Just as electric guitarists covet their 1950s Les Pauls and Stratocasters, and classical violinists their 18th century Stradivariuses, it's probably not that surprising that synthesizer players also have a yen for the instruments of the past.
In their case, as Mark Vail of Keyboard magazine writes in Vintage Synthesizers, these vintage instruments include Farfisa organs and Fender Rhodes electric pianos from the 1960s, ARP and Minimoog synths from the 1970s, and instruments such as the Synclavier and Prophet-5 from the 1980s.
In a shot from 1998, Pete Townshend describes the features
of the ARP synthesizer he used on 1971's Who's Next.
(Captured from the DVD, Classic Albums--The Who: Who's Next.)
In The Court of the Prog Rock King
And of course, the Mellotron, which the entire genre of progressive rock is built on. John Lennon of the Beatles was among the first musicians to acquire one of these beasts, which today is considered the first sampling instrument. But unlike today's samplers, which use digital technology to capture and play back the sounds of instruments, the Mellotron used analog tape: each key trigged an individual eight-second spool of 3/8-inch wide tape of an instrument's notes.
The strings on Led Zeppelin's "The Rain Song", and on lots of Moody Blues and King Crimson songs, and the flutes on the opening of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" all were played on the Mellotron, and there are still several collectors of the instrument today, despite how fragile it is. (As Vail writes, those tapes break and jam awfully easily.)
For The Beatles Anthology, Paul McCartney recreated the opening notes
he played on the Mellotron, on 1967's "Strawberry Fields Forver".
I Want My MTV-era Synthesizers!
If the Mellotron was the sound of progressive rock, then the Fairlight CMI was one of the key instruments of the early days of MTV, driving the music of Thomas Dolby, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, and Jan Hammer. As Vail describes it, "by today's standards, the 8-bit sample resolution of the Fairlight Computer Music Instrument, or CMI, sounds pitiful. But it was good enough for them".
Vail also has chapters devoted to Roland's pioneering drum machines (think Phil Collins) and the Linn Drum Machine (think every other hit single of the 1980s). Surprisingly though, while he has photos of the Yamaha DX-7, which was also on seemingly every record made in the 1980s, he devotes his chapter on Yamaha's synthesizers to an earlier instrument, the CS-80. Which is too bad--I would have liked to have read a bit about the DX-7's history. But that's an awful small nit to pick with an otherwise detailed and well-researched book. (Robert Moog--yes that Moog--and several other writers from Keyboard magazine also contributed chapters.)
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
oddly enough, there's a huge collection of vintage synths at the New England Synthesizer Museum, in Nashua, New Hampshire.
also worth checking out is Analog Days, about the development of the Moog synth
2 - Eric Olsen
love that analog synth sound, very happy it's "back" - thanks Ed!
3 - Actif
Good article, I am fan into senior programs stuff
4 - marcia wolhandler
Would anyone be interested in buying my anolog/digital hybrid synthesizer? It is a Roland Juno 106 (from the 80's-I have the original receipt and manual). The battery is dead and so all sounds
in the memory have been erased (New ones can be MIDI downloaded or created from scratch. This was one of the first MIDI machines.
5 - osg
Nice article.
I'm interested in buying various old synthesizers, working or not. Please email me at oldsynthguy - at - aol - dot - com if you've got anything available. Thanks!
[Email obscured by editor]
6 - kathleen stockman
Hi,
I have a Yamaha electone organ. I would like to sell it. If you or someone you know might want it, please contact me at 906-233-1450 or email.
It is in excellent condition. It has a large box of Hammond organ music with it...lots of old songs.
thanks
kathleen
7 - rocco
I am heavy into using any vintage gear I can get my hands on. Anyone got a Mellotron for sale?
On another note I just got back from MOOG factory and Convention> moog has got some great stuff. Even though Bob's no longer with us MOOG will carry on beautifully continuing to exceed all expectations. MOOG Rocks!
8 - Joey Hadnot
I'm composing for a medium sized contemporary ensemble and am having trouble getting all the instrumentalists I want together, I was just wondering if anyone knows the average price mellotrons go for and where I could find one in Toronto, I need it to write compositions!
9 - kazu
Im personally looking to purchase MOOG 55 OR MOOG IIIP
do somebody know where i could find one?
10 - rocco
Type in "mellotron" into Google search engine. You can get a brand new Mellotron for about 5 Grand.
11 - jenna
Hi Has anyone ever heard of a "Johnson intonation trainer" It's A small organ that is switched between fixed and variable tuning to demonstrate even tempered and just intonation. Made by E.F. Johnson Co. That is the only info I can find on it.
12 - Jaze Wade
Check out the Vintage Synthesizer pics @ this site......beautiful!!!
13 - Keith
I have a Mellotron for sale. Anyone interested?
14 - Virginia
Have a custom made Mellotron, but my other half does not want to sell it. He will sell his FREEMAN STRING SYMPHONIZER and his HOHNER CEMBALET. Please call with any interest in either. Both in pretty good shape.
15 - manuel
to : Virginia
is your cembalet still available ? [Personal contact info deleted]