Doepfer

Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a manufacturer of audio hardware, mostly synthesizer modules (modular synthesizer), based in Gräfelfing, Germany and founded by Dieter Döpfer. The product range covers analog modular systems, MIDI controllers, MIDI hardware sequencers, MIDI-to-CV/Gate/Sync Interfaces, MIDI master keyboards and special MIDI equipment.

Dieter Döpfer began developing audio hardware with a Voltage Controlled Phaser (VCP) module for the Formant, a do-it-yourself-kit analog synthesizer from Elektor magazine in 1977. Several legendary modular synths followed while Döpfer also focused on the development of MIDI equipment during the 1980s.

In 1992, Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH released the MIDI analog sequencer MAQ16/3 which was designed in cooperation with Kraftwerk. In the beginning, the company had direct sales and interested musicians would receive a demonstration by visiting other customers since the modular systems were deemed too difficult for typical music shop employees to demonstrate. Facing greater publicity, Doepfer shifted the distribution to specialized points of sales.

Product History

Doepfer MS-404 Synthesizer

Doepfer A-100 Synthesizer

1979 Voltage controlled phaser module for the German Formant modular synthesizer
1980 Polyphonic modular system PMS (quad-modules, like quad-VCO, quad-VCF...)
1982 Voice modular system (one synthesizer voice with 2 VCOs,2ADSR,1VCF,1VCA on one board 100x160mm, designed with CEM chips from Doug Curtis/USA)
1984 Sound Sampler (8 bit voltage controlled sampler with interface and sampling software for Commodore 64)
1985 Loop option, compander and synthesis software for sound sampler (FM, Fourier, Waveshaping and so on)
1986 MIDI-to-CV interface MCV1 (first version)
1987 Computer controlled audio mixing console CCM with computer controlled faders (VCAs) and filters (VCFs), interface and software for Commodore 64 and Atari ST
1989 simple MIDI master keyboard LMK1
1989 MIDI keyboard MMK2 (e.g. used by Kraftwerk live for the Pocket Calculator song)
1989 MIDI master keyboard controller MKC1/2 (for combination with LMK1)
1990 MIDI master keyboard LMK3 with piano touch simulation
1990 MIDI master keyboard LMK1V2 (improved version of LMK1)
1990 16 voice MIDI expander SX-16
1990 MIDI Bass pedal MBP1
1990 Drum to MIDI converter DMC-8
1990 universal MIDI out interface MONA
1991 2 manual MIDI keyboard K2B
1991 MIDI program change unit MPC128
1991 MIDI-to-Gate interface MTG128 with up to 128 Gate outputs controlled via MIDI
1991 MIDI-to-Switch interface MTS128 with up to 128 MIDI controlled electronic switches (e.g. as MIDI-In interface for any non-MIDI-keyboard)
1992 MIDI master keyboard series LMK1+/LMK2+/LMK4+ with real hammer mechanics
1992 GM compatible MIDI expander GMX-1
1992 MIDI analog sequencer MAQ16/3 (designed in cooperation with KRAFTWERK)
1993 MIDI controller dimmer pack MIDIM8 with 8 power outputs
1993 MIDI switchpack MTP8 with 8 power outputs
1993 MIDI volume foot controller MVP1
1994 MIDI master keyboard top model LMK4+
1994 MIDI glove MOGLI
1994 universal MIDI event generator MEG
1994 MIDI to relays interface MTR128 to control up to 128 relays via MIDI note on/off
1994 MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY1
1995 monophonic analog MIDI synthesizer MS-404
1995 2 manual MIDI master keyboard TMK2
1995 Analog modular system A-100
1997 MIDI pattern sequencer SCHALTWERK
1997 MIDI-to-CV interface MCV4
1997 MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY2
1998 MIDI fader box and pattern/analog sequencer REGELWERK
1998 MIDI Keyboard PK88 (control keyboard especially for piano expanders)
1998 MIDI-to-CV/Gate interface MCV24 (24 CV/Gate outputs)
2006 Thru-Zero Quadrature VCO
2006 30/60dB Switched Capacitor Filter
2006 A-100 Keyboard/Sequencer
2010 Dark Energy Mono Synth
2011 Dark Time Analog Sequencer
2012 Dark Energy II Mono Synth

External links

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