Elektron SidStation
Encyclopedia
The Elektron SidStation is a musical synthesizer
sound module
, built around the MOS Technology SID
mixed-mode synthesizer chip originally used in the Commodore 64
home computer. It was produced by the Swedish
synthesizer company Elektron
, and was introduced in 1999. As the SID chip
had not been manufactured for years, Elektron allegedly bought up nearly all the remaining stock.
The company built the SidStation until 2003, when their initial supply of SID chips ran out. The last 100 units sold, the Final 100 Edition, were laser etched with a number on the front panel's bottom-left corner and sold in descending order from 100 to 1. In March of 2005, Elektron claimed to have encountered an additional supply of 100 SID chips and produced 100 SidStation units, selling them for €
920, USD $950, or SEK
8200 each.
In late 2006, Elektron claimed that "100 became 200", and the prices were raised once again. This marks the third time that an additional 100 chips were being produced, each time claiming to be the "final run". This (and the fact that some aftermarket clones of original SID chips exist) has raised skepticism as to how scarce the supply actually is, and which run is actually the final run. However, the presumably final SidStation shipped on January 18, 2007.
As SidStations are manufactured, the company keeps the price in relation to the demand, meaning that the initial SidStations were fairly cheap and later on when the device was more sought-after, the price increased.
The appearance of the SidStation is retro and features a small LCD-display where the sound editing is done, four assignable knobs, a keypad and a controller wheel.
Elektron also sold fifty black SidStation units, which had black aluminum casing and blue LEDs
, contrary to the original green ones, called the Ninja Edition. This model also came with a different set of sound patches. There is also a blue SidStation that was made as a one off, by Elektron, for a walk in customer that just happened to see the blue shell sitting unused on the shelf http://bp1.blogger.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/RqN4MuI6YnI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/cJu0bsil8Nw/s1600-h/blue_sid_angle.JPG.
. The SID chip is well-known for being noisy. By design, the oscillators never stop outputting signal—even while not in use. It's this flaw, however, that is part of the character and sound of the SID chip. However, Elektron designed a circuit using the SID chip with gated and well shielded analog signals; this separated them better from each other (as well as from digital noise) and greatly reduced some of the artifacts.
Most SidStations contain the 6581 R4AR incarnation of the SID chip. This version is considered the best trade-off between sound, stability and conformity (which is a big deal concerning the SID chip, since they tend to sound different from unit to unit).
The SidStation is capable of producing all the waveforms of the C64, Triangle
, Saw, Pulse
, Mix (which is a mix between Saw and Pulse) and variable Noise. Besides this is the synth, a 4-part LFO
-modulation system which can be used with Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass and various combinations of these filters (including a Notchfilter). All of these are controllable by the four knobs on top of the SidStation.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
sound module
Sound module
A sound module is an electronic musical instrument without a human-playable interface such as a keyboard, for example. Sound modules have to be "played" using an externally connected device...
, built around the MOS Technology SID
MOS Technology SID
The MOS Technology 6581/8580 SID is the built-in Programmable Sound Generator chip of Commodore's CBM-II, Commodore 64, Commodore 128 and Commodore MAX Machine home computers...
mixed-mode synthesizer chip originally used in the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
home computer. It was produced by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
synthesizer company Elektron
Elektron (company)
Elektron is an electronic musical instrument company, based in Gothenburg, Sweden, founded in 1998.Its products include the SID-based SidStation, the Machinedrum percussion synthesizer, the Monomachine synthesizer, and the Octatrack performance sampler....
, and was introduced in 1999. As the SID chip
MOS Technology SID
The MOS Technology 6581/8580 SID is the built-in Programmable Sound Generator chip of Commodore's CBM-II, Commodore 64, Commodore 128 and Commodore MAX Machine home computers...
had not been manufactured for years, Elektron allegedly bought up nearly all the remaining stock.
The company built the SidStation until 2003, when their initial supply of SID chips ran out. The last 100 units sold, the Final 100 Edition, were laser etched with a number on the front panel's bottom-left corner and sold in descending order from 100 to 1. In March of 2005, Elektron claimed to have encountered an additional supply of 100 SID chips and produced 100 SidStation units, selling them for €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
920, USD $950, or SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
8200 each.
In late 2006, Elektron claimed that "100 became 200", and the prices were raised once again. This marks the third time that an additional 100 chips were being produced, each time claiming to be the "final run". This (and the fact that some aftermarket clones of original SID chips exist) has raised skepticism as to how scarce the supply actually is, and which run is actually the final run. However, the presumably final SidStation shipped on January 18, 2007.
As SidStations are manufactured, the company keeps the price in relation to the demand, meaning that the initial SidStations were fairly cheap and later on when the device was more sought-after, the price increased.
The appearance of the SidStation is retro and features a small LCD-display where the sound editing is done, four assignable knobs, a keypad and a controller wheel.
Different models of SidStations
Besides the standard grey model of SidStation, two other models exist. The beta models of SidStations used by Elektron and their beta testers had a shining red color. Around twelve red units were made and approximately half of them were sold to early customers and beta-test partners. Some of these partners sold their units at a later time giving a handful of metallic red SidStations being owned by private people. Besides the color, these beta machines had a slightly more aggressive character due to some voltages running higher in the filter section, as well as certain beta-testing modes and the ability to upgrade the firmware to a greater extent.Elektron also sold fifty black SidStation units, which had black aluminum casing and blue LEDs
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
, contrary to the original green ones, called the Ninja Edition. This model also came with a different set of sound patches. There is also a blue SidStation that was made as a one off, by Elektron, for a walk in customer that just happened to see the blue shell sitting unused on the shelf http://bp1.blogger.com/_FMBJEkaC8Lw/RqN4MuI6YnI/AAAAAAAAGiQ/cJu0bsil8Nw/s1600-h/blue_sid_angle.JPG.
Sound of the SidStation
The sound of SidStation is, of course, very similar to that of the original Commodore 64Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. The SID chip is well-known for being noisy. By design, the oscillators never stop outputting signal—even while not in use. It's this flaw, however, that is part of the character and sound of the SID chip. However, Elektron designed a circuit using the SID chip with gated and well shielded analog signals; this separated them better from each other (as well as from digital noise) and greatly reduced some of the artifacts.
Most SidStations contain the 6581 R4AR incarnation of the SID chip. This version is considered the best trade-off between sound, stability and conformity (which is a big deal concerning the SID chip, since they tend to sound different from unit to unit).
The SidStation is capable of producing all the waveforms of the C64, Triangle
Triangle wave
A triangle wave is a non-sinusoidal waveform named for its triangular shape.Like a square wave, the triangle wave contains only odd harmonics...
, Saw, Pulse
Pulse wave
A pulse wave or pulse train is a kind of non-sinusoidal waveform that is similar to a square wave, but does not have the symmetrical shape associated with a perfect square wave. It is a term common to synthesizer programming, and is a typical waveform available on many synths. The exact shape of...
, Mix (which is a mix between Saw and Pulse) and variable Noise. Besides this is the synth, a 4-part LFO
LFO
LFO may refer to:* LFO , an English techno act* LFO , an American three-man pop/rap group** LFO , an album released by the American pop group LFO* Light Finding Operation, a form of mecha from the anime TV series Eureka Seven...
-modulation system which can be used with Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass and various combinations of these filters (including a Notchfilter). All of these are controllable by the four knobs on top of the SidStation.
Technical specifications
- MOS6581 SID-synthesis
- Brushed aluminium casing
- Alphanumeric backlit 2x16 LCD display
- MIDIMusical Instrument Digital InterfaceMIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
3*DIN5P In/Out/Thru - 1/4" line level audio out
- 1/4" line level audio in (routed through SID-filter)
- Dimensions: 240W x 70H x 200D [mm]
- Powerful and user-friendly SidStation OS
- Three oscillatorsElectronic oscillatorAn electronic oscillator is an electronic circuit that produces a repetitive electronic signal, often a sine wave or a square wave. They are widely used in innumerable electronic devices...
, phase accumulation synthesis - All oscillators syncable (ringmodulation and synchronization)
- Sweepable pulsewidth modulation
- Resonant multi-mode analogue filter
- PortamentoPortamentoPortamento is a musical term originated from the Italian expression "portamento della voce" , denoting from the beginning of the 17th century a vocal slide between two pitches and its emulation by members of the violin family and certain wind instruments, and is sometimes used...
, individual for all oscillators - Variable interval-independent portamento time
- Unique wavetable function in form of 3-track mini-sequencer
- Flexible 4-part LFO modulation system
- Extensive MIDI support
Bands that use SidStations
- Machinae SupremacyMachinae SupremacyMachinae Supremacy is a Swedish band that combines modern heavy metal and alternative rock with chiptunes. Self-defined as "SID metal", many of their songs use a SidStation that features the SID chip of the Commodore 64...
(extensively) - Freezepop
- Zombie NationZombie Nation (band)Zombie Nation is a German techno and electro project of the Munich based DJ and producer Florian Senfter.-History:The first Zombie Nation five track EP was released in the spring of 1999 on DJ Hell's label, International DeeJay Gigolo Records...
- KMFDMKMFDMKMFDM is an industrial band led by German multi-instrumentalist Sascha Konietzko, who founded the group in 1984 as a performance art project...
- 8-Bit Weapon
- Mr. PacmanMr. PacmanMr. Pacman is a bitpop/gamewave band from Denver, Colorado. Described as a performance art project as well as a band, Mr. Pacman's live shows include martial arts fighting with monsters, outrageous 1980s-style retro-futuristic outfits, and their signature Commodore 64-inspired electronic music...
- TimbalandTimbalandTimothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
- TarmvredTarmvredTarmvred is a music group from Gothenburg, Sweden that is the brainchild of Jonas Johansson.-History:Johansson got his start musically by making his own remixes of tracks by Skinny Puppy and posting them online under the name Triptamine, in 1998...
- Trent ReznorTrent ReznorMichael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
- Carbon Based LifeformsCarbon Based LifeformsCarbon Based Lifeforms is a psychedelic ambient music group made up of Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Segerstad , in Gothenburg, Sweden...
- Kim HiorthøyKim HiorthøyKim Hiorthøy is a Norwegian electronic musician, graphic designer, illustrator, filmmaker and writer.-Biography:Hiorthøy was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway, and studied at the Trondheim Academy of Fine Art as well as the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen...
- Jaga JazzistJaga JazzistJaga Jazzist is an experimental jazz band from Norway that rose to prominence when the BBC named their first album, A Livingroom Hush , the best jazz album of 2002. The core of the band are brothers and main songwriters Lars and Martin Horntveth...
- Depeche ModeDepeche ModeDepeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
- Quemada Con Flash
- Deep Mariano
- Code 64Code 64Code 64 are an electronic music band from Lysekil, Sweden formed in 2000 by the three teenagers Christian Espeland, Hasse Mattsson, and Henrik Piehl.-Biography:...