How Anthony Marinelli Programmed the Lead Synth on Michael Jackson’s PYT

video upload by Anthony Marinelli Music

"In this video I'll show you a simple technique that I use to breakdown a sound when I need to re-create it. The most important weapon you have for programming a sound is your listening skills. I always take a deep breath before getting started. Quieting my mind in this way usually helps me understand what I'm hearing better. This example is a very simple one oscillator patch so it's a great one for try out this technique. The flutey lead from Michael Jackson's P.Y.T. is a cool counter line that enters for the 1st time in the 2nd verse of the song. It really gives the second verse a lift, almost floating feeling over a very funky groove. The waveform is a triangle wave which has a minimal amount of harmonic content. That's one main reason why it can be up in the mix and not interfere with the lead vocal. I used a Minimoog to create the sound for the track, but you can make this sound accurately on almost any synth including plugins. A lot of the personality of the sound comes from the performance including the use of vibrato via the pitch wheel. Experiment with playing the vibrato in a similar way as Greg Phillinganes (the original performer). This will help you understand the level of nuance that is possible. He's the master of it. And always remember the most important thing about any sound is when it occurs in the song and what notes are being played. Who is playing it doesn't hurt either, so be sure to interject your own thing into everything you do!

THRILLER SYNTH GIVEAWAY

Giveaway link : https://www.anthonymarinellimusic.com...

Want to win the same model synthesizer used on THRILLER to make the iconic FROGGIE BASS sound? Visit the above link to find out how to enter. Hurry because the giveaway ends Oct 30th!

00:00 - 00:30 Intro
00:31 - 01:08 How to breakdown a sound
00:09 - 01:32 Oscillators
01:33 - 01:59 Filter
02:00 - 02:33 Envelope
02:34 - 03:30 LFO/Vibrato
03:31 - 03:36 Conclusion

In this series Anthony breaks down some of the most icons synthesizer patches that he programmed for Michael Jackson’s Thriller

Anthony's musical touch as both composer and performer is connected with some of the most influential creative minds over the last 40 years. He’s composed and conducted original orchestral scores for over 80 feature films including Young Guns, Internal Affairs, The Man From Elysian Fields, 15 Minutes and Planes, Trains & Automobiles, been commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic for his symphonic work "In the Family Way", written over one thousand TV commercials in a myriad of musical styles, co-founded Levels Audio Post (LA's premiere post production facility) and performed and arranged on big-box-office films and influential hit records such as Michael Jackson's Thriller.

His extensive work as a young arranger, orchestrator and performer for Quincy Jones, Jack Nitzsche, Lamont Dozier, Arthur Rubenstein and Giorgio Moroder was vital in launching his own career. His early years pioneering modular analog synthesizers along with his wide-ranging music scholarship positioned Anthony at the center of the music technology revolution. He attended the University of Southern California School of Music as a piano and composition major.

Website: www.anthonymarinelli.com"