NEW 2025 Optigan Disc - BIG BEAT & POLYRIMBA

video upload by optigandotcom

"https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

BIG BEAT is the latest in our series of excavatons into the Optigan Archives in search of material that was left on the cutting room floor. The working title for this disc was “Motown 1 - Big Beat.” Previously only heard on the song “How Do You Feel?” by Optiganally Yours. The keyboard sound is also sourced from the Optigan Archives- we mixed several different solo trombone and trumpet scales to form a brass section. A version of this sound previously appeared on our Orchestron "Brass Ensemble" disc.
Special note: This groove was recorded at a slower tempo than usual, so turn your Optigan's Tempo knob down to achieve concert pitch."

NEW 2025 Panoptigon Disc - POLYRIMBA

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available at https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

POLYRIMBA is based on the 5-against-3 polyrhythm. The basic sound is the classic DX7 Marimba preset. Individual notes are steady pulses with accents in counts of 5 or 3. Holding down chords creates an ever-shifting series of syncopated rhythmic patterns. If you count these in 4/4, you'll perceive longer rhythmic cycles that won't repeat for 15 bars. Adding delay will create even more complex patterns. Also, try it with the Panoptigon’s hall reverb turned up, and the main volume knob turned all the way down, to get an interesting ambient pad sound.

POLYRIMBA can only be played on Panoptigon, and is not compatible with Optigan or Orchestron.

Conceived, arranged, and mastered by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker
Jacket label art direction and layout by Michael Buchmiller

Important Note:

All discs are subject to the following licensing arrangement.
You MAY use any and all sounds on our Optigan/Orchestron discs to create derivative works for commercial or private use without any further licensing fee beyond the original purchase price of the discs. No credit to optigan.com is required. If your Optigan/Orchestron resides in a commercial studio which you operate, this license also extends to your clients.
You MAY NOT simply copy the sound contents of the discs and distribute the material directly as sample loops, either commercially or privately.
You MAY NOT make physical copies of the actual discs themselves, other than for private use/experimentation.

Compatibility
Panoptigon disc players"

The iOptigan: the infamous Optigal Organ of the 1970s in your iPad!

video upload by CatSynth TV

We present the iOptigan, a recreation of the infamous Optigan keyboard of the 1970s.

From https://ioptigan.com
'The Optigan, short for Optical Organ, was a chord organ from the early 70’s. It is remembered today for its unique system of sound reproduction using optical discs. These LP-sized film discs were optically encoded with 57 concentric tracks, which contained loops of musical combos playing chord patterns in different styles. Each disc contained a specific style of music (Bossa Nova, Big Band etc) which the user could control by pressing the chord buttons...
...Despite this novel technology, the scratchy sound of the Optigan left a lot to be desired. iOptigan truthfully recreates that lo-fi sound. For more information about the original Optigan, please visit https://optigan.com'

00:00 Introduction
00:24 History of the Optigan
01:46 Overview
04:02 Bossa Nova disc
05:49 Playing iOptigan from a MIDI keyboard
08:05 Tempo control
09:57 Bluegrass Banjo
11:37 Movin'
14:27 Playing discs upside down, and 'Gay 90s'
19:53 More Optigan discs
28:31 Conclusion

_________
Store: https://shop.catsynth.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/catsynth
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/catsynth"

NEW 2025 Panoptigon Disc - POLYVOX

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available exclusively at https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

POLYVOX is the famous Vox Humana preset from a classic 1970s polyphonic synth. We simply gave it a different name to avoid confusion with the vintage Optigan disc of the same title. Try it with the Panoptigon’s hall reverb turned up, and the main volume knob turned all the way down, to simulate a slow attack rate.

POLYVOX can only be played on Panoptigon, and is not compatible with Optigan or Orchestron.

Recorded and mastered by Alex Ball @AlexBallMusic
Edited and mastered for Panoptigon by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker

Important Note:

All discs are subject to the following licensing arrangement.
You MAY use any and all sounds on our Optigan/Orchestron discs to create derivative works for commercial or private use without any further licensing fee beyond the original purchase price of the discs. No credit to optigan.com is required. If your Optigan/Orchestron resides in a commercial studio which you operate, this license also extends to your clients.
You MAY NOT simply copy the sound contents of the discs and distribute the material directly as sample loops, either commercially or privately.
You MAY NOT make physical copies of the actual discs themselves, other than for private use/experimentation.

Compatibility
Panoptigon disc players"

NEW 2025 Optigan Disc - PIZZICATO POP

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available exclusively at https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

PIZZICATO POP is the latest in our series of excavatons into the Optigan Archives in search of material that was left on the cutting room floor. The working title for this disc was “Contemporary #107.” It was recorded in 1970 during the intial Optigan sessions in Cologne, Germany, with pizzicato string overdubs being added sometime later. Previously only heard on the song 'Hope In Your Eyes' by Optiganally Yours ( • Optiganally Yours - HOPE IN YOUR EYES... [furtherbelow] . The keyboard sound is also from the Optigan Archives- an experiment that combines a Hammond B3 with a hand-played tremolo on an RMI Rocksichord.

Chords:
Pop combo with pizzicato strings.

Keys:
Hammond B3 with RMI Rocksichord

SFX:
1 - Riff 01
2 - Riff 02
3 - Riff 03
4 - Riff 04
5 - Drums

Mastered by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker"

Optiganally Yours - HOPE IN YOUR EYES - Official Lyric Video

video upload by optigandotcom

IN HEAVEN Optigan Variations for David Lynch

video upload by optigandotcom

"In heaven, everything is fine. You've got your good things and I've got mine.

RIP David Lynch.

Music by Peter Ivers. Music recorded, and 35mm negatives found, by Pea Hicks. Made with Panoptigon and vintage Optigan discs."

Optigan Custom Stereophonic Model 35012 Owned by Modest Mouse

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this listing

See The Official Modest Mouse Reverb Shop for additional listings.

"This Optigan Custom Stereophonic Model 35012 is owned by Modest Mouse

There are general scratches and scuffs throughout, but overall is in decent shape. The unit powers on and the disc reader makes a fair amount of noise as it spins. We could hear the keys and the reverb engaging, however because we do not have any discs we could not fully test the unit. It's possible that there are issues that will need repair.

All items in The Official Modest Reverb Shop ship fully insured with delivery confirmation. This item comes with an embossed Certificate Of Authenticity."

CLICK FOR MORE »

NEW 2024 Optigan Disc - SYNTHPOP

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available exclusively at https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

SYNTHPOP was the very first new Optigan disc we created in 2008. We were eager to make something completely anachronistic for the instrument. It was only done as a test, and never issued, though a demo of it appeared on YouTube at the time. Having received many requests for this disc over the years, we finally decided to revisit it, rework it, and issue it to the masses!

Chords:
Synth bass and chords.

Keys:
Lead synth.

SFX:
1 - Drum Machine 01
2 - Drum Machine 02
3 - Drum Machine 03
4 - Percussion 01
5 - Percussion 02

Arranged and mastered by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker"

Giallo - A New Optigan Disc by Hainbach

via Optigan

"A NEW Optigan compatible disc, GIALLO is a genre of B-movies that was popular in 1970s Italy and found a cult following among cineastes. These cheap horror and thriller flicks featured soundtracks that were as raw as they were fantastic. This disc pays homage to their shocking and ghostly sound. A fan of the sound, Hainbach recorded two rare Italian synthesizers, the Farfisa Polychrome and the Elgam Carousel. Made with varispeed in mind, this disc adds a dark shimmer to your own scores."

Optigan Discs Lot Of 7

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This is a lot of seven Optigan discs from the 1970s and includes -

The Starter Set - 1 - Big Organ and Drums. 2 - Pop Piano Plus Guitar. 3 - Latin Fever. 4 - Guitar in 3/4 Time

Classic Guitar 4/4

Folk and Other Moods Guitar (no cover)

Easy Does it With Vibes"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Norman McLaren's hand-drawn sounds

video upload by Robotussin Vintage Synths

"Scottish-Canadian animator Norman McLaren developed a technique of painting onto the optical soundtrack area of the film negatives of his animations.

The shapes would then make drones and buzzes when played through a special type of projector. He used the technique to create experimental soundtracks to his animations.

It's similar to Daphne Oram's technique of turning shapes into sound – though hers, which she called Oramics, was more complex, with dedicated machines that read shapes on the entire area of the 35mm film, rather than just the little strip that contains the soundtrack.

You can see the results in the third video above, an extract from McLaren's film 'Dots', which employs the technique.

McLaren – born in Scotland in 1914 – worked for the British Post Office's film unit until around 1939, when he moved to New York, then to Canada in 1941, where he produced animations for the National Film Board, before setting up an animation studio at the École des beaux-arts de Montréal and the Ontario College of Art.

There he produced around 70 films, much of it highly experimental and strange. He died in 1987 aged 72."

This also reminds me of the Optigan.

Norman McLaren is mentioned in this book: Vector Synthesis: a Media Archaeological Investigation into Sound-Modulated Light

Entire Back-Catalog of Optigan / Orchestron / Panoptigon Disc Titles Now Available

via Optigan.com

"For the first time in a couple of years, our entire catalog of existing disc titles for Optigan, Orchestron, and Panoptigon are now back in print and available for purchase! While the Optical Disc Lab (made possible by the generous support of our fellow Optigoners) isn’t quite ready yet to plot masters of new titles, we can now make copies of our existing masters that are fully up to the quality we were able to previously achieve with an outside vendor. So if there’s any gaps in your collection, they can now be filled!"

The Enchanting LoFi Textures Of An Optical Sound Sampler

video upload by HAINBACH

"Listen to the 'Talentmaker Takes' EP on my bandcamp: https://hainbach.bandcamp.com/album/t...

The Chilton Talentmaker is one of the first samplers, or rather loop players. Like the slightly more famous Mellotron, it allows playback of recorded instruments, but it can play them back as loops. This allows for all kind of endless playback of music, from 'German Band' and 'Polka Band' to 'Waltz Guitar', made famous through Michel Gondry's 'Eternal Sunshine Of A Spotless mind' soundtrack.

The Chilton and its close relatives, the Optigan and Orchestron, were used by Kraftwerk, David Lynch, Tom Waits, The Clash and many more."

New Optigan Merch Shop

Optigan has a new mech shop. You'll find Optigan, Vako Orchestron, and Panoptigan Ts there. They are currently having a 15% off sale. You can find the shop at https://optigan.threadless.com.

OPTIGAN Model 35001 Stereophonic with Reverb

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
2berino

"Demo of Optigan Model 35001 using the Movin' disc"

via this auction

"All keys work, and all chord buttons work easily. Volume pedal works. In the down position, special effects buttons 1,3 & 5 all work; 4 is intermittent, and 2 doesn't work; none work in the up (lock) position. These are known issues and can be resolved by disassembly and cleaning the contacts; there are videos on YouTube about how to do this.

Cosmetically it's in decent shape, with some scuffs and scratches. There is a small chip above the 4th special effects switch and some discoloration on the plastic apron above the chord and percussion switches."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Vintage 1979 Super 8 Film Home Movie CONTROL DATA CDC 3600 COMPUTER PLAYS SOUSA

This one is in via peahix of https://optigan.com. Forward to 6:52 for the mechanical rendition.

"Another garage sale find. This is almost certainly the CDC 3600 that was installed at UCSD. Please note: Only parts of this film have sound. You can hear the CDC's rendition of Sousa's 'Stars & Stripes Forever' starting at 6:52."

Four NEW 2020 Optigan Discs

optigandotcom

2020 Optigan Disc - FUZZ ROCK
2020 Optigan Disc - GAMELESQUE
2020 Optigan Disc - SPIKE'S JOINT
2020 Optigan Disc - COUNTRY FOLK IN 6/8 Featuring Orchestron Solo French Horn

via https://optigan.com/four-new-2020-optigan-discs-fuzz-rock-gamelesque-spikes-joint-country-folk/

Quilter Labs PANOPTIGON CHORD CONTROLLER

Quilter Labs PANOPTIGON CHORD CONTROLLER Unboxing & Demo

optigandotcom

00:00 - Unboxing
01:16 - Optigan Mode Demo (Cha Cha Cha)
03:51 - Orchestron Mode Demo (Bass Clarinet)
05:03 - Chirp (Bossa Nova Style)

"Here's a quick unboxing & demo of Quilter Labs' new Panoptigon Chord Controller, available for purchase here

This is a small MIDI controller that replicates the functionality of the Optigan chord button panel. You can use it in conjunction with a standard MIDI keyboard to control Panoptigon. You can also use it with iOptigan (requires an additional 3rd party MIDI to Lightning interface) or any other MIDI sound module.

In "Optigan" mode, the PCC controls a standard Optigan format disc. In "Orchestron" mode, the chord buttons send chord MIDI data to play simple sustained chords to either an Orchestron disc or any MIDI sound module. In "iOptigan" mode, the PCC is mapped to control the iOptigan app (https://optigan.com/ioptigan/). All three modes can be set to either "Normal" for momentary operation or "Radio" for latched operation.

In this video I demonstrate the "Optigan" and "Orchestron" modes. A full demo of the 'iOptigan' mode will be coming soon.

At the end, there's a nod to all the Minecraft / Little Big Planet fans- a quick improv on 'Chirp.' :)"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Optigan discs and songbooks / nearly complete collection

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction


"The mother lode of Optigan discs, songbooks and ephemera. 30 discs (4 in picture sleeves, the rest in Optigan-branded folios); 14 songbooks; 2 cardboard folio carriers with “highlight” sheets and extra stickers.

I am not parting out this collection; at the current price I’m listing at, each disc comes out to about $18 per; that includes rare titles like Movin’, Singing Rhythm and Sleigh Ride. See below for complete list.

I also have an Optigan organ (model 35002) with the usual sticky chord keys available for pick-up only in St. Louis, MO. Message me for more info.

Discs:
1. Polynesian Village
2. Easy Does it with Vibes
3. Rollin' Easy
4. Big Band Beat
5. Guitar in 3/4 Time
6. Banjo Sing-Along
7. Bossa Nova Style
8. Big Top Marching Band
9. Organ Sing Along
10. The Blues Sweet and Low
11. Singing Rhythm
12. Nashville Country
13. Hear and Now
14. Waltz Time
15. Big Organ and Drums
16. Pop Piano Plus Guitar
17. Dixieland Strut
18. Cha-Cha-Cha
19. Folk & Other Moods - Guitar
20. Movin'
21. Gay 90's
22. Bluegrass Banjo
23. Romantic Strings (in 3/4 time)
24. Gospel Rock
25. Sleigh Ride
26. Latin Fever
27. New Orleans Blues (w. sleeve)
28. Champagne Music (w. sleeve)
29. Swing It! (w. sleeve)
30. Rock & Rhythm (w. sleeve)

Songbooks:
1. Champagne Melodies
2. Swingin' Standards
3. Big Ballads
4. Latin Love
5. Everything is Beautiful
6. Contemporary Standards/Top Popular Hits
7. Sentimental Blues
8. Heart of Dixie
9. Folk Classics
10. Shades of Gold
11. Bluegrass and Sagebrush
12. Country Hits
13. Broadway Melodies (Rodgers & Kern)
14. Singalong Favorites"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Baldwin Syntha Sound Improv

Published on Dec 27, 2019 Joseph McGinty

A short improv "In C" on the Baldwin Syntha Sound, stepping through some of the presets. It's an unusual synth that actually sounds pretty cool! And fun to play!
Rhythm loop by the "Rollin' Easy" Optigan disk played by the Panoptigan disk player.
Baldwin synth looping by the incredibly versatile Enso looping software by Audio Damage.
Video effects by Signal Culture's "Frame Buffer".
Panoptigon: https://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php...
Enso by Audio Damage: https://www.audiodamage.com/products/...
Frame Buffer by Signal Culture: http://signalculture.org/frame-buffer...

You can find additional posts featuring the Bladwin Syntha Sound here. I believe this is only one of two video demos.

New Panoptigon Format Disc – GRAND PIANO

Panoptigon plays SILENT NIGHT Published on Dec 1, 2019 optigandotcom

"SILENT NIGHT recorded on Quilter Labs' PANOPTIGON, featuring the new Panoptigon format disc GRAND PIANO (available now!) as well as the Optigan format DARKSOPHONE and Orchestron format VOCAL CHOIR and SOLO FEMALE VOICE discs. Please see http://www.optigan.com for more information."

PANOPTIGON Format Disc Demo - GRAND PIANO

Published on Dec 10, 2019 optigandotcom

"Announcing a new disc for PANOPTIGON from Quilter Labs! This is the third disc in the new Panoptigon format, only playable on Panoptigon (https://optigan.com/product/panoptigon/).

https://optigan.com/product/panoptigo...

GRAND PIANO expands on the concept of our original Orchestron format Piano disc, in that it takes advantage of the full 60-note keyboard of the Panoptigon format, and also we've arranged more complex rhythmic figures for the individual notes, in 6/8 time. As with all of our discs featuring rhythmically articulated scale tones, GRAND PIANO is best used for playing sustained chords to produce rippling, arpeggiated patterns and textures. It's also great for playing in reverse for even more ambient effects.

GRAND PIANO can only be played on PANOPTIGON, and is NOT compatible with Optigan or Orchestron.

The raw piano recordings used on this disc are open-source samples available here: http://theremin.music.uiowa.edu/MIS.html"