Alan R. Pearlman of ARP Synthesizers Dies
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Topic: Alan R. Pearlman of ARP Synthesizers Dies
Posted By: dwill123
Subject: Alan R. Pearlman of ARP Synthesizers Dies
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 16:17
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It was reported today that Alan R. Pearlman, who founded the ARP Instruments company and helped popularize synthesizers in the '70s, died on Jan. 6. He was 93. . Notable clients: Tony Banks of Genesis Chick Corea Herbie Hancock Brian Eno Pete Townshend Joe Zawinul of Weather Report and many more . R.I.P.
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Replies:
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 16:37
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Big name in prog/fusion, the 'ARP' was a welcome addition to the instruments listed on an album. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 17:19
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Shouldn't this be in the RIP thread? Anyway, RIP.
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Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 19:10
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RIP. ARP was as much a force as Moog. Your Honor, I present Exhibit A: Cosmic Furnace (1973), which features the use of multiple Odysseys, 2500 & 2600 units, and the Soloist — plus electric and acoustic pianos, and a clavichord — and no Moog equipment whatsoever. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 21:01
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^ Wow I can see why that puppy didn't sell. Challenging even for '73. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 22:18
 Thanks, I hadn't heard! Back in the day, there was quite a competition between the Moog and ARP synth platforms....I noodled around a bit on both, they were lots of fun. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 22:53
Who says it didn't sell?
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Atavachron wrote:Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: January 08 2019 at 23:32
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What would Funural For a Friend sound like if not for the ARP-synth, limp. -------------  
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 01:11
Who says Roger Powell's Cosmic Furnace didn't sell?  I do. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 02:11
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 04:35
| RIP, always underrated compared to Dr. Bob Moog, ARP gave them some serious competition. What would Genesis sound be like if it was not for the Pro-Soloist, 2600, Quadra and other APR stuff... |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 06:14
I would think that Klaus Schulze would be one of the first mentioned. He had several ARP units with him for a long time. AND .... HE DID NOT PLAY THEM JUST FOR A SOLO EITHER!
------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Manuel
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 08:14
| Sad news. May he rest in peace. |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 09:47
I saw Joe Zaiwanul of Weather Report in concert (Heavy Weather tour, with Jaco!), and he was surrounded by ARP 2600 units. Lovely show, amazing sound. RIP Joe. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 11:56
This ^ Without the Pro-Soloist, Tony's big solo's on The Cage, The Colony of Slippermen, Riding the Scree, Cinema Show, etc would have been very different. The Pro-Soloist's huge innovation over the MiniMoog was pressure sensitive aftertouch allowing Tony to play solo's (The Cage & Slippermen used the preset called "Wire Guitar") and expressively add vibrato with one hand (the aftertouch took the place of the Moog mod wheel) while playing the backup organ parts with the other. A few years ago I learned how to play the Cage solo with my right hand and the accompanying organ chords with my left...I gained a huge respect for just how difficult Tony's parts often were. ARP's big downfall began in 1977 throwing all their eggs into the basket of developing the Avatar guitar synth when the technology was still at least a decade or 2 away  Anyway, RIP for one of the early synth innovators who's instruments were such a huge part of the development of prog.
------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 13:41
Well, you would be wrong. You have a copy don't you?
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 13:54
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^ No but the CD is running about $100 on Amazon ! ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 14:50
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A bit on the Avatar guitar synth....I remember reading about them in Guitar Player magazine, and may have seen one in a record store, but that is about it. Sadly, it sank the company. http://www.vintagesynth.com/arp/avatar.php" rel="nofollow - http://www.vintagesynth.com/arp/avatar.php Check out Joe Zaiwanul in concert, surrounded by ARP equipment! Spoiler alert: Jaco sighting!! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 15:07
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Man, you got to see Weather Report...I'm turning green. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 16:08
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 16:13
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^The LP is cheap, but for some reason the disc is not. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 16:32
Let's not forget Robert Mason who basically glued (joking of course) two ARP 2500 together creating the “world’s first multi-voiced synthesizer. |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 17:06
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The foundations of Prog continue to decay under the weight of time. RIP. I see no one mentioned Edgar Winter's Frankenstein or The Who's Baba O'Riley intro in conjunction with the ARP Sequencer. Two more great ARP works. BTW, I have a 2600 Big Blue in my basement. Well used road piece from my days with BUSKER. Steve had it modified to be duo-phonic expressly for the purpose of playing the opening fanfare for ELP's Fanfare. I'd love to be able to get it reconditioned. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 17:12
I love Stardrive!  ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 09 2019 at 22:46
It was freakin' amazing!! Al Dimeola opened the show, his "Land of the Midnight Sun" had just come out! Concert was on Easter Sunday as I recall, April 10, 1977. Words don't suffice. JACO!! JACO!! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 01:52
Banks with a 2600 on a Rhodes |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 05:46
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Victor Peraino (Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come) did some pretty out-there stuff with his 2600 on Journey. Colin Towns went to town (ha ha) on his 2600 on Ian Gillan Band’s outstanding Clear Air Turbulence album. Yep, easily rivals Moogs any day. |
Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 10:49
Cool shot. I don't think Banks ever toured with a 2600, but I could be wrong...anyone know for sure? Klaus obviously toured with one, the real trick was how he kept it from falling off his synth tower   ------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 12:23
I don't have any actual live pic but this was Banks rig in 1978: Left ARP 2600 on top of the Mellotron M400, center, the ARP keyboard on top of the Hammond T102, right a Polymoog atop a Yamaha CP70 Electric Grand Piano.  |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 12:26
And unless I'm wrong the synth on his right is an ARP Odyssey Mk II. |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 13:04
Baba O'Riley and also Won't Get Fooled Again
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 13:07
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The ARP-synth intro here is legendary. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vqNkMnLD_uE" rel="nofollow - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vqNkMnLD_uE -------------
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Posted By: The.Crimson.King
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 13:13
Oh ya, I recognize that shot! Just dug out my old July '78 issue of "Contemporary Keyboard" with Tony as the cover story (and a Gary Brooker interview). Forgot all about that interview. I also still have the Oct '77 issue with Emo on the cover and the May/June '76 issue featuring a cool interview with Kerry Minnear. Anyway, according to the TB interview: Q: How has your instrumentation changed since the Wind & Wuthering tour? TB: I've also started using the ARP 2600 on stage, instead of the ARP Pro Soloist. I was feeling that I couldn't go much further with the Pro Soloist. With only 1 oscillator I was too limited in the kinds of sounds I could get. With the 2600, in the context of the quick-change kinds of things that I do, I tend to stick with certain sounds and work around them. I haven't got time to set up changes that are really complex. I really have to vary things that are simple aspects of the synthesizer. Q: Specifically, what tone colors are you working around on the 2600? TB: Well, a lot of things that I have to do involve having to imitate what I used to do on the Pro Soloist. Now, using two oscillators, I can get a much fatter sound. I don't know. I've never been keen on resonance 'wow' sounds. I prefer sustained things, but there is a whole range of tones that I use. Later TB says he had his 2600 modified: "What's been added lets me add octaves or thirds or fifths to whatever each of the oscillators is putting out. There's also a phase locking device that can work either between the 1st and 2nd oscillators or the 1st and 3rd, or all 3. I've had a couple of extra low frequency oscillators added for vibrato effects, too." Interesting to me that he replaced the Pro Soloist with a 2600. Fatter synth solo voice for sure, but an odd choice since the 2600 had no aftertouch which he relied heavily on with the Pro Soloist. I'm sure that's why he added the 2 LFO's for vibrato. Unfortunately he doesn't mention how he engages them because on the Pro Soloist it was aftertouch controlled allowing him to easily play solos with vibrato one handed. I wonder if he controlled those custom 2600 LFO's with a pedal? Oh well, guess we'll never know
------------- https://wytchcrypt.wixsite.com/mutiny-in-jonestown" rel="nofollow - Mutiny in Jonestown : Progressive Rock Since 1987 |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 17:04
Hit me again!! ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: January 10 2019 at 17:05
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Btw, was Jan Hammer playing with Al that night? ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: January 12 2019 at 09:17
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Dug out a few shots of the BUSKER set up.  In the studio^  On Stage^  On Stage^
------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 12 2019 at 22:50
WOW!! Very impressive, thanks for sharing!! ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: January 12 2019 at 22:57
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I'm surprised that nobody mentioned the ARP String Ensemble keyboard yet!! These became very popular, as they were much lighter than the 'tron and less expensive!! Apparently it used a type of electronic organ with chorus, and it didn't give the lush string/brass sound of the Mellotron, but was adequate for many bands. It also was a fixture in the evolving disco sound as I recall. They were fun to noodle around on! https://encyclotronic.com/synthesizers/arp/string-ensemble-r184/" rel="nofollow - https://encyclotronic.com/synthesizers/arp/string-ensemble-r184/ ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: January 13 2019 at 01:10
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Great pics there with that 2600 ! Indeed we had not mentioned the String Ensemble, the most successful of the string machines.
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: January 13 2019 at 07:55
Other keys included Hammond D with full bass pedals, Clavinet, Mini Moog, RMI Electric Piano (eventually replaced with Yamaha CP-70 electric baby grand) and a Celesta. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: Davesax1965
Date Posted: January 13 2019 at 08:09
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Pretty sad news. I've used ARP's before (not a 2600,I hasten to add - played Odysseys before in the early 80's - the 2600 and 2500 were a pretty interesting design. (The Odysseys were as well, as well as the ARP Axxe). I didn't realise how interesting they were until I started getting into how analogue synths work, but a lot of the designs employed some very unusual ideas. Rumour has it that Behringer will be bringing out a 2600 clone some time, hopefully with the 1601 sequencer, which as a personal favourite. A lot of older synths are (highly) overrated, by the 2600 is a classic. Not worth the ludicrous prices second hand ones go for now, but then again, that's very true of a lot of "vintage" gear. As a PS, comparing a 2600 with a lot of Moog gear makes no sense. You have a modular on one hand and a normalised synth on the other (with some limited patching abilities). Different animals. ------------- |
Posted By: davedvd
Date Posted: January 29 2019 at 04:53
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8moLeZCz7M" rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8moLeZCz7M Patrizio Fariselli (Area). I'm pretty sure that's the only synth he played back in the days, along his Rhodes electric piano. Demetrio Stratos would play Hammond Organ parts.
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