Fairlight

Fairlight Instruments was an Australian company founded in Sydney in 1975 by Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie. Originally focused on electronic music innovation, the company became world-renowned for creating the Fairlight CMI, the first commercially available digital sampling synthesiser. Fairlight pioneered computer-based music production, integrating sampling, sequencing, and digital editing long before these became standard tools. Through the 1980s, Fairlight systems were found in leading studios and used by influential artists such as Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Stevie Wonder. The company’s groundbreaking work established Australia as a major force in music technology and laid the foundation for modern digital audio workstations.

Made In Australia

Released in 1979 /

Fairlight CMI Computer Musical Instrument

The Fairlight CMI, launched in 1979, was the world’s first digital sampling synthesiser and a pioneering music workstation. Evolving through Series I, II, IIx, and III, it introduced sampling, graphical sequencing (Page R), and advanced audio editing. Favoured by artists like Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Herbie Hancock, it shaped the sound of the 1980s. Despite its high cost, it revolutionised music production, leading to modern sampling and DAWs. A 30th-anniversary model, the CMI 30A, was released in 2011.