Comments: 1

• Larry Broen from Houston, TexasThis is s fantastic song that features perhaps the best ever example of the double pronged attack of a Fender Rhodes electric piano paired with a Minimoog lead sound. It is also perhaps the best ever example of the power and beauty of the Rhodes. It features the sweet, beautiful bell like, surreal sound of the Rhodes, especially in the higher register. The piano must be adjusted and also amplified correctly to get that sound at its best. The Rhodes has a weak, anemic, unpowered output signal. The amplification system needs to receive this signal with the correct impedance. If the impedance match is not right between the piano and the amp, the sound is muddy and anemic. The amp also needs to put a high gain on the signal, but low noise. Get it right and the sound is glorious, as it is on this song. More than any other, this is "The Rhodes Sound." The performance also features the famous Rhodes "bark," that is available on a well adjusted Rhodes when it is played hard. If you play a normal piano hard it gets louder. On a Rhodes, it doesn't get louder but instead it distorts and gets "meaner," popular thought of as barking at you. That capability is used in this song to get an iconic signature riff, which also may be the best ever example of this bark. The bass range of the piano is also used to great effect. After the second line in verse two "we've got the whole thing workin' out so right..." Michael Omartian does a descending lick that starts high and ends with a low chord. The sound on that low chord is another signature Rhodes sound, it's low, smooth, round, resonant, and sweet. That requires a Rhodes that is really in tune. This is a glorious Rhodes performance and piano and recording that is firing on all cylinders. On top of all that is one of the best Minimoog lead sounds on record. It sounds something like a trumpet.
  
  Michael Omartian had a long and successful career as a keyboardist and producer, but he may be best known as the producer of Christopher Cross' phenomenal first album. That album is largely piano driven, courtesy of Omartian, Cross doesn't play piano. Omartian came from the contemporary Christian music world and continued to participate in that throughout his career. He is associated with another superstar producer from that world that did not become a household name, Brown Bannister (no relation). Brown is best known for producing Amy Grant's first few albums, when she was Christian, before she crossed over to secular.

see more comments