Nord User Forum

Can anyone give me some tips on Stage 3 synth settings for a Mini Moog sound like Rick Wakeman gets on Journey to the Centre of the Earth? I thought that it was a saw wave, but I just can't seem to get the sound right. I know it is not complex, but I just can't seem to work it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Why don't you use the 2:35 M Trilogy Lead synth sound. If that is not suitable for you, you can decompose it and/or edit it to your liking?

Essentially, it's a two Oscillator Mono wave with Modulated filters.

kbrkr wrote:Why don't you use the 2:35 M Trilogy Lead synth sound. If that is not suitable for you, you can decompose it and/or edit it to your liking?
Essentially, it's a two Oscillator Mono wave with Modulated filters.

Great idea. Early on the album there are some parts using the square (pulse) wave and at one point the LFO on the Mod Wheel using a sawtooth or inverse sawtooth wave. The dominant Mini Moog sound used about 27 minutes into the album is using the Classic sawtooth wave with the distinctive resonance in the decay that's also used in the synth sound 2:35. To make the sound I would suggest starting with the following:

MOD ENV Section: ATTACK 0, DECAY 6-7 (see MODULATION Section for how this plays into the sound), RELEASE 6
OSCILLATORS Section: CLASSIC set with SAWTOOTH, OSC 2 with SAWTOOTH +12(?)
VOICE Section: MONO, GLIDE 1, UNISON Off or maybe 1
FILTER Section: LP12 or LP24 (can't remember which is similar to Mini Moog), DRIVE 1, try KB TRACK off
MODULATION Section: LFO AMOUNT 0, MOD ENV 10, FREQ 3, RES 6-7. You need to play around with these settings - I describe it this way: the MOD ENV is the highest point in the filter and resonance you'll hear, and the MOD ENV DECAY setting determines how quickly that filter and resonance will drop to the FREQ setting. There are a couple places in the solos where a note is held so you hear the range of the filter decay and how quickly it decays. Working with MOD ENV, FREQ, RES, and DECAY, you should be able to get the sound you're looking for.
AMP ENV Section: ATTACK 0, DECAY 7, RELEASE 5 (notes hang on a little after being released), no VELOCITY.
VIBRATO Section: Set for WHL

It's a pretty clean sound, no chorus or phase shifter effects, but reverb is needed and a little echo might be nice. I hope this helps, take care.
UPDATE:Listening to this again and comparing it to my Nord, I'm having a hard time hearing whether it's sawtooth or mid-size pulse (square) wave being used (at 61, I'm thankful I'm hearing anything at all). I tried it with OSC1 set with mid-size pulse and OSC2 set with sawtooth +12 and that sounded pretty good too.

Thanks so much guys. Appreciate the Xmas present! I will get onto it and see if I can nail the sound. Greatly value your suggestions and advice. I was pretty sure that it was a saw wave and that I needed the glide - but synth isn't my strong point on the Nord, but I am working on it. Just so good to have all these fantastic people on the forum so willing to help.


Merry Xmas and and Happy New Year to you all.

Thanks so much again . Kept working on it even on Xmas day . Just letting you know that it has come up perfect.