The Linndrum drum computer used by Tears For fears is now with Behringer.

[beyer160]

without sequencers and Linn drums, 80% of ZZ's fans never heard of the band

I bet that's a low estimate, too

That sound, at that time, got the gals shakin their hinders, and that, my friends, is the recipe to success in 1982. From ZZ Top to Prince to Madonna to Billy Idol

Wait... commercial success isn't a valid argument for the Beatles, but it is for awful '80s production? Square that circle and get back to us, OK?

My argument has always been (and remains) that commercial success and artistic merit (however it's measured) are completely unrelated. Compare Eliminator to Tres Hombres and see what I mean. Chuck Berry always said "My Ding-A-Ling" was his best song, because it was the one he made the most money on.

it was pretty great on all those prince songs.

Again, it's all subjective. For me though, I never got into Prince. I get that he was talented and all, but his music was so soaked in bad '80s production cliches that it turned me off. In my personal paradigm, those songs would have sounded a whole lot better with real drums. Your mileage may, and almost certainly will, vary.

 

[blowtorch]

commercial success isn't a valid argument for the Beatles

Correct (see "ok, boomer")

 

[blowtorch]

but it is for awful '80s production?

Pretty sure you mean awesome 80s production

 

[blowtorch]

I never got into Prince.

Completely unsurprising.

 

[Michael Poche]

I still love my III (which was a I then a II) still pretty awesome... I wonder if Roger has retired...

Here's an article he published just six months ago...

"Replacing Keyboards: Adventures Across the Fourths Dimension"
https://synthandsoftware.com/2019/09/replacing-keyboards-adventures-across-the-fourths-dimension/

 

[TheGoodTexan]

For me though, I never got into Prince. I get that he was talented and all, but his music was so soaked in bad '80s production cliches that it turned me off.

Something to consider. When Prince was doing his thing, he was by no means following a trend or production cliche. Prince was innovating. It was others who copied his production sounds and techniques, causing the cliche that you're correctly recognizing.

I'm not saying that you should "get into" Prince (neither then, nor now). But just recognize that he wasn't adding fuel to the 80s production fire. He started that fire. So just make sure that you're blaming him for the correct things.

 

[4pickupguy]

First song recorded with a Linn Drum using a prototype in a wooden box.

 

[getbent]

Here's an article he published just six months ago...

"Replacing Keyboards: Adventures Across the Fourths Dimension"
https://synthandsoftware.com/2019/09/replacing-keyboards-adventures-across-the-fourths-dimension/

dang... I kind of want one...

 

[EddieLocrian]

TFF:

 

[blowtorch]

was never a Tears for Fears fan.


their music always struck me as sort of Wings via Spandau Ballet

 

[cyclopean]

Wait... commercial success isn't a valid argument for the Beatles, but it is for awful '80s production? Square that circle and get back to us, OK?

My argument has always been (and remains) that commercial success and artistic merit (however it's measured) are completely unrelated. Compare Eliminator to Tres Hombres and see what I mean. Chuck Berry always said "My Ding-A-Ling" was his best song, because it was the one he made the most money on.



Again, it's all subjective. For me though, I never got into Prince. I get that he was talented and all, but his music was so soaked in bad '80s production cliches that it turned me off. In my personal paradigm, those songs would have sounded a whole lot better with real drums. Your mileage may, and almost certainly will, vary.

that bf-2 on the drum machine on when doves cry is subtle but really makes the song.

 

[cyclopean]

i don't know about you but i think the production on this is outstanding.



give the drum machine a close listen.

 

[cyclopean]

 

[mexicanyella]

Does anyone know what drum machine(s) we’re used on Steve Winwood’s “Back in the High Life” album?

As regards all the 80s sucked/80s were awesome mix critique...from my point of view the placement of the drum sounds matters more than the sounds themselves. A killer groove is a killer groove. A stiff-sounding player on a killer kit with perfect miking and mixing and processing sounds like a well-recorded stiff-sounding player.

I am no drum-programming whiz and have spent stupid amounts of time nudging and sliding drum machine sounds around in a multitrack mix window trying to capture “feel.” One might argue that I should have used that time to learn to play some damn drums. But those tiny little timing inconsistencies make a huge difference to my ear...even if you’re using them to slop up a mechanical-feeling mix of 808 sounds.

 

[cyclopean]

i bet there's a drum machine forum out there somewhere. i'd love to see an index of what was used on what.

i think it's great that both godflesh's streetcleaner and flood by they might be giants used the same drum machine. it's an alesis hr or sr 16.

i also love the snare drum on poison by bel biv devo.

80s production suits some things more than others. the smiths would sound weird with rolling stones production values and gated snares would sound weird on a black sabbath record.

i feel you on the imperfect drum machine. we use a drum machine, and we've layered intentionally sloppy hand percussion over it on our backing track before to put a little more air into a slower, sparser song.

 

[beyer160]

Correct (see "ok, boomer")

At least you admit that your arguments are not in any way guided by logic or reason.

Something to consider. When Prince was doing his thing, he was by no means following a trend or production cliche. Prince was innovating. It was others who copied his production sounds and techniques, causing the cliche that you're correctly recognizing.

I'm not saying that you should "get into" Prince (neither then, nor now). But just recognize that he wasn't adding fuel to the 80s production fire. He started that fire. So just make sure that you're blaming him for the correct things.

Mr. Nelson wasn't the first to use synthetic drums, synths or 70,000 tons of reverb, though- those were already pretty well established production components. I don't dispute that he was innovative and influential in his use of them (see When Doves Cry above), but the entire movement that started in the late '70s of replacing real instruments and musicians with synthetic ones just never appealed to me. Again though, it's just my preference- not a value judgment.

 

[blowtorch]

At least you admit that your arguments are not in any way guided by logic or reason.

 

[MarkieMark]

Yeah..... She'll be 60 one day too!

 

[blowtorch]

Yeah..... She'll be 60 one day too!

That is likely true

She'll never be a you-know-what though

 

[cdwillis]

At least you admit that your arguments are not in any way guided by logic or reason.



Mr. Nelson wasn't the first to use synthetic drums, synths or 70,000 tons of reverb, though- those were already pretty well established production components. I don't dispute that he was innovative and influential in his use of them (see When Doves Cry above), but the entire movement that started in the late '70s of replacing real instruments and musicians with synthetic ones just never appealed to me. Again though, it's just my preference- not a value judgment.

That's like saying Eddie Van Halen didn't revolutionize guitar because people before him had marshalls, vibrato units, flangers, big hair, or whatever. People take things and combine them into something fresh that start an entire niche. Prince created the Minneapolis sound.