The panflute, or whatever it is, at the beginning of the song Crystal Ball. Is that part of the Clare Fischer overdub? Or is it Prince?

VaultCurator said:

Hi Cblu. Yes, it was part of Clare Fischer's arrangement. Prior to the vocal coming in, all Prince played was the kick drum. . [Edited 5/5/21 10:44am]

Really? But there's also sound effects added into the intro by Prince that weren't on the Dream Factory version.

I never thought that Fischer would have added a solo isolated intrument like that. That's interesting.

ufoclub said:

Clare Fischer worked with keys and woodwinds as well, but I think that Prince used him specifically for his strings and symphonic arrangements in his work.

>

It would be interesting to see/hear the breakdown of specific Fischer parts for this project--perhaps that would be a nice "superdeluxe remaster" feature.

My guess is the panflute is very likely something Prince added in the studio. Not only is it played so unconventionally (not in the "pretty" or "operatic" sense of Fischer's arrangements), perhaps even intentionally off-kilter, but Prince is so particular about the first several seconds of all his songs, that I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have had a hand in that distinctive intro himself. Also, there's several flourishes laid over the Clare Fischer orchestra part before the vocal enters that are very very likely Prince flourishes, like the "whooshing" sounds and those two strange "siren" sounds -- the first one a doppler radar-like flourish that sounds like it was made on a synth and the other a sound effect.

[Edited 5/6/21 1:05am]

paraded said:

paraded said:

My guess is the panflute is very likely something Prince added in the studio. Not only is it played so unconventionally (not in the "pretty" or "operatic" sense of Fischer's arrangements), perhaps even intentionally off-kilter, but Prince is so particular about the first several seconds of all his songs, that I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have had a hand in that distinctive intro himself. Also, there's several flourishes laid over the Clare Fischer orchestra part before the vocal enters that are very very likely Prince flourishes, like the "whooshing" sounds and those two strange "siren" sounds -- the first one a doppler radar-like flourish that sounds like it was made on a synth and the other a sound effect.

[Edited 5/6/21 1:05am]

Do you mean the European sirens sound effects, or is that last one a synth mimicking it? Same whooshing sound is also on "We Can Fuck", and I think on some mixes of "The Dance Electric"

ufoclub said:

paraded said:

My guess is the panflute is very likely something Prince added in the studio. Not only is it played so unconventionally (not in the "pretty" or "operatic" sense of Fischer's arrangements), perhaps even intentionally off-kilter, but Prince is so particular about the first several seconds of all his songs, that I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have had a hand in that distinctive intro himself. Also, there's several flourishes laid over the Clare Fischer orchestra part before the vocal enters that are very very likely Prince flourishes, like the "whooshing" sounds and those two strange "siren" sounds -- the first one a doppler radar-like flourish that sounds like it was made on a synth and the other a sound effect.

[Edited 5/6/21 1:05am]

Do you mean the European sirens sound effects, or is that last one a synth mimicking it? Same whooshing sound is also on "We Can Fuck", and I think on some mixes of "The Dance Electric"

There's one that sounds very siren-like at around :24 seconds that is almost certainly a synth on which he's gradually slightly lowering the pitch. The other one -- which *does* sound European, I'd never thought of that! -- is right before he starts his "expert lover" line for the first time.

[Edited 5/6/21 11:04am]

VaultCurator said:

VaultCurator said:

paraded said:

My guess is the panflute is very likely something Prince added in the studio. Not only is it played so unconventionally (not in the "pretty" or "operatic" sense of Fischer's arrangements), perhaps even intentionally off-kilter, but Prince is so particular about the first several seconds of all his songs, that I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have had a hand in that distinctive intro himself. Also, there's several flourishes laid over the Clare Fischer orchestra part before the vocal enters that are very very likely Prince flourishes, like the "whooshing" sounds and those two strange "siren" sounds -- the first one a doppler radar-like flourish that sounds like it was made on a synth and the other a sound effect.

[Edited 5/6/21 1:05am]

Maybe the panflutes and other effects were played using the Fairlight sampler.

That's an interesting theory. But this is such a strange, primitive way to play it that I'd hardly imagine this would be a sample out there. If it was it was a very sophisticated sample for that time. My totally off-the-rails theory is that Susannah had one and Prince had her bring it in, and one of them did it. This should absolutely be something asked of Susannah or Susan Rogers.

One other question: are we 100% sure that this panflute was added to the '86 attempts and not specifically for the '98 version? I know on princevault is says the 3LP 86 album version is identical to the '98, but I'm wondering what the source is of that information, since every bootleg I've ever heard except the one on the 98 CB doesn't have it.

[Edited 5/6/21 12:29pm]

paraded said:

VaultCurator said:

paraded said: Maybe the panflutes and other effects were played using the Fairlight sampler.

That's an interesting theory. But this is such a strange, primitive way to play it that I'd hardly imagine this would be a sample out there. If it was it was a very sophisticated sample for that time. My totally off-the-rails theory is that Susannah had one and Prince had her bring it in, and one of them did it. This should absolutely be something asked of Susannah or Susan Rogers.

One other question: are we 100% sure that this panflute was added to the '86 attempts and not specifically for the '98 version? I know on princevault is says the 3LP 86 album version is identical to the '98, but I'm wondering what the source is of that information, since every bootleg I've ever heard except the one on the 98 CB doesn't have it.

[Edited 5/6/21 12:29pm]

Aren't there bootlegs of the original Crystal Ball acetate with the panflute Crystal Ball in there? Or are those faked?

ufoclub said:

paraded said:

mbdtyler said:

paraded said:

That's an interesting theory. But this is such a strange, primitive way to play it that I'd hardly imagine this would be a sample out there. If it was it was a very sophisticated sample for that time. My totally off-the-rails theory is that Susannah had one and Prince had her bring it in, and one of them did it. This should absolutely be something asked of Susannah or Susan Rogers.

One other question: are we 100% sure that this panflute was added to the '86 attempts and not specifically for the '98 version? I know on princevault is says the 3LP 86 album version is identical to the '98, but I'm wondering what the source is of that information, since every bootleg I've ever heard except the one on the 98 CB doesn't have it.

[Edited 5/6/21 12:29pm]

Given the kind of instrumenta that the Melvoins and Colemans brought to Prince's music in 84-86, this sounds pretty reasonable

Maybe it came as a two-for-one special with the We Can Fuck oud!