One Synth Challenge #7- 2022 Edition

[Drew Stephenson]

and surprised Drew has joined in - always thought of him as a real+voice sort of guy.

This is my fourth one-synth challenge I'll have you know young sir.

[Folderol]

and surprised Drew has joined in - always thought of him as a real+voice sort of guy.

This is my fourth one-synth challenge I'll have you know young sir.

Oops. Lack of attention on my part

A pure guess. Bob Bickerton for track 14.

[N i g e l]

This is my fourth one-synth challenge I'll have you know young sir.

You were very defensive of track 4 previously [with a mental block on writing "4"] and now you mention "forth". For those spurious reasons alone, ill put you down for track 4, with the SC55, in the garden.

I'm guessing Roland JDXi for track 8

It is tempting to go for that as well but words like "Synthesizer" & "Analogue"
are on the Arturia Micro Freak vocal oscillator word set.
but "Winter" isnt.
Hmmm.

Ill go for it

Track 8:Arturia Micro Freak

Track 4:Roland SC55.

[Rich Hanson]

There have been two correct instrument guesses so far, but naturally I'm not going to tell you which ones

[Folderol]

There have been two correct instrument guesses so far, but naturally I'm not going to tell you which ones

You're supposed to make an echo-y scary laugh when you say that

[Bob Bickerton]

There have been two correct instrument guesses so far, but naturally I'm not going to tell you which ones

I can see you’re enjoying the process Rich!

Bob

[Folderol]

Hmmm. track 10 BJG145 Yoshimi + external percussion. That bass is a dead ringer for Steel Bass.

[BJG145]

Hmmm. track 10 BJG145 Yoshimi + external percussion. That bass is a dead ringer for Steel Bass.

...yup! Well spotted. Had fun working with Yoshimi on this.

[Martin Walker]

I'm not helped by the fact I've no experience of most of the synths either

I'm really not considering this as a listener's challenge, but instead, the perfect opportunity to hear some excellent examples of just what a batch of 'unknown' synths can do, without having any preconceptions such as "ah, this is made by Moog, so it will have a powerful bottom end and rich filter sweeps".

My favourites of the four I mentioned previously are now #6 (for its wonderful huffy percussive sounds) and #14 (for that internal motion and edging in and out of overload), and I for one am most interested in finding out which synths they were created with, and of course who created them.

[Folderol]

No 6 is indeed very interesting. Sounds like what you'd get from a group of 'alternatives' turning random bits of junk into musical instruments

Hmmm. I wonder if number 2 was done by the same person.

[Drew Stephenson]

A pure guess. Bob Bickerton for track 14.

Yeah, I'm with you on that.

[Folderol]

Hmmm. track 10 BJG145 Yoshimi + external percussion. That bass is a dead ringer for Steel Bass.

...yup! Well spotted. Had fun working with Yoshimi on this.

I'm delighted with what you've done with it. Very inventive.

[Rich Hanson]

Looks like there might be a few surprises at 7pm tonight

[Martin Walker]

And hopefully a few red faces too

[BJG145]

OK then...

1) Bonkers Bollywood, lovely track. I think this might be by the same hand as (3).

2) Starts with a "fizzing fuse" sound that reminds me of a sound in (5), so I think that might have the same synth.

6) Some kind of ethnic jam on 23rd Century junk instruments. I like that faux lead guitar sound; I thought this might be a guitar synth, but I don’t think there’s one in the list. Maybe a guitarist behind it though. Random thought just struck me - blinddrew.

8) Makes me smile this one, nicely done. Google tells me the JD-Xi has a vocoder so I’ll say that.

11) Lovely jazzy lead sequencing.

12) Texturetastic. Pigments…? Uses a ribbon surely. Who’s got a Hydrasynth in this comp?

13) There’s some vocoder-esque sounds in this which make me wonder if it’s the same person/synth as (8). Some of the progressions make me think this must be a classical buff; bits of it reminded me of Dvorak or something.

14) Great track, no idea who/what.

(The rest - well done! No clue though...)

[RichardT]

My only guess (other than Will for track 4) is that 8 sounds a bit like other tunes Rich H has produced….

[Rich Hanson]

Titles and composers as follows:

1 - "Fiesta de azul" by fruitcake
2 - "Triptych for a Broken World" by Bob Bickerton
3 - "And U R?" by Dr Bing Klazeby
4 - "Retro Rock" by Folderol
5 - "Late Summer Blues" by Rich Hanson
6 - "Scandinavia" by blinddrew
7 - "Silver Fields" by Rich Hanson
8 - "Synthesis" by IAA
9 - "Nothing to Say" by adrian_k
10 - "Modulark" by BJG145
11 - "These Days" by RichardT
12 - "Theme for a Non-Existant Cop Show" by MarkOne
13 - "The Dark" by Folderol
14 - "Non Existence" by resistorman

This time tomorrow: the synths!

[Drew Stephenson]

Well one guess right is more than I usually get so I'm pleased with that.

[N i g e l]

previously when I said "winter" I of course meant "sequencer". Thats on the list

No12 : The imagery I got from that was ninja burglers creeping around doing their crime caper at night. Well done Mark

[Rich Hanson]

If it helps to narrow things down, the first and the last both use the same synth, also both of mine use the same synth.

[Folderol]

I rather expected folks would pick up on number 4 - it does rather stand out
However I'm very pleased nobody got me for 13.

Seeing the names for the rest just demonstrates I don't have a clue about other peoples preferred style - either that or lots of you were flying false flags!

[N i g e l]

I rather expected folks would pick up on number 4 - it does rather stand out

Its certainly one of the more "danceable" tracks in the collection.

[resistorman]

Sadly, I'm so at the edge of the grid I can barely get a text out, back Sat. Sorry to miss the fun!

[IAA]

I’ve really enjoyed listening to this, and my wife has too. There’s actually a real flow to the variety and some beautiful work. It shows that in a mix and with great ideas the analog vs digital/ hardware vs software is completely academic. If it works it works. Anyway here’s my guesses I take my hat off to whomever knew the spoken words in the vocal oscillator on the microfreak!

1 sub 37,
2 rocket
3sc55, piano sound and stabs
4jdx8
5minilogue, lovely build this.
6eimagine, lovely percussive elements
7minilogue, that’s a nice bass!
8 microfreak - correct!
9jdx8i, it’s the E piano made me go for this
10 yoshimi previously owned up!
11pigments that’s a wide palette of sounds! Nice work
12yoshimi. Mmm nice
13 106, there’s some lovely shimmers in this. V relaxing had this on after having blood taken at GPS and found it just the ticket!
14 sub 37 having a paraphonic moment ….possibly. I think I heard a lovely resonance filter drop, so hmm, Moog!

I know I’m miles off so just smile indulgently Rich!

And once again thanks for providing the Impetus for us!

Ian

[Rich Hanson]

You've got roughly half right I think (I haven't got the list in front of me right now).