Here at Synthtube, we are denkitribe fanboys. This man-machine from Japan picks up ANY piece of gear, and proceeds in realtime to create absolutely stunningly beautiful electronic music with it – every time, without fail.

Here’s a video of him using a BlipTronic 5000, a FIFTY DOLLAR Synthesizer, hooked up to a Korg Mini-Kaoss (a sub 200$ device) to make a short, but absolutely beautiful electronic tone poem.

We here at Synthtube think this is the music from our dreams – if only we could produce something like this in waking life so effortlessly.

Enjoy the master, Denkitribe, at it again.

This kid playing in the video (YT User : MathaeusBech) has some serious chops, hope he keeps up his skills – with a Nord Electro, and an EP with a rep like the Rhodes – we think he’s probably well on his way – some of his other videos are actually pretty amazing when it comes to gear – we’ll feature some more soon.

Enjoy.

P.S. – We actually think the Rhodes sounds oh so SLIGHTLY better/warmer in this demo.

This is a brilliant example of utilising all the best of old gear with modern recording techniques to produce a truly stunning recording. Visually, this is a stimulating performance as well, Synthjunk performs in complete darkness, but with one of those LED “Caving” headlamps on his head, lighing up all the seriously cool gear involved in his production.

From Synthjunk’s own description of the video ” Influenced by electronic music of the 70’s 80’s & 90’s. No virtual or software synth sounds used. Recorded using Ableton live with minimal overdubbing. Robot featured is home made. ”

Not to be trainspotters, but watching and listening (and reading the tags lol) we spotted an AKAI MPC (2000?), a KORG Mono/Poly, a DOEPFER MAQ16/3 Sequencer, a Roland JUNO-60, a DSI Prophet Pro-One, a… ROBOT (???), an OBERHEIM OB-XA, a MOOG Prodigy, a ROLAND SH-101, a ROLAND Jupiter-8, and we’re sure, many more.

This is pretty awesome. Highly recommended.

Hope you’re all having an AWESOME party time!

In the spirit of a Tech-Happy-New-Year, our NYE Post is none other than Mi-Sex’s “Computer Games”.

ROCK ON!

One of the other things it engendered, in our opinion, is something that cynical 90’s and 00’s “emo kids” of today simply can’t grasp. That is the world was a surprisingly less cynical place, particularly when it came to grand ideas about changing the world. Africa today is considered a basketcase continent by many, but back in the 1980’s all hope was not lost.

Look no further than the “Band Aid” project, cooked up by Bob Geldof and Synth-whizz/producer/frontman of “Ultravox”, “Midge Ure”. Together they created a Pop-Charity phenomenon that became the template for similar charity music events even decades later (see “Live Earth 2007″), albeit on a MUCH smaller scale. Back then these guys genuinely believed that if they just got a bunch of the world’s coolest pop musicians together, threw together a tight synth-pop classic, and got them to sing, that maybe, just maybe they could change the world.

The track we’re talking about is of course, the 1984 hit, “Let Them Know It’s Christmas”, in which some of the world’s most influential pop musicians (at the time) came together to convince the world to give, and give generously to those in massive need on the African subcontinent. The track is sappy and overtly emotional, as indeed much music in the 1980’s was, but we here at ST believe that that’s part of this music’s appeal. It’s not trying to be cool, it’s not trying to impress you with its technique – it’s just a simply written song by good musicians, imploring you to think about someone other than yourself for just ten minutes.

The production values themselves were, for the time of course, fantastic. Names as diverse as Bob Geldof, the late Freddie Mercury, Phil Collins, Steve Norman from Spandau Ballet , John Taylor from Duran Duran, Bono from U2, George Michael (then from “Wham!”), Midge Ure, Sting (then from “The Police”, Robert ‘Kool’ Bell from Kool and The Gang, Boy George from Culture Club, among many MANY others came together to lend their voices to this previously unprecedented effort to raise money for those in need in the developing world.

To us, this is the power of music. If music were used to do good in the world like this more often, just imagine what a different world we’d live in.

So readers, we present to you today, the original Synthpop classic 1984 video from Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas”, followed with the impressive and technically superior modern version by the “Band Aid 20″ recorded in 2004 (featuring Danny Goffey, Thom Yorke, Sir Paul McCartney, Natasha Beddingfield, Jamelia, Lemar, Snow Patrol, Robie Williams and again, MANY others).

Original 1984 “Do They Know It’s Christmas”

2004 “Band Aid 20″ Remake of “Do They Know It’s Christmas”

Are you still here?

Great.

Now’s a great time to donate to charity.

Our recommended charity here at SynthTube is Medicins Sans Frontieres. We urge you to give generously, “Feed the world, let them know it’s Christmas time again”…

www.msf.org

Direct Link to MSF.ORG.AU’s Donation Page (We just donated 50$. Help us give more!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SEASON’S GREETINGS TO ALL!

Today we feature the work of a guy who contacted us by the name of Christian LeBlanc.

He’s currently working on a project which features “light painting” techniques to make simple animations, all set to one of the over 52 tracks (!!) that he’s written with the help of his KORG Triton Synthesizer. We’ve checked out his work, and can confirm he’s got a great ear for Synthpop and even a hint of oldschool, New Wave styled synth music. His light painting work is truly something that must be seen.

Nonetheless, by far our favorite track in his catalogue was short, but sweet – and we hope, Christian, that you don’t mind us featuring this track over the one you suggested – but this truly was lovely. The track in question is called “39″ – and features what we presume to be Christian’s moody voice over an atmospheric synthpop track – something that reminded us of the best moments of Yo La Tengo or Slowdive – with accompanying images shot moodily from out of the window of a train.

This is exactly the sort of thing we love and hope to stumble upon here on SynthTube.

Keep the submissions coming people, we’re here to showcase the greatest and best new talent, as well as the classics!

Enjoy.

P.S. – Don’t forget to DIGG / REDDIT / STUMBLEUPON this blog if you like it! Cheers!

The song “What Is Love” was a tacky 90’s anthem by “Haddaway” that was most possibly one of the more memorable one-hit-wonders from the 1990’s.

SynthTube readers know it to be the song that the now virally-famous (140,000 views and rising) “Chicken Man” played on MELODICA, bass guitar and loop pedal in Flinders Street in Melbourne the other day. For those who are curious, we are able to report with accuracy that Chicken Man has been revealed to be none other than James Bowers, from the Melbourne-based group, “Dudes With Trowels” (Facebook Link) James Bowers’ own impressive Jazz keyboard chops can be heard at his myspace page : http://www.myspace.com/jamesbowersmusic.

Anyway. Onto today’s video. “Diane Birch” on YT posted this rather wonderful cover of “What Is Love” featuring her own sultry voice and moody Wurlitzer Organ performance of the song. It’s videos like this (and indeed, like Chicken Man’s) that make you realise music is truly in the performer. What was considered a “tacky” anthem of the 90’s – even as it was well written – can sound so much more impressive in the hands of a truly talented performer. We urge you, to click on the image and watch this video, and prepare to be surprised that such a “tacky” song, could be sung and performed so soulfully.

We’re certainly looking at the song in a whole new light.

Enjoy.

EDIT : 14/12/2009 : It appears that the reason why Diane Birch’s youtube account features only ONE video is that she has actually been successfully published as a recording artist. Wonderful, modern soul voice, picture Amy Winehouse without the drugs and twice the talent. Diane Birch Music at : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqZ_15A6G8E and www.dianebirch.com

Case in point? What I’m calling the “Digeri-Synth” – Kyle Evans of yaktronix.blogspot.com shared with us his incredible invention, which is an electronically modified digeridoo.

According to his video of the device, it features :

Control modules mounted to the digeridoo transmit data to a computer wirelessly via bluetooth.
The data is deciphered and utilized within custom-built software to control multiple audio processes.
The digeridoo’s audio is transmitted to the computer and processed by various means including delays and ring modulation, all of
which are controlled from the modules mounted to the digeridoo.

Pretty impressive video. Click the image to enjoy it.

Click on the image to watch the video.

Enjoy.