French connection Ondes Martenot Messiaen

[TheGreatBritishAlex]

does the keys have the vibrato mechanism on them?

[McNSharp22]

Apparently Jonny Greenwoods favorite peice of music

[cuallito]

The birds are such a coincidence!

[Daftendirekt93]

Where can you find these?

[bigcitymusic]

@Daftendirekt93 - In the US you can get one from us, Big City Music. In the U.K. you can get one from Analogue Systems. In Europe I believe it is Touched By Sound.

[organdude44]

What a beautiful sound! May i ask what is the name of this Messiaen piece that you're playingi? Thanks

[theremind]

This is part of Messiaen's Turangalila Symphony.

[taniatikaram]

Beautifull playing!

You are so lucky! I would love to have this instrument .. It has an amazing sound

[OrbiliusMagister]

You can hear live birdsong In the background throughout this performance... sweeet! Olivier Messiaen would have approved.

[mynmyself]

so i can buy this for 1500€ nowadays (i am spanish)?!!! O MY GOD! I THINK NOW I AM A HAPPY MAN!!!

amazing playing, so spiritual...i need this as a controller to my doepfer...appart from the ring controller, you can use as well the keyboard to trigger normal notes just to make leads and "normal" music?

[sidecars]

Thank you.

Yes, the keyboard can be played, but the volume is still controlled by the volume "button" I guess you would call it. You can switch it out, but the notes are then clipped and sound ugly!

Bryan

[ukorganist]

Are these available to buy new in England? I would love to get my hands on one.

[AuroraVelo]

Yes they are. Google Analogue Systems French Connection.

[abbjorko]

Bravissimo! I'm happy to hear the French Connection, and to hear it well played!

I have 2 little questions: where can I buy it and how much is it?...

[sidecars]

Thank you. It is fun to play. You can buy them at Big City Music. I don't have the URL, and they don't allow those here anyway. I think it has gone up in price to about $2500, due in part to the sinking US dollar.

Bryan

[fbiagentstarling]

The sound is so beutiful!

What kind of modul-setup is that?

I don't know much but what else besides

VCO, VCA is needed for this?

[sidecars]

Thank you. It is a rather simple one. Look at my other videos for a few shots of it. I only have a vco and vca... a filter would help,I am sure!

[Parker731]

i want one :(

[cslevine]

marrant : on reconnait par derrière le jeu de Jeanne Loriod, sur le CD...

[dvision23]

Another question. I understand these are midi controllers? What is the essence of the sound source?

[57lowe]

Hi.. this is sidecars. I am responding from another account right now. Check out one of my other videos at sidecars and you will see the sound sources. I show how to connect a French Connection. It is an Analog synth.. not midi. When I talked of no vibrato I did mean the keyboard. On a real Ondes the keyboard actually goes back and forth if you want to vibrato. Really trick and it sounds great. You may also be intersted in my video of the theremin cello. Check that out, too.

[dvision23]

No vibrato? But I see you shimmying the ring a bit, and I hear a vibrato in the tone. What am I missing? I guess your referring to the keyboard proper. I play the theremin, but I am totally excited to see and hear you and your instrument in action.

[yumpingyiminy]

What's the range of this Ondes?

[sidecars]

The keyboard itself is four octaves wide. Not enough really for Messiaen, but enough for other applications. Plus, the modules can have an octave switch.

[neonecropopulace]

Does the keyboard have vibrato?

[sidecars]

Sorry to report it does not. I just played around today with Thomas Bloch's ondes.. and wow. He was in Seattle for a concert and he graciously let me try. Really responsive, and a beautiful tone.

[neonecropopulace]

That's really great. Sad that the French Connection doesn't have vibrato. That's one of the coolest things about the Ondes in my opinion.

[neonecropopulace]

Is it very difficult to play? To me, it looks quite easy, and I really want to play one. Is it worth it?

[sidecars]

I think if you are a keyboard player already it is not hard to play. You only play one note at a time, so I guess it isn't "hard" for anyone compared to many instruments! Is it worth it? It is work to learn any instrument... so I leave that to you! I enjoy it, but just for fun... nothing more.

[neonecropopulace]

Thank you. I currently play guitar, bass, drums, and enough piano to be considered mediocre. I'm also learning violin. I think I'd be able to pick this up quickly. Thanks for the advice.

[sidecars]

I think you would pick it up very quickly. It is an instrument with some unique capabilities...and limitations. Just like all instruments I guess.

Sidenote.  I had a rehearsal tonight for Turangalila by Messiaen and the instrument suddenly stopped changing pitch. I had to shut everything down.. jiggle wires... then it came back. Odd.

[kidamathias]

this is probabaly my favourite instrument, i just love the sound

[MrBanksyyt]

Don't you just want one!

[CalculatedPerception]

i am very interested in the purchase of this instrument.

where do you get it?

what produces the the actually sound? (in pictures i don't see any sort of output device)

[sidecars]

Google Analogue systems French connection and you will find it. It is about $2000 last time I checked. It isn't a complete Ondes Martenot, but it is pretty good! Under the CD player there is a rack/power supply with two modules. As I recall they are Analogue Systems VCO and VCA. I got it all at Big City Music.

[CalculatedPerception]

i see...

so how much did you pay for the total package?

a few more questions:

what is MIDI?

What does the joystick do?

How much liberty do you have in manipulating the sound quality and timbres of the tone?

THANKS A MILLION

[sidecars]

I dont recall, but you can check big city music for the parts I listed. My guess is $2500 or so, which isn't pocket change for most.

[sidecars]

I would recommend doing a google on MIDI. Thats a pretty big topic. But in brief, this instrument doesnt do MIDI. Instead it is CV, or analogue synth. The VCO I mentioned converts voltages into sound. The joy stick can act as another way to vary that voltage, which will change pitch. I don't use it. With a basic Analogue synth, with VCO and VCA, there is relatively limited ways to change the sound. It can change from saw, to sine, to square wave.

[CalculatedPerception]

thank you for all your help.

would you mind sending me some quality links to sites where this instrument and its equipment may be purchased?

[chrisjhart221138]

Sounds really good, it is nice to get so much expression from a 'keyboard' just like violin! Has anyone heard the first johnny greenwood track on Bodysong? It is damn good

[rockercorey999]

yea i have the movie and its really really good. This song sounds alot like that one indeed