The Oberheim OB-X (1979)
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- A look at the classic Oberheim OB-X synthesizer from 1979. Huge thanks to Steven R Sellick for the kind loan!
Check out Steven's track "Do Androids Dance to Electro Beat":
unts-untsplinksandplonks.band...
0:00 Intro
1:07 The Oberheim OB-X
1:30 Potted History
3:01 Demo 1
4:10 What's on an OB-X?
6:50 Demo 2
7:44 The Filter and Tom Sawyer
10:45 Demo 3
11:46 The Impact of the OB-X
13:19 Outro
Huge thank you to my Patreons.
/ alexballmusic
A correction: Several people have pointed out that Queen's "no synths!" comments were as much a defence of how they made their unique sounds (with practical miking and playing techniques) as they were saying that they didn't want synths.
Yup, that's precisely it! They did rather crazy stuff in the studio...
Hypocrisy, they made some really cool sounds on synths.
No synths at all until The Game in 1979.
@@mitchelstephen7536
Ah! The great song Som Tawyer from the band Crush, awesome recreation
😂
Maybe next he'll do the music from The Shinning.
From "Pooving Mixtures" album?
Rash covered it with an accordion and tuba.
I like Crush, but honestly they only have one song. They just play different versions of it.
Richard Barbieri is an absolute master with the OB-X the OB-Xa and the Prophet 5. And in my humble opinion doesn't get anywhere near the recognition he should. Shout out to you good sir.😀
Phew, the first song came in a Rush.
Better let Tom Sawyer know!
Thought I'd inject some life, son.
Bummer, you beat me to it 😂
Tom sawyer coming 😉
@@AlexBallMusic Uhmm, thanks Papa. I mean... dad.
I love how you snuck The Beatles into that artist roll at the end. They truly were pioneers, making use of a synth that wouldn’t be out till 10 years after they broke up.
They used it on "Free as a bird" in 1995.
I was fortunate enough to buy an OBX back in 1996 for $600. With out sounding hyperbolic it completely change my life.
Xellent.
I also found one super cheap back around '96 and really regret selling it (along with a few other classics)
Cue 2:46 ;D@@AlexBallMusic
And that probably wasn't as dirt cheap as you COULD'VE gotten it back in those days. The analog dark ages. Oh to have a time machine and go back and buy a truckload of old classics for third-digit amounts ;).
Don't take this the wrong way, but I hate you. LOL -- kidding. But OMG
Demo 3 is a banger! You should make a full length version and release it on its own.
Absolutely need the song as a complete track.
It was actually Geddy Lee/Rush's use of the OB-X that started my love affair of synthesizers. Tom Sawyer is iconic but what really did it for me was the OB-X pad sound front and center on Subdivisions (my all time favorite song). Signals is chock-full of great OB-X (and OB-Xa) sounds. Some other of my favorite OB-X moments being the pads on Chemistry, the soft sequence on Losing It, and the ass kicking brass on Countdown. Ah, great stuff.
Exactly the same experience for me. I squinted at that B&W picture in the liner notes of Moving Pictures to barely see what word was etched on the right side of that synthesizer, all with Geddy's flowing hair and witch-like nasal protuberance guarding the closely kept secret of sonic joy. I was hooked and an Oberheim guy forever
same here, Subdivisions was an epiphany in my then dawning love affair with synths and has remained a favourite ever since
Never heard of this synth. Thank you for showing
😂
🤣
😂
I'm Geddy with excitement.
It brings me Life, son!
Alex, to put it mildly, YOU ARE A TREASURE! Please NEVER STOP! ❤
Any video that begins with THAT sound and has one of your fab songs on it just makes my day!
Cheers!
A modern-day warrior
Mean, mean stride
Today's Tom Sawyer
Mean, mean pride
-Rush.
Did-do, did-do, did-do,
Dee-de, did-do, did-do
right off the bat@@AlexBallMusic ❤
lol followed by the most filthy metal groove in a non-metal song ever
The most amazing sounding Oberheim of them all, to my ears. Closely followed by the Matrix-12, again, to my ears.
Would LOVE a go on a Matrix-12.
Have you heard the br0wn hatter?
That could be true... to my ears.
@@MrJC1 Well you know, the internet... 😁
One better be obvious with subjective stuff. 😁
The Xpander is the best for me.
One of best sounding synths ever! Big love for Oberheim!
The OBX-D is a wonderful free emulation as well and it just got a great update. It’s such a good plugin.
I will never forget playing the OBX and it made a sound I’ve never heard before.
Was like an extremely detuned brass but it was insane how other-worldly it was.
Brother, I'm supposed to be doing invoices. I need to pay my rent.
Why you gotta do me this way?!
Oh well, the office is shut, I can spend 15 minutes basking in Oberheim glory :D
Put down the invoices and delay the rent. There's an Oberheim here.
@@AlexBallMusic that was well worth it, my god does the resonance work beautifully on that old beast!
I will admit, this is the one video where I honestly felt inward loss at the realization that it was coming to an end. And Alex your final closing track did indeed drive the stake further in with your strategic melancholy that I can only assume was poignantly planned. Please my variably filtered friend, oscillate for longer next time you do a video on this beast... so temperamental, so earthy, not an ounce of abstract, nor a pound of pretense...THIS marvelous miracle of Methuselah is literally IN YOUR FACE. Just like that addictive relationship that is so rewarding, yet you know is inherently unhealthy for you.
The 'Oh My Gawd' synth for sure! Great video!!!
Perfect timing, I'm off to see Geddy Lee tonight! :D
Amazing as always, thank you Alex!
Lovely! Thank you for a great demo! ❤
Great outro, chewy harmonies. I love the Death Star aesthetics, glad they brought that over to the OB-X8.
Death Star! That's what it reminded me of.
Another wonderful video!!! Lovely bit at the end.
Your videos are a joy Alex, keep it up
Gorgeous synth, gorgeous demos!
As usual, another great video! Love the OB-X. Thanks!
So lush! So phat!
It just has THAT Oberheim sound, that only the Oberheim's can do... Incredible unit.
Also glad you mentioned Mr. Barbieri as is was indeed a master at this instrument. Tin Drum has this and the Prophet 5 all over it!
Yep, really glad to tick this one off the list. I knew what it sounded like before I pressed a key and that says a lot. 😍
I was sure Barbieri made that metallic sounds with Prophet. Nice to learn more from an expert
@furiobisotti8150 Definitely used the Prophet a lot too, absolutely.
Alex, I always look forward to your reviews. Yet another sterling effort!
The synth sounds on Tin Drum are some of the best I've ever heard and I wondered at the time why I couldn't get them on my Jupiter 6...
Brilliant Alex. I always look forward to hearing you play these incredible sounds. Beautiful synth! 😍
Speaking words of wisdom, Geddy Leee-eee..
Wait whaaaaaat???? Can you make a longer version of Demo 3 plllleeeeeaaaase? So uplifting early 90s feeling! Love it.
Loved your demos implementing the glory of these oscillators - also very much enjoyed your new album!
Thanks Alex for the wonderful video🙏🤩👊
4000 views, 1.1K likes...that's one helluva ratio there, Mr Ball 😮
Watching it now, I can see why - great stuff. That synth's as old as I am!
Demo 3 !💙"Know that I'm with you, come wind or rain" is astonishingly poignant. I'll echo the other comments wondering if there's more song with that fantastic chorus hook. The G# melody note making the IV a major 7th chord (w/ those vocal harmonies) gets me right in my wistful heart.
This was absolutely wonderful!! ❤
Awesome! Love the "Don't Cry" Song.That should be on the Radio.
Sounds ridiculously good. Solid demos and jolly fun.
Fantastic video Alex!
Brilliant as ever. Thanks Alex!
Wow what treat this was to listen to. Excellent all around. Love your videos! Impressive how advanced this was for 1979. OMG that filter.
Wonderful as usual, the right balance of everything, learned a thing or two, and got so nicely entertained along the way,
Extra special mention to the sheer musicality !
Man, I live your tight vocal harmonies. You’re the best!
OH BOY ITS OBERHEIM TIME
Obertime
@@leftovernoisethought about that the second i left a comment..
Not sure I can pin it down rationally, but this synth sounds awesome, every single note you played on it sounded amazing. As usual another outstanding video from the daddy of UA-cam Synth nerds. A music lesson, a history lesson and an electronics lesson wrapped up in a splendid package.
@AlexBallMusic Many thanks for this fantastic video! Especially loved the Xmod examples. Love the clangorous tones. Also, thanks for the GForce OBX comparison. Wonderful compositions and vocals as well. Cheers!
All your videos are of high quality, interesting and informative.
The demos are also very good!
Thank you!
Not only an already amazing video for an amazing synth, but also Seru Giran is mentioned. Hell yeah!!
Hello Alex: The list of all of the people/bands who have used this synth is amazing. Thank you for jogging my memory on David Sanborn. His concert in Budapest in 2015 is on UA-cam and it's wonderful. Have a wonderful weekend.
Great video Alex!
Ohh, fantastic demo as always!! That filter sweep! Might need to pre-order one of them new clones now! 😍
Alex, your channel is just as lovely a thing as I can find nowadays. Bravo, and don't you go a-changin'!
Something about Oberheims just speaks to my soul. And who better to demo the (imho) greatest Oberheim synth than Alex Ball! Great video man.
Amazing and classic vintage sound. Phenomenal
Love your videos Alex
Man oh man, one of my all time favorite synths!!
Alex, you have such an amazing sound and always manage to make these classic synths shine! Love your work, too bad you had to send the Ob-X on its way.
The metallic Demo 2 at 6:50 is absolutely killer! Great stuff, Alex!
Cheers!
yeah, this one is 🔥
What a synth! Really enjoyed the metallic exploration.
Really gut 😂... as always! And always a pleasure to watch! Thx
The finest Deutschlish content on all of Du Tube.
@@AlexBallMusic Jawohl.
Fantastic, and nice Barbieri jam!
Demo 3 is almost the quintessential Alex Ball song. I love it. Just perfect!
No matter what you do to hi-filters and reso, you cannot kill the bass at all on these. Always maintains its bass clarity, no matter what.
Nice presentation!
good timing as we just put another restored obx up for sale. great job as usual and really like the demos!
problem is the OBX8 exists
@@davidshurterfoundermembero2885 the X8 sounds different to the X
@@davidshurterfoundermembero2885 not a problem at all, theyre not the same.
@@retrosound72 Analogue synths being analogue synths, if you compare any two OBXs, chances are that you will hear differences!
yes I know but the X8 has a complete different character @@MisAnnThorpe Not bad. Different.
Loved Ultravox's use of this synth. That synth still sounds like the future its gorgeous sounding
Nice review! Thanks!
Cool paddles-love what you did in the sweepy sync sounds part
Feels like a proper space ship with those paddles.
Fantastic intro !! !! 👍👍✨✨🎄🎄
Very nice, Alex.
Forget the OB-X, I want to hear the Polymoog that’s lurking in the background. Pretty please. Yes, I’m begging.
Fear not my synthy friend, that will get a sexy video. A sexy video indeed...
@@AlexBallMusicI have a 280 with Pedals if you want to include that too. I’m not far from you.
@@labouch 👀
@@labouch How do I contact you?
@@AlexBallMusic I’ll FB you. We have a couple of mutual friends.
Wonderful video mate, you’re such a treasure! Gotta get mine finished. I have an sx here too. Thanks for the cameo! ❤
Hey Brad! Yeah, worth restoring.
The SX is really weird. I played one recently.
That’s a beautiful sounding instrument, the Japanese style demo was so good! Will have to try the vst. Thank you
Cheers! Yep, the plugin is very much worth the time.
Fantastic video as always. Thank you in particular for mentioning Richard Barbieri. Criminally underrated and a true pioneer of synth programming. Whenever Oberheim is mentioned, the automatic reference is Van Halen. But for me, it will always be Japan and Barbieri. I saw their last tour at the Bristol Colston Hall back in the day...
Would love to see you do a feature on his work and the unique sounds achieved by Japan.
Synth hero for sure. Really interesting and unique sounds.
My ultimate goal is to figure out that mad patch at the start of Ghosts, but even Richard can't recall how on earth it was done.
🎶 "Still Life in Mobile Homes" came on my MP3 player the other night. 😍
@@AlexBallMusic Invite him on the show! Interviews with these synth pioneers would be so interesting!
one moment I had impression that you would play Tom Sawyer. Great tool. great work!
Entertaining, informative and well-balanced overview of an absolute classic. That poly S&H sounds so sweet! I wonder how many of these are left in the wild in good working condition like this one? Like you, I think I might have to be 'away from the office' when the delivery guy calls to take it away! 😬
Pretty sure this is what was used on Flash Gordon with Queen.
Lovely machine, lovely sounds, lovely price that I could never afford.
Thx for the memories Alex.
Yes indeed! I discussed the Queen / OB-X relationship right at the end of the video. It was the synth that turned them to the dark side.
@@AlexBallMusicBefore the OB-X8 came out, my Oberheim sound go-to was Sonic Projects’ OP-X Pro II. It’s great fun to scroll through the banks of famous sounds in their sound banks, especially all the patches from Queen. Playing little bits of Queen songs with that software would aways perk up people’s attention.
Nice. It looks like you were having fun.
An amazing synth to be sure. The opening of Tom Sawyer might be one of the coolest synth parts ever... and it's only one note. Amazing.
Great video again.
I don't always watch an Alex Ball video about the OB-X, but when I do so do my neighbors.
Seriously, take a moment to put on the Big Speakers for this one.
So great that The Beatles got to beta-test this synth some 10 years before it's release ... :) Great video, thanks.
I was waiting for this comment!
Free as a bird - 1995. Nearly twenty years _after_ it was released. 😀
@@AlexBallMusic😮
Well, the synth came out in 1979, and John Lennon didn't get wasted until 1980.. so in theory they could have used it for that 1 year period.
????
Awesome stuff man, love your videos. Have you ever done a video on how you 'do your videos'? I think people would be interested, especially the jams
Cheers! Never done a behind-the-scenes. Might be a bit niche perhaps, but I'll consider it.
@@AlexBallMusic Yeah maybe, but we all know geeky synth dudes love a good rummage behind others desks :)
Also, this transition-phase design (between all off-white like the 2/4/8-voice, and all black and blue like later synths) is really appealing to me. It's clearly still designed to look and feel like you've got a bunch of modules in a case, even though it's just one panel.
It's amazing how certain sounds are instantly recognizable. I was expecting more than a couple Rushed notes in the begining.
I detect a Tangerine Dream-like track! (Main track from Thief) Demo 3 sounds straight out of the 80s (to me). Awesome review as ever Alex!
Your vocals were amazing on that piece! 🙌
Thanks!
Nice overview Alex, thanks.. You did a brilliant job featuring it, certainly sounds decent I can see in its day how impressive it was, but I still don’t quite get the fuss that’s made about it now ( I think it’s another case people mistaking their memory of great records with a single synth). Still, great these synths are still around and some people appreciate & look after them...
It does have a very satisfying sound. It's pretty barren on the feature front compared to modern gear, I get that.
It's like a Minimoog, I suppose, just classic.
Thanks Alex. Such a gem of a channel. Worth it getting the bang on the door to turn it down, as usual :D
This is one of the synth (along with the Jupiter-8) that brought me to the synth world and it made me interested on synthesisers. And the reason is because of Queen! When I learned that they used this synth on The Game, it made me curious on what is an Oberheim and here I am listening to synth music. Great video
My word. I’m undone. I think I’ve had a synthgasm! What a fantastic piece of kit - but I’ve always been a fan of Oberheim!
Heh on the back of Larry Fast (Synergy)’s first album, he had “And nobody played guitar” as a response - with “and still no guitars” on the 2nd album.
On the 3rd album with the guitar synth they had “and finally guitars… sort of” heh.
yes, but did he play Sun City despite everyone asking not to?
Glad to see this keyboard recreated!
great video. That rush sound is thr business....
What a way to start a video! 👍👍👍
I have *that* OB-X in for restoration right now. When it's back I'll get the Tom Sawyer patch into it and figure out how to share it around here
Ah great, hope the restoration goes well.
I've multi sampled the Sawyer patch and it's going on Patreon today, funnily enough.
My dream synth. The reissue sounds identical.
I love me some Rush. Geddy Lee incorporated synths into their sound beautifully (Xanadu, Subdivisions, The Camera Eye, etc).