This is the sound of our childhood

Posted by shulemaker@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 40 comments

The Gloria Estefan thread got me thinking — what is the quintessential sound of the 80s? The sound of almost every pop song on the radio and in every movie? The sound that immediately evokes emotions and memories? The quintessential xennial sound?

I’m cheating; I already know the answer. And I think you should too! The sound is called “Full Tines” and it’s a patch from the Yamaha DX7. The DC7 is *the* iconic, 80s synthesizer, and it used a revolutionary (for the time) technology called frequency modulation. Yes really, it’s called FM synthesis. That should be enough for you to dig your own rabbit hole, should you choose to do so.

Think Somewhwere Out There. That’s the sound.

This video (not mine) showcases the sound perfectly: https://youtube.com/shorts/T3vfA4Ey4oA

If you don’t get the feels within the first two seconds of that, you’re not a xennial.

Further listening for those interested: https://youtu.be/I6qsCNTbnw4

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Dr-McLuvin@reddit

It’s actually Orinoco Flow by Enya.

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Moxie_Stardust@reddit

Which is from the Roland D-50, one of the other iconic synths of the 80s.

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Dr-McLuvin@reddit

The main sound was called “Pizzagogo” right? I think tame impala used it on their most recent album which was a blast from the past.

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CokBlockinWinger@reddit

I messed around playing synths when I was very young, but Enya’s album Watermark made me want to learn how she made those sounds and where they came from.

My first synth I bought was a Roland XP-50, second hand, and I spent a solid year learning to play this entire album by ear.

Orinoco Flow is a decent song, but I gotta admit it’s the cheesiest one on the album.

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Moxie_Stardust@reddit

I play synthesizers, and I have a Yamaha Reface DX which is sort of like a modern lap-size DX7. They're pretty great.

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CottaBird@reddit

I want one of these. I borrowed my friend’s, and the first sound I noticed was from Journey’s Separate Ways.

I have the CP reface, which is great, but I want the DX7 next.

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Adrasteia-One@reddit

That keyboard sound is the very sound of a more lighthearted time long ago. I almost expect to hear Whitney or Peter Cetera's voice come in!

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No-Vacation2807@reddit

My dad had his own DX-7 on the garage.

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Enge712@reddit

Yeah I was born in 1980 and this sounds only vaguely familiar. Not ringing any bells. I guess revoke my card.

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Comprehensive-Fact94@reddit

Same. It definitely got buried in a lot of songs' instrumentation. But after hearing it alone, I notice it a lot more now.

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Enge712@reddit

I mean I can kind of hear it with someone pointing it out and checking it. I would have never in a million years noticed and thought hey that’s the same synthesizer. Listening to the linked YouTube elicited only confusion for me lol.

I think it’s one of those things like when you buy a new car and start noticing that model but it’s just tuned out unimportant information prior to that.

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Comprehensive-Fact94@reddit

Very true. Great analogy with the cars.

I'm a musician and nerd out on this stuff. And it still is a challenge. I forget that sort of thing sticks out to me more than most

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shulemaker@reddit (OP)

Somewhere Out There? Human by the Human League? The Greatest Love of All? Doogie Howser? Sara? Hard Habit to Break? As Soon as Forever is Through? Just off the top of my head.

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graveybrains@reddit

Just a sound? Like any sound?

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Worldly-Fishing-880@reddit

Phil Collins' drums

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graveybrains@reddit

808 drum machine

For the hip hop, Everybody (else) Needs A 303

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shulemaker@reddit (OP)

The sound of Phil Collins’ drums is defined by gated reverb. And that’s drums. Not the intro and melody used every song (even including his).

Slash was in one band in the 80s. The DX7 was in every band.

You’re closest with the 808. It started out in hip hop and moved into dance music. Like, for example, Gloria Estefan’s Miami Sound Machine. Who also heavily used and featured—wait for it—the DX7.

There was just no other instrument as iconic and universal as the DX7, and Full Tines was its most prominent preset.

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