Ableton Forum

Hello:
First, thanks in advance for any responses.

I'm trying to recreate as best I can the "chattering" kind of train type sound (don't know how else to describe it) Brian Eno got on David Bowie's Heroes. I know they used an EMS Synthi AKS and I know there's a Synthi AKS pack for Live and also an Arturia Synthi V but I have not purchased either of those yet.

I'm wondering if anyone that has the Live pack has tried to reproduce that sound and if they were successful?

If not, I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions how to get that sound using a different Live device or other software synth? I've got tons of software synths but I'm hesitant to purchase another one right now if I don't need to.

Have you read CLASSIC TRACKS: David Bowie 'Heroes'? Especialy the third paragraph of "Cracking the Combination". Viscont very much describes the basic recipe, even describing the effect as "chattering".

Soniccouture's Synthi AKS pack on the other hand is basically a sampled, not a modelled instrument, so I'd doubt you get so much control.

Just checking that you've seen this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03g18sx

If you have an iPad, iVCS3 is about the best Synthi emulation I’ve heard, and synths like that are much better controlled via a touch interface that lets you operate multiple controls at the same time. I consider the Arturia Synthi, like pretty much all Arturia’s synths, has a sort of “Arturia” audio quality to it.

As for plugins XILS 3 and 4 are good.

The Synthi’s not an easy synth to use though. Even getting a simple melody out of it can be hard work.

Arturia has also their version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeONFU3dmvw