Ep14: Synth Sounds of "Africa" by Toto | Reverb Learn to Play

Reverb's 2021 Holiday Gift Guide: bit.ly/3ojmKNW
Treat yourself or find the perfect gift for your favorite music maker. Toto's "Africa" is a jam that has had us blessing the rains since 1982 when the band's album Toto IV was released. But how did Toto create those recognizable #SynthSounds? We're on a safari to figure it out, led (as always) by our brave captain, William Kurk. How sure are we that you're going to dig this video? Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.
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[@ChasenLovesYou]

why do I like this guy so much

[@s70driver2005]

They way he presents it all. So likeable.

[@djdonjulio4461]

It’s the bowser bracelet...

[@kassandjohnbolles3522]

He's great isn't he?

[@SSKMusicBeats]

Because of the high top

[@RAGINxxXxxCAJUN]

It's because he has a good personality

[@colddougl7595]

“And today... we don’t have a GS1... BUT we have a DX7, which is broke... HOWEVER we have a TX7.” I was legit expecting the list to keep going 😂😂🤣

[@EmissionSpectrumBand]

Toto, the Avengers of music. I like that.

[@christianfriisjensen2055]

It makes almost too much sense.

[@Lance37a]

Toto assemble!

[@FanStrikeReviews]

That’s what we’ve always called them! Never heard anybody else use that. Awesome

[@aebhosor4835]

"Toto. One of the greatest bands on the planet." -Eddie Van Halen

[@wezzlyn]

Someday I'll travel to Africa and if this song isn't playing all the time all over the continent, I'm gonna be pissed

[@desvonbladet]

Didn't hear it once on safari in Tanzania this spring, but Africa is after all a big country.

[@djvoid1]

The tour guides are completely sick of it, trust me

[@loofonme]

Continent. Africa is a big continent.

[@TR-ir1ec]

I'm from Kenya and I've got news for you😂😂

[@InfamousD217]

From Africa, can confirm. Toto on the streets, unmoderated comments in the sheets.

[@rictualfury965]

Synth sounds of chamber of reflection

[@aye6019]

rictualfury I would fucking kill for that

[@MaxStephens77]

rictualfury a juno

[@waterkill97]

rictualfury just a juno

[@taylorpaulmusic]

DUDE

[@harrykohos3567]

YES

[@MrSimondaniel3]

2:33 sounds the same ? hmm not exactly

[@keyonkelly5693]

Daniel Simon it sounds really really really similar

[@oKDarkStarKo]

Keyon Kelly personally i dont think so

[@PWRslide_TV]

Daniel Simon the one on the left sounds meatier. Dense. Om nom nom

[@az-me3xt]

nope. i agree.

[@m8sonmiller]

I think he has different ADSR settings for them. Don't know why he didn't change them for TV.

[@manonbassguitar]

Love this guy. Doesn’t take himself too serious, & he knows how to have fun. Please put him on more reviews!

[@nickwhite6398]

That Prophet 5 definitely sounded too mellow and pad-like. I wish you had just used the CS-80 plug-in. It had the right kind of attack you need.

[@ad6499]

Nick White agreed. There is some harmonic content in the CS-80 sound that's not in the Prophet. Maybe the Prophet could faithfully recreate that sound, I'm not sure, but the one in the video is a little off.

[@arryharry]

Clemens nails this, look up his channel.

[@eddievhfan1984]

The Prophet 5 use 4-pole filters, so it cuts more highs for the same cutoff frequency. I think the Prophet 6 has multimode filters, though...

[@ad6499]

Kyle Tekaucic thank you for this info. Appreciated and enlightening.

[@eddievhfan1984]

NP. Also, one of the things that that made the CS-80 unique is that it's like two polysynths in one (one VCO, one LPF/HPF combo, one VCA), and you can set up slightly different sounds to enrichen the tone and give it more complexity. The Prophet 5 has detunable oscillators, but they all go through the same filter and envelope. If you want to get closer to the original without a CS-80, do two separate tracks of single-oscillator synth sounds (MIDI helps a lot here), and just use similar but different patches.

Love to see a Synth Sounds of "What is Love" by Haddaway.

[@jdredman]

Or Howard Jones, even better 😀

[@mikosoft]

Isn't Haddaway just various sounds from Korg M1?

[@TransistorBased]

mikosoft yes

[@clasicosdelasmejoresepocas7347]

i have that multitrack master

[@tetsugakusha66]

He seems so genuinely excited by playing Toto--it's infectious! Love it~~

[@dkdowntown]

5:54

[@abicknell76]

(plays chord using CS-80 plug-in) (plays chord using Prophet 5) "Sounds the same!" *Doesn't sound the same*

[@HGUHFful]

Alec Bicknell shut your whining

[@soup7917]

your trying so hard

[@originalfallinggirl]

I could listen to this guy talk about anything. He’s great.

[@jsplinc2000]

Super great

[@Samantha-vlly]

5 years later, Steve Porcaro used Arturia CS-80 to show the sound of Africa Just a legendary sound.

[@cdclaxton]

This is wonderfully presented with such joy! Your enthusiasm is infectious.

[@williamkampert1475]

“There’s no party, like a synth party. And there’s no party, till we get through all the Bacardi” lmao!!! 😭😭😭

[@jolupe]

William Kampert the tracy jordan of synths lol

[@benjamindelany7266]

Damn they always get the Marimba/Kalimba parts wrong

[@timesink8947]

Loving this. Can definitely tell you've found your voice for the new season and know what you want these videos to be.

[@noahv8671]

the lick 6:33

[@marijnstam7374]

noah v someone call Adam Neely

[@makkietakkie]

GET NEELY ON THE PHONE

[@JeremiahFernandez]

Neely - _oh no not this shit again_

[@pylon2144]

Also at 6:21

[@spencrmusic]

No not even close lol he only played the last 3 notes b

[@KB_theauthentic]

Pay this man, awesome series…your love for music radiates.

[@thesullivanstreetproject]

Even if I didn't love this song (which I do), I'd still watch the video because this guy is just an awesome host!

[@JohnnyFiction]

Love the channel, though that ARTURIA plugin sounded way better than the Profit 5. Definitely didn't "sound the same" at all.

[@dangerouskoin4874]

Despite the few nitpicky things people point out in this presentation, you had me at Krang. 🤣 First I've seen of this series and absolutely loved it. I like that you put the settings used up on screen, improvise where needed (some of these machines are super rare and expensive), and make great references to dice up some humor, on top of being a great player. Well done I'll be back for more!

[@spencerdcarson]

An Oberheim synth would've been a better brass sound because of the 12 dB/oct filter. The CS-80 uses a 12 dB/oct filter so the brass sound is brighter than the Prophet 5 as heard in the video. The OB-6 would be my choice. Also Steve Porcaro loved his Matrix 12 so that would work too though it's a bit newer than the CS-80 .

[@ncsupi]

I liked the rounded-off sound for a change. Kinda like how I liked the bit of wow on the brass sound for a change.

[@RebornAudio]

Learning to play this from what's clearly a MIDI is beyond backwards.

[@HenrikMosesi]

Synth sounds of A-ha “Take on me” please.

[@AmarrStriker]

"Sounds the same \o/". Not even close dude.

[@franklinlurie3281]

That absolutely fire solo at the end 😍

[@apdimaggio]

"Synth Sounds of ELO" -- please?

[@gioforchiorossi9304]

Well, if you don't consider that I can get a closer sound with my cheap Casio px5s and the kalimba riff is wrong, it's a nice video

[@zacharychall-hutchinson6720]

Take on me

[@jonmorris4034]

What an infectious song! Also an infectious personality it was a pleasure to see this video. Love your Insight and your presentation. Was a cool video to wake up with!!!!

[@pedrosura]

I have Arturia and my CS Brass is so much closer. I am no expert. Not enough care to get the sound right...

[@jpc_337]

That flute sound is awesome!

[@EdwardRMusic]

Not at all the same.. cs80 v prophet.. all of the midrange disappeared 🧐

[@WILSOUNDJORGECOMPANY]

Synth of led zeppeling "all my love"

[@wezzlyn]

wilson sandoval arros Isn't that just a Mellotron?

[@tinyb69]

It was played on Benny Andersson's, Yamaha GX-1. It was a permanent installation at Polar Studios, where "In Through the Out Door", was recorded ,which was owned by Benny, and Bjorn Alvaeus, of ABBA. The GX-1 was a hybrid of an organ with some synth modules built into it. They were extremely expensive, at the time, and ridiculosly expensive today. There were less than 75 made, and they needed constant maintenance, especially when used for touring. JPJ purchased one from Yamaha, in early 1979, and used it live on their European dates from that year, though, "All of my Love", was not performed live. In the mid-80s, Jones sold the GX-1 to Keith Emerson, who used it at times during the late 80's and early 90's, and still owned it at the time of his death. Yamaha never built an updated version of the GX-1. None of their keyboards following it, had the same sound or feel as it did.

[@ChrisAmmann]

Wow! Aren't we lucky we were here to get that information? It seemed extraneous at the time. Nah but srsly this is cool and I'm glad you taught me something

[@fakejazznut]

tiny b I believe the only living musician that still owns their original GX-1 is Stevie Wonder.

[@larkfellon]

I love how much this makes him smile. Because it makes me smile the same!

[@andrepeixotooo]

He looks so genuinely happy towards the end 😊 made my night

[@mazk5458]

This song makes me want to go shopping in a mall from the 80s

[@mackmccord3743]

Me too. It's crazy how Eye can see the colors are all different. But yes! Me too!

[@HeavenWilliams]

The Yamaha CS80 actually sounded better then the prophet, which is crazy because that's a plugin vs actual hardware.

[@raineeace]

I’m a simple person. I see Africa by Toto, I click.

[@TransistorBased]

I think he might actually be kinda deaf. Waaaaay too much filter EG. Especially on the attack. And open that filter!

[@Babbtox]

Great video! The only thing that bugs me is that almost everyone plays the "kalimba part" wrong. To me it sounds more like groupings of five. Not trying to be a critic or anything, but since you went all the way with the synths (which I really appreciated) you could at least play the rhythm right 😀. Otherwise, nice video!

[@flannelcommander]

Who the frickity frack are you?

[@leonardsrobert]

This

[@swancakes]

It's a tricky part to play. Pretty sure it was played by a sequencer.

[@mikosoft]

It's several parts played together so it's pretty tricky to get right or even to determine how many notes and which groupings are there. To me it sounds like groups of six but with different layers shifted or even playing different notes alltogether.

[@joshmore7175]

There’s a demo of Greg Philingaines playing it on tour and he shows how it’s done, he’s also shows that during the solo that middle run is done as a kalimba and marimba duet

[@fixups6536]

Epic fail on the brass sound. You are nowhere near the original sound. It's embarrassing. Are you a musician?

[@gioforchiorossi9304]

Do we want to talk about the guitar part from 5:50 completely out of time?? 😁

[@christiaantinga]

I've been in many cover bands. And every time they brought up this song, I said: "hmnaah, let's skip this one. You're underestimating it". Ofcourse I was the lunatic, so we practiced. Always the same outcome; "ok, let's skip this one" :):)

[@nathanwahl9224]

Heh, sorry. Fortunately my buds in our 3-piece band are going to give it a shot. The guys have the vocal chops. All I've got to do is approximate these tones in some registers on a Casio CTK-7200, and be able to play simplified versions of the brass and synth lead. The guitar player is covering the marimba parts. Oh, and I play bass on the left split. Uh, and sing the low lead and harmony on the rest. *sigh* I'm still not quite sure how I get into things like this, but it's nice having band mates that are capable of pulling off almost anything and making me not suck. I think this will kick ass, and NO cover band in this area does it that I can think of! Maybe they're just smarter than we are.

[@BernardRandsMusic]

He’s really wearing a Members Only jacket… Gotta show my Dad!!

[@aubindemontfalcon5967]

The main rythmic synth riff all across the song, was initially a drum fill played by Jeff. But Paich decided it would be better to be a synth riff, that would complete the drum groove.

[@dezwrightmusic]

i dont understand the prophet patch... why is PWA mod on when OSC A is only using a sawtooth?

[@RichTones]

@davie504 goes to Africa just to play his 🅱️ass in Africa. E P I C O

[@BlezzBeats]

Dudes got a nice setup and some knowledge but the recreations of the sounds make the sum total of the production sound like vcd karaoke versions.

[@gc1282]

The average Joe ( me ) doesn't really appreciate those little parts like the kalimba when we hear the song. But when it's broken down like this, it's a magical thing.

[@C2O-consulting]

Your smile when you play the flute part… 🙂

[@Rigel7WasAlreadyUsed]

Fuuuuuck, I love this guy.

[@CatPianoClassics]

It would be really awesome to hear a Michael Jackson song!

[@thomasdr08]

CatPianoClassics kinda are 😉

[@TheEquinoxeHD]

I prefer how the episodes looked like when you started this series, like on episoded with Stranger Things or John Carpenter. I think it was more... educational? This now feels more like "It was played on this synth, now watch me playing it".

[@jacobosanchez5419]

the pad of drums was the most lovely and funny thing in the video, i loooove it

[@thestagerocks]

Arturia is THE bomb. But...if you don't have it then Slow Swell Brass and Synthesized voice in Retro Synth (Logic Pro X) are pretty spot on. If you're hemming and hawing on getting a keyboard the included Analogue Lab with an Arturia keyboard is worth the cost of the keyboard.

[@gustabartok]

Please do BANANARAMA´s VENUS synth and drum machine sounds!!!

[@martijnvanspaendonck7989]

Gustavo Rodríguez I can tell you in advance that this guy/channel will NEVER be able to recreate that (just like this one and jump etc.). You need other channels for that : )

[@liljons6753]

How they made that sound on tainted love..

[@arthurschopenhauer776]

You can see the happiness in his face

[@homg85]

I wish i had friends like this dude. Would be cool to just hang out and jam on the synths and keyboards.

[@jeangentry6656]

Great vid! Are there Synth Sounds videoes on Van Helen's "Jump" or Duran Duran songs (esp "Save A Prayer", "Hungry Like The Wolf", and "View To A Kill")?

[@mrbrubbs10]

I absolutely love this song....and I like the way he keeps looking at the camera like,"I'm killin this shit right!" Everytime I sit at a piano I play this or Dont Stop Believing first to get the blood flowing...the 80's were fuckin awesome!

J'ai programmé cette sonorité BRASSYNTH avec un simple Yamaha Psr .Une très bonne continuation musicale et vive la musique.

[@brodysdaddy]

Challenge anyone to watch the flute section and not smile along with him...

[@quazar912]

if it was original keyboard why doesn`t it sound exactly as on the original TOTO album????

[@JoelBouchillon]

No Prophet 5 was used on the original recording. So, why are you featuring the Prophet 5 when you have the CS-80 Plugin right there ready for you to play??? And.... the sounds two sounds between the Prophet and CS80 are not the same.

[@WrvrUgoThrUR]

This guy still owes me $3000. If it hadn't been for him and that "Prince-1999 video", I'd have probably never known there was a new Oberheim keyboard--the OB-6 and been forced to purchased one 4 minutes after the video ended. I take PayPal, just sayin...🤓

[@Darkanent]

The karaoke version of Africa! Lol. He butchered this remake. Lol!!! 😂

[@LorSTApunk07]

I'd love to see Synth sounds of Wall Of Voodoo (of "Mexican Radio" fame). It's probably a long shot, though. "Lost weekend" or "Animal Day" are my favorites.

[@ArielAr]

Accurate research ! nice video !! I wish he showed exactly how the marimba+kalimba riff is played !

[@mathewwallis2863]

I'll never REALLY understand the popularity of this song. It was FILLER, people... FILLER!

[@notthisguyagain8557]

Oh no you did nt.

[@kennet7837]

0:49 I think that picture was taken in 2017 or this year, not 2004. That's the current touring bass player + they were the same outfits as they did when they visited Oslo last February.

[@DeadWhiteButterflies]

This marries 3 of my fave things. 1.) analysing tunes 2.) Analogue synths and 3.) Fucking AFRICA!

[@AudioPervert1]

instead lets try to study and deconstructed some Aphex Twin some Trente Moller or even NIN ?? Toto, regardless of being a great band and superb sessions musicians, did not have much to say about synth programming and sounds .. it was the producers and mixing engineers at it..

[@TREES30349]

Dope! For the love of God please do Janet Jackson's " Pleasure Principal"!!!!!!

[@NachoMist]

"... it will be relevant generations after because, the synth sounds make it so cool. So let's get into sounds that sound similar but aren't quite right just like all of our videos!" Seriously, I lost my shit at 2:29 when he said the Prophet 5 and the CS-80 plugin sounded the same, I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Dude needs to get his ears checked.

[@martijnvanspaendonck7989]

NachoMist Plus of course the parts that are played wrong (differently :D)

[@carlosaguilar6518]

3:19 best part of the video 😂😂

[@brianwilson4596]

The Synth Sounds Of She Blinded Me With Science Or The Synth Sounds Of Windpower Both By Thomas Dolby

[@mgabrysSF]

Hang the hell on - 02:00 - the CS80 was notorious for going out of tune if tipped up on it's back. Look at the wheels on that transport case. Look where it is in relation to the CS80 inside. That's the back. Pointing down when wheeled. Christ - no wonder so many gigs were cursed with out of tune gear. The damn shipping case put the pots out of alignment.

[@davetbassbos]

Obviously Weezer didn't watch this before they butchered that classic with their weak "Indie pop" chops, lol. but these vids are great, I hope you guys keep putting them out, there's thousand of possible songs that I think people would love to hear

[@andriealinsangao613]

How about a synth sounds for 'Rosanna' by Toto (duh) or 'Blinded By The Light' by Manfred Mann's Earth Band, please???

[@jacoboy99]

Great video but the second photo of the band you had is not from 2004, other wise Mike Porcaro and Bobby Kimball would be there. Still a great video though!

[@guarmaz6316]

The part were he checks the tone 2 keyboards my KZbin app randomly crashed i think my KZbin hates my music taste (classic rock just saying) and Toto- Africa

[@gerrywi92]

The picture dated Toto 2004 is actually from 2018 from the recent tour (the guy on the bass is new) :)

[@isaacferguson8241]

It's probably not as interesting as proper 80s music, but I'd love to see this guy do stuff from the Stranger Things soundtrack

[@aandarcom]

Well... I did much better with freeware VSTi synths. :) Their attempt at the main brass chord sound is quite far from the target.

[@usyouedu6155]

There's a speaker in the middle of Sahara desert, charged by solar panels, that plays continuously this song for eternity. Imagine how surreal.

[@LucasGodzilla]

“Sounds the same.” 🤔

[@tinyb69]

LucasGodzilla - "... through KZbin's compression software, and coming out of the speaker of your smartphone, in a noisy room." I think that part got edited out.

[@tomatik4032]

tiny b the attack definitely isn’t the same

[@MK-oz2lf]

listening through headphones it needed more mids and a little less wobble

[@ramdor4]

I love this guy! Haha more of him please Reverb!

[@emmanuel0099]

Small details: Toto wasn't born as a session-men band. The core of the band had formed since high school and by the time they became Toto they happened to be already known session musicians. Aaaaand, you got the notes wrong on the main riff!

[@katsunoi]

Everybody knows your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles references are off the hook, Will!

[@rjmprod]

African beats are highly overrated....very basic, not real interesting at all.. Thanks..

[@gert.ronner]

Great video! One thing though... either you have a snare drum in your studio that resonates with your voice or you have some ugly reflections going on. Use a headset ;-)

[@tommccarron324]

Steve lukather said, if this song is a hit, I'll run down Hollywood Boulevard naked....

[@copheart]

Frightened of this thing that I've become.

[@JeremyBeut]

Dude you are the fucking best. I really didn't care for synthetisers as as guitar player, but man those sounds you create make me feel good. Thanks a lot, cheers !

[@majorgiroux]

I double checked the date the video was posted expecting to see April 1st. I think that everything about that video is ironic.... :O

[@arthurzayas7209]

love your channel, could u possibly do a video on the song Look On Down From The Bridge by Mazzy Star

[@maxter9071]

These are pretty poor recreations, especially the brass. The sound used in Africa is more complex and the dynamics in the way it is played are very important to the sound. It is also layered. That subtlety isn't captured here at all and there are better amateur videos on youtube. You can do better, Reverb.