London Science Museum undusts Oramics machine, revisits OG electronic music innovation

Practicing its fist pump and channeling its inner Devo, the London Science Museum will be paying homage to electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram by resurrecting her old synthesizer last used in the ’70s — a device that relies on 35mm magnetic tape to pump out jams. The classic clunker was found in a French barn last month and will be brought out into the open for the first time in forty years at the museum in old Blighty. “Oramics” operators “draw” music on ten strips of clear film to create a mask. The machine then reads the tape as differences in light and turns it into voltage control, which is used to switch oscillators and control the amplitude of the sound. The effect? A creepy vortex of haunting sounds — so creepy it was used to make the theme song for Doctor Who . Fans of glow sticks and synth sounds can check out the exhibit until December, but if a trip to Londontown’s not in your future, there’s a video you should ogle after the break. Continue reading London Science Museum undusts Oramics machine, revisits OG electronic music innovation London Science Museum undusts Oramics machine, revisits OG electronic music innovation originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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