Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Hey ya. Probably a simple question, but it seems like Bruce (really Roy and Danny) usually uses synths that, although they certainly sound somewhat dated 2+ decades on, definitely still seem to be "useful" sounds. I'm thinking of the sounds on "my hometown," etc. even the synths on "glory days," "dancing in the dark" and "BitUSA" are pretty decent and haven't aged as horribly as your typical 80's synth-heavy songs. (side note: perhaps b/c it somewhat predates the DX7). also the pads and stuff he uses on Tunnel of Love and Ghost of Tom Joad are just. . .good. I mean you have to like pads, but they're never corny. Does anyone happen to know what they used in the studio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Umbra Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 I dunno, probably lots of organs or organ emulations. Personally I can't stand his type of music or his "message", it wasn't good 20 years ago and it hasn't gotten any better. I guess if my goal in life was to be lower middle class and down and out he would be my hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Hey ya. Probably a simple question, but it seems like Bruce (really Roy and Danny) usually uses synths that, although they certainly sound somewhat dated 2+ decades on, definitely still seem to be "useful" sounds. I'm thinking of the sounds on "my hometown," etc. even the synths on "glory days," "dancing in the dark" and "BitUSA" are pretty decent and haven't aged as horribly as your typical 80's synth-heavy songs. (side note: perhaps b/c it somewhat predates the DX7).also the pads and stuff he uses on Tunnel of Love and Ghost of Tom Joad are just. . .good. I mean you have to like pads, but they're never corny.Does anyone happen to know what they used in the studio? Hammond organYamaha CS-80Yamaha Grand PianoElectronic GlockenspielAccordian Live it is not much different but they use Kurzwiel gear also. Sometimes Danny uses Roland gear also. If anyone does not like Springsteen that's fine but consider he is more an artist that caters to the tri-state area. Also the E-street band is one of the tightest around and its members are still alive and doing well. Roy and Danny have some of the best phrasing around and could put most modern keyboard players in the toilet. If anyone wants more detail try to get the Keyboard Mag Interview with Roy Bittan December 1986. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 i'll have to go read that. if i could i'd sound exactly like Bittan. thanks O-kaster. i guess the pads i'm thinking of are from the CS-80 then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Yes I mean now he uses Kurzwiel gear but the organ piano is still the same. Sounding like him is tough. He never plays the same song the same way. Listen to bootlegs of Backstreets, Thunder Road or Jungle Land. That is not easy {censored} to play because of the phrasing and the classical influenced arppegiated stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Yes I mean now he uses Kurzwiel gear but the organ piano is still the same. Sounding like him is tough. He never plays the same song the same way. Listen to bootlegs of Backstreets, Thunder Road or Jungle Land. That is not easy {censored} to play because of the phrasing and the classical influenced arppegiated stuff. exactly. basically you're in awe of a classically trained guy (NYU as you know) bringing those chops but pitch-perfect rock sensibilities to the instrument. it's basically unfair. too often those guys can't cross over or they sound pedantic or something. somehow he plays perfectly clean and just as busy as he needs to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Yeah is phrasing is always on. His parts are call and answer to the lyrics that are sung. You picked up and that too, a lot of guys don't know. He also went to Brooklyn College for music. He also plays accordian also as does Nils and Danny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 yeah when i saw them a couple of weeks ago they ended on "american land" with DF and RB playing accordian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Oh wow that is rare to see them both playing. Nils Lofgren is a good player as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 I guess on the "baseball stadium" tour they did a few years back, all three of them came out and played "take me out to the ballgame" on accordion as the show starter. Nils must be an incredible musician, really. he played piano on "after the goldrush" when he must've been around 17. if anything that's my only problem with the band, that to fit all of that talent in and still be in service of "the song" you don't necessarily get to see everyone "shine" to their fullest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Because they are professional that's why. They know how to play less which a lot of musicians don't understand that concept. Even in the older days of the band it was evident they understood being part of a unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 oh granted, O-kast. "in the service of the music" is absolutely my watchword as well as theirs, clearly, but at the same time it's kind of a bummer that with so many of them up there now, a serious major talent like Nils gets only XX% of the playing "spectrum" to fill up. and there are kids in there who may not realize that, really, dude is deep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EricM Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 I was never a huge fan of Springsteens music. However I always respected and appreciated their talent and professionalism, something lacking in many younger bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 29, 2007 Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 Go and find the song NYC Seranade from The Wild & Innocent E-Street Shuffle. It is from 1973. Listen to David Sancious and the piano intro he does on that album. It is pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruciatus Posted October 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 29, 2007 not to mention the intro to Incident on 57th st. omgz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted October 30, 2007 Members Share Posted October 30, 2007 Yeah there are two pianos on that song. I was listening to that in the car. Apparently Danny said Sancious was not good for a long time and came back after a year as a good piano player. They did not get along that well because Sancious told him what to play all the time. I read that a few years ago. I think the synergy between Roy and him is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pgunders Posted October 30, 2007 Members Share Posted October 30, 2007 I dunno, probably lots of organs or organ emulations. Personally I can't stand his type of music or his "message", it wasn't good 20 years ago and it hasn't gotten any better.I guess if my goal in life was to be lower middle class and down and out he would be my hero. +1000. Screw the working poor and those just barely hanging on to middle class status. And screw any musician who tries to tell their stories. Guthrie, Dylan, Springsteen--bunch of socialist sods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Baptiste Mendy Posted January 19, 2017 Members Share Posted January 19, 2017 Hi all, My first post... I sent Outkaster a private message on this query, but I thought I'd try the forum too - does anybody know what Roy is playing in Bobby Jean? I'm assuming it's the Yamaha CS-80, as the whole album seems to be laden with that synth, but does anyone now for sure? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted January 19, 2017 Members Share Posted January 19, 2017 Yes CS-80. Now it is a Kurzwiel above a mide'd Yamaha Grand. He stands playing it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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