How to Play Kraftwerk Europe Endless Tutorial

I have gotten several requests for a video for this song. This is a simple demonstration version. It isn't intended to be an exact reproduction of the original recording. Hopefully it will be useful for someone learning this classic tune.

The original is fairly long with a lot of subtlety and several parts. This version concentrates on the main melodies near the beginning of the song. Use it as a starting point for your own creativity.

Tempo is 110 bpm. All synth sounds are original patches I made on the Fantom. There are several patches layered and split across the keyboard. Drums are from the preset 808 909 kit. I used my microkorg for the vocoder parts. Then sampled it and triggered the samples from the pads of the Fantom.

Here are some details for each part:

Intro and continuing arpeggio:
I only play this briefly at the start, then switch it to the sequencer. You basically outline the notes of the G major chord across octaves. Later, it plays the same pattern transposed to B major. There is a heavy delay effect on the sound.

Intro:
Left hand: GDBGBG
Right hand (one octave higher): DBGB

When it switches to B:
Left hand: BF#D#BD#B
Right hand: F#D#BD#

Bass line:
Very simple, just rocking between notes an octave apart with the left hand. First on G, then switch to B. Periodically strike the upper notes twice. I do this when I feel like it, which doesn't necessarily correspond with the original recording.

First melody (notes in parenthesis are played at the same time):
With G bass:
DG EA GDGDG EA
D(GB) E(AC) (GB)D(GB)D(GB) E(AC)

With B bass:
F#B G#C# BF#BF#B G#C#
F#(BD#) G#(C#E) (BD#)F#(BD#)F#(BD#) G#(C#E)

Second melody (traveling down the keyboard):
BGED ABCB GAG ED

Enjoy!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Polaroids of the Pyramids
• Kraftwerk
• Europe Endless
• Tutorial
• Synthesizer
• Roland
• Fantom
• Electronic
• Music

[PickledYoshi]

Almost correct.

[PolaroidsPyramids]

@PickledYoshi - Please elaborate - I'd love to know where it's wrong. Thanks!

[PickledYoshi]

@PolaroidsPyramids In the arpeggio sequence you add in notes which aren't there, I assume you misinterpreted the echoes.

[PolaroidsPyramids]

@PickledYoshi I figured it was the arpeggio - that was pretty challenging to figure out and I wasn't totally confident in my interpretation. It's a simple riff, but the heavy delay does make it confusing to determine what the base sequence is. If you would be kind enough to reply with the correct notes I would definitely appreciate it and I'm sure viewers of this video would like to know as well. Cheers!

[PolaroidsPyramids]

@Everyone -  I've been listening closely to the arpeggio and still agree with PickledYoshi that I probably added an extra note or two that's actually an echo in the original. I think I may have put an extra "B" in there. However, unless one can exactly duplicate the delay Kraftwerk used in the original, it really doesn't seem to matter to me whether it's played manually or an echo. Like I said in the descripition, this isn't suposed to be an exact replication, but a simple version for fun.

[keepitacrime]

is their like a looper or sequencer or something built into that keyboard? can i do this same thing with a juno 106 and a software sequencer?

[PolaroidsPyramids]

The Fantom is a powerful workstation with a sequencer. At 0:08 I hit the button to start the sequencer to play the arpeggio. The drums are also sequenced. There are a variety of sounds layered and split across the keyboard. A Juno 106 is monotimbral it can only play one sound at a time. You can sequence it through midi and play along with the sequence, but every part will be the same sound - whatever patch you have called up on the keyboard. I hope that helps!

[mrnickb]

you are the man

[ohwicked69]

Very cool. I'd never heard this until I watched Misfits in the UK. Now I'm hooked.

[Alex32114]

Офигенно!Чувак жжёт!

[Sobtanian]

Beauty!

[dwtime]

@PolaroidsPyramids Excellent I really enjoyed this. I don't play the synth and sound wise I prefer the old analog synths but this was really good. Thanks for posting!

[molowytch]

muito, mas muito legal mesmo!!! só faz isso quem realmente gosta de KW...

[MrTamiya89]

amazing sounds

[djnur]

muchas gracias por compartir esto con los que no savemos mucho de solfeo. ¡¡¡como siempre 5 estrellas!!! sigue así.