Breakaway Vocalizer 1000 SN 008258

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Breakaway Vocalizer 1000

via this auction

"Nearly complete Breakaway Vocalizer 1000 unit, consisting of the original box and styrofoam packing material (a bit beat-up but all there), the Vocalizer 1000 itself, original microphone, 2nd mouthpiece for microphone (humming adapter?), two additional windscreens for microphone (still sealed), a SmartSong cartridge, and an 9v DC adapter. The unit calls for a 7.2v DC adapter, but the previous owner included a 9v adapter in the box that seemed to work just fine. If you are unsure, you can track down a 7.2-7.5v DC adapter at a place like Radio Shack. Not included in the box are the original manual (although I link to a PDF of it below), audio-out cable (nothing special, standard 1/4" cable), RCA-to 1/4" adapters (again, standard), and the studio sign (sorry I never got to see that one!)

The unit itself is in excellent condition and works great. The microphone cable has some styrofoam residue on it that should easily clean off. In the box is an old receipt from a previous owner's purchase and he paid a *fortune* for this thing! :-)

The built-in instruments and beats are fun and typical 80's, but the real power is in using the MIDI-out to control external synths, samplers or even softsynths in your computer. Plus, check out that awesome Adidas-clad 80's dude "James" on the box. He said it's hot and he wouldn't lie.

Links of interest:
Breakaway Vocalizer 1000 Documentation"

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Breakaway Vocalizer 1000

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"here's what Retro Synth has to say about it: 'The Vocalizer was a small module designed as a pitch to synth converter and built around the Ensoniq Q chip. While only marginally effective as a pitch to MIDI converter, it does have the same soundset as the Ensoniq ESQ-1 but without the analog filters.'"

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Breakaway Vocalizer 1000 Voice Synthesizer

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"These units are great for bizzare instrumentation, hacking/circuit bending, and kids. If you don't know how it works, basically you sing into the mic and it generates corresponding synthesized sounds- you can pick the sound. It also allows you to accompany a bunch of built in songs and rhythms. A total trip."

Update via Musicwise in the comments: "I have one of these and the real value in the Breakaway is realtime Audio to MIDI. You have to power it up with the yellow button pressed and it will then output anything you sing into it as MIDI. You can bend or even switch octaves as you play. I use it to capture vocals as MIDI or to perform sax solos with Saxlab and for writing intricate bass lines. Fantastic box!"

Breakaway Music Systems Vocalizer 1000

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For more info on this one see the Breakaway label below and check out the two prior posts including the comments in each.

Breakaway Vocalizer 1000

via this auction

"If you don't know what this thing is, it's a crazy synthesizer controlled by the microphone. You can sing into it and it accompanies you with a corresponding synth sound. That is, if you sing a 'C' it will make a 'C' sound with the selected instrument. It does some recording... It also has rhythms and other functionalities."

Update via retrosynth in the comments: "It's an ESQ-1 digital synth engine without the analog filters. Interesting, and supposedly useful for thereminists for doing pitch to MIDI conversion. I personally thought it sucked for pitch to MIDI but I never tried it with an electronic source such as a synth or theremin, just guitar and piano."

Update via larriji in the comments:
"I have one of these. Two of my friends started the Breakaway company and when they dissolved it I inherited one. I wish I had gotten more of them. I have use this extensively back in the days when I was doing dance tracks with Psychic TV. It works great with synths as the sound source. The kazoo aspect I found very limited. The cheese element outshines your musical intent when humming into it. But it actually is a very helpful tool when using it with synths. Since it forces notes to pitch you can come up with some very interesting and usable "accidents". I used this on some tracks on PTV's Trip Reset. Does anyone know what these sell for? I have friends who want one. I have no idea the current value. A note of trivia here. Roman Babiak, cofounder of Breakaway said Stevie Wonder was one of their first customers. He picked one up at a NAMM then after trying it called them up and bought another one. I thought that was kinda trippy. I would be curious what he used them on."

Breakaway Vocalizer 1000

Via GetLoFi. Interesting. Like a digital vocoder of sorts. Well, more like vocal processor, but still it does look interesting. Click here for a list of programs and some samples. Title link takes you to GetLoFi with some more shots and a link to one for auction.