Early electronic instruments - an insight into a part of music

[shorthair]

http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/

http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines/telharmonium/index.html

The Telharmonium was essentially a collection of 145 modified dynamos employing a number of specially geared shafts and associated inductors to produce alternating currents of different audio frequencies. These signals were controlled by a multiple set of polyphonic velocity sensitive keyboards ( of seven octaves, 36 notes per octave tuneable to frequencies between 40-4000Hz) and associated banks of controls.

[danny_galaga]

no list is complete without the stylophone:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/ilove/years/1970/toys1.shtml

im very dissappointed...

[shorthair]

That's just a toy.

[danny_galaga]

That's just a toy.

is it not electronic? and an instrument?

[shorthair]

It's not anything new by that time. And those who....created it....didn't know dick about music. The thing isn't even polyphonic. It's just a popcul sonic doodle device.

[JackTucky]

It's just a popcul sonic doodle device.

definition of shorthare is in there somewhere.

=J

[shorthair]

hoppety-hop

[DrumAnBass]

Wow, never heard that story about the Teleharmonium...! Very cool...! Certainly takes some of the wind out of the sails of Bob Moog's contribution somewhat.

For another interesting contribution to electronic music - check out the Optigan - a keyboard sold by Mattel that played back samples off of optical discs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optigan

[danny_galaga]

another 'toy' by shorthairs definition actually, i have optigan samples somewhere...

[shorthair]

Wow, never heard that story about the Teleharmonium...! Very cool...! Certainly takes some of the wind out of the sails of Bob Moog's contribution somewhat.

Yeah, well, that's popcul for you, till you encounter something that puts it all in perspective. And, no, I wouldn't necessarily consider the optigan a toy. It was definitely aimed at an amateur market. It certainly wasn't a seminal device, which means something that is aimed at composition.

[CheffoJeffo]

Yeah, well, that's popcul for you, till you encounter something that puts it all in perspective.

What is it with you and your continuing rants about 'popcul' ?

Is it the fact that you lack both popularity AND culture ?

[shorthair]

Hmhmhmh. No, I lack morals. But obviously I'm very popular.

I knew a guy back about ten years ago who had played rock all his life, and then decided he wanted to study music. (He was at that time in his mid-40s.) It was gradual, but eventually, after finishing with my theory instructor at our community college, and then going on the university and studying composition, he realised that keyboard facility was far more important than playing guitar. What was poignant, and this was while he was still at the community college, was one time he told that he felt CHEATED by pop culture for not knowing what he knew then.

[CheffoJeffo]

So your friend blamed society for what he didn't know and you call it poignant ? 

[danny_galaga]

                                                      I LIKE LAMP!

[shorthair]

                                                      I LIKE LAMP!

That's good. Shine it over in jeffy's direction so he might see more clearly.

[CheffoJeffo]

That's good. Shine it over in jeffy's direction so he might see more clearly.

How many points was it for every time he called me jeffy ?