The rare Steiner-Parker Synthacon is a portable 3-VCO monophonic analog synthesizer that rivals the popular Minimoog with its fat tone, durable construction and stable, stable tuning. The Synthacon has the same circuitry as the modular SynthaSystem. Interestingly, the Synthacon's filter can self-oscillate like the Minimoog, but has an opposite polarity so it doesn't lose any volume when resonance is increased as do the Minimoog and Odyssey's filters.

Each of the Synthacon's 3 oscillators can be modulated by a variety of sources: LFO, EG1, EG2, VCF, sample-and-hold, and other oscillators. White and Pink noise make for brilliant ocean/wind sounds. The filter is a multimode resonant beast switchable between high, band and lowpass filtering. It can be used to filter each of the oscillators and the noise gens. The shape of the filtering can be controlled by EG2, sample-and-hold, VCO3 or the keyboard. The voltage-controlled amp can control the oscillators, noise and filter. And there are (2) envelope generators which can control the VCA, oscillators, noise and filter.

Earlier models of the Synthacon had silver-faced front panels. Later a duophonic upgrade, the "Two Voice Synthacon" was released. The Synthacon has been used by Earth Wind and Fire, Joe Walsh, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa and John Paul Jones.

Jakob

November 22, 2009 @ 1:07 pm

This was one of the many synths used on Depeche Mode's "Sounds of the Universe" album.

Benny

June 22, 2009 @ 2:18 pm

The Tuss (a.k.a. Richard D. James) also uses this, hell, he's even made a track called Synthacon 9, really awesome bass.

Kurt

April 21, 2009 @ 11:02 am

It has been used by Depeche Mode on their latest album.S.O.T.U

Micke

April 8, 2009 @ 1:38 pm

The Synthacon has also been used by Alex Cima (on LEM's "Machines" ('77) and his solo album "Cosmic connections" ('79), Shirley Walker (Apocalypse Now soundtrack / double Synthacon), Nyle Steiner, Suzanne Ciani and Stu Goldberg / Mahavishnu orchestra.

The synth part on Led Zeppelin's "In The Light" was done on an
EMS VCS3.

REwire

January 31, 2009 @ 7:20 pm

I don't think it measures up to the Minimoog for fat basses and thickness but it's filter is the crunchiest ever and amazing modulation routing. Hear my all Synthacon Demo at - http://www.rewiremusic.com/Audio/Demos/REwire_-_Synthacon_Demo.mp3

<21>

 

Post Comment!

Your Name: (Required.)

Email Address: (Required, not published.)

Image verification: (required)

Message:

 

Posting Rules:
Please keep your comments relevant! Do not post requests for help, do not use for sales, do not post unless you have something interesting to say about this instrument, or we may delete your post.

I have read and understand the posting rules.