Think Geek Unleashes Bliptronic 5000 LED Synthesizer | Future Music

“If HAL 9000 mated with R2-D2 and their electronic offspring was tutored by Kraftwerk it would probably end up something like the Bliptronic 5000 LED Synthesizer.” —Think Geek’s Crack Marketing Team

Think Geek’s new Bliptronic 5000 8-Bit synthesizer/sequencer is the first musical instrument by the eclectic cataloger. With an interface that’s reminisent of the Tenori-On, Monome, Block and the new Novation Launchpad, the Bliptronic 5000 is a palm-sized instrument that uses a pattern-based paradigm for music creation.

In the world of the Bliptronic, creating a song revolves around an ever evolving 4-beat pattern. Each row of vertical buttons represents the notes in one octave. Push a button to turn on a note, push the button again to turn off a note. Push multiple buttons in one vertical row to make a chord. The Bliptronic plays whatever you have selected in sequence horizontally across the display. When it reaches the end of the pattern, it repeats. The genius comes as you modify the pattern by turning notes on and off while the pattern is still looping to create evolving electronic melodies.

In addition to the grid of glowing LED buttons you’ll notice some other controls on the Bliptronic. These allow you to set the tempo (From 60-160 BPM), choose the instrument (From 8 different retro-synth type sounds), adjust the volume and turn looping on or off. An infinite number of Bliptronics can be attached together using the link ports and included cables. When one Bliptronic reaches the end of it’s pattern, the next Bliptronic is instantly triggered to start playing. This allows you to make longer songs where each person controls a section of the song. You can even set the tempo and instrument differently on each Bliptronic in the chain to achieve unconventional musical results.

Features:
» Unusual retro synthesizer is played with a grid of glowing buttons
» Create looping patterns and change them dynamically while playing
» Chain multiple units together and create more complex melodies
» One octave range. 8 notes can be played simultaneously
» 8 different old-skool synth sounding instruments to choose from
» Sounds created using FM waveform synthesis
» Set the BPM from 60 to 180 in 20 BPM increments
» Built in speaker with headphone jack and line-out jack
» Front panel is constructed from brushed aluminum
» Includes, manual and 2 link cables for connecting additional Bliptronic units
» Requires 4 x AA batteries (not included)

The Future: If the brain-trust behind the Bliptronic would have simply added MIDI to the 5000, they would have had the sleeper hit of the 2009 Holiday Season.

The Think Geek Bliptronic 5000 costs a mere $49 bucks and is available now. More information on the Think Geek Bliptronic 5000.

via futuremusic.com

I want one of these! Anyone care to buy me one for Christmas?

Synth Britannia clips and programme track listing | BBC Four

Friday, 21:00 on BBC Four

Synopsis

Documentary following a generation of post-punk musicians who took the synthesiser from the experimental fringes to the centre of the pop stage.

In the late 1970s, small pockets of electronic artists including the Human League, Daniel Miller and Cabaret Volatire were inspired by Kraftwerk and JG Ballard and dreamt of the sound of the future against the backdrop of bleak, high-rise Britain.

The crossover moment came in 1979 when Gary Numan's appearance on Top of the Pops with Tubeway Army's Are Friends Electric heralded the arrival of synthpop. Four lads from Basildon known as Depeche Mode would come to own the new sound whilst post-punk bands like Ultravox, Soft Cell, OMD and Yazoo took the synth out of the pages of the NME and onto the front page of Smash Hits.

By 1983, acts like Pet Shop Boys and New Order were showing that the future of electronic music would lie in dance music.

Contributors include Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Martin Gore, Bernard Sumner, Gary Numan and Neil Tennant.

Phil Oakey

Phil Oakey describes how the Human League got the drum sound to Being Boiled.

Andy McCluskey

Andy McCluskey breaks down the structure of Enola Gay.

John Foxx

John Foxx takes you on a Arp odyssey.

Klaus Schulze

Klaus Schulze talks about, and demonstrates, his first synth.

Vince Clarke

Vince Clarke describes an early sampling drum machine

Tracklist

  1.  Depeche Mode — New Life

  2.  Wendy Carlos — William Tell

  3.  Wendy Carlos — Clockwork Orange Main Title

  4.  Kraftwerk — Autobahn

  5.  The Clash — White Riot

  6. The Normal — Tvod

  7. The Normal — Warm Leatherette

  8. The Future — 4 Jg

  9.  The Human League — Being Boiled

  10.  Donna Summer — I Feel Love

  11.  Cabaret Voltaire — Seconds Too Late

  12.  Cabaret Voltaire — Nag Nag Nag

  13.  Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Messages

  14.  Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Enola Gay

  15.  Joy Division — Atmosphere

  16.  John Foxx — Underpass

  17.  Throbbing Gristle — Still Walking

  18.  Throbbing Gristle — Hot on the Heals of Love

  19.  Fad Gadget — Back to Nature

  20. Silicon Teens — Memphis Tennessee

  21.  Gary Numan — Are Friends Electric?

  22.  Gary Numan — Cars

  23.  Visage — Fade to Grey

  24. The Flying Lizards — Money

  25.  Depeche Mode — New Life

  26.  Depeche Mode — Just Can't Get Enough

  27.  The Human League — Don't You Want Me

  28.  Heaven 17 — Penthouse & Pavement

  29.  Cabaret Voltaire — Landslide

  30.  Soft Cell — Tainted Love

  31.  Yazoo — Only You

  32.  Yazoo — Don't Go

  33.  Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Maid of Orleans

  34.  Eurythmics — Sweet Dreams

  35.  Ultravox — Vienna

  36.  Kraftwerk — The Model

  37.  Depeche Mode — Everything Counts

  38.  Depeche Mode — Master and Servant

  39.  Pet Shop Boys — West End Girls

  40.  New Order — Ceremony

  41.  New Order — Blue Monday

  42. Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder — Together in Electric Dreams

Credits

Director
Ben Whalley
Producer
Ben Whalley
Executive Producer
Mark Cooper
via bbc.co.uk