Favorite synth solos!!

[ClockWorkOrange]

DDY used the Oberheim for the Angry Young Man solo,,i've also got pretty damn close to nailing it with the Mini and the Voyager and even closer with a an OBX-A..
but it was the big white Oberheim that played that solo on the album.
I saw DDY using the huge dual keyboard Oberheim 8 Voice to play that song in 1978 OR 1979 on TV..

[Synthesist]

Speaking of the Oberheim OBX-A, what about the burning solo Prince performs on "Head" from the Dirty Mind album from 1980. First time I heard it I almost soiled me pants! It offers a perfect combination of synth sound effects manipulation and deft keyboard technique. A must hear for sure!!!

I also need to mention:

ELP - Lucky Man
Heart - Magic Man
Edgar Winter - Frankenstein
Mike Post - The Rockford Files (Theme)
Styx - Suite Madame Blue
Billy Preston - Space Race
Gary Wright - Dream Weaver
Foreigner - Feels Like The First Time
Elton John - Funeral For A Friend
Stevie Wonder - Living For The City
Manfred Mann's Earth Band - Blinded By The Light
John Carpenter - Assault On Precinct 13 (Theme)
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band On The Run
Head East - Never Been Any Reason
The Moody Blues - Departure (Ride My See-Saw)
Bee Gees - Jive Talkin'
Delia Derbyshire - Doctor Who (Theme)
The Who - Baba O'Riley
UK - Presto Vivace
Hot Butter - Popcorn
Steve Miller - Threshold (Jet Airliner)
Yes - Roundabout
Billy Thorpe - Children Of The Sun
Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
Pink Floyd - Welcome To The Machine

As songs with either synth solos or a synth as a featured instrument. These were the ones that most notably got me hooked for life.

-Joe Wright

[MoogMeister81]

Regarding "Baba O'Riley," the arpeggiated "synth" intro was not actually played on a synthesizer (the parent LP's liner notes stating the song was "reduced from a 9 minute ARP synthesizer demo by Pete"), but, according to Richard Rowley the intro was played on a 1968 model Lowrey Berkshire Deluxe TBO-1 electric organ.

Other Who songs with the use of the organ for the "arpeggiated synth" intro:

1. You Better You Bet (1981)
2. Eminence Front (1982)

Both of these intros were performed on a 1980 model Yamaha E-70 "household" electric organ.

[chromex]

This one has it all and is relatively obscure--blazing minmoog solos, unbelievaly expressive, haunting and beautiful polysynth work ( and what polysynths-- prophet 5, cs 80 and well, polymoog and a prominent Hammond organ) dynamite musicianship, group interplay and fiery and top notch performances on all instruments and vocals by the entire ensemble. Oh and the songs and other compositions are some of the best out there. Criminally ignored at the time (1979) it was reissued recently by one way so it should still be available. Most of you on this list, if you really liked the solos you listed would be blown away at a minimum by this. There are some stunned reader reviews on Amazon, presuming the reissue is still available. While Sancious has had a great career, notably as a Santana/ Clapton/Springsteen sideman, this release proved to me that he is a brilliant artist as well.
Jan Hammer's solos on the uptempo numbers in "Oh Yeah" are worth a mention here, but that one is less avaialbe.

[LWG]

While Sancious has had a great career, notably as a Santana/ Clapton/Springsteen sideman, this release proved to me that he is a brilliant artist as well.

Hello,

No doubt. I have four of his releases with his band Tone as well as a solo album of piano improv(The Bridge). The True Stories release is indeed a killer cd. The tracks Prelude #3, Interlude, Matter of Time are among my most listened to on that cd.
What looked like a CS-80 in his old setup is actually a Yamaha YC-45D organ, along with the B3 and all the other synths you've listed Poly, Mini, P5).

Decent info in "scrapbook" liinks here:

http://home.sprynet.com/~winds/sancious.html


Regards,


LWG

[chromex]

If memory serves, cs80 was listed on the lp inner sleeve of the vinyl release. That could have been a mistake. Terry Riley played a yc 45d, IIRC, and it is entirely possible that that sound is on True Stories. I thought there was a string pad in there that sounded like a cs80 but, who really knows.
But that was a long time ago, and memory may not serve.
He has a relatively new all piano self-release that is worthwhile as well. All the stuff you mentioned is great, of course.

[endocrine]

Beach Boys - Good Vibrations

the primary instrument in good vibrations is called an electro-theremin. It consists of a metal bar and a slider that moves along the bar. Naturally at one is the highest not and at the other is the lowest, and you slide around to get that faux theremin sound.

[THM]

Some that weren't mentioned yet (or I read over them) yet and are still classic songs for me:
(in no paricular order)

* Supertramp "A Fool's Overture" (I think Oberheim - not sure)
* Pink Floyd "Dogs" (the barking and howling dogs through the vocoder are very experimental/innovative for that time, and the string synth solo is at least very *eh* sinking in) - I have the complete Pink Floyd collection and still "Dogs" is my absolutely favourite Pink Floyd song / I know it's not their most wellknown song but nevertheless... imho much better than "Sheep" (which is still the most known song from their "Animals" album)
* Pink Floyd "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (parts 1 & 2): the several and all different synth solo's are great (most of them are Minimoog)

[bunnyman]

I guess the tune that made me go "What IS that???" was Autobahn (Kraftwerk, of course). This would've been the single edit (as heard on WTIX 690 AM in New Orleans). But at the time, the sound was all around: Dark Side of the Moon, Todd R's Wizard a True Star, Yes (Relayer was the one that caught me). I think some of the BEST synthesizer playing (and processing of other sounds) was on Todd Rundgren's "Todd" (the one where he's got 5 different dyes in his hair. When I was 11 (1974) it was the COOLEST THING EVER). I guess it doesn't hurt if you have Roger Powell advising you on synthesizer technique...

-andrew bunny

[KrateKraig]

One of the sweetest Minimoog solo's ever, as well as being one of the most beautiful "patches" ever created, is in the intro (and later in the song.) of the YES song "AND YOU AND I" from Close to the Edge... Anyone reproduce that sound on their MiniVoyager yet? I need that patch... I must have that patch...

[ebg31]

Hello again,

In response to this thread, I'll list my current favorites. Since there are so many, I don't know how long the post will be. And, some of them are afforementioned, and some have not.

Styx:
"Fooling Yourself" (No, this solo wasn't a Minimoog solo; it was an Oberheim 4-Voice, according to a live video from '79.) -- "Miss America," the live version from 1984's Caught in the Act -- "Crystal Ball" -- "Come Sail Away" -- "Suite Madame Blue"

ELP:
"Lucky Man" DUH!!!!! -- "Fanfare for the Common Man" -- "From the Beginning" -- "Abadon's Bollero"

Moody Blues:
"Menalcholly Man" (I think that was done on a Moog modular, rather than a Mellatron, or a Mini.) -- "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" (more like ensemble playing than soloing) -- "Your Wildest Dreams" -- "Gemini Dream" -- "Blue World" -- "Sitting at the Wheel"

Yes:
"Roundabout" -- "Cans & Brahms" -- all of "Close to the Edge" -- "Does It Really Happen" -- "Owner of a Lonely Heart" -- "Awaken"

Herbie Hancock:
all four tracks from "Headhunters"

Weird Al Yankovic:
"Dare to be Stupid" -- "Slime Creatures from Outer Space"

Stevie Winwood:
While You See a Chance" -- "Valerie" both versions) -- "The Finer Things"
***I think all three of these solos were played on a Minimoog.***

Prince & the Revolution:
"Baby, I'm a Star" -- "The Beautiful Ones" -- "When Doves Cry"

Paul McCartney:
"Band On the Run" -- "Jet" -- "Ebony And Ivory" -- "With a Little Luck"

Talking Heads:
"Burning Down the House"

Donna Summer:
"I Feel Love" -- "Our Love"

Paul Simon:
"Proof" (live at Central Park in '91)

Chicago:
"Devil's Suite" -- "Byblos" -- "Take Me Back to Chicago" -- "Hot Streets" -- "Show Me the Way"

Chick Corea:
"99 Flavours" (live in Jacksonville, '92) [I'm not properly educated as to most of Chick's stuff.]

Weather Report:
"Birdlayd" -- "A Remark You Made" -- "The Juggler"

Heart:
"Magic Man" -- "Heartless" -- Crazy On You"

The Who:
"Won't Get Fooled Again" -- "Baba O'Reilly" -- "You Better You Bet" -- "Who Are You?"

Foreigner:
"Feels Like the First Time" -- "Cold As Ice" -- "Urgent" -- "Waiting for a Girl Like You"

Pink Floyd:
"Run Like Hell" -- "Welcome to the Machine" -- "On the Run"

Phil Collins:
"Susudio" -- "In the Air Tonight" -- "Who Said I Would"

Jethro Tull:
"Aqualung" -- "Locomotive Breath" (both live versions from '82)

REO Speedwagon:
"Riding the Storm Out"

The Band:
"Chest Fever" -- "The Shape I'm In" -- "Stagefright" (all from The Last Waltz

Sergio Mendez:
"Never Gonna Let You Go"

See, I told you. Didn't know how long it'd be.

[sjm]

Not neccessarily the most technical but certainly some of the most musical Moog lead parts I can think of...

Air - outro to La Femme D'argent (from Moon Safari)

Air - Sexy Boy (from Moon Safari)

Fountains Of Wayne - Red Dragon Tattoo (from Utopia Parkway)

Kansas - Incommudro (from Song For America)

Magnum - The Battle (from Magnum II)

Manfredd Mann's Earthband - Starbird (from The Roaring Silence)

Marillion - Assassing (from Fugazi)

Marillion - Just For The Record (from Clutching At Straws)

Marillion - Garden Party (live version from Real To Reel)

Mike Post - Theme from The Rockford Files

Rush - Countdown (from Signals)

[MoogMeister81]

How about that quick "zooming" sound that almost silences the entire audio near the end of Pink Floyd's 1975 "Have a Cigar"?

--Ben Edge (aka MoogMeister81)

[Kevin Lightner]

Off the top of my head, here's a few favorites, but Moogs only...

1. The solo towards the end of Yes' Revealing Science of God from Tales from Topographic oceans.

2. Various synth solos by the band "Lake"
(Amazon.com: B000005NN6, etc)

3. Synth on Jeff Beck's Wired album by Jan Hammer

4. Wakeman's White Rock album

5. Grateful Dead "Alabama Getaway"

Various Beatles, Beach Boys, Wakeman/Yes, ELP, etc.

[MoogMeister81]

Have you ever listened to Elton John's 1972 hit "Rocket Man" and heard assistant keyboardist Dave Hentschel play a Minimoog?

This solo is heard during the line which Elton is singing: "And all this science I don't understand/It's just my job five days a week/A rocket man, a rocket man . . ."

If you haven't listened to it, please do so ASAP

--Benjamin E. (MoogMeister81)