Keyboard Magazine - March 2008 - (Page 24) BACK TO THE FUTURE What synth sound were you using? I was playing the Zen Riffer at rehearsal and John Petrucci was there saying, “The sound of the thing is amazing!” Of course we all know, being in keyboard world, that the Zen Riffer is the controller. Most people can’t separate — or there’s no reason to separate in their minds — the sound from the controller. But the reality of course is the Zen Riffer makes no sound of its own and I’m using my synthesizers to create the patches. The sound that I’m using is actually the Roland V-Synth XT. I love that instrument. As a matter of fact, what’s really funny is that when I play the Continuum, I also use the Jordan wails on his customized Zen Riffer. Roland V-Synth. I actually use the same sound, though it plays a little bit differently, of course from the different metal worker named Eric Laxman to come and take a controllers. I don’t even think the guys in the band look at it. He built some beautiful railings and we realize it’s literally the same patch. They see me playhad him build one for us. But, in discovering more ing the Continuum with a sound and then see me and more about him, it turns out that Eric is a real playing the Zen Riffer using that same sound, while metal artist. We went to his studio one day and he controlling it differently — but it really is the exact had all these amazing sculptures he built. Danielle same thing. said to me, “What about having him create a hand to Is that signature sound based on a V-Synth preset, or is hold up your keyboard?” and I thought, “We could it something you built completely on your own? have it rotate!” So Eric and I started talking and he It’s something that I concocted from the ground up. got really excited about it. It was a very unusual It started with a whole series of sounds I made. The project for him because he’s never done anything in V-Synth has standard waveforms in there, but in the music business. addition to ones like sawtooth and triangle, you’ve Of course I had had this rotating stand technology got something called the feedback oscillator and before. My friend from Holland, Patrick Slaats, had that just opens up this amazing world of possibilities built a few rotating stands for me. But now Eric was when it comes to creating leads, because you can going to build this incredible hand, so really the two assign a particular controller to actually change the technologies together create what’s onstage together. depth and the point of the feedback oscillator — you Eric basically took the hand and modified Patrick’s can change the pitch of it and how deep the sound is stand a little bit so they would work together and going. So on the Continuum, I’ll take the front to rotate. I’m really happy with it because it turned out back motion and I’ll assign it to a control number, so well and everybody’s digging it. It’s definitely the and that will be the feedback oscillator. For the Zen best stand I’ve ever had. Riffer, I assign the mod wheel to a controller Both the Zen Riffer and the stand add a cool visual that’s the feedback oscillator pitch and depth. So aspect to your performance, yet there are many keythat — in combination with another oscillator boardists who don’t seem to consider appearance to be doing the fundamentals and actually being able to a particularly important part of the gig. bring the feedback in and have the fundamentals Our band is very interested in the bigger picture prodisappear a little bit — creates a world of Hendrixduction. That of course includes all the stuff we y coolness. Actually, the sound of the Zen Riffer, show on the screen and stage props. We’re very conmy tech, Robert Dorion, renamed that particular scious of the way we look and the way the show is patch “Zendrix.” set up. Over the years, I’ve gotten into having a You cover a wide range of notes on the Zen Riffer, even visual presence as well as, of course, a musical presthough it’s a pretty small keyboard. How does the ence. To me, it’s the whole thing. The look of my octave shifting work? keyboards, the look of my stands, the look of the Basically on the instrument where you can’t see screens — those are all elements. More and more in there’s two buttons — one up, one down — so I can the world that we’re in, that type of presentation is reach the full range of the synthesizer. becoming important because it’s all about multiYou have a new keyboard stand, a rotating metal hand media nowadays, anyway. If a keyboardist can be a that holds up your instruments. Can you tell me the modern performer, have a bigger picture of him or story behind that? herself, and get an image together, it can be a powerThis is really a fun thing. [My wife Danielle and I] ful thing. It also turns out to be more fun than just were doing some remodeling in our house and lookplaying, and it’s a good time. I’m lucky to have had ing for someone to build a nice railing for our stairthe opportunity to play with these types of things case. We had checked out all the commercial-type and to have people build me cool stands. After so products and we didn’t want to go the general route, many years of doing what I do, I view it all as a big so we found a designer who recommended this blessing that I can have this kind of fun. SELECTED WORKS OF JORDAN RUDESS Solo The Road Home (Magna Carta) Rhythm of Time (Magna Carta) 4NYC (Magna Carta) Feeding the Wheel (Magna Carta) With Dream Theater Systematic Chaos (Roadrunner) DVD and CD: Score (Rhino) Octavarium (Atlantic) Train of Thought (Elektra) Book Total Keyboard Wizardry (Cherry Lane Music) 24 keyboard 03-2008 Photo by Paul Undersinger | paulworks.com
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