Always been a fan of Vangelis. Have you heard The City? It's pretty amazing I feel. And of course then there's Oceanic and Direct is a great one too. I also own Spiral on vinyl - I love "To the Unknown Man". You should also check out Heaven and Hell (was used as the theme music to Carl Sagan's Cosmos) and Les Apocalypse des Animaux for really relaxing ambient music.

Edit: I see Synthgirl has already put you on to Heaven and Hell. GMTA! Albedo is a good shout too. Apart from great music you also get interesting information about this ball of rock we live on. :)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vc88E6j4qE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF_xSWzpcRY&t=2165s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNTaFnzFABU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9QHqpdczH0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D97GVvAd5Nw

Synthgirl, I won't insult you by asking if you've heard Marillion and Pendragon, but try this Genesis-sounding newer band. Also, if you like 70s Genesis you should check out Big Big Train.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTbTLXPLPww


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czgRIvcnTeE

Don't sweat it! I'm familiar with Marillion (I only really know the Fish era) and Pendragon and Big Big Train are definitely names that have come up a few times in my journey, I will check them out. Thanks!

I have an issue with Fish in that he seemed to be trying too hard to be Peter Gabriel a lot of the time.

I VERY HIGHLY recommend the first Hogarth album "Season's End". Bloody brilliant disc.

Speaking of synths, I couldn't stop laughing over this.

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...uA&oe=63BB5B5E

Great picks. Analog synths really are something special, especially Moogs and ARPs.

Loving your affinity for retro synths! I've built a substantial library of early synth and Moog-craze LPs, both the good and the awesomely bad. While I generally gravitate toward veteran and pioneering recordings like Raymond Scott and others, I also have a fondness for the novelty fringes of the synth scene.

For a contemporary take on vintage synths, shall I presume you're familiar with the Moog Cookbook? Formed in 1995 by keyboardists Roger Manning and Brian Kehew, the band both parodied and paid tribute to the novelty "Moogspoitation" music of the late '60s and early '70s. The resulting covers are hilarious. Here are a few silly faves I taped off my college radio station in the 90s:

Offspring - "Come Out and Play"


Green Day - "Basket Case"


Lenny Kravitz - "Are You Gonna Go My Way"

The Moog Cookbook are fantastic. Their cover of Hotel California made me bust a gut laughing when I first heard it.

Have you used any VST synths? If so, got any rec's for good free one?

I'm not big on VSTs honestly. For synth tones I've always used hardware because I like the tactile feeling and mapping MIDI controllers is a pain, plus I like playing live.

Long ago I used to use a bunch of free VSTs for non-synth instruments like Hammond, Rhodes, etc., but any I could recommend would be over a decade old and probably not compatible with the fancy new 64 bit DAWs.

I'm looking for some decent synth strings in a VST for home recording. There's quite a few out there.

Interesting list. Have you ever heard anything by Audience (late 60s-early 70s, when it was "art rock", rather than "prog").They were led by Howard Werth, who, as the 70s wore on, gravitated more toward straight rock and roll with an alternative/indie edge.