This thread is solely for discussion and contributions on what instruments and sound gear was used on the Vienna album. Please post away!

Cheers!

Nils this morning added the following:-

Vienna:
Chris - Minimoog (basslines), Yamaha CS 40m (??, the one used during the refrain of "Vienna")

Midge - Yamaha SS 30 (the Ultravox main synth I think, used for every stringsound), Yamaha CS 40m (e.g. at the beginning of "Western Promise" and during the later parts of "Sleepwalk"), Yamaha SG 2000 electric guitar

Billy - ARP Odyssey (nearly all solos), Yamaha CS 80 (e.g. during Mr.X), Oberheim OB-X (?), Yamaha CP 70 or 80 (piano), Yamaha SS 30

Warren - Roland CR 78

This interview with Warren goes into intimate detail about the equipement used on the album, and the hacks which made it do what they wanted it to, rather than what the manufacturer thought it should be capable of!

Chris - Minimoog (basslines), Yamaha CS40m ("Vienna" refrain)

Midge - Yamaha CS40m ("Western Promise"), Yamaha SS30 ("Astradyne", "Vienna" violin part), Yamaha CS50, Yamaha SG 2000 electric guitar

Billy - ARP Odyssey (solos), Yamaha CP80 piano, Yamaha SS30 ("Vienna" refrain), Yamaha CS80, Oberheim OB-X

Warren - acoustic drums, Roland TR77, Roland CR78

Cheers Feòrag; been a while since I read that so had quite forgotten!

Nils - many thanks for your contributions today!

The Yamaha SS30 was introduced to the band by Midge, as was most of the Yammy gear they used was given to them as promotion...not bad eh! so most of the string sounds used up to then were as Nils said were Elka Rhapsody (610)

Midge also used a Yamaha CS50 (A preset version of the CS60).

Chris used an MXR flanger pedal (T-117) in conjunction with the Minimoog.

Billy used an Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress flanger pedal with his ARP Odyssey.

mucho obligado...

Hi guys,

I'm new to this board and this is my first post here.

The Oberheim OB-Xa* didn't yet exist by the time Vienna was recorded back in 1980, so if an Oberheim was used on that album I believe it was the good 'ol OB-X. From what I've read Billy Currie seems to have liked it alot and it's one of his all-time fave synths (along with the Odyssey, Elka string machine, Yamaha CS80 etc).

I'm not sure exactly when he got the OB-X but he definitely used one on the 1981 "Rage In Eden" tour so I'd say it's very likely it was one of the synths featured on the album by that name as well as on "Quartet". Dunno whether he used it on "Lament" though.

* I may be wrong but I don't think Billy used an OB-Xa at all.

regards,
Micke L

Welcome on board Micke - all info is useful, so thanks.

Hi Micke!
Thanks for those facts! I think You're right, it will have been the OB-X!

Thanks guys,

Nils,
RE the OB-X again(or Xa!?)...in the "Rage In Eden" thread I noticed you listed an OB-Xa as having been used on "The thin wall" followed by "according to TOTP"...do you mean Billy used an Xa on Top of the pops? if so, do you have it on videotape?
I presume the synth was only shown from the audience side but there's still a way to find out what model it was: the OB-X usually had "Oberheim" written in white letters across the backpanel with the Oberheim logo to the left of it, whereas on the OB-Xa it reads "OB-Xa" to the left and to the right of that there's a big Oberheim logo.

Micke :-)

P.S. this IS a great thread.

oi! Rage In Eden discussions on the Rage In Eden thread please! Or I kick ya ass...

That self-same interview can be downloaded (in a rather nicer PDF format!) on our very own History page...

Hey Micke!
Better we continue the Oberheim discussion in the Rage in Eden thread, as Si said.
I'm pretty sure You're right. I made a mistake by writing "Xa", it will most likely have been the OB-X (in both albums).

Hi Feòrag! Thanks for the link! And also thanks to Cerise for the link to the pdf!

As they were somehow "sponsored" by Yamaha: did Chris use Yamaha basses?

I'm sure Flip will be flattered by that comparison...

Oooooh, I'm sorry!!!!

As FLIP said!!

Sorry, it's just so damned hot here that I can't concentrate myself properly!!

By the way:
In a tv performance of "Passing Strangers" there can also be seen those instruments (RockPop, German TV):

Billy: Yamaha CS 15
Midge: Gibson Les Paul

sorry, it won't happen again

Micke

No need to apologise, Micke. I'm a pacifist really...

Once there was a page called www.midgeure-interviews.com, and it had various pages, one of them "Instruments words". Not much inforation really, but interesting quotes. Like that:
"It's incredibly sensitive (a new Australian synthesizer he just bought at the time - ed.), you can draw out frequency on a screen like a computer so you can see exactly what you're doing." (Billy Currie in New Music News, 17 August, 1980, p. 16)
No mention of what synthsizer it was...

Another quotes from Billy:
""I'm only just beginning to develop a relationship with the OBX, I've used it for solos on the new album, because it can whip the notes up an octave and the keyboard has a nice light feel. It has a clear sound, but I don't use any of the presets because they just promote it as an organ."

"I don't go in for huge chords or clever scales, I'm more into textural things - a feel down your hands - and also 'the single note'. When I'm using the ARP I like the band to be playing, say, an E and me an F sharp. I love that feeling of just holding a particular interval. It's very expressive, you can do a lot with it.

the MXR pitch transposer...
"It actually works, right up to an octave without any gliches or noise."
"I also use it for the doubling sound to lift the Yamaha Grand, but I'm still sticking to the Yamaha CP30 piano. It's the sort of sound you use a lot in the band and it becomes part of you, though the Grand isgreat for songs like 'Vienna' and 'New Europeans'."

(all from Melody Maker 25 July, 1981, p. 36-37)

Thanks alot for the info Vladimir,

That "Australian synthesizer" Billy was talking about must indeed have been the original Fairlight CMI.

Very interesting read, especially the quote from Billy on the OB-X. Now, given the fact this was published in July 1981
I'm sure he's referring to the album "Rage in Eden" when saying "I've used it for solos on the new album".
Also, this may possibly mean that the OB-X was used for the first time on this album and not "Vienna".

Micke

this is a great thread thanks for all the info