Talk about dedication to audio! A 200 ton instrument!

[Mr PC]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleharmonium

Above is a Wikipedia link about the Telharmonium, an electric tone-wheel instrument that was developed in 1897!! That is not a typo. 1897.

One of the versions of this instrument weighed in at nearly 200 tons!

It was intended to be heard by using telephone receivers.

Think of this next time you have to run a bunch of cable or rewire a patch bay.

PC

[JGriffin]

Yeah, kinda strange, but the first electronic instruments were developed to play music for people over the phone--I guess the idea was, since radios and phonographs weren't in common use, the way for people to listen to music at home would be to phone up and listen to these electronic gizmos. Cool.

[b3groover]

Yeah, the Telharmonium concept is what Laurens Hammond used to develop the Hammond organ.

[overnight]

Yea, I got one of these off of Ebay. Shipping was a nightmare.

[mjau]

200 tons? That's 400,000 pounds. That's like 10,000 Fender Twins. Is that figure right?

[sismofyt]

yes, i believe so. also, note that is wasn't until around 1906 that lee deforest invented the triode, the first amplifying device. still in good use today. always wondered what it would sound like

wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_DeForest



funny that the franken synth was used to broadcast music through the phone net. same thing is happening today, 'cept people choose their own music. circle is closed, sorta

old skool audio history is extremely fascinating i think. another good one is the theremine, it's inventor and the love story. almost film stuff i'd say

also interesting that as soon as the audio/triode was invented people starten experimenting with electronic instruments