The Oberheim Xpander from 1984
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Күн бұрынA look at the Oberheim Xpander from 1984.
This analogue synthesizer employs what was then cutting edge, digital control allowing for advanced patch creation. It was designed by Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic with input from Doug Curtis and it boasts some surprising features for the time. In this video we take a closer look.
The information for this video was garnered from the following interviews:
GForce Bright Sparks:
• Bright Sparks - Tom Ob...
Ken Flux Pierce Interview:
• The SynthSummitShow ep...
GEOSynths Interview:
• GEOSynths Synth Show -...
0:00 Intro Jam
0:58 Talk 1
1:31 Demo 1: Beach Comb
2:16 Talk 2
3:09 Demo 2: Faux Seq
3:52 Talk 3
4:30 Demo 3: Eff Em
5:04 Talk 4
5:59 Demo 4: Wobble 5
6:23 Talk 5
6:51 Demo 5: Judder
7:16 Talk 6
8:34 Demo 6: ALX
9:09 Talk 7
10:34 Multi Demo 1: Zone Call
11:55 Multi Demo 2 : Fond
13:54 Talk 8
15:56 Outro Jam
@simonprecheurllarena Жыл бұрын
This synthesiser is so sharp that Alex's hair got cut during the making of this video.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
😂
@NullStaticVoid Жыл бұрын
When I was in High School I wandered into a music store. Saw one of these in the keyboard section, next to the other keyboards and synths it looked like the most futuristic thing ever. Somehow figured out which keyboard it was connected to and started fiddling with it. After about 5 minutes some balding guy with a ponytail and too much cologne crawled out from under a rock and yelled at me not to touch the most expensive thing in the store. Chasing me out into the street. Little did he know I would grow up to also not able to afford one as a middle aged guy.
@79Glitch 8 ай бұрын
If that’s true, you absolutely could have afforded this or a Matrix 12 (or a Jupiter 8 along with almost any analog synth?) from the early 90’s into the early 2000’s. Your comment is not accurate. This synth would have been very realistically attainable even 10 years ago. I’m guessing the Xpander could have been had for $1500-$2500 in the early 2010’s? Matrix 12 price would have been higher at that point, but it was probably still in the range of OBX8 today? Xpander was definitely a fairly reasonable purchase 10 years ago.
@alicelaranjeira3127 2 ай бұрын
@@79Glitcharen't you precious. You have no idea or business saying what people can and can't afford now or before.
@79Glitch 2 ай бұрын
@@alicelaranjeira3127 Synths were dirt cheap in 90’s, and well into the 2000’s, dummy. There are plenty of stories of people buying Jupiter 8’s for $800, or TR-808’s for a few hundred. Go down the list of the greatest synths and it would have been the same story, with very few exceptions (CS 80 would be an exception, but even that could have probably been had at a good price)
@alicelaranjeira3127 2 ай бұрын
@@79Glitch dude, you have no idea what was the financial situation of the OP.
@nomad1517 Ай бұрын
Luckily now we got great plugins that are more than capable.
@2000stephenellis Жыл бұрын
One of my heroes Vince Clarke`s favourite synths , he still raves about it to this day !
@TheSynthnut Жыл бұрын
Excellent stuff! I remember Andy Bell calling out the Xpander in an Erasure concert IIRC. Not many synths get name checks in gigs!
@bnjmnwst Жыл бұрын
Alex, every demo track you create for your videos, every single one, is more interesting and enjoyable to listen to than 99.9% of synthwave tracks that exist today. I mean that quite literally. Excellent stuff, good sir.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks Ben, much appreciated.
@franknahon9328 Жыл бұрын
Please, show us the path to the 0.01%.
@Patriotic_Eagle1995 Жыл бұрын
I mean, they're nice demos, but this comment is embarrassingly hyperbolic and blatantly untrue, lol
@TheActualJae Жыл бұрын
@@Patriotic_Eagle1995 Mmmmmm…. It really isn’t, provided you are a big fan of Alex Ball’s style. Honestly, I love Alex Balls music so I’m inclined to agree with the OP. But I can totally understand not everyone is going to agree with my preferences ;)
@bnjmnwst Жыл бұрын
@@Patriotic_Eagle1995 Perhaps, but I've done a bit of searching, although I'm aware not exhaustively, and I've heard nothing that isn't 4 measures, repeated literally ad nauseum. That's my description of synthwave, in a nutshell. Compose 4 measures of music, add and subtract a few instruments as you go, repeat. Alex's tracks are more interesting and enjoyable than that. Hence, the comment. Very few synthwave artists that I've heard are doing more than that. However, if you know of some, I'm interested.
@modmodell8897 2 ай бұрын
I‘m so glad to own one of this beasts. The sound is incredible. And the Curtis filter is the best ever with all its different filter modes. A full modular system software based from 84. Lightyears ahead of its time.
@roberthanlinefilms Жыл бұрын
I have Lloyd Cole's (The Commotions) Xpander that he gifted me for doing sound programming on his "Antidepressant" album and I've used it quite a bit. I had no idea that it could do this much! Thanks for the history and walkthrough! I'm really going to start to dig into this thing after having it since 2006. Inspirational!
@bassadelica Жыл бұрын
I love your demo tracks and how the effects are always “period correct”
@claudiosalenzia9933 Жыл бұрын
I had several vintage polys.. Jupiter-4, P5 rev 3, all kinds of Junos and tried some modern Polys as well. The only one which stayed is the Xpander. Best polysynth in the world for me personally. It's has a character, it's own life and personality.
@oholm09 Жыл бұрын
Thats expensive matrix expander
@AdamTheAd-vanc3d Жыл бұрын
This certainly expanded my head. Mind blowingly flexible for the time. Seriouly outstanding. Massive shout to you Alex for putting this video together.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks. I've been wanting to do a proper (as in, let's go multi mode etc) Xpander video for a long time. Satisfying.
@AdamTheAd-vanc3d Жыл бұрын
@@AlexBallMusic Sublimely executed Alex. So glad ( you ), got your hands on this baby . 🙌🏾🙏🏾
@wietzejohanneskrikke1910 Жыл бұрын
Allan Holdsworth and Michael Brecker did amazing things with the expander, showing off its expressive capabilities and incredible sound.
@gladlawson61 Жыл бұрын
One of the few vintage synths I actually would want to own.
@lucadipaolo1997 Жыл бұрын
This thing is absolutely mental. The video effects during the multi demos were pretty awesome by the way, well done!
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Yeah, quite remarkable for the time.
@murfphone914 Жыл бұрын
Loved the video graphics... a kind of Ready Brek in green :) As ever, a great mini history lesson in synths, cheers dude.
@everpuremusic Жыл бұрын
Not only mental, but also mentally big! :)
@BenODen Жыл бұрын
The second demo of the CV gate driven, 7 channel synth is so catchy, I want more! That is an amazing instrument, thanks for creating this historic view of an innovation that we can only now use fully. Any odds that it can be reverse engineered and offered up to a wider audience? 20,000 singing modular rigs are crying out for their daddy!!
@nickhaldin8674 Жыл бұрын
What an absolutely bonkers synthesizer for the time. Even for our time, this is crazy.
@henninghoefer Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for another fantastic synth history lesson! I really like that period, with the "overly digital" control scheme. And I *love* your videos and demos. (Also I literallly LOLd at the "ALX" sound 😁)
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Cheers Henning. Once I started dabbling with ramp generators, there was only one thing for it....
@lobstrosity7163 Жыл бұрын
When I was in a synthpop band decades ago we had a song named Xpander. The only synthesizer we had was a Roland XP-10.
@testohtoby Жыл бұрын
Today on "Synths I would sell my left kidney for": the Xpander (and his double-sibling, the M12) 😍😍😍
@LordCritish Жыл бұрын
Two Xpanders were/are the constant major workhorses of Steve Roach. That alone is a testament itself to the greatness of this synth.
@EannaButler Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much for demystifying this well-known yet obscure classic 👍
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
It's funny because it's like so many synths now, so it's probably become easier to understand in that context.
@davidryle Жыл бұрын
Another favorite artists who uses the Expander is Steve Roach.
@benbauer1065 Жыл бұрын
I can't thank you enough for making such Incredible and informative videos on your channel. The music examples always sound great and I love the humor you inject I to every video whilst giving an in depth historical overview. Your channel and skills on KZfaq are priceless.
@chriswareham Жыл бұрын
Hoping there's an Oberheim documentary coming up soon, along the same lines of your other ones for the likes of Roland and ARP. Oberheim has a special place in my heart ever since I found a battered DX drum machine in a junk shop as a teenager (this was in the days before eBay or Reverb when such things could still happen). I subsequently owned an Oberheim OB-X and a Marion MSR-2 - the latter being Tom Oberheim's ill fated but rather wonderful synth from the 1990s. I'd add Nitzer Ebb to the list of notable Xpander users as well. They used it heavily on their first albums for Mute, possibly inspired by Daniel Miller having one laying around.
@adam872 Жыл бұрын
Indeed. I love Alex's synth history lessions.
@Kili42 Жыл бұрын
Top notch Alex! The sound of this synth is amazing. I'd pay money for Fond, it makes me feel intensely happy.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks Kilian!
@Dr.CoCoL1na 6 ай бұрын
Love it. Love all the knowledge and videos over the years my friend....keep em up! Merry Christmas
@mattevans7884 Жыл бұрын
I love the fact I get to see these wonderful synths being used, documented and explained. This will be an important resource just to see them for many years to come! And while quite serious in tone, Alex brings in the comedic value I love about your videos!
@akamrkris Жыл бұрын
Your synth videos are the best on youtube! I love watching, learning & drooling. Thanks, Alex.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@iixorb Жыл бұрын
Who needs Netflix, when there’s great content like this to watch! Entertaining, informative and appropriately witty! Can’t believe I turned down buying an Oberheim Expander for about £400 in the late 80’s. Just because it wouldn’t fit in the bedroom I had at the time in my parents’ house 😫.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Ah damn. You should have commandeered your parent's room in the name of synth. We need a flag.
@gustinian Жыл бұрын
A connoisseur's synthesizer, a modular with patch memory and an all-analog circuit path with stable tuning. Add the slick industrial design and a practical VFD user interface that has only just recently been matched nearly 40 years on. 15 filter types, 5 envelopes and 5 LFOs with complex triggering modes per multi timbral voice. 1984. Wow, what an achievement! The Matrix 1000 offspring is also a highly capable and sonically pleasing machine (like all Oberheims), but the Xpander / Matrix 12 is still the dream machine.
@tonyfdesign Жыл бұрын
These videos are really amazing. Excellent work!
@Doctormix Жыл бұрын
I love your documentaries ❤
@pthomas36 Жыл бұрын
I made it the way through and I'm still fond. You're knocking them out of the park lately Alex. The Korg story was fantastic, and so was this one.
@jasonwooler801 Жыл бұрын
As always a great detailed look at these amazing instruments
@vujadejunky Жыл бұрын
Wow, how strange, after months of watching your videos, to suddenly hear the names of people I know lol. I worked with Marcus and Michel at Fast Forward Designs (which became Line 6). And I knew Marcus for years before working for him (he was a friend of a friend). I even made some tracks in the evenings after work using the Xpander that was sitting unused on a back shelf. It wasn't completely working properly and made some even more interesting sounds. :)
@JohnMoser66 Жыл бұрын
One of my all-time favorite synths!! Thank you for doing this video about it. I just loved it! :-)
@GODZINACOMA101 8 ай бұрын
Great vid, always know I'm in for a treat with this kind of content. You never disappoint!
@FrozenLonesome Жыл бұрын
Very interesting. I really enjoy your synth history videos. You bring the best sounds of the synths you demo. Well done!
@PeterJoslynHarris Жыл бұрын
Takes me back to 92 when I had access to one of these in a college music course. Wish I had the skills back then that you clearly do. I love your attention to detail, sense of humor and musicality. Thanks for this!
@andrewstanworth529 Жыл бұрын
Blimey! I had no idea how capable this was! And 3 plus decades ago! Wowsers. 😮 amazing vid, as usual..
@darwiniandude Жыл бұрын
Love this format - while watching I can't wait for the next part of the story, and can't wait for the next demo. :)
@macronencer Жыл бұрын
Thanks once again Alex, for yet another entertaining nostalgia trip. I never had an Xpander but I think I remember hearing a demo/ad for it on the ES&CM cassettes, which I was buying eagerly at the time. The sound is quite familiar!
@electronictiger Жыл бұрын
The Xpander has always been one of those magical synths for me. Not in the least because of Orbital and Sasha. There is a certain amount of grittiness to its sound that I find so incredibly beautiful. Thanks Alex for another excellent video! The retro-esque video effects are fun.
@modgrip805 Жыл бұрын
I had a Matrix 12. Always regret letting that one go! Rich and deep and amazing!
@carlosserrano3985 Жыл бұрын
Fantastic synth, the Expander is one the Vince Clarke favorites, he said that the modulation possibilities are endless. Humm, maybe there is space for Oberheim doc. Posible tittle: SEM, The history of Oberheim!
@brettwayne8103 Жыл бұрын
very interesting! love your musical synth documentaries !
@nofahz Жыл бұрын
I had the pleasure of spending many hours noodling around with the OB Expander in the 90s ❤❤❤ Sounded so good. I new the programming side of that panel so well. An incredible instrument
@izzymonkey Жыл бұрын
Loved that final Outro Jam piece! Lovely stuff.
@brainbuginfestation8548 Жыл бұрын
This was the pinnacle of analogue synths. Awesome demo!
@URTH-yb5xh Жыл бұрын
Thanks always Great info demo history🤩
@ClemensWennersMusic Жыл бұрын
Interesting to learn more about my absolute favorite synth! I used it earlier this week in the studio and it's such a beast. The producer was floored by it!
@davidmochen Жыл бұрын
Ahhh I loved "Fond". Top notch video as usual, Alex!
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Cheers David.
@LousyFacelift Жыл бұрын
Das war wieder absolut großartig, Alex! Vielen Dank!
@kerzwhile Жыл бұрын
Mind blowing piece in my top 3 all time favs.. excellent job dumbing down this architectures description! Top shelf demos as per usual! 😉
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks again sir.
@peter-utrblk Жыл бұрын
This is first class, information, education, entertainment and pretty nice songs too. Thx Alex. Greetings from Germany.
@rodgre Жыл бұрын
Awesome, as usual. I will have “Fond” stuck in my head all day.
@TheMachinesWon Жыл бұрын
Great video and bravo on the Fond jam, that was dope!
@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын
Alex what an excellent video, sythersizor demonstration and very interesting hearing the history, great music again.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks again!
@HOLLASOUNDS Жыл бұрын
@@AlexBallMusic 👍
@chrisstevens2735 Жыл бұрын
I love the Multi demo 2 : Fond, excellent and thanks for your content mate
@fallingmanuk Жыл бұрын
Thank you for another superb video: I always lusted after an Xpander (well, anything Oberheim, really!) and I remember this coming out in 1984 and reading about it in E&MM. My favourite user of the Xpander is probably Allan Holdsworth (RIP) who used one with his Synthaxe to astonishing effect. Marcus Ryle's name comes up everywhere there's classic synth and audio gear too. Love the "Fond" song too...
@m-1663 Жыл бұрын
Wow great to watch. I bought one in 1985, matrix 12 and loved it! sold it and regret it for many years and decades. Then I bought another one 2016 thank God. %$$$$ crazy!
@TDRKB Жыл бұрын
Another classic video from the master. You must have a lot of synth details floating around in your head. I always wondered what this beast did. This community was much more innovative in the golden years of synths. The originality was so much more back then. Great video and thanks for explaining this vintage beast. Loved the original music too.
@MilesAwayOfficial Жыл бұрын
Great video Alex, I love this!
@HoraceMash Жыл бұрын
Demo 6… worth the wait… thanks for this treat of a review
@kvmoore1 Жыл бұрын
Excellent history background, demo, and magnificent performance of the Expander. That song you made was AMAZING!!! The Expander and Matrix 12 were definitely way ahead of their time and they very much remind me of the advanced analog polysynths of today with all of these custom routings and modulation capabilities, like the Prophet Rev 2 (as you've mentioned), the Polybrute, and the Moog One, and yes, the ASM Hydrasynth (eventhough it's all digital). Thank you for making this superb video. I most certainly enjoyed every minute of it!
@mark-yj5sg Жыл бұрын
Simply magnificent videos on your channel
@Stazma Жыл бұрын
Hell cool as always ! I've always lusted for that one.
@cortical1 Жыл бұрын
Brah. Vo. Brilliant, as always, Alex. Informed story-telling with interdigitated layers of original musical inspiration. Another perfect cake. I also always really like when you mix up time signatures like this ditty at the end in 14/4 (or alternating 4/4 (2), 6/4). Cheers from the German enclave Karlsbad, Kalifornia. 🧠
@olopstudio Жыл бұрын
Never seen anyone make this synth play like you do. Awesome job Alex!
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@kadsenkalle4663 Жыл бұрын
When I got up this morning and enjoyed my German coffee, I asked myself "Was ist der Xpander?". And now I watched your video and the question is settled once and for all. Thank you Herr Ball.
@markusfuller Жыл бұрын
Alex glowing like you have had your ready brek. Great demo track as usual.
@andrejutel9110 Жыл бұрын
I love your videos Alex, so entertaining and those synths I always lusted after. I'd love to see a video on the Synthaxe
@thedoc1210 Жыл бұрын
another belter, demo 2 is fab. my fave synth channel, and there are few♥
@nomad1517 Ай бұрын
Oberhiems have such a juicy sound. Very thick. Both moog and oberheim are beasts.
@antfactor Жыл бұрын
I played/programmed this lovely synth in college - to make a 'controllable thunder' patch for an opera in college. Everyone jumped! - I was pleased. 😅
@stevenmann9769 Жыл бұрын
Oooh I love those beasts. Had a mate with a Matrix 12 and a CS80. That was FUN! jamming on those two.
@SynthgodXXX Жыл бұрын
Incredible demo!
@billyfeagan9254 Жыл бұрын
Your humor is spot on !!!
@Buddythunder1 Жыл бұрын
What an incredible machine, and an incredible video.
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Cheers
@skaneverdies Жыл бұрын
I use the accompanying Oberheim Xk MIDI controller every day as my main keyboard! It looks like any other classic OB synth of the era and has just the right features. I love it.
@blotterdreams Жыл бұрын
Damn dude, everything was going stellar as usual and then you dump FOND on us. What a song!?! The Mellotron jam was also next level. You're songwriting is just getting so damn good!! I'm so excited to see what you keep doing.
@xa1a Жыл бұрын
Another corker mate! This has convinced me to get my old Matrix 6 back up and going again!
@zedudli Жыл бұрын
Smashing video 🙌🏻
@Chevytravelleruk Жыл бұрын
Glad to see you had your Ready Brek(or radium) before tackling this monster
@gophercrow Жыл бұрын
Chuffed that I had the privilege to put the 1000th like on this. Having just got my Matrix 6 back from service, it has some Xpander DNA and great value for money, especially when I originally purchased it. The Xpander & Matrix synths sound quite different from the OB series and the SEM based Oberheims, but all three lines are great. Thanks for another fantastic demo and retrospective.
@matrags Жыл бұрын
I really enjoy your content dude.
@brucebennett5338 Жыл бұрын
i want this so much. i was able to work with one at conservatory in the early 90s. it is a BEAST!
@denzilstudios7072 Жыл бұрын
Waaauw, what a jawdropping dope synth. The sound is just spectacular!!!!
@carlosserrano3985 Жыл бұрын
Those synths sounds so good today because those guys knows what they are doing, the were brilliant people, even in today's synths you fill find influence of the older ones, guaranteed! I'm glad to have the opportunity to saw all that stuff when they came out including the invention of MIDI. Cheers!
@denzilstudios7072 Жыл бұрын
@@carlosserrano3985 The Xpander is a crown achievement of engineering. The voice architecture & modulation matrix are top notch. This synth is too hard to clone so i'm holding money aside for a good deal. Don't expect a behringer clone any time soon.
@carlosserrano3985 Жыл бұрын
@@denzilstudios7072 Absolutely right, the Xpander is a gem, Alex said the same thing Vince Clarke said, it's like a modular without patch cables. In the case of Behringer who knows if they are working on something but I can say they have Oberheim products in their minds, if the Xpander is one of those I really don't know. Cheers!
@SacSynths_Jack_Z Жыл бұрын
The Xpander and Matrix 12 are the most powerful vintage polysynths ever made! Essentially unmatched, even today... Thx for showcasing!
@Death_By_Media Жыл бұрын
Marcus said he was planning on a Matrix 24 before leaving 🤯
@SacSynths_Jack_Z Жыл бұрын
@@Death_By_Media I didn't know that! So cool... When did he say that?
@Death_By_Media Жыл бұрын
@@SacSynths_Jack_Z In one of the OBX8 interviews GeoSynth maybe ?
@glenesis Жыл бұрын
Dayum, you put some beautiful shine on the vocals on that second demo (Also, all the stuff the other comments said already ;)
@nebstaism Жыл бұрын
This thing sounds like a beast 🔥🔥🔥
@h.guntersson2243 Жыл бұрын
Jam & Spoon have defined an entire musical genre with the Xpander. Stella's famous filter sound was created with it.
@OmarHashModer Жыл бұрын
Best demo of Xpander, hands down.
@kamehousekz87 Жыл бұрын
You could have told me Multi Demo 2 came directly from Beck’s “Hyperspace” record and I would have absolutely taken your word for it. This whole video was so wild. What an incredible instrument.
@rhodrillewellyn5127 Жыл бұрын
Man , thats some luvely sounds. That first 35 seconds to me sums up what i lust after, beautiful!
@DanWorksTV Жыл бұрын
Premium content. Thanks for the nice production and love your video FX today. totally zoned out
@donjezza Жыл бұрын
great video as always
@AlexBallMusic Жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@eventualinfinity3862 Жыл бұрын
Great video as always, Alex! Very informative and the tunes are top notch. Would love to see Oberheim make a modern Matrix 12 and Xpander module. Not a recreation of the past but a brand new synth building on these designs. I just fear what that would cost haha
@SailfishSoundSystem Жыл бұрын
It's nice to finally hear this synth. I've read about it in Mark Vail's book Vintage Synthesizers. Sweet EMU X-Board! I have the 25 key one myself.
@markkusmierz3756 Жыл бұрын
Awesome! That 2nd Demo should be blasting out on the Radio waves 📻
@ReadAndReturn Жыл бұрын
That wobble 5 patch though..... Truly lovely.
@matthewharty6531 Жыл бұрын
I had use of a matrix 6r in the early 90's loved the sounds on it. Totally remember first time I saw Orbital using the expander when I saw them at Megadog in Sheffield just amazing
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