For CV control of envelopes it depends how they’ve implemented the VCA. If it’s global then yeah they could I guess? As far as the filters go I can’t see how they’d do it without a fair amount of extra circuitry. The filters (if the OG Solina is the same as every other stringer I’ve owned or worked on) are actually fixed filter banks, usually one per octave. The filter banks and pulse shapers are there to give a more convincing string sound which differs as you go up the registers and are fed from the divider/analogue switch outputs.
Pitch control shouldn’t be an issue for CV control. Again, it depends how B are implementing their HF oscillator but all you need to do is modulate that for vibrato. A few other manufacturers offer a pitch control that does just that connected to the HF Osc.
It sounds good imo and has the limitations of the original. I’d love to see a few of the other much used stringers of the time recreated but that would involve more components and subsequently increase the price. It’s a project I’ve wanted to take on for a while and third party sources make the job easier these days.
It’s a good question. I’m guessing the Waldorf has more control than the Behringer so should be more adaptable? I guess it comes down to personal taste. If B are using BBD’s in their ensemble section there could be a difference there? It’s a bit one dimensional for me but plenty of folks have used the Solina to great effect over the years even if it’s got a limited sound palette.
It’s worth pointing out that lots of folks used other string machines back in the day so not every song with a string machine part used a Solina. Starsky mentions Air, Jarre and others who used the Solina for some parts but also used other distinctive sounding stringers. Air used the Elka Rhapsody quite a lot and JMJ’s ‘signature’ string sound on his early stuff was the Eminent Unique Organ which is what the Solina was based on. I read somewhere that Nick Rhodes used a Crumar Stringman that he sold but then bought back as he couldn’t mimic its sound with other instruments.
Yeah there were many classic stringers. The only ones I’ve personally had were the Roland RS-09 (ok) and the Korg Lambda (which sounded lovely… or scary if detuned.)
Edit: also you can make A LOT of those sounds by running a basic synth (Casio, early Yamaha, etc) thru a Small Stone.
I read a list of gear used on the Moon Safari album somewhere when it was out. Maybe a magazine piece? There are at least two distinct stringer sounds on the album. The thinner higher Solina sounds and a thicker one such as in parts of Kelly Watch The Stars. That sounds identical to the Rhapsody.
P. Woodcock – acoustic guitar (track 3); tuba (track 8)
David Whitaker – string arrangement, conducting (tracks 5, 7, 8)
Enfants Square Burq – laughs (track 9)
I think you are maybe hearing a bit of Roland VP-330 which they almost exclusively used for the vocoder, as they said in an interview they didn’t like the strings. I’m a bit of an Air nerd and have owned half a dozen string machines myself. I just haven’t heard or seen them connected to the Rhapsody.
Offhand not really. They used some mellotron which I don’t see listed in those liner notes. For all I know they could’ve double tracked the Solina and used some additional effects. Or maybe it is a Rhapsody, I just have never seen that listed or in photos/concerts/interviews so I was genuinely curious.
I saw them twice when they were touring Moon Safari but both times I was under the influence you might say! Both amazing gigs tho! The Ritz and The Apollo in Manchester
That sounds like a fantastic setup for my tastes. You could do some killer old school library music sounding tracks with that. The Pro-800 would be a great addition to it as well.
I’m constantly on the fence about whether to get the Solina. Truthfully I should skip the Pro-800 and get the Solina instead since I have a Take 5. Decisions, decisions.
