Transcript Evolution in Music Technology

EVOLUTION OF MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
… another look
Conceptual Evolution
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Create Sound
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Manipulate Sound
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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
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
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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’s
This 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 samples
Analogue tools to create and manipulate sound
Voltage Change
Oscillators
ADSR
Filters
Effects
Combines sound to create new sounds
Touch Sensitive
Multi track Recording Capabilities
Touch Pad
Breath Controller
And more….