I loved the way Prince used synth lines in place of horn lines. Thats what distinguished his sound in many ways for me and in general. It made his blues computer so to speak. Think of Lets Work synths--now think of those synths replaced with real horns. Marching band anyone? A lot of his stuff would sound like Rick and EWF as well I think. Prince once was asked 'why do you play synths so prominantly' and he replied "because I can't play trombone" squawk! He wrote his horn lines and played them his damn self. DIY Prince-ified as usual.I love it too. Of course later when he opened up he would utilize horns to a great extent and it soudned sweet ( thanks Eric, Eddie M).

1999-this song itself is the epitome of synth as horns. As he has changed the sound in the eighties utilizing horns instead of the synths(which I cant stand especially or at least on this song..ah well it wont be played anynmore anyways but I just hate hearing it with horns on boots etc). Just like Lets Go crazy weith horns--yuck.

Glamorous Life..with no horns but synths..hmmm..could it be done?

DMSR

Lovesexy

I do love the sytnh horn lines in ATWIAD at the end where he says "I think I wanna dance"..thats the saving grace for me on that song right there. A throwback to his sound and he knew it.

I miss the synth heavy sound. I love what Eric and nmadhouse etc. did too..as long as it was written with the horns or at least presented that way primero. I dont think the synth heavy sound would work as good as it did today.

I dig His Horns as well.also the way Jimmy Jam Bammed Board those Grooves as well.still digging the way they Grooved.Jesse Johnson also calling out the Horns&St Paul as well.Miss that Horn Sound.

Yeah thats what I miss..the MN horn sound.

like near the end of "Chocolate" with Morris Saying Horns Stand-up&Clap that is the Groove."100Mph" Synth Horns are tight.

mistermaxxx said:

glad you started this Thread because that Sound&Element is Something I Never Get tired of.I dig all the Acts that Had Cool Horn Jams in the 80's without Using Horns Per Se because when done Right it was to tight to not Break your Neck on the Funk!

mistermaxxx said:

I agree!

I want to hear Everybody Dance by Tamara and The Seen.

rdhull said:

I dug that Song&Album.there Follow-Up Album "BlueBerry Gossip" was tight as well.Jesse Had some tight Horn Jams as well."Free World" Jesse goes off on His Horn Section who I Called "The Pink Lamp Shade Lovelights"Jesse had those Lamp Shade Hats which were as Funky as His Grooves IMHO.

I think with certain songs, if the synth had been replaced with a horn section it would have sounded predictable, and less edgy. His approach to them is part of what set him apart from everyone else during that time. Prince has said that to him synthesizers mean freedom.

don't get me started on Free World..that shit is primal

"Can You Help Me" had some tight Horns as well.

mistermaxxx said:

please stop

Hmmm, I actually like the Horn-arrangements better. It gives more a funk feel to it. Like the Sexy MF version at The Ryde Divine or the live renditions of older songs during the Act I/Act II tour.
I prefer the Hornz over the Synths. Maybe, because I'm not a first-hour fan, but started listening to Prince in 1995, when nobody was using synths anymore.

I especially agree in relation to the rubbery funk of 1999 and elements of Purple Rain and Dirty Mind. As Supernova has said, those songs would be (and in some cases have been) rendered slightly tamer and less exciting (more 'conventional') by the substitution of those synth parts with live horn parts.

But I think gradually throughout the 80s, especially from Parade onwards, Prince became more and more comfortable dealing with 'real' horns. The results throughout the SOTT--Lovesexy period were wonderfully alive and fresh, and enlivened some really vital funk. In the 90s his use of horns has became more traditionalist but no less accomplished. The roots music on and Come is one of the sparkling features of his 90s output.

Thanx 2 the OB1 Synth for the PHATT sound!

mmm...synth lines...

Supernova said:

Right on the money. I always thought that Prince's real horns sounded "thin" and forced in comparison to a band like Sly and the Family Stone's.

rdhull said:

that is one of my favorite prince songs... and that is my favorite part of that song... it's all psychadelic wierd and completely different from anything that prince had done at that time...

then suddenly, "hey papa, i think i wanna dance"... and those old school synth kick in... those same damn synths that had been pretending to be horns since 1978... suddenly, the shit was funky... and the synths made the song feel instantly familiar... like you could totally see him boogie down to that... or morris and jerome do that side-to-side leg thing that they do in "jungle love"...

i loved hearing the synths in the onalive version of "when u were mine"... i also like hearing them in "everlasting now", although i wish they would have been more prominent...

i'm with you on "1999", though... the horns never sounded right for that song... ...

EllisDee said:

co-sign with down payment included

rdhull said:

add everything that you said with a Linn Drum machine and I'm a completely happy man

I DEFINITELY feel you on this one, RD. Prince's synths still bring the soul and the funk, like horns do. However, I prefer Prince's synths to his horns.

Moonbeam said:

Yes, but synth horns can never compare to the real thing.

TRON said:

I like them better.

Moonbeam said:

Well, you're just wrong then.

TRON said:

Probably, but you know my affinity for the synth.