Analog Oscillators

Back in the early days of synthesizer history (the 1960’s), analog oscillators were the only technology available. Tonewheels, such as those used in the Hammond B3 and the Telharmonium, were too big, too mechanical, and too limited.

While the sound of analog oscillators was warm and fat, early analog oscillators were also notoriously unstable. They would respond to temperature changes by going out of tune, and not in any predictable fashion.

While this was tedious when trying to record (re-tuning after every take, or stopping a take in the middle if things got too bad), it was particularly unbearable for live performance. Many performers carried screwdrivers and left the tops or backs off of their synths so they could get at the tuning controls during the show.

The other problem was that you needed a lot of analog oscillators if you wanted to make a polyphonic synthesizer. If you had a two-oscillator per voice design, and wanted a reasonable (for the day) 5-note polyphonic synthesizer, you had to include 10 oscillators! The extra circuitry not only made polyphonic synthesizers expensive, it also generated a lot of extra heat, which exacerbated the tuning problems.

The First Synthesizer. Believe it or not, the world’s first synthesizer appeared in 1906!

It was called the Telharmonium, and was developed by an American named Thaddeus Cahill.

The Telharmonium was an additive synthesizer that used giant rotating tonewheels (an idea later employed by the Hammond organ). It weighed around 200 tons and required a 60- foot frame built from 18-inch steel girders set onto a brick foundations.

In his patent documentation, Cahill repeatedly called the Telharmonium’s sound generation “synthesis”.

The Telharmonium was also tied to a telephone network for distributing electronic classical music to subscribers.

For more information, read Reynold Weidenaar’s book “Magic Music from the Telharmonium”

Дата добавления: 2015-08-20