Qasarbeach – a Fairlight CMI IIx synth/sampler on steroids

adamstrange.itch.io

24 points·kimi··6 comments

This used to be an iconic machine on which countless pop hits from the 80s were composed, for example, the Pet Shop Boys or Kate Bush used it extensively to create a sound that at the time was reserved for the top of the top. Now it is a 15 meg download.

and many thoughtful hours to get those sounds out of it!

The Art of Noise's hits used just the basic sample pack from the Fairlight demo reel. ("Close to the Edit" will never hit the same after you've heard the demo reel.) But Kate Bush went absolutely wild with its synthesis capabilities, for example.

Which further shows that musical proficiency trumps all technological advances. Anne Dudley's piano parts still resonate strongly with me, and I'm sure she had much to do with the arrangement of those presets.

Similarly, I've read that much of Underworld's first albums comes straight out of a Yamaha CS-1 which is a pretty basic rompler.

yeah, same with the DX-7/DX-9 - the entire early '80s is either Fairlight presets or DX presets.

but, as you note, it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it

Now it is fully integrated into DaVinci Resolve. Blackmagic Design bought Fairlight outright in 2016.

I mean, today it is nothing special.... the GUI is awful as ever. But at the time it was huge.

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