1.1.2. Meet the Solina (and its American siblings)
The Solina had a 4-octave keyboard and only offered a handful of sounds. But they were
important sounds, ones that many musicians longed for: warm ensemble strings that could
fill out the sound while the guitarist took a solo, or high string lines that could soar above the
song and make it sparkle. Perhaps most importantly, these sounds could be carried from gig
to gig by one person (even if the 50-pound Solina is a bit of a beast by modern standards).
The Solina's success was massively amplified by a sales and distribution agreement
between Eminent and the thriving American synthesizer company ARP Instruments, Inc.,
who "rebadged" the Solina and sold it as the
ARP String Ensemble
.
Note: the first production version of the ARP String Ensemble was actually named the “ARP Model
2100 String Ensemble SE-IV”. After this historical introduction, we'll stick to the name "Solina" – both to
reflect the name of our product and to give credit where credit is due.
1.1.2.1. Arrival of the fittest
The ARP String Ensemble became the most popular product ARP ever made, surpassing
the famed ARP 2600 and Odyssey synthesizers. Its unique sound carried an instantly
recognizable stamp of authenticity.
Even though the String Ensemble's sound was obviously synthesized, it beat out the
Mellotron in many ways. It was lighter and easier to store and carry, it could be easily
stacked on top of an organ or electric piano (and have another synthesizer stacked on its flat
lid), it was comparatively maintenance-free, and – unlike the Mellotron, whose taped notes
were only 8 seconds long and would stop abruptly at the end – it could sustain forever.
Added together, Ken Freeman's idea, Eminent's application, and ARP's worldwide reach
created a world-beating success story.
Arturia - User Manual Solina V - Welcome to Solina V
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