Birotron

The Birotron was a keyboard instrument, which was developed in collaboration with keyboardist Rick Wakeman in the late 70s by the American David Biro. Technically and sonically it followed on from the Mellotron and should plan according to the developer to iron out some drawbacks of its known role model.

The Birotron based on analog sampling and was on 8-track cassette sounds stored again, the tapes in contrast to the bands of the Mellotron were played in a continuous loop. In this way the Birotron tones could indefinitely hold long while without saying spooled back the tapes from the Mellotron after about eight seconds and the sound was interrupted. In addition, the Mellotron was not suitable for fast runs, since the bands reacted delayed at the touch of a button.

The Birotron was prepared under the model designation B90 and had a keyboard with 37 keys, to change two preamps and various ways the sound. 20 eight-track cassettes were inserted into the housing on which sounds were recorded by four instruments each. The price was set at £ 1,000.

David Biro invented the Birotron and presented it in 1975 after a concert at Carnegie Hall Wakeman what these so fascinated that he financed the construction of additional copies Biro. To this end, the company Birotronics Ltd. was. founded, which had received more than 1,000 pre-orders for the instrument by its own account. This company, however, went bankrupt in 1979 and was, according to Biro in the period 1975 to 1978 produced, four of which went to Wakeman only 17 copies of the instrument. Wakeman, however, mentioned in interviews production figures of 35 pieces and added that stolen from his four instruments, two and the other two were irreparably damaged.

Wakeman used the Birotron on the albums Tormato (1978) and Yesshows (1980 ) and his band Yes, and on his solo album Criminal Record (1977). It also can be heard on three albums of the band Earth Star and also Tangerine Dream used this instrument.