ARP Instruments, Inc. was an early electronic music company founded by Alan Robert Pearlman, best known for its line of synthesizers that emerged in the early 1970s. ARP closed its doors in 1981 for financial reasons. Electronic music is a term for music created using electronic devices. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History

Alan Pearlman was an engineering student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1948 when he foresaw the coming age of electronic music and synthesizers. He wrote: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is a private university located in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Electronic music is a term for music created using electronic devices. ... A synthesizer (or synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument designed to produce electronically generated sound, using techniques such as additive, subtractive, FM, physical modelling synthesis, phase distortion, or Scanned synthesis. ...

"The electronic instrument's value is chiefly as a novelty. With greater attention on the part of the engineer to the needs of the musician, the day may not be too remote when the electronic instrument may take its place ... as a versatile, powerful, and expressive instrument."

Following 21 years of experience in electronic engineering and entrepreneurship, Pearlman founded ARP Instruments in 1969 with US$100,000 of personal investment and a matching amount from investors. For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ...

Throughout the 1970s, ARP was the main competitor to Moog Music in the field of musically useful synthesizers. There were two main camps - the Minimoog players and the ARP Odyssey / ARP 2600 players - with most proponents dedicated to their choice, although some players chose to pick and chose between the two for specific effect, as well as many who dabbled with products produced by other manufacturers (in a similar manner to the ongoing PC versus Mac debate). The ARP 2500 was featured in the famous movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The ARP technician sent to install the unit, Phil Dodds, was cast as the musician who plays the alien tones on the synthesizer. The Moog Music logo Moog Music Inc. ... The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by David van Koevering and Robert Moog. ... The ARP Odyssey was an analog synthesizer introduced in 1972. ... The ARP 2600 was semi-professional before being made popular. ... While being one of the first personal computers, the Altair 8800 was considered a mere toy due its lack of abilities. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the film; for the a definition of the UFO related phenomenon, see Close encounter. ... Phil Dodds was a sound technician who appeared in the famous motion picture Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Working for ARP Instruments, Inc. ...

Famous clients

Some notable ARP users and endorsers include:

• Joe Walsh
• Conny Plank producer
• Robert Görl of Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft (DAF)
• Rick Wright of Pink Floyd
• Dennis DeYoung of Styx
• Bernhard Lloyd of Alphaville
• Pete Townshend of The Who
• Stevie Wonder
• Herbie Hancock
• David Bowie
• George Duke
• Chick Corea
• Dave Formula of the band Magazine
• Steve Hillage
• Tony Banks of Genesis
• Edgar Winter (on the rock classic Frankenstein)
• Billy Currie of Ultravox
• Jean Michel Jarre
• Joe Zawinul of Weather Report (who used two ARP 2600s - one for each hand)
• Danny Wolfers
• 4hero
• Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails
• D.S. Poe of MorissonPoe
• Jean-Luc Ponty
• Patrick Moraz of Yes
• Steven Spielberg used the ARP 2500 in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Joe Walsh (born November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist and rock musician who has had both a solo career and membership of bands such as the James Gang and the Eagles. ... Konrad Conny Plank (frequently spelled Planck) (born about 1943 in Austria, died December 18, 1987 in Cologne) was a record producer. ... DAF is an influential electropunk band from Düsseldorf, formed in 1978 featuring drummer/synth player Robert Görl, vocalist Gabi Delgado, guitarist W. Spelmans and bassist/keyboardist/saxophonist Chrislo Haas. ... Richard Wright, also known as Rick Wright (born July 28, 1945), is the keyboard player of Pink Floyd. ... Pink Floyd are a British rock band that earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their avant-garde progressive rock music. ... Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is a rock musician, best known as the vocalist, keyboardist, accordion player, and driving force of the band Styx. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alphaville is: A German music trio. ... Peter Dennis Blandford (Pete) Townshend (born May 19, 1945 in Chiswick, London), is an award winning English rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. ... The Who are an English rock band who first emerged in 1964. ... Stevie Wonder (born Steveland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Steveland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. ... Herbie Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an Academy Award and multiple Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Hancock is one of jazz musics most important and influential pianists and composers. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... George Duke (born 12 January 1946) is a piano and synthesizer pioneer. ... Chick Corea on the cover of sheet music book Chick Corea Collection Armando Anthony Chick Corea (born June 12, 1941) is a multiple Grammy Award winning American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer. ... Dave Formula, (born David Tomlinson), is a British keyboardist and film-soundtrack composer from Manchester, who played with the seminal post-punk band Magazine, and New Romantic ensemble Visage during the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s and in the world music band The... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Steve Hillage is a English musician, associated with the Canterbury scene, who has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s. ... (L–R) Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins, Tony Banks in November 2006, promoting the upcoming Turn It On Again tour Anthony George Tony Banks (born March 27, 1950) is an English songwriter, pianist/keyboard player, and guitarist. ... It has been suggested that Six of the Best be merged into this article or section. ... Edgar Winter (born December 28, 1946 in Beaumont, Texas) is an American musician who had significant success in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Billy Currie (born William Lee Currie on April 1, 1950 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England) is a musician known for keyboard, synthesizer, and violin work, primarily with the band Ultravox. ... Ultravox were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the early 1980s. ... Jean-Michel André Jarre (born August 24, 1948 in Lyon, France) is a French composer, performer and music producer. ... Josef Erich Zawinul (born July 7, 1932 in Vienna, Austria) is a jazz keyboardist and composer. ... Weather Report was a influential jazz fusion band of the 1970s and 1980s, pitting jazz with R&B, funk, and rock elements while still retaining an extremely high level of compositional and improvisational skills. ... Danny Wolfers AKA Legowelt History Legowelt is the name under which Danny Wolfers has released most of his music. ... 4 Hero is a musical group consisting of Mark Clair & Dennis McFarlane, aka Mark Mac and Dego. ... Michael Trent Reznor (born May 17, 1965) is an American musician, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. ... “NIN” redirects here. ... MorissonPoe is a rock band from Raleigh, North Carolina, currently signed to Nile Rodgers label, Sumthing. ... Grappelli (left) and Jean-Luc Ponty (right). ... Patrick Moraz Patrick Moraz (born June 24, 1948 in Morges, Switzerland) is a progressive rock keyboard player. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946)[1] is an American film director and producer. ... This article is about the film; for the a definition of the UFO related phenomenon, see Close encounter. ...

Product highlights

• 1970 - ARP 2500 (large and complex analog modular synthesizer, patched with a switch matrix, noted for its reliable tuning compared to competitors Moog and Buchla)
• 1971 - ARP 2600 (smaller, more portable analog semi-modular synthesizer, pre-patched and patchable with cables)
• 1972 - ARP Odyssey (pre-patched analog duophonic synthesizer, a truly portable performance instrument, a competitor of the Minimoog)
• 1972 - ARP Pro Soloist (small, portable, monophonic preset, aftertouch sensitive synthesizer)
• 1974 - ARP String Ensemble (polyphonic string voice keyboard manufactured by Solina)
• 1975 - ARP String Synthesizer (manufactured by Solina)
• 1975 - ARP Little Brother (keyboardless monophonic expander module)
• 1975 - ARP Omni (low-cost pre-patched analog synthesizer)
• 1975 - ARP Axxe (pre-patched single oscilator analog synthesizer)
• 1977 - ARP Omni 2 (low-cost pre-patched analog synthesizer)
• 1977 - ARP Avatar (an Odyssey module fitted with a guitar pitch controller)
• 1978 - ARP Quadra (4 microprocessor-controlled analog synthesizers in one)
• 1979 - ARP Sequencer (analog music sequencer)
• 1979 - ARP Quartet (polyphonic orchestral synthesiser not manufacted by ARP - just bought in from Siel and rebadged )
• 1980 - ARP Solus (pre-patched analog monophonic synthesizer)
• 1981 - ARP Chroma (microprocessor controlled analog polyphonic synthesizer - sold to CBS/Rhodes when ARP closed)

1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The ARP 2500, built from 1970 through the mid-70s, was ARPs first big synthesizer. ... An analog or analogue signal is any continuously variable signal. ... Sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waveforms The modular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer consisting of separate modules which must be connected by wires to create a so-called patch. ... Buchla & Associates is a manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, notably synthesizers. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... The ARP 2600 was semi-professional before being made popular. ... 6 or 15cm outside diameter, oil-cooled cables, traversing the Grand Coulee Dam throughout. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The ARP Odyssey was an analog synthesizer introduced in 1972. ... In synthesizers, capable of sounding two voices, or notes, at a time. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The ARP Pro Soloist was one of the first successful preset synthesizers. ... Monophonic can mean: In rrded audio, a monaural recording with only one channel. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... The ARP String Ensemble, produced by Solina from 1974 to 1981, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Solina String Synthesizer is a hybrid model which combined both the Solina String Ensemble and the ARP Explorer monophonic synthesizer. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The ARP Little Brother, produced from 1975 to 1977, is a keyboardless monophonic expander module, used with another ARP synthesizer. ... Monophonic can mean: In rrded audio, a monaural recording with only one channel. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The ARP Omni was a simple electronic keyboard which produced preset string sounds. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Axxe is a monophonic analog synthesizer created by ARP during the 1970s. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The ARP Avatar was a guitar-controlled synthesizer manufactured by ARP Instruments, Inc. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Specifications SOS Review Vintage Synth Sonicstate The ARP Quadra is an Omni, Odyssey and a few other Synths in one box. ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... In the field of electronic music, a sequencer was originally any device that recorded and played back a sequence of control information for an electronic musical instrument. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... The ARP Quartet was made by Siel as the Siel Orchestra. ... In music, the word texture is often used in a rather vague way in reference to the overall sound of a piece of music. ... Societa Industrie Elettroniche (SIEL) was an Italian company that made electronic organs and synthesizers in the 1980s. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... PDF Manual Sonicstate Vintagesynth The Solus is basically a slimmed down Odyssey Mk-2. ... Monophonic can mean: In rrded audio, a monaural recording with only one channel. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This instrument, eventually released by Fender as the Rhodes Chroma, was one of the early microprocessor-based Analog synthesizers. ... A microprocessor is a programmable digital electronic component that incorporates the functions of a central processing unit (CPU) on a single semiconducting integrated circuit (IC). ... In music, the word texture is often used in a rather vague way in reference to the overall sound of a piece of music. ...

External links

• The Rise and Fall of ARP Instruments (article from April 1983, Keyboard Magazine)
• http://www.roth-handle.nu/instruments/solina_string.html Films and pictures of the Arp Solina
• ARP Instruments at Synthmuseum.com
• Retrosound - ARP Odyssey and Solina String Ensemble pics and info
• Solina VSTi plugin