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Synth Explosion - The players


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It seems there is an explosion of synth players doing their own thing and developing new idioms and styles.

 

David (Escape Rocks) posted this example of Eric Levy ...

 

[video:youtube]

 

Here are Louis Cole and DOMi doing some tasty stuff ....

 

[video:youtube]

 

... and here is Nick Semrad with a lovely solo which begins at 3.30

 

[video:youtube]

 

It would be nice to collect examples of emerging synth players, their work and their style. Would you have any examples to share?

 

Thanks in advance. ð

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Yeah it's interesting because it seems like 20 years ago almost no one was playing synths. Now they're back and it's an exciting time for keyboard players.

 

Is it also an exciting time for audiences? Synths have always presented the danger of allowing the player to entertain themselves while leaving 90% of the audience behind. It all depends on the player but I don't think that risk is any less present now. In fact you could argue that as advances in synthesis allow for more complexity, so they present more risk.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I discovered The Comet is Coming from a recent KC thread, and have been kind of obsessing about them ever since. Dan Leavers plays only the same two 30+ year old synths, and has commented in interviews something to the effect that the limited sound palette actually works to inspire and channel his creativity. It works for me! Another interesting point is that he's mostly playing his synths. There is some arpeggiation, but he's not just triggering a loop and going off on it.

 

This Boiler Room video is long but it's one of the best I've found, with lots of keyboard shots.

 

 

 

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I found this to be an excellent display of how a synth can be used musically:

 

[video:youtube]

 

The lady has chops across the board both programming and playing. :D:thu::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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I hadn't heard of Nick Semrad before, but that is some damn tasty playing. Will be checking him out!

 

he's been playing in The Funk Apostles along side of Cory Henry the last 3 years or so, and has done sound design for Nord keyboards

 

:nopity:
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speaking of Cory Henry, I can't believe this video is almost 4 years old now, with almost 22 million views.

Synth solo starts at the 5 minute mark. Oh, and BTW, he is playing a King Korg, everyone's favorite synth. :laugh:

 

[video:youtube]

:nopity:
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Lisa Bella Donna (already mentioned) is definitely someone who I've discovered recently that stands out as unique. There are a lot of technically virtuosic keyboard players who play synths, but she seems to be a true virtuoso synth player, and really gets the ins and outs of the instrument, the way she switches between arpeggiator use, recording sequences on the fly, and live playing all on one instrument is not like anyone else I've seen. Funny enough, the video posted above reminds me a lot stylistically of an artist a friend introduced me to. He's a video game composer utilizing mostly 8-bit sounds. Lisa's harmonic choices are amazingly reminiscent. The second half of this track comes to mind.

 

I also feel like the 'synth explosion' is maybe not as much touring live artists, and a lot more youtube personalities. touring with a modular setup or several analog synths is a lot tougher than putting together a weekly youtube video with whatever new gadget you got last month.

 

[video:youtube]

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I found this to be an excellent display of how a synth can be used musically:

 

The lady has chops across the board both programming and playing. :D:thu::cool:

Up for consideration by those who dislike the Norange there is the Moog One which could have been conceived while enjoying a picnic in a similar Impressionist's paradise.

 

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The lady has chops across the board both programming and playing. :D:thu::cool:

 

 

Yeah she really does. Lovely video. I love that big Moog One sound. It has it's own voice, not to be diminished by comparisons to Memorymoogs, CS80s and GX1s.

 

Lisa Bella Donna (already mentioned) is definitely someone who I've discovered recently that stands out as unique. There are a lot of technically virtuosic keyboard players who play synths, but she seems to be a true virtuoso synth player, and really gets the ins and outs of the instrument, the way she switches between arpeggiator use, recording sequences on the fly, and live playing all on one instrument is not like anyone else I've seen. Funny enough, the video posted above reminds me a lot stylistically of an artist a friend introduced me to. He's a video game composer utilizing mostly 8-bit sounds. Lisa's harmonic choices are amazingly reminiscent. The second half of this track comes to mind.

 

He is isn't he? Thank you for the video. He reminds me a bit of Larry Fast. :thu:

 

Here is Lisa Bella Donna showing off her amazing programming chops without meaning to. Just drop the needle at 9 minutes or 14 minutes. :laugh:

 

[video:youtube]

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Synths have always presented the danger of allowing the player to entertain themselves while leaving 90% of the audience behind.

Ouch.

 

Reminds me of that cartoon of the audience ignoring the keytar solo.

 

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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