how to achieve this detroit techno sound

[colmon]

as used in countless classic tracks by the likes of jeff mills, robert hood, claude young et al

my favourite example is from this man made track from 1995:



the filter is being modulated rhythmically but in a way i just can't work out. via velocity maybe?

and any idea whether this sound has an official name? it's pretty widespread in 90s techno

[StepLogik]

sounds like a mod wheel midi CC was recorded into a sequencer and the modulation pattern was looped. the synth making the sound had the mod wheel mapped to filer cutoff. in addition, there is some additional tweaking going on with the cutoff to offset the modulation pattern.

my best guess

[colmon]

thank you, that makes perfect sense. i'm guessing my mpc500 won't let me record and loop midi cc's. what sequencers back in the day would let you do this?

[colmon]

just did this in logic, sounds great! yet more electronic music cliches for me to rip off

[StepLogik]

just about all of the old hardware sequencers would record midi CC's as well as notes. same for early software ones as well such as Cubase.

[detomasso]

you can hear the same step sequenced filtering here:
http://www.chordplazarecords.com

click on track 3 on the player.

[elmacaco]

MPC500 should record CC's, also can generate them with the Q link slider, that might just be on JJ OS.

[Computer Controlled]

I used to have this record. I might still, actually. It always sounded to me like an Alpha Juno or a Juno-106 with some LFO modulation. That's it. I know i could nail it on the 106 i used to have.

[pizzamon]

Most of those guys at that time where using prophets. I've chilled with quite a few of those guys in the mid nineties (including advent).

[Computer Controlled]

Robert Hood's trick was to use the aJuno with the Chord Hold function on being sequenced via the 909.

[colmon]

indeed the mpc 500 does record mod wheel cc's! just doesn't say so in the manual

[shaft9000]

There's not many places online that you can stumble upon a good ole' techno track like 'Space Wreck' and a discussion/dissection of the synth parts.

Hooray VSE - there's life in ye yet!

[colmon]

how about the "lead" sound in this classic robert hood track?



some sort of chorus/delay modulation? fm?

think i'm gonna keep this as the all purpose vse detroit techno thread if that's ok with ya'll

[colmon]

man rob hood's sound design on internal empire is just amazing, and still sounds remarkably fresh

[cartesia]

MPC500 should record CC's, also can generate them with the Q link slider, that might just be on JJ OS.

theres a JJ OS for the 500 now? sweet.. might have to get one again