Instruments and Effects

228 Chapter 15 EVOC 20 PolySynth
Werner Meyer-Eppler, the director of Phonetics at Bonn University, recognized the
relevance of the machines to electronic music after Dudley visited the University in
1948. Meyer-Eppler used the vocoder as a basis for his future writings which, in turn,
became the inspiration for the German “Elektronische Musik” movement.
In the 1950s, a handful of recordings ensued.
In 1960, the Siemens Synthesizer was developed in Munich. Among its many oscillators
and filters, it included a valve-based vocoding circuit.
In 1967, a company called Sylvania created a number of digital machines that used
time-based analysis of input signals, rather than bandpass filter analysis.
In 1971, after studying Dudley’s unit, Bob Moog and Wendy Carlos modified a number of
synthesizer modules to create their own vocoder for the Clockwork Orange sound track.
Peter Zinovieff’s London-based company “EMS” developed a standalone—and
altogether more portable—vocoder. EMS are probably best known for the “Synthi AKS”
and VCS3 synthesizers. The EMS Studio Vocoder was the world’s first commercially
available machine, released in 1976. It was later renamed the EMS 5000. Among its
users were Stevie Wonder and Kraftwerk. Stockhausen, the German “Elektronische
Musik” pioneer, also used an EMS vocoder.
Sennheiser released the VMS 201 in 1977, and EMS released the EMS 2000, which was a
cut-down version of its older sibling.
1978 saw the beginning of mainstream vocoder use, riding on the back of popularity
created through the music of Herbie Hancock, Kraftwerk, and a handful of other artists.
Among the manufacturers who jumped into vocoder production at this time
are: Synton/Bode, Electro-Harmonix, and Korg, with the VC-10.
In 1979, Roland released the VP 330 ensemble/vocoder keyboard.
The late 70s and early 80s were the heyday of the vocoder. Artists who used them
included: ELO, Pink Floyd, Eurythmics, Tangerine Dream, Telex, David Bowie, Kate Bush,
and many more.
On the production side, vocoders could (and can still) be picked up cheaply in the form
of kits from electronics stores.
From 1980 through to the present, EMS in the UK, Synton in Holland and PAiA in the
USA were, and remain, the main flyers of the vocoding flag.
In 1996, Doepfer in Germany and Music and More joined the vocoder-producing
fraternity.
Throughout the 1990s, a number of standalone software-based vocoders have appeared.