Page 9 of 11

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 7:47 pm
by Alume
Thanks unit, ill look in to it. Perhaps my discriptions are a bit vague. And you are right the is no such thing as an ultimat machine. That does everything, ill research the cirklon some more but im not sure what to think of it. Demos sounds si different and the display looks intimidating. And for my first synth i think or will be tomuch overload. I guess what i need is a Nice machine that helps me understand syntesis a bit more. Im really drawn to the nordrack, still the minibrute is on my mind aswel. Ive seen some other cool synths here aswell.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:28 pm
by Hades
why not have a look at the evolver ?
might not have too many knobs, but it's easy enough to get around the interface,
plus it has a 4x 16 step sequencer.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 3:53 am
by mint clad
Hey Alume you might consider the Blofeld. Just like the Evolver that Hades mentioned it doesn't have a lot of knobs but the interface is fairly easy to navigate, especially if you know the basics of synthesis. It's got a ton of modulation options and you it's very easy to set up what is modulating what. There's also a randomize feature that sometimes yields cool sounds, or at least gives you something to work with. It can be very inspiring in the sense that it could kickstart an idea in your head. But anyway yeah the synth definitely lends itself to trial and error experimentation. And it doesn't hurt that it's very capable for basic synth sounds as well. It's just an all around great synth. Although because of the interface it's not exactly the best for real beginners who have never tinkered with a synth, software or hardware

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 12:40 pm
by Lost to the Void
Don`t go for anything menu driven for your first synth. You really want knob/slider per function so you can really get hands on and learn your synthesis, after that go for more menu stuff.
My first synth was a Juno 106, oh the joy.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:17 pm
by Alume
Ill have a look at the evolver hades and mintclad, i think the blofeld is to much display work.

As Steve adviced, id rather get something less menu based without a menu and display would be even better.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 6:08 pm
by UN!T
How about the new DSI Pro 2?

That would be an excellent option for you. Its a mono synth with a dual analog filter & a 32 note step sequencer that can do up to 16 channels with some type of p-locking. Its also 4 note paraphonic so you would be able to do chords with it too. It has a shit ton of knobs. Looks great.

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/pro ... /index.php

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:05 pm
by Mslwte
Alume wrote:Ill have a look at the evolver hades and mintclad, i think the blofeld is to much display work.

As Steve adviced, id rather get something less menu based without a menu and display would be even better.
There are a few vst editors for the blofeld so you don't need to look in the menus at all really.

Pro's
Vst editor is free
Blofeld is cheap and has a wide variety of sounds.

Cons
Sometimes my PC will crash if I have not turned the blofeld first before open ableton.
It's also the vst is a bit fiddley to set up..

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:06 pm
by Mslwte
Everyone's first synth should be sylenth!

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:50 pm
by Alume
UN!T wrote:How about the new DSI Pro 2?

That would be an excellent option for you. Its a mono synth with a dual analog filter & a 32 note step sequencer that can do up to 16 channels with some type of p-locking. Its also 4 note paraphonic so you would be able to do chords with it too. It has a shit ton of knobs. Looks great.

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/pro ... /index.php
Wow that looks alot like what im looking for, and its got tons of functions too. Im going to have a look om youtube, try and find out what its capable of.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:54 pm
by Alume
And i do like the sound of the blofeld mslwte, but its not really what i have in mind for my first synth. Maybe i should just try it out aswell. ( in the store)

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:59 pm
by Hades
Lost to the Void wrote:Don`t go for anything menu driven for your first synth. You really want knob/slider per function so you can really get hands on and learn your synthesis, after that go for more menu stuff.
My first synth was a Juno 106, oh the joy.

to be honest, yes, you are very completely right.
the best way to learn synthesis will always be something with as many sliders and/or knobs as possible.
preferably a knob/slider for every parameter.
but let's face it : if you come from a situation where you click stuff with your mouse, or at best have a controller you need to assign knobs every time,
you're still far better off with a synth with a decent amount of knobs and a good and fast interface than you were before.
Menu's aren't the worst as long as they are well designed.
With something like the evolver, your menu structure is printed on the synth, so you press perhaps 1 or 2 buttons and the knob is assiggned to your parameter.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 10:31 pm
by UN!T
Alume wrote:
UN!T wrote:How about the new DSI Pro 2?

That would be an excellent option for you. Its a mono synth with a dual analog filter & a 32 note step sequencer that can do up to 16 channels with some type of p-locking. Its also 4 note paraphonic so you would be able to do chords with it too. It has a shit ton of knobs. Looks great.

http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/pro ... /index.php
Wow that looks alot like what im looking for, and its got tons of functions too. Im going to have a look om youtube, try and find out what its capable of.
Why don't you just look at the technical specifications to find out what its capable of?

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 9:41 am
by Alume
I did but still i find synths have a certain charakter, maybe i chose the wrong words to say what i mean again.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 5:14 pm
by UN!T
As far as character goes this is pretty much open ended. Don't like the oscillators? Buy a small euro case and pick an oscillator and route it back through the Pro 2. Don't like the filter? Buy a different filter instead and do the same.

Dave Smith has pulled a rabbit out of a hat. This thing is a very very smart move on his part. He has taken a look at the marketplace and filled a niche that was sorely lacking. In the past couple years I have stated more than once I wished the Cirklon came in a keyboard format. Well I guess somebody was listening to me because he gave me pretty much what I was wishing for. Only instead of a sampler it has a synth. He has taken the best ideas around and placed them into a single box with keys. He even called it "our own mini modular & the centrepiece of a studio." Cheers Dave Smith!

Midi out on 2 ports, cv gate, midi, USB , a sequencer and an insane amount of modulation routing. It's everything the Analog 4 could have been. In a way, it's a modern version of the MonoPoly and yeah it even cycles through waveforms and does chords what else could you want except maybe an expansion module to make it a 6 voice true poly synth.

This can be the corner stone of any electronic music studio. Add a drum machine, a sampler and some effects. Done. I think this paired with my Analog Rytm & maybe a couple Eventide pedals will be a great live setup. Nothing else required. I am pretty much sold.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:06 pm
by Alume
Im getting really excited about the pro 2.
I didnt realize it is a new product.
I better start saving big time.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:59 am
by Alume
The pro 2 will be going on my 'list for synths in the future' right now i cant cough of that kind of money.

I've been offered a minibrute for 350 euro's, I've been scanning ebay and 2nd hand sites, but cant really seem to find the price of a second hand minibrute. Is everybody just keeping them or what?

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:09 pm
by UN!T

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:37 pm
by Alume
haha, I cant wait! :lol:

Great to see the actual conflict in the way they act aswel. Adults are stupid.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 7:52 am
by Hades
dude, just get it.
if you get a decent synth offered for a decent price, you can just buy it,
and then if you don't like it, you can sell it later on.

also, all that endless
"should I do this or should I do that ?
Or maybe I can do this ?
You think I should do this ?
What do you think ?
Or should I rather do that ?
I don't know, I'm still in doubt"

my wife is like 50x less worse than you, for christ sakes ! :lol:

just make a choice.

Re: First hard synth ideas?

Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2014 8:39 am
by Alume
Your right, im so fucking bad in making decisions when it comes to buying stuff or things with work :lol:

On the other hand I barely make a wrong decision in the end. First thoughts seem to be the best ones.

Thats what i find is so nice about production, its usually instinct only.