Video of the RCA Synthesizer - NPR Documentary on Milton Babbitt

NPR has a great documentary on Milton Babbitt with video of the RCA synthesizer.
See the bottom of this post.

RIP Milton Babbitt

Milton Babbitt passed away yesterday January 29, 2011. He was 94 years old. Via Wikipedia:

"Babbitt later became interested in electronic music. He was hired by RCA as consultant composer to work with their RCA Mark II Synthesizer at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center (known since 1996 as the Columbia University Computer Music Center), and in 1961 produced his Composition for Synthesizer. Babbitt was less interested in producing new timbres than in the rhythmic precision he could achieve using the Mark II synthesizer, a degree of precision previously unobtainable in live performances (Barkin & Brody 2001).

Babbitt continued to write both electronic music and music for conventional musical instruments, often combining the two. Philomel (1964), for example, was written for soprano and a synthesized accompaniment (including the recorded and manipulated voice of Bethany Beardslee, for whom the piece was composed) stored on magnetic tape."

Babbitt: "Occasional Variations"

YouTube via NewMusicXX | October 24, 2008 |
Re-Published on Sep 15, 2009 Karin Schneider

"Milton Babbitt: "Occasional Variations"
Realized on the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer, 1968-1971"

image via Perfect Sound Forever

Update:


RCA Synthesizer comes in at 12:51. Do watch up to it. Only calling it out so you know when it comes in.
Full article on NPR

Update:

Milton Babbitt on Electronic Music

YouTube via echasalow | January 29, 2011 |

"1997, from the Video Archive of Electroacoustic Music. Barbara Cassidy and Eric Chasalow curators.

more videos at:

http://cec.concordia.ca/econtact/12_2...

copyright 1997 Eric Chasalow, all rights reserved"

Update:

milton babbitt- vision and prayer

"NewMusicXX | February 02, 2011 | 3 likes, 0 dislikes
Re-Published on May 25, 2015 Joe

Milton Babbitt: "Vision and Prayer"(1961) for soprano and synthesized tape. Bethany Beardslee, soprano. The text and title are from a 1945 poem by Dylan Thomas, the first section of which reads: Who Are you Who is born
In the next room So loud to my own That I can hear the womb Opening and the dark run Over the ghost and the dropped son Behind the wall thin as a wren's bone? In the birth bloody room unknown To the burn and turn of time And the heart print of man Bows no baptism
But dark alone Blessing on The wild Child.

Physical Sequencer

Physical Sequencer from Marek Bereza on Vimeo.

"'Physical Sequencer', part of Yamaha/RCA's "Making Fun Serious" exhibition at Chappell of Bond Street (a big old music shop).

The software is based on my iPhone app, thump ( mrkbrz.com/​thump/​ ), but this time, controlled physically rather than via a screen. There were 8 steps in the sequence and 7 different sounds. Each cell has a depth sensor with which you can turn the cell on or off. The cells each have a light indicating whether they're active or not and a light indicating the which part of the sequence you're on. It kind of makes you want to dance.

The concept belongs to Giuseppe Guerriero ( giuseppe-guerriero.com/​ ) and the electronics hardware was done by Stefan Dzisiewski-Smith ( bycgwtsf.com/​ )

Built with openFrameworks"

iPads on Ebay iPod Touch on Ebay

American Museum of Radio & Electricity in Bellingham, WA

"The American Museum of Radio and Electricity (Update: now the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention) offers an exciting and educational experience for audiences of all ages. Compelling, interactive exhibits spanning four centuries of scientific achievement and cultural heritage are featured in a world-class collection of unique objects. The American Museum of Radio and Electricity displays the inventions and innovations that changed the course of human history.

The American Museum of Radio and Electricity is a 501(c)(3)non-profit charitable organization."

I was fortunate enough to visit the museum this past weekend. The museum primarily focuses on the history of electricity and radio. To my surprise they had a display on the theremin. The museum as a whole was pretty incredible. I hadn't been to their website prior to my visit so I had no idea what to expect. If you are ever in the area, definitely drop by and ask for the mini guided tour. The tour guide we had did a great job not only letting us know what we were looking at and answering our questions, but he gave us some functional demos of the historical equipment. BTW, if you are into steampunk, this should rank on the top of your list of sites to visit. Just check out my flickr set here (or slide show at the bottom of this post). Note the black and white key layouts on the keyboards in the pics. Aside from the one organ, they are not actually musical keyboards, they are telegraphs. Side note: all photos were taken with my iPhone 4.

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Laurie Spiegel and NASA's Golden Record

"Born in Chicago in 1945 she took a degree in social science before studying music at Juilliard specialising in Baroque and Renaissance lute. She then took a leap into electronic music and in the 1970s wrote interactive compositional software at Bell Labs and founded the New York University Computer Music Studio. She also became famous in rock circles for her music software for personal computers. Lauarie Spiegel's own electronic music is minimalist and deals with textures, not melody. Among her works in the 1970s was a piece using mathematical algorithms to make audible a set of laws of planetary motions devised by the 17th century astronomer Johann Kepler which he called the Harmony of the Planets, and it was this work which NASA chose to be part of 'The Golden Record' on board the Voyager space craft."

via Rhythm Divine where you'll find a full transcript and audio if you have WMP or Real Player.

Pictured: "Pioneer in the field of computer-generated music: Laurie Spiegel"

via @stretta

Update: be sure to see the comments in this post for more bits of info.

RCA Electronic Music Synthesizer Album Scans

Readable scans are in via Cliff. You can find them in the bottom update here. Click on each to read.

Thank you Cliff!

RCA Electronic Music Synthesizer RCA-Victor LM-1922 LP

via this auction

"Extremely rare synthesizer LP from 1955 original mono pressing, RCA Victor LM-1922."

If anyone knows where to find a readable scan of the album notes let me know.

Update via twitter.com/hamageddon: you can find more info on the album including audio downloads here.

Update via imaginear in the comments: "Also check out programme 12 of The Tone Generation radio series which focuses solely on the RCA Music Synthesizer."

Update: bottom four scans below via Cliff. Click on each to read.

Update 4/24/12 via oAtStAo "This person has a wealth of info on their site"

Update 5/8/12: Cleaned up scans below via Bob Borries in the comments. Click on them to read.

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Experimenting with Electronic Music, 1st ed.

"Published the very same year electro-industrial pioneers Kraftwerk released their breakthrough album "Autobahn," here's a wonderful, rare book covering virtually everything you ever wanted to know about music synthesis and reproduction. Within its pages is an overview of the history of electronic music, from RCA's tube-based Mark I to modern solid-state synthesizers, with photos of the Minimoog and the Moog Sonic Six, as well as the Tonus ARP 2500, 2600, and Soloist consoles. For you tinkerers out there, the book also contains numerous construction projects, including two (2) separate transistorized theremins complete with detailed alignment instructions. All projects come ready-to-build with full schematics and parts lists.

Contents include:
* Musical Electronics
History - Mechanical Tone Generation - Electronic Tone Generation - The Music Synthesizer

* Sound and the Electronic Signal
Sound - Harmonic Motion - The Sine Wave - Additive Synthesis - Square Wave - Sawtooth Wave - Beat Notes - The Envelope - White Sound - Using the Complex Wave

* The Instruments
Mechanical Tone Generators (string, wind, and percussive) - Experimenting

* Microphone and Pickup Applications
Principles - Ceramic and Crystal Applications - Homemade Ceramic - Homemade Percussion - Dynamic Microphones - Magnetic Pickups - Homemade Magnetic Pickup - Condenser - Impedance

* Building a Small Electric Organ
Tone Generation - General Construction - Tremolo Modulator - Mixer - Homemade Keyboards - Combining the Stages

* The Electronic Modifiers
Tremolo Circuit - Envelope Control Circuit - Trigger Circuit - Attack Envelope Generator Circuit - Photoelectric Modulator - Reverberation - Chime Device - "Fuzz" Circuit - Sustain Circuit

* Electronic Tone Generators
Multi-waveform Generator - Pink Noise Circuit - Two Theremin Projects - Automatic Percussion Circuit - The Almost Nightingale - Mini-Organ

* Odds and Ends
Two-Channel Mixer - Three-Channel Mixer - Voice Selector - Variable Bandpass Amplifier - Active High-Pass Filter - Resonant Filter - Tube Filter - Tape and Echo

Hardcover, 180 pages. First edition, copyright 1974."

on Amazon

I added this to the Synth Books section as well.

Electronic Musical Instrument Handbook, 1st Ed.

via this auction

"Electronic Musical Instrument Handbook, 1st Ed.
by Norman H. Crowhurst
Here in one concise volume is everything you ever wanted to know about vintage electronic musical instruments, including the famous RCA Mark II Synthesizer and that ethereal favorite, the theremin. Photos, diagrams, and vacuum tube schematics galore. VERY scarce title. Overall, the 47 year-old book is in excellent condition. Paperback, 128 pages. First edition, first printing. Copyright 1962.


Contents Include:
1. Introduction to Musical Instruments
2. Sound Reinforcement by Microphone
3. Sound Reproduction by Pickups
4. Introducing Electronics into the Design
5. Purely Electronic Musical Instruments (tone generators, analysis & synthesis)
6. Transducers for Musical Instruments (microphones, pickups, speakers, effects)
7. Electronic Circuit Elements (incl. tremolo & vibrato)
8. Installation and Servicing Details (matching, hum, acoustic feedback, servicing)"

Also on Amazon,and added to the Synth Books section on the right.

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Music Non Suck - Early Electronic Music

Radio 216;s Musique Non Suck

Track listing:
01. Raymond Scott - Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. (1960)
02. Laurie Spiegel - Patchwork (1976)
03. Pauline Oliveros - Bye Bye Butterfly (1965)
04. Tom Dissevelt - Ignition (1963)
05. Roger Powell - Lumia (Dance Of The Nebulae) (1973)
06 RCA - demonstration of synthesizing a human voice on the RCA Modular Synthesizer (1955)
07. Ralph Lundsten - IT (1968)
08. Ron Geesin - U.F.O. (1972)
09. Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece - Waterwheel (1976)
10. Charles Dodge - discussion on the cumbersomeness of early computer music
11. Charles Dodge - He Destroyed Her Image (1972)
12. Bell Labs - demonstration of the VODER speech synthesizer (1939)
13. Ursula Bogner - Für Ulrich/Pulsation (1969)
14. Erkki Kurenniemi - Sähkösoittimen Ääniä #1 (1971)
15. Gil Mellé - Wildfire (Andromeda Strain Soundtrack) (1971)
16. Delia Derbyshire - Effervescence (1972)
17. Tom Dissevelt - Syncopation (1958)
18. Raymond Scott - IBM Probe (1963)
19. Morton Subotnick - Silver Apples Of The Moon (1967)
20. Hugh Le Caine - demonstration of synthesizing strings on the Electronic Sackbut (1953)
21. Ilhan Mimaroglu - Agony (1965)
22. Raymond Scott - Futurama (1964)
23. Tom Dissevelt - Pacific Dawn (1963)
24. Louis And Bebe Barron - Once Around Altair (Forbidden Planet Soundtrack) (1956)
25. Herbert Eimert And Robert Beyer - Klangstudie II (1952)
26. Erkki Kurenniemi - Improvisaatio (1969)
27. John Pfeiffer - Orders (1968)
28. Frank Coe/Forrest J. Ackerman - Tone Tales From Tomarrow (1964)
via Jez

La Invención del Sintetizador Moog

YouTube via funkberto

"Al igual q el del Mixer de Sun Records, este video también es de "Objetos Perdidos.." del History Channel. Aquí se muestra, mediante entrevistas a sus inventores, el proceso creativo de uno de los mas revolucionarios instrumentos musicales.

Aunque dudo de la veracidad de que los Beatles hayan usado uno, y al mediocre sonido del video; es muy interesante y entretenido para los "tecnomúsicos"."

Googlish:
"As the q Mixer Sun Records, this video is from "Lost .." the History Channel.

Here is through interviews with its inventors, the creative process of one of the most revolutionary musical instruments.

Although I doubt the veracity of the Beatles have used one, and the mediocre sound of the video, it is very interesting and entertaining for "tecnomúsicos."

RCA synthesizer piano (1955)

YouTube via nikemoto2511
"from old records, recently found on the web.
cool music, no lyrics, no persona cult.
made in the U.S.A.!"

The Tone Generation Programme 12 - The RCA Synthesizer

"This special 45 minute edition examines the leviathan synthesizer introduced by RCA engineers in 1955, and features electronic sounds created only with the Mark 1 and 2 machines. Included are tracks composed by Otto Leuning, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Milton Babbitt and Charles Wuorinen."
You'll find it at the bottom of this post.

Babbitt: "Occasional Variations"

YouTube via NewMusicXX
"Milton Babbitt: "Occasional Variations"
Realized on the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer, 1968-1971"

Theremin R.C.A. Loudspeaker 106 Electrodynamic

images via this auction

"The R.C.A. Loudspeaker 106 Electrodynamic is the correct unit to partner the R.C.A. Theremin. The original R.C.A. drive unit has been replaced by another brand but the cabinet is in good condition with some wear owing to an age of 80 years! Dimensions of the cabinet are 23 1/2 " long X 33 1/2" high X 11 " wide. As can be seen the tapestry both front and sides is in good condition. The back cloth is intact. This is rare chance to purchase a beautiful example of an R.C.A. 106 speaker cabinet especially to accompany a Theremin making a complete set."

via ben

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The Tone Generation

Note: these are long, so you might want to bookmark this one for when you have time.
You might remember The Tone Generation from this post when the program was first announced. In short, it is a radio series on the history of electronic music. Thanks goes to this post on Califaudio for reminding me of the series. The next program will feature the RCA synthesizer. I am now subbed and will post when it comes in.

Update: if you prefer to download these as mp3s for the road or other, you can find them here.

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AnalogSuicide.com: The First -Ever "Electrified" Piano!

YouTube via tarabusch

"http://AnalogSuicide.com
http://offthewallantiques.com
Tara visits the booth of Off The Wall Antiques to have a peek at the beautiful RCA- Victor "Electrified" Piano from 1939."

Switched-On-Rock

flickr by mpeake

full size

Page 2

The Sounds And Music Of The RCA Electronic Music Synthesizer (1955)

click here for the track listing on 36 15 MOOG. Also be sure to check out the rest of the site.

Pictured below is the schematic diagram of the RCA Synthesizer.

Raymond Scott 100

Science Reporting has an excellent post up on Raymond Scott. The following are a few excerpts (be sure to check out the full post on Science Reporting).

"In 1942, he became Music Director for CBS Radio and made history by hiring black musicians. His CBS band was the first racially integrated band for radio. In 1946, he founded Manhattan Research Inc, "the world's most extensive facility for the creation of Electronic Music and Musique Concrete." It was the first electronic music studio...

In 1949, Raymond said, 'Perhaps within the next hundred years, science will perfect a process of thought transference from composer to listener. The composer will sit alone on the concert stage and merely think his idealized conception of his music. Instead of recordings of actual music sound, recordings will carry the brainwaves of the composer directly to the mind of the listener.'

By the mid-50's his studio began to look (according to friends such as Robert Moog) like a science fiction set. Over the years, Raymond invented numerous electronic musical instruments including the Clavivox and the Electronium.

Robert Moog credits Raymond as an important influence on the invention of the Moog Synthesizer. In 1962 and 1963, Raymond released Soothing Sounds for Baby. It was entirely electronic music he composed as an "aural toy" for children. While it was a commercial failure at the time, some now regard it as a strong pre-cursor to ambient music (over a decade before Brian Eno's recordings)."