synth from “st. elmo's fire (man in motion)” by john parr | ToneDB
st. elmo's fire (man in motion)
john parr
synth
Tone Profile
The synth lead has a bright, soaring quality, typical of mid-80s pop anthems. It's characterized by a combination of sawtooth and pulse waveforms, chorus, and a touch of reverb.
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The Story
The soaring synth lead on 'St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)' was recorded at Chartmaker Studios in Malibu, with David Foster producing and Humberto Gatica engineering. The Roland Juno-106 was the primary synthesizer, paired with processing through a Roland Dimension D chorus and Lexicon 224 reverb. The sound was layered to create the thick, harmonically rich texture that became synonymous with mid-80s pop anthems.
Production Credits
Producer: David Foster
Engineer: Humberto Gatica
Recorded at: Chartmaker Studios (Malibu, CA)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Roland Juno-106Shop on Reverb
Processing: Roland Dimension DShop on Reverb, Lexicon 224Shop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Start with a sawtooth waveform and a pulse waveform on a Roland Juno-106.
- Detune the oscillators slightly to create a chorus effect, or use a Roland Dimension D.
- Add a touch of reverb using a Lexicon 224 or similar reverb unit.
- Experiment with different filter settings to shape the tone.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Roland Juno-106
Analog polysynth with similar architecture to the Juno-106, offering sawtooth and pulse waveforms with built-in chorus for that classic 80s sound
Alternative to: Roland Juno-106
Modern recreation of the original Juno series with authentic ACB modeling of the 106's analog circuits and chorus
Alternative to: Roland Dimension D
Recreates the original Dimension D's stereo chorus effect that adds width and movement without obvious modulation
Alternative to: Lexicon 224
Digital recreation of the iconic 224's plate and hall reverbs that defined 80s production
Alternative to: Roland Juno-106
Software emulation specifically of the Juno-106's analog circuits, chorus, and filter characteristics
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
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