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SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by lsf5275@aol.com

Amazing! How did you find this?
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:07:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
ecclesreinson@rogers.com writes:

 
 
 
_http://www.hughlecahttp://www.http://www._ 
(http://www.hughlecaine.com/en/sptape.html) 





**************You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars 
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Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by Rick Blechta


On Feb 28, 2009, at 1:06 PM, ceccles_ca wrote:




Boy, does this bring back memories! When I got to the McGill Faculty of Music in 1971, the Electronic Music Studio looked just as it did in the photo. The next year we moved to a new building and they now had three small studios. One was filled with Le Caine gadgets. The oscillator bank was my favorite. Unfortunately, the Multi-track wasn't working all that well and no one seemed interested in fixing it (we also had the largest Moog modular synth in creation and everyone wanted to use that). A couple of us tried to get the multi-track working and the results were interesting but not mind-blowing. When I got my M400, I stored it at the Faculty and it got played a lot by everyone in the studio. Somewhere in the basement is a piece I recorded with mellotron, the oscillator bank and Le Caine's Electronic Sackbut which was a really fantastic instrument. The next time I'm in Montreal, I'm going to drop by the school and see what's become of all those cool toys.

Le Caine already seen a mellotron, but not an M400 when he dropped by the studio one day. I took it apart for him and he had his head inside it for quite sometime, proclaiming it "a very elegant solution", whatever that meant.

Thanks, Clay!

RE: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by djacques

What. Did you think that Harry Chamberlin was a genius?
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lsf5275@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 10:12 AM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

 

Amazing! How did you find this?

 

Frank

 

In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:07:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
ecclesreinson@rogers.com writes:

http://www.hughlecaine.com/en/sptape.html

 

  _____  

You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get
<http://movies.aol.com/oscars-academy-awards?ncid=emlcntusmovi00000001>
Oscars updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by lsf5275@aol.com

I LOVED that show!
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:18:52 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
jonesalley@cox.net writes:

 
 
 
It even LOOKS like something from Fireball  XL5!





**************You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars 
updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone. 
(http://movies.aol.com/oscars-academy-awards?ncid=emlcntusmovi00000001)

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by lsf5275@aol.com

An elegant solution to how to drive ignorant musicians crazy.
 
me
 
 
In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:32:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rick@rickblechta.com writes:

I took  it apart for him and he had his head inside it for quite sometime, 
proclaiming  it "a very elegant solution", whatever that  meant.

**************You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars 
updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone. 
(http://movies.aol.com/oscars-academy-awards?ncid=emlcntusmovi00000001)

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by Jon

Well, of course. It features the earliest prog music I know of!
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 3:21 PM
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

I LOVED that show!
Frank
In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:18:52 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jonesalley@cox.net writes:

It even LOOKS like something from Fireball XL5!


You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-02-28 by lsf5275@aol.com

Nope, I though Harry Chamberlin was a visionary and a fabulous inventor. My  
great uncle was Charles Francis Jenkins. I know one when I see one.
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 2/28/2009 2:09:25 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
djacques@csulb.edu writes:

What… Did you think that Harry  Chamberlin was a  genius? 

**************You're invited to Hollywood's biggest party: Get Oscars 
updates, red carpet pics and more at Moviefone. 
(http://movies.aol.com/oscars-academy-awards?ncid=emlcntusmovi00000001)

Re: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-01 by Mike Dickson

The first picture on the page looks like an industrial knitting machine!

fdoddy@aol.com wrote:
>
> That's just crazy!
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ceccles_ca <ecclesreinson@rogers.com>
> To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 1:06 pm
> Subject: [newmellotrongroup] SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard
>
> http://www.hughlecaine.com/en/sptape.html 
> <http://www.hughlecaine.com/en/sptape.html>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get 
> the Radio Toolbar 
> <http://toolbar.aol.com/aolradio/download.html?ncid=emlweusdown00000035>!
> 

-- 
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh

Free Music Project: http://www.last.fm/music/Mike+Dickson
Or http://www.mikedickson.org.uk/

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-01 by ceccles_ca

Hugh Le Caine's Sackbut was the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
Sackbut demo:
http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/sackbut.mp3
SPTR demo:
http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/dripsody.mp3
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop people would have loved this guy!

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-01 by Rick Blechta


On Mar 1, 2009, at 11:18 AM, ceccles_ca wrote:

Hugh Le Caine's Sackbut was the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
Sackbut demo:
http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/sackbut.mp3
SPTR demo:
http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/dripsody.mp3
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop people would have loved this guy!

I just spent an hour in the basement and can't find the recordings I have with sackbut on them. Actually, I can't find ANY of my McGill recordings! That's really sort of pathetic. Most of the music was probably shite, but it would be nice to hear them again.

Anyway, the sackbut is a really cool instrument to play (although pretty odd, at first) and it was surprisingly flexible. LeCaine just couldn't find anyone interested in putting it out commercially, which is kind of sad. He was just too far ahead of the curve and rock bands hadn't found out about synthesizers yet. The really interesting thing is that it had a very intuitive control panel, far easier to understand and operate than the big Moog modular McGill had. If he could have found some investor, the electronic sackbut could have had a future.

Rick

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-01 by James Bailey

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> Amazing! How did you find this?
>  
> Frank
>  
>  
> In a message dated 2/28/2009 1:07:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
> ecclesreinson@... writes:
> 

Hugh is a revered figure amongst electroacoustic folks up here. Probably at least equal to 
Moog in terms of innovation. Unfortunately he wasn't so savvy in the marketing department. 
Working for a government department (the National Research Council) didn't help.

Check out the Electronic Sackbut for something that might have blown the Mini-Moog away 
had it been released commercially (as nearly happened). The original 1948 prototype is a real 
beauty.

Jim Bailey

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-01 by ceccles_ca

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "James Bailey" <jimab@...>
wrote:
> Unfortunately he wasn't so savvy in the marketing department. 

Calling it The Electronic Sackbut wasn't a great marketing decision. 
A Sackbut is a Trombone.  I suppose he called it that because of it's
unique glide control.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-02 by Rick Blechta

On Mar 1, 2009, at 6:56 PM, ceccles_ca wrote:

> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "James Bailey" <jimab@...>
> wrote:
> > Unfortunately he wasn't so savvy in the marketing department.
>
> Calling it The Electronic Sackbut wasn't a great marketing decision.
> A Sackbut is a Trombone. I suppose he called it that because of it's
> unique glide control.

It was a stupid name, even Le Caine said so later on, but it's a way- 
cool instrument. I only played a prototype (but it was a later one),  
and let me tell you, it could do some wild things. The glide control  
was amazing. If he'd only had some marketing savvy...

Rick

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-02 by Dan

Good sleuthing, Clay!

Dan

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca" 
<ecclesreinson@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Hugh Le Caine's Sackbut was the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
> Sackbut demo:
> http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/sackbut.mp3
> SPTR demo:
> http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/dripsody.mp3
> The BBC Radiophonic Workshop people would have loved this guy!
>

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-02 by Dan

You are right about the BBC Radiophonic Lab.  Can you imagine this guy 
teamed up with Delia Derbyshire, Brian Hodgson and David Vorhaus? 
(Original Dr. Who music by D.D. and B.H. and later 1st 'White 
Noise...An Electric Storm' LP in 1969, which still induces 
nightmares.)  They even tricked me into thinking they had a tron!

Dan

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca" 
<ecclesreinson@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Hugh Le Caine's Sackbut was the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
> Sackbut demo:
> http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/sackbut.mp3
> SPTR demo:
> http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/dripsody.mp3
> The BBC Radiophonic Workshop people would have loved this guy!
>

Re: SPTR - 1955 tape replay keyboard

2009-03-02 by ceccles_ca

A track from An Electric Storm-The White Noise LP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6pTdzt7BiI


--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dan_miso@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> You are right about the BBC Radiophonic Lab.  Can you imagine this guy 
> teamed up with Delia Derbyshire, Brian Hodgson and David Vorhaus? 
> (Original Dr. Who music by D.D. and B.H. and later 1st 'White 
> Noise...An Electric Storm' LP in 1969, which still induces 
> nightmares.)  They even tricked me into thinking they had a tron!
> 
> Dan
> 
> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "ceccles_ca" 
> <ecclesreinson@> wrote:
> >
> > Hugh Le Caine's Sackbut was the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
> > Sackbut demo:
> > http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/sackbut.mp3
> > SPTR demo:
> > http://www.hughlecaine.com/sounds/dripsody.mp3
> > The BBC Radiophonic Workshop people would have loved this guy!
> >
>

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