Comments on: (Very) Early Electronic Instruments https://www.preservationsound.com/very-early-electronic-instruments/ information and ideas about audio history Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:34:49 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Stephen A Raccio https://www.preservationsound.com/very-early-electronic-instruments/#comment-94514 Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:34:49 +0000 http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=4142#comment-94514 How about the Tele-harmonium by Cahill, patented in 1898 !! or the Novachord by Hammond, two very distinctive instruments way ahead of their time ….!!

The Tele-harmonium was actually the precursor to Hammond’s tone wheel organ only the tele-harmonium was built before amplification so Cahill’s tone wheels were hugh (along with the entire instrument) because they drove current directly into the phone lines … – here’s a link to some info on the instrument http://www.synthmuseum.com/magazine/0102jw.html

The Novacord went into production in 1939, only a little over 1000 were made, here’s a link for some information. http://www.synthmuseum.com/hammond/hamnovachord01.html
You can also search Youtube for actual recordings of restored units .. very cool …. and you thought the past was all “bear skins and stone knives !!!”

]]> By: Best Turntables https://www.preservationsound.com/very-early-electronic-instruments/#comment-18549 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:01:52 +0000 http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=4142#comment-18549 Fascinating. When I think about early electronic music, I think of Kraftwerk. I knew about the 60s sort of electronic music but found it hard to consider it having artistic merit.

These things also remind me of early computers, lol. “Here is a machine the size of the room that can play 12 different tones!”

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