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and added an additional 4' voice, which required an additional set of tone generator boards for each key. Allen's Tom
Emerick later said the Rock-Si-Chord was manufactured first because harpsichord voices were easier to design and manufacture than piano ones. The Rock-Si-Chord was discontinued in 1968.
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and allowed it to be triggered from the
Hammond's manuals. Banks later said he used the RMI as it was the best possible onstage alternative to a piano at the time, but disliked the lack of touch sensitivity and fewer notes than a grand piano. Owing to a lack of polyphonic synthesizers, he ran the RMI
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The first electric piano model was the "Model 100 Rock-Si-Chord" in 1967. Retailing for $ 695, it contained two sounds (string and lute) but was later updated as the "Model 100A" which contained additional sounds (harpsichord, cembalo, lute, and two guitars). The "Model 200 Rock-Si-Chord" cost $ 995
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on punch cards. Though marketed as a synthesizer, the
Keyboard Computer was based more on organ technology and did not have the full set of synthesizer functions. The Keyboard Computer II was introduced in 1977. It cost $ 4,750 and featured an improved user interface, an increased range of voices,
364:
The 600 series combined the sounds of the
Electra-piano and the Rock-Si-Chord. The first model was the 600A (1968). It included 8' and 4' tabs, which required two oscillators for every key and a separate bank of filters for each footage. The 600B (1970) featured an improved voicing circuitry and a
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RMI had no experience in the rock and pop market, as Allen had been used to selling instruments to churches and theatres. They produced advertisements featuring a mascot, "Gopher
Baroque" and described the instrument in typical slang of the era, such as "I mean, you start swinging this axe and
365:
pedal board with two volume and two sustain pedals. The 668 and 668X were the equivalents to the 368 and 368X respectively. The 668X weighed 100 pounds (45 kg) and cost $ 2,095. It was the last analog
Electra-piano remaining in production in the early 1980s.
360:
The Model 400 was a console version of the 300, which was intended for the home and club market and included a self-contained speaker system. The 400A (1970) used the same internals as the 300B, adding a 50 watt amplifier. The 468 (1972) was based on the 368.
162:
The first significant instrument produced by RMI was the Rock-Si-Chord, which emulated a harpsichord. The best-selling and most widely used instrument was the RMI Electra-piano, that was played by numerous artists in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including
379:, while the 140A featured a pair of them, and both had a set of dual high-frequency drivers. An optional accessory was available that was particularly good at producing high frequencies, that sat on top of the amp and was nicknamed the "Hi-Scream Cone".
406:
In 1974, RMI produced the "Keyboard
Computer". It was derived from the digital Allen Computer Organ, with fewer voices, and was marketed as the world's first portable digital musical instrument. It cost $ 4,495 and supported transposition,
337:
resembling that of a piano. The
Electra-piano also had an "organ mode" that allowed each note to sustain indefinitely instead of decay like a piano, and an "accenter" that added a percussion effect to the start of each note being played.
219:. A separate division was set up to see if this technology could be used for portable musical instruments. A patent was filed in 1963 on the group's electronic keyboard design. Most models were designed at the company headquarters in
1196:
435:, and controls for amplitude and frequency modulation. Though it was technically advanced, it did not sell well and was discontinued in 1976. Around 150 to 250 units were produced and only four were ever sold in Europe.
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The DK-20 (Digital
Keyboard) was released in 1979 as a replacement for the analog Electra-pianos. It featured 68 keys and was housed in a similar cabinet to earlier instruments. Effects included adjustable decay, a
349:). The 368 was introduced in 1972 and added seven additional notes at the top end. It was the best-selling Electra-piano. The 368X (1974) was a 368 housed in a molded plastic case instead of the previously used
227:, which led to the sub-division's name, Rocky Mount Instruments. Production started off in part of a former tobacco warehouse, before moving to a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m) factory employing 100 staff.
234:
instrument that had a dedicated oscillator for each key, and was fitted with a "flying hammer" mechanism that repeatedly made or broke the oscillator's electrical connection, giving a strumming sound like a
423:
In 1975, RMI produced its only true synthesizer, the $ 2,995 RMI Harmonic
Synthesizer. It is one of the first digital synthesizers to be commercially produced, pre-dating the better-known
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output, so it could be connected to any guitar or keyboard amplifier. However, RMI designed amps specifically for the instrument. The 140 came with a single 15-inch (380 mm)
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243:. The Lark was a three-octave organ which shared an oscillator between every two notes. Other instruments included the "Band Organ" (a three-octave electrical imitation of a
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Archived newspaper advertisement for the RMI Rock-si-chord featuring the mascot "Gopher Baroque", published in The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky in October, 1968
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In total, around 10,000 RMI Electra-pianos were sold. However, unlike the Rhodes and Wurlitzer, RMI pianos have been reported as hard to find by collectors.
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325:
RMI began producing the 300 Series Electra-piano in 1967. As with earlier instruments, the Electra-piano featured an oscillator for each key. It uses an
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through effects pedals in order to create new sounds. The RMI was used for live renditions of songs that had a piano on the studio version, such as "
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by almost a decade. It featured 48 keys and two digital harmonic generators, each supporting sixteen different sets, and was equipped with a
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By the early 1980s, RMI was in decline owing to the high price of its instruments and competition from polyphonic synthesizers like the
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to generate the sound, as it produced a stable frequency that was not prone to drift. The signal is then run through a series of
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139:, active from 1966 to 1982. The company was formed to produce portable musical instruments, and manufactured several electronic
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556:
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191:. The company struggled to compete with digital synthesizers in the early 1980s, which led to its closure. A number of
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include a "Keyboards of the '60s and '70s" library, which includes a series of RMI samples programmed by Nick Magnus.
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486:. The Electra-piano was widely used by rock musicians in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including
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The first models produced were combo organs in early 1967. The Explorer cost $ 845 and was a four-
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The sharing of oscillators made it impossible to play the respective two notes (eg:
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libraries featuring RMI instruments are available for modern digital keyboards.
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The RMI 368X with a black textured plastic case is the best-known Electra-piano
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of RMI instruments are available for digital keyboards such as the
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version of the 368X; it was made to order and few were produced.
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Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States
1159:
RMI 368X Service Manual (pdf) posted by Black Magic Amplifiers
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443:, and various filters. This model was produced until 1982.
771:"PROG SPAWN! The Rise And Fall Of Rocky Mount Instruments"
341:
The original 300A (1967) and B (1969) models had 61 keys (
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The origins of RMI date to 1959, when Allen started using
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The Rock-Si-Chord preceded RMI's best-known Electra-piano.
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to create sound, instead of mechanical components like an
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The Rock-Si-Chord quickly became popular and was used by
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and octave shifter. Other features included pitch bend,
1101:
Classic Keys: Keyboard Sounds That Launched Rock Music
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869:
415:. It was possible for the end user to store their own
1043:"In pictures: Jean-Michel Jarre's mindblowing studio"
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709:
707:
682:
680:
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49:
1069:"Aphex Twin's List of Gear Used on Syro Surfaces"
628:, who listed it under the instrument credits for
562:Lord transplanted the internals of an RMI into a
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1222:Electronics companies disestablished in 1982
1202:Electric and electronic keyboard instruments
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1164:Hollow Sun – Description of its piano sound
1154:Synthmuseum, descriptions of the RMI models
624:(1976). Subsequently, it has been used by
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1217:American companies disestablished in 1982
1212:Electronics companies established in 1966
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758:
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575:". He eventually replaced the RMI with a
454:. The company ceased production in 1982.
420:and allowed users to store more patches.
411:, and upgradeable voices via a series of
183:. Later, the company became a pioneer of
1192:Electronic organ manufacturing companies
1099:Lenhoff, Alan; Robertson, David (2019).
886:
884:
676:
648:
1207:American companies established in 1966
582:The RMI Keyboard Computer was used by
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27:Subsidiary of the Allen Organ Company
7:
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773:. Sound On Sound Ltd. Archived from
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715:
686:
1029:Jean-Michel Jarre's Favorite Synths
247:), manufactured from 1968 to 1969.
25:
1187:Companies based in North Carolina
1026:Thévenin, Patrick (May 3, 2012),
989:"RMI Harmonic Synthesizer (1974)"
368:The Electra-piano had a standard
542:played an Electra-piano solo on
353:-covered plywood. The 68D was a
308:Problems playing this file? See
281:
1105:University of North Texas Press
300:played on an Electra-piano 368X
573:The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
255:plastic things like crumble."
1:
1014:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
951:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
928:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
916:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
861:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
844:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
825:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
813:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
796:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
728:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
699:Lenhoff & Robertson 2019
995:(in French). March 27, 2014
225:Rocky Mount, North Carolina
215:in their organs instead of
137:Rocky Mount, North Carolina
65:; 58 years ago
1238:
964:"RMI Harmonic Synthesizer"
510:, and in his solo albums,
44:The RMI 300B Electra-piano
429:voltage-controlled filter
297:Pictures at an Exhibition
37:
545:John Barleycorn Must Die
557:Right Place, Wrong Time
333:in order to produce an
121:Rocky Mount Instruments
33:Rocky Mount Instruments
322:
270:
208:
320:
269:
206:
1124:Vintage Synthesizers
798:, pp. 290, 294.
777:on December 25, 2011
223:and manufactured in
185:digital synthesizers
1122:Vail, Mark (2000).
1075:. September 9, 2014
1049:. November 11, 2015
930:, pp. 300–301.
742:, pp. 268–269.
663:) at the same time.
612:Robert John Godfrey
468:the Lovin' Spoonful
294:, "Promenade" from
133:Allen Organ Company
113:Allen Organ Company
34:
1149:RMI at MatrixSynth
1126:. Backbeat Books.
892:"RMI Electra 368x"
555:played an RMI on "
323:
271:
209:
1133:978-0-879-30603-8
1114:978-1-57441-776-0
616:Jean Michel Jarre
590:(1975), Wakeman,
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189:Jean Michel Jarre
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97:Electronic pianos
18:RMI Electra Piano
16:(Redirected from
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1047:Future Music
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1009:
997:. Retrieved
993:Aerozone JMJ
992:
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971:. Retrieved
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899:. Retrieved
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779:. Retrieved
775:the original
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596:Garth Hudson
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217:vacuum tubes
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199:Early models
181:Rick Wakeman
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145:harpsichords
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101:synthesizers
50:Company type
29:
968:MATRIXSYNTH
604:Mike Pinder
584:Isaac Hayes
500:Frank Zappa
488:Deep Purple
413:punch cards
213:transistors
153:oscillators
135:, based in
1181:Categories
999:August 22,
973:October 2,
638:References
626:Aphex Twin
536:Elton John
512:Tony Banks
433:portamento
425:Yamaha DX7
409:pitch bend
394:JV-series
388:Nord Stage
370:audio jack
310:media help
292:Mussorgsky
173:Tony Banks
151:that used
129:subsidiary
54:Subsidiary
1079:March 27,
1073:Pitchfork
1053:March 31,
901:March 31,
876:Vail 2000
740:Vail 2000
716:Vail 2000
687:Vail 2000
671:Citations
448:Prophet 5
277:Promenade
634:(2014).
608:The Enid
592:the Band
553:Dr. John
520:Ron Mael
492:Jon Lord
484:The Band
335:envelope
245:calliope
241:mandolin
127:) was a
93:Products
1092:Sources
781:July 5,
621:Oxygène
571:" and "
516:Genesis
417:patches
384:Samples
331:filters
169:Genesis
131:of the
83: (
78:Defunct
68: (
60:Founded
1130:
1111:
896:Clavia
606:, and
549:'s
534:, and
524:Sparks
478:, and
476:Sun Ra
441:phaser
392:Roland
390:. The
377:woofer
232:octave
193:sample
175:, and
149:organs
147:, and
141:pianos
108:Parent
643:Notes
522:with
514:with
506:with
472:Quasi
351:tolex
237:banjo
1128:ISBN
1109:ISBN
1081:2021
1055:2021
1001:2018
975:2022
903:2021
783:2010
659:and
631:Syro
450:and
85:1982
81:1982
70:1966
63:1966
618:on
610:'s
594:'s
559:".
508:Yes
490:'s
482:of
374:JBL
345:to
239:or
177:Yes
125:RMI
1183::
1107:.
1103:.
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1045:.
991:.
966:.
935:^
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661:C♯
602:'
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347:C
343:G
312:.
123:(
87:)
72:)
20:)
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