Dexter’s YouTube Synth Favourites

Dutch electro mainstay Remy Verheijen is something of a scholar of electronic music history, whether that be pioneering 70s soul artists, his beloved Kraftwerk or the evolution of synth technology itself. Here, to get himself in the mood for his live set at Fabric this Saturday night as part of Steffi’s album launch, he picks out his favourite synth-related YouTube videos, kicking off all the way back in the 1940s.

I have a little obsession with vocoders. I was checking on the net for old electronic instruments after hearing Raymond Scott for the first time. I never realised that electronic music goes back to the 30s. I’d never heard about the Sonovox so I started reading about it. There is actually one older video called The Singing Guitar from 1939 but I like this clip more.

Raymond Scott’s ‘Lightworks’, recorded around 1960-63. I was amazed when I heard Raymond Scott for the first time. I never realised that this kind of electronic music went this far back. I know there’s much more out there from other composers and pioneers but Scott is music that I enjoy listening to.

Another Raymond Scott track, ‘The Bass-Line Generator’. Acid from 1966.

The History Of The Minimoog Synthesizer. The Minimoog was the first synth I touched in my life. I borrowed one when I was kid from one of my parents’ neighbours. I needed a Minimoog clip in the list.

I’ve been looking at clips of modulars for a while ’cause im thinking of getting one. Most of the modular clips are real boring. I remembered seeing something about the TONTO and Stevie Wonder in a documentary. I couldn’t find that one on YouTube but this one is also nice and there are some more nice clips about this legend.

Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones on the Fairlight CMI. I want to be there with them in that studio.

Stevie’s Sesame Street appearance for my talkbox and vocoder obsession.

This is a real nice studio session clip with Roger Troutman.

A really cool Giorgio Moroder promo clip from 1979.

Kraftwerk – ‘Trans Europa Express’, the German version. This was a random pick ’cause I was looking at Kraftwerk videos for too long while making this YouTube list. I’m going to see Kraftwerk for the third time next year.

The Roland TR-808. Best drum machine ever. I never cared for the 909. ‘Looking For The Perfect Beat’ with Arthur Baker – the whole RedBull beat:repeat NYC series is great.

Dexter plays live at Fabric as part of Steffi’s album launch tomorrow, Saturday November 1st. Find him on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.