Tone Profile

A punchy, slightly detuned raw analog synth lead with a bright character and a distinct vintage reverb tail, defining the track's iconic hook.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Recorded in 1981 for the album 'Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret'.
• Produced by Mike Thorne.
• The main riff was played by Dave Ball on a Korg Maxi-Korg 800DV, as confirmed by Ball himself.
• The distinctive 'bip bip' percussion sound accompanying the riff was created using a Synclavier II, programmed by Mike Thorne.
• The bassline was played on a Korg SB-100 Synthe-Bass.
• Initial recordings and demos were done at Cellar Studio, NYC, with the final album version recorded at Advision Studios, London.

Recreation Tips

• Use an analog or virtual analog synthesizer with at least two oscillators.
• Set both oscillators to sawtooth waves. Experiment with one sawtooth and one slightly different waveform (e.g. narrow pulse) for subtle variation.
• Slightly detune one oscillator from the other (e.g., by 3-7 cents) to create a thick, phasing/chorusing effect.
• Use a low-pass filter (a 24dB/octave slope is typical for this era) with the cutoff frequency set relatively high to maintain brightness. Add a small amount of resonance for character.
• Configure the amplitude envelope with a fast attack, medium-to-long decay, high sustain level, and a short to medium release.
• Apply a generous amount of plate reverb emulation. The reverb should have a noticeable tail but not muddy the direct sound.
• The riff is played monophonically; ensure your synth is in mono or legato mode if applicable, with priority given to the last note played.

Recommended Gear

• Korg Maxi-Korg 800DV (Korg DV-800)(Synth)
• Korg Minilogue(Synth)
• Arturia Prophet-5 V(Plugin Synth)
• Behringer Model D(Synth)
• ValhallaPlate(Plugin Reverb)
• Universal Audio EMT 140 Plate Reverb(Plugin Reverb)
• EMT 140 (original hardware)(Hardware Reverb)
• Korg Collection - miniKORG 700S(Plugin Synth)