Fairlight CMI demonstrated by Greg Sneddon

Fairlight CMI demonstrated by Greg Sneddon on some Australian current affairs TV program around 1984. Can anyone identify the presenter or the show?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Fairlight
• CMI
• Greg
• Sneddon

[metabog]

Sounds better than some modern samplers.

[Ken5244]

Back in the day, this was a revolutionary device. To this day, I still think the best Fairlight CMI sounds I've ever heard were done by Geoff Downes on Asia's first album in 1982. He was slagged by some hardcore prog fans because he wasn't as accomplished or as flashy a player as, say, Emerson or Wakeman, but he was a good player and the Fairlight sounds he got on that record were fantastic.

In the right hands, this device could make great sounds. Why it wasn't used more is a mystery to me.

[67mardono]

The journalist's name is Chris Ardill Guinness.I have been told he started on the ABC version of Towards 2000,and then ATN 7's version.

[gothicsakura82]

the first ones where about 100 grand

[petitformat]

2:05 priceless

[Ken5244]

@adam872

I didn't know he played on that Kate Bush album. I haven't heard much of her work, but I'll have to check that out if for no other reason than to hear what Geoff played on it. Thanks for the tip.

[adam872]

@Ken5244 Completely agree. That is some of the best sound design and keyboard playing I've heard on any album I own. Downes is totally underrated. He also did some work with the Fairlight on Kate Bush's The Dreaming (Sat in your lap, for instance). That is also a terrific record.

[adam872]

The presenter is Chris Ardill-Guinness and the show is Beyond 2000. I even remember this episode and at that moment was utterly blown away by the capabilities of the Fairlight. I've always wanted one. These instruments were utterly groundbreaking at the time, but brutally expensive!

[PhuckHue2]

with the advancement of chips since the 80's isn't it possible to make one of these pretty cheap?

[themindminder]

The Wikipedia page is;

wiki/Beyond_Tomorrow_(TV_serie­s)

[themindminder]

The show is "Toward 2000", it was a technology show that ran for several years in Australia. There is a list of the presenters on the Wikipedia site.

[Ken5244]

@thelurker25

Yeah, I guess. Although I'm sure there were some wealthy/successful artists, and high-end recording studios, who probably could have afforded one. But yeah, that was a heck of a lot of money back then (still is, for that matter).