remaking Orbital - Halcyon

[MOK19]

Until I get my creativity jump-started again, I'm re-making 1992's Halcyon! Just for fun, as it's one of my early favorites...



But, go figure, within the first seconds, I'm stumped! It's those pads in the beginning, they're quite lush. Very smooth sounding. I'm guessing it's two synths going back and forth...

Anyone want to lend me some ideas on how to get such velvety smooth pads?
Or the chord! I'm not even sure on that first chord.

[soul_junkie]

Great track, one of my favs.

Let's see, def 3 sounds; Piano (melody) deep juno-ish pad; Top airy pad thingy

I'll have a fiddle when I touchdown in the studio and get back to you!

[MOK19]

I've made excellent headway in some elements. If I finish this, I'll offer up an in-depth on what I did, maybe make a video or something. Could be fun viewing/reading. My tendency is to try and get the sounds absolutely right, and I've got a picky ear, so if I manage to get these pads figured out, it should be a pretty cool project.

But these pads... I'm just not gettin em. My suspicion is that they're all FM. This has prompted me to try and make a solid push into FM territory, finally, but I'm thinking this will be difficult because real FM synthesis is so much more complex than subtractive....

I'm suspecting that my go-to synth, Z3ta+, despite it's FM features, just isn't quite made to do these FM pads, unless it's a super simple configuration.

So far, the pad that seems potentially the most simple(considering I don't understand any of them) is the one that carries over from the original version.
Can be heard 0:16 clearly


But it's not just the texture that's the puzzle either but the specific chords. I've been getting sorta good at figuring out chords lately, but I can't yet discern these...

[screentan]

Maybe they just sampled the opening chord of U2 Where The Streets Have No Name. Does sound a bit similar. One of my favourite Orbital tracks.

[MOK19]

I've yet to get those pads successfully. The Streets Have No Name idea was pretty good, but to me it sounds like a different texture. Plus, it would make sense that Orbital could synthesize such a thing themselves. Their material is full of good pads.

So far I've got about half the sounds nailed down in the re-creation, but without the pads, it just don't work. =op

I'm working on some FM programming. At least from the exercise I finally started making some progress in the FM realm.

SoulJunkie, I'm still keen to hear your thoughts once you've given it a try.

And if anyone else wants to weigh in, or give it a shot, I could use help on any of the pads. I think there's 3 or 4 of em throughout the song.

There's one last major hole in my project also: A missing vocal sample. Not the Opus III Fine Day backmask, I've got that perfect, but the intro and exit non-lyrical, non-reversed improv-sounding part. I spent a while searching, but can't find any info on it. I suspect they actually brought in Hawkshaw to record it for the +On+On version, as the original lacks it.

[cmcpress]

I'm sure that the improv vocals in Halcyon are Alison Goldfrapp. She also did the vocals in Are we Here.

[Martin [Camel Web Guy]]

I'm sure that the improv vocals in Halcyon are Alison Goldfrapp. She also did the vocals in Are we Here.

I'm pretty sure that it was the singer from Opus III that they sampled on this occasion - the flip of "It's a Fine Day" had an acapella on it.

[Jbravo]

Alison Goldfrapp did do a lot of vocals on their later stuff but being a complete Orbital trainspotter, the vocals on that track are definitely Opus III. I'll be interested to hear what a finished track is like. I've been meaning to try recreating Chime - which is probably a bit easier!

[rob_lee]

I'm sure that the improv vocals in Halcyon are Alison Goldfrapp. She also did the vocals in Are we Here.

I'm pretty sure that it was the singer from Opus III that they sampled on this occasion - the flip of "It's a Fine Day" had an acapella on it.

It was that sample

[tehlord]

Sounds like theres a fast but subtle LFO on the pitch of that airy FM style pad.

[Martin [Camel Web Guy]]

I'm sure that the improv vocals in Halcyon are Alison Goldfrapp. She also did the vocals in Are we Here.

I'm pretty sure that it was the singer from Opus III that they sampled on this occasion - the flip of "It's a Fine Day" had an acapella on it.

It was that sample

And I still have that very piece of vinyl

[soul_junkie]

I'm sure that the improv vocals in Halcyon are Alison Goldfrapp. She also did the vocals in Are we Here.

I'm pretty sure that it was the singer from Opus III that they sampled on this occasion - the flip of "It's a Fine Day" had an acapella on it.

It was that sample

And I still have that very piece of vinyl

Hahah, I've used a very scratchy recording of the 'EEEEeeeee' vocal effect recently. Probably should've invested the time in tracking down at least a less dusty copy of vinyl!

[Simple Pleasures]

So....did you give up? =)

[Numanoid]

So....did you give up? =)

'Tis the season for necro'ing threads?

I mean it was only six and a half years ago since the OP tinkered with it

[Simple Pleasures]

6 years ago or not. The question still remains... =)

Was just browsing and stumbled across this. I'd be willing to give it a go too...unless it was all figured out years ago. =)