Synthtopia » Computer Musical Instrument

Bob Moog Introduces The Fairlight CMI

synthhead — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:48:37 +0000

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Bob Moog demos the Fairlight CMI in 1983.

More below.

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via Tara Busch

30th Anniversary Fairlight CMI 30A Update

synthhead — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:02:56 +0000

Fairlight’s Peter Vogel shared more information on his 30th Anniversary Fairlight CMI 30A with Sonic State. From the sound of it, the new Fairlight Computer Musical Instrument is going to be expensive, hard to get and awesome.

According to Vogel:

The 30A will look like and perform like the original CMI, although the mainframe will be much lighter for portability. The look and feel of the user interface will also be similar to the original, with retro green on black graphics like the original. A replica of the original music keyboard will also be available as an option, or you can use your own MIDI keyboard.

The software will combine the very best of the early series II and III features, with a multitude of additional features. Sound quality of 8-bit, 16-bit, or “best quality” 36-bit floating point can be selected, and existing Fairlight users can import their entire sample libraries. Even better, non-Fairlight sounds, such as WAV files can be imported and specified to play back with the classic Fairlight sound.

Internally it will be all digital, but will use FPGA technology to provide “virtual hardware” emulation which will exactly model the original analog circuitry. There will be 16 analog outputs and a stereo sampling input.

Vogel plans a run of 100 units, which he expects to be available next year. Pricing is to be determined, but Vogel does not expect the cost to be competitive with other samplers.

Peter Vogel’s Fairlight Audio Archives

synthhead — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:39:06 +0000

Fairlight synthesizer creator Peter Vogel has posted his private collection of MP3s, featuring Fairlight demos, radio interviews and CMI pieces from the 80’s.

There are even a couple of recordings from the Fairlight CMI’s predecessor, the Qasar M8, designed by Tony Furse. The M8 did not use sampling, the sounds were generated by additive Fourier synthesis.

He calls the collection is personal Fairlight audio archives.

You can preview a few samples below, but check Peter’s site out!

The Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument is considered to have been the first polyphonic digital sampling synthesizer.

via DVDBorn