http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otc6yRRK5WA
This is the first installment of a series of videos that will document the restoration of electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott’s Electronium.
The Electronium was designed to be an automatic composition and performance synthesizer.
This instrument is the only surviving Electronium, commissioned by Motown’s Berry Gordy. It’s currently owned by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, and being restored by Darren Davison.
via DoseoDave:
Raymond Scott Electronium: The Restoration.
As a teaser trailer, this video is designed to spark interest in learning more about the history of the Electronium, an early electronic music device invented & built by Raymond Scott.To learn more about Raymond Scott check out this site:
YouYube
http://www.youtube.com/user/RaymondScottArchives
Website
http://RaymondScott.com
Very Cool!
Things like this and the Novachord are fascinating. Let us know what is happening with this restoration.
The difference here is that Phil Cirocco has decades of experience, had a well-documented instrument (the Novachord) and is set up for such work.
I wish these chaps luck. They're going to need it.
Of COURSE Mothersbaugh is the one who has it, haha!
The difference here is that Phil Cirocco has decades of experience, had a well-documented instrument (the Novachord) and is set up for such work.
I wish these chaps luck. They're going to need it.
The difference here is that Phil Cirocco has decades of experience, had a well-documented instrument (the Novachord) and is set up for such work.
I wish these chaps luck. They're going to need it.
The difference here is that Phil Cirocco has decades of experience, had a well-documented instrument (the Novachord) and is set up for such work.
I wish these chaps luck. They're going to need it.
wow!
There are two things that scare me about this restoration, one guy is talking about "electrical dust" showing his total lack of understanding of electronics. The second thing is that failure seems to be acceptable even before they have started. I'd say find some clever audio engineers who have high standards in terms of over coming challenges and the electronium has a chance, right now I feel it is doomed never to work.
"Electrical dust" is a fairly common phrase when discussing particulate contamination that is conductive. The main sources are metal particles from switches and relays, and carbonized dust produced by valves due to the heat they produce.
Relax Jermt, What I meant by "electrical dust" was exactly what MirlatronOne was refering to. As for your second concern, the Electronium is missing several major components that are not documented any way and he was in the process of adding several features and updating the circuitry to solid state. The video does not even begin to show the issues. As for finding the "Clever Audio Engineers" several have looked at it previously and washed their hands of it.
We are doing everything we can to restore it, but refuse to simply gut it and stick a sampling PC in it (as some of the engineers who have looked at it suggested…nice). If it cannot be restored ot its original state, then we are not going to screw with it….BTW its coming along nicely to date.
hope you guys get all the support you need to take on this project. Hopefully it can be restored and maybe even reproduced.
Upstairs at your commitment….Good luck guys…hope you reach the original state!!!
I'm so happy you guys have stepped up to help preserve such a beautiful piece of history! If you guys get stuck figuring out the electronics, I would recommend contacting my friend Tim Warneck at Warneck Research/The Keyboard Cottage. He is an analog circuit wiz and obsessed with vintage synths and keyboards. He has on at least one occasion designed discrete-component equivalents for out-of-production synth IC's that needed replacement, and he does work for some really big industry names maintaining and upgrading synths and other vintage keyboards. I also hope to hear this on the next DEVO album if you succeed!