Quite possibly the worlds rarest musical instrument. You are doing a great job sir! I think if these were manufactured again, they would sell.
Surely there is a market for the old and analogue amongst keyboard players? I know I'd buy some if they were available! (and if I had thousands of expendable income!)
If someone could get all the original master tapes for one of these and restore it fully, they could make a fortune of selling a sample pack of it! I'd love to hear these come back into music :)
I love the sound of these worn out tapes, really perfect for the ambient stuff being played here. I have a feeling with unworn tapes it would sound a bit cheesier.
The inventor used to let us rehearse in his basement; for a guy who has brought so many angelic sounds to the world, he sure allowed some horrible noise in his home! Thanks Dave, and sorry about working on 'Jamie's Cryin' long enough to make you all cry upstairs! We never did play that one out...
Wowsers, that sounds like a really epic archiving process in the works! Great to hear an update! Keep me in the loop as things progress. I'm still keen to put together some Birotron sample banks for everyone to share, if some source audio can be gleaned from the old beast! :) All the best @tapediskmagic.
@muzboz I'm sorry for the late reply. This YouTube channel belongs to my friend (the videomaker). I'm doing the actual Birotron work which leaves me almost no time for anything! Yes, I'll definitely keep updates here. All this work will hopefully be appreciated by someone. Repairing 8 track tapes is very arduous and frustrating. Also - putting in Silica gel packs inside tape canisters to help preserve the masters. Hopefully the instrument and it's sounds can be saved from complete extinction.
@tapediskmagic For the making of a sample library, you don't actually need to sample every single note, although that is the ideal case. You can build a sample library by using any number of samples, and then assigning which ones should be used across which RANGE of notes. The playback system then "stretches" the notes to cover each key, so a D sample could be used to also play the sounds for C, C#, D, D#, E for example. You may not really notice the difference, so bare that in mind. :)
It would be most excellent if it could be sampled thoroughly, and you could make a sample library for the Nord Electro 3, and other Nord keyboards. I'd be most happy (nay, honored!) to put together a sample library for that format, to somewhat archive the wonderful sounds, and to make them more accessible to people, if you could provide me with the raw sounds recorded at a high quality. :-) Wow, that'd be amazing.
@muzboz Ahh - I wish! I don't have access to the sounds, it's my friends Birotron. I agree with you 100% that a sample library needs to be made. I want those sounds too! Lots of people have asked about getting samples of it because there aren't any. The good news is he's repairing a huge mess of old Birotron cartridges (difficult!!) and just maybe making new cartridge tapes from the original master tapes. He's been working with the inventor but his bad health has slowed them a bit.
@muzboz Greetings! Some very careful work has ensued with opening up surviving cartridge tapes and removing wrinkles using towels heated by a non-magnetic iron on low heat. Tapes can then be put on to a reel to reel and the sounds archived. Also - there are over 100 master tapes but many need baking to make them playable again. A tape machine has been sourced but it also needs service. This may be the only option though because it appears none of the surviving Birotrons has a complete tape set.
who cares if the tapes are worn! a poor sound of its own is better than a completely extinct sound. in fact i can think of many artists who would even prefer the aged sound. if there are supposed;y only two working machines left they should be digitizing them, at least for posterity
@dancerox818 Yes, but he hopes to repair the other 8 track tapes so we can hear at least one of the sounds across the keyboard. The master tapes have recently been unearthed, but they need care.
There's a slim chance we can still hear the unheard sounds......but it's a long shot.
This instrument is used in the song Reeperbahn by Tom Waits. It gives it a very unique sound.
RoomWithaMooseDash 1 month ago
Sweet Nektar!
Dolores5000 2 months ago
Quite possibly the worlds rarest musical instrument. You are doing a great job sir! I think if these were manufactured again, they would sell.
Surely there is a market for the old and analogue amongst keyboard players? I know I'd buy some if they were available! (and if I had thousands of expendable income!)
neil73 2 months ago
If someone could get all the original master tapes for one of these and restore it fully, they could make a fortune of selling a sample pack of it! I'd love to hear these come back into music :)
AaronWelchMusic 3 months ago
I love the sound of these worn out tapes, really perfect for the ambient stuff being played here. I have a feeling with unworn tapes it would sound a bit cheesier.
earwicker 3 months ago
I dig this man. Get to hear it. Rock on!
RunningManOnMars 4 months ago
The inventor used to let us rehearse in his basement; for a guy who has brought so many angelic sounds to the world, he sure allowed some horrible noise in his home! Thanks Dave, and sorry about working on 'Jamie's Cryin' long enough to make you all cry upstairs! We never did play that one out...
tommyo777 5 months ago
Wowsers, that sounds like a really epic archiving process in the works! Great to hear an update! Keep me in the loop as things progress. I'm still keen to put together some Birotron sample banks for everyone to share, if some source audio can be gleaned from the old beast! :) All the best @tapediskmagic.
muzboz 5 months ago
@muzboz I'm sorry for the late reply. This YouTube channel belongs to my friend (the videomaker). I'm doing the actual Birotron work which leaves me almost no time for anything! Yes, I'll definitely keep updates here. All this work will hopefully be appreciated by someone. Repairing 8 track tapes is very arduous and frustrating. Also - putting in Silica gel packs inside tape canisters to help preserve the masters. Hopefully the instrument and it's sounds can be saved from complete extinction.
tapediskmagic 5 months ago
@tapediskmagic For the making of a sample library, you don't actually need to sample every single note, although that is the ideal case. You can build a sample library by using any number of samples, and then assigning which ones should be used across which RANGE of notes. The playback system then "stretches" the notes to cover each key, so a D sample could be used to also play the sounds for C, C#, D, D#, E for example. You may not really notice the difference, so bare that in mind. :)
muzboz 5 months ago
very nice - someone should do them justice and restore them to something like they were before it's too late.
mildredsmittens 6 months ago
I loved Wakeman's Birotron on Tormato
nedmarc 9 months ago
@nedmarc I loved it too but I wish it was louder in the mix.
tapediskmagic 9 months ago
@tapediskmagic Thanks for posting!
nedmarc 9 months ago
It would be most excellent if it could be sampled thoroughly, and you could make a sample library for the Nord Electro 3, and other Nord keyboards. I'd be most happy (nay, honored!) to put together a sample library for that format, to somewhat archive the wonderful sounds, and to make them more accessible to people, if you could provide me with the raw sounds recorded at a high quality. :-) Wow, that'd be amazing.
muzboz 9 months ago
@muzboz Ahh - I wish! I don't have access to the sounds, it's my friends Birotron. I agree with you 100% that a sample library needs to be made. I want those sounds too! Lots of people have asked about getting samples of it because there aren't any. The good news is he's repairing a huge mess of old Birotron cartridges (difficult!!) and just maybe making new cartridge tapes from the original master tapes. He's been working with the inventor but his bad health has slowed them a bit.
tapediskmagic 9 months ago
@tapediskmagic I wish them luck. Truly a historic instrument. It would be a shame to not try salvaging samples.
evolutionist79 8 months ago
@tapediskmagic Any news on the restoration of the amazing Birotron? I'd love to build a sample library for it to share with all. :)
muzboz 7 months ago
@muzboz Greetings! Some very careful work has ensued with opening up surviving cartridge tapes and removing wrinkles using towels heated by a non-magnetic iron on low heat. Tapes can then be put on to a reel to reel and the sounds archived. Also - there are over 100 master tapes but many need baking to make them playable again. A tape machine has been sourced but it also needs service. This may be the only option though because it appears none of the surviving Birotrons has a complete tape set.
tapediskmagic 5 months ago
who cares if the tapes are worn! a poor sound of its own is better than a completely extinct sound. in fact i can think of many artists who would even prefer the aged sound. if there are supposed;y only two working machines left they should be digitizing them, at least for posterity
williamgatesenson 10 months ago
Comment removed
Mentaldpx 11 months ago
Please make some more videos of this!
Mikemaniax 1 year ago
why isn't anyone posting more videos?
shouldn't they be recording tons of videos of it before it's completely gone forever?
TouchingYou 1 year ago
beautiful little piece of heaven wouldn't you say
Staplesz 1 year ago
So so so so so so stunning
explosionsfrommybutt 1 year ago
what a great unique sound!
hammondeggs49 1 year ago
It's a mystery..... 5.... possibly 6 left, most of them incomplete.
Apparently only 8 - 13 were ever completed. The total of 35 includes instruments left unfinished when the company went under in 1979 or 80.
All the unfinished ones were trashed in early 90's. :(
It's a shame, I love the sound....unique.
tapediskmagic 1 year ago
@tapediskmagic does your friend still have it, and does he know that he is in possesion of the instrument of the gods?
dancerox818 10 months ago
@dancerox818 Yes, but he hopes to repair the other 8 track tapes so we can hear at least one of the sounds across the keyboard. The master tapes have recently been unearthed, but they need care.
There's a slim chance we can still hear the unheard sounds......but it's a long shot.
tapediskmagic 10 months ago
According to Rick Wakeman (who also helped develop this instrument), he believes there are only 6 existing. 35 were only made.
sabbath231 1 year ago
Pete recorded this? Which reminds me .. I have to call him
kabo0m 1 year ago
Hey it is Chris "3D"! I have always loved it when he played these at his mom's house! :)
kabo0m 1 year ago