How Does the Fairlight CMI Work?

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Fairlight CMI (Computer Musical Instrument) made history as one of the earliest digital synthesizers, samplers, and digital audio workstations. First released in 1979, it pioneered new methods for generating and manipulating sound using computer processing.

The CMI’s groundbreaking interface combining synthesis, sequencing, sampling, and editing helped usher in the era of digital music production. Beneath its hood lies a remarkable internal architecture that enabled real-time digital audio years before commonplace.

This article will dive into the inner workings of this legendary instrument. We’ll explore the technical details behind its innovative capabilities – from its specialized QWERTY keyboard to its early digital sampling. Examining how this futuristic device functioned helps illustrate why it remains an icon of modern music technology.

Key Takeaways on Fairlight CMI Technology:

Used dedicated hardware for digital audio sampling, synthesis, sequencing, and mixing
Featured an alphanumeric keyboard and light pen for unique tactile control
enabled comprehensive editing and processing of audio waveforms
Stored audio digitally on disk drives instead of analog tape
Delivered the first viable polyphonic digital synthesizer
Introduced new paradigms for composers and studio engineers

Brief Background

Before delving into the Fairlight CMI’s architecture, some brief history:

Invented in 1975 by Australians Kim Ryrie and Peter Vogel
Used powerful custom-designed microprocessors
Launched in 1979 after securing funding
Initial price of $25,000-60,000 made it exclusive
Quickly adopted by leading musicians and studios

This extreme pricing yielded immense power for the era. But what exactly made the CMI so advanced?

Revolutionary Capabilities

The Fairlight CMI series delivered an unprecedented combination of capabilities:

Digital audio sampling – Record and store any sound to disk
Waveform editing – Visualize and alter samples at the waveform level
Synthesis – Generate and shape sounds digitally using oscillators
Sequencing – Arrange samples into sequences, scores, songs
Effects – Built-in reverb, filtering, panning, other effects
Mixing – Layer and balance tracks in real-time

This integrated environment provided end-to-end production of music using digital processing unheard of for the late 1970s. The technical wizardry behind this power is worth exploring.

CMI Hardware Architecture

The CMI achieves its magic through a set of specialized internal hardware components:

Show Image

Overview of Fairlight CMI hardware architecture (Source: Fairlight)

QWERTY Keyboard

The CMI deviated from synth norms using a light pen-enabled QWERTY keyboard for input. This uniqueness extended beyond typical musical keys.

Light Pen

The light pen allowed users to directly draw and edit waveforms on CRT monitors. This intuitive graphic editing was revolutionary for audio.

Central Processing Unit

The custom bit-sliced CPU handled the CMI’s software and interface operations. Two Motorola 6800s acted as dedicated sequencer processors.

Monitor

A built-in green-and-black CRT display shows waveforms for editing. It also displays the Page R compositional environment.

Disk Drives

Dual 8″ floppy disk drives with custom MFM encoding stored the CMI’s audio and sequencer data. Later models used hard disks.

Audio Processing Cards

These cards powered the CMI’s digital oscillators and filters for additive synthesis. They also handled audio sampling, editing, mixing and effects.

Combined, this hardware granted the CMI unprecedented sound creation and manipulation abilities in a unified system. Next we’ll explore how several key functions operate.

Sampling and Waveform Editing

Perhaps the CMI’s most pioneering capability, it could sample and intricately edit sounds digitally:

Sounds fed into the analog input were digitized by the audio card at up to 50kHz bandwidth.
These samples were stored on the 8″ floppies as raw waveform data files.
The light pen allowed users to “draw” on the wave shown on the CRT, editing pitch, timbre, volume.
This enabled behaviors like visual composing and looping sample playback.
The CMI’s Page R environment overlaid sample waveforms with music notation.

This marriage of tactile waveform manipulation and real-time sound allowed an intuitive editing experience unlike tape splicing.

Additive Digital Synthesis

In addition to sampling, the CMI could synthesize sounds using digital oscillators and filters:

Users could select from sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square waves.
Each voice provided 5 digital oscillators for additive synthesis.
Varying the harmonic makeup created different timbres.
Filters were used to shape the harmonic profile.
The CMI could produce up to 8 voices of polyphony.

This approach produced clean, crisp synthesized sounds impossible on analog synths of the era.

Sequencing and Scoring

As one of the earliest digital audio workstations, the CMI also sequenced and scored compositions:

Multiple samples and synthesized sounds could be arranged into sequences.
The alphanumeric keyboard enabled musical notation entry.
Note duration, pitch, volume, timbre automation could all be programmed.
Built-in effects like chorus, reverb, and flutter were automatable.
Compositions could be written linearly or using Page R’s graphical “pages”.
Final mixes were recorded digitally to the floppy disks.

This integrated composing environment and detailed control was groundbreaking for professional studios.

Innovative Performance Controls

In addition to its production abilities, the CMI introduced new dimensions of live performance:

The light pen allowed real-time sound manipulation by altering waveforms directly.
The Page R environment enabled layered and non-linear performances.
The panel controls provided expression while freeing users from pure notation.
MIDI integration in later models enabled controlling external instruments.

These tools opened new creative doors for interactive composers and musicians.

CMI Models and Evolution

The original 1979 Fairlight CMI started a series of upgraded models:

Series I (1979)

Debut model with 8 voices, mono 8″ drives. Sold under 100 units.

Series II (1980-1983)

16 voices, stereo drives. First commercially successful model.

Series IIx (1983)

Faster CPU, 60 voices, 16 channels. New page editing.

Series III (1985)

Enhanced sampling to 16-bit 44.1kHz. Hard disk added.

MFX and MFX2

Added standalone MIDI keyboard and rackmount models.

Each upgrade expanded CMI’s sophistication and lowered costs while retaining innovative signature features like the light pen and Page R. But competing digital workstations soon eclipsed the CMI’s capabilities at much lower prices. Though truly visionary for its time, the CMI’s cost and uniqueness became barriers limiting mass adoption. Still, its influence on music technology remains unparalleled.

CMI Impact on Music Production

The Fairlight CMI’s groundbreaking digital audio manipulation affected music-makers profoundly:

It introduced new techniques like digital sampling of any sound.
Waveform editing enabled detailed audio tweaking previously unimaginable.
It ended the limitations of recording to analog tape.
The tactile light pen spurred graphical approaches to composition.
It allowed radical experimentation with new digital synthesis methods.
For producers, it pioneered a model of the integrated digital audio workstation.
Live performance evolved using its unconventional controls.

Both engineers and artists found inspiration in the fresh creative vistas opened by the CMI’s innovations.

Notable Fairlight CMI Artists

The hefty price of Fairlight CMIs meant adoption first by only elite musicians:

Peter Gabriel – Used it extensively on his seminal albums including So.
Stevie Wonder – Embraced it to fulfill his creative vision on albums like Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants
Kate Bush – Featured it prominently on Never For Ever and Hounds of Love.
Jan Hammer – Employed it solo and with Jeff Beck and Mahavishnu Orchestra.
Trevor Horn – Produced classic songs with the CMI for ABC, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and others.
Jean-Michel Jarre – His Zoolook album Stratified extensive CMI manipulation and processing.
Herbie Hancock – Applied its digital sampling and sequencing on his hit single Rockit.

These icons took advantage of the CMI’s capabilities in expanding their sonic palettes into new realms.

Legacy of the Fairlight CMI

The Fairlight CMI stands as a true visionary that reshaped perspectives on music technology. Its pioneeering accomplishments include:

Bringing digital sampling capability to the studio
Introducing waveform editing of audio clips
Establishing graphical composition using the light pen
Storing audio digitally on disks rather than analog tape
Providing early viable digital additive synthesis
Combining above tools into integrated workstations
Allowing radical new approaches to composition, performance, and production

Despite its brief heyday, the paradigm shifts caused by the Fairlight CMI resound to this day. Modern digital audio workstations and samplers can trace their origins to the innovations first introduced by this revolutionary instrument.

FAQ

What was revolutionary about the Fairlight CMI?

It pioneered wavetable synthesis, digital sampling, audio editing, sequencing, and graphical composition in an integrated digital workstation. This opened new creative doors.

What made the CMI’s sampling capability unique?

It could sample audio digitally and display editable waveforms visually for tweaking pitches, timbres, durations, etc – this tactile editing was unprecedented.

How did the CMI’s keyboard differ from traditional synths?

Rather than musical keys, the CMI used an alphanumeric QWERTY layout combined with a light pen for entering notation and manipulating waveforms.

What notable musicians used the Fairlight CMI?

Early adopters included Peter Gabriel, Herbie Hancock, Kate Bush, Jean-Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer, Trevor Horn, Stevie Wonder and many other major 1970s and 80s artists.

Why did the Fairlight CMI fade in popularity?

Its extremely high price limited adoption. And later competing digital workstations matched its capabilities at much lower costs using standardized computers/sequencing software.

How did the CMI impact music production?

It introduced sampling, digital editing, composition and integration that changed both recording and live performance. This shaped both songs and album production.

What made the CMI’s synthesis unique?

Unlike analog synths, it used digital oscillators for clean additive synthesis. Waveforms like saw, sine, triangle were combined to create timbres.

Could the CMI act as a full studio?

Yes, its sampling, sequencing, processing and mixing abilities enabled producing full compositions and recording albums entirely within the CMI.