{"id":393080,"date":"2019-11-17T18:01:01","date_gmt":"2019-11-17T17:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/?p=393080"},"modified":"2020-04-22T16:20:34","modified_gmt":"2020-04-22T14:20:34","slug":"hit-the-tone-bon-iver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomann.de\/blog\/en\/gear\/hit-the-tone-bon-iver\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit The Tone! Bon Iver"},"content":{"rendered":"

HIT THE TONE! Inside Justin Vernon’s head (Bon Iver), the “techie-folkie”\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

What’s this guy been up to lately?!<\/h3>\n

Well, he simply got tired of being (just) a dude with a guitar.<\/strong> Even if his new purists make some old fans shed a tear, what Justin<\/strong> Vernon<\/strong> has done on his last two albums is nothing more than giving a twist to his musical upbringing. And that’s what it was all about, isn’t it? The artist must evolve<\/strong> according to her\/his feelings<\/strong> and experiences<\/strong> without being stuck in the same creative rut<\/strong> all their life. For him it would be very easy to make Skinny Love<\/strong><\/a>-inspired songs for the rest of his career. But where his brilliance resides is in the songs, so no matter how many technological twists Vernon makes there are always sensational songs underneath. He;s great at creating exquisite cocktails of folk, Americana, soul, electronica, ambient<\/strong> and art pop<\/strong>. On his latest album, i, i<\/strong><\/em> (Jagjaguwar, 2019), the Wisconsin-raised<\/strong> bearded man refines his aim and delivers an organic<\/strong> and balanced<\/strong> repertoire which borders on genius<\/strong> on several occasions. So, let’s talk about “technological Vernon”..<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

His new “guitar”<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“I think the instrument I work with the most is the OP-1<\/strong><\/a>. I would say that it is the most important instrument<\/strong> that has come into my life since I picked up a guitar when I was 12 years old. I’m not exaggerating. I never leave home without it. In fact, I no longer travel with my guitar, I travel with my OP-1. That change has been a bit strange, but I love making music with OP-1. I like to use it as an extension of my writing<\/strong>, it’s a very special technology: essentially, what a guitar is to me”.
\nThese are the words of Justin Vernon, who captures his interpretation of things and uses the OP-1 to mould<\/strong> and manipulate sounds.<\/strong> Then it’s just a matter of dressing up the songs. But let’s go back to the origin: What the hell is this Teenage Engineering OP-1<\/strong><\/a>? It’s a mini synthesizer<\/strong> that offers a lot of tools <\/strong>(synthesizer, sampler,<\/strong> multi-track recorder<\/strong>, an FM radio<\/strong> to sample<\/strong> what you find) unheard of for its format. It has eight built-in synthesizer engines<\/strong>, multiple effects, LFO<\/strong> and sequencers.<\/strong> The recording function is especially important with its four-track tape<\/strong> (to which textures can be added) and the ability, for example, to match the tape speed<\/strong> with the sequencing clock<\/strong> and create overdubbing effects with pitch shifting<\/strong>. Finally, its G-Force sensor<\/strong> allows you to work with motion-controlled effects\u00a0<\/strong>(if you turn this on and tilt the synth it warps the sound).
\nThis list of features, in addition to the great autonomy of its battery<\/strong> and its size,<\/strong> make the OP-1 a device that is difficult not to fall in love with. We understand, Justin.<\/p>\n

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Other options?<\/h3>\n

Of course. We already forgot about small formats, because Justin Vernon also uses standard-sized synthesizers.<\/strong> Another of his favourite instruments is the Sequential Prophet 6<\/strong><\/a>. We’re talking about a synthesizer with 49 keys<\/strong> with aftertouch, 6\u00a0voices, analog routing, discrete voice filters, an arpeggiator with several modes (versatility<\/strong> is one of its greatest assets), sequencer with up to 64 steps, a multitude of effects and analog distortion. Its accessible learning curve and the power, warmth, subtlety and balance of its sound also stand out. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Another interesting option in this field would be the Moog Subsequent 37<\/strong><\/a>, which improves the musicality of the celebrated Sub 37 Tribute Edition<\/strong> and gives you twice the headroom <\/strong>(the available space in dB [decibels] between your loudest peak level [transients] and 0 dBFS [decibels full scale]. This detail, apparently minimal, gives the synthesizer greater flexibility. It stands out for its great power in bass<\/strong> and mid-range,<\/strong> as well as a greater harmonic impact in saturation<\/strong>, which translates into a stronger tone<\/strong> and richer<\/strong> in nuances.<\/strong> In addition, the Multidrive circuit<\/strong> has been improved, leading the Subsequent 37 to unexplored distortion<\/strong> levels in a synthesizer. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And of course, if we’re talking synthesizers, Dave Smith Instruments<\/strong> will have something to say. Two more interesting proposals from the Californian<\/strong> firm can be the Prophet REV2-16<\/strong><\/a> and the OB-6<\/strong><\/a>. In the case of the former, we are talking about Dave Smith’s reinterpretation of the great Prophet ’08<\/strong> poly synth. As is common in these revisions, the REV2-16<\/strong> retains the best of ’08 and improves it<\/strong>: it has double the modulation, more digital effects per layer, a polyphonic step sequencer per layer… madness! In addition, it allows you to download the ’08 sound library and add them to the already huge collection it includes. In the case of the OB-6<\/strong>, it’s a six-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer, which includes two discrete VCOs per voice, a two-pole filter per voice and a four-phase envelope generator. It stems from the collaboration between DSI<\/strong> and Tom Oberheim<\/strong> (famous for his hyper-defined sound), two of the most prestigious brands in the history of polyphonic synthesizers.<\/p>\n\n\t\t