… another look

Conceptual Evolution Create Sound

Vacuum Tubes create sound When we alter voltage, sound changes. Combine two sounds to create a new third low sound. Use additional oscillators to allow for the playing of more than one note at a time. Control the expressiveness of a sound by how hard or soft you strike a key

Manipulate Sound Create effects by altering the original sound Isolate harmonics in a sound to create specific wave forms. Analyze a sound and then retrigger it using synthesis Layer sounds on top of one another.

Use the sounds Build devices to trigger sound automatically- paper rolls Create Devices to loop sounds – Drum Machines Replay sound samples that were pre recorded. Make instruments portable Make the sounds unique

First Electronic Instrument

Teleharmonium

First Instrument to change pitch by altering Voltage

Singing Arc

One could change the timbre and volume of the sound by cranking a lever… much like changing voltage…

"Intonorumori"

This instrument was one of the first to create sound using vacuum tubes. You did not have to touch it to play it.

The Theremin

By combining the two high frequency sounds a third low sound was created?

Audion Piano"

Polyphonic… to play more than one note at a time. This instrument was one of the first to do so…

The Pianorad

Can electronic instruments be used in orchestras? How can we better control the pitch of the Theremin? Put a ring on your finger and attach it to a wire. Press on the specific dots and you will get the right pitch.

Ondes Martenot

Take me out to the ballgame! This organ was found in many homes as well. It introduced one of the first “effects” by using a rotating speaker.

Hammond B3

The musician could be more expressive on this instrument because it was touch sensitive. Melodic sound was created by air being sucked across a reed.

Melodium

Each level of keys had its own function. The top was much like a synthesizer that could alter sound by changing the amount of overtones in a sound… the bottom section functioned like a wind blown harmonica.

Multimonica

Analyze your voice and let the synthesizer recreate it. Change its pitch by selecting different keys…

Vocoder

Let the machine create the music! Turn it on and let it go… It reads large paper rolls which tell the machine when to start a sound and when to stop.

The Free Music Machine

The paper rolls create on-off messages… similar to digital 1’s and 0’sThis large machine used paper rolls and also could record its music onto a lacquer disk. Many sounds could be layered on top of one another. Could be considered the first multi-track recorder.

RCA Mark 2

When the Hammond B3 Organ became popular, there became a need for a device to lay down beats. This instrument was one of the first drum machines.

The Side Man

This man was instrumental in innovating new types of modular synthesizers. He built upon the work of others to create versatile instruments that could also be portable. Shown below is one of his smaller units

Mini Moog

Record a sound and then get an instrument to turn that recording on at just the correct time. This instrument was one of the first “samplers”. It used pre recorded sound on magnetic tape for each key.

Mellotron

Around the same time Moog was developing his modular synthesizers, a device was created, by Paul Ketoff, that was portable and utilized voltage controlled oscillators to create sound.

Synket

Is there another way to connect all the modules together other than using patch chords? This company figured it out by creating a matrix to connect modules together.

EMS Synthesizers

Electronic Music should have a sound of its own. Why replicate other instruments? This instrument used a touch sensitive keypad to change pitch as opposed to the traditional key board.

Buchla Synth

Record a sound, represent it through a series of 1’s and 0’s and then control the sounds with a keyboard. This was one of the first digitally sampled instruments that altered sound through FM synthesis… applying principles similar to the Audion piano.

Synclavier

This instrument was one of the first truly digital instruments on the market. It was very affordable and revolutionized music in the early 1980’s

Yamaha DX7

Present:

A combination of all that came before it!

Multiple digital samplesAnalogue tools to create and manipulate sound

Voltage ChangeOscillatorsADSRFiltersEffects

Combines sound to create new soundsTouch SensitiveMulti track Recording CapabilitiesTouch PadBreath ControllerAnd more….