The RedFaux Transmission

What To Get Electronic Musicians for the Holidays 2010 For Under $60

 

It's that time of year again boys and girls.  Yup the holiday gift giving fervor is in full swing (ooh boy), so I thought I'd chime in again this year with my list of 11 fun and geeky-cool items under $60 to give to your favorite electronic musician on your list! To find out more about an item, click on the title links.

Without further ado here we go...

1.  Electronic Music Synthesizer T-Shirt $30.00 

 This t-shirt looks like tons of fun.  It's a playable, wearable synthesizer t-shirt from Think Geek.  You may have to also purchase a bat to keep people from fondling the keys while your wearing it though. ;-)  (from ThinkGeek)

 

2. Melody Horn Air Powered Synth $29.99 

 Do you have an electronic musician on your list that's full of a lot of hot air? ;-) Well unplug him and shut him up at the same time with this awesome melodica style keyboard! (from ThinkGeek)

 

3.  Korg Monotron Synthesizer $59.99
The Monotrone is an affordable, palm-sized analog synthesizer complete with ribbon controller and a VCO, VCF & LFO. Lots of great noise potential for small amount of bucks! (from ThinkGeek)

 

   

 4. Synthesizer Mouse Pad $10.95

 Cool synthesizer mouse pad or big fat coaster for those using optical mice. :) (from Zazzle) 

 

   

5. Synthesizer Skateboard Deck $59.99 

So whether the person on your list will put wheels on this and shred hardcore or just put it on their wall this is a pretty unique gift.  (from Zazzle)  

 

 

6. Mini-Theramin $29.99 

 This little kit is easy to build and and you can actually play it! No soldering required and it runs on 4 AA batteries. Cool! (from Maker's Shed) 

 

 

7. Electronic Music Pioneers Book $16.99

This book, by Ben Kettlewell, details the history of electronic music and the people & technology that brought the music and bands we love so much.  Softcover. (from Amazon)  

 

 

8. Analog Cassette Tape Bag $11.99 

   This cool tote is the perfect thing for the retro musician on your list. I know I want one.   (from thinkgeek)

 

 

 9. Synthesizer (TB-303) Thermos $20.00 

 I'm picking out a thermos for you... not an ordinary thermos for you... a cool synthesizer thermos! What more could anyone want? (from Cafe Press)

 

 

10. Moog Voyager Oscillator Hat $19.00

 This cool hat has the schematic of the famous VCO right on the top of the hat.  The logo is on the back of the cap.  Geeky and cool at the same time. (from Moog)

 

11. Vintage Korg T-Shirts $21.99 

 Korg has 4 different flavors of vintage tees available for sale: MS-20, Trident, Mono/Poly (my favorite) and the Doncamatic.  These would make awesome gifts for anyone who loves Korg Synthesizers.  (from Korg)

 

 

Well that pretty much wraps up my gift list for this year (pun intended ;-). Hope you find something for the synth geek on your list! 

P.S. If you like this post, you may like the gift list I made last year for electronic musicians.  You can read that one HERE

- Until Next Time... Over N Out

-RED

Austin Handmade Music Workshop #9 - July 11th

The 9th Austin Handmade Music workshop is happening this sunday (July 11th) at the Salvage Vanguard Theater in Austin, Tx.  The workshop will consist of building little photo-theremin kits (see video below) followed by a synthesizer/circuit bent show & tell and part swap meet.  The festivities start at 2pm and go until 7pm. Theremin kits are $5 and are on a first come first serve basis.  Come on down and check it out.  It should be fun! For more info go HERE

-Until next time... Over N Out

RED

Austin Handmade Music Workshop #6 - The Space Baby

On Saturday, March 20th, I went to the 6th Austin Handmade Music workshop at the Salvage Vanguard Theater in Austin.  This month we were able to choose a kit from all of the previous kits that were offered.  I was sick for last month's workshop so this worked out great for me.  I chose the kit they made last month, the Space Baby, designed by Nathan Wooster of Wooster Audio. The Space Baby is a delay box with controls for delay, ring modulation, delay modulation, feedback and mix. It has a nice mellow echo-ey sound and the ring modulation and delay modulation make it sound even trippier.  This was the most difficult kit in the work shop series, mostly because it was hard to read the resistor color codes on the myriad of blue resistors on the kit... good thing Nathan was there with a meter so I could test them.  However once I got past that it was pretty easy. Nathan was nice enough to offer advice and double check solder joints while I put it togethor.  Where else can you go to build a kit and have the engineer actually keep an eye on you while you put it togethor? Pretty cool if you ask me.   Below is a video demo Nathan made showing off what the Space Baby can do. 

I think this kit is my favorite yet of the Austin Handmade series and I've already spent hours playing with it.  If you want to build your own Space Baby you can order kits HERE. 

There was another kit available that I haven't made yet because it is new.  It was Eric Archer's "Tune in Tokyo" LFO noise maker which sounds like endless tuning for an AM station that doesn't exist.  It sounds pretty bitchin'. You can check it out HERE.

For more information about the Austin Handmade Music workshop series go HERE.

-Over N Out - Til next time :)

RED

Switched On: Brand New Music Electronics Store in Austin, TX

Saturday night my friend Alex Keller, Austin sound artist, video game sound designer, and mobile sound engineer extraordinaire, and I made our way to the opening celebration of a new store in Austin, Switched On.  Switched On is a Music Electronics shop that specializes in "providing repair, restoration, education, consultation and an array of vintage musical instruments". 

The opening started at 7pm and we got their around 7:30 to check out the store and and hear Eric Archer play a set of his unique jam-style electronic music.  The store was packed with people gawking at the array of vintage synths and drum machines lined up on the walls of the store.  There were headphones available so folks could plug in and play around with the gear.  I almost felt like I was in a synth museum as I wandered past the Mini-Moog, Korg Mono-Poly, Roland Juno Six, Rythm Ace drum machines, Farfisa organ, etc etc. 

 The party also extended to the Victory Grill across the street.  Where they were serving up free beer and live electronic music from a handful of Austin electronic bands.  We hung out there and caught some music and some beers and called it a night. I left the event thinking that Switched On was a cool concept but perhaps they have made too small of a niche for themselves.  They seem to focus mostly on vintage synth gear and a smattering of boutique electronics from various local sources (Bleep Labs, 4MS Pedals).  Most of the vintage gear, while extremely cool, is very pricey, difficult to maintain and appeals only to a small subset of people who create electronic music.  Boutique gear is also very cool but again only appeals to a small niche.  My thought is that in order for Switched On to survive they will have to look at also stocking new synths, controllers and (gasp) software.  Regardless I wish them luck as I think the store is cool.  

For more pictures of the event and the gear in the store, check out my Flickr Photo Stream. 

- Until Next Time... Over N Out

RED

Correction on Austin Handmade Workshop #5

The date for the Austin Handmade Workshop has been changed from February 21st to February 28th.  Please take note!

Until then, enjoy this video of the Pico Paso, the kit that will be made in the beginner workshop.

- Over N Out
RED

Gearing Up For Austin Handmade Workshop #5

Its about that time again for another Austin Handmade Synth workshop at the Salvage Vanguard theater! The workshop will take place February 28th. This month we are making a stepped tone sequencer called "Pico Paso" and a delay module called the "Space Baby" designed by Nathan Wooster of Wooster Audio.  You can sign up HERE

Here's a preview of the Space Baby

I'll have more pics and sounds after the workshop! Stay tuned :)

- Until Next Time... Over N Out

RED