General Information

Serial #

5374

Part Number

3

Total Parts

15

AKA

FM sound generator

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal casing and parts/ synthetic front panel, controls and parts/ synthetic covered power cord/ rubber? feet

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

26.0 cm

Width

21.7 cm

Height

4.7 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Music

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Yamaha

Country

Japan

State/Province

Unknown

City

Hamamatsu

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

early 1990s +

Canada

Part of a collection of electronic equipment for musical composition, performance and recording owned and used by Canadian Paul Hoffert, composer, musician, author, researcher, entrepreneur and arts administrator. American born, he came to Canada as a child and his career has encompassed many areas of the Canadian music business, including working as a jazz pianist, CBC music director and performer, educator, manufacturer of stereo equipment, music producer, and film composer. In the late 1960s he worked for a short time as a researcher in Hugh LeCaine's electronic music lab at NRC, where he wrote a computer program for music analysis and developed a solid-body electric violin. In 1968 Hoffert and rock drummer Skip Prokop, formed the very successful jazz-rock band Lighthouse (1969-1974, 1982, 1993-present), which earned one platinum record and four gold records and received three Juno awards between 1971 and 1973 In 1977 Hoffert received a Canadian Film Award (later known as a Genie) for best original musical score for the movie "Outrageous!". He also headed the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, the Guild of Canadian Film and Television Composers,and the Ontario Council for the Art. In 1995 he was inducted into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2009 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada.

Function

This mini-synthesizer was one of a group of devices used together to make musical tones using digital electronic synthesis and play these tones by means of a keyboard. The set of instruments was used by a musician for composition while travelling.

Technical

The Hoffert collection consists of approximately 25 pieces of electronic equipment for musical composition, performance and recording. These range from iconic keyboard instruments of the 1970s, to a variety of digital devices from the 1980s, to computer software from the early 1990s. These were used either for stage performances, especially during his years in the jazz rock band Lighthouse, or for work in his home studio. This is part of a travel kit assembled by Paul Hoffert for music composition while on the road. It consists of five MIDI compatible modules: 1) Novation MidiCon keyboard controller; 2) Roland SC-7 sound module - a mini-synthesizer; 3) Yamaha FB-01 sound module - a mini-synthesizer; 4) Passport MIDI interface - connects and switches between the above MIDI devices; 5) Sony Walkman cassette recorder and headphones - to record compositions

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

white lettering on front control panel reads 'YAMAHA FM SOUND GENERATOR FB-01'/ white lettering on casing back reads 'NIPPON GAKKI CO. LTD./ MADE IN JAPAN' and 'MODEL FB-01C/ SER. NO./ 05374/ white lettering for control functions on casing front, top and back

Missing

appears complete

Finish

black painted casing with black front panel, controls, power cord, feet/ grey metallic casing underside/ plated parts

Decoration

N/A