From mpituch@hotmail.com Sat Dec 01 18:03:22 2001
Subject:Re: user interface

Hello Larry and All:

Well, two things.

1. Larry, You write a damn good 'E'.

2. I've never met you, we really don't know each other, and it's rather
unlikey that we'll ever meet in person. But, I think we might be cosmicaly
related somehow. Why? Because, I too, would probably buy the Solina 'sight
unheard' in the heat of aqusistion. After all, it sounded good years before,
it should still be a nice instrument? Right?

Well, I guess not. Your tale reminded me of the Electro-Harmonix Theremin I
tried in the 70's. I really wanted it as a musical 'toy', but
couldn't/didn't persue it due to more pressing matters. (Minimoogs, drinks,
girls, etc) I recently purchased a Moog Etherwave. I just ran into a guy who
had the old EH Theremin. After listening to this antique, What I then
thought sounded 'cool', compared to the Etherewave, sounded like a very
lame, lo-fi, barely musical semi-sine wave... and without the volume
control. It is housed in the cheapest case you can imagine. (EH was never a
high-end product anyway, this just semmed even more low-rent than usual) In
short, it was NOTHING like I remembered.

It's interesting how 'Father Time' clouds our memories and makes everything
a little more romantic.

Thanks Larry.
Mark P.

>From: Larry Schurr
>Reply-To: CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com
>To: CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [CWSG] user interface
>Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2001 15:47:43 -0600
>
> > So...Larry-O
> >
> > >A few years ago, I was in the exact same boat as yourself:>
> > >
> > >I just wanna be there when it happens :-) My reaction was ...well, ..
>mine
> > >:-)
> >
> > Care to elucidate on that experience? If only because you usually write
>a
> > damn good 'E'.
> >
> > Mark
>
>Well, OK, one last story then off to bed...
>
>For years I played a Crumar Orchestrator. When I bought it, the choice was
>it or the Omni. 61note vs. 49. "Built in" case, sliders that allowed
>you to mix the strings. Brass/synth or sliders and full time split. So
>I chose the Orchestrator --- oh yeah, it was $600 LESS, so I chose the
>Orchestrator :-) The Omni had richer, smoother strings and really great
>(and still does) pipe organ patch. The real standard. The Crumar was
>the Italian copy. Oh well.
>
>Now, remember, in those days, we weren't looking for "a string sound",
>we were looking for "Strings". Authenticity was king. The Holy
>Grail was acoustic piano which, of course, no one had. In retrospect,
>given the sounds we had to work with, we learned much about voicings
>and arrangements out of sheer necessity. Not so, today.
>
>Time goes on. Years and years, as it happens. Many impulsive purchases
>later, I'm well into polyphonics and now digital, I see this Omni-II for
>sale. Omni-II, eh? Well, I BUY it *without* even playing it. ($175)
>Took it to my longtime tech for the requisite slider cleaning, etc. cuz
>the owner said it was "scratchy". So I gets it home, hook it up, turns
>it on, take a deep breath, and....
>
>Ok, there was no scratchiness, the sound was clean. All the keys worked
>just like the tech said; it was a class-A unit. And remember, you don't
>buy a string machine for its "action", its far more viscereal than that.
>
>Nor am I trying to be particularly profound or vague, it's just...
>
>Well, the sound was wonderful, spectactular, and rife with splendor...
>for a little while. The Right Brain kicks in and, in waves
>of nostalgia, rejoices! -- cuz this is "just like I remember it!"....
>Wow .... Mmmmm .... maahvelous ..
>*Then* the Left Brain takes over and says, somewhat cooly, "yes... this
>IS just like I remember it... just exactly like it was ... in every
>detail..."
>
>Then it starts:
>Maybe I hadn't given it a chance, maybe some EQ, maybe some More
>reverb, Ok, maybe some MORE.., adjust some eq again ... maybe if
>I let it set and warm up for a little longer ... uhh, no, that's
>tubes ... there's just gotta be something I'm missing, here... need
>a band playing...yeah, that's it...
>
>And then, for me, started the forced trip through pain, denial, anger,
>etc... I accepted the machine is functioning perfectly and those were
>the exact sounds I worshipped in times before. Ouch.
>
>Not one to learn wisely, this scene was repeated about 3 more times
>then it was allowed to sit for 6 months, then I SOLD it. Not one to
>learn quickly, I did the EXACT SAME THING with an Odyssey. Sold it,
>too. The omni went to some guy that *had* to have it. After all,
>it was VintageAnalog, right?
>
>For me, the moral of the story goes like this:
>The machines are right where we left them. There's reasons we left
>them but we sometimes forget. To some, like the guy who bought it,
>they're fine wines and mahogony boardrooms of days gone by. To me
>they're a bunch of 40 year olds trying to remind everyone they scored
>the touchdown in highschool.
>
>It was, to me, nothing short of epiphany.
>
>Now finish your milk and go pee ... be sure to wash your hands!
>
>Larry
>

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