Here's the secret to that synth solo: The synth was patched such that holding down one note on the keyboard produced a fourth interval trill at the speed of 3 tuples per beat (i.e. holding down the G key for a duration of 1 beat would produce a trill of DGDGDG). No arpeggiator or sequencer was used.firstlovedan wrote:Can anyone help me out with the arppegiated lead settings on Edgar Winter's 'Frankenstein'? I need to emulate that lead right after the drum solo. This one is kicking my butt! Thanks for any input.
Firstlovedan
I just bought my Kronos this week (and consequently just now joined this forum) so I haven't mastered the synth engine yet, but I did master it using the genuine article ARP 2600 back in the day, and also with an Octave Cat synth before I was able to afford an ARP 2600. For the reason of my lack of mastery with the Kronos, I will describe the basic analog patch theory that will work with any patchable analog synth, and hopefully somebody will add detail appropriate to the Kronos.
The actual patch used by Edgar Winter on the ARP 2600 connected the LFO square wave output to the modulation input of the VCO's to produce the trill. He then played a rather slow solo (compared to how blindlingly fast it sounds) with a touch of portamento.
The rest of the patch:
Use the sawtooth wave outputs of two VCO's (slighly detuned to produce a chorusing effect), mix them together, and connect them to the audio input on the VCF. Connect one of the envelope generators (ADSRs) outputs to the modulation (CV) input of the VCF, with the VCF set to "low pass." Set the ADSR (keyboard trigger of course - should be default) to a slow attack and decay so that each lasts half a beat, with the sustain level set about in the middle. This will give you the WOW part of the soung.
Connect the output of the VCF to the audio input of the VCA (should be already the default patch on most synth setups). Connect the output of another ADSR to the control input of the VCA. I think the attack on the second ADSR, if memory serves, should be either very short or zero. Sustain should be at max (so decay is irrelevant) and set play with release until it sounds right.
For the Kronos, you will have to turn on whatever they call monophonic mode in order to play this solo correctly. You'll have to do that for all the patches on the song. You don't want the ADSRs retriggering every time you press another key, nor so you want more than one note to play.
Remember, the ARP 2600 would not retrigger the envelope until all keys were first released, so by playing legato, he could change notes without retriggering the "Wow." The 2600 keyboard also favored the lowest key played.
Playing technique:
You WILL have to play arpeggios manually, but you get to use both hands so it shouldn't be hard. Also, most of it is only 1/8th notes or triplets, so you don't need to be Rick Wakeman. The built in trill makes it sound like you're playing blindingly fast, but it's just an illusion.
For the first two beats, try playing an arpeggio of upward fourths starting with the G below middle C using 8th notes. Playing triplets: GCF B-flat FC. After you play those two beats a few times, you should be able to figure out the rest pretty easily by ear. Remember to use some portamento.
It's been many years since I played it so forgive me for not spelling the whole thing out verbatim. Perhaps I will do so in a future update after I manage to get the patch working myself on the Kronos.
How I figured it out:
I discovered this by slowing down the recording and listening to it at very lo speed, and taking note of the equipment Edgar Winter was working with.
Remember, Edgar Winter did this with just an ARP 2600 and did NOT use a sequencer or an arpeggiator. There are a number of different performances of Winter doing the song on Youtube, but no sequencer in sight. Besides, it would be silly to use a sequencer just to produce a fourt trill when an LFO square wave can do it on board.
Folklore has it that the song was actually created as a demo for the basic ARP 2600 for the purpose of promoting sales of the instrument.
Back in the day I performed this song live many times, and if there was a keyboardist in the audience, I would invariably be asked how I managed to do the synth solo correctly, since most cover bands who played the song usually either brutally butchered the synth solo, or did their own (totally different) thing with it, I managed to generate a fair amount of interest among fellow musicians as to how I made it work. I was paid a high compliment by one (rival) keyboardist who accused me of using tape lol. Obviously, he must have thought I nailed it.
Scotter
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