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"

Panoptigon OSCILLATIONS Disc Demo

Published on Mar 12, 2019 optigandotcom

"Here's a demo of the very first disc in the new PANOPTIGON disc format! Oscillations will be included in the basic 'starter set' of discs that comes with each Panoptigon. Panoptigon format discs will only be playable on Panoptigon- not on vintage Optigans or Orchestrons! We wanted to make a very basic, broadly-applicable sound akin to the Optigan "Big Organ & Drums" disc. This seemed a good opportunity to present a simple analog synthesizer type sound, since the Panoptigon disc format features 60 tracks, and is mapped to allow for a full 60 keys of chromatic tones. Think of it as a 'Super Orchestron' disc with essentially 5 octaves instead of 3. Various typical raw analog waveforms are mapped across the keys, with the notes slowly pulsing in and out in different phases, producing a breathing, organic effect that's particularly well-suited to all of the Panoptigon's onboard effects. Apart from the Panoptigon's hall reverb, no other effects or EQ were applied in this demo."

Panoptigon plays Giant Steps & Yakety Sax on Orchestron Saxophone Discs

Published on Feb 12, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo- this time a a comparison of a vintage Orchestron Saxophone disc with our remastered edition of the same disc. The vintage disc plays a midi file of Coltrane's Giant Steps, while the remastered disc plays a midi file of Boots Randolph's Yakety Sax. The reverb is onboard the Panoptigon, and there's a bit more applied in Giant Steps. Note that Yakety Sax has a fair amount of pitch bends, which are achieved on the Panoptigon by mechanically changing the rotation speed of the disc. Also note the fair amount of clicky noises when playing rapid passages like this. These sounds are a by-product of the unique way the Panoptigon produces sound, and were present on the vintage Optigan and Orchestron as well. This is an inherent and characteristic sound of these instruments. Both midi files were downloaded from the web. You can find info about pre-ordering a Panoptigon (which comes with our remastered edition of this Vocal Choir disc) here: http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon..."

Optigan Panoptigon- Production Unit Pics

via Optigan.com

"Happy 2019, Optigoners!

We’re happy to announce that the PANOPTIGON – the new Optigan/Orchestron disc-playing hardware developed by our associate Robert Becker & his company Quilter Labs – will finally be available in an initial limited quantity production run of 25 units for US customers in 2019. (The initial run are not approved for Europe due to additional requirements that will be addressed on the next build.) Click on the thumbnails above to see the official flyer and photos of one of the first production units. We don’t have a release date yet, but it will be in the coming months. An official demo video will be ready soon, but in the meantime you can view a demo of the prototype unit from last year [posted here]

Quilter Labs will be showing the first two production units at NAMM this year, so if you’re attending, be sure to stop by their booth – number 4144 Hall D.

We’d like to encourage all of you to purchase the Panoptigon from this site (optigan.com) when it does become available. The Panoptigon was developed with Pea acting in an informal advisory role, but optigan.com will only be a dealer, rather than a partner, which means the only way we earn any cut is via sales commissions. In other words, if you hear about it from us, and decide to buy it based on our involvement/endorsement, but end up buying it direct from the factory, we will receive no commission. Either way, the price, delivery time, and service will be the same. MAP for the Panoptigon is $3999.

To this end, we will be offering an informal pre-sale for folks who are keen to reserve one of the initial batch of 25 units that will be offered for sale (10 of the initial run are already spoken for as of this posting date). Please send us an email if you’re interested in placing a pre-order, and we’ll get the ordering details to you as soon as we’re ready.

Along with the public launch of the Panoptigon, our entire back-catalog of discs will become more readily available on demand, so no more waiting around for bulk order deals as we’ve had to do in the past. The Panoptigon will play all vintage Optigan/Orchestron discs as well, but we’re also likely to remaster the vintage Optigan disc titles in order to add the strobe patterns that unlock additional features for discs that have them.

OK! That about covers it for now. See you at NAMM!"

CLICK FOR MORE »

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"

Panoptigon PIPE ORGAN II Disc plays Disneyland Haunted Mansion

Published on Sep 12, 2019 optigandotcom

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

"Announcing a new disc for PANOPTIGON from Quilter Labs! This is the second disc in the new Panoptigon format, only playable on Panoptigon.

This time we've dug back into the Optigan/Orchestron master tape archive to bring you PIPE ORGAN II. This was an alternate registration (flute & diapason stops) of the Whitney Studios Pipe Organ heard on the Optigan "Majestic Pipe Organ" and Orchestron "Pipe Organ" discs. This particular pipe organ sound is being heard for the first time on this disc, and in a full 60-note scale instead of the more limited 37 note scale of the previous pipe organ sound.

Recordings of the Whitney Studios organ are heard every day as the musical backdrop to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride, so in honor of the 50th anniversary of the ride, we've tracked down a midi file of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" and played it w/ Pipe Organ II. And to keep the mood going, you'll also hear Bach's famous Toccata & Fugue in D Minor.

PIPE ORGAN II can only be played on PANOPTIGON, and is NOT compatible with Optigan or Orchestron."

Panoptigon plays Kraftwerk URANIUM with Vintage Orchestron VOCAL CHOIR Disc

Published on Feb 11, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo- this time a rendition of Kraftwerk's URANIUM, using a vintage Orchestron Vocal Choir disc, including the onboard hall reverb. No other external effects, EQ, or processing were added to the Panoptigon signal. The disc used here is identical to the disc used by Kraftwerk on the original 1975 recording made with a Vako Orchestron. Synthetic speech generated by a web app. You can find info about pre-ordering a Panoptigon (which comes with our remastered edition of this Vocal Choir disc) here: http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon..."

Panoptigon Plays KRAFTWERK's "Franz Schubert" on Vintage Vako Orchestron VIOLIN Disc

Published on Jan 19, 2019 optigandotcom

"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!"

NEW 2025 Panoptigon Discs - PUMP ORGAN & FAST BOSSA NOVA

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available from the Quilter Labs web store! https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

PUMP ORGAN is the antique Estey Harmonium sound previously heard on the vintage Optigan "Gay 90s Waltz" disc, as well as our Orchestron "Harmonium" disc. We renamed the sound for this Panoptigon disc in order to avoid confusion with the Orchestron disc. Also, PUMP ORGAN utilizes the full 5-octave range of the sound as heard on the original master tape.

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

Edited and mastered by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker
Jacket label art direction and layout by Michael Buchmiller"

NEW 2025 Panoptigon Disc - FAST BOSSA NOVA

video upload by optigandotcom

"Now available from the Quilter Labs web store! https://www.quilterlabs.com/collectio...

FAST BOSSA NOVA is the latest in our series of excavations into the Optigan Archives in search of material that was left on the cutting room floor. Previously only heard on the song “Pirates And Monkeys” by Optiganally Yours ( • Optiganally Yours -Pirates and Monkeys (Of... [below] . The tremolo vibraphone keyboard sound is also sourced from the Optigan Archives.

Special note: This groove was recorded at a slower tempo than usual, so turn your Optigan's Tempo knob down to achieve concert pitch.

Chords:
Bossa nova combo with drums, bass, and guitar

Keys:
Tremolo vibraphone

SFX:
1 - Sandblock
2 - Bongos
3 - Congas
4 - Agogô
5 - Cowbell

Edited and mastered by Pea Hicks
Disc design and mastering by Robert Becker
Jacket label art direction and layout by Michael Buchmiller"

Optiganally Yours -Pirates and Monkeys (Official Audio)

video upload by Joyful Noise Recordings

"Optiganally Yours -'Theme from O.Y.nisqatsi' off 'O.Y. In Hi-Fi'
LP/Digital: http://joyfulnoi.se/OYinHiFi"

Panoptigon plays Orchestron Piano Disc

Published on Feb 13, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo, for a rainy day in SoCal- this time an improvisation on our Orchestron Piano disc. This disc can't really be played like a typical piano sound you might find on most keyboards, due to the unique constant-looping playback characteristics of the Orchestron. We placed each individual note at a position on a 16th-note grid, which produces a sort of windchime effect when you hold down chords. This disc isn't very well suited to playing melodies, but you can always try! This demo features the onboard hall reverb, with no additional processing. Also heard are the reverse, vibrato, and pitch bend effects. You can find info about pre-ordering a Panoptigon (which comes with our remastered edition of this Vocal Choir disc) here: http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon..."

Panoptigon plays Philip Glass - Einstein On The Beach - Orchestron & Optigan Discs

Published on Feb 15, 2019 optigandotcom

"While Panoptigon isn't particularly suited to overdubbing entire arrangements with itself, we thought it'd be fun to do a quick excerpt from Philip Glass' Einstein On The Beach (Train 1), since all the basic sounds required already exist on Orchestron / Optigan discs. Heard here are the Orchestron Flute, Saxophone, Solo Female Voice, and Pipe Organ discs, as well as the organ sound from the Optigan Nashville Country disc. The Flute disc was pitch bent an octave up to simulate the piccolo called for in the score, and the bass line of the Pipe Organ disc was pitch bent an octave down to get the low notes needed. A bit of reverb was added to the mix, but there was no EQ or other processing applied. You can find info about pre-ordering a Panoptigon here: http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon..."

Oddly enough the following just went up:

Philip Glass on His Collaboration With Aphex Twin | Red Bull Music Academy

Published on Feb 15, 2019 Red Bull Music Academy

"The celebrated composer Philip Glass recalls meeting a young Richard D. James, AKA Aphex Twin, in New York City and collaborating with the producer on a handful of tracks and combining their unique approaches. #composition #aphextwin

Watch the full lecture - [below] - to hear Philip Glass wax nostalgic on his time spent in Paris, musical tradition, collaborations with Aphex Twin, David Byrne and Ornette Coleman and the art of performance.

It’s hard to overstate the influence of New York City composer Philip Glass. Along with Steve Reich, his minimalist compositions transformed the world of classical music and, eventually, popular music in general. Glass’ early epiphanies occurred in Paris during his time in the mid-’60s studying under Nadia Boulanger and in New York when he heard Steve Reich’s “Piano Phase.” These events helped set Glass on a course toward the repetitive, dramatic, and conceptually rigorous style that has become his trademark. Throughout the ’70s Glass refined his work, resulting in career-defining compositions like Music In Twelve Parts and Einstein On The Beach. In the process, he became a popular sensation, a serious composer who wasn’t willfully obscure or too difficult to understand. Glass’ stunning soundtrack work for films like The Thin Blue Line and The Hours, and a symphony based on David Bowie’s album Heroes, has only elevated his standing as one of America’s most popular living composers.

Red Bull Music Academy is the educational pillar of the Red Bull Music program. It is a global institution that for 20 years has been committed to fostering creativity in music by collaborating with those who are shaping our musical landscape and creating spaces for music makers to learn and immerse themselves."

And the full interview from 2015:

Philip Glass on Working with Aphex Twin, David Byrne and Koyaanisqatsi | Red Bull Music Academy

Published on Jul 22, 2015 Red Bull Music Academy

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 »

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"

Panoptigon plays Vintage Orchestron PIPE ORGAN Disc

Published on Feb 11, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo- this time an improvisation using a vintage Orchestron Pipe Organ disc, including the onboard hall reverb. You can find info about pre-ordering a Panoptigon here: http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon..."

Chilton TALENTMAKER Demo - All 20 Vintage Discs Played on Panoptigon

Published on Dec 4, 2019 optigandotcom

"Recently I had a custom modified spindle made for my Panoptigon (https://optigan.com/product/panoptigon/) that allows me to play Chilton Talentmaker discs. The spindle size on the Talentmaker is slightly smaller than the Optigan and Orchestron, making this modification necessary to play these discs. Please note that this is NOT a supported "feature" of the Panoptigon, and modifying your unit in this way will void its warranty. Neverhteless, it's a good way to get clean recordings of Talentmaker discs!

I thought I'd make a short demo of each disc. Obviously this is just some simple one-take noodling and doesn't represent any real musical effort. The idea is just to get a taste of what each disc sounds like. If you'd like to hear the Talentmaker in action on some actual songs, check out our album "Optiganally Yours Presents: Exclusively Talentmaker."

You can also buy a sample library of all of the vintage Talentmaker discs here: https://optigan.com/product-category/..."

See @ NAMM! PANOPTIGON Prototype - New 2018 Optigan / Orchestron Disc Player

Published on Jan 22, 2018 optigandotcom

"This is a brief run-down of the main features of the PANOPTIGON, a prototype MIDI-controlled Optigan/Orchestron disc player (suitable for stage or studio) built by Robert Becker. Those attending Winter NAMM 2018 can see and play this unit for themselves at Quilter Labs - Booth 15120. Note that this unit is a PROTOTYPE / Proof-of-Concept unit, and does not necessarily reflect the design and/or feature set of any future production model. At this time, we cannot provide any estimates on pricing or availability- the unit is still in the R&D phase.

The Panoptigon will play vintage Optigan/Orchestron discs from the 1970s as well as the new line of discs made by optigan.com since 2008. Our new line of discs provide additional functionality, as they have strobe lines printed on them which allow for automatic tuning, transpose, pitch bend, and even mechanical vibrato. Vintage discs were never printed with such strobe lines, and thus are not compatible with these extended features, but will otherwise play nicely and sound better than ever. All the lo-fi you love, presented in the hi-fi you need!

The unit comes with an onboard DSP effects processor, which provides reverb as well as other basic effects such as flange.

Control is via MIDI- in this case, a basic MIDI controller keyboard.

The audio heard in this demo is direct from the unit, with no additional post-processing applied. The slight distortion you hear when the reverb is turned on is an artifact of Youtube's horrible audio compression.

For more information about the Optigan and Orchestron, please visit http://www.optigan.com"

The PANOPTIGON was first featured here on MATRIXSYNTH.

Laurie Anderson - Optigan / Panoptigon 2010 One-Off Disc Demo

Published on Feb 11, 2019 optigandotcom

"This is a historical oddity that was never intended for public consumption, but in honor of Laurie Anderson's Grammy Award for LANDFALL (which prominently features Robert Becker's heavily modified "Optigan Pro"), we thought it'd be fun to share this and get in a quick Panoptigon demo at the same time (http://optigan.com/2019/01/panoptigon...). When we lent Laurie the Optigan, we thought it'd be fun to put some of her own sounds on a one-off disc for her to mess around with. We pulled drums & musical loops for the chord buttons, and short spoken phrases for the keyboard. This demo is just some spontaneous noodling, which was recorded in multiple MIDI passes and then dumped live to audio. The video was shot during the actual audio recording, so you can see the disc speed up, slow down, and go into reverse in time with the audio. Maybe not Grammy material (OK, decidedly not!), but a geeky curiosity nonetheless! Congrats, Laurie & Kronos!"

Panoptigon Plays Orchestron Vibraphone Disc

Published on Mar 19, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo, this time featuring the Orchestron Vibraphone disc played back at various manual pitch settings. The playback speed of the Panoptigon has a much wider range than a vintage Optigan or Orchestron. This demo features the onboard hall reverb and delay effects, with no additional processing. Also heard is the reverse mode."

The Optical Sampler Sound Kraftwerk Loved Modernized

video upload by HAINBACH

"When optical sound sample players came around in the form of the Mattel Optigan, Vako Orchestron and Chilton Talentmaker in the 70s, the reaction was luke-warm. The devices were not a commercial success and quickly disappeared. But one enterprising band from Germany took their lofi sound to heart. Kraftwerk employed the Orchestron in many songs, from Das Model to Uranium. Even today its finds fans - such as Kyle Dixon of Survive, who used the iconic "choir" in their Stranger Things soundtrack. He employed the modern adaption of this arcane technology, the Quilter Labs Panoptigon. I talk with Kyle in the video, show a bit what you can do with the Panoptigon, demo classic Kraftwerk patches and introduce my own disc for this fantastic instrument.

Music, Soundpack and thanks:
https://www.patreon.com/hainbach"

00:00 Kraftwerk Patches and Introduction
03:09 Disc Demos
05:40 Panoptigon Features
09:33 Kyle Dixon Interview
14:35 My Own Disc

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 soon!) 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.

The film is from 1926 and is titled "The Story Of Santa Claus." Pea has an original 16mm print of this film and scanned it himself."