Music

©Brooke Clarke, N6GCE

Yamaha DX-7 II Analog Music Synthesizer

The DX-7 uses a very sophisticated analog mixing scheme to make very complex and pleasant to humans sounds.  It's probably the last of the analog electronic music instruments.

Patents

3577084 Computer Sound Generator May 4 1971 Singer-General Precision 327/107; 84/659; 327/134; 341/147; 377/51; 377/112; 984/389; 984/DIG1

3696201 Digital Organ System 84/648; 84/659; 84/660; 984/382; 984/DIG1 (Wurlitzer) -

4018121 Method of synthesizing a musical sound April 19, 1977 John M. Chowning 84/696; 84/101; 84/659; 984/309; 984/324; 984/389; 984/DIG1 - Basis of the Yamaha DX-7 Synthizer.
Patents calling 4018121 -

DX-7 II + add on

I had one of these synthizers.  After adding on a small PCB the capabilities were greatly increased and not only could it be comtrolled by my Radio Shack Color Computer it also could remember an arrangement.
Wave of the Future - History of Chowning's development.

Theremin (Wiki)

There is an interesting Video about Leon Theremin: Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey 1993
He's the father of electronic music.  That's to say he made the first electronic music instrument.  Moog designed a number of Theremins starting in high school.  The Beach Boys (Wiki) used a Tannerin (Wiki) (easier to use than the Theremin), for Good Vibrations.

TED Talks:  Pamelia Kurstin plays the theremin - her's is a left handed unit, i.e. she uses her left hand for pitch control.  Shi makes the point that when playing you must keep your body very still, even to the point of not breathing during a low note.

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