Doepfer
Encyclopedia
Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a manufacturer of audio hardware based in Gräfelfing
, Germany
, founded by Dieter Döpfer.
The product range covers analog modular
systems, MIDI controller
, MIDI hardware sequencers
, MIDI-to-CV/Gate
/Sync Interfaces, MIDI master keyboards
and special MIDI equipment.
Dieter Döpfer began developing audio hardware with a Voltage Controlled Phaser (VCP) module for the Formant
, a do-it-yourself-kit analog synthesizer from Elektor
magazine in 1977. Several legendary modular synths followed while Döpfer also focused on the development of MIDI equipment during the 1980s.
In 1992, Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH released the MIDI analog sequencer
MAQ16/3 which was designed in cooperation with Kraftwerk
. In the beginning, the company had direct sales and interested musicians would receive a demonstration by visiting other customers since the modular systems were deemed too difficult for typical music shop employees to demonstrate. Facing greater publicity, Doepfer shifted the distribution to specialized points of sales.
Gräfelfing
Gräfelfing is a municipality in the district of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It is located 1 km west of Munich .The name "Gräfelfing" first appears as "Grevolvinga", which as per one hypothesis could possibly name a tribe leader named "grey wolf" .Gräfelfing is ranked on the 5th...
, Germany
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...
, founded by Dieter Döpfer.
The product range covers analog modular
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...
systems, MIDI controller
MIDI controller
MIDI controller is used in two senses.*In one sense, a controller is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices....
, MIDI hardware sequencers
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
, MIDI-to-CV/Gate
CV/Gate
CV/Gate is an analog method of controlling synthesizers, drum machines and other similar equipment with external sequencers. The Control Voltage typically controls pitch and the Gate signal controls note on/off....
/Sync Interfaces, MIDI master keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and special MIDI equipment.
Dieter Döpfer began developing audio hardware with a Voltage Controlled Phaser (VCP) module for the Formant
Formant
Formants are defined by Gunnar Fant as 'the spectral peaks of the sound spectrum |P|' of the voice. In speech science and phonetics, formant is also used to mean an acoustic resonance of the human vocal tract...
, a do-it-yourself-kit analog synthesizer from Elektor
Elektor
Elektor is a monthly magazine about all aspects of electronics, first published as "Elektuur" in the Netherlands in 1960, and now published worldwide in many languages including English, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese and Italian with distribution in over 50 countries...
magazine in 1977. Several legendary modular synths followed while Döpfer also focused on the development of MIDI equipment during the 1980s.
In 1992, Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH released the MIDI analog sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
MAQ16/3 which was designed in cooperation with Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
. In the beginning, the company had direct sales and interested musicians would receive a demonstration by visiting other customers since the modular systems were deemed too difficult for typical music shop employees to demonstrate. Facing greater publicity, Doepfer shifted the distribution to specialized points of sales.
Product History (to 2006)
- 1979 Voltage controlled phaser module for the German Formant modular synthesizer
- 1980 Polyphonic modular system PMS (quad-modules, like quad-VCO, quad-VCF...)
- 1982 Voice modular system (one synthesizer voice with 2 VCOs,2ADSR,1VCF,1VCA on one board 100x160mm, designed with CEM chips from Doug Curtis/USA)
- 1984 Sound SamplerSampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
(8 bit voltage controlled sampler with interface and sampling software for Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
) - 1985 Loop option, compander and synthesis software for sound sampler (FM, Fourier, Waveshaping and so on)
- 1986 MIDI-to-CV interface MCV1 (first version)
- 1987 Computer controlled audio mixing console CCM with computer controlled faders (VCAs) and filters (VCFs), interface and software for Commodore 64 and Atari STAtari STThe Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
- 1989 simple MIDI master keyboard LMK1
- 1989 MIDI keyboard MMK2 (e.g. used by KraftwerkKraftwerkKraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
live for the Pocket Calculator song) - 1989 MIDI master keyboard controller MKC1/2 (for combination with LMK1)
- 1990 MIDI master keyboard LMK3 with piano touch simulation
- 1990 MIDI master keyboard LMK1V2 (improved version of LMK1)
- 1990 16 voice MIDI expander SX-16
- 1990 MIDI Bass pedal MBP1
- 1990 Drum to MIDI converter DMC-8
- 1990 universal MIDI out interface MONA
- 1991 2 manual MIDI keyboard K2B
- 1991 MIDI program change unit MPC128
- 1991 MIDI-to-Gate interface MTG128 with up to 128 Gate outputs controlled via MIDI
- 1991 MIDI-to-Switch interface MTS128 with up to 128 MIDI controlled electronic switches (e.g. as MIDI-In interface for any non-MIDI-keyboard)
- 1992 MIDI master keyboard series LMK1+/LMK2+/LMK4+ with real hammer mechanics
- 1992 GM compatible MIDI expander GMX-1
- 1992 MIDI analog sequencer MAQ16/3 (designed in cooperation with KRAFTWERK)
- 1993 MIDI controller dimmer pack MIDIM8 with 8 power outputs
- 1993 MIDI switchpack MTP8 with 8 power outputs
- 1993 MIDI volume foot controller MVP1
- 1994 MIDI master keyboard top model LMK4+
- 1994 MIDI glove MOGLI
- 1994 universal MIDI event generator MEG
- 1994 MIDI to relays interface MTR128 to control up to 128 relays via MIDI note on/off
- 1994 MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY1
- 1995 monophonic analog MIDI synthesizer MS-404
- 1995 2 manual MIDI master keyboard TMK2
- 1996 Analog modular system A-100Doepfer A-100The Doepfer A-100 is an analog modular synthesizer system made by the German audio manufacturer Doepfer. It was first manufactured in 1995 and developed into a system of more than 110 modules plus enclosures and accessories....
(first series of modules) - 1997 MIDI pattern sequencer SCHALTWERK
- 1997 Analog modular system A-100Doepfer A-100The Doepfer A-100 is an analog modular synthesizer system made by the German audio manufacturer Doepfer. It was first manufactured in 1995 and developed into a system of more than 110 modules plus enclosures and accessories....
(second series of modules) - 1997 MIDI-to-CV interface MCV4
- 1997 MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY2
- 1998 MIDI fader box and pattern/analog sequencer REGELWERK
- 1998 Analog modular system A-100Doepfer A-100The Doepfer A-100 is an analog modular synthesizer system made by the German audio manufacturer Doepfer. It was first manufactured in 1995 and developed into a system of more than 110 modules plus enclosures and accessories....
(third series of modules) - 1998 MIDI Keyboard PK88 (control keyboard especially for piano expanders)
- 1998 MIDI-to-CV/Gate interface MCV24 (24 CV/Gate outputs)
- 2004 A-106 Xtreme Filter
- 2004 A-151 Quad Sequential Switch
- 2004 A-143-1 Complex Envelope Generator
- 2004 A-143-2 Quad ADSR
- 2004 A-143-3 Quad LFO
- 2006 BBD Module A-188-1
- 2006 Universal vactrol Module A-101-9
- 2006 Thru-Zero Quadrature VCO
- 2006 30/60dB Switched Capacitor Filter
- 2006 A-100 Keyboard/Sequencer
- 2010 Dark Energy Mono Synth
- 2011 Dark Time Analog Sequencer
- ???? Bit Cruncher/ Bit Processor
- ???? Clocked Audio Delay
- ???? Universal 12-BIT AD-processor-DA module
- ???? A-143-3 Multiple Synched VC LFO
- ???? Dual Balanced VCF
- ???? A-164 Manual Gate Module
- ???? A-173 Distance to CV converter
- ???? A-195 Pitch-to-CV-Midi Interface
Notable Users
- Chemical Brothers
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- KontourKontourKontour is an English electronic music artist, currently signed to Some Bizzare Records.-Background:Early work included recordings of distorted telephone calls and late night television. He uses a range of vintage recording equipment and analog synthesisers, electronic percussion and drum...
- Beau Damion
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- RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
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- Snakestyle
- Gus Gus
- Juraj Tatar
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(Luca Anzilotti a.k.a. John VIRGO Garrett III)