Secret Weapon Theory
Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:11 pm
Okay, so I realize that this has been extensively talked about, and a lot of people have their own theories on the matter. It is quite possible, and more than likely, that I am 100% totally wrong here, but to me it makes sense. I think that the "secret weapon" is really just a Roland SH-101, and not a magical box that is all mystical and secretive. Maybe it started as kind of a silly joke, because they used it a lot or something. I have had this theory for quite a few years. It was developed some time ago after wondering what this "secret weapon" might possibly be. Was it a sampler? Was it a homemade piece of equipment that spits out weird sounds? Maybe it was an unusual process in their audio chain that they use? I have since then, settled on the idea that it is in fact a synth.
I read that quote a few years back and thought yes! it's IS a synth. Now, what fairly inexpensive synth could it be?
So I went on a listening search, and time after time I could hear one synth in particular popping up in most of their songs. I can quite clearly hear what I believe to be an SH-101 in XYZ, SAC, M9, Triangles & Rhombuses, Sixtyten, Kaini Industries, Bocuma, Roygbiv, Olson, Pete Standing Alone, Happy Cycling, Everything You Do Is A Balloon, June 9th, Mellissa Juice, etc. the list goes on. It is alos obviously in a lot of their earlier work, and I believe it even appears quite a bit on Geogaddi, though possibly sampled, and layered so it's quite a bit harder to pick out.
Anyway, this might be a totally useless thread, but I'd like to hear your opinions on this matter...
"1988: michael bought what he now describes as the band's "secret weapon" synth from a friend for £100 whilst travelling on a bus."
I read that quote a few years back and thought yes! it's IS a synth. Now, what fairly inexpensive synth could it be?
So I went on a listening search, and time after time I could hear one synth in particular popping up in most of their songs. I can quite clearly hear what I believe to be an SH-101 in XYZ, SAC, M9, Triangles & Rhombuses, Sixtyten, Kaini Industries, Bocuma, Roygbiv, Olson, Pete Standing Alone, Happy Cycling, Everything You Do Is A Balloon, June 9th, Mellissa Juice, etc. the list goes on. It is alos obviously in a lot of their earlier work, and I believe it even appears quite a bit on Geogaddi, though possibly sampled, and layered so it's quite a bit harder to pick out.
Anyway, this might be a totally useless thread, but I'd like to hear your opinions on this matter...
Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:39 pm
I did not know that the 'secret weapon' was specifically a synth, but I think it's probably something other than an SH-101 because it's no secret that BoC use an SH-101 on a lot of their tracks. If the 'secret weapon' is indeed a synth, I would guess that it is some obscure vintage analog piece of junk that possibly has technical problems.
I think people focus way too much on synthesizers in discussions of BoC's music. BoC's unique warped/aged sound is the result of obsessive experimentation with samplers, fx, re-amping, recording techniques, etc. That's why 'The Campfire Headphase' still has the BoC sound, even though it makes minimal use of synthesizers. Of course, using an instrument like the SH-101 will place the music in a specific time period (early 1980's) because we are used to hearing that timbre in music from that period, but you can actually make music that sounds even older (e.g. 1970's) by using acoustic instruments along with the crazy production techniques. To add the enigmatic, dark component to the nostalgic fuzziness, you just need to warp the character of the uncolored timbres until they are unrecognizable. For instance, I think I read that the main melody in 'Julie and Candy' is a bunch of layered flutes that have been destroyed with a sampler, tape, etc.
I think people focus way too much on synthesizers in discussions of BoC's music. BoC's unique warped/aged sound is the result of obsessive experimentation with samplers, fx, re-amping, recording techniques, etc. That's why 'The Campfire Headphase' still has the BoC sound, even though it makes minimal use of synthesizers. Of course, using an instrument like the SH-101 will place the music in a specific time period (early 1980's) because we are used to hearing that timbre in music from that period, but you can actually make music that sounds even older (e.g. 1970's) by using acoustic instruments along with the crazy production techniques. To add the enigmatic, dark component to the nostalgic fuzziness, you just need to warp the character of the uncolored timbres until they are unrecognizable. For instance, I think I read that the main melody in 'Julie and Candy' is a bunch of layered flutes that have been destroyed with a sampler, tape, etc.
Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:15 pm
Calling it a secret weapon makes sense I guess; it's something that they don't want people to know about and they probably resort to using it alot. After reading it multiple times my ears would agree that it is an SH-101 for a lot of lead stuff, but I also heard that the CS-80 was also used, probably more for textural sounds/pads.
I think it's cool when a band has something they treasure so much they hold it in high regard, I'd keep some of my gear secret because I know it's a)hard to find and b)plays an integral part to my own sound.
On a side note, I read somewhere that Aphex Twin has actually designed his own secret weapon (a brutalizing fx box, I presume?) and uses it live so that probably gave people a chance to see it and ask, "What the hell is that thing?". Awesome.
I think it's cool when a band has something they treasure so much they hold it in high regard, I'd keep some of my gear secret because I know it's a)hard to find and b)plays an integral part to my own sound.
On a side note, I read somewhere that Aphex Twin has actually designed his own secret weapon (a brutalizing fx box, I presume?) and uses it live so that probably gave people a chance to see it and ask, "What the hell is that thing?". Awesome.
Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:43 pm
I don't think the secret weapon is anything we have heard about yet.
For the record, we know they have:
Drawmer Compressor (research would indicate tube compressor)
Akaii S2000 (or was it S1000?) sampler
SH101
Various Reel to reel players (for "powder" effects)
Field Tape recorders
Computers with Logic for arrangement
A peace of pipe with a speaker at one end and a microphone at the other (for resonant effects, comb effects...) (can be heard in icedcooly on Twoism i think)
An ice cream churn modified into some kind of Lesley effect.
A drum kit + bass + guitars
I think they have some big Cabinet speakers also (rumbling pad in Olson)
A hardware sequencer that likes to glitch notes
I am sure that they have a talk-box also, so many tunes sound like they have formant sounds.
If the secret weapon isn't one of those then I can imagine what it could possibly be.
Good topic, I love gear chat
[edit]
I should have said but the SH101 they use is hardly a secret, i would be a little disappointed if it was simply the SH101.
[/edit]
For the record, we know they have:
Drawmer Compressor (research would indicate tube compressor)
Akaii S2000 (or was it S1000?) sampler
SH101
Various Reel to reel players (for "powder" effects)
Field Tape recorders
Computers with Logic for arrangement
A peace of pipe with a speaker at one end and a microphone at the other (for resonant effects, comb effects...) (can be heard in icedcooly on Twoism i think)
An ice cream churn modified into some kind of Lesley effect.
A drum kit + bass + guitars
I think they have some big Cabinet speakers also (rumbling pad in Olson)
A hardware sequencer that likes to glitch notes
I am sure that they have a talk-box also, so many tunes sound like they have formant sounds.
If the secret weapon isn't one of those then I can imagine what it could possibly be.
Good topic, I love gear chat
[edit]
I should have said but the SH101 they use is hardly a secret, i would be a little disappointed if it was simply the SH101.
[/edit]
Tue Nov 23, 2010 6:08 am
one person mentioned here that he believed it was a sound chip like Amiga or C64
and i believe its possible.
and i believe its possible.
Tue Nov 23, 2010 7:55 am
i would be surprised if they didn't use a roland dimension d, and i've never heard mention of them using one. however, i really doubt that would be the big secret.
Tue Nov 23, 2010 9:10 am
Why did you open yet another thread about this matter? The other year you started this topic and got closed as there was already a huge speculation topic about their secret weapon. Now all ideas are scatterd over a few topics.
Sorry to those who posted in this thread. I'm a bit late to close this one but feel free to copy and paste your comment into the original thread.
Sorry to those who posted in this thread. I'm a bit late to close this one but feel free to copy and paste your comment into the original thread.