day when you upload (and no it’s not just because there’s usually a sample pack involved 😂) love the content brother!

[@mikewill6543]

I got to get my hands on Refraction by the end of this week.Thanks 👍🏿

[@krouchingtigerr]

So reminiscent of Blade Runner… love these sounds!!

[@mattwesney]

Amazing, very inspirational

[@Th3KillinJok3]

"Memory Recall" is the way I'd say this thing sounds. Astonishing.

[@badinkstudios]

With the generation loss and microcosm, you started playing and I just went: "Tears. In rain"

[@DELOMUSIK]

Thanks! Love the content my friend

[@texanfournow]

After just listening to "Everything in Its Right Place," you are giving me ideas...

[@sspotter1978]

Incredible video ❤.

[@yumienmichelcorria7372]

Really chill sounds and vibe of video ✌️

[@xjet25]

Love this. Why aren't there more subscribers?!!

[@prof.heinous191]

We had a Bontempi organ back more than fifty years ago, I remember learning Silent Night by numbers, I think that was from the Bontempi Song Book - five, six, five, three etc - sadly that was the only tune I nearly mastered.... Amazing what talent and some fancy boxes can do!

[@rougepied]

Hello David Thank you for the video. I love this series in which you sample old synth. I especially love this one because my sister owned a Bontempi Memoplay and I had great times playing with it (in her back) If I am right, the “glitch” in the sound is not due to something interfering but is the desired behaviour. The recording feature is in fact a kind of basic sequencer, between a step sequencer and a live sequencer. The glitch indicate the number of "step" you play in a row with the same note, and you use the "PAUSE" button to introduce silences and go to the next step. Not the best workflow. Especialy when you are 8 years old. 😅

[@SpoikeTube]

Ooh, I remember I got this for Christmas in the 80s. Yes, the synth came with a note book of all the pre-recorded songs. The idea was to learn all the songs by also be able to listen to them. All in all, I believe it got thrown out because it didn't work anymore (or more likely my parents got sick of listening me playing on it).

[@metabeard3788]

I love that you're like the American Hainbach, and from Philly nonetheless! 🤘

[@mrbackzpace]

You're doing God's work. Thank you.

[@kordianronnberg9090]

Funny. In Poland in 1982 a very similar synthesizer called Elwirka was produced. It didn't have the ability to record music, but what caught my attention, apart from the very similar construction, was the exactly the same sounding, rickety keyboard, and the same glitches in the sound. :) I'm sure because I sampled my Elwirka (with the sounds of the keys themselves on a separate layer ;) ). I wonder if there's any connection between these constructions. Thanks for the video!

[@Tuckermoore]

5:55 immediately thought of a choir of bees putting on a show for the queen thank you

[@aleattorium]

Nice. This is inspiring me to get started on composing.

[@literlyurmom]

ugh im so jealous!! i love synths so so much, old or new (but mostly old lol) i just wish i knew how to use them this well

[@RobVnt0n]

thank u david

[@ronnyb5890]

when i was a kid i had the well known red-white bontemi organ

[@peterelfman]

Dave, you could make an entire video channel on taking about old gear and augmenting it. And OH MAN I hadn't heard about the plugin, I needs it!

[@yl6128]

beautiful

[@ValenK_musik]

Awesome work!

[@philmarsh5593]

Being old, I grew up in the late 70s/early 80s when Bontempi was seen as "as cheap and nasty as you can get". Before Casio and Yamaha essentiually created the home keyboard market. Bontempi really were awful. You made a Bontempi sound good. Wizard Hilowitz once again weaves his magic!

[@jasonstokes5469]

Nice instrument sound created

[@CaraOMara]

The Generation Loss pedal always makes me think of GenLoss and I think the sounds in this video would make amazing background music for it, or just to listen to, to go to sleep ❤

[@dominiccarlsson2891]

Lovely! I recently modified mine to add an audio out and volume control (it's noisy!) I also realised that if you hold down the recalled memory button the melody loops so I installed a toggle switch to lock the loop in place.

[@DavidHilowitzMusic]

Thanks for the tip! That’s really cool and would have really helped when making this video. :)

[@julianweller9845]

4:00 great transition moment

[@moist9310]

the song at 1:26 could easily be part of the portal 2 ost

[@Zeisslermusic]

❤🇩🇰 soo Nice a toy think back in the 80. It Will be a thing in 2023

[@WrvrUgoThrUR]

Cool stuff.

[@crism8868]

5:28 this is a certified comfy synth moment

[@kmoecub]

The delay is absolutely down to corrosion on the key contacts. A good cleaning with Deox spray will set it all right.

[@sequencist]

you are a genius

[@JadenShaw]

IDKHOW's 1981 Extended Play introduction and color scheme making more and more sense.....!

[@AmbientGuitarWorks]

Like an object from the past that’s been sent from the future.