$350-$500: What do you buy?(hardware)

[Deleted User]

@u0421793 said:
This reminds me of a thing that now and again irks me. Most of you know that I know my shit when it comes to synthesis. You’d think I’d really be into modular synthesisers, and any whacky synthesis method that comes along in a box.

Yet it turns out that synthesis isn’t the goal, for me. I thought it was, for several decades, but it isn’t. I’m far more interested in making a good memorable song. I think I always was and synthesisers were just the way to do that. I’m noticing that I’m steering away from things that are interesting and indulgent but aren’t going to help me make a song.

When I mean a song I mean something that people remember years later, can whistle or hum, and has within it some small set of words that even children can recite annoyingly. The things that help me make a song are actually fairly basic and straightforward and simple, which is disappointing, but I think I’ve got over that realization now.

There are so many distractions in the technology that aren’t going to give a person their desired end result. I think we have to be a bit careful. Going ‘no hardware’ really is proving a good move for me (if I ignore the old synths I still have but don’t use).

Another thing related to this pursuit is the recognition that too much music theory isn’t going to help me make a simple memorable song, it might even make it too clever, too complex and less easy for listeners to take with them.

Nice points but I disagree with the having too much music theory isn’t going to help me make simple songs. There is no such thing as having too much music theory because it is just that .. theory. It not like when you sit down at a piano and play you are thinking, I need to add that super locrian scale in this part to make this piece smarter. People in fact should spend more time on learning music theory (regardless of level) and they might improve their music however simple it maybe be and I include myself obviously.

Tarekith

@RUST( i )K said:

@Tarekith said:
0-Coast is pretty sweet for the price, there’s a lot there to really take you in crazy places. Bit of a Swiss Army knife of audio processing and generation too. I had tons of fun with mine just getting lost doing random weird things for the hell of it. Never managed to use it on a song, but it made me think of audio synthesis in entirely new ways which is why I had one for a time.

OB-6 is....drool worthy too, and worth the long wait to save up the money for one. Easily one of my favorite purchases of all time, and likely one of th last things I will ever part with.

Which one did you buy?

Both? Not sure I understand what you're asking.

[Deleted User]

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GovernorSilver

Might actually go with a Radial Key Largo - not as sexy as a new synth or FX pedal, but it's practical - 3 stereo input mixer, USB audio interface, sustain/volume pedal input, FX send/return, etc.