Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Killer keyboard sounds that dominate a track!


Recommended Posts

Just for fun, I was listening to ‘pump up the jam’ in the car through a decent Bose system and, despite what is going on musically, the huge bass sound simply dominates the track (as it was back in the day).
Got me thinking…for you, what keyboard sound is so memorable that it dominates the track in your memory? Not necessarily your favourite sound, just one that is the most dominant/memorable aspect of a track.

Im going to get the obvious out of the way with Jump by Van Halen, will see what else I can recall.

oh, here is that track if you have never heard it, the bass could cause deafness in a decent nightclub system, playing on a phone won’t quite get over how big that bass is.

 

 

  • Like 1

Korg Grandstage 73, Keystage 61, Mac Mini M1, Logic Pro X (Pigments, Korg Legacy Collection, Wavestate LE, Sylenth), iPad Pro 12.9 M2 (6th gen), iPad 9th gen, Scarlett 2i2, Presonus Eris E3.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bruce Hornsby's AP on The Way It Is

Joe Zawinal's Oberheim on Birdland; Joe Zawinal's lead synth sound on Black Market

Stevie Wonder's clav on Superstition.

Keith Emerson's Moog on Lucky Man.

Micheal MacDonald's Rhodes on What A Fool Believes

Jan Hammer's Moog on the Miami Vice soundtrack title music.

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, JamPro said:

Bruce Hornsby's AP on The Way It Is

Joe Zawinal's Oberheim on Birdland; Joe Zawinal's lead synth sound on Black Market

Stevie Wonder's clav on Superstition.

Keith Emerson's Moog on Lucky Man.

Micheal MacDonald's Rhodes on What A Fool Believes

Jan Hammer's Moog on the Miami Vice soundtrack title music.

 

 

Yup, all good ones.

  • Like 1

Korg Grandstage 73, Keystage 61, Mac Mini M1, Logic Pro X (Pigments, Korg Legacy Collection, Wavestate LE, Sylenth), iPad Pro 12.9 M2 (6th gen), iPad 9th gen, Scarlett 2i2, Presonus Eris E3.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always like the Jupiter / OB-X combo on Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back”. It’s believed that Prince played the parts, but there is some debate about that.

 

 

It’s another Van Halen track, but the hard-sync’d Oberheim mono/unison part on “Why Can’t This Be Love?” is amazing.

 

 

On the softer side, I’ve always loved the heavily-filtered Prophet 5 on Genesis’ “Man on the Corner”. Coupled with the 808 and the other parts, it’s a remarkable track.

 

 

 

  • Like 5

Sundown

 

Just finished: The Jupiter Bluff

Working on: Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was really captivated as a youngster by Dennis Deyoung's synth sounds, which were certainly featured.  Light Up (Equinox) was one of the earliest I heard, and then later The Grand Illusion and others.

The sweep from Tom Sawyer and that nice solo in Heart's Magic Man also featured in my youth :)  I recall going to Godfather's Pizza every so often with the family and always playing Magic Man on the jukebox.   

I'd say one of the first bands I got into in middle school was ELO and while their songs have tons of keys, Richard Tandy is really good at making them a part of the song, and he also doesn't take a lot of flashy solos.  Reminds me of (later) Tony Banks in that way, all you hear is the melody and then you think "hey, nice keyboard playing there!"


My friend played me Frankenstein and I remember being most impressed by the "machine gun" sounds as a kid, then later by the keys!

  • Like 1
  • Wow! 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was trying to think of an iconic keyboard sound...how about Bloody Well Right by Supertramp? Rick Davies Wurlitzer electric piano is what gives that track (and so many other Supertramp songs) its distinctive sound.

 

 

  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, o0Ampy0o said:

Thriller ~Michael Jackson (The synth bass)

 

 

 

 

There’s a lot of good stuff in there … The huge Jupiter brass at the beginning, the synth bass, and the “frog” sound from an old Casio. There are quite a few YouTube videos about how those sounds were made (from the people who made them).

 

Todd

  • Like 3

Sundown

 

Just finished: The Jupiter Bluff

Working on: Driven Away

Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361

DAW Platform: Cubase

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like some of the early modular synth sounds, usually the bassier ones.

 

In the early days this sound was frequently used in a way that tended to blend into a less prominent sound space. They might have used cellos without the synth but they used a distinctly synthesizer sound. It was not meant to be mistaken as a traditional instrument. By doing this they gained all of the richness of a synthesizer sound. No one uses a synth with that sound in that manner anymore.

 

An example is what is on Elton John's All The Girls Love Alice.

Another is on The Beatles' Abbey Road, Here Comes The Sun

 

The way the Moog is used on Here Comes The Sun replaces a few traditional orchestral instruments. They found sounds that were useful but not intended to fool people. If they thought a flute fit somewhere they used the one that sounded flutish. Sometimes they sound like strings or flutes but they only resemble and do not suggest a budget-friendly alternative as synths were frequently used later on.

 

I re-listened to these on YT before making this post. Of course the sound quality is lacking. In the early 80's I acquired a special copy of Abbey Road. It was vinyl. This was just before CD's hit. I cannot remember what it was. I know it wasn't a Japanese import pressing. I also had a high quality audiophile system at the time. The individual elements of this copy were distinct. The Moog on Here Comes The Sun was more prominent and sounded like it was in the room. I remember the first time I listened to that song in this quality format on this quality system. Hearing that bassy synth come in was a great moment I have not forgotten.

 

 

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/31/2023 at 2:11 PM, Sundown said:

I always like the Jupiter / OB-X combo on Stevie Nicks’ “Stand Back”. It’s believed that Prince played the parts, but there is some debate about that.

 

 

Beat me to it!

 

Roland RD-2000, Yamaha Motif XF7, Mojo 61, Invisible keyboard stand (!!!!!), 1939 Martin Handcraft Imperial trumpet

"Everyone knows rock music attained perfection in 1974. It is a scientific fact." -- Homer Simpson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wall of Voodoo's Stan Ridgway, from "The Big Heat." That's a great solo album, with maybe a few hints of John Cale. The synth work is ballsy.

 

 

  • Like 3
  • Love 1

Absurdity, n. A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
    ~ "The Devil's Dictionary," Ambrose Bierce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/1/2024 at 4:08 PM, David Emm said:

Wall of Voodoo's Stan Ridgway, from "The Big Heat." That's a great solo album, with maybe a few hints of John Cale. The synth work is ballsy.

 

 

Thanks for posting this! I was a huge fan of Wall of Voodoo and his solo work back in the '80's, and haven't listened for far too long. Great stuff.

  • Like 1

Turn up the speaker

Hop, flop, squawk

It's a keeper

-Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Fairlight all over Jane Child's "Don't Wanna Fall in Love"

 

 

  • Like 2

Live: Yamaha S70XS (#1); Roland Jupiter-80; Mackie 1202VLZ4; IEMs or Traynor K4

Home: Hammond SK Pro 73; Moog Minimoog Voyager Electric Blue; Yamaha S70XS (#2); Wurlitzer 200A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...