The Optigan was a novelty instrument built and marketed by the
Optigam Corporation (a subsidiary of Mattel) in Compton, USA in
the early 1970's. The unusual feature of the Optigan was its method
of sound synthesis; the Optigan optically read graphic representations
of waveforms from a series of 12" celluloid LP sized discs, hence
the name Optigan - 'Optical-Organ'. The Optigan read the discs
by passing a light beam through the transparent discs, the beam
was interrupted or reduced by the shape of the printed waveform
and picked up by a photoelectric cell causing a variable voltage
which was in turn amplified and passed to the speakers.
The Optigan was essentially an optical sampler, the disks contained
57 loops of sounds which were recordings of real instruments,
37 of the loops were reserved for keyboard sounds ( with individual
loops for each key) the other 20 loops being sound effects, rhythms
etc. The celluloid discs were sold as a collection for Optigan
owners and were mainly sustained organ sounds, as the continually
spinning loops had no beginning or end it was impossible to create
an attack or decay.
"The Optigan Music Maker. The most revolutionary musical instrument
ever. Because it's EVERY musical instrument. And every combination.
You've never heard anything like it because there's never been
anything like it. And you have all the talent you need in your
little finger to play the OPTIGAN. The "soul" of the OPTIGAN is
the Music Program Disc. Organs try to mimic or imitate different
musical sounds. But with the OPTIGAN you actually play the real
sounds of pianos, banjos, guitars, marimbas, drums and dozens
more. The sounds are on the Programs. You choose the sounds you
want -to play the songs you want- on our piano-style keyboard
and left-hand accompaniment panel. And you choose from Classic
guitar to old time Banjo Sing-Along to Nashville Country to Rock
and Roll. It all depends on the Program and there's a Program
for every musical taste."
from the Optigan users manual
The Optigan Corporation marketed the Optigan as a novelty home
instrument for a number of years, selling the instrument in high
street stores for as little as $150 and eventually passed on the
business to the Miner Company in New York ( organ manufacturer)
who continued to manufacture the instruments and discs under the
company name of Opsonar. An unsuccessful 'professional' version
of the machine was later marketed by a company called Vako under
the name 'Orchestron', only about 50 were built and the company
soon folded.
