Electrostatic reed organ

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A technology developed by the Wurlitzer company in which the pitch for each note was generated by a vibrating reed kept in motion by an air pump. Each reed formed one plate of a capacitor and the fluctuating capacitance was used to produce a current alternating at the required frequency which was then amplified. All the reeds were kept in constant motion but their sound was carefully muffled, so that it was only the amplified and modulated sound wave that was audible through the loudspeaker.

Compare with the Hammond tonewheel system.