3 Songs That Used the Fairlight CMI: The DAW That Helped Compose the 80s’ Most Dynamic Tracks
The article highlights three 1980s songs that used the Fairlight CMI, an early digital audio workstation and sampling instrument that helped shape the decade’s distinctive sound.
– “Shout” by Tears for Fears used the Fairlight’s ARR 1 vocal patch alongside a Yamaha DX7 and LinnDrum.
– Kate Bush used the Fairlight on “The Dreaming”, a song about Aboriginal Australians’ struggle to protect land from uranium mining.
– Art of Noise used the ARR 1 patch on “Moments In Love”, which has since been sampled by artists including Drake and Charli XCX.
- Fairlight CMI helped define 1980s production.
- Tears for Fears used it on “Shout”.
- Kate Bush and Art of Noise also adopted it.