Re: getting the Marathon CD music


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Re: getting the Marathon CD music

Posted By: yaco Date: 4/9/14 10:57 a.m.
In Response To: Re: getting the Marathon CD music (Hopper)

: The tracks in Aleph One are the in-game MIDI files recorded with QuickTime
: 2.0 (as documented near the bottom of the Marathon Music page), matching
: what you would have heard in game in 1994. I never had the CD either, but
: the page mentions they sound quite different.
i compared the A1 ones with various downloads from the FAPTA Music page, and arrived at the same conclusion. it's a pity that they didn't release the original songs when they released the rest of the Marathon stuff, since lots of us haven't heard them!
: In Craig Hardgrove's interview , Alex lists the Quadrasynth and Korg
: Poly-61M as his synthesizers of choice at the time. Is there a lover of
: old synthesizers out there who can record the Marathon MIDIs played
: through these? ;)
i'm a lover (but not a collector) of old synths, and know a bit about both of these beasts.
the Quadrasynth was an interesting instrument, sold by Alessis a short while after they had a huge success with their Quadraverb digital reverb (which comes included in the synth). nothing revolutionary about the synthesis itself: waveform playback, filters, envelopes. the interesting thing was that you could mix up to four different waveforms, which in theory made possible the creation of quite thick and complex sounds. to my ears it sounded a bit too digital, too thin, but i'm biased (never liked Alessis' hardware, feels like made by a toy company) and last time i heard it must have been about 15 years ago!
the Poly-61M has a very different history. it is the successor to the famous Polysix, arguably one of the best polyphonic synths of its time. you've heard it in half of the pop hits of the '80s, and some of the rocks, and the experimentals, and the would-be new-ages, and probably elsewhere. the "pads" this synth could create were unique... super lush, thick if needed, bright, a thing of beauty! the signal path was wholly analogue (if i remember correctly), which meant the sound was more natural and organic sounding than digital successors... and of course hissed like hell!
some time later Korg released the Poly-61, which was a digitally controlled version of the Polysix. basically the same sound, but with buttons instead of knobs, bigger patch memory, and some other differences. sounded almost as good as the original one. the Poly-61M is a version that came out a bit later with MIDI support (MIDI was created around those years).
the fact that Alex owned a Poly-61M probably influenced M1's music a lot. there are a lot of pad-like sounds in the sountrack, which must have sounded amazing coming out of this synth, and of course very different to what QT2.0's MIDI Instruments could handle. he even uses pads for melodic lines in a couple of songs, which is unusual, but makes sense if the best synth you have makes the best pads out there :)
ok now i really want to get my hands on those original music tracks...
best,
yaco\
ps: even if you had the synths, it would be impossible to "record the Marathon MIDIs played through [them]". MIDI song files give you the notes, some control information, and maybe a sound selection. but except in very rare cases (using a nerdy thing called 'sysex') they don't give you the sounds themselves. in short: you don't need a Quadrasynth and a Poly-61M to rebuild the songs, you need Alex Seropian's synths, with his patches (sounds)!

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

getting the Marathon CD music yaco 4/8/14 9:23 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music VikingBoyBilly 4/8/14 10:47 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music Hopper 4/8/14 6:42 p.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music yaco 4/9/14 10:57 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music Hopper 4/9/14 8:14 p.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music Document 4/10/14 10:40 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music Godot 4/10/14 11:10 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music yaco 4/10/14 11:17 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music Document 4/10/14 11:26 a.m.

Re: getting the Marathon CD music yaco 4/10/14 11:39 a.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

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: i compared the A1 ones with various downloads from the FAPTA Music page, and : arrived at the same conclusion. it's a pity that they didn't release the : original songs when they released the rest of the Marathon stuff, since : lots of us haven't heard them! : i'm a lover (but not a collector) of old synths, and know a bit about both of : these beasts. : the Quadrasynth was an interesting instrument, sold by Alessis a short while : after they had a huge success with their Quadraverb digital reverb (which : comes included in the synth). nothing revolutionary about the synthesis : itself: waveform playback, filters, envelopes. the interesting thing was : that you could mix up to four different waveforms, which in theory made : possible the creation of quite thick and complex sounds. to my ears it : sounded a bit too digital, too thin, but i'm biased (never liked Alessis' : hardware, feels like made by a toy company) and last time i heard it must : have been about 15 years ago! : the Poly-61M has a very different history. it is the successor to the famous : Polysix, arguably one of the best polyphonic synths of its time. you've : heard it in half of the pop hits of the '80s, and some of the rocks, and : the experimentals, and the would-be new-ages, and probably elsewhere. the : "pads" this synth could create were unique... super lush, thick : if needed, bright, a thing of beauty! the signal path was wholly analogue : (if i remember correctly), which meant the sound was more natural and : organic sounding than digital successors... and of course hissed like : hell! : some time later Korg released the Poly-61, which was a digitally controlled : version of the Polysix. basically the same sound, but with buttons instead : of knobs, bigger patch memory, and some other differences. sounded almost : as good as the original one. the Poly-61M is a version that came out a bit : later with MIDI support (MIDI was created around those years). : the fact that Alex owned a Poly-61M probably influenced M1's music a lot. : there are a lot of pad-like sounds in the sountrack, which must have : sounded amazing coming out of this synth, and of course very different to : what QT2.0's MIDI Instruments could handle. he even uses pads for melodic : lines in a couple of songs, which is unusual, but makes sense if the best : synth you have makes the best pads out there :) : ok now i really want to get my hands on those original music tracks... : best, : yaco\ : ps: even if you had the synths, it would be impossible to "record the : Marathon MIDIs played through [them]". MIDI song files give you the : notes, some control information, and maybe a sound selection. but except : in very rare cases (using a nerdy thing called 'sysex') they don't give : you the sounds themselves. in short: you don't need a Quadrasynth and a : Poly-61M to rebuild the songs, you need Alex Seropian's synths, with his : patches (sounds)!

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getting the Marathon CD music	yaco	4/8/14 9:23 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	VikingBoyBilly	4/8/14 10:47 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	Hopper	4/8/14 6:42 p.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	yaco	4/9/14 10:57 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	Hopper	4/9/14 8:14 p.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	Document	4/10/14 10:40 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	Godot	4/10/14 11:10 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	yaco	4/10/14 11:17 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	Document	4/10/14 11:26 a.m.
Re: getting the Marathon CD music	yaco	4/10/14 11:39 a.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : i compared the A1 ones with various downloads from the FAPTA Music page, and : arrived at the same conclusion. it's a pity that they didn't release the : original songs when they released the rest of the Marathon stuff, since : lots of us haven't heard them! : i'm a lover (but not a collector) of old synths, and know a bit about both of : these beasts. : the Quadrasynth was an interesting instrument, sold by Alessis a short while : after they had a huge success with their Quadraverb digital reverb (which : comes included in the synth). nothing revolutionary about the synthesis : itself: waveform playback, filters, envelopes. the interesting thing was : that you could mix up to four different waveforms, which in theory made : possible the creation of quite thick and complex sounds. to my ears it : sounded a bit too digital, too thin, but i'm biased (never liked Alessis' : hardware, feels like made by a toy company) and last time i heard it must : have been about 15 years ago! : the Poly-61M has a very different history. it is the successor to the famous : Polysix, arguably one of the best polyphonic synths of its time. you've : heard it in half of the pop hits of the '80s, and some of the rocks, and : the experimentals, and the would-be new-ages, and probably elsewhere. the : "pads" this synth could create were unique... super lush, thick : if needed, bright, a thing of beauty! the signal path was wholly analogue : (if i remember correctly), which meant the sound was more natural and : organic sounding than digital successors... and of course hissed like : hell! : some time later Korg released the Poly-61, which was a digitally controlled : version of the Polysix. basically the same sound, but with buttons instead : of knobs, bigger patch memory, and some other differences. sounded almost : as good as the original one. the Poly-61M is a version that came out a bit : later with MIDI support (MIDI was created around those years). : the fact that Alex owned a Poly-61M probably influenced M1's music a lot. : there are a lot of pad-like sounds in the sountrack, which must have : sounded amazing coming out of this synth, and of course very different to : what QT2.0's MIDI Instruments could handle. he even uses pads for melodic : lines in a couple of songs, which is unusual, but makes sense if the best : synth you have makes the best pads out there :) : ok now i really want to get my hands on those original music tracks... : best, : yaco\ : ps: even if you had the synths, it would be impossible to "record the : Marathon MIDIs played through [them]". MIDI song files give you the : notes, some control information, and maybe a sound selection. but except : in very rare cases (using a nerdy thing called 'sysex') they don't give : you the sounds themselves. in short: you don't need a Quadrasynth and a : Poly-61M to rebuild the songs, you need Alex Seropian's synths, with his : patches (sounds)!
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