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Serge history

2009-08-06 by asloan12

I was wondering when the early Serge modulars were made, an artist put out a CD (excellent by the way) cliaming to have a 1972 Serge modular. As far as I can tell they came into existence around 1975.

http://bleep.com/index.php?page=release_details&releaseid=18286
http://www.myspace.com/twentysystems

Re: Serge history

2009-08-06 by sprgroups@o2.co.uk

> As far as I can tell they came into existence around 1975.

First Serges were 1973 or possibly late 1972.

Steve

Re: Serge history

2009-08-06 by Adam Sloan

For evidence, http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/serge.php:
"Initially designed in 1974 (in Serge's home), mass production of the systems began in 1975"

http://www.serge-fans.com/history.htm says:
"The Serge company was started in 1975, in the West Hollywood area, then headed north to San Francisco's Haight Street a few years later." Worked on TONTO before that.

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--- On Thu, 8/6/09, sprgroups@... <sprgroups@...> wrote:

From: sprgroups@... <sprgroups@...>
Subject: Re: [SergeModular] Serge history
To: SergeModular@yahoogroups.com
Received: Thursday, August 6, 2009, 2:30 PM

> As far as I can tell they came into existence around 1975.

First Serges were 1973 or possibly late 1972.

Steve

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Re: Serge history

2009-08-06 by don hassler

I think Carter Thomas built the one I own in 1972.

Here's the picture:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SergeModular/photos/album/1968262775/pic/2018331444/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

--- On Thu, 8/6/09, sprgroups@... <sprgroups@...> wrote:

From: sprgroups@... <sprgroups@...>
Subject: Re: [SergeModular] Serge history
To: SergeModular@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, August 6, 2009, 4:30 PM

> As far as I can tell they came into existence around 1975.

First Serges were 1973 or possibly late 1972.

Steve

Re: Serge history

2009-08-06 by sprgroups@o2.co.uk

> For evidence, http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/serge.php:
> "Initially designed in 1974 (in Serge's home), mass production
> of the systems began in 1975"

Don't believe everything you read. This early one is dated 1973.

http://www.cgs.synth.net/synth/serge/

Look below the sequencer panel (middle left) and you will
see the date 1973. Some of the modules in this system are
prototypes (eg one of the Peak & Trough modules is on
strip board) and all of the modules are of the first generation,
so it's clearly an early model.

I've seen pictures of a system with "Tcherepnin" on the
front, which looked even earlier. I can't find any firm
written evidence for 1972, but the first Serge must have
been early 1973 or late 1972. The only person who might
know is Serge...

> "The Serge company was started in 1975, in the West Hollywood
> area, then headed north to San Francisco's Haight Street a few
> years later." Worked on TONTO before that.

The full quote is: "Serge eventually quit teaching and began to build
synthesizers more seriously, using the first designs as a
springboard.
The Serge company was started in 1975..."

The first generation of Serge designs were build by students at
Calarts well before SMMS was set up.

The TONTO stuff came after the Calarts systems and before
the SMMS ones. Some of the second generation modules are
offshoots of his TONTO work, eg the ASR and KEG.

Steve

Re: Serge history

2009-08-06 by me t

Do old serge modulars command higher collector prices like the orignal 200 buchlas?

Re: Serge history

2009-08-07 by Don Hassler

I can't imagine, but the old ones do have their charm. And their envelope generators!

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--- In SergeModular@yahoogroups.com, me t <ubaduh321@...> wrote:
>
> Do old serge modulars command higher collector prices like the orignal 200 buchlas?
>

Re: Serge history

2009-08-07 by John P

Nothing I've seen would indicate a higher price for the very early Serges.
However, that would depend on the particular unit's condition.

Buchlas were available only used for a long time. Now that Don sells the
200e, the early 200s still have appeal to those who don't care for the
digital stuff.

old Buchlas also tend to be hoarded (!) and maintained by fanatics, so
they tend to be in good shape.

me t wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

>
> Do old serge modulars command higher collector prices like the orignal
> 200 buchlas?
>

Re: Serge history

2009-08-07 by roelelec

When I hear Buchla 100, 200 and 200e on Youtube (wouldn't it be great to hear such powerful machines as 100 and 200 f.e. at a friend's house!) 100 and 200 have such a warm and organic feeling to their sound. The 200e sounds much colder, it must be due to it's analog/digital hybrid structure.
Serge has that warmth too, but has also somehting in it's sound that I can't lay my finger on.

Btw John,
A while ago I bought two albums of yours from cd baby. That was before I became a owner myself. I wanted to hear pure Serge sounds.
But your music came as a suprise, being so extreme abstract. I have a hard time liking it. Not for it's sounds, but for it's music! Not that I'm not fond of experimental stuff. Take f.i. Herbert Eimer's WDR studio Cologne experiments in the 50s. Or Oskar Sala's Trautonium experiments. I love that stuff. Also love pieces from Pauline Oliveros, but can't get into Karl Heinz Stockhausen.

John wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

> Buchlas were available only used for a long time. Now that Don sells the
> 200e, the early 200s still have appeal to those who don't care for the
> digital stuff.

Re: Serge history

2009-08-07 by John P

roelelec wrote:

>
>
>
>
> Btw John,
> A while ago I bought two albums of yours from cd baby. That was before
> I became a owner myself. I wanted to hear pure Serge sounds.
> But your music came as a suprise, being so extreme abstract. I have a
> hard time liking it. Not for it's sounds, but for it's music! Not that
> I'm not fond of experimental stuff. Take f.i. Herbert Eimer's WDR
> studio Cologne experiments in the 50s. Or Oskar Sala's Trautonium
> experiments. I love that stuff. Also love pieces from Pauline
> Oliveros, but can't get into Karl Heinz Stockhausen.
>
>
> I appreciate your honesty. My stuff has been compared to Stockhausen's
> before. To each his own.
>
> _

Re: Serge history

2009-08-08 by sasami@hotkey.net.au

I have a 1973 made Serge - It says so on it. It was probably from the second
batch made. It was definitely NOT from the first. Back then it wasn't a
company, but a "cooperative" between Serge and various students.

Ken
_______________________________________________________________________
Ken Stone sasami@... otherunicorn@...
Modular Synth PCBs for sale <http://www.cgs.synth.net/>
Australian Miniature Horses & Ponies <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/>

Re: Serge history

2009-08-08 by roelelec

Ai, your work has been compared to KH Stockhause!
Still i will play your albums and see if do get in to it.
I get back to you.
I also listened to Maiers and Carpenter's tracks.
Beautiful, but very abstract music to get in to.
I have the first Serge compilation album.
Some good stuff on there.
I will definately buy the new one.

Btw how many panels is your system made of?

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--- In SergeModular@yahoogroups.com, John P <johnp299792@...> wrote:
>
> roelelec wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Btw John,
> > A while ago I bought two albums of yours from cd baby. That was before
> > I became a owner myself. I wanted to hear pure Serge sounds.
> > But your music came as a suprise, being so extreme abstract. I have a
> > hard time liking it. Not for it's sounds, but for it's music! Not that
> > I'm not fond of experimental stuff. Take f.i. Herbert Eimer's WDR
> > studio Cologne experiments in the 50s. Or Oskar Sala's Trautonium
> > experiments. I love that stuff. Also love pieces from Pauline
> > Oliveros, but can't get into Karl Heinz Stockhausen.
> >
> >
> > I appreciate your honesty. My stuff has been compared to Stockhausen's
> > before. To each his own.
> >
> > _
>

Re: Serge history

2009-08-10 by Adam Sloan

The artist Benge sent me a reply, saying: "actually, serge started making kits with students at cal arts in 1972. part of my system is from that era".

I guess when something is built by Serge it never dies!

-Adam

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--- On Fri, 8/7/09, sasami@... <sasami@...> wrote:

From: sasami@... <sasami@...>
Subject: [SergeModular] Re: Serge history
To: SergeModular@yahoogroups.com
Received: Friday, August 7, 2009, 8:46 PM

I have a 1973 made Serge - It says so on it. It was probably from the second
batch made. It was definitely NOT from the first. Back then it wasn't a
company, but a "cooperative" between Serge and various students.

Ken
____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _
Ken Stone sasami@hotkey. net.au otherunicorn@ virginbroadband. com.au
Modular Synth PCBs for sale <http://www.cgs. synth.net/>
Australian Miniature Horses & Ponies <http://www.blaze. net.au/~sasami/>

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Re: Serge history

2009-08-11 by buchla300

--- In SergeModular@yahoogroups.com, Adam Sloan <asloan12@...> wrote:

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>
> The artist Benge sent me a reply, saying: "actually, serge started
> making kits with students at cal arts in 1972. part of my system is
> from that era".
>
> I guess when something is built by Serge it never dies!
>
> -Adam
>
>

My system is also from that era I believe. Having said that, it does need a good overhaul!