The Trautonium

Steven Rezsutek wrote:

> What is this instrument? Could you offer a brief description, or
> pointer to a web page/book/magazine article?

As not everyone lives in my private little universe, the Trautonium
is probably not a household name. It's a vintage synthesiser.
Like the Theremin, it has no keyboard, and so is not restricted to
any scale. It's more complex, though, and harder to play. In
fact, there's only one man, Oskar Sala, who can play it. He's
getting old, and I think there's only one working instrument, so
there's an obvious need to get it modelled on a PC.

It has a unique sound, because it generates both overtones and
undertones. It's also possible to make radical timbral changes
continuously and in real time. Something all synths should be
able to do, but many can't.

Most of what I know about it comes from an interview with Sala in
Wire 165. You can get it as a back issue -- see
www.dfuse.com/the-wire

I don't have any technical details. I'm assuming it can be
modelled from a circuit diagram.

> Are there any recordings of it available?

All I've got is one piece on a tape Brian McLaren sent me. It
comes from the CD "My Fascinating Instrument" available from:

Erdenklang Musikverlag
Ulrich Ru"tzel
Halstenbeker Weg 17
D-2000 Hamburg 54
Germany

I have to be honest, it's all dated electronic sounds, but they
should be available to future sound artists.


Graham Breed
gbreed@cix.co.uk www.cix.co.uk/~gbreed/

Hey all. Check out my interactive page at
http://www.timara.oberlin.edu/gallery/students/students.html. It's
interactive Java stuff, with Just Intonation music. MOst of the tunings
are based upon 7-limit stuff, with emphasis on the 7 part.

-Pete