Most bands have a kit list
The list of instruments that they have used over time. Some lists are pretty extensive, don't worry, some kit is only bought with one sound in mind, or has a function that is needed. A prime example is Liam Howett, from Prodigy fame, he bought a Roland W-30 Workstation just for the sequencer, not for the sounds, which he thought were poor. You might have already found kit lists when you were doing your artist search, some artist sites do have them. However, the fans out there usually acquire the information and place it on their home page. Therefore: In Google type in ARTISTS NAME kit list, or ARTISTS NAME equipment list. Usually a page appears with the useful information within the first two pages max. Again, copy and paste the information somewhere. Then do the same for the other artists. Compile the lists, and you should have some common sound generators in there. I typed into Google: the+prodigy+equipment+list, and the below is what I found. I have deleted mixers, computers, effects units and samplers (Akai are famed for those), and left the main sound modules in place.
Clavia Nord Lead
You will probably notice a common theme that runs through the kit lists. A lot of the Roland instruments are used for dance and techno sounds. Most are analogue based; you can change the sounds in real-time via sliders. The Juno 106 is a very good base generator and will feature in many kit lists. Analogue synths can have a warm, but computery feel to them, or they can be as harsh as nails. It was their adjustability, their fantastic sounds (the "real" instrument sounds were quite poor) and their diverse nature that made those analogue machines very desirable. It has been stated that any of the above Roland machines gave you a dance hit, they were that good- especially the 303, 909, JD-800 and Juno 106. Hence, Roland instruments are very sought after due to their demand within the techno industry and thus they sell for a high price nowadays (Roland knew this, hence they created the MC909 to combine TR909 and TB303 sounds). Other manufacturers have realised the popularity of Roland and have created some truly stuuning bits of kit, that I have to say contend and even beat Roland at their own game. Creating machines that are cheaper yet more powerful is a big plus in my book. Click here to see and read the reviews of the best on offer. Moog sounds will also feature quite highly in some lists, and seems to be a status symbol with artists that they have one.
Emu, and Korg synths are used mainly for real sounds, and those massive sweeps and eerie sounds that you generally hear. Having a kit list now points you in the right direction of what sounds you are looking for and where to get them from. Without a list you will be hunting high and low to find similar sounds. However, to reiterate, to sound the same is not good, it has already been done before. Adding your own quirk to a genre will make your music stand out. For Example: The Advent do really cool techno, however they make some really off-the-wall sounds that make you think, where on earth did they get that from? They stood out, because the sounds did. Moby does techno dance music. However his tunes are very polished, catchy, and can be played to a general audience (a lot of his tunes play on adverts, because of their general appeal). Intelligent techno I believe it is called. Hardfloor are a cool techno outfit that made their name using loads of TB303s and using them to their full potential, creating really good, pounding techno, that was not boring or sounding the same as everyone else. The Prodigy make awesome rave, and they were really beyond their time. They were very clever, using polished sounds, and were very unique. Charley was a smash- using a TV ad, which in itself was a cult ad, then incorporating it into a top tune- brilliance. If you want to know what the best techno songs are, and how they can help YOU to build your tracks, click here to find out. What comes from this now is a group of people who will be influenced by the above artists. However they will try and incorporate the above styles (because it works) but add their own tweak to the song- this then becomes their identity, their music. Find an identity that has your artists influences, but put your own mark onto the genre. If you want some free sounds and techno loops, then click here to find the best techno sounds. |