Vangelis docu, with Direct devices

[CS_TBL]

It contains time code, so it probably sneaked out of the editing, somewhere. You can't trust those editors anymore these days! ^^

Anyway, the usual Himalaya o' reverb, still I think I heard nothing I couldn't play with two hands and some good programming, and it has that dated JV1080 sound still But.. I guess interesting for all you hardware/machine/touch maniacs..

[Logan 5]

Fascinating,thanks very much for the link.

[CS_TBL]

Hey hey, new uploads. Same stuff, but better quality! What's fun is that those Direct devices are like those scrolling tubes from late 80's Yamaha organs, probably a complete setup of instruments (for all his keyboards) per position.

[madtheory]

Very cool to see this. I've read a lot about the Direct Devices, great to see them in action. Thank you!

[portland]

What are these Direct Devices?

[CS_TBL]

A patented custom-made (for Vangelis) follow-up of the Zyklus sequencer. Try google and you'll probably end up on the SOS forum where one the makers (a certain Marshall iirc) popped up to join a discussion about the Zyklus.

Which is the funny bit. As far as I know, this arpeggio/sequencer bit was one of the key aspects of the original Zyklus, yet in the last decade almost the only thing I hear Vangelis do is play heavily layered -and somewhat dull if you ask me- chords based on real time inspiration. Where's the arpeggio/sequencer magic from albums like Direct en The City?

[portland]

A patented custom-made (for Vangelis) follow-up of the Zyklus sequencer. Try google and you'll probably end up on the SOS forum where one the makers (a certain Marshall iirc) popped up to join a discussion about the Zyklus.

Which is the funny bit. As far as I know, this arpeggio/sequencer big was one of the key aspects of the original Zyklus, yet in the last decade almost the only thing I hear Vangelis do is play heavily layered -and somewhat dull if you ask me- chords based on real time inspiration. Where's the arpeggio/sequencer magic from albums like Direct en The City?

Yeah it looked from the video like all those Direct boxes were were MIDI patch selectors or something instead of amazing sequencers.

[Phollop Willing PA]

On a side note but related.



I love this song! Creepy as heck...

Aphrodite's Child.

Check out the keyboard player.

[ndkent]

Yes, a very interesting clip. You could glimpse those boxes before in the few rare videos and photos, but it's the closes look yet. What is clear is they are an easier way to recall multiple sounds on multiple synths. I can definitely see a point he's stated, hunting through menus is really something impossible to do while playing and beyond impossible when the synth is in a rack somewhere.

I agree that it's my understanding that his "Direct Box" from the 1980s was related to the Zyklus sequencer (you can see an actual Zyklus in the photo in his album "Direct" ). The boxes in the video and some more recent pictures are custom since no one has IDed them. No one has yet confirmed that he's still calling them "Direct" but what I think is established that they are not the same as what he was working with in the 80s.

I am a bit concerned he's mostly working with sampled orchestral sounds these days. The discussion reminded me he used to a lot more sequencing & arpeggiation. He adds some non-orchestral synth tones but it's mostly stock samples with some pieces transcribed for orchestra.