Vintage Synth Explorer

Rhodes • Chroma

Quite a rare analog synthesizer from the early 1980's (only 3,000 made). The Chroma was originally an ARP project. However Rhodes picked it up after ARP dissolved in 1981. Rhodes, best known for its Electric Pianos released the Chroma (and Chroma Polaris) as their premiere analog synthesizers. The Chroma had 16 voices with 1 oscillator per voice (or 8 voices with 2 osc/voice), a 64-note velocity sensitive weighted keyboard, and a very complicated but powerful synthesis design. Programming was further complexed by a limited implementation of just 2 rows of membrane push-buttons. With few sliders to grab, hands-on control is cut short. However the Chroma is a very stable and elegant synth with complete auto-tuning, split-keyboard mode and the ability to link to a computer!

Although the Chroma came before there was MIDI, all was not lost. Rhodes used ARP's proprietary Digital Access Control which was used in some ARP instruments for inter-connecting them. Midi retro-fits can be purchased these days which convert MIDI to ARP's DAC system. Perhaps its most advanced feature for its time was the ability to interface with an Apple IIe computer for sequence and patch storage using dedicated Chroma software! That may not be very practical today, but historically it was a significant example of how synthesizers and personal-computers could work together. Also on-board you'll find two arpeggiators, a graphic equalizer, pitch/mod and 6 other sliders. A keyboardless expander module of the Chroma was also made available. It has been used by Jethro Tull, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul and Oscar Peterson.

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Tryptamine

Posted 47 days ago

The sound you can get out of this is awesome, but forget about programming it unless you have a degree in engineering. All 100 parameters are controlled via 1 data entry slider and each parameter number must be looked up in the manual to figure out what it means. If someone was to design an intuitive control surface, the chroma would rule the land of analog synths.

Chris

Posted 73 days ago

One can't help but wonder if ARP had released this instead of the Avatar, maybe they'd have survived a bit longer-or maybe even still be around today.

Sad, really...

Patrik

Posted 127 days ago

Best Polyphonic synthesizer in the world!Nothing beats the
feeling to play it.How many are left?3000 where built including the Modules.First 50 where totally hand built.
Are there less then 1000 Left today with the Wooden keyboard?

Zaphid

Posted 188 days ago

I bought one some weeks ago for 2500,- euro's in excellent and fully serviced condition. No pedals or case included but it came with the EES midikit. Good price if you ask me. One of the greatest polysynths i have ever played.

John Gaffe

Posted 298 days ago

Kerry Livgren of "Kansas" also owned a Chroma and used it I believe as early as the Vinyl Confessions tour in the early 1980s.

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