[sdiy] Raymond Scott

[Grant Richter]

> In a previously unpublished letter found in 1980 among Scott's personal
> papers, he credits himself with the sequencer invention in 1960 (a version
> with relays). He apparently discussed a solid state version with young Moog.
> In this letter he praises Moog's integrity.  Moog must have been the only
> person he trusted not to steal his ideas.
> Larry H

Here is a case of someone who was so secretive, he kept himself out of the
history books.

Under the guise of "Electronium Company of America" he designed stand alone
synthesizers that look like table radios. These were design to provide
background music like a radio, and contain a synthesizer and aleatoric
controller.

Quite a brilliant, and possibly anticipating the "Electric Music Box" by a
few years.

The word "Electronium" itself, has the same root as "Atrium" meaning a room
or enclosure. "Intonarium" (from the futurists) would translate as a box of
thunder. However "Elektron" was taken from the greek word for amber. The
electron was named after amber as some of the original static experiments
involved rubbing amber with cat's fur.

So Electronium translates as "box of amber" and isn't quite as literal.

But we know what color to paint them!