Synthmania quick tip #17 - Haddaway's ''What Is Love'' organ pattern

The classic organ line from Haddaway's hit "What Is Love", a 1993 Euro Dance song that was incredibly popular in Europe, and still is played all over the world. In America, this songs was made famous by the great comedy movie "A Night at the Roxbury".

[@AlexBallMusic]

I remember watching this song on Top of the Pops when it came out in 93! Loving your videos Paolo.

[@EliteZockerWorld]

I can not get enough of your highly professional Samples, Tips, Tricks, and so on

[@Pickelhaube808]

Hey, Paolo. After looking for a long time, I have found the sound in my U220. It is similar to the MAD ORGAN patch, but the tone is changed to "I-079 R. ORGAN 1" and most of the effects are stripped off. I think some extra distortion is thrown on top of this and note velocities vary in the chords to really drive certain harmonics. At the very least, this seems to be the raw waveform for that organ. :)

[@mano123456]

1999: Haddaway punched me in the nose, as we were playing martial arts while visiting him with a friend who was making his Flash website. He is a master at Aikido, way better than me! Oh and Kim DotCom was with us. We were making a Flash CD-ROM for him. Crazy? Those were crazy days!

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Manuel, awesome story! :-D Thanks for sharing ;-)

[@krz9000]

Manuel Clément haha i love the internet for these type of stories surfacing😊 thx for sharing

[@Kossi.]

@@SynthManiaDotCom Hi Paolo! PLEASE can you do more Quick tips Vids? The most famous Keyboard Riffs or so and many more iconic tunes???

[@blimolhm2790]

haha I believe this. my brother helped deadmau5 start a minecraft server while on ustream

[@ryananthony4840]

Lmao awesome!

[@100hundert]

Back when the song was new and I was just a kid with zero musical knowledge I always tried to emulate these chords on my cheap Casio keyboard but it never sounded right. Now I can finally do it properly!

[@nil2k]

That moment when you realize that every midi file of this song on the internet was transposed up a half step from the real song and you've been doing it wrong all along... It's nice having youtube now to double check these things, unlike in 1994 when I learned a ton of music by watching the notes in midi files... at first I thought "that's not right!" then I watched the video of this song on youtube and came back here, watched again and subscribed.

[@rockstarjazzcat]

Fun! Great and nicely simple, soundful tip regarding filling out with the bass. Thanks. Best, Daniel

[@Michael_Smith-Red_No.5]

Loved this track in my teens, mainly for that chiffy organ progression you just demonstrated, but also that severe pulse width arpeggio. Good times in the '90s.

[@AutPen38]

When Deelite made a a song called 'What is love', I was initially disappointed that it wasn't a cover version of the Howard Jones song, but it grew on me. When I first heard Haddaway had a song called 'What is Love', I didn't think it would be as good as the Deelite track, but it turned out to be even catchier!

[@alonso1050]

Can you make a video of how to get the bass of "rhythm is a dancer" of snap!

[@XHALE303]

The original melody isnt by Snap, but by Newclues- Automan (1984)

[@alonso1050]

The bass sound. Wich also was also used in "Culture beat - mr Vain" or "DJ Company - Rhythm Of Love" .

[@bcastromusic]

...^ Michael Münzing's studio... not much analog but still a dream studio for electronic music in 1994, including some nice effects boxes. Left Side: Akai Samplers Roland JV-1080 E-Mu Vintage Keys E-Mu Morpheus Roland MKS-70 Waldorf Microwave Quasimidi Quasar Korg Wavestation AD Misc. Compressors & Gate Right Side: Akai Samplers 2x TC Electronics 2290's Lexicon PCM80 Lexicon PCM70 AMS RMX16 Yamaha SPX-90 Eventide H3000 SE

[@dussie920]

Here the bassline is explained: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmXJmZ14grqbhdE

[@AndyDufresne86]

super jupiter was the secret weapon ;)

[@MacLamar]

July 7 2021 thank you so much for this video and breaking it down. I loved this song When it came out May 8th 1993 and still listen to it today. Great cardio music. Gonna try and play it now.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stigonutube]

Thank You, Yea Another Classic,darn there is a pattern here looks im getting older, very hip song in 90s

[@pizzagogo6151]

thanks so much for this Paolo, along with Felix don't you want me ( which ive also seen you do!) this is my favourite organ part.

[@Kossi.]

Hi Paolo! PLEASE can you do more Quick tips Vids? The most famous Keyboard Riffs or so and many more iconic tunes???

[@massimoiula]

Thanks Paolo for this video. Good memories...bei ricordi :) Also the way you show the song is useful and instructive! Great.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Massimo, thank *you for watching!

[@RED_indiemusic]

A song from my childhood. Thanks Paolo :)

[@sysexstudio]

The 01/Wfd was my first synth. Made some cool tracks on it that never were recorded. Couldn't afford to keep it. I really miss that synth.

[@ChristianCawood]

Roland U-220 on the original recording with the FB-01 on bass. I was told this by Charles Pierre from London Beat who is friends with Haddy and Tony Hendrik.

[@MrMongo321]

great song!

[@tracyyy99]

Good Vid...Can't wait for the Ryan Paris Dolci Vita Vid...I love the synth sound in that track...Thanks

[@JigglyRuff]

That's for the amazing tutorial as this is handy for piano lessons/sound designing.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CapitaineSabor]

BTW Paolo, i have a request form France... i really really really really love the Minimoog sound of David Frank on the Chaka Khan version of "I Feel for You", so if you can explain the notes and how to shape this moog bass sound with you great pedagogy, its will be great and awsome :D (also the Oberheim DMX part of this song, because i tried so many time to reproduce this but i can't find the "magic" for that... maybee a synthmaniac like you can do that :D )

[@ms9625]

Baby dont hurt me. Dont hurt me. No more...

[@lolanifenring2692]

lol

[@anton4369]

yeah

[@Yagga97]

My uncle used to have a 01wfd, wish he still had it

[@tamashorvath6312]

amazing

[@DonSolaris]

Hey Paolo, you should make a video about your studio, acoustic insulation and cabling.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Hi, Don, I made a video on the new acoustic panels in the studio a few months ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJm7ZX2Yq65-d68 but yes, I want to make a video on the cabling, I'm about to redo the cabling to the FX racks

[@stuartwilliams7371]

Good video, I still have my 01/FD in storage. 😀

[@doggerproductions]

01/wfd......one of the great synths of all time😀

[@haseebnaveed8650]

Paulo can you pretty please do brief cover for 'Digital signal processor' Cyber people?

[@KeepTheOldskoolFireBurning]

Hi Paulo- please do a similar tip for Last Rhythm - Last Rhythm. A great italo-house classic

[@Rtcmanga_YouTube_Channel]

Awesome!! Love the sound!! Perfect! :)

[@5argetech56]

When you hit 100,000 subscribers, I can proudly say I was here from the get-go.......😄😄😄

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Hehe :-D thank you- It's a long way to Tipperary...

[@adamstraker1153]

Hey Paulo, great KZbin as always, wonder if you can do a tutorial on Starlight's Numero Uno?? A great piano intro/riff of Italo House, for me the best one, would love to see how to play it, keep up the good work my friend :)

[@TheArpomni2]

Brilliant as usual ,, ive had a great idea for one for you to show us how to do ,,,, DOLCA VITA ,, RYAN PARIS , I loved that tune when I was young , is more synth than most realise !!! In fact I think its all synth including drums , just dont think it got recognised as a synth classic , just a cheezy Disco fave

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Hi Chris, thank you!, yes, I have plans to do videos of all the main italo disco tunes of the period, for sure will include Dolce Vita! ;-)

[@TheArpomni2]

SynthMania great I cant wait , im having trouble working it out , thanx for reply

[@guitarofdestiny]

Awesome man

[@Scripture-Man]

Impossible to listen to this syncopated rhythm without making my own drum noises. Come on, someone's gotta do it!

[@smilingbuddha2836]

I'd like to see you do the synth solo to Walter Meego's - Forever.

[@michelyeah25]

you're the best and Whats is love is the best song ever made by organic beings

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you, Giulio

[@mrjl5253]

So 1994...good memories.... a little bit off track, request , but can you do a video on Rush and the Oberheim OBtx They incorporated rock and new wave sounds in their 1983 album, so deliciously. A synth dream for a fan of keyboard logics

[@KarimLeMec]

B E A U T I F U L !! GRANDISSIMO!

[@kilevox]

Hi Paolo. Thanks for sharing these tutorials with us. They are really usefull and helpfull. Do you mind in the future to make tutorial, how to play correctly Jay Dee - Plastic dreams on your 01/W or M1? Take care, Robert.

[@Wagoo]

Gotta do the Bill Gates + Steve Ballmer sideways head dancing to this one ;)

[@WoodyPianoShack]

great tutorial, interesting synth. does the display backlight whine like the wavestation?

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Woody, thank you! Yes, unfortunately a lot of the displays from synths and other devices of the late '80s and early '90s suffer from the dreaded inverter noise, more or less. The display on this 01/W FD is not too bad, a very quiet, slight whine. But the one on my original W-30 has a really loud and high-pitched whine. And it's the second display on it. Same on the MPC60.These days there are LED displays that eliminate the problem, although they might not look exactly the same as the original displays.

[@WoodyPianoShack]

interesting to read that! yes unfortunately, dim, faded and whining displays seem to be a characteristic of all the dot-matrix lcds of the time. but partly solved by putting on phones and cranking the volume.

[@haroldpacheco9428]

Gracias! Thanks Good keyboard yo know

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Enjoy!

[@rover8772]

That bass, wasn't it Yamaha's FB01??

[@stephant.1190]

Hey Paolo, can you put the Korg 01/W Factory Presets & Combis to your synthmania.com Site? On the Site is only demo songs from the rack of 01/W.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Stephen, sure, will do

[@pequenioedgarito3067]

Hi. Do u have a tutorial for the intro?

[@djdigital3806]

I own a Krog Wavestation. That organ is a Krog M1

[@adamharris7775]

In this song, the Korg M1 internal programs patch "Organ" and Korg 01/W patch "Organ" were heard.

[@koolade76]

Come va? Have you done the pad intro to jam & spoon is Stella?

[@ExStaticBass]

Just curious. Would you be willing to take a crack at ATBs' You're Not Alone? I've been looking for the string patch they use for years and can't quite seem to get it right. No one I've talked to seems to know what it is either.

[@TransistorBased]

How many retro Korg workstations do you have???

[@07Meverasvolver]

KORG 01W SPECIAL.. DOING PLEASE PAOLO!!

[@K-M1]

Yamaha D-70. The organ patch they used.

[@TIT4NIC]

Roland D-70

[@K-M1]

@@TIT4NIC sorry I meant Roland. No idea why I said Yamaha? 🤦😂

[@TIT4NIC]

​@@K-M1 😂

[@5argetech56]

That's so interesting in your previous video I was going to ask you about your flood lights if they were LEDs or halogens. Philips makes some excellent LED lights that are 100 watt equivalent but only pull 22 Watts from the wall. They have really come down in price and if you have an Ace Hardware or Home Depot Where You are they're really cheap now. They will also last you about 10 years before you have to replace them. You will notice the difference in the heat level of your studio instantly. You might even have to turn down the air conditioning.! Plus now they're not all just cool white they have warm light LED bulbs that are fantastic. Just want to add my two cents.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you, 5argeTech, I will check the Philips out!

[@johngorgis]

I think they used the tx81z lately bass sound also

[@TobiasTimpe]

John Gorgis Yes they did. And all the female vocals are actually all from a sample CD ;)

[@OGGalleryCrew92]

What cd the zero g ones data files .

[@TobiasTimpe]

It is literally called that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXu2eXSposqNeLs

[@evgenycostygin9333]

Nestor Alexander on this workstation wrote his legendary hit?

[@sotnat9834]

The original hammond sound comes from Roland D-70 keyboard !

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

I don't think so. I used to have the D-70 and it wasn't it. The 01/W sounds like it.

[@sotnat9834]

Look in this video at 5:33 time kzbin.info/www/bejne/d17dhJKafriWj80

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

I am the very same person who has posted the D-70 video and you haven't even noticed it :-D The D-70 organ sounds similar, and that's why I played the "What Is Love" organ line on that D-70 video too, but the one from the real song sounds like the 01W, not the D-70. Listen to the original song and compare. Do you understand my point now?

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

I had the JX-1 too, and the JX-1 is not it either: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ3Rn4aHnqtroK8 I think it's the Korg 01/W. I could be mistaken, but I'm using my ears, so you guys do the same, and use your ears to do this comparison.

[@sotnat9834]

I know that you are the same person before my first comment !

[@Zeisslermusic]

Cool 😎

[@jimmywheelo]

Loving the channel Fancy doing a video of how the "womp womp" sound from Joey Beltram's Energy Flash was created?

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Thank you, Jim! Yes, I have it in the plan to do all the classic tunes of '80 and '90s, including Energy Flash

[@jimmywheelo]

that is fantastic news.....a bit of wee has just escaped :) excitement...I've been dying for someone to do this one. Thanks again.

[@CoolDudeClem]

Wait, "What is love" is from 1993? I thought it was fairly modern on the count of it being all over KZbin and practically an internet meme.

[@JuniorBlitz]

CoolDudeClem Yes, of course. I'm a scatman was made in 1994 also.

[@southport97]

The original track was recorded with a Roland D-50.

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

What and where is your source for this statement?

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Why do you people write statements, if you aren't going to follow up with proof to back it up? COme on, now. You're wasting everyone's time.

[@evgenycostygin9333]

ICE MC (It's a rainy day) (think about the way), please!

[@OGGalleryCrew92]

Bom Diggy Diggy Bom ......

[@crnogor]

Hi Paolo ! That chord what you put across playing are beck up chords for '' strings '' sound . I cant catch up the chord prog. of your playing cos of your fingers , only first Gm . If is not a problem , could you put it as coment . Thanks

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Location (minute/seconds) in the video?

[@crnogor]

@@SynthManiaDotCom Just a chord , bass is easy to see . It will be ; 1,30 - 1,40 min

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

@@crnogor It's G minor, all you need to do is to watch the whole video, I explain them all. The one you are looking at is explained at 1:54

[@crnogor]

@@SynthManiaDotCom You didn't explain (name) all playing chord progress of playing , but thanks for pushing me to capture it . I have to put video on very slow motion and pick up the notes of chords . Now i have to find chords names. Regards from Dubrovnik ! .

[@turiddutoto8238]

🎉🎉ciao mancu pi u musici🎉🎉🎉

[@signsofthetimes886]

Do you know what drum machine they used for this song? I always wanted to know. The snare just hits so perfect

[@AutPen38]

Mostly 909-type samples, probably all from the same sample CD. As I understand it, the FM bass one shot "synth house bass" and the "whoa whoa" vocal hooks of the song were on the Zero-G Datafile One CD.

[@bernyboss]

David Guetta should have listened to this tip… 😂😂😂

[@BboySalamon]

Oh yeah, that fantastic, dancing 1993, many of my favorite things (not only songs) was released that year! Thanks a lot! I was always interested about another superfamous House-hit of 1993: M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy's "Another Night". What beautiful effect is used there, it is heard at the beginning of the song, when the "Aaah" vocals begins? And what instrument: DX7? SH-101? Thanks-)

[@adamstraker1153]

I am sure it is subjective but my gosh that song is awful!!! Soooo cheesy!

[@BboySalamon]

Millions of fans of this song will not agree with you:-) I only need to remember how we lit it at the disco in the nineties and I immediately fly away. I danced in the ensemble from childhood. You should be just did not find those years.

[@adamstraker1153]

Like I say it is subjective, my feeling is songs like that ruined the underground house scene by copying the great style of music and watering it down and covering it in cheese, just to make money, it's embarrassing, if you enjoyed it then I am pleased for you.

[@BboySalamon]

You should be from North America (may be UK)-) We are here in Europe adore that Eurodance songs, I remember they came out in the 90's with a whole collections, on cassettes, later cd's. I understand what you're talking about, and I agree with you partially. But I'm not divide this two directions of House, I love them both. May be Eurodance even more, cause that songs is very romantic, melodic, I love it. And this is my childhood. I think the reason is not this, styles die or transforming into something another with time. So it was with my favorite Italo, Spacesynth and many other music styles.

[@adamstraker1153]

UK, fair enough, if you like something it is good you like it, I was going to the acid parties and warehouse parties in the late 80's so the Eurodance was a spin off of what I was listening to, maybe I am a purist but I just could not stand to listen to them, and this is my opinion, but I just feel it has no soul, and mass created for financial gain only, not for the love of music, like all the commercial pop music.Peace

[@SparkAttack86]

Didn't you contact Tony Hendrik directly and found out the organ patch was from a sample CD? Anyhow, please if you can find time, would love to know how he created that intro synth arp that sounds like a phaser. Maybe done with Juno 106 or Juno 1??? Any ideas, Paulo.

[@TIT4NIC]

Are you talking about the lead synthesizer? If so, it's basically a synth with the famous PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), it could have been made on anyone. I would bet on the korg ms-20

[@SparkAttack86]

@@TIT4NIC Yes, that lead synth. I was told years ago it was an Alph Juno with pulse width, but guess you're right. Would like to see Paolo demonstrate and answer our questions about the Tony Hendrik email and if he ever found the organ patch source.

[@NbdUnlucky]

Maybe that bass should be octave lower?

[@PastTime777]

That's my keyboard, still gigging to this day. If anyone has one of these or an M1 with sticking keys, check out my page on how to oil them without tearing the unit completely apart. www.nogodforme.com/korg-01wFD-sticky-keys-repair.htm That page still gets a bunch of hits to this day. Does everyone know how the 01W got it's name? It was supposed to be called an M10, but the logo was upside down and the suits thought it looked cool. I tried that Prog (A21) on my Korg, played the lick and it sounds great. I had it running through my Neo Ventilator 2. Since it's in G Minor, you can do that blues solo at the end and even launch into Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple if you really want to rock.

[@GenilsonOficial]

Excellent friend! Could you tell me what was used to make the original organ?

[@GenilsonOficial]

@@TIT4NIC A live show could answer the question.

[@GenilsonOficial]

@@TIT4NIC A guitar pedal perhaps?

[@SparkAttack86]

​@@TIT4NIC i read that after contacting Tony Hendrik, the producer, the organ was from a sample CD. It sounds similar to a rock organ patch from the Roland JX1 keyboard or possibly a O1w patch

[@TIT4NIC]

yes, I recently discovered this by searching the gearspace forums. Now the question is: which CD sample @@SparkAttack86

[@SparkAttack86]

@@TIT4NIC I think Paolo contacted him. Maybe he can elaborate on this? I know they used Zero G sample cd, so maybe its on that one? I do think it was probably a sample of the O1w with distortion and processing

[@AirwolfPL]

They don't make great pop/dance songs like this anymore...

[@christianchristian3059]

1:31🔥🔥🔥

[@gcioni]

n 1 tutta la mia stima saluti da roma

[@juranirmagaiver4116]

Boa noite gostei desse som desse teclado ele é muito show para mim ele ainda é os melhores eu tenho 101/W é irmão desse teclado seu aí

[@SynthManiaDotCom]

Obrigado e boa noite

[@juranirmagaiver4116]

@@SynthManiaDotCom Boa noite meu amig também aposto mais vídeos Tem como melhorar o piano desse teclado 01/W

[@juranirmagaiver4116]

@@SynthManiaDotCom ocorre 01/W E tem grande valor ainda e o M1 que que você acha que não dá uma explicação sobre isso eu tô querendo possuir um em um ou um Triton da Korg

[@bs_blackscout]

Wow I was quick, not even HD yet. Sounds nice from the intro.

[@DefWun]

dun,dun,dun,dun,dun-dun,dun,dun,dun,dun-dun

[@musictrans]

they copied italo

[@nicklausbooks1593]

Is that sweet or what? DIABETIC!