How Far We've Come

Today I was searching for the name of a sound that was on every early 90's drum machine and I fell into researching the history of the drum machine--which is 45 years older than I thought--and that led to a search into to history of synthesizers. Suffice it to say I learned quite a bit and got nothing done that I meant to. It turned into a very long post on the propellerheads forum. Here are the results...

1875 Elisha Gray, Electric Telegraph For Transmitting Musical Tones

1916 Arseny Avraamov, Graphic-Sonic Art "By knowing the way to record the most complex sound textures by means of a phonograph, after analysis of the curve structure of the sound groove, directing the needle of the resonating membrane, one can create synthetically any, even most fantastic sound by making a groove with a proper structure of shape and depth"

1920 Leon Theremin playing the... Theremin

1928: Ondes Martenot - h/t to SSGamelord over on the propellerhead forum for this one

1930: Theremin's Rhythmicon (craziness! at 2:45)

1939: Hammond Novachord

Novachord and Theremin - incredible sound here

1947: Chamberlin Rhythmate

1959: Wurlitzer Sideman

1964: Raymond Scott's Rhythm Synthesizer (make sure to check out the creepiness at 3:10)

1965: Good ole Bob

1967 - Ace Tone (roland) Rhythm Ace

1969 Robin Gibb - Saved By The Bell (drums)

1971 Can - Peking O

1972 Eko Computerhythm

1978 Roland CR-78

1980 Linn LM-1
Roland TR-808

1983: MIDI!!!

1984 Apple and C64

1985: Atari ST

1989: "Sound Tools"

1991 General MIDI (and TMBG)

1992: Samplitude

1994: ReCycle

1996: Cubase VST

1997: Rebirth

2000: Reason

After looking over this collection I think this could make one hell of an ad for PH (leaving out any competitors of course)
Oh, I never did find the name of that sound, either.

The Blob Has Spread

Oh look at that - "The Blob" from my Possession In Reason post showed up over on Reason: Patch A Day here - .558 Reader Contribution: The Blob
Thanks Robb!