What Instruments do you miss the most?

[EveAnna Manley]

Where did they go? I miss them. They used to be more popular but now they're not.

I miss Fender Rhodes pianos, Farfisas, and the use of brass sections in pop or rock music, that's what I miss...

What instruments do you miss most? If they are really funky, give us examples of tunes that had your fave MIA instrument featured.

[Drumsound]

Clavinet! I need to get on some day. I have a Whrlie and a Hammond at the studio and they both get a good bit of use. I'm sure I'd use a Clav a lot too.

[C.Lambrechts]

Supertramp wurlitzers.

Stevie Wonder Clavinets.

[groundcontrol]

I have a Suitcase Rhodes and a Wurlitzer as well as a Hohner D6... I use them on most every project I do! They need constant TLC to perform at their best though, which I have to admit, is a bit of a drag. Especially restringing the clav!

But playing one in good shape thru a Mutron III or Crybaby... rollz yuktyy

[C.Lambrechts]

What I miss even more these days is the players to play those funky instruments like they should be.

[XHipHop]

The shop down the street from me is selling a Fender Rhodes and i was thinking about picking it up. How much TLC will it really need once i get it up to shape!?

I don't want to be buying a science project. If it's too much trouble i'll get that new Emu Vintage keyboard synth (or whatever it's called).

[groundcontrol]

It's not THAT bad! If you never move it or only play ballads on it you'll be fine!
If you bring it often to gigs or are a rude lover (like me... ) you'll have to fiddle a bit with tuning, harmonics, level uniformity between notes... Nothing too crazy if it's in good shape to start with. Like a gtr the thing is to play it on a regular basis so you know how's the tuning doing or if any weak/weird notes/zones has developped on the keyboard. It's actually quite fun to tweak it to your preferences for your playing style. It's just that you have to devote a bit of time to keep it as good as it can be and not let it slowly decay out of shape over the course of a year or two. Anyway, it's quite more inspiring to play than any synth/sampler emulation that's for sure!

Check it out and if it's in servicable shape get it!!!

[chrisso]

Originally posted by C.Lambrechts
What I miss even more these days is the players to play those funky instruments like they should be.

AMEN to that!
They don't have to be over indulgent musos, just gotta have a bit of soul. I'm so tired of hearing classic songs murdered karaoke style in the charts these days.
Speaking for the UK scene, 'vintage' instruments have made a strong comeback and often command big prices.
The thing I miss most is slap bass and the use of Mutron. It was so exciting first time around with Larry Graham and Bootsy, but it all got a bit tired with Level 42 and I can't see it making a comeback for a while.
Linking with the 'fantasy outboard' thread, I find most new instruments lack any real guts these days.
Everything is 'modelled'. Also stuff like the Roland JV series can cover so many bases but most people are happy with the presets so you hear the same sounds over and over again.
I think things are better in the audio arena with gear by Cranesong, Manley and Daking etc...
If you want an instument with balls you invariably have to look 'vintage'.

[neopotato]

"brass sections in pop or rock music"

Ana,

Check out Australian rock band Silverchair's new album Diorama has a huge brass section and some orchestration. Their tour is going to have them along for the ride as well, cant wait.

They have come along way since their grunge beginings in 94.
They now sound alot like beach boys 'pet sound' not nearly as good or inspired. Very Hollywood movie score sound.

Check it out

[Jules]

It can be narrowed down to simply this - the Rolling Stones - in the 70's with a brass section.

That is all there is...

[Knox]

I have Rhodes Suitcase here . . . . .if you find a good one and don't beat the crap out of it . . .you should be fine. We also have a Wurlitzer, Farfisa, and Hammonds. They all are ok, if you take care of them. I agree with what someone said though . . . . they need to be played by people that understand those instruments. Not a synth player. It's a different touch, isn't it?

[e-cue]

Wurlieys? B3's? Rhodes? psht.... I work on these all the time. I miss analog theremins, snyres, and vocalists without autotune!

[Wiggy Neve Slut]

I miss...... without autotune!
Ditto

but what i really miss most of all are DX7's and the crappy and obscenely coloured blue and red Yamaha keyboards that are meant to be played like a guitar ( dont know the name or model #) and simmons and LINN drum modules.. hahah me and my 80's fetish..


PEACE
Wiggy

[Fletcher]

Percussion.

Tamborines, shakers, fish, cowbells, congas, monkey skulls, maracas, claves... I just don't hear them on modern records...

I mean not every record should sound like the breakdown in 'Funk 49'... but damn, there doesn't seem to be any 'incidental percussion' on anything anymore...

[RSMITH123]

Originally posted by Wiggy Neve Slut
I miss...... without autotune!
Ditto

but what i really miss most of all are DX7's and the crappy and obscenely coloured blue and red Yamaha keyboards that are meant to be played like a guitar ( dont know the name or model #) and simmons and LINN drum modules.. hahah me and my 80's fetish..


PEACE
Wiggy

Yan Hammer.... ring any bells? ("Lies, no more lies")

[africk]

i'm always amazed by "when i'm 64" from sgt. pepper - clarinets in rock and roll baby! which is not to say i'd like to hear more clarinets, but i always long for the orchestral-instruments element in alot of older stuff.

accordians got overplayed in the folksy / rocky genre for awhile there but i do miss a clever subtle accordian now and again.

-a-

[toledo3]

Originally posted by EveAnna Manley
the use of brass sections in pop or rock music, that's what I miss...

Right On!

[CrazyBeast]

I'll second the accordian, farfisa and rhodes references. Something I have't heard in a while is a good pedal steel.

Like anything they can be yawn inducing in the wrong hands. Never recorded one before. I'm trying to convince a friend who used to play quite a bit to play some parts on a project I'm working on.

Something funny I did record recently was a jewsharp! Actually sounded pretty cool in the context of the song.

[Diginerd]

Fairlight IIx, nasty 8 bit sampling with no pretense of fidelity.

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by Fletcher
Percussion.

Tamborines, shakers, fish, cowbells, congas, monkey skulls, maracas, claves... I just don't hear them on modern records...

I mean not every record should sound like the breakdown in 'Funk 49'... but damn, there doesn't seem to be any 'incidental percussion' on anything anymore...

They're using all that on country records these days... I even heard a Vibraslap a while back on a Brooks And Dunn record...

[Dave Martin]

Originally posted by CrazyBeast
I'll second the accordian, farfisa and rhodes references. Something I have't heard in a while is a good pedal steel.

.

I hear steel just about every day, and I also get to work and listen to some wonderful players.

I went out to see my wife's band last night - the regular steel player was on tour on St.Lucia, the sub was a guy named Tommy White, the staff steel player on the Grand Ole Opry. John Huey, the guy who played on all of Conway Twitty's records, was there with Vince Gill (who sat in). And the band has an accordionist.

[Dave Martin]

I don't know if I'm lucky or unlucky, but the instruments I've recorded in the last 2 weeks include: Fiddle, viola, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, dobro, a baby Taylor, Tic Tac bass, upright bass, a baritone guitar, gut string guitar, steel guitar, lap steel a pedabro, accordion and pennywhistle.

Before the end of today, I'll be recording tambourine, cabasa, a few different shakers, cowbell, chimes and (I think) some congas. Everything but the congas will be real. Friday, I'll be doing saxes (Bari, alto and tenor I'm sure of; I don't know yet if trumpets will be needed) and harmonica.

And this is all in addition to the usual guitars basses, drums and singers who know how to sing.

And this is 'country music'.

I've got a Whirly and a couple of Rhodes electric pianos here, which get used regularly. What I realy want now is a B3 and a decent grand piano. But overall, life is good, and the music in interesting.

[TranceMM]

Originally posted by Fletcher
Percussion.

Tamborines, shakers, fish, cowbells, congas, monkey skulls, maracas, claves... I just don't hear them on modern records...

I mean not every record should sound like the breakdown in 'Funk 49'... but damn, there doesn't seem to be any 'incidental percussion' on anything anymore...

On the Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magick" they had a cool percussive breakdown on 'Breaking the Girl', but even that was over 10 years ago...

Any instrument outside the Guitar/Bass/Drums/Vocals would be nice... Mandolin, hand drums, gospel choirs, marimba, Rhodes, etc...

[LuvToLaf]

I miss the Moog, and the analog synths. I think the rhodes sound is still very much used in lite Jazz circles. How about that great early Telecaster/Strat and Fender Twin sound (pre stomp box).

I miss the deep bass of the Ampeg Amps and small group sound that isn't all PA, and more of a real stage presence, were the sound is a mixture of direct and reflected que's and the stereo spread is grand. Like "James Gang Rides Again " At Carnegie Hall. Or "Ten Years After" and Joe Cocker at WoodStock.

--Hee hee

[Gone Fission]

If I saw one for sale and had the bucks, I'd buy a vibraphone w/o hesitation, even though I don't have the space and I don't really play percussion or keys. It's just such a sound, though. Pops up hear and there (Bruce Cockburn's "Charity of Night" had some sweet ass vibes), but it's a fringe thing.

I wish the everyday instrumentation Dave deals with in country music popped up more in rock, some of it is super sweet. But, hey, my mind is a little warped from exposure to David Lindley. [No, not that kind of exposure. That would be quite scary.]

Bear

[John Sayers]

Celeste!! great for doubling the lead line in the background.

BTW the celeste was invented in France and a certain Russian composer was travelling in France and discovered it. He took it back to Russia and released the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies as the first single to feature it, the album (Swan Lake) came out later.

Thing haven't changed have they???

cheers
John

[chrisso]

You guy's need to listen to more Brit music.
There's lots of stuff like pedal steel and not just on 'country' influenced music.
BTW, the 1992 Dire Straits tour featured Paul Franklin playing steel on every song, even solos on stuff like Money For Nothing.
Have you heard Radiohead? Loads of rock Rhodes, analogue synths. A lot of bands here are experimenting with different instrumentation.
Hey, as I'm thinking.....what's that band (I think they're American) that have about 20 members? People on French Horn, Vibraphone, Percussion.
They dress like a church band but are definitely rockers.

How about singers like Al Green and Sam Cooke Along with Strings like "a change gon come" or B3 like " simply beautiful"

and maybe a few songwriters while your at it.


On another note

Why is it I get better samples from my rhodes than I can find in any module?
All I do is record to ptools/strip silence/ and export as waves to a sampler and layer into a patch

It beats every module I've ever heard.


Would someone be willing to send me some raw wurly tones from the real board? I'd like to buy one but I cant find a good one.
\
If anyone would be willing to take the time and record each note at a few velocities into protools with no ffx or vibrato. It would be greatly appreciated\


(I'd do my own editing and stripping)

thanks ahead for the wurly tones

[Benjy King]

I've always maintained a good Hammond, Wurlitzer, Harmonium and Fender Rhodes. But, I don't have a Hohner clavinet. I miss that. I heard Bonnie Raitt's
'Love Sneakin' Up On You' on the radio the other day. Bad-ass clavinet.

The Silverchair record 'Diorama' is hands down the most inspiring record I have heard in fifteen years. No exaggeration. Three tracks have orchestral arrangements by Van Dyke Parks (he wrote the lyrics on Pet Sounds). Completely over the top, insane charts. The songwriting is like nothing you've heard in years. Van Dyke said when he heard the demos he felt this kid had the most talent of anyone he's encountered since Brian Wilson. All music and lyrics by the singer/guitar player. Amazingly co-produced/recorded and mixed by David Bottrill. This record is insane.
Benjy

[toledo3]

I miss guitar, especially solos.