The Pianorad (1926)   The Pianorad, showing oscillators and speaker horn.

The Staccatone (1923) The Staccatone was designed by the radio technology journalist Hugo Gernsback and was his first attempt at building a polyphonic electronic instrument. The Staccatone used a number of LC oscillators to produce a note with a sharp attack and decay.

The Pianorad (1926) The Pianorad was a development of the Staccatone again designed by Gernsback and built by Clyde Finch at the Radio News Laboratories in New York. the Pianorad had 25 single LC oscillator for every key for its two octave keyboard giving the instrument full polyphony, the oscillatoes produced virtually pure sine tones:" "The musical notes produced by the vacuum tubes in this manner have practically no overtones. For this reason the music produced on the Pianorad is of an exquisite pureness of tone not realised in any other musical intrument. The quility is better than that of a flute and much purer. the sound however does not resemble that of any kown musical instrument. The notes are quite sharp and distinct, and the Pianorad can be readily distinguished by its music from any other musical instrument in existance." Each one of the twenty five oscillators had its own independant speaker, mounted in a large loudspeaker horn on top of the keyboard and the whole ensemble was housed in a housing resembling a harmonium. A larger 88 non keyboard version was planned but not put into production. The Pianorad was first demonstrated on june 12, 1926 at the radio station WRNY in New York City performed by Ralph Christman. The Pianorad continued to be used at the radio station for some time, accompanying piano and violin concerts.

Further Information: Hugo Gernsback: "The 'Pianorad' a New Musical Instrument which combines Piano and Radio Principles" Radio News viii (1926)