In his latest video, composer and synthesist Anthony Marinelli takes a look at the iconic synth intro to the Rush track, Tom Sawyer.

Here’s what he has to say about it:

“I’ve always wanted to breakdown the opening bass sound to ‘Tom Sawyer’ by Rush. The introduction is so memorable that it sticks with us, as much as the verse and chorus of the song.

I’m using an Oberheim OBX, which is the same model synthesizer used by Rush. Because of this, I can achieve a very close match, compared to the sound on the album.

In this video, I will show you the precise oscillator waveforms, modulations, filter and envelope setting so you can re-create this sound on almost any synth you have. Most importantly, the skills you learn on this channel about how to breakdown the sounds you hear on famous recordings will help you tailor any preset into a perfect fit for the records you are making.”