RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER KC II

video upload by Ronaldo Lopes Teixeira ROLT

1977 RMI Keyboard Computer Synthesizer 4 Page Brochure

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via this auction

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RMI Keyboard Computer Synthesizer Brochure

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via this auction

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

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RMI Keyboard Computer w/ Voice Programmer Cards

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video upload by morganfisherart

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

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

Please also enjoy this ambient improvisation on the KCII:"

RMI KCII ambient improvisation

video upload by morganfisherart

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

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

via this auction

"TRUE MUSEUM PIECE, extremely rare.

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

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

With paper memory reader for sounds totally revised!

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

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

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


RMI KC-1 Keyboard Computer ... Demo Tracks

video upload by Mike Bracchi

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

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RMI Keyboard Computer (KC1) combo organ

909955847736

1973 - The Computer Keyboard (prototype)
1974 - The Keyboard Computer (this one)
1975 - The Keyboard Computer II (until 1982)

"...'morganfisherart' did an excellent job demonstrating the KC2 [posted here], but there weren't any good ones for the KC1 unless you count the 1974 RMI demo record. I recorded my KC1 direct using no effects or EQ. Hopefully this video should clear up some misinformation around the internet. This instrument is not a sample player or a synthesizer, it was never available to the public with illuminated buttons, and channel 3 is not even in the same ballpark as a "white noise effect".

I have to do a shout-out to a couple of scholarly gentlemen who wrote a book in 2019 that I highly recommend called "Classic Keys, Keyboard Sounds That Launched Rock Music". A few years ago I had my Keyboard Computer professionally photographed and a couple of those pictures were used in this book. Anyway this book is filled with a lot of very in-depth research and even recently won an award."

You can find additional RMI Keyboard Computer posts here.

RMI Keyboard Computer

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RMI Keyboard Computer super rare vintage synthesizer

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via this auction

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

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

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

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RMI KCII Keyboard Computer demonstration

Published on Sep 25, 2016 morganfisherart

"[scroll down for English info]
私の愛蔵ヴィンテージ・キーボード・コレクションから、世界初のデジタル・サンプリング音源を用いた希少なシンセサイザーRMI KC-IIがヤフオクに出品！非常に良い状態で、音源データカードやマニュアルなど付属品も充実しています！

http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/...

Extremely rare RMI KCII to be sold on Yahoo Auctions Japan. See link above. Will consider offers from abroad if sent by October 2nd, 2016. In excellent, fully-working condition!

Most functions explained and demonstrated. A little reverb has been added. Headphones recommended to hear the stereo properly!
1: PRESETS & PEDALS
2: ORGAN STOPS
3: CARD READER"

RMI KCII ambient improvisation

Published on Sep 28, 2016 morganfisherart

"僕のRMI KCIIに新しい即興演奏。
An ambient improvisation, played tonight on my RMI KCII. Reverb added. Images are of the sea in Japan and some of my oil-on-glass paintings.
Sept. 28, 2016 in my home studio."

Synth Rorschach #43: Rogue Wave - "What Is Left To Solve" (Official Audio)

Published on Feb 8, 2016 Easy Sound Recording Co.

Whole lotta synth rorschach going on in this one. What do you see? For me, the punch cards reminded me of the 1974 RMI KC-1 Keyboard Computer ; the switches as well for that matter.

"Official premiere for 'What Is Left To Solve' by Rogue Wave.
From the new album Delusions Of Grand Fur, out April 29th!
Download: http://radi.al/DelusionsofGrandFur"

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

Happy New Year everyone!

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

THANK YOU and have a GREAT 2015!!!

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

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

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

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via this auction

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

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

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

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

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

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

$4,495 in 1974"

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

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

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

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via this auction

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

"digital is better!"

1974 RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER SN 561

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RMI Computer Keyboard II Synthesizer (KC-2)

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via this auction

The PPG 1003 "Sonic Carrier" - World's First Programmable Synth?

via Wolfgang Palm on Facebook
Be sure to see the video below.

"This was the first programmable synthesizer (1977)."

Programmable as in patch memory. The 1003 was a programmable monophonic synth with two oscillators, digitally controlled keyboard, and it was duophonic.

But was it the first?

Excerpts via Part 4 of the PPG Story:

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How To Make Electronic Music - 1975

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

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

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

This one added to the Synth Books page.

RMI Harmonic Synthesizer and Keyboard Computer demonstration record, part 2

Added to this post with full description.

RMI Harmonic Synthesizer and Keyboard Computer demo LP part 1

YouTube Uploaded by baward on Jul 23, 2011

"Part One, Side One tracks 1 - 9. Rocky Mount Instruments. From 1974.

Tracks: Strings - Pedal Steel - Bells - Voices - Boogie Bass - Fiddle & Banjo - Funky-Wah - Random Scale - Pipe Organ

If you enlarge the movie on your screen, you might be able to make out the text..."

RMI Harmonic Synthesizer and Keyboard Computer demonstration record, part 2

Uploaded by baward on Jul 24, 2011

"RMI has just released TWO GREAT CONCEPTS on the musical public -- HARMONIC SYNTHESIZER and KEYBOARD COMPUTER. You will soon be hearing our sounds from other sources, since recording studios and touring groups are starting to use the new instruments. It appears we have hit on something -- see what you think.

Everything you hear on this record was recorded LIVE in REAL TIME by ONE PERSON. Any cross--fading or instruments appearing in contrast between the left and right channels was accomplished by the performer's use of the pedal -- not the recording engineer. RMI's concept allows the single performer to create five Independent channels of audio, bringing studio effects to the concert stage. Live concert ensemble will be improved while studio recording time will be greatly reduced.

Mike Mandel, keyboard wizard, was the first "outsider" to try our new instruments. Mike took to them like a fish to water. Cut one on side two is a section of an improvisation that began after only two hours. Although a tape was made at the time, there had been no plans for a record. Mike's inspiration from this first meeting convinced us that this cut was a must.

Clark Ferguson, marketing director at RMI, has composed music to illustrate the potentials of the new instruments in dealership concerts and demonstrations throughout the country.

Carlo Curley, a young and exciting concert organist, feels with the advent of the RMl Harmonlc Synthesizer and Keyboard Computer, a new era of expression has arrived. During the recording of the Daquin "Noel," Curley was inspired to improvise on the theme using the Keyboard Computer strings.

[RECORD SIDE TWO]

MANDEL DOES IT -- Full use is made of Channel Three and the Pitch Bender. A rapid percussive arpeggio is programmed on the sequencer as a background. Filter "sweeps" are used as accents.

NON-PIPE ORGAN -- You know what we mean. Characteristic keying noise and percussion are created by card #F3186. #1184 produces a typical setting. Rotating speaker effects are created by Chorus and the Vibrato Touch Bar.

JAZZ FLUTE -- Card used - Jazz Flute #F2335. Twelfth harmonic is percussed rapidly to create "over--blowing" transients. Fundamental and other harmonics on card #F2335 are delayed by Slow Attack mode.

RECORDER AND HARPSICHORD -- Alto Recorder #F2065 is heard with slight vibrato on channel one. Pulse cards #SPG1001 and #SPG2002 are percussed through channel two (no vibrato). Quick changes are made with the pedals.

MOMENT MUSICALE (Schubert) -- Percusslve accompaniment on Computer. Solo line is played alternately on the Synthesizer Left and Right Voices.

NOEL (Daquin) -- Flutes and harpsichord are the main instruments. Light bells are "sequenced" at random on the Synthesizer.

Produced by Clark Ferguson & Steve Roth, A.O.C.
Recorded at: Helffrich Recording Lab, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Front cover: Sam Smith, Allentown, Pennsylvania
Back cover: Tom Zwicki, A.O.C.

© RMI 1974
Rocky Mount Instruments, Inc., Sales Office: Macungie, Pa. 18062 Phone: 215/965 9801

Subsidiary of Allen Organ Company"

RMI KEYBOARD COMPUTER II w/ Punch Card Presets

via this auction

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

Pics of the inside below.

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