KVR Audio

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:41 am

I might get laughed at here, but what were Yanni's main instruments from Keys to Imagination, Out of Silence, and Chameleon Days?

The years were '86, '87, and '88, respectively.

I've been curious about this for a long time now. Did he use synths, or were there VST-like or sampled instruments and sequencers back then?

Please forgive my ignorance.

mcnoone · Post by **mcnoone** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 10:11 am

He uses a Korg Triton now, after a google.
I believe he has used a synclavier back in the 80's though.

himalaya · Post by **himalaya** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:06 pm

At least I won't laugh at you, since I have all three albums you mention, all on the glorious cassettes, and I like a lot of the music.

There are some beautiful tracks on the 'Keys to Imagination' album. I love it.
If I get some time I might be able to dig out an interview with Yanni from The Keyboard magazine, just need to remember where I stashed it.

The whole early Yanni sound is based on very digital sounds, very FM in nature. so a DX7 would be the prime candidate for a lot of the chords and sequences he used. But if I remember the interview correctly, he also used Ensoniq synths and samplers.

himalaya · Post by **himalaya** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:19 pm

4lb Kitty wrote:
Did he use synths, or were there VST-like or sampled instruments and sequencers back then?

No software synths, I'm afraid. Not that I know of anyway. Digital recording was in its infancy and I remember Yanni thanking a friend who made it possible to record the whole album on a Mitsubishi digital reel to reel, the first ever. He was happy not to hear any tape noise at last! (I think this is in the inner booklet on the Keys to Imagination album...where did I put it?...(he wonders off thinking which of the many boxes in the shed contain cassettes???...)

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 2:16 pm

His hair. I think he used his hair. A lot.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:26 am

Thanks, all. That's pretty much what I was thinking.

I really like his choice of sounds on those albums (and all of his electronic albums, actually, even if he did have an orchestra in mind when he wrote them).

I just found one String Studio preset on Electric Himalaya's set that sounds nearly like one of my favorites, so at least I'm happy about that.

himalaya · Post by **himalaya** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:27 am

4lb Kitty wrote: I just found one String Studio preset on Electric Himalaya's set that sounds nearly like one of my favorites, so at least I'm happy about that.

Did you now?!

Which one is that? Just curious.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 4:52 pm

Greek Philosophers H

It's not exact, but close enough for me. I might go in a fiddle with it a little, but it's the closest I've heard so far.

Thanks!

It's also either the first example on Demo 1.

himalaya · Post by **himalaya** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:06 pm

Ha! That one!

So you are using a preset titled 'Greek Philosophers' to play music by a Greek?

I'd love to hear your track, if there is one, by the way.

Vintage73 · Post by **Vintage73** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:02 pm

himalaya wrote:Ha! That one!

So you are using a preset titled 'Greek Philosophers' to play music by a Greek?

I'd love to hear your track, if there is one, by the way.

I thought about that, too.

No track yet.

I'm working on it (may take a while, though!)!

Actually, I don't even have a track in mind yet, but I'm inspired by the instrument itself, so hopefully I'll come up with something soon.

alyanni · Post by **alyanni** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:45 am

it's been a long long time since the last post
I just found this posts using google
I'm wondering... what vst or wich sound belongs to the final sweet melody played at Reflections of passion??
Is it kind of harmonica?? by the way for me is so much sweet the acropolis version than the RAH.
Thanks for your answers

PS I miss the old instrumental yanni instead the current one

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 12:29 pm

Why would anyone laugh? I was watching Golf on CBS and noticed Yanni did the theme music. I thought -- Yanni!!???
He's the one laughing all the way to the bank!

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 8:29 am

alyanni wrote:it's been a long long time since the last post
I just found this posts using google
I'm wondering... what vst or wich sound belongs to the final sweet melody played at Reflections of passion??
Is it kind of harmonica?? by the way for me is so much sweet the acropolis version than the RAH.
Thanks for your answers

PS I miss the old instrumental yanni instead the current one

that harmonica sound is from a yamaha DX7, theres a video on youtube, yanni at the Acropolis and you can
see him playing the melody on the DX7 right underneath a korg M1

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 7:33 pm

Yanni is the undisputed virtuoso of the bananaphone.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:40 pm

osiris wrote:He's the one laughing all the way to the bank!

+1 Indeed

Yanni's Instruments?