Nod to The Legend · The gear · 1979

The Fairlight CMI

Sampler by Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie

Built in Sydney, the Fairlight was one of the first commercial digital samplers. Its ORCH5 orchestra hit, taken from a recording of Stravinsky's Firebird, stabbed through Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and a decade of 80s pop.

Still heard: That orchestra hit is a preset in practically every sampler.

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