What synth is used in the gold HQ scene in Blade Runner?

[ppg_wavecomputer]

[...] It sounds like it is clearly a monophonic synth. [...]

Does it?

I would have thought you can play a CS80 monophonically quite as well. Just because it's eight-voice polyphonic doesn't mean you have to make use of all of them all the time.

Stephen

[ItsMeOnly]

It sounds like it is clearly a monophonic synth. In fact, because of that recording, I always assumed the CS80 had a mono or unison mode.

They sort of do, and it's switchable with sustain switch. Basically it makes envelope retrigger on a single voice instead of releasing the voice and switch to next available on another note played.

[raycastile]

[...] It sounds like it is clearly a monophonic synth. [...]

Does it?

I would have thought you can play a CS80 monophonically quite as well. Just because it's eight-voice polyphonic doesn't mean you have to make use of all of them all the time.

Stephen

I think it does, because you can hear the notes cutting each other off. In the entire piece, is there one moment where you hear two notes overlapping, even for a split second? Even though it's a slow piece, he plays some pretty fast phrases, lots of notes in quick succession, and you can hear the clickety sound of each new note cutting off the last one, as you would expect on a mono synth. I hear the same thing on some of his harmonica sounds on other albums.

[raycastile]

It sounds like it is clearly a monophonic synth. In fact, because of that recording, I always assumed the CS80 had a mono or unison mode.

They sort of do, and it's switchable with sustain switch. Basically it makes envelope retrigger on a single voice instead of releasing the voice and switch to next available on another note played.

That's interesting. Does the sustain on a CS60 work in a similar way? I'm curious to see a video that illustrates this, if there is a good example online.

[raycastile]

I now have a Yamaha CS-60 and I can hear firsthand the effect of the two sustain modes. Yes, you can make it sound almost like a monophonic synth. It's a nifty feature.

[ItsMeOnly]

I now have a Yamaha CS-60 and I can hear firsthand the effect of the two sustain modes. Yes, you can make it sound almost like a monophonic synth. It's a nifty feature.

Told ya!

[OEZ]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here, found this site due to my research in trying to recreate that CS-80 Blade Runner "sound". I hope you don't mind me resurrecting this thread.....
When I came across knolan's comments regarding the possible use of a CS-40M on Blade Runner Blues, I started nodding my head in agreement. To further add fuel to the fire of it being a CS-40M on BRB, the highest note played on that piece is a high "C" (the highest note on a 40M keyboard) and the lowest note played is a low G# (three octaves plus four more notes lower). All of the notes played on Blade Runner Blues fit within the limitations of the CS-40M keyboard! This plus the "monophonic" sound has me really leaning towards the idea of it being a CS-40M on the recording.
Has anyone out there with a 40M achieved a sound that is close, if not really accurate, to the lead sound on Blade Runner Blues? If so, please let me know. I've been trying to get close using my old Alesis Andromeda A6 but having no real luck. Thank you.

[Mooger5]

On rapid passages some notes sound louder than the previous, in a way not possible with a swell pedal, I think. Sounds like a touch-sensitive keyboard was used...

[philip]

Well, you can definitely do that on a cs70, and the cs40 is somewhere near, pretty sure it is possible

[Bitexion]

Hello everyone,
I'm new here, found this site due to my research in trying to recreate that CS-80 Blade Runner "sound". I hope you don't mind me resurrecting this thread.....
When I came across knolan's comments regarding the possible use of a CS-40M on Blade Runner Blues, I started nodding my head in agreement. To further add fuel to the fire of it being a CS-40M on BRB, the highest note played on that piece is a high "C" (the highest note on a 40M keyboard) and the lowest note played is a low G# (three octaves plus four more notes lower). All of the notes played on Blade Runner Blues fit within the limitations of the CS-40M keyboard! This plus the "monophonic" sound has me really leaning towards the idea of it being a CS-40M on the recording.
Has anyone out there with a 40M achieved a sound that is close, if not really accurate, to the lead sound on Blade Runner Blues? If so, please let me know. I've been trying to get close using my old Alesis Andromeda A6 but having no real luck. Thank you.

I got pretty good with the intro sound bit at least on the Andromeda. I'm sure it can be tweaked to sound more like the BRB sound too. It's all in the envelopes. Reverb is internal effect.

https://soundcloud.com/bytex666/a6-cs80

[raycastile]

Here I am channeling that BR Blues sound on a Yamaha CS-60. If you can do this on a 60, of course you can do it on an 80.

[knolan]

Lovely playing.

Indeed, while I suggested the CS40M because of the mono sustain nature of the solo line, of course the CS80 has that excellent Sustain II mode where only the last note carries the sustain, allowing for monophonic synth like solos to be played, as done so masterfully by Vangelis in Bladerunner Blues. I'll still suggest that since the CS40M was used by Vangelis at that time, and given some of the very modulation-wheel sounding vibrato - there's still a possibility that it was the CS40m. He certainly was using it for soloing on numerous other albums at that time, and certainly OEZ makes an interesting observation too.

Well done on all your lovely music on your CS60 - it sounds fabulous.

Best regards,
Kevin.

[Mooger5]

Never owned / never played none. By listening, it´s not just the timbre but also the dynamics that tell it´s a CS-80.

[Bitexion]

Vangelis never played static patches on his CS-80s, he used all expression features like volume pedal, filter cutoff pedal, full aftertouch, he really plays with his whole self not just the static patches. That's why it's so difficult to mimic his sounds on another keyboard. You have to PLAY like him not just make the same patch sound. The swelling of the sound is more often a volume pedal rather than a static envelope.

I believe he said that his fave synthesizer of all time is the CS-80 because it allows you to lean into it and play with your whole body not just fingers.

[Mooger5]

Vangelis never played static patches on his CS-80s, he used all expression features like volume pedal, filter cutoff pedal, full aftertouch, he really plays with his whole self not just the static patches. That's why it's so difficult to mimic his sounds on another keyboard. You have to PLAY like him not just make the same patch sound. The swelling of the sound is more often a volume pedal rather than a static envelope.

Right ON