Poking the Machine
It all started out with a drum pattern captured from the vintage Korg i3 synth and played by GarageBand on the Mac. From there I built it up with a percolating bass line, twinkling arpeggiator strikes and a catchy little melody you’ll be whistling all day long.
Yamahamburger
This tune is a spotlight on a vintage piece of gear in my TranSan studio, a piece which has been part of my setup for many, many years. The Yamaha TX81Z is a FM (Frequency Modulation) synthesizer from 1987 and can be heard in many songs of the era. “Yamahamburger” is a few layers of modern sound sprinkled with generous helpings of the presets LatelyBass, Sitar, HiStrings, NylonGuitar and BaadBreath.
When I Hear It Now
This tune started out with a bassline that resulted from an afternoon break from work. At first, it was a “wood bass” sound from my digital piano’s bank of extra sounds, but the lick it led to screamed for an 80’s synth bass.
The Seventh String
Ever rub your finger lightly along the rim of a glass? That musical tone becomes the basis of this tunes lead arpeggiator, a swirling loop of rising and falling tones sprinkled with light bells and supported by a perky bass. Special thanks to Greg for inspiring the key signature and title!
Swurlitzer Roundabout
A pulsing arpeggiator gives way to vintage 70s Wurlitzer piano wrapped in soft synth strings with sporadic synth-vox accents.