1970's ARP Demo featuring Tom Piggott

PLEASE NOTE: The beginning of the video is glitchy... both the sound and video will resolve at between 1:30 and 2:07.
Today's Premiere: This video is programmed to automatically redirect to our next program for tonight: A Conversation with Tom Piggott set to premiere immediately after this video. If there's a glitch, please see:
5:35 Second Video: A Convesation with Tom Piggott: • A Conversation with To...
6:10 Third Video: A Conversation with Greg Phillinganes • A Conversation with Gr...
Video Description: Originally aired on WOVB-TV, in association with The Ohio University Telecommunications Center, this is one of several UMATIC demo tapes found in a box when d'ARP (Dina Pearlman-Ifil, Alan Pearlman's daughter) was going through her father's effects.
Tom Piggott was one of several educators that worked at ARP Instruments in the 1970s. He worked closely with Al, helping write the classic: "Learning Music with Synthesizers" David Friend, Alan R. Pearlman, Thomas D. Piggott).

[@TheArpomni2]

Never knew you could get the string sound as good as that on the 2600,

[@josephramone5805]

Josef Zawinul was a master of the Arp 2600 and made incredible patches with it that have stood the test of time.

[@kevinsturges6957]

In 1974 Genesis used that ARP ProSoloist all over their The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway album very effectively. 😊

[@brunoprimas1483]

"Selling England By The Pound" as well. "The Cinema Show" especially.

[@ohmtronseedling]

don't forget Trick Of The Tail!

[@kevinsturges6957]

@@ohmtronseedling : Yes! 😊❤️

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you! We also have a video interview I did with Tony Banks from Genesis. (PS: If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us! )

[@regplasma7906]

Tom's suit reminds me of a ventriloquist doll I used to have as a kid. Fabulous video , I love these early synth demos .

[@paulallen8777]

This is fantastic. I just got a white Korg Odyssey. Amazing Deodato style Rhapsody in Blue at 22:49

[@JamesBermingham]

This video make me realize how privileged I am to live in such an advanced technological age. Access to this equipment in the 70s was on available to a very limited amount of people. Now its everywhere

[@john678]

Loved this, thanks ! Great reminder of why I fell in love with ARP. They did great demos at music stores, sent out demo discs. Got the original ARP Odyssey, couldn’t afford the 2600 but now have remake. They were great times

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

You're very welcome, and a big thank you! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@Ohaechesi]

That old TV flickering brings back some childhood nostalgia

[@timthompson468]

That was awesome. The glitchy intro was actually cool. It shows the video was saved in the nick of time, before the whole thing degraded. It gives it that “found footage” look that people strive for. I’d love to see the bass/strings patch he played. I don’t think I could figure that one out. I need to get back on my 2600s. I managed to get an old orange and black one, and a Korg reproduction, but I haven’t had enough time to really get into them. I’ve been looking for inspiration, and I think this was it.

[@feline1973]

My god, at about 23 minutes after the boring technical stuff, this guy is suddenly just ON FIRE! :-D

[@fretnesbutke3233]

My 2 favorite toys in 1980 at the age of 21 :my Tascam 4 track Portastudio,and my MIDI guitar prototype,the ARP Avatar. Most synthesizers were monophonic back then. I had just begun at Cleveland State U majoring in Music Theory/Composition. I had so much fun with those buggers! Some of the best years of my life.

[@Imetalman2000]

This is low key a top tier beginner’s video manual. Super educational and entertaining.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@_P_M_]

Breaking into Rhapsody in Blue and making it work with only 3 notes to work with was some pretty impressive playing. A lot of really experimental ideas applied musically too. Very nice!

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@macronencer]

What a magnificent thing to find! Thank you for sharing this gem. The jam at the end is seriously impressive stuff. No presets in those days, and very limited polyphony (in this case, 2+1 on the Odyssey and 2600, I believe?) An amazing demo.

[@jakobole]

Fun to hear tune I mixed and mastered for Alex Balls ARP-documentary being used elsewhere. Greets from Sonic Peak Studio.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Hello! Thank you!

[@jakobole]

@@AlanRPearlmanFoundation you're most welcome. You might not know it, but I mixed and mastered most of the songs on Alex Ball's ARP - documentary - it was pure joy to work with. Of course the material was top-notch, but the synth-sounds were as well. Superb instruments.

[@musicboy2003]

Thank you for this important piece of synthesizer history 😊people forget that the very first synth was the pipe organ, which was the most complex human mechanical achievement for centuries. Now we are in the digital era. Such a wonderful demonstration put on by Mr. Piggott.

[@Discrimination_is_not_a_right]

Organs aren't electronic, nor do they generate waveforms the way a synthesizer does. They are keyboard wind instruments.

[@ohmtronseedling]

this is an excellent video- not too complicated, simple explainations of synthesizers, a bold fashion statement AND dude can totally play! a fine, entertaining watch. thanks for posting.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

You're welcome and thank you as well!!!!! ! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@sawsquaresinetube]

Happy Birthday to your father. Thank you so much for sharing, the tape degradation at the beginning just gives this great character. Love this!

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

agree

[@commodoor6549]

I was thinking the same thing... nice glitching because why not.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you, and glad you agree!

[@MassimoBoscoMusic]

This instruments could have a future.

[@compfox]

Nah! No one will listen to this synthetic kind of music even ten years later.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

@@compfox 😏

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

Ah, the analog imperfections ... 4:11 That square wave sounds every so slightly brassy, because the flat parts are not horizontal, so there’s a little bit of sawtooth in there. 4:39 That sine wave is far from pure. Note that the rising and falling parts are too close to straight lines, like the triangle wave. This contaminates the sound with odd harmonics.

[@j.talbert9043]

Great demo of the ARP lineup. Now waiting for Korg to reissue the Pro Soloist!

[@Usul]

Thank you for uploading this. These are still iconic sounds and instruments, years later.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@chrisschulz2000]

Thank you to these gentlemen for the great amount of information on this video, ... something unheard of in those times and unbelievable even today ... THANKS whoever you are!

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Tom Piggott was and still is an expert in the field of music education! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us, we have more!

[@multiversum]

👍👍👍 Thanks for uploud. GREAT!!!!!! How can a man know all this knobs an ideas?

[@davidvanpelt802]

Brilliant stuff! Those strings on the 2600 sound beautiful

[@arcadeapocalypsemusic]

Yess they do!!!

[@mattkaz9604]

It's a good rundown, and his suit is entirely badass. Good video.

[@iamyourfuture808]

dude knows his way around a keyboard for sure

[@Byron101_]

YES! that was the time when the synthesizer musicians could still really play the keyboard and read notes....

[@MrDiscobitch]

People still do that today grandad

[@ConceptJunkie]

Yeah, that was some serious playing. Reminds me of Wakeman!

[@joelizquierdo8624]

This is awesome 😎 I love my ARP Solus and my ARP2600. I love vintage videos and yes Love the suit. If you squint your eyes 👀 he even resembles John Lennon on Synthesizers.

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

i'm thinking about getting the arp2600

[@ohmtronseedling]

oooh, you have a Solus? i had one of those many moons ago. don't see too much about those.

[@subs4794]

Is it just me who finds the videotape glitches at the beginning of this video the most interesting part? 🤓😎

[@user-jy3io4iz2p]

Born in 1972 it is hard to understand what impact synths like the 2600 and Odyssey (a.o.) had on people. I remember on some (hard)rock albums it was mentioned that no synthesizers were used on their album 😂 Great video, thanks for sharing 🤠

[@thebreathalyzer]

Many thanks for sharing this wonderful video!!!!

[@mokujinsan9946]

That suit has another 3 VCOs.

[@frankmuscato7741]

Great info on the synth world in its infancy 🎼🎶👍

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Thank you! If you like this please video, please like our page to follow us!

[@jeffjfindley4802]

Dear Christ who is this man and why am I only hearing of him now?!?!

[@Rocketbunny71]

Thanks so much for sharing. In my view, every kid in school should be show this type of program or something similar. I wonder how many more grass roots modern musicians we would get rather than all the manufactured dross we have to put up with these days. A fascinating video, thanks!

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Yes! Tom is a master educator and is teaching to this day!

[@clivemathieu9386]

My life is complete

[@arcadeapocalypsemusic]

This is priceless!

[@Heavy_Distortion]

His clothing is groovy man.

[@Kkidzz]

Lapels have a drag coefficient of 0.98

[@electronicsandewastescrapp7384]

funky worm pops his head up at 3:19

[@carlosalbertoteixeira375]

Excellent!!

[@Apg002]

This is amazing.

[@kd7alt]

Love the ARP's. I miss mine. Sych a rich sounding keyboard

[@colourbasscolourbassweapon2135]

classic synth

[@henrikpersson4698]

thanks, what a lovely video

[@zafod101]

That intro music sounded great

[@bunnyman2112]

Fantastic demo! Thx!

[@erikrhafer6644]

Very proud to be the 1,000 the 👍

[@ashfaq1999]

Great 🎶

[@RichardDenRooyen1973]

the 2600... impress me every time i hear something

[@colinfuidge8660]

The good old days when information and facts were more important than the presenter.

[@TheAJW50]

Don’t let the suit fool you. He is PROFESSOR PROG!

[@thefool2007]

Awesome film.

[@scooter9240]

What a treat! Thank you!

[@aurelionasvw]

nossa muito show mesmo o som desses equipamentos é d+

[@toolman8269]

My goodness! I recently got a new (Korg) ARP 2600 and I am enjoying the hell out of it. I would LOVE to know all about the crazy patching going on with the 2600 here in this video. How did he get the bass sound with the quick playing and then the strings sound when he played legato? Very cool video!

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

It's a shame that the cords are the same color, as it would be much easier to stop the video and try to imitate the patch. There is a wonderful patch book I know of....

[@toolman8269]

@AlanRPearlmanFoundation : Indeed! I downloaded the original ARP 2600 Patchbook, and I'm enjoying trying them all. I agree about the patch cord colors.

[@j.talbert9043]

I’m guessing he used the ring mod as a secondary VCA routing the ADSR to one and the AD to the other.

[@uv77mc85]

I didn't know the 2600 could do that but i assume he sent 2 oscillators to the ADSR for the strings and 1 to the AR for the bass.

[@GNeuman]

I still think the Odyssey is the King of Analogue Synths

[@securityrobot]

You’re setting yourself up for an argument 😂 Good luck.

[@GNeuman]

@@securityrobot 🤣🤣🤣

[@j.talbert9043]

Maybe not the king, but it’s certainly among a limited royalty. I don’t believe there is a single king synthesizer.

[@RedMeansRecording]

My life for Comic Wow

[@TheAJW50]

And yet, many years later, even on expensive keyboards, aftertouch is a special addition not the norm! Why?

[@boothbuster]

haha @20:15 I thought he was going to start playing that Wiz Khalifa song! And when he was doing the noise sequences, sounded like he was about to produce some techno.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Please donate to fhe foundation to help make videos like this possible as well as further our archives, create ARPs for All and more! alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/donate/

[@Monoaux]

Did the og ARP Soloist have a "drum" setting?

[@iLikeTheUDK]

18:40 groovy

[@W1RMD]

This was really cool! Thanks. Any idea exactly what year this was made?

[@JimAlfredson]

Who knew Artie Ziff was into synthesizers?!?

[@TheSpecialCostumeShop]

pouring fizzy water on frosty the snowman 11:54

[@noscrubbubblez6515]

'Switched On Bach' gave the best samples of Moog. I mean the best music that used Moog.

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

Moog was a rival to ARP.

[@j.talbert9043]

SoB certainly helped introduce the synthesizer to the masses, but covered only a fraction of what was possible with a modular synth.

[@shaofu424]

rad \m/\m/

[@AiMR]

I came for the leisure suit.

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

join us kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmG3kJiIptqGorc an Interview with TOm!

[@learnmusic488]

I’m gonna take a guess that this was 1973.

[@DrMilde]

Ok this is really fascinating Here is my question ... I understand the self oscillating filter , but how does he spread an shrink the range of the keyboard to create this micro tonality ?? Any genius out there,that could explain that to me please 😊

[@AlanRPearlmanFoundation]

Tom is using the slider under the VCF which allows the keyboard CV to control the filter. If you lower that you are able to attenuate the CV before it reaches the filter which reduces the pitch change from the keyboard controller Setting it halfway reduces that range approximately by half and playing an octave on the keyboard results in a pitch change of only half an octave. So the semitone or half tone now is a quarter tone. The further you bring it down, the closer the pitch is.

[@offworldnetwork]

Picked up my 1975 Arp Axxe in 1984 for the princely sum of £75. It doesnt get used much these days but when i do set it up im always blown away by the simplicity and warmth. video clip here ...kzbin.info/www/bejne/apKroKykndVskJI

[@ashave9100]

Why didn't they employ Thomas Dolby to do the demonstration !!!

[@ardiris2715]

Dude was trippin', man! (:

[@marguskiis7711]

Only Tony Banks could use it properly.

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

oh please - the only member of Genesis NOT to have a successful solo career.

[@marguskiis7711]

@@SamLowryDZ-015 Er, Mike`s solo career wasn`t a very successful either. Mike and Mechanics is not the "solo", it was still a band,

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

@@marguskiis7711 Don't split hairs - His name is up front, it's his project and he is the only constant member. No different to what Steve Hackett does. By all measures Banks outside of Genesis was a failure and you can see in interviews it irks him.

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock knew their way around it too. Anthony Marinelli programmed the synths for Thriller with a 2600.

[@marguskiis7711]

@@SamLowryDZ-015 "Fugitive" is a very good album with excellent songs, some sounds really great.

[@LADY_JEMIMA_FORTESCUE]

well tech had to start somewhere

[@RichKielbasa]

I think @synthpunkrules would look nice in that suit.

[@ROBOTkw1]

"Geigerzähler" at 2:35

[@iLikeTheUDK]

14:28 >:3

[@bobbobson4069]

England says that this is the most boring video ever!

[@rachelar]

🤡 🎶 🎹

[@blueeyedsoulman]

Considering it's over 50 years later and we are just beginning to offer polyphonic aftertouch and these instruments are fetching 10's of thousands of dollars I'd say modern designers are not to bright with the exception of Roger Linn. We could do way better. Music is far worse off right now.

[@leepshin]

Who the hell is this "Tom Piggot"? The man just sits there thinking "when do I get paid"?