Farfisa Soundmaker (1979–1981)
The Farfisa Soundmaker is a bulky Italian analog keyboard from the turn of the 1980s. It's a rare machine that tries to be several instruments at once. Built in 1979-81, it packs three separate sections under one 61-key panel: a monophonic synthesizer, a polyphonic piano/brass preset section, and a string machine. It's not a subtle instrument, and it doesn't try to be.
The mono section is built around an SGS M110 IC that generates twelve preset sounds - Tuba, Trombone, Trumpet, Sax, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piccolo, Violin, Accordion, El Bass, El Guitar. There's also a "Freemode" patch that opens up the basic VCF, LFO, and ADSR envelope controls so you can shape your own sound. The poly section has four piano-type presets (Piano, Electric Piano, Honky Tonk, Brass) with volume and brightness controls. The string section has two preset string sounds, selectable at 8' and 4' octave footings, with volume, brightness, attack, and sustain. The keyboard can be split at middle F, with strings and poly sounds on the left hand and the mono synth on the right. The 61-key keyboard supports polyphonic aftertouch, routable to mono brilliance, mono VCO pitch, glide, and brass brilliance. That was an unusual feature for the era.
The string section has a classic late-70s string synth sound. One reviewer called it "not the best" compared to a Solina, but it has its own vintage appeal. The mono section's presets lean orchestral, and the filter is described as a resonant low-pass Moog-style design spanning 20-20,000 Hz. Vintage Synth Explorer noted the machine's heft, calling it out at 27kg. That's a two-person lift. Beyond its listing in period directories, documentation is thin. The service manual (dated 06-1979, available in Italian and English) is one of the few solid artifacts that survives, and it's rare in its own right.
The record on pricing is conflicted. Sources list either 600€ or around £900 new, and it's unclear which figure is original and which is current. Every account agrees the Soundmaker is rare, collectable, and increasingly pricey, and that any unit you find today may need significant work. "Unreliable" and "heavy" appear in the cons column, and "may need a big overhaul" is the standard advice.
Known Specs
- 61 keys with polyphonic aftertouch; velocity: no
- Three sections: mono synth (12 presets + Freemode), poly piano/brass (4 presets), string machine (8'/4')
- 2 VCOs (saw and square, with hardsync); 1 LFO; resonant low-pass filter (20–20,000 Hz)
- 2 ADSR envelopes (filter and amp)
- Effects: glide, sustain, vibrato
- Memory: 16 songs / 256 patterns / 3580 measures (per polynominal.com)
- Keyboard split at middle F
- Weight: ~27–28kg (sources conflict slightly)
- No MIDI, no CV; internal PSU; 5-pin DIN pedal input, mono/poly outputs, external line input with gain trimmer
- ICs: SN 74221, AY-1-0212, SGS M110
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