Synth sound in Phoenix's "1901?"

everythinglouder · 22nd November 2009, 06:05 PM

Hi,

I know this isn't exactly electronic music, but nevertheless I think this subforum might provide the best answers.

I'm looking for a synth sound similar to the big-sounding synth on the up-beats of Phoenix's "1901," track 2 from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.

You can hear the synth right from the beginning of the track. It's the loudest synth in the mix, always on an up-beat. I'm sorry if this is an obvious question... I'm mostly from the orchestral / acoustic world and don't know much about these sounds. If anyone knows a software synth / patch that could get me started in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also interested to find a sound similar to the sustained high synth that comes in on the chorus at 1:20.

Thanks

golden beers · 22nd November 2009, 06:36 PM

link please

everythinglouder · 22nd November 2009, 06:44 PM

PHOENIX on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos

I'll try to find something higher quality though...

EDIT: Here...

http://www.lala.com/#song/504684643780013965

SWAN808 · 22nd November 2009, 08:28 PM

I too wondered this. However Im not certain but I think in fact it is just a heavily distorted guitar with a lot of gating to kill the sound quickly

cl516 · 22nd November 2009, 09:12 PM

one of their old albums has CS80 on a tiny part of the cover art i think. (or maybe some other yamaha CS) but it could be anything, yeah even guitar. i LOVE the song! i was singing it everyday for awhile.

everythinglouder · 23rd November 2009, 02:44 AM

Interesting about the Yamaha CS80. Is there any software synth, that you know of, that does an even mediocre emulation of that synth, or something like it?

allcentury · 23rd November 2009, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everythinglouder

Interesting about the Yamaha CS80. Is there any software synth, that you know of, that does an even mediocre emulation of that synth, or something like it?

Arturia - Musical Instruments | Intro

everythinglouder · 23rd November 2009, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allcentury

Arturia - Musical Instruments | Intro

Thanks! I'm trying out the demo right now.

@SWAN808 or anyone else, you mentioned "a lot of gating to kill the sound quickly." I honestly am not familiar with this technique. I have a couple gate plug-ins (Waves C1 comp-gate, Logic stock), could you perhaps explain a little bit about whats involved in this technique or maybe some starting points for the settings? Thanks.

EDIT: did you mean just gating it so that the note releases instantaneously? Or did you mean something a little more destructive to the sound...?

everythinglouder · 23rd November 2009, 08:39 PM

Bump.

twelsch42 · 20th December 2009, 08:56 PM

Not a guitar. If you watch some of the y-tube videos of the band, there's a bass player and two lead guitars. None of them are playing along with the particular synthesizer sound.

De-tuned sawtooth waves it sounds like to me. Heavy compression with a medium / long attack to achieve the extra hard attack. Now add distortion untill you're happy.

My tool of choice being Reason/Record, I'd drop a multi-osc in the Thor, filter to taste. Probably a sub-osc sine-wave for extra punch for the bass. Kick up your AmpEnv Sustain. Then through the Comp-01 set at 16:1, min threshold, max attack, max release.

Add some Scream tube distortion and a little Scream warp distortion. Mixed back in over the original synth sound.

There's also some pumping in the sound I think. I'll leave the fine tuning up to you.

twelsch

SWAN808 · 20th December 2009, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SWAN808

I too wondered this. However Im not certain but I think in fact it is just a heavily distorted guitar with a lot of gating to kill the sound quickly

I was wrong about this - it was a Korg Trident. Just been watching the Future Music interview with Philippe Zdar who mixed and discussed the track...
He didnt mention ditstortion - but Im sure the Trident is not that dirty!
I agree about the compression setting advice about - but also I think it has some sidechain compression with the kick drum...which is something Philippe also mentions...

TimmytheSaint · 28th January 2010, 07:02 PM

Sorry that I'm a little late on this thread but coincidentally I just came across a bass synth preset called "Eye Liner Bass" in Apple MainStage (Channel Strip Settings>02 Bass >03 Synth Bass> Eye Liner Bass). It sounds almost identical to the synth line in 1901, and it may actually be it. I'm sure some consider it cheating, but I'm a big fan of reverse engineering. It's a great way to learn to train one's ear.

Cheers!

errorspending · 28th January 2010, 07:11 PM

read this

Champagne and Plastic: Phoenix Mixes Experimentation, Perfectionism, and Distractions to Produce Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

22nd November 2009, 06:05 PM	#1
everythinglouder Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	Synth sound in Phoenix's "1901?" Hi, I know this isn't exactly electronic music, but nevertheless I think this subforum might provide the best answers. I'm looking for a synth sound similar to the big-sounding synth on the up-beats of Phoenix's "1901," track 2 from Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. You can hear the synth right from the beginning of the track. It's the loudest synth in the mix, always on an up-beat. I'm sorry if this is an obvious question... I'm mostly from the orchestral / acoustic world and don't know much about these sounds. If anyone knows a software synth / patch that could get me started in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. I'm also interested to find a sound similar to the sustained high synth that comes in on the chorus at 1:20. Thanks

22nd November 2009, 06:36 PM	#2
golden beers Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,001	link please __________________ bbow73: The brrrap-a-bap says it but don't tell me it depends on the bogillator of the said snap-bap.

28th January 2010, 07:02 PM	#12
TimmytheSaint Gear interested Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1	1901 Synth in Logic Sorry that I'm a little late on this thread but coincidentally I just came across a bass synth preset called "Eye Liner Bass" in Apple MainStage (Channel Strip Settings>02 Bass >03 Synth Bass> Eye Liner Bass). It sounds almost identical to the synth line in 1901, and it may actually be it. I'm sure some consider it cheating, but I'm a big fan of reverse engineering. It's a great way to learn to train one's ear. Cheers!

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22nd November 2009, 06:44 PM	#3
everythinglouder Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	PHOENIX on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos I'll try to find something higher quality though... EDIT: Here... http://www.lala.com/#song/504684643780013965

22nd November 2009, 08:28 PM	#4
SWAN808 Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,787	I too wondered this. However Im not certain but I think in fact it is just a heavily distorted guitar with a lot of gating to kill the sound quickly

22nd November 2009, 09:12 PM	#5
cl516 Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,079	one of their old albums has CS80 on a tiny part of the cover art i think. (or maybe some other yamaha CS) but it could be anything, yeah even guitar. i LOVE the song! i was singing it everyday for awhile.

23rd November 2009, 02:44 AM	#6
everythinglouder Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	Interesting about the Yamaha CS80. Is there any software synth, that you know of, that does an even mediocre emulation of that synth, or something like it?

23rd November 2009, 08:39 PM	#9
everythinglouder Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	Bump.

20th December 2009, 08:56 PM	#10
twelsch42 Gear interested Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 1	Not a guitar. If you watch some of the y-tube videos of the band, there's a bass player and two lead guitars. None of them are playing along with the particular synthesizer sound. De-tuned sawtooth waves it sounds like to me. Heavy compression with a medium / long attack to achieve the extra hard attack. Now add distortion untill you're happy. My tool of choice being Reason/Record, I'd drop a multi-osc in the Thor, filter to taste. Probably a sub-osc sine-wave for extra punch for the bass. Kick up your AmpEnv Sustain. Then through the Comp-01 set at 16:1, min threshold, max attack, max release. Add some Scream tube distortion and a little Scream warp distortion. Mixed back in over the original synth sound. There's also some pumping in the sound I think. I'll leave the fine tuning up to you. twelsch

28th January 2010, 07:11 PM	#13
errorspending Gear Head Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 41	read this Champagne and Plastic: Phoenix Mixes Experimentation, Perfectionism, and Distractions to Produce Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix