DX7 Bass Lines

[Muser]

I think that Relax was done using a Synclavier.. well the Bass was. not sure where the actual source sample came from though. They had a lot of sequencing issues with it at that time.. Slave to The Rhythm was the Synclavier too. The Drum Beat.

When you hear Orchestral Strings in ZTT work it is usually Anne Dudley on a Fairlight. so something like the power of Love by Frankie will have the String section composed by her on a Fairlight. Also JJ Jeczalik always did a lot of work for various Artists using the Fairlight.. He was probably apparent on propaganda. ZTT moved away from the Synclavier I believe and started using Anne Dudley and JJ Jeczalik a lot.

The propoganda track there plays like an object lesson in what Jeczaliks Fairlight programming was renown for. especially where the bass starts to morph at 3 mins in. I wouldn't be surprised if all that track was Fairlight. It sounds like Miss Dudley did the arrangement / orchestrations. Those two are Art of Noise Buddies.

It did have an FM synthesis engine too. I'm not sure about the Filtering in these things though.. I think it was more like frequency morphing than Filtering.. which is how a DX does it too generally.

[dlmorley]

Relax bass was a sampled Bass on the Fairlight a sampled Piano and a Linn Drum I believe. All added up to that groove..

[Muser]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

Relax bass was a sampled Bass on the Fairlight a sampled Piano and a Linn Drum I believe. All added up to that groove..

They used a Linn thats for sure.. but ZTT always seem to use a Synclavier funnily enough... I just rechecked.. so maybe propoganda is a synclavier because (Art) which are members of propoganda after propoganda had split can be seen in the studio and the synclavier is still being used.

JJ Jeczalik only really knew how to operate the Fairlight so I suppose on the propoganda one you would have to check the credits.

there is an interview where it's mentioned that Frankie Relax bass was in the Synclavier.

[waveterm]

Muser,

Propaganda was PPG Waveterm based for the first album ( incl. remix-album ).

Art Of Noise members was never members of Propaganda.

WT

[rockmanrock]

Found this recently, a good read about Trevor Horn - A Studio Wunderkind

[Muser]

Originally Posted by waveterm

Muser,

Propaganda was PPG Waveterm based for the first album ( incl. remix-album ).

Art Of Noise members was never members of Propaganda.

WT

Hi..
sorry I meant (Act) not (Art).

you can see Lipson working on the Act project here.
YouTube - Interview of Stephen Lipson

Claudia Brücken was in a few ZTT projects. Lipson was a heavy Sinclavier user which He programed a lot for Frankie among others.

I have no information about them using a Waveterm.. but they will have used numerous tools in some fashion.. I have no doubt about that.

[waveterm]

Ah, yes. ACT, that was a different project altoghter. Lipson was heavily into the then expanded Synclaviers.

ANdy RIchards did a lot of programming on Propaganda and he used a lot of PPG Wave stuff and later got a CMI III.

[Muser]

Originally Posted by waveterm

Ah, yes. ACT, that was a different project altoghter. Lipson was heavily into the then expanded Synclaviers.

ANdy RIchards did a lot of programming on Propaganda and he used a lot of PPG Wave stuff and later got a CMI III.

It is pretty hard to differentiate Synclaviers and some later Fairlights sonic-ally. especially when they are in a full Mix. I never have had definite experience on what a Waveterm can do so I wouldn't feel I had enough knowledge to even start to identify that machine to be honest.

[danielb]

Originally Posted by rushton

Ive been reading the new house music book bleepbleep on here and in the bass section he says the DX7 has a bass that really cuts through the mix. I dont know of any song in particular that had a DX7 bass line and was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of one so i could see whats hes on about.
Cheers

FWIW. My latest track has a DX7 bass.

OK, strictly speaking it's a TX802, which is the rackmount version of a DX7II.

At least with this piece you know it is the DX and not a Synclavier or whatever:

Empty Space, Empty Heart by DanielB

[projectwoofer]

Originally Posted by flat earth

I am of the same opinion. Although I very much liked the DX7IID that I had at one point, it never captured that rough digital 'dirty shudder' that seemed be present on the original FM Synths. I borrowed a friends DX9 along time ago and grew to really like the charactor on some of those digitaly noisey type sounds. There was just something there that really connected.

Originally Posted by aeonlux

As it concerns converters and tone, you only get the touch of crunch and digihash from the first-generation machines like the DX7 and TX816. Second-gen Yammies like the DX7II and TX802 (and TX81Z) are essentially clean.

Originally Posted by flat earth

I remember an interview with Brian Eno where he suggested the prefered the original DX7 sound over the MK2 version.

Originally Posted by danielb

The original DX series were noisy buggers. I have a DX21 which I bought new, and it is very noisy. This isn't "vintage crunch"; it's an annoying hiss. The TX802 is MUCH quieter. It sounds pretty gorgeous really.

Brought back this thread just to mention that it still surpises me how people seem to disagree as to which generation Yamaha DX synths sound "better"... It's interesting to see that one people's "warm" and "gritty" is another's "noisy" and "crunchy". Or how one founds a synth "clean" while another "sterile". Ultimately, I do think that everyone's just defending their investment...

[cosmic.synth]

Some digital FM bass...not sure if it is DX7 or TX81Z...but definitely Yamaha digital.

Extremely groovy and catchy...808 state are one of my faves. Actually a lot of DX sounds are on this track....listen for it.

[kpatz]

Originally Posted by danielb

The original DX series were noisy buggers. I have a DX21 which I bought new, and it is very noisy. This isn't "vintage crunch"; it's an annoying hiss.

I have a DX100 (essentially the same as DX21) and it's noisy/hissy too. It's a cheap synth though; I would think the original DX7 is quieter. The TX802, like you said, is hi-fi by comparison.

[leMel42]

"Don't Disturb this Groove" - The System (not 100% sure on this one)
"Like to Get to Know You Well" - Howard Jones (really, many tracks on Dream Into Action have stabby DX bass goodness)
"Danger Zone" - Kenny Loggins, Top Gun Soundtrack

[CJ1973]

get a TX816 and set the same sound/patch on each module, then detune some. Send all 8 patches into a 8 channel summing mixer, pan like clock work and hit that damn note, send it through some stereo eq and compressor..! it's fatter as a mofo! LOL

[CJ1973]

76 key DX7 Centennial. Same engine as the IIFD but came out a lot later.

[Analog Prophet]

I love these Bass sounds! Have a DX7IID and a TX816 (my particular unit was used for the Europe's hit "Final Countdown" and that horn lead sound they told me in the store when I bought it) somewhere in a closet. Time to let them shine again

Best DX7/TX816 bass sound according to my taste: The Song Up from the album "Sleepless Nights" with Alan Gorrie (check sample at iTunes store), partly because that bass sound.

I've made some A/B compare with DX7 vs FM8 and with TX816 vs 8 FM7s. It sounds about the same - works fine. But with a lot less claws, dynamic and life.

Please check my DX7 page and TX816 page: http://soundofmusic.se/synthsandmore/dx7.htm and http://soundofmusic.se/synthsandmore/tx816.htm

I also take this moment of opportunity to send an invitation to the TX816 User Group for interested FM freaks/lovers were we discuss all things TX816: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yamaha_tx816 (hope this i not against the rules to do that, but relevant to this subject...)

[ollie633]

This tune used a tx7 for the bassline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fwdig...e_gdata_player

[M_Teus]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

get a TX816 and set the same sound/patch on each module, then detune some. Send all 8 patches into a 8 channel summing mixer, pan like clock work and hit that damn note, send it through some stereo eq and compressor..! it's fatter as a mofo! LOL

Come on, you just cannot write this without giving us some kind of teaser!!!

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by CJ1973

76 key DX7 Centennial. Same engine as the IIFD but came out a lot later.

Always wanted one of those!

[Analog Prophet]

Mee too

[Shubelo]

I've just got my hands on a Dx7 llFD, It doesn't have that many sounds but has the E! expansion.

I'm interested in the basslines it can produce. Here are some examples of bass:








Can anyone explain how they got them or refer me to patches like these? Much Thanks in advance.

[CJ1973]

You know you make your own patches too
To me they sound somewhat TX81z 'lately bass' patch with a lower attack tied, in almost with an organ type sound at the back.

[jarlywarly]

I didn't see any mention of 'Lately Bass'...

Janet Jackson - What Have You Done For Me Lately - YouTube

[bluegreengold]

Originally Posted by Analog Prophet

I love these Bass sounds! Have a DX7IID and a TX816 (my particular unit was used for the Europe's hit "Final Countdown" )

I hope that it was also used for Ninja Survive!

[Xero]

ahh yes

[slippast]

Originally Posted by Shubelo

I've just got my hands on a Dx7 llFD, It doesn't have that many sounds but has the E! expansion.

I'm interested in the basslines it can produce. Here are some examples of bass:

Can anyone explain how they got them or refer me to patches like these? Much Thanks in advance.

A few things you might be interested in.

The e! expansion for the DX7II is a little weird and changes some fundamentals of the interface. One great thing is that it triples the memory banks. Other features such as the sequencer are not so great, totally ratcheted in on the interface. Very clunky. Make sure you get a hold of the e! manual for the DX7II, otherwise you'll end up confused if you just use the original manual. The e! card certainly adds another layer to an already complex machine.

You can get all of that stuff here: ☮ Dave Benson's DX7 Page ☮

If I recall correctly uploading patches to the DX7 with e! is a little hokey too, might have just been my workflow. But I seem to remember that you'd need to get a bank ready to send over Sysex at the computer, tell the DX7 which bank to receive on then hit upload. Not as easy as other synths where you just send the data. At least the keyboard tells you what it's doing on the LCD.

So in addition the esoteric programming it's a little weird to use even as a patch machine. Certainly worth it though. The DX7 sounds run the gamut of nice friendly E.Piano patches to demonic screeches.

Also, if yours hasn't had the battery changed yet it's probably time. When the battery goes the entire synth is will basically seem dead until you get a new one. Also, if one day the keyboard doesn't work check the local control setting.

[asynchro_nous]

Originally Posted by jarlywarly

I didn't see any mention of 'Lately Bass'...

Janet Jackson - What Have You Done For Me Lately - YouTube

What are the little chord stabs in that song -- Juno? Or more DX...?

[Xero]

oh yeah, another awesome source of DX basslines?

sega genesis. hell yeah, 6 voice FM synth. I totally will rock some sonic music every now and again.

Sound: Yamaha YM2612 5 channel FM and 1 channel FM/PCM, Texas Instruments SN76489 4 channel PSG (Programmable Sound Generator)
The YM2612 has the following features:

Six concurrent FM channels (voices)
Four operators per channel
Two interval timers
A sine-wave low frequency oscillator
Analogue stereo output (most other contemporary Yamaha FM chips require a separate external digital-to-analog converter chip)
For channel three, operator frequencies can be set independently, making dissonant harmonics possible. (Normally, they would have a simple relation like e.g. 2x or 3x relative to a common base frequency.)
Per-channel programmable stereo sound (Left, Right, or both Left and Right)
Patch compatibility with Yamaha DX/TX synthesizers

[Shubelo]

Originally Posted by slippast

A few things you might be interested in.

The e! expansion for the DX7II is a little weird and changes some fundamentals of the interface. One great thing is that it triples the memory banks. Other features such as the sequencer are not so great, totally ratcheted in on the interface. Very clunky. Make sure you get a hold of the e! manual for the DX7II, otherwise you'll end up confused if you just use the original manual. The e! card certainly adds another layer to an already complex machine.

You can get all of that stuff here: ? Dave Benson's DX7 Page ?

If I recall correctly uploading patches to the DX7 with e! is a little hokey too, might have just been my workflow. But I seem to remember that you'd need to get a bank ready to send over Sysex at the computer, tell the DX7 which bank to receive on then hit upload. Not as easy as other synths where you just send the data. At least the keyboard tells you what it's doing on the LCD.

So in addition the esoteric programming it's a little weird to use even as a patch machine. Certainly worth it though. The DX7 sounds run the gamut of nice friendly E.Piano patches to demonic screeches.

Also, if yours hasn't had the battery changed yet it's probably time. When the battery goes the entire synth is will basically seem dead until you get a new one. Also, if one day the keyboard doesn't work check the local control setting.

Thanks for the advice. I had that battery problem and nothing worked when I purchased it. Changed the battery and had someone reprogram it back to the original settings, Changing the battery is pretty tuff! It was my first look at the Dx7 when I did it and used the info off the net.

I have the E! manual but am still getting my head around it all. can you explain what I am going to need to load patches from PC to DX7?

Thanks

[Ged]

does anyone know if Phil Harding sidechained compressed bass with the kick?
am about to order his book!!!