Today the ARP 2600 is definitely one of the most sought-after synths on the vintage market. Musicians needed an accessible way to use a synthesizer-something that could make a sound instantly, without any patch cables.Įven the sounds for R2D2 in the first generation Star Wars came from Ben Burtt’s idea to combine his voice with the ARP 2600’s various bleeping and blooping patches. If you wanted a huge sub-bass tone you could find exactly what you wanted, whirring pads were no problem and if you were looking for wooshing sound effects there was a way to patch it in. Most importantly, the ARP 2600 just sounded good. The idea came together when he figured out how to attach a long cable to the ARP 2600’s keyboard, making it possible for him to wear and play it while walking around on stage. On top of that, the ARPs popularity really took off when Tom Oberheim (another legendary synth engineer) engineered a keyboard that gave it duophonic functionality by independently controlling its two oscillators.Īdding the ability to play two different notes at once dramatically changed the synths applications and gave artists who loved the instrument more room to experiment.Įdwin Winter was also one of the first artists to use a “keytar” in his band with the song “Frankenstein”. Legendary artists like Stevie Wonder, Pete Townshend and Brian Eno were given a great interface to start experimenting with the synth’s sound design capabilities. Musicians who knew their way around a keyboard didn’t need to learn the ins and outs of synthesis to pick up the instrument and start experimenting-especially since the ARP came with a keyboard of its own that could be played like a keytar with an extended cable. Try LANDR Plugins.īecause the ARP 2600 came as a semi-modular pre-assembled synth that could make a sound without any patch cables applied-it was the most user-friendly synth on the market for its time. Get the tools to shape your sound with 30+ synths, instruments, effects and utilities plugins from industry leaders like Arturia, UJAM and more. This made it user-friendly for artists to simply sit down and start experimenting with melodies and sequences-before patching in new configurations. It was essentially the world’s first synth preset. The ARP 2600 was also one of the first commercially available synths that came with a pre-wired starter patch-meaning that you could simply turn on the synth and the keys would make a sound. The ARP 2600 is best known for its pioneering interface that featured a faceplate with visually connected sections that made it easier to understand and experiment with various patch cable configurations. ARP refers to the company’s namesake founder Allen R. The ARP 2600 is a modular, monophonic synthesizer that was manufactured by ARP Instruments in 1971. In this article, we’re going to explore the history of the legendary ARP 2600, explore its various sounds, patches and presets and explore some of the modern hardware and software options for incorporating this legendary synth into your sounds. So it’s no surprise that there are a handful of remakes and re-issues available on the market today-whether you want a hardware remake of the ARP 2600 or a software emulation, there’s definitely an option that’ll suit your budget. Learn about the beeps and boops behind everybody’s favorite drone this #maythe4th! #sounddesign #arp2600 #moviefacts #starwars #maythe4thbewithyou #producertok ♬ original sound – LANDRĮven today, the ARP 2600’s intuitive design, modular interface and the plethora of possibilities it offers to musicians and sound designers make it a sought-after piece for studios of all sizes. The ARP 2600 is responsible for some of the most iconic synth sounds in popular culture.įrom the oscillating and undulating synth sound of The Who’s “Who Are You”, to the sounds of R2D2 in the first generation of Star Wars-you’ll find the ARP 2600 used time and time again.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |