KVR Audio

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:59 pm

jupiter8 wrote:We've already established the Synclavier was released in 75 and the RMI was released in 74

In that case, no I didn't read all the posts in the thread first.

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 6:05 pm

Don't think it counts as a synth, but the first commercial digital instruments were the Allen Digital Organs, released in 1971 (Allen owned RMI). see:

http://www.allenorgan.com/www/company/museum/dig1.html

augmented5th · Post by **augmented5th** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 8:51 pm

The Buchla 500 that jupiter8 mentioned looks fantastic

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:48 pm

Hmm it's seems i was off by a few years on the Buchla 500.It was released in 1971!!!
Although i'm not 100 % sure it has digital oscillators.Some site describes it as a digitally controlled analog synth. Other sources(which frankly i trust more) says it indeed has digital oscillators which would make it first digital synth we've spotted so far. But since 3 was all they made it was'nt like you could just run down to the local music shop and get one.

james0tucson · Post by **james0tucson** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:52 pm

I read recently that every Synclavier II that was ever sold, is still 100% serviceable and in use. I only know one person who ever had a Synclavier, and I'm quite certain he still uses it.

What will be the *last* digital synth that's not made from commodity general purpose components?

augmented5th · Post by **augmented5th** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:55 pm

This system can't be from 1971.
The buchlas that preceded it (200 and 400) were also digitally conrolling the oscillators, and there was computer contol and CRTs. info from vintagesynth.com

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:58 pm

james0tucson wrote:I read recently that every Synclavier II that was ever sold, is still 100% serviceable and in use. I only know one person who ever had a Synclavier, and I'm quite certain he still uses it.

What will be the *last* digital synth that's not made from commodity general purpose components?

I saw that statement too and it isn't accurate.

I advised on better build practices, and visited every user in my territory and stripped their machine to component parts and completely rebuilt them. Then advised the user on care for the system. Every machine still giving reliable service to this day.

That was only the machines in his territory.Not all Synclaviers. Why else would they be restoring them ?
http://www.500sound.com/workshop/syncla ... store.html

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:01 pm

jupiter8 wrote:That isn't as straightforward as one might think. The first digital "synth" (That i know of) was the Music I program for IBM 704 mainframe done in 1957! :shock:
http://www.music.psu.edu/Faculty%20Page ... _labs.html

Yup, that gets my vote.

Over a decade after that I messed around with an IBM mainframe, writing timing loops that performed simple monophonic tunes on -- get this -- a pocket AM radio set next to the CPU (a massive desk-like unit). RFI is usually undesirable but in this case it was my output device. I certainly didn't think of this myself, I'd heard about others doing it years before and figured I'd give it a whirl. Pretty anemic compared to Music I.

BTW, half a century later the direct descendant of Music I is still around. It's the powerful program Csound. =^_^=

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:03 pm

augmented5th wrote:This system can't be from 1971.
The buchlas that preceded it (200 and 400) were also digitally conrolling the oscillators, and there was computer contol and CRTs. info from vintagesynth.com

VintageSynth isn't correct on all accounts.I've spotted more than one error there.
According to the man himself the 500 was released in 1971.
http://www.buchla.com/historical/index.html

And the 300 and 400 series was releasd after the 500. The 400 was released in 1982.
EDIT: The 200 is voltage conrolled as far as i can tell.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:24 pm

What about the DX7?

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:30 pm

deastman wrote:What about the DX7?

No that was'nt first at all.It was released in ............. Hey wait a minute.Are you merely practical joking?

stoolz · Post by **stoolz** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:12 am

wasnt it the dx7?

shamann · Post by **shamann** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:16 am

I heard it was the Fairlight.

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:29 am

Wow -- my parents took me to the state fair in the late '50s, and it was lit up like anything! Had no idea how historic it was. =^_^=

Benedict · Post by **Benedict** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:30 am

jupiter8 wrote:
shamann wrote:
jupiter8 wrote:Do you guys even read the thread before answering ?
And don't even get me started on the second genius who suggested the DX7.

Clearly you are all wrong it was the CASIO CZ-1000 which was invented for Cliff Richard to play on Down In The Park before joining with Black Sabbath for Lady Evil. He upgraded to the CZ-5000 for the extra polyphony for Just Can't Get Enough but abandoned Casio and the CZ range for 3 OSC and Fruity Loops for his mega hit Sunglasses At Night.

I'm amazed at how bad you all are at R&R history.

Which was the "first" digital synth made?