Matt Johnson - A Tour of the 2023 Jamiroquai rig sounds

[resistorman]

He not only shows the components of his sounds, he puts it all in context with live concert footage. A solid and flexible live performance rig!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsDExjcXCnY

[sonics]

I like Matt's playing. Some great clav sounds. But that organ tone from the Montage suprised me. It is really, really awful.

An aside:
The live clips made me chuckle. I was reminded of this...!

[Arpangel]

I like Matt's playing. Some great clav sounds. But that organ tone from the Montage suprised me. It is really, really awful.

An aside:
The live clips made me chuckle. I was reminded of this...!

I like his playing too, when he plays on his own! The band stuff is awful for me personally, but he’s got to earn a living.
As for the Montage, it’s so overrated, and the deal breaker for me was that "throbbing" joystick thing, at least the MX61 hasn’t got "that"

[Guido3]

As for the Montage, it’s so overrated, and the deal breaker for me was that "throbbing" joystick thing, at least the MX61 hasn’t got "that"

You can turn off the ‘Throb’ in the settings.

[tea for two]

When Matt just went to the Rhodes aaaaah.
That's all that's required.
All that other faff with with layering Synths just sounded meh compared to the Rhodes.
All that combining Synths for live shows is what Alan Wilder used to do for DM concerts in the early 90s.

[MarkOne]

When Matt just went to the Rhodes aaaaah.
That's all that's required.
All that other faff with with layering Synths just sounded meh compared to the Rhodes.
All that combining Synths for live shows is what Alan Wilder used to do for DM concerts in the early 90s.

We’re just going to have to disagree. I do like Matt’s approach to synths, and his use of the Montage to recreate the sounds from the album.

[Hugh Robjohns]

It does highlight how you can get away with pretty rough stuff live that would never work on record...

[MarkOne]

As for the Montage, it’s so overrated, and the deal breaker for me was that "throbbing" joystick thing, at least the MX61 hasn’t got "that"

You can turn off the ‘Throb’ in the settings.

^^^ this.

Dismissing a keyboard for a blinky light seems a bit short sighted. Ok, if the Hammond sound is pants, fair enough, but a light you can turn off?

[Hugh Robjohns]

Dismissing a keyboard for a blinky light seems a bit short sighted.

You have read Arpangel's threads, haven't you?

[sonics]

It does highlight how you can get away with pretty rough stuff live that would never work on record...

For some members of the audience, perhaps. For example, I recall seeing Rick Wakeman failing to get a good Hammond sound out of various Korg keyboards many times!

This is one thing that has always puzzled me. Why is it that many (famous) players are content with bad sounds when they have the resources to have better? Surely there is some ignorance about the importance of the sound. I really would like to know.

[Eddy Deegan]

It does highlight how you can get away with pretty rough stuff live that would never work on record...

I agree but in doing so I'd add a little context which I'm sure most of us know already. In a studio environment the mix process can radically shape and polish raw sounds to fit wonderfully in a multitracked project. Zukan and The Elf have taught me much on that front (I've spent hours with Eddie at his gaff and The Elf mixed a collab track Ben Asaro & I did on one of the forum albums which was also educational for me). Matt's patches work well for the live performance and with some treatment in (or in his case equally likely out of!) the box should fit nicely into a crafted mix.

The converse is also true. Some solo sounds that are lovely to the ear need butchering such that they'd sound far from ideal on their own but work well in the mix. I suspect the butchering part is one of the harder skills to learn as a hobbyist/home recordist if my experiences are anything to go by!

When Matt just went to the Rhodes aaaaah.
That's all that's required.

I'll respectfully disagree. A Rhodes has a wonderful sound but it only does that sound (and variations of it). If you want Rhodes music, then it's all that's required and definitely stick with one but Jamiroquai obviously need more timbral variety for their material. A mate of mine has a Rhodes suitcase 73 and I love playing it but given the choice in a session with other players I prefer his Yamaha electric piano and would opt for a decent 90's-or-later rompler over either

Not to detract from a Rhodes though, they are beautiful instruments.

[muzines]

This is one thing that has always puzzled me. Why is it that many (famous) players are content with bad sounds when they have the resources to have better? Surely there is some ignorance about the importance of the sound. I really would like to know.

Yes, it's very strange. It's almost like the clearly very hi-fi and great sonic/listening environment of the average gig won't expose those sources for... oh, wait... I see it now.

And of course, we all have different ideas of what "bad sounds" means to us - clearly, they are working for him, and he's a good enough musician and player to work out his needs and how to accomplish them, I feel, even if others might do things differently.

[RichardT]

I must admit I wouldn't play keys for Jamiroquai for any amount of money!

[Arpangel]

As for the Montage, it’s so overrated, and the deal breaker for me was that "throbbing" joystick thing, at least the MX61 hasn’t got "that"

You can turn off the ‘Throb’ in the settings.

Yes, I found that out, but off should be the default.



There was a time in the 80’s when we were all freaking out at the new digital stuff "where are the knobs? where's the f*****g filter? and what are all these menu's?"
It’s got worse, they didn’t learn anything, things are even more complex, less user friendly, and come loaded with things that no one in their right mind would even use a fraction of.
I tried that new Akai workstation, switching it on was like watching a video, then it tried to look like an iPad or something, I thought the next Star Wars film was about to play, I needed the manual just to select a preset.

[IAA]

For example, I recall seeing Rick Wakeman failing to get a good Hammond sound out of various Korg keyboards many times!

He went through a Korg sponsorship period, not his finest period IMO sound wise, but he could play past that limitation.

I’m not a Jamiroquai fan, but Matt is a great musician and I often watch his channel on technique since it’s a style I’m not that comfortable with.

He did a great video on being a pro musician and that was packed with insights.

He seems a likable chap to boot!

Ian

[Arpangel]

I just don’t get any of this, I think Matt Johnson uses what he needs, he has a big collection of stuff, and the money and back up to do it.
Rick Wakeman well, if I were him, and had his money, I’d take a Rhodes, a Moog, and a C3 with me, plus all the other things he used to use on the early albums, why not, it’d be a great visual element too.
And as his music progressed (unfortunately ) his equipment needs changed, so more stuff.
I wouldn’t want to compromise, with lighter more versatile stuff that didn’t quite cut it, either do it, or don’t.
As for me, I can make my music with anything, it doesn’t matter, it’s not reliant on specific things, I’m pretty flexible, and can make massive musical sacrifices, you probably wouldn’t even notice, I have my preferences, but lately, my preference is to get the job done with as little as possible, and it’s surprising just how little I can get away with without it directly having a major impact on what I do.

[resistorman]

Snark on y'all, they've sold more than 26 million albums and their third album Travelling Without Moving (1996), received a Guinness World Record as the best-selling funk album in history AND Jay Kay sells a lot of hats

What I liked about Matt's setup is that's it's all new quality instruments he's playing live, he's smart enough to not haul around rickety antique gear or leaning on computers and recorded sequences.

[OneWorld]

"If you want to get ahead, get a hat" I never thought I'd see Chief Runabout with a pot belly. Get's us all in the end I guess, the middle age spread

[MarkOne]

I really rate Matt as a keyboard player, and I always love watching BTS/Rig rundowns etc.

Did you know he's now also JKs co-witer for much of the recent material?

And while we are on the subject of JK...

... How the hell does he manage to prance about stage in a Native American headdress and not get roasted in the press for cultural appropriation?

[tea for two]

When Matt just went to the Rhodes aaaaah.
That's all that's required.
All that other faff with with layering Synths just sounded meh compared to the Rhodes.
All that combining Synths for live shows is what Alan Wilder used to do for DM concerts in the early 90s.

We’re just going to have to disagree. I do like Matt’s approach to synths, and his use of the Montage to recreate the sounds from the album.

The sounds Matt puts together combining Synths is far better than sounds I've used on my music.
So my sounds are even more meh ! Lol.
Tbf I dig the sounds Matt put together on his Synths.
In a live show I know I would be listening out for them, inappropriately shouting out encouragement lol.

::

When Matt just went to the Rhodes aaaaah.
That's all that's required.

I'll respectfully disagree. A Rhodes has a wonderful sound but it only does that sound (and variations of it). If you want Rhodes music, then it's all that's required and definitely stick with one but Jamiroquai obviously need more timbral variety for their material. A mate of mine has a Rhodes suitcase 73 and I love playing it but given the choice in a session with other players I prefer his Yamaha electric piano and would opt for a decent 90's-or-later rompler over either

Not to detract from a Rhodes though, they are beautiful instruments.

Fantasy type sounds are my favourite from Synths.
I adore sound design on Synths that others have done.
Sound design is music on its own for me.
There's so many 90s Romplers, Synths with superb sound design.
Ease of fantasy style sound design on Hydrasynth Explorer is main reason it's one of the few hardware Synths of recent years I'm interest in + it's battery operated portable enuff for me.

[Arpangel]

Musicians like Matt Johnson are like bank clerks, decorators, brick layers, mechanics, they have a definite place in the universe, and I respect all of them.
But to me, bank clerks, waiters, session players, are doing a job within a well defined industry, to earn money, bottom line, and that’s absolutely fine, admirable, to be able to make money from something you love doing, maybe not waiters or bank clerks though, especially if I’m a customer.
But it’s an approach that comes from the exact opposite end of the musical universe to what I’m interested in, I think how can I make this music without relying on money as the driving force, it frees you up, you have nothing to loose therefore you can do absolutely anything you like.
What you’ve got to remember is that the public as a whole know f**k all about anything, it’s our job to say "look at this, what do you think? maybe you should go beyond what you listen to on Capital Dance.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Alternatively, who are you to tell anyone else what they should or shouldn't listen to and/or enjoy?

[Arpangel]

Alternatively, who are you to tell anyone else what they should or shouldn't listen to and/or enjoy?

Just by making music, all of us are doing that.