1974 RMI Harmonic Synthesizer and Keyboard Computer demonstration record, part 1

[@Vovanov18]

The BELLS sound can be heard on David Bowie's live performances of "Sense Of Doubt" in 1978.

[@pbierre]

I played this synth in a band in 1974-76. It was monotonic, but you could get two notes at a time by using the overtone sliders. It was portable, and had great pitch stability. I donated mine to Woodside (CA) High School in the '90s.

[@baward]

Nice story Pierre, thanks!

[@RonWinesMusic]

I agree with mootbooxle. What an incredible full and rich futuristic sound. this certainly blows away all the thin, brittle sounding digital stuff of the late eighties and nineties. After I had recently learned that RMI was a subsidiary of the Allen Organ Company, I discovered this video and was amazed at the bell sound. I was an organist for 21 years at a church that had one of the first digital Allen organs from 1975. The former organist who served the church for decades worked for the Allen Organ Company and hand-picked that organ for the church. The organ used the exact same kind of computer cards to program expansion sounds into the organ in exactly the same way the RMI KC did. Specifically from that organ card collection, I remember a sound card called Chrysoglott (which I believe to be another word for Celesta). This card made the organ produce the EXACT same bell sound as the RMI KC bell sound featured in this recording. I found this sound to always be useful around Christmas time. When blended with the standard stops of the Allen organ, the sound of the Christmas hymns became incredibly special and celebratory. I hope to one day own an RMI KC and use it in future music ministry because I believe it would make any future worship service just as enticing as the Allen organ did in the church I used to serve. Thanks so much for sharing this recording.

[@musicalsam1]

What church was that?

[@RonWinesMusic]

@@musicalsam1 First United Methodist Church

[@chinossynthesizer705]

​@@RonWinesMusicesq1, sq-80 ppg wave, and korg dw-6000 and korg dw-8000 digital analog hybrids don't sound thin, and also the Dk synergy sounds fat a addictive/fm synthesizer It depends on the person's sound programming.

[@RonWinesMusic]

@@chinossynthesizer705 Agreed! Those specific Ensoniq and Korg boards were certainly capable of producing full, rich, think-sounding analog-like tones.

[@vco8450]

This synth is extremely ahead of its time. No synth could make bell sounds like that until the Fairlight and Syclavier came out in 1979-1980. I really wish this synth caught on. They are also rare as hell, unfortunately.

[@baward]

Absolutely, VCO8

[@audiodood]

There was a kc2 on reverb for a few grand last I checked

[@keymbord]

@@audiodood two of them, Timmy

[@audiodood]

@@keymbord y e s

[@audiodood]

actually the 4k one wouldnt be a bad deal since Allen still fixes them afaik

[@thecoopers5936]

Ha..brilliant... soooo ahead of its time... and 7:31...Oxygene 5....

[@AK-nv2hl]

This sound gives me goosebumps. Incredible. What a synth . Best string Machine .

[@chinossynthesizer705]

Cool synthesizer.

[@1622steve]

Wow! This video really brings back some memories! I joined the company around the time that this album was out and was there for 28 years.Now Clark's tunes are stuck in my head again! Thanks!

[@therealniksongs]

Steve, that's cool. I just wrote to Allen inquiring about Clark and Tom Emerick. Great guys who always treated me so well whenever I would visit. I learned both have long since retired. I wish them well!

[@vampyros1]

From the very first chord here, I feel as though Todd Rundgren's 'Real Man' has been channeled -- from '75's 'Initiation', (typically) brilliant like most of his music of that era.

[@CaptainSiberia]

"Random Scale" is the perfect base for a Genesis track! Just add some Phil Collins drum work, bring in some crying Steve Hackett guitar, and then a vocal from Peter or Phil, and you're in the money!

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

still love your work!!

[@mootbooxle]

This is amazing!!! Light years ahead of its time...I can't believe my ears! 1974! Why were these instruments not more widely used? Why Rick Wakeman traded his RMI Keyboard Computer for a Polymoog is beyond me. The RMI sounds much better!

[@baward]

+mootbooxle I am in agreement with you :-)

[@tsluke]

The RMI was probably more reliable than the Polymoog.

[@jackcimino8822]

The synth only had 250 units made, and 4 were sold in Europe.

[@junolavo]

Quase 40 anos e ainda é um espetáculo.

[@aliensporebomb]

Todd Rundgren's "Initiation", Roger Powell's "Air Pocket" and Terje Rypdal's "Waves" recordings are great albums that benefited from the Keyboard Computer with its lush and futuristic sounds.

[@audiodood]

I believe one was used on the Paul Davis Cool Night album

[@MrTODDLINO]

todd rundgren played it in initiation in a wonderful way

[@baward]

@1622steve you're welcome! Nice to know of someone who worked at the RMI factory.

[@eddievhfan1984]

Sampling is everything. The KC uses really early sample-playback synthesis, which is why you could get bells like those pre-FM.

[@observeroflife9511]

No sampling anywhere in sight. I have no idea where you got that information, but it's completely incorrect. The RMI KC uses additive synthesis. You can get those kind of bell sounds from additive synthesis, which is in some ways the most powerful synthesis type, given enough controls over the sound. The KC's predecessor, the Harmonic Synthesizer, is the first commercially available additive synth, so the company knew a thing or two about designing those kind of sounds, which other types/forms of sound design or synthesis, could not accomplish as realistically.

[@CantorNikolaos]

I believe that the RMI used the same technology as Allen Digital Computer Organs. There is some debate about what technique they actually used to generate sound. Some say it is a form of sample synthesis. Some say FFT. Some say Additive Synthesis. It's getting confusing. If you are familiar with Allen/RMI technology from this period, I would be interested in learning.

[@eddievhfan1984]

I actually read the service manual for this synth a while back. It states that they actually use 32-sample waveforms which are played back with linear interpolation and variable sample rate. The bit depth escapes me ATM, but I think 4-bit samples were used. Space was saved in two ways. Only the first half of the waveform was encoded, and the second half was assumed to be a mirror image of the second half, doubling the effective sample cont from 32 to 64. Also, by interpolating between points with some sort of filter, the wave can be smoothly rendered in exchange for some loss in high-frequency content. Sadly, I can't refer back to it, as any free sources to the manual appear to have disappeared. But maybe something might return. As for additive/FFT, I can imagine the Harmonic Synthesizer using an IFFT to turn the harmonic sliders into an output wave (probably closer to IDCT/real-valued FFT). Either that, or a LOT of DCO sine waves...

[@acreil]

The Harmonic Synthesizer actually uses a high frequency VCO and some logic ICs to generate Walsh functions, then these are combined using resistors to generate the (quite low resolution) sine tones.

[@eddievhfan1984]

Basically divide-down.

[@stevenhollingsworth733]

When I hear this it reminds me of Rick wakeman's six wives of Henry the 8th album

[@jasonmcgary]

If only this company could have made it till now.

[@miamigroove]

Back when Made in the USA innovation meant something

[@UMAMIMAMU]

These were made about 30 minutes from my house in Macungie Pennsylvania.

[@CantorNikolaos]

I thought RMI was made in NC. Allen organs are made in Macungie, and they are the parent company of RMI. Allen isn't my favourite, but RMI was pretty fascinating. Actually, with my interest in retro computing and digital sound that technology is fascinating in both applications.

[@philipchance5454]

RMI stood for Rocky Mountain Instruments, where of course it was made..

[@therealniksongs]

RMI had a factory in Rocky Mount, where the Electra Piano and other RMI keyboards were made. But everything was developed and engineered in Macungie and I believe that the HS and KCs were actually manufactured there. They were (unfortunately) never high volume instruments. I was an RMI customer and because I lived in the Philadelphia area I used to visit there quite often in the 70's. Clark Ferguson used to demo new products they were working on to me. The KC and the HS blew me away, They really were the first sample playback instruments; about a decade ahead of their time. I couldn't afford to buy one, though. Even tough they were much cheaper than something like the Fairlight--which came much later--they still cost about $4500, which in those days was the price of a pretty nice car! But Clark at least personaly give me copies of their demo records...including this one. I still have them....and my 1971 300B!

[@chinossynthesizer705]

Cool

[@KarlMiller-DjKarl]

The RMI Model 300B (with the "warbler") brought me here... ☮️🔥

[@baward]

Part Two is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3_CfoKclrV4fqc

[@celestinocamicia]

The "bells" patch is so NOT 1974...it predates similar PPG and DX7 sounds by ages!!!

[@MrPedal88]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.I think Rick Wakeman used the RMI Computer keyboard in the beginning of The Ancient, from the Tales album.

[@baward]

Well it sounds like it could be. Might just be an organ though. Have you tried asking on his website? rwcc.com

[@MrPedal88]

I know it wasn't an organ,because I was nine rows from the stage in Feb. 1974 right in front of Rick, and the keyboard he was playing had that exact sound.I could only see the back of the keyboard,but not the front.But I remember it being more of poly-syth looking keyboard.Just was never positive what it was.Thank you so much for your reply.It's fun revisiting our youth every once in a while. Maybe I'll try the website.Thanks again.

[@therealniksongs]

Both Todd and Rick had KCs. Rick, of course, had been using a 300B Electra Piano on a lot of Yes songs (and Tony Banks was doing likewise with Genesis)

[@rubyconem]

Can someone identify the PIPE ORGAN piece please? I came here because a friend just placed a KC2 in my basement due to his limited space. We still haven`t checked it.

[@baward]

All the information from the sleeve of the record is in the video description.

[@mr_stout]

I have one of these but am not sure how to make sound come out of it? It powers up though! It sounds sick, how do I make this work?!

[@audiodood]

Old comment, but Do you have a harmonic synthesizer or keyboard computer?

[@boraboradisco]

Hello Meettumler,I'm looking for one actually ,I'm in California,would you consider selling it to me (I mean the additive RMI Harmonic Synthesizer),it's quite normal that it doesn't work anymore,it needs to spend some time in a repair shop like most of those vintage synth that are not used on a regular basis but that's ok,I would take it as is if you're willing to sell it:) let me know Thanks Fred

[@baward]

@meettummler I have no idea I'm afraid. Find a place to get it serviced, it depends where you live. I get James Walker of Synth Services, as I live in the UK: synthrepairservices-dot-com