80's synth sound

Brain

I am busy working on yet another parody song, this one based on 'Uptown Funk' (a current tune some might be familiar with), and I am trying to replicate a particular - and familiar - 80's synth sound. There is a section in this song where this referred-to synth stab hits on the fourth beat of the measures it's in... in particular, there is a fast modulation to the sound - once you hear it you'll know.

The question is: I am not proficient in sound synthesis and I have been trying to find this sound amongst the few go-to apps I carry around (Music Studio, ThumbJam) to no avail - can anyone recommend an iPhone AB-compatible app (which I probably have access to) that has this sound or can recreate it easily? Let me add that the music video shows a white fellow with long hair on stage playing these stabs on a fancy red keytar of some make.

RUncELL

The fancy red keytar is a Roland SH101.. A real genuine 80's synth and extremely rare in red. Not too sure which stabs you mean though, there are so many #<{}

enc

@RUncELL said:
The fancy red keytar is a Roland SH101.. A real genuine 80's synth and extremely rare in red. Not too sure which stabs you mean though, there are so many #<{}

aren't they just generic brass stabs ? ... (in reality) certainly not made on a SH101 !

Brain

To me it's definitely a synth, only because I've heard it used a thousand times in recordings since the 80's (and for all I know my Roland XP-50 could do it, but that beast is out to pasture). There is definitely brass in the song (wouldn't be the funk without it!) but I refer to the one-note fast-modulating synth stabs (chords) on the fourth beat of the measures they're used in).

I'll probably figure it out but the luster will dull on my enthusiasm if I have to go with something else - not to mention timeliness. I'm a bit of a perfectionist where I can be.

Will

Can you post a YouTube link with the time(s) where the sound you're talking about happens?

Brain

At :35, :39, :44 & :48.

excesseye

I think it's the synth stab in the section starting at 1:48, on the forth beat of each measure. Sounds a little Juno-ish to me.

Zetagy

Try mucking around with iPolySix. A few of the factory settings sound to be almost there

RUncELL

@enc

>

aren't they just generic brass stabs ? ... (in reality) certainly not made on a SH101 !

I know the synth stabs you mean now @Brain. Certainly not made using a 101 as it's a chord stab and the SH101 is monophonic (1 note at a time).

I have made a similar sound using Magellan.. Sorry to post myself up as an example.. Listen at 12/13 seconds.

PhilW

Sounds like a fairly generic synth brass sound with modulation (pitch mod / vibrato) turned up to me, although perhaps I am doing it a disservice.

Brain

@RUncELL said:

I know the synth stabs you mean now @Brain. Certainly not made using a 101 as it's a chord stab and the SH101 is monophonic (1 note at a time).

I have made a similar sound using Magellan.. Sorry to post myself up as an example.. Listen at 12/13 seconds.

That's way better than anything I've found so far, although I'm hearing something 'meatier' in the song that I'd bet can get done in Magellan. Any settings you can relay for what you have?

Brain

@Zetagy said:
Try mucking around with iPolySix. A few of the factory settings sound to be almost there

Not for iPhone, unfortunately.

enc

@RUncELL said:

@enc

>

aren't they just generic brass stabs ? ... (in reality) certainly not made on a SH101 !

I know the synth stabs you mean now @Brain. Certainly not made using a 101 as it's a chord stab and the SH101 is monophonic (1 note at a time).

I have made a similar sound using Magellan.. Sorry to post myself up as an example.. Listen at 12/13 seconds.

Funky !!

Will

Oh that sound. Right out of the Time's Jungle Love.