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Topic: Foriegn Affair sound

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Tailgunner Offline

Group: Members
Posts: 7
Joined: April 2001

Posted: Dec. 15 2003, 20:46

I have always been facinated by the pitch bend sound in foreign affaire (they sound like bell to me with some kind of pitch bend)

I have been trying to recreate that sound for the sake of it for a while. Can't be exactly like it. I did something close to it using my Yamaha an1x and some other stuff. Anybody can help out with describing the sound.

1- Some synth bell
2- Apply a pitch bend to the bell
3- then.....????

Sir Mustapha Offline

Group: Musicians
Posts: 2802
Joined: April 2003

Posted: Dec. 16 2003, 04:54

It sounds like something coming off the Fairlight CMI. A Marimba-like sound, pitched up and down very, very quickly. He used the same effect on a section of Taurus II.

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Jammer

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Posts: 643
Joined: April 2000

Posted: Feb. 19 2004, 17:28

Not sure if your Yamaha an1x can do it, but on some synths there is a 'portemento' (or similar) setting. You can adjust for the speed in which a note pitch bends to the next one depressed. I think this is exactly the control you are after, and most likely the one that Mike's Fairlight CMI used

The patch sounds a bit like a 'music box' sound. You can get this on an ordinary GM bank, but your synth may vary what this sounds like.

Also, out of interest The Corrs used a similar effect on a track called 'Give it Up' on their recent album 'In Blue' (2000). Reminded me of Taurus II

Thea Cochrane Offline

Group: Musicians
Posts: 445
Joined: Nov. 1999

Posted: Mar. 03 2004, 14:10

It's the Fairlight Vibraphone with a mid portamento setting - most general MIDI synths will let you do something fairly similar. To get it exactly right you need to put a little delay/ echo on it as well so as the note swings to the correct pitch there is a short repeat of it.

3 replies since Dec. 15 2003, 20:46

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Mike Oldfield Forums » Tubular Talk » TubularTech » Foriegn Affair sound