80s album gearlists and more

“Captain Of Her Heart” is so haunting yet beautiful... yet I couldn't find much in terms of the synths used besides the mention of a demo with  the catchy melody played on an Oberheim synthesizer (which could have been any model). Having recently confirmed myself with Kurt Maloo (one half of the duo), the song’s basis was provided by an Oberheim system, featuring an OB-Xa synthesizer, DSX sequencer and the  DMX drum machine . Drums-wise, it's it's not the sort of DMX sounds that are easily discernible: the snare sound was pitched down for a full, low thud sweeping sound much like a Simmons snare... the hi-hat is at regular pitch too like it's almost real... Somewhat clever tuning of the sampled sounds of the DMX, if you ask. Fellow Swiss band Yello used similar DMX drum tunings on the song "Vicious Games". The Oberheim OB-Xa provides the main synthesizer pad throughout as well as the sequenced eighth-note bassline. In addition to that, there’s also a har...

(last updated: 19/08/24) Musical equipment Drum machines: Oberheim DMX :  “Wouldn't It Be Good ” claps Roland TR808 : “Dancing Girls” Yamaha Ensemble Mixer EM-90 /w built-in drum machine: “Human Racing” - combination of two presets Synthesizers: Oberheim OB-Xa PPG Wave 2.2 : e.g.  “Wouldn't It Be Good ” main riff, blended with DX7 Roland Juno-60 Yamaha DX7 Yamaha CS-80 :   “Human Racing”, Reggie Webb Basses: Wal Mk1 1983 model Yamaha fretless - possibly used someplace Guitars: Dave Gladden custom /w Stratocaster body, Gibson Les Paul standard fingerboard and 2 Humbucker’s Guitar amps: Roland Bolt 60 Effects: Boss RX100 reverb? Boss OD-1 Overdrive Studio equipment Microphones: AKG C414 EB AKG D12 : bass drum Beyerdynamic M88 : bass drum Beyerdynamic M201 Neumann : KM84 U47 FET : vocals U67 U87 : vocals, drum overheads Shure SM57 : snare Outboard (Sarm East): Aengus Graphic Equaliser Allison Research Kepex II noise gate AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay Audio ...

     (last updated: 19/08/24) AC/DC Back In Black gear Musical gear Guitars: Gibson SG : Angus Young’s Gretsch G6131 (1963): Malcolm Young’s main Guitar amplifiers: Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head: Angus Young’s main Marshall JMP 1987X Super Lead 50-watt head: Angus Young solos Marshall Super Bass head: Malcolm Young Marshall 4x12 cabinets Bass rig: Fender Jazz bass Ampeg Portaflex (or SVT?) Recording & studio equipment Microphones: AKG : C414 EB : hi-hats, bass guitar amplifier C451E : hi-hats D-12 : bass amplifier D-20 : bass drum, bass amplifier Bruel & Kjaer (model unspecified): bells on “Hells Bells” Neumann : KM86 : snare (top) U67 : overheads, guitar amplifiers, vocals U87 : occasional tom-toms, drum overheads, ambience, guitar amplifiers, vocals, bells Shure SM57 : snare (bottom), bells Sennheiser MD421 : tom-toms Tape recorders: 24-track: 3M M79 : Electric Lady MCI JH-114 : Compass Point and Electric Lady Studer A800 24-...

(last updated: 13/08/24) Electronic instruments : Roland TR-707 drum machine Roland TR-808 drum machine (“Rent”) Fairlight CMI Series IIx (or Series III) PPG Wave 2.3: Andy Richards Roland Jupiter-8: Andy Richards Recording & studio equipment Microphones: Neumann U87 (vocals) Tape recorders: Nagra recorder – “It’s A Sin” catholic mass Studer A800 24-track (Sarm West) Sony PCM-3324 24-track (Advision) Sony PCM-F1 Sony PCM-701 (Sarm West) Outboard (partial list): AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay/harmonizer AMS RMX-16 digital reverb EMT 140 EMT 240 Lexicon 224 Lexicon 224XL Quantec Room Simulator UREI 1176  compressor Consoles: Solid State Logic SL-4048E : Sarm West Soundcraft TS-24 : Adivison Studio 1 Sources Music Technology , June 1988 (Andy Richards) Andy Richards Polymath Perspective interview Multitracks, studio photos, demos Classic Tracks: Pet Shop Boys’ “It’s A Sin” Music & Media , 14 November 1987 (Sarm West info)

 (last updated: 20/5/21) Instruments Phil Collins: Simmons SDS-7 Roland Octapad Pad 8 LinnDrum Pearl drums E-mu SP12 Roland TR-707? Tony Banks: E-Mu Emulator II New England Digital Synclavier II Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 (e.g. “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight”) Yamaha DX7 Yamaha TX-816 Yamaha QX1 sequencer   Yamaha CP-70B electric grand piano /w MIDI Yamaha REV7 reverb Mike Rutherford: Guitars: ’75 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst Steinberger GL2 6-string Basses: Steinberger L2 Fender Jazz(?) Amplification: Marshall amp Marshall cabinet Effects: AMS RMX-16 Orban 622b parametric eq other effects yet to be identified Roland GR-700/G-707 guitar synthesizer? Studio & recording gear Microphones: Drums: Kick: Neumann U47 Snare: Shure SM57 (assumed) Toms: Beyerdynamic M88 dynamic mics Overheads: 2 x Neumann U47 FET Room: 2 x AKG C414 or Neumann U47 or Neumann U87 Vocals Beyerdynamic M88 Outboard gear: AMS RMX-16 2 x AMS DMX 15-80S delay EMT 140 ...

(last updated: 19/8/24) Musical gear Drums: TAMA Imperialstar Metallic Blue  (February 1979 sessions): 22” x 14” bass drum 14” x 5” King Beat snare 12” x 7” rack tom 13” x 8” rack tom 16” x 15” floor tom TAMA Imperialstar Midnight Blue Same as above, with extra 8” x 10” tom-tom Cymbals ( Zildjian hollow logo A's and/or Paiste ): 14" hi-hat 22” heavy ride 16” crash (x2) 18” crash Other: Roland Chorus Echo RE-301 tape delay - echo effects on drums Guitars (Andy Summers, except where noted): Hamer Sunburst (late 70s, Cherry Red) Fender Stratocaster  (1978, black): Sting's, for octave guitar on bass lines and (allegedly guitar solo on "Bring On The Night" Fender Stratocaster  (1978, natural): Stewart Copeland's, likely rhythm guitars on "It's Alright For You" and "On Any Other Day" through Fender Champ Tweed  amplifier Fender Telecaster  (1961/63 custom, sunburst) /w Gibson PAF Humbucker & overdrive switch - Andy's main Gibson...

(last updated: 18/8/24) Stewart Copeland: TAMA blue drum kit: 22” x 14” bass drum 14” x 5” snare 12” x 7” rack tom 13” x 8” rack tom 16” x 15” floor tom Cymbals (Zildjian hollow logo A's): 14" hi-hat 22” heavy ride 2 x 16” crash 18” crash Andy Summers: 1963 Fender Telecaster guitar Custom model /w Gibson humbucker, built-in preamp and phase switch Fender Twin Reverb amp Ampeg amp MXR Phase 90 Sting: 1962 Fender Jazz bass /w natural finish Recording & studio equipment Microphones: Drums: AKG D-12 (bass drum) AKG C-451E (overheads, hi-hat) Beyerdynamic M201 (toms) Beyerdynamic M260 (snare) Guitars: Beyerdynamic Soundstar X1N or Shure SM58 (close) Neumann U87 - placed 3 feet away for ambience Vocals: Neumann U67 Tape machines: Ampex MM1000 16-track Ampex AG-440 2-track Outboard gear: ADT compressors Audio and Design compressors/limiters/exp/gates DBX compressors EMT 140 stereo plate Master Room reverb Tannoy red monitors Miscellaneous: Alice 20-16 mixing desk Br...

(last updated: 22/08/24) Musical equipment Drums & percussion: Linn LM-1 drum machine – “Cantonese Boy” claps, “Still Life In Mobile Homes” bass drum, claps & tom-tom hits TAMA Superstar green kit: 22” bass drum 8”, 10”, 12”, 13”, 16” concert toms 2 Octobans Pearl Chrome snare Wuhan Chinese cymbals (possibly the following): 10”, 14” & 16”, 16” crash, 18” crash Keyboards & synthesizers: Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 : played by David Sylvian and Steve Jansen Oberheim OB-X : Richard Barbieri’s main synth Roland System 700 : Richard Barbieri Other: Wal custom bass: Mick Karn's Travis Bean TB-2000 bass: Mick Karn's, “Talking Drum” Rickenbacker guitar /w e-bow Roland RE-201 Space Echo – for Prophet-5 Studio & Recording gear Microphones: AKG : C414 EB : overheads D12 : likely bass drum D19 (?): snare Neumann : KM84 : possibly hi-hats U47 FET : David Sylvian vocals Shure SM57 : tom-toms, possibly snare STC (a.k.a. Coles ) 4038 : overheads Drum microphone det...

(last updated: 18/08/24) Instruments Keyboards, synthesizers & electronics: Fairlight CMI (Series II or IIx) Linn Electronics LinnDrum : drum programming by Del Palmer Acoustic pianos: Bechstein upright: possibly used someplace Grotrian-Steinweg grand Guitars: Squier Stratocaster (white) through Fender Super Champ amplifier: Alan Murphy Recording & studio equipment Microphones: Crown PZM : piano Neumann U87 : vocals, guitars, flutes and possibly piano Tape machines: Otari MTR-90 mk. II 24-track: Windmill Lane Studio 1 (Dublin, Ireland) Studer A80 24-track: Wickham Farm Studer A80 2-track: Wickham Farm Soundcraft 310-B 8-track – initially for demo recordings, later used as a slave reel via Q-lock 310 Outboard equipment (partial list, only Wickham Farm): ADR SCAMP rack modules including two S01 compressors/limiters, two S05 high-pass filters and two S06 low-pass filters ADR F760X compex limiter AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay (x2, including one with up to 800 ms de...