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"

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"

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."

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"

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 »

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"

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/..."

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."

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."

Optiganally Yours - THE OUTER SPACE - Apollo 11 Mix for 07/20/19

Published on Jul 20, 2019 optigandotcom

Here's a quickie mini remix we made of "The Outer Space" for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on 07/20/2019. The images are from Pea's vast archive of found photos, in this case some shots taken of a video monitor that day. The original version of "The Outer Space" is on our album "Exclusively Talentmaker." http://optigan.com/shoptigan/music-cd...

Panoptigon plays Optigan Surf Rock Disc

Published on Mar 21, 2019 optigandotcom

"Here's another demo improvisation on the Panoptigon, this time featuring the Optigan Surf Rock disc. Be sure to listen in stereo, as this one features the typical Optigan hard-panning between the chords/drums on the left and the keyboard on the right. Apart from the Panoptigon's onboard hall reverb, no other effects or EQ were applied."

Panoptigon Plays Optigan Symphonic Strings Disc

Published on Mar 20, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo, this time featuring the Optigan Symphonic Strings Disc. This demo features the onboard hall reverb, with no additional processing."

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."

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 Ghost Riders In The Sky w/ Optigan Darksophone Disc

Published on Feb 15, 2019 optigandotcom

"Veteran indie rocker Pall Jenkins provided the spooky sounds for our Optigan Darksophone disc, and we thought it'd be fun to do a quick demo of this disc playing Ghost Riders In The Sky on the Panoptigon. The keyboard is split between two different melodic sounds- Marxophone and Musical Saw. Be sure to listen in stereo, as this one features the typical Optigan hard-panning between the chords/drums on the left and the keyboard on the right. Apart from the Panoptigon's onboard hall reverb, no other effects or EQ were applied."

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

Panoptigon plays Optigan Vox Humana Disc

Published on Feb 14, 2019 optigandotcom

"Another Panoptigon demo, this time featuring the rare vintage Optigan Vox Humana disc. The choir sound heard on this disc is the same as heard on the Orchestron Vocal Choir disc, famously used by Kraftwerk in the 70s. This demo features the onboard hall reverb effect, with no additional processing."