Clavioline Demonstration Analog Monosynth
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- čas přidán 8. 06. 2021
- Steve from Vintage Keys Studio demonstrates the Clavioline Concert. This all-tube instrument dates from 1958 and was renovated by Steve with help from Keith Knutton, a friend of the late, great Byron Elwell, from whom the instrument was originally purchased.
Mics used are Rode NT1A on the speaker cabinet
AKG C414 XLII (x2) on the piano
(We added a bit of plate reverb to the clavioline)
Music played includes snippets of Telstar by Joe Meek, Bach’s Brandenburg Concert No 3 Mvt 1 and the other music is (C) 2021 by Steve Christie.
Video and wonderful editing by the wonderful Louisa Revolta
Sound by Steve.
The copyright in this video and its sound recording is owned by Steve Christie / Vintage Keys Studio
vintagekeysstudio.com - Hudba
The Beatles' "Baby You're a Rich Man" brought me here. Excellent demonstration.
One of the best uses of the clavioline. They didn't go overboard using it on 'BYARM',..typical tasteful use of an exotic instrument by the Fabs.
Me too! Loved your demonstration! Thx!
Me too! Always loved that intro! And had no idea it was John rolling an orange over a clavioline
The same reason I'm here
What an hilarious sounding thing. Bach didn't know what he was missing.
I would personally say one of the most famous uses of this instrument is in the Telstar track from 1962. This is actually the reason I'm here! Wonderful video though, very interesting.
I'm checking out this video because of the Del Shannon - Runaway solo
Me too!!
Ahhhh thanks for that. Did not know
Various sources report that the Clavioline was used for the distinctive sitar-sounding parts in "Baby You're a Rich Man", by the Beatles. That's what brough me here.
Me too
I think the B sawtooth sound 2:14 was used for the "Screen Gems Presentation" end-title music in the early 70s
I will check this out, thanks!
I have one, but without the stand, the sounds from this machine are so great
Del Shannon brought me here. Kind of. What a really cool piece of kit, I wonder how many people tried to modify them when they were still a new thing.
Hello Steve, I loved that piano/clavioline version of Brandenburg Concert No.3 !!
Omg I came here only for Telstar, and got so much more thank you!
Cewl! Jack White played one on the White Stripes song "Icky Thump."
A most interesting and entertaining demonstration of the clavioline. A pioneering electronic instrument that was years ahead of its time.
13:15 Telstar heaven
This is a wonderful look at the Clavioline.
The sound is pretty cool, love the music you played with it. Now I want the Behringer version, or at least an iPad app, emulation 🙂
I really appreciate all the technical details you provide about it, as a retired electronics tech, and fellow synth geek.
Thanks for sharing, and best wishes for your continued success/fun with music 🎶🎹⚡
Thank you so much! :)
So, please play the solo to "Runaway"!!
Well now….we both listened to Carlos and I play the flip side of Telstar, Jungle Fever.
A simple song brain worm.
This video deserves more views. This is fascinating
Thank you for the post. I remember hearing it as a kid on AM radio but didn't know what it was. Really appreciate this.
Many thanks for your rendering of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 Allegro 14:04. I too was introduced to Bach through Walter (Wendy) Carlos in the early '70s. I still have two of those vinyl records.
Ahh thanks me too!
Fantastic small keyboard !
Vangelis used it a lot in 70's !
Thanks for this vid !
beautiful
wonderful insight into a beautiful machine
Awesome sound you've got there, Steve. Great video, Louisa. Thank you.
You are AMAZING !!!
Wow this thing can produce some pretty heavy bass tones. I want one!
Very fun. Gotta love old school tube gear.
Amazing! Just amazing!
Thanks a lot!
Lovely sound, beautifully demonstrated.
Many thanks!
A fantastic instrument and very portable too!
Very interesting. Keep up the good work.
Thank you!
I had fun. Thank you!
You lost a great opportunity to play the riff from Jerk It Out by Caesars Palace at 4:12. XD
Love your videos, man. I couldn't even imagine that something like this existed, even more so in 1958. Thanks for showing it to us with such passion and detail!
Great playing, and demonstration of the instrument. It had a lot of nice character. I liked the ‘bass clarinet’ type sounds you got out of the lower register especially.
Thank you very much!
that telstar sounds lovely! cheers
Thank you!
3:32 is reminding me of some of the live performances of “Any Colour You Like” by Pink Floyd
The musician most closely identified with the clavioline was the late great avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader and keyboard player Sun Ra. It's nice to see the demonstration and realize how Sun Ra got some of those spacey sounds on his records.
OK 😇 I liked & subscribed 😁 I restored part of the case and made a handle for one of these belonging to my mate Dave! it's designed to fit under the piano keyboard (But you never mentioned that!) P.s. Loved 'Switched on Bach' ❤
I too really enjoyed this video so many thanks 😊
I loved the little bit of Brandenburg at the end. Switched on Bach was what got me personally into classical and the reason why I wanted my piano teacher to teach me the two part inventions and wachet auf so bad
That’s great - yes. I remember at age 6 I didn’t realise the moog modular was monophonic and thought that there existed a synth that would let you play multiple lines using multiple timbres somehow
It's funny because I did the vice versa travel. In the early '70 I was totally into classic music and Switched on Bach (and clockwork orange too) was my bridge to contemporary prog rock music.
Your range of music is quite incredible and you are enjoyable to watch and listen to - hail Europeans (me: English Irish Scottish German French and Welsh so you tickle my fancy in your take on music my friend :)
Thank you very much! :)
Telstar was played on one.
Hi Steve, I think it's not an alligator or snake skin, but actually a "Galuchat" skin effect or maybe even an original. Galuchat is called "Shagreen" in English. It is shaved shark or ray skin and was a very prestigeous an luxurious item in the 20ies and 30ies.
I think you forgot tho mention that the shape of this instrument was made this way to make it fit under a piano keyboard so that the height of the Clavioline matches the height of the piano keyboard.
Anyway, I like your videos and your style very much. Keep going on, you do fine! Greetings from Paris
Thank you so much, Minos! I might have to write a piece of music called ‘Shaved Shark’ now you have told me this! All the best Steve
@@VintageKeysStudio Wonderful Idea. I won't ask for royalties.
The part where you play at the end of the video, made me say wow out loud a couple of times O=
Thank you!
Great "Switched-On Fart" segment!
I'm getting mine in one week. It also appears in the Giu' La Testa soundtrack - "Scherzi a parte". by Ennio Morricone. Thanks for the video. Does the reverb comes from the Clavioline... I think there was a version with a spring reverb. By the way, you've got a new suscriber!
That hilarious keyboard was a Runaway hit.
I liked and subscribed! Sounds lovely. Can you show the insides sometimes? I like to look under the hood and marvel at the designs and see all those unobtainable components from not so long ago.
Thanks very. We do sometimes… the clavioline is temperature and structurally sensitive (so once it works and sounds good, I like to leave it alone) - there will be photos of everything we fix soon in our members area upgrade
Given the time it was produced, pretty impressive.
The Footage Detectives, from The Talking Pictures Channel brought us here. They're talking about Journey into Space ✝️
Great!
It sounds like the old CBS tv "in color" bumper from the late 60s
I'll have to seek that out
Makes me think of educational films from the 70s.
Lived your Walter (Wendy) Carlos' piece from Switched on Bach
Loved
The famous lead in Del Shannon "Runaway!"
czcams.com/video/3EWs6WluQxs/video.htmlsi=5vdGYovnv_ZLDeFc
I'd always heard it stated definitively that it was a Clavioline in Telstar. I think the guy from The Moontrekkers, who used it on "Night of the Vampire", has it now. Also, there was "Runaway" by Del Shannon, which had a heavily modified synthesizer that apparently began life as an ordinary Clavioline.
Edit: Yeah, told ya. czcams.com/video/UBmZA8fzOLk/video.html
Thanks for fact checking! What an interesting watch.
Do you have any information or guess about how the Max Brook's synth worked, in the original version of "My Little Runaway" by Del Shannon? In particular, how he could do those glissandi that can be heard in the solo?
Cheers - I used to know but have become muddled so I will do some research and hopefully do a video based on this solo at some point soon! :)
@@VintageKeysStudio That would be wonderful!
Thanks I just discovered this instrument after a lifelong love affair with the intro to Baby You’re a Rich Man…
I think,though I may be wrong,that the unusual shape shape of the instrument would enable it to be situated under the keyboard of the piano.If that stand was lowered slightly,it would slide gently under the main keyboard.
Yes that’s correct! :)
The Hammond F100 sounds more like this and was used on the *Wild World of Animals* intro. I have an ebony 1955 Hammond S6 Hammond Necklace Reverb and AO-35 Reverb amp. It's a bit smoother and refined. I'll put a 1 wire switchable mod in the reply with link to the S6 schematic, which is from the way back machine. The Owners/ Service manual I have printed into a nice booklet. Glad I did because it disappeared. However the all important schematic is online. I'll photograph anything from the manual if you want if you need it. (mod in reply VVV )
Thanks very much - have you seen our S6 video? I have a service manual for that . I would like to see the ebony S6! - do you have a photo? :)
8:25 such clean pure tone... goodness ! and warm too from the capacitors...
Genuinely sounds like something you would spend like 5-15 grand reproducing today at least
sounds like the keyboard part of an ondes martenot
Some of the settings sound similar to a harpsichord to me, sans vibrato of course. The clarinet sounds are familiar but I can't place from what popular tunes. Maybe someone can help with that. For Del Shannon's "Runaway" the settings are vibrato I, Amplitude ON, 3 and 8. I THINK. LOL. Stealing those settings from another CZcams video I put on pause. :-D
FUN FACT: This keyboard was used by Kalyanji of the Kalyanji-Anandji duo for the famous snake music in 1954 Bollywood film, Nagin.
Brilliant’ i will have a watch!
I notice the name Selmer on the front, IMany many years ago I used to frequent a music store on Denmark Street London that was called Selmer, I wonder if the two are related.
Very definitely yes - Selmer imported lots of instruments and also I think were licensed to rebrand some stuff with their own name. I am sure someone on here will know more.
I have one which has been siting in its box for 40 years as the knee lever was broken off when I found it. Maybe I should see if there's a way of fixing it!
If you're in the UK we can fix it for you!
@@VintageKeysStudio I'm from the UK so maybe the next time I'm over I could leave it with you for repair? I'll look up your contact - it would be great to fix it!
@@cardboardmusic ok great yes that would be fine
😀👍
I think the Telstar sound was made not in a single take. Of course knowing Joe and his way of doing things and also I have read on the subject that during the recording of Telstar the clavioline was overdubbed with multiple different settings and of course EQ changes, compression etc. I personally dream of owning a clavioline since I would love to try to re-record Telstar with all analog equipment (not that it would be better than the original) but sadly I don't have the money to buy a clavioline. Tho I have been planning on trying to clone one.
vangelis used it on his early albums
Steve, where can we find your original recordings? A band perhaps?
Ahh yes - I am known as Steve Christie's Wrong (aka The Goose and The Crow, Startled Crab, and Serena Rooney Dougal, to name but a few other projects!) - vintagekeysrecords.bandcamp.com or streaming platforms everywhere :)
5:19 sounds a lot like the chiptune audio from the NES/SNES. Like the starting beeps in their formula 1 and other racing games.
Similar circuits probably ... copied over from early synths. Hmm.
I wonder if those were supposed to be electric organs like from baseball stadiums.
Sounds like the keyboard parts in many Del Shannon songs. Probably was that instrument.
How difficult would it be to build a pre amp to use the amplifier of this for use with a guitar?.
Not difficult but potentially lethal if you are not sure what you are doing - seek professional assistance
I wouldn't be building the pre-amp myself but I can get the power amp section and was thinking there would be those old multi pin connections to sort out/deal with. It's a beautiful old thing but I'm not sure I can save them all, I already have too much analogue gear to keep up with.
Always enjoy the content, thanks.
Wait a minute, that bass guitar in the background: isn't it supposed to be way shorter and have surgical tubing for strings?
Hi, I have a Selmer clavioline concert reverb from1962 and the reverb tank input transducer is dead. Do you know what is the impedance of the input transducer / can you please measure the DC resistance of your tank input and output? Maybe your tank have a Gibbs code on it?
Sadly my Clavioline doesn’t have a reverb tank. Has your tank got any code on it?
@@VintageKeysStudio Unfortunately there are no codes on the reverb tank.
Send me some photos of the tank if you can - contact me through the website vintagekeysstudio.com and we can talk via email
12:19 sounds like Sweep on acid!
I was given an old Clavioline about 20 years ago and my plan was to do it up. However, I had to sell it when we emigrated to France and thought the buyer might have renovated it but, alas, I fear they might have just robbed the 6V6 valves (and the rest) and dumped it. The b'stards! 😞
Oh no! That’s a great pity
is that a real plate reverb?
Yes
It looks like Selmer made the amp?.
I think they were just a sales company in the UK.
Selmer made a boat load of amps right into the seventies as well as many other musical instruments.
Your pulling my walking appendage aren't you?, Haha.
@@keiranbradley3238 as far as I know this amp and keyboard was made in France, but I could be wrong - it’s been a long time since I opened it up and I have had several different claviolines over the years.
Selmer rebranded a lot of imported stuff that they didn’t make as well as making their own gear.
@VKS you will know better than myself having owned it for so long, I thought the voltage selector and the power line looked very "Selmerish" and the general size, there's a Selmer Clavioline amp on evilbay just now that's identical to yours apart from the colour, that one's blue and grey, it's a beautiful old thing.
@VKS I love your content, it's very much appreciated, it must be a nightmare maintaining all that old gear!.
Thanks.
11:31 taco tuesday, huh?
yeah I wish I could get one in decent shape.
0:25 xDDD
That's WHERE' Your first electric GUITAR AMPLIFIER CAME FROM amplifier...
cool little unit. Note - it is a bit of a crime to have a beautiful Steinway grand so horribly in need of tuning!
Cheers! the piano is tuned every 3-6 months or sometimes especially for piano sessions. I think you will find it’s the clavioline that’s out of tune, which is where most of its charm lies
@@VintageKeysStudio outstanding! I have heard so many artists that do not bother to tune prior to a recording. In this case it was one note that caught my ear: A3 (so sorry, not a troll, just surprised) Great music room!!
Moog invented then synth....(Clavioline has entered the chat).
This is a really good video but what is with the glitch editing?
Very distracting and unnecessary.
Sorry about that