Invented, designed, and built by Raymond Scott CLAVIVOX 'Keyboard Operated Electrcical Musical Instrument' Patented 1956 U.S. Pat. #2871745

- - - Raymond Scott patented his keyboard synthesizer invention called the Clavivox in 1956. The instrument can glide from any note to any other note, over it's 3-octave keyboard, without a break. Equipped with foot pedals and a set of left-hand keys, the Clavivox can also create staccato attacks, allow on/off vibrato toggling, and many other effects.   - - - NOTE: The design of the Clavivox includes a sub-assembly constructed by a 20 year-old Bob Moog, who, a decade later designed the first Moog Synthesizer. Mr. Moog explains: ''The sound producing circuitry in Scott's Clavivox resembles very closely the first analog synthesizer my company made in the mid-sixties. There are ways of changing the waveform that are characteristic of analog synthesizer.'' > More info about Bob Moog, Raymond Scott, & the Clavivox here...

above: Raymond Scott with his 1950s keyboard synthesizer invention, THE CLAVIVOX

below: Another version of the Raymond Scott CLAVIVOX

Listen to Raymond Scott demonstrate his CLAVIVOX: Raymond Scott Demonstrating The Clavivox (.mp3) ^ ^ ^

WHERE IS IT NOW-?
AUDITIES FOUNDATION:
Home of Raymond Scott's Clavivox

- - The Audities foundation is owned and maintained by David Kean. Audities collects and restores vintage electronic instruments and makes them accessible to the public for recording and performance usage. In 1996, Audities received the only known surviving Raymond Scott Clavivox as a donation from Thomas Rhea, Ph.D., of Massachusetts. Kean and instrument designer Nyle Steiner restored the instrument to working condition. "This is just one instance of many where the mission of the Audities Collection was realized," said Kean. "I rescue these instruments so the music they were built for can be heard. Simple in principle, difficult to implement. The costs to maintain these relics are sometimes astronomical, and the human resources -- that is, repair, restoration and research talent -- are difficult to find. All monetary support and equipment donations are fully tax deductible and we have expanded our activities with other museums, studios and artists to make the collection more accessible."In addition to the Clavivox, other unique instruments in the Audities collection include: MiniMoog Model B & Model D #1001, Hohner Multimonika, RCA Theremin, E-Mu systems Audity, & many other instruments.

- - Among those who have recently recorded with the Clavivox include Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, who rented the only known surviving Raymond Scott Clavivox from The Audities collection while recording their latest album titled ECHO.

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See Also: FEATURE: Raymond Scott's Instruments CIRCLE MACHINE ELECTRONIUM VIDEOLA Electronic Studio (a) Electronic Studio (b) Wall of Sound (sequencer) Bob Moog

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