'I bought this from one of the original designers, Ben Rizzi, around 1993. He kept it solely at his New Jersey studio, so it was in beautiful condition. I’ve used it on countless recordings since then, and have kept it exclusively at my home studio, so it’s in pristine cosmetic shape. It’s just been serviced, but of course it’s a fragile instrument, so I’d suggest local pickup. I understand that turning it on often is a good idea. Really a characterful sounding keyboard (largely because it runs optical discs). I first became aware of it through some of Kraftwork’s recordings. After I bought this, I took apart an older one I had, so it also comes with a box of spare parts. Comes with 5 optical discs - Pipe Organ, Sax, Vocal Choir (2), and Cello. The entire original set is available online.'”
"At the 2019 NAMM Show, Quilter Labs introduced the Panoptigon, an optical sample playback device, based on the rare Optigan and Vako Orchestron instruments of the 1970's."
"This is a demo of the PANOPTIGON- the new Optigan/Orchestron disc playing instrument by Quilter Labs, developed in association with optigan.com.
Kraftwerk is undoubtedly the most famous user of the original Vako Orchestron, which can be heard on all their albums from the late 1970s. Most notable is their use of the VOCAL CHOIR disc, but they also made good use of the VIOLIN disc, heard on such tracks as 1977's "Franz Schubert." We painstakingly transcribed the two Orchestron tracks from the original recording and created a sequence in Cubase, which then played back the parts via MIDI into a Panoptigon loaded with a vintage VIOLIN disc just like Kraftwerk had. The left/right channel parts were then recorded in two seperate passes as audio back into cubase, and mixed with a soft synth plug-in recreating the repeating arpeggio pattern. A bit of reverb was added, but otherwise what you're hearing is the direct signal from the Panoptigon.
Please visit http://www.optigan.com for more information about the availability of the Panoptigon, as well as remastered editions of all the original Orchestron disc titles that Kraftwerk used on their albums!"
"A nice set of very rare synthesizer brochure / catalog paperwork. Raymond Scott ELECTRONIUM May 70, MOOG Syn Amp, VAKO Orchestron for YES, MOOG Sonic Six, Moog Constellation 1973 Taurus Apollo Lyra - for Keith Emerson of ELP. These documents are used but in good condition. Will not separate, sold as-is, thank you."
Update: this post will be pinned on top for the day. You can find newer posts below.
Brian Kehew wrote in to let us know synth legend David Van Koevering passed away yesterday at the age of 77. Per Brian, "So many people in the industry knew him; such a long and varied life!" Indeed. The following is the obituary sent to him from Van Koevering's family.
"Here's a demo of all 8 original discs that were made for the Vako Orchestron (we're now starting to make new discs- see http://www.blogtigan.wordpress.com). This keyboard, which is adapted from the Mattel Optigan, was introduced in 1975 by Dave VanKoevering. It was intended to be a competitor to the Mellotron, but it never really took off. Kraftwerk was a very early adopter of this instrument. I've included little examples of some of the well-known parts Kraftwerk used their Orchestron for back in the day.
My Orchestron is in fairly average working condition. You'll note that I had a bit of trouble with one of the high F keys. Also, note the substantial level of radio interference, which I've muted during disc changes.
Anyone interested in more information about the Orchestron and related instruments can find lots of stuff at my website, www.optigan.com.
Also, to purchase a sample CD with all the Orchestron sounds (as well as Optigan and Talentmaker sounds), please visit here:
"Since there's been some interest this week, here's a quick video of the Optigan/Orchestron master tape vault, ie my library closet. Sorry for my incoherent rambling. Highlighted is the tape containing the famous Orchestron Vocal Choir sound that Kraftwerk used during the mid-late 70s on several albums/songs. Here I demonstrate probably the most recognizeable Kraftwerk Orchestron bit, the sustained chord from "Uranium." New Order later sampled this chord from the Kraftwerk record and used it in "Blue Monday."
You can get this and all the other Optigan/Orchestron sounds, both recorded from the instruments/discs themselves and also in their pristine studio-quality versions from the master tapes here:
A new release in our line of Vako Orchestron discs, DREHORGEL. It's unlikely that there will be sufficient demand to do a second run of 25 of these discs, so your best bet is to buy as many of these as you need while you can!
DREHORGEL is a newly recorded sound for the Orchestron. It's a small, hand-cranked street organ that plays punched music rolls, similar to a calliope. The drehorgel featured here is owned by Pat Quilter of Quilter Labs. For our disc, we chose the unique "trill" sound of the drehorgel, which produces repeated notes. Great for playing creepy circus type music!
PLEASE NOTE: This disc WILL NOT play properly in an Optigan! They WILL play, but the sounds will NOT be mapped correctly to the keyboard- they will be mapped mostly haphazardly across the chord buttons. Please don't order this disc expecting to easily use it in an Optigan. In the future we will be porting the Orchestron sounds to the Optigan- please be patient! :)
Stay tuned for more Orchestron discs, both new and remastered titles!"
A new release in our line of Vako Orchestron discs, HARMONIUM. It's unlikely that there will be sufficient demand to do a second run of 25 of these discs, so your best bet is to buy as many of these as you need while you can!
HARMONIUM is a sound that is new to the Orchestron, though it previously appeared on the vintage Optigan "Gay 90s Waltz" disc. The source recording is an old Estey harmonium (reed organ), taken from the original Optigan studio master tapes.
PLEASE NOTE: This disc WILL NOT play properly in an Optigan! They WILL play, but the sounds will NOT be mapped correctly to the keyboard- they will be mapped mostly haphazardly across the chord buttons. Please don't order this disc expecting to easily use it in an Optigan. In the future we will be porting the Orchestron sounds to the Optigan- please be patient! :)
Stay tuned for more Orchestron discs, both new and remastered titles!"
Note these take optical disks while the Mellotron used tape. You can see a pic of them below. You can also get new ones from optigan.com
"Vako Orchestron
Prototype Version
According to our information, only 4 or 5 of these prototypes were made
and perhaps this is the only one left in the world, that actually works.
This unit is well preserved, first of all because it has been kept
securely in its factory flight case.
We have done some necessary repairs by a professional service center,
well acquainted with Optigan and Mellotron.
This includes:
- New contacts for all keys
- Restoration of motor
- Replacement of belts
- Restoration of wood casing
- Other respectful compensations to the fragile prototype construction
The unit is being sold by the original owner, who is a professional musician, artist and composer.
2 original disks (labeled "TEST DISC", hence the prototype status) is included."
Update: in case you read this post when it first went up, be sure to give it another look for a few updates. It's a bit convoluted with quite a few tangents, but that's how it goes sometimes.
The following are some excerpts and tie-ins to other bits of synth history.
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Initially a saxophone player, Bruno Spoerri explored electronic music in the 1960s on.
"In 1964 he was invited to a job in an advertising agency and began to work with electronic music using a Ondes Martenot and, after, using lots of synthesizers and also experimenting with electrified/synthesized saxophones..." "As a saxophonist and jazz improviser I always looked for ways to play without a keyboard."
Pictured above is Bruno with his EMS Synthi 100 (videos previously posted here and here).
On the Synthi 100: "I bought the Synthi 100 in 1971. In 1987 I gave it to Felix Visser (Synton) in exchange for a Fairlight CMI; some years he had to sell it at an auction, and I don't know where it is now (I would recognize the instrument, as I did some small changes on it)." It was listed on Vemia back in 2009 posted here and here. Click though for pics.
In 1974, he recorded the album 'Iischalte (Switched-on Switzerland)'.
Bruno Spoerri - Le Ranz Des Vaches
Uploaded on Jul 25, 2011 Aura Archange Maudit·57 videos
Imágenes de la película La lunga notte di Veronique (1966)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183441/
Video made by Aura Archange Maudit"
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"On 'Voice Of Taurus' (1978), Bruno Spoerri experiments a lot with electrified wind instruments and also with jazz-rock and rock."
Bruno Spoerri - Hymn Of Taurus (Taurus Is Calling You!)
Uploaded on Nov 19, 2009 MrJJBonanza·29 videos
Re-Published on Sep 30, 2014 Bruno Spoerri - Topic
"First track of Bruno Spoerri's 'Voice Of Taurus'
1978 Gold Records, Switzerland
Cat# 11 061 (Vinyl, LP)
Bruno Spoerri on 'Hymn Of Taurus':
"The rhythm track was created with my very first primitive ring modulator (4 diodes and 2 transformers) that is why it is so dirty The voice went of course through the EMS vocoder, the choir was created through the VAKO Orchestron."
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Again, don't miss the full interview with Bruno Spoerri on Astronauta Pinguim here. There's some fascinating history there including Ginette Martenot and the Ondes Martenot, Oskar Sala with his Mixturtrautonium, and Joel Chadabe. Regarding his original gear, "most of my analog gear is sold (most of it to the remarkable Swiss Synthorama of Martin Hollinger), but I still have my first synthi, the EMS VCS-3 (from 1970), the ARP 2600 with sequencer and the Lyricon I and II. I use the lyricon quite often in performances, the other gear mostly for demonstrations to visitors."
I was fortunate enough to visit Synthorama back in 2008. You can find my pics and videos from the visit here. See the Synthorama label for other posts including a one of a kind modular, the Airböurne, created by the curator of the museum, Martin Hollinger.
"Vako Synthesizers Inc. Orchestron 'Your instrument of the future' full page black and white advertisement from the inside back cover of the May/June 1976 issue of Contemporary Keyboard."
"Vako Synthesizers Inc. Orchestron 'The Instrument of the Future...' two page black & white advertisement from page 32 and 33 in the January/February 1976 issue of Contemporary Keyboard."
A new release in our line of Vako Orchestron discs, SOLO TRUMPET. It's unlikely that there will be sufficient demand to do a second run of 25 of these discs, so your best bet is to buy as many of these as you need while you can! Any future additional copies will most likely be done as one-offs, which are twice as expensive to produce, and thus will cost twice as much.
SOLO TRUMPET is an entirely NEW sound for the Orchestron. This is an actual acoustic trumpet sound, taken from the original Optigan/Orchestron master tapes, but never actually heard on any Optigan or Orchestron disc until now! Please excuse my awful playing here, which is just a quick noodle to demonstrate the sound!
PLEASE NOTE: This disc WILL NOT play properly in an Optigan! They WILL play, but the sounds will NOT be mapped correctly to the keyboard- they will be mapped mostly haphazardly across the chord buttons. Please don't order this disc expecting to easily use it in an Optigan. In the future we will be porting the Orchestron sounds to the Optigan- please be patient! :)
Stay tuned for more Orchestron discs, both new and remastered titles!"
New 2012 Vako Orchestron Disc - SOLO TROMBONE
Published on Nov 24, 2012 by optigandotcom
"Now available at http://www.optigan.com/shoptigan
A new release in our line of Vako Orchestron discs, SOLO TROMBONE. It's unlikely that there will be sufficient demand to do a second run of 25 of these discs, so your best bet is to buy as many of these as you need while you can! Any future additional copies will most likely be done as one-offs, which are twice as expensive to produce, and thus will cost twice as much.
SOLO TROMBONE is an entirely NEW sound for the Orchestron. This is an actual acoustic trombone sound, taken from the original Optigan/Orchestron master tapes, but never actually heard on any Optigan or Orchestron disc until now! Please excuse my awful playing here, which is just a quick noodle to demonstrate the sound!
PLEASE NOTE: This disc WILL NOT play properly in an Optigan! They WILL play, but the sounds will NOT be mapped correctly to the keyboard- they will be mapped mostly haphazardly across the chord buttons. Please don't order this disc expecting to easily use it in an Optigan. In the future we will be porting the Orchestron sounds to the Optigan- please be patient! :)
Stay tuned for more Orchestron discs, both new and remastered titles!"
Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
via this auction "Designed as a superior alternative to the Mellotron, the Orchestron is fully polyphonic and operates on principle of modulated light measured by photoelectric cells... The Vako Orchestron elevated the concept of the Optigan into the professional musical instrument market with higher quality, more reliable parts and construction. Similarly, the Orchestron uses optical disks loaded with waveforms that are read by a light bar reader and turned into sound. The result of higher-quality parts and better build is a unique mix of really nice lo-fi sounding orchestral strings, chorus, brass, and other sonic possibilities with much better playability. It can be heard on the Yes album "Relayer" and the Foreigner hit song "Cold As Ice"... and has also been used by Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Richie Blackmore's Rainbow, Michael Penn, Semisonic and other recording artists over the years. Less than 100 Orchestrons were produced and it is estimated that less than forty remain in existence today. The Orchestron is revered and very sought after by vintage keyboard enthusiasts for the murky atmospheric sounds it produces and is very inspiring to play and improvise on.
It comes with 6 valuable, original disks easily worth $100-200 each: Vocal Choir (2 discs), Flute, Violin, Cello and Pipe Organ [note: most of the pictures shows only five of the discs, but the gallery photo shows all six discs]. This vintage Orchestron is currently UNTESTED, DOES NOT TURN ON, AND IS SOLD AS-IS WITH NO RETURNS NOR WARRANTEE. It might have incurred water damage in the past, as I see mildew on the back of the case, so that's likely related to why it doesn't turn on, and so it is probably a parts machine."
"This unit was most likely the last unit built by the company which was called Technical Research Institute, Inc at the time it was manufactured. Orchestrons were formerly built by a company called Viking, and prior to that, they were called VAKO. The extremely brilliant and talented former Moog sales rep David Van Koevering started and operated the three companies, all of which existed within three-four years of one another and were basically the same company with different investors.
There were two or three odd one-off prototype models (model X for example) that were never fully realized or fully functioning, however this super rare Model Double D was actually a Standard Model and fully realized. It is also perhaps the most usable and reliable model, and only two are known to exist that were made under the Technical Research Institute Inc label. There was one (not as nice) made and labeled VAKO (built for the band America).
This particular example I am offering was never sold by the factory as the company dissolved soon after its completion and this unit remained in limbo while the company was dissolved. It has also never been played or used by anyone. Its retail price in 1976 was $7,000. I own and have owned many Orchestron instruments. The Model D versions are the best designs and any double drive / double keyboard Orchestron is especially useful. This unit is the most desirable and rare of all Orchestrons built and it is literally new old stock. The unit has sat unplayed its entire life and may require some tweaking and general servicing. It is being sold without warranty or statement of operating condition. Sold in “AS IS” condition only with NO RETURNS BEING OFFERED.
Fortunately the wonderful Pea Hicks at optigan.com offers remastered, remanufactured disks of all original 8 Orchestron sounds plus 6 additional sounds (14 total). Unfortunately some of the remastered disks are already out of production, however for $100 each I will agree to sell one new copy from my collection of any or all of the 14 remastered disks to the buyer of this unit. I have already had a crate made professionally (see pics) which may be useful for transportation. Anyone wishing to have the unit freight shipped will be offered the unused crate for $375 in addition to the purchase price..."
"It is one of the rarest Mellotrons in the world, as only 3 or 4 were ever made. This particular instrument was shown on the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 1982 but wasn't sold there. The story of the first owner (I am the second) is that he bought it when the Musikmesse was just finished. He bought the instrument in Frankfurt for quite a low price, as the makers didn't have to transport it back to the UK then. From 1982 until 2010 when I bought it it has hardly been used and was stored in a smokefree, clean and dry room. This explains why this instrument looks and sounds as it is a brand new one.
The first picture shows the instrument from above
The second picture shows the crate which I made for transport - with foam on the inside (yes, it is already in a flightcase but the flightcase is part of the instruments value, so I don't want scratches on it
The third picture shows an original ad for the T550
The last one shows my rehearsal room with the Novatron in the far right corner (the black flightcase)
I have also made some recordings and videos of the instrument during the short period I had it: [above]
Church Organ: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7j1g04BAYU
8choir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gLZaFPNocc
MKII Flute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9W2b88iPbQ
Cello: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Vh-_tOYvs
String Section; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOkkd8kwHOs
MKII Violins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1xlmN8QKIU
And this is a demo video of this Novatron T550: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHUpRIrFngI
In these videos, the first instrument you'll see is not the Novatron, but my Vako Orchestron. Don't mix these two up! A Mellotron uses tapes, an Orchestron uses discs with waveforms on it.
In this auction, apart from the instrument itself, you will get the two original tapeframes who were sold with the instrument (and presumably used to demo the instrument in Frankfurt)
Frame 1 = Church Organ, Male/female choir, Male choir/Oboe mix
Frame 2= Cello, Flute, Choir mix.
You can also bid on the two other tapeframes I am selling (search ebay for Mellotron tape frame)
You'll also get the original swell pedal, and original manuals and ads."
via this auction "Vintage 1975 VAKO ORCHESTRON Model C with 5 different sound discs (VIOLIN, CELLO, FLUTE, VOCAL CHOIR and PIPE ORGAN) and original lens cleaning wand. Designed as a superior alternative to the Mellotron, the Orchestron is fully polyphonic and operates on a principle of modulated light measured by photoelectric cells... and can be heard on the Yes album "Relayer" and the Foreigner hit song "Cold As Ice"... and has also been used by Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Richie Blackmore's Rainbow, Michael Penn, Semisonic and other recording artists over the years. Less than 100 Orchestrons were produced and it is estimated that less than forty remain in existence today. The Orchestron is revered and very sought after by vintage keyboard enthusiasts for the murky atmospheric sounds it produces and is very inspiring to play and improvise on..." This one spotted and in via Dieter.
YouTube via dietervanmarcke | March 02, 2010 | via Pea Hicks of http://www.optigan.com/ "Playing some snippets of "Trans-Europe Express" by Kraftwerk letting you hear the Orchestron's "Violins" sound. The sound you hear is the actual sound used by Kraftwerk."
Vako Orchestron and Eminent 1600 Orchestra - Radioactivity (Kraftwerk)
YouTube via dietervanmarcke | February 25, 2010 |
"Playing some snippets of Radioactivity (Kraftwerk) demonstrating the "Vocal Choir" sound of the Orchestron. This sound is the exact sound (not a replica, it IS this sound) Kraftwerk used on Radioactivity and a small number of other songs. As you can hear, I've got some problems with pitch stability. This is due to a worn out belt that connects the motor and the wheel that actually spins the record. More info about the Orchestron: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestron
The thing underneath the Orchestron is the Eminent 1600 Orchestra. This is not the intrument used by Jean-Michel Jarre (that's the 310U) thought it features the same sounds, and has a built in String Ensemble which is more or less the same than the Arp Solina String Ensemble. As you can see, I've got some problems with the contacts of the bass pedals. It's also a pity that you can only hardly hear the sound of the bass pedals. That's because I captured this with my Nokia N900, the audio and the video...
