The Working Hour - What Synth?

[groselicain]

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I've spent weeks and weeks pulling my hair out listening to The Working Hour on Songs from the Big Chair. That free-time opening has got me so perplexed and I'd love to hear what people are thinking. It sounds like two parts, some I'll just focus on the part that I'm so enamored with—what sounds so evidently like a VCF controlled by velocity. I've never been in the room with a PPG or Fairlight, but I know the Jupiter didn't have velocity sensitivity, nor did the Prophet. I could be wrong, but I've never associated the CS-80 with Tears For Fears, and even that synth's touch response leads me to raise an eyebrow. I know they got a DX7 before that album, could it be that?

Am I crazy? Does anyone else hear this? More importantly, can anyone point me in the right direction? I'd be so appreciative. Thanks all.

[Z]

Sounds like DX7 to me.

According to this article, DX7 and Roland Super Jupiter were both used on the record and both have velocity.
http://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/20 ... -big-chair

[Robpm9995]

That whole album is just amazing. All of the songs sound so different, but somehow they all mesh together so well. The production in doesn't up there with some of the best stuff from the 80s.

[madtheory]

It's the Prophet T8, they definitely had one. Jupiter 8 does not have velocity.

There's a lot of layering of DX7 with the analogue stuff.

[groselicain]

It's the Prophet T8, they definitely had one. Jupiter 8 does not have velocity.

There's a lot of layering of DX7 with the analogue stuff.

A-ha, I never even considered the T8. Thanks so much.

[JMP]

That track and 'Listen' are the best on the album imo. The 'sound' you mention has always impressed me too... Ian Stanley's synth work on 'Listen' is fantastic.

I saw them live in 1985 with the synth rig you can see on the video below, giving you an idea of what they worked with. Not so many synth shots on this particular video but if you search out the others from that performance you get a good view of what is being used by both. There's an old thread on all this somewhere.....



Always fancied a T8 but not quite made it yet.

[Z]

I saw them live in 1985 with the synth rig you can see on the video below, giving you an idea of what they worked with. others from that performance you get a good view of what is being used by both. There's an old thread on all this somewhere.....

I can't tell what is below the PPG. That player also has a Jupiter 8. The other keyboardist has a Prophet 5 sitting atop a CP-70 with an Emulator II next to it.

[ppg_wavecomputer]

It's the Prophet T8, they definitely had one. Jupiter 8 does not have velocity.

There's a lot of layering of DX7 with the analogue stuff.

I would have thought TFF were using a Yamaha DX-1 back then.

Stephen

[Micke]

I saw them live in 1985 with the synth rig you can see on the video below, giving you an idea of what they worked with. others from that performance you get a good view of what is being used by both. There's an old thread on all this somewhere.....

I can't tell what is below the PPG. That player also has a Jupiter 8. The other keyboardist has a Prophet 5 sitting atop a CP-70 with an Emulator II next to it.

That's the Prophet T8, and below the Jup-8 is the DX-7.