The Magic of 1980's Pinball Soundtracks

US Suzanne Ciani's captivating sci-fi soundscape      28/03/24

The Magic of 1980's Pinball Soundtracks


The team did a lot of research for our forthcoming Arcade Dreams documentary, detailing 100 fascinating years of amusements. The episodes feature interviews, footage of the glorious machines and of course, archive footage. One video clip captivated me like no other, though.

As it happens, in 1980, synth pioneer Suzanna Ciani was commissioned to provide sounds to the pinball machine Xenon by Bally and made extensive use of her own, processed, voice. She wasn't initially a pinball fan, but nevertheless agreed and the project marked the first time a female voice could heard in a pinball game. Years later in 2013, she was inducted into "The Pinball Expo Hall of Fame" for her contribution. 

Donning my gear-spotting hat, I spy:

  • A Buchla System
  • Eventide Harmonizer
  • Polyfusion FF1 Frequency Follower
  • Roland MC4 and MC8
  • Sequential Prophet 5
  • A Synclavier II

 

Nice setup! Check out Arcade Dreams here: https://arcadedocumentary.com/

Posted by MagicalSynthAdventure an expert in synthesis technology from last Century and Amiga enthusiast.



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