A-100 English Main Page

A-100 Analog Modular System
	In the A-100, Doepfer have produced a capable and versatile analog modular synthesizer, built in the style of the classic modular systems of the seventies. The renaissance of analog synthesis in the last few years shows that analog sound production has a vital place alongside sampling and digital synthesis, and can produce sounds that are unobtainable by any other means. In addition to the unique sounds of its oscillators, filters, amplifiers, phasers, frequency shifters, and so on, analog synthesis can provide almost unbounded modulation opportunities, conventional and unconventional - limited only by the number and variety of modules available. In designing the A-100, our priorities were: good sound quality; diversity of modules available; ease of integration into a MIDI system; and, maybe most important of all, affordability.

Of course, a modular system doesn’t just have advantages. Creative work with an audio construction kit like this takes time and practice, especially to start with. Anyone who wants to be able to check out all its available sounds at the press of a button will be very disappointed with a modular system. Each unique sound has to be puzzled out, and may never be exactly repeated. Nor are there any fixed rules for connecting the various modules. A modular is an open system, in which practically anything is possible, and that’s where the fun really starts. Diversity and experimentation - and sometimes lateral thinking - are the keys to its power. Although the user manuals for each module are very comprehensive, they can’t substitute entirely for a general overview and knowledge of analog synthesis. Some very good specialised books have been written on the subject, and although some may be out of print, it’s crucial to find one or two of them, and learn from them. With that, the whole world of modular systems will open up to you, and you’ll suddenly appreciate their fascination and sheer sonic power. We hope your A-100 brings you serious pleasure!	The complete A-100 user's guide is enclosed if you order one of the basic systems. If you order single modules the user's guide is not enclosed and you have to order it additionally. The complete A-100 user's guide is available on our web site. For this you have to go to the A-100 Modules Overview and click to the module in question. After this the module description will appear and now you have to click to user's guide. By the way - Peter Forrest - know as the author of the books "The A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers Part One and Two" - has translated most of the German user manuals of A-100 into English. As the A-100 demo CD is no longer available we placed the sound examples of the CD as MP3 files to our web site. In addition we plan sound examples for each module available from information page of the module in question. We have to apologize that we haven't sound examples for all modules available at the moment. But this is one of our main tasks for the next few months. A lot of sound examples are available on the website of one of our customers: www.selfoscillate.de. At present the A-100 has more than 110 different modules available (as of early in 2009) but the system will be extended permanently. On our web site you will find the topic information concerning available and planned modules. And the A-100 has another advantage: usually all modules are available from stock. Only at the end of the year supply shortfalls may occur from our experience.


Use these links to inform yourself about the A-100: A-100 Main page A-100 Module overview A-100 System planner (Flash) A-100 Standard systems A-100 System suggestions A-100 Portable suitcase versions A-100 Mini cases A-100 Technical details A-100 Mechanical details A-100 DIY page A-100 custom DIY systems A-100 DIY kits A-100 Future modules A-100 Accessories A-100 Further reading A-100 Order notes A-100 System planner (Excel™ file) A-100 Module overview as pictures A-100 Online reviews: Sonic State A-100 user reviews Harmony-Central A-100 user reviews Electro-Music A-100 review (The Virtual and Real Analogue Project: A-100 in combination with Clavia G2)

Many thanks to Ingo Zobel who composed an extensive collection of A-100 sound examples:

http://www.selfoscillate.de/modularexamples.htm

Music made with the A-100

Robert Piotrowicz considers his synthesizer a most noxious device, fit only for immolation. He isn't a just a wayward noisemonger by definition, nor does he conform to the extreme avant-garde dogmas emblazoned from well-on high (Subotnick, Babbitt, Buchla, Carlos) to those little-known (PBK, Six Or More, etc.). Apparently Piotrowicz's mandate on Lasting Clinamen is to test the very limits of his chosen weapon (in this case, a single Doepfer A100 analog modular), ignoring wholecloth factory presets, passé "space" eruptions, nomadic blipperies, or anything approaching an emergent style-hook less-forgiving shoppers might cling to in desperation. Like Thomas Lehn, Piotrowicz autopsies his instrument to see what he can screw with inside, reorienting your middle ear while he's at it.
The CD is available from: www.musicagenera.net

Shade is the studio album follow-up to Obsessive Surrealism (DiN26 - 2007) and is the fifth CD release by Parallel Worlds (the main musical project of Greek electronic musician Bakis Sirros).Parallel Worlds employ a vast arsenal of both vintage and modern analogue modular synthesisers with extensive use of classic sequencing techniques to produce a sonic world that combines modern electronica and ambient music styles with the feel of retro electronic music. His attention to detail is astonishing and his careful sculpting of sounds and textures produce an organic, ever evolving atmosphere full of half glimpsed meanings and subdued emotions. The purely electronic rhythms and beats seem to have a life of their own and showcase a musician who is a virtuoso with these types of instruments that are the antithesis of the quick fix pick-a-preset mind set of much of todays society. Musically he likes to explore various states of mind, no doubt influenced by his medical background and this adds a tension and darkness to his compositions that are punctuated by disarmingly simple and wistful melodies.With Shade Parallel Worlds show a musical maturity and command of sonic atmospherics that takes the music on a journey, moving through dreams and shades, aiming for the light.
More info here: www.din.org.uk/news.html

iNDEX03 is the third DiN compilation album and includes two tracks each from the titles DiN21 - 29. The artists include Robert Rich, Ian Boddy, Tetsu Inoue, Radio Massacre International, Surface 10, Parallel Worlds, Hoffmann-Hoock/Wöstheinrich & ARC. Release date is September 27th 2008. As with the previous two DiN compilation albums, iNDEX01 (DiN10) and iNDEX02 (DiN20), DiN label boss Ian Boddy has mixed and cross-faded the 18 pieces into a continuous ambient mix that not only showcases the albums on the disc but presents an exciting and varied album in it's own right. It also highlights the varied and intruiging music that the DiN label conjures up on it's releases from deep analogue synth grooves through glitchy, digital soundscapes to powerful, epic ambient atmospheres. An intoxicating mix of the old and new beautifully presented in a slimline cardboard wallet with an extra front flap which just adds to the value and collectability of this disc. iNDEX03 wil sell for the budget price of $10 from the DiN web site and as such is a wonderful introduction to the music of the DiN catalogue.

In my new cd "Hautbois ma belle" (many thanks to W. Carlos for inspiration!) we played the bass sounds of the Vivaldi and Fasch' oboe concertos with the "monstruous" A 100,like a berliner philarmoniker doublebass and bassons section! In my composition "Konzertstuck op.0" the MAQ 16/3 with the A 100 are the rhythmical life for the cadences of the Oboe and the Theremin.

The cd Hautbois ma belle is avaible from Domani Musica Records, info@domanimusica.com

Best Regards
Paolo Di Cioccio

The Iceland band Gusgus have announced their new album FOREVER for February 23, 2007. We are very proud that they use a lot of their new A-100 system in this album. A lot of the percussion (e.g. bass drum, snare drum) was made with the A-100 and the sampler A-112 is used very often (as sampler or as effect unit with voltage controlled tuning). Gusgus also produced two demos especially for the A-100 system:
http://www.gusgus.com/Doepfer/Gusgus-Forever.mp3
http://www.gusgus.com/Doepfer/Gusgus-HeIsSoHot.mp3

Parallel Worlds is the main project for the Greek musician Bakis Sirros. He has been active in the Greek electronic music scene since 1998 having performed at several concerts including E-PHOS electronic music festival in summer of 2001, Mad club, Club22 (2nd Summer in the city Festival), Music Day Festival 2006, Small Music Theatre and the Underworld Club. He is also involved with other muscians in collaborative work. The new IDM project “Interconnected” with the German IDM musician Ingo Zobel (of DRON, Signalform, Self Oscillate) and the ambient / experimental project “Memory Geist” with the Australian electronica musician Steve Law (of Zen Paradox, Starseed Transmission).
“Obsessive Surrealism” (DiN26) is his fourth album having previously released “Existence” in 2003 on Greek label Rubber Recordings and “Insight” in 2004 and “Far Away Light” in 2005 both on the UK label Shima Records. He has also had tracks included on several compilation releases.
Bakis is a great advocate of modular analogue instruments and indeed is the moderator for the Doepfer A100 modular users group.
The music of Parallel Worlds is a combination of dreamy, atmospheric textures and pure analogue electronic rhythms and sequences, combining the feel of 70’s electronic music with modern electronica and ambient music. Sirros uses huge analogue modular instruments and analogue step sequencers of the past and present combined with digital FM, virtual analogue synths and sampling. However he manages to elude the fate of many of his contemporaries in not falling into the trap of simply recycling the past. He creates a music that lives and breathes, imbued with his own personality and mannerisms. At one and the same time familiar and fresh. Steady, organic rhythmic structures are overlaid with deceptively simple melodies that remind one of some lost John Carpenter soundtrack.
For Audio Clips and more Info go to the DiN news page: http://www.din.org.uk/news.html

A-100 is an exeptional machine. Here at Wildtek Concept, if there is only one dream we still have, it's definitely to built our own A-100 system. Waiting for this moment, I was looking through internet for some samples of the A-100 and discovered much more than samples... I discovered few very great musicians working with this system and, as a DJ, I decided to record a digital mix of all this great tracks to firstly show respect to the artists behind them but also to Doepfer who makes my nights plenty of dreams with their creations. I hope you will enjoy this 40 minutes of sound experimentations and who know ? Maybe you will be touched by this incredible way to make sounds with an irresistible envy to construct your own synthesizer sounding as you decided it to sound... Music by : Efofex, Unyo303, Charles Graef, ... Enjoy !

In my composition "the tarot of tomorrow" I prepared a big succession of low and high frequencies (like electronic music of "60 ) taken from Doepfer Trautonium and A100 plus other electronic machines. I played the Doepfer Tautonium in simple and pure version, changing the waves from sine to triangle into the formant filter, and then with the frequency shifter into the wasp filter (listen for example the 22 track "the fool", it seems a crazy violin, a stange clarinet etc). I recorded then the frequencies and the solos (like the 22 track and the 7 track, the chariot, a walzer for 8 trautoniums) in the pro tools system and I started to compose the various tracks. So, this is the invention of the "tarot of tomorrow"...
Paolo Di Cioccio

The Tarot of Tomorrow CD is avaible from Musica Maxima Magnetica: info@musicamaximamagnetica.com

"Signalform" is the follow-up project of the band "drøn". The first Signalform album entitled "private channel" has now been released on the UK label Shima Records. On this album the A100 Modular system has been used intensely. The music style can be described as electronica.

More information about "Signalform" can be obtained here:
http://www.signalform.de
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk

This album was recorded by Andy Horell (owner of our UK representation EMIS) using exclusively the Doepfer A-100 analogue modular synthesizer (no other instrument or sampler was used at all). It is available from Emis. Here you will find details about the contents of the album (music recorded exclusively with A-100).

PARALLEL WORLDS (www.parallel-worlds-music.com) have just released their third album FAR AWAY LIGHT on Shima records UK, featuring many sounds from their huge A100 modular system (more than 250 modules). the new album contains many atmospheric, melodic electronica tracks, with most tracks featuring analogue sounds and sequences from a wide variety of contemporary and vintage analogue modulars and monosynths and virtual analogue textures. electronic rhythms combined with etherial atmos for a unique result. Impressionistic electronica at it's best.

http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/frames/cds/Parallel_Worlds_Far_Away_Light/UntitledFrameset-7.htm

theatrum chemicum
de rebus incognitits
www.musicamaximamagnetica.com

The album is almost entirely done with two big A-100 systems, one trautonium system and a couple of theremins.

Oboe Sconcerto
Paolo di Cioccio, Giovanna Castorina
www.domanimusica.it

Classical music by Albioni, Bach, Vivaldi etc. with oboe, A-100 and other synthesizers

Self Oscillate aka Ingo Zobel has released his second solo album "Lost Tapes" on the UK Label Shima Records (http://www.shimarecords.co.uk). Besides the A-100 system and the MS404 he also used other analogue synthesizers under control of Doepfer Midi/CV Interfaces. More information can be found on Self Oscillate's homepage www.selfoscillate.de

The group "drøn" has released their third album "homeworld" in 2002 on the german label Mikrolux. On this album the A100 Modular System has been used mainly for processing external signals, but also for generation of percussion sounds. The music style lies somewhere between electronica, downbeat and ambient. More information about "drøn" can be found on their homepage:

http://www.dron.de

Ingo Zobel, member of the group drøn, has released his first solo album under his pseudonym Self Oscillate on the uk label Shima Records. midst other equipment, also the A100 Modular System has been used for generating synthsounds as well as for processing external signals from other gear. The music can be described as electronica, but also some ambient influences can be heard. The non-album track "hiddencl" is available for free download at http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/frames/downloads/downloads.html

More information about "Self Oscillate" and "drøn" can be found on their homepages:
http://www.selfoscillate.de
http://www.dron.de

PARALLEL WORLDS (www.parallel-worlds-music.com) have used their huge (230 modules) doepfer A100 system, as well as other analogue modulars, for creating atmospheric electronica tracks for their new album "Insight" ,on Shima Records.
They also have for free download a 14 minute experimental track created in realtime,using ONLY their Doepfer A100 modular!" http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/downloads.HTML

For those who listened and enjoyed the EXISTENCE debut Parallel Worlds album (and for those who didn't,listen i mean) this is another old track from the same period, in the same dark atmosphere:
http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/audio/SorrowMP3.mp3

And here is another track for free download(NIGHTFALL) from the SHIMA RECORDS site: http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/frames/downloads/downloads.html

John Maddocks uses a lot of A-100 equipment in his albums: "Both albums were made by myself and feature a lot of my 4-case a100, infact almost everything either came direct from or was patched through the a100. The only hardware used apart from the computer was a100, korg ms10 and a nord micro-modular (a very small amount of nord as I got towards the end)".

SERIATIM ALBUM: http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/seriatim.HTML

MAD:OX ALBUM: http://www.shimarecords.co.uk/MADOX.htm

Dave Fulton is a founding member of DAT, and his first solo outing is a musical revelation. It not only shows his influence on the music the group makes, but it also demonstrates that he has much more creativity than is evidenced in their albums. HARD PARTICLES is a stunning excursion into the realm of Neu-ambient space music fusing dark, undulating tone clusters with dense, warm melodies that swirl in and out of the supersonic mix. The resulting synthetic mélange is spiced up by spatial effects, which serve as a conceptual bridge between pieces, thus tying the albums whole into one surreal, cerebral experience extraordinaire.

Music using A-100 (not exclusively, but look at the CD cover)

Mario Brinkmann arbeitet seit 1996 mit dem A-100-Modularsystem, das u.a. auch für Produktionen mit Paddy Kelly und Marco Minnemann eingesetzt wurde. Auf der neuen CD "Quartz" wird das A-100-System für viele Bass-, Arpeggio- und Lead-Sounds, sowie auch für einige Percussion- und FX-Sounds eingesetzt, die mit anderen Geräten nur schwer bzw. überhaupt nicht herzustellen wären....

"Aku Raski : Koottava (3" CDS)
New 5 track EP Koottava. Every single instrument has been handcrafted using Doepfer modular synthesizer A-100. Arcade game arpeggio meets experimental electro."

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John A. Mitchell has over 30 years of experience in electronic music . He used a 40-module Doepfer system to create Neverglades, a tone poem of natural and unnatural sounds realized exclusively on the Doepfer A-100 and the Korg D8 digital recorder. Neverglades is available as a free MP3 download at http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/225/john_a_mitchell.html

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You might want to check these out: they have created a lot of doepfer modular sequences only with doepfer modular synthesizer (except the drums).
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/85/vogelscheiss.html
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/132/cosmonaut_rockers.html

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I now have a CD E.P. available through MP3.com which I recorded exclusively using my A-100 system, not even using any MIDI-CV ! I did use some digital FX courtesy of my old Quadraverb 2. Anyway there are 4 tracks on the CD and the url is:
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/cds/104/104829.html
In my opinion the tracks would be another good example for your potential customers to listen to, to see what the A-100 system is capable of. Karl Burke