The ARP 2600 Turns 50
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
- The ARP 2600 is one of the most famous synthesizers of all time and is still in demand fifty years after its initial release in 1971.
In this video I explore a few contrasting sounds that can be made with this wonderful instrument.
As mentioned, any ad revenue from this video will be doubled and donated to the Alan R Pearlman Foundation. If you wish to chuck in a donation, this would be greatly appreciated: alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/d...
Thank you to CALC for the loan of his lovely 2600 - much appreciated sir.
0:00 Intro
1:16 This Unit
2:11 Demo 1: Poly-Phoney
3:39 Demo 2: Bang-A-Lang
5:29 Demo 3: Kinda Pete
7:11 Demo 4: Repton
8:33 Demo 5: R2
9:13 Summary & ARP Foundation Update
10:58 Outro Jam
My Music & Social:
alexball.bandcamp.com/
/ alexballmusic
/ alexballmusic - Hudba
As mentioned, any ad revenue from this video will be doubled and donated to the Alan R Pearlman Foundation. If you wish to chuck in a donation, this would be greatly appreciated: alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/donate/
Done and done. Great video, Alex. Informative and fun, with great compositions, as always. Cheers from SoCal.
@@cortical1 Many thanks!
Kids - this is how it's done. Kudos to you Alex Ball.
❤️🙏🏻❤️
I love that you actually play music on the synths that you discuss, rather than just demo individual sounds. It really shows what these awesome instruments are capable of!
That‘s what this awesome Alex is capable of.
Thank you both!
This is how get my news, Alex is the best synthesizerer edumacationalist this side of alpha Centauri
Synthemesizer edumacation is my passion.
@@AlexBallMusic and symphensanzer enjoyeling is a great pastime of mine, lucky me.
Hello Alex: I am so old that I remember very clearly when Rick Wakeman released his vinyl album "The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth". Not only did the radio announcer play the entire album, he also read off the entire list of equipment that Rick played. (Yes, it was that kind of radio program.) To a young fellow growing up in the wilds of the Australian suburbs, the sounds that 2600 and it's ilk produced were pure magic. They still are pure magic. Keep up the wonderful work.
I can imagine the feeling of hearing this mystery instrument creating these new sounds. Nice that it still lives with you!
@@AlexBallMusic Hello Alex: I have many wonderful memories from that time. Stay well and safe.
Well shit bro. I remember that too. I even still have the original album. Old synths never die, they just need their caps done. Thanks alex.
@@SpikesStudio3 Hello Michael: Yes, I also have the original album. I also went to see Rick Wakeman when he came to Australia on the Journey to Center of the Earth tour in about 1974. There were three great British keyboard players in that era, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman and Steve Winwood. I've been able to see the last two of those play. Stay well and safe.
Man, you are sooo lucky. Its the influence of wakeman and richards that got me into synths. And my mum too. How cool is that? Cheers.
My 5 year old son was very impressed with the R2-D2 sounds, his smile was nearly as big as yours!
Target audience. :)
Be careful about 5 year olds when these videos are played. There are a few collaborations that take a toll on children's sanity.
Love or hate Behringer, their 2600 clone has put this synth in the hands of the hobby synthesist. The 2600 is as good today as it ever was but even more accessable. Thank you Alan R Pearlman and all those at ARP who created this amazing instrument.
It's great there's 2600s being available again. Korg, Antonus, Behringer, Arturia, Cherry Audio. Many ways to go.
Yup!
I must confess to that little bit of extra excitement whenever I see a new Alex Ball video. Thanks, mate!
Whenever you see a new Alex Ball video, you have to 'Check It Out'. Alex Ball's videos make you 'Hurt So Good'.
I could listen to Alex playing the 2600 all day! …and rather often that’s actually what I end up doing 🤩
Thank you. I could probably play a 2600 for a day actually. Such a fun synth.
I enjoyed my original ARP Odyssey white face from the summer of 1973 to around 1995 when it was pretty much dead and I sold it to a repair genius in California. I used it in weekend bands and in my tiny home studio. Now I have twin Behringer Odysseys above a Nord C1 and a Behringer 2600 racked vertically on some coffee cans behind one of the Odysseys. (The Odyssey is actually wider than the 2600.) The rig lights up like the bridge of the Enterprise.
Nice you can recapture the old magic and expand upon it!
"There are 100s of sounds you can make with the 2600. Obviously that be a very long video" One which we'd gladly watch.
As always Alex, Beautiful and brilliant video!
The ARP 2600 has been the mainstay centerpiece in my studio and music for going on 35 years. I feel fortunate that it’s how I started my winding journey through the wilderness of synthesis. Much love to you maestro! ❤️
Hey Lisa! Loved your performance in the Symposium with the Mellotrons, Moogs and the 2600. Hugely dynamic and expressive as ever!
35 years - wow! Doesn't that say a lot about how enduring an instrument it is! Things come and go, but not the 2600.
Tune into Alex. First 5 seconds and my neck has snapped in half. As always, thanks!
McNeckyFilth.
Thank you so much, that was an awesome video ! Always love when you play and explain synth stuff :D
Great video Alex! Thank you so much! I grew up as a teenager playing with ARP synths in a local music store in North Attleboro MA. At the time I had no idea that the ARP headquarters were so very close by. I still vividly remember lusting after this ARP Odyssey and Axxe synths! :)
Ah cool! The old days of music stores. That has kind of largely died out now. Shame.
Great music as always Alex and the ARP foundation is a brilliant educational platform!
The music department at the college I was attending bought a grey 2600 in 1971. It was great to get hands on such an iconic synth so early.
I have a couple of vst emulations... Arturia's 2600 is the best I have.
Great demo, thanks! Subscribing.
just love the demo1 poly-phoney, great vibe
brilliant work and stunning musicianship
Deserves extra thumbs up for the R2-D2 :)
🤖
Such a classic!! Thanks for sharing!
your videos always are extremely enjoyable, thanks for documenting those amazing pieces of electronic wonders :D also almos hitting 100k!!
Thanks Daniel! Yes, may well reach the 100k milestone, would be nice.
Extremely entertaining and enriching, even educational, as every Alex Ball video is. 💙👍
Thank you sir, much appreciated.
Great video of this classic ARP Synth,
You just keep on knocking them out of the park Alex! Great as always
Thank you Peter.
"Kinda Pete" is Completely AWESOME!
Alex, you've done it again. Brilliant as always.
Cheers Peter. Had to do the Pete thing (or kinda Pete thing).
@@AlexBallMusic Sounds just like "The Relay"!
wow what cool memories. this was legend and still is.
back then, I built an "Elektor Formant" (you know that one?) together with a comrade, --
6 oscillators, two independent output channels, 1 ladder fiilter (not in the DIY package of course), one state variable filter, 3 LFOs, 3 ADSRs etc.
a number of severe modifications: keyboard needs only ONE contact for gate and CV (what a quagmire this was with 2 contacts) !! default hard-wiring of everything plus jacks, +/- 1,2,3,4 octave switches, delayed vibrato, pitch bender, some more keyboard features. played ~40 gigs with it!
so I'm super glad every time, when someone comes up with a competent vintage synth video.
Watching this makes me hope for more lockdowns, so you're locked in with some synths some more. Keep up the great work 👏
Awesome video Alex!
The Arp 2600 has always been my favourite synth. I always liked that you had to get involved in using it and learning about it to unlock its possibilities. The best instruments do that.
I imagine that when you turn 50, you'll still be partying like it's 2600.
Awesome video, Alex, and your audio production is top notch to boot!
Thanks Kira!
Great video and music as usual Alex! This dovetails nicely with your ARP documentary, awesome stuff...
Cheers Jeremy. Yep, nice to go back to it!
Lovely demos Alex especially the processed guitar.
Priceless video, Maestro Alex, thank you so much! Your keyboard chops looking hotter than ever! 🤓🎹🤘
Thanks very much!
Love your videos Alex - thanks!
Thank you!
Kinda Pete track really reminds me of Beauty Stab by ABC. Brilliant as always, Alex!
Donated & plugged this video. Now I know why my KARP Odyssey Module has been calling to me all week! Nice work on those classic patches 👌 Good work all around, Alex. Cheers!
Awesome - nice one. Have fun with old KARP!
When the base keys kicked in during the first tune you played, it really reminded me of music from Final Fantasy 7... And I loved it!! Awsome video Alex. Thank you!
SUCH lovely noise! Thank you!
Cheers!
Great video long waited for.
🙂
Absolutely adore your channel sir. Cheers 🍻
Thank you!
Great video as always Alex. I remember seeing these on sale when they were first introduced. It seems you have as many synth t-shirts as synths! This was a great demo of a versatile machine and as always very rewarding to watch given the amount of work you put in. Thanks!
1971! I was minus years old. 😂
T-shirts - basically all I wear. It's like the masonic hand shake, but for synthesists.
@@AlexBallMusic Enjoy it while you can! I used to collect Kraftwerk T-Shirts. As you get older, its polo shirts I am afraid unless you have an excessively athletic build! BTW you should do a studio tour - I'd be interested to know what your arsenal includes!
Awesome, yeah I love using the duo-phonic keyboard for 2 note paraphony. Mine is a Korg reissue and it one of my favs in my studio! Thanks Alex for the update on the foundation as well, glad to hear they're doing big things!
Hey Marshal. Glad you got the reissue, that's great. I would have loved one but, hey ho.
Foundation - yeah, great to see it coming together despite the covid hold ups. Would love to get over to Boston to see them one day
Never stop making videos. I want to grow old watching Alex Ball videos.
Thank you! I will whilst I can and people tune in.
Amazing stuff Alex. You rock.
Cheers!
Great video. I'll tell you why. Not only informative but instructional. I have a Behringer 2600 and it has become probably my favourite mono(duo) synth. I am definitely going to try some of your patches.
Wow what a huge sound
So good again!
That tune at the end really bites!
Alex, first comment but had to express that your infectious passion for the music and these old machines continues to inspire me with every new video, thanks, appreciate it dude.❤️
Thanks, I'm glad they inspire you too!
Wonderful as ever, Alex! Fab vid...I now have serious lust for a 2600!
It's an awesome combination of ideas in a box!
Cool space jams !
Hey Alex - great stuff! Really like your videos exploring the history of synth companies, too. I lusted after a 2600 back in the day. Now relatively happy with the Behringer 2600 which has scratched an itch 😀
Cheers Ian. Glad you're having fun with yours!
I like your videos and have also already heard in one or the other album from you. Can only say that there is someone like you here on youtube is a gift. Since I play for about 1 month with the idea to put me a 2600 on the table. And Yes! the behringer version. :D
Thank you Johannes.
Awesome 👌
There are so many examples of the ARP 2600 in legendary albums, movies, etc. Among my personal favorites prominently featuring this synth are the albums Snivilisation (1994) and In Sides (1996) by Orbital. Paul Hartnoll LOVES the ARP 2600.
Definitely, it's all over the place!
I've seen Paul's 2600 in the flesh a few times. Looks super cool with the Orbital logo on it.
@@AlexBallMusic John Carpenther Assault on Precint 13 is 2600. the movie that put me into synths in early 90's
Depeche Mode used the ARP 2600 on their early albums!
@@yusufkhan-ig7dv They got 4 of it
Very cool !
@3:39 Banger I was literally bobbing my head and turned and my toddler is doing a breakdance on the ground lol .
You ROCK Alex! Great video!
Thank you. Nice channel name btw. 😂
@@AlexBallMusic ah yes! The purported storage size of the average human brain, in hard drive terms! 🤪😬
Man it sounds so full & amazing
Yep and this is the "worst" 2600 model apparently.
so great, thank you for celebrating the ARP 2600 anniversary
Thanks for tuning in.
that outro jam Alex!!!! more of that please.. i would love to hear more of the experimental stuff u make.. i do love the 80s stuff you seem to usually do but show us ur wild side more please hehe x
Cheers. Maybe I've got an albums worth of stuff like that...😉
Some nasty beats right from the jump. Great job as always Alex.
Cheers. Yes, the 2600 can do nasty. :)
Grooooovy baby! I mean...well done, old bean!
What, what!
Awesome !!!!
excellent ox
Lovely!!!!
After stumbling on a couple of sounds on my Behringer 2600, I'm convinced that many sounds on the Six million Dollar Man, including the famous bionic eye effect, was done on the 2600, and the scene where Col Steve Austin fights the John Saxon robot, the sample and hold is used to convey a computer brain in the robot.
Very informative video Alex.
Quite possibly - weapon of choice for sound designers.
Always the top CZcamsr for me :) top video
Thank you!
Nice funky intro!
Did you talk about the ARP Quadra already?
A friend of mine had one. Worked very well on the stage, it had a computer algorithm to tune/recalibrate all its analog modules, though it took a couple of minutes.
Just stunning!! 2500 next?
If I can ever find one again! I did get to record with one back in 2019.
In this year (1971) many beautiful things were created in the world !!
I love the sign Ben Burtt has on his 2600, making it absolutely clear not to change the settings on them.
Does he? I haven't seen that but it would kind of make sense given how specific the settings are.
Funny story, i checked your channel just last night hoping for a new vid, and here it is!! . Happy birthday ARP 2600! 🎂
I'm back baby. Got a good run of very cool stuff coming for the next few weeks. :)
@@AlexBallMusic Outstanding!!! Love your work mate! Keep geekin'
Well done!
Cheers!
love alex should have been a bbc presenter back in the day quality stuff kudos !!!
Put me in the radiophonic workshop.
AWWW YEAH
Arp Synthesizers are doing some of the best heavy Kickdrum sounds. Instant VNV Nation
Damn, now I need an ARP. 😅 Thanks for the video Alex! 👍
Everyone needs a 303....and a 2600. 😉
I absolutely love my 2600. It’s the Korg FS reissue and it sounds massive.
I couldn't get an FS. I have the M on order, if we ever get through the chip shortage. Korg reissue is the only one to get IMHO.
You got one! Nice.
Such a beauty! Glad to hear that the ARP Foundation is doing well. I think your ARP doco was the first video I watched from you.
Yep, they obviously had a mountain to climb whilst forming during a pandemic but it's moving along in spite of that.
Awesome. Where can I get the CD of those demos? Great songwriting perfectly matched to that amazing synth.
Très intéressant
Great overview of this… think you could get your hands on the new Korg ARP 2600 mini version and do a sound comparison? As always a fun vid with great jams…
Listening to Alex jamming, I could swear I knew some bits and pieces from somewhere. And then, bingo! Depeche Mode "Speak & Spell" and Soft Cell's "Non Stop Erotic Cabaret". Daniel Miller used his own 2600 on both of these albums and he still owns that very ARP according to a very recent interview. Best wishes from Poland, Mr Ball! 😎
Another excellent video, Alex. The Korg clone is amazingly beautiful, but an original holds its own allure.
Something magical about hand-built originals from the 70s factories, but that Korg does look gorgeous.
@@AlexBallMusic There is a very good synth shop here in San Francisco, called Robotspeak. Every time I stop in, I ask him to power up his Korg 2600 clone, but he won't touch it. He just wants to sell it for the god-knows-what price! I can't keep my hands off of it! However, I am exploring with my own Behringer BARP 2600.
Speaking of years, I wonder how many years it’s been since I may have had to realize that “arp” (as in arpeggiator) and “ARP” (as in Alan R. Pearlman)-while both being synths-related-are not the same. Learning about synths as a kid, in the early days of World Wide Web and prior to the new, affordable-analog renaissance, was … interesting.
Conversely, now living in a world with online videos and channels like this-that’s a dream come true! Thanks, Alex!
Yeah, nice coincidence that.
@@AlexBallMusic Hmm, also: nice chap, you. 😊
i am also wondering to which JMJ's song "arpeggiator"/"arpégiateur" (from "concerts in china"/"concerts en chine") might refer.... but probably to both. :)
Very cool demonstration of how one can use a synth like the Arp. Loved the R2-thing. I wonder if it is possible to do something like that with the monosynths I have lying around. Will have to experiment :)
Yeah that section on the far left of the 2600 really allows you to intergrate and perform with external sound sources. Very well thought out.
If you've got a Korg MS-20, patch into its ESP
I want one of these, love underworld and eno's tones from this thing :)
Yeah, that Underworld harmonic resonance. Mmmm.
The soft-synths are fine for patch libraries but you just cannot compare with the immediacy of having hands on experience. Also being able to patch in and out to other gear :-)
Yeah, a very different experience sitting in front of something physical and touching it.
@@AlexBallMusic that’s what she said!!
True but depends on how you approach the production task. I'd rather crack on and not have a dial-in each sound.
No right or wrong way though, just what you prefer i guess
Not cheesy. 🍕😁
👍
Has to be Italian for that. ;)
Repton - really makes me think of Rob Hubbards work on the Commodore 64 :)
The part about using the external audio for processing sounds brings to mind an incident in which Weather Report co-founder Josef Zawinul had purchased his first 2600, told salesman Roger Powell how great he thought the sound was - and asked how you could get it to stop. He apparently had first cranked up the filter output which is intended for the external audio input and hadn’t made his way around yet to the attenuator section.
One of the interesting quirks about the 2600 has to do with the 3620 keyboard model. At least two of the performance synthesizers that ARP marketed (the Odyssey and the Axxe) eventually became equipped with those PPC pads that succeeded the pitch bend knob. Were those pads ever built into the 3620 keyboard for the 2600?
Despite going through every month largely strapped for cash, I imagine it would be worth donating to the Perlman foundation just so I might get in the running to partake of ARPs for All. I can imagine I’m not the only one to express such a sentiment in the comment section here.
I have the Behringer, which has both filters, and I can’t tell the difference between the 2 filters. Maybe because I’m as old as the original 2600 and top end is not high on my list of things I still hear. It’s a lovely design and gives me all the 'modular' goodness I need.
I have an original Odyssey mkII with the earlier filter and the Avatar with the later and it sounds like someone opens the filter when you switch from the latter to the former. It's noticeable top end fizz.
But yes, as life is basically one long filter sweep, that cutoff point might have been reached by 50. 🙂
As always, super fun and educational, I'll have to buy a behringer to have the same fun. May not be the exact same but it's close enough in my price range
Cheers Zack. Yes, I don't think I'll ever be able to get an original either but there's several alternatives these days which is cool.
Great bass playing dude, you spend much time playing bass? You look very at home on it. Awesome stuff.
I'm a guitarist and not really a keyboard player but don't tell anyone. 😉
I have the Korg re-issue. Best piece of gear I own. Just legendary,
Ooo lucky you! I wanted one of those.
Wow! The 2600 is the same age me. Wish i could afford one, but they are out of my price range. Also, do not know when KORG’s 2600 m will be available in the US. Cool video.
Would be interested to try the 2600m when it emerges.
Happy 50th! Here’s hoping Korg’s 2600M comes to market.
Hopefully very soon!