I demand a second part of this. Kraftwerk, Queen, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Human League, etc, etc.

@gergrogers7385

Жыл бұрын

The real and actual top 10 (or 100 synth riffs). Not many of the ones Dr. Mix put up here would make my list. Probably only Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" and Hancock's "Rockit."

@EWormMusic

Жыл бұрын

Kraftwerk 4 life

@frankalfar

Жыл бұрын

Kraftwerk: Autobahn, Gary Numan: Cars or even better Down In the Park....

@mrnikau1

Жыл бұрын

Queen prided themselves on "no synthesisers".

@diyhard666

Жыл бұрын

Oxygène by Jean Michel Jarre

No Depeche Mode? Seriously?

@didiervincent6415

2 жыл бұрын

Yazoo is a little bit of Depeche Mode...

@_theporkchopexpress

2 жыл бұрын

Criminal

@TheFrottola

2 жыл бұрын

I was thinking that! Like, "Just Can't Get Enough?"

@Anoalekontrieger

2 жыл бұрын

Because Depeche mode is no real music?

@lolam.9291

Жыл бұрын

@@Anoalekontrieger - You wish… DM still has a huge following worldwide.

I'm astounded Jan Hammer didn't get a shout out. Crockett's Theme is just iconic.

@skumavka7

11 ай бұрын

I agree. He is my # 1

@schlockmeister754

10 ай бұрын

I agree, that tune is BEYOND timeless. There are many more fantastic (maybe not riff) synthetic melodies out there though. I have a little video project going on to be upped here but I have no audience ... I'll try to get it known though.

@kevinherlihy9471

8 ай бұрын

Yup

@kevinherlihy9471

8 ай бұрын

Keith Emerson, Emerson Lake and Palmer. Fanfare for the common man.

@MYwinters1945

5 ай бұрын

Crockett's theme is more than a riff, is a whole beautiful song done purely with Synths, is out of contest.

not only plays the top 10 but gets the sound spot on..great job

@kevinsrussell

2 ай бұрын

The sounds yes, but not the notes - Popcorn is wrong

Depeche Mode should absolutely be on this list. Like just can’t get enough.

@cyborgmetropolis7652

2 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed. My pick for most recognizable song would be “World n My Eyes”.

@fledermauseimglockenturm7655

2 жыл бұрын

You've got Vince Clarke in there with Yazoo.

@rnkmode1876

2 жыл бұрын

Since Vince is already in there with Yazoo I'd go with a Alan Wilder Era Depeche Mode song. Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, or yeah World in my Eyes works as well.

@michaelalvintay5393

2 жыл бұрын

This guy doesn't like Depeche Mode

@TheOvernowhere

2 жыл бұрын

These are lots of artists known from one song. DM - to pick up ONE most epic riff, or even song? Impossible... :)

Cars by Gary Numan would be top 10 for me. It sounds amazing, instantly recognizable and is actually a very important piece of music that pushed synth use to the mainstream. It influenced so many artists and still does. It's just as important as Blue Monday in popularizing electronic music. Also: Blue Monday is definitely another top 10

@paulshallbetter1080

Жыл бұрын

A lot of listeners think that the high, sweet note in "Cars" is a synth, but in fact it was an electric violin.

@CountZero78

Жыл бұрын

@@paulshallbetter1080 there is no violin on single/album version of Cars. Moog, Polymoog, bass guitar, drums and a tambourine. It is true violin appears in a couple of tracks from the same album that Cars featured on.

@swinki33

Жыл бұрын

Definitely!

@scottlyttle5586

Жыл бұрын

WPLJ New York used to use Cars as their background music when doing the afternoon-evening traffic reports.. you could not have picked a more perfect piece of music for the task.

@baldmanariz

Жыл бұрын

Are Friends Electric is amazing as well

At 55 ,still takes me back to my Depeche Mode days,love this site.

Bette Davis Eyes was a huge hit and had that memorable synth intro

@pablorozas1534

14 күн бұрын

That's an electric guitar,,...... I think!

@mightyV444

10 күн бұрын

​@@pablorozas1534 - I've never been sure either! It's definitely a synth _sound_ , but played like on a guitar! Maybe it's a guitar played through a guitar synth?!

The most influential riff of all time for me was Jean-Michel Jarre with Oxygene. I think that was 1975. Other than Kraftwerk this was my introduction to synths in the 70s and probably went on to inspire the majority of the tunes you listed.

@The_Watcher2k3

2 жыл бұрын

JMJs Oxygen is a masterpiece. The song and the album. When I heard this song for the first time in 1984, at the age of 6, I was immediately "enthusiastic" about synthesizer music. A year later I got my first keyboard for Christmas. Christmas 1984 Santa left a C64 under the tree. So I had to wait another year. I still play today and have some nice devices in my "collection" I also loved "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield. And of course I like Kraftwerk. "Autobahn" as a 20+ minute version. brilliant

@MrRezRising

2 жыл бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/gqeiw8Gxfs-9os4.html

@Grinder-one

2 жыл бұрын

That was not really a riff though, it was a melody.

@russellcohen640

2 жыл бұрын

For me Les Chants Magnétiques and Zoolook were always my favorites

@tomtrana3449

2 жыл бұрын

But the theme in the video is Pop Music.

Few others: Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth - lead Depeche Mode - Strangelove - lead Berlin - Take My Breath Away - bass Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme - both lead and pads Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone - bass Kool and the Gang - Summer Madness - lead Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise - lead Toto - Africa - pads Angelo Badalamenti - Twin Peaks Theme - bass Scooter - How Much Is The Fish - lead Sash - Adelante - leads U96 - Das Boot - leads Robert Miles - Children - lead Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler - lead Bomfunk MC's - Uprocking Beats - lead ATB - 9 pm - lead Modern Talking - You're My Heart You're My Soul 98 - lead

As a former classical pianist who majored in Music Theory, your videos are very illuminating to me.

loved this video, incredible list Doc

"Oxygene" (J. M. Jarre) "Peter Gunn" (ELP) "Pepper Box" (Peppers) "Conquest of paradise" (Vangelis) "I feel love" (Donna Summer) "Fade to Grey" (Visage)

@rabarebra

Жыл бұрын

Please enlighten me, where is the repetitive synthesizer riff hook in Conquest of Paradise? and Oxygene? You guys don't know what a synth riff is.

@JB9000x

Жыл бұрын

What about the one that goes der derderder derrrr derderderder derrrr der der der der derrrr?

@firstclaw1

Жыл бұрын

Isn't Peter Gunn actually a guitar riff?

@everx7

Жыл бұрын

@@rabarebra if u dont know, i suggest listen to oxygene once again, also, theres not one but more of oxygene, like 19 parts, or i dont know how many, but i think he means the 4th one, theres like 2 iconic riffs maybe even 3 in there, that repeats so if going by ur deffinition, wwhat a riff is, it does just that, but sure. Even like Equinoxe 5 is epic and great riff. sure its nowhere near probably the fame of these in this video, still i think so great. Also who cares JMJ is epic. Vangelis, well probably the piano riff but i dont think that would actually qualify as synth riff. only if as piano played on synth. still it is there. Go and listen. It is repeating and its i think quite iconic. But whatever. I like music, not just riffs.

@einautofan6685

Жыл бұрын

Jean-Michel Jarre is truly the Godfather of Synthesizers!

OMG. The way you just 'created' the Sandstorm sound on that Moog was MAGIC.

Such an amazing video, as a synthesizer lover an electronic/dance music fan and a music producer, I loved everything. I wish you were my music teacher!!

Hard to nail down the top 10 of all time... but this is a classic list of rifts that will stand the test of time. Great selection!

Rush - Subdivisions is up there as a memorable one. I would also put up the Doctor Who theme as a potential synth riff.

@michaelolz

2 жыл бұрын

That one is really pretty. And a classic.

@DAV1D_77

2 жыл бұрын

Subdivisions should have definitely made that list

@mittfh

2 жыл бұрын

The Doctor Who theme predates synths - Delia Derbyshire recorded oscillator output onto tape, played it back at various speeds and recorded those onto tape, then literally cut and pasted to create the tune. Upon playing the final version to the composer, Ron Grainer, he allegedly asked "Did I really write that?!", to which Delia modestly replied, "Mostly."

@coachbrandon01

2 жыл бұрын

I love playing Subdivisions on a Juno 6. WItch hunt is a good one, too.

@fr0zty86

2 жыл бұрын

@@mittfh wow, like that's some nice niché trivia information, kudos! :)

Sweet dreams for me. It's the whole package, those synths with Annie's amazing controlled, menacing, sweet sounding vocals, and then the look of her as well. Just amazing

Tangerine Dream’s Berlin School! That is a mesmerising minefield! Just one riff after another. With Phaedra, Rubycon, and Ricochet, the riffs are constantly evolving!

@kachdragonfly

8 ай бұрын

Another Tangerine Dream fan!!!! Barbakane is awesome. Agree With Phaedra, Rubycon, Ricochet, plus Exit, Hyperborea, Tangram, Stratosphere, Le Parc. I better stop now...

@tarico4436

Ай бұрын

T. Dream still underrated af.

One-hit-wonder Real Life got their one hit, Send Me an Angel, precisely because of the song's riff. As people have noted, the 80's were chock full of them. Blancmange comes to mind instantly, too.

Outstanding list. Here's some of my picks for synth riffs and rhythms in no particular order. Gary Numan: Cars, Are Friends Electric ELP: Fanfare for the Common Man, Karn Evil 9 Genesis: Abacab, The Brazilian OMD: Messages, 2nd Thought, Stand Above Me, History of Modern Journey: Separate Ways Loverboy: Take Me To The Top. Truly Awesome synth into! Saga: On the Loose (synth solo) Styx: Fooling Yourself Alan Parsons Project: I Robot, The Raven (vocoder) The Cars: Let's Go, Moving in Stereo Kraftwerk: The Model, Metropolis, Electric Cafe Georgio Moroder: The Chase, I Feel Love with Donna Summer Benny Andersson of ABBA: The Visitors, Elaine, Me and I, Lay All Your Love on Me, I Am the City, The Day Before You Came, Under Attack, You Owe me One, Keep an Eye on Dan, No Doubt About It..... you can say I like ABBA just a little bit. ;-) Led Zeppelin: All My Love, In the Evening. In Through the Outdoor was recorded at ABBA's - Polar Music's then new state of the art studio.

@profpep

2 жыл бұрын

Good list too - made me do a bit of nostalgic listening. The only addition I would make is the David Whittaker/Zombie Nation 'Kerncraft 400' riff.

@PatrickRosenbalm

2 жыл бұрын

@@profpep Thanks! I'll go give it a listen!

@DrTomoculus

2 жыл бұрын

Eggsacklee. LOVERBOY'S Take Me to the Top is one of the best synthesiser sounds and intros to a song EVER. In all honesty , it's my favourite. And I'm a huge fan of Isao Tomita. A Synthesiser Giant.

@MrFlazz99

2 жыл бұрын

What an amazing well-thought-out list and credits for the comment additions. I too like ABBA just a little bit, now I think about it.... Some philistine killjoys might say "it's a sign of a misspent youth", but I think exactly the opposite - it's a sign of a well-spent life to have enjoyed so much great music. I'm sure you could spend hours expounding upon ALL of these songs, so I won't, but just mention that Aaron Copland's 'Fanfare For The Common Man' is positively hair-raising when heard from an orchestra. There is something EXTRA about real live music. We are lucky to live in a world with music.

@andriealinsangao613

2 жыл бұрын

Ahh, never enough ABBA synth songs, is there?

Probably the one that is the most memorable for me is Gary Numan's Cars. That high, sweet synth note still just kills me! Great list!

@charlescycholl2253

2 жыл бұрын

Def up there IMO.

@EphemeralProductions

2 жыл бұрын

A minimoog i believe.

@SHVNE

2 жыл бұрын

@@EphemeralProductions That was my understanding as well. I know that when he played with NiN he used a Polymoog for it. Great tune!

@chemicalBR0

2 жыл бұрын

@@EphemeralProductions the main riff is a minimoog, the high sweet synth (string) note is a polymoog (on the vox humana preset :)

@EphemeralProductions

2 жыл бұрын

@@chemicalBR0 always thought THAT was a minimoog also. Now i know. :)

Thomas Dolby, She Blinded Me With Science. That song features great synthesizer work.

This was a fun watch. I’m a fan of Saga’s On the Loose riff. I loved how you described the waveform construction.

My own top 10, in no particular order 1) Kraftwerk - The Model 2) Herbie Hancock - Chameleon (the bass synth made me pick up a dual osc synth similar to the Odyssey) 3) Hiromi Uehara - Return of Kung-Fu World Champion 4) Tycho - Awake 5) Cosmos - Spiral Dream 6) Nine Inch Nails - The Hand that Feeds (solo) 7) Yellow Magic Orchestra - Rydeen 8) Rammstein - Du Hast 9) Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone 10) Enya - Orinoco Flow And from your top 10, my favorite is Take On Me. Love playing the bass part on the DX7.

@SophiaAphrodite

2 жыл бұрын

Who?

@hurlockisgod

2 жыл бұрын

Tycho-Awake. Spurious, its mainly guitar and bass.

@acatwhopurrs5031

2 жыл бұрын

@@hurlockisgod quite aware of that, for sure. I like the end where it is played by a synth.

@SamiJumppanen

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent list - even when I don't know everything on it! Rydeen: absolutely! Orinoco flow: yess! From Alice Deejay I would choose Will I Ever, that oldskool pop trance lead with overly happy chord progression and synthpads... Okay I see it now, the trance lead is not so big alone :)

@WarioWill

2 жыл бұрын

That riff from Du Hast was my ringtone for a while :D

Just 10 is not enough. Almost every 80s synth song is awesome

@kyachdistent1301

3 ай бұрын

Exactly. And Kim Wilde has most of them.

Sandstorm - it is amazing how you managed to set the right sound on this beauty! My favourites are Sweet Dreams and Popcord. Jump is also great. 🎉

Great video! You are a whole octave more energetic I will ever be! ;)

Visage - Fade to grey and Kraftwerk - The model should be added to that list. Maybe in a top 15 list

@charlescycholl2253

2 жыл бұрын

If you mean 'The Motto', I feel like it's too early to tell though... obviously epic, especially with its multi-tiered simplicity, but top 10? Not sure at this time.

@charlescycholl2253

2 жыл бұрын

Oh, you meant Kraftwerk, The Model... um, not agreeing. Great, but NOT top 10.

@Banglish123

2 жыл бұрын

More of a bass line than a riff but I agree, Visage are oft forgotten in the scheme of things

@1norwood1

2 жыл бұрын

Europe Endless is my favourite Kraftwerk riff it just sounds so majestic and sweeping.

@tessluchsinger9200

2 жыл бұрын

@@1norwood1 Europe Endless and Endless Endless are simply Franz Schubert with lyrics. I really like how one song was turned into three, though, like taking an idea and running with it.

Far too many great synth riffs to count, but I'd definitely say Fade to Grey by Visage and The Model by Kraftwerk are among my favourites.

@2010dame

Жыл бұрын

Me too such great tunes in my top10 for sure

@nicholasseaks95

Жыл бұрын

Yes. Das Model is definitely iconic. As well as Trans Europe Express, Radioactivity, Autobahn and a whole slew of other songs. Modern electronic music owes its existence to Kraftwerk, as well as Hip Hop on account of Afrika Bambaata's Planet Rock

@FontaineDerby

10 ай бұрын

Fade to Grey is stolen from Being Boiled by The Human League kzread.info/dash/bejne/lIZ3m61wma-7cdo.html

Hi Dr Mix. During COVID I watched you like everyday… for hours and hours.. and I don’t play music. It was just so fascinating to see how the music I loved was being made. I missed watching you the last year or so and seeing this video makes want to go back and watch the whole past year of videos. 😊 BTW Sandstorm is the sound of pregame hockey warmups, time just before face offs and anytime the ref might be talking to the scorekeepers !

Thanks for recreating all these iconic tunes, which many of us might have listened since childhood, but never would have imagined how they would have been made! Looking forward to more content - thanks a lot 😍🤩🥰

@Doctormix

Жыл бұрын

Oh wow thank you!!! ❤🎉

En la lista hay varios de mis riffs favoritos, pero aquí dejo otros 10: 1. Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene 4 2. Vangelis -Blade Runner (End Titles) 3. Depeche Mode - Just can't get enough 4. The Human League - (Keep feeling) Fascinación 5. Ryan Paris - Dolce Vita 6. The Twins - Face to face, heart to heart 7. Yazoo - Situation 8. Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme 9. Falco - Rock me, Amadeus y 10. (El tono de llamada de mi smartphone 😂) Dire Straits - Walk of life

@paulsven7923

Жыл бұрын

Jean Michel Jarre 100%

@torkilvold3855

Жыл бұрын

Jan Hammer -Crockett's Theme should be one every top ten synth song list ever....

@Tonydjjokerit

Жыл бұрын

You're forgetting Tangerine Dream, Tim Blake and Astral Projection. I recommend listening to Love on a real Train by Tangerine dream ,Synthese Interpronel by Tim Blake and Nilaya by Astral Projection as the top 3 Electronic tracks of all time. If you haven't heard them, message me and I'll send you the links!

@robderich8533

Жыл бұрын

Kraftwerk - Computerliebe A synthesizer top ten list without Kraftwerk is simply incomplete.

@Tamm1965

Жыл бұрын

How about OMD, several rifs there...for one Electricity... or the famous Joan of arc.

Donna Summer's 1977 hit "I feel love" got me hooked on synth. Of course, my fave synth artist from the 80s is Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran, especially his work on Arcadia. Of course, can't rule out Howard Jones' hits or back home here in Canada, Kim Mitchell's "All We Are".

@KevinTanaka

Жыл бұрын

if Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco, IMO Giorgio Moroder was the godfather of EDM

@hindsighter

Жыл бұрын

Donna Summer??? You must've meant GIORGIO MORODER.

@myridean2k4

Жыл бұрын

@@hindsighter @Kevin Tanaka Yes, I stand corrected. I looked it up properly to find out who actually "composed" the song. You both are right. I just learned its name by its singer and title when I was a child so I never followed up. But yes, a lot of famous singers, like Donna Summer, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, had songs written for them. I think Celine out of this group actually credits the composer when she performs the songs live whether it be Plamadon, James Horner, David Foster, etc. Giorgio Moroder - I probably heard of his work in the 70s/80s but I'd probably never know his name. At least, I know now so thank you both

@AleisterCrowleyMagus

Жыл бұрын

Exactly - “I feel love” was a huge hit because of .Giorgio Moroder’s genius

@TheTylerRobison

Жыл бұрын

"Things Can Only Get Better" is still one of my favorite 80's synth wave songs.

Cara! vc proporciona cada viagem no tempo pra gente, que vc não faz idéia, muitíssimo obrigado!

This just made me smile. Thank you

I'm going to go with "Don't Go" as my favorite. I used to play the sequenced part by hand back in the 80s, because my old analog synth didn't have a sequencer. :)

@brymills

2 жыл бұрын

As long as it’s the Todd Terry remix!

@antondhondt9851

2 жыл бұрын

I have never liked "Don't Go", but Yazoo's "Sweet Thing" is one of the most incredible songs from 80s synth-pop era.

@LFOVCF

2 жыл бұрын

I concur. But anything Vince Clarke

@theharper1

Жыл бұрын

I made a 45 minute tape cover of this for my brother because he wouldn't stop playing it. 😅

Nice list. Of course there are many other great synth riffs that are iconic. Some of my favorites in no particular order: 1. Don't you want me - Human League 2. Fool's overture - Super Tramp 3. Spiral - Vangelis 4. Arpegiator - Jean Michel Jarre 5. Cars - Gary Numan 6. Das Model - Kraftwerk 7. Crockett's theme - Jan Hammer 8. Vamos a la Playa - Righeira 9. Starlette - The B.B.&Q band 10. Dolce Vita - Ryan Paris 11. Heaven in my Hands - Level 42 12. Separate ways - Journey 13. I wear my sunglasses at night - Corey Hart 14. Magnetic fields Part 2 - Jean Michel Jarre 15. Abacab - Genesis

@Peter_S_

2 жыл бұрын

This makes a nice playlist.

@MacXpert74

2 жыл бұрын

@@Peter_S_ Thanks!

@HarrySinanian

2 жыл бұрын

Lets throw some Ice House / Flower for good measure there too :) Awesome list

@MacXpert74

2 жыл бұрын

@@HarrySinanian Good one, I like it! I didn't know that track from them. I only knew "Hey little girl" and "Crazy".

@HarrySinanian

2 жыл бұрын

@@MacXpert74 we can even stretch to Split Enz getting in on the synth act too... there's no end to the goodness :)

this is good man!!!😊 subscribed

I'm a 80's & 90's Kid. I was born 1977. I grew up with the Synthpop Classics.🙂👍

While I love quite a few of these for me it will always be Cars by Gary Numan as my favourite Synth riff. The haunting "wobbly sound" of the entire song is beyond anything.

@michael1234252

Жыл бұрын

That's a good one as well.

@williamhuerta7808

Жыл бұрын

Ah yes the song that sprung "New Wave" on an unsuspecting world. Great tune.

@tonygarratt5832

Жыл бұрын

If James Brown is the godfather of soul, Michael the king of pop and Elvis the king of rock n roll. Then without doubt Gary is the progenitor of synth.

@michael1234252

Жыл бұрын

@@tonygarratt5832 In a way yes but don't forget about Kraftwerk. Who where one of the biggest and earliest band to the Electronic music genre. A lot of the Synth-pop band/artist of the 80's like New Order, A-Ha, Gary Numan, Ultravox, Eurythmics, Giorgio Moroder, and many others where influenced by Kraftwerk. Also Kraftwerk was inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 for the Early influencers. But other than that Gary Numan hasn't really made a big impact for the Synth-pop genre. But with his major success and at the peak of his popularity in the early 80's he didn't have that many super popular single hits other than a few songs like Cars, Are Friends Electric, and a few others. But after that his popularity slowly declined.

@tonygarratt5832

Жыл бұрын

@@michael1234252 You're quite right. This is why I chose the word progenitor rather than king or godfather, he paved the way. Showed many others who had more critical acclaim and commercial success, the power and possibility of synth music. Let us not forget where would any of the artists mentioned be without Bach for example, just for the record my favourite from that genre is and always will be Mozart.

I love synthesizers! This is a great Top 10, they're all Iconic. Here's some more I can think of: David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes Depeche Mode - Just Can't get Enough New Order - Confusion Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Enola Gay A Flock Of Seagulls - Wishing Duran Duran - Save A Prayer Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill The Prodigy - Voodoo People Bananarama - Cruel Summer Jan Hammer - Crockett's Theme John Foxx - Underpass Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart Kraftwerk - Computer Love Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses Simple Minds - Theme For Great Cities Yazoo - Situation Yazoo - Nobody's Diary Yellow Magic Orchestra - Behind The Mask BBE - Seven Days And One Week The Beloved - Sweet Harmony Enya - Orinoco Flow Hall & Oates - Out Of Touch Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene Part 4 Vangelis - Blade Runner End Titles Linkin Park - Numb Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love Berlin - Take My Breath Away Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy Corey Hart - Sunglasses At Night The Cars - Drive Irene Cara - Flashdance ... What A Feeling The Weeknd - Blinding Lights Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy Roxette - Listen To Your Heart ABBA - Gimme Gimme Gimme The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It The Human League - Don't You Want Me Lipps Inc - Funkytown Daft Punk - Da Funk Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone Mike Oldfield - Foreign Affair Brad Fiedel - Terminator Theme John Carpenter - Escape From New York Theme Underworld - Born Slippy

@petermariner6323

Жыл бұрын

Damn solid list.

@billfranz1724

Жыл бұрын

Great, but no Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson??

@CleverMetaphor

Жыл бұрын

Man, what a great list

@CleverMetaphor

Жыл бұрын

Someone reply to this so I remember to come back and copy this lol

@isamiwind438

Жыл бұрын

@@CleverMetaphor replied

Many good memories. Thanks for your skills and enthusiasm.

Fun blasts from the past! Well played!

‘ENJOY THE SILENCE is the best synth riff ever. ‘Playing With Knives’ also springs to mind 😊

@astropolia

Жыл бұрын

The riff in Enjoy the silence is on guitar

@MathasarSalazar2

Жыл бұрын

There we go, thank god there is a depeche mode fan to recognize this too. Never Let Me Down Again is another.

@WARTV-dn5fk

Жыл бұрын

@@astropolia no, the response to the riff is on the guitar 😊

@astropolia

Жыл бұрын

@@WARTV-dn5fk No. It's a guitar 🙂 kzread.info/dash/bejne/X2WJlNlpaNqym8o.html

@WARTV-dn5fk

Жыл бұрын

@@astropolia No, it’s a synth ‘stab’ then a guitar 😊

Autobahn by Kraftwerk is the #1 for me - the rhythmic delay on the bass line, plus the major third harmony on the main melody is so cool

@patriotrob7066

2 жыл бұрын

Hell yeah trans Europe Express I listened to Kraftwerk in the late 80s

@ChrisCards

Жыл бұрын

@@patriotrob7066 Check out The Mix released in 1990 if you haven't.

@rswin368

Жыл бұрын

Had a “quadrophonic” version of this in the late 70’s. Wish I still had it today. The entire Autobahn album is classic!

So much good stuff here. Out of this list my vote goes to "Don't Go" just because it starts simple then slams. As mentioned its a tiny melody that just repeats over and over thus staying pure to the concept.

Axel F is also very iconic- that's on my top 10. Glad you included it

Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'... has a wicked synth running through the entire track.

@matthijshofman9549

2 жыл бұрын

You must like this version then. just look at the synth used there: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hm2HlMt9mJTQlZc.html

@OregonDARRYL

2 жыл бұрын

@@matthijshofman9549 Yeah, man! Sweet. And that chick is woww..

@siggimund

2 жыл бұрын

@@OregonDARRYL She is alright and it's alright but it's an well established fact that the Blue Man's Group Cover with Annette Strean and Venus Hum is the ultimate nerdgasm version of all time (after the original of course) BIIG period ⬤ video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/oHqbq8V9YJWyqNI.html Live: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aq6dxs-GnMmrqps.html 😁

@mikemorris5817

2 жыл бұрын

Robert Fripp

@siggimund

2 жыл бұрын

@@mikemorris5817 Yeah,- Robert Fripp is a great guitarist and composer (My ringtone for incoming calls is "Elephant Talk" by King Crimson) but can you please elaborate your statement "Robert Fripp" in this context? Did he make a cover of "I Feel Love" I would love to here that? (Goggling and searching right now) Edit: Oh yeah he did. Search 9rVrVeeT6jA or "I Feel Love (with Robert Fripp) (Live 1980)". Cover with Blondie. Nice,- thanks Mike Morris for the hint 👍😁

The intro for Elton John's Funeral for a Friend is my all time favorite synthesizer piece. He opened the show with it when I saw him live in 1980 in Dallas. A moment I'll never forget!

@tomwhent8073

Жыл бұрын

Man that is a powerful piece of music! Thank you for the reminder

There are so many to choose from, but my personal favourites are Oxygène Part 2 and Oxygène Part 4.

@serhiizabobonin1016

8 ай бұрын

My too. For all the times.

Genial video ,y gracias por la info !!!

One of my faves is Africa by Toto. Also, one of my fave Synthesizers is the Ensoniq ESQ-1. I used to play it almost every day for hours. I currently have a Yamaha Motif XS8.

Emerson Lake and Palmer ; "Lucky Man". 1970, mid teens, the sweep from mid to high to low, blew my melancholy mind away !!!

@Gottenhimfella

Жыл бұрын

It was a watershed moment, for sure, nothing like it before and almost nothing since, but a riff it wasn't. The whole solo was a single, gloriously evolving musical journey. A riff is a quick pirouette.

I love this guys enthusiasm for synths! Oh that OBX bass is just so juicy...

Love you doctor mix ❤️

Keith Emerson made the synthesizer a fundamental tool of rock when the Emerson Lake and Palmer single Lucky Man charted in the top 50 globally in 1970. It changed everything. By the time of the release of the Album Brain Salad Surgery he was the preeminent synthesizer keyboardist. A sin to exclude ELP.

@SandyToesDetecting

2 жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same ELP should be on the list.

@ghostuncle

Жыл бұрын

Love ELP. But this is a list of pop earworms, so to speak. ELP, though great, doesn't fit here.

@artvandelay4545

Жыл бұрын

Ya, Keith wasn't really writing riffs for a living. Half of what he did was interpreting and arranging other artists original works with his own flair and the pieces he did write were not riff driven like pop music is (although there is some of that in ELP's work, but much of that is Lake's guitar work.)

@jamesvos4769

Жыл бұрын

Does not Kaen Evil 9 count for an earworm?

@ghostuncle

Жыл бұрын

@@jamesvos4769 The vocal, maybe. Not the synth riff.

Your ability to hear and then recreate these iconic sounds is truly impressive.

@alvarcap8141

2 жыл бұрын

he failed on recreating almost every sound. These are cheap approximations. I was expecting more of his, considering i saw him doing videos like this in the past getting way closer than this.

@vdeconinck

2 жыл бұрын

​@@alvarcap8141 Yeah, sounds are somewhat OK but I can't stand the approximations in the melodies themselves. 2 notes are obviously wrong at the end of "Pop Corn", "Don't Go" starts with A-A, not A-B-A, the last notes of "Sweet Dreams" are not the actual ones either... Sounds more like interesting variations on the themes :-)

@rayopeongo

2 жыл бұрын

He didn't get them right. Even I noticed his versions didn't match the real ones.

@Gottenhimfella

Жыл бұрын

Also some of the theory was dubious. At 7:10 he claims he's shifting oscillator 2 down by a fouth (plus 2 octaves) but he shifts it down a fifth.

@TranscendentBen

Жыл бұрын

@@Gottenhimfella Yes, I noticed that too.

This is outrageous! More! 😊❤❤😊

I love "Sweet Dreams" and "Golden Brown" for their complex rhythmic pattern.

@pierremagnin581

3 ай бұрын

I liké 1to5

Some of My favourites are tom Sawyer and subdivisions, both from RUSH. I love this songs so much

Nobody mentioning Vangelis? R. I. P. Maestro. He had legendary riffs too.

@talastra

2 ай бұрын

Indeed, right here with you.

My personal fav- love on a Real Train by Tangerine Dream. They, along with Kraftwerk, Gary Numan, Jean Michael Jarre, OMD, Art of Noise, Men Without Hats, Flock of Seagulls and many others.

You need a part two. Even just for including chameleon 😊

Jan Hammer Crockett's theme, Jean Michel Jarre Magnetic Fields Pt 2, or Oxygene Pt. 4, Vangelis Chariots of Fire or Blade Runner - End Titles, Yello The Race, New Order Confusion(long version), Joy Division Love will tear us Apart, KraftWerk The Model just to name few of the top of my head, that I think should be on Top synthesizer riff list :)

@HarrySinanian

2 жыл бұрын

Yello - Bostich :)

@blitvar1

2 жыл бұрын

And of cource - Vangelis. I missed that one. 👌

Definitely needs Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough - certainly one of the most catchy and world wide memorable riffs.

@LeicaM11

3 ай бұрын

Please no, you did understand something wrong.

Edgar Winter Group: Frankenstein, Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene (which I am convinced was based on Pink Floyd's Obscured By Clouds), not to mention all those other great riffs mentioned below

Wow that was very insightful, interesting and fun, thank you!

Goosebumps on The Final Countdown and Sweet Dreams. However, I am missing a couple here: * Kraftwerk - Autobahn (no synthesizer riff is complete without the absoute pioneers of synthesizer music ;-)) * Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough * Lipps Inc - Funkytown * The Human League - Don't You Want Me * Ultravox - Vienna * Visage - Fade to Grey As far as I am concerned, Popcorn should be higher up in the list, in the same ballpark as Axel F and Sweet Dreams.

An OB-Xa was used on „Jump“, as Eddie had told Guitar World (February 2014): „I wrote Jump on a Sequential Circuits Prophet-10 in my bedroom while the studio was being built. Everytime I got the sound that I wanted on the right-hand split section of the keyboard, it would start smoking and pop a fuse. I got another one and the same thing happened. A guy I knew said I should try an Oberheim OB-Xa, so I bought one of those and got the sound I wanted.“

@Doctormix

2 жыл бұрын

cool!

Totaly amazed really your you wealth of knowledge of the old synths Great top 10.

Just love everything about this whole video.

Obsession by Animotion has a legendary synth riff. It was used for many years as the intro music for the formula one commercial on eurosport channel. The song is great, and gives a heart beat from the very first seconds.

@mrpetit2

2 жыл бұрын

Nice thing I think about this song is that the vocals are really slow over the speed of the sequencer. And of course that synth riff 😉

@gerrytessier2057

2 жыл бұрын

definitely a top 5 riff, in my view

The iconic Faithless Insomnia is definitely missing from this list! Just because it's from a decade later (not 80's but 90's) it is still one of the best sound character I ever heard on a synth.

@onkelblaa08

2 жыл бұрын

Finally! Insomnia flattens them all!

@NJtoAzMountainBiker

Жыл бұрын

I was gonna post the same thing, and add snap, rhythm is a dancer and real McCoy runaway

@NemanjaPantos

Жыл бұрын

I was expecting the first place 😕

@UNcommonSenseAUS

Жыл бұрын

Memories of 72hr long rave "recovery parties" 🤗

@johnmitchell2269

Жыл бұрын

Sister Bliss

Mad Video!!🥰 I had a Juno 1 and always thought until couples of years ago that the main melody of Ah Ha - Take on Me... was the DX7

The final countdown is just so clever. Great video

This was ridiculously FANTASTIC!!!! I never realized how complex that Eurythmics riff was…and I’m old! LOL Thank you Dr. Mix!!

@RodBeauvex

2 жыл бұрын

Same here. Don't feel too bad. I didn't even know until I watched this video that the song was sung by Annie Lennox.

I thought for sure that I would have heard the song Frankenstein by Edgar Winter. That whole song is crazy with synthensizer. Not to mention that Edgar is not only playing synth but he's also playing saxophone and a second drum part with the drummer on the song. The true definition of multi talented. Check out the live version if you really want to see something crazy.

@chriss4462

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I watched a live version once while down a late-night KZread music rabbit hole and was blown away.

Great list. From the comments you should definitely do a part 2. Suggestions: Send Me An Angel (Can’t believe this didn’t make it) Running Up That Hill Fade To Grey Sunglasses At Night White Horse Sex Dwarf This is just off the top of my head. These are iconic Synth lines from songs that electronic music lovers will know instantly. I tried to add songs instead of just the bands name. If you need the Artists, let me know. Thanks for the great vid!!!

Wow! This is awesome!!! Thanks. Very interesting video

Thanks for having A-HA on this list criminally the most underrated, unappreciated band in the world but i love them and always will from the take on me days when i was 16 to present i’m 53 now. take care 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇳🇴😘

@Theoneandonlydramaqueen.

Жыл бұрын

Take on me is literally the biggest 80s song

@thebob3428

8 ай бұрын

Great comment Alison, I have followed them since I was 12 and now 50. Met them a few times and love the new stuff more than the old stuff, especially cast in steel and true north

@kyachdistent1301

3 ай бұрын

Be fair, how can that be? They continue to get international recognition, whereas equally great band Alphaville, being German, never did. Most of my fave acts ARE what you say they are, but of them all, A-ha since around 2010 can not be termed underrated or underappreciated: this term is for people like Kim Wilde, who's the Queen of it, Sandra right behind her, and Alphaville, China Crisis and OMD and Cock Robin right there. Even Duran Duran, absurdly and outlandishly dissed, hated and misunderstood forever are probably a bit less feted than A-ha. Don't get me wrong, A-ha are a top band, but they are not alone in the department of being less celebrated than they should be. It only seems this way because as soon as music died in the 90s, critics disappeared and all anyone ever did was deal out noxious fake love to EVERYTHING that ever burped into a studio. Sad really.

@kyachdistent1301

3 ай бұрын

@@Theoneandonlydramaqueen. No it isn't. In the best decade and only decade of biggest 80s song, it would make around No250 as there are just that MANY choices, and many bigger and better than this, and I say that as somebody who likes this song enough!

@kyachdistent1301

3 ай бұрын

@@thebob3428 I so agree. I only started 5 starring their albums since they came back, but their last definitely seems their worst, one album too many I fear. "Lifelines", "Foot Of The Mountain" and "Cast In Steel" can't be beaten. Their 3 top masterpieces, none of which were done in their so-called heyday. Sometimes you need age and experience to make the best music, and once they'd left that dreary 1993 sound of "we don't wanna sound like A-ha any more, we're serious now" (and they had their 1st split, says it all!), they came back with their best stuff ever.

Pet Shop Boys "West End Girls" should definitely be on the list. Thanks for sharing!

@rabarebra

Жыл бұрын

Where is the riff in that?

@klaxoncow

Жыл бұрын

@@rabarebra Yeah, there's a lot of folks here who clearly don't know what "a riff" is. It has to be a short melodic phrase. A solo lead part. They are naming great synth parts - such as "I Feel Love" which, for sure, is majorly significant in the whole evolution of music - but, ah, it's not "a riff".

@rabarebra

Жыл бұрын

@@klaxoncow A riff can be a chord pattern hook. In the West End Girls thing, they mean it is a bass hook, but that would go under "greatest bass lines of all time" which it ain't.

So great contens! thank you

i just bought a mininova. its small but powerful , your channel lets me learn and enjoy the world of synths . ty

The only other person I have ever heard dicuss how the sound is formed from differing shaped waves would have been an interview I once saw with Vince Clark (Depeche Mode, The Assembly, Yazoo and Eurasure) - the knig of synth pop. So enjoyable

Good enough top ten but there are too many good ones to keep it to ten Asia- Only Time Will Tell Journey - Separate Ways Head East - Never Been Any Reason Rush- Tom Sawyer Flock of Seagulls- I Ran The Who - Won’t Get Fooled Again Styx- Suite Madam Blue Ultravox -Vienna Gary Numan - Cars

Great job Dr. Mix

Animotion's "Obsession" may be overplayed for me thanks to Fashion Television but an excellent synthesizer riff

I love those riffs but also how well you explain how they were made! Great content!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Wooaahh!!! I traveled a long way with each riff presented and in the last one I literally felt displaced out of my body wielding my guitar! This video is sensational and it is obvious that I will share it with the guys.

I heard Doctor Doctor by Thompson Twins when I rode The Gravitron. I felt like I was in a space movie, zero and all. Wonderful experience

Missing more than a few, yet thankful for your work and my trip down childhood.

Enola Gay by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is one of my favourite, if you make a part 2 that should definitely be there.

@marcelopose

Жыл бұрын

Electricity too

@VeganStance

Жыл бұрын

@@marcelopose Yes ,just been listening to that on Spotify

@edwardlazich1140

Жыл бұрын

I does have a catchy riff not a popular song though

@Lichfeldian--Suttonian

Жыл бұрын

I love playing this one on my keyboard along with the song.

@bitchoflivingblah

10 ай бұрын

Talking Loud and Clear is another I'd say would be good enough to make the top 50

I would have moved ‘Jump’ to number one! Another suggestion - Faithless ‘Insomnia’. Can’t get a bigger more epic synth lead!

@giannagiavelli5098

2 жыл бұрын

horrible

@01ryan10

2 жыл бұрын

@@giannagiavelli5098 I suppose sandstorm is better? 🤣

@cbuchner1

2 жыл бұрын

@@giannagiavelli5098 YOU are

@giannagiavelli5098

2 жыл бұрын

@@01ryan10 I posted my list of 5 much more important songs

Love the enthusiasm!!

Unbelievable 🔥

Holy crap, this gives me a deeper appreciation of these pieces that I already love lol. How did I not find your channel sooner. Now I have to go listen to all these again! Subbed!

Doctor, after watching your video in whole, I can tell you have the soul of a conductor, and the spirit of a madman. I'm impressed and appreciate your take on electro-synth music.

Great content!

man, seriously cool stuff