What synth did kitaro use to create that sweeping sound ?

[Musicwerks]

Hi all,

Those familiar with kitaro's earlier music hear a sweeping sound in his older songs like Silk Road a
Especially during the beginning and fill-ins of the songs.

Any idea what synth he uses to create that sweeping sound?

Thanks

[Micke]

If you mean the bright lead sound it's a Mini-korg 700S. It was Kitaro's favorite synth alongside the Korg 800 DV and Minimoog, and he used it on a lot of albums.

[Musicwerks]

The sweeping sand storm sounding effect in the first 9 seconds of the video



Thanks

[Bitexion]

Oh that. It can be made on any synth with a noise waveform and lowpass filter. He used noise, set the filter resonance quite high and sweep the cutoff with a slow LFO, an envelope or by hand.

Just try with any synth you may have (even software). Noise, and sweep filter cutoff with various resonance settings until it sounds right. Probably some reverb too. It is the most basic synth sound.

[antilles]

Mabe you're refering to the Roland VP-330 choir sound? Kitaro used that alot on the early stuff.

[ppg_wavecomputer]

That modulated white noise (whoosh-whoosh) could be anything but my guess would be Mini Moog. There´s no VP-330 audible in the link mentioned above. But yeah, the VP-330 is one of his signature sounds -- Kitaro (and John Kerr) were the ones who turned me on to this instrument.

I thought you were referring to that trademark Kitaro lead with lots of portamento, that would have been either the Korg 700 or the Roland SH-2000.

Stephen

[Micke]

Kitaro had the following synths & keyboards in his "Home recording studio" around 1980-1981:

Roland JP4, VP-330, SH-3, SH-5
Korg 700s, 800 DV, PE-2000
Prophet-5 (rev 2)
Mellotron
Mini-Moog

I don't think he used a SH-2000 but I may be wrong about that.

[Musicwerks]

Hi guys,

I managed to replicate the woosh woosh sound on the Minikorg 700S. But it didn't sound exactly like the one in the recording. So back to the drawing board.

To date, I have managed to replicate the bright lead sound of Kitaro on the 700s...

[Bitexion]

The swooshy wind sound can really be created on any synth. It's just white noise w/ a resonant filter being swept up and down.

He probably used a reverb too, that's why you can't nail the exact sound. But why does it matter anyway..

[ppg_wavecomputer]

Kitaro had the following synths & keyboards in his "Home recording studio" around 1980-1981:

Roland JP4, VP-330, SH-3, SH-5
Korg 700s, 800 DV, PE-2000
Prophet-5 (rev 2)
Mellotron
Mini-Moog

I don't think he used a SH-2000 but I may be wrong about that.

There is a very characteristic flute-type of sound, with what sounds like aftertouch modulation, used through albums like Ki and Silk Road, and I´m sure it´s the SH-2000.

A PE-2000? Any clues or pointers? This is a sound which would stand out quite as much as the VP-330, and I think I would have spot it. I think there is a Yamaha CS-60 missing in the list as well (and possibly also a CS-40m).

The swooshy wind sound can really be created on any synth. It's just white noise w/ a resonant filter being swept up and down.

He probably used a reverb too, that's why you can't nail the exact sound. But why does it matter anyway..

Not to forget, Kitaro had a Mutron Biphase stereo phase shifter which works miracles on these sounds...

Stephen

[Sensory]

This guy makes a compact bi-phase clone here.

[ppg_wavecomputer]

As for the SH-2000, I remember a sleeve photo on the back of an album ("Silk Road 3"? Can´t remember as I sold the album a long time ago) where the characteristic profile of the SH can be seen on top of a Jupiter 4 (an oblong square with rounded edges).

Stephen

[Micke]

Kitaro had the following synths & keyboards in his "Home recording studio" around 1980-1981:

Roland JP4, VP-330, SH-3, SH-5
Korg 700s, 800 DV, PE-2000
Prophet-5 (rev 2)
Mellotron
Mini-Moog

I don't think he used a SH-2000 but I may be wrong about that.

There is a very characteristic flute-type of sound, with what sounds like aftertouch modulation, used through albums like Ki and Silk Road, and I´m sure it´s the SH-2000.

A PE-2000? Any clues or pointers? This is a sound which would stand out quite as much as the VP-330, and I think I would have spot it. I think there is a Yamaha CS-60 missing in the list as well (and possibly also a CS-40m).

Stephen

I'm not sure on what record(s) Kitaro may have used a PE-2000. The gearlist I posted above was printed on the sleeve of a rare EP
called "Portopia 81". The music was later released on CD under the titles "Suite Noah's Ark part 1 & 2" so you may want to check them
out. Here's an excerpt:

[Jabberwalky]

There is a very characteristic flute-type of sound, with what sounds like aftertouch modulation, used through albums like Ki and Silk Road, and I´m sure it´s the SH-2000.

Is there a track in particular with the sound? His love of the 700s spans his whole career! I'm not sure of the sound, but the 700s does have a really nice Delay Vibrato. It's got just the right ramp time, and it almost feels like you're bringing in aftertouch vibrato. This only affects VCO1, but can be used for great detuning.

[madtheory]

SH-2000 is an very interesting synth. I have one with two missing boards- anyone here have one breaking for spares?