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Orchestron

Orchestron

2002-07-25 by kinchmusic@aol.com

Anyone here know how this machine worked? Surely this was long before laser 
technology as we know it was around or affordable, bearing in mind the 
reasonable cost of the machine.
Andy K

Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

2002-07-25 by Tony Moffett

A beam of light did pass through as many as 3 LP sized, but very thin optical discs. The modulation was visible to the naked eye and when the disc completed 1 revolution a somewhat distinct ending of the track and subsequent beginning of the track was heard. The machines were build near me in St. Petersburg and I visited the operation numerous times. Mr. Van Koovering was usually on site and delighted to discuss his machine. I even bought a Mellotron tape frame from him.
Tony
#510
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 10:26 AM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

Anyone here know how this machine worked? Surely this was long before laser
technology as we know it was around or affordable, bearing in mind the
reasonable cost of the machine.
Andy K

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Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

2002-07-26 by Tony Moffett

Several other details came to mind after posting this. The modulation being visible is like the depth of a vinyl record's groove, except expressed horizontally. An easily available bulb provided the light for the device. And last but certainly not least is that David Van Koovering was the head of marketing at Moog Music before he started Vako, began the Orchestrons project and later the Viking line of road cases. I distinctly remember and still have the flyer detailing a custom triple Orchestron built for Patrick Moraz when he was with YES. I was lucky enough to fiddle around with his toy on a few occasions, and many years later discuss that project with Patrick in person, and found him to be a very likable fellow. Does anyone remember when Keith Emerson would lay his upright piano on himself and play it from behind? That instrument was being fitted in a road case once while I was visiting their shop. Also in Dave's office was a fully loaded Moog 55 staring you down, so to speak. I never got to patch that sucker up.
Tony
#510
Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 10:41 AM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

A beam of light did pass through as many as 3 LP sized, but very thin optical discs. The modulation was visible to the naked eye and when the disc completed 1 revolution a somewhat distinct ending of the track and subsequent beginning of the track was heard. The machines were build near me in St. Petersburg and I visited the operation numerous times. Mr. Van Koovering was usually on site and delighted to discuss his machine. I even bought a Mellotron tape frame from him.
Tony
#510
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2002 10:26 AM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

Anyone here know how this machine worked? Surely this was long before laser
technology as we know it was around or affordable, bearing in mind the
reasonable cost of the machine.
Andy K

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Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

2002-07-26 by Mark Glinsky

At 03:04 AM 7/26/2002 -0400, Tony Moffett wrote:
>Several other details came to mind after posting this. The modulation 
>being visible is like the depth of a vinyl record's groove, except 
>expressed horizontally. An easily available bulb provided the light for 
>the device. And last but certainly not least is that David Van Koovering 
>was the head of marketing at Moog Music before he started Vako, began the 
>Orchestrons project and later the Viking line of road cases. I distinctly 
>remember and still have the flyer detailing a custom triple Orchestron 
>built for Patrick Moraz when he was with YES. I was lucky enough to fiddle 
>around with his toy on a few occasions, and many years later discuss that 
>project with Patrick in person, and found him to be a very likable fellow. 
>Does anyone remember when Keith Emerson would lay his upright piano on 
>himself and play it from behind? That instrument was being fitted in a 
>road case once while I was visiting their shop. Also in Dave's office was 
>a fully loaded Moog 55 staring you down, so to speak. I never got to patch 
>that sucker up.



I also have all the old Orchestron flyers.  The triple Orchestron they made
for Patrick was burned up in a warehouse fire in St. Petersburg, sometime
in the 80's.

You're correct on the mechanism for producing the sound, the translucent disk
rotated between the light bulb (an appliance-type bulb, as I recall) and an
opto-electronic sensor, which converted the light modulations to audio.
No lasers were involved that I know of, not even in the mastering of the sound
disks - I think that was just marketing hype.

The Viking road case company turned out to be a more viable enterprise than
Vako Orchestron ever did, I think - it was around for a number of years.

I recall the upright piano Emo used, he used it on the Brain Salad Surgery
tour to play "The Sheriff / Jeremy Bender".  It was either an electric or 
electronic
piano, similar to the Maestro electric piano that was made, with 1 or 2 strings
per note, a shortened keyboard, and interior pickups.  Emo didn't pull the
piano on top of him when I saw him, it was supporting a Clavinet and Minimoog
from the back.  He saved the backwards playing on top of him for the
Hammond L-100.  Have tried to find out who made that piano over the years,
but have never been able to definitively find out.


---------------------------------------------------------
Mark S. Glinsky  -  Arlington, TX
Email -  glinskym@...
http://www.markglinsky.com/ManualManor.html
"Be Seeing You...." - No. 6
---------------------------------------------------------

Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

2002-07-26 by Tony Moffett

The one I saw had strings in it, no doubts. I never knew the fate of the triple, but I remember seeing the front panel stripped of it's knobs, just a plane of aluminum with the text remaining. Maybe it was never used, but it was marked up from having mounting nuts tightened. Patrick spoke of frustration related to the project.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 5:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Orchestron

At 03:04 AM 7/26/2002 -0400, Tony Moffett wrote:
>Several other details came to mind after posting this. The modulation
>being visible is like the depth of a vinyl record's groove, except
>expressed horizontally. An easily available bulb provided the light for
>the device. And last but certainly not least is that David Van Koovering
>was the head of marketing at Moog Music before he started Vako, began the
>Orchestrons project and later the Viking line of road cases. I distinctly
>remember and still have the flyer detailing a custom triple Orchestron
>built for Patrick Moraz when he was with YES. I was lucky enough to fiddle
>around with his toy on a few occasions, and many years later discuss that
>project with Patrick in person, and found him to be a very likable fellow.
>Does anyone remember when Keith Emerson would lay his upright piano on
>himself and play it from behind? That instrument was being fitted in a
>road case once while I was visiting their shop. Also in Dave's office was
>a fully loaded Moog 55 staring you down, so to speak. I never got to patch
>that sucker up.



I also have all the old Orchestron flyers. The triple Orchestron they made
for Patrick was burned up in a warehouse fire in St. Petersburg, sometime
in the 80's.

You're correct on the mechanism for producing the sound, the translucent disk
rotated between the light bulb (an appliance-type bulb, as I recall) and an
opto-electronic sensor, which converted the light modulations to audio.
No lasers were involved that I know of, not even in the mastering of the sound
disks - I think that was just marketing hype.

The Viking road case company turned out to be a more viable enterprise than
Vako Orchestron ever did, I think - it was around for a number of years.

I recall the upright piano Emo used, he used it on the Brain Salad Surgery
tour to play "The Sheriff / Jeremy Bender". It was either an electric or
electronic
piano, similar to the Maestro electric piano that was made, with 1 or 2 strings
per note, a shortened keyboard, and interior pickups. Emo didn't pull the
piano on top of him when I saw him, it was supporting a Clavinet and Minimoog
from the back. He saved the backwards playing on top of him for the
Hammond L-100. Have tried to find out who made that piano over the years,
but have never been able to definitively find out.


---------------------------------------------------------
Mark S. Glinsky - Arlington, TX
Email - glinskym@...
http://www.markglinsky.com/ManualManor.html
"Be Seeing You...." - No. 6
---------------------------------------------------------

Orchestron

2002-07-26 by kinchmusic@aol.com

Thanks chaps for the info.
I now consider myself fully genned up on all things Orchestronic (Sorry 
Martin).
There's a part of me that regrets having got rid of said machine. Whilst the 
other part thinks that it really didn't measure up and I'm well rid. After 
all, it was really low fi and the sound loop clicked on every disc rotation 
for each note.-Not good. The other thing was that there was never a proper 
attack to the notes due to the continuous loop.
Signing off for now-off on hols!
Andy K

[Mellotronists] Re: Orchestron

2002-09-10 by tron@blackcat.demon.co.uk

> >So is it just me, or is everyone reluctant to bid on this eBay Orchestron
> >largely because of the lack of photos?
>
> I'd say it's more because of the ridiculous pricing ....

Those, plus the fact that it sounds crap.

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/