MOTM

(Dave Bradley) writes:
>> Speaking of strings, does anyone know if the killer strings Tomita
 synthesized on 'Snowflakes Are Dancing' was due primarily to the Moog String
 Filter, or were other factors at play? (Don't tell me it was Mellotron,
 because it isn't!)
 I heard the Moog String Filter was just a big bank of very narrow bandpass
 filters, with alternate bands going to L & R stereo outputs. Anybody know
 anything about this box?<<

Tomita does not own or use the Moog String Filter.  His string sound is made 
up of a bunch of detuned oscillators with vibrato, a short delay that slurs 
the sound from one note to the next and also thickens, stereo chorus, and 
really heavy reverb with something like a 75 percent reverb to dry mix.  I 
have been synthesizing the Tomita string sound for ages, and a lot of the 
thickness, smoothness and/or realism comes from the sound of the reverb.  As 
stated by other members, the "Sound Creature" album steps through each stage 
of Tomita synthesizing his string sound from a single osc to the final thing. 
 The Moog String Filter is for getting a woody body resonance, but that is 
not present in Tomita's sound.  I read an interview with Micheal Bodicker a 
while back, and he is the only one I know of who used a Moog String Filter in 
a recording.  I had Guitar Center connect one up once so I could hear what it 
sounded like.  There was so damn much gushing noise coming from the thing 
that it was virtually useless.  Formula Sound also made a 24 band String 
filter, but from what I heard, they only made one unit.  I still have the 
advertisement I cut out from Keyboard Mag 20 years ago.  It is the kind of 
unit/module I would like to see someone make today.  Hint.

-Elhardt