Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2002 Posted July 25, 2002 I'm a little bit embarressed to ask...as big a fan of Jan Hammer as I am, I should know how he got his sounds. My brother acquired a video copy of Mahavishnu Live from 1971...the sound is great on it but the video is hard to see clearly. What I was able to see blew my mind...Jan Hammer was playing these outrageous synthlike sounds on a Rhodes...he was controlling some kind of filter(???) or something with his left hand as though it were a pitch wheel effecting the Rhodes. His Rhodes appeared heavily modified...the top was off. Does anyone know exactly what his rig was and how he had it set-up? I didn't see a synth anywhere. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
BP3 Posted July 25, 2002 Posted July 25, 2002 He used a ring modulator on the rhodes. I'm not sure what model, but that was his thing in the early mahavishnu days. He later moved on to the mini with a fuzzbox of sorts. Maybe someone here has more info. Where's Andy Topeka??
coyote Posted July 25, 2002 Posted July 25, 2002 Yeah it was a ring modulator, made by Maestro. Jon Lord (Deep Purple) also used a Maestro ringmod on his Hammond organ. Originally posted by TinderArts: He used a ring modulator on the rhodes. I'm not sure what model, but that was his thing in the early mahavishnu days. He later moved on to the mini with a fuzzbox of sorts. Maybe someone here has more info. Where's Andy Topeka?? I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist. This ain't no track meet; this is football.
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2002 Author Posted July 25, 2002 Thanks...I wonder if there were any other mods done to his Rhodes. He was getting some wicked sounds out of it. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
b_3guy Posted July 25, 2002 Posted July 25, 2002 Originally posted by Steve LeBlanc: Thanks...I wonder if there were any other mods done to his Rhodes. He was getting some wicked sounds out of it.Wasn't he the one of the first to get the Dynamo Rhodes modification done? Steve www.seagullphotodesign.com
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 25, 2002 Author Posted July 25, 2002 Did the Moogerfooger exist in 1971? (perhaps a stupid question...hey I'm young and have always been distracted ) Hey I might build my own Ring Modulator...I think I'll buy Craig's book: http://www.handofgord.com/donellis/harris/de_ring.htm http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
Odyssian Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 Hi, I built one of those Craig Anderton RMs back in the early 80's. Sounded pretty cool, and was easy to build (if you know electronics). For the Jan Hammer synth question, he also used a combination Mini and Obie SEM for his synth solos back then. Played them with a guitar-like controller. There are pics on the net somewhere. If you can find his solo album called "The First Seven Days", check it out. It was my favorite solo album from him.. I heard that it will finally be released on CD sometime...
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 26, 2002 Author Posted July 26, 2002 For the Jan Hammer synth question, he also used a combination Mini and Obie SEM for his synth solos back then. Played them with a guitar-like controller. There are pics on the net somewhere. If you can find his solo album called "The First Seven Days", check it out. It was my favorite solo album from him.. I heard that it will finally be released on CD sometime...Yeah I know but I don't think he had either synth in this early 1971 concert. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
BP3 Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 Jan played plenty of minimoog after the first Mahavishnu album, but did not use the SEM until after he had left Mahavishnu.
Odyssian Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 Sorry about that... I wasn't specifically referring to the original question of the Mahavishnu period... BTW, is that video that your brother owns available anywhere that you know of? Thanks
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 26, 2002 Author Posted July 26, 2002 Originally posted by Odyssian: Sorry about that... I wasn't specifically referring to the original question of the Mahavishnu period... BTW, is that video that your brother owns available anywhere that you know of? ThanksIt's a bootleg copy...you can find it through ebay or tape traders circles. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
coyote Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 I just built one a few years ago. Run my Hammond A100 thru it - I love it Originally posted by Odyssian: Hi, I built one of those Craig Anderton RMs back in the early 80's. Sounded pretty cool, and was easy to build (if you know electronics). I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist. This ain't no track meet; this is football.
SoundWrangler Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 When I saw them on the tour supporting Birds of Fire, he used the Maestro ring modulator on the Rhodes, moving the modulating frequency slider with his left hand to get those effects you're talking about. I don't think he started using the Mini-moog until 1972. Incidentally, for all you Mahavishnu fans out there who can read conventional notation & handle these instrumental parts (!), check this site out for transcriptions: Mahavishnu Scores
Steve LeBlanc Posted July 26, 2002 Author Posted July 26, 2002 Cool link Soundwrangler. Speaking of difficult instrumental parts...I watched a Gentle Giant video last night from 1975. My God...could there be a more humbling exposition of multi-instrumentalists and over-the-top arrangements? http://www.youtube.com/notesleb
progfusion74 Posted July 26, 2002 Posted July 26, 2002 Originally posted by SoundWrangler: When I saw them on the tour supporting Birds of Fire, he used the Maestro ring modulator on the Rhodes, moving the modulating frequency slider with his left hand to get those effects you're talking about. I don't think he started using the Mini-moog until 1972. Incidentally, for all you Mahavishnu fans out there who can read conventional notation & handle these instrumental parts (!), check this site out for transcriptions: Mahavishnu Scores Read yes!! Play .. in my dreams http://www.indiegrooves.com/dnm/images/dnm_small.gif My Blog
ELP71 Posted July 27, 2002 Posted July 27, 2002 Any Jan Hammer Group fans know when 'Oh Yeah' might be released on CD??? ELP71 Weasels ripped my flesh. Rzzzzzzz.
kybdwackr Posted July 27, 2002 Posted July 27, 2002 you probably knew this..but the cut.."oh yeah" is on "jan hammer..the early years"..on cd..what a master of the pitch bend...cheers
SoundWrangler Posted July 29, 2002 Posted July 29, 2002 Yeah, the "Oh Yeah" track is on the "Early Years" compilation. Thing is, it was (by far) the worst track on the "Oh Yeah" LP! I suspect it got on the compiliation because it was the only Jan Hammer track (prior to Miami Vice, of course) that actually got air play! (As improbable as that sounds now, in the days of "formatted" radio playlists.) Other than that, it's a stunning album. It should indeed be available on CD. (BTW, did they ever get his first solo effort, the First Seven Days onto CD?)
BP3 Posted July 30, 2002 Posted July 30, 2002 Originally posted by ELP71: Any Jan Hammer Group fans know when 'Oh Yeah' might be released on CD??? ELP71OneWay Records is releasing some of Jan's older catalog. Perhp if you emil them about "Oh Yeah" they could let you know if it's coming out. Great stuff on that album!
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