While preparing to record “Slash Up The Night” in the spring of 2024, I had the crazy notion of performing one of the synthesizer parts myself. It’s a simple analog synth lead melody that occurs during the chorus in lieu of vocals akin to early Gary Numan. Indeed, the sequenced version of the melody utilizes an analog synth sample titled “Numanesque” in LMMS. Feeling high and mighty on the artistic success of the “On Fire” and “Fashion After Dark” singles, however, I decided to give it a shot myself on my old Casio CTK-518. An instrument I mainly used in the past for songwriting but also exploited on recordings by running it through guitar effects. The result was a passable take. Although one I opted not to use in the final mix. It’s not bad considering that I hadn’t touched a keyboard in several years. While I was at it, I laid down a dystopian hellscape titled “Casio Keyboard Hell” for the sheer fuck of it. One apropos given the industrialized direction my solo output has taken thus far.
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It was like back in the day as I performed a single note motif in a tone named Synth Pad 2 and ran it through guitar effects including distortion, chorus, flange, and delay. The same effects and settings I utilize to achieve my lead guitar sound. In the past, I would’ve played this over a custom rhythm provided by my old Alesis SR-16 drum machine. But since I sold that years ago, I went with one of the preset rhythm loops on the keyboard. Something named Club Groove in this instance. They all sound cheesy and dumb but running it through the same guitar effects chain fixed that problem. The end result is an instrumental old-school industrial song reminiscent of Throbbing Gristle or early Cabaret Voltaire in all its cheap and abrasive glory.
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This experiment reminded me why I don’t play more keyboards. As a lead instrument, I don’t find a keyboard synth to be nearly as satisfying as an electric guitar when it comes to artistic self-expression. I did prefer composing music on a keyboard rather than a guitar, although I now mostly compose in LMMS on a desktop computer. That said, this piece was fun to compose on the spot and record in one take. The sum is greater than its parts with the mood it creates through sheer minimalism. Listening to it truly does make me feel like we’re living in a Casio keyboard hell.
If you have a wild musical created with a cheap department store keyboard, be sure to message me or tag me on social media because I’d like to hear it.