Note technically a synth as it is electro-mechanical. Posting it more for historical purposes. Here's the description from the listing
"This is a rare Hohner Cembalet CF electro-mechanical piano built around 1963 - 1966.
Rather a harpsichord than a piano since it has no dynamic touch and reeds are plucked.
Unit for sale has been serviced: reeds have been cleaned from corrosion, tuned and action has been set to ensure notes volumes are as consistant as possible through the whole keyboard.
Due to the reed and plectrum system there may still be some slighjt difference in volume, sound or pitch, but overall it plays and sound very well."
"Circa 1975: A photo from the Frankfurt Music Fair
Peter Zinovieff in the EMS synthesizer booth.
They are featuring the rare SYNTHI P model, just announced on the left side and stand. Underneath the board listing EMS musical artists is a SYNTHI HI-FLI effects unit is barely seen. Another unusual/prototype model is next to the Hi-Fli."
Peter Zinovieff and Electronic Music Studios video upload by JeffreyPlaide
Peter Zinovieff: Synth Pioneer video upload by Sound On Sound magazine Jul 21, 2016
Peter Zinovieff talks about modern musical interfaces video upload by Expressive E Jan 6, 2016
Peter Zinovieff feature uploaded by Erica Synths on Nov 23, 2020. This was the latest video to feature Peter Zinovieff that I am aware of.
Peter Zinovieff interview 2015 video upload by 香港電子音樂社 Hong Kong Electronic Music Society Jun 30, 2015
Dr Peter Zinovieff intro & performance excerpt - Deliaphonic 2017 video upload by Deliaphonic Aug 29, 2018
And a few perspectives from others:
Bright Sparks Behind The Scenes - The Brits video by GForce Software published Feb 16, 2021
Cosmic Tape Music Club Podcast hosted by The Galaxy Electric - E1 Peter Zinovieff
video by The Galaxy Electric published Jan 27, 2021
"Peter Zinovieff, a hugely influential figure in British music whose early synthesisers helped to change the sound of pop, has died aged 88. He had suffered a fall at home earlier this month.
With its marketing slogan 'think of a sound – now make it', his company Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was one of the first to bring synthesisers out of studios and to the public. With products such as the portable VCS3 and Synthi A, EMS customers – including David Bowie, Kraftwerk, the Who, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd – were often taught to use the instruments by Zinovieff.
In 1967 he collaborated with Paul McCartney on Carnival of Light, a performance of a 14-minute avant garde composition created between Beatles sessions for Penny Lane that has never been released.
He was also a respected composer of his own work, including early experiments with AI composition and sampling – he claimed to have invented the latter technique." You can read the full post here.
"Peter Zinovieff (26 January 1933 – 23 June 2021) was a British engineer and composer, whose EMS company made the VCS3 synthesizer in the late 1960s. The synthesizer was used by many early progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd[3] and White Noise, and Krautrock groups[4] as well as more pop-oriented artists, including Todd Rundgren and David Bowie. In later life he worked primarily as a composer of electronic music.
Zinovieff was born on 26 January 1933;[5] his parents, Leo Zinovieff and Sofka, née Princess Sophia Dolgorouky, were both Russian aristocrats, who met in London after their families had emigrated to escape the Russian Revolution and soon divorced.[6] During World War II he and his brother Ian lived with their grandparents in Guildford and then with their father in Sussex. He attended Guildford Royal Grammar School, Gordonstoun School and Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in geology.[7][8]
Zinovieff's work followed research at Bell Labs by Max Mathews and Jean-Claude Risset, and an MIT thesis (1963) by David Alan Luce.[9] In 1966–67, Zinovieff, Delia Derbyshire and Brian Hodgson ran Unit Delta Plus, an organisation to create and promote electronic music. It was based in the studio Zinovieff had built, in a shed at his house in Putney. (The house is near the Thames, and the studio was later partially destroyed by a flood).[10][11] EMS grew out of MUSYS, which was a performance controller operating as an analogue-digital hybrid.[12] It was a synthesiser system which Zinovieff developed with the help of David Cockerell and Peter Grogono, and used two DEC PDP-8 minicomputers and a piano keyboard.[13] Unit Delta Plus ran a concert of electronic music at the Watermill Theatre in 1966, with a light show. In early 1967 they performed in concerts at The Roundhouse, at which the Carnival of Light was also played; they split up later in 1967.[11] Paul McCartney had visited the studio, but Zinovieff had little interest in popular music.[14]
In 1968, part of the studio was recreated at Connaught Hall, for a performance of pieces by Justin Connolly and David Lumsdaine.[15] At the IFIP congress that year, the composition ZASP by Zinovieff with Alan Sutcliffe took second prize in a contest, behind a piece by Iannis Xenakis.[16]
In 1969, Zinovieff sought financing through an ad in The Times but received only one response, £50 on the mistaken premise it was the price of a synthesiser. Instead he formed EMS with Cockerell and Tristram Cary.[17] At the end of the 1960s, EMS Ltd. was one of four companies offering commercial synthesizers, the others being ARP, Buchla, and Moog.[18] In the 1970s Zinovieff became interested in the video synthesizer developed by Robert Monkhouse, and EMS produced it as the Spectron.[19]
Jon Lord of Deep Purple described Zinovieff as "a mad professor type": "I was ushered into his workshop and he was in there talking to a computer, trying to get it to answer back".[20] Trevor Pinch and Frank Trocco, in their history of the synthesizer revolution, see him rather as aristocratically averse to "trade".[21]
Zinovieff wrote the libretto for Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Mask of Orpheus,[22] and also the words for Nenia: The Death of Orpheus (1970).[23] The section Tristan's Folly in Tristan (1975) by Hans Werner Henze included a tape by Zinovieff."
Update:
Peter Zinovieff: A Tribute by CatSynth TV
video upload by CatSynth TV
"We look back at the life and work of Peter Zinovieff, who passed away last week at the age of 88. His work at Electronic Music Studios (EMS) was a major influence on musicians of the 1970s and beyond. At EMS, he co-created the well-known and coveted VCS3 and Synthi series. But he was also a composer in his own right, working on pioneering electronic music in the 1960s and returning to active composition in the 2010s with several collaborations with artists in other media and exploring massive sound spatialization.
Additional background music provided via the Arturia Synthi V as a tribute."
"The Weltmeister Basset , sometimes referred to as the Weltmeister Combo Bass, was the first keytar! This rare "Cold War" electro-mechanical keyboard instrument was made from 1963 to 1969 by accordion manufacturer, Weltmeister, in East Germany. It was practically impossible to get one in the US.
The battery-powered Basset was popular in the 1960s and early 1970s with East German dance bands. Its mechanical piano action was derived from its big brother, the Weltmeister Claviset. Pressing a key causes the lip of a rubber disc to pluck the tine. When the key is released, the sound is stopped by a foam damper. A warning label in German, Cyrillic Russian, and English warns of "danger of life" if you connect it to a radio or an amplifier with AC-DC!"
Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (And Back) book review & book flip through. Synthesizer Evolution is a recently published book covering every major synth, drum machine and sampler from 1963-1995. Each instrument is hand drawn and includes vital statistics and quirky facts.
Synth Evolution is published by Velocity Press (https://velocitypress.uk) and written & illustrated by Oli Freke (https://www.synthevolution.net), a London-based musician, artist and author with a life-long passion for analogue synthesizers and electronic music.
Synthesizer Evolution: From Analogue to Digital (And Back) provides us with an in-depth look at synthesizer history over the decades and covers a variety of vintage synthesizers including analog synths, digital synths, modular synths, wavetable synths, FM synths, additive synths and more.
Join me for a narrated book flip through highlighting various synths and concluding with a brief book review at the end. Hope you enjoy and feel free to grab a copy of Synth Evolution if you like it.
Playlist: Ikarie by Casper x Bastl – a uniquely sculpted, flexible stereo/dual
peak filter module Ikarie Walkthrough - Every Feature Explained Ikarie - Patch
Tips Ikarie process - designers talk - Peter Edwards and Václav Peloušek
via
Bastl Instruments
"Reach the peaks of alien soundscapes with your Eurorack as mission control
Bastl Instruments is very proud to announce its latest collaboration with Casperelectronics – the Eurorack stereo filter Ikarie which is robust in features yet physically compact.
Ikarie is a uniquely sculpted, flexible stereo or dual peak filter module. It can continuously transition between lowpass and highpass filtering with a single knob. It also packs in an envelope follower for the incoming audio signal, which comes in handy when you're looking to increase your sound's internal animation.
Two parallel filter cores can be modulated in sync for work in the stereo realm, set apart for unique stereo effects (with either mono or stereo signal at the base), or chained together to make a 24 dB filter.
With only the mono output of the filter used, Ikarie behaves as a dual peak filter, which evokes formant-type sounds and rich, at will piercing, throaty resonance. The Beyond output gives you the spectral difference of the two filters, effectively turning the unit into a so-called twin peak filter.
Add an internal VCA, CV control over panning and resonance, optional overdrive of the input, and you can explore a vast universe of sound design possibilities, from liquidy through pinged percussive to lush and eerie. All in a very compact form factor, with tons of space for precision and creativity.
This module results from a collaboration between Václav Peloušek of Bastl Instruments and Peter Edwards of Casperelectronics. While Edwards' obsessive attention to detail gave this filter a uniquely balanced resonance and envelope response, the expertise of Peloušek delivered a one-hand user experience filter with a distinctive control scheme at a minimal footprint.
The module's name alludes to the 1963 Czech sci-fi movie Ikarie XB-1 (released as Voyage to the End of the Universe in the US), and the film served as the module's inspiration in many aspects. Long before Solaris, Space Odyssey 2001, or Star Wars, Ikarie focused on the subject of space exploration, and it paved the way for many to come. With its early electronic sound design and musical experimentation under the lead of Zdeněk Liška, immersive cinematography, and impressive production level, it remains one of the most original and exciting film titles in the science fiction genre. Bastl & Casper's Ikarie proudly carries the flag of this cinematic world.
Ikarie will be available on November 12th, through noise.kitchen and synth stores worldwide for MSRP 240 EUR without VAT.
Features: two parallel filter cores (left and right) based on 12dB/oct state variable filter topology unique lowpass/highpass switching control scheme well balanced voltage controlled resonance circuit envelope follower with 3 decay settings input gain up to 5 times stereo modulation - either panning of filter detuning flexible patch programmable topology beyond output for difference spectrums (twin peak filter) modulation attenuverter v/oct input with scaling trimmer accessible from the front panel output stereo VCA
Technical details: power consumption: +12V: 100mA, -12V: 95mA 8HP 35mm PTC and fuse protected 16pin power connector"
• Over 500 hand-drawn illustrations of vintage synthesizers, drum-machines, samplers and pre-modern electric instruments.
• A reference book for every synthesizer, drum-machine and sampler manufactured between 1963 and 1995 with key stats, fascinatingly quirky facts and company profiles.
• Destined to be the new ‘bible’ of synthesizer information, following in the footsteps of the classic ‘KeyFax’ series by Julian Colbeck.
• Tells the story and impact of the synthesizer on all forms of modern music and culture with geek appeal for the music fan and synth fan alike.
From acid-house to prog-rock, there is no form of modern popular music that hasn’t been propelled forwards by the synthesizer. As a result they have long been objects of fascination, desire and reverence for keyboard players, music producers and fans of electronic music alike. Whether looking at an imposing modular system or posing with a DX7 on Top of the Pops, the synth has also always had an undeniable physical presence.
This book celebrates their impact on music and culture by providing a comprehensive and meticulously researched directory of every major synthesizer, drum machine and sampler made between 1963 and 1995. Each instrument is illustrated by hand, and shown alongside its vital statistics and some fascinatingly quirky facts. In tracing the evolution of the analogue synthesizer from its invention in the early 1960s to the digital revolution of the 1980s right up until the point that analogue circuits could be modelled using software in the mid-1990’s, the book tells the story of analogue to digital - and back again.
Published on Feb 17, 2020 Sean Christopher Evoking Emotion with Synthesizers
"A year ago I did this famous synth piece on a Moog One, but decided to recreate....with even a more vintage feel (hopefully) with my Moog Subsequent 37....which is one of my favorite mono synths of all time. Every sound on the track is pure Sub 37 with only reverb and delay FX added, and was multi-tracked using Cubase 10.5 Pro.
From Eikipedias- 'Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963. The program depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called "the Doctor", an extraterrestrial being, to all appearances human, from the planet Gallifrey. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Accompanied by a number of companions, the Doctor combats a variety of foes while working to save civilizations and help people in need.'"
4ms Company offers alternatives to traditional instruments with our poly-rhythmic clock modules that create evolving complex mathematical beat patterns, a resonator that can cast pop music into micro-tonal keys, a multi-channel wavetable oscillator, a routing matrix that's played like an instrument, and many more innovative devices. Rather than replicate concepts from the past, we strive to turn unique ideas into playable musical tools that expand the possibilities of music. We also offer Do-It-Yourself kits, and many of our designs are open-source.
Acid Rain Technology acidraintechnology.com
Acid Rain Technology is a manufacturer of music hardware out of Seattle, WA. We believe hardware instruments enable a unique connection between human and machine, and seek to improve this interaction through interface design for maximum playability.
After Later Audio afterlateraudio.com
After Later Audio is a boutique audio company located in Seattle, Washington. We make high quality Eurorack modules at accessible prices and we pride ourselves on responsive customer service. You can find our products for sale on our website, at various synth shops (Patchwerks, London Modular, Chuck Levin’s, and Modular 8), and on all of the major ecommerce sites.
"Is It A Synth? No. It's from the first episode of The Outer Limits which aired in September, 1963. The Galaxy Being starred Cliff Robertson as a radio station owner who used his transmitter to reach out across the galaxy. After establishing contact with a being from another world, a series of events (brought about by his carping wife) leads to the physical transmission of the Galaxy Being to Earth. A heavy handed moral about the human race being prone to violence ensues.
The episode has some great examples of mid 20th century Gizmology. Gizmology is term that I coined to describe movie tech that is designed to look all "Science-y". If you look at the photo, you see what appears to be a Eurorack synth! Just out of the frame, on the right, there is the obligatory reel to reel tape recorder. In those days if you wanted your set to look like real science, you had to have an oscilloscope displaying a sine wave and a tape recorder. This episode lacks a scope, but makes up for it with that crazy nest of wires.
I started watching that episode on Prime the other night. When that scene happened I thought, 'How did Cliff Robertson get his hands on Richard Divine's euro rig? In 1963!'."
At the time of this film (1963) the computer colossus DERA (Darmstädter Elektronischer Rechenautomat) was actually already outdated. It was created in the tube era of electronics. The construction of the calculating machine was conceptually based on the American calculator MARK IV by Howard Aiken (* 8 March 1900 † 14 March 1973), which was constructed between 1949 and 1952.
In 1951 at the Darmstädter Institut für Praktische Mathematik (IPM) they began, under direction of Prof. Dr. h.c. Dr. Alwin Oswald Walther (* 6 May 1898 † 4 January 1967), with the conception of the mainframe computer DERA, a serially working automatic calculator in tube technology with memory, floating point representation and decimal output. It was first used in 1957, but the further development of the computer was already reduced in 1956 and finally abandoned completely in 1959, as DERA had already been overtaken by the newly emerging semiconductor technology. Furthermore, the machine was prone to errors and was therefore shut down after 1961.
Although Prof. Alwin Oswald Walther belonged to the luminaries of early German computer development and his pedagogical as well as technical abilities in teaching were undisputed, his work during the Second World War was repeatedly discussed. Thus he and his team were involved in the ballistic calculations of the Wernher von Brauns rocket experiments in Peenemünde during the 3rd Reich.
The astronomer Dr. Rudolf Kühn (* 27 January 1926 † 4. December 1963), who conducts the interview with Prof. Alwin Walther in this film document, appeared for the first time on German television in 1955. He also co-founded the magazine "Sterne und Weltraum" (Stars and Space) and had the gift of presenting science topics to a broad television audience in generally understandable words. He died in a traffic accident in the same year as this television documentary.
People in this documentary:
Rudolf Kühn (* 27 January 1926 † 4 December 1963)
Alwin Oswald Walther (* 6 May 1898 † 4 January 1967)
Waltraud Krötz [phon.] (trainee programmer)
Elke Geist (programmer)
Mr. Pohlmeier [phon.] (Electronics engineer, shows DERA tube assembly)
Mr. Maul [phon.] (operates punch card doubler)
Mrs. Brink [phon.] (only briefly to see)"
"We're back with another feature packed episode including Kronology on the Doncamatic, Korg's first ever product from 1963, our new game the TV Gameshow Time Machine, #Geargoggles, Downloads, all the latest Korg News & a listen to the new electribe Wave!"
As I was walking in the hotel lobby I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Soloman and Jammie Logan, two great guys who are working with Ron Folkman to bring back a modern version of the mega-classic Polyfusion modular series 2000 - designed in the late '70s and early '80s by Ron Folkman and Alan Pearce (who also worked at Moog)
3. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 3 - Opening night
Venue vendors and performers setup, and Knobcon 2018 opening night reception party
4. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 4 - My live set
My live set at the Friday night opening party of Knobcon 2018:
00:26 Misty (Erroll Garner)
02:38 Control (SynthMania)
07:28 Drum Fairy (SynthMania)
13:13 Echoes (SynthMania)
18:52 Fruit Fly (SynthMania)
23:03 Decades (Joy Division)
28:23 Perfect Life (SynthMania)
34:07 To France (Mike Oldfield & Maggie Reilly)
5. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 5 - Suit & Tie Guy & Andre Cholmondeley live set
Mega-hypnotic live set by Suit & Tie Guy & Andre Cholmondeley at the Knobcon 2018 Friday night reception party
6. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 6 - Vendor hall walkthrough (G.A.S. inducing)
Saturday morning at Knobcon 2018 - a walkthrough of the large exhibitor room
7. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 7 - Moda Modular
Kevin of Moda Modular debuts the Castor & Pollux sequencer at Knobcon 2018 https://www.facebook.com/ModaModular/
8. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 8 - Eurorack Modular Case
Brock from Eurorack Modular Case shows their portable cases for KnobCon 2018 http://eurorackmodularcase.com
9. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 9 - IK Multimedia
Daniel and Eric of IK Multimedia show us the brand new software editor for the UNO Synth - I plan to make a video using the editor very soon, as it further "unlocks" the sound capabilities of this great portable analog synthesizer
10. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 10 - Synthstrom
Synthstrom shows their Deluge portable synthesizer/sampler sequencer
11. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 11 - SYINSI
SYINSI shows their new modular tiles
12. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 12 - STEM Modular
13. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 13 - AKAI
The great sounding and portable AKAI MPC Live
Wesley of STEM Modular shows his upcoming modules
14. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 14 - Playing the Polyfusion
Incredible power, powerful and majestic sound... a wonderful synth!!! Toto's Polyfusion... big thanks to Jim, Jammie, and Ron for letting us experience this beautiful, classic machine!
15. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 15 - Vendor hall walkthrough 2 (more G.A.S.)
Another walkthrough on the main exhibition hall at Knobcon 2018
16. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 16 - Detroit Underground
17. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 17 - Hammond organ workshop
An incredibly interesting Hammond workshop at Knobcon 2018. Featuring Suit & Tie Guy, Steven Eaklor, Ray Gerlich, Todd Phipps, and the best sounding Hammond I've ever had the pleasure to play - a 1963 B-3 with a 147(amp) + 122 (cab) owned and so kindly provided to Knobcon by Todd Phipps
18. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 18 - DIY build workshops
Knobcon 2018 featured DIY build workshops where you could build your own synthesizer modules
19. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 19 - Bug out bunker
KnobCon has a large dark room in the basement of the hotel called the "Bug Out Bunker" - where you can play modular synths, perform together and experience some really cool graphics being projected on the walls
20. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 20 - Ethereal Sun
Steve of Ethereal Sun shows some of their very cool eurorack cases at Knobcon 2018 http://etherealsun.com
21. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 21 - Behringer
I programmed some beats on the new Behringer RD-808 at Knobcon 2018. Really good sound. (sorry, 2nd part of the video got corrupted so I had to flip and crop).
22. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 22 - Vendor hall walkthrough 3 (G.A.S. again)
More exhibitors at Knobcon 2018
23. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 23 - Golden Knob banquet
Knobcon's Saturday evening banquet, featuring live music, raffle prizes, keynote speaker, and all-night jam session with classic and vintage synths and keyboards
24. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 24 - Gil Trythall keynote address
A wonderful, insightful, interesting, and very entertaining keynote address!! By Dr. Gil Trythall, electronic music pioneer, college professor of music, author of fantastic '70s Moog-based records like "Switched-On Nashville", "Nashville Gold", "Yakety Moog" and many other compositions
25. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 25 - Sat night jam session
After party all-night long jam session with lots of *excellent* players from all over the United States!! Lots of fun, with incredible vintage instruments like 1963 Hammond B-3, '70s Clavinet, Yamaha CS-50 and more. Everyone invited to join in and jam (I joined in later in the evening)
26. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 26 - Real Fake Knobs
Such a cool idea by Izzy! To spiff up your modular setup, grab his real fake knobs / panels http://www.realfakeknobs.com
Excellent modular synth company from Brazil and two great guys to boot - I had the pleasure of sitting at the same table as Vinicius and Fabio at Knobcon's dinner and we talked about synths and music extensively all evening. I bought a Lizard multi mode dual VCO from them as soon as I heard it right and there at Knobcon, it's that good (and versatile). They also produce a full system that includes other modules. Vinicius and Fabio produce these modules and distribute them all over the world - To listen to and buy their modules: https://viniciuselectrik.com
28. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 28 - Zeppelin Design Labs
Glenn showing some of their really cool products: a Theremin style MIDI controller, companion mini synth, amplifiers, pedals https://zeppelindesignlabs.com
29. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 29 - Therevox
Wonderful, wonderful instrument. Played it five minutes at the show. Ordered one right away. http://therevox.com
30. KnobCon 7 (2018) part 30 - Vendor hall walkthrough 3 (G.A.S. galore)
"First try with the new Elektron Digitakt, thanks to Eraldo Bernocchi for the inspiration!
Track 1-2-3 with the same original piano sample
Track 7 reverse cymbal (from digitakt library)
Track 8 bassdrum (from digitakt library)
No overdubbing, no external fx
100% Digitakt
Video Footage from: Stan Brackhage - Mothlight (1963)"
"Excerpts from SUBOTNICK, a forthcoming documentary on avant-garde electronic music composer Morton Subotnick, now raising funds via Indiegogo: http://igg.me/at/subotnickfilm [the funding goal of $40,000 has just been met]
In 1963, Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender, the two founders of the San Francisco Tape Music Center, commissioned Don Buchla to create one of the first modular electronic music systems.
The first Buchla 100 series system was completed in 1965, eventually moving to Mills College in 1966, where it remains today.
In April 2017, Subotnick and Sender returned to Mills College to meet with Prof. Maggi Payne, co-director of the Center of Contemporary Music, revisiting the original Buchla 100."
Wally De Backer aka Gotye has produced Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline, an archival project featuring Jean-Jacques Perrey's early music with the Ondioline. The release features previously unreleased and rare tracks both on vinyl and digital download.
via Wally De Backer: "I got to know JJ in the years before he passed and this is a labour of love I undertook to pay tribute to his incredible work, specifically with the remarkable Ondioline."
You can read a great article on the Ondioline, Jeen-Jacques Perrey, Wally De Backer and the release at The New Yorker here.
The following are the official details for the release:
- Never-before-released Ondioline cuts from Jean
- Jacques Perrey’s archive.
- Super rare tracks from early private press releases.
- Meticulously restored and remastered from original sources.
- Includes collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti and Billy Goldenberg.
- 36-page booklet with unreleased archival photos and an essay by Simon Reynolds.
- Compilation curated and produced by Wally De Backer (Gotye)
Jean-Jacques Perrey (1929-2016) was a pioneer of electronic pop music celebrated for his uniquely whimsical sampled soundworld, his groundbreaking style of rhythmic tape editing, and his early use of the Moog modular synthesizer.
From seminal instrumental albums such as The In Sound From Way Out! (1965, with collaborator Gershon Kingsley), to Moog Indigo (1970, featuring the classic cut E.V.A.), Perrey’s inimitable sounds have been sampled by everyone from Fat Boy Slim and Gang Starr to Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade!
Not as celebrated or widely known is the fact that Perrey was the world’s only virtuoso of the Ondioline, the remarkable proto-synthesizer developed by Frenchman Georges Jenny in the 1940s.
Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline focuses on this early period of Perrey’s musical life, when he traveled the world as the Ondioline’s prime demonstrator, began experimenting with multitrack recording technology, and made demo recordings designed to exalt the Ondioline’s incredible array of sounds and effects.
The compilation features never-before released collaborations with Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, the films of David Lynch) and Billy Goldenberg (Steven Spielberg’s Duel, Columbo) as well as a collaboration with Dick Hyman which delivers the only piece of music composed by Ondioline inventor Georges Jenny currently on record.
Further gems include a sparkling early version of the beloved Pioneers of the Stars, given a stirring Ennio Morricone-esque arrangement here, as well as choice selections from Musique Electronique du Cosmos, the highly collectible album of library music Perrey recorded in 1963.
Ondioline enthusiasts will be excited to hear a super rare extended demonstration of the instrument, recorded by Perrey in the early 1960s, which also receives its first commercial release on this compilation.
A must for dedicated fans, and a vibrant introduction for new listeners to Perrey’s wonderfully individual style of music, Jean-Jacques Perrey et son Ondioline canvasses his unparalleled mastery of the Ondioline, points towards the exuberance of his later sample and Moog-heavy work, and importantly, illuminates a reflective and melancholy side to his recorded work that expands on his already considerable achievements.
Curated by long-time Perrey fan and recent collaborator Wally De Backer (Gotye), this is the first release on Forgotten Futures, a new record label set up by De Backer to excavate lost works by pioneering producers and musical instrument inventors. De Backer got to know Perrey over the last few years of his life, visiting him a number of times at his home in Switzerland, and coordinating the archiving of his recordings, photos and music scores. Perrey mentored De Backer in the restoration and playing of Ondiolines, and through their developing connection over this instrument, Perrey entrusted De Backer with a number of the rare masters and one-of-a-kind test pressings of Ondioline recordings that form the basis of this compilation.
Tracks:1. La Vache et le Prisonnier 2. Visa to the Stars (commercial arrangement) 3. Chicken on the Rocks4. Danielle of Amsterdam 5. Cigale 6. L'âme des Poètes 7. Dandelion Wine 8. Barnyard In Orbit9. Sérénade à la Mule 10. Mars Reflector 11. Pioneers of the Stars (orchestral arrangement)12. to 38. Ondioline demonstration from Satellite Records acetates"
"Wouter De Backer, known as Gotye, has a keen understanding of the electronic musician Jean-Jacques Perrey’s discography, and of the nuances it contains."
"RE-STRINGS is our Rack Extension version of the award winning VSM and contains a selection of its most popular and iconic String Ensembles including: ARP Quadra, Crumar Multiman, Elka Rhapsody, Eminent 310, Freeman String Symphonizer, Godwin String Orchestra, Hohner K4, Junost 21, Korg Lambda, Korg PE2000, Logan String Melody II, Mellotron Violins, Moog Opus III, Roland VP330, ARP Solina, Technics KN200, Yamaha CE-25 & Yamaha SS-30.
With it's dual layer capability, it's possible to load the classic string ensemble sounds from years gone by or create your own hybrid ensembles.
Legal Notice
All musical instrument manufacturer and product names are trademarks of their respective owners and in no way associated or affiliated with GForce Software Ltd. The trademarks of other manufacturers are used solely to identify the products of those manufacturers whose sounds and technical data were studied for this instrument. All names of instrument inventors have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not suggest any affiliation or endorsement of GForce Software Ltd."
Billy Currie talks String Synths, VSM & RE-STRINGS
Published on Apr 11, 2017 GForce Software
"During the process of creating patches for RE-STRINGS Rack Extension, we talked with Billy Currie about his use of String Ensemble keyboards over the years and how the Elka Rhapsody and Yamaha SS-30 contributed to some of Ultravox's classic tracks.
Billy also talks about how valuable the VSM and RE-STRINGS libraries are to him and how they've been used in his latest album, Doppel."
Freeman String Symphonizer
Published on Apr 11, 2017 GForce Software
"A brief walkthrough of the Freeman String Symphonizer, invented by Ken Freeman, sounds from which are in both VSM and RE-STRINGS.
The Further Adventures of K.FREEMAN and his Incredible Machine of a Thousand Strings courtesy of I Monster - BRIGHT SPARKS album. www.imonstermusic.com
Ken Freeman footage courtesy of BRIGHT SPARKS Documentary
http://brightsparks.movie"
The modern, polyphonic string synthesiser was invented in 1970 by Ken Freeman, a British keyboard player and engineer who discovered that if you layered two notes then detuned and slightly modulated one a pleasant ‘chorused’ sound resulted. Over the next 10+ years Ken’s initial discovery spawned an industry that saw the manufacture of more than one hundred ‘string machines’ and multi-keyboards.
Although viewed by some as a one-trick-pony or a poor man’s polysynth, string machines had so much character they’ve graced tracks by artists as diverse as; Lonnie Liston Smith, Air, Pink Floyd, The Cure, Parliament, Herbie Hancock, Camel, Joy Division, Jean-Michel Jarre, Thomas Dolby, Tonto’s Expanding Head Band, Genesis, Toni Tone Tony and countless others.
Product details
Based on our award winning Virtual String Machine (VSM), RE-STRINGS comprises 67 individual sample sets from a plethora of classic analogue string ensembles including the ultra rare (and first) Freeman String Symphonizer, the highly coveted Solina, the eminently desirable Eminent 310, the highly-lauded Logan String Ensemble, plus several other classic (and not so classic) string machines.
Each sample set spans 49 notes (4 octaves), each individually sampled and looped, plus RE-STRINGS contains a 700+ patch library created by respected patch designers including legendary string machine user and keyboard maestro, Billy Currie.
With Dual Layer capabilities - each layer comprising of a Lowpass, Bandpass & Highpass Resonant Filter Section, Two Envelope Generators, Pitch or Filter LFO, Dynamic control including filter aftertouch - if you want to create your own hitherto unrealised hybrid combinations of classic and evocative string ensembles, it’s a cinch. Finally, global vintage style Ensemble & Phaser effects are provided, allowing you to hone your sound to evocative, retro, string ensemble perfection.
RE-STRINGS includes string tones from the following classic instruments ARP Quadra (1978) Crumar Multiman (1975) Elka Rhapsody (1975) Eminent 310 (1972) Freeman String Symphonizer (1973) Godwin Model 749 String Concert (1980) Hohner K4 (1977) Junost 21 (c 1986) Korg Lambda (1979) Korg PE2000 (1976) Logan String Melody II (1977) Mellotron (1963) Moog Opus III (1980) Roland VP330 (1979) Solina String Ensemble (1974) Technics KN200 (1982) Yamaha CE-25 (1983) Yamaha SS30 (1977)"
Jean-Claude Risset, a pioneer of electronic music, passed away on November 21. Many of you will recognize his Risset Tones, or Shepard Tones above as they were based on the work of Roger Shepard as referenced in this post: "Risset Tones (Risset tones are based on the work of Roger Shepard in the 1960's and the further developments made later by Jean-Claude Risset, RissetTones is designed to create an acoustical illusion. Perhaps best explained as the aural equivalent of the barber pole, the product of the RissetTones is a gliding tone which seems always to be moving either up or down in pitch while staying in the same general position.)"
He, of course, was known for quite a bit more:
The image to the left is from forestpunk on Music From Computer: "an exquisite repackaging of influential works from early computer music Jean-Claude Risset, spanning the years 1968 – 1985. It illuminates a fascinating intersection between old-world classicism, musique concrete, and synthesis."
"Risset was born in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. Arriving at Bell Labs, New Jersey in 1964, he used Max Mathews' MUSIC IV software to digitally recreate the sounds of brass instruments. He made digital recordings of trumpets and studied their timbral composition using 'pitch-synchronous' spectrum analysis tools, revealing that the amplitude and frequency of the harmonics (more correctly, partials) of these instruments would differ depending on frequency, duration and amplitude. He is also credited with performing the first experiments on a range of synthesis techniques including FM Synthesis and waveshaping."
Below are two additional compositions by Jean-Claude Risset. His work and influence go beyond anything that can be captured in a single post. His influence can be seen in various posts here on MATRIXSYNTH. This post, as all posts, is here only to let you know he was a significant influence on our world. Be sure to see the full wikipedia and forestpunk articles above and of course, always research more on your own. There is an incredible world of work to explore out there.
Jean-Claude Risset - Computer Suite From Little Boy (1968)
Published on Jul 9, 2012 Sebastian H. M. Murdock
"Composer Jean-Claude Risset was a pioneer in the field of computer music and recipient of a great many honors for this music and research (especially in the area of sound synthesis). After studying the sciences, in addition to composition and piano with teachers like André Jolivet (Le Jeune France co-founder), Risset went on to work at Bell Labs, with Max Matthews, for a few years in the late '60s, working on applications that would imitate instruments and others sounds. He brought sound synthesis to Orsay in the early '70s, and Marseille and Paris -- to the Institute for Acoustic Music Research and Creation, with Pierre Boulez -- in the mid-'70s. He became IRCAM's computer music director from 1975-1979, after which he served as Director of Research at facilities including CNRS; Risset received the CNRS Bronze Medal in 1971, the Silver Medal in 1987, and the Gold Medal in 1999, for his work and related writings, such as his computerized sound synthesis catalogue of 1969. His other awards include the Dartmouth Prize (1970), first place in the Bourges Digital Music competition (1980), Ars Electronica Austria (1987), Grand Prix National de la Musique (1990), Musica Nova Prague (1995), and an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Edinburgh in the mid-'90s. His best work spans decades and includes 'Sud' (1985), 'Aventure de lignes, Profiles' (1981), 'Mirages' (1978), 'Inharmonique' (1977), 'Musique pour Little Boy' (1968), and 'Fantasie pour Orchestre' (1963)."
"Don Buchla passed away. He was considered a true pioneer with an uncompromising vision of what synthesizers could be. His impact on electronic music was vast; Buchla independently invented the first modern synthesizer, at the same time as Robert Moog, in 1963. I feel blessed owning a remake of the Buchla Music Easel which was one of his last big projects. It is a very versatile instrument but one of it's strenghts is for sure in the melancholic space, well fit to this sad moment. Rest in peace Don."
It has come to my attention that Don Buchla passed away on Wednesday, September 14, at the age of 79. Anyone coming to this site should be well aware of who he is; who he was to the world of synthesizers. For those that aren't, he was by all means one of the fathers of the modern day synthesizer. Credit usually goes to Bob Moog, mainly for two reasons. One, Bob Moog chose the standard keyboard as the main interface for his synthesizers as they were more accessible to musicians. Two, Bob Moog's approach focused mainly on reproducing the sounds of acoustic instruments. Wendy Carlos' Switch on Bach and Keith Emerson's use of the Moog Modular brought Moog synthesizers to the mainstream.
Don Buchla's instruments, however, focused mainly on the exploration of sound. Artists attracted to his instrument fell more into the realm of what was known as musique concrete. Musique concrete mainly focused on the manipulation of sound, initially composed with electro-acoustic instruments recorded and manipulated on analog tape.
via wikipedia: "Buchla formed his electronic music equipment company, Buchla and Associates, in 1962 in Berkeley, California. Buchla was commissioned by avant garde music composers Morton Subotnick and Ramon Sender, both of the San Francisco Tape Music Center, to create an electronic instrument for live performance. Under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation Buchla completed his first modular synthesizer in 1963." On the other hand (also via wikipedia): "Moog created the first voltage-controlled subtractive synthesizer to utilize a keyboard as a controller and demonstrated it at the AES convention in 1964." Update: Wikipedia appears to be incorrect on Buchla. Don Buchla started working on instruments in 1963, and the 100 was his first VC system completed in 1965. It was then sold in 66/67. The first name of the company was Buchla Associates in 66/67 followed by Buchla & Associates in 70/71. This New York times obituary has a good write-up on Don Buchla's work beyond just synthesizers. It also has 1965 as the date for the completion of his first synth.
Please note, this post isn't about who came first. In my opinion they both did and they both had different approaches. Most of you will be familiar with the terms East and West Coast synthesis. They pertain to these two different approaches with Buchla on the West and Moog on the East.
Don Buchla's passing is bittersweet. On the one hand his creations have finally gained popularity and respect in the modern day synthesizer community - a decade ago the focus was primarily on Bob Moog. On the other hand, he passed away not being able to do what he himself wanted to do in the end. He sold the rights to the Buchla name to BEMI, only to later take them to court. The case was settled, but I have been told it was far short from the initial agreement. It is also my understanding that Don Buchla was discouraged from working on creating new instruments.
One thing to consider is that although there were/are many Buchla clones out there that paid tribute to Don's work, it is my understanding that Don wasn't paid licensing for them and that Don wasn't necessarily thrilled by them. Think about it for a bit. One, people cloned his work, two, he did not get paid for his original creations, and three, people buying clones were putting their budgets towards clones vs. his new creations, for example, the 258 clone vs the new 261e. I was told from a reliable resource, that Don never had any interest in re-hashing old products. In a sense, they were more works of art, and he was always interested in creating something new, rather than re-hashing the old. However, I was told he was fine with people creating clones for personal use, just not for sale.
Writing this post is extremely difficult. I didn't know Don personally, but I did meet him a few times at NAMM. The first time I met him was a bit awkward because he doesn't talk fluff. His answers were very short, and he just kind of stood there as if implying, "are we done yet". I then realized, he wasn't implying that at all, he was just hanging out. The second time I met him, I said hello and didn't elaborate much. He then engaged in conversation with me. It was a simple thing, but something I will never forget. The video below with Don Buchla being interviewed by Mark Vail, captures the way I felt perfectly. If you were ever fortunate to meet him in person you will know what I mean. I'm going to miss him greatly, and will always wish I got to know him better.
And a message from Moog Music:
"Dear Don,
There are no words that can accurately portray the profound impact you have had on our lives. We are deeply inspired by your artistry, and your ground-breaking achievements will always inform the work we hold most closely to our hearts. You and Bob, through your distinctive styles, collaboration and friendship, have laid the foundation for our future. Your influence endures in our minds, hearts and hands as we craft tools that give rise to joyful experimentations. We will never truly capture the elegance and beauty that you and Bob achieved, but we promise to never stop trying.
From everyone at Moog, thank you for inspiring us and giving meaning to our life's work.
Love,
Your Friends At Moog"
Published on Aug 27, 2015 Redaktion Megasynth
And a rare performance of Don playing live with his instruments and Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails (NIN):
Everything Ends Here
Uploaded on Nov 18, 2011 Alessandro Cortini
"San Francisco Electronic Music Festival 2010
Alessandro Cortini + Don Buchla, performing the piece "everything ends here", from Blindoldfreak's 1st EP, 1."
