Subharchord
The subharchord is an electronic musical instrument which includes in particular undertones ( subharmonic ) in the sound production.
The then new electronic sound and noise generators was initiated by Gerhard Steinke, formerly director of the (former) radio and television Central Technical Office ( RFZ ) Berlin -Adlershof, by a team led by Ernst Schreiber in the years 1959 to 1968 especially for use in Studios developed for experimental and electro-acoustic music as well as for use in radio, film and television studios.
Currently, there are of the approximately seven manufactured instruments still in 2005 restored and play functioning prototype at the Academy of Arts in Berlin, also in 2007 restored serial device # 2 /68 in the radio drama production complex 2, Radio Berlin- Nalepastraße and the 2008 functional again made serial device of the Slovak Radio in Bratislava. The latter enriched the exhibition "Magical Sound Machines " from the Institute for Media Archeology (IMA ) in Hainburg near Vienna; it is now in the Vienna Technical Museum in an exhibition part to synthesizers. Another series unit is in Ringve Museum in Trondheim. Through exhibitions and concerts are the subharchord for some years again increased public interest.
Features
The subharchord combines basic ideas of the Trautonium by Friedrich Trautwein and Oskar Sala with novel electronic sound modules. The subharchord is a consistent and modern development of these ideas. In addition to a melody consisting of overtones relaxation oscillations in sawtooth or rectangular waveform through filters of different characteristics can be varied manifold by means of subtractive sound shaping, up to four sub-harmonic overtones in the division ratios ½ to 1/29 is generated and combined into a polyphonic mixture as desired for new sound structures be. They inspired the name " subharchord ". The subharmonic frequency range is the interval faithful reflection of vorzufindenden in natural, conventional sounds overtone series. She was already in the 1930s, found by Friedrich Trautwein and first realized in the known mixture Trautonium by Oskar Sala 1952.
A new feature at the time were the solutions for pressure- sensitive volume control to the free design of the Toneinsatzes and the compression of sound by a special choir modulator, and other processing steps. A special feature of Subharchords is the first time realized in an electronic instrument timbres game played in the composer Josef Anton Riedl (at that time in the Siemens Studio Munich) tested 14 frequency bandwidth is possible on a separate Manual using specific filters on the Mel - pitch scale.
The subharchord had been in terms of playability and simple operation, first with one touch manual ( keyboard) to the extent provided over three octaves. By appropriate choice of frequency division and settings is a range of over ten octaves available. With a decay device duration tones can be turned into plucking or striking sounds. The duration of the Abklingvorganges and the slope of the decay curve can be controlled. The sounds can also be changed by means of a Rhythmisierungseinrichtung in staccato -like short tones. Other interesting sound and noise structures can be achieved by means of ring modulator through modulation of pure tones or noise from the keyboard or Glissandoregelung. After the planned enlargement to a second key Manual for additional additive sound synthesis ( overtone mixture ) and a band Manual for a non- tempered sliding Tone Scale as well as by means of suitable control options should be used as a concert instrument in combination with conventional musical instruments and orchestras. These projects, however, were no longer feasible.
Development and production had to be stopped in 1969 because of his time " music political conditions " in the GDR. The Laboratory of Acoustic Musical - border areas, which had already been arranged by Gerhard Steinke 1956, but devoted himself to continue the problems of recording studio technology in the context of the new structure in the RFZ and even after his subsequent takeover by the German Telekom. The brand name subharchord is legally protected for Gerhard Steinke.
Use
Was used in the subharchord own experimental studio of the RFZ to accommodate experimental music, including with symphony orchestras, radio and television, and radio plays. The composers Addy Kurth and Karl -Ernst Sasse used the subharchord in the (former) Trickfilmstudio Dresden for his own compositions for scoring animations. Among the composers who composed for the subharchord, included, inter alia, Siegfried Matthus, Hans -Hendrik Wehding, Bernd Wefelmeyer, Tilo Medek, Wolfgang Hohensee, Paul -Heinz Dittrich and Frederic Rzewski. With numerous electronic music studio in the world and the composers working there ( among others Luigi Nono, Bruno Maderna, Henk Bading, Herbert Eimert, Elliot Crater, Franco Evangelisti, Lejaren Hiller and v. a ) had the Adlershof studio frequent contact and exchange band. The Academy of Arts in Berlin, in particular the composer Kurt Schwaen and Paul Dessau, and later Georg Katzer, support the work of the studio and organized public events. With the restoration of some instruments, the interest of the music and cultural scene is awakened on subharchord in recent years. There are, for example, within the CTM.13 festivals to give a lecture and a performance.
Examples
- Subharmonic concoctions with the subharchord ( vinyl EP, Krautopia Records, 2003/4 )
- The Krautopia Sampler ( CD with historical and new sound examples, Krautopia Records, 2003)
- Siegfried Matthus: Galilei, Bernd Wefelmeyer: Protest, Paul -Heinz Dittrich: Chamber Music 2 ( LP, Nova, 1966)
- Addy Kurth: The Lazy Magician ( children's storyteller )
- VEB German records: Experimental Music ( record with compositions and sound examples, Eterna 720 205 in 1963 /64)
- Southeast of the Moon ( children's storyteller with music by H. Hoepfner; 1963)
- Collegium Musicum (Slovak group with Marian Varga on subharchord, various LPs, CDs, 1970s )
- Film music signals - A Space Adventure ( Composer: Karl -Ernst Sasse, 1923-2006; 1970)