The Orb -little fluffy clouds-2nd instrument in -sound

[Fazza101]

Does anybody have any ideas on how I can get close to the sound of the second instrument in -after the opening voice sample and harmonica..
Its a sort of lilting 2 note per key -paned and filtered effect- analogue synth sound?- I think - please excuse my ignorance on this. But I'm hoping someone knows the sound.

My problem is that I have been trying to replicate using Operator and not having a synthesiser background is proving problematic in getting a quick understanding of FM synthesis..and trying to build this noise. I know that understanding FM synth is a big ol subject.

I'm limited in my studio-only synths I have are ableton live 8 set and a micro korg. But I am sure that I should be able to get closer than I am at present to the noise.

Is operator the tool to try to get this sound with?

Any tips on what I should be tweaking/ looking at.

All ideas and suggestions really welcome and thanks in advance,

Cheers - Ben

[oddstep]

do you mean the tb303 bass line or the sample from steve reich's guitar counterpoint. check out substractive synthesis and low pass filters with an env controlling the filters effects. should be able to do it on the microkorg. it'll be a saw or square wave.

[TenSquare]

If you talk about the filtered synth bassline, I remember that one day I had a Roland SH-101 in my hands and that I recreated The Orb track with it. It was incredibly similar to the original, you just have to play with the cut-off and resonance knobs to achieve it. I bet The Orb used a SH-101 for that very nice track (I'm a big fan ).
All the best.

[trevox]

My problem is that I have been trying to replicate using Operator and not having a synthesiser background is proving problematic in getting a quick understanding of FM synthesis..and trying to build this noise. I know that understanding FM synth is a big ol subject.

Wouldn't be FM synthesis. In operator, set all oscillators in parallel and turn off all but one. set the filter envelope (on a low pass filter) to a shortish decay with no sustain and modulate the cutoff frequency of the filter with an LFO. Turn the resonance up a good bit. Then add more oscillators and play around with that a bit and you should begin to get close. Note that you will not get it sounding exactly right as replicating analog synths is all but impossible. I find Arturia plugins get the closest out of the soft synths and you can model analog sounds pretty good on a Nord Modular.

[Fazza101]

do you mean the tb303 bass line or the sample from steve reich's guitar counterpoint. check out substractive synthesis and low pass filters with an env controlling the filters effects. should be able to do it on the microkorg. it'll be a saw or square wave.

Thanks oddstep. I think its the tb303 bass and I'll get on the microkorg and chase it that way to start.
Interesting- is the more lilting part (higher pitched)a guitar sample- it sounds very synthy to me - I love the sound so I'm very interested in how its been made. (PS - used to live in Plymouth - love it - seen some of your previous posts as well - is there a place I check out any of your music?)
Tensquare - thanks for your note- I'm starting to pay much more interest in synths now so thanks for informing me about SH101 in this case.
Trevox - thanks for your input - I'll use your approach with operator and also look at Arturia plugins

cheers all and I'm really impressed to get such informative and quick responses - good community here obviously. Seems like I'm in the right place.

[Kearley]

If you're talking about that pretty arpy part, it's actually a sample of Pat Metheny playing on Steven Reich's Electric Counterpoint.

[Fazza101]

If you're talking about that pretty arpy part, it's actually a sample of Pat Metheny playing on Steven Reich's Electric Counterpoint.

Cool Kearley - good to know.

[Anubis]

I dig that song too. But I have a tougher question. Where can I find a convincing sampler/synth of a blues-rock harmonica sound? I'm guessing that they sampled that from some classic rock era record (like Dear Mr. Fantasy).

[Kearley]

Is this in the Orb track?

[ollyb303]

TAL Bassline is a pretty decent SH101 emulator. And it's free!

[octopod]

This months Sound on Sound magazine Classic Tracks section is about Little Fluffy Clouds.

I dig that song too. But I have a tougher question. Where can I find a convincing sampler/synth of a blues-rock harmonica sound? I'm guessing that they sampled that from some classic rock era record (like Dear Mr. Fantasy).

This particular sample was from "The Man With The Harmonica" by Ennio Morricone for the Once Upon A Time In The West soundtrack according to the article.

[Palmer Eldritch]

Hi Fazza101

Here is a link to the original Track where the guitar sample is coming from (Electric Counterpoint part III. fast) - It starts at 3 min 23.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcBdUxL9eGs

And here is a link to a "Röyksopp" Remix/Remake where you can here the guitar used as a sample very clearly as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzK5_SA6x5Y


cheers, palmer

[Fazza101]

Hi Fazza101

Here is a link to the original Track where the guitar sample is coming from (Electric Counterpoint part III. fast) - It starts at 3 min 23.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcBdUxL9eGs

And here is a link to a "Röyksopp" Remix/Remake where you can here the guitar used as a sample very clearly as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzK5_SA6x5Y


cheers, palmer

Thanks all for the very helpful info.
All ia good for me and I've spent enough time working my microkorg and linking it to my pc to better understand the workings and programming of the synth - so that I ended up with a widgy noise that I could use filters on to give me a stle of the tb 303 bassline in little fluffy... its all been good learning and very much enabled and speeded through your replies.
Thanks for the above links as well,
Regards,
Ben