I'm a big fan of string machines, and I loved this video. It's really cool how you can modulate the tone just by pressing various combinations of the preset buttons. Near the end, I noticed you doing it rhythmically, which sounded awesome with the delay and Phaser.
I have just found one of these ultra rare beasts. I bought it from the first owner who bought it at a trade show in Germany in the seventies. Mine never had a LEM or GEM badge, only Galanti. I love how the Insta-Strings has polyphonic VCA's, so true individual attack and release per note. Many string synths don't have this, even the big name big money ones. And as mentioned here, it doesn't have this overly obvious tremolo droning sound that many of the old string synths have in the lower regions. A rare few string synths are even smoother, but the majority of them growl like a cold diesel which isn't often desirable. Mine also has lost a bit of its finish around the faders, just like yours. :)
Ich liebe diese alten Strings in Verbindung mit dem EHX einfach alle.Traumhaft....dieser hier kann sich klangmaessig locker mit einer Solina messen.Top :-)
I had one of these and I preferred it over the other string machines even though it was less popular. I found that the three phase type chorus gave less tremolo to the sound. If I added a delay line in one of the stereo legs and stereo reverb (and a bit of EQ) I could get a really convincing string section so long as it wasn't too exposed. I managed to get hold of the circuit diagram and with a few switches and a set of diodes (one for each note) I made an instant attack option, a bypass chorus option, an external input to the chorus stage (which I plugged my electronic EP10 piano into) and I ended up with a whole new range of sounds (not string related at all).
Hello Chris,Oh yes, I can remeber you from the Kufstein Meeting HajoBTW:today, the new SYNMAG is out, here you find an ROBOTERWERKE article from me Hajo
Aha! Ich wusste, der KS hatte damals einen Elka-Synthesizer benützt (im Büchlein der CD steht nur "Elka String") aber ich wusste nicht welchen... Bis heute. Danke schön!
@@AnalogAudio1 Naja kommt drauf an ob man unterscheiden will zwischen 490 und 610, soweit ich beurteilen kann klingt das 610 noch etwas "reichhaltiger" ;)
@@erebousde KS hat ja eh nur die String-Sounds gespielt - im Gegensatz zu TD, die auch die "Harpsichord" Register gerne einsetzten. KS sieht man auf Fotos nur mit dem 610.
What a fantastic sound. I wish the bigger companies would make a proper stringer again. Always loved that ensemble sound.
I'm a big fan of string machines, and I loved this video. It's really cool how you can modulate the tone just by pressing various combinations of the preset buttons. Near the end, I noticed you doing it rhythmically, which sounded awesome with the delay and Phaser.
yeah, thanks
I have just found one of these ultra rare beasts. I bought it from the first owner who bought it at a trade show in Germany in the seventies. Mine never had a LEM or GEM badge, only Galanti. I love how the Insta-Strings has polyphonic VCA's, so true individual attack and release per note. Many string synths don't have this, even the big name big money ones. And as mentioned here, it doesn't have this overly obvious tremolo droning sound that many of the old string synths have in the lower regions. A rare few string synths are even smoother, but the majority of them growl like a cold diesel which isn't often desirable.
Mine also has lost a bit of its finish around the faders, just like yours. :)
Never heard of it, but sounds like a good contender of the Solina. These string machines had a very defining sound in the 70's rock music.
Wow this sounds awesome!
Ich liebe diese alten Strings in Verbindung mit dem EHX einfach alle.Traumhaft....dieser hier kann sich klangmaessig locker mit einer Solina messen.Top :-)
wow one of the best!!!
Cool sound, it's soooo Mid 70's!
never heard of this 70's stringer before..a real beauty
yeah, it's a rare beast like all LEM products. LEM even made a sampling keyboard, but just a few copies were produced.
I had one of these and I preferred it over the other string machines even though it was less popular. I found that the three phase type chorus gave less tremolo to the sound. If I added a delay line in one of the stereo legs and stereo reverb (and a bit of EQ) I could get a really convincing string section so long as it wasn't too exposed. I managed to get hold of the circuit diagram and with a few switches and a set of diodes (one for each note) I made an instant attack option, a bypass chorus option, an external input to the chorus stage (which I plugged my electronic EP10 piano into) and I ended up with a whole new range of sounds (not string related at all).
Hiya... Im wondering if you can point me to where I can get the circuit diagram, schematic. or service manual....cheers
@@JoeySalmon1 Hi Joey. sadly I lost my copy many years ago. mind you if you do find a copy somewhere I'd like to know as well. Thanks
wonderful space age sounds :)
I had never heard of this one before. It sounds a bit like the Eminent/ARP Solina. The Small Stone just adds to the awesomeness of this thing.
It’s a very nice sounding machine. Does this use divide-down circuitry like a Solina?
Yes it does
@@AnalogAudio1 cool thanks
That's super psychedelic how much do these cost?
Anybody find a service manual or schematics for this beauty...found one down the tip- powers up but no output
Hello Chris,Oh yes, I can remeber you from the Kufstein Meeting
HajoBTW:today, the new SYNMAG is out, here you find an ROBOTERWERKE article from me
Hajo
Der Sound erinnert mich an einige Alben von Klaus Schulze (Timewind zum Beispiel).
das war die Elka Rhapsody... klar, eine gewisse Ähnlichkeit ist da
Aha! Ich wusste, der KS hatte damals einen Elka-Synthesizer benützt (im Büchlein der CD steht nur "Elka String") aber ich wusste nicht welchen... Bis heute. Danke schön!
Von Elka gab es keine anderen String-Keyboards außer der Rhapsody... ;-)
@@AnalogAudio1 Naja kommt drauf an ob man unterscheiden will zwischen 490 und 610, soweit ich beurteilen kann klingt das 610 noch etwas "reichhaltiger" ;)
@@erebousde KS hat ja eh nur die String-Sounds gespielt - im Gegensatz zu TD, die auch die "Harpsichord" Register gerne einsetzten. KS sieht man auf Fotos nur mit dem 610.
Sounds cool, similar to the PAiA Stringz N Thingz keyboard.
Ne güzel o yıllardaki sesler Bizim Barış Manço abimiz kullanırdı bu sesleri. I am from Turkey.
sounds somewhere like the Elka 610
Very nice indeed, a bit like a SIEL Orchestra
Much better sounding than a Siel Cruise.
it's likely because this does not have square wave tones like the Siel
Freeze dried strings, just add phaser to bring to boil.
haha... not exactly freezed, I would say cheesy but nice. But with a phaser the magic begins!
@@AnalogAudio1 I liked them, they sounded authentic to me, a match for the Solina.