Reel - Nova (cover by Munatix) on Korg Polysix and SCI Prophet 5

Here, our cover of 'Reel' from Dutch synth band Nova.
Reel is on the B-side of their hit single 'Aurora'. We were always fascinated by the sound of the intro, with the massive delay timed in triplets. It is a sound that needed some work to replicate. From Rob Papen, a Nova band member, we found out they used a formant synthesizer to create that sound in 1981. We don't have a formant synthesizer at our disposal. We were able to approach the sound with two layered sounds of software synth Serum and the Korg Polysix. Enjoy!

[@michaeltheoret3842]

SUPERB ! I ABSOLUTELY enjoyed this Auditory treat! Excellent Work!

[@Munatix]

Thank you!

[@vegramusic]

Complimenti la cover più bella che io abbia sentito

[@Munatix]

Thank you!

[@Freakydile]

Holy shizzle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jullie kunnen er weg mee!!!!!!! De juiste songs, de juiste synths, de juiste drive and swing!!! Dat er nog zo een talent is, en dan nog wel in Genk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G.E.W.E.L.D.I.G.!!!!!!!!!!! Ik heb als kind katatonisch uren aan een stuk naar Aurora geluisterd, de B kant van het singletje dat jullie spelen is super!!!!!! Rob Papen en collega's zullen trots zijn!!!!!! Treden jullie ook op? Zelf pruts ik met een JP-6, JP-4, JX-3P, RE-201 etc... Zalig te zien hoe jullie op deze instrumenten vlammen zoals waarvoor ze bedoeld zijn... Ik speel al heel lang, maar ben doorheen de jaren een tijd vreemdgegaan met DAW, maar het meeste plezier put ik er uit, als ik lekker jammen kan zonder dat alles... Helaas heb ik zooooooo weinig ruimte dat ik letterlijk bij mijn synths slaap... Zalig om te zien, ik heb me geabboneerd. PS: waar laten jullie je gear onderhouden? Dat is bij vintage ook een belangrijk punt eh, niet evident nu deze synths zo oud beginnen te worden. Keep on rocking, regards from Zolder

[@Munatix]

Hey Axel! Dank je voor je leuke bericht en complimenten! Nova heeft enkele weken geleden voor de eerste keer Reel op CD uitgebracht. Reel staat nu ook op Spotify. Daar had ik lang op gewacht. Ik had de single namelijk niet. Er stonden wel versies op KZbin. Daar had ik deze cover op gebaseerd. We zijn nog niet aan optreden toe. We hebben eerst minstens een uur muziek nodig. Afgelopen vrijdag hebben we onze 8ste single uitgebracht. We werken eraan om volgend jaar ons eerste album te kunnen vervolledigen. Ja, misschien is het goed dat de plaats beperkt is hé, hier ook zo. Vol is vol. Het is goed dat er niets meer bij gaat ;-). We zitten ook op FaceBook en Instagram. Daar kan je ons nog korter volgen. De synths onderhoud ik zelf, geleerd doorheen de jaren. In Limburg blijken veel synth liefhebbers te wonen. The Sound of Belgium moest toch ergens begonnen zijn 🙂. Geniet nog van je weekend!

[@freyjalauwerijs6768]

I am proud ,you are a good musician Josh ❤😎

[@Munatix]

Thank you Freyja!

[@0815-]

Nice Version well played

[@Munatix]

Thank you!

[@ultravice191]

Love it. Stop teasing me with that Prophet. My fav synth of all time. It has a very Celtic feel with the melody. Which is maybe why it is titled "Reel".

[@RichardDenRooyen1973]

ow, dit is geweldig 👍👍... beetje medieval vibe, al van kinds af aan van gehouden... heerlijke drive dit nummer van Nova

[@Munatix]

@@RichardDenRooyen1973 Childhood memories!

[@florh]

fantastic job!!!

[@Munatix]

Thank you Flor!

[@DikayaStep]

Super

[@Munatix]

Thank you!

[@awtriphop]

Beaaaaatiful sound

[@Munatix]

Thank you Luigi!!!

[@UrpaDeFerro]

Simplemente brillante!!

[@Munatix]

Thank you!

[@jupiterbyjay6168]

the prophet 5 is also my fav. synth. what do you think about the Rev 4 Josh? did you played it yet? however nice video again 💪💯 cheers my friend

[@Munatix]

Thank you Mr. Jupiter! Still have to try out the Rev 4. Might be a good option when we start gigging, so we can leave the antiques at home 🙂.

[@daniellambert1942]

WoW 🤩 very good remake Is it possible to send the multitrack parts To learn how to make this amazing song please 🙏

[@Munatix]

The secret of the intro is the delay in triplets!

[@75peterolsen]

Fantastic!!!!!

[@Munatix]

Thank you Peter!

[@agentjohnnyred6945]

Oh yaaaaaaa !!!!!!

[@Munatix]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@maval4537]

Perfect rendering of this 1982 hit👍🏻; do you know if these are the synths used on the original?

[@Munatix]

Thank you! In the comments you can read more about the synths used in the original recording from Nova, as clarified by Rob Papen from Nova. I learnt from the comments here this track was released in two different speeds. In Europe, it was on the B-side of the single 'Aurora', the tape recorder must have been sped up when it was mastered for this version, by two semi tones. This had a huge effect on the sound. I only came to realize this by reading the comments here. The rhythm computer used in our recording, is the same as used in the original version.

[@maval4537]

@@Munatix Thank you for the prompt and extensive answer! As soon as I have more time, I will read the comments more carefully, I thought the sound of the drum computer was sensational even back then! I also noticed the different speeds when I listened to different recordings on YT. As a teenager, I only knew the one version, which I owned as a maxi single (that was the faster of the two)...

[@alexiahy4862]

💥💥💥💥✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️💯💯

[@Munatix]

🔥🙏

[@SharpblueCreative]

Love Nova. Terranova great album. Didnt they also call themselves Peru? If I’m thinking of the same band.

[@Munatix]

Yep, Rob Papen is part of it!

[@RichardDenRooyen1973]

just listened to the original... the lead sound... sounds a bit like a ..bandoneon/harmonica ish..thing... formants, yep

[@Munatix]

Thanks for watching Richard, much appreciated! Rob Papen told me the first sound you hear in the intro was done on a formant synthesizer. At first, he thought he remembered using the Korg MS-10. But, when I reported to Rob the sound didn't seem to be feasible on an MS-10, Rob dived deeper and then remembered it was the formant synthesizer. That made sense. I looked at the wave of the sample of the first note in wavelab. I could see the sound evolving from a complex wave form to a sine in a fraction of a second. I was more or less able to repoduce that with a wavetable in Serum. Serum layered together with the Polysix sound came close. Still, the sound of the intro in the original is very unique! Just to share with you the nitty gritty details 😎.

[@christianvonhout997]

Mooie cover van Reel, ik heb de single van Nova nog steeds, ooit gekocht in de jaren 80, in mijn tienertijd, ik zag nog een mooi stukje techniek staan uit het verleden, als ik het goed zag een Eminent 310?

[@Munatix]

Inderdaad een Unique 310, ook Nederlandse glorie :-)!

[@Munatix]

Dank je voor het compliment!

[@chellessession2112]

Hi there! I'm a talent scout at Sessions and I really love what your doing. I would love to offer you a big opportunity regarding your talents. Is there an Email Address I can reach you on? I'd love to share the details. 😉

[@Munatix]

Hi, the easiest way to reach us is via DM on Instagram. Our Instagram account name is munatix_music.

[@chellessession2112]

Hi@@Munatix alright. Please check my Instagram DM. :)

[@Xogroroth666]

Why do you play this too fast? Not quite my thing, sorry.

[@Munatix]

It is the same tempo as the original. You can check out the original here : open.spotify.com/track/3RuXfJIPgrp6gxRRBhDL5x?si=9bd96ec7c77b478c. I noticed there are slow versions floating around on KZbin. I don't know why that is. Was the song released as a slowed down version in some countries? I don't know.

[@Munatix]

It comes to me maybe they changed the tape speed for the elpee version, or was it the other way around? Increased tape speed for the single version? Would be good if Rob Papen could shed a light on that... I am just guessing here. I only knew the fast version since I was 10 years old, never heard it another way before.

[@Xogroroth666]

@@Munatix Ah, it was here in Belgium. Odd. Figured, these were sped up ones? Peculiar. Thank you for the info, my brother and friend. :)

[@Xogroroth666]

@@Munatix my 12" was slower, never owned the single edition. I could ask around, one or two of my friends might have the single. Thank you. :)

[@constantinnistor1458]

👌 ⚽ Love 😍 and MUZYK.... Guud work... GRAZIE MAESTRO