All that you need to know (!) about 80s Synths

video upload by Krakli Software

"Synths MIDI and more condensed from an 80's show that teaches you all that you need to Know!!"

This one is in via John L Rice.

The video features Alastair Gavin, Herbie Hancock, Tony Banks, Vince Clark, and Jan Hammer.

If anyone knows what this is from feel free to leave a comment.

Update via the comments: "The clip is from 'Rockschool', produced by the BBC from 1983-87...great stuff!:)"

And sure enough, here it is posted back in 2011. I thought it looked familiar. You can find additional posts mentioning Rockschool here.

ROCK SCHOOL Series 2

You might want to bookmark this one to come back to as you have time. I have posted videos from the Rock School series in the past, but this is currently the most comprehensive set if not the complete series - eight episodes broken up into twenty four videos. I opted to create eight playlists for the eight episodes so you can read the description for each under each set of three videos. This one in via willy who sent in Series 2 - Episode 5 (part 3 of 3) with Bill Bruford explaining his simmons drums. I figured I'd put the whole series up. Videos below.


YouTube Uploaded by tomstimemachine on Jul 14, 2008

"Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day.

Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement.

This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987.

EPISODE ONE

KEYBOARDS
THE ACOUSTIC PIANO WITH THE COMMUNARDS ON "BREADLINE BRITAIN" AND HERBIE HANCOCK.

HISTORY OF THE SYNTHESISER
TOUCH SENSITIVITY, MODULAR SYNTHS, MINI MOOG, CLIP OF JAN HAMMER AND THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA IN 1972, CLIP OF RICK WAKEMAN, POLYPHONIC SYNTHS, MELLOTRON, TONY BANKS, SYNTHS WITH MEMORY SUCH AS THE PROPHET FIVE, CLIP OF JAPAN ON THE "OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST", RACK-MOUNTED EFFECTS.

HOW DOES A SYNTH WORK ?
WAVEFORMS, OSCILLATORS, HOW TO CREATE A SOUND, WHAT TO PLAY - CLIP OF THOMAS DOLBY."

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ROCK SCHOOL - Series 2 - Episode 3 (part 1 of 3)

YouTube via tomstimemachine. sent my way via khoral

"Taking over from where the first series left off, the second set of ROCKSCHOOL television programs focuses its attention on new technology and its implications for the musicians of the day.

Synthesisers, samplers, sequencers and drum machines are all covered, as are electronic drum systems, computer hardware and software (remember this is 1987 - so this is for retro-heads only) and synthesisers for guitar and bass. There are also tips on how to make the most of the human voice, and on songwriting and arrangement.

This series was shown on TV in the UK during 1987.

EPISODE THREE

EIGHTIES SYNTHPOP
CLIP OF THE YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA IN 1979, CLIP OF BRONSKI BEAT.

SO ! - HOW DO YOU MAKE UP THESE SINGLE NOTE MELODIES ?
MAJOR AND MINOR SCALES, TRIADS, CHORDS, CHORD INVERSIONS AND TWO-HANDED KEYBOARD PLAYING.

THE VOCALS
CLIP FROM JAMES BROWN, MIDGE URE ON VOCAL TECHNIQUE AND GRAHAM BONNETT ON LOOKING AFTER YOUR VOICE, CLIP FROM EURYTHMICS."

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