Front 242
Front 242's Gear
According to their official site, Front242 performs live using a Juno-D synthesizer.
On Front 242's website, under the "Gear" tab, they list the "edirol v4 for video".
Front 242 utilizes the Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer during their live performances, as evidenced by a photo from the Amphi Festival 2014 on Wikimedia Commons.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
Per "Rock This Town" publication, special issue 1991:
In 1991, the setup was as follows: [Rock This Town special issue 1991]
Sound studio: Analog Synths: Roland System 100/100M/101 (+Roland Midi interface MPU-101);YAMAHA CS-40M (in the Take One video); Oberheim Matrix 1000; Digital Synths: Yamaha DX-7 (2); Ensonic VFX; Roland DDR30; Yamaha tg77; Korg Wavestation; Sequencer: Atari 1040 (Sequ. Cubase 2.0); Samplers: AkaiS9000 (2); AkaiS1000 (8Mg + Hard Drive Mfile 44); AkaiS1000PB (4Mg); Emulator II; akai 1100, e-mu Procussion, roland s-10 for live use @ the mixing desk; Effects: Lexicon 480L; Yamaha SPX90 II (2); Roland SRV-2000; Roland SDE-3000; Alesis Midiverb II; Alesis Quadraverb; ART DRX; spx 1000 (x2); Eventide h3000 se; Mixing: Table TAC Scorpion 32/16; Recorder TASCAM MS16 tracks; Recorder DAT Luxman; Speakers Yamaha NS 10M pro ATC SCM50; QUAD ampli (for NS-10M); Diverse: compressor/limiter, noise gate, parametric eq. Live: Backline: Akai S9000; Roland DDR30; Simons & Roland Pads; Emulator II; TASCAM238 8
Graphic Studio: Commodore Amiga 2500 (6Mg + Hard Drive 40Mg); Commodore Amiga 500; Digitizer SNAPSHOT; Camera Sony CCD V-200E; Laserprint NEC Silentwriter LC890; Monitor NEC Multisync 2A.
In an undated interview with Steelberry Clones, Daniel B. of Front 242 discussed his progression in music tech over the years:
According to Daniel – they wanted to maximize the experience, and be analog as far as they could. Together the trio has a huge set of gear and as Daniel puts it: “Why not use them?”. So apart from the song “Brush”, which was not analog at all, actually it is not even synths – Brush was more about looping in a delay, Nothing But Noise features synths like the Virus Polar and the Juno 16 a lot. Although he let us know that on future releases it will be a more mixed environment. “We are always working on new stuff”, says Daniel – meaning that we can expect more Nothing But Noise productions going forward.
note: the only "Polar" Virus Access ever released was the Ti2 model.
In an undated interview with Steelberry Clones, Daniel B. of Front 242 discussed his progression in music tech over the years:
Note: the article cites a "Juno 16" which is not a product name Roland has ever used. It's a typo, as evidenced by the fact that Daniel B. lists a Juno 106 (a synth that does actually exist) among the gear he uses in side project Nothing But Noise
According to Daniel – they wanted to maximize the experience, and be analog as far as they could. Together the trio has a huge set of gear and as Daniel puts it: “Why not use them?”. So apart from the song “Brush”, which was not analog at all, actually it is not even synths – Brush was more about looping in a delay, Nothing But Noise features synths like the Virus Polar and the Juno 16 a lot. Although he let us know that on future releases it will be a more mixed environment. “We are always working on new stuff”, says Daniel – meaning that we can expect more Nothing But Noise productions going forward.
Per this feature from gearnews.de dated May 04, 2021:
Centrally on the geography album are synthesizers such as Roland's System 100 and 100m, Yamaha's CS synthesizer (CS-40M, CS-15). The "Operating Tracks" bass from the Moog Source can also be heard.
Per this feature from gearnews.de dated May 04, 2021:
Centrally on the geography album are synthesizers such as Roland's System 100 and 100m, Yamaha's CS synthesizer (CS-40M, CS-15). The "Operating Tracks" bass from the Moog Source can also be heard.
Per this gearnews.de feature, dated May 04, 2021:
(translated to English from its original German)
"Don't Crash" is released and the "No Comment" album, which stands for the early EBM sound like hardly any other. This was also due to the change of instruments. After an apparently short interlude with a PPG wave, there was now one thing above all else: sampling and dynamic FM sounds. This will accompany us very strongly here. Hundreds of imitators did the same.
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
Live concerts of Front 242 are very different from other bands of the time, because the member Daniel B (ressanutti) always stays off stage behind the desk and had devices for multitrack recordings, Mac, TG-77 and emu samplers on board and later rather small take-away synths, such as the MFB Synth II or the Korg R3, to He is not only the producer, but a member.
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
Now a more technological phase begins and there are several interesting mixes with strong use of the TR-909. The nineties are almost at the end and Front by Front has long been recorded. Their sound with the "emulator" as the center was still considered THE appearance. In the phase after that, the emulator disappeared. A Nord Lead is spotted on stage but also a Korg M1 or a Korg Z1
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
Now a more technological phase begins and there are several interesting mixes with strong use of the TR-909. The nineties are almost at the end and Front by Front has long been recorded. Their sound with the "emulator" as the center was still considered THE appearance. In the phase after that, the emulator disappeared. A Nord Lead is spotted on stage but also a Korg M1 or a Korg Z1
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
Now a more technological phase begins and there are several interesting mixes with strong use of the TR-909. The nineties are almost at the end and Front by Front has long been recorded. Their sound with the "emulator" as the center was still considered THE appearance. In the phase after that, the emulator disappeared. A Nord Lead is spotted on stage but also a Korg M1 or a Korg Z1
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
Now a more technological phase begins and there are several interesting mixes with strong use of the TR-909. The nineties are almost at the end and Front by Front has long been recorded. Their sound with the "emulator" as the center was still considered THE appearance. In the phase after that, the emulator disappeared. A Nord Lead is spotted on stage but also a Korg M1 or a Korg Z1
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
There is a photo of the clear studio from that time in the transition to the two absolutely different-floating-sounding albums (Evil) Off or (Fuck) up evil. There is a Korg Z1 perched and the 2003 album Pulse is released. The Nord Modular & G2 series is clearly involved here. There are some contemporaries in the studio.
Per this May 04, 2021 feature from gearnews.de:
There is a photo of the clear studio from that time in the transition to the two absolutely different-floating-sounding albums (Evil) Off or (Fuck) up evil. There is a Korg Z1 perched and the 2003 album Pulse is released. The Nord Modular & G2 series is clearly involved here. There are some contemporaries in the studio.
Per this gearnews.de feature from May 04, 2021:
(translated to English from its original German)
The one central synthesizer is a Roland FA-06 Universal Rampler Synth that can technically perform all emulator tasks. A computer with a DAW and the rather unprofiled Roland Gaia form today's set together with the Korg R3, which Daniel B. has with him at the desk. It is almost obvious that the Roland Gear could be an endorsement.
Per the liner notes of Front 242's 2003 album Pulse:
Some of the tools used: Clavia Nordlead 2, NordModular, Ddrum4, Korg Z1, Lassence Ventury II, Roland System 100, Vdrum, JD990, Yamaha VL1, Sherman filterbank, Roland Rss, Line 6 EchoPro, Ableton live and Mac computers
Per the liner notes of Front 242's 2003 album Pulse:
Some of the tools used: Clavia Nordlead 2, NordModular, Ddrum4, Korg Z1, Lassence Ventury II, Roland System 100, Vdrum, JD990, Yamaha VL1, Sherman filterbank, Roland Rss, Line 6 EchoPro, Ableton live and Mac computers
Note: the difference between the ddrum 4 and 4 SE is just an upgraded firmware. Ddrum 4 can be upgraded to 4 SE with a simple PROM chip upgrade... so I opted not to add the original ddrum 4 to the database.
Per the liner notes of Front 242's 2003 album Pulse:
Some of the tools used: Clavia Nordlead 2, NordModular, Ddrum4, Korg Z1, Lassence Ventury II, Roland System 100, Vdrum, JD990, Yamaha VL1, Sherman filterbank, Roland Rss, Line 6 EchoPro, Ableton live and Mac computers
Per the liner notes of Front 242's 2003 album Pulse:
Some of the tools used: Clavia Nordlead 2, NordModular, Ddrum4, Korg Z1, Lassence Ventury II, Roland System 100, Vdrum, JD990, Yamaha VL1, Sherman filterbank, Roland Rss, Line 6 EchoPro, Ableton live and Mac computers
Per the liner notes of Front 242's 2003 album Pulse:
Some of the tools used: Clavia Nordlead 2, NordModular, Ddrum4, Korg Z1, Lassence Ventury II, Roland System 100, Vdrum, JD990, Yamaha VL1, Sherman filterbank, Roland Rss, Line 6 EchoPro, Ableton live and Mac computers
This is a community-built gear list for Front 242.
- Find relevant music gear like Studio Equipment, Software Plugins and VSTs, Headphones, and other instruments and add it to Front 242.
- The best places to look for gear usage are typically on the artist's social media, YouTube, live performance images, and interviews.
- To receive email updates when Front 242 is seen with new gear, follow the artist.
Discography
Album Credits
-
Producer
-
Producer