Fairlight-CMI

Hello All,

Colin, thank you for setting up a goup for Fairlight. I was checking on the off 
chance Yahoo had a group and was happy to see this one!

I am the proud owner of a Series III. I lusted after these in the 80's, first the IIx 
and then the III when it was relesaed. Of course, at the price, there was no 
way I'd ever have been able to get one at that time.

I've had it roughly two weeks and am happily learning it, exploring it, playing 
it. I am a bit surprised, it is not nearly as difficult a system as I thought it would 
be. Though far from simple, it is nice to see how user friendely it is for such a 
complex system. 

Have been away from music for a while. When I saw this Fairlight on eBay last 
month, I couldn't let it pass by after wanting one for so many years. It's now got 
me wanting to start making some music again. It's just a pleasure to sit at and 
play.

Just wanted to post a Hello! Hope you dopnt mind a beginner with this system 
hanging around?

Long Live the Fairlight!

Jerry

Hi Jerry
It's a pleasure having you as a member and anyone with a Fairlight is more
than welcome to join this group, beginner or expert. I set the group up for
people who own a CMI or even who use to own a Fairlight and to help and
share experiences. Members can have an interest on any of the Fairlight
range past or present.
I seen the one on eBay, well there was two in the last month to six weeks so
one off them was yours, excellent. The instrument is great when you get used
to it and that doesn't take long. (however you do learn something new every
day, even if it's a shortcut that you didn't know) I have Hans Zimmer's
Series III with a rare 24 channel router which was I think was designed for
the MFX in mind. I have a problem with corrupt software at the moment which
I must reinstall (this should fix the problem.) With a heavy work load
recently I've never got round to fix it. Hopefully this week. The picture of
the Fairlight on the groups files is Tom Bailey's of the Thompson Twins.
Howard Jones also used it on his second album and tour, he rented it  from
Tom. It then was own by Martin from 808 State who sold it to a collector who
use to fix and service CMI Fairlight's for all the big names. I bought it
from him. I just love to know the history of something like this as you
listen the tracks they were on and take pride that you now own a piece of
pop history. I get the same feeling with my Linn LM1 which belonged to
Martin Rushent's and Phil Oakley. Martin produced The Human League first two
albums. I still hear songs from these albums all the time on the radio and I
also have the albums from when they were released. In a modern studio the
LM1 sound even better and so does the Fairlight. The Fairlight Series III is
in my view a very under rated instrument as what you can do with it is
unbelievable. If someone from a product manufacture like Steinberg looked at
the principle of this instrument and made a modern hardware version. I think
with they would storm the market. Say a keyboard with a built in IBM
computer, drives, PS2 mouse + keyboard and a SVGA port for a TFT or maybe a
built in TFT screen as these are becoming so cheap to buy. A built in synth
and VST plug in availability, 32 track sequencer, sampler and effects. With
technology advances since the 80's and the early 90's this would be easy to
manufacture and it would stop a company like Steinberg losing tens of
millions to software piracy. With technology today it would be such a
powerful musical instrument. It would not sound probably as good as a Series
II, IIx or III though.
Jerry do sit down a make music with it you won't regret it.
Thanks for the email and hope to hear from you soon,
Long live the Fairlight!
Best and kind regards,

Colin


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry" <coasterdude02149@yahoo.com>
To: <Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 10:40 PM
Subject: [Fairlight-CMI] New Owner Sereis III


> Hello All,
>
> Colin, thank you for setting up a goup for Fairlight. I was checking on
the off
> chance Yahoo had a group and was happy to see this one!
>
> I am the proud owner of a Series III. I lusted after these in the 80's,
first the IIx
> and then the III when it was relesaed. Of course, at the price, there was
no
> way I'd ever have been able to get one at that time.
>
> I've had it roughly two weeks and am happily learning it, exploring it,
playing
> it. I am a bit surprised, it is not nearly as difficult a system as I
thought it would
> be. Though far from simple, it is nice to see how user friendely it is for
such a
> complex system.
>
> Have been away from music for a while. When I saw this Fairlight on eBay
last
> month, I couldn't let it pass by after wanting one for so many years. It's
now got
> me wanting to start making some music again. It's just a pleasure to sit
at and
> play.
>
> Just wanted to post a Hello! Hope you dopnt mind a beginner with this
system

> hanging around?
>
> Long Live the Fairlight!
>
> Jerry
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Fairlight-CMI-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the welcome! I'm sure I'll need some help at some point. At the 
moment, I'm having a hard time figuring out if I can set sustain for a voice or if 
this is only available on a sub-voice. I don't own a sustain pedal and I'd like a 
piano voice to sustain a bit. Any help on that? I've found I can usually figure 
things out in short order but this has me stumped. 

You're right, it really doesn't take long to learn the instrument although I know 
I've barely cracked the surface but for the short time I've had it, I feel I'm doing 
pretty good, not having to refer to the manual every time I touch it. 

24 channel you have huh? NICE! Have any of your sound cards needed 
repair? It seems to be a fairly rugged instrument. I had never imagined that all 
this time after the fact, they'd still be going strong. All of my sound cards are 
working just fine-luckily! 

 Hope you get your software problem straightened out. I had wanted to test my 
floppy drive to see if it was ok but I do not know how to access a floppy. Not 
sure if I can give a directory command for it? Couldn't be too much different 
than reading off a tape but I don't want to try it without knowing exactly what I
I'm doing.

Have some fond memories of the Thompson Twins and Howard Jones when I 
was in my teens although I didn't learn till later they were Fairlight users. I 
have been into Mike Oldfield for many years. I hold him in the HIGHEST 
regard. As a musician, he is God-like to me.  His ideas, his scores, his 
expression, his sound design just hit me like nobody ever has. Wonderful 
music to  pour an Absinthe, put a pair of headphones on, sit in candlelight and 
let the music take you over.  I had read his liner notes and didn't really take 
much notice to his credit of "Fairlight C.M.I."  at the time.

It wasn't until I heard Kate Bush's album The Dreaming that I was ' properly 
introduced' to the Fairlight. She had used it a bit on Never Forever but she 
had her own by the time she worked on The Dreaming and I took notice. 
That's when I began to search out what this Fairlight business was.  Was also 
a big fan of Peter Gabriel's but what Kate did with it was mind boggling to me. 
By the time she put out Hounds Of Love, I was hooked and desperately 
wanted a Fairlight. Of course, I was 16 or 17 and at the price of it, it wasn't 
ever going to happen. 

So I'd sit and listen to Mike Oldfield-his use of the Series III on Islands is 
outstanding, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Jean Michel Jarre who also blows 
me away with his use of it and dream of what it would be like to have my own.

Now, 17 or so years later I do have my own and am proud. Still have to pinch 
myself every morning when I wake up and see it sitting there. 

Have only heard about the Linn drum machine. Again, Kate Bush credits it. 
My experience with drum machines is limited, I have a Roland TR 505 (I think, 
it's in the attic). I recorded a bit with it but the drums in the Fairlight sound 
explosive in comparison so not much chance of me getting out the Roland 
now.

You mentioned in a modern studio, the Fairlight would sound even better 
now. I still hear some Fairlight sounds but it seems nobody credits it anymore. 
Wonder why? I think you're hard pressed to get a richer or warmer sound in 
the digital world we live in today?!  That's one thing that still amazes me, with 
the advancement of technology, nothing I've heard can match that classic 
Fairlight sound. That sound just feels comforting, like going home and curling 
up under a favourite blanket. 

  
> Jerry do sit down a make music with it you won't regret it.

Oh I do plan on it!   Just have to get back up to speed, it's been quite a while 
since I've played seriously but I'm doing it again. To be one of the lucky few 
who will ever own one of these, I plan to use it. We are a privileged few. What 
was there only something like 700 of these ever produced in the entire run of 
the CMI?

Best Regards,

Jerry

Hi Jerry again
This is just a quick email I'll email you later as my good lady is calling
me for my dinner.
to get the floppy drive to work type      f0 (then push the SET button)
Series III approx 280 were made with about 210 approx still working. there
is a thin line with this figure as quite a few were upgraded to the MFX.
Some say that only 150 - 160 were made
The 24 channel router is still 16 tracks but 24 note poly not like the
standard 16 tracks and 16 poly. It's a single card with 3* 25pin Sub D
connectors.
Have to go speak to you later'
Best regards

Colin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jerry" <coasterdude02149@yahoo.com>
To: <Fairlight-CMI@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 2:06 AM
Subject: [Fairlight-CMI] Re: New Owner Sereis III


> Hi Colin,
>
> Thanks for the welcome! I'm sure I'll need some help at some point. At the
> moment, I'm having a hard time figuring out if I can set sustain for a
voice or if
> this is only available on a sub-voice. I don't own a sustain pedal and I'd
like a
> piano voice to sustain a bit. Any help on that? I've found I can usually
figure
> things out in short order but this has me stumped.
>
> You're right, it really doesn't take long to learn the instrument although
I know
> I've barely cracked the surface but for the short time I've had it, I feel
I'm doing
> pretty good, not having to refer to the manual every time I touch it.
>
> 24 channel you have huh? NICE! Have any of your sound cards needed
> repair? It seems to be a fairly rugged instrument. I had never imagined
that all
> this time after the fact, they'd still be going strong. All of my sound
cards are
> working just fine-luckily!
>
>  Hope you get your software problem straightened out. I had wanted to test
my
> floppy drive to see if it was ok but I do not know how to access a floppy.
Not
> sure if I can give a directory command for it? Couldn't be too much
different
> than reading off a tape but I don't want to try it without knowing exactly
what I
> I'm doing.
>
> Have some fond memories of the Thompson Twins and Howard Jones when I
> was in my teens although I didn't learn till later they were Fairlight
users. I
> have been into Mike Oldfield for many years. I hold him in the HIGHEST
> regard. As a musician, he is God-like to me.  His ideas, his scores, his
> expression, his sound design just hit me like nobody ever has. Wonderful
> music to  pour an Absinthe, put a pair of headphones on, sit in
candlelight and
> let the music take you over.  I had read his liner notes and didn't really
take
> much notice to his credit of "Fairlight C.M.I."  at the time.
>
> It wasn't until I heard Kate Bush's album The Dreaming that I was '
properly
> introduced' to the Fairlight. She had used it a bit on Never Forever but
she
> had her own by the time she worked on The Dreaming and I took notice.
> That's when I began to search out what this Fairlight business was.  Was
also
> a big fan of Peter Gabriel's but what Kate did with it was mind boggling
to me.
> By the time she put out Hounds Of Love, I was hooked and desperately
> wanted a Fairlight. Of course, I was 16 or 17 and at the price of it, it
wasn't
> ever going to happen.
>
> So I'd sit and listen to Mike Oldfield-his use of the Series III on
Islands is
> outstanding, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Jean Michel Jarre who also blows
> me away with his use of it and dream of what it would be like to have my
own.
>
> Now, 17 or so years later I do have my own and am proud. Still have to
pinch
> myself every morning when I wake up and see it sitting there.
>
> Have only heard about the Linn drum machine. Again, Kate Bush credits it.
> My experience with drum machines is limited, I have a Roland TR 505 (I
think,
> it's in the attic). I recorded a bit with it but the drums in the
Fairlight sound
> explosive in comparison so not much chance of me getting out the Roland
> now.
>
> You mentioned in a modern studio, the Fairlight would sound even better
> now. I still hear some Fairlight sounds but it seems nobody credits it
anymore.
> Wonder why? I think you're hard pressed to get a richer or warmer sound in
> the digital world we live in today?!  That's one thing that still amazes
me, with
> the advancement of technology, nothing I've heard can match that classic
> Fairlight sound. That sound just feels comforting, like going home and
curling
> up under a favourite blanket.
>
>
> > Jerry do sit down a make music with it you won't regret it.
>
> Oh I do plan on it!   Just have to get back up to speed, it's been quite a
while
> since I've played seriously but I'm doing it again. To be one of the lucky
few
> who will ever own one of these, I plan to use it. We are a privileged few.
What
> was there only something like 700 of these ever produced in the entire run
of

> the CMI?
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Jerry
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Fairlight-CMI-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>