The Seminal Synths of Disco

Era-defining sounds in classic tracks   20-Sep-22

Reverb have just released a look back at the synths which defined Disco in the late 1970s. This in depth look goes over some of the era-defining tracks and the influential sounds which made them possible - featuring the Moog Modular, PPG Wave, Oberheim OB-X, Prophets, ARP Odyssey and more. Here's a short excerpt: 

Disco exploded onto the scene in the late 1970s and introduced the world to the joys of losing yourself on the dance floor. With its exuberant rhythms and infectious hooks, it took funk and soul, combined and streamlined it, and transformed the two into a juggernaut pop sensation. However, within a few years disco was gone--the victim of a backlash that culminated in the infamous Disco Demolition Night riot at Comiskey Park in Chicago in July 1979. Nowadays, when people think of disco (if they do at all), it's overblown strings, silly Star Wars covers, and John Travolta's white suit that come to mind.

For many, this is the story of disco. And yet, this is just the tip of an iceberg that encompassed so much more--a saga that continued long after disco disappeared from the US radio waves. A chief piece of the puzzle missing from the genre's popular narrative is synthesizers. As the newest piece of music technology at the time, they were there practically from the genre's beginning (witness this video of Lionel Richie shredding on an ARP 2600 on "Machine Gun" in 1974 as a case in point) and long after through all its various mutations--be it post-disco, Italo disco or house.

Read the full story here: https://reverb.com/uk/news/the-synths-of-disco

About the author [midierror]: midierror makes nifty Max For Live devices, innovative music hardware, award winning sample packs and hosts a podcast speaking to people in the music world.