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How did the Coupleux-Givelet synthesizer read an encoded musical score?
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electronic instrument
Moog electronic sound synthesizer
The Coupleux-Givelet synthesizer, introduced in 1929, was designed to read an encoded musical score automatically rather than relying on a live performer. It achieved this by using a paper roll, similar to that of a player piano, to "play" the electronic circuits that generated the instrument's tone waveforms.1
Unlike a standard player piano, this system allowed for the automated control of several musical parameters, including pitch, tone colour, loudness, and note articulation. This approach to score encoding and sound control represented a significant early development in the history of electronic musical instruments.1