Harald Bode
Encyclopedia
Harald Bode was a German engineer and pioneer in the development of electronic music instruments.
, F.R.G.
and graduated from the University of Hamburg
in 1934. Bode pursued further education at Heinrich Hertz Institute of Berlin. Bode worked as a researcher in signal processing
and on the development of electronic music instruments at the Heinrich Hertz Institute for Oscillation Research at the Technical University of Berlin
.
Warbo Formant Organ (1937) developed by Bode and C. Warnke was a four voice key-assignment keyboard with two formant filters and dynamic envelope controller, and eventually went into commercial production by a factory in Dachau
. It was one of the earliest polyphonic synthesizer products, along with Novachord
(1939) by Hammond
.
Melochord (1947-49) developed by Bode was extensively used by Werner Meyer-Eppler
in early days of the electronic studio at Bonn University. Then in 1953 Melochord was, along with Monochord by Freidrich Trautwein
, Monochord, a modified Concert Trautonium
, was commissioned from Dr. Freidrich Trautwein by the Studio for Electronic of WDR, Köln.
specifically commissioned to the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
(WDR Studio in Cologne, West German Broadcasting Corporation) to upgrade their synthesis modules, and used by the Elektronische Musik group throughout the 1950s. (See #Melochord at the WDR Studio in Cologne for details)
From 1950, Bode designed electronic organs for the Apparatewerk Bayern (AWB) in Germany and the Estey Organ Company
in the United States. In 1954, Bode immigrated to the United States
as a chief engineer (later vice-president) of Estey Organ, and resumed his research at several companies and as a contractor of German companies.
In 1959-60, Bode developed modular synthesizer
and sound processor, and in 1961, he wrote a paper exploring the advantages of newly emerging transistor technology over older vacuum tube devices; also he served as AES
session chairman on music and electronic for the fall conventions in 1962 and 1964; after then, his ideas were adopted by Robert Moog
, Donald Buchla
and others.
After retiring from the chief engineer of Bell Aerospace in 1974, he composed TV-advertising spots and gave live concerts. Also in 1977, Harald was invited as a chief engineer of the Norlin/Moog Music
after Robert Moog left.
He died in New York, New York, United States
in 1987.
s/synthesizer
s and the sound processors:
For the Apparatewerk Bayern (AWB) in Germany, Estey Organ Company
in Brattleboro, Vermont
, USA, and others:
As the products of Bode Sound Company:
Note that above three products were also licensed to Moog Music
as a part of the Moog Synthesizer
.
Melochord at the WDR Studio in Cologne
The Melochord at the WDR
Studio in Cologne have been used by Werner Meyer-Eppler
in his composition Klangmodelle (1951) and lectures at Darmstadt New Music Summer School
, Herbert Eimert
and Robert Beyer in their joint compositions Klangstudie I (1951) and Klangfiguren II (c.1951), and György Ligeti
in his composition Glissandi (1957).
But in the case of Karlheinz Stockhausen
, a student of Meyer-Eppler at the University of Bonn in 1954–56, his only use of the melochord was in a failed experiment with a ring modulator. After this, he chose to disregard such instruments in favor of sine-wave
generators, which he used in producing Studie I
(1953) and Studie II
(1954). This was also true for the two works by Karel Goeyvaerts
produced there, and for Seismogramme (1954) by Henri Pousseur
.
Related manufacturers:
Biography
He was born in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, F.R.G.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and graduated from the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
in 1934. Bode pursued further education at Heinrich Hertz Institute of Berlin. Bode worked as a researcher in signal processing
Signal processing
Signal processing is an area of systems engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics that deals with operations on or analysis of signals, in either discrete or continuous time...
and on the development of electronic music instruments at the Heinrich Hertz Institute for Oscillation Research at the Technical University of Berlin
Technical University of Berlin
The Technische Universität Berlin is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. Translating the name into English is discouraged by the university, however paraphrasing as Berlin Institute of Technology is recommended by the university if necessary .The TU Berlin was founded...
.
Warbo Formant Organ (1937) developed by Bode and C. Warnke was a four voice key-assignment keyboard with two formant filters and dynamic envelope controller, and eventually went into commercial production by a factory in Dachau
Dachau
Dachau is a town in Upper Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany. It is a major district town—a Große Kreisstadt—of the administrative region of Upper Bavaria, about 20 km north-west of Munich. It is now a popular residential area for people working in Munich with roughly 40,000 inhabitants...
. It was one of the earliest polyphonic synthesizer products, along with Novachord
Novachord
The Novachord is often considered to be the world's first commercial polyphonic synthesizer. All-electronic, incorporating many circuit and control elements found in modern synths, and using subtractive synthesis to generate tones, it was designed by John M. Hanert, Laurens Hammond and C. N....
(1939) by Hammond
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
.
Melochord (1947-49) developed by Bode was extensively used by Werner Meyer-Eppler
Werner Meyer-Eppler
Werner Meyer-Eppler , was a German physicist, experimental acoustician, phoneticist, and information theorist....
in early days of the electronic studio at Bonn University. Then in 1953 Melochord was, along with Monochord by Freidrich Trautwein
Trautonium
The trautonium is a monophonic electronic musical instrument invented about 1929 by Friedrich Trautwein in Berlin at the Musikhochschule's music and radio lab, the Rundfunkversuchstelle. Soon Oskar Sala joined him, continuing development until Sala's death in 2002. Instead of a keyboard, its manual...
, Monochord, a modified Concert Trautonium
Trautonium
The trautonium is a monophonic electronic musical instrument invented about 1929 by Friedrich Trautwein in Berlin at the Musikhochschule's music and radio lab, the Rundfunkversuchstelle. Soon Oskar Sala joined him, continuing development until Sala's death in 2002. Instead of a keyboard, its manual...
, was commissioned from Dr. Freidrich Trautwein by the Studio for Electronic of WDR, Köln.
specifically commissioned to the Studio for Electronic Music of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
(WDR Studio in Cologne, West German Broadcasting Corporation) to upgrade their synthesis modules, and used by the Elektronische Musik group throughout the 1950s. (See #Melochord at the WDR Studio in Cologne for details)
From 1950, Bode designed electronic organs for the Apparatewerk Bayern (AWB) in Germany and the Estey Organ Company
Estey Organ
The Estey Organ Company was founded by Jacob Estey when he bought out a Brattleboro, Vermont manufacturing business in 1852. The company went on to become the largest manufacturer of organs in the United States. The original company had been founded in 1846...
in the United States. In 1954, Bode immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as a chief engineer (later vice-president) of Estey Organ, and resumed his research at several companies and as a contractor of German companies.
In 1959-60, Bode developed modular synthesizer
Modular synthesizer
The modular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer consisting of separate specialized modules connected by wires to create a so-called patch. Every output generates a signal – an electric voltage of variable strength...
and sound processor, and in 1961, he wrote a paper exploring the advantages of newly emerging transistor technology over older vacuum tube devices; also he served as AES
Audio Engineering Society
Established in 1948, the Audio Engineering Society draws its membership from amongst engineers, scientists, other individuals with an interest or involvement in the professional audio industry. The membership largely comprises engineers developing devices or products for audio, and persons working...
session chairman on music and electronic for the fall conventions in 1962 and 1964; after then, his ideas were adopted by Robert Moog
Robert Moog
Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
, Donald Buchla
Don Buchla
Don Buchla is a pioneer in the field of sound synthesizers, releasing his first units months after Robert Moog's first synthesizers...
and others.
After retiring from the chief engineer of Bell Aerospace in 1974, he composed TV-advertising spots and gave live concerts. Also in 1977, Harald was invited as a chief engineer of the Norlin/Moog Music
Moog Music
Moog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
after Robert Moog left.
He died in New York, New York, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1987.
Accomplishments
Theory, circuits and devices to the sound production and sound figuration. Development and building of monophonic and polyphonic electronic organElectronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
s/synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and the sound processors:
- Warbo Formant Organ (1937) one of the first key-assignment polyphonic synthesizer with formant filters and dynamic envelope shaping, designed and built in collaboration with C. Warnke ("Warbo" is acronym of Warnke-Bode)
- Melodium (1938) monophonic touch-sensitive keyboard instrument developed with Oskar Vierling, used in the film scoreFilm scoreA film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s and "light" music
- Multimonica (1940, HohnerHohnerHohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
) dual manual electronic/acoustic hybrid keyboard instrument, consists of monophonic sawtooth waveSawtooth waveThe sawtooth wave is a kind of non-sinusoidal waveform. It is named a sawtooth based on its resemblance to the teeth on the blade of a saw....
oscillator (upper) and wind-brown reed harmoniumReed organA reed organ, also called a parlor organ, pump organ, cabinet organ, cottage organ, is an organ that generates its sounds using free metal reeds...
(lower)
- Melochord (1947-49) 37-key monophonic keyboard with dynamic envelope wave shaping, volume pedal controller, and transpose switches to cover seven octaves. Later a second keyboard was added to control the timbre.
For the Apparatewerk Bayern (AWB) in Germany, Estey Organ Company
Estey Organ
The Estey Organ Company was founded by Jacob Estey when he bought out a Brattleboro, Vermont manufacturing business in 1852. The company went on to become the largest manufacturer of organs in the United States. The original company had been founded in 1846...
in Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
, USA, and others:
- Polychord (1950)
- Polychord III (c.1951, Apparatewerk Bayern)
- Bode Organ (1951), later known as Estey Electronic Organ, based on Polychord III
- Cembaphon (1951), an electric harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
using electrostatic pickupElectrostatic pickupAn electrostatic pickup converts mechanical motion to an electrical signal by means of varying electrical capacitance. This type of pickup, in which the moving plate is a vibrating metal reed, is used in some types of electronic pianos and organs as an inexpensive method of generating...
- Tuttivox (1953, Jörgensen Elektronic), under license by Jörgensen Elektronic in Düsseldorf one built. (portable electronic organ based on vacuum tubes)
- Concert ClaviolineClaviolineThe clavioline is an electronic keyboard instrument, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer.It was invented by Constant Martin in 1947. It consists of a keyboard and a separate amplifier and speaker unit. The keyboard usually covered three octaves, and had a number of switches to alter the tone of...
(1953) 6-octave model (by transpose buttons) of ClaviolineClaviolineThe clavioline is an electronic keyboard instrument, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer.It was invented by Constant Martin in 1947. It consists of a keyboard and a separate amplifier and speaker unit. The keyboard usually covered three octaves, and had a number of switches to alter the tone of...
(1947) originally developed by Constant MartinConstant MartinConstant Martin was a French engineer and inventor who perfected and successfully commercialised radio sets and most famously the Clavioline, a precursor to the synthesizer...
. (portable monophonic keyboard based on vacuum tubes) (photographs of Bode Clavioline and Bode Melochord with Harald Bode)
- EsteyEstey OrganThe Estey Organ Company was founded by Jacob Estey when he bought out a Brattleboro, Vermont manufacturing business in 1852. The company went on to become the largest manufacturer of organs in the United States. The original company had been founded in 1846...
Electronic Organ model S and AS-1 (1954)
- A first transistorTransistorA transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
model of the Wurlitzer Electric PianoWurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York...
(1960)
- Modular SynthesizerModular synthesizerThe modular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer consisting of separate specialized modules connected by wires to create a so-called patch. Every output generates a signal – an electric voltage of variable strength...
/ Sound Processor (1959-1960)
- Voltage-controlled oscillatorVoltage-controlled oscillatorA voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO is an electronic oscillator designed to be controlled in oscillation frequency by a voltage input. The frequency of oscillation is varied by the applied DC voltage, while modulating signals may also be fed into the VCO to cause frequency modulation or phase...
(VCO) (1960)
As the products of Bode Sound Company:
- Bode Ring Modulator (1964)
- Bode Frequency Shifter (1964)
- Bode VocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
7702 / Moog Vocoder (1977)
Note that above three products were also licensed to Moog Music
Moog Music
Moog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
as a part of the Moog Synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
.
- Bode Barberpole Phaser (1981)
Notable users
Melochord at the WDR Studio in Cologne
The Melochord at the WDR
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
Studio in Cologne have been used by Werner Meyer-Eppler
Werner Meyer-Eppler
Werner Meyer-Eppler , was a German physicist, experimental acoustician, phoneticist, and information theorist....
in his composition Klangmodelle (1951) and lectures at Darmstadt New Music Summer School
Darmstadt New Music Summer School
Initiated in 1946 by Wolfgang Steinecke, the Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Darmstadt , held annually until 1970 and subsequently every two years, encompass both the teaching of composition and interpretation and include premières of new works...
, Herbert Eimert
Herbert Eimert
Herbert Eimert was a German music theorist, musicologist, journalist, music critic, editor, radio producer, and composer.-Life:...
and Robert Beyer in their joint compositions Klangstudie I (1951) and Klangfiguren II (c.1951), and György Ligeti
György Ligeti
György Sándor Ligeti was a composer of contemporary classical music. Born in a Hungarian Jewish family in Transylvania, Romania, he briefly lived in Hungary before becoming an Austrian citizen.-Early life:...
in his composition Glissandi (1957).
But in the case of Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen
Karlheinz Stockhausen was a German composer, widely acknowledged by critics as one of the most important but also controversial composers of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Another critic calls him "one of the great visionaries of 20th-century music"...
, a student of Meyer-Eppler at the University of Bonn in 1954–56, his only use of the melochord was in a failed experiment with a ring modulator. After this, he chose to disregard such instruments in favor of sine-wave
Sine wave
The sine wave or sinusoid is a mathematical function that describes a smooth repetitive oscillation. It occurs often in pure mathematics, as well as physics, signal processing, electrical engineering and many other fields...
generators, which he used in producing Studie I
Studie I
Studie I is an electronic music composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen from the year 1953. It lasts 9 minutes 42 seconds and, together with his Studie II, comprises his work number 3.-History:...
(1953) and Studie II
Studie II
Studie II is an electronic music composition by Karlheinz Stockhausen from the year 1954 and, together with his Studie I, comprises his work number 3...
(1954). This was also true for the two works by Karel Goeyvaerts
Karel Goeyvaerts
Karel Goeyvaerts was a Belgian composer.-Life:After studies at the Royal Flemish Music Conservatory in Antwerp, Goeyvaerts studied composition in Paris with Darius Milhaud and analysis with Olivier Messiaen...
produced there, and for Seismogramme (1954) by Henri Pousseur
Henri Pousseur
Henri Pousseur was a Belgian composer.-Biography:Pousseur studied at the Academies of Music in Liège and in Brussels from 1947 to 1953. He was closely associated with Pierre Froidebise and André Souris...
.
See also
Instruments & technologies:- Electronic musical instrumentElectronic musical instrumentAn electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
s- Polyphonic synthesizer
- Electronic organElectronic organAn electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
- ClaviolineClaviolineThe clavioline is an electronic keyboard instrument, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer.It was invented by Constant Martin in 1947. It consists of a keyboard and a separate amplifier and speaker unit. The keyboard usually covered three octaves, and had a number of switches to alter the tone of...
- Modular synthesizerModular synthesizerThe modular synthesizer is a type of synthesizer consisting of separate specialized modules connected by wires to create a so-called patch. Every output generates a signal – an electric voltage of variable strength...
- VocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
- Electric musical instruments utilizing Electrostatic pickupElectrostatic pickupAn electrostatic pickup converts mechanical motion to an electrical signal by means of varying electrical capacitance. This type of pickup, in which the moving plate is a vibrating metal reed, is used in some types of electronic pianos and organs as an inexpensive method of generating...
- Cembaphon (electric harpsichord)
- Wurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer electric pianoWurlitzer 200A|250px|thumbThe Wurlitzer electric piano was one of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, U.S. and Tonawanda, New York...
- Audio processors
- Ring modulator
- Frequency shiftFrequency shiftIn the physical sciences and in telecommunication, the term frequency shift has the following meanings:* Any change in frequency* A Doppler shift* Any change in the frequency of a radio transmitter or oscillator...
er (not the Pitch shifter) - Phaser (effect)Phaser (effect)A phaser is an audio signal processing technique used to filter a signal by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum. The position of the peaks and troughs is typically modulated so that they vary over time, creating a sweeping effect...
- Audio feedbackAudio feedbackAudio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
stabilizer
Related manufacturers:
- HohnerHohnerHohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a company specialising in the manufacture of musical instruments. Founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner , Hohner is identified especially with harmonicas and accordions. The Hohner company has invented and produced many different styles, and most of the...
- Apparatewerk Bayern
- Jörgensen Elektronic
- Estey OrganEstey OrganThe Estey Organ Company was founded by Jacob Estey when he bought out a Brattleboro, Vermont manufacturing business in 1852. The company went on to become the largest manufacturer of organs in the United States. The original company had been founded in 1846...
- WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
- Moog MusicMoog MusicMoog Music is an American company based in Asheville, North Carolina which manufactures electronic musical instruments. The current Moog Music is the second company to trade under that name.-R.A. Moog Co. and the original Moog Music:...
External links
- Harald Bode News — Newsletter of Harald Bode Archive
- Permanent exhibition of Bode instruments at the Estey Organ Museum in Brattleboro VT.