76:. He used the keyboard from an old piano and parts from a local hardware store, plus a set of automotive eight-track decks from a junkyard. Biro built the prototype in his father's garage with "no plans, no drawings. nothing. All I remember is that absolutely no one thought it could work". Despite several faults, Biro persuaded Wakeman to financially invest in the instrument after meeting him backstage at a concert later that year. As part of the deal, Wakeman retained full rights with an offer of compensation to Biro should the instrument become successful. Development progressed in 1975, when Wakeman had Biro produce a working model with help from his technicians at his factory and rehearsal facility in
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the UK, and a decision had yet to be made to either produce several models to work on different voltages, or add a built-in transformer. Wakeman said a key problem was that the instrument had "teething problems" that did not bother him, but would be unacceptable to the general public. A further problem was the increasing popularity of
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In late 1978, Wakeman said that between 30 and 35 unfinished models had been built, and the instrument performed to his satisfaction in a studio setting, but problems arose when it was used on tour with Yes a year prior. Its precise voltage requirements made it unsuitable for use in countries outside
124:, which could reproduce a similar sound without any mechanical issues. Ultimately, few models were manufactured and the instrument never entered regular production. Wakeman later said he lost around £50,000 in the investment.
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The
Birotron was announced in September 1975 and marketed by Complex 7, a group of companies that Wakeman directed to help build and market the instrument. Pete Robinson was in charge of operations. Advance orders came from
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The instrument has 37 keys and features 19 eight-track cartridges. Tapes could be easily exchanged or replaced, and it was intended that musicians could add their own recordings to the instrument.
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in a loop. As such tapes never need rewinding, this avoided the problem that the
Mellotron had, where a sound would stop playing after around eight seconds.
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Keyboard
Magazine Presents Vintage Synthesizers: Pioneering Designers, Groundbreaking Instruments, Collecting Tips,Mutants of Technology
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The
Birotron was named after its inventor, Dave Biro, and developed with investment from regular Mellotron player
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Biro first started designing a tape-replay instrument in 1974 after hearing
Wakeman play the Mellotron on
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and Tom Rhea. As of 2019, only two working models are known to exist.
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The only musicians other than
Wakeman to have bought a Birotron are
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Mellotron: The
Machines and the Musicians that Revolutionised Rock
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47:. Like the Mellotron, the instrument produced sounds from
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musical instrument designed as a successor to the similar
457:- Birotron page featuring an interview with Rick Wakeman
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Classic Keys: Keyboard Sounds That
Launched Rock Music
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104:. Wakeman used the instrument on his solo album
342:"Rick Wakeman: On the Road and Beyond with Yes"
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300:. No. 152. January 1976. pp. 62–63.
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477:Electric and electronic keyboard instruments
316:International Musician & Recording World
275:International Musician & Recording World
249:International Musician & Recording World
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312:"Music News - Wakeman goes into business"
424:Lenhoff, Alan; Robertson, David (2019).
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16:Electro-mechanical musical instrument
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340:Milano, Dominic (February 1979).
277:(Sep 1975): 77–82. September 1975
463:NAMM Oral History Library (2013)
430:University of North Texas Press
318:(Oct 1975): 71–73. October 1975
251:(Sep 1975): 6–9. September 1975
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69:Tales from Topographic Oceans
369:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
232:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
188:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
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298:Beat Instrumental Magazine
390:. Bennett & Bloom.
271:"Music News - Birotron"
346:Contemporary Keyboard
326:– via Muzines.
285:– via Muzines.
259:– via Muzines.
212:Essays: The Believer
461:Dave Biro Interview
405:Vail, Mark (2000).
386:Awde, Nick (2008).
122:string synthesizers
455:Eight Track Heaven
409:. Backbeat Books.
206:(June–July 2007).
131:(who bought two),
31:, and financed by
25:electro-mechanical
482:Analogue samplers
439:978-1-57441-776-0
416:978-0-87930-603-8
397:978-1-898948-02-5
296:"Complex Seven".
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245:"Rick Wakeman"
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133:Klaus Schulze
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349:. Retrieved
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320:. Retrieved
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279:. Retrieved
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253:. Retrieved
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215:. Retrieved
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208:"Ker-Chunk!"
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78:High Wycombe
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45:Rick Wakeman
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33:Rick Wakeman
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351:27 December
322:28 December
281:28 December
255:28 December
217:28 December
86:John Lennon
80:, England.
471:Categories
139:References
102:Elton John
62:Production
171:Awde 2008
159:Vail 2000
29:Mellotron
39:Features
21:Birotron
379:Sources
113:Tormato
23:was an
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434:ISBN
411:ISBN
392:ISBN
353:2023
324:2023
283:2023
257:2023
219:2023
100:and
19:The
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74:Yes
72:by
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361:^
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