Rüdiger Lorenz (September 1, 1941 – January 31, 2000) was a German pharmacist and synthesist known for his large collection of analog synthesizers and his prolific output of albums featuring them.
History
Lorenz began his musical education with 5 years of piano lessons as a child, followed by playing guitar in local beat-bands in the 1960s. He became interested in electronic music when listening to records using the
Moog synthesizer
The Moog synthesizer ( ) is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer ...
at the end of the 1960s. In 1972, he built his first
Wersi
Wersi is a German manufacturer of electronic organs, keyboards, and pianos. It is named after the communes of Werlau and Simmern in Rhineland-Palatinate. They were used by organists such as Franz Lambert and Klaus Wunderlich.
The brand's cur ...
organ, followed by various amplifiers and effects boxes. In 1977, he constructed his first synthesizer from an
Elektor :''Elektor (ἠλέκτωρ) is also an ancient Greek name or epithet of the Sun, see Helios.''
''Elektor'', also known as ''Elektor Magazine'', is a monthly magazine about all aspects of electronics, originally published in the Netherlands as ''E ...
Formant kit. By the time of his death Lorenz's collection included 38 synthesizers, including three large self-built modular ones. In an interview with SYN fanzine he said his favorite instruments were Korg Polysix, Roland TR-808 and Roland Vocoder.
He was one of the pioneers of the
DIY movement, not only building his own synthesizers and effects but creating and distributing his own music label, Syncord Records.
After his death, the copyright was transferred to his son Tim Lorenz, who is DJ (Superdefekt/sdfkt.) and, just like his father, produces synthesizer-based electronic music. Furthermore, he has been part of the Liveband since 2005.
Discography
*1981 ''Queen of Saba'' (cassette)
*1982 ''Silver Steps'' (cassette)
*1982 ''Wonderflower'' (cassette)
*1983 ''Invisible Voices'' (LP)
*1983 ''Earthrise'' (compilation)
*1983 ''International Friendship'' (compilation with several other artists)(LP)
*1984 ''Southland'' (LP)
*1985 ''The last secret of Poseidon'' (LP)
*1987 ''Angaria'' (LP)
*1988 ''Morning of the world'' (LP)
*1990 ''Fata Morgana''
*1992 ''Pazifica''
*1992 ''Atoll''
*1993 ''Coral Sea''
*1993 ''Distant Blue'' (compilation with Stefan Reinert, Wilfried Müller, Michael Rauch)
*1994 ''Sibiria''
*1995 ''Taklamakan''
*1996 ''Congo''
*1997 ''Ozeana''
*1997 ''Personal Spirits 2'' (compilation)
*1998 ''Tropica''
*2015 ''The Syntape Years 1981-1983'' (compilation)
Tracks appear on
*1984 ''On-slaught No.5''
*1991 ''Syntonic Waves''
*1992 ''Syntonic Waves, Vol.2''
*1993 ''Syntonic Waves, Vol.3''
*1993 ''Tontraeger Fuer Synapsen Massage 01-02''
*1994 ''Syntonic Waves, Vol.4''
*1995 ''Syntonic Waves, Vol.5''
*1995 ''Schwingungen Radio Auf CD Nr. 7''
*1995 ''TFSM 01''
*1996 ''Syntonic Waves, Vol.6''
*1996 ''Mysterious Neighbour - The Mars Project Vol. II''
*1998 ''Schwingungen Radio Auf CD Nr. 40''
*1999 ''Schwingungen Radio Auf CD Nr. 45''
*2009 ''Electrounique Vol. 5''
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lorenz, Rudiger
Musicians from Rhineland-Palatinate
German keyboardists
German pharmacists
1941 births
2000 deaths