RARE Triadex Muse with Schematics and Documentation

via this auction

"This is a pretty special Muse which comes with some nice associated collateral and a special relation to it's original owner, and the two people that created the muse...

This muse was originally owned by G. Michael, the person who engineered the Muse / drew the schematics for Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky (MIT) while employed at Lawrence Livermore Labs (a laboratory famous for heavy duty scientific research and work):

https://www.llnl.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org...

Included with this sale are the following items...
(1) Triadex Muse (as described below)
> A few Lawrence Livermore Lab File Documents regarding the Triadex Muse and a Manila Envelope (with G. Michael's Name on it)
> A Blackprint Schematic (a blueprint, done with black ink) of the Triadex Muse - This is the only one - Drawn October 20th, 1970
> An 11 x Reduction Film Positive Schematic of the Triadex Muse
(1) Triadex Muse Owner's Manual
(1) Triadex Muse Reminder Card
(1) Triadex Warranty Card
(1) Triadex Muse Original Box and Styrofoam

Links to pics / pages of the manual"

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Triadex Muse

Update: Tom of Music Thing noticed that the details for the auction copied below are taken from his Triadex Muse post on Engadget from way back. Check it out; it's a direct copy word for word. Eeentwesting...

Cikira sent me a link to this auction. Below are all three shots and details pulled from the auction. I've never seen one with covers before. BTW, you might also remember Cikira's Aibo playing a Muse in this post. Thanks Cikira!

Details (not sure about that first sentence):
"It's probably the rarest, strangest, best-looking vintage synth ever mass-produced. At a time when Moog and ARP were selling synths the size of wardrobes that looked like lab equipment and cost tens of thousands of dollars, the Muse was the size of a typewriter. It cost $300 and looked like something Dieter Rams would have designed for Braun in the sixties.It had impeccable geek credentials. It was designed by two MIT professors, Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin. So what was the Muse? Well, not really a synth. It was a digital sequencer, which played melodic-sounding bleepy music through the internal speaker, based on a baffling set of algorithms. As you moved the sliders, the algorithms changed, and the music changed.The Muse even had an even rarer accessory, the ‘Light Show’, which flashed coloured lights in time to the music. Inevitably, the Muse was a commercial disaster. Only 280 units were ever manufactured.In 2004 1 of these received a bid of $1799.00 on Ebay. AOL search (TRIADEX MUSE) what I have for sale is 3 individual pcs., THE MUSE, THE LIGHT ORGAN and THE EXTERIOR AMPLIFIER, all 3 pieces have only been out of their boxes to be photographed, are these the only ones in this incredible condition? all cords are still wrapped up and all paperwork is still in the boxes, heres a chance to own the best examples of these RARE music boxes from TRIADEX. I believe this is a modest starting price for something of this caliber.Any questions please e-mail me.Buyer to pay shipping & handling USPS.Payment must be received within 10 days or item will be re-listed." This one started at $1600 US.

It is digital. More on the Muse here.

Triadex Muse

images via this auction

"In this auction you will receive both the Triadex muse and the accompanying amplifier. They are both "MIB’ as seen in the pictures. One of the boxes got a little wet as seen in the pictures. This in no way affected the contents of the box as the amplifier was wrapped in plastic. For some reason these "rare" Muses seem to show up here in the Boston area more frequently than anywhere else in the country. This may be due to their close proximity to MIT and Brookline, MA. where they were manufactured. Even though they were ahead of their time and somewhat of a technical marvel they ended up being somewhat of a commercial flop. This may explain why they never crept far beyond their backyard from which they were created. The cosmetic condition of the units are in excellent condition as seen in the pictures. The original instruction manual and tags are included with the Muse and not the amplifier.

The specs are as follows:
Model - Muse
Serial no. 00729-113
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz
Amplifier model no. AS-1
Serial no. 00072-108
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz

We have included a 20 second movie [at end of post] in the listing (located just below the pics of the receiver) to give you a tease as to how this Muse works and sounds. The hand you see in the video in no way represents the Muses current owner and is merely a prop "hired hand" to assist in the demonstration. The Muse in the movie is the actual Muse that you will receive if you are the winner of this action. We do not have the patch cords that go from the Muse to the amplifier to test the operation of the amplifier. So the amplifier was not tested and is being sold along with the Muse in "as is" condition. This is truly a rare opportunity to own both the Muse and the amplifier. We have started the auction at what we believe, is a reasonable starting price. This would make a wonderful Christmas present for yourself or the "techno-geek" in your life. The Muse had an even rarer accessory, the "Light Show", which flashed colored lights in time to the music. In all of my travels I have only seen one of these. It was a very simple circuit and was constructed of, believe it or not, G.E. colored Christmas lights.

Manufacturer: Triadex Inc., Brookline, Massachusetts
Inventors: Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky
Original Price: $300
Date of Manufacture: 1971
The original Muse was designed by MIT graduates Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky in the late 1960's. Minsky was on the set of "2001 A Space Odyssey", and taught Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal. Some years later, Edward Fredkin created the Fredkin Prize, which awarded the creator or creators of the first computer to compete and win the World Chess Championship. The Muse is a music composer machine or digital synthesizer and melody composer,
involving early logic modules in a unique circuit that allows the possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations The Muse is an algorithmic music generator: it uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters. The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch.
The switches to either side are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note. Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). A rest can be substituted for the lowest note by flipping a toggle switch. The exact logic behind the composition engine is rather technical, and not exactly intuitive. The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another Muse, allowing for multi-part compositions. The Muse is the subject of U. S. Patent 3610801, and their patent abstract of this electronic music composer reads as follows: In the apparatus disclosed herein, a note generator is controlled by a long term, quasi-periodic function which is in turn generated by applying digital feedback in preselected combinations around a digital register. The register comprises means for holding a plurality of bits of digital information in a given order, e.g. a shift register or counter, the held information being changeable according to a predetermined pattern in response to input signals applied thereto. Digital feedback is provided by applying to the register at least one input signal which is obtained according to a preselectable or adjustable code from bits of information obtained from various points in the register itself. The apparatus thus, in effect, composes music as distinguished from merely synthesizing sound. It is not known exactly how many Muses were made, [cyberlegend has it that only 280 were made] but they are very rare, and were not available in stores."

Triadex Muse Vintage Music Synth MIT Digital Instrument

via this auction

"The Triadex Muse is a sequencer based synthesizer. It was first produced in 1972. It was a deterministic event generator that used early digital integrated circuits to generate an audio output that could sound very musical. In this auction you will receive both the Triadex muse and the accompanying amplifier. They both have the original boxes. Even though they were ahead of their time and somewhat of a technical marvel, very few were produced. The cosmetic condition of the units are in excellent condition as seen in the pictures. The original instruction manual and tags are included with the Muse. We don't have the patch cords that go from the Muse to the amplifier to test the operation of the amplifier. So the amplifier was not tested and is being sold along with the Muse in “as is” condition. This is a rare opportunity to own both the Muse and the amplifier. The Muse was designed by MIT graduates Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky in the late 1960’s. Minsky was on the set of “2001 A Space Odyssey”, and taught Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal. Years later, Edward Fredkin created the Fredkin Prize, which awarded the creator or creators of the first computer to compete and win the World Chess Championship. The Muse is a music composer machine or digital synthesizer and melody composer, involving early logic modules in a unique circuit that allows the possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations It's an algorithmic music generator that uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters. The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. The switches to either side are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note. Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). A rest can be substituted for the lowest note by flipping a toggle switch. The exact logic behind the composition engine is rather technical, and not exactly intuitive. The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another Muse, allowing for multi-part compositions. The Muse is the subject of U. S. Patent 3610801, and their patent abstract of this electronic music composer reads as follows: In the apparatus disclosed herein, a note generator is controlled by a long term, quasi-periodic function which is in turn generated by applying digital feedback in preselected combinations around a digital register. The register comprises means for holding a plurality of bits of digital information in a given order, e.g. a shift register or counter, the held information being changeable according to a predetermined pattern in response to input signals applied thereto. Digital feedback is provided by applying to the register at least one input signal which is obtained according to a preselectable or adjustable code from bits of information obtained from various points in the register itself. The apparatus thus, in effect, composes music as distinguished from merely synthesizing sound. It is not known exactly how many Muses were made, [cyberlegend has it that only 280 to 300 were made] but they are very rare, and were never available in stores. The Muse originally had an even rarer accessory, the “Light Show”, which flashed colored lights in time to the music. It was a very simple circuit and was constructed of, believe it or not, G.E. colored Christmas lights.

The specs are as follows:
Model – Muse
Serial no. 00729-113
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz
Amplifier model no. AS-1
Serial no. 00072-108 "

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Triadex Muse Synthesizer and Amplifier in Original Boxes

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
P1050720 Published on Nov 5, 2014 Jeffrey Brooks

via this auction

MUSE - 1 SN 00596-112
AS-1 SN 00200-113

Pics of the manual below including the super rare light show expansion cabinet for the Muse. The following are the details from the listing.

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Triadex Trio: Muse, Amplifier and Lightshow

via this VEMIA auction

"Extremly rare Triadex Muse, Triadex Amplifier and Triadex Light show. A complete collection of a trio set from '72 still with two original boxes (Muse and Amplifier), manuals, cards and...the old warranty papers ;-) ALL is perfect working and lighting... visual condition as new! The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical instrument and was produced in 1972. It was designed by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky, the creator of the alien 'MONOLITH' in 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY, friend & collaborator of Stanley Kubrick. Marvin Minsky has made many contributions to AI, cognitive psychology, mathematics, computational linguistics, robotics, and optics. In recent years he has worked chiefly on imparting to machines the human capacity for commonsense reasoning. His conception of human intellectual structure and function is presented in The Society of Mind (1987), which is also the title of the course he teaches at MIT. The Triadex Muse it's 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 that control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. It is not known how many were made, but they are considered extremely rare. For years, the Muse was a featured exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston. The signage explained the device's algorithmic (and deterministic) approach to the creation of its seemingly-random music. Far from being random, its preset 'song' played continuously -- and was even given a name, 'Museum Musings,' by the staff. USA standard voltage of 110 volts Here is a youtube demo about the current Triadex trio lot" below

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Triadex Muse Vintage Music Synth 1st Digital Instrument

via this auction

"The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical composition instrument. It's a sequencer based tone synthesizer and it was first produced in 1972. It measures 10 inches high x 11 inches deep x 13-1/2 inches wide Essentially, the Muse is a deterministic algorithmic event generator that uses early digital integrated logic circuits to generate an audio output that produces a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters.
The front panel sliders, which control the melodies that are generated, allow for the possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations. The included manual provides exact instructions. The musical computer is housed in a sleek mid-century modern wedge shaped finished wood and brushed aluminum case. The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. The switches to either side of the sliders are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note.
Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). There is also a "Rest" toggle switch at the lower right which acts as a "lowest note". Located at the upper left of the unit panel is the internal speaker. Additionally, the Muse can be slaved to that of another Muse, allowing for multi-part compositions.

In the 1970's when most synthesized music makers were huge and cost thousands, the Triadex Muse was a reasonably sized tabletop model and cost $300. Only a few hundred were produced and they were never made available in stores. The Muse was designed by two famed MIT professors, Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin. At the time, Minsky was moonlighting on the movie set of '2001 A Space Odyssey', teaching Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal.
Isaac Asimov described Minsky as one of only two people he would admit were more intelligent than he was, the other being Carl Sagan.
Ed Fredkin was an early pioneer of digital physics. In 1980, Carnegie Mellon U. created the Fredkin Prize, to be awarded to the creators of the first computer to win the World Chess Championship. The prize was paid out to IBM's Deep Blue in 1997 for beating world chess champion Gary Kasparov in the final game of a tied, six-game match. Deep Blue was a parallel supercomputer that processed an average of 200 million chess positions per second, and the first chess machine to draw and beat a world chess champion in a regulation game, and the first chess machine to beat the world champion in a regulation match. The cosmetic condition of this Muse is excellent as it's only been taken out for this demonstration. The original box, instruction manual, papers, & tags are included with the Muse

Muse Model: Muse-1
Serial no.: 00780-114
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz"

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TRIADEX Muse + Amplifier vintage sequencer synth

via this auction

"Extremly rare Triadex Muse and Triadex Ampifier module. Two rare pieces from '72. They are in perfect working and look conditions.

Without doubt, a nice piece for collectors and Music / Sound installation artists, search "Triadex Muse" on Youtube! The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical instrument and was produced in 1972. It was designed by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky, the creator of the alien "MONOLITH" in 2001 SPACE ODYSSEY, friend & collaborator of Stanley Kubrick. Marvin Minsky has made many contributions to AI, cognitive psychology, mathematics, computational linguistics, robotics, and optics. In recent years he has worked chiefly on imparting to machines the human capacity for commonsense reasoning. His conception of human intellectual structure and function is presented in The Society of Mind (1987), which is also the title of the course he teaches at MIT. The Triadex Muse it's 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 that control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. It is not known how many were made, but they are considered extremely rare. For years, the Muse was a featured exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston. The signage explained the device's algorithmic (and deterministic) approach to the creation of its seemingly-random music. Far from being random, its preset "song" played continuously -- and was even given a name, "Museum Musings," by the staff. USA standard voltage of 110 volts Shipping and packing costs to Europe are of 38 euro about. Spedizione e imballaggio in Italia: 14 euro circa"

Sold For: EUR 916.00
via selectivepressure in the comments

Triadex Muse - 1972 Vintage Digital Music Sequencer

via this auction

"History
The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical composition instrument. It is a sequencer based tone synthesizer and it was first produced in 1972. Essentially, the Muse is a deterministic algorithmic event generator that uses early digital integrated logic circuits to generate an audio output that produces a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters. In the 1970's when most synthesized music makers were huge and cost thousands, the Triadex Muse was a reasonably sized tabletop model and cost $300. Only a few hundred (we think around 300) were produced and they were never made available in stores. The Muse was designed by two famed MIT professors, Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin. At the time, Minsky was moonlighting on the movie set of '2001 A Space Odyssey', teaching Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal. Isaac Asimov described Minsky as one of only two people he would admit were more intelligent than he was, the other being Carl Sagan. Ed Fredkin was an early pioneer of digital physics. In 1980, Carnegie Mellon U. created the Fredkin Prize, to be awarded to the creators of the first computer to win the World Chess Championship. The Muse was designed to replace a radio - why listen to old music when this neat-o box can make new music?

How it Works
The front panel sliders, which control the melodies that are generated, allow for the possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations. The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. The switches to either side of the sliders are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note. Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). There is also a "Rest" toggle switch at the lower right which acts as a "lowest note".

Details
The musical computer is housed in a sleek mid-century modern wedge shaped finished wood and brushed aluminum case. Located at the upper left of the unit panel is the internal speaker.
It measures 10 inches high x 11 inches deep x 13-1/2 inches wide.
The cosmetic condition of this Muse is good, but it has seen some use and it is almost 40 years old. It is missing the on/off switch, however the switch is in the ON position, so when you plug it in, it works. There is a scratch in the brushed aluminum above the tempo slider, and the wood has warped a little bit and has some surface scratching here and there around the case. The electrical cord has also been cut at some point, not all the way through but enough to expose the copper inside. It has been repaired with some electrical tape and hasn't had any issues since.

Muse Model: Muse-1
Serial no.: 00954-216
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz"

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Triadex Muse Digital Synthesizer

via this auction

"This is an incredible opportunity to purchase a rare piece of history.

According to synthmuseum.com, "This unique machine [Triadex Muse] is regarded by some as the first digital musical instrument. Designed by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky at MIT, the Muse is an algorithmic music generator."

Engadget writes "[The Triadex Muse] had impeccable geek credentials. It was designed by two MIT professors, Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin. At the time, Minsky was moonlighting on the set of 2001 A Space Odyssey, teaching Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal."

"The Muse even had an even rarer accessory, the Light Show, which flashed coloured lights in time to the music... Only 280 units were ever manufactured. Unlike vintage analog synths, a Muse won't generate a fat bassline for a hip hop record, but they are very collectable."

This particular Tridex Muse is in good condition. There is a small scuff mark on the stainless steel front near the Muse logo. A control toggle switch is imperfect and loose, and will not stay in the 'down' position. Besides these issues, the wood is in superb condition, as are the stainless steel face and sides. The sound works perfectly as does the light show.

SPECS: Serial number: 00731-113. AC 115-125v. 60 CPS. Model: Muse 01"

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Triadex Muse

images via this auction

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TRIADEX MUSE

images via this auction

"From the hometown in which it was designed, we are offering a beautifully preserved TRIADEX MUSE sythesizer. A very historic item, as the sequencer in the MUSE is considered the very first digital instrument ever!, designed by two engineers from MIT, Marvin Minsky and Edward Friedkin. An extremely rare piece only about 240 of these were ever made, and not typically available for commercial sale. This piece is in excellent working condition. The woodwork is also in excellent shape. As you can see from the photos, the faceplate, writing and original lights have all been very well preserved also. The unit also comes with a detailed manual. The synth has a great sound, which can be monitored both through a built-in speaker, as well as an external speaker that can be easily connected through the back. The sequencer for this item is very unique and unusual. Controlled by sliders in the front of the unit, the MUSE was designed to have the capacity to actually select notes and invent themes, as an early experiment in artificial intelligence. By adjusting the sliders, one controls how these themes develop. A very interesting compositional tool! Great for anyone with an interest in electronic music. What more, the synth has a classic, haunting and musical sound. -the Smithsonian Institute selected the MUSE for display in their musical instrument show\ -among other musicians, film composer Tony Lusis featured the MUSE in the theme for the movie "The Call of the Spirit." -featured in the TV show "The Wonderful World of Popular Science," in which the MUSE is used to compose a two-part invention. A very special piece for any synth enthusiast, or electronic composer."

1972 Triadex The Muse– World’s First Digital Instrument

via this auction

"The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical instrument ever made. The Muse is a music composer machine or digital synthesizer and melody composer, involving early logic modules in a unique circuit that allows the
 possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations.

It was made in 1972 by Triadex Inc., Brookline, Mass. It was designed by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky at MIT. The first Muse was designed by MIT graduates Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky in the late 1960’s. Minsky was on the set of “2001 A Space Odyssey”, and taught Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal.

The Muse is an algorithmic music generator that uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes (through a 4-inch built-in speaker or external speaker) based on the settings of various controls on the front panel: four small sliders that control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. The switches to either side are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note. Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). A rest can be substituted for the lowest note by flipping a toggle switch.

The exact logic behind the composition engine is rather technical, and not exactly intuitive. The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another Muse, allowing for multi-part compositions. These connections are on the underside (see photo).

It is not known for certain how many were made, but they are considered extremely rare. Estimate stated by Tom Whitwell, of the now defunct blog spot, Music Thing, was that only 280 were made.

The Muse is the subject of U. S. Patent 3610801. For years, the Muse was a featured exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston. The signage explained the device's algorithmic (and deterministic) approach to the creation of its seemingly-random music. Far from being random, its preset "song" played continuously -- and was even given a name, "Museum Musings," by the staff."

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Triadex THE MUSE Digital Synthesizer w/ Light Show

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"This auction is for an extremely rare Muse digital sequencer synthesizer made by the Triadex Corporation in 1972. The Muse was created by MIT professors Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin and is considered to be one of the first electronic musical instruments. The Muse uses a series of 14 sliders to control tempo, pitch, etc., and can create trillions of possible musical variations. This auction also includes a Triadex light show that links with The Muse . The Muse is extremely rare, less than 300 were believed to have been made, and only 50 of the light show! This unit is in very good working condition, the bottom wood panel of The Muse is warped and has a shrinkage crack. There is also some slight warping to the wood on the light show and a small crack. There is some light wear and few spots to the faceplate. The Muse and light show both appear to be in good working order, the sliders move smoothly, switches are good, and it sounds great."

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Rare MUSE TRIADEX Sequencer Synthesizer

via this auction

More pics at the auction while up.

"The Muse is a music composer machine or digital synthesizer and melody composer,
involving early logic modules in a unique circuit that allows the possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations
The Muse is an algorithmic music generator: it uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters.
The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch.
The switches to either side are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note.
Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z).
A rest can be substituted for the lowest note by flipping a toggle switch.
The exact logic behind the composition engine is rather technical, and not exactly intuitive.
The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another Muse(if you can find one) allowing for multi-part compositions.


The Muse is the subject of U. S. Patent 3610801, and their patent abstract of this electronic music composer reads as follows:
In the apparatus disclosed herein, a note generator is controlled by a long term, quasi-periodic function which is in turn generated by applying digital feedback in preselected combinations around a digital register.
The register comprises means for holding a plurality of bits of digital information in a given order, e.g. a shift register or counter, the held information being changeable according to a predetermined pattern in response to input signals applied thereto.
Digital feedback is provided by applying to the register at least one input signal which is obtained according to a preselectable or adjustable code from bits of information obtained from various points in the register itself.
The apparatus thus, in effect, composes music as distinguished from merely synthesizing sound."

"Rare and extremely collectible! The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical instrument. Very Few of these were produced. Some say it was the first of its kind.

Designed in early 70's by two MIT professors: Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin. About that time, Minsky was moonlighting on the set of 2001 A Space Odyssey teaching Stanley Kubrick about Artificial Intelligence as he created Hal.

SPECS:

Model: Muse-1

Serial no. 00883-116
AC 115-125v 60CPS 40w
ok50Hz

Made in USA Triadex, Incorporated Newton, Mass

MEASURES approx 13 1/2" across, 10 3/4" side, 9 3/4" tall.

CONDITION: Appears to be in very good WORKING Condition. The Built in speaker Sound is good. Start ON-OFF, auto hold and step, the tempo, volume, pitch, fine pitch sliders all work for sure. The other 4 "interval" & 4 "theme" program sliders seem to "click" as they should to change the pattern etc. The vertical lights on the right seem to function as designed. I did not test the "rest normal" & "external normal" speaker switchs or any the jacks on the underside.

Cleaning the sliders to sliders more smoothly is up to you, I'm not messing with them as they seem to work ok. (I do not have a manual)

Cool Original circuit-bent type sound manipulator."

Triadex Muse

images via this auction

"RARE TRIADEX MUSE. What is it? The Net is full of resources. It is a very rare piece of Electronic music history. From Wikipedia: "The Triadex Muse 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"

Rare Triadex Muse Sequencer-Synthesizer-Instrument

via this auction

"rare Muse synthesizer-sequencer-instrument made by Triadex of USA. This device was designed by two MIT professors (Marvin Minsky and Edward Fredkin) and first marketed in 1972. The best information I could find is that less than 300 of there devices were made and that they were primarily sold in high-end audio stores. As I recall, they were sold for about $350 in the 1970s (which would be about $1844.00 in 2011 dollars). The Muse is a music composer computer that is both a synthesizer and a melody composer. With the user-operated controls, it allows the possibility of over 14 trillion note combinations. The device has a built-in speaker. The controls are as follows: The four sliders in the lower left control volume, tempo, pitch, and fine-pitch. The switches on either side of the four sliders are used to start and stop the sequence or to step through the sequence note-by-note. There are eight longer sliders on the right. Four of those sliders control the musical intervals (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). In the lower right corner are two switches. One allows the user to substitute a rest for the lowest note and the other switch provides for using an external amplified speaker. The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another muse which would allow for multi-part compositions. The Muse I am selling is working well in all functions. The Muse is in excellent cosmetic condition with only very minor signs of use. The serial number of this muse is 00285-106. This is a great device for the music tinkerer and also a fine and rare early electronic music collectible."

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Vtg 1970s SWTPC Psych-tone Melody Composer Synthesizer Project

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
Rare SWTPC Psych Tone 1971 digital analog synthesizer sequencer triadex Muse electronic music Published on Apr 28, 2013 salvadory

Interesting note that this was the first digital sequencer synth prior to the Triadex Muse, the first digital synth.

"First of all my camera is terrible so my apoligies for audio and video-( my camera keeps shutting off even though the power is charged-)

However this is a very rare SWTPC psych tone music composer from 1971 with original magazine article- the only video on youtube as of now - my model is in very good full functioning condition and is a much sought after piece- a precursor to the famous and also rare Triadex Muse-

An interesting missing link in synthesizer development from the early age.... quirky interesting patterns and sound- design way ahead of its time in my opinion- plenty of switches and knobs to make things interesting!"

Note the Popular Electronics article at the end.

via this auction

Looks like a crusty, beat-up KORG Volca in a custom case with speaker. These do come up now and then. You can find some in the archives here. You can find pics of the inside/backside below.

Note the video above is not for this specific listing. You can see it is dated 2013. I found it searching for demos on YouTube. This is the first demo of the SWTPC Psych-tone posted on the site for that matter.

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The Muse

Title link takes you to shots pulled from this auction. Notes from the auction below. Via David. Thanks David!



"14 trillion musical note combinations

It has been claimed that the Triadex Muse was the first digital device for making music. The original Muse was designed by Edward Fredkin, now at Carnegie-Mellon; and Marvin Minsky ( http://web.media.mit.edu/~minsky/ ), now at the M.I.T. Media Lab; in the late 1960's.

The Muse is a music composer machine or digital
synthesizer and melody composer, involving early
logic modules in a unique circuit that allows the
possibility of 14 trillion musical note combinations.

Manufacturer: Triadex Inc., Brookline, Massachusetts
Inventors: Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky
Original Price: $249

The Muse is an algorithmic music generator: it uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters. The four small sliders in the lower-left control Volume, Tempo, Pitch, and Fine Pitch. The switches to either side are used to start and stop the sequence, or to step through it note-by-note.

Of the eight larger sliders on the right, four control the musical intervals used (labeled A, B, C, and D), and four control the theme (labeled W, X, Y, and Z). A rest can be substituted for the lowest note by flipping a toggle switch. The exact logic behind the composition engine is rather technical, and not exactly intuitive. The tempo clock can be slaved to that of another Muse, allowing for multi-part compositions.

Their patent abstract of this electronic music composer reads as follows:

In the apparatus disclosed herein, a note generator is controlled by a long term, quasi-periodic function which is in turn generated by applying digital feedback in preselected combinations around a digital register. The register comprises means for holding a plurality of bits of digital information in a given order, e.g. a shift register or counter, the held information being changeable according to a predetermined pattern in response to input signals applied thereto. Digital feedback is provided by applying to the register at least one input signal which is obtained according to a preselectable or adjustable code from bits of information obtained from various points in the register itself. The apparatus thus, in effect, composes music as distinguished from merely synthesizing sound.

It is not known exactly how many Muses were made, but they are very rare, and were not available in stores."

TRIADEX MUSE

images via this auction

"The Triadex Muse is the first digital musical instrument and it was produced in 1972 rite here in Boston by Edward Fredkin and Marvin Minsky at MIT. The Muse is an alogorithmic music generating instrument in that it uses digital logic circuits to produce a sequence of notes based on the settings of various parameters. The unit has four small sliders that control volume,tempo,pitch and fine pitch.With large sliders on the right side,the Muse was designed to have the capacityto select notes and invent themes, as an early experiment in artificial intelligence. By adjusting these sliders you can control and change how the theme develops.An extremely rare piece,only about 240 of these were made and were not typically available for commercial sale."