[sdiy] ot: search for pioneers of electronic music

[Steve Begin]

There's a compilation called "The Early Gurus of Electronic Music" that has
tracks from as early as the 30's, very interesting although it doesn't give
you much background info.

if you want, i can send you a tracklist.
-steve


----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Daniel" <ensign7 at e-scape.net>
To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>; "Czech Martin"
<Martin.Czech at micronas.com>
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2003 6:42 PM
Subject: [sdiy] ot: search for pioneers of electronic music


> >I'm interested to hear about electrnoic music pioneers...
>
> >Local historiography of course assumes the local heros to be the first.
>
> At the end of WWII, the National Research Council of Canada sent some off
to research aerodynamics, jet engines, analog computers...
>
> One of the analog computer geniuses, Hugh Lecaine, was given grants to
design and build electronic music instruments. Perhaps Canada was tired of
war, and had this weird idea that art and culture were more imprortant. Or
maybe he just didn't fit into the new cold war ideals.
>
> Dr. Lecaine had his own ideas to work on, like tube oscillator banks to do
formant synthesis. Or his precursor to the Mellotron.
>
> It has been suggested that Dr. LeCaine was the first to use voltage
control for music.
>
> I used to work with his machines, and the neatest was the Poly. Individual
oscillators for each key, and a 'tear drop' optical amplitude dynamic
arrangement. Built in 1962.
>
> His machines are now in storage at the Museum of Science and Technology in
Ottawa.
>
> I started electronic music in 1973, the year Dr. LeCaine passed away.
Never got to meet him.
>
> But he's the Great Canadian Pioneer of Electronic Music.
>
>
>
> Keith Daniel
>
>
>
>
>