Daphne Orams Unique Oramics Machine

US The ingenious 1960's optical synthesizer 16/10/21

The Oramics Machine may not be new to most of us (having been around for over 70 years) but for those that have never seen it, it's a unique and wondrous device created in the 1960s by Daphne Oram. It uses shapes drawn onto glass to create tones and melodies - giving anyone the chance to create music, regardless of musical knowledge or drawing skills.

This except from a British TV programme (featuring some nice dialogue samples) covers the one Oramnics machine in existence at the time, then placed at the Science Machine in London, where they explain the function of sampler and a synthesizer, before looking at Oram's machine and discussing its impact and ingenuity.

The sound generator makes a tone based on shapes drawn on a glass screen with further drawings required for additional parameters like tone and echo. Daphne Oram was also the co-founder of the highly influential BBC Radiophonic Workshop. More information on the Oramics machine here: https://www.daphneoram.org/oramicsmachine/

About the author [midierror]: midierror makes nifty Max For Live devices, innovative music hardware, award winning sample packs and hosts a podcast speaking to people in the music world.