Alesis Studio Electronics was founded in Hollywood in 1984 by MXR co-founder Keith Elliott Barr.[1] Leveraging his ability to design custom integrated circuits, Barr's company was able to introduce technologically advanced products at prices within the realm of most project studios. Alesis' first product was the XT Reverb. Introduced in 1985, the XT Reverb was an all-digital reverb that carried an unprecedented low price of $799. Barr recruited Russell Palmer as Operations Manager and Robert Wilson (Vice Chairman) to handle international sales so that Barr could continue to focus on engineering.
In 1986 Alesis produced the first under-$1000 16-bit professional effects processor, the MIDIverb, which had a 12-bit A/D converter and MIDI control. It was joined later in the year by the Microverb, which lacked MIDI but had a 16-bit A/D converter.[2] After enlisting the expertise of Fast Forward Designs, co-founded by veteran Oberheim Electronics designers Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic (who went on to found Line 6), Alesis introduced the MMT8 hardware sequencer and the very successful HR-16 drum machine in 1987.[3] The HR-16 was employed on the English industrial metal band Godflesh's first few releases;[4]Loudwire called it "the most devastating drum machine ever employed".[5]
Microverb II (1988)
HR-16 (modified)
The Alesis ADATedit
At the 1991 Winter NAMM Show, Alesis introduced the ADAT digital tape recorder. Alesis created the File Streaming Technology (FST) proprietary disk file system for their ADAT HD24 recorder.[6] Each ADAT could record 8 tracks of 16-bit audio on an S-VHSvideocassette tape, and up to 16 ADATs could be connected together to record 128 tracks of audio simultaneously. With the same digital resolution as an Audio CD and a price that was a fraction of the other digital recording solutions for home recording at the time, the ADAT was a tremendous success,[7] and its impact on the recording industry has been recognized by induction to the Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC)nology Hall of Fame.[8]
Alesis ADAT XT
Little Remote Control (LRC) ADAT XT Controller
Alesis ADAT HD24
Big Remote Control (BRC) ADAT Master Controller
Boom and bankruptcyedit
For the next ten years, Alesis created a wide variety of products such as the QuadraSynth synthesizer, D4 and DM5 drum modules,[9] and Monitor One studio monitors. In 1997, Alesis Semiconductor was formed, again taking advantage of Barr's custom integrated circuits to produce and market chips for the audio industry. A series of chips were introduced that ranged from digital signal processors for audio effects to analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.
By 2001, however, the company's business suffered as market trends changed, and on April 27 of that year, Alesis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In the subsequent restructuring, Jack O'Donnell acquired the company.
Alesis Quadrasynth
DM5 with Surge Cymbal
M1 Active
After 2001edit
Under O'Donnell's direction, Alesis expanded into new product categories such as mixers, portable PA speakers, and other recording equipment while continuing to produce Alesis legacy products like the SR-16 drum machine.
Alesis founder Keith Barr died of an apparent heart attack on August 24, 2010, at age 60.[3] In 2012 Alesis became part of the newly created inMusic Brands group of companies.[10]
Multimix8
SR-16
PerformancePad
AirFX
Target marketedit
Alesis products are intended primarily for studio and live performance (rather than practice use)[citation needed] and are now targeted at professional and semi-professional musicians. Alesis is known for budget equipment but has produced high-end and innovative gear such as the Alesis Fusion, Andromeda A6 analog synthesizer, Ion virtual analog modeling synthesizer, as well as the Ion-based Micron. Alesis developed equipment for recording studios during the 1990s.
^Home & Studio Recording (UK) September 1986 issue p11 – interview with Keith Barr
^White, Paul (December 1986). "Alesis Microverb (MT Dec 1986)". Music Technology (Dec 1986): 34.
^ abPetersen, George (August 2010). . Mix Magazine Online. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
^Cimarusti, Luca (April 8, 2014). "Artist on Artist: Justin Broadrick of Godflesh Talks to Producer Sanford Parker". Chicago Reader. from the original on December 14, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
^DiVita, Joe. "Top 25 Industrial Rock + Metal Bands of All Time". Loudwire. from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
^White, Paul. "Alesis HD24". www.soundonsound.com. Sound on Sound. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
^. Sound On Sound. February 1996. Archived from the original on June 6, 2015.
^"About inMusic and Jack O'Donnell". Retrieved June 21, 2023.
Further readingedit
"Retro: Alesis HR-16". Future Music. No. 54. Future Publishing. March 1997. p. 55. ISSN 0967-0378. OCLC 1032779031.
External linksedit
Alesis Company Website
Jack O'Donnell – owner of Alesis and Numark, Pro-Music-News, 2001
(archive.org)
January 01, 1970
alesis, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, contains, content, that, written, like, advertisement, please, help, improve, removing, promotion. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message The neutrality of this article is disputed Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met August 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message Alesis is an American company that designs and markets electronic musical instruments audio processors mixers amplifiers audio interfaces recording equipment drum machines professional audio and electronic percussion products Based in Cumberland Rhode Island Alesis is an inMusic Brands company AlesisCompany typePrivate companyIndustryElectronicsFounded1984HeadquartersCumberland Rhode Island United StatesKey peopleJack O Donnell president and CEOProductsMusical instruments audio video electronics computer related products pro audio music recording equipmentParentinMusic BrandsWebsiteAlesis com Contents 1 Early years 2 The Alesis ADAT 3 Boom and bankruptcy 4 After 2001 5 Target market 6 Alesis models 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksEarly years edit nbsp Keith Barr founder of Alesis Alesis Studio Electronics was founded in Hollywood in 1984 by MXR co founder Keith Elliott Barr 1 Leveraging his ability to design custom integrated circuits Barr s company was able to introduce technologically advanced products at prices within the realm of most project studios Alesis first product was the XT Reverb Introduced in 1985 the XT Reverb was an all digital reverb that carried an unprecedented low price of 799 Barr recruited Russell Palmer as Operations Manager and Robert Wilson Vice Chairman to handle international sales so that Barr could continue to focus on engineering In 1986 Alesis produced the first under 1000 16 bit professional effects processor the MIDIverb which had a 12 bit A D converter and MIDI control It was joined later in the year by the Microverb which lacked MIDI but had a 16 bit A D converter 2 After enlisting the expertise of Fast Forward Designs co founded by veteran Oberheim Electronics designers Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic who went on to found Line 6 Alesis introduced the MMT8 hardware sequencer and the very successful HR 16 drum machine in 1987 3 The HR 16 was employed on the English industrial metal band Godflesh s first few releases 4 Loudwire called it the most devastating drum machine ever employed 5 nbsp Microverb II 1988 nbsp HR 16 modified The Alesis ADAT editAt the 1991 Winter NAMM Show Alesis introduced the ADAT digital tape recorder Alesis created the File Streaming Technology FST proprietary disk file system for their ADAT HD24 recorder 6 Each ADAT could record 8 tracks of 16 bit audio on an S VHS videocassette tape and up to 16 ADATs could be connected together to record 128 tracks of audio simultaneously With the same digital resolution as an Audio CD and a price that was a fraction of the other digital recording solutions for home recording at the time the ADAT was a tremendous success 7 and its impact on the recording industry has been recognized by induction to the Technical Excellence amp Creativity TEC nology Hall of Fame 8 nbsp Alesis ADAT XT nbsp Little Remote Control LRC ADAT XT Controller nbsp Alesis ADAT HD24 nbsp Big Remote Control BRC ADAT Master ControllerBoom and bankruptcy editFor the next ten years Alesis created a wide variety of products such as the QuadraSynth synthesizer D4 and DM5 drum modules 9 and Monitor One studio monitors In 1997 Alesis Semiconductor was formed again taking advantage of Barr s custom integrated circuits to produce and market chips for the audio industry A series of chips were introduced that ranged from digital signal processors for audio effects to analog to digital and digital to analog converters By 2001 however the company s business suffered as market trends changed and on April 27 of that year Alesis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy In the subsequent restructuring Jack O Donnell acquired the company nbsp Alesis Quadrasynth nbsp DM5 with Surge Cymbal nbsp M1 ActiveAfter 2001 editUnder O Donnell s direction Alesis expanded into new product categories such as mixers portable PA speakers and other recording equipment while continuing to produce Alesis legacy products like the SR 16 drum machine Alesis founder Keith Barr died of an apparent heart attack on August 24 2010 at age 60 3 In 2012 Alesis became part of the newly created inMusic Brands group of companies 10 nbsp Multimix8 nbsp SR 16 nbsp PerformancePad nbsp AirFXTarget market editAlesis products are intended primarily for studio and live performance rather than practice use citation needed and are now targeted at professional and semi professional musicians Alesis is known for budget equipment but has produced high end and innovative gear such as the Alesis Fusion Andromeda A6 analog synthesizer Ion virtual analog modeling synthesizer as well as the Ion based Micron Alesis developed equipment for recording studios during the 1990s Alesis models editQuadrasynth amp Quadrasynth Plus synthesizer keyboards permanent dead link Andromeda A6 polyphonic analog synthesizer Fusion 6HD 8HD synthesizer workstation keyboard ION analog modeling synthesizer Recital 61 amp Pro stage pianos Virtue stage piano Concert stage piano Prestige amp Prestige Artist stage pianos nbsp Alesis QS8 nbsp Alesis Andromeda nbsp Alesis Fusion nbsp Alesis IonSee also editList of studio monitor manufacturersReferences edit Home amp Studio Recording UK September 1986 issue p11 interview with Keith Barr White Paul December 1986 Alesis Microverb MT Dec 1986 Music Technology Dec 1986 34 a b Petersen George August 2010 In Memoriam Keith Barr 1949 2010 Mix Magazine Online Archived from the original on July 9 2012 Retrieved July 29 2018 Cimarusti Luca April 8 2014 Artist on Artist Justin Broadrick of Godflesh Talks to Producer Sanford Parker Chicago Reader Archived from the original on December 14 2017 Retrieved July 25 2018 DiVita Joe Top 25 Industrial Rock Metal Bands of All Time Loudwire Archived from the original on July 26 2018 Retrieved July 25 2018 White Paul Alesis HD24 www soundonsound com Sound on Sound Retrieved August 16 2020 Yelton Geary Gear Geek Alesis ADAT Electronic Musician Future plc Retrieved January 8 2019 1991 Alesis ADAT TECnology Hall of Fame Mix Magazine Online http mixonline com TECnology Hall of Fame alesis dat multitrack 090106 Archived July 14 2011 at the Wayback Machine Alesis DM5 Sound On Sound February 1996 Archived from the original on June 6 2015 About inMusic and Jack O Donnell Retrieved June 21 2023 Further reading edit Retro Alesis HR 16 Future Music No 54 Future Publishing March 1997 p 55 ISSN 0967 0378 OCLC 1032779031 External links editAlesis Company Website Jack O Donnell owner of Alesis and Numark Pro Music News 2001 Alesis SR18 Sound On Sound review archive org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alesis amp oldid 1184304060, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
