KVR Audio

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 3:50 pm

TSIA, but just to expand a wee bit:

What are your personal top five synth riffs of all time? I'm talking about specific uses of a synth within a publicly-released song. ...and what synth made the sound (and, if you aren't sure, what do you THINK made it)? Also, I'm not talking about which are "the best" or which are "the most iconic" or which are "the most skillful..." I'm most interested in which synth lines worked best *for you,* which stuck with you over the years, and which you still rock out to.

Bonus question: how many of those synths do you own?

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:02 pm

You go first

lectropunk · Post by **lectropunk** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:12 pm

Ignacio virtion aka Steve rachmad and a Terence firmer remix of a Sven vath track ein voller something lol I know I'm old school lol

Introspective · Post by **Introspective** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:19 pm

You mean this?

lastmessiah · Post by **lastmessiah** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:22 pm

NIN - Closer (I think it's a Moog?)

Tears for Fears - Shout (cheesy but good)

Tangerine Dream - Love on a Real Train (simple and effective modular arpeggio)

Depeche Mode - Wrong (love this, don't know what was used)

NIN - Head Like a Hole (badass riff, think it's an Emax)

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:33 pm

Introspective wrote:TSIA, but just to expand a wee bit:

What are your personal top five synth riffs of all time? I'm talking about specific uses of a synth within a publicly-released song. ...and what synth made the sound (and, if you aren't sure, what do you THINK made it)? Also, I'm not talking about which are "the best" or which are "the most iconic" or which are "the most skillful..." I'm most interested in which synth lines worked best *for you,* which stuck with you over the years, and which you still rock out to.

Bonus question: how many of those synths do you own?

Wow, so many. If I had to pick a top 5, it would probably be these. Not 100% sure of the synths but will give my best guess based on past research, concerts, liner notes on albums and so on. I'll do these from 5 to 1 just like the countdown shows.

Number 5 - Cars, Gary Newman

I was a Polymoog fan long before this thanks to groups like Yes, but this song sealed the Polymoog as one of my all time favorite synths.

Number 4 - Dangerous Type, Cars

Speaking of Cars, Greg Hawkes was one of the most underrated keyboardists of all time, not because he had the best chops (he didn't) but because his catchy riffs, played on an ARP Odyssey, were as big a part of the Cars sound as Ric Ocasek's vocals. This song and riff is my personal favorite of his though there are so many that I love.

Number 3 - And You And I, Yes

Rick Wakeman could flat out play. And the little solo right after the guitar intro is one of my favorite parts of the song. Made me a Yes fan for life. This was played on a Minimoog as far as I know.

Number 2 - Jump, Van Halen

When this thing starts, played on an Oberheim OB-X (one of my favorite synth companies) my blood pressure just soars. To this day, I still love this thing, even though I know a lot of people are sick to death of it.

Number 1 - Lucky Man, Emerson Lake and Palmer

One of my all time favorite groups. This song really started it all for me as far as my love for synths. Played on a humongous Moog Modular, as much as Keith hated it and as dated as it may sound today, there has never been a more identifiable riff in the history of synth music. While I don't have the same love for it as I did back in 1972, I can't deny its place at number 1 because this song changed my life forever.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 4:58 pm

Yazoo, don't go, ( pro one ? )
Kraftwerk, the robots (arp or moog)
Spandau Ballet, to cut a long story short (some cheap late 70's synth called Yamaha CS-10)
OMD, Enola Gay (probably korg micro preset)
Models, kissing round corners (some cheap late 70's synth)

maschinelf · Post by **maschinelf** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:05 pm

The Prodigy - voodoo people

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:14 pm

Save a Prayer - Duran Duran
High Pressure Days - The Units
Are Friends Electric? - Tubeway Army
The Cutter - Echo and the Bunnymen
Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode

Why does the original synth matter? You can play any of those on a rough approximation and people will get the connection. Save a Prayer is arguably the only one that relies on a close match to the Jupiter 8 patch because of the way it relies on the rapid pitch bend. The Cutter just needs the portamento set up right. However, the init patch on Kilohearts ONE does normally force at least one round of JCGE out of me.

I tried to find things more recent but most of the good ones are guitar or piano.

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:19 pm

edit: I believe one of the things is a Mini-Moog

dark water · Post by **dark water** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:24 pm

I'm not so hot on names, but I know the top 5 riffs:

5) Mmmm... PUM PUM PUM PUM-pur, pur PUM pur purdur pur.

4) Bur-bur durrrr burrrr, bur-bur dur-bur durrrrr.

3) Dun, der... DUN, der... Dun, der... DUN, der...

2) Wooooorrrrr.. Tun Tun Tuntitun Tun Tun, Tun Tun Tuntitun Tun Tun, Tun Tun TAR deetun titun tun tur.

1) Ping.

Firebird · Post by **Firebird** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 5:52 pm

jancivil wrote:

edit: I believe one of the things is a Mini-Moog

I think MANY of my favs were done with Mini-Moogs (or other moogs).

Vortifex · Post by **Vortifex** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:16 pm

jdoo · Post by **jdoo** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:30 pm

10 -

I've been able to recreate nearly all of these, with Logic built-in synths, a JD-XA, FA-06 and OB-6.

Russell Grand · Post by **Russell Grand** » Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:42 pm

Take on Me - a-ha

Top Five Synth Riffs (and what made them?)