MARIUS LEICHT | KLANG - Oberheim Eight Voice
KLANG
With KLANG – Oberheim Eight Voice, Marius Leicht begins a series of albums that will evolve into a steadily growing “audible instrument museum.” Each of these albums is dedicated to a single synthesizer and recorded exclusively with that one instrument.
After years of expressing his love for historic analog synthesizers and electromechanical keyboard instruments as a studio and live musician for various bands, Leicht initiated the Klangteppich series on his Youtube channel in 2015, presenting individual synthesizers with improvisations and spontaneous compositions on his living room carpet at home.
The KLANG album series deepens this principle and elevates it to a new artistic level. The deliberate restriction to a single instrument for an entire album not only fuels creativity but primarily represents an effort to bring out the sound character and musical personality of each instrument, illuminating it from different perspectives.
What sonic vision did legendary pioneers of synthesizer design like Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, or Alan R. Pearlman have when crafting these instruments? What musical feelings and ideas are inspired by the physical presence of one of the last instruments preserved in original condition from that early era in a musician? And what emotions, in turn, does the result of such a musical journey evoke in the listener, with their personal influences and expectations?
The KLANG series aims to provide fertile ground for these and similar questions with compositions, crafted specifically for each synthesizer’s unique qualities, with some recorded through layering. Additionally, each album features several free improvisations, spontaneously inspired by the presence of the instrument itself.
Oberheim Eight Voice
The Oberheim Eight Voice is, in its construction, a truly unique instrument. While nearly all early synthesizers, such as the legendary Minimoog, were monophonic—meaning they could only play one note at a time, like a trumpet—Tom Oberheim ventured into polyphony in the mid-1970s. This was achieved through a simple yet lavish idea: Oberheim combined up to eight of his previously developed Synthesizer Expander Modules (SEM) into a polyphonic powerhouse.
Each one of the up to eight simultaneously playable notes is generated by a separate, fully featured monophonic synthesizer. This setup requires a tremendous amount of work to handle: just getting all the 16 oscillators in tune can take several minutes, and given that this analog device responds to temperature changes much like an acoustic instrument, frequent retuning and adjustments are necessary throughout a recording session.
Every tonal nuance that needs changing must be applied to all eight modules. However, simply aligning the individual controls of each synthesizer isn’t enough, as each module responds differently and has a unique tonal quality—almost like individual singers in a choir who aim for a unified sound but still retain their distinct voices.
For users accustomed to modern synthesizers, this might sound like a nightmare, but it’s precisely what gives the Oberheim Eight Voice its inimitable sound. The struggle to make all the modules sound the same will ultimately fail, resulting in an almost uniform sound, but with each voice still maintaining its unique character. This is the magic of the Oberheim Eight Voice.
This special synthesizer doesn’t lend itself to virtuoso flights of fancy; rather, it invites a spacious, ethereal style that allows the sound room to expand and evolve. It’s an interplay of playing and listening, diving into the interwoven voices that create a unique sonic tapestry.
Due to the immense production effort and resulting high costs, very few Oberheim Eight Voice synthesizers were ever manufactured, and the concept quickly became obsolete. With the development of new integrated circuits, polyphonic synthesizers became much easier to produce and use. Instruments like the Prophet 5 or Oberheim’s own OB-X replaced the Eight Voice as the go-to polyphonic synthesizers.
As a result, very few units were ever made, and today, nearly half a century later, only a handful are likely to remain in playable condition worldwide. The Oberheim Eight Voice used for this album once belonged to jazz legend Chick Corea and is now in the hands of Dave Spiers, a collector and renowned expert in synthesizer history.
At Spiers’ personal invitation, Marius Leicht traveled to England and spent several days in Spiers’ secret location synthesizer studio which holds a remarkable collection of synthesizer gems.
The album, like its predecessor Weltmaschine, was mixed with Grammy Award winner Antonio Pulli at Nils Frahm’s studio at Funkhaus, Berlin.
It will be released November 11, 2024, accompanied by an 8-day email trip packed with stories, behind the scenes videos and lots of surprises. Interested people can sign up here: https://www.mariusleicht.com/oberheim
Marius Leicht
Marius Leicht, based in Plauen, Germany, studied and taught piano at the Carl Maria von Weber University of Music in Dresden.
Early on his musical path, he developed a passion for vintage analog synthesizers and electromechanical keyboards such as the Rhodes Piano and the Hammond Organ.
His collection, which has grown over the years into a “living instrument museum,” forms the core of the Weltklang Recording Studio, where he records not only for his solo projects but also composes and produces music with his rock band, Polis.
Additionally, Weltklang regularly hosts video sessions with the Martin Miller Session Band, known for unique interpretations of rock classics. These videos, featuring international guests like Andy Timmons, Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big), and Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy), entertain millions of viewers on YouTube.
