The #history of the Fairlight CMI, the world's first commercially available digital sampler and sequencer #synthesizer, as told by the people who created and worked on it.

With the introduction in 1979 of The Fairlight Computer Music Instrument (CMI), Peter Vogel and Km Ryrie brought digital sampling and sequencing to the music world, turning the recording industry on its head. Early adopters Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush pioneered the Fairlight's use in the early 80s and by the middle of the decade it had become one of the most coveted tools in music production.

The story of the Fairlight CMI's creation, its cultural impact and ultimate demise is told via exclusive interviews with both Fairlight co-founders Kim Ryrie and Peter Vogel as well as Fairlight engineer Peter Wielk and Professor Samantha Bennett of the ANU School of Music.

This video was produced by Tom Compagnoni for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

This #film by Bernard Wilets was originally produced around 1969-70, but this reel that I present is the updated version from 1983 which includes new added #Fairlight sequences with Rory Kaplan. The original sections are VERY 1969 and the color of this print is still remarkable. Great footage of #Moog #modular #synths right in their heyday and lots of screenshots of waveforms and such. Is it coincidental that so much Bach is being played on the Moog? Calling Wendy Carlos! The film features several people who went on to make their names in #electronic #music, including Rory Kaplan, Douglas Leedy, and Jean-Claude Risset. This reel was transferred from my own #16mm #archive print using my Eiki Telecine. The Eiki has a 5 Blade Shutter that projects a 24fps print at 30 frames per second for a flickerless NTSC transfer. A special diffusion plate eliminates the 'hot spot' of the projector, and the sound is pulled right from the optical track. Enjoy!