Comparing Microzone and Scalatron

Hello all,

I was hoping that someone would know of a picture of a Scalatron on the web? I have been looking at the Microzone, and there seems to be quite a bit of talk about the Scalatron, but I can't find any kind of picture or diagram of the instrument.

Is the Scalatron still in production? What is the availability of the instrument? What do they cost? New/Used? Anyone want to sell their's (or maybe your neighbor's???)?

Mike

PS, just so I don't get some legal action (this is the age of the Lawyer, right), my comment on "your neighbor's" was only intended as a joke, I am not in the market for a hot keyboard, just one that is "hot"...

--- In tuning@y..., Michael J McGonagle <fndsnd@r...> wrote:
> Is the Scalatron still in production? What is the availability of
> the instrument? What do they cost? New/Used? Anyone want to sell
> their's (or maybe your neighbor's???)?

The Scalatron was an instrument with a very brief history - I'm not sure if it even ever enter the production stage. Of the instruments that were built, I remember the number being exceedingly small, and they would be very rare indeed.

But, IIRC, one of our illustrious members not only had a part in the history but still has one - or had one for quite a while.

I'm sure George Secor will chime in at some point... :)

Cheers,
Jon

--- In tuning@y..., Michael J McGonagle <fndsnd@r...> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I was hoping that someone would know of a picture of a Scalatron on
the
> web? I have been looking at the Microzone, and there seems to be
quite a
> bit of talk about the Scalatron, but I can't find any kind of
picture or
> diagram of the instrument.
>
> Is the Scalatron still in production?

No. It was introduced in 1973 by a subsidiary of Motorola. The
parent company discontinued the venture around 1980.

> What is the availability of the
> instrument?

No more.

The instrument was first made with two 5-octave organ keyboards,
separately tunable, with all the octave relationships being
maintained. There were therefore 24 pitches in the octave playable
at any one time, with the pitches being selectable from among 1024 in
the octave (as a subharmonic series). Around a dozen of these were
sold to colleges and universities. (Easley Blackwood used one to
*write* his 13-through-24-ET microtonal pieces -- although he
actually *recorded* them one track at a time on a synthesizer.)
There was a lot of interest in the instrument, but sales depended on
the ability of those interested to get funds approved for a purchase.

Three instruments were made with a generalized keyboard. I have the
first one. The second was acquired by Joel Mandelbaum for Queens
College, New York. The third one was acquired by Paul Rapoport for
McMaster University in Ontario, Canada (I'm not sure of the city).
Each of these three is unique, with capabilities not found on the
other two.

> What do they cost? New/Used? Anyone want to sell their's (or
> maybe your neighbor's???)?

Your best bet now would be a Microzone keyboard (if you can scrape up
the $$$$) or a Ztar.

--George

gdsecor wrote:
> Your best bet now would be a Microzone keyboard (if you can scrape up > the $$$$) or a Ztar.

Thanks George, I have been contemplating the idea of the Microzone, and am trying to find ways that I could fund the purchase. Is there anyone who is using one of these "beasts" (said with affection)? Any comments?

Mike

--- In tuning@y..., Michael J McGonagle <fndsnd@r...> wrote:

/tuning/topicId_39589.html#39609

>
>
> gdsecor wrote:
> > Your best bet now would be a Microzone keyboard (if you can
scrape up
> > the $$$$) or a Ztar.
>
> Thanks George, I have been contemplating the idea of the Microzone,
and
> am trying to find ways that I could fund the purchase. Is there
anyone
> who is using one of these "beasts" (said with affection)? Any
comments?
>
> Mike

***Not to be too "nosey" but, George, how much did the Scalatron cost
when Queens College purchased it? I believe it was a significant
figure. What do you think that would translate into in *today's*
currency?? So maybe the Microzone is a "bargain" in comparison... :)

I had the good fortune a few years ago, to play around a bit with the
Scalatron a Queens. I had no idea there were so few large ones in
existence!

Joseph Pehrson

--- In tuning@y..., "Joseph Pehrson" <jpehrson@r...> wrote:
> ***Not to be too "nosey" but, George, how much did the Scalatron
cost
> when Queens College purchased it? I believe it was a significant
> figure. What do you think that would translate into in *today's*
> currency?? So maybe the Microzone is a "bargain" in
comparison... :)
>
> I had the good fortune a few years ago, to play around a bit with
the
> Scalatron a Queens. I had no idea there were so few large ones in
> existence!

The price of a Scalatron with two conventional 5-octave keyboards in
the mid-to-late 1970s started just below 10K, and I think that the
instrument at Queens College went for around 15K. Both prices were
for a complete instrument, including a power amplifier and 15-inch
stereo speakers. In today's dollars, you're probably looking at a
factor of around 3, although I imagine that some of the electronics
would be less expensive today. (And digitial electronics has gotten
a lot faster since then; the clock speed for the Scaltron's crystal-
controlled master oscillator was ~3.58 MHz.)

--George

--- In tuning@y..., "gdsecor" <gdsecor@y...> wrote:

/tuning/topicId_39589.html#39611

> --- In tuning@y..., "Joseph Pehrson" <jpehrson@r...> wrote:
> > ***Not to be too "nosey" but, George, how much did the Scalatron
> cost
> > when Queens College purchased it? I believe it was a significant
> > figure. What do you think that would translate into in *today's*
> > currency?? So maybe the Microzone is a "bargain" in
> comparison... :)
> >
> > I had the good fortune a few years ago, to play around a bit with
> the
> > Scalatron a Queens. I had no idea there were so few large ones
in
> > existence!
>
> The price of a Scalatron with two conventional 5-octave keyboards
in
> the mid-to-late 1970s started just below 10K, and I think that the
> instrument at Queens College went for around 15K. Both prices were
> for a complete instrument, including a power amplifier and 15-inch
> stereo speakers. In today's dollars, you're probably looking at a
> factor of around 3, although I imagine that some of the electronics
> would be less expensive today. (And digitial electronics has
gotten
> a lot faster since then; the clock speed for the Scaltron's crystal-
> controlled master oscillator was ~3.58 MHz.)
>
> --George

****Thanks, George! So it seems the "Microzone" is actually an
er.. "bargain..." :)

JP

In a message dated 10/15/02 10:48:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
gdsecor@yahoo.com writes:

> Your best bet now would be a Microzone keyboard (if you can scrape up
> the $$$$) or a Ztar.
>
> --George
>
>
>

Well, there may soon be another alternative. The AFMM is well underway in a
project to build a 74-note per octave MIDI compatible keyboard based on a
design by Sieman Terpstra, with a few modifications. I have not wanted to
announce this too early, but the word is now out! I'll have more details
later. And they will be available to interested parties at a reasonable
price. It will work with Manuel op de Coul's SCALA and have 5 .

Well, that's cat's now out of the bag!

best, Johnny Reinhard

----- Original Message -----
From: Afmmjr@aol.com

>Well, there may soon be another alternative. The AFMM
>is well underway in a project to build a 74-note per octave
>MIDI compatible keyboard based on a design by Sieman
>Terpstra, with a few modifications. I have not wanted to
>announce this too early, but the word is now out! I'll have
> more details later. And they will be available to interested
>parties at a reasonable price. It will work with Manuel op de
>Coul's SCALA and have 5 .

5 what?

* David Beardsley
* http://biink.com
* http://mp3.com/davidbeardsley

Sorry David,

5 octaves, and with 6 macro buttons that can also add 2 additional virtual
octaves. The keys will have velocity and do what a top line keyboard can do,
only with a Bosanquet-influenced slope design.

Johnny Reinhard

Ah! Sounds good to me.

dB

----- Original Message -----
From: <Afmmjr@aol.com>
To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2002 11:28 PM
Subject: Re: [tuning] Re: Comparing Microzone and Scalatron

> Sorry David,
>
> 5 octaves, and with 6 macro buttons that can also add 2 additional virtual
> octaves. The keys will have velocity and do what a top line keyboard can
do,
> only with a Bosanquet-influenced slope design.
>
> Johnny Reinhard
>
>
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>

>Well, there may soon be another alternative. The AFMM is well
>underway in a project to build a 74-note per octave MIDI
>compatible keyboard based on a design by Sieman Terpstra, with
>a few modifications. I have not wanted to announce this too
>early, but the word is now out! I'll have more details later.

Good luck, Johnny!

-Carl

> Well, there may soon be another alternative. The AFMM is well underway > in a project to build a 74-note per octave MIDI compatible keyboard > based on a design by Sieman Terpstra, with a few modifications. I have > not wanted to announce this too early, but the word is now out! I'll > have more details later. And they will be available to interested > parties at a reasonable price. It will work with Manuel op de Coul's > SCALA and have 5 .
> > Well, that's cat's now out of the bag!
> > best, Johnny Reinhard

Johnny,

Could let more of the "cat out of the bag" (I can only see it's head poking out) Is there a website, phone number, or any other information? What is the availability of these "kittens"? Are they going to be made on a "Production Line" or are they custum built?

Could your give a link to a reference for the keyboard layout (I am not familiar with Sieman Terpstra)? I would be interested in knowing if this is a "generalized" keyboard? Is there a plan to release a version with more than 5 octaves?

Do you know what the starting price is going to be? Also, is it something that will just be a MIDI controller, or will it have its own synth?

Thanks,

Mike