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Herbie Hancock's Sprialing Prism covered on vintage synths


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Just sharing because this is an incredibly cool, informative video, the synths are all classics, and the playing is superb.

 

[video:youtube]

Stephen Fortner

Principal, Fortner Media

Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine

Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine

 

Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse

 

 

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In one word...AWESOME!!!

 

However...the P5 can't have been used on Spiraling Prism if recorded in ´77 as it was released first in ´78?

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

Arthur Schopenhauer

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Steve, thank you for posting this. I appreciate that the video makes explicit the concept of approaching synth sound resources much as an arranger would - choose particular crayons for particular moments. I know that is sort of what we are all supposed to do in our DAWs, but I have heard too much music that refuses to consider the question, "How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

That's all aside from the fact that I slobbered over the back cover of the album when it first came out. (Having said that, I will add that I do not have anything good to say about the Yamaha electronic piano in that collect and I did not regret its absence in the video. If I did have to say something good about it, it would be something like, "It has keys... and a good sense of humor(?)")

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Oh, I hadn't seen the video yet when I responded to you. So the person making it mixed together two album time frames. He recreated the setup from Sunlight, but it wasn't 100% accurate. Yes, he added the Prophet since it was used extensively on Spiraling Prism, which was from the album Mr. Hands... but it was not used on the album Sunlight.

 

But... looking this up I see a lot of images posted describing the keyboards on the back cover, and they label the keyboard on the top right as the Prophet. Because that is what Herbie labelled it on an insert that was included with the album. look closely at the image... it is most certainly not a Prophet! I'm not quite sure what it is, though. Anyone?

 

fpCJYyR.jpg

 

Jerry

 

In one word...AWESOME!!!

 

However...the P5 can't have been used on Spiraling Prism if recorded in ´77 as it was released first in ´78?

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"Spiraling Prism" is a gorgeous but an odd Herbie tune. A lot of people associate electric Herbie with synthesizers, even though in my mind it's always been the Rhodes. Especially poly synths - I felt he shined more on mono synths (basses, solos). And I think this one and "Textures", also from Mr. Hands, are one of the few examples where he did a full multi-synth arrangement like this.

 

This is a really top quality effort! Not easy to get all those vintage synths and the sounds. However... (jazz police / Herbie aficionado / nitpicker alert :laugh: :laugh: )

 

Some of the voicings sound a bit "off". There's a really nasty clash with the synths and the EP at 3:07 especially. The FX on the Rhodes sounds like a Phaser (Mu-Tron?) on the original, but I think he's using a Chorus here (which to my knowledge Herbie rarely if ever used...in fact his EP tone was always buttery but mostly "clean"). The Prophet sounds a bit strange in my ears too.

 

 

 

...

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Yes, the synth in question may be listed on the album cover that is pictured in the post above, but it has been somewhat cut-off.

 

Being from Connecticut, we were very proud of Electronic Music Laboratories for the array of products that they developed. The EML SynKey is the instrument shown on the album cover. It was brought to the market and was advertised in Contemporary Keyboard Magazine. It was quite a unique instrument in that it used pre-punched plastic cards that were inserted for programming. If you look close at the photo of Herbie instrument, the card can clearly be seen inserted on the left and is about the width of a credit card.

 

See below for some info. borrowed from Wikipedia:

 

Electronic Music Laboratories, commonly abbreviated to EML, was an audio synthesizer company. Founded in 1968 in Vernon, Connecticut by four former engineers, the company manufactured and designed a variety of synthesizers sharing the same basic design but configured in different ways.

 

The SynKey - one of EML's last products. Unique in its storage of patches on plastic punch-cards. Released in both programmable and non-programmable versions. EML also produced a few custom-built units which used their standard modules in new (usually larger) configurations.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Music_Laboratories

 

Another resource is below:

 

http://www.vintagesynth.com/eml/synkey.php

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Does it really matter if the setup is exactly identical to the original record, or if the chord voicings are the same? Can't we just enjoy this video - made with obvious love and care. It also manages to educate as well as entertain. Not to mention showcasing these great players. After I watched it I went back to u-tube and checked out a lot of the other Herbie tracks from this era. PS - Tom, that's the rhodes sound I wish I had! Great job and playing, everyone. I'll also say that anyone wanting to tout the superiority of the original analog synths to their in-the-box counterparts would be making a very good case with this video!
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Thanks - I knew someone would have the info. I'm certainly familiar with EML - the first synth I ever saw when one of the salespeople came into my HS Concert Band and did a demo. But I didn't know of, or recall this model.

 

Jerry

 

Yes, the synth in question may be listed on the album cover that is pictured in the post above, but it has been somewhat cut-off.

 

Being from Connecticut, we were very proud of Electronic Music Laboratories for the array of products that they developed. The EML SynKey is the instrument shown on the album cover. It was brought to the market and was advertised in Contemporary Keyboard Magazine. It was quite a unique instrument in that it used pre-punched plastic cards that were inserted for programming. If you look close at the photo of Herbie instrument, the card can clearly be seen inserted on the left and is about the width of a credit card.

 

See below for some info. borrowed from Wikipedia:

 

Electronic Music Laboratories, commonly abbreviated to EML, was an audio synthesizer company. Founded in 1968 in Vernon, Connecticut by four former engineers, the company manufactured and designed a variety of synthesizers sharing the same basic design but configured in different ways.

 

The SynKey - one of EML's last products. Unique in its storage of patches on plastic punch-cards. Released in both programmable and non-programmable versions. EML also produced a few custom-built units which used their standard modules in new (usually larger) configurations.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Music_Laboratories

 

Another resource is below:

 

http://www.vintagesynth.com/eml/synkey.php

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I completely agree with you musically, but come on, what quality of life would we have if we can't geek out on the gear every once in a while?

 

:keys:

 

Odds are, except for the Prophet, Oberheim (because Herbie said so), Arp strings and the Minimoog (sure sounds like them), and yes, of course the Rhodes, the rest of the gear might not have been used on the track. But it's a great image to pay tribute to, and a great performance.

 

Jerry

 

Does it really matter if the setup is exactly identical to the original record, or if the chord voicings are the same? Can't we just enjoy this video - made with obvious love and care. It also manages to educate as well as entertain. Not to mention showcasing these great players. After I watched it I went back to u-tube and checked out a lot of the other Herbie tracks from this era. PS - Tom, that's the rhodes sound I wish I had! Great job and playing, everyone. I'll also say that anyone wanting to tout the superiority of the original analog synths to their in-the-box counterparts would be making a very good case with this video!
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I'm all for geeking! I had to actually research some things because after starting my youtube adventure with this era of music, I happened to see on Herbie's website that the Linn LM-1 was credited on the album Monster - the one before Mr. Hands. I always thought the song "Textures" from Mr Hands was the first recording using the LM-1.
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The EML SynKey was bad timing. RAM was still expensive during the design phase, and theEML synth with punchcards came out right when RAM prices were starting to get reasonable. It was already obsolete. Not many were made.

 

Computer peripherals on music gear tends to be a generation behind the current computers. Big reason is cost. The older the peripheral, the cheaper it is. Big factor with price competition. Especially with compact removable media. A year or two after the new keyboard is on the market, you can't buy the media for it anymore. Only exception is USB thumb drives.

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I remember playing an EML SynKey in a music store in Greenville, SC way back in the mid 80's. It had been there a while. Was not that impressed. This was right about the time the Korg M1 came out and I was mesmerized by it at that store.

A friend of mine growing up had an EML ElectroComp 101 (kind of a cross between an Odyssey and a 2600) that he'd let me play with from time to time. Fond memories. I also owned a Yamaha CP-30 in the early 80s which was big, heavy, and sounded like ass.

I had sold a Rhodes to fund the CP-30. I had it for a couple of years and sold it to buy yet another Stage 73. I think over the years I've owned at least 10 of them at different times and for different reasons.

Hardware:
Yamaha
: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro|
Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | 
Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB |
Novation LaunchPad Mini, |
Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy|
Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele

Software:
Recording
: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240
Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs |
IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs |

 

 

 

 

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Speaking of "Textures" does anyone know what keyboard is Herbie using for that acoustic guitar/dulcimer rhythm track? I've been wondering about that for years - it's really beautiful!

 

You mean the main riff? No real idea, but on one of the older reissues of "Mr. Hands" the equipment is listed like this:

 

E-MU Polyphonic Keyboard

Clavitar

Waves Minimoog (?)

Minimoog

Prophet 5

Oberheim 8-voice

Yamaha CS-80

ARP 2600

Hohner Clavinet

Rhodes 88 Suitcase

Sennheiser Vocoder

Linn-Moffett Drum Synthesizer

Modified Apple II Plus Microcomputer

Piano

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Thanks for posting this, Stephen! I'm digging the arrangement and playing. I'm planning to find a leadsheet of this piece; beautiful changes!

 

Seeing and hearing the synths triggered more than a few memories. I've always been partial to the early Oberheims (had an OB-Xa and OB-1), and it's fun to hear 'that sound' again. An Oberheim 8-Voice covered the synthesizer lead on Tragedy, by the Bee Gees. I recall hearing that song through a large sound system and was blown away by the synth massiveness. I was also drawn in by the way Tom Howard - an early mentor - made use of an OB-X. Have never owned a Minimoog or Multimoog, though I was sorely tempted after playing brother Ken Soper's Mini. And Tom Howard used to tour with a Multimoog on top of a Rhodes.

 

Intriguing to hear the CS-50 parts in this track. That one was my first synth.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks BRW! Maybe he was using some sounds off the Apple Computer, if that was possible. I also thought maybe he was possibly experimenting with a very early Fairlight.

 

 

Speaking of "Textures" does anyone know what keyboard is Herbie using for that acoustic guitar/dulcimer rhythm track? I've been wondering about that for years - it's really beautiful!

 

You mean the main riff? No real idea, but on one of the older reissues of "Mr. Hands" the equipment is listed like this:

 

E-MU Polyphonic Keyboard

Clavitar

Waves Minimoog (?)

Minimoog

Prophet 5

Oberheim 8-voice

Yamaha CS-80

ARP 2600

Hohner Clavinet

Rhodes 88 Suitcase

Sennheiser Vocoder

Linn-Moffett Drum Synthesizer

Modified Apple II Plus Microcomputer

Piano

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There were no sound sources available for the Apple II Plus back then. The earliest was the Alpha Syntauri, but he would have mentioned that by name if he was using it.

 

Here's an interview with Herbie where he talks about it a little bit:

interview

 

I know that at that time Bryan Bell, who did most of Herbie's early computer and digital technology innovations, was using computers for some device switching and some digital interfacing, pre-MIDI. But not as a sound source back then.

 

This is a great article on what Bryan and Herbie were doing back then:

 

Bryan and Herbie

 

Jerry

 

 

Thanks BRW! Maybe he was using some sounds off the Apple Computer, if that was possible. I also thought maybe he was possibly experimenting with a very early Fairlight.

 

 

Speaking of "Textures" does anyone know what keyboard is Herbie using for that acoustic guitar/dulcimer rhythm track? I've been wondering about that for years - it's really beautiful!

 

You mean the main riff? No real idea, but on one of the older reissues of "Mr. Hands" the equipment is listed like this:

 

E-MU Polyphonic Keyboard

Clavitar

Waves Minimoog (?)

Minimoog

Prophet 5

Oberheim 8-voice

Yamaha CS-80

ARP 2600

Hohner Clavinet

Rhodes 88 Suitcase

Sennheiser Vocoder

Linn-Moffett Drum Synthesizer

Modified Apple II Plus Microcomputer

Piano

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