Sunday Synth Jam: This video, via raycastile, captures a performance of an original piece for Yamaha CS-60, Around and Back.

Here’s what he has to say about it:

This piece has six parts. If you don’t like what you’re hearing at any given time, wait a minute, because something different is coming around the corner.

Lots of CS-60 on this track. Most of the effects sounds, the brass sounds, bass, “guitar” sounds, flute sounds, and more. The arpeggios are the Roland D-50 and Ensoniq ESQ1. Novation MoroderNova is playing some 303-ish filter sweeping arpeggios. String pads are the Korg M1 and XILS V+. The ESQ1 also does the repeating string stabs toward the end. Drums are a combination of the Roland XP-30 and Emu Proteus I.

This is the first time in years I have incorporated a drum track. I’m not big on drums. But this piece started as an attempt to do an Italian disco-style track, then evolved into something very different. The drums are a vestige of the original idea.

This is also one of the few times I’ve used a compressor. I usually prefer a looser, more organic sound. But because of the dance-like quality of the second half, I thought it needed the compressed sound associated with dance music. I’m not experienced with compressors, so it’s probably not the most elegant example of audio compression you’ve ever heard. I might upload an uncompressed version in the future.

The video splices together many takes. During the outro, when you hear the brass sound, you are not seeing the same take you are hearing. The video of that take got deleted, or was never shot. So I had to use video of a different take and dissolve out of it before it became obvious. That is why that shot seems to end prematurely.

During the intro and outro, when it seems like I am staring into space, not playing anything, it is not because I’m drunk, stoned or insane. I am performing the rising and falling glissando effects. See my fingers at both ends of the keyboard? I’m actually playing something, honest.