Rogue's Gallery of Tech Failures

[Mills Dude]

http://www.mixdownmag.com.au/sites/default/files/images/synthaxes.jpg

 

The Synthaxe, a favorite instrument of one of my idols, Allan Holdsworth. He really loved that thing and of course the company became untenable and he was unable to have one that he felt was durable enough to tour with. I think he owned 2 and still had a working one the last time I spoke with him in 2009. I always preferred him on a guitar and had a few conversations with him about the Synthaxe but he really loved it and felt he was able to express himself more fully with it. If I remember correctly he mostly drove a Matrix 6R with this. He really did make it sound wonderful.

[Anderton]

I wonder how much of the expressiveness was due to the Matrix 6R, and how much was due to the Synthaxe...probably both, I just don't know the ratio.

 

But damn, the thing sure looks weird! But it does answer the question "What if Pablo Picasso had decided to create a guitar?"

[The Real MC]

The Matrix 6R was designed for guitar-to-midi converters. The key is MIDI Mode 4.

[Anderton]

Yup. One of the (lesser) reasons the original Matrix 6 had six voices was to take advantage of possible MIDI guitar options.The TX802 and TX81Z were also really good for MIDI guitar.

 

Come to think of it, those TX boxes were great synths. I wonder why companies don't re-introduce synths more often with a slight refresh. Maybe the parts aren't available any more...