Reimagining Robb: The Sound of the World’s First Sample-based Electronic Musical Instrument circa 1927

Murphy M, Anstey R. Reimagining Robb: The Sound of the World’s First Sample-based Electronic Musical Instrument circa 1927. In: AES Convention 148. Audio Engineering Society; 2020. Paper 585. Available from: https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20823

@inproceedings{Murphy2020_20823,
  author = {Murphy, Michael and Anstey, Richard},
  title = {{Reimagining Robb: The Sound of the World’s First Sample-based Electronic Musical Instrument circa 1927}},
  booktitle = {AES Convention 148},
  note = {Paper 585},
  year = {2020},
  month = may,
  publisher = {Audio Engineering Society},
  url = {https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20823}
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Reimagining Robb: The Sound of the World’s First Sample-based Electronic Musical Instrument circa 1927
AU  - Murphy, Michael
AU  - Anstey, Richard
T2  - AES Convention 148
M1  - Paper 585
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/05/06
UR  - https://aes.org/publications/elibrary-page/?id=20823
PB  - Audio Engineering Society
LA  - en
AB  - This paper follows up on 2013 and 2014 AES presentations on recreating the first successful electronic organ, the 1927 Robb Wave Organ. Most historical literature lists the Chamberlin/Mellotron (c1960s) as the first usable sample-based electronic musical instruments. This paper will situate the earlier 1927 Robb Wave Organ as part of the evolution of sample-based instruments. It will also demonstrate the sampling method used for carving Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) equivalent waveforms into spinning tone wheels. The authors have completed a physical recreation of the instrument and will demonstrate the various sampled sounds at the conference.
ER  -