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Rush - Subdivisions. What sounds?


Mr Roboto

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Yes he's playing an OB-X, my error.


But he is playing split parts and the OB-X does not have a split function. The OB-Xa does.

 

 

I know that the OB-Xa has that feature but it seems to me that he's using the same sound for both the bass and chord parts, with the Taurus doubling the bass.

 

What makes you so sure he is playing split parts?

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I know that the OB-Xa has that feature but it seems to me that he's using the same sound for both the bass and chord parts, with the Taurus doubling the bass.


What makes you so sure he is playing split parts?

 

 

I created those patches on many synths over the years. They are way too different to not be split parts.

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I don't think Geddy ever had an OB-Xa or OB-8... he certainly didn't when Subdivisions was recorded. Back then he had an OB-X, Oberheim 8-voice, a Minimoog, a Taurus and probably a few other synthy bits.

 

I'm guessing the bass part is doubled on the Taurus, and the chords are either layered with the 8-voice or recorded separately and effects added. Or it's just a matter of keytracking. The filter seems more "open" on the bass parts than on the chords, and setting a low filter keytracking will do this.

 

Unless you're trying to nail the sound exactly, it'll sound fine with a single patch.

 

EDIT: I'm listening to Subdivisions right now. I'm thinking now that the chords are the OB-X (a fairly soft brass patch), while the bass is the same patch, doubled by the Taurus giving it a fatter sound. So what you think is a split is really the Taurus bass layered on. To replicate this on a modern synth, you would need to split and add a "Taurus" layer to the bottom octave of the keyboard. Unless you happen to have a Taurus. ;)

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According to the Geddy Lee Wikipedia page, Geddy has used the following:

Keyboards and synthesizers

 

Over the years, Lee's keyboards have featured synthesizers from Oberheim (Eight-voice, OB-1, OB-X, OB-Xa), PPG (Wave 2.2 and 2.3), Roland (Jupiter 8, D-50, XV-5080, and most recently a Fantom X7 on the Snakes and Arrows tour), Moog (Minimoog, Taurus bass pedals, Moog Little Phatty, and Yamaha (DX7, Yamaha KX76).

 

Damn, now I can't decide if I want to watch the R30 DVD this weekend or Show of Hands!:confused:

(the clothes dryers turning on stage for R30 drive me crazy:mad:).

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EDIT: I'm listening to Subdivisions right now. I'm thinking now that the chords are the OB-X (a fairly soft brass patch), while the bass is the same patch, doubled by the Taurus giving it a fatter sound. So what you think is a split is really the Taurus bass layered on. To replicate this on a modern synth, you would need to split and add a "Taurus" layer to the bottom octave of the keyboard. Unless you happen to have a Taurus.
;)

 

 

That's exactly what I think too. Geddy was also using an OB-Xa at the time though, you can see it in the background of that video (under the Jup-8). Afaik, he mostly used the OB-Xa with the DSX sequencer and Taurus pedals (the Taurus was interfaced with the OB-Xa), at least on tour.

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(the clothes dryers turning on stage for R30 drive me crazy:mad:).

For Snakes and Arrows, they have chicken rotisseries on stage. Maybe not as crazy, but it might make you hungry. ;)

 

P.S. I never knew he used a Jupiter-8.

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What he used on tour isn't necessarily what he used in the studio. Especially if the concert DVD you have is several years later... "hey look, he used a Fantom X7 and a Little Phatty!" :DFor Snakes and Arrows, they have chicken rotisseries on stage. Maybe not as crazy, but it might make you hungry.
;)

 

My concert DVD was a few years after they recorded Subdivisions and there is definitely an OB-Xa at that show.

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Here's couple of photos from the Signals tour (fall '82 to spring '83):

 

 

rushliveinsept83.jpg

 

rushsignalstour.jpg

 

As you can see in both photos the OB-X, Minimoog and Taurus are all facing the crowd while the OB-Xa, DSX, TR-808 and Jup-8 are positioned to Geddy's left side.

 

If you compare the above photos to the following live footage from the Signals tour, where "Subdivision" is being performed, it sure looks like Geddy's playing the chords on the synth facing the crowd (with other words, the OB-X) while at the same time playing the bass accompaniment on the Taurus pedals. This doesn't necessarily mean that the same synth was used for the chords on the recorded version but.....

 

(pause the video at 1:55 or thereabouts)

 

So whaddya think?

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Shameless I know, but this would do it:


http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2546599


In fact it has a pretty accurate Tom Sawyer sweep in the default patches.
:)

Anyway...

I have OP-X and can vouch for its sounds.

 

The Andromeda has a completely crappy Tom Sawyer sweep in the presets. I created one that's 1000 times better in about 15 minutes. ;)

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OMG, what the hell can of worms did I open up here? :lol:

 

As it turns out, as I was wading through the hundreds of patches I downloaded for the M1, I came across one that was very close. It's not perfect, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it live. It does the bass and chords well enough without having to use more than one patch.

 

My wife was never a fan of Rush, and now she thouroughly HATES this song. :lol:

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:D My wife just hate listening to me compose. Once the piece is finished, she usually likes it quite a bit, but listening to me with 4 measures looped trying different sounds, or doing sound design drives her crazy.
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I spent some time putting together a Subdivisions patch on my Andy.

 

The key to getting that thick sound seems to be a combination of detuning and liberal use of chorus. I don't have it exact but I have something that sounds pretty good for use in the song. When time permits I'll post a sample.

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I spent some time putting together a Subdivisions patch on my Andy.


The key to getting that thick sound seems to be a combination of detuning and liberal use of chorus. I don't have it exact but I have something that sounds pretty good for use in the song. When time permits I'll post a sample.

 

I'd love to hear that sample when you get time, I really like some of the sounds you coax out of that lovely beast of a machine.

 

Ref: the chickens turning for the Snakes&Arrows concert:facepalm:

being a vegetarian I might just turn off the video & listen.:lol:

btw, how is that concert DVD?

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I don't have the DVD. I saw them live a couple summers ago.

 

Once I have the Subdivisions patch tweaked to my satisfaction I'll post a clip.

 

One thing I love about the Subdivisions sound is how warm and "syrupy" it sounds. I came of age on those sounds in the 80s, and now I'm discovering how it was done, and doing it myself.

 

I really need to get the remasters, my Chronicles CD set is fairly crappy sound quality wise.

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