Orrery — Copenhagen

OR-0006

Halvyn
United Kingdom · 1983 – c. 2008

Ser. 1200/D004
1998 · effect

Issued as VST3 · AU

Restored 2024 from 1998 hardware.

Halvyn A-1200 — Auto Retune

Halvyn A-1200 · automatic retune · restored from unit no. 1200/D004 · Halvyn, United Kingdom, 1998

The restorer's note

The robotic pitch-snap of the late 90s, with the retune time all the way at zero — the staircase, not the correction. Serial D004: a very early unit of Halvyn's last great idea, restored with the effect that outlived the intent.

Acquisition

The Halvyn Collection $49 · €45 · £39 · 329 DKK The Complete Catalogue $149 · €135 · £115 · 999 DKK

Prices are exclusive of tax. Customers in a country that charges VAT or sales tax will be liable at the rate set by that country; the relevant amount is added at checkout to the purchase price.

Borrow it from the archive for a short time, or acquire it for your collection.

Runs in your studio as AU and VST3 on macOS, and VST3 on Windows.

Download — macOS: installer · zip · Windows: installer · zip

The plate

The restored Halvyn A-1200 — Auto Retune: its faceplate as issued.
Plate 6 · as issued

Listening

Listening

Demonstration recordings, prepared at the bench.

  1. The staircase, plainly

    The restorer's note, read plainly, then held to A Minor at Speed 0 from five seconds — every slide in the voice snapped to the nearest scale note, the staircase in full.

    0:00 / 0:30

  2. Speed, opened

    Speed opens from 0 to 500 milliseconds — the staircase softens into a slow glide toward each note — then Amount falls to 0 and the correction lets go of the voice.

    0:00 / 0:30

  3. Pulled to the wrong key

    The reading, held at Speed 0 and remapped as it goes: Scale to Major at eight seconds, the whole grid to A# Minor at fourteen, home to A Minor at nineteen. Formant then tilts the voice −8 and +8 semitones.

    0:00 / 0:30