ARP 2600 by ARP Instruments, Inc.
Synthesis type:		Analog subtractive
Polyphony:		Monophonic
Oscillators:		3
Multitimbral:
VCF:		1 24dB/oct. low-pass
VCA:		ADSR or AR
LFO:		1
Keyboard:		49 keys
Left hand control:
External control:		CV/Gate
Memory:		none
Onboard effects:		Spring reverb
Produced:		1970 - 1981
Original price:

The ARP 2600 was semi-professional before being made popular. Semi-modular monophonic patch-cable synthesizer marketed by ARP Instruments, Inc. that competed directly against the first professional modular Moog synthesizers during the early 1970s. Unlike other modular systems of the time which required one to pick and choose modules which had to be mounted inside a case and wired together, the 2600 was semi-modular with a fixed selection of basic synth modules internally pre-wired and ready to go. Most of these connections can be bypassed with patch-cords and clearly labeled patch-points. This made the 2600 more user-friendly, portable and easier to create sound with. A picture of the ARP 2600 Blue Meanie. Picture obtained from http://www. ... ARP Instruments, Inc. ... Synthesis (from the Greek words syn = plus and thesis = position) is commonly understood to be an integration of two or more pre-existing elements which results in a new creation. ... An analog synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. ... Subtractive synthesis is a method of sound synthesis characterised by the application of an audio filter to a source signal. ... Polyphony is the property of an electronic musical instrument which describes how many notes it can sound at one time. ... Monophonic can mean: In music, see: Texture (music). ... Oscillation is the periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure as seen, for example, in a swinging pendulum. ... Often used in the realm of digital keyboard synthesisers, an instrument that is multitimbral is one which allows you to combine several voices or timbres at the same time. ... A voltage-controlled filter is a signal processing device in a modular analog synthesizer positioned after the oscillator. ... A low-pass filter is a filter that passes low frequencies well, but attenuates (or reduces) frequencies higher than the cutoff frequency. ... A voltage-controlled amplifier is an electronic amplifier that varies its gain depending on a control voltage (often abbreviated CV). ... An ADSR envelope is a parameter used in synthesizers, including those that produce sound by subtractive synthesis, to control the sound produced. ... Low frequency oscillaton, often abbreviated to LFO, is a term that predominantly refers to an audio technique specifically used in the production of electronic music. ... The layout of a typical musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers on a musical instrument which cause the instrument to produce sounds. ... Control Voltage, sometimes referred to as CV or CV/Gate is a method of controlling analog synthesizers and drum machines made prior to the use of MIDI for automated control. ... When sound is produced in an enclosed space multiple reflections build up and blend together creating reverberation or reverb. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waveforms The modular synthesizer is an early type of synthesizer consisting of separate modules which must be connected by wires to create a so called patch. ... Monophonic can mean: In music, see: Texture (music). ... A classic FM synthesizer, the Yamaha DX7. ... ARP Instruments, Inc. ... Bob Moog Dr Robert A. Moog (born May 23, 1934) is the inventor of the Moog synthesizer. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

A few versions of the 2600 were produced during its lifetime throughout the 1970s. They are all a little bit different, some changes due to instability issues, some due to legal issues, and some for cosmetic reasons.

The 2600 arguably was made popular by The Who. The band's leader, Pete Townshend, heavily used synthesizers on the album Who's Next. Radio staples like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" were structured around a synthesizer. The Who is a British rock band of 1960s and 1970s fame. ... Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (born May 19, 1945 in Chiswick, London) is an influential British rock guitarist and songwriter best known for his work with The Who. ... Whos Next is an album by The Who. ... Baba ORiley is a song written by Pete Townshend for his Lifehouse project, a rock opera which was to be the follow-up to The Whos 1969 opera, Tommy. ... Wont Get Fooled Again is a rock song performed by the British rock band The Who and composed by band member Pete Townshend. ...

Who Played It?

The following is a partial list of artists who have played the ARP 2600:

• 808 State
• Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream
• Paul Bley
• Michael Boddicker
• Arthur Brown
• Richard Burgess
• Chemical Brothers - used on Dig Your Own Hole
• Vince Clarke
• Mike Cotten with the Tubes
• Steve Cunningham
• Mickie D
• Jack Dangers of Meat Beat Manifesto
• Elemental
• Depeche Mode
• Electronic Dream Planet
• John Entwistle & Pete Townsend of The Who
• Brian Gascoigne
• Miquette Giraudy with Gong
• Roger Glover of Deep Purple
• Herbie Hancock
• Steve Hillage
• John Hollis
• Steve Howell
• Jackson Five - used on Rock Me and others
• Bob James
• Jean Michel Jarre
• (M)ercurey
• Brian Kehew and Roger Manning of The Moog Cookbook
• Praga Khan of the Lords of Acid
• Joy Division
• Klaus Shultz
• Kool and the Gang
• Metro LA
• Steve Levine
• John Lennon
• Lightwave
• Dave Macrea
• Tony McPhee
• Daniel Miller
• Kaus Netzie
• Nine Inch Nails
• Nitzer Ebb
• John McEntire of Tortoise
• Mike Oldfield
• Orbital
• Steve Pocaro
• Roger Powell
• PiL - "Flowers of Romance"
• Rebirth
• Steve Roach
• Phil Sawyer
• The Shamen
• Skinny Puppy
• Thighpaulsandra
• Ultravox
• Ian Underwood for Frank Zappa
• Underworld
• Vince Welnick with the Tubes
• Edgar Winter - "Frankenstein"
• Stevie Wonder
• Xpando
• Joe Zawinul - usually played two with Weather Report (one for each hand)
• Zim Zum of Marilyn Manson

808 State are a British electronic music outfit formed in 1988 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine. ... Tangerine Dream is a German group that specializes in electronic music (the band dislikes the term New Age often used for a certain type of instrumental music) founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. ... The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo, comprised of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. ... Depeche Mode is a synth rock band from the town of Basildon, England, originally founded in 1980. ... John Alec Entwistle (October 9, 1944 – June 27, 2002) was the bass guitar player for The Who. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Who is a British rock band of 1960s and 1970s fame. ... This article is about the rock group. ... Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is a jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, USA. Hancock is one of jazz musics most important and influential pianists and composers. ... The cover to the Jackson 5s first LP, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, released on Motown Records in 1969. ... Jean-Michel André Jarre (born August 24, 1948) is a French composer of electronic music. ... Moog Cookbook is the name of an electronica band made up of Brian Kehew and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. ... Joy Division were a rock band formed in 1977 in Manchester. ... John Winston Lennon (later John Winston Ono Lennon) (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980) was best known as a singer, songwriter, poet and guitarist for the British rock band The Beatles. ... Nine Inch Nails (abbreviated as NIN and typeset as NIИ) is a critically and commercially successful American band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1988 by Trent Reznor. ... Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, guitarist, singer and satirist. ... Edgar Winter album cover Edgar Winter (born December 28, 1946 in Beaumont, Texas) is an American musician who had significant success in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Stevie Wonder (born May 13, 1950) is an African-American singer, songwriter, producer, musician, humanitarian and social activist. ... Joe Zawinul Josef Erich Zawinul (born July 7, 1932 in Vienna, Austria) is a jazz keyboardist and composer. ... Weather Report was an influential jazz fusion band of the 1970s and 1980s. ... This article is about the band Marilyn Manson. For its lead singer of the same name, see Marilyn Manson (person). ...

External links

• Synth Museum
• Vintage Synth Explorer