On The Run & FM Synthesys

Hello Rackheadz!
I need a little help from more experienced people! I am literally obsessed with the iconic sequence “On The Run” by Pink Floyd (The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973. If you don’t know this LP I wonder where have you been living so far… Seriously)

I am trying to make it in VCV, this time with some FM synthesys but the result sucks big time. I am pretty sure the oscilators are set up right but still I can’t get even close to the sound from the original masterpiece.

This is driving me crazy like hell! Someone do have a suggestion? Please, not a ready-made patch… Just suggestions where to go or what I did wrong!

Thanks in advance! :slight_smile:

It’s hard to suggest what is wrong without seeing what you’ve done.

On The Run has been tackled at least a couple of times in Rack. A search of the Facebook group should give some results.

Here’s one, the description has a link to patchstorage

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Check out:

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edit: NO FM USED IN THIS PATCH :frowning: sorry

I’ve always loved to recreate “On The Run” from Pink Floyd, using different synths and DAWs over the years. I just love jumping back to that song every now and then. Obviously, since I’ve become a VCV addict from the first time I used it, I had to recreate it in Rack too. So I streamed a patch on twitch a couple months ago.

So here’s my patch that I am more than happy to share with you.

It consist of:

  • the arp sequence.
  • the fast “hi-hat” sequence (but I am not quite satisfy, but it’s close enough).
  • the planes fly-by. (work in progress)
  • and someone running in the airport I didn’t added (yet) the loudspeakers airport announcer. Personally I think it needs a lot more work. But maybe overall it’s still pretty descent. Anyway you be the judge.

To play this patch you will need (all free plugins):

Impromptu dBiz mscHack AS Fundamental Suinky Labs Nohmad NYSTHI Audible Instrument Submarine (free) 21kHz Frozen Wasteland Valley

Pink_Floyd_on_the_run_jaynothin_01.vcv (105.5 KB)

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@SkwareUawe I worked on this a bit. I will share the patch if you want. It’s got some of the effects pretty accurate. I need to open this back up and do a youtube video showing what knobs to move. :wink:

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Here is the vcv rack file. I hope it helps.

https://patchstorage.com/on-the-run-05/

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I feel so funny. In the rush of writing down everything, I totally forgot the most important part that is the patch. DOH!

Ok, here it is: ----> On The Run WIP ver 6.0a

The concept is that I would like to keep it as simple as possible AND to duplicate the amazing sounds. I think I am digging thru with the FM synthesis… But I think the way is still long ahead.

I haven’t played the other rackheadz patches so far, and I mean @johnhoar @jaynothin and @veryfungi but I am about to download them and hear how they sound.

Sorry again for not having put the patch before, I totally forgot it.

All help are absolutely valuable! Thank so very much!

I have found out these cool videos about how to remake the sequence, I think they are really interesting, don’t you?

Wow! Did you even made the footsteps?? Dude, who the hell are you, David Gilmour himself??? I’m going to study your patch quite in deep!

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Yeah footsteps are in there. They are a little low, you might want to up the level a bit. That’s track 6 and 7 on the mscHack mixer.

I’m no Gilmore LOL, and as a matter of fact, on some documentary about Dark Side Of The Moon, David Gilmour shows how it was made, but it is WRONG, he doesn’t play the notes right. Anyway, I think he also said that it was “something like this” so not exactly as it was.

You can also turn up the FREQ CV of the 3 VCF on row 2 in the middle so when the plane is heard there is modulation going on like on the album.

I did this patch from my head. If I had listen to the song at the same time, I would have made it differently I guess.

I’m listening to it now, and it’s really nice just to let it play :smiley: . Man do I love this piece from Pink Floyd. :slight_smile: I think I’m gonna work on it some more and change some modules so it has an even “bigger” sound.

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I think I will be working on the spoken parts… you know, extracting them, cleaning and sampling. Just to use them adn add that touch of realism! Hehehe… It would be a huge work I guess, to clean the voices, tho! But it would be fun!

I am tweaking a little your patch but it’s really amazing the way it is! Thanks for sharing!

Hello! I tried to put the “heartbeat” in your patch. Literally! :wink: Nothing fancy, just the Trummor with some echo to give the extrasistolic touch. What is “On The Run” without the heartbeat, after all? :smiley: :new_moon::heartpulse:PINK_FLOYD_ON_THE_RUN.zip (5.8 KB)

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Nice addition :+1:

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