ARP Avatar
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| Avatar by ARP Instruments, Inc. | |||
| Synthesis type: | Analog Subtractive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyphony: | Monophonic | ||
| Timbrality: | Monotimbral | ||
| Oscillators: | 2 | ||
| Attenuator: | ADSR, AR | ||
| LFO: | Sine, Square | ||
| Keyboard: | none | ||
| Velocity sensitive: | {{{velocity}}} | ||
| Aftertouch: | {{{aftertouch}}} | ||
| External control: | CV/Gate | ||
| Memory: | none | ||
| Onboard effects: | 1 | ||
| Produced: | 1977 | ||
The ARP Avatar was a guitar-controlled synthesizer manufactured by ARP Instruments, Inc. beginning in 1977. While innovative, being one of the first commercial guitar-controlled synthesizers, it was a commercial flop for ARP, and is widely credited with causing the financial collapse of the company.
Nearly $4 million was spent in the first year on production and R&D for the Avatar, and the $3000 machine sold only about $1 million worth of units over its lifespan. Guitarists were not quick to adopt the new technology, mostly due to the unit's price and technical eccentricities. The Avatar, however, did find a few advocates and paved the way for more successful guitar synthesizers. Because of its architecture - essentially an ARP Odyssey with a 6-way "fuzzbox" distortion effect - it has regained a little stature among collectors as a standalone synthesizer.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- ARP Avatar Entry on Sonicstate.
- The Rise and Fall of ARP Instruments (article from April 1983, Keyboard Magazine)
