Entertainment For Lively Minds
Prehistoric drum machines ahoy!
Posted by stimpy on 11 March 2010 - 1:31pm.
I've posted here several times about my love of ancient, analogue synthesizers and drum machines.
Try THIS for size. It's not quite the first ever drum machine but it's pretty close - I reckon it was the third to hit the market but it was the first one to really sell.
It's from 1959 and I want one :-)
I love the way the 'sequencer' is a revolving wheel with studs; and the tempo control is just a rod which moves the drive wheel across the sequencer wheel to vary the speed. Can't get much simpler than that.
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I think I've seen one
It was part of an organ in a church hall. That looks like it's been ripped out of a larger instrument.
Is that the same type of machine that's used on the Sly and Family Stone records?
Sly used a 'Maestro Rhythm King' drum machine
I know this may sound odd......
but there's something extremely satisfying about the sounds made by those old switches.
Hmm..
..have you ever seen (and/or heard) a cross-bar telephone exchange in action?
I'll get back in my box.
This sort of thing?
They've always fascinated me but I know nothing about them
According to the notes, the guy has built his own vintage phone exchange at home. I suddenly don't feel quite so bad :-)
That's *one* of the reasons I collect that sort of stuff
(old drum machines, not telephone exchanges) - they're built from real 'stuff' not just an assemblage of 3 chips and some contact switches.