What does your synth rig look like?

[LazerBeakShiek]

Just curious what everybody is doing for a synthesizer? You like Analog, Digital controlled Analog, Digital FM, Wave PCM, Samplers? The midi controller is an absolute tool for recording, LIVE , and the DAW. What are you using?

Like I use a MKS-50 for my analog, I suppose. A Yamaha TX81z(4 nasty operators) for a Digital FM. Roland A-49 midi Controller. A Fender 2150 power amplifier drives 2x 15"s cabs with horns. The mix of DCO analog and hissy 4 OP FM synthesis just works. Its the warm analog and cold FM coming together.

Yamaha TX81z
Roland MKS-50

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Nothin?
No hardware?

Man, synth's are never going be to cool.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Perhaps it is because yall just don't know what to get. The synth thing happened so fast. By 1989 it was over(not really, but almost).

These are the more popular machines. For people who don't want 15 different decks lying around. Let me know if I missed any. Common pricing with source. No Juno 6 series because theyre insanely expensive now..($2000+yikes) Each one really offers something sonically different. It was amazing how they were able to do what they did.( I'd skip Casio,AKAI,ALESIS,Behringer,E-mu, etc. Junk )

Kawai K1R additive synthesis LO-FI 8bit short scale PCM ($120 Reverb)
Yamaha TX-81z 4 operator 12 bit FM synthesis 'cold as ice' ($180 Reverb)
Korg M3R 1 osc 16 bit PCM AI synthesis ( can blend 'parts' to make 2 Osc at half the polyphony)($75 ebay)
Oberheim Matrix 1000 2 DCO analog ($600MusicGoRound)
Roland Alpha Juno 2/MKS-50 1DCO analog + sub and noise ($400dealZ2)
Yamaha DX7/TX7 12 bit 6 operator FM sine synthesis CLASSIC($250 ebay)
Roland JX-3P/MKS-30 1DCO+Sub anal.. ($350 GCused)
Roland D-50 who cares
Korg M1 whatever
Dave Smith Instr...

Does anybody really still use this stuff? Just me? Thats what I thought..

shit like this

allows you GUI MIDI control in real time over blue tooth with your PC/tablet/celphone. Screens(Panelz) like these behave just like a VST.

they have CTRLR editor Panelz for everything. Free. They take requests. No shit.

CTRLR works on Rack FX units too like the PCM-70. Bluetooth midi control. Or spend $450 on MidiQuest.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

These are the real tools. Tone generators. Editable sounds. They don't cost a fortune.

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

^^^ It's proving quite useful on my current project.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

^^^ It's

Porter- that is lightyears from the simple tone generators of yester year I was referring. Most don't even have effects.. They need a SPX-990 or KORG A2 or MPX-1(no compression) or etc. Then it becomes STEREO!

OMG that's awesome! Yamaha Motif XS is serious business. Bet it does everything. Has secret menu's mankind hasn't discovered yet. At a depth unfathomable to all but the 1%.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

That Motif has 128 voice polyphony. Every key on the deck could be played at once. One part can be made up of 60,000 sounds.

The ANALOG Oberheim M1000 I use, has 6 voices, 6 keys on a deck can be played at one time. Right hand 3-4 fingers, left 2 or 3 fingers. Just enough for 1 person playing 88. 2 DCO's per voice, 6 voices, the OB M1000 has 12 sounds possible.

big difference.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

No fans. Can play outside in the Sun. Perhaps a A-49 Ronald plastic deck or KORG microkey AIR.

 

[DM60]

I have the MK4 controller, not a bad little controller. It wants to do more than I want it to do, but ... I purchased in Berhinger UBXa-D, it is turning out to be more of a learning curve than I had figured. But it is still interesting. Looking to expand, just not sure what I would purchase.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Uh-huh, it is brutal. I play keys/guitar/voice/bass/etc 45 years now.

I have the MK4 controller, not a bad little controller. It wants to do more than I want it to do, but ... I purchased in Berhinger UBXa-D, it is turning out to be more of a learning curve than I had figured. But it is still interesting. Looking to expand, just not sure what I would purchase.

That's a bad ass machine. 16 voice poly. it can do anything and everything.

Basics- Polyphonic is more than one key/pad sound at a time. Like playing chords. Monophonic play is Leads one key/pad only at a time. Voices is how many fingers can play on the deck at once. 16 in your case. Like, 2 people on 88 keys.

I like the old mono 2 Oscillator analog synths. The Oberheim Matrix 1000 is your basic big huge Van Halen classic synthesizer. You plug these type into common amplifier systems, GUITAR AMPLIFIERS work fine or Full Range PA type speakers in split 2xmono or stereo, with a 15+" and horn Xover'd.

I saw a DX-7 in okay condition for $250. That is a crime. Historic machine(impossible to program on the deck, fun with GUI editor).

..it takes people about 1 month to play piano chords, major and minor shapes with one hand.

..start with a small key 37 key deck. Orientation will come easier.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

You can do so much with that MK4 controller. Unless you are utilizing that UBX to it's potential, dump it. I do not believe in room to grow. You either are at that level, or not. For cheap, get a bunch of Romplers(presets) and VSTs. Go nuts with that MK4 controller. Upgrade when you can go do a deep dive into it. Some people it takes a lifetime, and you make learning break thrus' along the way.. people love it.

Some machines are so expressive. Something actually lives inside it somewhere. I haven't met software with that complexity yet. PLENTY OF PROGRAMMING COMPLEXITY. Not character complexity or recognizability.

 

[DM60]

Well, I like the UBX-A because I can do a lot with it. While I might not get to someone of your level, there are just so many sounds one can create and it is very configurable. I use it with my DAW and either drive it straight and run the sound back in to a track, or record the MIDI and get a sound that is close, then tweak the sound. I have a foot pedal I purchased and can record the foot pedal information. Anyway, I usually don't sell anything once I purchased it. I have a 79 Fender acoustic, I have this 79ish amp I purchased about the same time. I had a strat I purchased at that time, but it was stolen. I even have a PC-100 keyboard controller from 1990. It isn't that good of a controller, hence the MK4. But I still have it.

I have that Dexed VSTi which is supposed to use the DX-7 dump files. There are a bunch of dump files out there.

MK4 I like as it controls the DAW, which comes in handy, I like the touch pads, makes it easier to add to SD patterns or create from scratch. The rest of the functions I can get out of Ableton, but it is there if needed.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Something tells me you are about to enter an even larger world of new tones. Have you discovered how to send midi dump .SYX files? Get endless patches and infinite new sound banks.

Flash your own EPROMS with a USB chip burner($29 on Amazon). Unlock new editable features with custom firmware .BIN files. KIWI,Tauntek,etc. 27/256 27/512

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

There are a bunch of dump files out there.

Yes, there are, aren't there.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Well, I like the UBX-A because I can do a lot with it.

Yeah, I dont know whats up there. You said it had a advanced learning curve, so I went that way.

While I might not get to someone of your level,.

hahahahha! What level? Total frickin clown?

 

[DM60]

Yeah, I dont know whats up there. You said it had a advanced learning curve, so I went that way.

hahahahha! What level? Total frickin clown?

I started MIDI in Late 80's, then I decided to focus on work. But the UBXa has a lot of tweaks that just require lots of quality time with it. But that to me is a good thing, reduce New gear syndrome.

Well, On the second part, you already have a pretty go start at it. For example, I knew what dump files were, but never really explored in any detail. You can read about stuff, but until you do stuff...

I might have to check out the EPROM writer. But I am trying to balance just exploring, which can be a bottomless pit, and making something that is like a song. Sometimes I spend hours looking for a sound for a small section, which once you go down the magical hole, your creativity goes to near zero, unless you hit the sound you didn't know you needed.