Analog music in a digital world | Sebastian "Kebu" Teir | TEDxVasa

[@markusfuller]

Sebastian is an incredibly talented artist who I could listen to for hours, I agree 100% on what he says though. I personally like to sit on the fence and use Analog and Digital gear together. they both have their plus and minus but what matters at the end of the day to me is the music you have created and the enjoyment of hearing something new either by using analog synth digital synth or even a computer and mouse.

[@currentuserjade]

I'd give up a year of my life, to experience a head to head performance of Kebu and JMJ live!!

[@DigitalMusicXpress]

This guy is one of my idols! I wish I could meet him in person :)

[@leighsaunderson9203]

If you get the chance ( make it !!) , see/hear him play live, it's amazing. Was lucky enough to see him twice in 2017, once in Liverpool in a small club, then in Oslo for the gig filming. He's amazing, and a genuinely nice guy to boot.

[@AlainHubert]

Everything Sebastian said is absolutely true. For him and for many other musicians/composers too, like me. Not easy to sum up, and demonstrate, such a philosophy in under 15 minutes, but he did it. And brilliantly. Long live Kebu ! The only thing I would add, is that digital tools can certainly help in other ways than actually creating the sounds. Take for example multiple tracks recording, like it was done back in the old days on analog tape machines, but with modern digital reliability, low noise and better precision. I don't want to risk losing a musical idea because it took too long to rewind, or splice a tape. I simply press "record" in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation computer software), and play my ideas on the synths and record them right away, before they're gone. Inspiration doesn't come often enough, and easy enough. For me, at least. lol

[@vernduff]

AlainHubert I

[@robott5177]

In my opinion it really is the feel over most other advantages. I love the sound of analogue, I love the fact that it's a real instrument that you really have to care for as much as you would a guitar or violin, and I love how unpredictable and interesting the sounds can be. Yet, digital synths in the hardware world, such as the Access Virus and many different Eurorack modules, have the same merit to me, the feel of actually performing rather than just automating a parameter on a VST plugin. Not that plugins don't have their uses, there are lots of great pieces of software out there, and that limitless possibility talked about in this video means you can make some really interesting complex sounds if you know what you're doing. Personally, I think that the hardware approach is starting to make a comeback, as many manufacturers out there have started developing controllers for their software, and quite a few have now started making analogue synths as well. Just wanted to share my opinion, great video!

[@evanwhite6260]

Once again Kebu proves that he´s not a good songwriter but a fantastic live performance musician.

[@manudelmarche]

"it's not about the tools. It's how you use them". Very true

[@gusibiza]

In short: kEBU IS A SUPER GENIUS !! Greetings from Ibiza! 😉👌👏🍻

[@Kraftei]

Very interesting, that, in the same way, artists of non-electronic, acoustic instruments deny the electronic ones, Sebastian denies the digital ones and equals the analog synthesizers to any any other acoustic instrument! And the way he explains this, can really convince! It's just the same conflict on a different/higher level! Very nice authentic guy! I wish. i'll be able to visit one his concerts in Germany after this Covid Madness!

[@voidedvoid]

Beutiful work kebu, much apraisal for your style, one of the most unique ones of this generation

[@ChristerJokela1]

Thank you Kebu, you just put the point of analogy and simplicity in making music 🎶👍🏽🎹🎛

[@gaylejensen2640]

Thank you for patiently teaching how it works, I love analog, feels different, way more rich, thank you, be blessed !!!

[@wathog01]

Cause he is a PhD scientist in energy and environment. Doing presentations and talks are literally part of his job

[@urh8523]

I'm in love with my old real analog prophet 5 synthesizer. It kicks the as out of all those digital and vst synthesizers. And my good old Roland JP 4 is also amazing with its warm chorused analog sound.

[@stephenbaldassarre2289]

U RH I had a Prophet 600, which I recently sold for a Prophet 08. I love working with analogue synths. I tried working on soft synths and even analogue modeling hardware, but it never sounded right and it just felt like work. It was always tedious and boring. I can play with the real thing for hours and it feels like minutes.

[@urh8523]

I sold one of my two prophet 5 synthesizers for buying a prophet 16 voice rev. 2. It sounds also great with its 32 analog oscillators and has great posibilities. It' s the updated version of the prophet 08, that i still have and love to. I only use vst analog software synth on my laptop pc, when i'm travelling and can't take my hardware analog synthesizers with me. But something is missing when you use vst analog synth's.:)

[@stephenbaldassarre2289]

U RH I thought about the Prophet Rev. 2 but the price on the 08 dropped so much, it was.hard to pass. The one thing I really wish it did and doesn't is let me modulate one audio oscillator with another.

[@urh8523]

The prophet 08 is still great. Has a great warm sound. For that reason i kept it with my Rev. 2 prophet. I haven't thougt of that detail about modulating the one oscillator with the other. You can do it with prophet 5. I will check it out on my Rev. 2 and prophet 08, when I have time.

[@machiwoomiapoo]

This is a wonderful video about Kebu's technique. I love those vintage synthesizer sounds. Keep up the great work Kebu! :)

[@jakefisher8788]

Great artist, i like Sebastians music !! 🎹🎹🎹🎼

[@laserquant]

Nice conclusion. It is not about the tools. It is how you use them.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

This is so awesome that he's on Ted. But I would argue that part of what he's really focusing on isn't so much limited to analog, but hardware synthesizers vs. computers. The organic Interaction and expression he's talking about can most certainly be achieved by some digital, and hybrid synthesizers, specifically those with a plethora of knobs and sliders to interact with, such as a Waldorf XTK, Dave Smith Prophet-12, or Access Virus (which sounds very close to true analog). There are also some hardware synthesizers such as the John Bowen Solaris, that are 100% digital, but made with the highest possible circuitry and technologically available, and can make sounds across the spectrum, including some that are so close to true analog, even a purist would have a difficult time telling was digital. Playing an actual hardware synthesizer, analog or digital, with a good layout and interface, is vastly superior to moving a mouse around and squinting at a computer screen. The core of his argument though still remains true, and what he says at the end. As the old saying goes, it's the carpenter, not the tools, and he's an outstanding carpenter, so to speak.

[@Magnus_Loov]

But then you maybe miss his point that the arguments you make isn't the main reason for him to choose analogue synhs. The main (third) reason was "limitations". Even the digital synths you mention are vastly superior when it comes to possibilities compared to the old arhaic synths he use. Often he triggers arpeggiators (which he plays the notes on) with voltage Gates (since some gear doesn't even have midi). Another limitation is in the sound engine/structure itself. Again it is much more limited in the older synths compared to newer ones. And no digital effect integrated. Plus not having thousands of pre-made sounds to wade through (with included effects chains), forcing him to do it from scratch... But again, you could argue that you could force these limitations upon yourself with the digital synths, creating almost a kind of "Dogma" scenario where you set up some strict rules for limitations. Easier said than done though since it is so tempting with all th possibilities in todays digital world (I'm all digital, though I use three midi controller keyboards (one being an actual synth, the old DX7) combined with sustains pedals to hold notes/arpeggios/chords and a Behringer BCR-2000 so it's a very hands on experience for me ).

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

I don't think we disagree, and you make some excellent points. I was merely pointing that what's lost upon most people today who clamor for analog, is that the key isn't analog per-se, it's the interaction with most hardware. With that does come limitations, and those limitations compel creativity. Put another way, if I were building a studio from scratch, I wouldn't dismiss a Waldorf-Q for example because it's digital. I'm not saying Kebu would for that reason, but some people do have that view.

[@robertlozonne2012]

I roll Home built Analogues and USB.Hardware Keyboards, and 1 Moog, Kebu is right about Analogue, but there is a place for Digi synth nowadays

[@MPanalog]

tl;dr , but about the limitation part , i started working with hardware synths (analog & digital) and record on my Tascam Portastudio 246 , 6 channels , 4 channels to record. I used to be the guy with 130 channels , it set me free , really. 4 channels , 5 synths , utilize everything u got , to over come boundaries but stay in context!

[@soloangel910]

pero ya existen varias aplicaciones para convertir cv en midi por ejemplo kenton pero hay mas ... no es lo mismo que general midi pero si que se pueden hacer cosas como controlar envolventes y de mas creo...

[@KutAnimus]

I use it for the sound as well. No matter how advanced digital technology becomes, it still won't be able to capture the chaos inherent of electrons in motion.

[@MarshalArnold]

Really cool to hear Kebu break down his process a bit. Really enjoyed this 😁

[@NEOGEOJunkie]

Great video, and you did a great set at the good ship in London! Look forward to seeing you in the UK again.

[@scopex2749]

Superb lecture! analogue for me every time, the whole world is going digital which is too 'clean' and pure. No natural variation or that unique raw sound of analogue! Thank you very much Sebastian. The only problem with analogue is the WEIGHT! I have several keyboards that need 2 BIG guys to lift on stage! Musicians like Jean Michel Jarre and Georgio Mordoder woul dnot have sounded the same without analogue. Thank you for the demos I have just purcahsed myself a mixer and a looper to see what I can do with these!

[@andrew446]

Wow! That's rare. I'd like to see more information like this.

[@morismateljan6458]

Thumbs up for using the most underrated synth ever, Korg Micropreset!

[@call_me_stan5887]

Oh, Kebu - you must've been really stressed! You've used "actually" like gazillion times ;) But you're a great musician and I genuinely love and admire your work! Way to go!

[@Sonikbytes]

that particular style of music he chooses to plays is complemented very well by the use of his vintage analog gear. It just wouldn't have the same vibe when done on modern synths and same would go for modern music styles would not have the same vibe when done on vintage analogs only.

[@johnfrancisdoe1563]

Sonikbytes It's the instruments of the same era as the musical style. Just like symphonic music (even new stuff) is best on the kinds of wood and metal instruments used in the 19th century and Jazz is best on the types of instruments used in the early 20th century. Note that the age of each physical instrument is less critical than the design, a new high end violin will do fine in most orchestras, it doesn't have to be a Stradivarius original. Similarly a newly built genuinely old school analog synth could be almost as good as the originals owned by this maestro.

[@theloniouspunk6957]

That was awesome, I would have taken 5 more hours of that. Thanks, Kebu!

[@derdagian1]

Sabastain!!! Thank You, My Brother! I’m running my blood on your music! Duane

[@psychinsights]

Wow great presentation, Kebu is a creative legend!

[@jamesedinger4956]

Analog sound is beautiful, but if you've ever tried to layer complex orchestrations with analog alone, you realize that they can quickly saturate the sound stage. Wendy Carlos addresses this in an article I read long ago. Sometimes a tightly programmed digital sound can add just the right spice. Today, the difference between analog and digital is becoming blurred. Our effects and controls are more flexible and allow us to create sound environments that were incredibly hard to achieve three decades ago. It's a great time to be an electronic musician. I'm amazed by how inexpensively I can create the sound of machines I could have never been able to afford in my youth.

[@MrMikepaniora]

love the old synths

[@rosejane8077]

Love you Kebu you are a awesome.!!!! 😊👍

[@DumpoDeluxe]

Thank you!!

[@danyaelalyx8317]

You're such an inspiration :) Awesome!

[@esaedvik]

Such a legend!

[@PapyZeThug]

a legend? lolololololololololol

[@esaedvik]

I mean...you'll never be on his level. That's a fact.

[@HHiddenhope]

it's sûre. +1

[@666app]

@ Kebu & all electronic musicians - Part 1. = I really love & enjoy Kebu's powerful Live performances, very awesome & attracting, great to to see & hear the Live gigs. - BUT when it comes to analog or digital, this discussion is over for the last years. Not even that, a PPG 360A, complete digital Synth by PPG/Wolfgang Palm from end of the 1970s - sold before the Wave 2.0/2.2/2.3, the Emulator II with Samples & analog filters, SP12/1200 Drummachines are mainly digital or only digital. The all digital Waldorf Blofeld - a cheap Synth for 400 bugs - is a great synth as well. The list goes on and on... Software Synths & effects especially in the Logic 10.14 Daw on Apple computers are so brilliant sounding nowadays that I don't use analog outboard for effects anymore. As well I love Software synths, but I like to play & jam with hardware too - I am in producing & composing electronic music for over 20 years. - I think, there is place for different kinds of synthetic instruments - it doesn't matter, if those are digital or analog. I remember the first reactions on the Roland Jupiter 80. Everybody pointed out that it is too digital sounding. Now nobody says that anymore. As a matter of fact it is a (after updates) a Jupiter 8, it can sound very natural in many ways with the onboard natural instruments.👍🏿 💀 😎 👽

[@MIKENORTHWEST]

Excellent, enjoyable introduction of how you use the music tools!

[@xbowracing]

Very good explained! Thank you so much Sebastian! :-)

[@mattedj]

Totally agree about the limitations. And I love Kebu's music....really. Problem with is there's a flip side to limitations, cost and reliability. With these older synths, not only do you have to have resources to purchase them, you need to be able to fix them and/or have them serviced. For people that can only afford softsynths, self-imposing limitations might be a better way to go. One might be: picking 1 softsynth, maybe 1 soft drum machine/sampler, and attempt to go as far as possible with it...not falling for the 'there's a betterer synth out there, if only I keep looking' Another might be using Linux and or open source to make the music, maybe try to do everything on a Raspberry Pi... Finally, there's a showmanship to the whole analog synth performance...if there was no one to look at, no stage, no wires, no stack of keyboards: we'd be left with the song, standing on its own, only audio, and would you be able to definitely tell you were listening to digital, or throw away a great song because it wasn't 'pure'? Hmmmm

[@HornetBojan]

100% agree. Too many options can limit your creativity and every small change effects creative process ... If you want to stand out, try to be different, original as possible ...

[@rosejane8077]

I'm also into Kraft werk your music kind of reminds me of them I also like Michel Jared.!!!!

[@zaintyelangel9605]

lo hace muy bien !!! es muy serio....

[@Zaqwilson1]

Ok analgue is nice but dont forget dx7 and all music came from dx7. For me the most important thing is the inspiration and after is the tool

[@manudelmarche]

"all music came from the dx7". Really?

[@GeorgeDimopoulos]

Nice upload!!!!

[@davidgravee7475]

Great Kebu Awesome Audition

[@MiamiAtNight]

KEBU!!! you rock!

[@skagerstrom]

That string machine - is that the sound from Trans Europa Express? :D

[@georgemaroudas4793]

the strings in trans europe express is a Melotron

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

Logan String Melody II with a EHX Small Stone phaser. It gives a Jean Michel Jarre style of pads. I love it so much I got the same string synth and effects.

[@Mnlsnk528]

That was 🔥🔥🔥 you took me deep with that beat sir

[@fontaholic]

I am doing the same in photoshop lol as a graphic designer. Kinda same process effects analog digital layer tools thing.

[@666app]

@ Kebu & all electronic musicians Part 2. = I never heard any own compositions from Kebu, he covers other musicians very well (if not better some times). I am fine with that. In opposite I only do own compositions. I as well love guitars in electro music & own a lot. - Sampling is a beautiful tool in music, thats digital!!! I don't want to miss any of those possibilities when I arrange & produce my own music. - I like dynamic as well as sometimes very static elements. It has to fit in the track. It's that easy, but not a question of analog or digital. Sorry, that are nonsense arguments... What I do not like, to sit all the time in front of a computer screen but jamming with my hardware as well. - But to be honest regarding 'real' synthesizers I LOVE my Alesis ANDROMEDA A6 & my Aturia Matrixbrute Monosynth (paraphonic). - I own only 2 Monosynths = Matrixbrute & of course a DIGITAL Korg Prophecy, which I own for some years. Very inspiring. I never would use a boring Mini Moog or that 5 (!) Oktave one voice Moog Voyager for 5000 bugs. As well I heard the new Moog One for 6000 / 8 voices. Sorry, it does not sound half as nice then an ANDROMEDA A6. = The best Moog synth is digital = the ANYMOOG on the iPad, highly recommended.... 👍🏿 💀 😎 👽

[@deciphormaniac717]

You can't "learn" what is consistently learning!!!

[@0.v.0]

Super!

[@martinvidal5398]

no entiendo un carajo lo que dice pero esta muy buena la musica desde los 80 que escucho a jarre kitaro vangelis

[@janrbh17]

Very interesting :-)

[@TheKiriru]

Is'n there too much of oxigen?

[@meesterrain]

in sum, ladies & gentlemen...add reverb.

[@alexstewart8021]

If you like this you need to listen to Jean Michelle jarre

[@stephansiegel1279]

Why didnt u get a schmidt synth and how we are gonna get u one...

[@KalleHullu]

The way he says "synth"

[@Vesnic8]

8 people out of 10 will not manage to distinguish between an analog saw and a digital saw. I can hear it in the harmonies but most cannot. And it comes because someones gotta sell this hardware guys. Cmon, just think a bit - Haven't you seen that most people who have a ton of analog synths barely make music ? They become more consumer oriented and get cheaper and a lot of people have access to them. It's a whole bandwagon, goin on there. I study at a Conservatory and honestly I have seen people doing amazing stuff with digital synths and DAW's. It's all about how much you want to go the rabbit hole

[@NROS2012]

How do you pronounce ‘Kebu’ in English? Kayboo / kebboo / keeboo ? Thanks

[@markusandergard6925]

it is not possible.

[@NROS2012]

Markus Andergård what’s the closest?

[@markusandergard6925]

"Ke" like in Kevin. "bu" like in Bully. No paus in between. Hey, it was possible after all! :)

[@NROS2012]

The nearest sound

[@markusandergard6925]

The nearest sound is the white noise hissing of your ears. Any other questions?

[@looneyburgmusic]

@8:03 - Totally and 120% strongly disagree . Having a computer based DAW compose/record setup has made my life as a composer orders of magnitude easier. I'm far more productive, and complete projects far quicker, compared to my ~20ish years of pre-DAW days in the 80's and 90's. This is especially true since I transitioned from desktop PC based DAW's to Microsoft Surface Pro 6/7 DAW's, which allow me to bring my entire DAW setup anywhere I like by just slipping one of my Surface Pro's + audio interface into a small backpack, and walking out the door.

[@naohara100]

コンピューターはシーケンサー代わりですなかなかヨーロッパの演奏方が認めてもらえずシンセサイザー 一本でやらなくてはならない

[@naohara100]

コンピューターも音が歪みます

[@jamesburnes3297]

I love his music and performances, but I'm not sure if what he's describing is valid or simply a religious opinion. Why not digital control of analog oscillators, filters and signal paths. If he removed all the digital components he would be have to get rid of midi, sequencers, keyboards and ultimately his digits / fingers. All that would remain would be a Theremin. Cool, but you'd be hard pressed to execute Chase on it.

[@dominicstocker5144]

I think that it isn’t just about getting rid of everything digital for him

[@PapyZeThug]

ping-pong-arpegiattored.

[@MSM5500]

His "analog believes" go very contradictory when it comes to treating all his "analog" signals by running them through digital FX processors in pursuit of changing their harmonics content and eventually overall sound itself. So in other words a term "analog" is used as nothing but as just a fetish in this context.

[@ElJoellito]

Perhaps we can try to debate this statement. You are referring to part 1 of his list of reasons to use analog synths: the sound. Indeed the man and many others have a "fetish" for analog synthesizers that is not utilitarian nor perhaps a perfectly reasonable one (given cost for function, reperations e.g.) . Yet, he is making a fair point. An example: A computer, or any digital processor, can produce a human voice. It gets pretty close in most aspects. But, one thing appears to be missing: A certain character and the microfluctuations in timbre and formants, derived by hesitation, emotion and other factors that make a human voice unique as its own, yet also slightly different at any given time. Compared to a real voice, the digital synthesis of a human voice would sound somewhat "linear". And I believe it's the same for analog synthesizer: They have a certain character and certain microfluctuations in their sound, given by the wear of aging, temperature, but also by the components used in the first place. Now, of course, you can rightfully say that using digital fx processing he "disrupts" this analog pathway he fetishizes here, but feeding a non-linear signal into linear processing doesn't make the signal linear. It just applies some linear effect to a fluctuating signal, so the outcome will still be different with every tone played, even if it is the same key. That being said, I love my digital synthesizers as much as my analog ones, because both of them can do things the other cannot do. I feel, modern musicians, as much as they can do whatever they want to anyways, should consider using the best of both worlds to whatever extent they need. Perhaps this video can simply be useful to understand the appeal and charme of "vintage" or in any way analog gear in a music world dominated by digitalization and DAW's.

[@dougle03]

The secret is in the imperfection - The digital world tries very hard to recreate imperfection - it's something precision devices struggle with....

[@HazeAnderson]

Audiophools get fooled every time. Everything gets converted to digital. But let them waste their money in their pursuit for nostalgia.

[@dominicstocker5144]

Haze Anderson Did you even read the comment of Joel?

[@noiselabproject9659]

Digital FX and Recording is very convenient and if the bitrate/sample rate is high then it`s decent but it`s still worthwhile using a nice analog source into them from the instruments, after all all manor of fancy gear is often used to produce a song for digital CD or mp3 in the end but it`s still worth it

[@rogergarriga3917]

He sounds like tommy wiseau lmao

[@chrisstrobel3439]

Warm and natural? They’re synthesizers man! A French horn is warm and natural 🙄

[@StefanReich]

Take note how any beautiful person can be turned into a horrible TED(x) talk