Tom Oberheim’s First Synths – The SEM & The Two Voice

In his latest video, synthesist Alex Ball takes an in-depth look at Tom Oberheim‘s first synths, the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM) from 1974 and the Oberheim Two Voice from 1975.

The SEM was one of the first all-in-one voice modules, featuring two oscillators, a variety of modulation sources, a 2-pole multimode VCF & VCA. The Two Voice combines two SEM modules with a keyboard controller & sequencer.

In the video, Ball discusses the history of the two synths, shares several extended performance demos, and discusses famous uses of the Two Voice.

Topics covered:

0:00 Intro Jam
1:00 The Synthesizer Expander Module
2:04 Demo 1: State Sync
2:49 E-mu Systems
3:32 Demo 2: Two Voice
4:38 Dennis P Colin
5:49 Demo 3: Pull Seq Wonk
6:56 Jim Cooper
7:46 Demo 4: Transistor Bass Workout
9:04 Tom Oberheim
10:09 Demo 5: August Nineteen Seventy-Five
11:16 The Life Aquatic, Stranger Things and Drokk
13:50 Outro Jam

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