{"id":575,"date":"2015-04-14T22:25:42","date_gmt":"2015-04-14T22:25:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jimalfredson.com\/?p=575"},"modified":"2015-04-14T23:31:13","modified_gmt":"2015-04-14T23:31:13","slug":"the-keyboards-of-theo-pt-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimalfredson.com\/?p=575","title":{"rendered":"The Keyboards of THEO pt. 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

THEO \u2018The Game Of Ouroboros\u2019<\/a> is my progressive rock release. I worked on the album for almost four years in between touring with the Janiva Magness band, playing numerous local gigs, tuning and repairing pianos, and releasing two other albums (organissimo\u2019s Dedicated<\/a> and Jim Alfredson\u2019s Dirty Fingers \u2013 A Tribute To Big John Patton<\/a>).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I wanted to not only bring the keyboards back to the forefront in rock music but also strike a balance between classic vintage sounds and more modern textures. In this multi-part series, I will describe the different keyboards and synthesizers, both hardware and software, that I used on the album.\u00a0<\/em>You can read Part 1\u00a0here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

MOOG MINIMOOG VOYAGER (Signature Edition)<\/strong><\/p>\n

It goes without saying that the original Minimoog is an iconic instrument and its legacy is well deserved. I always wanted a Minimoog but decided on the Voyager, Moog’s modern re-creation, due to the performance features including presets. As cool as the idea is in theory, I did not want to haul around two or more original Minimoogs just to have two different sounds available while playing live.<\/p>\n

I purchased my Signature Edition Voyager in the early spring of 2008. I bought it used from a fellow synthesizer enthusiast in St. Claire Shores, MI. When I walked into his modest brick home that sunny yet chilly March day, I\u00a0entered a living room filled with amazing analog synthesizers including an original Minimoog, two ARP 2600s, Korg PS series synths, a couple EMS VC3 synths, a Memorymoog, and more that I cannot even recall. To my surprise he had kids and a wife as well! He recorded everything onto 1″ tape and his music, which he graciously played for me, is\u00a0best described as Berlin-style ambient electronica (Tangerine Dream).<\/p>\n

\"My<\/a>

My rig for the making of the album “In Memorandom”<\/a> circa 2009. Moog Voyager on top of a Yamaha SY77 and SY99.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Voyager was my first analog synthesizer. I had grown up with digital synths including the venerable Yamaha DX7. I also\u00a0briefly\u00a0had an Ensoniq ESQ-1, a Casio CZ-1000 borrowed from a friend, and later my Yamaha SY77 which I still own and use. But I wanted a real analog for some time and the Voyager\u00a0was my ideal.<\/p>\n

I was also in the process of recording organissimo’s third album, Groovadelphia<\/a>, in my home studio. One particular track, If Not Now When?<\/a>, needed something. I kept hearing a simple sinusoidal lead line, like Stevie Wonder would’ve played on the TONTO synthesizer, weaving in and out. I made a sound on my Motif ES rack and it worked\u00a0fine enough but when I finally got the Voyager home\u00a0and\u00a0created the patch it sounded so much richer and fit in the mix so easily. I was hooked. I made up my mind that I would get a true analog polysynth (see The Keyboards of THEO Part I – The Alesis Andromeda<\/a>).<\/p>\n