'That' sound

[clementshawes]

Ok, so there's a gazillion+ results for such things but I trust the opine of this forum over any of the others I troll/frequent...

This might be a long post, skip to the end for the details if you're short on time/interest/attention-span

I'm not looking to imitate so much as appreciate the sounds, mostly analog-ish, of these particular artists.
I know 107.5% of their sounds are down to signal paths, processing, workflow, approach and even the odd blood sacrifice but I'm looking for a starting point as I am reassessing my current gear/setup.

I'd sooner have one workhorse synth which I can pour over than a room full of the odds and ends I currently do.

I'm already aiming to pretty much sell everything and invest in something more suited to my tastes of music; another thread suggests I ditch everything bar the Nord Mod and RM1x.

I'm considering ridding the Nord at this stage - while it's a very cool device, I'm loathed to have second/virtual machines to edit - I'm preferring a dedicated interface but I'm also happy to use a matrix interface if the trade of sound to control is worth it.
A computer-based editor is OK but I don't want it to be essential.

So - for warm sounds, full-bass, airy leads and all 'those' sounds - would anyone be kind enough to suggest their ideals for obtaining such gold?
I'm happy with adding FX/post and the like, I'm not so ill-educated to know that I'd need to invest time/effort in layering, processing and such.

Ideally, something poly-capable though mono-timbral isn't an issue.
4 or less octaves if a keyboard model.
Knob-per-function or an intuitive matrix - happy to compromise if intuitive.
This might be sacrilege but I'm leaning toward more modern devices nowadays as I don't want to invest in some monolithic analog powerhouse only to need 3 times its price to repair oscillators, filters, whatever.

I'd love to hear from you

[adnauseam]

Recently I believe I read that BoC bounces all tracks to tape (!) if you can believe it. I'm sure they also use a lot of genuine analog equipment. I think this was in an interview regarding Tomorrow's Harvest.

There's lots of clever tricks you can use to add that analog warmth in other ways. I'm not experienced in the ways, but I know using tape is one of them.

If you want to get deep into it...
Imagine yourself, if you will, in a pre-digital studio! What kinds of devices would be responsible for creating your sounds? How are the sounds colored by the various recording mediums? How many times did that bloke cut and splice that section of tape to create repeating sections?

Not all of us have the patience to deal with tapes or other hulking machines of the past. With that in mind make clever use of saturation type effects, different kinds of eq, something to add a bit of noise to a signal, small variations in pitch (tape wow/flutter?), spring reverb, true analog chorus/flanging in small amounts, the list goes on. Most of these effects are available as plugins in your favorite DAW but will need clever tweaking to hide the digital grit.

I can really use what I'vegot. I've noticed, for example, that passing the nord modular (digital) through a really nice reverb, like the eventide space (also digital), has an end result that sounds so nice and warm and cozy. Even if the reverb level is really hardly audible.

If you want to get into the possibility of getting new synths...

Modern analog poly synths with midi may do the trick. Poly Evolver comes to mind, but I'm probably biased (love em), perhaps a nicely serviced Juno 106? There are likely more others would recommend.

[clementshawes]

Thanks for your reply

Yeah, I've heard that BoC use tape extensively - even seen brief details of them using an old grundig tape machine(s); even bouncing the same clip/stem onto 6 mono tapes, modulating their playback for even more of that hiss and crackle.
one of my fave methods they're rumoured to use is recording onto cheap, hand-held, cassette recorders while shaking, swinging or otherwise moving both source and recorder.

Not to mention intentionally degraded and damaged tape...

Specifically though, it's the synths I'm looking for - SH-101 seems to be commonly mentioned, MiniMoog and Juno's too.

So I'm looking to buy a starting block which I can use for my work - I like the richness and warmth of the sounds; while I'm an avid fan of BoC, I'm not looking to rip off their work so much as know what to explore devices offering those stomach-rumbling baselines, leads as soft as a Nan's kiss but warm like a summers evening!

[clementshawes]

Poly Evolver is most definitely up there on the lust list but are they as good at the subtle sounds as the Prophet 08 for example? I have, and love, an Evolver desktop but subtle is a term I believe that the desktop simply doesn't understand!

[v-un-v]

I'm guessing, but if you want 'that sound', look no further than a Waldorf. You'll see what I mean by watching this video...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PXvQs4Nq06c

[adnauseam]

[clementshawes]

[soundwave106]

It's hard to really narrow down that "that sound" in my opinion, from these artists. Because, of the ones that you can get a glimpse of their gear, they really have a lot of "odds and ends". Plus, most of the interviews also don't delve into the computer side, and particularly for the glitchy stuff I've heard that this is more on that end vs. hardware. Most pro synth artists seem to have as much G.A.S. as the rest of us.

For warmth, I like to find things that soft clip very well. A little saturation that isn't even noticeable, but gives it a little bit of "something" that I think many people define as what analog is.

Tape is probably the best way, as much as a PITA as it would be, and you'd also get interesting wow/flutter effect possibilities. The problem is you'd have to "chose wisely" -- some analog tape is less warm and more crappy. And, it'd be a PITA to bounce back and forth.

I personally like to utilize saturation within my chorus pedals -- it used to be adjusting the levels into a Dimension C pedal just so (the cheap Behringer clone would probably also work), but I've recently switched to a Moogerfooger Cluster Flux, with a very convenient "drive" knob. Add some reverb (I'm a Lexicon type but some love the Eventides, pick your choice) and it's pretty good for warm and tasty. I'm sure other saturation sources will work, of course.

I cannot help you with synth selection as much because my hardware synth of choice (modular aside) is an Alesis Andromeda, which is not quite "that sound" as much. I did own a Matrix 1000 and Juno 106 once. Those can probably get "that sound" with some good outboard.

[clementshawes]

Thanks for your input... Pun semi-intended lol...

I should mention that I'm a bedroom-hobby-experimenter rather than any kind of actual performer, paid or otherwise.
I'm not actually able to play either - per se, again though, this is more experimental tinkerer than anything.
I guess I can liken myself to most players though, noodling and tinkering until that part sounds good - I just guess that I stand to take comparatively longer I guess.
As a result, this is the sort of thing I leave behind:

(warning, this might be a bit loud and is 'glitchy' so be aware).

So yeah, I guess I'm trying to expand on my rantings by saying that I'll be looking for a small setup comprising of one or two keyboard/modules for sound source and invest in some time and additional plug-in effects to suit my requirements.

I'm a father to 5 including 2 toddlers - time is precious and I'm still young so I plan to make a solid investment soon to carry me a few years from now; the death of my father left me an opportunity to splash out on some toys and try my footing.
I 'may' have answered my own question in an earlier thread now I read back and think.

I'd still appreciate any more advice/opine but thank you all for your thoughts so far

[Antimon]

Hey nice track clementshawes!

I'm personally moving towards having a bunch of small gadgets that I move around, stow away and bring back. I guess that's the opposite of what you want. I get the impression that acts like BoC use lots of different gear.

I have a feeling that getting "that sound" comes down to toolboxes full of tricks and gimmicks rather than specific synths. So if someone does their trademark "thing" it comes down to the signal path: X goes into Y goes into Z and so on - and X, Y and Z don't need to be specific brands and models but rather general types of gear, and changing the brands and models may be a way to make a new variation of the gimmick, resulting in a different song.

All just guesswork from my part of course. I actually tried as an exercise to make one of those warm pad things that I like in BoC - chords into reverbs, processed a bit then into VCAs into delays. I used the Octatrack for some of this. It started off a track that then went elsewhere.

[Antimon]

BTW, thanks for mentioning Clark! Just listened through Turning Dragon - great stuff!

[clementshawes]

[adnauseam]

[clementshawes]

[Cynosure]

I read somewhere that BOC owe a lot of their sound to the SH-101. That and sending everything through various types of tape, as was already mentioned.

You also keep mentioning basslines, which the Roland filters are famous for.

I would say that you want an SH-101, but it is a somewhat limited monosynth and can be very expensive. I would recommend a Juno instead because you can do a lot of similar stuff, plus it is poly and the chorus effect sounds great. If you get a 106, then ask about the VCF/VCA chips. If they have not been replaced, then you will eventually have to replace them. So you will end up paying a bit more in the long run.

But in all honesty - I don't recommend chasing a sound. You would be much better off getting a versatile synth that can do a lot for a good price. Take some points for inspiration from your favorite artists, but don't try to imitate them. Have fun finding your own style, and maybe one day someone will be trying to imitate your sound

[clementshawes]

Sound advice Jacob - thanks for your advice.

I was only looking for guides on the synths that feature heavily on these styles of production - I intend to find my own final sound but I prefer that sound over these modern 'Massive' and Virus TI wobbles/screeches.

I've spent years stumbling around finding my way around sounds - for better or worse; I'm not above imitation but for education - I'm not looking to be the next Tycho

[adnauseam]

[clementshawes]

Back to the equipment, whoever mentioned the poly Evolver owes me a few nights sleep; unless I happen upon someone selling one with no idea of value, I'll be limited to getting a mono keyboard I think but polychaining it to my desktop...

I was originally looking to get a Mopho keyboard model but I feel that a MEK offers a great deal more flexibility/insanity; money and space are tight issue so I'd be looking at mono whether it be the Mopho or Evolver, I can always expand later (and/or circumvent the Mopho/Evolver not polychaining each other with soft/hardware).

Anyways, I'm fantasising - selling a load of my setup and I'll see how many pennies I have to throw at what options I have

[adnauseam]

[blue hell]

Please .. do not react to spam, and most certainly do not quote it ... it makes the job of removing it just harder

[clementshawes]

I don't know if I should hate you or thank you

I got the desktop as the demos just had a certain sound that I didn't think one could find so easily in software (there's all manner of software instruments for mono synths, classic or not but no 'Evolver').

What I wasn't prepared for was the cost of the PEK or the lack of availability of the MEK.

The only one I can find at the moment is to import from HongKong but I'm of the mind right now that I'd trade pretty much everything towards a MEK or PEK.

[clementshawes]

[adnauseam]

[clementshawes]

Phone, Android tablet, MacBook, iPad - these are all employed to help me find what I'm after - its the patience to sit there with the money and wait that I lack over buying something to fill the void.

If I don't find something in time, I'll likely go for the mono Mopho keyboard and double-up my Evolver desktop for some duophonic chaos...
But that's me...

[adnauseam]

Was about to suggest going for a Tetra Key (for the value) but then I remembered DSI never went down that path!