The Glorious ARP Quadra from 1978!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- A look at the famous ARP Quadra from 1978.
Huge thank you to Andrew "The Quadra" Ward for the loan!
/ arpquadra
Download the song (all proceeds to the Alan R Pearlman Foundation):
alexball.bandcamp.com/track/a...
alanrpearlmanfoundation.org/
ARP Quadra Playlist:
• ARP QUADRA SONGS
0:00 Intro Jam
1:17 Talk: The Quadra
1:37 Demo 1: Skeleton Dance
2:47 The Four Sections
4:40 Talk: It's Very Simple
5:49 Demo 2: Legit Carpentry
6:51 Talk: Memory?
8:08 Demo 3: Band Member
9:05 Talk: That Keyboard
10:51 Demo 4: Fresh Lineup
12:05 Summary
14:06 Feature Track: Make It Happen
VERY NERDY DETAILS FOR THOSE WHO CARE:
BASS:
Name: ELEC BASS
Note Count: Monophonic / Lowest C to the B 23-semitones above / low note priority
Settings: 16' and 8', fine tuning and octave select
Contouring: Resonance and Decay
Name: STRINGS BASS
Note Count: Monophonic / Lowest C to the B 23-semitones above / low note priority
Settings: 16' and 8', volume slider
Contouring: Affected by the attack and release controls in the adjacent Strings section
Name: STRINGS
Note Count: Polyphonic and paraphonic / Second C to the highest C / all notes can sound
Settings: 8' and 4', hollow waveform (switches to pulse from sawtooth)
Contouring: Attack and Release
FX: Chorus Circuit
Name: POLY SYNTHESIZER
Note Count: Polyphonic and paraphonic / Second C to the highest C / all notes can sound
Settings: 8' and 4', hollow waveform affects it too
Contouring: Cutoff and Resonance, VCF control from ADSR envelope or LFO (found higher up), VCA affected by ADSR also
Name: LEAD SYNTHESIZER:
Note Count: Monophonic or duophonic (and paraphonic) with "Two Voice On" engaged / Third C to highest C or full keyboard if bass disengaged (also can extend the range greatly by using the "Interval Write" function)
Features: x2 VCOs with independent tuning (about 1.5 semitones in either direction) and VCO 2 can be disengaged. The available waveforms are sawtooth, 10% pulse wave or 50% pulse wave and there is also a pulse width modulation switch, which is controlled by the Lead Synthesizer envelope generator.
The LFO can be applied to the oscillator pitch for vibrato and there is a trill function (with speed control), the interval of which can be changed using the "Interval Write" function. There is a footswitch flat or hold switch which relates to the pedal section below.
The lowpass filter has cutoff and resonance controls and it can be contoured by the Lead Synthesizer ADSR envelope, the controls of which are to the right. The sustain level does not have a slider, instead, it has a switch to toggle "Sustain Low".
The two notes have independent portamento controls in the bottom left and the master trigger mode can be set here too.
In the top right are the aftertouch settings (volume/brilliance or pitch bend) as well as a "sequencer" which is an arpeggiator for the Lead Synthesizer. It can run up or up/down and frustratingly, it has no hold function. Its tempo is dictated by the trill speed.
PHASE SHIFTER/OUTPUT MIXER:
Each section has its own volume slider and there is also a master volume slider. By default, the Bass and Lead come out of both the left and right channels and the Poly and Strings come out of the left and right channels respectively. There is then a 12-stage stereo phase shifter that can be engaged for any or all of the sections at once. The phase shifter has a resonance control and its frequency can be a dedicated LFO which has a "Sweep Speed" control, a pedal (more on that below), a sample and hold circuit that derives voltages from VCO 2 in the Lead Synthesizer section, or the Lead Synthesizer envelope generator. The latter controls can be simultaneously in use, by the "Sweep" can only be used on its own.
Finally there is an external audio input, but frustratingly, this doesn't run through the phase shifter!
OTHER:
REAR CONTROLS:
Stereo Out (Left and Right Mono)
Mono Out with High/Low switch (1/4" Mono or XLR)
Quad Out (Four Mono Section Outs)
Mixer In (Mono External Audio In)
Lead Synth VCF Pedal In (Can be hacked for other CV inputs)
Poly Phaser Pedal In (Can be hacked for other CV inputs as I did in the intro piece)
Volume Pedal In (Can be hacked for other CVs to modulate master amplitude)
Poly Sustain Footswitch In
Pitch Hold Flat Footswitch In
Portamento On/Off
Bass CV/Gate In/Out
Lead CV/Gate/Trig In/Out with x2 CV outs - เพลง
![TREASURE - 'KING KONG' COMEBACK SPECIAL [THE TREASURE SHOW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Jx1wyMaQzf0/mqdefault.jpg)
The song. All proceeds to the Alan R Pearlman Foundation!
UPDATE: I've just donated the $220 that sales of this song generated. Huge thanks to everyone who bought it.
alexball.bandcamp.com/track/arp-quadra-make-it-happen
these are awesome!!
Totally love it! 👍👍
Yeah, that ending tune is a total uplifting banger. Nice work!
Artists like you making music in the old style make me wish culture had stagnated before 9/11 instead of slightly after.
😌🙌
It boggles the mind that you simultaneously are capable of producing engaging videos, but also with a level of musicianship that's second to none. Are you mad? Yes, but also brilliant.
Thank you. 🙂
Right! I love these videos!
It's his life love and passion.
Lmao
Mad ? Madly talented !
I've been a massive fan of this synth for years. All because of Tony Banks.. my hero.
Ditto, Tony pumped this through arenas for a good 5 years and he made it sound amazing on tape just as well.
Good ol' Bony Tanks.
I too have been a fan for many years. But more recently watching post Gabriel/Hackett interviews (particularly with Gabriel & Hackett in the group interview) you can certainly feel the uncomfortableness/tension when Banks is talking about songs & "differing perspectives" about writing/producing songs, especially with Hackett... I got the feeling that Banks was very much a musical "Bully" in terms of other band members opinions in relation to a song's direction... 🤔🙄✌
Me too, Mr Banks was my original inspiration to become a keyboard player - the Quadra sounded much better than the Korgs (presumably) he switched to on the later tours as the similar but different sound he used didn't cut through nearly as much IMHO when he let fly e.g. the awesome In The Cage medley.
The last song sounds to me like Genisis post-Gabriel, mixed with Gabriel-post Genisis!
The Quadra always makes me think Duke era Tony Banks and Movement era New Order. So cool seeing the sole focus of one of your videos.
Always makes me think of Escape from New York too. :)
@@AlexBallMusic "Legit Carpentry"
Remember Apple’s Super Multimedia. Computer “The Quadra”?
Love the business Tony Banks did with this on Mama - a cowbell playing 16ths routed out of the drum machine into the trigger input for the 'sequenced' sounding chords.
Yeah, he got everything out of it, at a time when it quickly became outdated too. Respect.
I love the sound of the Quadra on Genesis' Abacab. Pretty sweet.
Interesting fact, my Mom dragged my brother and I to see Neil Diamond back in the mid 80's. Normally traveling with an orchestra, he was without for this show. As a synth geek I went up to the stage to look at his keyboardist's setup... I didn't know what this kybd was, but on the back was a very large, all in caps, "QUADRA." Lemme tell you, the strings on all Neil's tunes were HUGE and awesome sounding. Thanks QUADRA
Didn't know it was used Neil's live shows, very interesting! I guess it was cheaper than a string section.
You can spot the Quadra also in Neil's movie of the period, "The Jazz Singer".
Definitely has one of the most fun front panels in synth history!
Yeah, stunner isn't it!
I saw a band that had one the year they came out, and everyone in the crowd had to walk up and look at it. They had him do a three or four minute solo just to show off all the wild sound that one person could make. It was very impressive at the time.
Unfortunately, the membrane panels were shit and wore out fast.
And they had no tactile feedback.
@@TryptychUK... though that was a technical/manufacturing limitation, at the time .. had nothing to do with the genius of the "concept" 😊
@@gabigolescu Not entirely. Membrane panels were the "next big thing" at the time, as they are printed as a sheet, so can work out cheaper than tons of switches if made in numbers. The technology did improve somewhat with "blip disks" underneath that gave them tactile feedback. Synths like the DX7 were of better quality, but still wore out.
The Arp Quadra - Halloween II
Lovely !
I love the Quadra, I bought one years ago to use with Peter Hook & The Light, specifically to recreate the New Order synth sounds, sample them and use them LIVE. It was a joy to use and experiment with. I also found out that you could route an external input into the Quadra’s phaser by using a Y-cable and inserting the TRS end into any of the quad outputs, which was great because the phaser was amazing. I had mine fully overhauled and fitted with an external arpeggiator clock input and then I decided to sell it a few years ago…it was bought by a guy called Pete Townshend. Enjoy the Quadra Pete 👍🥂
It’s the new order synth! They used the heck out of this thing from 1980-1983. My favorite use case of it by them is the bassline on Chosen Time from their debut Movement.
Movement is such an underrated album. What it lacks in catchy melodies it more than makes up for with the rhythms and atmospherics!
I love New Order, I had no idea they used this synth - thanks!
I saw a ARP QUADRA at a vintage instrument shop. The thing was massive and looked like it could crush your head if it fell on you.
So are the string pads on songs like age of consent and blue Monday from the Quadra?
@@bryceneal3136 yes!
Best color scheme I've ever seen on a synthesizer. Just beautiful. Sounds good too.
One thing I really like about your videos is that your demos are a good showcase of these instruments being used "as originally intended" if that makes sense, and that really does justice to these rare pieces of gear.
Cheers. Genuinely a fan of the era, so enjoy exploring the styles of the time with the instruments they used. Super fun.
Videos like this make me wish the 80s never ended.
"Gloriously flawed" but that's character. The multi-instruments of the Seventies are oozing with that special orangey, stringy cheese! Love the Hooky impression btw, to a tee.
The Phase Shifter MAKES this synth!
It certainly does!
I've just watched "Fresh Lineup" for the third time and am still laughing. The bass guy vibing while the keyboarder being annoyed at his under-utilization, and the guitarist doing everything not to leave a bad impression. Been there.
It's where we all feel most at home.
That little jam at the end is BETTER than ANYTHING on the radio nowadays or top 200, or whatever!!! Excellent!!!! 🌟
ELO would have been proud of that.
@@djsherz 💯
I always dig those odd time signatures in your tunes. That quick 15/8 in the first demo had a really nice feel to it. Great feature track, too. I'll gladly throw some Quad-Coin to accelerate the coming Arpocalypse.
Gotta love odd time.
Arpocalypse in 9/8 ? 😁
LOL I kept counting over and over and furrowing my brow and said, “did he really just use 7 and 3/4 of a bar? That is absolutely genius and so catchy.” I forgot that 4 is not the only time sig denominator. Maestro Ball, your demos are phenomenal. Odd time is always tempting but it is not usually nearly as catchy as you made it. :) it sounds like what would have happened if temporary secretary by paul mccartney panned out as a good idea… 😐 just kidding. that would be impossible.
Two things that surprises me are 1) the age of the synth and 2) modern approach to its design - given the color scheme, infographics and the layout of controls this synth it could have easily been released in 2020’s. But it’s actually 11 years older then me and I am in my early 30’s.
As prominently heard in Escape From New York! Among others. Your second demo captures that so well!
Make it Happen is a wonderful song, love it.
Thanks!
So much “ELO-y” goodness in that last track…. Just fantastic!
I was just about to say the same thing, it has the right pace, chord progressions and harmonising !
This is the sound of my undergraduate days. Your Simple Minds homage was completely spot on. WVBU of Bucknell University was a quintessential college radio station in the heyday of college radio stations.
You nailed the look of new order playing in the studio
That British awkwardness.
@@AlexBallMusic Real musicians who unwantingly became minor celebrities. Unlike today popstars are just celebrities posing as musicians.
Nice to see the guitars getting a workout😊
Sounds great, looks like something out of Space 1999
Space 1978.
I wasn't gonna at first when the CA Quadra was released; trying to avoid 'Completionism' just for the sake if it ...
But after hearing Tom Bukovac jamming on his vintage ARP I decided to go for it.
I'm SO glad that I did.
I now have it as one of the default instruments in my DAWs. "Quadratic Sensation "
I honestly don’t understand how you and Florian aren’t mega Producers at this point! Love u guys 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
P.S. love the haircut
I demand to see more of my favorite shows scored by Alex Ball.
Drool bucket filled! Dreamy to the max!
Oh my goodness. This synth was on my list of "when I'm a rock star" gear since '79. Sadly, I never got one. Sigh. But wow, you're doing a better job with it than I could have!
You are a great musician and your videos are really a lot of fun! THX!!
When I was 14 (46 years ago) my brother gave me a Roland 101. This taught me how a sound is created using a synth. But I had to have more. So with a lot of work and blood I bought an ARP Odyssey with a sequencer and a 2600. When the Quadra was in the store, I was allowed to play it for about 6 hours. Unfortunately I couldn't afford it at the time. And the Quadra was sold within three days. And no one available anymore!? It always gives me chills when I hear Tony Banks play the typical sound on Genesis. For me the Quadra is always an underrated Syth! Unfortunately I sold all the synths because I wasn't a reliable guy...Always lost in music. Keep up your great work!
Man, the demo 3 song sounds better than a lot of final productions around, HOLY MOLY
Reminds me of when our band acquired an Oberheim Xpander. Very unique!
Love the Xpander.
One of the things I love about your videos is how effective your sensibilities are with gear, you really make it shine without overproducing things in a way that makes synths seem deceptively simple to sound great while showcasing their standout features: my instincts are always to tweak 800 different parameters, you know how to voice them so incredibly well. Have you ever considered doing a video teaching your approach to sound design?
Cheers! Synths are like any musical instrument in that regard, I guess.
I remember studying orchestration at university and just looking at the scores to famous classical pieces and seeing how there were actually only three things happening at once, but how sections were allocated to reinforce each of those things. The overall effect was that it sounded absolutely massive, but also clean and clear.
Was a real eureka moment for me.
@@AlexBallMusic I'm reminded of the gag..
"What are we doing this afternoon?"
'Studying orchestration'
"err.. studying it is.."
I had never heard that about playing two keyboards with one hand, what a relic of the era. Great stuff as always sir!
Yep, became totally unnecessary within a short period and everyone forgot why there needed to be a solution to help it!
Love little tidbits like that.
@@AlexBallMusic and to think, they'd be lost to time without commited documentarians 🙏🙏
You can see that sometimes from classical or theatre organists.
@@Triplechorus2 Yeah, Bach for example often couldn't just leave that extra manual and that one idle finger unused.
Did it myself as well in the 1990s while having had some vintage analog synths without midi or cv control.
Can't tell how much happiness your demos - and especially the feature track - gave me! I dream of having your songwriting and performace skills!! Jolly good vid!
So ahead of its time.
Make It Happen is really making it happen. That's some of the best new wave I have heard in quite a while.
The synth that killed ARP. You can see what went into this right away. Crazy for its time! My first synth was an ARP Axxe, the same year.
Gawd(y) that UI is some kind of crazy mix of ARP meets Casio and Roland in one fell swoop! Awesome vid, big jelly at your ability to access and house all this wonderful firmery!!! Thanks again!
Just a touch of Yellow Magic Orchestra with the Skeleton Dance track. Very awesome!
Your demos are sick! 😎 I especially like the demo 1: Skeleton Dance. You absolutely nailed the 4/4+7/8 groove!
The synth sounds great, too! 😊
ditto
Very cool stuff.
One thing you missed, or neglected to point out, and that is, the Nord Stage line of keyboards. I didn't realize that the Nord Stage was SO influenced by the ARP QUADRA!!! Or at least it seems so. Just look at the ARP panel, separate sections for sounds, with a mixer in the middle to BOOT! and take a look at the Stage keyboards, SAME THING!! It's wild to see how so influenced Nord is by ARP.
This also brings up another observation, and that is, ARP was the first synth company to have REVERB in a synth.
THE ARP 2600, and SPEAKERS as well!!
I don't even think they knew how ahead of their time they were.
5:55 Was thinking this sounded like a cue from Escape From New York then saw it was called "Legit Carpentry." 😂
Had to be done. It was the law.
Another fabulous video, thank you.
That reaching across two keyboards - best exponent I ever came across for that was Sad Cafe's Vic Emerson who would go out with three Claviolines and with them close together recreate the lush string arrangements he'd recorded in the studio. An astonishing arranger and player. (In fact, that little clip you show does look a bit like Vic..)
The Band Member Tune reminded me a bit of RAH Band's The Crunch.
Massive deliciousness in sound!!! Amazing demo and super cool tracks Alex! 😃🙌 Gotta love ARP synthesizers ❤️
Hey Michael! Cheers. :)
Great video Alex! Man those Quadra Strings around 3:12 are otherworldly. Different enough from a Solina to be unique, but so powerful!
Yeah, they are nice.
Agree. With the phaser, it actually sounds rather similar to the Solina
Holy hell! ‘80 played with a guy who had the Quadra he loved it!
Super cool to see it in action again!
I never knew about the reasoning for the overhang. Very cool explanation!
Man, that jam in 23 was sinister! Thanks for the continued fun, dude!
It was like YMO did a Neo-noir film score.
Que du niveau sur cette fantastique chaîne ! que du niveau ! tout impeccable, tout drôle, tout beau, tout impressionnant, mais quel technicien, mais quel artiste ! Je n'ose pas imaginer la quantité de travail et l'investissement personnel pour faire aussi souvent des vidéos d'une telle qualité... j'ai bien peur que l'artiste explose bientôt et que ces vidéos ne seront qu'un lointain souvenirs pour fans esseulés, et ça sera tant mieux pour Alex !!
T'as eu la flemme de traduire en anglais ?
I never got a chance to touch a real Quadra, but I'm enjoying Cherry Audio's software recreation - real patch memory and more. The lead synth section is really fun.
You are such a gem, Alex Ball. I love what you do.
Love the shoutout to Keith Emerson and his mighty Moog at 9:46!
I have never heard and seen something about this machine 😁, Sounds very unique Great vintage machine.
A rare bird now. Great to be able to cover it.
Some superb demos in this one... Yes, ok I may be a fan of 80s-esque synth and guitar bands
wow.. what a flagship...!
the pitchshifter section on those tones is outta this world.
That "Band Member" demo was one of the best things in this video. Yum!
Still have one of these sitting in a Road case from when I was 19 LOL.
The ARP Quadra.......just....what a cool name this is, before you touch a note on it!!
as always, i am most entertained by your musical creations. demo 2 sounded very much like one of my favourite film composers, mike post, who did many seminal tv scores in the 70's and beyond. keep them coming
best synth youtube channel by far: talent wise, entertainment wise, “normal dude id have a pint with” wise. easiest sub ever, keep up the good work homie!
Wonderful video! I loved the sounds you made with the Quadra. You're always great at capturing the contemporary sound of the time period the instrument comes from!
I saw an demonstration of the Arp Quadra in Little Rock,Ar. In 1978!! I had at the time a Rhoades73 suitcase and an Arp Odessey!
Ah cool! Were people excited by it at the time?
I didn't realize that the Quadra came out in 1978. So it had colored rows of buttons long before the Jupiter-8!
Came for the mildly interesting tech nostalgia, stayed for the banging tunes! New sub for sure.
Thanks for this! I’ve always loved the Quadra. Your facial expression at 10:56! 😂😂😂
Love This, The song at the end is most 'Moist'
reminds me of Alan Parsons project, has the same brilliance.. Wicked
Greetings From Electronic80s / Soundz80s Sydney, Australia (Where there is a kangaroo on every corner) :)
Thank you!
Those phased strings were on some disco songs. It's going to bug me till I remember which ones! 😱
The earlier Solina and Omni were too, so it might have been any of the three.
ARP quadra synthesizer, was widely used (among other synthesizers) by the keyboardist of the ELO (Electric Light Orchestra); Richard Tandy, on the 1979 Discovery LP.
Tandy and ELO also used other ARP synthesizers; Omni, 2600, Odyssey among others...
It definitely has something of a "BBC Radiophonic Workshop" sound to it. Which I guess makes sense.
You, sir, are a very talented guy! Love your tracks.
ARP Quadra, Korg Trident and Yamaha SK-30. The holy trinity of late 70's multi section synthesizers (an actual paraphonic - Hi Marc! :) ). Amazing showcase and going to buy the song, its awesome.
All the best!
Indeed! I have a Trident Mark I now and considered comparing them, but it will get its own video.
@@AlexBallMusic Fantastic! Really looking forward. Always wanted the Trident, but in the end very happy with Polysix I got for really nice bargain last year.
Man you are a stellar musician.
Cheers
Thank you for your wonderful arrangements and amazing multi instrumentality,and thank you for the proper knowledge and sound demo of that great synth.
I like that Jem with the black sparkle finish man.
Alex, THANK YOU for this video - it's everything I expected it to be, times four... 😍🧡💙💚🎹
Thank you for the loan you bloody legend.
@@AlexBallMusic ❤
Loved demo 2 and demo 3!
So much fun. Came very close to buying a wrecked one of these for ... uh ... moderate money, but decided the last thing my life needed was another project. And it was very wrecked.
I miss my ARP Quadra
The voices could have been from the all stars band Asia! thank you for this great demo
Damn you, Alex Ball. We are calmly trying to manage our own business, working or reading some interesting book, or even finish a patch on an overgrown eurorack system, and there you come with a new video. Each demo is an interesting feast of creativity (or am I naive?), some sounds are mind baffling, songs could have made the top 10 forty years ago (don't take it bad, this >is< a compliment). Now we are stuck for yet another 30 minutes plus the time to try to digest the question "how does he did it"?
Survival instinct. Everything I do has to be done at one million miles per hour and with super lean efficiency. I learned that doing music for adverts for over a decade with crazy deadlines and very high stakes.
I don't know why more synths don't feature a number of orange rectangles. When coupled with an orange jumper, good vibes always ensue.
Fifteen eights?
Bonkers. Love it!
Incroyable pour cette époque !!!
Superb synth, done justice.
Glorious indeed, good sir. Glorious indeed...
Christ, that’s a nice sounding bit of kit. Brilliant content and performances, as always Alex
Wow that is a terrific song..
This is next level synth demo stuff. You've put a lot of effort into this!
Thanks man!
This is one of my fave synths of all time. Well done. Cheers
I always wanted one of those.
I cannot find a word in the dictionary to describe how Fantasticallysuperbalicious your videos are Alex.
Those strings sound like an epic string machine
Your demos in this video 👌
Thank you.
Man, bang-up job on that late 70s-style track 🤙
dang one minute in and i gotta comment on how much i love the portamento on that higher note in the intro song
Man your videos make me happy.