Big Briar Inc. Model 231 Touch Ribbon "Play Expressive Leads With A Touch Of Your Finger" ad, Keyboard 1984

Big Briar Inc. Model 231 Touch Ribbon "Play Expressive Leads With A Touch Of Your Finger" black and white 1/4-page advertisement from the bottom-right corner of page 24 in the April 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

Here, for your enjoyment (and mine!), is another Big Briar (Bob Moog, President and owner) advertisement.  Back in January I had post two other hip and happenin' Big Briar alternative controller 1/4-pagers - the Model 331 Touch Controller and Model 500 Theremin Controller.

 

 [click the images above to view the blog posts and higher-res images]

This time around we got your classic touch ribbon controller - with two independent control voltages. One by sliding your finger along the ribbon (usually pitch) and another by varying finger pressure. Nice.

The actual touch ribbon device is hard to make out in the ad photo, but a few attempts at Google searches didn't bring up any other images of the 231. Boooo!

One of the main reasons I was really excited to post this ad was that I was going to make my first real Retro Synth Ads' video using my Moog 956 ribbon controller and my Moog Modular that just got serviced by a tech that I recently found in the city that does great analog synth work (techs are getting harder and harder to find in my neck of the woods). But, believe it or not, as I was carrying the ribbon controller between rooms, I accidentally caught the ribbon on something and snapped it right at the end connection point. Gah.

Dumb - and probably expensive - move.

Good thing I just found a great tech. I know what's next on my list to bring over there. :)

So, instead of a lovely video, I thought I would explain why I finally had to take my Moog Modular into the shop in the first place.

First, I gotta say, I've had very very very good luck with my Moog Modular over the years. The thing is older than me and has been to the doctor much much less. But, last time I set it up for some super-fun-Electribe-sampler-time, I noticed that the keyboard wasn't triggering the gate within the modular. CV was getting through. Just not the gate. 

Now, before I get into the problem-solving aspects of the modular, I should probably explain a bit about how controllers are connected to this beast of a beast.

This modular can connect up to three controllers (keyboard, ribbon, etc) through the back of the main cabinet. The three connectors are rather large 8-pin "military" Amphenol connectors that look right out of a Terminator movie. My tech guy was actually a little surprised when he saw them. He is a calm dude, but I noticed his eyes get slightly wider when he saw them.

Below is a photo of the back of the cabinet with the connectors labelled 1-3. The other two 10-pin connectors push power to other cabinets (I have one extra cabinet, and you can read more information about my particular modular including its modules in this blog post.

When you connect a keyboard or ribbon controller through the back of the machine to one of the first two connectors, you can then use the 911-902 coupling switch panel on the front of the modular to direct the particular controller's cv and gate to either the "left" or "right" VCA and "left" or "right"envelope without the need of patch or trigger cables. In the photo below, you can see the switches on the left side of the modular.

So, for example, if you have the keyboard connected into controller #2 on the back of the cabinet, you can then use the white switches to route the trigger of #2 to either the "left" or "right" envelope and use the green switches to connect the selected envelope generator to the "left" or "right" voltage controlled amplifier.  Like I said, a few less patch cords and trigger cables getting in the way.

In the photo above, on the right side of the front panel, you can also see the "pitch-trig" panel. The three sets are direct outs for the "pitch" (CV) and "trigger" outputs of the connectors at the back - so that you can have full modular control of the signals to any module using patch and trigger cables.

Okay, now that we know the background, back to the problem: gate wasn't getting from the keyboard into the triggers for 1, 2 or 3. CV was working fine.

I'd tested all the actual modules before taking it in and they were working fine on their own, so we figured the most likely culprit was the keyboard. Familiarizing ourselves with the schematic diagrams for the 950 Keyboard Controller, he opened the keyboard up first.

After a bit of testing, and a few missteps, we realized that the keyboard was actually functioning fine. A few electrical components that looked a little iffy were replaced and we closed 'er right back up.

Logically, we figured that there must be a problem with the cabinet itself, so we opened 'er up next. First from the back, and then the front-bottom. Again, familiarizing ourselves with the various schematics, he began testing all the connections to ensure that correct signals and voltages were getting through the system.

back - notice the empty upper row
that would have housed the
optional sequencer

front bottom

front bottom - totally open. Hinges on
the bottom row of panels makes
for easy access.

In the end, he couldn't find anything wrong in the cabinet either. All signals and electrical currents were traveling exactly where they were supposed to within the cabinet. And all the signals and electrical currents were traveling where they were supposed on in the keyboard.

We were scratching our heads.

And then we both kinda turned our heads towards the connector cable itself. I think we both mentally slapped ourselves in the forehead.

Sure enough, when he opened up the connector he found the wires stripped and tightly twisted around each other from my obvious continued mishandling during set up and take down over the years. Below is a photo of the connector after he cut the end of the wires off. After a quick stripping and re-soldering of the wires, everything worked like a charm.

It's always the little things eh? But at least we got to test a lot of the system and determined everything was still running smoothly.

Well, if you are still reading, I'd like to point out those two empty power connectors in of photo of the open back of the modular. That can only mean one thing...

Time to go on the hunt for more Moog modules.

:)

Big Briar Inc. Model 500 Theremin Controller "Space-Controlled Music" ad, Keyboard 1984

Big Briar Inc.'s Model 500 Theremin Controller "Space-Controlled Music" black and white 1/4-page advertisement from the bottom-left corner of page 60 in the May 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

"Space-controlled music"! Why does the Theremin always get thrown in to the "space" bucket?!?!

Scratch that. I know exactly why... hee hee  :)

If you recall from my last blog post, I touched upon (pun intended) Big Briar's Model 331 Touch Plate. A great alternative controller, especially for live performances. I'm trying desperately to hunt one down as we speak.

But another even more nifty alternative controller from Bob Moog's Big Briar Inc. around the same time period (and one that I would also love to get my greedy, dirty little paws on) is the Model 500 Theremin Controller.

Take the coolness and interactivity of the original Theremin, strip out the audio circuitry, and replace with two control voltage outputs for pitch and volume. Actually... not just for pitch and volume. More on that later.

A quick search of the Web found one of the earlier spec sheets for the Model 500 on Spheremusic.com's Web site for one of its auctions for Big Briar's 1982 controller pamphlet and blueprints. Click on that first big image and it will allow you to scroll through the other pages, including an image of the Model 500 page. This page has some great reference info on the 500, including the fact that it came with options for digital outputs and a line-operated power supply.

Image from the Buxton Collection.
Click to view Web page.

The actual design of the Model 500 Theremin Controller looks to have changed quite a bit between that 1982 pamphlet and the 1984 ad. From what basically looked like a block of wood to something that more closely resembled the sleekness of the Model 331 touch plate. Although I couldn't find any good quality colour photos of Model 500 during my quick Google search, I imagine it looks much like that gorgeous photo of the Model 331 found on that Buxton Collection Web site I linked to last week (see image at right).

Design aside, its those control voltage outputs I love most. Let me repeat that, and maybe yell it - CONTROL VOLTAGES!!!

So, as the ad states, you can connect this baby to your favorite synth (such as a lovely Moog Modular synth) and start controlling "pitch, volume, brightness - any parameter that can be voltage controlled".   According to the pamphlet, there was also the addition of a gate signal "that goes on as the right hand begins to approach the pitch antenna, thus making it convenient to squelch the tone when no musician is near the controller."

Squelch! Excellent!

What this all does is open up Theremin-like control to a much wider range of sound. Any waveform you can create with your synth can be theremized (so too is a word! And if it's not, that shizzle needs to be trademarked pronto).

All this brings me to another reason I'm stoked about this ad.  NAMM has just concluded, and one of the products that stood out for me and my close circle of online synth-nuts was Moog's new Theremini.

Damn! That's the spaciest-lookin' Theremin yet! That thing would look as good in my studio as it would on the set of Star Trek's control room.

And the best news is that, like the Model 500 Theremin Controller, the Theremini opens up a whole new range of sounds to the user by including "a powerful sound engine derived from Moog's award winning synthesizer, Animoog"! PLUS you get pitch-correction for us beginners, pitch CV out, and a mini-USB jack for MIDI.

MoFo! Are you kidding me? Do I have to punch you all in the neck to show you how excited I am.

*This* has just taken #1 spot on my "next piece of kit" list.

Big Briar Inc. Model 331 Touch Plate "Greatest Invention Since The Wheel" ad, Keyboard 1983

Big Briar Inc.'s Model 331 Touch Plate "Greatest Invention Since The Wheel" black and white 1/4-page advertisement from page 85 in the December 1983 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

So, one of the main reasons I've been taking a break from blogging was that I was finally feeling the pull of the studio. But, after six or seven months I've finally started to feel the pull back to the blog. Creativity, in and out of the studio, is a fickle thing. I find I need a spark to help initiate that pull...

...something that gets me exited...

And this time, that excitement - the pull back to blogging - started as a seed that was planted back during the holidays while I was researching some hardware interactive design ideas for a studio  project. That, of course, led me to Google, which then led me to Microsoft Research's Bill Buxton's collection of input and interactive devices.

According to the About page:

"Bill Buxton is the author of Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design. A Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, he has a 30-year involvement in research, design, and commentary around human aspects of technology. He was a researcher at Xerox PARC, and Chief Scientist of Alias Research and SGI Inc."

Well Bill, your Web site is the bee's knees and I want you to be my friend. Seriously - your Web site makes me cry - mainly because I want all those toys. I am a *big* fan of calculator/digital watches and that page alone made me pee a little. Now add Nintendo gloves, Etch-a-Sketch, Kraft System Joysticks... the list goes on.

With that in mind, you can imagine how excited I became when, under the touchpad section, I found some really nice up-close-and-personal photos of Big Briar's Model 331 Touch Plate.

And Bill's note underneath:

"This is a reminder that makers of electroacoustic instruments have been making touch sensors for years. This one was made for me by Bob Moog of Moog Synthesizer fame."

Heck yeah!

It was then that I recalled seeing this Big Briar ad while flipping through the December 1983 issue of Keyboard to find that Synthony holiday ad with the hand-drawn groovin' Santa Clause that I posted on Christmas.

This is one of the earlier Big Briar ads in Keyboard that Bob Moog created for his then not-so-new company, and it looks to have appeared only twice - in the December and January issues. Earlier ads mostly featured Synton equipment, with the name Big Briar appearing as the distributor near the bottom of the ad (see ad at right).

This ad is a great exercise in the benefits of size and colour. As gorgeous as that touch plate looks in black and white, the small footprint of the ad (1/4 page) and lack of colour really don't do the Model 311 justice. I think the wood grain and pop of blue that can be seen in Bill Buxton's photos would have really helped sell this thing. Or at least help keep it front-of-mind.

I also love the fact that Bob Moog would build these touch plates in all shapes and sizes. Really large touch plates would have made for some great live performances, just as the touch-screens of iPods and iPads, and now larger and larger touch-screen MONITORS, are now appearing more and more often on stage.

Now *that* gets me excited.

Synton Syntovox "High performance vocoders" ad, Contemporary Keyboard 1984

Synton Syntovox "High performance vocoders" 1/4-page black and white advertisement from page 86 in the March 1984 issue of Keyboard Magazine.

I got to say, trying to write a last minute blog post while watching Survivor is a lesson in futility. But "Survivor" is kind of a good theme for this post. On a few different levels.

On one level, these Synton vocoders have survived for over four years with just a trickle of advertising. The first half-pager appeared back in March 1980, and its little condensed brother appeared a month later and only ran two or three times. Both of those ads were probably paid for by Parasound, their American distributor in the early days. 

Then, what appears to be a very long break, this third ad made its first showing in mid-1983, popping up again once or twice into 1984. But this time, Synton's distributor had changed to Bob Moog's company Big Briar, Inc.

And there we see that theme of "survivor" again.  I'm talking about Bob Moog.

Walking away from Moog Music must have been tough. But he was definitely a survivor. Starting Big Briar near the end of the 70s until he finally acquired the rights to use the Moog  name again in 2002. All the while taking on consulting gigs with companies like Kurzweil. Dang good. That's a lot longer than I would survive in the woods. For shizzle. 

The ad itself is alright. I miss those luscious lips that used to appear in the name "Syntovox". But what should I expect - this ad did show up three years later. And not sure about the background image of four 222's stacked on top of each other in the top half of the ad. In fact, no model names are mentioned at all. Until I read the line about a choice of models, I wasn't sure if both were still offered.

I figured the best way was to find out when exactly Big Briar took over Synton distribution (and which models were on offer) was to look through old Big Briar catalogs online. Well... that was easier said than done. The easiest one to find was this 2000 catalog hosted on (where else!) Moog Music (that also features Retro Synth Ads' ads!). But, unfortunately, 2000 is long after Synton stopped producing vocoders I think.

But, after a bit more digging, I finally found this 1983 Big Briar catalog (17 MB PDF) on Synthfool.com. Be warned - if you click on the link it takes a while to load. It includes a Synton modular and vocoder price list near the end (yum) - including both the cadillac model 221 20-channel vocoder ($6018.00) and more moderately priced 222 10-channel vocoder ($815.00).

The first section of that PDF also includes some great history and insight into the direction Bob Moog was taking Big Briar. Remember, this is 1983, and Bob Moog is not just taking about electronic music, but COMPUTER music.  And I believe that last paragraph on the last page of the catalog pretty much sums up the support and respect Bob Moog had for artists (and scientists) from all walks:

"Big Briar custom-designs and produced a wide range of one, -two,- and three-output touch surfaces, multiply-touch-sensitive keyboards, and position-sensitive controllers. Applications include music composition and performance, interactive sculpture, dance, computer graphics control, and psychological testing. Inquiries are answered with written proposals and quotations. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with artists who wish to incorporate touch- and position-sensors in their work."

Interactive sculpture! Psychological testing! Awesome.

While looking for those catalogs, I managed to come across a comparison of the two models (and other models) written by Synton's own Marc Papin on Hypereal.com:

"221 - Big, 20-channel unit. Matrix-panel on the front allows analiser-synthesizer channel patching. Internal VCO, noise generator, Voiced/Unvoiced detection, 40+ LEDs for spectrum monitoring, etcetera. Also, it has a 50-pin connector on the back which provides CV in and out for each channel. I've got one, and I  think it is superior to Sennheiser, Bode (Moog) and EMS. Original RRP: HFL 12000,- (US$ 7500.00)

222 12-channels. Not very flexible, but they have a very musical sound. Original RRP: HFL 1000,- (US$ 625.00)"

The 222 was 12-channel? Not ten as described int he Big Briar catalog? Bah. 10. 12. It was a lot cheaper. That's what mattered most.  :)

I also found some good comparison info on dutchsynth.nl, which seems to be a Web site for most Synton products, and some excellent photos on effectsdatabase.com.

Well, Survivor is almost done - first episode of the new season.

And I'm done too. Dinner time. Then bed. 

Synton Electronics Syntovox 222 and 221 vocoder "You do the talking..." ad, Contemporary Keyboard 1980

Synton Electronics Syntovox 222 and 221 vocoder "You do the talking..." half-page black and white advertisement from page 26 in the March 1980 issue of Contemporary Keyboard.

Never heard of them. Well, maybe I have. But if I had, these vocoders didn't leave much of an impression. And I dig vocoders. My Roland SVC-350 has been in my rack for years and years, and I always try to find an excuse to patch it in. And one of the big reasons I love my Korg Wavestation A/D is because of its audio inputs and vocoder effect.

But these Synton Syntovox vocoders... drawing a blank at the moment.

Hmmm. What to do... what to do... I usually have two different "go-to's" when drawing a blank:

1. Kick-start some company research on the Internet
2. Jibber jabber about the ad itself.

And since I'm feeling a bit lazy today, I think I'll start by just gaze at this ad for a while. Save the online research for later.

This particular early advertisement only appeared once in CK as far as I can tell. And it's not too shabby. Nice balance, a smart, witty ad-title, and a nice big Synton logo. It took a while to realize what I like best about this ad - the lips in the second "o" of "Syntovox" in the ad-title. I missed it for a long time, but now that I know they are there, its the first thing I focus on. They're a little dirty even.

So, what's not to like? I'm not a fan of justified text in ads. And not a fan of it in this ad either. You get enough of it in the magazine articles themselves. My eyes are tired even before I've begun reading. But for the first time out of the gate, Parasound gets an "A" for effort.

Still knee-jerking from starting any online research, I decided to flip through my database and a few other issues of the magazine to see what came up. I never did come across a Spec Sheet for the 221 or 222 vocoder in my readings, but unexpectedly the next best thing does appear in a later issue of the magazine. A lot later. Like three and a half years in October 1983.

But it was probably worth the wait for readers because we're talking Keyboard Giveaway contest!

Before I go on - did you catch that?

The ad came out in March 1980 in Contemporary Keyboard, but the contest was in Keyboard magazine.  Yup! they took so long that the magazine changed it's name! Hee hee.

Okay, maybe I'm the only one tickled by that fact. So back to that Keyboard Giveaway contest.

Sure enough, the October 1983 giveaway was for a Syntovox 222 vocoder, and the description reads like a good solid Spec Sheet:

"The syntovox 222 vocoder is a professional audio rack-mounted sound modifier that is designed for live performance or studio use in inparting vocal articulation to musical signals. Two speech (program) inputs are provided: one for balanced microphones signals and the other for line-level signals. The articulation and spectrum of the speech signal are imparted to the carrier signal. the carrier input is usually an electronic keyboard or other instrument, but may be any line-level signal with a broad spectrum. The 222's output consists of the articulated carrier, plus adjustable amounts of straight speech and/or carrier signals. An internal "unvoiced sound synthesizer" is included for increased intelligibility.  Articulated carrier and unvoiced sound signals may be turned on and off by a panel switch or external footswitch. List price is $815.00. Syntovox products are sold in the United States by Big Briar, Leicester, NC 28748."

Like I said - a nice little write up.

And... did you catch it (again...)?

Looks like the magazine wasn't the only thing that was going through a wack of change during those long three and a half years. It seems distribution for the Syntovox changed hands too - from Parasound to Big Briar - sometime between March 1980 and October 1983.

Like the vocoders themselves, I don't recall the name Parasound either (yeah yeah, I'll get to that online research later), but I do know quite a bit about Big Briar.  That's the company Bob Moog started after leaving his original company Moog Music back in the late 70s. There are some really interesting Big Briar ads that I'm sure I'll post in the future, including one for the Syntovox 222 vocoder! Yay!

But, any more research will have to wait until the weekend. Because when I knee-jerk, I KNEE-JERK.

Like the year I refused to watch Toy Story because everyone loved it so much. KNEE-JERK.  And then attended Siggraph that year. Siggraph is *the* international conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques.

The result: I got boo'd by everyone else in the room during the Pixar session. Even by my best friend, who I swear knew it was coming.

True story. And now that I think about it, I may have already told that anecdote.  Gah.