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Tracks/EPs/albums made with a single synth
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Old 12th June 2012   #1
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Tracks/EPs/albums made with a single synth

I rather enjoy listening to pieces of music that were made with a single synth/instrument (either with multi-tracking or multitimbrality, and not necessarily including the drums/rhythm)--it's interesting to hear the character and nuisances of the particular synth come through, as well as what the artist does with the self imposed limitations. So I was wondering if anyone had a similar interest and some examples worth sharing. I'll start with a few off the top of my head:

Move D & Benjamin Brunn - Songs From the Beehive (Album) [Nord Modular]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTLom3Pai0g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_86nSs3t8qI

Todd Terje - It's the Arps (EP) [Arp 2600]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCtd_Mw7cFY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPy6NXykHhc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebjXsc0UjdQ

Omar S - Psychotic Photosynthesis [Poly Evolver, excluding drums]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpuke_gCGcg

Last edited by nrjizer; 12th June 2012 at 07:26 PM.. Reason: youtube embed not working
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Old 12th June 2012   #2
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Awesome idea!

There was an album by Solvent done entirely on a CS-15. I don't know the name of it.
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Old 12th June 2012   #3
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Novachord Restoration Project "Music of the Electron" is awesome
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Old 12th June 2012   #4
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How could I have forgotten this one?

Mike Huckaby - My Life With the Wave [Waldorf Wave]
Mike Huckaby - Wavetable No 9 - YouTube
Mike Huckaby - Fantasy [Deep House] - YouTube
Mike Huckaby - Jupiter (2007),good - YouTube
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Old 12th June 2012   #5
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Ive done a tracks like this and really enjoy it

Love those videos.. especially the arp ones

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Old 12th June 2012   #6
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Holy shit those wave ones are awesome... i think i might have to make a.whole track with my XT

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Old 12th June 2012   #7
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great tracks nrjizer. thank you for posting them!
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Old 13th June 2012   #8
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Good thread, excellent tracks, nrjizer!

Makes me want to choose one of my synths and do this. I bet this limitation would boost creativity.
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Old 13th June 2012   #9
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Can't forget this classic:

Aril Brikha - Groove La Chord [Ensoniq SQ-80 w/ Roland R8]

aril brikha - groove la chord (better audio) - YouTube
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Old 13th June 2012   #10
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Another great track (Brikha) but I find the tracks where even the drums are made with the same synth more interesting, in this sense.
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Old 13th June 2012   #11
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Danny Wolfers (Legowelt) did the entirety of Klaus Weltman "Cultus Island" on a Korg Mono/Poly. As with a lot of his stuff, there's a nice 70's Eurohorror kind of vibe going on throughout

Some nice info about the Mono on his page, along with a few samples from his work on that album: Legowelt Studio Korg Mono/Poly

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Old 13th June 2012   #12
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Solvent made an entire ep (RDJCS5-ep) with a Yamaha CS5 monosynth that used to belong to Aphex Twin.

Solvent "RDJCS5-ep" [suction022]

http://soundcloud.com/modyfier/solvent-process-part-271
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Old 13th June 2012   #13
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Shall I post my system100 track again?

You tell me.

It's been on about 10 threads already
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Old 13th June 2012   #14
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Yes!
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Old 13th June 2012   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadow84 View Post
Solvent made an entire ep (RDJCS5-ep) with a Yamaha CS5 monosynth that used to belong to Aphex Twin.

Solvent "RDJCS5-ep" [suction022]

http://soundcloud.com/modyfier/solvent-process-part-271
Excellent!
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Old 13th June 2012   #16
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Pretty much anything done by this awsomw dude. Check out the other clips on his youtube channel. He has a movie or two for each synth. It's all multi-tracking:

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Old 13th June 2012   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nrjizer View Post
Yes!
Ok here it is again. 100% system100. Sorry for the pea-roast if anyone's heard it before

http://soundcloud.com/golden-beers/my-syst
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Old 13th June 2012   #18
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Joy Electric's entire album "The White Songbook" was made entirely with a Roland 100m system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnuM3Qq5vbk

Brian Eno's album "Apollo" was mostly DX7

And I'm sure there are many productions that have been made with only a Machinedrum.
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Old 13th June 2012   #19
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Some background info and interview: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan0...tcuts_0109.htm
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Old 13th June 2012   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by golden beers View Post
Ok here it is again. 100% system100. Sorry for the pea-roast if anyone's heard it before

http://soundcloud.com/golden-beers/my-syst
The "snare" that can be heard in the very beginning of the song sounds very much like to the rimshot of the Boss DR-55 drum machine, that's cool.

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Old 13th June 2012   #21
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I'm sure everyone's seen these by now but i'll put em up for any late comers:





All done on my Korgs, apart from drums and the odd bit of pink telecaster action. My third video will feature the Oberheim Matrix 6, i'm just working on patches at the moment
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Old 13th June 2012   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zahush76 View Post
Pretty much anything done by this awsomw dude. Check out the other clips on his youtube channel. He has a movie or two for each synth. It's all multi-tracking:

Very much enjoyed that, the noise percussion is lovely!
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Old 13th June 2012   #23
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I've read from a few different sources that Robert Miles wrote Children entirely on the Kurzweil K2000.
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Old 13th June 2012   #24
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Good stuff! Like the topic, like the posts (xanderbeans: looking forward to the Matrix 6 song).

I find these kinds of restrictions interesting to work with. In one way it's challenging since you have limited resources, but it also makes it easier somehow, since you know exactly what frames to work within. If you know the synth well that is. Otherwise it's a good way to get to know a new instrument.

While it's a tried and tested concept, here is an album I did on a Nintendo Game Boy:

SA001
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Old 14th June 2012   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by golden beers View Post
Ok here it is again. 100% system100. Sorry for the pea-roast if anyone's heard it before

http://soundcloud.com/golden-beers/my-syst
Damn, now you have me lusting for a sys100. They sound RICH. Too bad I've already made a major purchase a few weeks ago . Maybe in 6 months...
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Old 14th June 2012   #26
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Andromeda by Carl Craig.

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Old 4th December 2012   #27
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I made all the sounds in this track with a Moog Source.

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Old 4th December 2012   #28
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vnv nation made empires with just a virus

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Old 4th December 2012   #29
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Andy Meecham (aka Emperor Machine, Sir Drew, etc. member of Bizarre Inc., Chicken Lips etc.) made an album with each song done with one synth:

Monophonic Vol. 1
Korg MS10
Moog Prodigy
EMS VCS3
Roland SH101
Yamaha CS15
Moog Little Phatty
Oberheim Sem
Roland System 100
Roland SH7

Todd Terje interviews him about it:

LET´S NERD! — TERJE ASKS SMART PEOPLE STUPID QUESTIONS VOL 3: ANDY MEECHAM (Chicken Lips/Emperor Machine)
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Old 4th December 2012   #30
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Again apologies to anyone who's seen this before, this is something I did on just a Matrix 1000 [ except for the drums ].

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