David Whittaker - Sinclair User - Megamix Tape
Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:01 pm
In 1987, Sinclair User issue 65, David Whittaker did an interesting article talking about making music for the Speccy. Along with the interesting interview was a coupon to cut out and send away for a cassette containing a studio re-mix of Glider Rider and The Tube AY soundtracks. As a kid (and today) I was really into electronic music (Jeane Michelle Jarre, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Tangerine Dream etc.) so I forked out the 99p and sent off for the tape.
Sinclair User 65 - Internet Archive
Until recently there was a recording of this tape available on the Project AY page, today that link is broken. I am sure at one time there was also a YouTube video with a recording too, but the video was very low view count and seems to have been eaten by the search algorithm. After much searching I could not find a recording of the tape.
So I had a root around in the attic.
SU-David-Whittaker-Mega-Tape.mp3
For your listening pleasure, I have recorded an MP3 of the tape. I recorded it using Audacity and a rather old Sony Walkman so the quality is pretty rough.
If anyone knows of a better quality recording, please let me know.
Sinclair User 65 - Internet Archive
The quote is from the Project AY page , hosted on WOSALL ABOUT THE MEGA TAPE
The Quicksilva Tube/Glider Rider mega-mix was created with many hours of toil in the studio of Fluffy Banana Music.
The original music was transfered directly from the Spectrum 128K to one track of a Tascam 38 eight-track recorder, with a little digital reverb and delay added for depth. Parts of the computer music, including the end themes of both games, were also sampled for later use.
The overdubs were then played by hand (since it wasn't possible to synchronise a sequencer with the original music!) using a Yamaha DX100 FM synth, Korg DW 8000 analogue/digital synth, Akai S900 sampler, Sequential Circuits Drumstraks digital drum machine and ART 1500 and Alesis Midiverb effects units.
The sampled sounds, manipulated with the S900, included trumpets, heavy-metal guitars and snare drums from chart records, and Spitfires from WW2 - the explosion at the end is a mixture of a bomb, a clap of thunder and a crashing aircraft!
The whole shebang was mixed down in genuine stereo on an RAM 10-8-2 mixer, and is presented for your delight by Fluffy Banana Music - the coolest and cuddliest music outfit in the entire galaxy.
Until recently there was a recording of this tape available on the Project AY page, today that link is broken. I am sure at one time there was also a YouTube video with a recording too, but the video was very low view count and seems to have been eaten by the search algorithm. After much searching I could not find a recording of the tape.
So I had a root around in the attic.
SU-David-Whittaker-Mega-Tape.mp3
For your listening pleasure, I have recorded an MP3 of the tape. I recorded it using Audacity and a rather old Sony Walkman so the quality is pretty rough.
If anyone knows of a better quality recording, please let me know.
