Got an old synthesizer from the 1980’s or 1990’s with a dead battery? Check out my site to get sounds and manuals on CD-ROM, cassettes, or as a download so you can resuscitate your keyboard and make it musical again.
I started my ebay store in may of 2001. I started using this map service in 2006. It’s nice knowing that i’m helping to keep vintage synthesizers as working tools for musicians worldwide. This may be the second-greatest thing I’ve done since having a daughter, because music is a powerful force, right up there with love and anger.
I have somewhere between 4000 and 5000 customers. My products support over 100 synthesizers from various manufacturers available on CD, Cassette Tape, and as a download. When the Lithium cell inside the instrument dies, the instrument “forgets” the sounds that were loaded in. Often the default sound is a bare sine wave or crappy piano sound. After replacing the battery (a $4 part at walmart, or a $65-$100 fix at the repair shop), customers can reload the synth’s original settings using the free MIDI system exclusive programs I’ve included in the collection, or perhaps try out a different sound bank. Several of the products contain hundreds of .SYX files equalling thousands or even >10,000 sounds. I also include manuals and other documentation on the cd’s and downloads, and have created several step-by-step guides showing photos and screenshots. Later this year, I hope to produce videos for YouTube.
I don’t make very much money on this hobby. But since keyboards from the 1980’s-1990’s contain so many computer-related parts, they contain hazardous components that should not be put in a landfill; the cyanide in the motherboard would be very bad if it reached your drinking water. And although it’s not difficult to reset the sounds, MIDI can be a little flaky, especially on older devices, so I have offered free email support via support@lo-res.com. It’s nice meeting people from all over the world, even if I have to lean on Google Translate to communicate with them.
The number one reason for musicians to buy new keyboards is to get new sounds; a keyboard with no sounds is treated as broken junk. By replacing the battery and refreshing the sound settings, these devices can remain playable instruments for many years to come. It doesn’t matter where you live, music has a way of bringing people together and bringing joy to their lives. That’s why I’m so happy to be able to use my technical skills to help others to keep these instruments running.
my old setup from 2008. I’ve since moved and now have a bigger desk and consequently a bigger monitor stand.
