90's Euro Dance - Synths Used

[CJ1973]

Okay Slutz!. let's talk Euro Dance from the 90s. (including all the closet Americans who love/d Eurodance)... I would like to know what synths/drum machines/samplers etc the producers were using in the 90s for the songs.
My understanding is that M1 was huge then, some Yamaha DX/TX stuff, Junos, JXs etc. I am particularly referring to artists such as Real McCoy, 2 Unlimited, Corona, Dr Alban, Culture Beat, DJ Bobo, La Bouche etc. U got the picture..
In particular I would like to know if anyone can break down the sounds used on:
1. Real Mc Coy - Another Night YouTube - Real McCoy • Another Night (US Version)
2. Haddaway - What Is Love YouTube - Haddaway-What is Love?

The purpose of this exercise is to determine what modern synths perhaps sound like the classic synths that were used in these songs (if any) as I know I was inspired by these sounds when I was a kid.. I know it's probably the songs and arrangements too, but I think the sounds definitely inspired me..

Bring it on Slutz!!

[Mr. Varaldo]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Okay Slutz!. let's talk Euro Dance from the 90s. (including all the closet Americans who love/d Eurodance)... I would like to know what synths/drum machines/samplers etc the producers were using in the 90s for the songs.
My understanding is that M1 was huge then, some Yamaha DX/TX stuff, Junos, JXs etc. I am particularly referring to artists such as Real McCoy, 2 Unlimited, Corona, Dr Alban, Culture Beat, DJ Bobo, La Bouche etc. U got the picture..
In particular I would like to know if anyone can break down the sounds used on:
1. Real Mc Coy - Another Night YouTube - Real McCoy • Another Night (US Version)
2. Haddaway - What Is Love YouTube - Haddaway-What is Love?

The purpose of this exercise is to determine what modern synths perhaps sound like the classic synths that were used in these songs (if any) as I know I was inspired by these sounds when I was a kid.. I know it's probably the songs and arrangements too, but I think the sounds definitely inspired me..

Bring it on Slutz!!

LOL at "the closet Americans who love/d Eurodance".... (but it's true, unfortunately, that the majority just "don't get it". They'd rather listen to distorted guitars and monotonous vocals at low pitch and the most predictable/dull chord progressions in standard "rock" - blarrgh)

Yeah, certainly the M1 was big, and I remember the JD-800 to be used a lot in Eurodance as well.

And a lot of AKAI samplers of course...

-

[ohmicide]

baby don't hurt me

don't hurt me

no more

[jarrydn]

Sounds like alot of lately bass/solid bass action going on there :P

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by alehoe

Baby don't hurt me

don't hurt me

no more

The "eat this" mix of that track rocked.

Still one of the coolest hi hats sounds I have ever heard on that mix.

Ended my Classic Dance 001 CD with that mix.

[NWSooner]

[aftertouch]

damm those vids sent me on a journey thru the past. ended up at coco jambo and had to stop right there.

[CJ1973]

man any idea on the Synth bass on what is love? as well as the other synth? anyone? No Jupiters/Prophets or even Oberheims there right?

Originally Posted by alehoe

baby don't hurt me

don't hurt me

no more

[lain2097]

Nope.

I'm not an old fart so I grew up on 90s. I love stuff like this.





Mostly Roland midi modules TX81Z, MKS50, 909 and as Mr. Varaldo said LOTS OF Akai. really like 6 or 7 in a rack. Mostly because there was not enough multi timbral synths so they just sampled parts on Akai. Funny because if I was to take my set up to 1996 this would be a super slutty.

I have this old Mackie advert from 1995 which has pics of the producers of the day and the sluttiest thing was a Juno 106!

Like commercial itb music of nowadays what was cheap was used.

[Eric J]

In the name of a little shameless, self promotion, here is a mix I did of this era.

Official Website for electronica recording artists Mario & Eric J

There are a few more in the Classic series on my site if you like that one.

[CJ1973]

Originally Posted by Eric J

In the name of a little shameless, self promotion, here is a mix I did of this era.

Official Website for electronica recording artists Mario & Eric J

There are a few more in the Classic series on my site if you like that one.

Hey man

Thanks. Sounds great. Do I hear an JD800 on the 2nd last track?
Nice beats too, esp the eat this mix... Did you remix this compilation?
What synths did you use? ur synth on the last few seconds (saw sound) sounds like what was on Real McCoy's Another Night and then the JD800-ish sound kicks in... I am Way off?

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Hey man

Thanks. Sounds great. Do I hear an JD800 on the 2nd last track?
Nice beats too, esp the eat this mix... Did you remix this compilation?
What synths did you use? ur synth on the last few seconds (saw sound) sounds like what was on Real McCoy's Another Night and then the JD800-ish sound kicks in... I am Way off?

This is just a DJ mix I put together with records I had from that era.

[CJ1973]

Originally Posted by Eric J

This is just a DJ mix I put together with records I had from that era.

Sorry no room for DJs here..lol.. only for Synth players and composers..lol.. Just kidding. Ur stuff is great man. Nice stuff! Is the Moog Phatty cool?

[Eric J]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Sorry no room for DJs here..lol.. only for Synth players and composers..lol.. Just kidding.

Well I do that too.

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Ur stuff is great man. Nice stuff! Is the Moog Phatty cool?

Thanks. Little Phatty is great. Highly recommended. Nothing quite like a true analog synth. One oscillator from the LP routinely trounces just about anything from my software synths.

[CJ1973]

Originally Posted by lain2097

Nope.

Mostly Roland midi modules TX81Z, MKS50, 909 and as Mr. Varaldo said LOTS OF Akai. really like 6 or 7 in a rack. Mostly because there was not enough multi timbral synths so they just sampled parts on Akai. Funny because if I was to take my set up to 1996 this would be a super slutty.

I have this old Mackie advert from 1995 which has pics of the producers of the day and the sluttiest thing was a Juno 106!

Like commercial itb music of nowadays what was cheap was used.

That stuff rocks man. I forgot Hollywood project for sure. Great stuff!!!! Early 90s right? Is that an M1 piano on Felix or maybe a O1wfd (remember those guys?) even?

[lain2097]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

That stuff rocks man. I forgot Hollywood project for sure. Great stuff!!!! Early 90s right? Is that an M1 piano on Felix or maybe a O1wfd (remember those guys?) even?

Yep 1993 and '92 iirc. I love that shit. Too bad my collection was all on cassette tape

Yep early house was M1 piano or various Roland romplers like the U220, etc.

Wow the Korg O1. Still remember messing with one in a music store along with a SY77. Unfortunately I was a youngster at the time so I could never afford one at the time.

Here's another kicker from '92:

[CJ1973]

Originally Posted by lain2097

Yep 1993 and '92 iirc. I love that shit. Too bad my collection was all on cassette tape

Hi
Sounds awesome and takes me back!!
Having said this and getting back to my original request, would you or anyone be able to tell what exactly the synth sounds are (could be) on the Haddaway track.? especially the saw like arp-ish sounds, pads, and most importantly the bass. It sort of sounds lately but is too slow for lately. Sounds more analog and fatter...
YouTube - Haddaway-What is Love?

[lain2097]

Hmm definitely the attack is lately bass although I hear some stereo chorus action. Could also be the old trick of using two TX81Z slightly detuned. But yeah it sounds like something more, could be a layered analogue like a CS-10 or simple eq.

FM always surprises me. My DX7 can make some nasty FM bass just wish it had a low pass filter.

Pads are probably Juno 106.

[Kappi]

The sounds of 'What is love' are mostly out of Rolands U-Series ,U-20 esp. the Leadorgan is not found in later JD Models if not on a special RomCard, and of course Akai Drums or 909. The DX7 FM-Bass patch combined with DW-8000 or Rolandsynth was very often used for the jumping basslines.

[lain2097]

Originally Posted by Kappi

The sounds of 'What is love' are mostly out of Rolands U-Series ,U-20 esp. ..

That's funny I have a Roland U-220 (rack U20) and none of its sounds are anywhere similar.

Aha so it was probably a DW8000, I thought it was layered with something.

[PeteJames]

This thread is one massive guilty pleasure! Tempt me oh slutty Temptress!

[Brian Cares]

I had a crazy 90s flashback when zapping through the presets on Emu´s free Proteus VX module. Loads of the synthsounds and also the drumsets do sound creepy familiar. I believe there were studios having racks full of Emu stuff in the 90s.

[CJ1973]

Anybody that used CZ101 back in the day? lol

[clusterchord]

well, next to usual suspects from that era, like AKAI S1000/1100 everywhere... there's a lot of juno 106 for like analog comping stuff, smaller TX/DX series for bass, and for fast sequencer stuff, you can often hear TB303 on choruses... like the Capella track. and sometimes the SH101.

however, many fast lead/theme lines which appear to be analog, but are kinda dead-ish..are in fact from few early akai cdroms .. at that time, except for 303/101 lines, the filter sweeps on lead synth lines weren't (yet) that much in style. so its not as noticeable. tho loop filter sweep was, on akais, and later emu eos.. in fact, if you wanted a snappy fast analog sequence, it was easier to sample an analog or a layer of synths, trim it up a bit in the sampler, and just play it from there. machine gun performance with Atari. and, less multisamples, the better - that sound was "in". that's what i was doing to get my slow JX-10 to be snappy/fast in high bpm sequences. i did a cpl of "eurodance" mixes/remixes for some then famous local artists - i used jd990/akai cd3000/emu e64/jx10/proteus1+2..

even the TX81Z that is often mentioned in the eurodance90s discussion was more often just played as an Akai sample.



i liked some of stuff that Snap did, especially their second album. also, Shamen with their first album "The Boss Drum". with several hit singles.. loved that girl's voice.. out of many in this era, these stood out for me:










u can hear the TB-303 and TR-909 somewhere, in most of these..

[Squeegee 303]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Hi
Sounds awesome and takes me back!!
Having said this and getting back to my original request, would you or anyone be able to tell what exactly the synth sounds are (could be) on the Haddaway track.? especially the saw like arp-ish sounds, pads, and most importantly the bass. It sort of sounds lately but is too slow for lately. Sounds more analog and fatter...
YouTube - Haddaway-What is Love?

I don't think it's Lately/Solid Bass. Listen to another track called "What is Love?," The "What is Love" by Deee-Lite. I think that is the same kind of synth bass. I know that Towa Tei used a lot of SH-101. Could it be an SH-101 with the sub oscillator mixed in pretty high and a smidgen of overdrive?

I couldn't find the original mix. But you can here the bass near the beginning of this remix:
YouTube - Deee-Lite - What Is Love - (Eternal Question Extended Mix)

[CJ1973]

So are you saying that Deelite are using lately? It to me sounds lately bass like... As for Haddaway I am unsure if it is lately as well....

Originally Posted by Squeegee 303

I don't think it's Lately/Solid Bass. Listen to another track called "What is Love?," The "What is Love" by Deee-Lite. I think that is the same kind of synth bass. I know that Towa Tei used a lot of SH-101. Could it be an SH-101 with the sub oscillator mixed in pretty high and a smidgen of overdrive?

I couldn't find the original mix. But you can here the bass near the beginning of this remix:
YouTube - Deee-Lite - What Is Love - (Eternal Question Extended Mix)

[artech909]

I think WHAT IS LOVE bass is YAMAHA SY/TG kind of bass kind of FM lately
bass but different and this FM/Romplers can do this kind of stuff.
Also on my AKAI S-1100 (Still IN USE) i have some librarys from 90's which
have this kind of basses with different variations.

[roginator]

from snap CD...

Waldorf WAVE, Korg wavestation, SE-1, AKAI s3000XL



also Cappella used a lot MEMORYMOOG !!!

have seen some studio pictures ..

JAM and Spoon had killer setup..ppgs, moog and roland modulars, JD800..

KLF... 303, OB8, s950



I love this stuff from 90s

[networkacid]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

Anybody that used CZ101 back in the day? lol

I read somewhere that 2 Unlimited used the CZ1000

[networkacid]

PS late 80s early 90s cheeze is my secret shame, before I got in to techno in 1995.