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Post Info TOPIC: Synth sounds used on His ’n’ Hers, and how to reproduce/emulate them (on a budget)


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Synth sounds used on His ’n’ Hers, and how to reproduce/emulate them (on a budget)
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I am recording a song right now where, in terms of production (if not songwriting), I am trying to pay homage to the glorious sound that made up His n Hers.  Since the age of 13, I have always been a huge fan of the keyboard sound and am now trying to see to what extent I can reproduce some of them, seeing as we live in a golden age of plugins/soft synths.  If anyone here can help me find any simple tools to do so (compatible with Logic Pro, so AU plugins), then it would be much appreciated.  

 

Very helpfully, Pulp printed the keyboards used in the album credits.  I realise that a huge part of the sound is Candida's Farfisa Compact Professional II, and for me the most desired sound is the super high one she often uses (see Happy Endings intro for a great example), which I think is played using the string bars utilised on the Farfisa.  I might be able to reproduce this with the Arturia Synth Lab plugin, though if anyone has any pointers, then I'd love to know.  There are many preset Farfisa sounds with the Arturia lab, though many of them are quite unlike that higher octave Pulp sound.  Its certainly not the most typical sound one associates with that brand of organ - less garage/psych-rock and more well, 1994 Pulp.  (The correct reverb is obviously a big factor in all these synth sounds)

 

The Stylophone 350S.  Now this is a big one, and so far, Ive not managed to find a plugin that doesn't the job too well*.  And yes, I do own a stylophone (one of those 2010s reproductions), but it doesn't sound like a Pulp stylophone - it appears that the 350S is the big daddy of stylophones and is very much its own beast, and does its own thing.  Has anyone ever found a way of reproducing this very specific stylo sound, without owning the real thing?  They are not cheap, as you might have guessed.

*(I've got this, but it sounds more like an organ https://www.rhythmicrobot.com/product/drawbar-3500

 

Other synths mentioned are the Korg Trident II and EMS Synth A.  I think it would be quite easy to get plugins that are based on these, I know for certain I can get the latter, but does anyone know where exactly these are used on the album?

 

One of my favourite sounds is the opening wash on DYRTFT - does anyone know what synth that was?  Someone has helpfully isolated that song's keys (although some guitar bleeds through) and uploaded it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id-6h8-LWxY

During the chorus, you can hear what must be the Farfisa played super high.  I think what sounds like another organ playing stabs is actually a piano, but maybe with some artifacts from the stem-splitter software used to make the video, but of course I don't know.

 

Now I realise that there are many layers going on, and I imagine that a big part of the sound will likely be various racks that Ed Buller and team had to hand at the time, but still, if anyone has any more insights to do with any of this, then I'd be keen to hear.  I know this should probably be posted on a synth forum, but I thought Id leave it here seeing as you lot are most likely to know the album the best, so why not.

 

So yes, Logic plugins are the one (AU).  I might be able to use a VST using some wrapping software but I've not tried that before - could be a pain, but who knows.  If no one can assist then feel free to discuss the sounds on this album anyway.  I'd also be very keen to get Russell's guitar sound from DYRTFT, which I suspect is plugged directly into some unit, with no amp used, and treated accordingly.  But which effects and how was it all done?

 

If I can find actually find much more out, then I'll just admit I need to be original and find my own Pulp-ish sounds, which is fine too. :)

 

 



-- Edited by PaulTMA on Friday 18th of July 2025 02:09:59 PM

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Synth sounds used on His ’n’ Hers, and how to reproduce/emulate them (on a budget)
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Calling LeoVK to the thread!

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