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Roland VP-330
The Roland VP-330 is a paraphonic ten-band vocoder and string machine manufactured by Roland Corporation from 1979 to 1980. While there are several string machines and vocoders, a single device combining the two is rare, despite the advantage of paraphonic vocoding, and the VP-330's synthetic choir sounds are unique. Despite the VP-330's electronic string and choir sounds being less realistic than those of the tape-based Mellotron, touring musicians used it as a lighter and more robust alternative. The Roland SVC-350 is a similar vocoder in rack-mount form designed to accept external inputs. Architecture In addition to vocoding and generating string sounds, the VP-330 can also play four different choir sounds, each of which uses four bandpass filters, shared from the same pool of seven total. Like Roland's other string machines of the era, such as the RS-202, it features a BBD-based ensemble effect that thickens the strings, and optionally the choirs and vocoder. Not ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment, and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on 18 April 1972. In 2005, its headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. It has factories in Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States. As of December 2022, it employed 2,783 people. In 2014, it was subject to a management buyout by its CEO, Junichi Miki, supported by Taiyo Pacific Partners. Roland has manufactured numerous instruments that have had lasting impacts on music, such as the Juno-106 synthesizer, TB-303 bass synthesizer, and TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. It was also instrumental in the development of MIDI, a standardized means of synchronizing electronic instruments manufactured by different companies. In 2016, ''Fact'' wrote that Roland had arguably had more influence on electronic music than any other company. History Background Roland founder Ikutaro Kakehashi had founded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
O Superman
"O Superman", also known as "O Superman (For Massenet)", is a 1981 song by performance artist and musician Laurie Anderson. The song became a surprise hit in the United Kingdom after it was championed by DJ John Peel, rising to number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1981. Prior to the success of this song, Anderson was little known outside the art world. First released as a promotional single, the song also appeared on her debut album '' Big Science'' (1982) and as part of her live album '' United States Live'' (1984). In the 1981 ''Village Voice'' Pazz & Jop poll, critics voted "O Superman" the best single of the year. Music In writing the song, Anderson drew from the aria "Ô Souverain, ô juge, ô père" ("O Sovereign, O Judge, O Father") from Jules Massenet's 1885 opera '' Le Cid'', that she had heard in the voice of tenor Charles Holland. The first lines ("O Superman / O Judge / O Mom and Dad") echo the aria. Susan McClary suggests in her book ''Feminine Endings'' that "O Sup ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isao Tomita
, often known simply as Tomita, was a Japanese composer, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music, and as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements. In addition to creating note-by-note realizations, Tomita made extensive use of the sound-design capabilities of his instrument, using synthesizers to create new sounds to accompany and enhance his electronic realizations of acoustic instruments. He also made effective use of analog music sequencers and the Mellotron, and featured futuristic science-fiction themes, while laying the foundations for synth-pop music and trance-like rhythms. Many of his albums are electronic versions and adaptations of familiar classical music pieces. He received four Grammy Award nominations for his 1974 album based on music by Claude Debussy, '' Snowflakes Are Dancing''. Biography 1932–1968: Early life and composing career Tomita was born in Tokyo and spent his early childhood with his father in C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Queen (band)
Queen are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1970 by Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), and Roger Taylor (Queen drummer), Roger Taylor (drums, vocals), later joined by John Deacon (bass). Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock, hard rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles, such as arena rock and pop rock. Before forming Queen, May and Taylor had played together in the band Smile (band), Smile. Mercury was a fan of Smile and encouraged them to experiment with more elaborate stage and recording techniques. He joined in 1970 and suggested the name "Queen". Deacon was recruited in February 1971, before the band released their Queen (Queen album), self-titled debut album in 1973. Queen first charted in the UK with their second album, ''Queen II'', in 1974. ''Sheer Heart Attack'' later that year and ''A Ni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield (born 15 May 1953) is an English retired musician, songwriter and producer best known for his debut studio album ''Tubular Bells'' (1973), which became an unexpected critical and commercial success. Though primarily a guitarist, Oldfield played a range of instruments, which included keyboards and percussion, as well as vocals. He had adopted a range of musical styles throughout his career, including progressive rock, World music, world, Folk music, folk, Classical music, classical, Electronic music, electronic, Ambient music, ambient and new age music. Oldfield took up the guitar at age ten and left school in his teens to embark on a music career. From 1967 to 1970, he and his sister Sally Oldfield were a folk duo, the Sallyangie, after which he performed with Kevin Ayers. In 1971, Oldfield started work on ''Tubular Bells'' which caught the attention of Richard Branson, who agreed to release it on his new label, Virgin Records. Its opening was used in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Mansfield
Anthony Charles Mansfield (born 19 January 1955) is an English songwriter, musician and record producer. He first gained prominence as the frontman of the synth-pop band New Musik, which he formed in 1977. Throughout his career, Mansfield has been known for his innovative use of synthesizers and electronic production techniques, which helped shape the sound of early 1980s pop music. Early life Tony Mansfield was born in Wimbledon, London and grew up in Clapham, London, and attended Spencer Park School in Wandsworth. After leaving school, he worked briefly in the art department of Decca Records. In 1977, Mansfield formed the synth-pop band New Musik, serving as the lead vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, and primary songwriter. Early work Mansfield became best known as the main songwriter/producer for New Musik, a synthpop band that performed from 1979 to 1982. Following their debut hit single "Straight Lines" in 1979, the band had three further UK Top 40 hits in 1980 ("Thi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Cars
The Cars were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the New wave music, new wave Subculture, scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek (rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (lead guitar), Greg Hawkes (Keyboard instrument, keyboards) and David Robinson (drummer), David Robinson (Drum kit, drums). Ocasek and Orr shared lead vocals, and Ocasek was the band's principal songwriter and leader. The Cars were at the forefront of the merger of 1970s guitar-oriented rock with the new synthesizer-oriented pop that became popular in the early 1980s. Music critic Robert Palmer (American writer), Robert Palmer, writer for ''The New York Times'' and ''Rolling Stone'', described the Cars' musical style: "They have taken some important but disparate contemporary trends—Punk rock, punk minimalism, the labyrinthine synthesizer and guitar textures of art rock, the '50s rockabilly revival and the melodious terseness of power po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Greg Hawkes
Gregory A. Hawkes (born October 22, 1952) is an American musician who is best known as the keyboardist and founding member of the American new wave band the Cars. Hawkes is credited with helping popularize new wave and synth-pop in American popular music as a member of the Cars. Hawkes, a native of Fulton, Maryland, United States, attended Atholton High School where he played in a band called Teeth. He then attended Berklee College of Music for two years, majoring in composition and flute. He left to play in various bands, including Martin Mull#Discography, Martin Mull and his Fabulous Furniture, in which he played flute, saxophone, and clarinet. He also played in a band called Richard and the Rabbits, which included future Cars bandmates Ric Ocasek and Benjamin Orr. He was the last member to join the Cars. Hawkes was also in the New Cars with original Cars member Elliot Easton, along with vocalist/guitarist Todd Rundgren, bassist Kasim Sulton, and drummer Prairie Prince. In 201 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Foxx
John Foxx (born Dennis Leigh; 26 September 1948) is an English singer, musician, artist, photographer, graphic designer, writer, teacher and lecturer. He was the original lead singer of the New wave music, new wave band Ultravox, before leaving to embark on a solo career in 1980 with the album ''Metamatic''. Primarily associated with Electronic music, electronic synthesizer music, he has also pursued a parallel career in graphic design and education. Andy Kellman of AllMusic described Foxx as an influential cult figure whose "detached, jolting vocal style inspired mainstream and underground artists across the decades". Early life and education Leigh was born in Chorley, Lancashire, England. His father was a coal miner and Boxing, pugilist, his mother a millworker. He was raised Catholic and educated at St Mary's Primary and St Augustine Secondary schools. Next he attended Harris College of Art in Preston, Lancashire, Preston and then the Royal College of Art in London. Durin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, achieving three UK number-one singles and seven US number-one singles as a solo artist. In total, his work with Genesis, other artists and solo resulted in more US top-40 singles than any other artist throughout the 1980s. His most successful singles from the period include "In the Air Tonight", "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)", "One More Night (Phil Collins song), One More Night", "Sussudio", "Another Day in Paradise", "Two Hearts (Phil Collins song), Two Hearts" and "I Wish It Would Rain Down". Born and raised in west London, Collins began playing drums at the age of five. During the same period he attended drama school, which helped secure various roles as a child actor. His first major role was the Artful Dodger in the West End ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vince Clarke
Vincent John Martin (born 3 July 1960), known professionally as Vince Clarke, is an English synth-pop musician and songwriter. Clarke has been the main composer and musician of the band Erasure since its inception in 1985, and was previously the main songwriter for several groups, including Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and the Assembly. In Erasure, he is known for his deadpan and low-key onstage demeanour, often remaining motionless over his keyboard, in sharp contrast to lead vocalist Andy Bell's animated and hyperactive frontman antics. Erasure have recorded over 200 songs and have sold over 28 million albums worldwide. Clarke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of Depeche Mode. Early life and influences Vincent John Martin was born on 3 July 1960 in South Woodford, Essex; he later moved to Basildon, Essex. He initially studied the violin and then the piano. Clarke's early musical influences included Sparks, Paul Simon, and Orchestral Manoeuv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio (abbreviated as ACR) are an English post-punk band formed in Greater Manchester in 1977 by Peter Terrell (guitar), Simon Topping (vocals, trumpet), Jez Kerr (bass guitar, vocals), Martin Moscrop (trumpet, guitar) and Donald Johnson (drums), with Martha Tilson (vocals) joining soon after. One of the first indie groups to draw heavy influence from funk as well as disco and Latin percussion, the band were among the first to debut on Tony Wilson's Factory Records in 1979 with "All Night Party", produced by Martin Hannett. During ACR's early years with Factory, they scored seven Top Ten UK independent releases, highlighted by "Flight" and "Waterline", and released five studio albums beginning with '' The Graveyard and the Ballroom'' (1980). Following late 1980s and early 1990s phases with A&M Records and Rob Gretton's independent Robs Records, ACR were intermittently active. They returned to the studio for their ninth studio album '' Mind Made Up'' (2008) and since ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
