The Birotron: The Keyboard of the Future
October 1, 2007 12:14 PM Subscribe
In 1975, armed with a big pile of 8-track car stereos and a whole lot of moxie, Dave Biro set out to change the sound of rock music. He failed spectacularly. This is the fascinating and tragic story of one of the rarest instruments in rock music- The Birotron.
Even if you don't recognize the name, you've probably heard the Mellotron. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Kinks and countless others featured the unusual sounds of the keyboard on many of the most recognizable songs in rock music. However, despite the popularity of the Mellotron, it wasn't without it's flaws- heavy, bulky, slow, and- most important to this post- limited to 8 seconds of sound per key before the tapes which made up the sounds needed rewinding.
Dave Biro decided to improve upon the Mellotron, and by cramming all those 8-tracks in a case and wiring the whole mess together, he was able to create an instrument with virtually infinite sustain. Unfortunately, his timing was a bit off: 4 years after the first Birotron rolled off the line, the world's first polyphonic digital sampling synthesizer was introduced. That, plus some serious technical and quality control issues, was enough to kill off the Birotron after only a handful were made.
Even if you don't recognize the name, you've probably heard the Mellotron. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, The Kinks and countless others featured the unusual sounds of the keyboard on many of the most recognizable songs in rock music. However, despite the popularity of the Mellotron, it wasn't without it's flaws- heavy, bulky, slow, and- most important to this post- limited to 8 seconds of sound per key before the tapes which made up the sounds needed rewinding.
Dave Biro decided to improve upon the Mellotron, and by cramming all those 8-tracks in a case and wiring the whole mess together, he was able to create an instrument with virtually infinite sustain. Unfortunately, his timing was a bit off: 4 years after the first Birotron rolled off the line, the world's first polyphonic digital sampling synthesizer was introduced. That, plus some serious technical and quality control issues, was enough to kill off the Birotron after only a handful were made.
Personally, I think it wasn't the timing that was the problem. It was the Moxie.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:22 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:22 PM on October 1, 2007
No one should listen to that much Yes. Or any Rick Wakeman for that matter.
posted by sourwookie at 12:25 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by sourwookie at 12:25 PM on October 1, 2007
Personally, I think it wasn't the timing that was the problem. It was the Moxie.
Oh, please. "Moxie contains gentian root, which is the path to the good life." What more do you need?
No one should listen to that much Yes. Or any Rick Wakeman for that matter.
For the record, I agree with you 100%, sourwookie.
posted by 40 Watt at 12:27 PM on October 1, 2007
Oh, please. "Moxie contains gentian root, which is the path to the good life." What more do you need?
No one should listen to that much Yes. Or any Rick Wakeman for that matter.
For the record, I agree with you 100%, sourwookie.
posted by 40 Watt at 12:27 PM on October 1, 2007
Also, all the samples linked to from this page (which is linked to in the article, near the end) seem to be dead.
Any other sources for them?
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:27 PM on October 1, 2007
Any other sources for them?
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:27 PM on October 1, 2007
Here's a working link to the samples. Sorry, I should have caught that.
posted by 40 Watt at 12:31 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by 40 Watt at 12:31 PM on October 1, 2007
Great story. Digital has obviously brought us many great things, but analog is where the fun is. I once built a guitar amplifier entirely out of parts from Radio Shack ... even etched the circuit board myself. It sounded completely horrible, but damn if it didn't work, and that's really the point. Building it was way more fun than using it.
I see they still sell the kits at RS, but I wonder if this isn't a dying hobby.
posted by itchylick at 12:54 PM on October 1, 2007
I see they still sell the kits at RS, but I wonder if this isn't a dying hobby.
posted by itchylick at 12:54 PM on October 1, 2007
"i gave it a 72 dick. it's got a good beat and you can dance to it."
posted by quonsar at 1:26 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by quonsar at 1:26 PM on October 1, 2007
This is beautiful writing and a truly excellent post. That is not the sound I expected to hear. It's beautiful. I can't quite wrap my head around the idea that this was 1975. It's little wonder Biro thought his fortune was made.
I want more samples, very much. If anyone reading this ever comes across more and you think of it, would you let me know?
I would be grateful.
Thank you, 40 Watt. This made me very happy and rather broke my heart.
posted by melissa may at 3:23 PM on October 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
I want more samples, very much. If anyone reading this ever comes across more and you think of it, would you let me know?
I would be grateful.
Thank you, 40 Watt. This made me very happy and rather broke my heart.
posted by melissa may at 3:23 PM on October 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
Itchy, I was thinking as I read the article that there are probably a lot of analog multitrack 2-inch tape machines getting taken out of studios as digital takes over, and that one of those machines might make a pretty decent foo-o-tron with the right glue between it and a keyboard.
posted by oats at 3:46 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by oats at 3:46 PM on October 1, 2007
Other members of Yes still remember the Birotron, though without fondness; guitarist Steve Howe took revenge on the machine during one recording session by slipping a Seals & Crofts 8-track into the back of the Birotron’s tape set. Thus in mid-solo, instead of a diminished seventh chord, Wakeman would suddenly hear: We may never pass this way aaaa-gaaaain, We may n……
Ha!!!
posted by gimonca at 3:56 PM on October 1, 2007
Ha!!!
posted by gimonca at 3:56 PM on October 1, 2007
Great post, 40 Watt. I love early synth history and I had never heard of the Birotron. What a truly 70's kind of invention.
posted by doctor_negative at 4:38 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by doctor_negative at 4:38 PM on October 1, 2007
Mighty fine, 40watt, mighty fine. Great find, great post.
Small suggestion: add the musicalinstrument tag.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:51 PM on October 1, 2007
Small suggestion: add the musicalinstrument tag.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:51 PM on October 1, 2007
Oats: 2-inch tape machines are still very much in demand (and very spendy).
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:21 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:21 PM on October 1, 2007
If you've read this far, you may be interested in building your own Mellotron out of Walkmans! Via MusicThing, via Make zine...
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 10:26 PM on October 1, 2007
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 10:26 PM on October 1, 2007
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posted by Kadin2048 at 12:21 PM on October 1, 2007