1977 RMI Keyboard Computer Synthesizer 4 Page Brochure

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

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer Synthesizer Brochure

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

via this auction

"RMI Rocky Mount Instruments, Inc. Vintage 1977, 4 pages +, color covers."

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer w/ Voice Programmer Cards

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
video upload by morganfisherart

"Functions are explained and demonstrated. A little reverb has been added. Headphones recommended to hear the stereo properly!

1: PRESETS & PEDALS - 0:00
2: ORGAN STOPS - 6:30
3: CARD READER - 9:56

Please also enjoy this ambient improvisation on the KCII:"

RMI KCII ambient improvisation

video upload by morganfisherart

"An ambient improvisation, played on my RMI KCII. Reverb added. Images are of the sea in Japan and some of my tiny oil-on-glass-slide paintings. Sept. 28, 2016 in my home studio."

Spotted the above via the following listing. You can find additional demos, info, scans, pics and a demo record featured in additional posts here.

via this auction

"TRUE MUSEUM PIECE, extremely rare.

Sound very similar to the RMI harmonic synthesizer (used by J.M.Jarre in Oxygene)

Everything is working, the synth has never been modified or repaired, all the internal components are "as it came from the factory".

With paper memory reader for sounds totally revised!

there are several "memory sheets" for the digital system of memories it used (visible in the photo).

CLICK FOR MORE »

1978 RMI KC-II Keyboard Computer Synth "Digital Is Better!" Ad & Records

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

I often check out the most popular posts on the site lists. Every now and then I'll find an older post on the list like this RMI Keyboard Computer KC1 post from 2010, currently the third most popular post over the last seven days. I updated the expired auction link in the post for a generic search on RMI Keyboard Computer and up came the ad to the left as well as the records further below. You can find them listed here. You can find recordings of one of the albums previously posted here. I also found the video below featuring a few demo tracks. Enjoy. :)


RMI KC-1 Keyboard Computer ... Demo Tracks

video upload by Mike Bracchi

"RMI KC-1 Keyboard Computer ... Demo Tracks
Clarke Ferguson & Carlo Curley
Vintage Organ Group
http://mikebracchi.co.uk"

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer

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

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer super rare vintage synthesizer

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

via this auction

"Clasic and rare
RMI Keyboard Computer
Own a piece of history.
First portable digital synth!

This keyboard dates from 1974/1975. Considering its age, its in very nice cosmetic condition. All three outputs works. The pedals, pitch bend and all other functions of the keyboard work. Comes with original manual and service schematics and a huge pile of punch cards."

Check out the computer punch cards in the pics. You insert them in the slot on the right of the synth to program patches.  See the RMI label for additional posts featuring RMI keyboards.

CLICK FOR MORE »

Happy New Year From MATRIXSYNTH! - A Look Back at 2014

Happy New Year everyone!

I want to start by thanking everyone that comes to MATRIXSYNTH and helps make it what it is - the readers, the supporters, and of course all the sponsors on the right.

THANK YOU and have a GREAT 2015!!!

This site is a labor of love and a ton of work. This site is ultimately meant to be an testament to everything synth in the making. We have over nine years of daily synth history captured here, 119,983 published posts. I can't wait to see what the future brings us in 2015!

That said, here are a few interesting bits from 2014 in the longest post of the year. ;)

CLICK FOR MORE »

Prototype 1974 Vintage 1974 RMI KC-1 Keyboard Computer SN 509 with Punch-Out Card Reader

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

via this auction

"Wow! This is the 1974 RMI Rocky Mount Instruments KC-1 Keyboard Computer! It has just arrived fresh from a Colorado Estate! I am still going through this incredibly rare synthesizer! This is the world's first portable digital synthesizer!! Less than 100 were ever made! That is the best guess as to how many were actually ever produced! The Keyboard Computer II, or KCII, followed this original KC1 version. That KCII model was offered from 1975 to 1982..

First users included Jean Michael Jarre and Garth Hudson, Uses the North American Rockwell MOS chip set that came right out of the NASA Space program from the 1960s!

10-voice polyphonic digital wavetable synthesizer with IBM punch card reader. I have about 50 IBM punch cards included in sale

This keyboard Pre-dates all PPG and Prophet digital synthesizers!

Low serial number- all wood enclosure-not the plastic top KC1 version- the selector buttons light up when selected as only the very first versions did!

61 key polyphonic-3 Audio channel output- 3rd channel was for white noise only

$4,495 in 1974"

Related posts: The PPG 1003 "Sonic Carrier" - World's First Programmable Synth? - The First Synth to.... Also see the RMI channel.

Update via 909955847736 in the comments: "This is actually the prototype which was used on the demo record, ads, and promotional tours. It's very possible that only one of these was ever made. It's the only one with a wood body and illuminated switches. The production model Keyboard Computer (KCI) has a molded plastic body with non-lighted push-in/push-out buttons. And it also had a few differences in the voices and functions compared to this instrument. They are both portable versions of the Allen Theater Organ. The later KCII was not directly associated with any specific Allen organ model. None of the KC models qualify as a synthesizer any more than any other electronic organ did in 1974."

CLICK FOR MORE »

1988 "Digital is Better!" RMI KC-11 SYNTHESIZER KEYBOARD COMPUTER AD

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

via this auction

1988 RMI KC-11 SYNTHESIZER KEYBOARD COMPUTER PRINT ADVERT
Ad measures approx. 8"X 5.5" inches.

"digital is better!"

1974 RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER SN 561

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

via this auction

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Computer Keyboard II Synthesizer (KC-2)

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

via this auction

How To Make Electronic Music - 1975

via this auction
"How To Make Electronic Music
by Russell Drake, Ronald Herder, and Anne D. Monugno
USA 1975 Educational Audio Visual Inc.
EX condition, approximately 6 x9 inches, 108 pages

Vintage instruction book explaining how to make electronic music. The 'Synthesizer' chapter includes pictures of all the synthesizers of the day: Moog satellite , Moog Sonic Six , Moog 15 , ARP Pro Soloist , ARP Odyssey , ARP 2600 , ElectroComp 101 , ElectroComp 200 , and the RMI Keyboard Computer .Chapters in the book include:

sound transformations
equipment requirements
recording experiments
collecting sounds
tape techniques
tape experiments
acoustics
the synthesizer
synthesizer experiments
composing projects
technical information
glossary
discography
bibliography"

This one added to the Synth Books page.

RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER II w/ Punch Card Presets

via this auction

"Extremely rare RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER II, recently serviced by Allen Organ. 100% working condition. Serial # 646 (pot codes date to 1975). This RMI KC II shares the same MOS-Board chip array that was recently purchased by the Smithsonian Institution because it was the first application of digital technology in not only musical instrument design but in all industrial manufacturing (1971), even pre-dating the digital calculator by several months. What is amazing is that these MOS boards are still running strong today and serviced by Allen, probably due to their robust military-spec design...very reliable for a vintage synth. This is a ground-breaking instrument and the model for other wavetable synths like the PPG wave. It may look like a combo organ but it is a 10-voice polyphonic digital wavetable synthesizer with IBM punch card reader. 15 original punch cards (choir, gong, horn, sine waves, flutes) are included as well as the original bound service manual with schematics. The user's manual is a copy. more images"

Pics of the inside below.

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer KC1

YouTube via marukiki | January 07, 2010

via this auction - also see this post.

RMI-KC1 sample #2



via this auction

"The card reader works but no cards are included. Sorry. This is one of the most rare of the RMI keyboards. and a cool example of one of the earliest digitally controlled synthesizers (circa '74-'75). More info here"

Also see synthmuseum.com here.

Quick note: I couldn't use the more link for the rest of the images in this post because it kills the YouTube video for some reason.

CLICK FOR MORE »

RMI Keyboard Computer vintage analog synth

via this auction

RMI KC - Keyboard Computer Synthesizer

currently up for auction on VEMIA.

RMI Harmonic Synthesizer

via this auction

Click here for more pics.

Details: "You are bidding on a keyboard from a estate, this keyboard was played in the 70s and was stored away for the past 20 years. We plugged in the keyboard and all keys work nice including all the lighted buttons and the left and right equalizers, we did try to test most functions however we are not totally familiar with this equipment so we cannot guarantee every function works perfect. The keyboard looks to be well taken care of. It has a case and 4 steel legs that fold up. We would rather this be a local pick up however we can ship this item.

HISTORY

CLICK FOR MORE »