Get the soundpack and music (and help me make videos): patreon.com/hainbach

@frankklinkers4209

Жыл бұрын

A great show! So glad I found my (regular) 505 in a thrift store some years ago, for a price I dare not say... It was very complete, and a good friend of me did some very sympathetic mods, remaining to keep it's soull But it can sound very fat&nasty, with the right settings, a sort of Jekyll&Hyde...

@mttlsa686

Жыл бұрын

The sound of that Elka Drummer One is so fat but clean! Do you know if there's a plugin that emulate it?

@molekulaTV

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking where on Earth I saw that Italian synts museum that I refer to happily in my so overliked earlier comment. And voila: on your channel. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

@@mttlsa686 Part of why it sounds like that is that use Dials by Audiothing on it. It really shapes the sound to be way bigger than it is straight from the unit.

I love how on these old synths there's a bunch of presets with the names of actual instruments and then one or two called "space" or "warp" or, like in this case, "telstar" and "cosmic". It's as if you'd be playing something "normal" on the trombone, and then get a bee in your bonnet and suddenly it's time for cosmic.

Italo Disco was so good because before the 80s they had hundreds of synths with little lovely sequences and even magical analog accompaniment stuff in the 70s that was the inspiration for the 80 s

@jaysgood10

Жыл бұрын

What?

@molekulaTV

Жыл бұрын

@@jaysgood10 You don't like Italo Disco? 😎

@jaysgood10

Жыл бұрын

@@molekulaTV sure I do. I take it that english is not your first language?

@joakill666

Жыл бұрын

hey! can you recommend some good italo-disco stuff?

@jaysgood10

Жыл бұрын

@@joakill666 gino vanneli

My initial guess about the presence of ladder filters in this great-sounding synth is the simple fact that patents are national rights, and Moog had a US patent (US 3,475,623) issued in 1969, but never took out a patent in any other country than the United States. Therefore, the ladder filter could be implemented freely in an instrument built in Italy. If this synthesizer was ever to be exported to the US while the patent was in force (I think it expired in 1986), Elka would probably be in trouble facing charges for patent infringement - If the filter design was discovered, that is. Moog actually found his ladder filter in a version of the ARP Odyssey, but the case against ARP was settled amicably. This is the reason several re-issues of the ARP Odyssey has a filter selector. Because the Moog patent is expired, it is just a matter of design choice to put in an extra filter in order to be able to emulate that paticular ARP Odyssey model.

It's funny, those "Cosmic" and "Telstar" sounds go right back to the ARP Soloist and Pro-Soloist. It's like they _had_ to be added to every subsequent on-top-of-an-organ style synth, including the accordion version it seems! Enjoyed the track as ever, it did seem to take you on a little adventure in a good way! Anyway, happy new year!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Happy new year, Alex! If I had less "I need to fix this first" adventures in 2023 that would be nice.

@GizzyDillespee

Жыл бұрын

Casio also felt the need to include a version of "Cosmic" on one of my old CTs from the early 80s... I think it was the CT-320, the silver one with orange buttons and 1 speaker.

@AlexBallMusic

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach The joys of vintage. I have a pile of gear in the corner waiting to go to the tech. Glad you managed to get this one going with some poking inside.

Hahaha you jumping and shouting "I fixed it I fixed it!" is such a rel :D I am also so jealous how easy it looks for you to make new tunes... and every one is such a banger.

So when I'm kind of stressed out, I take a deep breath and start doing doing my Hainbach impersonation, " It's good to have you bach." I say to myself, and everything slowly gets better. Happy New Year!!!

Love the joyful enthusiasm Hainbach brings when exploring or demoing a unique instrument.

I really like your videos on old italian synths. Those machines seem to be designed with playing in mind more than a lot of modern synths are. Which I like

Dude, you find the most interesting and obscure equipment ! 👍 Good repair job !

Hello Hainbach. This synthesizer was built in ELKA Organs like the X 705 with are much easier to find. The Elka X 707 Organ was used by Jean-Michel Jarre on oxygen for the String tracks and he took it on tour. I played on an ELKA X 705, it brings me back incredible memories.

@docklandsroad

Жыл бұрын

The strings on the original Oxygène album are from the string unit of an Eminent organ. Not an Elka.

@herrrastakrautpasta1599

Жыл бұрын

It was the Eminent 310U. Elka Organs like that you can get for free on EBay Kleinanzeigen. Many kids inherited them from their parents and want to get rid of them. Since they are very heavy you have good chances to get an old home organ like Elka or Yamaha for nothing.

@nicholasrichardson102

Жыл бұрын

def the eminent 310 unique, which still uses to this day... NOT an elka

@zajdima

Жыл бұрын

I have both Elka 707 (big spinet organ with inbuilt rotating Leslie-like speaker in the stand) and x705 (portable version without speakers and pedal keybed). As Hainbach mentioned, these things use plenty of circuit cards in slots, which is pain in the a.. because pins in them are falling apart and you can't buy direct replacement. Jarre did use Elka X705 for the track The Last Rumba, which is Magnetic Fields part. 5, not for Oxygene strings, that is indeed Eminent 310U

Lovely work as always. Love the 70s italian synth sound especially on soundtracks - fabio frizzi zombi 2 soundtrack is a firm favourite.

The fact that it has no less than 2 MOOG ladder filters has probably shot this synth up in the "I want one " table😊

I use adhesive tape sometimes as a cable wrap, but I use the non sticky side to wrap the first few times then flip the tape and carefully wrap it a few extra times the conventional way. Works a treat if you only have tape on hand.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Bravo for this solution.

@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach 🙂

@royareyzabal823

Жыл бұрын

I must thank you, seriously

Always lived Elka synths. Very like my old Korg traveler series ones: rich sound and always a very original interface, perfect for expression and live play.

I love the typewriter-like keys on this instead of a normal keyboard.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, you get totally new melody ideas!

@molekulaTV

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach Sample that ''guitar'' around mid C than play from sampler 2 octaves lower. ...mmmust be fat

@rot_studios

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach Yeah those accordion keyboards are VERY inspirational!

I love your excitement at you discover each new sound on this.

This is the first time I have seen this special edition ELKA Soloist 505. Thanks for sharing the video. Chromatic keyboard have an advantage because it is easy to transpose with the same fingering.

Thank you and I’m glad that all of these wonderful machines keep coming your way. We all benefit!

Wonderful video! Your humor always cracks me up and the tracks never cease to inspire, thanks a ton Hainbach!

That's one of the best sounding filters I've ever heard. 5:16 it sounds so liquid and creamy. That elka drum machine sounds amazing too! Reminds me slightly of the drums on Hunter by Bjork

Beautiful! That's filter sweep. Che figata!

@samprock

Жыл бұрын

Right the filters!

Hi I'm Jamie and it's good to have you back. One thing that I'm obsessed about is THAT SWEATER!!

Wow it really does have a nice sound, these sorts of simple analog sounds are my favourite

30 years from now, Hainbach will be reviewing the vintage Italian modules by Frap Tools.

I have a vintage Russian stereo parametric eq I bought from someone in Siberia! Sounds like your cuppa tea!

Thank you, Hainbach. Just the soothing and strange sounds I needed for my hectic day.

Ahh, so THATS what the solo section on my Elka Space Organ should sound like! I really do need to get it working...

Very cool. I remember seeing an interview with Bob Moog where he said he often questioned if Moogs should have traditional style keyboards on them at all.

I’ve owned a vintage Italian synth. It was brought to repair shop never to emerge again. Very lucky to fix it that easy! 😊

Really lovely sounding synth! Awesome video as always dude 😊

So sick!! love the modulation bass filter stylee

wow i need a longer version of that track you made it sounds incredible

Great video. Love your enthusiasm. :) I remember seeing electric home organs with accordion buttons in music stores in the Eighties, when the stores were trying to get rid of them and sell them off very cheap. No synths, though. Oh, and that red glowing on/off-switch screams "Italian synth" to me, the Siel Mono also has it. Thank you.

Amazing... I actually sold you this synth a few months ago (Search For Opals Shop/Reverb). It was by pure luck that I came across your video... was looking for rare old monophonic vintage synths video ... Great to see the great sounds you did with this elegant old italian machine.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, thanks for that!

I had a CEI italian organ and built a DIY Moog ladder into it, with 4 extra knobs to operate it. Used it with the "strings" register. Became a signature sound of our band, hahaha..

Ah, so good to have you back, Hainbach! Happy New Year!

here is a little known fact, Hainbach actually joined Bill Murray to learn how to be a sailor

That Filter sounds fantastic. And now that I have seen why…. Lol. Great video.

i have an elka x-705, pretty sure it has this monosynth built in along with 2 elka rhapsody string ensembles, a wilgamat drum machine, drawbar organ and some poly brass sounds. the leslie speaker and spring reverb on it also sounds great

@MrTomDangerous

Жыл бұрын

I'm looking at one, for a good price. Seems to be an amazing machine, but I'm worried about the space as I really don't that much in a small studio. What are the dimensions of the organ part?

"Fix it again tony"1😅 🔥🤘nice synth!!

I believe the Vibrato Depth manipulates the crescendo and decrescendo of each note and it's applied at the end of the note or at the end of playing the note (upon release of the keys). This is way when the host / narrator removed his fingers from the keys the notes had a "vibrato drag " or lingering drag to the depth of the note (how long it is sustained); depth vibrato might be the sustain. Try the Vibrato depth again only this time play with the intention of the effect being applied at the release of the keys. Great video ! I enjoyed your view of musical machinery very much. I have Alesis, Kaoss and other drum pads that are the descendents of the machines you highlight; i also remember them being TOO EXPENSIVE for a grammar school kid to buy (or have pee 'n em do it = that's pa and ma for Anthony Burgess fans). Looking forward to more of your musical-exploratory videos. Thumbs up !

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your care and time in responding! I truly appreciate that. Vibrato is sadly just broken, as was confirmed to be me by players of the instrument. All the best!

@eponymous_graphics

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach yes, but what would it be it's function if it WERE fixed ? is it the sustain ? how would it operate ? A better question: How much to repair since some of the components you mentioned were non-patented. How much to fix the vibrato ?? $300 euros is close US dollars; it would be interesting to know what the maintenence, repair would be for such an item. I couldn't find one on ebay, amazon or google but then again I did not have filter for european vendors (if that's a thing I wouldn't know). I can see replacing the according buttons and the vibrato slide and even the side square buttons, but replacing some of those internal circuits has got to be something for a specialist (and more expensive). It was funny to see you open it; that's usually how they get broken ! Thanks again.

7:20 best sound

this thing sounds pretty dope and that knobs are adorable for a synth.

I was watching one of these a few months ago. At a seemingly fair price. Only thing is I’m no mr. Fixit and I don’t know anyone who is. But it’s just as cool as I thought it’d be. Congrats.

This is a pretty cool instrument. I must admit at first when all the preset sounds were being played this thing sounded goofy but after playing around with those sliders, that's when some seriously cool sounds came out of it,.

Hi, Hainbach! Best wishes for the new year, we're delighted that that you first video of 2023 is aboit a funny, cute strange italian synth! :D

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Yes! More italian synth to come in 2023! Love and happy new year

Intoxicating excitement!

Happy new year Hainbach. Here is to wonderful instruments to be found and sounds to be had

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Same to you!

This is eerily similar to something comming out of the C64 sid chip

I own one of these. It sounds have a lot of character. The filter is my favourite thing on it. I will put it on sale on Leboncoin.

Sounds a LOT like my '73 Minikorg 700S. Interesting. Be well!

Fun video and I love the jam you made with it!

awesome track...also appreciate the annotations while you were playing.

I just subscribed to your channel because I love your sweater so much.

What an Unexpectedly Amazing Filter

The look of the controls remind me of Maestro's Universal Guitar Synthesizer. I did the intro ads for that little number and got to play with one for about 6 months before I had to give it back...

Great tone, actually

Many thanks for doing what you do. Also, HANDY HINT #431: Wet wipes easily remove electrical tape residue stickiness from cables

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Supertyp! What can't wet wipes do? I even cleaned the nikotine residue from the windows of an old flat once with them

@originalsynth

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach Biodegrade!

It's great tone ! Roots of Techno Music !

I'm really digging @3:46 on.

The little bit of Mario Hainbach (possibly accidentally) played makes me want more, Hainbach does Mario?

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Always sneaking in game soundtracks references.:-)

@inthefade

Жыл бұрын

His patreon audio downloads are filled with video game references and other nerdy stuff for file names too.

That accordion keyboard looks like a whacky 8bit microcomputer keyboard - it's like a ZX Spectrum fever dream!

I'd order a CV piano keyboard ASAP and play it with that. Remarkably capable for being relatively inexpensive.

This Italian keyboard has a rather gnarly sound to the synth! 🙂🙂🙂

Wow I used to have a sweater like that

This thing made my DT770 Pro's sing. lol

I've heard that clarinet in so many UK grime tunes.

your track sounds also very good ! wow so inspiring again Thaaaank you :)

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for listening!

Love the keyboard! The synth is a bit boring and limited, but has a great retro sound that’s popular. I actually like this orphan.

Lovely composition!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

I channelled my Harmonia fandom

Happy new year brother ....

Use adhesive tape to wrap cables first wrap sticky layer up, then wrap normally )

Dam, that drummer one sounds so good.

I liked the Cosmic preset

I live my Elka. Mine has the normal keyboard. I have used it on a number of recordings

That was Brill 👍

i have the same but with a piano keyboard. Works fine.

Does it have a 'traditional' VCO-VCF-VCA architecture? The reason I'm asking is that some of the Italian (and German for that matter) analog synthesizers actually used a Top Octave Divider system for the tone generation but used as a monophonic device. It gave the advantage of very stable tuning but had the disadvantage that since the notes were discrete steps portamento and other glide effects were not possible.

You guys on here will perhaps be the only one’s that understand my love for my two Elkas. My Excelsior EK-6 synth sits on top of my Elka Panther Duo Combo organ. Each of the three original flight cases of the Panther Duo are covered in crimson red and black tolex (no tears on any of the tolex as it’s never been gigged, only used in the studio). The largest flight case is the organ itself. The next flight case contains the original chrome stand and clear Perspex sheet music stand, and the final flight case, the gorgeous wooden bass pedals. Unfortunately to fit the Excelsior EK-6 on top I have to leave the music stand off, but together they look amazing; what I imagine some Italian organ designer thought the 21st century would look 30 odd years before it arrived. Are there any Elka experts or historians on here, or that someone can direct me to, that have the schematics and/or service manual for the Panther Duo? I’ve searched online with no joy. There doesn’t seem to be any obvious way to me to open the Panther, just what looks like brass rivets, no screws. I’d love to service it by replacing all of the dielectric caps which must be drying out by now. She still plays relatively well, but there are some settings where things get a little quiet, some a little noisy. I’d also love to be able to clean out under the keys and pipe switches etc. to improve the contact. If anyone out there can help it would be most appreciated as I’d love to have the Panther play to its full potential.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

The Museo Del Synth Marchigiano might help you out

@uremawifenowdave

Жыл бұрын

@HAINBACH thank you so much for your advice. I’ve been wanting to do this service for years, and though I’m competent electronically, I really didn’t want to risk damaging the organ. I’ll contact them this week. Thank you so much Stefan for your fantastic channel. I’ve learned so much from your passion (perhaps I should say obsession, yes definitely obsession). Your electricity bill must be insanely MASSIVE to power and run what you have amassed. Hopefully, if you gig in Scotland I can thank you in person.

It's interesting to compare this to the Korg MS range... designed by an accordion player in the (sort-of) shape of an accordion - Then we've got this with it's accordion buttons... it'd be cool if someone combined both design ideas into one machine. Love those old skool "tropical fish" capacitors on the Moog filter board. These old Elkas ARE lovely! "I'm not an accordion player" says the owner of a cool ultra-bass... ... ... accordion! ;)

It sorts of reminds me of the Roland SH-2000 / Multivox MX-2000. I'm sure they've drawn from the same parts and design.

Best advice against sticky cables after those have been soaked with masking tape gunk is baby wipes. Few firm passes and its gone.

Holy moly, that Drummer One beat is dope a.f.! Have I missed a video about it? If not, it definitely deserves its own!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Will do! This one was also modded by tech, it has a crazy Bassdrum. Though to be fair, much of the sound here is my plugin Dials processing it- it adds the knock and modulation.

@SynthsandSounds

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach Still awesome! What about the pattern, was that modded as well or is it just a special combination of the original patterns?

Hawaii guitar sounds incredible too

It's a Moog Satellite 🤫

1:34 is best drone

Why does this one sound so good?!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Magic of old ladder filters.

Hi Hainbach. All synthesizers should come with a Wow slider.

Save for the filter controls, this sounds like my first ever keyboard, the cheap minikey Thompsonic TS-03 😅

My Elka Excelsior is a strange beast. I think it’s one of the first digitally tracked keyboards on an analogue synth. Edit: If anyone needs the full schematics for the Excelsior let me know.

I'm using the term 'WOW' instead of resonance from now on 😄

I like how the buttonbox looks like a mechanical typewriter keyboard.

That Wow slider probably changes the filter envelope. But you always held the key down when changing the slider so we could not hear the effect of the slider. Anyhow, nice demo!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

The wow slider is a bandpass with resonance and it changes the frequency, like a wah wah

@GrimVoxTech

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach I doubt there is a bandpass filter in that synth, only lowpass. For the sustain the Wow slider had no other effect than slightly shifting the cutoff frequency, as you demonstrated. The resonance of the lowpass filter was unaltered by the Wow slider. I suspect the attack would get a "Wah-wah" effect when turning the Wow knob up, but you did not demonstrate that. You only held the note pressed constantly down while tweaking the slider.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

You can read up more here: till-kopper.de/elka_solist505.html

Hainbach, You are the Man,,,,,all it took was a simple screwdriver.....

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

And 40 Minutes of semi-clueless poking 😄

Very similar preset sounds to the ones on something like a Roland SH-2000.

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

A lovely synth, too. Mine broke and I sold it for peanuts.

@lo-firobotboy7112

Жыл бұрын

@@Hainbach I rescued and rebuilt an SH-1000 that had been left outside for a decade. Sadly, a technician fried it when he dropped a tool on the power supply, so I too sold it for peanuts.

Impressive.

I can totally see Kraftwerk or Björk using one of these!

Weird Al needs this.

For sure! Almost all of those obscure old north-italian synths were "Moog-ladder" equipped. But they were not alone, those years: Almost all the obscure japanese were too: Have a look on the filters of those rare Multivox/Hillwood/Ace-Tone/Pulser (pre-Roland brands, in all which was involved Mr Kakehashi!): Moog ladder illegal copies... Moog didn't matter, because Moog was not such a powerfull society, to pursue several foreign brands by law, and the impact of those "exotic" circuits on the american market was not so relevant... But when Kakehashi founded his latest brand "ROLAND", and rebadged his Ace-Tone PS-1000 model as "Roland SH-3", the japanese brand had already achieved a move in the USA with his SH-1000 and SH-2000 models, and Moog had to react: After Moog won the trial, Roland had to replace the Moog-ladder filter on his SH-3 with an original design, and then the synth became the SH-3a. I had to work on the filters of both my EkoSynth P-15 and Multivox MX-3000: Moog-ladder, and Moog-ladder too!

@Hainbach

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the insight!