Geddy's Soul Patch Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 There may be a thread about this already, didn't check. Anyway, I'm curious as to what everyone thinks is Geddy's best synth work on an album and an individual song. As far as songs go, I'd have to say Xanadu. From the Taurus pedal drone to the sweet Mini Moog melody in the chorus (Geddy would probably scoff at me if he read that!). But for an album it's a toss up between PoW and HYF. His synth work on PoW is very open and technological sounding, it really gives the album a lot of space. His work on HYF is extremely lush and atmospheric, I love both so much. Thoughts? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclonus X-1 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Songs -- Subdivisions, Countdown, Red Sector A, Emotion Detector. Albums -- Signals, Power Windows. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalsBandGuy Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 GUP was the best synth work, I feel. But, his best song for synth in my world is Xanadu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Not Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 None of it is particularly exceptional, but Middletown Dreams is very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Cub Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 (edited) Geddy's synth work is probably what I pay attention to the least when compared to the drums/bass/guitar (as is probably the case for everyone else). Nevertheless: His early work is great, and I feel is often overshadowed by the "synth era" when it was the centerpiece of the music. Xanadu is full of good synth, and it supplements Alex's acoustic guitar on the title track of AFTK very well. The instrumental break in the middle of The Trees has gone down in history as one of my all time top Rush moments, and his synth work in there is nice. Past that, I like the natural progression of their use through Moving Pictures to Signals, particularly YYZ, Witch Hunt, Subdivisions, and that sweet synth solo at the end of Countdown. Grace Under Pressure is my favorite Rush album after Counterparts, and he has some nice keyboard parts on Red Sector A and Between The Wheels especially. Power Windows: it starts to get a little overwhelming, but not on the scale of Hold Your Fire. Marathon had some wonderful parts and they are what makes Manhattan Project an awesome song. Hold Your Fire: too many keys and far too soft for a Rush album, but Lock and Key has some great keyboard melodies, and Mission is definitely his highlight. Past that...I'm pretty sure all of the key parts are sampled a la Leave That Thing Alone or Dreamline rather than played, at least live. Favorite synth album: Grace Under Pressure Favorite individual synth moment: Subdivisions, Red Sector A, or The Trees. Great thread! Edited July 2, 2014 by BowlCity 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I love the synths in Xanadu and Circumstances but my favorite is probably La Villa Strangiato.Tom Sawyer has some kick-ass synth in it too.Oh, and how could I forget every song on Grace Under Pressure and Power Windows! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RushBoingo Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Most of it for sure. I think my favorites come from Subdivisions, Xanadu, Territories, and Vital Signs 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I think the synth sound reached its peak of perfection with HYF. Seriously. The whole damn album. 10/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 There may be a thread about this already, didn't check. Anyway, I'm curious as to what everyone thinks is Geddy's best synth work on an album and an individual song. As far as songs go, I'd have to say Xanadu. From the Taurus pedal drone to the sweet Mini Moog melody in the chorus (Geddy would probably scoff at me if he read that!). But for an album it's a toss up between PoW and HYF. His synth work on PoW is very open and technological sounding, it really gives the album a lot of space. His work on HYF is extremely lush and atmospheric, I love both so much. Thoughts? Yeah, I have to go with HYF also. :rush: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Segue Myles Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Most of it for sure. I think my favorites come from Subdivisions, Xanadu, Territories, and Vital Signs These four songs are definite standouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brucey Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Albums - Signals and Power Windows Songs - Xanadu, Tom Sawyer, The Camera Eye, Subdivisions, Losing It, Between The Wheels, Marathon, Emotion Detector...quite a few! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangster of Goats Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 For me, it's Signals. I prefer analog synthesizers to digital and samplers, and Signals is the peak of analog goodness from Geddy. GUP, PoW, and HYF sound great of course (and those albums still have some analog in them, particularly Taurus pedals: love that Taurus drone on Territories.) but Signals is the one for me. Love the lush sound of Subdivisions and the Minimoog solos on Countdown. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WorkingAllTheTime Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 The synth era gets dogged by fans and non-fans alike, but there is much to appreciate in those albums. Signals, as it is the album that started my fandom, should probably be my choice, but I find the synth era album that makes it most in to my play list is p/g. Regardless, I have been pleased the band has inserted some "deep track" pieces from the synth era in to recent tours. You can always tell who the casual or new fans are at a show by their reactions to "Between the Wheels" or "Territories"! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyLee Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Red Sector A has some amazing synth work in it. Carries a lot of that song. Subtle and great with the low end arpeggio. Same with the weapon. What I have found was the most difficult to get used to though is Losing It. Cool little rolls around those chords and totally opposite of what it feels like it should be. Then you have to sing over it in 5/4 time. Got it now and it's feeling more comfortable but I couldn't imagine writing it. Really clever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I wish I could intelligently reply to this topic, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I love that synth sound. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I wish I could intelligently reply to this topic, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I love that synth sound.I am with you. I don't have a clue. Some of the synth sound is good. He could be a great synth player or a lousy one and I wouldn't know the difference.... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrystress Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I'm stuck with half of the other people here. Xanadu, The trees, and either between the wheels or red sector a. Subdivisions and Countdown also have great keyboard work too. The HYF synth is so so, some good some not so much. Power Windows had decent keyboard. My favorite albums for keyboard are signals and grace under pressure though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I wish I could intelligently reply to this topic, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I love that synth sound.I am with you. I don't have a clue. Some of the synth sound is good. He could be a great synth player or a lousy one and I wouldn't know the difference.... Me too. In fact, the longer I am here, the more embarrassed I am getting because I know so little. Is the synth the same as the keyboards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrystress Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I wish I could intelligently reply to this topic, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I love that synth sound.I am with you. I don't have a clue. Some of the synth sound is good. He could be a great synth player or a lousy one and I wouldn't know the difference.... Me too. In fact, the longer I am here, the more embarrassed I am getting because I know so little. Is the synth the same as the keyboards? I think it is. Probably. Not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x1yyz Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I wish I could intelligently reply to this topic, but I can't. The only thing I know is that I love that synth sound.I am with you. I don't have a clue. Some of the synth sound is good. He could be a great synth player or a lousy one and I wouldn't know the difference.... I'll hang out over in the corner with you guys. I like Rush songs and many Rush songs have synths and that's about all I know! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 What's the difference between a mellotron and a moog synthesizer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrystress Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 What's the difference between a mellotron and a moog synthesizer? Second, need to translate it to English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennyLee Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 What's the difference between a mellotron and a moog synthesizer? A Mellotron is more of a looping device. It predates the synths and used tape to loop pre-recorded sounds. The Moog is actually the manufacturer of a synth (pronounced Mog btw with a long O sound). Very enormous originally with patch cables that link effects and processors to produce sounds. Frequency filters, wave forms, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 What's the difference between a mellotron and a moog synthesizer? A Mellotron is more of a looping device. It predates the synths and used tape to loop pre-recorded sounds. The Moog is actually the manufacturer of a synth (pronounced Mog btw with a long O sound). Very enormous originally with patch cables that link effects and processors to produce sounds. Frequency filters, wave forms, etc. I know how a mellotron works on account of Mike Pinder and The Moodies, but I didn't know how it differed from the moog which sounds the same to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Would Show Don't Tell be considered a heavy synth song? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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