Farfisa
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Farfisa is a brand name for a series of electronic organs and later multitimbral keyboards, made in Potenza Picena in the Marche region of Italy. The organs were marketed for years in the United States by the Chicago Musical Instrument Company.
With several compact, easily-portable, and inexpensive models available, and their distinctive "cheesy" sound, Farfisa organs became popular among rock bands and other combos during the 1960s. Many listeners first heard a Farfisa on 1966's "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians, or "Talk Talk" by Sean Bonniwell and The Music Machine. The instrument also was a signature sound on Pink Floyd's early albums, from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn through Dark Side of the Moon. Clint Boon of Madchester band Inspiral Carpets was also famous for using a Farfisa, giving the band its signature sound.
With the advent of synthesizers, organs such as the classic Farfisa seemed to be headed for obsolescence, but time proved otherwise. In the late 1970s, with older models going cheap, numerous punk rock and New Wave bands, such as The B-52s, Suicide, and the Talking Heads embraced Farfisas as substitutes for more sophisticated keyboards. Their classic sound, in turn, became a staple on multitimbral instruments, first synthesized, then sampled from the originals.
The Farfisa sound is today used to impart a stereotypically kitschy, 1960s-retro essence to music, and has appeared recently on albums by bands such as Electrelane, Green Day, The Blood Brothers, Smash Mouth, Stereolab, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and The American Analog Set. The Farfisa brand name, meanwhile, continues to appear on contemporary MIDI keyboards.
Series
Compact Series (1965 - 1969)
The Compact series had four models. On the early Compact Duo, dual manual organs tone and volume were regulated by controls on the FAR/C combination pre-amp reverb and power supply unit. On other models and later Compact Duos tone controls and a bass section volume were located on an indented panel on the rear of the keyboard. Underneath the keyboards a knee-high lever could be actuated for the tone boost feature, turned on by rocker levers on the console. Optional feature: 13-note bass pedals.COMPACT (COMBO COMPACT)
Features:- One octave of bass with inverse key colors.
- 16' Bass, Strings
- 8' Flute, Oboe, Trumpet, Strings
- 4' Flute, Piccolo, Strings
- 4 vibrato settings
- 3 reverb settings
- Multi-Tone Booster
- Swell (expression) pedal
COMPACT DELUXE
Features:- Two inferior octaves on the left-hand side of the keyboard; one set of octaves were switch-controllable for choice of a bass or acute sound.
- Bass note sustain.
- Controllable percussion.
- 16' Bass, Strings
- 8' Flute, Oboe, Trumpet, Strings
- 4' Flute, Piccolo, Strings
- 2-2/3' Twelfth
- 4 vibrato settings
- 3 reverb settings
- Multi-Tone Booster
- Swell (expression) pedal + knee control for Multi-Tone Booster
MINI-COMPACT
Smallest of the Compact Series. Only four octaves, no bass on early models. Later version had a selector switch to choose bass or acute sound in the lowest octave; these models had grey naturals with white sharps in the bass octave.
- Three tone switches: Dolce, Principale, Strings
- Three footages: 16', 8', 4'
- Multi-tone Booster with knee pedal (also served as expression control).
COMPACT DUO
Most renowned of the Compact Series, having been used by Al Kooper (Blues Project), Mick McNeil (Simple Minds), Rick Wright of Pink Floyd, and Clint Boon of the Inspiral Carpets.Features:
- Four-octave upper keyboard with 9 selectors: 16' Bass, Strings; 8' Flute, Oboe, Trumpet, Strings; 4' Flute, Piccolo, Strings; 2-2/3' Twelfth.
- Four-octave lower keyboard with three selectors: Dolce, Principale, Ottavo.
- Two inferior octaves on the left-hand side of the lower keyboard; one set of octaves were switch-controllable for choice of a bass or acute sound.
- 4 vibrato settings
- 3 reverb settings
- Multi-Tone Booster
- Swell (expression) pedal + knee control for Multi-Tone Booster
- Bass note sustain.
- Controllable percussion and repeat.
- Stereo out
- Brilliance control
- Unlike other Compact series organs, some of the early Compat Duo models require a separate power supply/preamp/reverb unit (called the Farfisa F/AR) to operate. The organ connects to the F/AR via a multi-lead cable. The cable on the American version used a 7-pin Amphenol connector, while European models used a Preh multipin.
Fast Series
The Fast (Farfisa All Silicon Transistor) Series models had a metal cabinet covered with a washable skin plate and plastic edges, chrome folding legs, retractable carrying handles, and a removable music rack.Fast 3
Features:- Keyboard: 49 notes (C to C)
- Manual Bass: 12 notes (C to B)
- Voice Stops (7): Bass, Clarinet, Flute (8"), Oboe, Trumpet, Strings, Flute (4")
- Vibrato Stops: On/off, Fast/slow
- Manual Bass Selector: Bass/treble, Piano/forte
- Swell pedal: Optional
Fast 4
Features:- Keyboard: 61 notes
- Voice Stops (8): Bass, Bass Clarinet, Flute (8"), Oboe, Trumpet, Flue, Oboe, Trumpet, Strings, Flute (4"), Piccolo
- Mixture Stops (2)
- Vibrato Stops (3): On/off, Slow/Fast, Light/Heavy
- Percussion Stops (5): Manual bass on/off, Treble on/off, Long/short, Mixture on/off, Mixture soft/sharp
- Manual Bass Selector: Bass/treble
- Pedal and Manual Bass Sound: Soft/Sharp
- Fast 4 has been used by Philip Glass
Fast 5
Features, same as Fast 4, plus:- Sustain Stops (3): Celesta, Clavicord, Kinura
- Fast 5 used by Ronnie Rancifer (Jackson 5).
Professional Series
- Professional (pp/222) used by Sylvester Stewart of (Sly and the Family Stone)
- Professional Piano used by Ralf Hutter of (Kraftwerk)
VIP Series
- VIP 200
- VIP 202
- VIP 233
- VIP 255 used by John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin).
- VIP 345 used by Susan Dey (in role as Laurie Partridge, The Partridge Family).
- VIP 400
- VIP 500
- VIP 600 used by Michael McNeil (Simple Minds).
Matador
The Farfisa Matador was produced in the Early to mid 1970s. It is a Compact Organ with a built in speaker, and amplifier. Several models of Matador were produced.
Synthorchestra
- In the mid seventies Farfisa produced the "Stereo Synthorchestra". It has a three octave keyboard, and a "Mono", and "Poli" tone generator section. The "poli" section has four timbres, "Trombone", "Trumpet", "Piano", and "Viola". The Mono section is the "syth" part of the machine. It has nine timbres, Tuba, Trombone, Trumpet, Bari Sax, Alto Sax, Bass Flute, Flute, Piccolo, and Violin. This section is monophonic, with a highest note priority. The mono section can be modified by two envelope controls, and a "Wha-Wha", there is also a variable portamento. Only one timbre, from each section, can be used at a time. each section has a "Brilliance" control, which adds more top end to the sound, and a variable speed Vibrato, which has a delay function, for delayed vibrato effects.
Transicord
- The "Transicord" was an electronic accordion. It was designed to be used in conjunction with Farfisa's Amplifiers, and had a multi-pin cable that connected the controls of the accordion, with the controls of the amplifier, or the F/AR Reverb preamp power supply unit.
Opening and closing the bellows reportedly engages an effect similar to the "tone boost" on Combo Compact model organs. The Transicord can also be equipped with the same volume pedal used for many other Farfisa organs.
See also
External links
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