Collaborative Graphical Timeline of Modular History

WIZARDISHUNGRY · Post by **WIZARDISHUNGRY** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:38 am

Here's my first attempt at making a comprehensive modular synthesizer timeline using the EasyTimeline tool. It can generate a new image from a text file.

rev 3

I made a github project for this so if you want to make an improvement - open a pull request or issue there.
https://github.com/WIZARDISHUNGRY/synthesizer-timeline

I thought about putting this on wikipedia, and you're welcome to do so if you think it's useful there. This version is so preliminary that it's not worth showing to anyone other than to correct.

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 11:55 am

Modcan started in 1997.

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:02 pm

Also
Serge started in 1974
I think Roland had a modular system in 1976
PAiA was selling modular kits in 1972
Polyfusion started in 1975

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:04 pm

And how could I forget Blacet Research! 1978.

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:12 pm

Some more;
Wiard 1999
DotCom 1996
E-mu 1972

Edit: corrected year for .com

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:20 pm

rezzn8r wrote:DotCom 2005

Roger's website says "since the late 90s" and mentions a June, 2000 appearance in Analog Haven.

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:22 pm

Gizmo wrote:
rezzn8r wrote:DotCom 2005
Roger's website says "since the late 90s" and mentions a June, 2000 appearance in Analog Haven.

My bad. I think Synthesizers.com was 1996.

WIZARDISHUNGRY · Post by **WIZARDISHUNGRY** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:52 pm

rezzn8r wrote:Modcan started in 1997.

I used a Eurorack timeline for these dates. I need to figure out a good way to represent multi-format manufacturers…

WIZARDISHUNGRY · Post by **WIZARDISHUNGRY** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 1:34 pm

Could use:

- dates companies stopped/resumed manufacturing (per format)
- dates company names changed
- dates formats changed
- help with multi format syntax
- more post 2012 history

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 1:56 pm

As a reference:

Modern:

Past:

Synthesis Technology started shipping 5U MOTM modules in 1998. Also Synth Tech made FRAC for a while (and somewhat confusingly named them "MOTM" also but didn't use "MOTM" with eurorack modules . . . is MOTM a format designation or a company alias? Unfortunately the answer is yes AND no.)

I'm not sure how you are determining the dates used in this chart but I think using the date the first modules shipped to customers/distributors/stores would be best since the exact date can usually be determined. The date when someone started designing modules and putting their company together can be a little subjective/variable.

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 2:19 pm

The following dates are probably fairly close to being accurate, maybe?

Oakley Sound Systems started selling modules in 1999
Club Of The Knobs started in 2003
Moon Modular started selling modules in 2008
Mos-Lab started in 2008

rezzn8r · Post by **rezzn8r** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 3:30 pm

Who are Vox Glitch? #3 on the Euro timeline?! Why have I not heard of them?

touyube · Post by **sduck** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 5:36 pm

You have a color code for MOTM, but they (synthesis technology) aren't actually on the timeline - ? (hint: about the same date as synthesizer.com) And they've been active in 3 formats, making categorizing difficult...

I also haven't heard of vox glitch - googling turned up 1 module. I think if you're going to include outliers this effort is going to get really bogged down

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:09 pm

sduck wrote:You have a color code for MOTM, but they (synthesis technology) aren't actually on the timeline - ?

Synth Tech has its "foot in the door" for eurorack at least (between Hinton and Synthwerks around 2009).

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 6:30 pm

Mattson Mini Modular (MMM) the original 2U format

started as a company in 2007 and started shipping in 2008.

VinceL · Post by **VinceL** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:02 pm

Need to add STG...I'm not sure when he got started. And STG and SSL both offer MU and Euro modules.

In the MU world, need to add Corsynth, Analog Craftsman, and Happy Nerding. Happy Nerding also offers Euro as well as MU modules.

Despite a lot of hard feelings, Cyndustries should be added. She offered about 5 different formats for some modules.

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 8:29 pm

Indeed, VinceL!

Also MegaOhm Audio and Grove Audio. And Encore Electronics . . .aND . . .

jjclark · Post by **jjclark** » Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:16 pm

"Cyclonix" should be "Cylonix" (think Cylon from Battlestar Galactica)

sonicwarrior · Post by **sonicwarrior** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:02 am

JohnLRice wrote:. . .aND . . .

Curetronic, which started around 2005 IIRC.

scottmoon · Post by **scottmoon** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:42 am

Eardrill started producing modules for Buchla systems in 2009.

listentoaheartbeat · Post by **listentoaheartbeat** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:17 am

Harald Bode developed the first modular synthesizer (with voltage control) from 1959-1961.

His article "A New Tool for the Exploration of Unknown Electronic Music Instrument Performances" was published in the AES journal in 1961:

http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=455

He also published in Electronics Magazine's 1961 issue:

http://120years.net/wordpress/wp-conten ... Synth1.pdf

SmartBits · Post by **SmartBits** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 5:54 am

Shouldn't Roland be the bright yellow (not sure about the colour, I'm colourblind) up until the year they stopped making the Systems 100/100m/700 and then continue in 2015 with the Eurorack colour? Now it looks as though the continued making modulars all those years inbetween. The same for E-Mu, they stopped at some pointed and never continued making modulars. I know Dave Rossum makes modules, but that's not under the same brandname.

MrNezumi · Post by **MrNezumi** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 6:35 am

Waldorf in Eurorack. 2015?

chriscarter · Post by **chriscarter** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:11 am

Not sure if they were regarded as 'modular' as such but Electronic Music Studios (London) Ltd. (usually abbreviated to EMS) produced the VCS3, Synthi A & AKS, Synthi E and Synthi 100 from 1969 to the mid 1970s.

kindredlost · Post by **kindredlost** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:27 am

Hey, Thanks! for starting this WIZARDISHUNGRY. It's always been a topic of curiosity for me as well.

What about EML (1968?) Electronic Music Laboratories - Vernon, Connecticut.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroni ... boratories

...and "maybe" the real missing piece - ARP

(well, they did have a sequencer MODULE and the 2500 is a modular with back-end normalization)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_Instruments

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER