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Lowrey organ
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The Lowrey organ is an electronic organ named after its inventor: Chicago industrialist Frederick Lowrey. During the 1960s and 1970s, Lowrey was the largest manufacturer of electronic organs in the world. In 1989, the Lowrey Organ Company produced their 1,000,000th organ.
In the present day, they are built in LaGrange Park, Illinois.
Most notably, the Lowrey organ differs from the Hammond Organ (which also bears the name of its Chicago-based inventor) in its intensive incorporation of 'automatic accompaniment' features (as described in the 'History' section, which follows below).
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Encyclopedia
The Lowrey organ is an electronic organ named after its inventor: Chicago industrialist Frederick Lowrey. During the 1960s and 1970s, Lowrey was the largest manufacturer of electronic organs in the world. In 1989, the Lowrey Organ Company produced their 1,000,000th organ.
In the present day, they are built in LaGrange Park, Illinois.
Most notably, the Lowrey organ differs from the Hammond Organ (which also bears the name of its Chicago-based inventor) in its intensive incorporation of 'automatic accompaniment' features (as described in the 'History' section, which follows below). While originally intended for the home entertainment market, it was also used by some rock groups in the 1960s and 1970s, most notably The Beatles on songs such as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" where Paul McCartney uses a Lowrey DSO Heritage Deluxe organ for the harpsichord-like opening.
Garth Hudson, keyboardist with "The Band," played a Lowrey Festival organ
on many of the group's most notable songs. Its sound can be heard prominently on the 1968 recording of "Chest Fever," which begins with a Bach-inspired prelude/intro.
History
THE LOWREY STORY
Early research by Mr. Frederick C. Lowrey, after whom Lowrey Organs are named, produced a working model of an electronic organ back in 1918. This model, however, differed greatly from its modern-day counterpart. Mr. Lowrey's goal, which stands as true today as in 1918, was to provide the best—the best in tone quality and performance in a price range which could be afforded by the largest number of people.
Throughout the 1920's and 1930's, until World War II, the Lowrey tonal engineers worked with many different tone generating systems—in the 1940's the Eccles-Jordan System was developed. Exhaustive research proved this system of tone generation to be the most stable and advanced electronic organ circuitry ever developed.
It was the adoption of this unique tone generation system that gave Lowrey its true organ tone. And now, Lowrey engineering and research have advanced the Lowrey electronic organ even further with the use of transistors and integrated circuits.
During this span of development, the Lowrey Company produced a large number of exciting feature and model concepts. Here are just a few of the many famous Lowrey features and models that are responsible for the Lowrey organ becoming, and continuing to be, the leader in electronic organs today.
1941—The Lowrey Organo—The first electronic organ played from a piano keyboard (many are still in use today!).
1956-The Lowrey Glide™—Without a doubt one of the all-time popular Lowrey features. The Lowrey Glide creates the authentic Hawaiian Guitar.
1957—The first Lowrey Holiday Organ—A trend setter. The most features for the least money.
1960—The Lowrey Stereo Organ—The tonal spaciousness of stereo enjoyed on many deluxe Lowrey Organs today was another real trend setter back then.
1961—The Lowrey Holiday Deluxe spinet organ featuring built-in Leslie speaker. This created the big organ sound in a small organ cabinet.
1962—Automatic Organ Computer (AOC) ™—The greatest single advancement in electronic organs. Ease of playing is the foremost thought in everyone's mind and Lowrey's Organ is the easiest of all organs to play because of AOC. A Lowrey exclusive.
1964—The first of the fully-transistorized Lowrey Organs.
1967—Introduction of those exciting fun sounds— Wow-Wow and Bass Guitar.
1968—Lowrey Automatic Rhythm—Added the exciting sound of the drums, automatically playing a variety of rhythms.
1970—Welcome the Lowrey Genie®—The first Lowrey that featured automatic bass and A major breakthrough in ease-of-play. Instant beautiful harp-like qualities were made possible with the premier of the Golden Harp™— another Lowrey exclusive.
1971—Lowrey presents the Brass Symphonizer™ the most authentic Brass voices ever heard on an organ.
1972— Lowrey pioneers Large Scale Integrated circuitry (L.S.I.C.). More versatility—more reliability with less components! The Symphonic Golden Harp™ expanded the musical capabilities of the Golden Harp™ The String Symphonizer™ created the most authentic and thrilling sound of strings ever heard on electronic organs. The Symphonic Golden Harp™ and Symphonic Strings™ are Lowrey exclusive features.
1973—Welcome the Lowrey Teenie Genie®—One finger Chords with Automatic Rhythm, Automatic Accompaniment and Automatic Bass.
1975—Lowrey introduced the Symphonic Holiday - The first Lowrey Spinet to feature 4-channel Stereo and the realistic sound of Symphonic Strings. A major breakthrough in ease-of-play was introduced with our Magic Genie® Series—48 Magic Genie Chords, Chord Hold, automatic Arpeggio, Strum and Boogie Woogie Bass.
1976—The ultimate in console and spinet organs was introduced by Lowrey—the fabulous Celebration and the Contempo 80. Both of these models introduced the Orchestral Symphonizer. ™ The orchestral authenticity of this new feature, combined with the Symphonic Strings, ™ set a new standard of excellence. What's more, is that these organs featured the ease of play Magic Genie®
1977—Track III Rhythm™ introduced—This exclusive feature provides almost unlimited rhythm patterns with unsurpassed tonal quality.
The future is bright for the Lowrey organ and even brighter for you, the Lowrey owner. You have at your fingertips the realization of over five decades of research and development, which means that you have chosen one of the world's finest musical instruments—your new Lowrey organ.
1978—Lowrey introduces the latest concepts of automatic accompaniment and ease-of-play features—Magic Melody™ and Magic Swing Bass™ Also a new sound reproducing system—Stereo-phaze™ the epitome of aural fidelity.
1979—Lowrey continues its prestigious position as the #1 selling home organ. The future is bright at Lowrey, and even brighter for you, the Lowrey Organ owner. At your fingertips, you have the realization of over five decades of research and development. Your new Lowrey Organ is one of the world's finest musical instruments.
1980—After years of research and development work, Lowrey introduced the MX-1, a truly dramatic milestone in the organ industry. Advanced state-of-the-art microprocessor/computer technology paved the way for Orchestration Plus**, an exclusive Lowrey feature which has established a totally new international standard of comparison in the organ world. Another reason why Lowrey continues to be America's #1 selling organ.
1981—Lowrey intoduces yet another exclusive musical "first" - Harmony Plus**. One finger melodies are transformed into perfectly harmonized three, four and five-note chords automatically. Choir, another new feature, produces human-like voices singing in perfect harmony.
To be continued.....
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