Del Shannon Runaway

YouTube via delshannonnetwork.

Inspired by this excellent post: Synth pop, circa 1961 on Sequence 15.

"Del Shannon singing "Runaway" which was a #1 hit in 1961. This became Del's first big smash and catapulted him to superstar status in over 21 countries. Max Crook was his organ player, playing a "musitron" which was built from parts from a clavioline, Viking 85 reel to reel machine, Fisher K-10 Reverb Spacexpander, a Gibson guitar amp, and several other parts and pieces. Maximilian's musitron was the perfect compliment to Del's soaring vocals and seering falsetto."

Update via Stephen:

Del Shannon Runaway live 1982

Re- Published on Aug 30, 2009 hastronder

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 Rev 2 takes over the lead.

Del Shannon Runaway Live David Letterman 1986

YouTube via DelRocksMySpace.


Paul Schaffer on Oberheim OB-Xa. The audio isn't too good on this one, but it is fun to watch. Update: image of Max Crook via his website.

I'm guessing that's the "musitron" Clavioline.

Clavioline 1950's Antique Synthesizer

via this auction

"This type of synthesizer was used in such songs as “Runaway” by Del Shannon and “Baby You’re A Rich Man” by the Beatles."

You can see some videos of Del Shannon's "Runaway" here.

Max Crook and the "Musitron" Custom Clavioline

Image via Max Cook's website. Max Cook was the man who played the "musitron" lead in Del Shannon's Runaway from 1961. Runaway was one of the first pop songs to feature what could be considered one of the first synthesizers. Comments disabled here to keep them in the previous post.

The George Jenny Ondioline synthesizer!

YouTube Published on May 17, 2012 by sounddoctorin

"Bob Weigel of http://www.sounddoctorin.com gets a glimpse of what is apparently one of the few remaining original high portability synthesizers; the George Jenny Ondioline. Parker is planning to sell this to a museum so don't ask about acquiring it at this point. This is just for historical reference and to give a little visual on an instrument that probably doesn't have any youtube coverage otherwise. This instrument obviously used vacuum tubes and no I have no diagram for it. The tilters on the left are for changing various typical parameters of this type of thing. Probably footage mixture and filter controls. As some know it's the instrument used in Del Shannon's 'Runaway'. I do a song by this title also. Mine doesn't use an ondioline :-). It does have great lyrics and a moving beat though. It's found on my myspace site as I recall. enjoy :-)"

Clavioline Old Analog Synthesizer

YouTube via sirredfox00
"This is a Demonstration of my Clavioline, a rare old analog Synthesizer and some excerps of old popular recordings, where the Clavioline has been utilized:

1. Frank Chacksfield's Tunesmiths - Little Red Monkey
2. Del Shannon - Runaway
3. Demonstration of my Clavioline. It was recorded with my Mp3-Voice-Recorder - so excuse the bad sound quality! Its the pure sound of the Clavioline, its own Leslie-Sound and effects and its Tubeamp (which is also the case for the keyboard), no extern amplifier, fx, leslie etc was used!
4. Tornados - Telstar"

Solo from Del Shannon's Runaway on Clavioline

video upload by Vintage Keys Studio

"Filmed and Edited by Louisa Revolta
Recorded and Mixed by Steve Christie at Vintage Keys Studio

OUR WEBSITE: https://vintagekeysstudio.com"

Clavioline Demonstration Analog Monosynth


"Steve from Vintage Keys Studio demonstrates the Clavioline Concert. This all-tube instrument dates from 1958 and was renovated by Steve with help from Keith Knutton, a friend of the late, great Byron Elwell, from whom the instrument was originally purchased.

Mics used are Rode NT1A on the speaker cabinet
AKG C414 XLII (x2) on the piano

(We added a bit of plate reverb to the clavioline)

Music played includes snippets of Telstar by Joe Meek, Bach’s Brandenburg Concert No 3 Mvt 1 and the other music is (C) 2021 by Steve Christie.

Video and wonderful editing by the wonderful Louisa Revolta
Sound by Steve.

The copyright in this video and its sound recording is owned by Steve Christie / Vintage Keys Studio"

30 Instruments and Innovations of Roland's Ikutaro Kakehashi on emusician.com

emusician.com has a post up here featuring the top 30 instruments and innovations of Ikutaro Kakehashi.

"With the passing of Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi, the synthesizer world lost one of its greatest visionaries.

In celebration of Kakehashi and his lifetime of defining, and redefining, the term 'musical instrument,' we have assembled a list of his most influential products and technologies—items that have had the greatest impact on popular music over the last 50 years— from his early days as the leader of Ace Tone to his legacy as the founder of Roland.

1. Ace Tone Canary S-2 (1962) [pictured] One of Ace Tone’s earliest successes was the Canary S-2 Clavioline. Based on the original Clavioline designed by Constant Martin in 1947, its tube-based architecture was later replaced by transistors in the S-3 model (pictured above). An example of the Clavioline sound can be found in the solo from Del Shannon’s “Runaway” (which for hair-splitters was actually a heavily modified early-model Clavioline unit redubbed the Musitron)."

Click through above for the full list.

Del Shannon - Runaway solo on Alesis Ion

YouTube via adzy31.

Be sure to see this post.

"i love this song... mostly for the eerie solo in the middle. apparently performed on a heavily modified Clavioline the keyboard player dubbed the "musitron". good name...

unsurprisingly i can't get the sound right for this...probably need to get some effects going on."

Gibson Clavioline with rare stand SN 1598

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

via this VEMIA listing

Click the auction link on top when you get there for additional listings.

VEMIA is Peter Forrest's auction house. He is the author of The A-Z of Analogue Synthesizer Books.

"1950s Vintage Gibson Clavioline w/Tube Amplifier / Speaker / Case & Tripod Stand
The Gibson Clavioline is a single manual mini-key piano attachment with a tube preamp and amplifier, made from about 1934-1965. The sound made famous in Telstar and in The Beatles' 'Baby I'm A Rich Man', it uses a basic square wave.

The original design was by Constant Martin in France, and many companies licensed it. Selmer were perhaps the most famous maker in the UK, but Jorgensen in Germany was another, and Gibson in the US. The common design feature was a metal-cased keyboard, complete with internal tube tone-forming circuitry. The case attached by metal sliders to rails that could be screwed to the underside of your piano keyboard - or you could use the Clavioline as a stand-alone instrument on a metal stand. There is a Set of rocker switches underneath the keyboard for tone choice. The tube amplifier and speaker are in a case, which the Clavioline keyboard folds into for transport.

Although the tone is quite variable, the sound is distinctive, and instantly recognizable, due mainly to the simple envelope employed - and maybe also to its monophonic nature, which somehow gave melodies a different feel from exactly the same line played on an organ. It may be the glitches which provide its charm. Gibson licensed the Clavioline design from Constant Martin and made the American Clavioline version in 1954. Al Kooper plays one on BS&T's first album, Child is Father to the Man, and I think the specific tune is 'Meagan's Gypsy Eyes.' Also used on 'Sweet Pea' by Tommy Roe, 'Just a Mirage', Tommy James, and Del Shannon's 'Runaway'. A really cool instrument, it's the big brother to the Clavioline used on 'Telstar'.

Good condition, functional but has issues. Powers up, although the power light on the amplifier does not light. Keys play, but seem to just play one pitch, with a variable pitch underneath, and a quavering quality. The tone switches do change the sound, volume control works, and the octave switch works.

Includes the tube amplifier / speaker, which forms the case that holds the Clavioline, the Clavioline keyboard, 3-legged tripod stand, and power cable with split-off multi-pin cable that powers the Clavioline. Also has the service manual (which appears to be original). And includes the expression knee-lever, which is integral to the sound of the Clavioline.

Full pictures are here, along with a video of the instrument being played:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rSXB0kPlwqEIRB92uAWtyN6DwBvGPExU?usp=drive_link

Great review at Sound on Sound:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/story-clavioline"

CLICK FOR MORE »

The First Songs to Use a Synth

Published on Sep 27, 2019 David Bennett Piano

"Most pop music today features ample synth, but when did the sound of the synthesizer first start featuring in pop and rock music? I take a look at some of pop music's synth pioneers, including The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Wendy Carlos, Paul Beaver and Max Crook."

Buchla doesn't get mentioned, but still a pretty cool video.

Brian Wilson talking about theramins late 80s-early 90s

Published on Jul 26, 2017 Elizabeth Haney

"This video ruined my life and I have a duty to reupload it"

Max Crook ( Del Shannon's keyboard player on Runaway )

Published on Apr 13, 2017 rockinkb

"Max talks about the musitron and the making of Runaway!"

TUTTIVOX Tube Organ/Synthesizer

via this auction
Note the logo looks like ttivox. I'm guessing the "Tu" broke off.

"JÖRGENSEN TUTTIVOX Tube Organ

Historic electronic music instrument like polyphonic Clavioline
[Googlish]
The Tuttivox was prepared in 1946 by Jorgensen the company in Dusseldorf, is a development of the famous music electronics engineer Harald Bode, and Rene Seibold.

The Tuttivox was prepared in 1946 by Jorgensen the company in Dusseldorf, is a development of the famous music electronics engineer Harald Bode, and Rene Seibold.

Harald Bode is a developer of multi Monica Hohner, the Melochord, the Bode Frequency Shifter and later known as the inventor and chief designer of Bob Moog. The Tuttivox fits seamlessly into these developments, the pioneer of electronic music instruments and is a genuine piece of musical instrument history.

The Tuttivox fits seamlessly into these developments, the pioneer of electronic music instruments and is a genuine piece of musical instrument history.

Musically it is a polyphonic, which is more consistent playable organ based on vacuum tubes (organ). According to this design principle is generated a very lively, full and warm sound. This is similar to the known Clavioline, or the company Solovox Hammond, but they are monophonic only playable.

This is similar to the known Clavioline, or the company Solovox Hammond, but they are monophonic only playable.

By Tuttivox similar sounds from the tornadoes hit Telstar (1962), the hit Runaway by Del Shannon (1960), the play Baby you are a rich man of the Beatles (1967) and the famous Red River Rock by Johnny and the Hurricanes ( 50) are known. The Tuttivox contains over 40 tubes, 36 for sound generation. There are 3 foot positions available and 36 filter settings, which can all be combined to enable a variety of tone colors."

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