KLANG - Oberheim Eight Voice
Release Trip Day #5
Doch auch dort
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Doch auch dort
As I went on to record the two precomposed multitrack pieces, it showed itself as a good mode of operation to use variations of the sounds I had to build for those pieces and record improvisations with them.
I didn’t plan this ahead, but it came naturally: Each time I had finished tuning and was satisfied with setting up a new sound for one of those pieces, it instantly inspired me to other things than the precomposed part and oftentimes I found myself improvising and recording a new piece before even laying down the intended track.
The sound for todays piece is inspired by Lyle Mays and it drove me to one of the most emotionally intense moments in my playing.
Lyle Mays, an extraordinary pianist, composer and synthesist – famous for his participation in the Pat Metheny Group – created the probably most recognizable Oberheim Four Voice (the “little” brother of the Eight Voice) sound ever. If you ever listened to the Pat Metheny Group, I bet you will instantly know what sound I mean when watching this clip.
Lyles flutey synth-lead sound has this lamenting element to it that makes it stand out.
Sitting in front of that synthesizer, I just couldn’t resist trying to rebuild this sound, if only for the purpose of “research” and personal pleasure. Because obviously it would be quite a bold usurpation to copy-cat Lyle’s lead sound and use it on an album.
But because everything you do on the Eight Voice is inspiring, this little side trip led to another sound. As a personal tribute to Lyle Mays, I injected the main element he used to give that lead sound its character into a soft pad sound I needed for one of the pieces. The “trick” behind that sound is that one of the two oscillators starts a little higher at the very beginning and then drops to the same pitch as the second one. This results in the sound starting off kind of “detuned” and then locking in within the fraction of a second. That effect gives it its wailing quality. So I dialed in a very subtle portion of that effect to my soft pad sound.
As always, playing around with that new sound before recording the intended part, inspired new ideas and in this case, that bespoke subtle wailing quality of it shifted my emotional state while listening to the chords that came.
Months before recording the album, a good friend of mine with whom I shared 20 years of musical journey, tragically lost his life.
Playing with that sound unexpectedly surfaced plenty of pictures and feelings associated with him.
I hit record and gave in to that, once again just watching my hands play and listening to the sound of the Oberheim transforming the emotions into music.
When I finished the rather subdued and introvert improvisation, I still felt driven and I knew it wasn’t finished. Without thinking, I switched the Eight Voice to the massive “unison mode”, which has all eight SEMs play together on the same note, and started recording an additional track.
Listening to the chords and melody while waiting for the intended spot, culminated the emotions and then, driven to tears already, I dropped in that massive bass that was urging to be put out – strong and indeclinable as the force of fate, yet holding a beauty in itself, inviting to surrender to what is. While playing this, another element urged to the surface. A contrasting rearing lead, expressing all the anger and frustration and grief.
Yet, even these screams hold a deep beauty in them. And the music – and the sound of the Oberheim – transformed all this dormant ache into a moment of inner piece and satisfaction.
I am full of gratitude for the existence of the power of music and art in this world, which is like a magic wand transforming everything around and inside you and if you surrender to it, it will pull you straight into the eternal moment of now, which is all that is.
“Doch auch dort” is a testimony of this.
8 thoughts on “EVS #5 – Doch auch dort”
A beautiful piece, and thanks for sharing the meaning behind it.
It has Lyle all over! Both in sounds and composition. I am really curious – how long does it take you to tune the beast 😉 Greetings from Holland, Jose
Inital tuning took about 10-15 minutes to get perfect. The occasional retuning during the sessions to keep it stable was done in less than a minute.
Thank you for this Doch auch dort ! touching a real emotion that makes travel !
Thanks for sharing this amazing piece of music and your thought while creating it. You can hear the emotions comming out and build up towards the end. Knowing your feelings st the time you creating it makes it even more special. Cant say it enough but im gratefull to be invited to this yourney with you and hearing all this great musicallity from you with the stories around you creating them!🙏🏻
Cheers bart
When I first heard this track, that powerful unison bass invoked frisson in my body; a tingling that starts in the head and works it’s way down. Knowing more about the piece and it’s emotional weight just amplifies that further. Thank you for sharing such a moving piece!
Goosebumps
Wow!! When I found out about your project I thought it would be a “cool thing to check out”. It’s been so much more, really touching in a new way every day.