20 GRP A4 synthesizers on the road

2012-10-03
by Theo Bloderer

20 hand-made instruments … it’s amazing to be faced with such a quantity of GRP A4 synthesizers. We brought them home from Rome to Munich … and we’re happy to determine that the A4 is truly luxurious and beautiful. An interview with GRP will follow soon.

GRP A4 Synthesizer

Paolo Groppioni, Theo Bloderer, Stefan Leberfinger and Martin Machwitz

GRP A4 Synthesizer

GRP A4 Synthesizer

GRP A4 Synthesizer

GRP A4 Synthesizer

GRP A4 Synthesizer

Filed under 2012, General
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“Es genügt, einen Ton schön zu spielen” sagte der Komponist Arvo Pärt im Jahre 2005. Diese Aussage ist ebenso einfach wie ich auch exzellent: Es braucht kein Meer an Tönen, denn entscheidend ist der Klang. Dass so mancher Vintage-Synthesizer der 70er und 80er Jahre teils unerreicht hochwertige Klänge liefert, steht außer Frage. Doch tatsächlich leben wir “heute” in einer nahezu perfekten Zeit. Einerseits hat man – mehr oder weniger – noch Zugriff auf die Vintage Analogen, andererseits wird auch bei Neugeräten die wichtige Komponente des hochwertigen Klanges wieder zunehmend berücksichtigt. Doepfer, Cwejman, Synthesizers.com, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Studio Electronics, COTK, John Bowen und andere Hersteller bauen hervorragende Synthesizer, die den “Klassikern” in nichts nachstehen. All diesen (alten wie neuen) “großartigen” Instrumenten ist Great Synthesizers gewidmet. _________________________________________________________ In 2005 composer Arvo Pärt said: “Playing one tone really well is enough”. In other words, it is sufficient to play one tone 'beautifully'. I agree with that. All musical efforts are focused on the sound itself. Although I studied classical music (piano and drums), it’s the electronic sound that inspires me. Synthesizers are the epitome of new sounds and exciting tonal spheres. Today, many companies produce high-quality - excellent! - synthesizers: Doepfer, Cwejman, MacBeth, Moog, GRP, Synthesizers.com, COTK, Studio Electronics, John Bowen and others. It's their products I'm really interested in ... apart from Vintage Synthesizers, which I have been collecting for 20 years. Subsequent to our former websites Bluesynths and Blogasys, Peter Mahr and I have now created GreatSynthesizers. We hope you like it.

6 Comments

  1. Isham
    2012-10-03

    Beautiful and sonically above my expectations … Wondering if more midi controls will be implemented in the future ?
    Best Regards,
    Isham

  2. Theo Bloderer
    2012-10-04

    Hello Isham

    Oh, wonderful to hear you like the A4. What MIDI controls are missing in your opinion? Eventually there will be a second batch of A4 synthesizers built in 2013, but I guess there will be no redesign. Anyway, it would be interesting to know what MIDI functions you miss.

    Regards,
    Theo

  3. isham
    2012-10-07

    Thank you Theo !

    your blog/testing are always a pleasure to read (and convinced me also on the GRP A4), I’m so happy by the grp, it sounds marvellous, kind of future classic. I have little experience in the modular/semi-modular world but learning with it is a fantastic journey.
    I’m using the cirklon with it (midi) and I was not sure if velocity via midi control was available, I would love also to control the filters…(maybe I’m dreaming there !)
    Isham

  4. isham
    2012-10-07

    I found my answer on GRP site:
    “A4 receives: MIDI Note On/Off, Bend, Modulation, Aftertouch, Key Velocity, Expression Pedal, Damper.”

    Do you know if it uses specific midi message numbers ?

  5. Theo Bloderer
    2012-10-07

    … the A4 (and the A8) receive Vel, Aft T, etc … as listed, and MIDI clock. When you send velocity information to the A4, then simply switch velocity of both filters ON. It’s the filter EG amount that is controlled via Vel, to be exact. So you have to turn up the EG amount knob (very left and very right of the filter envelope) too, in order to get any filter modulation. Contact me (theo@greatsynthesizers.com) if there are any detailled questions.

    … cheers, Theo

  6. isham
    2012-10-07

    Thank you Theo for the straightforward support ! Trying it now,
    I wish you a good end of Sunday, playing with these inspiring machine certainly (as I since several hours…)
    Best Regards,
    Isham

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