What's the synth behind Ashanti's "Only U" beat?

  • Thread starter Thread starter illapino
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illapino

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It's a real brutal sounding synth that makes up the back end of the beat. I've always loved it. But can't quite pin-point what it is. The closest thing I could think of was an ARP Odyssey that's been heavily "effects"ed, but it must be something else ... anyone know? The producers were 7 Aurelius and Irv Gotti (drumkit apparently borrowed from Scott Storch).

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/0hghFXDvlLA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/0hghFXDvlLA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

There are so many other sounds in this beat that I want to know the sources of. Those little nuances at the end of each 16 bars are delicious ...
 
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You mean the sound that first comes in when the goofy lookin dude w/ the guitar is in the video?

Funny thing is it doesn't sound like it'd be a guitar (the attack gives it away). Probably an analog polysynth deliberately saturated to **** & then reverbed. Jan Hammer used to do that type of thing w/ his synths, make guitaresque tones w/ fx.
 
Sounds like it could be a synced saw sweep with distortion...it could actually also be a cello sample which was heavily compressed and then distorted.

EDIT:

actually the more I listen to this, the latter sounds more likely. It's probably the same exact stample that's being used for the intro.
 
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If any of you figure out the actual gadget name, please do let me know.

Roland ___
Yamaha ____
Arturia ____

also the wah-wah sounds thrown in there like Dr Dre. those are gorgeous.
 
illapino said:
If any of you figure out the actual gadget name, please do let me know.

Roland ___
Yamaha ____
Arturia ____

also the wah-wah sounds thrown in there like Dr Dre. those are gorgeous.
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None of the above. It was probably a sample from a string library like East West pushed through a combo of software FX and outboard gear.
 
to be honest, I combined two synth samples together (stacked/layered them to play the same notes), and tweaked both of their Flanger, EQ, and Compressors to the same settings (but with different strengths), and it would come out very static and had no back-end (the high-frequencies made it sound very chalk-ish).

I can make good music, but I'm horrible with FX. I have no clue how to alter sounds the way I want them though I have a clear vision of what i want to hear. So I keep thinking CakeWalk Rapture would be my only solution for sawteeth ...
 
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illapino said:
to be honest, I combined two synth samples together (stacked/layered them to play the same notes), and tweaked both of their Flanger, EQ, and Compressors to the same settings (but with different strengths), and it would come out very static and had no back-end (the high-frequencies made it sound very chalk-ish).

I can make good music, but I'm horrible with FX. I have no clue how to alter sounds the way I want them though I have a clear vision of what i want to hear. So I keep thinking CakeWalk Rapture would be my only solution for sawteeth ...
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How did you setup the EQ? Try this, record a string patch from your Fantom, or whatever it is that you use. Then compress it with Roughrider, which is a very good and free VST:

http://www.audiodamage.com/downloads/product.php?pid=ADF002

Then give it some distortion by way of whichever distortion plugin you usually use. The sound on that youtube video sounds like it's almost clipping, so go nuts.

I definitely don't think that this sound calls for any flanging, and if you do use any EQ, the point in the signal chain where you apply it is very important. To boost the lowend, apply it AFTER the compression and distortion, and use it to boost the lows. If you want to have an even "rounder" low end, layer the above settings with a low sinewave patch from a VA or, preferably, a real analog synth. No modulation on the sinewave either, just straight sine with no LFO's modulating pitch, amplitude, etc.
 
I guess I missed the "distortion" part. I think d16 Group has a good distortion plug-in called Devastator. I tried the demo and it's dope
 
its a roland fantom synth. the 1st sound in synth section, lil bit modified.
 
ok give me few hours and i'll prove it "infidels" lol
 
i dnt know if there is any synth there, all i know is that song is sampled from club nouveau- why you treat me so bad, maybe it's one of the sounds from the original sample. i might be wrong tho. i thought we were talkin about the synth which ends the verse.
 
dotveli said:
i dnt know if there is any synth there, all i know is that song is sampled from club nouveau- why you treat me so bad, maybe it's one of the sounds from the original sample. i might be wrong tho. i thought we were talkin about the synth which ends the verse.
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Hey sorry I didn't mean to cause any offense. I was just curious of the Fantom could produce that sound.
 
I mean, lol, ya'll do know it's not a synth but a guitar right? :cool:

-Thundertrax
 
I always thought it was a guitar M1ndfields sounds on point though too.
 
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