Alan R. Pearlman started ARP Instruments Inc. in Massachusetts during 1969. Over the next twelve years, ARP would rise to be a big competitor with Moog synths. Their first synth was the ARP 2500 model, which was a large modular synth similar to the large modular Moog 55. In the next few years ARP came out with the 2600 in 1971 and the Odyssey in 1972. These two synths would become some of the most popular around the world even to this day. In 1981, ARP shut down due to financial trouble and from then on, the ARP synths would become collector’s items.

The most popular or well-known ARP synth, the ARP 2600 was a semi-modular synth, which means that you could make sounds instantly. It did not require any extra wiring to make a sound but it also had the option to become modular with the use of patch cables on the front panel. This is partly why it became so popular besides its great sound. Another reason why it was popular was its size, it was small enough to carry to shows compared to the large 2500. Although the original intent that Alan Pearlman had was to distribute it to schools as a learning tool. This purpose never lived up to Alan’s expectations; instead, the world of music had absorbed the synth into its musical workflow.

The ARP Odyssey released shortly after the 2600 in response to Moog’s new product, the Minimoog. The Odyssey would become one of the best selling synths that ARP would produce. This smaller synth was simple, self-contained so there was no need for modules, and it was easy to carry around. The Odyssey was actually just a slimmed down version of the ARP 2600 in an attempt to gain a wider range of customers. It ended up being a very worthy opponent to the Minimoog.

The impact that these two synths had on the musical world was tremendous. The number of groups that had used them was outstanding, not even counting all the other ARP models. Artists such as Jean Michel Jarre, Pete Townshend, Stevie Wonder, Genesis, Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Devo, and Elton John have all used one of these synths at one time. People had even used them in movie scores and for sound effects such as R2D2 in the Star Wars trilogy. The importance of these synths was crucial to the development of the electronic music during the seventies and eighties and even now. Who knows how many classic songs would not have been made if it were not for the ARP synths. The synths were so popular that people have even sampled them and created virtual recreations in the form of plugins. Two examples are Arturia’s ARP 2600 V and Synth School’s Odyssey VSTi plugin.

Besides the Moog Synths, I have heard, and read about the ARP 2600 and the Odyssey more than any other classic synths. They have lived in many of the songs that I cherish and have been the source of many sounds that I have sought after. I could only wish that I would get the chance to experience these classics in real life. Luckily, with the plugins I can at least use the sounds that made them so legendary.