What synths did The Revolution use? Specifically? There was a Matt Fink interview up on Housequake where listed what was used, but I can't find it. Anyone have a link to it?

There WAS a link but gone since HQ is gone so its no use...sorry

www.housequake.com

There's still this:
http://www.rosiegaines.co...Speak.html

In the housequake interview, Fink fielded 20 questions from quake members. Seemed less informative than the above interview.

Edited to add this too:
http://mixonline.com/mag/...nces_kiss/
[Edited 11/20/09 6:31am]

for starters, I just heard about Prince using the Oberheim OB-8

didnt they have an oberheim matrix 100
and a fairlight sampler

i do remember all the keyboard names in the pics in the Parade tour book were taped over

twistee said:

Thanks for the links - interesting reading

Anyone wants to know what synths were used back in the day, its all there.

Mindflux said:[quote]

twistee said:

It's actually not. The Roland D-50 and the synclavier soundset are all good and fine, but Matt had a full list of Revolution era synths and model names in the Housequake interview.

From memory they were:

Oberheim OBX-A
Yamaha DX-7
Yamaha piano
Sequential Circuits Prohet 5 (although I just read that they didn't use this, but I swear I've seen him use it for the solo on 'head)
Some kind of ARP
some kind of polyphonic Moog, probably a Polymoog

I can't believe that now Housequake is gone we've lost that interview and all the info they gathered.

.
[Edited 11/20/09 17:43pm]

JudasLChrist said:[quote]

Mindflux said:

Eh?! Did you actually read the article I was referring too? Those are all mentioned and then some! Here's just a snippet from Matt Fink about what he brought to the table back in 78;

"What instruments were you playing then?
Fink: By the time I joined him, my peronal setup was just a Minimoog, a Rhodes, a Farfisa VIP 345 with a Leslie speaker cabinet, and a Freeman string synthesizer. At that same time, he had all this gear he bought with money from his record deal, so I integrated what I had with what he had. I got rid of the Freeman and went to an ARP String Ensemble, and the old Oberheim Four-Voices and S.E.M. modules. I kept the Minimoog, and added a [Hohner] Clavinet and an ARP Pro-Soloist... a lot of stuff! It was a Rick Wakeman kind of setup. Then, as time went on, I pared things down, and every year kept updating as things changed."

The DX7 is mentioned later on and Prince's move away from FM synthesis, along with the piano (as well as, interestingly, faking a real piano on stage with a digital one!) the fact they didn't use Prophets.

So, erm, it actually is!
[Edited 11/20/09 17:46pm]

twistee said:

Wow. That basically says the sound of Kiss was a David Z production (and to some extent Mazerati). I thought everyone keeps claiming Prince does it all by himself...especially on a hit that big!!...lol

Zannaloaf said:

Well, not really! Its quite a well-known story about Prince not knowing what do with the sketch of the idea, it being given to Mazerati and then taking it back. And, furthermore, David Z certainly helped shape what Kiss would become, but once Prince took back control major changes were afoot (dropping Z's hat tracks, removing the bass etc) - all bold, decisions that are distinctly Prince. I'm pretty sure that David Z still got a co-production credit on the album for the track, so he got his dues.

What is also interesting in the piece is David Z alluding to Prince's "power" at the time, something which few artists would be able to do now - you just wouldn't be able to tell a label now "This is what I'm going to release, despite what you think" - Prince still does that now, because he has maneuvered himself in to that position of releasing music on his own terms. He's always been ahead of the curve and still has that edge and acumen.

JudasLChrist said:

interesting.

I don't remember seeing ay DX7's on stage.... know what songs they are used on (I know he used them on the Family record though)?

Also are you referring to the yamha digital grand piano painted purple that prince used to bang on during Let's Go Crazy etc.? Wha model was that?

And did Matt ever play piano parts? It semed like Lisa did the piano parts and Matt did the synth parts.

I always wondered how they split up the keyboard parts. What boards did Lisa use?

GaryMF said:

Read the article linked above!

Mindflux said:

Let me clarify. What I'm looking for specifically is what synth models were used during the Revolution era. Matt and Lisa weren't using no Oberheim SEM modules and Farfisa organs on the Purple Rain tour. That article has some good info, but not THE info that I am looking for.

GaryMF said:

The Piano that Prince and Matt used for the Purple Rain Tour was a Yamaha CP80. The CP80 was an acoustic-ish piano with electric pick-ups. An Electraic piano with full sets of strings and a soundboard, basically. You can see it here: http://www.cathedralstone...aCP70B.htm

I saw that Mat had a CP80 and Prince did, but not Lisa. There was one song where Matt and Lisa Changed sides of the stage, but I forget what song that was.

THe DX7 Is all over the Purple Rain tour. Just off the top of my head...that sound big electronic swoop sound before they lock into 1999, that's a DX7, as is all the sounds in the 'yankee doodle' section. The sound of the train whistles during Baby I'm a Star is DX7, etc...
[Edited 11/21/09 15:28pm]

Oberheim rox

JudasLChrist said:

Yeah I read up on the CP70/80 thanks

Matt had one too? That's odd. I remember the one in the middle of the stage that Prince used during Delerious and Do me Baby..... but you're saying Matt had one too?

Weird cuz I thought Lisa did the "piano" parts. (not that there are many on Purple Rain songs).

Soudns like they used Dx7 more for effects than actual keyboard parts.

GaryMF said:

Yes, Matt had one, too. Lisa did not, as far as I know.

The DX7 is all over. Another one I can think of from PR Tour is the break at the end of Darling Nikki when Prince goes "Shook-ahhh", a DX7 choir sound comes in right behind everything. Also, if you listen to Around the World in a Day, practically the entire record is DX7. I always found that amazing, cause my band had a DX7 and I hated the way it sounded. Totally digital and clinical, but Prince used it to great effect. It never was cheezy. And he used the stock sounds, too!