"Introducing" the DUBREQ PIANOMATE

video upload by Vintage Audio Institute Italia

Introducing in quotes as the Pianomate isn't a new product. You can find pics and an additional demo of one in previous posts here. Don't miss the Crumar Performer at the end of the video above.

"There really are quite few instrument that are uniquely different than others.

The Dubrec Pianomate is uniquely different - we've never seen anything like this before - have you? The comment section is all yours.

Even before it made it to Italy we realised - right off the bat - that we were going to use this in all kinds of ways.

This video is just a few quick ideas recorded off the cuff - a first scratch on the surface - there are so many more applications for this tool :

Effects you can run it through ( a good Leslie effect would make this thing shine)

Switching the trigger bars around (why didn't we think of that for this video damnit) and on and on.

It's truly a new dimension in sound."

Dubreq Pianomate SN 421

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via this auction

You can find a demo of one here.

"This is a Dubreq Pianomate analog synthesizer piano enhancer. Dubreq's Pianomate is a crazy box of tricks, designed to capture the tone of a piano creating an electronic & acoustic sound together like a hybrid synth. Two bars with sensors rest on the keyboard wired into the amp/speaker built into the Pianomate. The bars, treble/bass respond to piano playing, when the key is pressed the tonebar key drops down, creating the note. This results in a synth sound, that's warm but polyphonic. A 3-way rocker switch controls 'Balance' (bass, both, treble), another 3-way rocker selects 'Voice' (french accordion, organ, flute, jazz buzz). There are two volume knobs Pianomate & Mic. Another 3-way switch control vibrato. Between the two volume knobs is access to a small trim pot that allows fine tuning of vibrato speed. This Pianomate is in great condition."

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Dübreq Pianomate

Published on Dec 9, 2015 xgregcompositionx

"A short demo of this unique musical instrument."

DUBREQ PIANO MATE ANALOG SYNTHESIZER with Manual

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"Ultra rare museum piece synth module circa early 1970s British made by Stylophone designers Dubreq

It's a simple polyphonic synthesiser working on the divide down principal from a master oscillator (I'm told - i'm not an expert on PianoMates but it seems to work that way.) The idea was that any pianist could add the PianoMate to a piano by attaching the two (bass and treble) two octave bars above the keyboard. The two bars have plungers which sit over the piano keys. when a key is pressed by the player, the plunger is released, makes up a circuit and a note is played by the PianoMate as well. The two (bass and treble) plunger bars are attached by multi-pin plugs to what looks like a small combo amplifier. This has controls for tone, voice, articulation of vibrato, speed of vibrato and master tuning. There's a 'swell' pedal to allow control of the overall volume of the PianoMate and an input and volume control for a microphone.

http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=483"

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COMPLETE Dubreq PianoMate

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"Made in the 1970s in England by Dubreq, who also made the Stylophone, it's an add-on sound expander for a piano or any type of keyboard instrument.
The system consists of a small amplifier with built-in tone generators, a swell / volume pedal, and two sensor bars that just sit on the keyboard of a piano or similar instrument. Nothing actually gets attached to the piano, gravity hold the sensors in place. When the piano key is struck, the sensor touching that key drops down and the tone generator is triggered.

It sounds a lot like a Farfisa organ, and the amp gets pretty loud but you probably can't gig with it. This is more of a curiosity than a real professional instrument, but it is very cool if you're into kitschy and funky keyboard gear"

Dubreq Pianomate 1970s Polyphonic Synth

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SN 2752

"Made in England in the 1970s, this is a classic and collectable piece of vintage synthesiser technology. Dubreq also made the Stylophone

The unit is complete and consists of an amplifier, 2 x tone bars- one base and one treble. It also has a ‘swell’ pedal to control the volume. The tone bars, swell pedal and lead store in the back of the unit.

Remove the tone bars from the storage area in back of amp, place them on the keys of any full-size keyboard, plug the leads into the amp, and play the keyboard - and you can make vintage synth sounds using an acoustic piano as the keys! The unit has controls for tone, voice, articulation of vibrato, speed of vibrato and master tuning. It also has an input and volume control for a microphone..."

Vintage Dubreq Pianomate Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer & Amp Synth

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"OVERVIEW: The Pianomate consists of 2 'tonebars' (one bass one treble) that sit on top of the keys of a piano or full sized keyboard. When a key on the piano is pressed, a small plunger on the tonebar drops, triggering that note to play through the Pianomate's amp. Release the piano key and the plunger is pushed back up, ending that note. It's really quite simple.

AMP: All of the sound controls are located on the top of the Pianomate's amplifier. A 3-way rocker switch controls the 'Balance'. (bass, both,treble) Another 3-way rocker selects the 'Voice'. (french accordion, organ/flute,jazz buzz) To the right of that are two volume knobs. (Pianomate vol., Mic vol.) Further to the right is another 3-way switch which controls vibrato. Between the two volume knobs is access to a small trim pot which allows fine tuning of vibrato speed. The front of the amp has an output jack, mic input jack, pedal vol. jack, a small tuning adjuster, thumb-screw access to the amps fuse, and a lighted on/off switch.

PEDAL: The swell/volume pedal connects to the pedal vol. jack on the front of the amp. It does what it says, controls the volume of the Pianomate.

This auction includes the Pianomate Amplifier, Two 'Tonebars', the volume pedal, and all cables. I do not have a manual, sorry.

The two tonebars and the foot pedal store neatly in the back of the amp. Also, fine tuning the Pianomate is easy. Just remove the handle assembly and you'll find a bank of small trim pots. Each pot controls the pitch of 3 plungers. For example, the first trimmer will tune the C, C#, and D notes of the bass tone bar...

MORE INFO: Made in England, but it's on American (110/120) voltage. The amp is 10 watts. Serial Number is 657. A tag deep inside the amplifier dated the manufacture year as 1972."

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DUBREQ PIANOMATE SYNTHESIZER AMP

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"This is a COMPLETE Dubreq PianoMate. This is a 1970s vintage piece of interesting technology from the people who brought you among other things, the Stylophone. It's a simple polyphonic synthesiser working on the divide down principal from a master oscillator (I'm told - i'm not an expert on PianoMates but it seems to work that way.) The idea was that any pianist could add the PianoMate to a piano by attaching the two (bass and treble) two octave bars above the keyboard. The two bars have plungers which sit over the piano keys. when a key is pressed by the player, the plunger is released, makes up a circuit and a note is played by the PianoMate as well. The two (bass and treble) plunger bars are attached by multi-pin plugs to what looks like a small combo amplifier. This has controls for tone, voice, articulation of vibrato, speed of vibrato and master tuning. There's a 'swell' pedal to allow control of the overall volume of the PianoMate and an input and volume control for a microphone...."

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Dubreq Pianomate

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via this auction

"vintage Dubreq Pianomate. Made in the 1970s in England, it's an odd add-on sound expander for a piano or several other types of keyboard instruments. The system consists of a small amplifier with built-in tone generators, a swell / volume pedal, and two "plunger bars" that attach to the keyboard of a piano or similar instrument. When the piano key is struck, the plunger touching that key drops down and the tone generator is triggered. It's nutty but kind of neat - Dubreq also made the Stylophone, so they knew all about wacky musical instruments.

This setup is complete, down to the original manuals and sheet music, and everything works. It sounds a lot like a Farfisa organ, and the amp gets pretty loud but you probably can't gig with it. This is more of a curiosity than a real professional instrument, but it is very cool if you're into kitschy and funky keyboard gear."

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Dubreq Pianomate

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via Rebel Bass
"Dubreq Pianomate, Made in England, September, 1972. This is a classic and collectable piece of early synthesiser technology.

Unit consists of an amplifier, 2 x tone bars and a volume pedal. Remove the tone bars from the storage area in back of amp, place them on the keys of any full-size keyboard, plug the leads into the amp, and play the keyboard - and you can make vintage synth sounds using an acoustic piano as the keys!"

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Dubreq PianoMate Analog Devide Down Synth

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated. Music Thing has a post up on this interestig piece up for auction. I grabbed the auction shot and the description of the unit for posterity. Title link takes you to the Music Thing post as the auction link will eventually end up in limbo. I wonder how much valuable information has just dissappeared from the *bay over time. Kind of sucks when you think of it.



"This is a COMPLETE Dubreq PianoMate. This is a 1970s vintage piece of interesting technology from the people who brought you among other things, the Stylophone. It's a simple polyphonic synthesiser working on the divide down principal from a master oscillator (I'm told - i'm not an expert on PianoMates but it seems to work that way.) The idea was that any pianist could add the PianoMate to a piano by attaching the two (bass and treble) two octave bars above the keyboard. The two bars have plungers which sit over the piano keys. when a key is pressed by the player, the plunger is released, makes up a circuit and a note is played by the PianoMate as well. The two (bass and treble) plunger bars are attached by multi-pin plugs to what looks like a small combo amplifier. This has controls for tone, voice, articulation of vibrato, speed of vibrato and master tuning. There's a 'swell' pedal to allow control of the overall volume of the PianoMate and an input and volume control for a microphone. In essence, this clever little box which produced the sounds, controlled them from the plunger bars and amplified them was an ideal addition to a venue where the entertainment was pure piano. It has a makers plate showing the serial number of 1218. At the time these clever little devices came out, there were fewer and fewer venues relying on pianos - second hand organs were becoming cheap enough for even the smallest club and church hall and there were plenty of organ/bass/drums/ trios who would play an evening's cabaret for 30 quid. Thus, Dubreq didn't become the Microsoft of the keyboard industry overnight and not many of these eclectic little oddities survive. Most went to the skip and of those that remained, most lost their plunger bars and ended their working lives as practice amps for guitarists with no money."