I’m a musicologist obsessed with electroacoustic instruments. This blog is created to share the love. Feel free to ask questions. (Note: electronic instruments are part of the category of electroacoustic instruments. An example of an electroacoustic instrument that is not an electronic instrument is the Hammond organ, since the sound of the Hammond is produced with tone wheels, not by electric current.)Tumblr (3.0; @fyelectroacousticinstruments)http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh3nr2aqCe1qzybmpo1_500.gif"/><br/><br/><p>The French Connection (synth controller), as played by Jonny Greenwood.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/3502215378http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/3502215378Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:19:04 +0100french connection<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfczmkeK1e1qgsv7oo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Wurlitzer - Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, MS (US), 1955-1982.</p> <p>Electromechanical piano. Sound is produced by acoustic piano mechanics combined with electric pickups and is vaguely comparable to that of the much more popular Fender Rhodes. </p> <p>Check: The Beatles (Let It Be), Pink Floyd (The Dark Side of the Moon), Beck (Where It’s At)</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2853742516http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2853742516Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:06:00 +0100wurlitzerelectromechanicalpiano<iframe width="400" height="320" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/n6QsusDS_8A?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Herbie Hancock jamming with his Fairlight CMI.</p> <p>Worth watching.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799381018http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799381018Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:35:10 +0100fairlight cmidigitalsamplerherbie hancock<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf6p0fGrLi1qgsv7oo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Fairlight CMI, the first digital sampler - Peter Vogel/Kim Ryrie, 1979. (photo: Alan Parsons)</p> <p>In 1979, a failed attempt at making a digital sequencer resulted in the accidental creation of a sampler. The Fairlight CMI was promptly used by Peter Gabriel and many more eighties experimentalists.</p> <p>Check: Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer (the shakuhachi flute in the break is sampled)</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799386595http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799386595Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:35:00 +0100digitalsamplerinstrumentfairlight cmipeter gabriel<iframe width="400" height="320" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/N9pOq8u6-bA?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Pierre Schaeffer - Étude aux chemins de fer, 1948, France.</p> <p>Schaeffer used records to edit sounds in these last days before the common use of magnetic tape. This noise collage is composed solely from manipulating playback and rerecording it. The search for new and ‘unmusical’ sounds resulted in the ‘musique concrète’ movement.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799188299http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2799188299Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:21:36 +0100sound editingrecord playerPierre Schaeffermusique concrètenoise collage<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf50kyO3NG1qgsv7oo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Clavinet - Ernst Zacharias (produced by Hohner), 1960s.</p> <p>Electromechanic: it is in fact an amplified snare instrument.</p> <p>Check: Stevie Wonder (Superstition), Commodores.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2784043227http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2784043227Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:46:09 +0100electromechanicinstrumentclavinetstevie wonder<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf4exjI0c51qgsv7oo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><span> </span></p> <p>Electrotheremin - Bob Whitsell, 1958.<br/>Played by Paul Tanner. </p> <p>This is the electrotheremin. This is not a theremin, it only produces a sound similar to the theremin. It is played by tweaking knobs and sliding along a keyboard diagram. Contrary to popular belief, the Beach Boys song ‘Good Vibrations’ features an electrotheremin, not a theremin. For live performances, the Beach Boys used a custom made Moog ribbon controller.</p> <p>Check: Beach Boys, ‘Good Vibrations’, ‘I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times’</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2777705331http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2777705331Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:58:00 +0100electronicinstrumentelectrothereminbeach boys<iframe width="400" height="320" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4yqM3dAqTzs?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Mini documentary on Christian Marclay, so-called pioneer in scratching. 1970s. Sound art - unwanted sound - sampling - scratching - sound collage (literally).</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2777593194http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2777593194Sun, 16 Jan 2011 15:46:00 +0100samplingchristian marclaysound art<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf465xcruz1qgsv7oo1_500.gif"/><br/><br/><p>Intonarumori - Luigi Russolo, 1913.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776161060http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776161060Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:49:00 +0100Luigi Russolofuturisminstrumentintonarumorielectroacoustic<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf4602wsnV1qgsv7oo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Akai MPC-60 music production center (sampler+sequencer) - Roger Linn, 1988.</p> <p>Check: Jean-Michel Jarre, Apollo 404, A Guy Called Gerald, DJ Shadow (Endtroducing…).</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776136333http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776136333Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:45:00 +0100electronicinstrumentAkaiMPC-60samplersequencerDJ Shadow<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf45pvXULa1qgsv7oo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Theremin virtuosa Lydia Kavina.</p> <p>Check: soundtrack to Spellbound (music Miklos Rozsa, film Hitchcock), Goldfrapp.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776092735http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776092735Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:39:00 +0100electronicinstrumentthereminlydia kavina<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf45fbCsfw1qgsv7oo1_400.gif"/><br/><br/><p>How to play the theremin. </p> <p>Turn image 180° to view from player’s POV.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776047227http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776047227Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:33:11 +0100electronicinstrumenttheremin<iframe width="400" height="320" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qjKUXn3WI2E?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Lucie Bigelow Rosen - theremin. <br/>Followed by a Dutch interview. </p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776030068http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776030068Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:30:47 +0100electronicinstrumentthereminlucie bigelow rosen<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf45849IZX1qgsv7oo1_250.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Theremin - Lev Termen [Leon Theremin], 1919.</p> <p>Lucie Bigelow Rosen’s theremin.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776016382http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2776016382Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:28:52 +0100electronicinstrumentthereminLucie Bigelow Rosen<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf4532uKAS1qgsv7oo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Vox Continental - Vox combo organ, Italy, 1960s.</p> <p>Check: The Animals, The Doors (Light My Fire), The Monkeys.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775995442http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775995442Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:25:00 +0100electronicinstrumentvoxcontinentalthe doorsthe animalsthe monkeys<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf44lt8z431qgsv7oo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Telharmonium - Thaddeus Cahill, 1897, NYC.</p> <p>60 ft long, 200 ton, $200,000.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775921794http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775921794Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:15:00 +0100electroacousticinstrumenttelharmonium<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf44grkDfV1qgsv7oo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Telharmonium - Thaddeus Cahill, 1897.</p>http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775900819http://fyelectroacousticinstruments.tumblr.com/post/2775900819Sun, 16 Jan 2011 12:12:00 +0100electroacousticinstrumenttelharmonium