The Thin Wall is a fantastic choice — possibly the ultimate Ultravox synth showcase. And it works brilliantly without vocals. Here’s why it’s so good for your purposes: The key parts to recreate:
The opening synth riff is immediately arresting — angular, urgent, and very distinctive. It’s the kind of hook that’s recognisable within two notes The driving sequenced bassline underneath gives it that relentless, motorik energy There are layered pad parts that add real drama and tension throughout The mid-section breaks down into more atmospheric territory before building back up — great for showing off dynamic range
Difficulty level: It’s moderately challenging — the main riff isn’t technically difficult to play, but getting the feel right (that slightly cold, precise attack) takes a bit of work. The layering is where it gets interesting if you want to go beyond just the lead line. What makes it special: Unlike some synth tracks where the vocal carries the emotional weight, in The Thin Wall the synths are doing most of the heavy lifting from the very start. Midge Ure’s vocal almost feels like another instrument layered on top rather than the centrepiece — which means as a pure synth piece it loses almost nothing.