I was just listening to "Here" off of the MPLS album, and it sounds like old school Prince drum programming, but it's just mastered and EQ'd more contemporary. Less midrange. He used to flatten and bring that midrange way up on his drum tracks, with really big hihats and a thick snare and bass drum. These days he EQ's for more higher fidelity (more highs and lows) and seems to also not use the pools of reverb he did on certain 80's tracks.

But listen to "Here". It's got most of the effects he used to use. That's a great song worthy to be called a Prince classic.

ufoclub said:

Like I said, it's all subjective, but for me Here is a perfect example of what's gone wrong. Well the entire MPLSound.

Here is a track that would sound much better without the gaudy pseudo 80's linn, that feels like it's just tacked on. It is in no way integral to the track. Like I said, to me "Here" would sound much much better without it. It serves no purpose other than as a retro gimmick. It is neither interesting nor even a part of the composition, nor does it add anything to it. It's just there out of place.

V10LETBLUES said:

Another newer tune that sounds like retro prince: What do you Want me To Do? off Musicology.

ufoclub said:

Another newer tune that sounds like retro prince: What do you Want me To Do? off Musicology.

Now that song is hot! My favorite off Musicology.

Good thread!

Always get a kick outta people getting a kick outta his kicks and whatnot. http://prince.org/msg/7/201698?pr

ufoclub said:

Another newer tune that sounds like retro prince: What do you Want me To Do? off Musicology.

What do you Want me to do is simply an amazing piece of pop art. Pure prince. every second of it is sculptured into a whole....voice, bass, synth...the chords are simply coool. Linn drum or no Linn drum, it doesn't date, and you can hear new sounds at the 100th listen. These kind of Prince songs are getting fewer. My Computer was another one.

Well about a decade ago he threw out alot of his recording gear, according to the press, because he wanted to go "back" to full live sounds, however "back" is really wrong, because his sound was almost from the begining using drum machines, difference was while cats like Sly pionereed the drum machine he was an innovator because he ran programmed drums with live drums on the top. Thats what made his sound so funky while James Brown would have two drummers Prince had the drum machine with a real player playing over the top to give it the looseness and funk.

NeonCraxx said:

Okay, that does it. Where's my TV at?

"What do U want me to do" on Musicology and "Black Sweat" on 3121 seem to try recreating some of the creativity in the drums.....

Also, I miss not just the drums but the creative beats from songs like "Sex" - where the beat is just a cool keyboard (i'm not technically versed so I may be using the wrong terminology). The looping I miss.

A loop is a loop is a loop..........

jayARDAHB said:

Hey everyone, There was an interview from decades ago (kinda happy I can say that about our favorite freak) where the man told someone that a great drum track was absolutely necessary for a track to be dope. Now, one of the things about Prince's music was his drum programming - from When Doves Cry to 1999 to Little Red Corvette to Sign o' The Times to The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker to The Future to Erotic City to Mountains to well you get the idea, his drums were off the meters. Anyone kinda miss his drum programming? Even the Come record had some badass drum loops... Why'd he stop with the funky drum programming? Maybe he just lost his mojo? I can't remember the last time I heard funky ass drums on a Prince record!!! Also, the first person to drop the song The Word gets a big spanking! J [Edited 6/21/12 17:00pm] [Edited 6/21/12 17:02pm]

JamesStarJr said:

Well about a decade ago he threw out alot of his recording gear, according to the press, because he wanted to go "back" to full live sounds, however "back" is really wrong, because his sound was almost from the begining using drum machines, difference was while cats like Sly pionereed the drum machine he was an innovator because he ran programmed drums with live drums on the top. Thats what made his sound so funky while James Brown would have two drummers Prince had the drum machine with a real player playing over the top to give it the looseness and funk.