Bill Wolfer - Working with Stevie Wonder

[@billwolfer4020]

Big fun! Thank you for letting me publicly share my love and admiration for one of the greatest artists of ALL TIME! "I wish those days could come back again..."

[@Andrew-rz7qt]

Dude you're an amazing talent as well. I wish it could happen again but unfortunately lightning doesn't strike the same place twice. You guys created magic.

[@pecanrican05]

Legend! Thank you for letting us hear you speak about this.

[@oscillationcommunications709]

This is so great,I love listening to y’all go through the stories and gear. Bill and Anthony make a great team for this video. Bravo!⚡️

[@groovindj]

Hey Bill, I just discovered your Mamborama stuff. Spicy!

[@billwolfer4020]

@@groovindj Thanks! I should make some High def versions of that stuff.

[@issiewizzie]

Another great history lesson A very Humble man

[@rafverheyen5458]

Thank you Bill and Anthony for sharing these stories with us! Although we live in different times now, the vinyl records, music and stories will live forever ❤

[@SuperGinkgo]

That was GOLD!!! I could listen to you both chat for hours... Thanks very much Lads, respect to you both. 🖖💯🎶

[@nicolellamassimo5939]

Thank you for sharing this little and precious pearl..

[@francoisdunord7169]

great to hear some stevie wonder stories, i just bought music of my mind a week ago and noticed how good his singing was, my favorite song: superwoman, grtz from the netherlands 🇳🇱

[@philippecarbou8439]

Man, this song makes me so nostalgic, I think it's in my 3 favorites from any genre or era

[@MichaelScottGordon]

Thank you, Bill & Anthony. I truly appreciate hearing these stories and learning about the syths used on these epic songs.

[@johnnyrenfield]

Great interview 🤘💀🍻🔥

[@bcj842]

This is easily the best music channel on KZbin right now. Yeah, Beato is bringing great stuff to the table, but the vibe on this channel is just so incredibly cozy while also being immensely informative.

[@kevinpaige5746]

Anthony, please, please, please investigate how Stevie was able to get the fretless bass sound that was used all over "Secret Life Of Plant", "Hotter That July" and "Songs In The Key Of Life". I realize that Nathan Watts played lots of live electric bass on some of these recordings, but there is a mystery synth bass sound that I've never heard on any other record. And no, it's not a Minimoog, Ala 'Superstition". Listen to 'Knocks Me Off My Feet" from Songs In The Key Of Life for a reference. It's the greatest bass tone ever!

[@Andrew-rz7qt]

I just read your message and then had the best couple of hours listening to some amazing music, thank you for reminding me. Hope you find out your answers to your questions. ❤

[@billwolfer4020]

If you mean the bass sound on his song THE FIRST GARDEN, that's a CS80. He used that all the time, and as far as I know, he came up with it. It's easy to get cuz it's a couple of the stock presets, bass and another I don't remember, with the brilliance pushed way back, and the resonance pulled way up. KNOCKS ME OFF MY FEET was from Songs in the Key of Life, and pre-dates the CS80, so I bet it was an ARP 2600. And Nate Watts is one of my favorite bass players ever--he played fretless bass on my song WAKE UP on my first solo album.

[@paulallen8777]

I know he used a very early sampler called the 'Computer Music Melodian' on The Secret Life of Plants and on the bass line of 'Happy Birthday' from Hotter Than July, so this may be part of it. I remember reading the bass line of Boogie On Reggae Woman was performed by three people; Stevie playing the notes and Margouleff and Cecil switching parts on the Moog on and off!

[@cemski-soul]

i am so excited! I am so amazed about Anthony Marinelli Tom Bahler, Greg Phillinganes, Bill Wolfer and Robert Margouleff! I always imagined what my first technical question to Stevie Wonder would be, if i would ever meet him. :-)) And this would be: "the synth bass intro in the second part of "Ordinary Pain" at about 2:40, which makes me shake my whole body EVERY time: please tell me, it's a ribbon Controller! Even though as i am aware that i am very amateurish hobby keyboard player, i cant come anything close with to with a pitch wheel." I think the CS80 wasnt released at that time. Then i thought, maybe there was still any kind of a ribbon controller available. As it is rather unlikely that i would have the opportunity to shake Stevies hand in our lifetime, it is still a dream. But the last days i found all these very lovable guys here i mentioned above. I will take the chance and ask Bill Wolfer! Just found Yesterday that he has his own channel: www.youtube.com/@billwolfer4020 Now to your questions, which was partly answered by Bill and by Paul Allen. When you described it, as first i was immediately thinking of a sound i was always amazed of. This i called a Stevie Wonder signature sound. But it is not on Songs in the Key of Life. If you mean that bass Sound in "Lately", or "Black Orchid" or Michael Jacksons "Cant help it" (which Stevie wrote), i always thought, this is a sampled acoustic bass and treated through any kind of engine like Fairlight or Synclavier. But Bill says the bass in First Garden is a CS80. Is it the same as in Black Orchid? It sounds more acoustic to me.

[@rosalindwebb7729]

Amazing thank you for sharing.❤

[@jamesdefrancesco7765]

Thank you for the insights and behind the scenes personalities that support the music we love

[@UptownBoogieDown]

Your videos feel incredibly important, there’s real history here. Thank you

[@TR-707]

oh man thats hillarious - "i pushed the limits of the music industry of Chayenne wyoming......" ... "so the owner of the bowling alley wasnt into live music" loool

[@yotrakz]

Love your interviews Anthony. You set your chat in motion and let the guest tell it all while guiding along the way. 😎

[@TedBrownMedia]

I cannot understand how you guys were the first to think of this stuff . Thank you so much for pushing the boundaries 🙂

[@philippeniel9366]

This is great to hear. Thank You so Much for the time You took to put this together. Very nice ! Thank You Anthony.

[@darryldouglas6004]

It’s so delightful when I see you drop a new video. You are cataloging music history that people will peruse for years to come. 🙏🏼 Thanks so much! 😃

[@ikezios-]

you are providing some of the most important crucial richest content via youtube of pop usa culture that defined music forever, this can't be stressed how heavily historical this is, i wish more people involved in such recordings would contribute their stories and knowledge to public like you do, thank you infinitly

[@davidsharp3110]

Awesome Anthony!!!

[@BenA718]

Another insightful video! Thank you! Now, to find that cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water…

[@bitegoatie]

Another well-done, enjoyable, educational show, Anthony & co. - and thanks to Bill for all the great stories. This was time well spent, though it took me a few days to find time for the longish video. That's about me, not a complaint. The length is completely appropriate. Anyway, good stuff.

[@m.t.t.m5714]

What a great interview and story! I have sold my 2600, Odyssey and Sequenzer 😢 for a lovely girl! I was not verry reliable when I made Musical, so she must wait verry often...And then she said: Me ore your Synths. So I diceded me for 28 years friendship❤ To see and hear you and your friends is great history and legend!!! THX a lot!!!

[@heathwellsNZ]

One of the things that drew me to this channel (from Dr Mix) is a love of the Mowtown sound, the Hammond sound, the Rhodes sound, as well as the iconic prog rocky stuff and progression of early synths, to all those artists of that era. To come somewhat full circle and hear from the people that helped those familiar names (those people, well, to me, being somewhat unknown... I am sure plenty know and follow the people those artists surrounded themselves with) become who they are and make the music they wanted... is... just... hard to put into words. An utter privilege and true delight. Thankyou SO much Anthony for pieces such as this and letting people like myself get to hear from such fantastic influential people... I was hanging on every word and utterly enthralled. It's like hearing the directors commentary for the first time on the DVD of my musical interests/taste/loves over my life!

[@YippeePlopFork]

It was a real pleasure to take time out to watch two legends share some of their experiences. Wonderful! ♥🥰

[@estevebolita]

Just love these interviews.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

Secret life of plants was one of my all-time favorite albums as a kid. I consider it one of the most creative and free works from Stevie Wonder.

[@MyVinylRips]

Another great video! Love the conversation!

[@erock.steady]

that was awesome. many thanks.

[@natura808]

Thank you guys very much, for everything!

[@apollozero]

Love Bill’s “Call Me” single and his album.

[@SarcasticTruth77]

Love Anthony's stories, but wish he wouldn't cut people off so much. I like to hear them finish their thoughts, too.

[@AndyVonal]

Loved those stories! Wonderful!

[@ClaudeYoung]

I love these videos and for someone who is really into the "studio guys and girls" who make this music, this is a true blessing to behold. All the stories straight from the creators!!! Thanks!!! 🙏❤

[@StevenEdward0]

I throughly enjoyed this Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing

[@Andrew-rz7qt]

No way I am a huge fan of Bill's, he is just the bomb and really talented.

[@Jamaicafunk]

'Where have I known you before' was DiMeola's first RTF album. "Romantic Warrior" was his last.

[@SantiagOnline]

Another great video!!!!!

[@RainbowMandrills]

Amazing cool. Race Babbling and everything. I love Secret Life of Plants . Thank you both for sharing your stories Best Wishes Pete on the Isle of Wight England

[@frankf.6639]

Very humble and talented…his two albums are must have (you can find them on Japan release the album Wolf + 9)

[@DjembeJimbo]

This is so great!

[@PatternRecognitionMusic]

It's funny, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Some years ago, I found myself working at GC in New Orleans, and while it might not have been quite on par with the LA crowd, I got to rub elbows with some pretty cool cats. Anyway, great video as always and like many, I could listen to these stories all night.

[@pellecarlen]

Very interesting. Thanks!

[@MrKwixster]

Great stories!

[@VIRGOLEGACY]

@1:59 I think that project he’s talking about the Vanity’s “Wild animal” album lol which for me personally has some good joints on there

[@hadror13]

This is top notch content! On a cs80 no less!

[@andretibian2635]

Amazing

[@KingMJForeverAndEver]

💐💐💐

[@automaton111]

I used to see Stevie sometimes at West LA Music. Do you have any experience with the Kurzweil synthesizers? I understand Stevie was cofounder of that company.

[@billwolfer4020]

I met Ray Kurzweil at Stevie's studio. He had built a reading machine for the blind, and he and Stevie became friends. Stevie convinced him to make musical instruments, showed him the rudimentary sampling gear he had at the time, and that's how all that started.

[@donnydarko7624]

Yes Stevie's singing is so perfect at times it sounds unnatural because it's so perfect.

[@sebastianotrovesi2650]

🙏❤

[@bernyboss]

And now i have to figure out how to buy a Yamaha CS-80 Polyphonic Synthesizer. Thank you Anthony… 😂😂😂

[@IrnBruNYC]

Just get a soft synth version. Arturia’s is pretty great, and it doesn’t break down or require maintenance or weigh a ton.

[@bernyboss]

@@IrnBruNYC my ears are crying… 😭😭😭

[@ReallyStrongGuy]

Anthony seems impatient at times. May be a good idea to zoom in on Bill at those parts. Seeing him anxious made these viewers anxious.

[@j.maxell3030]

Moog 😎

[@F.R.B.Synths]

wisdom🫀🫀🫀

[@dfglojkg]

Did uh' miss muh' forum?

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

What is there to like about Kiss? Honest question

[@evankeal]

The answers for them, or other bands you dislike are likely to be a waste of time. You need to answer yourself.

[@MrVein5.0]

=)

[@williamshaneblyth]

talking over the top of someone is not great

[@spellerlittlewing]

Really who cares about this lame commercial junk that's only played because record companies pay radio stations to play this garbage over & over That's all it is

[@smartti1970]

🙂

[@ErinIsBlueBlue]

Thank you ! Again !