Doepfer Explained

Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a German manufacturer of audio hardware, mostly synthesizer modules (modular synthesizer), based in Gräfelfing, Upper Bavaria 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 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

• 1979 Voltage controlled phaser module for the German Formant modular synthesizer
• 1980 PMS Polyphonic modular system (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 MCV1 MIDI-to-CV interface (first version)
• 1987 CCM Computer-controlled audio mixing console with computer-controlled faders (VCAs) and filters (VCFs), interface and software for Commodore 64 and Atari ST
• 1989
  • LMK1 simple MIDI master keyboard
  • MMK2 MIDI keyboard (e.g. used by Kraftwerk live for the Pocket Calculator song)
  • MKC1/2 MIDI master keyboard controller (for combination with LMK1)
• 1990
  • LMK3 MIDI master keyboard with piano touch simulation
  • LMK1V2 MIDI master keyboard (improved version of LMK1)
  • SX-16 16 voice MIDI expander
  • MBP1 MIDI Bass pedal
  • DMC-8 Drum to MIDI converter
  • MONA universal MIDI out interface
• 1991
  • K2B 2 manual MIDI keyboard
  • MPC128 MIDI program change unit
  • MTG128 MIDI-to-Gate interface with up to 128 Gate outputs controlled via MIDI
  • MTS128 MIDI-to-Switch interface with up to 128 MIDI controlled electronic switches (e.g. as MIDI-In interface for any non-MIDI-keyboard)
• 1992
  • LMK1+/LMK2+/LMK4+ MIDI master keyboard series with real hammer mechanics
  • GMX-1 GM compatible MIDI expander
  • MAQ16/3 MIDI analog sequencer (designed in cooperation with Kraftwerk)^[1]
• 1993
  • MIDIM8 MIDI controller dimmer pack with 8 power outputs
  • MTP8 MIDI switchpack with 8 power outputs
  • MVP1 MIDI volume foot controller
• 1994
  • LMK4+ MIDI master keyboard top model
  • MOGLI MIDI glove
  • MEG universal MIDI event generator
  • MTR128 MIDI to relays interface to control up to 128 relays via MIDI note on/off
  • MSY1 MIDI-to-SYNC interface
• 1995
  • MS-404 monophonic analog MIDI synthesizer
  • TMK2 2 manual MIDI master keyboard
  • A-100 analog modular system
• 1997
  • Schaltwerk MIDI pattern sequencer
  • MCV4 MIDI-to-CV interface
  • MSY2 MIDI-to-SYNC interface
• 1998
  • Regelwerk MIDI fader box and pattern/analog sequencer^[2]
  • PK88 MIDI Keyboard (control keyboard especially for piano expanders)
  • MCV24 MIDI-to-CV/Gate interface (24 CV/Gate outputs)^[3]
• c.1999 Drehbank MIDI controller^[4]
• c.2000 Pocket Control MIDI controller^[5]
• 2006
  • Thru-Zero Quadrature VCO
  • 30/60dB Switched Capacitor Filter
  • A-100 Keyboard/Sequencer
• 2010 Dark Energy Mono Synth^{[6] [7]}
• 2011 Dark Time Analog Sequencer^[8]
• 2012 Dark Energy II Mono Synth

External links

• Doepfer Home Page
• Sound on Sound review of Doepfer system, July 1998, by Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle, archived from the original.
• Sound on Sound follow-up review of Doepfer system, December 2003, by Chris Carter of Throbbing Gristle, archived from the original.
• Sound on Sound review of Dark Energy mini-synth, January 2010, archived from the original.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Doepfer MAQ16/3. Sound On Sound. February 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/20151210224342/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb98/articles/doepfer.html. 10 December 2015.
2. Web site: Doepfer Regelwerk. Sound On Sound. February 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609010635/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb99/articles/doepfer.642.htm. 9 June 2015.
3. Web site: Doepfer MCV24. Sound On Sound. March 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20150527012319/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar00/articles/dorpfermc.htm. 27 May 2015.
4. Web site: Doepfer Drehbank. Sound On Sound. July 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/20150608195131/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul99/articles/doepfer.htm. 8 June 2015.
5. Web site: Doepfer Pocket Control. Sound On Sound. July 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20150607013541/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul00/articles/doepfer.htm. 7 June 2015.
6. Doepfer Dark Energy. 88–9. Future Music. 223. February 2010. Future Publishing. 0967-0378. 1032779031.
7. Web site: Doepfer Dark Energy. Sound On Sound. January 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20150401222635/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/articles/doepferdarkenergy.htm. 1 April 2015.
8. Web site: Doepfer Dark Time. Sound On Sound. August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609005538/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug13/articles/doepfer-dark-time.htm. 9 June 2015.