[sdiy] Timbreon and firmware synth

[Theo]

Maybe the 'Horizon' you mean is the popular science program of the BBC?
You may find more information at the BBC 'Horizon' website.
Lots of info of past programs online, like transcripts of programs.
Then again 79-80 is a long time ago...

Theo


----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Stone <sasami at hotkey.net.au>
To: Batz Goodfortune <batzman-nr at all-electric.com>
Cc: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 9:17 AM
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Timbreon and firmware synth


> The show was made by "Horizon". It showed around 1979-1980, and I believe
> was British.
>
> Ken
>
>
> >Firstly. A very rare experimental instrument from the early~mid 70s
called
> >a Timbreon. At least that's how I think it should be spelt. I have tried
> >other iterations. Should be pronounced "Tamb-er-on" but at the time was
> >pronounced more phonetically as "Timber-on" It appeared in an early 70s
> >documentary called. "The new sound of music" which may or may not have
been
> >an Australian produced docco. But has long since vanished along with
> >hundreds of episodes of Dr. Who and almost all trace of the Aunty Jack
> >Show. Erased by the intelligentsia that ruled in despot-like fashion over
> >the ABC here at the time. But back to the instrument.
> >
> >I don't know what technology was underneath this thing in terms of a
> >controller. It was referred to as an instrument in it's own right at the
> >time but they all said that. It was some kind of analog synth with
> >possibly, one of the coolest alternate controllers. Given that synths
were
> >generally monophonic at the time and this was designed for the job.
> >Actually it was, I guess, duo-phonic.
> >
> >It resembled what I guess you'd describe as a long loaf of bread. About
as
> >long as a 76 note keyboard. It's upper surface appeared to be made of
some
> >relatively soft or semi-padded material. It probably had some kind of
slide
> >ribbon arrangement inside of it but there was more to it than that.
> >
> >It was played karate-chop style with the sides of the hands. Left to
right
> >was pitch as you'd expect. It had a velocity kind of sensing so that the
> >harder you hit it, the louder it was. But depending on where you hit it,
> >front to back, gave you another control element (Probably filter). You
> >could also do things like hit a note and slide in pitch or timbre by
> >repositioning your hand. The demonstrator played it with two hands so
some
> >how it must have been able to tell the difference. I have no idea how it
> >could have discerned all that with 1970s analog/slide-ribbon type
> >technology.  For all I know they could have used pneumatic tubes.
> >
> >As a kid, I vowed to build one of these things and for some reason I
> >remembered how cool it was this morning. I thought someone may have
> >archived some information about it somewhere but it seems not. But maybe
> >I'm just searching for the wrong thing. Maybe everyone's forgotten about
> >the Timbreon and it has been re-invented with some newer technology? I
> >don't know. But if anyone has any thoughts on this I'd be most
interested.
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> Ken Stone   sasami at hotkey.net.au or sasami at cgs.synth.net
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>