KVR Audio

hand_made_god · Post by **hand_made_god** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:52 am

Hi!
Do any of you guys know how to emulate the sounds Steve Hackett uses on his earlier cd's? Im thinking mostly of the lead sounds and the really sweet pad sounds. The song Ace of Wands (from the cd Voyage of the Acolyte) has a really cool lead sound, cant remember exactly where in the song but its in a part with acoustic guitars in the back

I've been using software synths for a very long time but I dont know anything about creating my own sounds and stuff like that.. So any help is appriciated

Take care!

Paul Vicory · Post by **Paul Vicory** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 1:53 am

Well, the pads are mostly Mellotrons, so something like M-Tron will get you close. The synth sound on that part of Ace of Wands is most likely an ARP, probably ARP2600 - the original vinyl album cover had a pretty complete equipment used list, so you might want to check it out if you can find it. There are a couple of ARP2600 VSTi's coming out or out already - you can search the database for them. But I've gotten some Bank-ish/Hackettish lead synth sounds out of Native Instruments Pro-53 that are pretty close to the original, if that's what you want.

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 2:18 am

Here are some tips in hardware. Hackett used often Les Paul guitars, fx boxes like Colorsound Tone Bender, Fender Blender, Shaftsbury Duofuzz (never found one but I am still looking) as well as an EMS Synthi Hi Fli.

He also used Mellotrons, Arps and possibly Moogs as well (Voyage sounds like it might have some Moog leads).

In software some of those sounds can be made with Sonik Synth 2, a plug-in that my company did with IK that has a ton of vintage sounds including many Genesis-like ones as well. www.soniksynth.com

MrM · Post by **MrM** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 7:09 am

For synths:
He also uses the famous Octagon.
He has is own website: www.stevehackett.com

From the CD booklets;
Voyage of the Acolyte
mellotron, arp synth, elka rhapsody, harmonium

Nick uses the Roland Jupiter 8 on Highly Strung

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:40 am

I knew Squids would know the answer to that one!

I really like that 'Voyage of the Acolyte' album too. Steve Hackett was a big influence on me as a guitarist, and his writing too.

One thing he often did on his lead stuff was use a volume pedal to cut off the attack, with echo (afterwards, so the volume pedal doesn't cut off the echo). Whnen the sound is quite heavily distorted it ends up sounding smooth and violin-like.

duncanparsons · Post by **duncanparsons** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:07 am

I must confess, Ace of Wands is one of my fav prog instrumentals. That 7/8 riff is phenomenal. I learnt to play it once (at 3/4 the speed), Hackett's control over pitch when doing a bend->vibrato arm->unbend->pull off is staggering.

Being a drummer, this song is great - this is some of Phils best playing, comparable with the stuff he did with BrandX (I would point you to 'Unorthodox Behaviour' the same year, and 'Moroccan Roll' in 1977). As a deviant point, Phil was also in a 'test' band in '75 involving of Bob Fripp and Rick Wakeman, but it came to nothing: can you imagine what that sounded like?

Anyway.. back to Hackett!

DSP

Klemperer · Post by **Klemperer** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:21 am

Wow. Nearly never learned more from a thread. Thanks to hand-made-god for posting, and if you don't had the original cover, I have it, but some 1000km away

and could send you the instruments used if you like, in 2 weeks (whereas others here might do the same in 2 seconds

)

cheers

By the way Mr.Hackett seems to be a very generous person. I once was at a concert he gave with solo-guitar in Germany. We were at the location 2 hours earlier, so was Hackett. 2 fans came to him as he ate something in the bar, they shyly went to him, and he invited them and talked over an hour with them, until he recognized "oh it's 10 minutes to the concert, I must tune my guitar"

. Sounds like a stupid dream, but I saw it

hand_made_god · Post by **hand_made_god** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:25 pm

Hi all!
Thanks alot for your replies, seems like most of them is really helpful!

Paul:
If you can, please send some sounds or if you can upload them here!

Klemperer:
You mean like sending them on a cd or something like that?
I would die to meet Steve himself, he totally changed my view on music and music arrangement.

duncanparsons:
Totally agree, the 7/8 part is just brilliant.

Squid:
Thanks! I'll check that one out

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 8:55 pm

I know his brother used some Moog Taurus pedals on some of the songs.

Highly recommend the Steve Hackett DVD "The Tokyo Tapes".Live in Japan.

John Wetton on bass & vocals.
Chester Thompson on drums(great).
Ian McDonald on everything plus flute.
Julian Colbeck on keys.

Kicks off with Watcher of the Skies and then a combo of songs from his solo career as well as genesis.

BUY IT NOW!!!!

By the way, Steve is very fond of using the e-bow for those long..long...sustained notes.

MrM · Post by **MrM** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:33 pm

No, he isn't that fond of ebow anymore, he rather uses Fernandes infinite sustain.

http://www.fernandesguitars.com/menu.htm

If you have the Tokyo Tapes video, also check out the Somewhere In South America DVD, this one is suberb also!

alpi · Post by **alpi** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:44 pm

There are some Steve Hackett tones on guitar port online...

Klemperer · Post by **Klemperer** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:48 pm

hand_made_god wrote: Klemperer:
You mean like sending them on a cd or something like that?
I would die to meet Steve himself, he totally changed my view on music and music arrangement.

No, in fact I thought you'd be interested in the instrument-list that was mentioned

, but surely another one could send you that far more easily. I remember I used the covers on the LP for my room, Hackett's wife paints nearly all of his covers, so it might even be lost now

. But I seem to own all of his LPs and CDs and 2 DVDs, so if you'd needed information of one after the first 3 (I still like spectral mornings veeery much) I should be able to look at instruments mentioned and so on. Cheers!

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:50 pm

MrM wrote:No, he isn't that fond of ebow anymore, he rather uses Fernandes infinite sustain.

http://www.fernandesguitars.com/menu.htm

If you have the Tokyo Tapes video, also check out the Somewhere In South America DVD, this one is suberb also!

sorry for the wrong info, my bad!

Yes, I have that DVD as well which is quite good.
The new one, from reviews I've read(fans)is supposed to be as good or better.

MrM · Post by **MrM** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:58 pm

I wrote 'anymore', cause he did use it at the time.
But he is one of the first players to try new things like digital stepp dgi guitar, fernadez infinite sustain, I bet he even has the original synthaxe guitar...

Hackett's own HOME STUDIO:

Synthaxe:

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:45 pm

MrM wrote:I wrote 'anymore', cause he did use it at the time.
But he is one of the first players to try new things like digital step guitar, fernadez infinite sustain, I bet he even has the original synthaxe guitar...

I'll temporary let this picture be online (will remove it after this thread gets to old)

absolutely GORGEOUS!
thanks for the pic MrM
drool..drool...drool..

Steve Hackett sounds