Bass sound in Imagination's Just An Illusion

[ColdTrinity]

What it could be? I love it so much.

[portland]

Oh yeah, I was thinking about this a lot in September. There's a similar bassline with more slides in 'Music and Lights'.
The actual bass sound itself is pretty standard, but it's the technique or sequencing that's really making it.
My guess is that they are turning the portamento on and off in conjunction with some really tight playing.

[JMP]

This came up once before and was stated to be a Minimoog.

[iProg]

This came up once before and was stated to be a Minimoog.

Definately a Moog. Could be a Source too, but probably a Mini.

[ColdTrinity]

excellent. thanks guys!

[LWG]

Hello,

Some years ago, lead vocalist, Leee John listed the keys they used on those tracks as Minimoog, Prophet 5, and Oberheim. He also rmembered that they were recorded through a Harrison mixing desk, which in his words made
all the difference with analog synthesizers.
A few more of their classics:

Imagination - "Lookin @ Midnight" 1983 (instrumental) Stacatto chords are a P5 signature sound.




Imagination - "Lookin @ Midnight" (lp version)




Imagination - "Shoo Be Doo Da Dabba Doobee"




In the period of 78-83, dance/r&b/funk groups were able to record full-sounding, tight arrangements like these using only two or three pieces of gear at most.



Regards,


-L

[LWG]

Oh yeah, I was thinking about this a lot in September. There's a similar bassline with more slides in 'Music and Lights'.
The actual bass sound itself is pretty standard, but it's the technique or sequencing that's really making it.
My guess is that they are turning the portamento on and off in conjunction with some really tight playing.

Hello,

Correct. Its the technique. During the mid-seventies Stevie Wonder recordings, it took three people to do this (portamento/slides, etc.) with TONTO. Bernie did it all all on the Mini D.
It should be noted that r&b/funk/dance/disco (specifically recorded in the U.S.) rarely used sequencing.
Its almost an unwritten rule.
A major part of the art of the genre is to keep the feel of the music organic by playing the parts by hand.
This goes back to early 70's jazz-funk (Herbie Hancock, G. Duke, etc.), r&b (Stevie Wonder and Bernie Worrell)
and has long since become a style of synthesizer bass playing.
Sequencing was actually more popular with Eurodisco, electro, techno, etc.

Note: British r&b/funk/dance/disco bands such as Imagination also rarely (if ever) used sequencing.
They played/recorded on a model that was closer to how things were done in the U.S.
Another such British artist of that time was vocalist, Junior Giscomb. His 82 release was a classic.
Keys were played by Bob Carter.

Junior - "Is This Love" 1982





Junior - "Too Late" 1982





Junior - "Mama Used To Say" 1982




Regards,


-L