The Organ Forum

Hi all,

I've been playing my lowly Yamaha 115D spinet Electone some this week.  I have also been using some of the automatic accompaniment features. By today's standards, they seem limited, especially since it will only recognize major, minor, seventh, and minor seventh chords.  (You can play other chords, but the bass notes will not be correct.)

However, in thinking about this, I realized that for its time (about 1979-80) that it was probably decent techonology.  And that led me to my question.  In organs of this vintage was the automatic accompaniment circuity purely analog or was there some limited use of computer chips/components to control this?  This was roughly the era that the first electronic games for children were released; like Blip, Merlin, Speak and Spell, etc.  I'm just curious about how this feature of organs (any manufacturer) of that era were controlled.

Thanks,

Allen

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Roland Atelier AT-90, Yamaha Electone 115D, Yamaha Clavinova CLP-970AC, Yamaha PSR-2100

Hi Allan,

I cant answer your question on the Electone even though I did have one myself..a C605 I think it was, but I did notice that you play a Roland AT90, and was wondering how you liked this organ??? I have just bought an AT 90SL and just love it to bits...am slowly finding my way around on it, and find the touch-screen very good, although I do think it is a bit slower to alter voicing while live playing, than other organs that I have had. However the registration buttons are great if one has time to set them up.What is your opinion of the Ateliers???

Richard B.     Perth   WA

Richard,

I thoroughly enjoy my Roland.  I've sent you a detailed private message via the forum.

Later,

Allen

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Roland Atelier AT-90, Yamaha Electone 115D, Yamaha Clavinova CLP-970AC, Yamaha PSR-2100

Yamaha Electones went digital with the advent of the F series. Your 115 is all analogue.

Abang,

Thanks!

Allen

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Roland Atelier AT-90, Yamaha Electone 115D, Yamaha Clavinova CLP-970AC, Yamaha PSR-2100

Well, not quite analog. The rhythm accompaniment circuitry in my now-decommissioned BK-20B was digital, but it was all implemented using arrays of diodes, and lots of discrete transistors and resistors. No microprocessors. No chips of any sort actually, but that doesn't make it analog. The actual sound generating circuitry is of course analog (except for the octave dividers).

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Stefan Vorkoetter
1962 M-111 w/ "leslie", better vibrato, tone cabinets, and drums.

Stefan,

Thanks for the information.  It seemed to me like there had be something digital for it to be able to recognize what chord was being played.

I also have another Electone question.  I used to own and still play regularly a 415 (D-85) Electone.  The flutes on it sound more "pure" than the ones on my 115D (A-55N).  The flutes on the 115 sound slightly more clarinet-like. If I recall, in older analog technology the complex stops were produced by square waves and filtering.  (I'm probably showing my ignorance here since I know nothing about electronics but am just recalling what I have read on the forum.)  Do the smaller Electones of the late '70s early '80s generate the flute stops from square waves while the larger Electones generate them from another type wave (perhaps a sine wave)?

By the way, I don't really think this is a short-coming of the 115D.  Instead, I think this helps the sound by making a fuller sound with the three flute ptiches available (16', 8', 4').  When comparing the 415 to the 115 with the same flute stops selected, the 115 has a more robust or larger sound.  However, the 415 is much nicer instrument to play !

Thanks again for the information,

Allen

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Roland Atelier AT-90, Yamaha Electone 115D, Yamaha Clavinova CLP-970AC, Yamaha PSR-2100