Tubular Bells by the Brooklyn Organ Synth Orchestra

YouTube Uploaded by rastro2 on Mar 3, 2011

Originally posted on 3/04/2011 10:09:00 AM but the video was taken down. It's back!
"Filmed and Directed by Amy Hobby.
Edited by Tony Zajkowski.

Over 20 different NYC female keyboardists playing vintage keyboards at Joe McGinty's Carousel Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Available on iTunes!

Featuring:
Kaia Wong (Mixel Pixel)
Kelly Rae Kerwin (Private Income)
Natasha Bartolf

CLICK FOR MORE »

Joe McGinty's "Tubular Bells" Video Screening & Mellodrama: The Mellotron Documentary

"For those in NYC:

Tubular Bells is an 8 minute video, directed by Amy Hobby, edited by Tony Zajkowski, featuring female keyboardists playing Joe McGinty's arrangement of Tubular Bells, performed on the vintage keyboard instruments at Carousel Studios, Brooklyn, NY.

Featuring (in order of appearance):
Kaia Wong (Mixel Pixel), Kelly Rae Kerwin (Private Income), Natasha Bartolf, Joanna Choy (Spray Paint Star), Amy Merril (Mia Riddle)
Greta Gertler (Universal Thump), Supercute!, Anna Copacabanna, Rolyn Hu (True Primes), Sondra Sun-Odeon (Silver Summit), Michi Turner (Crash Diet Crew, Jacques Detergent), Katia Floreska (The Tall Pines), Natalie Weiss (Unicornicopia), Wendy Ip, Alice Cohen, Kelley Vaughn-Kauffman (Winston Troy), Yvette Perez (H.E.R., Birdbrain, Peter Zummo Group), The Hula Hoop Harlot, Melissa-Anne, Alix Brown (Golden Triangle), Leah Cary (Girl Crisis), Caitlin Jemeson (Queen Of Sibyls).

Instruments (in order of appearance):
Hammond M3 Organ, Fender Rhodes Stage Piano, 1914 Steinway Vertigrand Piano, RMI Keyboard Computer KC-2, Jenco Celeste, Baldwin Solid Body Electric Harpsichord, Mattel Magical Musical Thing, Bebot, Thingamagoop, Hohner Clavinet D6, Casio CZ-101, Wurlitzer Electric Piano Model 700, Conn Electric Band, ARP 2600, ARP Omni, Suzuki Omnichord, Roland Keytar/Yamaha TX802, Yamaha CS01, Vox Continental, Farfisa Combo Compact, Fender Starmaster, Buzzing Bee, Stylophone, 360 Systems Digital Keyboard, Hammond Synthesizer, Gibson Clavioline, Yamaha CP60, Moog Little Phatty, Moog MiniMoog, Mellotron, Maas-Rowe Vibrachime.

Also screening: Mellodrama: The Mellotron Documentary
View the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCabuis6t2w [first posted here]

At IndieScreen
289 Kent Avenue at S 2nd Street, Williamsburg
Advance tickets here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/130664"

RMI Keyboard Computer I

YouTube via srrecords | August 15, 2010

"note that the large silver logo strip is really a vibrato button. Also, the card reader doesn't work, neither (at this point) do some of the voices.....for shame."

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 Harmonic Synthesizer vs. RMI Keyboard Computer

via Wavecomputer360 on the AH list:

"both machines are totally different beasts, and even the two different versions of the KCs differ considerably from each other. I can only speak for the KC-2 (which I hated to see go a couple of years ago but then again, it was worth a couple of months´ rent for my flat...). The KC-1 is a totally different cup of tea. I have never used, let alone owned one (I think I had one out of nine KC-2s ever sold to owners in Germany).

A common trait of both instruments -- the Harmonic as well as the KC -- is that they both tend to sound a little static and not really rich and animated, very digital. Their digital nature (oops, there´s that word again) keeps them a bit too much in tune so you´d need some external effects to make it sound a bit more animated. It´s great as a source of samplefodder and really unusual overtone spectrums. The Harmonic of course allows you to change overtones while playing it which is something you can´t perform on a KC (a trick commonly used by many Harmonic Synthesizer players... insert the wooden wedges into the keyboard in order to keep a set of keys pressed, let the arpeggiator noodle on and on, and change overtones as it goes). Also, the Harmonic has a built-in analogue VCF (here´s that word which makes the whole affair come back on topic again...) plus the arpeggiator which allows for rudimentary realtime sequencing. You can´t do that on a KC.

What the KC can do, though, is to sound a bit like a proto-PPG of sorts -- although a lot more polite and well-behaved than a PPG 360 --, or a Prophet VS, for that matter. Its "Bells" preset was absolutely striking (no pun intended), and so was the "Pipe Organ". It has a very interesting raw sound which is ideal for further processing. One feature of the KC I was particularly fond was holding down a chord while inserting punchcards and hear the sound transform from one into another. That was definitely proto-PPGish. You could also do that when setting up two completely different sounds in each channel and use the pedals to let them fade into each other seamlessly.

Being a bit blatant, I´d recommend listening to the ['ramp] album "ceasing to exist" which was recorded in collaboration with touch guitar player Markus Reuter. I used mainly the RMI KC-2 Keyboard Computer for the electronic sounds and drones, plus a couple of loop devices. You can find the album as legal download on www.musiczeit.com (check for the label "Extended Moment"), there should be some audio to try out. There´s also a download-only album out called "drones and shimmers" by the humble writer of these lines (click here). I used the KC, plus a Jamman, for the tracks "working the soil" and "cultivating the sky". On a different note, I used the Harmonic and its built-in arpeggiator a lot on a track called "Cosmic Caravan" off a limited-edition CDR album called "blasters of the universe". You might be able to find a copy somewhere...

Hope that helps,

Stephen."

Dewanatron at Carousel

YouTube via rastro2
"Leon and Brian Dewan playing their Dewanatron Dual Primate Console at Carousel Recording Studios, Brooklyn, NY"

Dewanatron at Carousel #1

"The Dewans are playing their Dewanatron Dual Primate Console, and McGinty is playing a RMI Keyboard Computer and an Oberheim Xpander (controlled by a Casio keyboard)."

JMJ Gives away his RMI Computer Keyboard!

flickr by Neil Vance

"1989 Competition Prize."

full size

BTW, my lovely wife picked up OXYGENE Live in Your Living Room as one of my birthday presents this year. I cannot recommend it enough. It is a synth feast like no other. I had a good time with friends synth spotting and IDing synths. We got all of them of course. :) It was a challenge getting the CD/DVD combo in the US. The first copy she picked up off of Amazon appeared to be open/used and had some flickering going on at the bottom of the screen. She ended up finding a new shrink wrapped copy in NTSC from "thetangotienda" also on Amazon If you want to save the hassle I'd recommend going through them. BTW, it looks like it's just the audio CD but it comes with a DVD of the live footage when you flip the CD tray over, here is the product description off of Amazon:

"Special two disc (CD + PAL/Region 0 DVD)[I picked up the NTSC one] pressing of the 2007 digitally remastered 30th Anniversary edition of this influential Electronic album features a bonus DVD that contains a live performance filmed in HD, behind the scenes footage, 5.1 surround sound mix of the album and more. Famed for it's melodic lushed spaced-out Electronica, this is the album that captured keyboard maestro Jarre at his zenith. The lead single 'Oxygene IV' is one the most recognizable Electronic pieces in recent history. The son of famed French film composer Maurice Jarre, Jean-Michel Jarre is a synthesizer wizard, who had a number of instrumental hits, beginning in 1977 with "Oxygene", the success of which propelled him to pop-star status. In the ensuing decades, he has continued releasing albums and mounting enormous stage spectacles around the globe. EMI. 2007"

More than worth the money.

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 »

Thelonious Moog

Dave M wrote in to let me know I haven't put up a post on Thelonious Moog. I did a quick search and sure enough, I haven't! Well, here it is. Title link takes you there. You will find a number of small but drool-worthy shots and the story behind the making of Thelonius Moog.

"The vintage analog synths used during this project are the key to these arrangements. Many of the stylings are a direct result or influenced by a particular synth sound or patch or rhythm. There are too many items to cover in depth, so I'll just touch on a few that were crucial to the sound of the disc.

A lot of the leads and most of the synth bass parts were done by the old standby Minimoog. A real no-brainer there. I would have to say the real "stars" were the RMI Keyboard Computer 1 (it gave its life for this recording – RIP, dear, sweet RMI, along with a Prophet Five that can actually be heard dying on Beshma Swing!), an Arp 2600, an EMS Synthi AKS, a pair of newly aquired Moog 900 series modulars, and a modular from a new analog synth company, Synthesizers.com. We also used a couple of extremely rare Buchla synths, the Music Easel, and a Series 100 modular. The goofy rhythms were supplied via an old Acetone beat box and something called a "drummer." I have to say that these pieces were the "stars," and we just played the melodies. The studio has many other traditional keyboards – piano/organs/clavinets and such – so we just threw the damn rulebook out that first night."

The First Synth to....

Update: The new home for this list is now here. You can add to the list there or comment here and I will update both lists. Note that the complete list however will be there as I do not plan on updating this list with updates made there. That would be too much work and would compete with me being able to put up new posts here. Can't let that happen. : ) Related but separate from that list also see https://120years.net. That said...

If you are going to add to the list in the comments, use the same format.

Year - Manufacturer - Model - First at
1837 - C.G. Page (Salem. Mass) - first to produce electronically generated sound (not necessarily associated with a musical instrument). After inventing the Volta in 1800 (an early battery), in 1837 Page was doing experiments with coils and realized when certain coils were attached to a batter they omitted a ringing sound. While he initially thought the ring came from the electrical current was interrupted (battery disconnected), what was actually taking place was the induction through the coils was causing them to vibrate. via Peter Grenader
1885 - Person and Ernst Lorenz -'Elektrisches Musikinstrument' - the first musical instrument designed to produce electrically generated sound. It used electronic vibrations to drive an electromagnet that were connected to resonating boards, which translated these vibrations to sound. via Peter Grenader
1897 - Taddaeus Cahills - Telharmonium - electromechanical instrument.
1936 - Oskar Sala - Mixturtrautonium - first synth using Subharmonic synthesis
1939 - Homer Dudley invents the Parallel Bandpass Vocoder (VODER) - A manually key operated speech synthesizer
1940 - Homer Dudley invents the The Voder speech synthesizer - A device which used the human voice and an artificial voice to produce a composite
Both were researched as a way to transmit speech over copper wires (id est, telephone lines)
1948 - Hugh LeCaine - Electronic Sackbut - First voltage-controlled synthesizer
1948 - Dr. Raymond Scott - Wall of Sound - First polyphonic Sequencing Worstation (electromechanical) and the Electronum - first sequencer.
1950 - CSIR - Mk 1 - The first known use of a digital computer for the purpose playing music
1956 - Louie and Bebe Barron - Produced the first all-electronic musical score for a major motion picture - MGM's 'Forbidden Planet'
1957 - Max V. Mathews at Bell Labs - MUSIC - the first digital synthesizer. Technically, it was a computer program, though it set the stage for every digital synthesizer that proceeded it. See Laurie Spiegel with one here.
1963/64 - Buchla - model 100 modular - 1st "modern" modular synth
1967 - Moog - Moog modular synthesizer I, II & III - 1st commercial modular synth.
1969 - EMS - Synthi VCS-3 - first non-modular mini-synth
1970 - MOOG - Minimoog - 1st Mono Synth with keys (non-modular)
1971 - Tonus/Arp - Soloist - 1st preset mono synth
1971 - John Chowning - developed FM synthesis using the MUSIC-IV language (source), a direct descendent of Mathew's MUSIC program. FM synthesis was later licensed by Yamaha, and used in popular synths such as the DX-7.
1972 - Triadex Muse - first digital synth
""is the first digital musical instrument and was produced in 1972. It was
designed by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky at MIT. It is an algorithmic
music generator: it uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of
notes based on the settings of various parameters. It has four small sliders
in that control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. It is not known how
many were made, but they are considered extremely rare.
The Muse is the subject of U. S. Patent 3610801"
1973 - Coupland Digital Music Synthesizer - First Digital (Triadex beat it?) Update via Peter Grenader: "No time to read through all these posts to see if it's come up yet, but the Coupland was vaporwear...it never existed. I met Mark Vail, who's now a friend, by writing him a letter informing him that his story about the Coupland in his Vintage Synthesizers book (GREAT book) which mentioned it's only recorded showing was at the AES show in LA in 1978 was a farce. I was there - at their booth and their suite in the Hilton where the instrument was said to be. I was there on the first day, I was there on the last day. The only thing they had was a small model - about six inches across, sitting on a table. The booth was amazing - this radial orb multiple people could sit in, with a cover that came over each person which played what I remembered was a very impressive demo which swirled around four speakers inside the box. I, and everyone else, were blown away. They kept saying...'it will be here tomorrow, it'll be here tomorrow'...so I showed up the last day just to see it, figuring by the then it would have arrived...it didn't. I did see the frst Synthclavier at that show however. Their suite was across the hall from the Coupland folk. That completely kicked the crap out of everything else shown that year."
1973 - Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer - NED - Synclavier prototype - first digital synth
1974 - Roland - SH-3A - first commercial additive synth
1974 - RMI - Harmonic Synthesizer - first commercial additive synth
1975 - Buchla 502 - six voice polyphonic with minicomputer and ability to save patches to tape drive. Development on the 500 series began in 1969.
1975 - Oberheim FVS - four voice polyphonic with Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer. Not sure if the Buchla 502 or FVS was released first.
1976 - PPG - PPG 1003 sonic carrier - 1st programmable mono/duo synth with patch memory (this, along with the model 1020, might have been the 1st synths to use DCO's as well)
1977 - Yamaha - CS50/CS60/CS80 - first single enclosure polyphonic keyboard synthesizers with the CS80 to be the first synth with poly aftertouch
1977 (late) - Oberheim - OB-1 - 1st commercial programmable mono synth with patch memory
1978 (late) - PPG - Wavecomputer 360 - 1st wavetable synth
1978 - Sequential Circuits - microprocessor control the SCI prophet 10 (briefly) and the P-5 --- again based on existing E-mu tech stuff
1979 - NED - Synclavier - First FM
1979 - Fairlight CMI - First Sampler, First Workstation
1980 - Performance Music Systems - Syntar - First self contained keytar
1982 - Sequential Circuits - Prophet 600 / First Midi Synthesizer (though some argue the Prophet 5 rev 3.2 is pre-MIDI MIDI)
1983 - Yamaha - DX7 - Digital takes over, FM goes mainstream
1983 - OSC - OSCar - First real-time additive with analog filters
1984 - Sequential Circuits - SixTrak - first multitimbral
1985 - Casio - CZ-101 - First battery-powered all digital mini-synth
1987 - Kawai K5 and Technos Axcel - first additive synths
1989 - E-Mu Systems - Proteus - First dedicated ROMpler
1992 - Seer Systems - first host-based software synthesizer in 1992
1994 - Yamaha - VL1 - first physical modelling synth
1995 - Clavia - Nord Lead - 1st Virtual Analog
1996 - Rubberduck - still not the first softsynth but came before Seer Systems Reality.
1996 - Steinberg - VST - Ok not a synth but enabled a lot to be written as plug-ins and used simultaneously
1997 - Seer Systems - Reality - First Modular Soft Synth
2002 - Hartmann Neuron - first neuronal synth
2912 - KalQuestoTron - the first genetically engineered synth. Each cell is an oscillator, filter, and neural sequencer. Can be delivered via injection to always play 'hold music' in your head.

I thought it might be fun to have a "first synth to..." post. There's been a lot of buzz over Sonic State's Top 20 Synths of All Time with good reason. What exactly is a "top synth?" Is it it's influence on the music scene? It's rarity and lust appeal? The number of synths sold? According to Sonic State their list was the result of Sonic State reader's voting for their favorite synths. Blame the voters if you don't like what you see. Based on what has come up on the list so far, the E-Mu Proteus and Roland JV-1080 for example as well as the Roland Jupiter 8 not even making the top ten, I'm guessing a bit of it has to do with the vote and... possibly the most influential/ground breaking synths for their time. The JV1080 and Proteus? Not super sexy in this day and age, but what they offered in their time? Who knows. It's obviously subjective. But there is something that isn't. The most influential synths of all time not because they were super sexy or utilitarian, but because they offered something that was not previously available.

I thought what might be interesting to create a list of the first synths to feature a particular technology or feature. For example what was the fist synth to bring FM to the table? Was it the DX7 or a predecessor? What was the first digital synth and when? The first additive synth? I have a good idea and could probably look it all up, but that wouldn't be any fun, so.... You tell me. I am going to make this an open post that will live over time. You get to participate by putting an entry in the comments. I will update the list and when I do I will change the time stamp of the post to keep it current. That said, for the archives, this post went up with a time stamp of 4/11/07 7:20 PM PST. I'll start the list (btw, do correct me on the MOOG, what model should we be talking about here? The A, B, C or D or all of them?).

Year - Manufacturer - Model - First at
1970 - MOOG - Minimoog - 1st Mono Synth with keys (non-modular)
1978 - Sequential Circuits - Prophet 5 - 1st Programmable Polyphonic Analog
... List continues above.

Update 3/34/12: Also see the first synthesizers to offer patch storage here.

Updates to Olivier Grall's Synth Site

Rhodes pianos
EMS Polysynth
RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER
Polyfusion modular
Roland 700 modular
Olivier's collection through years
and a new fun page

via Yves Usson

Update: Just in case the girl didn't do it for you, I updated the post with a picture of the polyfusion. The girl is below in case you wonder where she went. Also check out the patch punch cards for the RMI Keyboard Computer.

Happy 4th!

Happy 4th to everyone in the US! Here's a nice red, white and blue Buchla Music Easel for yah. And... It's for sale. No joke. A measley $20k will get this beauty. Title link takes you to the listing on gearslutz. If you don't have an account and don't wan to register, the details of the sale are below. That's one heck of a list. The seller is Guidotoons. Start drool now.





"BIG ASSED SALE

Vintage keys-

Buchla Music Easel 208/218/power supply & original case
excellent condition $20,000.00

Moog 35 synthesizer w/ Synth.com sequencer, moog filter and much more $20,000.00

1963 Hammond C3 w/ newer Leslie 122
Little old lady condition…literally
$3500 Nashville Pickup only

RMI Keyboard Computer II RARE!!! excellent 100% working $1500 comes w/ two extra KC I’s for parts Nashville Pickup only

Yamaha YC45-D combo organ…excellent condition $750.00 Nashville pickup only

Recording gear-

iZ Radar w/monitor/cabling/all remotes classic cards all dox and boxes excellent condition all current software and upgrades $6500.00

Pendulum Audio MDP-1 stereo tube pre near mint $1750.00 SOLD!!!

2-Neve 31102 mic pre/eq modules in Boutique Audio rack perfect shape w/Fred Hill line amp mod $6500

2-Aphex 622 Expander/gates $350 each

Neve 33609C stereo comp/limiter excellent condition $2750.00 SOLD!!!!

Telefunken/Neumann U-67 excellent all original $4500.00

2-AKG C-60 great condition $2000/pr

Vintage guitars-

1949 Gibson SJ-200 w/70’s Gibson hsc excellent condition $6500

1957 Gibson LP Jr. refin and relic’d by Mike Lennon w/ ossc $4750.00

2003 Alembic Stanley Clarke Brown Bass reissue near mint w/hsc $3400.00

Vintage drums-
1966 3 pc. Ludwig Club Date kit w/ bags $1250.00

Email guido@guidotoons.com for pics, more info. I RARELY check my messages here so use the email please.

I will entertain trade offers for the following:
API 500 series rack (10 space) and related 500 series pres, eq's.
Rickenbacker Capri guitars
1950's Gibson L-5C

Sorry...NO PAYPAL.

Thanks again....

Guido

www.guidotoons.com"

####################################################

Update via Guido on AH:
"Let me bring everyone up to date on my Buchla saga.

I bought a very large Moog from a gentleman in California for $13,500 shipped.

I took a Moog 15's worth of modules out of the system along with a Bode frequency shifter and the 960/962 combo. I already had a fire damaged 960/962 along with a Moog filter bank and a 921 oscillator bank.

I made a Moog 15 and extension cabinet with the "good" 960/962 and the Bode.

I traded Paul a "Moog 55's" worth of modules straight across for a large Buchla 200.

Only three Buchla modules were damaged by the coke or coffee spillage. The 219 keyboard and both Marfs. I sent those to JL in Canada who, after six months, had not gotten them to work. So I sold them...not working...to a gentleman in California for $11,500.

I had aquired 3-259 "kits" from Don and had Julie Yarbrough build them for around $1000 each. I also had her build a 281 "kit". I put those in the 200 along with my 208 and 218 from my Music Easel. She also refurbished the other modules for around $2500 or so. I then aquired two more 259's from David Kean for $5000. I eventually sold the original Buchla built 259's (for what I paid) because the "kit" 259's sounded, worked and looked better.

I had Peter Grenader build a Milton for the Buchla. This was around $2000. I also bought a 221 touch keyboard from Kean for $4000.

I used the system for two years or so and got an offer I could not refuse for it, minus the Easel and Milton, for $46,000. I took it. I then sold that same cat my Milton for $1750. I also sold the Moog 15 for $7500 and the 960 extension cab, MINUS the Bode, for $5500.

I sold the Bode to a very persistant gentleman in California for....$6,000!

So let's do the math:
I bought-
large Moog $13,500
Moog filter bank $1750
Moog 921 bank $2000
2 Moog 15 cabs $500
Buchla restoration/modules $5500
Buchla 221 $4000

Total $27,500

Traded a Moog 55's worth of modules for the 200.

I sold the Moog 15 for $7500. Sold the extension Moog cab for $5500. Sold the two Buchla modules for $11,500. Sold the Bode for $6,000. Sold the big 200 system for $46,000.

Total $76,500

I still have the Easel. I also aquired a mint Moog 35 last year, so I still have a "rig".

I hope this brings everyone up to date on my Buchla 200/Easel and financial gossip.

Guido"