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Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 22 2013, 18:46 Using the instruments list from http://tubular.net/instruments/ and the pages from http://tubular.net/discography/ I have created a chronological timeline of when Mike Oldfield used each of his synthesizers including electronic organs, guitar synths, sequencers and drum machines:- -1973 Tubular Bells Farfisa Professional Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ and Hammond L122 Organ. -1974 Hergest Ridge Farfisa Professional Duo Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ and Gemini Organ -1974 Orchestral Tubular Bells Apart from a fleeting Gibson SG Junior electric guitar no electronic instruments whatsoever! -1975 Ommadawn Farfisa Professional Duo Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ and Hammond L122 Organ.  ARP 2600 and ARP Solina String Ensemble analog synthesizers.  EMS Universal digital sequencer. -1978 Incantations Farfisa Professional Duo Organ.  ARP 2600, ARP Solina String Ensemble, Roland SH 2000, Moog Polymoog and Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 analog synthesizers.  EMS Universal digital sequencer. -1979 Platinum Farfisa Professional Duo Organ.  ARP Solina String Ensemble, Roland SH 2000, Moog Polymoog, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Yamaha CS 80 and Korg Sigma analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series I digital synthesizer.  EMS Universal digital sequencer.  Roland CompuRhythm CR 78 analog drum machine. -1980 QE2 ARP Solina String Ensemble, Roland SH 2000, Moog Polymoog, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Yamaha CS 80, Korg Sigma and Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series I? (or Series II?) digital synthesizer.  EMS Universal digital sequencer.  Roland CompuRhythm CR 78 and Pollard Syndrum analog drum machines.  Simmons Claptrap drum module. -1982 Five Miles Out ARP Solina String Ensemble, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus and Oberheim OB XA analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series I? (or Series II?) digital synthesizer.  EMS Universal digital sequencer.  Pollard Syndrum analog drum machine.  Simmons Claptrap drum module.  Simmons electronic drum kit.  Linn LM 1 digital drum machine. -1983 Crises Farfisa Professional Duo Organ.  ARP Solina String Ensemble, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus (synth strings only) and Oberheim OB XA analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series II digital synthesizer.  Oberheim DSX digital sequencer.  Simmons Claptrap drum module.  Simmons electronic drum kit.  Oberheim DMX digital drum machine.  Roland GR 300 guitar synthesis module controlled by Roland G 808 and Gibson Les Paul SG Junior electric guitars fitted with synth pickups.  Roland GR 33 B bass guitar synthesizer module controlled by a Roland G 88 bass guitar fitted with a synth pickup. -1984 Discovery Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus (synth strings only) and Oberheim OB XA analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series II digital synthesizer.  Oberheim DSX digital sequencer.  Oberheim DMX digital drum machine.  Roland GR 300 guitar synthesis module controlled by Roland G 808 and Gibson Les Paul SG Junior electric guitars fitted with synth pickups.  Roland GR 33 B bass guitar synthesizer module controlled by a Roland G 88 bass guitar fitted with a synth pickup. -1984 The Killing Fields Farfisa Professional Duo Organ (only for one very quiet, reflective and melancholic film only track in the scene where Sydney Schanberg is in despair after the rainstorm destroys Dith Pran's passport).  Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus (synth strings only) and Oberheim OB XA analog synthesizers.  Fairlight CMI Series II digital synthesizer.  Oberheim DSX digital sequencer.  Oberheim DMX digital drum machine. -1987 Islands Kurzweil K250, Yamaha DX 100, Yamaha DX 7, Roland D 50, Roland D 110, Roland D 550 and Fairlight CMI Series III digital synthesizers.  Roland MT 32 digital synthesizer module.  Roland GR 33 B bass guitar synthesizer module controlled by a Roland G 88 bass guitar fitted with a synth pickup. -1989 Earth Moving Yamaha DX 100, Roland D 50, Roland D 110, Roland D 550, Korg M1 and Fairlight CMI Series III digital synthesizers.  Roland MT 32 digital synthesizer module.  Atari STacy portable computer sequencer.  C-Lab Notator software sequencer. -1990 Amarok Farfisa Professional Duo Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ, Hammond L122 Organ and Vox Continental Organ.  ARP Solina String Ensemble and Roland VP 330 Vocoder Plus analog synthesizes (one-off return appearances!).  Roland D 50, Roland D 110, Roland D 550 and Korg M1 digital synthesizers.  Roland MT 32 digital synthesizer module.  Roland MKS-80 'Super Jupiter' and Roland MPG-80 editor analog synthesizer modules. -1991 Heaven's Open Hammond L122 Organ.  Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Korg M1, Fairlight CMI Series III and E-Mu Proteus digital synthesizers.  Atari STacy portable computer sequencer.  C-Lab Notator software sequencer.  Akai S-1100 sampler.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -1992 Tubular Bells II Farfisa Professional Duo Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ and Hammond L122 Organ.  Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Korg M1, Ensoniq SD-1, Kurzweil K2000, New England Digital Synclavier and E-Mu Proteus digital synthesizers.  Atari STacy portable computer sequencer.  C-Lab Notator software sequencer.  Akai S-1100 sampler.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a sunburst Fender Stratocaster electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -1994 The Songs Of Distant Earth Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Korg M1, Ensoniq SD-1, Kurzweil K2000, New England Digital Synclavier, E-Mu Proteus and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990 and Roland JV 1080 digital synthesizer modules.  Atari STacy portable computer sequencer.  C-Lab Notator software sequencer.  Akai S-1100 sampler.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a sunburst Fender Stratocaster electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -1996 Voyager Possible Lowrey Festival Organ on Dark Island?  Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Roland XP 50, Korg Trinity and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990 and Roland JV 1080 digital synthesizer modules.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a sunburst Fender Stratocaster electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup. -1998 Tubular Bells III Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Roland XP 50, Korg Trinity and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990 and Roland JV 1080 digital synthesizer modules.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a dark red Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -1999 Guitars Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a dark red Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -1999 The Millennium Bell Roland D 50, Roland D 550, Roland XP 50, Korg Trinity and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990 and Roland JV 2080 digital synthesizer modules.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module controlled by a dark red Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -2002 Tres Lunas Roland XP 50, Korg Trinity and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990 and Roland JV 2080 digital synthesizer modules.  Native Instruments' B4 (virtual Hammond B3 Organ) software synthesizer.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module and a Native Instruments' saxophone software synthesizer controlled by a dark red Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -2003 Tubular Bells 2003 Farfisa Professional Duo Organ, Lowrey Festival Organ and Hammond L122 Organ.  Roland XP 50, Korg Trinity and Clavia Nord Lead digital synthesizers.  Roland JD 990, Roland JV 880 and Roland JV 2080 digital synthesizer modules.  Emagic ESX24 (virtual strings, flutes and organs), Emagic ES1 (virtual bass), Emagic EVP88 (virtual Wurlitzer Electric Piano) and Native Instruments' PRO 53 (virtual Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and Hammond B3 Organ) software synthesizers.  Boss Dr Rhythm digital drum machine.  Akai S6000 Sample Library.  Roland VG8 guitar synthesizer module and some flute sounds from the Emagic ESX24 and some bass sounds from the Emagic ES1 software synthesizers controlled by a dark red Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 electric guitar fitted with a synth pickup.  Wal Custom bass guitar synthesizer. -2005 Light + Shade Roland XP 50 and Yamaha Tyros 1 digital synthesizers.  Logic 7, FL Studio, Glaresoft iDrum, Linplug Albino 2, Native Instruments Absynth 3, Native Instruments Altered States, Native Instruments FM7, Native Instruments Morphology, Native Instruments Reaktor, Native Instruments Sounds of Polynesia, Native Instruments Wired, REFX Vanguard, Spectrasonics Atmosphere, Spectrasonics Stylus RMX, Steinberg Groove Agent, Steinberg Hypersonic, Steinberg Kantos, Steinberg Slayer, Steinberg XPhrase, Virtual Vocalist Software Vocaloid and Virtual Vocalist Cantor software synthesizers. -2007 Music Of The Spheres For the first time since 1974 no electronic instruments in a Mike Oldfield album whatsoever! -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1767 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Dec. 23 2013, 05:10 Impressive! Just a couple of question at first glance: Where is the sequencer on Ommadawn? And where is the drum machine on Platinum? Or are you just listing gear that you know he used at the time? -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Covenant Group: Members Posts: 117 Joined: Jan. 2009 Posted: Dec. 23 2013, 05:16 Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 23 2013, 10:10) Impressive! Just a couple of question at first glance: Where is the sequencer on Ommadawn? And where is the drum machine on Platinum? Or are you just listing gear that you know he used at the time? Not that I know for certain but I would imagine a sequencer is used during the 'climax' section of part I of Ommadawn? Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1767 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Dec. 23 2013, 05:30 Quote (Covenant @ Dec. 23 2013, 05:16) Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 23 2013, 10:10) Impressive! Just a couple of question at first glance: Where is the sequencer on Ommadawn? And where is the drum machine on Platinum? Or are you just listing gear that you know he used at the time? Not that I know for certain but I would imagine a sequencer is used during the 'climax' section of part I of Ommadawn? Now that you mention it, that part propably wasn't hand played. There's a portamento on that synth sound that makes it sound very human. Or some sort of "doubling"? -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 23 2013, 19:56 Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 23 2013, 05:10) Impressive! Just a couple of question at first glance: Where is the sequencer on Ommadawn? And where is the drum machine on Platinum? Or are you just listing gear that you know he used at the time? Thanks and I'm sorry for the late reply.  In Ommadawn Mike used the EMS sequencer on the high pitched clarinet from the ARP 2600 synth which appears throughout most of the Part 1 finale. In Platinum I believe Mike used the Roland CR 78 drum machine for the drums in Into Wonderland and Platinum Part 2. -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

Priabonia Group: Members Posts: 270 Joined: July 2011 Posted: Dec. 24 2013, 14:21 Craig Interesting stuff... Do you know for sure it was the EMS sequencer on Ommadawn (and Incantatations) or are you inferring it from its presence on the Incantations tour? If the former I'd be intrigued to know how! -------------- https://www.youtube.com/user/PriaboniaMusic www.soundcloud.com/just-before-dawn Back to top

Priabonia Group: Members Posts: 270 Joined: July 2011 Posted: Dec. 24 2013, 14:26 Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 23 2013, 10:30) Now that you mention it, that part propably wasn't hand played. There's a portamento on that synth sound that makes it sound very human. Or some sort of "doubling"? I don't recall any portamento in the Ommadawn arpeggios? Will listen again, all I recall is a brief passage where it is harmonised in thirds? -------------- https://www.youtube.com/user/PriaboniaMusic www.soundcloud.com/just-before-dawn Back to top

Olivier Group: Super Admins Posts: 1868 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: Dec. 24 2013, 15:35 Thanks, Craig! Will add it to the /instruments/ section, or add a sort by instrument category/album. Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1767 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Dec. 24 2013, 15:35 Quote (Priabonia @ Dec. 24 2013, 14:26) Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 23 2013, 10:30) Now that you mention it, that part propably wasn't hand played. There's a portamento on that synth sound that makes it sound very human. Or some sort of "doubling"? I don't recall any portamento in the Ommadawn arpeggios? Will listen again, all I recall is a brief passage where it is harmonised in thirds? Sounds like a "glide" from the first low note to the next note at the start of each 6 note figure. Not sure about the technical term. On some synths it's called "glide", on some synths it's "portamento". -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

GusFogle Group: Members Posts: 199 Joined: July 2011 Posted: Dec. 24 2013, 17:26 That arpeggio is an 8-note figure. Just straight 16ths (or 32nd's depending on what tempo you transcribed the piece at). Maybe you're hearing a portamento because of the inversions of the chords being arpeggiated. For example, each arpeggio starts on the 3rd and the root note of each chord comes LAST. At one point a Dmaj7 chord is being outlined: (ascending) F# A C# D (descending) C# A F# (octave below) D. Back to top

Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 25 2013, 21:41 Quote (Priabonia @ Dec. 24 2013, 14:21) Craig Interesting stuff... Do you know for sure it was the EMS sequencer on Ommadawn (and Incantations) or are you inferring it from its presence on the Incantations tour? If the former I'd be intrigued to know how! I am sorry I don't know for sure so I just inferred from the Exposed footage that the EMS sequencer was used on the studio versions of Ommadawn and Incantations. -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1767 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Dec. 26 2013, 04:53 I've been listening CR-78 demos on youtube this morning and actually thr drums on Into Wonderland does sound like a CR-78! I always thought the drum sound was a bit strange and compressed. Possibly, the cymbals and hihats are "real"? In the case of Platinum part 2 I'm not so sure. Listening to the drum track, it sounds as if it's dubbed twice! It could be laid down with a drum machine first and then dubbed over by a live drummer. OR the other way around. Any thoughts on this? -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Priabonia Group: Members Posts: 270 Joined: July 2011 Posted: Dec. 26 2013, 17:27 Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 24 2013, 20:35) Sounds like a "glide" from the first low note to the next note at the start of each 6 note figure. I can't hear any gliding...I've slowed down to half and quarter speed and filtered it a little to enhance the arpeggio here: https://soundcloud.com/tubular-net-reference/ommadawn-quarter-speed https://soundcloud.com/tubular-net-reference/ommadawn-half-speed -------------- https://www.youtube.com/user/PriaboniaMusic www.soundcloud.com/just-before-dawn Back to top

Olivier Group: Super Admins Posts: 1868 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: Dec. 26 2013, 20:16 Updated the instruments page: http://tubular.net/instruments/?sort=synths Back to top

Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 27 2013, 03:33 Quote (Olivier @ Dec. 26 2013, 20:16) Updated the instruments page: http://tubular.net/instruments/?sort=synths Thanks Olivier.  I am also going to do a similar timeline of Mikes electric guitars and effects. -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

Olivier Group: Super Admins Posts: 1868 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: Dec. 27 2013, 03:44 The Wal bass is a MIDI one?? Back to top

Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 27 2013, 04:10 Quote (Olivier @ Dec. 27 2013, 03:44) The Wal bass is a MIDI one?? I am sorry about that.  I have just looked at the pictures of the Wal Bass again and I'm afraid I had mistaken those plastic covered pickups for synth pickups. -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Dec. 27 2013, 12:26 I think we have to be careful here - there's an important difference between Mike owning an instrument at the time and him actually using it on the album. I guess a really good example of that is the Dick Knight acoustic guitar. He owned it at the time of Tubular Bells, but there are no pictures of him with it at the Manor and there's a receipt for a hired Martin D35...all we can really reliably say is that he owned it at the time and that, though it might seem logical for him to have used it on the album, there's no real evidence that he did. Was there ever a Farfisa Professional 2? I know only of the Professional and the Professional Duo. Is there much evidence for him having used a Prophet V on Incantations? It was a very new synth at the time (I'm not sure of availability in the UK in early 1978) and I don't recall ever seeing a picture of one at Througham, so unless there's a really distinct sound that only a Prophet could make, I think we could be on shaky ground there. I think there's a reasonable case for it having been used on Platinum, the opening chords of Airborn do have that kind of sound, for example...but can we be sure? The EMS sequencer...there's certainly what seems to be a sequenced part on the 'lost' Ommadawn, so a sequencer (possibly, but not necessarily the EMS) was obviously something he was experimenting with at the time. As for the particular part of the completed album which is being discussed here...I'm going to have to do a bit more close listening. That wasn't what I thought it was, to be honest, but I'll check it over again and see what I think. I certainly see no evidence for him having used the Fairlight CMI before Five Miles Out - I think Mike's claim of having had one since 1979 (a claim he made a long time after 1979, it should be noted...) is probably not accurate. There's a claim on Wikipedia that the first commercial album to use the CMI was Kate Bush's 1980 album Never for Ever, but that's not attributed, so it's difficult to assess that claim. Certainly people who were involved with selling them in the UK never quote Mike among the earliest adopters of it...so I think we need to take that claim with a pinch of salt. It's not listed amongst the instruments on the sleeve of QE2 (you'd think if he was willing to list 'claptrap' he'd have been willing to list the Fairlight) and I can't say I hear it anywhere on that album either, so I'd say we really need to stick with saying it was first used on Five Miles Out (which there's a good amount of supporting evidence for) unless we've got some really good proof to the contrary. I'm not too convinced about the CS80 on Platinum either - the only album I've seen good evidence for it being on is QE2, and I think it was probably owned by David Hentschel. I'm not convinced about the CR78 on Platinum either. The drums on Part 2 are most definitely acoustic (take a listen to the Live Studio Session on the recent re-release) and my money's on Into Wonderland being acoustic as well - they're just recorded in a very dry acoustic, have been subjected to a fair bit of saturation then had all the lows sucked out of them...not a very pleasant drum sound if you ask me (and I know you didn't...), but an acoustic kit nonetheless! I think we'll have to do a bit more digging regarding the Korg Sigma as well - I assume you've got that in there because it's mentioned as a possibility in the discography. I remember finding mention of it in an article about the synth somewhere and thinking it was worth throwing in a mention, but certainly at that time, I don't think I'd seen any other evidence that he'd owned one. If there are pictures or anything that could at least tie it down to an era, that'll be great! To be honest, I'd be careful in trusting the discography too much - it's over 10 years old now, and it wasn't produced nearly as thoroughly as it probably should have been (but then at the time, I had no idea how much attention would get paid to it...). Over the years, I've ironed out some of the really glaring errors and it's hopefully accurate-ish now, but I think there's a bit of supposition in there still, which it would be nice to eliminate if possible. I've been attempting to make sure that the information in the instruments listing is a level above that - eventually, we'll construct new discography pages which feed off the same database, so the same information is shared by both. Back to top

Craig Evans Group: Members Posts: 256 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Dec. 27 2013, 15:41 Thank you for your thorough input and clearing things up Korgscrew.  I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions with the Platinum drums and the Fairlight and Korg Sigma being used early.  Even though I am likely wrong with this I mentioned the Prophet V being used on Incantations because I thought it was the most likely source of the synth horns at the end of Incantations Part 3 and the synth choir in the background of the rocking third section of Incantations Part 4. -------------- "It is good to be on Horseback" - Mike Oldfield "On Horseback" "(Insert "The Thunderstorm" here)" Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1767 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Dec. 28 2013, 18:11 Quote (Priabonia @ Dec. 26 2013, 17:27) Quote (larstangmark @ Dec. 24 2013, 20:35) Sounds like a "glide" from the first low note to the next note at the start of each 6 note figure. I can't hear any gliding...I've slowed down to half and quarter speed and filtered it a little to enhance the arpeggio here: https://soundcloud.com/tubular-net-reference/ommadawn-quarter-speed https://soundcloud.com/tubular-net-reference/ommadawn-half-speed You're right, listening to the clips I don't here any "gliss". It's difficult to explain what I'm listening to to. I heard the piece for the first time when I was 13 and I'm over-familiar with it! I listened again to the whole part where there proposed sequencer pattern is played, and there is some sort of irregularity to the way the notes are played Most noticable to the note at 15:21 (in the clip linked below) which has almost a vibrato/modulation to it. Some other single notes have it too, but not as much. That's what I'm refering to. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxX4DqlGzCY -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

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