Rhythmic Robot has introduced Jennings, a new virtual instrument for Native Instruments Kontakt, based on the classic Univox Jennings:
Jennings is a meticulously faithful recreation of one of the very first synthesisers, the valve-based Jennings Univox. The Univox was designed in 1946 by Derek Underdown and Tom Jennings, who went on to create Vox amplifiers and define the guitar sound of a generation. It was manufactured in the 50s and 60s along the same lines as its contemporary, the Clavioline, as a gigging keyboard for bands to use to supplement the basic acoustic piano that most pubs and clubs offered.
It generated a rich, warm, analogue wave (more or less a sawtooth) which could be processed, adjusted and filtered using 12 “tabs” along the front of the keyboard.
The original Univox Jennings was used notably on the hit Telstar and by The Beatles.
It’s available now for £59.95. Detailed information on how the Jennings Univox was restored and samples is available at the Rhythmic Robot site.
This company had copied most of it’s entire business model from Hollow Sun. From the types of sample sources, the look and style of it’s GUI,s to the “lab” with the fictitious personae and assistant.
Kind of sad.
Do they have the patent on virtual vintage synths or something?
Wasn’t Arturia doing this sort of thing 10 years ago?
A bigger question go me is whether obsolete gear, real or virtual, really has any special creative possibilities, or if it’s just a nostalgia trip.
I don’t mean to suggest that vintage synths don’t have unique qualities – just that it seems like diminishing returns when you get to virtual recreations of very limited instruments!
obsolete gear? alot of artists work with tools from a thousand years back, brushes or instruments.
new technology means convenience – not beauty.
and beauty does not age.
And age does not necessarily infer value.
Hah! Hollow Sun is cheaper too.
I like the RR stuff – it’s surprisingly lively and textured compared to the usual bland VA synths out there. Jennings is particularly nice in this respect. It sounds old without sounding retro or kitsch. Like most of the RR synths, the oscillators are a bit chaotic, so it layers well with more digital sounds and gives them a bit of soul. Expensive, but I like it.
My point was about biting someone else’s business model. No, analOG, no one has a copyright on “vintage” whatever you mean by that. I am talking about copying the GUI, look, feel and even emulating the website. hollow UN was out of the gate way ahead with his quirky Kontakt instruments based around samples of vintage lab gear. I know this for a fact because it was my vintage lab gear that was sampled. While no one has a copyright on this sort of thing a minimum amount of self respect might at least lead a person to trying to put their own unique spin on it. Here is an example of a developer making something that covers some very similar sonic ground without being a total ripoff.
http://www.tronsonic.com/
I LOVE RHYTHMIC ROBOT!!! Looking to pick up some of their stuff while they’re having their Summer Sale!