Crafting Soundscapes: Ryuichi Sakamoto's Synthesizer Artistry

Last year, the Japanese monthly magazine "Eureka" published a special edition featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto. Various contributors provided essays on him, covering a wide range of topics that made for an exceptionally engaging read. When I revisited the issue recently, what particularly caught my attention was an examination of the synthesizers he had used over the years. Cross-referencing with other sources, it became clear that he had purchased a Fairlight CMI Series II in early 1984, right after YMO disbanded. Utilizing this synthesizer, he swiftly completed the album "Illustrated Musical Encyclopedia," which he had been working on intermittently for some time. It was also evident that he acquired a Fairlight CMI Series III in mid-1986, either shortly after or during his nationwide tour following the release of the album "Futurista." I suspect that he accepted the commission to create the soundtrack for the anime film "Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise" because he thought it provided an excellent opportunity to fully utilize the features of the Series III.

Incidentally, for the "Royal Space Force" soundtrack, he composed four pieces named Prototype 1, 2, 3, and 4, which were released prior to the film's premiere in March 1987. Prototype 1 was the main theme, Prototype 2 was the heroine's theme, Prototype 3 depicted the protagonist's idle days and mystical experiences in space, and Prototype 4 was the anthem of the Royal Space Force, sung by Sakamoto himself. Based on these four pieces, two other musicians arranged and composed additional music for various sequences in the film. Another musician also participated, but I understand that the pieces he composed were entirely new and not based on Prototypes 1-4.

In the attached video, he is operating a Fairlight CMI Series II. This footage was filmed in 1984. 

Incidentally, both models were prohibitively expensive for individual purchasing. The Series 3, for instance, cost around £65,000.