Switched on Pop cover image

Listening 2 Daft Punk: Homework

Switched on Pop

00:00

The Synthesizer: The Most Important Instrument of the 20th Century

In 1897, inventor Thaddeus Cahill made a seven ton instrument called the teleharmonium. It was so massive that his second version weighed over 200 tons. The first programmable synthesizer came about in the 1950s. RCA wanted to make a device that would generate pop hits on its own and help save money from hiring orchestras to score TV and film.

Transcript
Play full episode

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app