I would like to do a couple of things:

1. I want to be able to play the lead solo on Toto’s Africa by playing one note and have another note transposed down four notes(same voice) to play the second note at the same time with that riff. (only by playing just one note), if you know what I mean.  It would probably take two hands to do what I want to do, but I want to accomplish this by playing with just one hand, which for me is tough because I am 71 and my hands don’t work as fast or coordinated as they used to be).

2. I would like to create an arpeggio to play the marimba/karimba part and just use a single note to accomplish the same thing as above layering the two instruments to try to copy the same sound (or close) to the record.

Any suggestions as the best way to do this?

No help from anyone?

Hey Robin,

I think you’re talking abut the flute section? If so tuning one note or layer down -4 won’t cut it as the passage is harmonic in relation to the root notes. All of the keys need to be tuned to their respective pitch. I have this programmed and if you’d like I’ll post it, however the program encompasses two user voices and two preset voices which in total takes up a little over 3 octaves. I believe you’re using an XF?

I suppose you could create a user arpeggio for the kalimba part. I’ve always played it on a separate board, never occurred to me to use an arp. Never heard a kalimba that sounded like the GS1 they used for the recording. Two layered toy pianos work great tuned a fifth apart.

Stone

Yes Stone, could you post it?  I am trying to get some ideas on the best way to accomplish what I want, even if it means using an Arp.  I think I will use the Arp for the Marimba part.  I am trying to do this all on one keyboard, probably in performance Mode and the use of two user Apps to get all the parts down.

And yes, I am using a Motif XF.

I put this in an All File so you can load the Voices and Performance. It’s an XS All File, I no longer have an XF, it didn’t agree with me. There are no User Waveforms and you should have no problems loading it.

Voices:
User 1 A1 Africa Flutes High
User 1 A2 Africa Flutes Low

Performance User 1 A1 Africa Flutes… This is the Part Breakdown:

1 Africa Flute High
2 Africa Flute Low
3 Marimba GM Bank 013(A13)
4 Marimba DX Pre 1 061(D13) May need to cross reference for XF let me know if you can’t find it.

So on the first pass thru the flutes are in the upper octave, second section is in the lower octave and has the added Marimbas, the third section returns to the upper octave and advancing the Mod Wheel adds the Marimba as in the studio recording. There is very little reverb in the Performance as it didn’t suit the venues I played it in. You may need to adjust to taste, as well as EQ.

I played this with two boards, the other handled the Brass and Kalimba parts as well as an additional flute heard somewhere in the tune. Maybe the second verse. If this is something you can use I may be able to reduce the Flutes to about an octave and one half, freeing up some room for other parts although you’d probably need to move to a Mixing setup to handle it. The Brass Synth is key to backing the Flute part. You’re on an XF7 if I recall correctly?

Stone

Africa Flutes.X0A.zip  (File Size: 31KB - Downloads: 289)

Thanks Stone, I will be working on this and let you know how it works out.  It will take a little while, but I will definitely get back to you.  Thanks again.