The Paradiso Synthesizer

MIT News - March 14, 2012
In 1973, Media Lab associate professor Joe Paradiso was an undergraduate at Tufts University, and didn't know anyone who had built an analog music synthesizer, or "synth," from scratch.
It was a time, he says, when information and parts for do-it-yourself projects were scarce, and digital synthesizer production was on the rise. But, he decided to tackle the project - without any formal training - and sought out advice from local college professors, including his now-colleague in the Media Lab, Barry Vercoe. Paradiso gathered information from manufacturers' data sheets and hobbyist magazines he found in public libraries. He taught himself basic electronics, scrounged for parts from surplus stores and spent a decade and a half building modules and hacking consumer keyboards to create the synth, which he completed in the 1980s.
That synthesizer, probably the world's largest with more than 125 modules (web.media.mit.e..., is now on display in the MIT Museum.
Every few weeks, Paradiso changes the complex configurations of wires connecting the synthesizer's modules, called "patches," to create a new sonic environment. The synthesizer streams live online 24 hours a day at synth.media.mit...; starting this week, visitors to the synthesizer's website can even change the patch parameters online.
Learn more about Paradiso's synthesizer! web.media.mit.e...
And read more at MIT News: web.mit.edu/new...

[@Rhythmicons]

Robert De Niro built a huge synthesizer!

[@hemprope4326]

How about another tone murray

[@moth.6380]

Hemp Rope loll

[@ParlanceOpus]

I love the look and concept of modular synthesis, but they all sound like a B-grade 70's sci-fi soundtrack rather than something truly futuristic. I think people fall in love with the idea of them more than the result.

[@A10Aful]

I agree so. More the concept than the result!

[@panayotistountas2702]

You are right from one point of view. I do believe however that the reason behind this lies in the way they use it. Most of these music nerds they don't care about the aesthetics of the things they build rather than the scheme diagram they have in their minds. I am pretty sure that this thing has the potential to create amazing futuristic music worlds if someone has enough patience to explore it. Don't forget, that they are very few artists that they succeded to use modular synths with creative way - one favourite example of mine is Aurelia Smith czcams.com/video/9ALnPqBxc6I/video.html&ab_channel=MoogMusicInc

[@ParlanceOpus]

@@panayotistountas2702 yes I'm sure its possible to extract a truly futuristic sound if you know your internment well enough. I guess in that way they are no different than any other instrument. One of my favourite artists ever, Laurie Spiegel, used early synthesizers, but she was extremely concept driven and in control and did not let the machine "play itself" czcams.com/video/BUgSJt7Q7gw/video.html

[@harrymartin684]

That's the appeal.

[@peterlamberty9958]

thanks for being at Moogfest 2014! enjoyed your presentation, and those of your PhD candidates.

[@Rhythmicons]

That would have been the coolest thing to put on a CV right there.

[@peterlamberty9958]

@ vitualz: in a word, yes, the quality is better than digital. also, this is what a synthesizer looked like in the 1970's, and if you didn't built it yourself, you paid somebody else, (dearly) to build it for you. this is the real McCoy. :)

[@hemprope4326]

This thing is almost alive...

[@shayneoneill1506]

I wonder how this big boi stacks up against TONTO. I mean theres some pretty clear design differences but end result wise, I'd love to hear a video talking about the design choices in each and what it all means.

[@shadowslayer81]

Wasn't this already up?
Or am I just psychic?

[@shmarginwoof]

He could build the world's largest synth, but he couldn't put a lowpass on his voice to make his S's quieter.

[@-__-_-_--__--_-__-_____--_-___]

Homemade how

[@rjblujay]

is this gary's?

[@reidbabbington8027]

*screams in 19khz*

[@szcsaba101]

Big! You have to use software synth w/ laptop to go to the stage :D

[@theweakobey]

Not if you have enough lackies.

[@clarkstkilla]

Uh they didn't have personal computers back then kid. This is a home-made analog subtractive synth not no damn korg. This is the experimentation of an electrical engineer not some sampler used by dubstep producers

[@zacdior9402]

Drop that synth!
Hey, I'd love to drop this synth from approximately 100 metres up. These synths are huge, heavy and cool.
Peace ✌️ out people

[@gerritw.rougoor663]

I think this one is called God's fist

[@Dubtee]

Not enough likes on this video

[@flowerpower111]

Nothing my Microkorg can't do.

[@anthonycostine5067]

Lol!

[@MrAzureJames]

way too damn many cords. Is there anything that can be done about that??

[@moesalamander7012]

Azure James wireless cords I guess? Those would be hella hard to keep track of lol

[@ClassicalContrarian]

Close your eyes??