CRB Uranus 1
42 MB
The virtual version of this historic Italian synthesizer, created by myself and Marco Molendi, can be downloaded for free.
CRB URANUS 1: for those who saw it and for those who weren’t there
After years and years of video collaboration with the SM Strumenti Musicali YouTube channel, where I dedicated myself to other people’s projects, finally – and with great pride – I present to you a project that sees me as the protagonist in collaboration with a great technician and a very dear friend like Marco Molendi .
This project had been in the air with Marco for some time: it was the emulation of an Italian synthesizer that – as the title of the chapter suggests – few have seen and probably some have only heard of. In SM Strumenti Musicali columns such as Arranger Legacy and Synth Legend , we have often mentioned a long-defunct Italian brand like CRB Elettronica of Ancona , founded in 1948 by Duilio Borsini . The writer had the opportunity to work at CRB in his youth in the mid-1970s, doing the so-called apprenticeship. Like many companies in the Marche region of that period, CRB also mainly built electronic organs , but the company’s research and development laboratories also studied new and ambitious projects aimed at attracting musicians and dealers. Among these projects was the rather “courageous” one for a synthesizer, which at the time was gaining new enthusiasts, thanks to creations arriving from overseas such as those by Moog and ARP.
Today, with modern technology, discussing the idea of building a synth is no longer scary , but believe me, in the mid-seventies, just talking about a project like that made industry insiders turn up their noses . CRB ” got off to a flying start ” with a project that – nowadays – we would define as the fruit of a courageous “vision”. The CRB URANUS 1 was a “Monster” instrument in every respect, both in terms of features and overall dimensions. An instrument born to generate a “Wow!” effect in the enthusiast. Anyone who has read the two books co-written with my friend Riccardo Gerbi ( Volume 1 and Volume 2 ) will have seen the photos where I played it at trade shows and demonstrations of the time. Here I offer you a few nuggets of history and some characteristics of the URANUS 1.
But what are we talking about?
It was the first and only polytimbral (and therefore polyphonic) synth of its time made by an Italian company. Eight oscillators (divided into two pairs split across the keyboard) with a panel full of sliders and buttons for controlling and programming the various sections! An instrument that left an indelible mark on the writer’s memories, until the day my friend Marco Molendi and I decided to create it, to the delight of those who saw it and those who weren’t there.
The Genesis
The CRB Uranus 1 was the forefather of projects that later followed in the Italian company, namely the URANUS 2 , the Oberon and finally the Vega , a mammoth synthesizer that was never released (also due to its cumbersome size and weight). Only five URANUS 1 units were built , of which one remained in the company and four were distributed for demonstrations in Italy and around the world, but which never returned to CRB, due to the subsequent closure of the company for commercial reasons well described in my books.
Reconstructing a memory
I spent hours on the URANUS 1 at the company, preparing various demonstrations for trade shows and events. My experience with that model fueled curiosity , study, and memories. Memories I’ve pursued for years, based on the sonic and technological experiences I’ve experienced throughout my career in this industry. Starting from these very memories, Marco Molendi and I challenged each other with a thousand and one questions: What was it made of ? How did it sound? What was its musical logic?
Marco and I began researching the technical possibilities to make this dream come true, but he, a truly great musician, already knew where to start. I tried to convey to him all my information , my memories, and my passion for that instrument. Marco accompanied me on this quest and, like a true enthusiast, he set out to shape it into software variants day by day, slider by slider, oscillator by oscillator.
Below you can see the graphics of the original from which Marco then extrapolated the layout of the software interface!
True to the original!
Upon startup, the CRB URANUS 1 will appear like this on your computer:
Marco Molendi reproduced all the oscillators as well as the eight VCFs, VCAs, LFOs, and much more! The instrument offers a mirror image of all the features and a few added features typical of modern day utilities. Marco was also more generous than expected, equipping this variant with 10 programmable memories. (Back then, talking about memories was like spotting a UFO!)
Together we refined all the features with tempo sounds (including the Drum Machine), polytimbral priorities and much more.
Today, this pursuit of memory has become an easy-to-install software and… FREE . Yes, you read that right: FREE .
In the installer (currently only for the Windows platform ) you can select your preferred format (Standalone or VST 3 plugin), and you will also find the user manuals describing the various utilities and settings, as well as the 10 presets created by yours truly, with the relative descriptions and audio demos for each. The installer also includes a demonstration video , which you can see below.
VST.Uranus ( 42 MB )
