VG-99 - Rush "Subdivisions" Oberheim impersonations

Started by arkieboy, August 28, 2017, 10:15:37 AM

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arkieboy

I continue to be seriously impressed by what you =can= do with the synth wave shapers in my VG.  I'd already gotten something pretty close to an Obie 'Jump' preset so I thought I could adapt this somewhat and went digging through my record collection for stuff with simple Obie sounds on it .... 


This demo is more about exploring the synth and the performance techniques than the patches themselves - and having fun on a public holiday - but they're attached and you're welcome to them if they are of use.


There are a couple of performance tricks that I learned when I got a GR700 and have remained something I always do with guitar synthesiser: one is dropping the octave of the 5th and 6th strings to get some octave spread in the sound (then choose your inversions ...); the other is to use a hold pedal to smooth out chord changes and make them sound more like they are being played with a keyboard.  I use both of these techniques on the Subdivisions patch: I have mapped momentary CTL3* (!!!!!! - you'll need to change it to CTL1/2 or plug in an external pedal) to the D-Beam hold, and used the release parameter to smooth out changes. 


A new tweak I've leaned is to use the detune and the 12 string switches on the 'alternative tuning' function for synth sounds.  All those extra oscillators!  I use the detune on the subdivisions patch to get some additional girth.


If you're good, you can tune the low E-string up a tone to F# and a bit of Travis picking will nail that dur-dur-dur ... dur-dur-dur while playing the main part.  I used to be able to do this but I'm seriously out of practice so I double tracked the Taurus bass pedals with the same patch.  Not a bad bass end, actually, but the phasing is a bit inconsistent for this song - perhaps if I halved the volume of the one COSM channel I might get a decent bass pedal sound ... hmmm :0)


You can get a serviceable choir out of an analog synth if you set a PWM sound to a low cutoff and highish resonance - its not going to fool anyone that you have a real choir sample, but having one in your OBXa rather than carting around a mellotron must have been pretty attractive in 1982 and you can hear Oberheim choirs all over Signals.  Again the VG99 obliges, I used slow gear to get a slower attack as the PWM synth doesn't have volume envelope controls.  I'll probably repost this patch tweaked in a few weeks as I get to grips with the PWM synth.


So having played Jam Origin's latest effort - seriously impressive - this isn't going to beat Midi Guitar 2 + MainStage + OP-X plug in + Taurus samples extracted from http://www.hollowsun.com/HS2/products/taurus/index.htm.  But again, in a mix it works brilliantly, and the techniques should be applicable to the GP10, saving you the purchase of a GR55 if you're covering 80s Rush songs.  If you're making your own music, the synth's subtle differences are an asset.


For the demo itself, drums were a MIDI sourced on the net, rendered with an Alan White kit from Kitcore with the humaniser turned to max.  Guitar was my Brian Moore through the stock VG99 chorus and MS1959 I+II emulation.  A bit of reverb glues the synth into the mix, and theres the 'rock' multiband compressor across the output.


Steve


*You will eventually trash your FC300 if you use it as a synth hold pedal, so I seriously suggest you get a FS-5u for this and tap tempo duties!  it's also much easier to use with it being closer to the ground than the two on your FC.
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

sixeight

That sounds really good. It reminds me of the old Bill Ruppert VG99 demos of Kraftwerk.

vanceg

Nice patch and great demo!  The VG-99 just keeps giving, and giving, and giving (and giving and giving and giving....I mean, SERIOUSLY..... what a friggin AWEsome piece of kit!)

arkieboy

Kids disappeared for the evening, so I adapted a sawtooth lead I've transferred from my GR700 to my Matrix 6 to my Supernova II and finally to the VG99 - turns out it wasn't a million miles away from the synth break.  Also I tweaked the original patch to give better bass pedals by adding a but of filter mod and turning the balance to 75% between the COSM A and COSM B channels to avoid zero-point crossing in the phasing (its why the Taurus worked).  Again, stuff that works great in a mix.  Patches included.


Compared favourably with something Bill Ruppert did?  I'm seriously flattered!
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

aliensporebomb

I dig this a lot - you came really close to the actual patch - they sound actually a little more modern and nice.

If anyone is looking for a similar sound for pads or 80s sounding synth stuff check out my ObieSaws and EchoSaws patches and study in the editor how they were built. 

Yep, the VG-99 is the box of crayons where you keep finding new crayons.



My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

HecticArt

Very nice!
I should try to translate it over to the GR-55.

admin

#6
Quote from: HecticArt on August 29, 2017, 09:47:42 AM
Very nice!
I should try to translate it over to the GR-55.

Might be tough , as the VG-99 has Far more resources for guitar modeling and more FX compared to GR-55

arkieboy

If you have the COSM Wave synth you should be able to get something similar, but you won't get it as thick sounding.  Perhaps you could layer the COSM with a true oscillator - sound would be a bit purer and you could cover up the tracking delay ...  ?
Main rig: Barden Hexacaster and Brian Moore i2.13 controllers
Boss SY1000/Boss GKC-AD/Boss GM-800/Laney LFR112

Other relevant gear: Line 6 Helix LT, Roland GR-33, Axon AX100 MkII
Oberheim Matrix 6R, Supernova IIR, EMu E5000, Apple Mainstage, Apple Logic, MOTU M4

Smash

You really have got that "thickness" of a real synth nailed - which was always the problem I had. Top marks!  :D