Synthesizer Keyboard Mad Drifting Record - Electric Keyboards That Colored Music and Many Synth Masterpieces - Part 3

This time is about the band "Yes" with keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Rick Wakeman and the Mini Moog synthesizer, peripheral instruments, recommended albums, and recommended songs will be introduced.

Yes / Keyboard player: Rick Wakeman

Yes is the standard of progressive rock. Yes released their first album in 1969. The band is still active. The band's most popular albums are "Broken" and "Crisis"./span> The album members include Jon Anderson (vocals), Rick Wakeman (keyboards), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), and Bill Bruford (drums).

Rick Wakeman uses two mini Moog instruments, a Hammond C3, two mellotrons, an RMI electric piano, and a live piano. Wakeman also liked the Mini Moog, and used two Mini Moog on top of the Mellotron at live performances.

Rick Wakeman's keyboard set
From the Yessongs Liner notes

MiniMoog synthesizer (image)

■ "Fragile" (1971)

Recommended Songs: "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Roundabout"

The best known songs from "Fragile" are "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Roundabout". In "Heart of the Sunrise", the loose riffs that continue on the bass are covered with the high-speed texture theme at the beginning by the guitar, and when the beginnings of the bars meet, everyone becomes a unison of the high-speed texture theme (this is wonderful!). At the time of release, it was said that live performances would not be possible, with completely different riffs coming after the super-high-speed texture phrases, followed by odd time signatures, and the appearance of high-speed texture phrases by different Rick Wakeman's Mini Moog. The song was so difficult and advanced. Among them, the Mini Moog operated by Wakeman is placed everywhere and effectively.

"Roundabout" begins with a beautiful guitar intro, with an impressive Mini Moog counter melody over the guitar riff. The long solo in the second half is on the Hammond C3 organ, and you can hear Wakeman's true phrasal essence, including the interaction with the guitar.

■ From “Close to the Edge” (1972)

Recommended songs: "Close to the Edge" "And You and I"

The other is "Close to the Edge" that was said to be the pinnacle of Yes. It contains the title song "Close To The Edge", "And You And I", and "Siberian Khatru". If you write that Yes songs are difficult songs in the on-parade of super-high-speed textured phrases and odd time signatures, you may think that it is difficult music. However,even though Yes songs are partially difficult, the melody is very easy to understand, and there are many very pop-like songs. Both "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" are very pop-like in terms of melodies. The melody's comprehensibility, song composition, and high playing ability are hidden behind Yes' popularity.

"Close to the Edge" begins with an SE, such as a bird song reminiscent of the rainforest jungle. From the guitar introduction, a high-speed arpeggio that does not know whether it is rhythm or solo by Rick Wakeman in the Hammond organ unfolds. The Mini Moog comes into play in the middle of the four-part "I Get Up, I Get Down" and the fourth part “Seasons of Man". The typical sounds of the Mini Moog (sawtooth waves) with portamento reminiscent of the development to the final chapter of a fanfare-like melody. Then there is a powerful solo by Wakeman on the Hammond Organ.The most listened to part of "Close to the Edge" for keyboard freaks! Many rock keyboardists are influenced by the blues to a large extent, but Wakeman's roots are classic, so classical and rock solos are developed.

The highlight of "And You And I" is the theme of the Mini Moog, which comes after the cutting stroke of the guitar. This theme uses the Moog's square wave to manipulate portamento to develop Wakeman-specific phrases. In the latter half of "And You And I", you can hear a powerful solo with this sound. Definitely a must listen! In addition, Yessongs comrades can enjoy more powerful solos than the studio version at the same place!

■ "Yessongs" (1973)

Recommended Songs: "Catherine of Aragon" - "Hallelujah" from "Heart of the Sunrise" and "The Six Wives of Henry VIII"

The Yes masterpiece, "Yessongs". This album is a long record of three live albums. Yes performed the difficult songs that were said to be unreproducible on this album. They’re playing with a quality higher than the studio version. Not to mention the beautiful chorus work.

Part of the live composition is Rick Wakeman's solo part, featuring two Mini Moogs. The song is "Catherine of Aragon", an excerpt from Rick Wakeman's solo album "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". Starting with the theme of the RMI electric piano, you can hear the sound of the sawtooth wave, which is the specialty of the Mini Moog. In addition, the synthesizer's characteristic portamento (the effect that the pitch slides without breaking the notes) is used to perform the synthesizer's unique performance. Looking at the live video of Yes, the keyboard that the Mini Moog's portamento (glide) time knob is set to a long time when playing from bass to treble, and the portamento knob is used to shorten the portamento time at the moment when the sound is fully raised. Not only that, the quick operation of the Mini Moog panel creates a synthesizer-like mood.

Albums, song titles, and keyboards used this time

• Yes / Rick Wakeman
• Album / "Fragile" "Close to the Edge"
• Title: Heart of the Sunrise, Roundabout, Close to the Edge, And You and I
• Instruments used: 2 Mini Moogs, 2 Mellotrons, Hammond C3, RMI electric piano, live piano, etc.