Forat F9000 Explained

Synth Name:Forat F9000
Synth Manufacturer:Forat Electronics
Synthesis Type:8 bit Digital Samples / 11 kHz - 37kHz
Polyphony:polyphonic 13 voices
Timbrality:multitimbral 18 voices
Ext Control:MIDI In/Out/Thru, Foot Switch x2, Foot Controller x1 (hi-hat), Sync Tone In/Out, trigger outputs x2, trigger inputs x6
Memory:100 Drum Sequences, 100 MIDI Sequences - 43,538 notes
Fx:Individual level, pan, tuning for all sounds
Dates:1987-1994
Price:US $5,000 (fully expanded)
Keyboard:18 large (1.25 inch square) velocity and pressure sensitive rubber pads
Split:No

The Forat F9000 (also known as the Forat 9000 or F9000) is a software- and hardware-upgraded version of the ill-fated Linn 9000, an integrated digital sampling drum machine and hardware MIDI sequencer manufactured by Linn Electronics and released in 1984 at a list price of $5,000 ($7,000 fully expanded).[1]

The Linn 9000 was plagued by chronic software bugs and a reputation for unreliability,[2] [3] which contributed to the eventual demise of Linn Electronics in February 1986.[4]

After they went out of business, Forat Electronics purchased all of Linn's remaining assets.[5] Forat rewrote the Linn 9000 operating system, fixed bugs and added many new hardware and software features.[6] Dubbed the Forat F9000, it was the first fully functional integrated sampling/sequencing/MIDI work station.

The Forat F9000 was released in 1987 by Forat Electronics at a list price of $5,000 (fully expanded). The F9000 was manufactured and sold as a new complete unit. Forat discontinued manufacturing new complete F9000s in 1994. However,, Forat still offers the F9000 software and hardware upgrades to existing Linn 9000s.[7] The latest version of the F9000 operating system is 7.09.

Features

In addition to retaining all the original features of the Linn 9000, bug free, the F9000 added many new features including:

Linn 9000 Brochure (1984)

The Forat F9000 retains all the original Linn 9000 features so this Linn brochure from 1984 is just as pertinent to the F9000.

Notable Users

Many top artists, producers, engineers and drummers have used the Forat F9000 or F9000 upgrades to the Linn 9000. They include:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Past Products Museum. 2016-05-05. Roger Linn Design. 2012-01-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20120113065555/http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/past-products-museum.html. dead.
  2. Web site: Linn 9000 Electronics. www.polynominal.com. 2016-05-05.
  3. Web site: The Linn 9000 Home Page. Total Trash.
  4. Web site: What Happened to The Linn 9000. Bobby Nathan's Keyboard Magazine. 2015-02-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20150108165622/http://www.bobbynathan.com/key17.htm. 2015-01-08. dead.
  5. Web site: History. Forat. 2016-05-05.
  6. Web site: Linn Electronics Linn 9000. Vintage Synth Explorer. 2016-05-05.
  7. Web site: Forat 9000. Forat. 2016-05-05.
  8. Web site: Forat F9000 drum machine/sequencer/sampler... There is nothing that works or sounds like this machine. Extremely intuitive, very fat and punchy sounding, and a feel like no other. This is the machine used by Babyface, LA Reid, Jam and Lewis, Stevie Wonder, Glenn Ballard, Will Smith, and many others. The F9000 can do things no MPC can.. FS: Forat F9000 Drum Sampler - Google Groups. August 12, 1999. January 5, 2015.
  9. Web site: Lots of Forat stuff in the Babyface tracks. Modded Linn 9000 and F16. Mix in LA Reid and Jon Gass.. Looking for that early 90s Programmed R&B drum sound - Gearslutz.com. 14 August 2010. 2015-02-05.
  10. Web site: like ray-j (the pornstar) and randy jackson. Akai MPC Forums - Forat drums : MPC2500.
  11. Web site: Ballard. Glen. There's a guy here in LA, called Bruce Forat,... He's been continuing to write software for the 9000 for 15 years, just to keep it working. He's probably had his hands on every Linn 9000 that is still operating, and people send them to him from all over the world. I think I've got 10 of them now, because they're a little fussy and I don't want to make music without them. I do most of my programming on the Linn rather than the Akai, although I use a lot of the sounds in the Akai. For things that are really groove-oriented, I prefer the Linn 9000. I can use it in my sleep, and it's a big tactile thing for me. I just like playing those pads; that's how I play drums. The extra display is a Bruce Forat addition, so you don't go blind looking at the original display — it's saved my eyesight!. Sound On Sound. March 1, 2003. February 28, 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150206010409/http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar03/articles/glennballard.asp. February 6, 2015.
  12. Web site: A. Linn. Real Name: Linn 9000. Profile: Many Stock, Aitken & Waterman Hit Factory productions credited the famous Stock and Aitken with keyboards, programming, guitars and suchlike. Curiously they almost always credited the same unknown drummer - the mysterious "A. Linn". . A. Linn Discography at Discogs. 2015-02-06.

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