fraroc Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Even though the keyboards were introduced to Rush in 1977, In my honest opinion the first true synth-era Rush song was The Camera Eye. No bass guitar is played at all in the first minutes of the song, only keyboards. Many times in the song, Ged switched between keys and bass. Of course, this makes Witch Hunt the second synth based Rush song. Overall, I think those two songs, Camera Eye and Witch Hunt, was what set the stage for what Rush was going to be for the rest of the 1980s, with songs that prominently feature Geddy Lee playing both bass and keyboards in the same song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Permanent-Rush Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 What about Tom Sawyer hmm?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Madrigal? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entre_Perpetuo Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 The synth intro to 2112 definitely set the template, that and the synth in Tears... ;) Actually though TCE and Witch Hunt is pretty spot on. I might argue that Ged was getting the hang of composing synth based stuff by Hems on Circumstances and The Trees, but not really any standalone pieces or full songs until TCE and WH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifeson90 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Xanadu popped into mind, if those synths, i'm no expert 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraroc Posted October 12, 2017 Author Share Posted October 12, 2017 Keep in mind I'm talking about songs where synths are very prominent, in songs like Xanadu, A Farewell To Kings, YYZ and Tom Sawyer, they're more of an accent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planet X-1 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 The first true synth-keyboard song is Subdivisions as it's the instrument that carries the melody, without it the song is a dud. ....well more of a dud, actually...since Signals is a dud to begin with, because well, Signals uses keyboards. :P 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasbo Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Xanadu popped into mind, if those synths, i'm no expert I would agree with this.That swirling intro to 2112?.I think Terry Brown did that.Tears?I think that's a Mellotron and Hugh Syme played that.Is Red Sector A the song with no bass? That could technically be it. I think Subdivisions and Countdown are the first real heavy synths songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 The first true synth-keyboard song is Subdivisions as it's the instrument that carries the melody, without it the song is a dud. ....well more of a dud, actually...since Signals is a dud to begin with, because well, Signals uses keyboards. :P I don't agree Signals is a dud, but I do agree about Subdivisions being the first. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil1972 Posted October 12, 2017 Share Posted October 12, 2017 Xanadu popped into mind, if those synths, i'm no expert That swirling intro to 2112?.I think Terry Brown did that.Tears?I think that's a Mellotron and Hugh Syme played that. Syme did the 2112 thingie too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planet X-1 Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 The first true synth-keyboard song is Subdivisions as it's the instrument that carries the melody, without it the song is a dud. ....well more of a dud, actually...since Signals is a dud to begin with, because well, Signals uses keyboards. :P I don't agree Signals is a dud, but I do agree about Subdivisions being the first. ...old Rush Good; new Rush Bad :D rinse, repeat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootruss Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 (edited) What about in hemispheres.." I have memory and awareness.." some really great textures and sounds in that intro.. The Oberheim doing it's thang! Edited October 13, 2017 by bootruss 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted October 13, 2017 Share Posted October 13, 2017 AFTKs is full of synthy goodness but it was just used as another instrument to compliment the songs. I agree that Subdivisions is the first one where the entire song is carried by it. Thus the slow slide into hell. ;) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattroland76 Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) I'm not sure what qualifies as "synth-based," but 2112 was the first album to feature a synthesizer (the intro to the title track is played on an ARP Odyssey). Also, starting with A Farewell to Kings (and lasting for most of the remainder of their career) the Moog Taurus bass pedals were used extensively, both in studio and live. This pedal-based synthesizer was used not only for its native sounds but most significantly as an interface to play the key-based synths (like the Minimoog and Oberheim). Edited July 9, 2021 by mattroland76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todem Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 As far as written on the keyboards. First one? Subdivisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Freeze Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 What about in hemispheres.." I have memory and awareness.." some really great textures and sounds in that intro.. The Oberheim doing it's thang! Alex and his Roland guitar synth ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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