OSC OSCar
| OSCar | |
|---|---|
 OSCar | |
| Manufacturer | Oxford Synthesiser Company |
| Dates | 1983 - 1985 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | 1 voice |
| Timbrality | 1 |
| Oscillator | 2 digital oscillators per voice |
| LFO | 1 triangle/sawtooth/square/sample & hold |
| Synthesis type | Analog/Digital Hybrid Subtractive Additive |
| Filter | 1 resonant multi-mode (lowpass/bandpass/hipass) filter |
| Attenuator | 2 ADSR |
| Storage memory | 24 patches |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | 37 keys |
| External control | MIDI |
The OSCar was a synthesizer manufactured by the Oxford Synthesiser Company from 1983 to 1985. It was ahead of its time in several ways and was one of the few mono-synths to have MIDI.[1] Around 2000 were made.[2]
History
When synthesizer manufacturer Electronic Dream Plant folded in 1982, Chris Hugget went on to form Oxford Synthesiser Company.[2] The OSCar synthesizer was launched in 1983. Chris Hugget designed the electronics while independent product designer Anthony Harrison-Griffin was responsible for the unique look and build of the OSCar.[3][better source needed]
Design and features
Anthony's use of the distinctive black rubberized components to protect the controls and main casing has become one of its lasting features. It proved a great hit when touring as you could literally throw an OSCar into the back of a van without the need of a flight case.[citation needed] He even built into the ends a dummy 3-pin main plug to safely store the plug.
Although the basic structure of the OSCar is the common subtractive synthesis, it has many unusual features and design quirks. The main difference from other synthesizers of the time was its digital oscillators. The oscillators has a good array of standard wave shapes including triangle, sawtooth, square and a variable pulse-width modulation, but the digital oscillators also has additive synthesis. New waveforms can be created by changing the amplitudes of up to 24 harmonics. This considerably widens the OSCar's sound palette. The two oscillators can either be played together monophonically, or the OSCar can be set in a duophonic mode where each oscillator plays a different note.[2]
The filter was actually two 12dB/Oct analog filters that can be combined into either a 24db low pass, a 24db high pass or a 12db bandpass filter. Although this design appeared in other analog synths of the era, such as the Roland Jupiter-6, the OSCar has its own unique twist on it, by having a Separation control that allowed you to separate the filters cutoff frequency. This allowed you to have two resonance peaks in the filter, giving the filter a unique vocal character.[2]
The OSCar has an elemental sequencer. In duophonic mode it allows the user to play a monophonic lead whilst a sequence plays simultaneously. Many sequencers at the time only allowed notes of a fixed length to be used in their sequencers but on the OSCar it was possible to lengthen individual notes or insert spaces.[4]
Users
Although only 2000 OSCars were made they found their way into many professional hands. Ultravox used one for the solo on Love's Great Adventure, and it is used for the bass on Stevie Wonder's Skeletons, Jean-Michel Jarre's Revolutions Overture and perhaps most notably on Do They Know It's Christmas.[2]
Emulation
The Gforce impOSCar is a software emulation of the OSC OSCar.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Russ, Martin (2004). Sound synthesis and sampling. Oxford: Focal press. p. 153. ISBN 0-240-51692-3. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ a b c d e Wiffen, Paul (1999). "LIFE OF OSCAR". Sound on Sound. ISSN 0951-6816. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Anthony Harris-Griffin (blog)". Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ^ "Oxford Synthesiser Company • OSCar". Retrieved 2010-08-23.
Further reading
- "Vintage Synthesizers" by Mark Vail