Depeche mode - something to do

Lucien · Post by **Lucien** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:45 am

Hi,

I wonder if anyone knows how the metallic sound bass sequence is created in something to do? Sounds very computer like and seems easy to reproduce but not sure how to get that effect. Any ideas?

Here's the video, the sound kicks in at 19 seconds (high bass sequence).

Thanks
Lucien

Byrthfood · Post by **Byrthfood** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:38 am

It always sounded like a lo-fi emulator piano to me.

Lucien · Post by **Lucien** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:33 am

Byrthfood wrote:It always sounded like a lo-fi emulator piano to me.

I have to try that. What I also noticed if I take about any sample and make it very, very short I get a similar effect. So that's possibility as well.

purveyor2 · Post by **purveyor2** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:47 am

It's gotta be a ppg patch.
I remember rocking that tune with a ppg preset disk on an old prophet 2000, was eerily similar.

maindeglorie · Post by **maindeglorie** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:59 am

I actually think it's an Emulator sample of a PPG patch.

xpander · Post by **xpander** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 7:37 am

there exists a marvelous interview with Martin Gore regarding this album, it explains much of its mysteries. i will look for the link, its bookmarked on my old powerbook...

amni · Post by **amni** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 10:05 am

I know they were influenced by Einsterzende Neubautens sounds back then I guess its a metal sample with a piano sound /sample underneath

Lucien · Post by **Lucien** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:44 pm

xpander wrote:there exists a marvelous interview with Martin Gore regarding this album, it explains much of its mysteries. i will look for the link, its bookmarked on my old powerbook...

That would be great!

I also wonder if they used a DX7 or if that synth was released too late for that album. There are certainly some sounds that could have come from the DX7. I think most sounds I can imagine how you could reproduce nowadays but it's amazing how they were able to pull it off around that time.

Post by **madtheory** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 5:16 pm

They used layering a lot to get new sounds. They used the Synclavier, the Emulators, and the PPGs. So it could've been all 3! It sounds more Synclavier than DX7.

Micke · Post by **Micke** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:06 pm

madtheory wrote:They used layering a lot to get new sounds

They sure did, some examples of this are the bass riff and choir sound on "People Are People" from the same album; the first one is a combination of a a synth sound on the Synclavier II and a sampled acoustic guitar being plucked with a coin. The second one is a combination sound of different choir sounds on different synths; one sound from the Synclavier, one from the PPG Wave and one from the Emulator, all put slightly out of time with each other.

Post by **madtheory** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:11 pm

Micke wrote:"People Are People"

More info here:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb07/a ... s_0207.htm

Lucien · Post by **Lucien** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:22 pm

madtheory wrote:
Micke wrote:"People Are People"
More info here:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb07/a ... s_0207.htm

Thanks a lot! Great article. Certainly true pioneers in what they did.

minime123 · Post by **minime123** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 3:25 am

cool article!