June 2013

Nervous Squirrel Pyramid Synthesizers
Cool sounds for a retro-futuristic world.
Article By Steven R. Rochlin

  Nervous Squirrel, a company known for making some of the most radical musical instruments and other interesting machines, offers their modern take on the synthesizer. Dubbed the Pyramid Synthesizers (XLRD001 001 and LRD001 002) and aided by design collaboration with Pete Fowler -- a man whose inspiration comes from nature, daily life, psychedelica, monsters, music and much more -- the Nervous Squirrel two pyramid-shaped analogue synthesizers come with hand painted casings. Unlike their acoustic instruments such as Brian the penguin, which has various percussive items incorporated into it's body, The Pyramid Synthesizers are pure electronica.

With the humble beginnings of "seeking something for an animated music video that Pete made for The Horrors, and then afterwards Richard Russell (XL Recordings) decided to commission a real life version. It was decided to make two synths in the end, one for Richard and one for The Horrors to use." Of course the sensational visual styling of the hand painted 'spooky face' shows off Pete's artistic side! Each of these dynamic duo pyramid synths contains a Sound Lab Mark II, built from a circuit board sold by popular DIY site Music From Outer Space. Benefits include the ability of having two very stable VCOs, a state variable VCF, two envelope generators, VCA, LFO, patchable sample and hold, white noise generator and an audio mixer.

Of course you'll want to add your own backtracks or main music, and so users can use analog inputs so that the wide variety of knobs and switches allow for signal routing the sounds. There are external inputs for guitar, microphone, etc. There is much more as "Control voltage inputs allow other synths and sequencers to control different parameters. Each pyramid also has a MFOS 8-stage phaser, built in speakers and 72 color changing LEDs." Musicians, DJs and the like should definitely check out what the artisans at Nervous Squirrel are up to!