NOVACHORD

Published on Aug 13, 2013 fabio Dattoma

"Ejemplo de Novachord"

Hammond Novachord with Sweetwater's Daniel Fisher

Published on Jan 10, 2017 SweetwaterSound

"Daniel Fisher, Sweetwater’s full-time synth fanatic, gives an in-depth tour of the Hammond Novachord, which is widely regarded as the father of the modern polyphonic synthesizer. It debuted at the 1939 World’ Fair and featured 72-note polyphony, oscillators, filters, envelopes, and frequency modulation, which were used to craft its organic and otherworldly sounds.

After a close look at all of the Novachord’s parameters and internal components, Daniel gives an impromptu performance while sweeping through all of the parameters’ values. Then, as an example of what it would sound like in modern times, Fisher plays the Novachord through an Eventide H9 Multi-Effects Processor.

Only five fully restored Novachords are known to exist today.

Joseph Fill and his son, Justin, poured more than 2,000 hours of work restoring this 1941 Hammond Novachord. They replaced countless components, rewired all the connections, and then cleaned and polished the internal and external surfaces by hand.

Please feel free to contact Joe Fill if you wish to inquire about purchasing this beautifully restored piece of musical instrument history: hangarjoe@sbcglobal.net"

See the Novachord label below for more.

Fully Functional Hammond Novachord For Sale

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

This one in via MATRIXSYNTH reader J. Louise. Details and contact info follow.

"Hammond Novachord made in 1939. Considered by many to be the first synthesizer commercially available. Bob Moog was five years old when this came out. I believe there are less than ten of these working in the world. It has an unmistakable, and instantly recognizable sound which was featured in movies such as "Gone With The Wind", "The Twilight Zone", "The Ten Commandments", "The Outer Limits" and even "Hawaii Five-O".

The Novachord has full 72 note polyphony, envelope control, two presets which mechanically operate the front panel controls, and a six channel vibrato making for rich chords as each note in a triad has its own vibrato of a slightly different speed, emulating the sound of real string players. It has a built in amplifier and two 12" speakers. Completely vacuum tube operation, no solid state anything. The tubes are mostly originals as they run at conservative heater voltages for long life.

It took me over three years and lots of searching and talking with people to find this instrument. This particular instrument originated in Detroit, Michigan where it was used for the background music of radio dramas in the 1940s. It was then stored in the transmitter room at the station where all the cool old stuff like this got tossed aside when the next great thing came out. I acquired it in 2005 from the station engineer.

This instrument has been fully, painstakingly restored to working condition using modern components that should last a long time. It took over 300 hours of skilled labor and a shop full of test equipment and tools to bring this back to life.

The speakers are original Jensen A12 field coils and have been re-coned. The amplifier power tubes are new Sovtek 2A3s, and some tubes in the power supply have been replaced with new old stock tubes of high quality.

The instrument has been stripped and refinished in the same color it was originally but it is a satin texture and not a professional high gloss lacquer finish. It looks great in person and I get a lot of compliments on the finish. The nameplate area above the keyboard has not been refinished to preserve the original Hammond logo above the keys.

Included are the original service manual, original playing guide, lots of original Sylvania green leaf spare tubes which were from another Novachord so they are period correct, and a magazine ad from 1940 for the Novachord.

I will gladly spend time with any serious buyers to go over the technical details of the restoration, show you how it works, and answer any questions you may have about it.

I can be contacted at jessie@newoldsounds.com."

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Electric Dream: Twelve Instruments ⚡︎ One Girl

Published on Oct 26, 2015 Clara Venice

"'Electric Dream' now available on iTunes ⚡︎ http://apple.co/1Mfidy5

⚡︎

Go behind the scenes with me at the National Music Centre as I record my newest EP, "Electric Dream" using some rare electronic instruments from their collection (and one not-so-rare instrument from mine!)

⚡︎

Instruments used:

1. Chime-a-tron
2. Linn LM-1
3. Oberheim Four Voice
4. Buchla Lighting
5. EMS Synthi Hi-Fli
6. Stylophone
7. RCA Theremin
8. Ableton Live
9. Oberheim OB-Xa
10. T.O.N.T.O.
11. Hammond Novachord
12. Neumann U-87 "

Harold Bode's Birthday & the Bode Ring Modulator Schematics

via The Bob Moog Foundation

"It’s the birthday of Harald Bode (1909-1987), German-born pioneer in synthesizer design and inventor of the Warbo Formant Organ (one of the earliest polyphonic synths), the Melochord, and the Bode Frequency Shifter, among many other instruments and devices.

Bode and Bob Moog began to work together in 1966, and this ring modulator is an indication of their partnership. Bode’s Ring Modulator and Frequency Shifter designs were implemented in R.A. Moog Co. products, and his vocoder was the basis for the Moog Vocoder released in the 1970s.

The schematic below was hand-drawn by Bob Moog himself. (Note the the “B.S.” in the “drawn by” square. In order to keep from having his initials in all the boxes when he drew up a certain schematic, Bob would use joke initials B.S.) Image: Bob Moog Foundation schematic for the Bode Ring Modulator. Many more Bob Moog Foundation archival schematics here: http://moogfoundation.org/schematics/"

"Warbo Formant Organ (1937), an archetype of today's polyphonic synthesizer, was a four voice key-assignment keyboard with two formant filters and dynamic envelope controller. Eventually it went into commercial production by a factory in Dachau, and it became one of the earliest polyphonic synthesizer products, along with Novachord (1939) by Hammond.

Melochord (1947–1949) developed by Bode was extensively used by Werner Meyer-Eppler in early days of the electronic studio at Bonn University. Then in 1953 a Melochord, along with Monochord by Freidrich Trautwein, was specially commissioned by the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR Studio in Cologne, West German Broadcasting Corporation), and used by the Elektronische Musik group throughout the 1950s. (See #Melochord at the WDR Studio in Cologne for details)

From 1950, Bode designed electronic organs for the Apparatewerk Bayern (AWB) in Germany and the Estey Organ Company in the United States. In 1954, Bode immigrated to the United States as a chief engineer (later vice-president) of Estey Organ, and resumed his research at several companies and as a contractor of German companies.

In 1959-1960, Bode developed modular synthesizer and sound processor, and in 1961, he wrote a paper exploring the advantages of newly emerging transistor technology over older vacuum tube devices; also he served as AES session chairman on music and electronic for the fall conventions in 1962 and 1964; after then, his ideas were adopted by Robert Moog, Donald Buchla and others.

After retiring from the chief engineer of Bell Aerospace in 1974, he composed TV-advertising spots and gave live concerts. Also in 1977, Harald was invited as a chief engineer of the Norlin/Moog Music after Robert Moog left.

He died in New York, New York, United States in 1987."

TX81Z FM Synth Sounds Demo 2

Published on Aug 17, 2014 gstormelectro

"All video and audio c.2014 G-Storm Electro
these patches can now be downloaded at http://gstormelectronica.blogspot.com/

Continuing sonic explorations of TWO TX81Z FM Synthesizer Tone Generators this time. Each unit chained for even/odd notes: one panned slightly left and the other to the right. Sounds are outrageous in the dry state but can be made completely preposterous with the Big Sky reverb.

Here's a rundown of the sounds:
0:09 Cymbiosis - Synth pad with cymbal harmonics.
0:38 Ritual - dark tribal bass. Add huge reverb to this one.
0:53 Darknights - Smooth filtered sawtooth with swell.
1:16 Heavyw8 - Super fat bass. Start your own earthquake.
1:33 Wowabass - It literally says wow.
1:44 Drum kit bass drum, snare, tabla, hats
2:34 Sawtopia - Smooth sawtooth pad w/ organ swell.
3:10 Saw Bass - Bread and butter bass.
3:19 Fortress - Super dark cello w/ vibrato.
3:51 Transistor - Hot pad inspired by the Novachord, transistor hum
4:20 Sync Bass - The way FM can bass
4:31 SmakMyBass - Prodigy Fat of the Land Bass on steroids."

"A Sad Day for Sound" - Tribute to Hollow Sun's Steve Howell by Richard London

via Richard Londonsoundlab on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

Featuring: "the shell, the novachord, newtron bomb 3 (the mellotron), and i think some cathotron"

"(C) Richard London, 2014

Remembering Steve Howell of Hollow Sun, a sound connoisseur's sound designer. In the modern world, where we can have any sound imaginable at our fingers, few sound designers stand out. My music changed when I discovered the world of quality virtual instruments. One of my first experiences was with Hollow Sun. Thank you Steve for doing the impossible and putting a Novachord at my fingertips.

www.hollowsun.com

Steve Howell's sound design has inspired me countless times, and though I never knew him, I will sincerely miss receiving news in my inbox from him with the latest treasures from Hollow Sun."

Valley of the ARPs

via Richard Devine on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

CMS modular in the middle. CMS stands for Cirocco Modular Synthesizers at discretesynthesizers.com.

CMS has 3 main divisions: CMS Discrete Synthesizers, CMS Technical Services & Upgrades, & The Novachord Restoration Project.

Phil Cirocco is likely the worlds leading ARP tech.  I'd say leading expert as well, although I don't know if that would be him or David Friend working on the new KORG ARP Odyssey clone, and of course Alan R Pearlman is still around.  Philip Dodds however has passed on.

New MOOG SUB 37 Paraphonic Polyphonic Synth Coming to NAMM?

Click the pic for the full size shot.

Some discussion on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge and MATRIXSYNTH Facebook.

Update: [see Update4 below] for those not familiar with Paraphonic synths, a definition via wikipedia followed by a couple of notes:

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THE MAGIC OF THE NOVACHORD Collins H Driggs 3 x 78 LPs

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

via this auction

"For sale is a vintage 1941 shellac LP copy of The Magic of The Novachord on 3 x 10" records (Victor, P-57). This album features some of the earliest recorded electronic music from the Hammond Novachord. Far ahead of it's time the Novachord premiered at the 1939 New York World Fair, and within 3 years manufacturing of the instrument ceased. Perhaps the Novachord's 500 lb weight or the featured 160 vacuum tubes and nearly 1000 capacitors contributed to poor sales of this synthesizer and it's decline. This set is perfect for sampling from or to add to your growing collection of antiques synth LPs."

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HAMMOND NOVACHORD SN 1253

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

via this auction - learn how to sell on eBay here

"The Hammond Novachord, often considered to be the world's first polyphonic synthesizer, debuted at the 1939 World's Fair and represents a major milestone in electronic keyboard musical instrument history. It uses many circuit and control elements found in modern synthesizers, particularly subtractive synthesis, in order to generate tones.

In particular, its divide-down oscillator architecture, based on vacuum-tube monostable circuits, permit all 72 notes to be played polyphonically by deriving several octaves of notes from twelve top-octave oscillators. A similar design was adopted in polysynthesizers released more than 30 years later by Robert Moog and A.R.P. The Novachord is very well suited to producing rich,"otherworldly" timbres than range from dense sustained string-like and vocal-like timbres to the sharp attack transients of a harpsichord or piano. With over 150 vacuum tubes inside, this synthesizer has a thick, harmonically rich sound that you can't get elsewhere.

An incredibly rare find, only around 1,000 Novachords are said to have ever been made, and it is estimated that there are fewer than 200 Novachords still in existence. Commercial sample libraries of this instrument alone cost $300; that's how rare, complex, and musically useful this instrument is!

This Hammond Novachord is priced to sell quickly, as we are looking to raise cashflow to cover certain impending expenses. We usually sell these for $8900 and up.

This Hammond Novachord was ordered from Hammond by a high-end Chicago hotel in the early 1940s with custom fluted legs and the original blonde-and-black finish, both of which it retains, as seen in the pictures. It also should be noted that the silver control panel faceplate is factory original, custom ordered in a brushed silver/steel. Regular Novachords have a brown control panel faceplate. This is the only Novachord with a custom factory finish and design that I have ever seen, other than the white Novachords that were at the 1939 World's Fair. This Novachord is in good cosmetic shape for its age.

When we bought this Novachord, it came with a folding dolly that was custom-built for the Novachord of the electronic music pioneer Paul Beaver in the 1960s. This dolly is the only dolly we have ever seen of its type, and its construction is ingenious. It has a hinged platform that unfolds outward in front of the main platform, which allows the player to set a bench on top of it, such that the Hammond Novachord never has to come off of its dolly in order to be played. The buyer of this Novachord will have the opportunity to purchase this dolly from us, as well as a spare Hammond Novachord power supply (see the picture of the spare power supply sitting on the concrete), for a reasonable additional price.

The inside electronics all appear to be original. The amps were removed at one point for purposes of additional safety during transport and are now back in place, but have not been plugged back in. We have not tested the Novachord and are leaving that to the buyer of this instrument, so we are selling this Novachord as is..."

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VINTAGE HAMMOND NOVACHORD DOCUMENTS

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

via this auction - learn how to sell on eBay here

"The Hammond Novachord, often considered to be the world's first polyphonic synthesizer, debuted at the 1939 World's Fair and represents a major milestone in electronic keyboard musical instrument history. It uses many circuit and control elements found in modern synthesizers, particularly subtractive synthesis, in order to generate tones.

In particular, its divide-down oscillator architecture, based on vacuum-tube monostable circuits, permit all 72 notes to be played polyphonically by deriving several octaves of notes from twelve top-octave oscillators. A similar design was adopted in polysynthesizers released more than 30 years later by Robert Moog and A.R.P. The Novachord is very well suited to producing rich,"otherworldly" timbres than range from dense sustained string-like and vocal-like timbres to the sharp attack transients of a harpsichord or piano. With over 150 vacuum tubes inside, this synthesizer has a thick, harmonically rich sound that you can't get elsewhere.

For sale here are two rare documents for a Hammond Novachord, and these documents ONLY. We have the Novachord listed for sale in a different ebay listing. The two documents are the Maintenance and Installation Instructions, and the Guarantee placard. These documents are extremely rare, we have owned several Novachords (which are already rare themselves!) and never seen these documents before..."

Alien Zippers!!

Published on Jun 16, 2013 davidryle·114 videos

"WIthout the little beings from outer space, we would only have buttons.

A first try with the ribbon controller and the modular synth. The "Alien Zip" module is designed after the first Coagula dot org model. I'm using a MIDI out from it to a vst of a Novachord patch. The other sound is from the CV and Gate out to the modular synth.

The fun part is setting the amount of pitch shift for each voice. They are different so as I slide around the ribbon the notes spread apart different distances from each other. A very spooky effect.

The ribbon pitch bend amount in the vst is setup by using Midi CC#20 in Kontakt 5 as a modulator. The output of the high and low regions of the ribbon controller are pitch value 0 - 127 as per Midi spec.

The scale is controlled on the modular by a Q125 Signal Processor. There is no way to control the amount of pitch bend on the modular. It is a simple voltage amount generated by the Arduino and ribbon.

These differences make it challenging to get harmonies from both voices because the modular's response is very sensitive and wide and the vst requires a lot of movement along the ribbon to get a small shift in pitch.

The module itself uses the Arduino Uno R3 board and the software allows the user to set up the area of the ribbon controller to be used. This makes it flexible as an instrument but hard to get the scales exactly congruent to each other after a reset for calibration. I set it up so when you touch the ribbon the pitches are in tune but when you move, they spread at different rates.

All the background sounds and sequences are from the modular clocked by the Q960 sequential controller. The drum part is added later after determining the beats per minute and soft syncing to the track in Cubase. I used Addictive Drums for this."

Mark Mothersbaugh's Tour of Mutato Muzika

Published on Jun 4, 2013 keyboardmag1·273 videos

"In this archival clip from May 2010, Mark Mothersbaugh gives us a tour of some of the vintage synths in Mutato Muzika, DEVO's headquarters in L.A."

EMS SYNTHI AKS, Oberheim TVS, Moog Memorymoog, Minimoog & Sonic Six, various circuit bent gear, EMS VCS3, custom DIY modular Aries Modular, EDP Wasp, Novachord, Electronium, TONTO, EML 500, Polybox, Octave CAT, Pink Floyd's Ondioline, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 & more.

Update via Michael Hewel in the comments: "the modular around 08:00 is an Aries"

Foundations of Synthesis Series by The Bob Moog Foundation

Published on Feb 11, 2013 moogfoundation·82 videos

Featuring Marc Doty, aka AutomaticGainsay

http://moogfoundation.org

Playlist:

1. The Synthesis of Synthesis - "This is the introductory video for the Bob Moog Foundation/macProVideo series "The Foundation of Synthesis." In it, Marc Doty sets the stage for the intent of these videos, which is an integrative instruction which not only describes synthesizer function and operation, but also gives a historical foundation for the functionalities and their implementation."

2. The Synthesis of Synthesis- Sound - "No instruction in synthesis would be complete without some explanation of the physics of sound! This video is one of several videos which outline the physical principles upon which synthesis is based."

3. The Synthesis of Synthesis- The Hammond Novachord - "The progression of devices which led to the modern synthesizer is diverse and interesting. The Foundation of Synthesis covers a number of them which portray a progressive development. One of these synthesizer precursors was the Hammond Novachord, a tube- based keyboard device whose groundbreaking technology is still present in some synthesizers today. More than most, this proto-synthesizer resembled what we came to think of as the modern synthesizer."

4. Foundation of Synthesis- Oscillator Introduction - "The Foundation of Synthesis dives into synthesizer technology with the Oscillator— the origin of sound in synthesis! Marc leads us through the history of this device from its beginning— as a lightbulb!— to its implementation in electronic musical instruments."

5. Oscillators- Pulse Width Modulation - "Pulse Width Modulation is a pleasing aural effect generated by the voltage-controlled adjustment of the width of a square wave. In this Foundation of Synthesis video, Marc demonstrates this function on several classic synthesizers. The video includes an oscilloscope, which shows you exactly what is happening when the width of the square wave output of the oscillator is changed!"

6. Filter- Introduction - "In this part of the 3rd Tutorial of the Foundation of Synthesis, Marc outlines the history of the filter from its origin in the telephone to its application in electronic devices in order to give a firm understanding of how the filter came to be an important part of modern synthesizers. The filter is a function which removes harmonics from a sound. Since harmonics define the timbre of the sound, this is a fast and easy way to create new timbres."

7. Filter- Cutoff Control - "Adjustment of the cutoff point of the filter is such a popular process that it has spawned whole genres of music. In this video, Marc shows the sound and functionality of this particular aspect of the most popular module in the modern synthesizer."

8. Filter-Voyager Serial Resonance - "The Moog Voyager design of Bob Moog includes some unique and useful functionalities. In this video, Marc explores the dual-filter nature of the Moog Voyager by demonstrating some unique ways to apply its filter arrangement."

9. Control Voltage Explanation Part 1 - "For the average musician, control voltage is an abstract concept. Of all the aspects of synthesis, it seems to be the most confusing. In this video, Marc gives a straight-forward and easy-to-understand description of the functionality using concrete examples. With a firm grasp of control voltage, synthesis becomes considerably easier and fun!"

10. Control Voltage Explanation Part 2 - "Here is part two of a video where Marc gives a straight-forward and easy-to-understand description of the process and application of control voltage. With a firm grasp of control voltage, synthesis becomes considerably easier and fun!"

11. The Amp Introduction - "In this video, Marc gives us a basic history of what can be the least-exciting module in the modern synthesizer, but then goes on to show what can be done when this module includes a fair amount of functionality. The Amp is the last step in the synthesis process, and can give you a variety of power over the timbre you create!"

12. The ARP Envelope Follower - "The Envelope Follower is one of the most fun control functions to exist. It takes the amplitude of a given signal and converts it to a voltage. As the amplitude rises, the control voltage rises. This can be used to control any function in the synthesizer which can be controlled via control voltage... which, in an analog synth, is most of them! In this video, Marc gives a demonstration of this under-implemented synthesizer function using the ARP 2600."

13. Designing Timbres- Introduction - "This video introduces the "Designing Timbres" tutorial by explaining exactly what is going to happen within it. It features some of the music and synthesizers used in the rest of the tutorial."

14. Designing Timbres: Major/Minor Chord - "'It doesn't play chords!' -This is the complaint most heard in regard to monophonic analog synthesizers... but wait... if you have three oscillators and some awesome functionality like the Moog Voyager, there is an answer to this complaint. In this video, Marc shows you how you can generate a sort of controllable polyphony using the monophonic Moog Voyager!"

15. Designing Timbres: Duality - "In this video, Marc demonstrates the the functional benefit of a synthesizer like the Yamaha CS-15, which is essentially two different synthesizers stacked together. By altering settings in each division, interesting timbres can be created."

Hammond Novachord SN 1416

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

via this auction

Note the tone wheel in the third pic below.

"A partial restoration was performed recently on the main cabinet. It appears to be missing 1 amplifier and the speakers need to be replaced. Own a rare piece of history. The organ can be pickup up locally in Denver CO, or can be crated and shipped via a preferred carrier of your choice."

Pics of the inside further below.

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HAMMOND NOVACHORD SN 1539

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

via this auction

"The introduction of the Hammond Novachord, the world's first polyphonic synthesizer, at the 1939 World's Fair is a major milestone in electronic keyboard musical instrument history. With over 100 vacuum tubes inside, this synthesizer has a thick, harmonically rich sound that you can't get elsewhere. The instrument is incredibly rare (only 500 are said to have ever been made, and who knows how many remain in existence). Commercial sample libraries of this instrument alone cost $300; that's how rare, complex, and musically useful this instrument is!

This Hammond Novachord is in great cosmetic shape for its age, better than all four of the Hammond Novachords we have sold in the past. However, according to the prior owner, the power supply needs to be restored before the Novachord will work properly. It probably won't be a difficult repair. We have not tested it, and are selling it as-is, no returns, because obviously the buyer will need to spend many hours repairing it in order to have it play perfectly..."

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Working Hammond Novachord Video Demo

HammondNovachord Published on Dec 7, 2012 AntiquityMusicLLC·11 videos

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!!  I hope 2012 treated you well and I wish you the best in 2013!

As I do each year, I thought I'd reflect a little on the past year.  These posts are always difficult to write, and I always wing them, so bear with me.  It's impossible to justify a whole year's worth of synth coverage in a single post.  The following is just a small bit of what comes to mind when looking back.  You'll find a top ten list of posts with the most page views followed by my picks for the year further below.  Apologies if I miss anything, and of course, if you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment below.  I'm curious what you, the readers of the site, felt stood out in the world of synths this past year.

First, I want to begin this post with a HUGE THANK YOU!!!  If you are reading this it obviously means you have come to this site and some of you have been coming here for years! Thank you for sticking with me. This site is a journey I hope to continue for years to come. Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to showcase their synths, and thank you to those that share what they find! Thank you to those that link to the site and help spread the word on MATRIXSYNTH via Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and your own websites! And of course, THANK YOU to all the sponsors on the right who believe in the site enough to support it!

A nod to previous New Years posts, pictured to the left is the MATRIXSYNTH world domination map. :)  I always think it's worth taking a look at who's watching the site.  Synths are global and you are looking at a map of the readers of MATRIXSYNTH.  Everything you see in green represents a visit from that country.  The darker the green, the higher the number of visits.  This is just for the year, but for the life of the site, we still haven't gotten a single hit from North Korea!   I don't know what they have against synths!  ;)   You'll find the top 10 visits by country further below.

This is the eighth New Year the site has gone through!  The focus for the site this year has been the same as previous years, and I plan to keep it that way.  This site is about showcasing specific synths, not just synths in general, and not just news and press releases.  The focus is on the individual synths that have existed throughout history, the technology behind them, and the lives they lead with their odd owners, myself included.  :)  Yes it is about the gear, their makers, and their players.  It has always been my opinion that synths in general have a tendency to be undervalued. Compared to say collectible guitars, they are often discarded and devalued in favor of next year's model, next year's technology.  It has always been my opinion that every synth has something of value to offer,  something specific and something unique that gives it its character. I built this site to showcase that.  This site is about the history of synths as their history unfolds - videos and images of synths being played and used, by both those that make them and those that play them.  Vintage synths being offered in the second hand market, being exchanged from one sonic explorer to the next. It really is a wondrous thing. Think of the magic synthesizers bring into your world. That is what this site is ultimately about.  Some posts may not seem to make sense now, but they will in time, because they will be a look back in time. A day in the life of a particular synthesizer.  I love analog and I love digital. I love all synths and this site celebrates that.

And now for a little reflection on the year. This year we had a total of 16678 posts including this one.  That comes out to roughly 45.69 posts a day.  Not a single day of the year went without a post.  So what dominated the synth year?  Mobile, modulars and a few dedicated hardware synths.

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Hammond Novachord SN 1137

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

via this auction

"Up for auction today is one of the great pieces of musical history, the Hammond Novachord. When these were originally made in the late 1930's and early 1940's, they cost as much as a house! The Novachord is recognized as the first production synthesizer, decades ahead of everyone else. If you've ever watched an old sci-fi or horror film from the 1950's then you've heard a Novachord. There are only several hundred of these in existence out of an original production of just over 1000. The value of these will only GO UP. This is one piece of musical equipment that is rare enough to be considered as a true financial investment.

This particular Novachord does turn on and play. We put new 2A3 power tubes in the power amplifier, and tested all of the other tubes. We ended up replacing roughly 14 tubes, the rest tested ok. The notes above middle C all seem to work well. 90% of the notes below middle C do not work. My guess is that the frequency dividers for those notes need some work. All of the knobs turn freely. The vibrato works and most other functions work to SOME degree. This being said, THIS NOVACHORD WILL NEED WORK. This is NOT A 100% fully working unit! There are a few websites out there that have great information about how to restore a Novachord. This unit has the original preamplifier, speakers, and power amplifier. I believe that the bench is original but I'm not 100% sure. The finish is rough and will need attention. One support that connects the left front leg to the left rear leg is cracked and will need to be glued. There is also a crack in the wood on the faceplate that will need to be glued. The speakers are original but do have some small tears and punctures. I'm sure that there are other nicks and dings on this instrument but the pictures should give you a pretty good idea. Overall this is a very nice instrument that is just waiting for the right owner!!!"

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