Leonard Cohen's Favorite Synth: Casio PT-30 скачать в хорошем качестве

Leonard Cohen's Favorite Synth: Casio PT-30

#leonardcohen #casiosynths #hallelujah Leonard Cohen's use of the Casio PT-30 synthesizer became a signature aspect of his music in the 1980s. The Casio PT-30, a small and inexpensive keyboard, may seem like an unlikely instrument for a legendary songwriter, but Cohen used it to great effect. Known for its simple, preset rhythms and limited sound options, the PT-30 added a minimalist, lo-fi quality to Cohen's music during this period. Cohen's decision to incorporate the Casio PT-30 was reflective of his move towards a more synthesized and electronic sound. Albums like "Various Positions" (1984) and "I'm Your Man" (1988) prominently feature the keyboard. The simplicity of the PT-30 allowed Cohen to focus on his deep, poetic lyrics and haunting melodies, with the synthesizer providing a backdrop that was both sparse and atmospheric. The lo-fi sound of the PT-30 gave his music a raw, intimate feeling that contrasted with the often lush production of other artists of the era. In songs like "Hallelujah" and "First We Take Manhattan," the PT-30's rhythm tracks and basic melodies provided a foundation over which Cohen's gravelly voice could deliver his contemplative, often spiritual lyrics. The use of this synthesizer became part of Cohen's artistic identity during the mid-to-late '80s, embodying his preference for direct, unadorned musical expression. Despite its simplicity, the Casio PT-30 played a crucial role in helping Cohen craft a sound that was uniquely his own during this period. The PT-30's main features are 1) 8 preset voices; 2) 18 rhythms; 3) Auto play, One Key Play, and One Chord Key Play; 4) Programmable memory; 5) Cassette dump (requiring the optional TA-1); 6) Monitor Speaker; 7) LCD data display; but most impressive of all is 8) Automatic chordal harmonization with the melody line — one plays a tune and the PT-30 automatically generates a suitable backing accompaniment. Let's start with the eight preset voices; for one's amusement Casio have provided monophonic realizations of: a Piano, a Harpsichord, an Organ, a Violin, a Flute, a Horn, and in addition there are two abstract presets, 'Fantasy' and 'Mellow'; now these aren't at all bad considering the cost, and of course it's virtually impossible to make any attempt at simulating a pianoforte with a monophonic instrument. These voices are selected via a row of calculator type keys above the keyboard. To select a rhythm however one has to first go for the 'Rhythm' button, then hit the note on the keyboard that corresponds to the desired rhythm. The patterns are good, though the percussion voices, in particular the bass drum, leave room for improvement, but by simply feeding the signal through an external amplifier, the tone quality is dramatically improved. The patterns are of course the old favourites — from waltz to ballad, rock to disco and bossanova to samba. Now we approach, with trepidation, the automatic section proper. On its own, the calculator keyboard is used to set the root of the accompaniment note, but in addition to these switches there are eight further notes designed to specify the type of chord based on that root. It is possible to generate diminisheds, suspended 4ths, minor 6ths, 6ths, maj. 7ths, minor 7ths, and 7ths with this section — that is quite staggering, and not many of the £2000+ organs can boast this kind of chord generation technology! Now, it is possible to program into memory both the chords and melody lines in several different ways. For example one can firstly load in the melody line (with or without a chordal accompaniment) in real time; or if one's playing is a little shaky, one can first enter the melody notes, then load the respective timings using the 'One-Key-Play' facility, and then add the chords on later; or yet another option allows one to load in just chords, these can then be replayed at the touch of a button (the 'One-Key-Chord'), the melody line can thus be introduced afterwards, hence one doesn't have to worry about getting the right buttons down. The 'Automatic Chord Harmonics.' This circuit will study the melody line as programmed above, and automatically generate what it thinks to be a suitable chord accompaniment — and it works nine times out of ten. If however, the programmed tune breaks the rules on which the PT-30's ACH system is based, then there are three alternative chord structures pre-programmed into the unit, and one simply has to press the 'Change' button to find one that is better suited to the melody. And, as this chordal info is displayed in the LCD, you soon start to grasp simple accompaniment theory for yourself. The Casio PT-30 synthesizer was an important part of Leonard Cohen's songwriting because it embodied his artistic philosophy of finding beauty in simplicity. The PT-30 became an essential part of Cohen's 1980s sound, helping to define a period of his career where his music remained as impactful as ever.