ARP 2600: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 03:26, 9 December 2010
2600 | |
---|---|
Manufacturer | ARP Instruments, Inc. |
Dates | 1971-1981 |
Technical specifications | |
Polyphony | Monophonic |
Timbrality | Monotimbral |
Oscillator | 3 |
LFO | 1 |
Synthesis type | Analog Subtractive |
Filter | 1 24dB/oct. low-pass |
Attenuator | ADSR and AR |
Aftertouch expression | none |
Velocity expression | none |
Storage memory | none |
Effects | Spring reverb |
Input/output | |
Keyboard | 49 keys |
External control | CV/Gate |
The ARP 2600 is a semi-modular analog subtractive audio synthesizer, designed by Alan R. Pearlman (and Dennis Colin), and manufactured by his company, ARP Instruments, Inc. Unlike other modular systems of the time, which required modules to be purchased individually and wired by the user, the 2600 was semi-modular with a fixed selection of basic synthesizer components internally pre-wired. The 2600 was thus ideal for musicians new to synthesis due to its ability to be operated either with or without patchcords, and was, upon its initial release, heavily marketed to high schools, universities, and other educational facilities.
Three basic versions of the ARP 2600 were built during ARP's lifetime. The first, dubbed the "Blue Marvin", housed in a light blue/grey metal case, was assembled in a small facility on Kenneth Street in Newton Highlands, MA during ARP's infancy as a company. They were often mistakenly referred to as "Blue Meanies," but "Marvin" is the correct name as named after Arp's then CFO Marvin Cohen. Later ARP 2600s were built in a vinyl covered wood case and contained an imitation of Bob Moog's famous 4-pole "ladder" VCF, later the subject of an infamous, threatened (though ultimately nonexistent) lawsuit. Finally, in order to fit in with the black/orange theme of ARP's other synthesizers, the ARP 2600s were manufactured with orange labels over a black aluminum panel. The mid-production grey 2600 models featured many changes amongst themselves. Changes in circuitry and panel lettering provided at least three different grey panel models.
Alan R. Pearlman was just as innovative as a salesman as a synthesizer designer. He provided synthesizers to well-known musicians such as Edgar Winter, Pete Townshend, Stevie Wonder, and Herbie Hancock, each in exchange for his endorsement as a professional user.
The enduring popularity of the ARP 2600 has led to software companies such as Arturia and Way Out Ware releasing software emulations for use with modern music equipment such as MIDI devices and computer sequencers.
An ARP 2600 was used to create the voice of R2-D2 in the Star Wars movies.[1]
Notable players
The following is a partial list of artists who have used the ARP 2600:
- Kai Tracid
- BT
- Tony Banks
- 808 State
- Steve Miller Arp 2600's were used in all his big Hit albums in the 70's
- Ellen Allien
- Audiodream
- Emilie Autumn
- Soulwax
- Jim Baker
- Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream
- Jean-Jacques Birgé
- Paul Bley
- Michael Boddicker
- David Bowie
- Muse
- Cat Stevens
- Arthur Brown
- Richard Burgess
- Chemical Brothers - used on Dig Your Own Hole
- Vince Clarke
- Mike Cotten with The Tubes
- Steve Cunningham
- Paul Davis
- Mickie D
- Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto
- Depeche Mode (how has four of them)
- Denny Diante Producer
- Electronic Dream Planet
- Elemental
- Brian Eno
- John Entwistle and Pete Townshend of The Who
- Larry Fast - Synergy
- Filthy Dukes Twenty Six Hundred on the album Nonsense in the Dark is named after the synth
- Brian Gascoigne
- Miquette Giraudy with Gong
- Roger Glover of Deep Purple
- Herbie Hancock
- Steve Hillage
- John Hollis
- Steve Howell
- Garth Hudson
- Jackson Five - used on Rock Me and others
- Bob James
- Jean Michel Jarre
- Brian Kehew and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. of The Moog Cookbook
- Praga Khan of the Lords of Acid
- Joy Division
- Kool and the Gang
- Kraftwerk
- (M)ercurey
- Metro LA
- John Lennon
- Steve Levine
- Lightwave
- Dave Macrea
- John McEntire of Tortoise
- Tony McPhee
- John Medeski
- Daniel Miller
- Michael Miller
- Kaus Netzie
- Nine Inch Nails
- Nitzer Ebb
- Jim O'Rourke
- Mike Oldfield
- Orbital
- Bobby Orlando
- Craig Padilla
- Steve Porcaro
- Roger Powell
- PiL - "Flowers of Romance"
- Eliane Radigue
- Rebirth
- Steve Roach
- Merrilee Rush (1977 Self Titled United Artists LP)
- Phil Sawyer
- Klaus Schulze
- The Shamen
- Shpongle
- Todd Sines
- Matthew Skaggs
- Skinny Puppy
- Thighpaulsandra
- U2 on the album Pop
- Ultravox
- Ian Underwood for Frank Zappa
- Underworld
- Patrick Vian
- Vince Welnick with The Tubes
- VNV Nation
- Willie Obst
- Wilco - "Spiders (Kidsmoke)"
- Edgar Winter - "Frankenstein"
- Stevie Wonder
- Xpando
- Adam Young (Owl City)
- Allan Zavod
- Joe Zawinul - usually played two with Weather Report (one for each hand)
- Zim Zum of Marilyn Manson
- David Hentschel for Elton John
- Leo Flavum
- François Lafontaine of Karkwa
References
External links
- Vintage Synth Explorer
- SDIYcut (a cardboard model of the ARP 2600 can be found on that site)
- ARP 2600 Patch Diagram - Patch Diagram, useful for "saving" your patches
YouTube links
- "Block Civilization" - A stop-motion animation from Sesame Street utilizing the ARP 2600
- "Arp2600 Demo" - A YouTube demo of the 2600. Later episodes go into detail about building patches.