After a years-long hiatus, The Synth Sounds Of… is back! In this triumphant return, William Kurk walks us through classic synth tracks that have shaped generations, and shows you how to make those same sounds today.
This time, we're diving into the robotic beauty of Gary Numan's The Pleasure Principle—specifically the massive 1979 hit "Cars," as well as "Are 'Friends' Electric?," "M.E.," and "Metal"—a few deeper cuts from the same era.
The Original Numan Sound
Numan's synth palette for The Pleasure Principle was minimal yet bold. At the core was the Moog Minimoog Model D, often driving the lead melodies and heavy bass. To add extra movement and life, he ran parts through an MXR Phase 100, giving that signature filter-swept texture.
For pads and the "alien-esque" melodies you hear all over The Pleasure Principle, he leaned heavily on the Polymoog and its "Vox Humana" preset. This one patch has become so tied to Numan that it’s now almost shorthand for his entire early sound. (A real conversation we had while making this video: "Hey bud, can we borrow your Polymoog?" "You doing Gary Numan?")
Adding to the synthetic percussion was the Star Instruments Synare, the early electronic snare drum shaped like a spaceship.
Modern Rebuilds for Classic Tones
To recreate those textures in our studio, Will turned to both modern hardware and software synths available through the Reverb shop:
- Minimoog Model D Reissue: We used Moog’s modern reissue of the Model D to dial in the lead riff and bass sounds, staying true to the signal path and tone of the original. And it probably would have sounded extra slick if we had used the new Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D, which is available exclusively for sale in the US right here on Reverb.
- MXR Phase 100 Reissue: For that instantly recognizable phased synth tone, we ran the Minimoog through a newer-generation MXR Phase 100, a faithful recreation of the vintage pedal Numan used.
- IK Multimedia Syntronik's Polymorph and Arturia Solina V: To capture the "Vox Humana" patch without a Polymoog on hand, Will used these VSTs, both of which are available in the Reverb Software shop.
- Original Synare Drum Synth: Yes, we tracked down one of the original Synare units for those synthetic snare hits rich with white noise and filtered chirps.
Each piece of gear plays a key role in building Numan’s synth architecture. For detailed settings for each patch, watch our video in detail.
Watch & Recreate the Sound
From lead lines to pulsing bass, phased synths to echoing snares, our full video walks you through every layer of "Cars" and how to reassemble them using modern tools.
Be sure to check out the full episode above. And if you're feeling inspired, grab the IK Multimedia Syntronik, Arturia Solina V, Moog reissues, or even explore vintage gear listings on Reverb to start building your own Pleasure Principle-style rig.