The 'Optigan' and 'Orchestron'(1971)
The Optigan Corporations 'Optigan'
The Optigan was a novelty instrument built and marketed by the Optigam Corporation (a subsidiary of Mattel) in Compton, USA in the early 1970's. The unusual feature of the Optigan was its method of sound synthesis; the Optigan optically read graphic representations of waveforms from a series of 12" celluloid LP sized discs, hence the name Optigan - 'Optical-Organ'. The Optigan read the discs by passing a light beam through the transparent discs, the beam was interrupted or reduced by the shape of the printed waveform and picked up by a photoelectric cell causing a variable voltage which was in turn amplified and passed to the speakers.
The Optigan was essentially an optical sampler, the disks contained 57 loops of sounds which were recordings of real instruments, 37 of the loops were reserved for keyboard sounds ( with individual loops for each key) the other 20 loops being sound effects, rhythms etc. The celluloid discs were sold as a collection for Optigan owners and were mainly sustained organ sounds, as the continually spinning loops had no beginning or end it was impossible to create an attack or decay.
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"The Optigan Music Maker. The most revolutionary musical instrument ever. Because it's EVERY musical instrument. And every combination. You've never heard anything like it because there's never been anything like it. And you have all the talent you need in your little finger to play the OPTIGAN. The "soul" of the OPTIGAN is the Music Program Disc. Organs try to mimic or imitate different musical sounds. But with the OPTIGAN you actually play the real sounds of pianos, banjos, guitars, marimbas, drums and dozens more. The sounds are on the Programs. You choose the sounds you want -to play the songs you want- on our piano-style keyboard and left-hand accompaniment panel. And you choose from Classic guitar to old time Banjo Sing-Along to Nashville Country to Rock and Roll. It all depends on the Program and there's a Program for every musical taste." from the Optigan users manual |
The Optigan Corporation marketed the Optigan as a novelty home instrument for a number of years, selling the instrument in high street stores for as little as $150 and eventually passed on the business to the Miner Company in New York ( organ manufacturer) who continued to manufacture the instruments and discs under the company name of Opsonar. An unsuccessful 'professional' version of the machine was later marketed by a company called Vako under the name 'Orchestron', only about 50 were built and the company soon folded.
Some Optigan Disc Titles
Banjo Sing-Along
Big Band Beat
Bluegrass Banjo
Bossa Nova Style
Cha Cha Cha!
Dixieland Strut
Folk & Other Moods-Guitar
Gay 90's Waltz (6/8 time)
Gospel Rock
Guitar Boogie
Guitar in 3/4 Time
Hear and Now
Latin Fever
Nashville Country
Polynesian Village
Pop Piano Plus Guitar
Rock and Rhythm
The Blues-Sweet and Low
Waltz Time (3/4 Time)