This video, via RetroSound, is a demo of the ARP Quadra – a vintage analog synthesizer from 1979.
Here’s what he has to say about the demo:
first short demo of all four synth sections (analog strings and phase shifter, poly-synth, bass-synth, lead-synth); no multitracking, all played live by hand, no midi
The Quadra is a four-section synthesizer consisting of a bass-synth (monophonic), poly-synth (full polyphonic), lead-synth (duophonic), and Solina like analog strings (full polyphonic)
The synth has included a awesome phase shifter, dual portamento controls and fantastic arpeggiator.
used by: Genesis, Pink Floyd, New Order, Joe Zawinul, John Carpenter…
Have you used the ARP Quadra? If so, leave a comment and share your thoughts on it!
Love it. Soundtrack Music
Is there a some sort of underground synth-tribe in german that hijacks all of the cool analog stuff?
Becouse most of the demos of the obscure synths are labeled “la-di-da.DE”! 😀
Whatever the answere, a monstro-f’n-lovelysounding-beast you have there. 🙂
There used to be one at Chase music in Manchester and I lusted after it so much. It still sounds immense. Stunning synth, and looks amazing too 🙂
wow, was that Chase on Oldham street?
A great shop back in the day ran by sikh guys?
BRAVO!
Vintage string synths still sound fantastic!
They can’t make a huge variety of sounds, but they do what they do beautifully.
With Korg bringing back the Odyssey, why not the Quadra and 2600 as well? I’m sure both would sell very well, and reinforce the trend towards the future is past.
Couldn’t agree more. If not Korg, then some other enterprising developer or music software company should virtualize this sucker.
And while they’re at it – please, would someone create a high-quality virtual Matrix 12? I’d buy it in a New York minute.
I don’t believe this would sell if it was reissued. A $1000 mono synth is something most people can manage, and the Odyssey is such a monumental classic that people will be queueing up to buy a new one.
But a Quadra? Doesn’t have the world wide desirability factor, and how much would a new one cost? €5000?
If anything, a poly based on the polysix is Korgs best bet, but a reissue of this would be foolish. If a synth like this bombed for Korg it could bring their involvement is analogue to a grinding hault.
Not a virtual copy – a real hardware synth. Virtual software synths lack the creativity of hardware, and in my view, there is nothing better than a real hardware analog, except…a reissue of a classic real hardware analog like a Quadra or an ARP 2600. The price would have to be lower than the originals in order to make them sell, and I’d want modern I/O, (USB, MIDI) but apart from that, they should be exact replica’s of the originals. The Korg MS-20 Mini, and the Korg ARP Odyssey really do herald a return to the golden age of synthesisers. I always regret not investing in analog gear in the early to mid 1980s, when music stores were throwing out Moogs, ARPs, and Roland gear to make way for the new digital synths. With the reissue of these classic instruments, I now have a chance to recapture those sounds and that playability, hopefully without spending a fortune at RL Music!!
Beautiful.
That was a truly great sound! I’m hoping poly analogs are on the way back, we now have the DSI Prophet 12 and the Modulus 002. Can’t wait for more!
Thia and the prophet 5 are among the best polys
This sounds amazing. There’s something about the raw and somewhat brute attempt at serene sounds from these vintage synths that sounds so eerie and almost hopeful. In a way they sound even more futuristic to me than later digital stuff, perhaps because they are not so ‘perfect’ sounding and the cracks leave room for the listeners own imagination to fill in the blanks…
visually stunning case! waiting for the re-issue now i guess ha
I have one that looks mint. Some faders are sticky because its been sitting in the case for years. If anyone is intereted i can pull it out and test it. Let me know.
I have one that looks amazing! If anyone is interested let me know so i can test it.
Hi horacio
Do you still have the ARP Quadra ?
It is an awesome sounding synth, and very ergonomic to control on stage, once you’ve gotten familiar. I bought mine new in Toronto, 1979. Still have it. It has just been completely refurbished by Rob Currier of New England Analog: all new capacitors, new IC chips, rebuilt power supply, and more modern aftertouch sensor. It is a wonderful beast again. My wife and I used it in performances for about two decades, then kept it until now in its road case. It is much more fun to play than my new synths that all have little screens and menus. I don’t think you could build these again for a price that folks would be willing to pay, but they are well worth refurbishing.
I have one in need of repair. Hasnot been used in 25 years. Plugged it in and smoked
I would like to refurbish it. Any suggestions on who can handle this?
brian mannix, You could try New England Analog. Rob fixed my Quadra. He prefers to do a refurb rather than fix one problem at a time. Mine smoked too — it was a failed capacitor in the keyboard scanning PC board, I think. Works fine now…everything.