The ‘Monochord’ Dr Freidrich Trautwein. Germany, 1948

 

The Elektronische Monochord at WDR Studio, Köln, 1952
The Elektronische Monochord at NDR Studio, Köln, 1952

The Monochord was commissioned from Dr Freidrich Trautwein, the inventor of the Trautonium, by the Electronic Music studio of North West German Radio studios, Köln to upgrade its synthesis module which consisted at the time of one sine wave generator and filter system. The Monochord was basically a modified concert Trautonium with a monophonic variable pitch interval keyboard controlling a valve based tone generator. The keyboard was pressure sensitive and allowed one hand to play pitched notes while the other changed timbre and variations of the envelope shape. A foot pedal controlled the overall volume output from the machine.

WDR Studio, Köln, 1952
NDR Studio, Köln, 1952

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