Wavelight VMI III Thunderbirds

When digital sampling came around, it changed music forever. The ability to digitally reproduce acoustic instruments and sample any sound opened up completely new scenarios of exploration for new and experienced musicians alike. Before digital recording became practical, instruments like the Welte Lichttonorgel in the 1930s, Phonogene in the 1950s and the Mellotron in the 1960s, used analog optical disks or analog tape decks to play back sampled sounds. The emergence of the digital sampler made

Fairlight CMI demonstration from 1980