Onward. What Instrument Is That?

[bjlevine]

There is an instrument that plays a melodic line in quarter notes that runs throughout the song. It kind of sounds like pizzicato cello. Is that something Rick is doing on keys or possibly some tuned percussion that Alan is playing?

[Lifeseeker66]

Not sure, but I do remember something about Squire using bass pedals in the liner notes of Tormato. Could that be it?

[International]

I think it is Criss playing a fretless run through either a octave box or it might be a piccolo bass but it is Criss and some kind of bass!


There is an instrument that plays a melodic line in quarter notes that runs throughout the song. It kind of sounds like pizzicato cello. Is that something Rick is doing on keys or possibly some tuned percussion that Alan is playing?

[International]

HI:

No it is not.

John

Not sure, but I do remember something about Squire using bass pedals in the liner notes of Tormato. Could that be it?

[Earl Grey]

Chris played bass-pedals on the song, is that what you're talking about? I think that's what you're hearing there.

Such an amazing song!

Earl:yesbird:

[maninthemoon]

I think you're refering to Steve playing palm-muted notes on guitar. I didn't know until I recently saw them.

[bjlevine]

I know that they used some orchestral instruments on that song, so I was wondering if it might be the cello section. It appears to go beyond a single octave which would make it quite tricky on bass pedals.

Anyone know who's playing that part on the current tour?

[BlankReg]

I believe it is Rick that played it. On the current tour, Oliver is playing it, along with the string section. The solo in the middle is played by Alan, as Oliver only has two hands! This from a discussion I had with Oliver after the Hershey show. Although he didn't specifically say Rick played it, it seems to me if Chris played it, especially on pedals, he would also play it live. Just my .02.

[Earl Grey]

I think you're refering to Steve playing palm-muted notes on guitar. I didn't know until I recently saw them.

Spot-on. That's what he's hearing (The reference to a 'Pizzicato' sound should have keyed me in there...).

Howe did it on a nylon-string on the 'Keys' DVD...

Good call there maninthemoon!

eegee:yesbird:

[bjlevine]

Spot-on. That's what he's hearing (The reference to a 'Pizzicato' sound should have keyed me in there...).

Howe did it on a nylon-string on the 'Keys' DVD...

Good call there maninthemoon!

eegee:yesbird:

No, I'm not talking about the muted guitar part, which is much faster. Its the slower, lower part. Seeing as there was a real string section playing, I guess I could see Rick playing this part. Could be a Polymoog preset (Rick's favorite keyboard on Tormato).

[crotale2112]

You are hearing the sound of alan white mixing a cocktail while playing his glockenspiel through a harmonised microphone with a little pitch shifting going on.

Onward is a good song for alan to kick back and have a few. One hand on the ride cymbal and the other mixing a drink on the floor tom. I'm sure he has a bag of fresh roasted penuts (tormoto tour book) on hand at all times.

[Lifeseeker66]

No, I'm not talking about the muted guitar part, which is much faster. Its the slower, lower part. Seeing as there was a real string section playing, I guess I could see Rick playing this part. Could be a Polymoog preset (Rick's favorite keyboard on Tormato).

For some reason the word "Vibraphone" is sticking in my head from the Tormato liner notes. No idea who plays it (Probably Rick), but maybe it's that?

[bjlevine]

Vibes are a percussion instrument, similar to a xylophone. That would make it seem like my original idea about Alan playing it seem likely.

[CybrKhatru]

I always thought it was a keyboard, honestly. Must be Rick. But I don't know what kind of "instrument" it was.

[maninthemoon]

I'm not sure what you're refering to if it's not the guitar. I just listened to the song and that is the only thing that I would describe as pizzicato. You said it runs throughout the song, is it in the intro? It's pretty clean in the beginning—I think it's just bass and gtr then sustained pad/fill comes in.

[relayeire]

No, I'm not talking about the muted guitar part, which is much faster. Its the slower, lower part. Seeing as there was a real string section playing, I guess I could see Rick playing this part. Could be a Polymoog preset (Rick's favorite keyboard on Tormato).

I'm pretty sure it's the Polymoog... if you look at the credits, I think it's the only thing Rick plays on the song... he arranged the strings (conducted by Andrew Jackman?), but they are real strings, not keys... I think the brass is, too...

For some reason the word "Vibraphone" is sticking in my head from the Tormato liner notes. No idea who plays it (Probably Rick), but maybe it's that?

the vibraphone is used minimally in the song - a few places you hear a series of ascending and descending notes... it's very low in the mix... listen around 1:15 and again at 3:20...

Vibes are a percussion instrument, similar to a xylophone. That would make it seem like my original idea about Alan playing it seem likely.

I always thought it was a keyboard, honestly. Must be Rick. But I don't know what kind of "instrument" it was.

almost like a bass sound... even that plucked cello that was suggested... I don't know what voices the Polymoog has...

[Purple Wolfhound]

Ah, you're all wrong. It's that dang Birotron! :lmao:

[maninthemoon]

Could it be a washboard?

[BillGuitar]

Ah, you're all wrong. It's that dang Birotron! :lmao:

PING!

[bjlevine]

Hmm...I wonder how their doing that live (strings, horn and whatever that part is)? I need to listen to KTA to see how Rick handled that live.

[Lifeseeker66]

Hmm...I wonder how their doing that live (strings, horn and whatever that part is)? I need to listen to KTA to see how Rick handled that live.


It's Benoit passing gas.... :aaa[1]:

[RickyG]

I'm pretty sure it's the Polymoog... if you look at the credits, I think it's the only thing Rick plays on the song... he arranged the strings (conducted by Andrew Jackman?), but they are real strings, not keys... I think the brass is, too...


almost like a bass sound... even that plucked cello that was suggested... I don't know what voices the Polymoog has...

It's the polymoog.

And the credits say that Jackman arranged the strings.
On "Madrigal" he also arranged the strings... from an idea by Rick.

Could it be a washboard?
Well, I said it was the polymoog, but it could be a washboard run through a digital harmonizing processor and an Antares Pitch corrector with some heavy low pass filtering.... and if that's the case then Steve would likely be playing it, but it's uncredited so I'll stick with my better judgement that it is a polymoog. It even sounds like a polymoog....

[Purple Wolfhound]

Hmm...I wonder how their doing that live (strings, horn and whatever that part is)? I need to listen to KTA to see how Rick handled that live.That version is so much better than the studio recording!

[relayeire]

It's the polymoog.

And the credits say that Jackman arranged the strings.
On "Madrigal" he also arranged the strings... from an idea by Rick.


I must've been thinking of Rick arranging the choir for Awaken, which I'm pretty sure is true... thanks for the clarification...

[90125yes]

sounds like a keyboard to me

[Sigil]

Vibes are a percussion instrument, similar to a xylophone. That would make it seem like my original idea about Alan playing it seem likely.

99% certain here that it is indeed the vibraphone and is Alan playing. The vibraphone is like those metal chime-bars you may have had at junior school, but these bars are in a frame with an electrically-driven amplifier (little more than bellows, as I remember). Usually you'll hear the instrument ring out - it carries the main theme of Mike Oldfield's "Incantations (pt 1)", picking up after the flute has played through - but in this instance, the bars are damped, like the left pedal on a piano, producing a marimba-like quality. No doubt Alan is hitting it with soft-headed sticks.

Like the xylophone, glockenspiel, etc, the bars are laid out just like a keyboard. Alan is, as we know from "In The Presence Of", able to play the keyboard, but even if he wasn't when "Onward" was recorded, if the number of available bars was limited to those consonant with the harmonic structure of the song then he could have hit any one of them in any order without spoiling it. In fact, I just had another listen, and there's no melodic sequence to what is being played, so maybe he is just hitting any old thing.