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Below a really nice demo of one of the most exclusive new synthesizers on the market!
Most of us can just dream of this USD 20.000 monster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oImoScan6P8
If you dig the analog (mainly) polyphonic synthesizers of the 70s and 80s, do check out the other videos on the youtube channel of this guy - well produced, great audio and nice compositions in Vangelis/Jarre style. His studio is a veritable museum!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrFirechild/videos
Zeuhlmate
01-03-2017, 09:44 AM
Jean-Michaell Jarre in a box! :)
Jean-Michaell Jarre in a box! :)
...at about the same price as buying the man himself in a transport box :good
Soc Prof
01-07-2017, 11:16 PM
Sweet! But even if I had the money, I would be overwhelmed by that many knobs.
Rarebird
01-09-2017, 09:27 AM
There is no such thing as to many knobs on a synthesizer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBqNI2ePUuk
Look from 1:48
Rarebird
01-09-2017, 02:06 PM
Below a really nice demo of one of the most exclusive new synthesizers on the market!
Most of us can just dream of this USD 20.000 monster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oImoScan6P8
If you dig the analog (mainly) polyphonic synthesizers of the 70s and 80s, do check out the other videos on the youtube channel of this guy - well produced, great audio and nice compositions in Vangelis/Jarre style. His studio is a veritable museum!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrFirechild/videos
I really need to robb a bank.
I don't think I'll do. But if I had the money, I sure would be interested, supposing it is equiped with midi.
Soc Prof
01-11-2017, 12:05 AM
There is no such thing as to many knobs on a synthesizer:
Don't get me wrong--I love listening to knobby synths in the hands of a skilled programmer. I'm just not at that stage yet.
battema
01-11-2017, 08:29 AM
Is it actually in production yet? I've seen vids of this thing on the expo circuit for a few years but never actually come across one for sale.
If I *did* have that sort of disposable income though...honestly I'd probably just go for a genuine/restored Yamaha CS-80. I have the Arturia equivalent and it's peachy but not quite the same tactile experience.
Rarebird
01-11-2017, 08:40 AM
Don't get me wrong--I love listening to knobby synths in the hands of a skilled programmer. I'm just not at that stage yet.
Less knobs often mean more things to operate with one knob, making creating sounds more difficult. I rather have one knob for each function, so you can hear what each knob does.
Is it actually in production yet? I've seen vids of this thing on the expo circuit for a few years but never actually come across one for sale.
If I *did* have that sort of disposable income though...honestly I'd probably just go for a genuine/restored Yamaha CS-80. I have the Arturia equivalent and it's peachy but not quite the same tactile experience.
I'm not sure. This synth seems to have more possibilities.
I like the Arturia software, though nothing probably beats the real thing.
battema
01-11-2017, 09:31 AM
Less knobs often mean more things to operate with one knob, making creating sounds more difficult. I rather have one knob for each function, so you can hear what each knob does.
I'm not sure. This synth seems to have more possibilities.
I like the Arturia software, though nothing probably beats the real thing.
You're right, the Schmidt does have a far larger suite of possibilities.
The thing I'm really wanting at this point is less the engine than the tactile experience. I actually bought the tiny little Yamaha Reface CS and even with it's limited capabilities I find it much more intuitive/playable than the Arturia. I see the CS-80 with it's slew of sliders and that gorgeous little ribbon, and that distinct multifilter sound and....ooooooooh yeah :)
Rarebird
01-11-2017, 09:36 AM
You're right, the Schmidt does have a far larger suite of possibilities.
The thing I'm really wanting at this point is less the engine than the tactile experience. I actually bought the tiny little Yamaha Reface CS and even with it's limited capabilities I find it much more intuitive/playable than the Arturia. I see the CS-80 with it's slew of sliders and that gorgeous little ribbon, and that distinct multifilter sound and....ooooooooh yeah :)
In a way you are right, though with a midi-keyboard with knobs and sliders, you can program the Arturia software, to respond to those, which is quite easy. The experience is one thing, the space, hastle and money is something else.
battema
01-11-2017, 10:21 AM
I've yet to find a MIDI controller with enough sliders to accommodate the full set of controls...but that's just preference on my part. To each their own :up
I've yet to find a MIDI controller with enough sliders to accommodate the full set of controls...but that's just preference on my part. To each their own :up
Previously, I used the (discontinued) M-Audio Keystation 88-Pro, which has plenty of assignable knobs, buttons, sliders and pedal jacks. Now, my Prophet-12 doubles as an excellent MIDI controller :good
Rarebird
01-11-2017, 10:35 AM
I've yet to find a MIDI controller with enough sliders to accommodate the full set of controls...but that's just preference on my part. To each their own :up
Well, I don't think mine has, but well I have to work within the limitations I have. If I would have the money, of course I would love to have a real studio, with real instruments, preferably with midi, but since that is just a dream, I have to work within the limitations of the Arturia software and my midi-keyboard with 9 sliders and 24 knobs.
battema
01-11-2017, 11:13 AM
Of course, I do understand that. I'm simply being idealistic.
And that 88 Pro does look pretty swanky...the closest I've seen yet!
Rarebird
01-11-2017, 01:41 PM
Previously, I used the (discontinued) M-Audio Keystation 88-Pro, which has plenty of assignable knobs, buttons, sliders and pedal jacks. Now, my Prophet-12 doubles as an excellent MIDI controller :good
That's the one I have. Now, if it would have polyphonic aftertouch, it would be perfect.
battema
01-11-2017, 01:57 PM
I snagged one of these lovelies for the polyphonic aftertouch as well as general-purpose expressive whackness:
http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html
Took some time to get used to the layout (it is closer to a guitar fretboard than a piano), but once I got the hang of it, it's fantastically versatile. I actually use it mostly with the Arturia CS-80, with the Y-axis controlling the cutoff and a full 12 note bend range. It's not perfect but is damned cool.
Rarebird
01-11-2017, 02:37 PM
I snagged one of these lovelies for the polyphonic aftertouch as well as general-purpose expressive whackness:
http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html
Took some time to get used to the layout (it is closer to a guitar fretboard than a piano), but once I got the hang of it, it's fantastically versatile. I actually use it mostly with the Arturia CS-80, with the Y-axis controlling the cutoff and a full 12 note bend range. It's not perfect but is damned cool.
Interesting, but to expensive and I'm to much used to keyboards.
Saw this in some documentary on synthesizers. Alas to much house and dance orientated. When I heard Roger Linn on his invention, I thought, he should have been talking to Don Buchla https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Buchla https://buchla.com/history/
battema
01-11-2017, 02:51 PM
I'm guessing you mean the documentary "I Dream of Wires?" It definitely favors certain schools of thought above others, but I still enjoy it for what it is.
The Buchla devices are absolutely sublime, but exceptionally expensive even for individual components. I wanted that "west coast" synthesis mindset, but instead went with a series of Eurorack modules that do similar things but at a lesser cost. I'd love to own a genuine Buchla Music Easels but...$5k is just a little hard to justify.
I've exchanged a few emails with Roger Linn (mostly around the Linnstrument) and he's a great dude.
Soc Prof
01-12-2017, 12:04 AM
Less knobs often mean more things to operate with one knob, making creating sounds more difficult. I rather have one knob for each function, so you can hear what each knob does.
I would respectfully disagree. More knobs could also mean a lot more functions! I would love a real Minimoog instead of my Arturia software. It is (or nearly is) one knob per function, but is a simpler synth than the Schmidt. Hence, fewer knobs.
Rarebird
01-12-2017, 02:03 AM
I'm guessing you mean the documentary "I Dream of Wires?" It definitely favors certain schools of thought above others, but I still enjoy it for what it is.
The Buchla devices are absolutely sublime, but exceptionally expensive even for individual components. I wanted that "west coast" synthesis mindset, but instead went with a series of Eurorack modules that do similar things but at a lesser cost. I'd love to own a genuine Buchla Music Easels but...$5k is just a little hard to justify.
I've exchanged a few emails with Roger Linn (mostly around the Linnstrument) and he's a great dude.
No it was a Dutch documentary. It had some interesting stuff, like a bit of Rick Wakeman, but there was a whole lot more I missed.
I would respectfully disagree. More knobs could also mean a lot more functions! I would love a real Minimoog instead of my Arturia software. It is (or nearly is) one knob per function, but is a simpler synth than the Schmidt. Hence, fewer knobs.
But more functions is better, because it means more possibilities. And yes, a real Mini Moog would be better, though the Arturia software offers some extra possibilities, like polyphony and more ways to control the sound in real-time.
battema
01-12-2017, 06:42 AM
Amusingly enough, I have a Moog Voyager, along with the various CV breakout boxes to let it be semi-modular...and it still has a menu system to access certain types of modulation/routings :lol I know that wasn't the case with the "true" Mini. Even some of my Eurorack stuff (which is technically totally modular) has "hidden" modes that allow certain knobs or buttons to change their purpose.
I see both sides...having nearly everything as a tactile/dedicated physical control is wonderful. I've also really appreciated some of the more complex "outlier" possibilities that I could coax from these sorts of "under the hood" items, as well as the extended capabilities like polyphony in the Arturia software (I remember the first time I pulled up their Mini software and played a chord by accident, and did a total Keanu Reeves-style "whoa!").
From a 100% idealistic perspective (i.e. not arguing that manufacturers should do this, or anyone else would appreciate it), what I'd love would be more "USB dummy" controllers like what Korg did initially with their MS-20 emulation, by including an actual mini-sized physical device. It is such fun interacting with software yet still using patch cables :)
You shouldn't think that many knobs are daunting. Give yourself a month playing with it and you'll have it down.
progmatist
01-12-2017, 12:50 PM
^^Also, many of the knobs are duplicates. Any synth with 2 oscillators will have 1 set of knobs for 1 oscillator, and another identical set of knobs for the other oscillator which do exactly the same thing. Same thing for envelope and filter knobs. It's like looking at a 48 channel mixer. It looks very daunting until one considers there's only one narrow strip of knobs and switches. That strip merely repeats 48 times for each channel.
Rarebird
01-12-2017, 01:46 PM
^^Also, many of the knobs are duplicates. Any synth with 2 oscillators will have 1 set of knobs for 1 oscillator, and another identical set of knobs for the other oscillator which do exactly the same thing. Same thing for envelope and filter knobs. It's like looking at a 48 channel mixer. It looks very daunting until one considers there's only one narrow strip of knobs and switches. That strip merely repeats 48 times for each channel.
Yeah, so what? I want to control each oscilator, each enveloppe generator and each filter seperatly, just like I would do wich each channel of a mixer. All channels may be the same, but if I want to bring down the volume of one channel, I still need seperate knobs.
battema
01-12-2017, 02:10 PM
I have a Slim Phatty which recycles the knobs...it gets the job done, but it isn't my preference by any stretch. I also like being able to look across a synth surface and see how things are set (which is harder to do when a knob is recycled for multiple purposes).
So...I do prefer the dedicated knobs myself.
Rarebird
01-12-2017, 02:34 PM
I have a Slim Phatty which recycles the knobs...it gets the job done, but it isn't my preference by any stretch. I also like being able to look across a synth surface and see how things are set (which is harder to do when a knob is recycled for multiple purposes).
So...I do prefer the dedicated knobs myself.
I completly agree. My first synthesizer had one knob for each function and the latest one has something like 6 knobs for all functions. Things would be easier if I had an editor for it.
progmatist
01-13-2017, 12:06 PM
Yeah, so what? I want to control each oscilator, each enveloppe generator and each filter seperatly, just like I would do wich each channel of a mixer. All channels may be the same, but if I want to bring down the volume of one channel, I still need seperate knobs.
I'm speaking in terms of knowing what each control does. If one knows what the coarse tune knob on one oscillator does, one automatically knows what the coarse tune does on the other oscillator. They do the same thing. Likewise, if one knows what the midrange center frequency knob does on one channel of a mixer, one automatically knows what that knob does on the other 47 channels. If a mixer has 25 controls for each channel, times 48 channels, that's a total of 1,200 controls. But one doesn't have to learn what 1,200 distinct controls do, one only has to learn what 25 distinct controls do. Knowledge of those 25 controls transfers to the next channel over, and the next, and so on.
Rarebird
01-13-2017, 02:05 PM
I'm speaking in terms of knowing what each control does. If one knows what the coarse tune knob on one oscillator does, one automatically knows what the coarse tune does on the other oscillator. They do the same thing. Likewise, if one knows what the midrange center frequency knob does on one channel of a mixer, one automatically knows what that knob does on the other 47 channels. If a mixer has 25 controls for each channel, times 48 channels, that's a total of 1,200 controls. But one doesn't have to learn what 1,200 distinct controls do, one only has to learn what 25 distinct controls do. Knowledge of those 25 controls transfers to the next channel over, and the next, and so on.
Now I understand. It is just more knobs doesn't make it more complicated.
Gizmotron
01-13-2017, 05:34 PM
I snagged one of these lovelies for the polyphonic aftertouch as well as general-purpose expressive whackness:
http://www.rogerlinndesign.com/linnstrument.html
Took some time to get used to the layout (it is closer to a guitar fretboard than a piano), but once I got the hang of it, it's fantastically versatile. I actually use it mostly with the Arturia CS-80, with the Y-axis controlling the cutoff and a full 12 note bend range. It's not perfect but is damned cool.
Wow, that looks fascinating! I have a stack of stuff and try to keep up with new things but i missed this. I look forward to looking at the demos.
battema
01-13-2017, 08:11 PM
Wow, that looks fascinating! I have a stack of stuff and try to keep up with new things but i missed this. I look forward to looking at the demos.
I discovered it via an online article about new MPE (multidimensional polyphonic expression) controllers, and it was both one of the more affordable and also intriguing. I've only just scratched the surface of mine; for example, I've not nearly explored all the polyphonic aftertouch possibilities. But I loved that it pushed me out of my "comfort" zone and thinking about performing in a different manner.
He actually released a newer model that is smaller and less expensive...probably one of the easiest entry points into alternative MIDI/USB controllers on the market these days :up
Progbear
01-13-2017, 09:46 PM
Now I understand. It is just more knobs doesn't make it more complicated.
This German company once made a DX-Programmer for Yamaha’s DX-line of synths. It was basically just this big board full of knobs!
If I *did* have that sort of disposable income though...honestly I'd probably just go for a genuine/restored Yamaha CS-80. I have the Arturia equivalent and it's peachy but not quite the same tactile experience.
The CS-80 is probably the most beloved synth of its era, perhaps of all time. I still remember that Garth Hudson loved his so much he had it tricked out with a liquid cooling system (like gamers are fond of modding their PCs with these days) to make it more reliable and road-worthy.
Still, a little love for Korg’s patchbay-laden “space heater” synth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtuX_T79c5I
Rarebird
01-14-2017, 02:32 AM
This German company once made a DX-Programmer for Yamaha’s DX-line of synths. It was basically just this big board full of knobs!
The CS-80 is probably the most beloved synth of its era, perhaps of all time. I still remember that Garth Hudson loved his so much he had it tricked out with a liquid cooling system (like gamers are fond of modding their PCs with these days) to make it more reliable and road-worthy.
I think it was the smaller brother of the GX1 Keith Emerson used.
Still, a little love for Korg’s patchbay-laden “space heater” synth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtuX_T79c5I
Dorothea Raukes (Streetmark) used one. Her solo-album Deutsche Wertarbeit is just Korg.
Some CS-80 (and some other classic keys) from the same guy that made the demo of his new Schmidt...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1Z7Otu6kBA
battema
01-15-2017, 04:37 PM
Not gonna lie...pants go a little funny-feeling, seeing those synths in action.
Progbear
01-15-2017, 08:35 PM
Dorothea Raukes (Streetmark) used one. Her solo-album Deutsche Wertarbeit is just Korg.
The Japanese band Shingetsu used one on their 1979 debut LP. It gets a good workout on their album-opening epic “Oni”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRHzUH7WpGI
The biggest hit to feature the Korg was probably “I Go Crazy” by Paul Davis, it’s the source of the harp-like recurring hook in the chorus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THW-5OUTSt8
And the song also features CS-80 on the intro!
Rarebird
01-16-2017, 05:23 AM
I have a Contemporary Keyboard magazine from November 1979, which features Joe and Gino Vannelli on the front cover with some Korg polyfonic synthesizers on the background. I think I can also see a MS20 on top, but I'm not sure of that.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61BfCAk%2B-nL._SL1000_.jpg
Gizmotron
01-16-2017, 10:14 AM
I discovered it via an online article about new MPE (multidimensional polyphonic expression) controllers, and it was both one of the more affordable and also intriguing. I've only just scratched the surface of mine; for example, I've not nearly explored all the polyphonic aftertouch possibilities. But I loved that it pushed me out of my "comfort" zone and thinking about performing in a different manner.
He actually released a newer model that is smaller and less expensive...probably one of the easiest entry points into alternative MIDI/USB controllers on the market these days :up
I am saving up for the big one.
It would never replace my traditional keyboard controllers because of my classical repertoire. But for delivering realistic performances of strings and woodwinds, it would be the cat's meow. As well, any "synthy" sound would be great on it.
battema
01-17-2017, 08:24 AM
I am saving up for the big one.
It would never replace my traditional keyboard controllers because of my classical repertoire. But for delivering realistic performances of strings and woodwinds, it would be the cat's meow. As well, any "synthy" sound would be great on it.
Awesomesauce...I hope you're able to get one soon, and enjoy it as much as I have thus far :)
Zeuhlmate
01-17-2017, 08:59 AM
ELP's 'Pirates' on CS80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPdA3JnQRiU
The best CS-80 I know is Eddie Jobson on UK's first album.
Rarebird
01-17-2017, 09:11 AM
ELP's 'Pirates' on CS80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPdA3JnQRiU
The best CS-80 I know is Eddie Jobson on UK's first album.
I've read an interview in which he stated it was more trustworthy than the Prophet 5.
Zeuhlmate
01-17-2017, 09:16 AM
I've read an interview in which he stated it was more trustworthy than the Prophet 5.
At least it has fantastic sounds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxKVY7nJPJE
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 10:17 AM
Awesomesauce...I hope you're able to get one soon, and enjoy it as much as I have thus far :)
Thank you, John!
So what other boards/modules does the Battema battery include?
battema
01-17-2017, 10:37 AM
Thank you, John!
So what other boards/modules does the Battema battery include?
Me? Oh crap...let's see:
Hardware:
Alesis QS-8 (for my main piano/controller, although I sometimes use an onboard sound or two)
Roland XP-30, JV-880, U-220, MKS-50, Fantom X6
Korg MS2000 (also have a Karma gathering dust in a closet)
Moog Voyager plus various CV breakout boxes, with effects from Moogerfoogers Clusterflux, Ring Modulator, FreqBox, and Midi Murf. Plus Minifooger overdrive and delay.
Moog Minitaur
Moog Slim Phatty
Moog Werkstatt
Hammond XM-2
I also have various weirdo devices that I've picked up over the years like a Tocante Karper (killer for crazy drones), Bastl MicroGranny (pocket granular sampler), a Kaoscillator and a few of the Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators. Oh! And to try and get just a LITTLE of that CS-80 love I have the new Yamaha Reface CS :)
Finally, I have my beastly pride and joy: a Eurorack modular built around a MakeNoise B+G shared system. In truth, that's where I spent much of my time these days...just wiring various shiat up and seeing what comes out the other side. I'm fascinated by the possibilities, especially exploring stuff like what Subotnick did with the old Buchla systems.
Here are a couple of shots (the studio shot is a year old...I've just replaced the old mixer with a Presonus and retired the Roland U-20 after over 25 years of wonderful service :) ).
96059606
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 10:50 AM
Me? Oh crap...let's see:
Hardware:
Alesis QS-8 (for my main piano/controller, although I sometimes use an onboard sound or two)
Roland XP-30, JV-880, U-220, MKS-50, Fantom X6
Korg MS2000 (also have a Karma gathering dust in a closet)
Moog Voyager plus various CV breakout boxes, with effects from Moogerfoogers Clusterflux, Ring Modulator, FreqBox, and Midi Murf. Plus Minifooger overdrive and delay.
Moog Minitaur
Moog Slim Phatty
Moog Werkstatt
Hammond XM-2
I also have various weirdo devices that I've picked up over the years like a Tocante Karper (killer for crazy drones), Bastl MicroGranny (pocket granular sampler), a Kaoscillator and a few of the Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators. Oh! And to try and get just a LITTLE of that CS-80 love I have the new Yamaha Reface CS :)
Finally, I have my beastly pride and joy: a Eurorack modular built around a MakeNoise B+G shared system. In truth, that's where I spent much of my time these days...just wiring various shiat up and seeing what comes out the other side. I'm fascinated by the possibilities, especially exploring stuff like what Subotnick did with the old Buchla systems.
Here are a couple of shots (the studio shot is a year old...I've just replaced the old mixer with a Presonus and retired the Roland U-20 after over 25 years of wonderful service :) ).
96059606
Thank you for the list and the pics! It looks like a great collection and a very workable studio. You have a great Moog presence there! But the Karma just gathers dust? I really enjoy mine; I like the Karma features on it and my M3.
battema
01-17-2017, 11:01 AM
Thank you for the list and the pics! It looks like a great collection and a very workable studio. You have a great Moog presence there! But the Karma just gathers dust? I really enjoy mine; I like the Karma features on it and my M3.
The Karma is a great keyboard and I used it lots over the years. But, I also have a number of software synths (the V-Collection, Spectrasonics Omnisphere/Atmosphere, M-Tron, Dimension Pro, Rapture, some Native Instruments), and I gradually realized that I was getting the same sounds from the software devices, using the Karma less and less. So, to free up some space I decided to move that into the closet.
As far as spare bedroom studios go, I'm pretty happy with mine :)
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 11:21 AM
The Karma is a great keyboard and I used it lots over the years. But, I also have a number of software synths (the V-Collection, Spectrasonics Omnisphere/Atmosphere, M-Tron, Dimension Pro, Rapture, some Native Instruments), and I gradually realized that I was getting the same sounds from the software devices, using the Karma less and less. So, to free up some space I decided to move that into the closet.
As far as spare bedroom studios go, I'm pretty happy with mine :)
Gotcha. I have not dipped into the virtual side of things yet.
battema
01-17-2017, 11:34 AM
With a decent machine and some reasonable CPU power, you can do some remarkable stuff with software synths. I find they are replacing the more sample-based hardware devices I use, save for some very specific sounds that resonate with me (especially some of the core sounds in devices like the U-220 and JV-880). A package like Spectrasonics Omnisphere can rival the best, most lush textures from the hardware devices like a Fantom or Karma.
That's part of the reason I've gravitated toward hardware devices that are more specialized, more analog, like the Moog and the Eurorack stuff. If I can get the lush digital sounds in my computer, I want the more tactile/interactive feel of the actual machines :)
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 11:50 AM
With a decent machine and some reasonable CPU power, you can do some remarkable stuff with software synths. I find they are replacing the more sample-based hardware devices I use, save for some very specific sounds that resonate with me (especially some of the core sounds in devices like the U-220 and JV-880). A package like Spectrasonics Omnisphere can rival the best, most lush textures from the hardware devices like a Fantom or Karma.
That's part of the reason I've gravitated toward hardware devices that are more specialized, more analog, like the Moog and the Eurorack stuff. If I can get the lush digital sounds in my computer, I want the more tactile/interactive feel of the actual machines :)
That is an excellent approach. And as stated by others, there is nothing like having a synth with lots of knobs and/or patch cords. I started on an ARP 2600 so I have a soft spot for patching together a sound.
battema
01-17-2017, 12:13 PM
Awesome!! See, I started during the "dark ages" for synths...my first was the Roland U-20, which was about as far from the "one knob/button/fader per function" as you could get. It wasn't Yamaha DX-7 levels of buried complexity, but definitely wasn't exactly the most intuitive device either ;)
The other nice thing about the softies is for quick sketchpad-type work. Even if the initial sounds are 100% exact, I can bang out a track fairly quickly in broad strokes, then work backwards to flesh things out with more "specific" sounds as needed. For example, I will ultimately track leads with the Voyager but for quick work I can use the virtual Minimoog and have something laid down in a few minutes. That way, I spend the creative part of the process being creative, and the production/sound-design part of the process can come later on. If that makes sense ;)
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 12:25 PM
Awesome!! See, I started during the "dark ages" for synths...my first was the Roland U-20, which was about as far from the "one knob/button/fader per function" as you could get. It wasn't Yamaha DX-7 levels of buried complexity, but definitely wasn't exactly the most intuitive device either ;)
The other nice thing about the softies is for quick sketchpad-type work. Even if the initial sounds are 100% exact, I can bang out a track fairly quickly in broad strokes, then work backwards to flesh things out with more "specific" sounds as needed. For example, I will ultimately track leads with the Voyager but for quick work I can use the virtual Minimoog and have something laid down in a few minutes. That way, I spend the creative part of the process being creative, and the production/sound-design part of the process can come later on. If that makes sense ;)
That makes perfect sense. Some of us--me especially--are very sensitive to having the muse killed by too much fiddling. If I have to fight the process, nothing gets recorded.
And while I started on a 2600 back in 1980, it was a friend's (I sure wish I had one today!). My first synths (other than a cheapy Casio) were acquired in 1985 and were Korgs (DW 6000, EX-800) and a TX-7 mated to my KX-88.
battema
01-17-2017, 12:46 PM
I am super envious of those early boards of yours! I know some of it is the rosy-tinted lenses of nostalgia kicking in but still...starting on a 2600? That is soooo cool.
Before the U-20 I did have a Casio that was kind of interesting...it had mini-keys and was clearly one of those "touch one button and BOOM! Instant samba groove" gadgets...but, it also had a tiny few sliders that controlled some filtering of the sound. It broke years ago and I tossed it...man, I regret not holding onto that one.
Gizmotron
01-17-2017, 01:09 PM
I am super envious of those early boards of yours! I know some of it is the rosy-tinted lenses of nostalgia kicking in but still...starting on a 2600? That is soooo cool.
Before the U-20 I did have a Casio that was kind of interesting...it had mini-keys and was clearly one of those "touch one button and BOOM! Instant samba groove" gadgets...but, it also had a tiny few sliders that controlled some filtering of the sound. It broke years ago and I tossed it...man, I regret not holding onto that one.
Yup, my MT-40 was that way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8vzxWhWr-4
I gave away the DW-6000 to a deserving friend. I still have the EX-800 module but it has that fault that some develop where it plays in a different key! (That is great for looking good at a jam session...NOT!) But I do have pretty much all that I ever bought, including a Casio CZ-1000. I finally got a Roland JD-800 recently. That is so much fun to twist knobs on.
By the way, that college roomie with the ARP 2600? He also had a renovated 1887 Steinway (about 6'), a mellotron 400, and for a while, an ARP Pro- Soloist. The latter was my favorite...one could instantly be Tony Banks. Of course, it was pretty cool to be around the Mellotron! What a bizarre device that was.
Rarebird
01-17-2017, 01:12 PM
Me? Oh crap...let's see:
Hardware:
Alesis QS-8 (for my main piano/controller, although I sometimes use an onboard sound or two)
Roland XP-30, JV-880, U-220, MKS-50, Fantom X6
Korg MS2000 (also have a Karma gathering dust in a closet)
Moog Voyager plus various CV breakout boxes, with effects from Moogerfoogers Clusterflux, Ring Modulator, FreqBox, and Midi Murf. Plus Minifooger overdrive and delay.
Moog Minitaur
Moog Slim Phatty
Moog Werkstatt
Hammond XM-2
I also have various weirdo devices that I've picked up over the years like a Tocante Karper (killer for crazy drones), Bastl MicroGranny (pocket granular sampler), a Kaoscillator and a few of the Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators. Oh! And to try and get just a LITTLE of that CS-80 love I have the new Yamaha Reface CS :)
Finally, I have my beastly pride and joy: a Eurorack modular built around a MakeNoise B+G shared system. In truth, that's where I spent much of my time these days...just wiring various shiat up and seeing what comes out the other side. I'm fascinated by the possibilities, especially exploring stuff like what Subotnick did with the old Buchla systems.
Here are a couple of shots (the studio shot is a year old...I've just replaced the old mixer with a Presonus and retired the Roland U-20 after over 25 years of wonderful service :) ).
96059606
Looks great. I have to settle for my V Collection.
battema
01-17-2017, 01:48 PM
Looks great. I have to settle for my V Collection.
The V-Collection is pretty damned fantastic! For the money, that's a remarkably large and solid-sounding set of modules.
One thing I'd love to see at some point is Roland produce a soft synth sample library collecting all the various sounds from their 80's era: the D, U, and J series. I know those aren't AS popular (and somewhat with fair reason), but for me, that'd be a godsend...to have access to all those sounds rather than having to take my rackmounts into the shop for routine tune-ups.
Rarebird
01-17-2017, 02:37 PM
The V-Collection is pretty damned fantastic! For the money, that's a remarkably large and solid-sounding set of modules.
One thing I'd love to see at some point is Roland produce a soft synth sample library collecting all the various sounds from their 80's era: the D, U, and J series. I know those aren't AS popular (and somewhat with fair reason), but for me, that'd be a godsend...to have access to all those sounds rather than having to take my rackmounts into the shop for routine tune-ups.
How about the old Roland System 100? I still have my model 101.
battema
01-17-2017, 02:56 PM
I think they have some software emulations of the 100? I think that might be part of the whole plug-out thingy that Roland does these days...
The V-Collection is pretty damned fantastic! For the money, that's a remarkably large and solid-sounding set of modules.
One thing I'd love to see at some point is Roland produce a soft synth sample library collecting all the various sounds from their 80's era: the D, U, and J series. I know those aren't AS popular (and somewhat with fair reason), but for me, that'd be a godsend...to have access to all those sounds rather than having to take my rackmounts into the shop for routine tune-ups.
This 80's digital collection is quite OK - only D50 of the Roland's though...
https://www.uvi.net/digital-synsations.html
And there is the discontinued Roland Vari OS rack that comes with some classic synths.
battema
01-18-2017, 07:20 AM
This 80's digital collection is quite OK - only D50 of the Roland's though...
https://www.uvi.net/digital-synsations.html
And there is the discontinued Roland Vari OS rack that comes with some classic synths.
Oh wow...the Digital Synsations sounds very tempting. Had no idea that existed, thanks VERY much for pointing it out!
Progbear
01-18-2017, 07:33 PM
Before the U-20 I did have a Casio that was kind of interesting...it had mini-keys and was clearly one of those "touch one button and BOOM! Instant samba groove" gadgets...but, it also had a tiny few sliders that controlled some filtering of the sound. It broke years ago and I tossed it...man, I regret not holding onto that one.
I still have my Casio MT-100, which is like that. Chintzy built-in rhythms, clacky push-buttons, “auto-chord,” the works. It has a Graphic Equalizer which doesn’t seem to do a whole lot of anything. Still works like a champ, and I have NOT treated it kindly!
For “real” playing, I have my M-Audio Keystation 49e and some soft synths.
This 80's digital collection is quite OK - only D50 of the Roland's though...
Someone on here said he had a D50 (or maybe some other kind of Roland like a D20), a DX7, a bunch of other 80s digital synths, that he only used as MIDI controllers controlling vintage sounds on soft synths. The idea was to play a DX7 and have the sound of, say, a Mini-Moog come out. :lol
I've owned and used most iconic synths of the early digital era (D50, DX7, M1, Wavestation) at the time. It's nice to be able to recreate those with software (NI FM8, Korg Legacy, Synstation) but honestly - mostly I use the software to recreate/remix stuff I did in the late 80s and early 90s, and I don't even concider using them in recent productions. I feel the sounds are too iconic, however great I find them :D
battema
01-19-2017, 06:55 AM
I still have my Casio MT-100, which is like that. Chintzy built-in rhythms, clacky push-buttons, “auto-chord,” the works. It has a Graphic Equalizer which doesn’t seem to do a whole lot of anything. Still works like a champ, and I have NOT treated it kindly!
Oh snap, here it is!!! I had the MT-400V. I remember specifically because it had the separate speakers you could detach:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcgSDf9wiIc/UwK9u9Sol-I/AAAAAAAIF0U/UGTMh1bWG-Q/s1600/2.jpg
And check out that little chunk of synthy-editing joy on there...
http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/casio-mt-400v-303249.jpg
It was a weird but very cool little device.
One of the more exciting yet almost forgotten polysynths... Maybe because it's not very reliable and it was never updated to to solve those problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmN9KaBILQ8
Progbear
02-26-2017, 09:44 PM
One of the last really amazing analog synths from the first wave: the Oberheim Matrix-12:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtQFR6mfROE
More of a recent, boutique item, the JoMox Sunsyn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj-hqEiIjX4
rcarlberg
03-15-2017, 01:48 PM
Is it actually in production yet? I've seen vids of this thing on the expo circuit for a few years but never actually come across one for sale.
Since Schmidt is hand-made in fairly small quantities, it is sold exclusively and directly through EMC and a handful of selected dealers.
Please place your order via this form. As soon as we have received your inquiry, we will get back to you with information on current availability and delivery times...
Plasmatopia
03-15-2017, 03:18 PM
Yup, my MT-40 was that way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8vzxWhWr-4
I gave away the DW-6000 to a deserving friend. I still have the EX-800 module but it has that fault that some develop where it plays in a different key! (That is great for looking good at a jam session...NOT!) But I do have pretty much all that I ever bought, including a Casio CZ-1000. I finally got a Roland JD-800 recently. That is so much fun to twist knobs on.
By the way, that college roomie with the ARP 2600? He also had a renovated 1887 Steinway (about 6'), a mellotron 400, and for a while, an ARP Pro- Soloist. The latter was my favorite...one could instantly be Tony Banks. Of course, it was pretty cool to be around the Mellotron! What a bizarre device that was.
Seeing that little Casio reminded me that a local band used to use something like that and they would scream into it for a vocoder type effect? I believe this tune is an example of the sound it would produce (around the 0:35 mark):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Obx5jgdMec
battema
03-16-2017, 04:40 PM
Had a brief irrational moment last week when I discovered my personal holy grail (Yamaha CS-80 in excellent condition) for sale within driving distance. The $23,000 price tag kind of killed the moment though...couldn't justify buying a keyboard that would cost twice as much as the car used for the pickup :up
GuitarGeek
03-17-2017, 03:32 AM
This German company once made a DX-Programmer for Yamaha’s DX-line of synths. It was basically just this big board full of knobs!
Jellinghaus, I believe they were called, and they didn't make very many of them. One of my Facebook friends is a UK based synth tech, who recently worked on one. Not only was it "a big board of knobs", but it was actually larger than the DX-7 itself.
As I recall, Roland made similar devices for the JX-3P, JX-8P, GR-700, and GR-77B synths, but they were much smaller.
The CS-80 is probably the most beloved synth of its era, perhaps of all time.
Was it really? I always thought the Minimoog Model D and the Prophet-5 were the most beloved synths. I remember, in the mid 80's Keyboard magazine doing a book that was basically a compilation of all their synth product reviews, and it was noted in the opening of the book that the Minimoog was still being used for basslines on records, even though Moog Music had stopped making it several years later.
I always liked the keyboard rigs to the two synth players in the band Berlin used onstage. Matt Reid had a Prophet-5 and a DX-7, and David Diamond had just a Prophet-5.
I have a small Eurorack modular synth I'm putting together myself. So far, I have an Intellijel Atlantis, an Intellijel ring modulator (which I'm kinda disappointed with), a Doepfer Wasp filter, a Doepfer MIDI interface (when I want to play conventional melodic stuff, I use this old Yamaha SHS-10 that my parents bought me about 18 years ago), a Make Noise STO, a Blue Lantern skewable LFO, a Blue Lantern Simple ADSR, and a Blue Lantern Sir Mix-A-Lot. Oh yeah, and I have this Synthrotek delay module that I'm not all that crazy about (more useful for making noise than actual conventional delay effects). I've got all of this in a nice portable Synthrotek case. It's not quite as "James Bond approved" as the old EMS Synthi-A, but it's still pretty neat to have.
GuitarGeek
03-17-2017, 03:39 AM
One of the more exciting yet almost forgotten polysynths... Maybe because it's not very reliable and it was never updated to to solve those problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmN9KaBILQ8
My undrestanding is, it was the Memorymoog Plus that was unreliable, the one with the MIDI interface and the on-board sequencer. As I recall, the original Memorymoog was just fine, but somehow the additional bells and whistles on the Plus model caused it to become unstable.
I thought I Had heard someone eventually figured out a way to fix the problems with the Memorymoog Plus, but I might be mistaken.
I remember when I was a teenager, I used to hang out a music store, where they had a Memorymoog Plus. So one day, I'm in there, one of the salesmen says, "Check this out", goes over to the Memorymoog, hits the start button on the sequencer, and the Baba O'Riley intro comes flying out. The owner's brother (who didn't particularly) says, "Great! Now he's never going to leave!". lol
I'd still like to have one of those, though, along with a Prophet-5 and a Matrix 12.
battema
03-17-2017, 07:34 AM
Jellinghaus, I believe they were called, and they didn't make very many of them. One of my Facebook friends is a UK based synth tech, who recently worked on one. Not only was it "a big board of knobs", but it was actually larger than the DX-7 itself.
As I recall, Roland made similar devices for the JX-3P, JX-8P, GR-700, and GR-77B synths, but they were much smaller.
Was it really? I always thought the Minimoog Model D and the Prophet-5 were the most beloved synths. I remember, in the mid 80's Keyboard magazine doing a book that was basically a compilation of all their synth product reviews, and it was noted in the opening of the book that the Minimoog was still being used for basslines on records, even though Moog Music had stopped making it several years later.
I always liked the keyboard rigs to the two synth players in the band Berlin used onstage. Matt Reid had a Prophet-5 and a DX-7, and David Diamond had just a Prophet-5.
I have a small Eurorack modular synth I'm putting together myself. So far, I have an Intellijel Atlantis, an Intellijel ring modulator (which I'm kinda disappointed with), a Doepfer Wasp filter, a Doepfer MIDI interface (when I want to play conventional melodic stuff, I use this old Yamaha SHS-10 that my parents bought me about 18 years ago), a Make Noise STO, a Blue Lantern skewable LFO, a Blue Lantern Simple ADSR, and a Blue Lantern Sir Mix-A-Lot. Oh yeah, and I have this Synthrotek delay module that I'm not all that crazy about (more useful for making noise than actual conventional delay effects). I've got all of this in a nice portable Synthrotek case. It's not quite as "James Bond approved" as the old EMS Synthi-A, but it's still pretty neat to have.
Some suggestions for you:
I am a huge MakeNoise nut, and just about anything they put out is at least worthy of note. Based on your above, you might consider looking into their Optomix dual lowpass gate or LxD (which is kind of like the Optomix without the front controls, but also has some resonance that usually isn't present). Their Modemix is also lovely and if you have any interest in a west coast synthesis approach, the Wobblebug is absolutely essential. And in terms of bang for the buck in a small space, the Telharmonic almost rivals the DPO for versatility and cool sounds.
I also love the Maths module so much I bought a second one...but, they aren't the cheapest of modules. As close to a true "swiss army knife" Eurorack modules as I've come across, though.
I have quite a few Intellijel modules as well, but with the Atlantis you probably have most of those bases covered already :up
One kind of fun one that doesn't always get mentioned is the Moskwa from Xaoc Devices. It's this very cool rotor-shaped 8 stage sequencer that is loads of fun to use and tweak: http://xaocdevices.com/main/moskwa/
Eurorack is an awesome (and dangerously addictive) thing ;)
Supersonic Scientist
03-17-2017, 10:00 AM
For you serious Vintage GTR whores....(like me)..................the vintage Fender Jazzmasters & Jags are to DIE FOR !!
https://reverb.com/news/the-songbirds-guitar-museum-our-new-favorite-place-on-earth
battema
03-17-2017, 10:09 AM
Guitars? This is a synthesizer thread! We don't need no steeenking guitars!!
;) :lol
Actually, I've been told my pedalboard for my Voyager rivals some guitarists :horns
Supersonic Scientist
03-17-2017, 10:41 AM
I got lazy and didn't feel like starting (or appending) a new thread.....;)
battema
03-17-2017, 10:41 AM
For those of us suffering incurable gear lust, all is always forgiven ;)
Gizmotron
03-17-2017, 11:11 AM
Yeppers, I swing most ways so a mention of almost any instrument is OK. :)
There is something to be said for specialization; one can go very far with one main passion. But I find that being a jack-of-all-trades has some wonderful advantages. Being able to play a little bit on many instruments allows one to be quite informed and be a better composer.
But there is something so wonderful about the world of synths.
battema
03-17-2017, 01:15 PM
Actually...pedals are the one place where guitarists/bassists/synth jockeys can all come together and agree on things ;)
There's this killer place in Falls Church here in VA called Action Music. They have a wall that is nothing but pedals, everything from your basic Boss gadgets to some serious novelty items (both used and new). All three of us in the band (drummer sits it out, ha ha) go in there and just drool over some of the effects.
Case in point: The Voyager allows you to do an "insert" between the VCO and VCF, so I have the oscillators passing through a Pigtronix Disnortion which gives some of my leads a wonderfully-biting edge. And just recently I picked up this trippy boutique pedal called an Industrialectric RM-1N that combines reverb and distortion into a single pedal, allowing for massive SUNN 0))) drones and chaos. Not exactly required in all settings but DAMN does it create some wonderful walls of noise.
Gizmotron
03-17-2017, 01:31 PM
Actually...pedals are the one place where guitarists/bassists/synth jockeys can all come together and agree on things ;)
There's this killer place in Falls Church here in VA called Action Music. They have a wall that is nothing but pedals, everything from your basic Boss gadgets to some serious novelty items (both used and new). All three of us in the band (drummer sits it out, ha ha) go in there and just drool over some of the effects.
Case in point: The Voyager allows you to do an "insert" between the VCO and VCF, so I have the oscillators passing through a Pigtronix Disnortion which gives some of my leads a wonderfully-biting edge. And just recently I picked up this trippy boutique pedal called an Industrialectric RM-1N that combines reverb and distortion into a single pedal, allowing for massive SUNN 0))) drones and chaos. Not exactly required in all settings but DAMN does it create some wonderful walls of noise.
Sounds like a great place. Falls Church is a very cool community.
If you want a real "secret sauce" pedal try out the Hungry Robot "The Wash" pedal. Ambient reverb/delays in one pedal. Makes anything sound sublime!
http://www.hungryrobotpedals.com/the-wash
battema
03-17-2017, 02:07 PM
Oh WOW...that is lovely. Instant Hammock-style grooves :D
Thank you! I might just have to be reckless and add to the board...
Gizmotron
03-17-2017, 02:17 PM
Oh WOW...that is lovely. Instant Hammock-style grooves :D
Thank you! I might just have to be reckless and add to the board...
And it is not just marketing speak. I have several great DD's and reverbs and combining multiples of them can be great or very terrible. The Wash make it simple to sound great.
I call it "Eno in a tin."
Progbear
03-17-2017, 10:26 PM
Was it really? I always thought the Minimoog Model D and the Prophet-5 were the most beloved synths.
Well, note that I said “of its era,” i.e.: the early polyphonic era. The reason keyboardists loved the CS-80 so much was that it was the first synthesizer that could be as expressive as a piano, what with its eight voices of polyphony, velocity sensitivity and that extremely cool pitch-bend ribbon. Apart from being a lot cheaper (presumably why it was embraced by “new wave” acts), the Prophet-5’s only real advantage was its much more intelligent and better-implemented storage system.
Sequential Circuits tried to go after that high-end market with the Prophet-10, but Rev. 1 was such a bust it had to be withdrawn, and Rev. 2 was something of a beast. They got it right with the Prophet t-8, a real boutique synth with a fully weighted, touch-sensitive keyboard, but by that point everyone was going digital.
A shame, because the t-8 was a real beauty!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYTDfWRULP4
GuitarGeek
03-17-2017, 11:15 PM
suggestions for you:
I am a huge MakeNoise nut, and just about anything they put out is at least worthy of note. Based on your above, you might consider looking into their Optomix dual lowpass gate or LxD (which is kind of like the Optomix without the front controls, but also has some resonance that usually isn't present). Their Modemix is also lovely and if you have any interest in a west coast synthesis approach, the Wobblebug is absolutely essential. And in terms of bang for the buck in a small space, the Telharmonic almost rivals the DPO for versatility and cool sounds.
I also love the Maths module so much I bought a second one...but, they aren't the cheapest of modules. As close to a true "swiss army knife" Eurorack modules as I've come across, though.
Yeah, the Wogglebug is on my short list of modules I'm after, along with the MMG (which seems to be calling my name more so than either the Optomix or the LxD) and the Function. I know everyone says you have to have a Maths, but at the moment I've got just the one rack, 84 hp, and 6+1U of space, so I'm looking for modules that take up the least amount of real estate as possible. But yeah, the Maths does look impressive.
I have quite a few Intellijel modules as well, but with the Atlantis you probably have most of those bases covered already :up
I was planning on getting a Springray until I heard they were planning on releasing a new version in a couple months, so I'm waiting for that. I'm also thinking about getting a μFold II, though really I'm leaning more toward the Doepfer A-137-1. There's a great video on Youtube of the A-137-1 being used to process a CV signal that has me intrigued.
One kind of fun one that doesn't always get mentioned is the Moskwa from Xaoc Devices.
Yeah, I saw that one on Modular Grid, it does look interesting. There's several different sequencers, I'm kind of thinking about, including the Make Noise Rene and the Intellijel Metropolis.
Do you know anything about Sputnik modules? They have a touch keyboard that I'm also kind of looking at, though I'd have to get a new case for that, since it's an 84hp module.
Right now, I basically have a decent mono East Coast style synth, but I want to add some West Coast style modules, something to bring it more into the Buchla/Serge field of things.
Eurorack is an awesome (and dangerously addictive) thing ;)
No kidding. The thing about it is, most of the modules are relatively inexpensive. Once you get yourself a case and a power supply, it's really easy to do the "impulse buy" thing, and get too much stuff. That's kind of how I ended up buying the three Blue Lantern modules I have, because I was looking for extravagant as a b-day present to myself, and I'd been looking at those for a long time now. That one exception, I've basically been buying one module at a time. I was trying to get one every month or two, but that kinda fell apart when "adult responsibilities" got in the way. But I'm hoping to buy something within the next couple months, probably the A-137-1 is next.
I also want to get one of those effects loop modules, so I can try patching my pedals into the middle of a patch, say putting a flanger or a reverb pedal before a filter module.
GuitarGeek
03-17-2017, 11:33 PM
Apart from being a lot cheaper (presumably why it was embraced by “new wave” acts), the Prophet-5’s only real advantage was its much more intelligent and better-implemented storage system.
It was also a lot lighter I believe. The CS-80, I believe, was one of those things where you need to have Teamsters on the payroll to move. The Prophet-5, by contrast could be moved reasonably easily by one person.
Sequential Circuits tried to go after that high-end market with the Prophet-10, but Rev. 1 was such a bust it had to be withdrawn, and Rev. 2 was something of a beast. They got it right with the Prophet t-8, a real boutique synth with a fully weighted, touch-sensitive keyboard, but by that point everyone was going digital.
As I recall, the original Prophet-10 was a single manual, visually identical to the Rev 1 Prophet-5. But I'm seem to recall there were a gaggle of tech issues with the Rev 1 Prophet-10. Reputedly, when it became apparent that "everyone had to own" a Prophet-5, they started taking some of the Prophet-10's that had been sent back for servicing, removed half the voice cards, and changed the product logo, and shipping them out to meet the demand.
I gather there were tech issues also with both the Rev 1 and Rev 2 Prophet-5's. That's why they changed the IC's on the Rev 3, which is also apparently why they theoretically don't sound as good as the Rev 1 or Rev 2 models.
As for the Prophet T-8, yeah, I remember when that came out, there was an ad in one of the music magazines (actually probably in several of them) showing the Prophet T-8 with a Prophet 600 sitting on top of it (because the two came out at the same time). I thought that looked really cool, and for awhile, I wanted that setup.
Then the Matrix 12 came out and I wanted one of those. lol
GuitarGeek
03-17-2017, 11:35 PM
For you serious Vintage GTR whores....(like me)..................the vintage Fender Jazzmasters & Jags are to DIE FOR !!
https://reverb.com/news/the-songbirds-guitar-museum-our-new-favorite-place-on-earth
One of the dozen or so "partscaster" guitar ideas I have in the back of my head is a three pickup Jazzmaster, with these humbuckers that are designed to replace the stock Jazzmaster pickups. There's also a guy named Curtis Novak who makes replicas of the pickups that Harmony used back in the 60's, and I'd like to have a Jaguar with those pickups on them (in other words, basically a better quality version of the Harmony BobKat my brother had when I when I was little).
battema
03-17-2017, 11:54 PM
Just for saying...I have the MMG and it *is* nice, but I almost always use the Intellijel uVCF or the LxD first. Both of those also use fewer HP than the MMG.
The Richter Dual Borg is cool too, and can do both the resonant filtration as well as the vactrol sound.
Sputnik sounds familiar but I can't place the context.
Rene is utterly amazing and has a deep feature set.
GuitarGeek
03-18-2017, 12:04 AM
Just for saying...I have the MMG and it *is* nice, but I almost always use the Intellijel uVCF or the LxD first. Both of those also use fewer HP than the MMG.
The Richter Dual Borg is cool too, and can do both the resonant filtration as well as the vactrol sound.
Yeah, the Borg filters I've also been curious to check out too. I'm basically looking for something that can give me the percussion sounds that you hear on some of the Morton Subotnick records, which I was given to believe the MMG is good at.
The thing about the LxD is, it doesn't look it's very versatile. Yeah, it's way less hp, but even still, I'm not sure if it's quite what I'm looking for, judging from the videos I saw on Youtube. At any rate, I think it'll be awhile before I start worrying about getting any more filters. Right now, I'm interested in getting other things, like I said, reverb, wavefolder, more modulation options, before I start getting more filters.
Rene is utterly amazing and has a deep feature set.
Yeah, I need to spend more time watching some of the videos on Youtube for that one. It looks like it might be what I want, but I'm still not sure.
I was close to buying a T8 from Wine Country in the early 90s as it looked like the apex of analog polysynths! However I had the chance to test one at a studio gig - sure it felt great (the best ever maybe) but I was disappointed with the synth engine itself which was the same (IMHO) inferior solution as in the 600, Max, Sixtrack etc synths of the Sequential dying days... A sheep in wolf clothes ;)
battema
03-18-2017, 07:29 AM
Yeah, the Borg filters I've also been curious to check out too. I'm basically looking for something that can give me the percussion sounds that you hear on some of the Morton Subotnick records, which I was given to believe the MMG is good at.
The thing about the LxD is, it doesn't look it's very versatile. Yeah, it's way less hp, but even still, I'm not sure if it's quite what I'm looking for, judging from the videos I saw on Youtube. At any rate, I think it'll be awhile before I start worrying about getting any more filters. Right now, I'm interested in getting other things, like I said, reverb, wavefolder, more modulation options, before I start getting more filters.
Yeah, I need to spend more time watching some of the videos on Youtube for that one. It looks like it might be what I want, but I'm still not sure.
Any of the Make Noise family can easily do the "ping" via their strike CV input, which uses a gate signal to briefly open the lowpass gate. So you don't need to "waste" an ASDR/ADR module to make it happen which is awesome. The Optomix is probably THE best for that, although the LxD does it well.
The MMG does that really well too, it's true; plus, it has the strike inputs for both the filter AND resonance. My only complaint is that the resonant filter aspects of the MMG aren't quite what I was looking for. It doesn't scream easily like the Borg or the Intellijel. But that's more of a personal thing...it sounds like it might well be the right call for you :up
The difference between the Rene and a sequencer like the Moskwa is that the latter is a true sequencer: that is what it does. It's almost easier to think of the Rene as a 16-way CV matrix. It can be a sequencer, but it can also be a 16-pad interface almost like drum pads.
It is incredibly versatile, which also means it isn't always as intuitive; for example, if you want to traverse all 16 positions in a normal sequence you'd have to do one of two things:
* Send a gate signal to the X input, and then a DIFFERENT gate multiplied to 4x to the Y input. That gives you horizontal kind of travel.
* Enter the Rene's menu system and set the 'Snake' mode to on via the X or Y 'Fun' page.
At first, those menus can be a little daunting, but once you get familiar with them (and you're right, Make Noise does GREAT YouTube videos for all their products...I refer to them more than the manuals sometimes), I honestly think the Rene is incredible. Definitely worth the price.
Looking at modulargrid.net now...oh yeah, I remember Sputnick. I was looking at them when investigating into stereo mixes with CV-controlled panning. They look solid :up
Oh yeah, another pretty handy module is the Intellijel Quadra. It can either be 4 AR/ASR envelopes OR 4 LFOs in a fairly small package. I like experimenting with auto-generated music in my modular rig, and LFOs are super handy (along with the mighty Wogglebug of course!). I can never have too many of them.
Another cool module is something like the Doepfer A138d which basically allows you to incorporate an FX loop into your system. For example, I already own a WMD Geiger Counter pedal so rather than buy the Eurorack version as well, I can just loop the pedal into the system and use it as a modulator. Also good for adding certain effects like reverb and delay that you *may* not need as closely controlled by CV.
GuitarGeek
03-18-2017, 04:31 PM
The MMG does that really well too, it's true; plus, it has the strike inputs for both the filter AND resonance. My only complaint is that the resonant filter aspects of the MMG aren't quite what I was looking for. It doesn't scream easily like the Borg or the Intellijel. But that's more of a personal thing...it sounds like it might well be the right call for you :up
Well, if things end up going the way I want them to, I may end up owning all of them, eventually. Actually, I'd like to keep this under control, keep it to where it's still relatively portable (which is why I went for the Synthrotek case, because it's easy to transport, say if I needed to transport to someone else's "studio" or or I were to have a chance to use it in live performance).
The difference between the Rene and a sequencer like the Moskwa is that the latter is a true sequencer: that is what it does. It's almost easier to think of the Rene as a 16-way CV matrix. It can be a sequencer, but it can also be a 16-pad interface almost like drum pads.
Something that isn't made clear from the videos I've watched on Rene, but I get the impression that you can program in any sequence you want, ie instead of having the stages running, let's say 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, or 1, 3, 5, 7 etc, you can tap in any order you want for the stages, eg 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, etc, or whatever. Something tells me it can't be that easy, but it would definitely swing me in it's favor if it did.
The other thing I'm wondering is does it have an onboard quantizer? One of the reasons I was thinking about the Metropolis was it has a quantizer built in. If you wanted to transpose a sequence, you can have it so the quantizer keeps in whichever key or scale or whatever the original sequence was in. I kinda have the idea of using a sample and hold feeding the tranpose input, but having transpose every seven steps, so that you never actually hear the full 8 step sequence before it transposes. The idea I have is that will give the impression that one is running a much longer sequence than just 8 steps.
The other thing that has me looking at the Metropolis is the skip buttons, as well as the switches that allow you to program how long each stage sounds for, or to insert rests. That seems interesting to me, again in the quest to give the impression you're wondering a more complicated sequence than you really are. Can the Rene do that as well?
Really, one of my goals with the sequencer is to do something like Eno's Discreet Music, where the synth is feeding a loop device.
It is incredibly versatile, which also means it isn't always as intuitive; for example, if you want to traverse all 16 positions in a normal sequence you'd have to do one of two things:
* Send a gate signal to the X input, and then a DIFFERENT gate multiplied to 4x to the Y input. That gives you horizontal kind of travel.
* Enter the Rene's menu system and set the 'Snake' mode to on via the X or Y 'Fun' page.
At first, those menus can be a little daunting, but once you get familiar with them (and you're right, Make Noise does GREAT YouTube videos for all their products...I refer to them more than the manuals sometimes), I honestly think the Rene is incredible. Definitely worth the price.
Well, I'm less intrigued by things with things that are "less intuitive" and make use of menus, but I think with the Rene it might be worth learning how to navigate such matters.
Oh yeah, another pretty handy module is the Intellijel Quadra. It can either be 4 AR/ASR envelopes OR 4 LFOs in a fairly small package. I like experimenting with auto-generated music in my modular rig, and LFOs are super handy (along with the mighty Wogglebug of course!). I can never have too many of them.
Yeah, I was reading on Muff Wiggler about how apparently nobody has them in stock at the moment. It seems Intellijel might be preparing to launch a new version,b ut yeah, I think that's one of the modules I looked that I was interested in.
On a similar theme, Doepfer has a couple quad Envelope generator modules that I've also been looking at. The ADSR one has four envelopes, with "end of" outs for each stage, and you can patch the whole thing as one big envelope or LFO, or you can break it into combination you like. And they've got another that is four AD envelopes, which seems to have even more options.
And on the topic of envelopes, another one that I want to check out is the WMD envelope, which is an ADSR, but you can vary the response curve for each stage independently of the others, so the attack can be exponential, the decay linear, etc. And instead of using a toggle switch as is done on some modules, you have continuously variable controls for each one.
Another cool module is something like the Doepfer A138d which basically allows you to incorporate an FX loop into your system. For example, I already own a WMD Geiger Counter pedal so rather than buy the Eurorack version as well, I can just loop the pedal into the system and use it as a modulator. Also good for adding certain effects like reverb and delay that you *may* not need as closely controlled by CV.
Right, that's another one I want to get. I've got a few effects pedals, and also I was advised by the guy at Synth Nerd (I spent about an hour there the last time I was in Chicago) told me that if you want to use reverb, you're better off using some kind of outboard gear, like the Eventide Space or whatever, because it's not worth taking up room in your rack with something like that. So the effects loop module seems like a good direction to go in, and the Doepfer was the very one I was thinking about getting.
When I mentioned I had it in mind to get a Springray, he says, "Oh, well spring reverb is different". Of course one o fthe things I want to do with the Springray is to keep the reverb tank somewhere that will allow me to abuse the springs, doing the kind of stuff Emerson and Lord used to do with their Hammond organs.
battema
03-18-2017, 07:07 PM
Well...with the Rene you can change the X and Y changes independently, which means you can get some very interesting jumps...for example, all of these are possible "out of the box" without anything special:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 (horizontal snake)
1 5 9 13 2 6 10 14 3 7 11 15 4 8 12 16 (vertical snake)
1 5 9 13 14 15 16 12 8 4 3 2 6 10 11 7 (inward spiral)
1 5 2 3 6 9 13 10 7 4 8 11 14 15 12 16 (diagonals)
You can of course manually program these and many others directly, but there is also a CV input & attenuator where you can switch between the preset patterns quickly/easily. Even just varying the preset patterns can radically alter the sound of a sequence. There are also modes for logic like and/or/xor that you can apply to the X and Y inputs in conjunction with additional CV inputs; so, you could put an "and" on the Y input and a second CV, which could allow you to quickly create syncopation.
There's also a very cool "freeze" feature where, while the Rene is playing you can touch any number of pads, hit a special "button" near the top and it will travel only through those specific pads until you unfreeze. Very cool if you have a sub-pattern that you want to grab and loop for a bit before proceeding.
And yes: the Rene has both a normal CV output *and* a quantized CV output. And you are able to use the menus to change which chromatic notes you want available via each knob (for example, you could set them to a D minor scale and no matter where you swing the knob, it'll be in "tune"). You can also independently "mute" either the CV or the gate signals for each pad.
For me, the Rene is the best of both worlds: when I just want to plug in a gate signal and go all "Tangerine Dream" style, I can make that happen very, very quickly. And if I have a hankering to go for something more "self-generating" the Rene gives me a lot of flexibility and options for all sorts of fascinating feedback loops.
To my knowledge, no you can't just tap in any pattern you want...but truthfully, it's pretty easy to get crazy fast.
This video uses several other modules that you may not have, but at the core it does demonstrate the Rene as well as the Wogglebug (and to a lesser degree, Maths) rather nicely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzZOJPlc654
battema
03-18-2017, 07:18 PM
Another great Rene video that may illustrate some of what I described:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXsaDpUhPr0
More from the Schmidt Synthesizer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To3qYHTuzIw
GuitarGeek
03-19-2017, 03:24 PM
Another great Rene video that may illustrate some of what I described:
Thanks for posting that! I don't think I had seen that video before, and it does explain some things that are already putting interesting ideas in my head. One thing I had seen someone describe on Muff Wiggler was using the Brains/Pressure Points sequencer combo, with a sequential switch to change rows, but triggering the sequential switch so that you changed rows every 3rd (if you were using one PP) or 7th (if you're using two PP's) beat. That way, it creates the illusion that you've got a longer sequence running.
So hear, I thikn you could do something similar, but instead of adding a sequential switch, you might use a clock divider or multiplier (like the ones 4MS make) so that one of the clock inputs gets one clock, and the other is multiplied or divided by let's say 3, so it goes something like 1,2,3,8,9,10,15,16,13 (I think I got those numbers calculated right). And if you want to really be a smart ass, you could have the clocks on either or both inputs swapping periodically, to create different note patterns. And that doesn't even take into what options are opened by using the quantized CV in!
So yeah, there's a lot of things to consider there.
And speaking of 4MS, have you tried the Spectral Multiband Filter or whatever it's called? That was one of the modules that was demonstrated to me at Synth Nerd in Chicago. The guy says, "It turns everything into glass", and since then I've watched a couple videos on Youtube that definitely make it look like something I want to try. I'm particularly interested in finding out what it does when you run, say a guitar or voice through it. Oh, did I mention I'm interested in being able to use the synth as a signal processor, too? ;)
battema
03-19-2017, 09:10 PM
Oh yeah, I've heard the Spectral Multiband Resonator, very nice little module. Actually, not AS little which is why I haven't stuffed one into my setup just yet ;)
One of the great things about the Make Noise videos is that beyond just selling their particular modules, they really explain concepts that are common across many different modules. For example, check out this awesome video on creating a sequence WITHOUT a Rene or any other actual sequencer...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vh8puw0Glk
I definitely use my system for "external" signal processing. I have this little battery-powered Bastl BitGranny (I think that's what it's called) that is great for capturing little bits here and there. For our new album I recorded myself reciting a short poem and then sent the resulting signal into the MoDemix and the Intellijel uVCF to create this wonderfully crushed sound that was just perfect.
GuitarGeek
03-19-2017, 09:33 PM
Oh yeah, I've heard the Spectral Multiband Resonator, very nice little module. Actually, not AS little which is why I haven't stuffed one into my setup just yet ;)
I hear you. I considered it for my b-day purchase last month, but for some reason decided a mixer, an envelope and an LFO would be more useful. I guess. I don't remember why I decided to back burner the SMR for the time being. But I do want one. But then there's dozens of modules I want.
battema
03-20-2017, 07:38 AM
Personally? I think you made the right choice. They aren't as "sexy" as a spectral multiband filter, but those utilities are super essential. Especially since you have another filter already.
Just for chuckles...these are my two systems:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/269135
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/152640
I got the black Shared System first, a few years ago. It's since been enhanced with a few small boosts, like the Brains and Tempi. It doesn't have a resonant filter but otherwise it pretty much can do a zillion things.
The silver box was something I just started building for kicks, mainly to fill those few gaps like a resonant filter and some other utilities like MIDI. It ended up growing into a beast of its own.
Late last year I supported this killer Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/komaelektronik/field-kit-electroacoustic-workstation including the pledge with a Eurorack panel. So, I'm thinking of building a small 104 HP case around the Field Kit, maybe move the Bastl GrandPa into that one and create a "Musique Concrete" system for fun.
At some point I want to expand into a stereo operation as well (technically the Shared System and Erbe-Verb are both stereo but everything else is mono), ideally something like DubMix that would allow CV control over panning as well as volume. Then I could move forward with my diabolical plan to form a "Silver Apples of the Moon" tribute act :lol
Long live Eurorack!
Long live Eurorack!
OMG, I've opened Pandora's Box!! :O ;)
GuitarGeek
03-22-2017, 01:15 AM
Another question, about the Wogglebug:
What exactly does the burst output do? Is that like some sort of random gate thing, or what?
battema
03-22-2017, 06:57 PM
More or less, yeah: it generates "bursts" or if you prefer, swarms of gate signals. It is interesting to inject some randomness into various things, but it also gets out of hand quickly so I usually keep it at VERY low settings (many devices that accept/expect gates expect a gate of a certain length, so if the bursts are too fast it actually won't trigger much).
I use it with things like the Optomix or other lowpass gates, to create very random percussive clusters. In truth though, I use the stepped & smooth CV outputs more frequently because they tend to have a wider spectrum of "usable" values, if that makes sense.
battema
03-31-2017, 08:03 AM
So, speaking of guilty indulgences...picked up an Alesis Andromeda on eBay, arrived on Wednesday. It's not a CS-80, but I've heard it called the "Son of the CS-80" and it was roughly eight times cheaper (and fours times lighter!). Gonna need some TLC to keep in peak shape, but I'm excited about the potential for sure.
So, speaking of guilty indulgences...picked up an Alesis Andromeda on eBay, arrived on Wednesday. It's not a CS-80, but I've heard it called the "Son of the CS-80" and it was roughly eight times cheaper (and fours times lighter!). Gonna need some TLC to keep in peak shape, but I'm excited about the potential for sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHvTB0DaBGQ
:)
battema
03-31-2017, 09:28 AM
Nice! Kind of a Jean-Michel Jarre groove going on there :) Thanks for sharing!
That's actually the next trick I need to sort out...in my studio I need to stack this an a Moog Voyager vertically. That's two heavy boards with a 2-tier solution...
Gizmotron
03-31-2017, 11:59 AM
Cool! Congrats!
bjoneill74
03-31-2017, 12:57 PM
There's this killer place in Falls Church here in VA called Action Music. They have a wall that is nothing but pedals, everything from your basic Boss gadgets to some serious novelty items (both used and new). All three of us in the band (drummer sits it out, ha ha) go in there and just drool over some of the effects.
That place is quite dangerous! The only boss stuff they have is generally used, but they are usually in great shape and priced very well. They have an amazing variety of pedals and effects. My jaw dropped when I first went into that place.
I think he even has some of the very first prototypes of the Fulltone stuff in there (I don't think they are for sale though).
Oh and if you're into vintage guitars and amps.. just WOW!
Gizmotron
03-31-2017, 01:14 PM
That place is quite dangerous! The only boss stuff they have is generally used, but they are usually in great shape and priced very well. They have an amazing variety of pedals and effects. My jaw dropped when I first went into that place.
I think he even has some of the very first prototypes of the Fulltone stuff in there (I don't think they are for sale though).
Oh and if you're into vintage guitars and amps.. just WOW!
When I went to Falls Church in 1992 I realized that Retail had been taken to a new level.
battema
03-31-2017, 01:54 PM
Now I have a hankering to hit Action Music this weekend :up
DSI/Sequential meetup in Stockholm last saturday, with special greeting from Dave Smith himself :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9kcOvqtDy0
hippypants
04-03-2017, 12:16 PM
Just found this thread, never looked on the Artist forum before. Anyway, the guy below has a pretty interesting YT channel on synths. I used to have an Arp Odyssey, but it broke. Had it for many years. Bought a MicroKorg the other day, so it's nice to have a synth around the house again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNKCRu5g9t4
GuitarGeek
04-04-2017, 04:57 PM
Just found this thread, never looked on the Artist forum before. Anyway, the guy below has a pretty interesting YT channel on synths. I used to have an Arp Odyssey, but it broke. Had it for many years. Bought a MicroKorg the other day, so it's nice to have a synth around the house again.
I still have a non-functional Minimoog Model D, late 70's model, I think. My dad tried to talk me into selling it to a neighbor who apparently makes rap music, but I refused. One of these days, I'm going to have it refurbished.
hippypants
04-05-2017, 02:42 PM
I still have a non-functional Minimoog Model D, late 70's model, I think. My dad tried to talk me into selling it to a neighbor who apparently makes rap music, but I refused. One of these days, I'm going to have it refurbished.
Yeah, I wish I had kept my Arp. It was a mistake, but I was trying to lighten my load when moving across Texas at the time. Sort of water under the bridge now. But who knows maybe I'll buy a new model or something else.
Here's a link to a Vintage Synth blog some might enjoy. (http://retrosound72.blogspot.com/)
Yeah, I wish I had kept my Arp. It was a mistake, but I was trying to lighten my load when moving across Texas at the time. Sort of water under the bridge now. But who knows maybe I'll buy a new model or something else.
Here's a link to a Vintage Synth blog some might enjoy. (http://retrosound72.blogspot.com/)
One guy brought a mint condition Odyssey to the DSI meet (above). It's a really nice synth! If you want to buy one, the Korg reduced-size Arp Odyssey clone is very similar in sound and action to the original an quite affordable. Korg have released a full scale Odyssey Clone too - less cheap however.
mini-version: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Odyssey
Full Scale (article): http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/namm-2017-this-full-size-korg-arp-odyssey-could-be-the-one-youve-been-waiting-for-646766
Progbear
04-05-2017, 07:31 PM
I’ve seen this. They go out of their way to clone every aspect of the original 1972, white-face Odyssey...and go and shoot themselves in the foot by saddling it with the much-loathed PPC system? What were they thinking?
I have an Odyssey in storage that I need to retrieve and sell one of these days. Last time I trotted it out, it didn’t work.
GuitarGeek
04-05-2017, 11:01 PM
Yeah, I wish I had kept my Arp. It was a mistake, but I was trying to lighten my load when moving across Texas at the time. Sort of water under the bridge now. But who knows maybe I'll buy a new model or something else.
Here's a link to a Vintage Synth blog some might enjoy. (http://retrosound72.blogspot.com/)
One of the times I talked to Michelle Moog-Koussa, I told her about my refusal to let go of my Model D, and she said "Good! Everyone who sells theirs regrets it!".
Anyway, I've kinda made up my mind I'm going to get a wavefolder next, for my modular synth. I can't make up my mind if I should get a Doepfer A-137-1, or an Intellijel μFold II, or perhaps a Disting. The Disting looks like it's one of those "menu" modules, which I'm not crazy about, but it looks like it can do a lot of stuff, and would be very useful for that reason.
battema
04-06-2017, 06:41 AM
I've been circling the Distings for a while now, but the whole "menu" approach has somewhat put me off as well. I don't mind *some* of that, but I do like the more intuitive/tactile approach.
I have and really like the Intellijel uFold II. Works great with stuff like the STO and the Dixie :up
GuitarGeek
04-06-2017, 08:04 PM
I've been circling the Distings for a while now, but the whole "menu" approach has somewhat put me off as well. I don't mind *some* of that, but I do like the more intuitive/tactile approach.
I have and really like the Intellijel uFold II. Works great with stuff like the STO and the Dixie :up
Part of me wants to go for the μFold II, just because it's less hp, and therefore takes up less real estate. But the A-172-1 seems to be more versatile, with more variable parameters, and of course, CV on all of them. Well, it'll still be another couple weeks before I'll really have the money to buy anything, so I guess that's another couple weeks to ponder...
battema
04-07-2017, 08:27 AM
I understand :up
battema
04-10-2017, 09:52 PM
Just for knowing...saw this come up as a preorder on ctrl-mod:
https://www.ctrl-mod.com/products/fold-processor-pre-order
hippypants
04-13-2017, 10:55 AM
That Tip Top processor demo was pretty cool.
Here's a little gizmo for electo-acoustic sound that seems pretty interesting as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5DOftoPYiU#t=336.155208
battema
04-13-2017, 06:59 PM
I did that Kickstarter! Hoping to receive mine next month :-)
GuitarGeek
04-14-2017, 06:42 PM
Just for knowing...saw this come up as a preorder on ctrl-mod:
https://www.ctrl-mod.com/products/fold-processor-pre-order
That looks interesting, though the "demo" video was kinda pointless. You get a minute of a bassline, accompanied by a drum machine, with someone mumbling in the background. Is the bassline being played through the fold processor? Is the mumbling part of the track or is that actually supposed to be about the wave processor? Who knows? I couldn't tell because the video would only play about half a second at a time for me. Too bad they didn't think to actually demonstrate what the controls do and what it sounds like when manipulate the controls, or what the octave divider sounds like (though, if it just generates square waves at each octave, I know what a square wave sounds like).
At any rate, I'm not sure if I'm going against my better judgement, or with it, but I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on the A-137-1. I gotta wait for a credit car payment to clear, but hopefully, that'll mean that by Tuesday, I'll be able to order the A-137-1, or if I've changed my mind then, something else.
battema
04-14-2017, 09:49 PM
Sweet! Enjoy :up
hippypants
04-16-2017, 05:15 PM
Battema--so I guess with that Koma Field Kit, you have to put it together yourself? I saw a video on YT that shows how to do it. Looked pretty easy.
You seem to have a lot of synths. Have you ever thought about doing a solo album? To record or at least get down ideas these days (unless it's done professionally in a studio), do most musicians just use a software program and computer?
battema
04-17-2017, 06:51 AM
Actually, I bought the pre-built kit along with the Eurorack panel so I wouldn't have to also build the thing ;-)
And actually, I've been doing solo things for decades now (and people think I go a bit too soft-sell with my band, LOL). A handful of the better/later albums are on bandcamp; much of my earliest stuff was way too derivative of stuff like 80's/90's Tangerine Dream for comfort. None of them feature the Eurorack stuff yet, but...well, I like 'em.
battema.bandcamp.com
Main one costs $$, but the rest are free to download if memory serves.
hippypants
04-17-2017, 02:07 PM
battema.bandcamp.com Thanks I'll check them out.
I ran across this early 1964-1971 acoustic electric various artist selection on Discogs (https://www.discogs.com/Various-Electroshock-Presents-Electroacoustic-Music-Volume-IV-Archive-Tapes-Synthesizer-ANS-1964-197/release/235627). I think it's pretty good with some classical composers on it.
It'll be nice to hear how you can incorporate that Koma into the mix. ;)
battema
04-17-2017, 02:57 PM
battema.bandcamp.com Thanks I'll check them out.
Fair warning: I don't really do "prog" per se when I'm on my own :)
hippypants
04-17-2017, 03:17 PM
Fair warning: I don't really do "prog" per se when I'm on my own :)
Really that's fine with me. I started to do a thread on one of the other boards called "What You Looking For?" In other words what someone else might be interested in hearing. By the way I heard some of your soloing and it was very good! Reminded me a bit of Isham, whom I like. Nice melodic stuff.
I don't know what or where your taste are, but I assume since you're on PE they are broad. For me though I'm always into the search to hear something different. If I were to either create something or buy something or be interested in hearing something, I'd tend to be a tad more avant in my interest/approach.
I'd want to hear something a bit more an amalgam of things: A bit prog mabye, a bit electroacoustic, a bit drone, a bit jazz, maybe some new age-y drift, maybe some kind of synth soundscape, maybe some zeuhl or jazz rock or something a bit raw or rocky to juxtapose the other stuff, a bass & drum solo, something? and so on. Now in a band this might be hard to muster as not everyone might not want to get into all these different areas, etc. But going solo, you can do what you like.
battema
04-17-2017, 03:24 PM
I do a lot of experimenting that would definitely be considered more avant/experimental. This usually doesn't get released though; it culminates as a bunch of R&D type work for "proper" albums.
Case in point: there are lots of odd noises near the start of In this Hour that sound a bit like FM or ring mod. They're actually an application I found that allowed me to convert visual images like JPG files into audio files. So if memory serves, those sounds were literally from pictures of me transformed into music. I did LOTS of experimenting, but only a small bit ended up incorporated as texture.
Thanks for listening though! I do like Isham, and his Windham Hill albums were a big early influence on me. And yeah, my tastes are a bit varied: in terms of influence the "Big 4" would be Bruce Hornsby, Vangelis, Richard Wright and Johannes Schmoelling.
GuitarGeek
04-19-2017, 11:08 PM
Well, I ended up buying the Tip Top Folder. I'm not sure if I made the right choice, but it was a bit cheaper than the other two options I was considering. I'm sure I'll end up liking it, I'm just not sure if I should have gone for the A-137-1 or not. Oh well, what's done is done.
hippypants
04-21-2017, 04:15 PM
I've been listening to this album at night. I generally listen to music when I bed down for sleep. For whatever reason I've done it for years. Most of the time it helps put me in the mood for nodding off. I doubt it would be a great daytime listen. It's called Electro Acoustic Music Vol IV and has various musicians on it. I don't know if something like this would go over today or not. But I like it. (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE1-eSDUeGWDmsSWWh2EATRnqgejgqZ6T)
battema
04-30-2017, 07:03 AM
If you want a real "secret sauce" pedal try out the Hungry Robot "The Wash" pedal. Ambient reverb/delays in one pedal. Makes anything sound sublime!
http://www.hungryrobotpedals.com/the-wash
Took a few weeks but I finally ordered one of these bad boys. Can't wait to start diving in in the next couple of weeks! Thanks again for the tip :)
Gizmotron
05-03-2017, 11:40 AM
Took a few weeks but I finally ordered one of these bad boys. Can't wait to start diving in in the next couple of weeks! Thanks again for the tip :)
I am so pleased to hear, battema! I know that almost every pedal claims to be "amazing" and "unique" but this one lives up to the press. You could buy three DD's and three reverbs and then spend a few hours screwing around or you could buy one of these and get on with it.
Let us know what you think.
battema
05-05-2017, 06:28 AM
Thanks! I just got the shipping notice so hopefully it'll be here sometime next week!
GuitarGeek
05-05-2017, 01:43 PM
Well, I'm not sure if I like the TipTop Fold Processor or not. You can get some great sounds out of it, and it's awesome for processing CV, but I somehow thought it would be more versatile. (shrug) There's a lot of dead spots, where if the bias and fold controls are set at certain settings, you get a null response. But when it's actually working, it's pretty cool.
I'm trying to make up my mind what to buy next. I think by the end of May, I'll have the money to get something. I'm thinking maybe a random voltage module, such as the Wogglebug.
The other thing I've been doing, is watching the various Serge demo videos on Youtube, and I'm thinking maybe when I get ready to put together a second case, it's going to be all or mostly Random Source Serge modules. But that's still a way's off.
Rarebird
05-05-2017, 02:00 PM
Well, I'm not sure if I like the TipTop Fold Processor or not. You can get some great sounds out of it, and it's awesome for processing CV, but I somehow thought it would be more versatile. (shrug) There's a lot of dead spots, where if the bias and fold controls are set at certain settings, you get a null response. But when it's actually working, it's pretty cool.
I'm trying to make up my mind what to buy next. I think by the end of May, I'll have the money to get something. I'm thinking maybe a random voltage module, such as the Wogglebug.
The other thing I've been doing, is watching the various Serge demo videos on Youtube, and I'm thinking maybe when I get ready to put together a second case, it's going to be all or mostly Random Source Serge modules. But that's still a way's off.
Sounds a bit like a Kraakdoos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraakdoos
GuitarGeek
05-07-2017, 08:38 PM
Sounds a bit like a Kraakdoos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraakdoos
Mmm, no, judging from that Wiki page. According to the link, the Kraakdoos involves linking the human body into the circuit, with different people generating different sounds. Compared to that, what I'm talking about is really just a garden variety modular synthesizer, something more like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_synthesizer
Progbear
05-07-2017, 09:31 PM
I mean, I get that they’re trying to make “synths for the masses, not the classes,” thus design and style is not a priority, but I’ve always found Serge synths to be hideous!
GuitarGeek
05-07-2017, 10:04 PM
I’ve always found Serge synths to be hideous!
How so?
Rarebird
05-08-2017, 07:43 AM
Mmm, no, judging from that Wiki page. According to the link, the Kraakdoos involves linking the human body into the circuit, with different people generating different sounds. Compared to that, what I'm talking about is really just a garden variety modular synthesizer, something more like this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_synthesizer
I was aiming at the random voltage module, with which one don't know what voltage it will generate.
GuitarGeek
05-08-2017, 10:39 AM
I was aiming at the random voltage module, with which one don't know what voltage it will generate.
In theory, yes, though some modules have ways of limiting the randomness of the voltage generated. Buchla came up with the first random voltage modules back in the late 60's, and Serge continued on the tradition in the 70's, and now there's dozens of Eurorack companies making such modules.
Progbear
05-08-2017, 09:14 PM
How so?
It’s just how slapped-together they always looked. They always look to me like stuff some guy just threw together in his garage. Those ugly banana-plugs they use for patch cords sure don’t help.
battema
05-09-2017, 08:02 AM
I am so pleased to hear, battema! I know that almost every pedal claims to be "amazing" and "unique" but this one lives up to the press. You could buy three DD's and three reverbs and then spend a few hours screwing around or you could buy one of these and get on with it.
Let us know what you think.
USPS delivered my new little rectangular bundle of joy yesterday! Didn't have a TON of time to experiment but put it into the signal path for my Voyager and experimented with leads. Ooooh yeah, that's lovely stuff right there. Found some great settings that added an awesome, subtle backdrop against the synth lines. Looking forward to tinkering around even more tonight after work :)
10315
Gizmotron
05-09-2017, 11:13 AM
USPS delivered my new little rectangular bundle of joy yesterday! Didn't have a TON of time to experiment but put it into the signal path for my Voyager and experimented with leads. Ooooh yeah, that's lovely stuff right there. Found some great settings that added an awesome, subtle backdrop against the synth lines. Looking forward to tinkering around even more tonight after work :)
10315
Congrats! I am glad that so far you like it.
I think it is a very special device.
battema
05-09-2017, 01:34 PM
Heck yeah!
In unrelated and potentially wallet-crushing news, this now is imminent:
http://www.deckardsdream.com/
I am sorely tempted, although the DIY is going to be a definite challenge. I'm also wanting to know how much the "expansion" bit will cost, as it has at least one feature I'd consider essential (the ring modulator).
Rarebird
05-09-2017, 01:44 PM
Heck yeah!
In unrelated and potentially wallet-crushing news, this now is imminent:
http://www.deckardsdream.com/
I am sorely tempted, although the DIY is going to be a definite challenge. I'm also wanting to know how much the "expansion" bit will cost, as it has at least one feature I'd consider essential (the ring modulator).
It looks like it's inspired by the Yamaha CS80.
battema
05-09-2017, 02:00 PM
It is absolutely inspired by the CS-80. Although it is an approximation, not a perfect clone.
I'd personally prefer an actual keyboard to a rack version, but it seems the trick there is finding a keybed that allows for polyphonic aftertouch.
GuitarGeek
05-09-2017, 09:26 PM
It’s just how slapped-together they always looked. They always look to me like stuff some guy just threw together in his garage. Those ugly banana-plugs they use for patch cords sure don’t help.
I'm not sure where you get "slapped together" from. I thnk they're as professional looking as any other make of synth. Now, if you have someone who did a sloppy job of DIYing some Serge front panels, yeah, I guess that could look a bit thrown together, but my experience in general is they look very good.
As for the banana plugs, Buchla was using banana plugs/jacks back in the late 60's (ie at least a few years before Serge Tcherepnin went into business), and there's a lot of people who still swear by them. In fact, Morton Subotnick seems to feel that using quarter inch or 3.5mm jacks/plugs for everything is an inferior way of operating a modular synth. Or at least, that's the impression I get from his commentary in the I Dream Of Wires documentary.
Progbear
05-10-2017, 10:36 PM
It looks like it's inspired by the Yamaha CS80.
The sliders remind me of my old ARP Odyssey.
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 03:49 AM
The sliders remind me of my old ARP Odyssey.
The sliders do, but the configuration looks like the Yamaha CS80.
battema
05-11-2017, 07:17 AM
Yep...the front panel pretty closely emulates the layout of the CS-80, but since the unit is far more compact (just a 4 unit rack size) the sliders are smaller.
My Linnstrument will do polyphonic aftertouch, so it'll be interesting to experiment with that sort of expression.
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 07:26 AM
A keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch would be nice. I only have a weighted keyboard.
battema
05-11-2017, 07:45 AM
They're pretty hard to find these days; most keybeds do channel but not polyphonic aftertouch. Apparently that's one of the reasons the Deckard's Dream is only planned for rack format.
Some of the non-traditional controllers like the Linnstrument and Roli can do it.
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 08:18 AM
They're pretty hard to find these days; most keybeds do channel but not polyphonic aftertouch. Apparently that's one of the reasons the Deckard's Dream is only planned for rack format.
Some of the non-traditional controllers like the Linnstrument and Roli can do it.
Well just aftertouch would do, doesn't need to be polyphonic. It's just for experimenting. In the end the polyphonic aftertouch would added in Cubase.
battema
05-11-2017, 08:42 AM
Ah, gotcha :up
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 09:31 AM
Ah, gotcha :up
Yeah, you got me. Found several keyboards with aftertouch and realised polyphonic aftertouch is a bit different, but because the keyboard is mainly ment to hear the effect on the sound, non-polyphonic would at least be a worthwhile option.
battema
05-11-2017, 09:43 AM
Oh, absolutely. I use channel aftertouch quite often, especially on leads and monophonic sounds. If setup correctly it can be a nice alternate to using the mod wheel to add a bit of vibrato (for example, if playing live I am holding a pad down with one hand and doing a lead with the other, I can still trigger vibrato using aftertouch against the lead).
One of the other cool "alts" to the mod wheel is the D-beam you find on some Roland/Boss controllers and keyboards. I got the idea at NEARfest while watching Kenso use them during their set, and it can be very cool.
I like the idea of polyphonic aftertouch, but I also suspect it will require a serious amount of practice/discipline to get it right.
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 10:45 AM
Oh, absolutely. I use channel aftertouch quite often, especially on leads and monophonic sounds. If setup correctly it can be a nice alternate to using the mod wheel to add a bit of vibrato (for example, if playing live I am holding a pad down with one hand and doing a lead with the other, I can still trigger vibrato using aftertouch against the lead).
One of the other cool "alts" to the mod wheel is the D-beam you find on some Roland/Boss controllers and keyboards. I got the idea at NEARfest while watching Kenso use them during their set, and it can be very cool.
I like the idea of polyphonic aftertouch, but I also suspect it will require a serious amount of practice/discipline to get it right.
I think Yamaha also had a breath controller.
A friend of mine build his own kind of lyricon driver.
battema
05-11-2017, 10:50 AM
Doepfer also makes a pretty cool ribbon controller; it is technically designed for a Eurorack system with CV outputs, but it also does MIDI and I use one pretty extensively with my Voyager. It captures both position and pressure and can generate aftertouch-like gestures.
http://www.doepfer.de/R2M.htm
Gizmotron
05-11-2017, 11:34 AM
Must.
Get.
LINNSTRUMENT!
battema
05-11-2017, 02:17 PM
You should! They are very fun /versatile controllers :up
Gizmotron
05-11-2017, 02:25 PM
You should! They are very fun /versatile controllers :up
Yup...just a matter of time!
I like seeing the chats (above) about alternate controllers. I enjoy the "D-Beam" and short ribbons on my Handsonic, the long ribbon on my Kurzweil, and Yamaha's original breath controller. I used it with my KX-88 for years and now use it on my DX-7II. (They go for a pretty penny on "E-Beh")
Standard keyboards are wonderful but it is very liberating to use alternatives.
Rarebird
05-11-2017, 02:41 PM
Yup...just a matter of time!
I like seeing the chats (above) about alternate controllers. I enjoy the "D-Beam" and short ribbons on my Handsonic, the long ribbon on my Kurzweil, and Yamaha's original breath controller. I used it with my KX-88 for years and now use it on my DX-7II. (They go for a pretty penny on "E-Beh")
Standard keyboards are wonderful but it is very liberating to use alternatives.
I think I prefer keyboards, with some additional possibilities to influence the sound in realtime. But I'm more a composer, than a keyboardplayer, though I have learned to play the piano a little bit. At least I grew up with keyboards.
battema
05-11-2017, 02:56 PM
Both definitely have value: I am classically trained so a piano keyboard will always be my "bread and butter." But, I like how the alternate controllers break me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to think about melodies, chords and even rhythms in a different way. The Linnstrument is configured in a manner slightly more akin to a guitar fretboard which means I can create some very different chord voicings, than would be possible with a more "linear" piano.
It's also part of the thrill with the Eurorack stuff too...the idea of self-generating music. I patch and create a starting point and then the modules begin various feedback loops that constantly create + evolve the idea over time.
Gizmotron
05-11-2017, 03:14 PM
Both definitely have value: I am classically trained so a piano keyboard will always be my "bread and butter." But, I like how the alternate controllers break me out of my comfort zone, forcing me to think about melodies, chords and even rhythms in a different way. The Linnstrument is configured in a manner slightly more akin to a guitar fretboard which means I can create some very different chord voicings, than would be possible with a more "linear" piano.
It's also part of the thrill with the Eurorack stuff too...the idea of self-generating music. I patch and create a starting point and then the modules begin various feedback loops that constantly create + evolve the idea over time.
My feelings (and experience) exactly. Well-spoken, Battema.
That is why I am after the Linnstrument. As well as the obvious coolness, it would help me better understand the fretboards in my life!
Self-generating music? Yeah boy! I love the concept. Eno's efforts are best known to me. I love the possibilities. The Euro Rack stuff must be fun. I experience some of this through the KARMA elements in my Karma and Kronos. I love how that technology gives me ideas as things percolate and evolve in front of my eyes/ears.
Technology creates lots of problems for us but the musical part can be so wonderful. Gear is great!
battema
05-11-2017, 03:31 PM
The generative music thing is a ton of fun but also skews heavily toward more abstract results. I think I shared this earlier in the thread when GuitarGeek had some questions, but it's worth sharing again and illustrates some interesting possibilities when creating feedback loops between modules, etc...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzZOJPlc654
It is very, very, VERY easy to lose yourself for an hour or two just patching things to see what happens. It's also very easy to end up having everything turn into a Tangerine Dream 'Phaedra' outtake, lol!
Gizmotron
05-11-2017, 03:49 PM
I see what you mean. I could easily spend serious time there!
Progbear
05-11-2017, 09:25 PM
Coolest pitch-bender has to be Yamaha’s on the CS80, where any place you initiated contact was “home.” Nord had a neat joystick-like controller with an ergonomic crescent-shaped rest for your finger. Worst would probably be the PPC (proportional pitch control) system ARP used on their later synths. Inexplicably, Korg used the PPC for their “remake” of the Odyssey. My own Odyssey, thankfully, pre-dated the PPC system; unfortunately the pitch-bend knob lacked a center detent, making tuning even more of a headache than it usually is on older analog synths.
Oh, and earlier when I was talking about my Odyssey’s sliders? I was referring to how they were supposed to look! Most of the colored Chiclet™ slider caps are missing on mine.
GuitarGeek
05-12-2017, 12:23 PM
It's also part of the thrill with the Eurorack stuff too...the idea of self-generating music. I patch and create a starting point and then the modules begin various feedback loops that constantly create + evolve the idea over time.
Yeah, that's what got me interested in modular synths again, really, listening to STeve Roach's Possible Planet, which was done entirely on a Eurorack synth. I remember reading the liner note swhere he says he used no MIDI, softsynths or keyboards. And I thought, "Wait, what do you mean, 'no keyboards'?!". And I realized that he had apparently done what you're describing, patching the synth so that it almost "plays itself", if you will. And once I started reading Muff Wiggler, I realized there's a lot of people who've followed similar ideas too (the whole "Krell" patch thing seems to be based on the same idea too).
For awhile, I was doing a lot of recording using a demo version of the Arturia virtual modular (they used to call i the Virtual Moog or whatever, but I guess their license to use the Moog name ended, as they just call it the Modular V or whatever now), where I was patching one envelope to be triggered when another ended, etc. You could set up a patch where all you'd have to do is occasionally tweak a control here or there, but just let it go and play itself.
For awhile, I was kind of coveting the Buchla Tactile Touch...whatever it's called, they've got this controller that's basically a bunch of touch pads and ribbon controllers. Unfortunately, the damn thing by itself costs two grand, and is designed to be used with Buchla gear (though if you drop enough money, you can interface with, let's say a Eurorack synth, for instance). But as near as I can tell from watching demo videos, it looks like it allows you to operate the synth almost like a mixing desk.
Intellijel announced their Tetrapad earlier this year, and I gather they're in the process of R&Ding the prototype as we speak. And Sound Machines has a controller that they're getting ready to unveil as well. Those two seem to be very close to the Buchla touch controller. And of course, there's the Make Noise Pressure Points, which also interest me.
battema
05-12-2017, 01:21 PM
Buchla is crazy expensive...as much as I'd love to own something genuine, it's just too prohibitive.
I love my Pressure Points. With the Brains tacked on, it also doubles as a handy aux sequencer.
This is also floating around, and looks kind of interesting: http://folktek.com/instruments/symbiotic/conduit_desktop
GuitarGeek
05-12-2017, 03:34 PM
Buchla is crazy expensive...as much as I'd love to own something genuine, it's just too prohibitive.
Yeah, to say nothing of the fact that the current owners of Buchla Electronic Musical Instruments essentially ripped off Don, who was suing BEMI at the time of his death.
But those Buchla prices are the reason why I'm looking forward to Intellijel and Soundmachines controllers that are coming out. Controllers aside, most of the Buchla ideas and concepts are available at better prices in Eurorack anyway.
I love my Pressure Points. With the Brains tacked on, it also doubles as a handy aux sequencer.
There's a video on Youtube where a musician is using four PP's, three of them I think are set to give a chromatic octave, then the fourth allows him to select which octave the other three are operating in. That's something I've wanted to try sometime.
More truly mighty machines (as a contrast to those expensive modular machines that go "PING" ) ;)
http://youtu.be/EHMTZEv8L5A
battema
05-17-2017, 07:14 PM
Don't be hatin' the ping!! :lol :lol
Don't be hatin' the ping!! :lol :lol
:lol: ;)
Progbear
06-05-2017, 10:28 PM
The first digital, polyphonic synthesizer, the RMI Keyboard Computer, demonstrated by none other than the legendary Morgan Fisher:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXEIwYkVmhI
Amazing, for an instrument made in 1975, those bells are pure 80s! :lol Todd Rundgren/Roger Powell used one of these, as did Eloy’s Detlev Schmidtchen.
battema
06-07-2017, 12:49 PM
That's wild...the pedal usage makes sense, but would definitely take some getting used to :up
Get yourself a Roland branded miniminimoog for USD500! Lot's of clones of classics coming out now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYLloIcu7us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGsMjx1inM
Rarebird
06-20-2017, 10:28 AM
Get yourself a Roland branded miniminimoog for USD500! Lot's of clones of classics coming out now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYLloIcu7us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGsMjx1inM
Looks yummy!
battema
06-20-2017, 12:15 PM
Now that is super cool...and bodes well if Roland is willing to partner with Studio Electronics :up
GuitarGeek
06-21-2017, 07:18 PM
Re: ROland Minimoog,
OK, but how does it sound?!
battema
06-22-2017, 12:48 PM
There are some Muffwiggler threads about it...most of the impressions thus far seem to be based on the video demos.
battema
06-27-2017, 07:13 AM
This is a pretty cool little gadget I came across recently; for those looking for that "Buchla-style touchplate" deal, this might be an affordable option:
https://www.ctrl-mod.com/collections/devices/products/stereo-field
Some cool instagram-type vids here, demonstrating various uses:
http://www.landscape.fm/
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5616dafce4b0d3605b622fb7/t/58d17ffebebafb12f167804f/1490124833614/?format=1000w
GuitarGeek
06-28-2017, 04:13 PM
This is a pretty cool little gadget I came across recently; for those looking for that "Buchla-style touchplate" deal, this might be an affordable option:
https://www.ctrl-mod.com/collections/devices/products/stereo-field
Some cool instagram-type vids here, demonstrating various uses:
http://www.landscape.fm/
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5616dafce4b0d3605b622fb7/t/58d17ffebebafb12f167804f/1490124833614/?format=1000w
Yeah, I saw that, I might want to get one of those.
battema
06-29-2017, 08:29 AM
I have one on preorder. Kinda told myself I'd take a pause on gadgets until the Deckard's Dream arrives, but...this looked like too much fun to pass up.
Eh, I'll just be financially poor but creatively-stimulated when I get old(er) ;)
Gizmotron
06-29-2017, 11:30 AM
I have one on preorder. Kinda told myself I'd take a pause on gadgets until the Deckard's Dream arrives, but...this looked like too much fun to pass up.
Eh, I'll just be financially poor but creatively-stimulated when I get old(er) ;)
You are my Electro-Seeker Hero, Battema. I bet a visit to your place is Big Fun.
battema
06-29-2017, 12:45 PM
My place is getting crowded! Would that be the first step in admitting I have a problem, if I'm considering moving just to make more room for gear? :lol
Of course, the next trick is to actually finish something new that uses a bunch of these gadgets...
Gizmotron
06-29-2017, 01:08 PM
My place is getting crowded! Would that be the first step in admitting I have a problem, if I'm considering moving just to make more room for gear? :lol
Of course, the next trick is to actually finish something new that uses a bunch of these gadgets...
I know that feeling of having a sizable gear collection!
And I know the desire to finish up some projects...I have a 1930's Deagan marimba that has been in pieces for 12 years...perhaps I'll finish up the refinish this weekend ;)
battema
06-29-2017, 01:32 PM
LOL yep!
I have a few different things started but haven't quite found the "spark" to finish them.
Gizmotron
06-29-2017, 02:08 PM
LOL yep!
I have a few different things started but haven't quite found the "spark" to finish them.
What is your favorite synth?
What was your first? And when did you first get into synths?
battema
06-29-2017, 02:46 PM
Oh wow...
First real-type synth was a Roland U-20 (had a small Casio before that, but that doesn't really count), a gift in maybe 1988-89? It was a new synth at the time, and my first dive into MIDI, sample-based synthesis and the like. I still have it at home although it doesn't quite work as well anymore.
My favorite overall would probably have to be the Voyager. Lots of my synths are great and can do awesome stuff...the Voyager is the most musical instrument though. Something about it, from the keybed to the controls and the sound...it is just so expressive. Much like a guitar, it also lends itself well to being expanded, and I have mine running through different pedals and other effects (plus the CV breakout boxes). I also mounted a Doepfer R2M above the keyboard for various additional tricks. These days when I just feel like noodling around, that's my go-to :up
And you?
Gizmotron
06-29-2017, 04:28 PM
Oh wow...
First real-type synth was a Roland U-20 (had a small Casio before that, but that doesn't really count), a gift in maybe 1988-89? It was a new synth at the time, and my first dive into MIDI, sample-based synthesis and the like. I still have it at home although it doesn't quite work as well anymore.
My favorite overall would probably have to be the Voyager. Lots of my synths are great and can do awesome stuff...the Voyager is the most musical instrument though. Something about it, from the keybed to the controls and the sound...it is just so expressive. Much like a guitar, it also lends itself well to being expanded, and I have mine running through different pedals and other effects (plus the CV breakout boxes). I also mounted a Doepfer R2M above the keyboard for various additional tricks. These days when I just feel like noodling around, that's my go-to :up
And you?
Voyager.
Dream machine! That would be so cool to have.
I tinkered with piano as a kid. I started being interested in keyboards as I listened to Genesis, Yes, ELP, etc. back in the early 1970's. It wasn't until 1979 that I had my first real exposure to electric keyboards. I met a fellow in college who had an ARP 2600, a Mellotron D, and a 6' Steinway. That was an amazing experience to play around with all three, especially the ARP. He became my roommate about a year later. He borrowed an ARP Pro-Soloist for awhile so I got to mess with that too.
In 1981 I got my first little Casio (like you). It wasn't until 1985 that I got my first synth, a Korg DW-6000. I then added an Korg 800EX module, a Casio 1000, and then the first cool device, my Yamaha KX-88 controller. That made me really lust for something that would respond to touch sensitivity so I got a TX-7 module. I slowly added more pieces throughout the years and now have a range of Korg, Roland, Kurzweil, Yamaha, and other stuff. It would be hard to pin down a favorite though.
So many devices, so little time!
dropforge
06-30-2017, 04:58 PM
First real-type synth was a Roland U-20 (had a small Casio before that, but that doesn't really count), a gift in maybe 1988-89? It was a new synth at the time, and my first dive into MIDI, sample-based synthesis and the like. I still have it at home although it doesn't quite work as well anymore.
The U-20/U-220 were used by just about anyone recording in New Age back then — along with the ubiquitous D-50 and (Korg) M1.
The MT-32 had a few nice sounds on it, too. One of those sounds I dubbed the "Steve Roach sound," a velvety string patch that broke like a wave hitting the shore due to a fast decay.
Gizmotron
06-30-2017, 05:14 PM
The U-20/U-220 were used by just about anyone recording in New Age back then — along with the ubiquitous D-50 and (Korg) M1.
The MT-32 had a few nice sounds on it, too. One of those sounds I dubbed the "Steve Roach sound," a velvety string patch that broke like a wave hitting the shore due to a fast decay.
Mr Roach! What a guy.
I know what you mean about some of those very identifiable Steve Roach voices. Of course, he has so many albums that he has probably used every synth and every voice out there.
I would be remiss if i didn't mention what an incredibly nice guy he is. He lives south of here and I ran into him at the local pro music instrument store a few times. On one visit he mentioned the Electrix Repeater as a wonderful looper...so I bought one immediately on his recommendation!
Another time, I had extensive interaction with him in Tucson at a Stephen Kent (didjeridoo artist) concert. There was an informal drum circle that I participated in before Kent performed and after it, Roach chose me and two other drummers to accompany Mr. Kent. It was such a cool experience hearing Stephen Roach play didjeridoo along with Kent. Both guys were extremely nice. Roach couldn't be more easy going, approachable, and kind.
battema
07-06-2017, 09:09 AM
Voyager.
Dream machine! That would be so cool to have.
I tinkered with piano as a kid. I started being interested in keyboards as I listened to Genesis, Yes, ELP, etc. back in the early 1970's. It wasn't until 1979 that I had my first real exposure to electric keyboards. I met a fellow in college who had an ARP 2600, a Mellotron D, and a 6' Steinway. That was an amazing experience to play around with all three, especially the ARP. He became my roommate about a year later. He borrowed an ARP Pro-Soloist for awhile so I got to mess with that too.
In 1981 I got my first little Casio (like you). It wasn't until 1985 that I got my first synth, a Korg DW-6000. I then added an Korg 800EX module, a Casio 1000, and then the first cool device, my Yamaha KX-88 controller. That made me really lust for something that would respond to touch sensitivity so I got a TX-7 module. I slowly added more pieces throughout the years and now have a range of Korg, Roland, Kurzweil, Yamaha, and other stuff. It would be hard to pin down a favorite though.
So many devices, so little time!
That's super cool! Yeah, I started with classical piano lessons/training for about a decade before I got into the electronic stuff. I very much kind of transitioned backwards, going from digital PCM sample-based electronic instruments to analog gear and alternate controllers like the Linnstrument and a Doepfer ribbon for the Eurorack. Hell, the Roland U-20 doesn't even really have a filter...I had to upgrade to a JV-80 just to get that awesome resonant sweeping sound :lol
The electronic music lab in college had some interesting stuff too: a Korg M1, Roland rackmounted sampler (can't recall the model # now), an Emu Emulator II, and some Studio Electronics Moog knockoff gear that was up on the wall but rarely taken down for use. We also had a computer with some rudimentary MIDI software for composing. The Emulator was the big thrill for me though...after a few minutes of scanning the sounds I realized "holy crap, I just discovered the soundtrack to Legend!!!" ;)
Gizmotron
07-06-2017, 05:00 PM
That's super cool! Yeah, I started with classical piano lessons/training for about a decade before I got into the electronic stuff. I very much kind of transitioned backwards, going from digital PCM sample-based electronic instruments to analog gear and alternate controllers like the Linnstrument and a Doepfer ribbon for the Eurorack. Hell, the Roland U-20 doesn't even really have a filter...I had to upgrade to a JV-80 just to get that awesome resonant sweeping sound :lol
The electronic music lab in college had some interesting stuff too: a Korg M1, Roland rackmounted sampler (can't recall the model # now), an Emu Emulator II, and some Studio Electronics Moog knockoff gear that was up on the wall but rarely taken down for use. We also had a computer with some rudimentary MIDI software for composing. The Emulator was the big thrill for me though...after a few minutes of scanning the sounds I realized "holy crap, I just discovered the soundtrack to Legend!!!" ;)
Neat history, Battema!
More than most instruments, the chance way that we all encounter electronic instruments seem to imprint upon us in a very strong way. The early instruments we encounter influence us and shape us in fascinating ways.
dropforge
07-08-2017, 05:14 PM
The Emulator was the big thrill for me though...after a few minutes of scanning the sounds I realized "holy crap, I just discovered the soundtrack to Legend!!!" ;)
:lol
hippypants
07-12-2017, 08:08 PM
What did the foot pedal do on the Roland D-20? Just curious.
The first synth I got was the Arp Odyssey, which I really loved. I think I read on one of the early Tangerine Dream albums they used an Arp so that was good enough for me. It came with a book so was a good learning experience. I now have a Korg micro Korg synth. It has smaller keys, but that doesn't bother me.
Rarebird
07-13-2017, 04:06 AM
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qn2MhPWoZCE/U2w6u_6aR1I/AAAAAAAAAX8/4R9wXQhfiMk/s1600/back.jpg
How is this for gear porn?
How is this for gear porn?
...from left to right, we see..? ;)
Rarebird
07-13-2017, 06:53 AM
...from left to right, we see..? ;)
I think a Fender Rhodes, some keyboard, another electric piano? 2 VCS3, another synthesizer, a Hammond organ with a Fender Rhodes and another keyboard (clavinet?), another unknown keyboard, a Rickenbacker bass, a Gibson SG, drums, Gibson Les Paul, vibes, Mellotron, another Gibson Les Paul, a Mini Moog, 2 other keyboards, some other synthesizer, a Hammond organ, an acoustic guitar, flute and a Fender Rhodes.
I had to pick the original picture, to recognise some things a bit better.
Seen them live once.
battema
07-13-2017, 07:10 AM
Yeah...Eela Craig knew how to rock the backline for sure :up
dropforge
07-13-2017, 01:43 PM
I need to pull that out and listen to it again. Maybe I'll do that today!
dropforge
07-13-2017, 02:16 PM
Here's the gearlist (keys only) from the One Niter booklet.
Hammond C3 x 2
Mellotron M400
RMI Piano
Lowrey Audio Piano
Wurlitzer Piano
E-Piano
VCS3 x 2
Mini-Moog
Hohner Symphonik
Rarebird
07-13-2017, 02:20 PM
Here's the gearlist (keys only) from the One Niter booklet.
Hammond C3 x 2
Mellotron M400 x 2
RMI Piano
Lowrey Audio Piano
Wurlitzer Piano
E-Piano
VCS3 x 2
Mini-Moog
Nice list, though I see more on the picture. That list isn't on the original album and not on the CD I own, which contains One Niter and Hats of glass.
dropforge
07-13-2017, 02:26 PM
Nice list, though I see more on the picture. That list isn't on the original album and not on the CD I own, which contains One Niter and Hats of glass.
That's where I just took it from, haha! The Symphonic Rock 2-fer, right? It's on page 9. Also, I edited the post to add the Hohner Symphonik (Combo Organ), and I changed the Mellotron count to one, because it looks like two guys share the M400.
dropforge
07-13-2017, 02:28 PM
P.S. I agree, there's at least one more keyboard/synth on that pic that isn't in the list.
Progbear
07-14-2017, 01:42 AM
P.S. I agree, there's at least one more keyboard/synth on that pic that isn't in the list.
Eminent Solina String Ensemble? There’s sure one (or some other kind of string synth) all over those LPs! Note that the Symphonic Rock CD drops one track off of each album. Granted, “Caught on the Air” is no big loss, but “Venezuela” is a very charming acoustic piece.
Rarebird
07-14-2017, 04:35 AM
That's where I just took it from, haha! The Symphonic Rock 2-fer, right? It's on page 9. Also, I edited the post to add the Hohner Symphonik (Combo Organ), and I changed the Mellotron count to one, because it looks like two guys share the M400.
You're right, didn't look in the booklet. But what is the thing between the 2 VCS3's and the Hammond organ? And what is on the other Hammond organ?
Rarebird
07-14-2017, 04:37 AM
Eminent Solina String Ensemble? There’s sure one (or some other kind of string synth) all over those LPs! Note that the Symphonic Rock CD drops one track off of each album. Granted, “Caught on the Air” is no big loss, but “Venezuela” is a very charming acoustic piece.
I still have the original albums and I'm not going to replace the CD, for 2 seperate CDs.
dropforge
07-14-2017, 01:18 PM
Eminent Solina String Ensemble? There’s sure one (or some other kind of string synth) all over those LPs! Note that the Symphonic Rock CD drops one track off of each album. Granted, “Caught on the Air” is no big loss, but “Venezuela” is a very charming acoustic piece.
I think you're right. That could be behind whatshisname on the far left. (Also, the guy in the white robe has three keyboard synths in front of him, stacked. That raises the total keyboard instrument count to thirteen.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rScBRKlTdoE/TBvr55LN3BI/AAAAAAABKjI/drkaIP7LeBY/s1600/%21Bv%2B%29qZwBmk%7E%24%28KGrHqF,%21hMEv1%2B0%21t% 28RBMG7rz%29Ur%21%7E%7E_12.JPG
dropforge
07-14-2017, 01:20 PM
But what is the thing between the 2 VCS3's and the Hammond organ? And what is on the other Hammond organ?
What's that little red keyboard? :lol
Rarebird
07-14-2017, 01:52 PM
What's that little red keyboard? :lol
Which red keyboard? The one on the Leslie on the left, or the one under the Mini Moog and the other keyboard?
Rarebird
07-14-2017, 01:53 PM
I think you're right. That could be behind whatshisname on the far left. (Also, the guy in the white robe has three keyboard synths in front of him, stacked. That raises the total keyboard instrument count to thirteen.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rScBRKlTdoE/TBvr55LN3BI/AAAAAAABKjI/drkaIP7LeBY/s1600/%21Bv%2B%29qZwBmk%7E%24%28KGrHqF,%21hMEv1%2B0%21t% 28RBMG7rz%29Ur%21%7E%7E_12.JPG
Whatshisname on the far left is Hubert Bognermayr.
dropforge
07-14-2017, 02:04 PM
Which red keyboard? The one on the Leslie on the left, or the one under the Mini Moog and the other keyboard?
That one. Looks like a 2-octave job.
Progbear
07-14-2017, 08:16 PM
That one. Looks like a 2-octave job.
EMS DK2, keyboard for VCS3. Had to be bought separately, the VCS3 didn’t have a keyboard of its own.
Anyone know why the Mellotron has a putting green on top? :lol
hippypants
07-15-2017, 02:14 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFD72PXOmxA
battema
07-15-2017, 07:00 AM
Fun!
GuitarGeek
07-21-2017, 04:59 PM
What did the foot pedal do on the Roland D-20? Just curious.
The first synth I got was the Arp Odyssey, which I really loved. I think I read on one of the early Tangerine Dream albums they used an Arp so that was good enough for me. It came with a book so was a good learning experience. I now have a Korg micro Korg synth. It has smaller keys, but that doesn't bother me.
There's a 2600 on Rubycon, and on Encore, they used, I believe, either a Pro-Soloist or Pro-DGX.
Progbear
07-22-2017, 12:52 AM
There's a 2600 on Rubycon, and on Encore, they used, I believe, either a Pro-Soloist or Pro-DGX.
I think that was a Mk. I Soloist that they used on Encore. There’s an ARP Soloist somewhere on Roger Powell’s Cosmic Furnace along with a 2500, a 2600 and two Odysseys, plus a grand piano, Fender Rhodes and “electric clavichord” (Hohner Clavinet). The album pre-dates his membership with Utopia and was recorded when he was ARP’s sales rep, conceived as a series of demos for their product line. If you listen to that early ARP demo flexidisc, you’ll notice several other tracks (including at least one vocal track) that never made the cut. Rather regrettably, these did not turn up as bonus tracks on the Cosmic Furnace CD (unfortunate, considering the brevity of the original LP at only 36 minutes).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFD72PXOmxA
I like it when she demonstrates the properties of the Immodium Q36 Explosive Space Modulator.
battema
07-24-2017, 08:10 AM
I bet you do...need a cigarette now, Walt?
:lol
battema
07-26-2017, 01:53 PM
This pedal is weird, wild, and wonderful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI6QbzxDkmk
Gizmotron
07-26-2017, 03:34 PM
This pedal is weird, wild, and wonderful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI6QbzxDkmk
Indeed! It does look like good, clean fun in warp-it/deform-it kind of way.
minimoog episode IV - A new Hope!
Not that bad :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEsG0ycDDLk
battema
07-28-2017, 01:40 PM
I wasn't convinced until I saw Disco Bro give it a thumbs up at 1:41. You can't buy that kind of enthusiastic endorsement :up
;)
Rarebird
07-28-2017, 02:15 PM
minimoog episode IV - A new Hope!
Not that bad :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEsG0ycDDLk
Talking about gear porn. I want it all.
dropforge
07-28-2017, 04:38 PM
I wasn't convinced until I saw Disco Bro give it a thumbs up at 1:41. You can't buy that kind of enthusiastic endorsement :up
;)
:lol
I wasn't convinced until I saw Disco Bro give it a thumbs up at 1:41. You can't buy that kind of enthusiastic endorsement :up
;)
Yeah it's rare to see such enthusiasm! :up :D
battema
07-28-2017, 09:22 PM
:lol
battema
08-15-2017, 07:19 AM
So...outside of the various obligatory/necessary chops prep for Labor Day...I've spent some quality time tinkering with the Linnstrument in the last few days. First up was a much-overdue OS update so I could start tinkering about with the step sequencer and whatnot.
In a nutshell...this thing is really great. In case anyone hadn't seen this, the most recent OS updates added a fully-functional step sequencer to the Linnstrument...so in addition to having a great MPE input device you can also use it to drive rhythms and other things at the same time. This demo isn't exactly going to light anyone's musical world afire but it does demonstrate the potential of the Linnstrument as a driver for music-making:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKv4oKxUV9k
I've been experimenting with the Linnstrument controlling the Arturia V Collection just for textures and the like...can't do the polyphonic expressions with the V Collection but it is still fun. Also giving me the opportunity to build some muscle memory around the instrument's "keyboard."
Gizmotron
08-16-2017, 03:10 PM
So...outside of the various obligatory/necessary chops prep for Labor Day...I've spent some quality time tinkering with the Linnstrument in the last few days. First up was a much-overdue OS update so I could start tinkering about with the step sequencer and whatnot.
In a nutshell...this thing is really great. In case anyone hadn't seen this, the most recent OS updates added a fully-functional step sequencer to the Linnstrument...so in addition to having a great MPE input device you can also use it to drive rhythms and other things at the same time. This demo isn't exactly going to light anyone's musical world afire but it does demonstrate the potential of the Linnstrument as a driver for music-making:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKv4oKxUV9k
I've been experimenting with the Linnstrument controlling the Arturia V Collection just for textures and the like...can't do the polyphonic expressions with the V Collection but it is still fun. Also giving me the opportunity to build some muscle memory around the instrument's "keyboard."
Very cool! Thanks for the demo.
This is not helping my desire to get one!
battema
08-17-2017, 07:01 AM
My pleasure...just for saying, that isn't me. Just a demo I found on Youtube that did the trick.
I also found this yesterday, early "testing" of a Deckard's Dream: https://www.instagram.com/p/BX3GA76BOSH/
Pretty sure in due time I'll be sending the Linnstrument and the DD on a playdate together ;)
Gizmotron
08-17-2017, 11:22 AM
My pleasure...just for saying, that isn't me. Just a demo I found on Youtube that did the trick.
I also found this yesterday, early "testing" of a Deckard's Dream: https://www.instagram.com/p/BX3GA76BOSH/
Pretty sure in due time I'll be sending the Linnstrument and the DD on a playdate together ;)
I didn't think you were an artificial candle kind-of-guy. :)
I'll check the DD vid later today. Thanks, Mr. B!
A little something I built for my son. He's the musician, I'm just a tech guy and listener :)
10778
10779
battema
09-14-2017, 06:54 AM
Wow, that is gorgeous! What sorts of modules are those? Almost look like banana jacks but those don't look like Buchla-style modules...
Fantastic work, man...really. That's lovely :)
Thanks. The electronics are actually Ray Wilson's designs from http://musicfromouterspace.com/
It's made up of the Soundlab Ultimate, Ultimate expander, and 16 step sequencer with various input devices thrown in. ( Keyboard with octave switcher, guitar/audio input, joystick and MIDI interface )
Rarebird
09-14-2017, 07:48 AM
A little something I built for my son. He's the musician, I'm just a tech guy and listener :)
10778
10779
So nice.
rcarlberg
09-14-2017, 10:14 AM
Indeed. You do good work. Hope your son appreciates you.
battema
09-14-2017, 10:46 AM
Thanks. The electronics are actually Ray Wilson's designs from http://musicfromouterspace.com/
It's made up of the Soundlab Ultimate, Ultimate expander, and 16 step sequencer with various input devices thrown in. ( Keyboard with octave switcher, guitar/audio input, joystick and MIDI interface )
Wow, very cool. Thanks again for sharing...that's excellent work right there :up
Progbear
09-21-2017, 10:36 PM
I think the real wood and brass accents are the best thing about this. Beautiful work!
I think the real wood and brass accents are the best thing about this. Beautiful work!
Thanks. I was going for sort of a Jules Verne / H.G. Wells time machine look for an old school 100% analog synth :D
battema
09-22-2017, 06:27 AM
Synth goes Cyberpunk :) :up
battema
09-25-2017, 04:38 PM
Hey dang, I hope you don't mind...I'm sharing your pic on a FB DIY forum that I'm on. I think they'd be pretty impressed with your handiwork :) :up
Hey dang, I hope you don't mind...I'm sharing your pic on a FB DIY forum that I'm on. I think they'd be pretty impressed with your handiwork :) :up
Sure no problem. However, if it's the Synth DIY group I already beat you to it :)
battema
09-26-2017, 06:24 AM
Close!! It's the Deckards Dream DIY group :)
One of the dudes posted a quickie photoshop job of how he wants to mount the DD and a Roli and I thought your realized version would get some appropriate "oohs" and "aaahs" :)
rcarlberg
09-26-2017, 08:06 AM
Synth goes Cyberpunk Steam powered synths, yeah I can see it
JKL2000
09-26-2017, 10:32 AM
Sorry if this has been posted before, I just love this kind of photo of the Godfather:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ea/37/4e/ea374e1e88bfed65d5638c79e5df3219--music-studios-music-production.jpg
battema
09-26-2017, 11:04 AM
So, I got this sucker recently, specifically to use when the Deckard's Dream eventually arrives:
https://www.meris.us/product/mercury7-reverb-pedal/
With all respect to the Hungry Robot Wash (which IS an amazing pedal), the Mercury 7 might well be THE ambient/reverb pedal for me. I spent some time on the weekend running the Landscape Stereo Field and a Reface CS through and the results were marvelous. In particular, I love the subtle (or not-so-subtle) pitch effects you can apply. The pedal feels rock solid and they had it shipped to me in less than a few days. I loved it so much that I actually ordered their other pedal, a stereo bitcrusher/sequencer called the Ottobit.
battema
09-26-2017, 11:05 AM
Oh and yep, Jed...some of the KS 70's gear shots are among the very best synth porn shots :up
Rarebird
09-26-2017, 02:42 PM
Sorry if this has been posted before, I just love this kind of photo of the Godfather:
https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ea/37/4e/ea374e1e88bfed65d5638c79e5df3219--music-studios-music-production.jpg
WOW!
Some of the best porn there is to my eyes, though I rather wouldn't sit on the ground. So please put the stuff on some stands.
battema
09-26-2017, 02:55 PM
KS apparently preferred to sit on the floor. I look at those shots and my knees and ankles start aching at the very thought of it :lol
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