Michael Jackson Moog tracks

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amarsh
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Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 4:53 pm

Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by amarsh » Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:45 am

Hi all

I recently bought myself a Moog Minitaur, and very nice it is too! I've been listening to a fair bit of Michael Jackson recently, and I wondered how many of the tracks feature Moog? I'm pretty certein P.Y.T, Thriller, and Wanner be Startin Something feature moog bass, but I was wondering about some of the other tracks - Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal etc. Anyone know?

Thanks

Andrew

EMwhite
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by EMwhite » Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:17 am

The Feb. 2010 issue of Bass Player magazine (published after his death) highlights the "Bass Players of Michael Jackson" and goes into a bit about bass in general and touches upon Alex Al (the tour bass player) and how he used and programmed his minimoog to get THAT sound. It doesn't go into the settings that he used but it's fairly easy to get, especially on a Minitaur.

You can buy the back issue but luckily it's online here: http://www.bassplayer.com/article/men-i ... f-pop/4769

There is also a really really really really (really) good YouTube video of one of the members in this forum playing PYT on a Minimoog (the guy is super talented and serves the music and the song like he was the original musician on the track).

Otherwise, (this is no surprise) the Minitaur is really versitile so I'm sure you'll be able to dial in most anything you can think of or try to model. If you don't have "This Is It" (the Blueray or DVD behind the scenes look at the production of the show) you NEED to get it.

It starts with a few of the dancers being very very emotional about being selected to join the tour and walks through numerous rehearsals of many of the songs. One of my favorite non-musical parts was when Michael Jackson tells Alex Al that his Bass playing just wasn't cutting it, that it wasn't punchy enough and he couldn't feel it.
'76 Minimoog, Taurus 3, Oberheim FVS + Son of 2-voice; Sequential ProOne; Juno 106; Moog Model 15; Kurzweil 250; Hammond M3; and a handful of Fender Basses Flickr!

EMwhite
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by EMwhite » Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:22 am

Can't do YouTube from work, but I think this is the track: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... SnbydCDXtg

Worth reaching out to the chap, I'm sure he'll share with you the basics of the envelope, filt, OSC settings, etc.

Enjoy!
'76 Minimoog, Taurus 3, Oberheim FVS + Son of 2-voice; Sequential ProOne; Juno 106; Moog Model 15; Kurzweil 250; Hammond M3; and a handful of Fender Basses Flickr!

EricK
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by EricK » Thu Jul 19, 2012 11:02 am

I posted this awhile back, unfortunately the pictures no longer can be blown up:
http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/Mich ... d-Now/1668
It's a great article, and on the This Is It tour they had a matching Voyager/D for the bass section.
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goldphinga
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by goldphinga » Fri Jul 20, 2012 7:57 am

too much detuning and not enough snap on his vid..the original was two minimoogs synced together..
Moog Gear: Voyager AE,LP Stage 2+CV outs (Blue LED's/Wheels, MF104SD, MF101 Filter, MF103 Phaser, Source, Memorymoog+, Minitaur.

EMwhite
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by EMwhite » Fri Jul 20, 2012 8:38 am

Here's his original posting along with another track:

http://forum.moogmusic.com/viewtopic.ph ... pyt#p78081

I see the OP hasn't been around much since then but it's worth checking out his other videos that are posted. I'm a bass player and only wish I could play keyboard bass like this (but when I have my bass in my hands, I tell people I'm a keyboard player : )
'76 Minimoog, Taurus 3, Oberheim FVS + Son of 2-voice; Sequential ProOne; Juno 106; Moog Model 15; Kurzweil 250; Hammond M3; and a handful of Fender Basses Flickr!

amarsh
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by amarsh » Mon Jul 23, 2012 7:41 am

Hi guys, thanks for all your replies - very interesting.

I was transcribing the Moog bass line to P.Y.T and there is a short phrase I could do with some help on. It follows the "da da da da" section and leads back to the chorus. Its a little bluesey phrase which sounds very fluid (esp when compared to the rest of the bass part). Is/was this played using a pitch wheel? Its very reminiscent of the sort of lick Stevie Wonder used in Boogie on Reggae Woman. I'd appreciate any thoughts you have.

Thanks

JakeBrown
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by JakeBrown » Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:47 am

amarsh wrote:Hi guys, thanks for all your replies - very interesting.

I was transcribing the Moog bass line to P.Y.T and there is a short phrase I could do with some help on. It follows the "da da da da" section and leads back to the chorus. Its a little bluesey phrase which sounds very fluid (esp when compared to the rest of the bass part). Is/was this played using a pitch wheel? Its very reminiscent of the sort of lick Stevie Wonder used in Boogie on Reggae Woman. I'd appreciate any thoughts you have.

Thanks
I'm on tour with a MJ tribute at the moment playing bass & this is what i transcribed for the lick your talking about. I don't use a pitch wheel on my Little Phatty, i've got my glide rate set to about 11 o'clock and it seems to work for me. If you want my full transcription send me your email and i'll pass it on :)

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filtered
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by filtered » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:48 pm

I'm on tour with a MJ tribute at the moment playing bass & this is what i transcribed for the lick your talking about. I don't use a pitch wheel on my Little Phatty, i've got my glide rate set to about 11 o'clock and it seems to work for me. If you want my full transcription send me your email and i'll pass it on
how'd I miss this? awesome, especially that you're playing Moog on Moog-made basslines, not an actual bass like the tribute bands I've seen- bravo!

Flip
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Re: Michael Jackson Moog tracks

Post by Flip » Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:14 pm

Baby Be Mine also used a Moog for bass I think.

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