“Electromotive is the definitive documentary charting the rise and demise of one of the world’s most influential and pioneering synth companies. It dives deep into the world of ARP and their instruments, with fascinating insights from those involved, copious amounts of previously undocumented information, and then debunks many myths. A triumph, a true labour of love and essential viewing for any synth nerd.”
Chris Macleod / GForce Software
//
Firstly, thank you for watching. Secondly, I don’t have enough words to express my sincere gratitude and love for the scores of people who gave up their knowledge, time and skill to make this film happen. It would have been impossible without them.
If that wasn’t enough, every single person who contributed to this film did it gratis so that you can enjoy this story free and without even having to sit through a single advert. Isn’t that amazing?!
Dina Pearlman has been absolutely crucial to this project and has been industrious in opening doors for me this past year, to the point that we’ve joked she’s the patch chords between the modules.
Please take a moment to check out the foundation and at the very least, give them a like, subscribe and comment of support.
The Alan R Pearlman Foundation
https://alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/
https://www.instagram.com/arpchives/
https://www.facebook.com/alanrpearlmanarchives/
Also a shout out to for the stunning opening and closing title sequences and in film animations.
Chad & Ryan: http://fauxcorp.com/
Chad: http://chadwixom.com/
Ryan: http://ryangriffin.media/
James: http://vim-vigor.com/
Title / thumbnail image credit:
Romain Segaud
http://www.romainsegaud.com/
Some corrections:
1:25:20 – Should read Drew Schlesinger & David Torn.
On that subject, check out the superb album that that track is from:
https://drewschlesinger-davidtorn.bandcamp.com/album/summer-synthesis-1978
1:35:26 – The mylar membrane switches that failed were actually in the keyboard action, not the front panel. Each key had a roller mounted on it and the roller moved down and up the membrane switch when a key was depressed and released
1:50:44. The song title should read “Schismo”.
// ORIGINS //
0:00 Intro
1:42 Alan Robert Pearlman
4:29 Founding Tonus Inc
// THE ARP 2500 //
7:41 Designing the Series 2000
11:14 System 2002 Demo
12:38 “Now who’s gonna sell it?”
14:56 Close Encounters
18:32 System 2003 Demo
// THE ARP 2600 //
19:29 Designing the 2600
20:34 The first sales call
21:39 The Blue Marvin
23:36 “First Look” Don Muro
25:17 The Grey Meanie & Production Models
26:04 “Correlative Moons” Lisa Bella Donna
26:30 Rebranding as ARP
27:40 2601 models
28:46 2600 Demo
// THE SOLOIST & PRO SOLOIST //
29:57 The Soloist
30:37 Jeremy Hill
33:10 Designing the Pro Soloist
36:40 Pro Soloist Demo
38:25 Pro/DGX Demo
// SELLING ARPS //
39:24 Organ donors
41:44 Patch books
43:02 “Stinger” David Frederick
44:20 The ARP NAMM JAM
// THE ODYSSEY //
46:43 Designing the Odyssey
52:23 Marketing the Odyssey
55:07 “I did not meet any rock stars”
56:33 2am call
57:34 Odyssey Demo
// GOING PUBLIC & COSMIC FURNACE //
58:52 “Wanna buy some stock?”
59:18 Roger Powell
// THE DUTCH CONNECTION //
1:00:33 The Eminent 310U
1:01:14 The Strings Ensemble
1:02:17 The Frankfurt MESSE
1:03:13 Solina String Ensemble Demo
1:04:44 The relationship works both ways
1:05:02 Solina String Synthesizer Demo
1:05:54 Ken Freeman’s contribution
// THE ARP MODULAR SYNTHESIZER LAB //
1:06:42 The “Learning Modules”
1:07:22 Don takes over the project
// THE ARP OMNI //
1:08:21 The polyphonic system
1:09:09 The Omni
1:09:35 Omni Demo
1:10:32 Omni 2 Demo
// THE AXXE //
1:10:54 The logic of the Axxe
1:11:33 “Conclusions” Lisa Bella Donna
// THE ARP SEQUENCER //
1:12:12 Sequencer Demo
1:13:13 Voltage Quantizer
// GROWING THE BUSINESS //
1:13:36 Sales peak
1:14:22 Marketing ARP to the world
1:16:47 Pretty much a normal life
// GUITAR SYNTHESIZERS //
1:17:19 Two parallel projects
1:18:23 The Centaur VI
1:21:15 The Avatar
1:23:33 Demonstrating Guitar Synthesizers
1:25:19 “Upa War Jazz” Drew Schlesinger & David Torn
1:26:27 “It fell short”
1:27:44 Alan Howarth
1:28:21 Parallel polysynth abandoned
// THE ARP QUADRA //
1:28:34 Designing the Quadra
1:30:08 The Prophet~5 and OB-X
1:30:53 Quadra Demo
// THE DEMISE //
1:31:32 Digital revolution
1:32:04 Japanese Competition
1:33:21 The 2600 endures
1:34:16 Electronic Pianos
1:34:42 The Solus
1:35:00 MU-TRON, Seil & Digital Synths
1:35:42 “The ship went down”
// THE RHODES CHROMA //
1:37:22 CBS Acquires ARP
1:38:52 Chroma Demo
// BEYOND ARP //
1:40:23 “Incredible how the tide changed”
1:41:35 Legacy and resurgence
1:43:13 “He’s sorely missed”
1:44:46 The Alan R Pearlman Foundation
1:44:52 The Korg ARP 2600
1:46:33 Epilogue
1:49:12 End Credits
