John Bowen Synth Design

Who here's going to be there, besides JB of course?

Hi marzzz,

Bernard Wong (who was featured in one of the review videos previously) and James Meier (known worldwide as carbon111) will be there helping me out. As for visitors, well....anyone who is coming by, please post here!

john b.

p.s. marzzz & jimmy v. - you'll be interested to note that next to us is Infinite Response, makers of the folding polyAT keyboards.

I'd be interested in your opinions on their keyboards John.

I tried them last year, along with Jimmy V. and marzzz, and we all felt the touch was too light. We will see what changes they might have made for this year's models.

-jb

The touch wasn't just too light, it was too weird. I was a big proponent of them (and in fact made the trip to NAMM specifically to check them out, which is how I got to spend so much time next door with JB and ended up ordering a Solaris!), but was profoundly disappointed with the keyboard when I checked it out. They last posted on their website 1/31/09 that they would soon be taking orders, but nothing ever happened and I never heard back from them. Supposedly they continued making prototypes and got them into the hands of various keyboardists to work things out further (like the modwheel/slider).

I told them they should also make a more conventional non-folding 88 (89?) key model with polyaftertouch. Should be interesting to see what they have come up with this year, that is quite a big space they reserved!

John Bowen wrote:well....anyone who is coming by, please post here!

I'll be there and will drop by of course. Any chance I get to see my next synth...

Jamie

So when will Solaris actually be released?

ThreeFingersOfLove wrote:So when will Solaris actually be released?

After I fill all pre-orders, Solaris will be released to general retail outlets.
-jb

whats the idea after all the preorders have shipped john / will the Solaris then go into full production ? wondering what the master plan is ? is a rack version with a software gui being considered ?

John Bowen wrote:

ThreeFingersOfLove wrote:So when will Solaris actually be released?

After I fill all pre-orders, Solaris will be released to general retail outlets.
-jb

ix wrote:is a rack version with a software gui being considered ?

Yeah, it's called XITE-1

Seriously though, the interface is the whole point of this synth. In a few years, other devices are going to be catching up in terms of sound quality, you can rest assued of that; but very few companies are going to be putting an interface like this together. Just take a look at all the chopped up, recycled, midi controller garbage that's being shown at namm this year. Hardware synths are a dying breed.

But yeah, XITE-1 plus the Solaris plugin seems like exactly what you want if size (and not cash) is your main concern.

Cash is of no consequence if sound and performance features are the goal.
Realtime is what people have no issue paying for.
I watch these poor Receptor guys loading sounds and waiting for presets on stage and the idea was to eliminate that nonsense.
We left our hardware samplers for that reason back in 98 for Giga/Scope DAW's and the idea of waiting for loads in 2010 shows me most VST developers are more concerned with the indoor guys. Cool, there are thousands of clients who don't need realtime instrumnets.
But anyone who actually performs live will want an XITE-1 and a Solaris.
It took me 11 years to replace a large hardware rig.
Once I got rid of the giant Oberheims, Yamahas and Hammond/Leslie,I went to a 26U rig w/ 2 x large controllers.
2 years ago I resized to a 16U, and now I can have a fast bad ass 1U Kontakt streamer, a 1U XITE-1, a 3U Analog SE-1, and the F8 MIDISolutions pedal controller all in a 4U.
Solaris and an 88 note controller w/ a pair of Barbetta powered cabinets and I am one FAT BASTARD now.
This rig is a powerhouse of sound featuring the best Analog and digital components.
11 years ago I couldn't even perform w/o a Road Crew.
Now I sound better and can carry everything on a flip Dolley. One trip from Valet to the showroom.......
I can actually do 2 or 3 gigs a day now if I want.
Mobility w/o sound comprimise was the goal.
Soniccore and Bowen have delivered.........

Please post on the Infinite Response changes if there are any.
It was weird action for sure.
The bounceback was exactly like a Grand Piano but the initial attack was as if I was pushing over a folded dollar bill. So yes this was very weird to me too.
The idea of PAT and 88 notes with decent action and a great GUI is what I wanted.
I could barely read their 1" x 2" LCD last year.
I do like the backpack folding thing though.
I have gigs where the powered cabinets aren't allowed so I could actually carry my whole rig in if the 88'r was folded in a backpack.....
I hate gigs like that which are usually good paying jobs close to the Black Jack tables and craps.
What sucks is we have to use a "SoundCop." This is a Casino Security Officer who turns on the board then locks it in Plexiglass so we don't even get an FOH........
Sargeant Sound and the Sound Cops suck major booty, but for 7 bones a week tax free, I can handle a few weeks a year of the torture.
Well it sure helps having a few nice looking waittail cocktresses too,...........sorry I meant Cocktail Waitresses.

Have Fun Guys.........

JimmyV, you are always so......eloquent!

Did anyone actually play with the Solaris in NAMM? Is the operating system finished?

Hi All!

We had a great show at NAMM this year! I will be posting pictures as they come in, but suffice it to say we were in a much better location this time, and had a fair number of 'high profile' visitors come check out the Solaris. Everyone had very positive responses, and I invite anyone who dropped by to please add their comments here as well.

A few photo links to start with:
1) John & Brian Kehew
2) Larry Fast getting a run-through of Solaris
3) John, Larry Fast
4) Herb Deutsch dropped by as well.

Yes- it was awesome. No- JB was receiving OS updates daily during the show.