Kebu – Basic Principles

Sunday Synth Jam: Kebu performs Basic Principles, live in Korjaamo, Helsinki, 30.11.2012. 

Here’s what he has to say about the performance:

This is the second tune I made for my debut album, “To Jupiter and Back”, released in May by Secret Entertainment. This video was recorded live at Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo, Helsinki, 30th of November 2012.

The song was performed using only analog synthesizers, either played live or sequenced. Equipment used in this song: Korg Micro-preset M500, Poly-61, Polysix; Logan String Melody; Touched by Sound DRM1, Roland TR-808, Juno 60, Alpha Juno 1 & 2; Moog Source; Electro Harmonix Small Stone; Yamaha RS7000 (only for MIDI sequencing); Behringer DDX3216, ADA8000; Lexicon MPX500; Steinberg Midex 8 (as midi patchbay).

Unfortunately, the audio recording from the concert failed – it was recorded only in boring mono. But fortunately, I recorded my general rehearsal a few days before the gig, so the main audio you hear is from that.

22 thoughts on “Kebu – Basic Principles

  1. Nice, but haven’t we heard all that before (only better) from JMJ and Oxygen days…?
    Sorry, but that just sounds like an unfortunate copy…

    1. JMJ was the right man in the right time. I like to see and hear people like Kebu who keep that way of playing analog instruments alive. Being inspired while playing and fusioning man and mind with the electric instrument. No reduction, nothing digital. Just flow of electrons with all their beauty and destructiveness. We are analog! Please Kebu. Put that digital equipment away. Stay with your tape and analog mixer. Digital is the final step only, like making a picture of a beautiful moment. Keep your work and roots alive.

      1. I agree – there is no harm in keeping the JMJarre sound alive with performances like this. We need more phasing Eminent style sounds in electronic music I say!! In fact, I am going to make my next track feature that very sound! 🙂 Nice work Kebu.

    2. Sorry, but I agree. Its one thing to emulate vintage heroes to get a feel for PART of what synths can do and quite another for so many to stop at that point and just loop the classics.
      I’m not dissing Kebu; he did a good job, no question. I simply feel super-restless at the blizzard of “tributes.” I want to hear the next step and very few seem willing or able to take it. Everyone seems wild for the next alternate controller or exotic softsynth like Pond, but where are the composers who AREN’T covering T-Dream or lightning players who have held the keyboard chair for Dream Theatre? What if too many of the near-algorithmic ambient washes start blurring together? Sure, I sometimes get seduced by nice loops, but I want to hear a solo voice that isn’t so tied to the great artists of 30+ years ago. If you see an artist’s name used as part of a preset, its a sign that you need to veer away from it and find your own direction. It doesn’t invalidate Jarre’s work when so many keep replaying it; it invalidates THEIRS. I’m still waiting for someone who does a couple of such covers and then ZAGS into new territory. Even chocolate gets boring if you eat too much of it too often.

        1. Is it considered legit to post a personal Soundcloud link here or would that be a bit gauche? I’ll present my stuff if its not stepping on Synthtopia’s operating ethic. If I want the right to “squirm” within my opinions over certain trends, I should also show that I’m TRYING. 😛

  2. Even modest synths like the MicroPreset have a few standout spots. A Juno-1 is definitely not a $4k barn-burner, but with a little reverb, I got it to emit a really nice cello. I’ve played a few crap synths that were pretty appalling, but most are just waiting to show off their best points. OMD got a lot of mileage out of humble little monosynths.

  3. Funny that no-one is bothered by the thousands of trance musicians, or house musicians or whatever established current electro music genre, that repeat themselves with so little variation that you could rightfully accuse them for plagiation…

  4. Hey Kebu, you ROCK! My 2 and a half year old daughter loves to watch you rock out too! Lemme tell you, I may just have to fly over to Finland and watch you play someday soon! I personally don’t care what kind of music you play, I care about the fact that you truly exhibit a passion for your craft, a personable love for performing, and a technical know-how…all of which inspires me tremendously in my own journey in electronic music creation. I am happy that many wonderful things happened for me in 2012, and one of those is discovering Kebu, no doubt! Cheers!

  5. Just touched down in Sydney, Australia. Slept through New Year’s at 36,000ft. Waiting in lobby of hotel to get a room. Took advantage of some free Wi-Fi here in the lobby. Fired up my Synthtopia homepage and got a dose of new Kebu. The New Year is a happy one for me now. Happy New Year to the rest of you out there….it’s coming round the globe from Sydney.

  6. Maailma on täynnä syntikoita ja niiden parissa nyplääviä nörttejä. Mahtavaa että joku saa niillä todella aikaan jotain ja jollain on rohkeutta tällaisiin sooloesityksiin. Voin vain arvailla millaista tarkkuutta tuollaisen esityksen valmistaminen vaatii.. Hyvä Suomi!

  7. Gotta weigh in on this.

    Nobody complains about orchestras using 400 year old sounds! I’d rather hear some new music using classic synths than what passes for more ‘experimental’ sounds.

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