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Comments
Yes, every synth has its own charm, and so does a large comfy well-tempered hall with enough space for all of them
My point was not to compare specs on paper but to compare the sounds.
Feature-wise, we wouldn't need hardware synths at all, but if I'm going to buy one, the hands-on sound design "feeling" is one of the most important aspects IMHO.
I've read a lot about the XD, the oscillator SDK and a few examples on Github and if I was to find a good small-format, much cheaper alternative to the 8-voice polyphonic Prologue in terms of sound and polyphony, I guess it would rather be the Modal8 first and the XD second.
Sure, the hidden XD oscillator controls could be mapped to an additional hardware MIDI controller but I prefer the important controls to be included on the panel.
You are right.
And the choice of a synth is more a mater of personal priorities and prefence.
Which sounds do you like? What inspires you? What other devices do you already have? Money, Space, Time ;-)
For me it is about the fun and experience. I just like playing around with sounds and hardware synth complents my iPad
About the Minilogue XD:
It is a swiss army synth :-)
After using it for more 6 Month I realy like the complete package.
You can do a whole song (Bass, Pads, Leads, etc) for example in cubasis with it (switching presets and recording to different tracks obousily)
It has no major draw backs and it can do most things good enough.
Analog: check
Digitial: check
Onboard FX: check
Sequencer, PResets, etc.
Integration with Korg Gadget ios: Check
Poly for chords: check
2x CV in for more modulation: check
Small enough: check
not to expensive: check
Keyboard big enough: check
Bass: check
Lead: check
Pads: check
Modern sounds: check
vintages sounds: check
etc.
It is good for many sound.
It has a special character (light, metallic, bright, a bit modern) which is good for many things.
But it will not make an Oberheim, Jupiter, PPG or Moog obsolete....obviosly.
It is a well designed synth without any major drawbacks. It is good if you can only have one small analog poly below 1000 Dollar/EUR .
All of them!
Minimoog-type basses and leads (Sub37), Prophet-type brass and pads (Noah and Nord Lead 3), PPG Wave, D-50 and Wavestation-type digital sounds (no real hardware replacement but Microfreak does some of that). And a Yamaha VL70m for expressive solo sounds somewhere in-between synth and natural instruments.
All in their appropriate context.
All of them!
Me too
What do you mean by "Integration with Korg Gadget ios"? Is there something special going on there or just midi control?
In Taipei the Preset for the KORG XD with midi mapping of the Korg XD
You can sequence/automate the KORG XD from inside korg Gadget on IOS using the taipei gadget.
And on the same time you can sample into Zuerich using an audiinterface.
What I do:
1. Play on XD-Keyboard
2. record Midi Sequence into gadet track of taipei
3. Automate korg XD track in Taipei (see screenshot)
6. sequence XD and record on audio track with zuerich
4. add other tracks without korg; but use korg xd as midi controller for gadet (like drums)
etc.
-> overall a seemless and easy workflow in korg gadget and korg minilogue xd
Using Taipei and Zuerich the korgs XD feels like an analogue gadget ;-)
NIce, thanks
I want an analog synth not pure wavetable, or, yes, I’d look at Argon8 (don’t want a keybed though), or other small Modal, a used minimonsta, or a new modor nf1m. Or even an old Blofeld. I don’t want pure emulations because I have some of the best desktop softsynths for that - which get me 90%+ there. Plus I have a really good analog monosynth already.
Thus: XD sounds and looks ideal so far
Nice! Thx for sharing this 👍🏼
I finally picked up a Minilogue XD Module over the holiday. It arrived yesterday and I was immediately inspired to use it on a track. Then today I used it again for a Jamuary sketch. I am really excited to learn more about this thing.
Besides sounding great (to my ears) I discovered that it is both iPad compliant AND works as a USB to Midi DIN interface, passing along any Midi channels it doesn't use. So I was able to connect my iPad and have any of my midi generative apps (rozetta) send midi to the synth engine AND send midi from my Octatrack to a synth on my iPad via the midi in on the Minilogue. This was something that I couldn't do on my circuit and monostation, which was a bummer.
If someone is looking for a first hardware polysynth, I highly recommend it.
I really like the sound of the XD but the restrictive filter envelope controls, mini keys & only 4 voices makes it no go for me. Sonically the mix of analog & digital works really well on the XD. A 16 voice (with aftertouch) XD version of the prologue would have me very interested. The argon 8 sounds really nice (more pleasing to the ears & lush than the Hydrasynth) but needs more filter models to take it further.
I've been using an SE-02 for over a year, and have never really felt "restricted" by it's ADS envelope, where D is also R. Would be be nicer to have a separate R? Sure. But many a synth don't, and people use them to make music just fine. And, for people who don't play piano or use two hands or do massive chords, 4 voices is pretty good. There is no better analog poly in this price range, just different (DM). I don't own an XD, but have spent two hours using one.
That said...
Despite quite liking the XD, I set my sights higher. It was love at first sight listen: enter the OB-6. My goal is to purchase the desktop version at the end of January, provided life doesn't throw me a curve. Otherwise I'll put it off until life is back on track. Also, I suppose it's possible NAMM could bring something to light that's a viable alternative.
A Prologue XD desktop module would be VERY interesting.
I have the boog & have no real problem as such with the ADS type envelopes but the filter envelope on the XD does not even have that level of control. They should have given the filter the full ADSR & left 5he restricted envelope if they had to have one for the amp. Anyway let’s see what NAMM brings.
I too am in the market for something top end, so OB6 or Super 6 seems most likely unless something at NAMM outdoes those!
Yeah the Super 6 looks/sounds great. I'm space-restricted, to desktop modules only for me. I want something easy to use and inspiring. My "work horse" synths are in my computer.
The selection of 3rd-party oscillators, FX, etc. for the mulit-engine has multiplied quite a bit since this thread was first created. For example, there's a paraphonic one that adds 12-note paraphony... a couple of new physical modeling ones... granular cloud reverb... live loopers, etc. Peeps have understandably complained about only 1 LFO in the default synth engine, but a lot of these 3rd party ones add extra LFOs...
https://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/minilogue_xd/librarian_contents.php
http://hammondeggsmusic.ca/logueplugins/extra.html
https://www.sinevibes.com/korgalbedo/
https://www.soundmangling.com/
Two months after finding the Minilogue XD quite interesting, KORG came out of their labs with the Wavestate in January '20 and although I've only had the chance to play the XD by this time, hearing a few sound demos convinced me quickly.
Now that I've been using it for a few weeks, my personal opinion is that the Wavestate can cover a lot of the XD's ground but not the other way around.
The XD's custom oscillators are very interesting technically and some dedicated 3rd-party modulated oscillators might be more work to achieve on the Wavestate but the sonic palette of the latter is plain insane. IMHO it's worth much more than the price asked.
Apparently the Wavestate is basically a Raspberry Pi in a keyboard chassis. Make of that what you will...
What difference does that make if the result is outstanding?
It's a bit like saying a Tesla car can't be fast because it's running on batteries, or iPads can't perform well because iOS runs on a CPU chip that's smaller than a thumbnail. 😅
A guitar is basically nothing inside a wooden chassis.
I have no axe to grind here, I just mentioned it because I saw some guy on facebook saying that he returned his Wavestate in disgust because he found out that little titbit. As far as I’m concerned, if it sounds great, it sounds great...
I believe the air is quite important...
It’s got music inside. The musician just lets it out.
deepthoughts
Most digital synths are just 'Apps-in-a-Box with a DAC'. So a large chunk of the prices we pay for is the software development
My GAS at the moment is directed at the Roland MC-101 but I know it's just an ARM CPU running custom software which in practice could be run on almost any computer including the iPad...
Well, they filled mine with faulty tunes, in that case...
Somebody brought this up in Mike Metlay's (editor of Recording magazine) forum, and his response:
"People have no freakin' idea how many of the "hardware synths" they're buying these days are Arduinos or RPis with fancy shells. They're enormously powerful computers and can do wonders when programmed properly. I am glad the SynthAnatomy piece was published, so I don't have to keep the innards a secret any more."
The SynthAnatomy piece- mentions the Tasty Chips Granular also runs off a Raspberry Pi
https://www.synthanatomy.com/2020/02/meet-the-lead-developer-of-the-korg-wavestate-synthesizer.html
Dan Phillips helped make the original Wavestation in the early 90s, along with Dave Smith.
This one caused quite the stir when it was opened up:
The $5000 Hartmann Neuron ran on a 'standard PC motherboard running Gentoo Linux'.
The 'Resynators' sound lovely.
If I had the knowledge to program the raspberry pi to do it, I definitely would. I don’t even know anything about the wavestate, but DIY in anything can often wind up cheaper. It just becomes a case of the time and energy invested to do it.
I’ve started doing some basic instrument maintenance for some bassists around here, and really enjoying it. As i open up a bass to change a pot, I’m thinking, “This is so simple, I don’t know why he doesn't just do it himself.” But he’s not interested in doing it and I am. Same reason he plays on lots of records and tours and I play weddings and bars (which I do enjoy). We directed our energy into different areas, both of which are beneficial. Since I have plenty of time right now and am getting better at fretwork every ting I do it, I not only changed the pot but also did a fret level and crown. Now it’s a completely different feeling bass which he can now use for more records and tours. He’s not as interested in the equipment itself as he is in using it, So we each do what we do as part of the process.
The other person I’m working with is a bassist and composer, and I’ve had to install programs for him, retrieve passwords, even show him how to buy something online and have it delivered. But when he starts writing, arranging, playing, etc, my jaw hits the floor- he forgets more about music than I’ll ever know. So I’ve told him my job is to make the process disappear for him so he can just work and not worry about any tech. Apparently he is very happy with this arrangement, and I’m happy to support him.
Just so I’m not misunderstood, I’m not criticizing your statement- I am the type who hears that is just an rpi and decides I may want to figure out how to make my own, whereas most keyboardists I know don’t care what’s under the hood, just how it sounds and when they can use it on gigs.