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Thread started 01/19/16 2:28pm

thebanishedone

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Prince and synth

Synthisizer defined Princes career.If he didn't use it he would never cross over the way he did.Prince did some very nice synth textures with his old Oberheim obx ob8 analog synths.But ever since 1985 synth is vanished from his sound,replaced by digital romplers or awful roland d50 and korg m1 synths.Do you find strange that Prince didn't explore more analog synth sound and instead he is playing awful digital units.Imagine Prince making album full of synth sonics similar to Com Truise.
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Reply #1 posted 01/20/16 4:42am

databank

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beatdeadhorse

Thanks for allowing me to discover Com Truise though, I googled it and I like it. U probably already know it but there's a shitload of other artists doing that kind of "80's sountracks" retro thing in the so-called "dreamwave" movement that began about a decade ago.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #2 posted 01/20/16 6:50am

thebanishedone

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You are welcome Data,you participate in all topics i post,maybe because you also love analog synths and drum machines.yes i am aware of the dreamwave scene.i recommend album In Decay by Com Truise,favorite jam is Dreambender.Prince could explore sonics of the synth a bit more.it could produce great results.
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Reply #3 posted 01/20/16 7:00am

databank

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thebanishedone said:

You are welcome Data,you participate in all topics i post,maybe because you also love analog synths and drum machines.yes i am aware of the dreamwave scene.i recommend album In Decay by Com Truise,favorite jam is Dreambender.Prince could explore sonics of the synth a bit more.it could produce great results.

I certainly love synths, drum machines and electronic music in general. As a fan of 80's music the whole synthpop^revival of the last 10 years has sent me to heaven biggrin

I am happy with the amount of synth in P's music in general, but I'd certainly welcome more retro-stuff like Mpsound and 20ten, though it seems he didn't use analog synths on those albums and it discontented a lot of people. I'm unsure about the gear he's been using those last 25 years but if none of it is analogic anymore it'd be an interesting thing to ask him why in an interview, particularly given all his ranting about digital sounding fake and so on.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #4 posted 01/20/16 8:30am

Replica

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If Prince has used any analog synths lately, then it hasn't been used to his advantage. I love him both with and without analog synths. But it would be fun to hear how he would use it today. There's a bunch of cool analog synths out there right now.

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Reply #5 posted 01/20/16 9:13am

Lordy

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Loved Lisa's live synth sound up until 1984.

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Reply #6 posted 01/20/16 1:11pm

thebanishedone

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Lordy said:

Loved Lisa's live synth sound up until 1984.


She used Oberheim obx
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Reply #7 posted 01/20/16 1:43pm

Wolfie87

My question is...how is Prince on Synths? Is he good? Did he play any significant parts on any record (including The Time material)? Does he do solos on synth?

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Reply #8 posted 01/20/16 3:28pm

bonatoc

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Wolfie87 said:

My question is...how is Prince on Synths? Is he good? Did he play any significant parts on any record (including The Time material)? Does he do solos on synth?


Well of course, since the beginning.
The solos on The Time records are just him.
The coda of When Doves Cry?

The Hammond solos on Detroit '86, SOTT the movie?
Glam Slam?

The thing is, official records or side projects, there are just a few, very few cases where the synths you hear are not played by Prince.

Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist? wink




The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #9 posted 01/20/16 10:31pm

Replica

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Wolfie87 said:

My question is...how is Prince on Synths? Is he good? Did he play any significant parts on any record (including The Time material)? Does he do solos on synth?


Listen to everything between 1978 and 1982... it's all Prince except a couple of Fink solos.
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Reply #10 posted 01/21/16 1:53am

databank

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Wolfie87 said:

My question is...how is Prince on Synths? Is he good? Did he play any significant parts on any record (including The Time material)? Does he do solos on synth?

Michael Koppleman once said that for some reason P wants to be recognized as a guitar player but that his most amazing skill as a musician is he is an amazing keyboard player. Other associates have commented on that and it's evidenced on the recordings we have, offciial or otherwise. Prince is an incredible keys player.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #11 posted 01/21/16 3:55am

Wolfie87

Well, I think it's kinda mind-blowing that he's not only a amazing guitar player, but also an spectacular synthplayer. My reason for asking is because of the persona of Dr Fink. Why is he so heavily on front when it's clearly Prince who is playing a major role in the synth area? It's Fink this, Fink that etc. I'm on this board because you guys got a huge amount of details surrounding Prince
[Edited 1/21/16 3:56am]
[Edited 1/21/16 8:42am]
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Reply #12 posted 01/21/16 4:19am

bonatoc

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Wolfie87 said:

Well, I think it's kinda mind-blowing that he's not only a amazing guitar player, but also an spectacular synthplayer. My reason for asking is because of the persona of Dr Fink. Why is he so heavily on front when it's clearly Prince who is playing a major role in the synth area? It's Fink this, Fink that etc. I'm on this board because you guys got a huge amount of details sorounding Prince [Edited 1/21/16 3:56am]


Since 1978's "For You", everything you hear on Prince's albums is played by him, with very fe exceptions.

So it's him on the piano on "Condition Of The Heart" on ATWIAD, it's him on "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" on SOTT...

Check the live videos if you want to see him in action :

- Purple Rain Tour '85, Yamaha electric piano
- Detroit '86, Hammon organ on "Mutiny",

- SOTT The Movie '87, piano on "Little Red Corvette", Hammond on "Hot Thing",

- Livesexy '88 has a great piano medley, I definetely recommend to start with this one.

The '88 or '89 BBC Omnibus Documentary has also him improvising on synths,
and piano on "The Ladder".

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #13 posted 01/21/16 4:21am

bonatoc

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More recently, you also have a large medley on the "One Nite Alone... Live!" 3 CD set.

But I'm not a huge fan of the piano/strings preset he uses, it's a bit corny and dilutes his playing.


The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #14 posted 01/21/16 6:21am

databank

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Wolfie87 said:

Well, I think it's kinda mind-blowing that he's not only a amazing guitar player, but also an spectacular synthplayer. My reason for asking is because of the persona of Dr Fink. Why is he so heavily on front when it's clearly Prince who is playing a major role in the synth area? It's Fink this, Fink that etc. I'm on this board because you guys got a huge amount of details sorounding Prince [Edited 1/21/16 3:56am]

There's a small group of revisionnists who claim that Prince's music wouldn't have been so great without The Revolution and The Time, and that they did everything and he stole their playing and writing credits. This is proven BS.

On his last interview (check Associate Artists board) Fink says that P, Gayle, Lisa and himself would teach each other technical stuff that they respectively mastered on keys, and he's very clear on the fact that he taught P some stuff and P taught him some other stuff, and that the process (at least with himself, he doesn't say about P) of teaching each other technics went on with Boni and Rosie. P's collaborators certainly taught him things and exposed him to certain other musical influences (Fink says that WéL were somewhat more influential that other bandmembers), but P was always the lead creative force, and was already proficient on guitar, bass, piano & keys and drums when he formed his first band, as demonjstrated by For You and earlier circulating demos.

Prince is also a remarkable bass and drums player BTW. Again most of the bass and drums on most of his albums are him.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #15 posted 01/21/16 8:44am

Wolfie87

Is it even him on synth on "Get It Up"? Beacuse that synthsolo is huge.

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Reply #16 posted 01/21/16 9:10am

databank

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Wolfie87 said:

Is it even him on synth on "Get It Up"? Beacuse that synthsolo is huge.

Check Princevault for those things smile http://princevault.com/in.../Get_It_Up

It seems that one particular solo (and fuck yeah it's huge, it's MASSIVE even) is Fink.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #17 posted 01/21/16 10:30am

Replica

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Wolfie87 said:

Well, I think it's kinda mind-blowing that he's not only a amazing guitar player, but also an spectacular synthplayer. My reason for asking is because of the persona of Dr Fink. Why is he so heavily on front when it's clearly Prince who is playing a major role in the synth area? It's Fink this, Fink that etc. I'm on this board because you guys got a huge amount of details surrounding Prince [Edited 1/21/16 3:56am] [Edited 1/21/16 8:42am]

Fink is amazing. And like Prince said a lil while ago, Fink is a very good rehearsed key player. He can do incredible solos etc, but is usually something he has rehearsed a million times before. He is technically superb. He might lack that playfulness that some of his other key players are a bit better at. People are just a bit more relaxed in different music environments.

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Reply #18 posted 01/21/16 10:41am

bonatoc

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databank said:

Wolfie87 said:

Is it even him on synth on "Get It Up"? Beacuse that synthsolo is huge.

Check Princevault for those things smile http://princevault.com/in.../Get_It_Up

It seems that one particular solo (and fuck yeah it's huge, it's MASSIVE even) is Fink.


Ow shit. Always thought... Well, bravo Matt.



The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #19 posted 01/21/16 1:12pm

Wolfie87

bonatoc said:

databank said:

Check Princevault for those things smile http://princevault.com/in.../Get_It_Up

It seems that one particular solo (and fuck yeah it's huge, it's MASSIVE even) is Fink.


Ow shit. Always thought... Well, bravo Matt.



Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist?

See what I did there wink

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Reply #20 posted 01/21/16 6:09pm

iZsaZsa

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Wolfie87 said:



bonatoc said:




databank said:



Check Princevault for those things smile http://princevault.com/in.../Get_It_Up


It seems that one particular solo (and fuck yeah it's huge, it's MASSIVE even) is Fink.




Ow shit. Always thought... Well, bravo Matt.






Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist?



See what I did there wink


I say Prince did it all until proved otherwise. smile
What?
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Reply #21 posted 01/21/16 9:46pm

databank

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iZsaZsa said:

Wolfie87 said:

Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist?

See what I did there wink

I say Prince did it all until proved otherwise. smile

Nilsen's research is as proven as you can get. There may be mistakes but if it says Fink played that solo it means either Fink himùself or someone who was there said it was Fink. No reason to doubt it unless there's a contradictory statement by someone else. We shall see what Madhouseman's new research reveals.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #22 posted 01/21/16 10:20pm

Astasheiks

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Some of you must play keyboards, Who or Whom? cool biggrin

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Reply #23 posted 01/22/16 1:15am

iZsaZsa

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databank said:



iZsaZsa said:


Wolfie87 said:



Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist?



See what I did there wink



I say Prince did it all until proved otherwise. smile

Nilsen's research is as proven as you can get. There may be mistakes but if it says Fink played that solo it means either Fink himùself or someone who was there said it was Fink. No reason to doubt it unless there's a contradictory statement by someone else. We shall see what Madhouseman's new research reveals.


I know that. I was talking about myself as a Prince fan.
What?
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Reply #24 posted 01/22/16 2:57am

bonatoc

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Wolfie87 said:

bonatoc said:


Ow shit. Always thought... Well, bravo Matt.



Uh... Hello?
This is the Org, are you a Prince fan, or a tourist?

See what I did there wink


biggrin Touché.

Databank, what's your ground on such a revolutionary statement?

Nevermind, you just flashed your Per Nilsen joker.

Skipper did it all — confidence is high, I repeat, confidence is high.



[Edited 1/22/16 3:01am]

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #25 posted 01/22/16 2:58am

bonatoc

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Astasheiks said:

Some of you must play keyboards, Who or Whom? cool biggrin


I do.

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #26 posted 01/22/16 12:06pm

thebanishedone

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bonatoc said:



Astasheiks said:


Some of you must play keyboards, Who or Whom? cool biggrin




I do.


I play also,have oberheim matrix 6 and roland alpha juno
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Reply #27 posted 01/26/16 7:48am

Lordy

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thebanishedone said:

Lordy said:

Loved Lisa's live synth sound up until 1984.

She used Oberheim obx

.

Thanks for that - I've recently bought a synth, with the intention of creating a little music - have to try that sound out.

(What would any of you guys recommend for a software sequencer that allows me to patch in the Oberheim OBX?)

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Reply #28 posted 01/27/16 12:41am

bonatoc

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Lordy said:

thebanishedone said:

Lordy said: She used Oberheim obx

.

Thanks for that - I've recently bought a synth, with the intention of creating a little music - have to try that sound out.

(What would any of you guys recommend for a software sequencer that allows me to patch in the Oberheim OBX?)


The OBX seems to have no MIDI, so forget about a sequencer...
You'll have to play by hand.

No finger-sync in this house tonight!

http://www.wikiwand.com/e...rheim_OB-X


The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams
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Reply #29 posted 01/27/16 8:23am

Lordy

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bonatoc said:

Lordy said:

.

Thanks for that - I've recently bought a synth, with the intention of creating a little music - have to try that sound out.

(What would any of you guys recommend for a software sequencer that allows me to patch in the Oberheim OBX?)


The OBX seems to have no MIDI, so forget about a sequencer...
You'll have to play by hand.

No finger-sync in this house tonight!

http://www.wikiwand.com/e...rheim_OB-X


.

Thanks for your help. I thought you'd be able to buy Reason or sequencing software that would have an Oberheim OBX emulator.

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