The Optical Sampler Kraftwerk Loved

Hainbach is bach, with a video on an optical disc sampler from Quilter Labs - the mysterious Panoctagon. This is a modern iteration on the Chilton Talentmaker, which Hainbach covered in recent years. The sampler has a collection of pre-recorded loops, but the sound can be changed by a number of parameters including Pitch and Playback Direction, which gives some uniquely ethereal tones. Each optical disc contains up to 60 sound tracks, and an additional outboard controller accepts/sends MIDI !

Here is the video breakdown:

00:00 Kraftwerk Patches and Introduction
03:09 Disc Demos
05:40 Panoptigon Features
09:33 Kyle Dixon Interview
14:35 My Own Disc
 

When optical sound sample players came around in the form of the Mattel Optigan, Vako Orchestron and Chilton Talentmaker in the 70s, the reaction was luke-warm. The devices were not a commercial success and quickly disappeared. But one enterprising band from Germany took their lofi sound to heart. Kraftwerk employed the Orchestron in many songs, from Das Model to Uranium. Even today its finds fans - such as Kyle Dixon of Survive, who used the iconic "choir" in their Stranger Things soundtrack. He employed the modern adaption of this arcane technology, the Quilter Labs Panoptigon. I talk with Kyle in the video, show a bit what you can do with the Panoptigon, demo classic Kraftwerk patches and introduce my own disc for this fantastic instrument. 

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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.

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