Oberheim OB-8: 20 Iconic Riffs You Know — But Didn’t Realise Were Oberheim! - Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore

Send us Fan Mail

Twenty famous riffs and keyboard parts from Prince, Van Halen, Rush, Eurythmics and more, recreated on an original Oberheim OB-8. Andy also explores the history of the OB-X, OB-Xa, OB-SX, OB-8 and modern OB-X8.

In this episode of Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore, I recreate 20 famous riffs and keyboard parts using my original vintage Oberheim OB-8.

You’ll recognise many of these songs immediately—but you may not realise how many classic recordings featured an Oberheim synthesizer or a sound from the same family.

Although the episode contains 20 tracks, many of the recreations are constructed from several separate sounds and performances, including pads, brass stabs, bass lines, strings, sequences and filter sweeps.

Some of these sounds took several hours to program, and the complete video and podcast project took around five days to assemble.

Every sound in the episode was recreated on an original Oberheim OB-8. However, not every record was originally made using that exact model. Some featured the earlier OB-X or OB-Xa, while others belong more broadly to the classic Oberheim sonic family.

The episode concludes with the history of the OB series and a closer look at the OB-8’s most important relatives:

1979 — Oberheim OB-X

The predecessor to the OB-Xa and OB-8. Its more discrete, SEM-influenced architecture can give it a rawer, wider and slightly more unpredictable character.

1980 — Oberheim OB-Xa

The closest and most significant relative of the OB-8. It replaced the OB-X, used Curtis chips and provided switchable 12-decibel and 24-decibel low-pass filtering.

1980 — Oberheim OB-SX

A more preset-based OB-family instrument. It was less programmable than the OB-Xa or OB-8 but still belonged to the same era and sonic world.

1983 — Oberheim OB-8

The instrument featured throughout this episode. It is renowned for its enormous brass sounds, wide pads, splits, unison mode, stereo spread and polished early-80s Oberheim character.

2022 — Oberheim OB-X8

A modern Oberheim that brings together elements of the OB-X, OB-SX, OB-Xa and OB-8, including voice, filter and envelope characteristics inspired by the original instruments.

FEATURED TRACKS