One big one, or lots of little ones? What’s your desired hardware synth collection?

AudioGus

@reasOne said:
Small synth rant warning..
Volcas are cool and some people actually use them to create original sounds, however I mostly see videos of everyone doing the same exact things as the last guy, and they have become to trendy and are abused by guys that aren't really that great at making music... Volca /reverb/tape loop... I've heard enough 🤣 again, some guys are doing it right, but I bet if they got a big synth it would sound exactly the same Lolo cuz they only know a few tricks cuz that's really all they, and similar small synths offer... like the op1, I've seen just a little over a handful of people do something with them that isn't the exact same as thousands of other Instagram artists...
This small portable synth craze has kinda gotten annoying imo cuz Almost anyone can afford them and do the same thing with em... those synths are designed to sound good, it's hard to make em sound bad with all the presets available for the volca FM
I dunno I sold all mine cuz of this reason,
My final thought, whatever you choose, just try to be original and do something a little different at least!! It is possible! Not that I'm the king of finishing pieces of work, but cranking out dozens of boring tracks with these doesn't make you good either... Take your time, slow down and make creative sounds!

Good advice. I would also say ignore what other people are doing, become self absorbed and make music primarily for yourself. To hell with the instagram and youtube stats game. Make music for the audience of elves that live in your head!

[Deleted User]

@u0421793 said:
I think that there’s another variant to consider in this. Do you want to have many synths running at once, or are you happy to get one synth down on ‘tape’ and play along with it (thus building up a multitrack composition or performance)?

I'd just record it bit by bit, I like to tweak and arrange pieces of audio in a DAW. Though I do enjoy a multi-synth jam in AUM.

ToMess

Big eurorack that can do many voices and process ios synths!

Tarekith

Personally I get more productive when I have one big synth that I know I really like and will continue to learn for years to come. Doesn't have to have a ton of features or every synthesis type available, but there's something about a larger purchase that tends to force me to not ditch things too quickly.

For me, this has been an OB-6 Desktop the last few years. I have a few smaller and more portable synths too like the Circuit and OP-Z, but I always come back to the OB-6 when it's time to get serious and record things in the DAW.

rs2000

@Tarekith said:
Personally I get more productive when I have one big synth that I know I really like and will continue to learn for years to come. Doesn't have to have a ton of features or every synthesis type available, but there's something about a larger purchase that tends to force me to not ditch things too quickly.

For me, this has been an OB-6 Desktop the last few years. I have a few smaller and more portable synths too like the Circuit and OP-Z, but I always come back to the OB-6 when it's time to get serious and record things in the DAW.

[Deleted User]

@Tarekith said:
Personally I get more productive when I have one big synth that I know I really like and will continue to learn for years to come. Doesn't have to have a ton of features or every synthesis type available, but there's something about a larger purchase that tends to force me to not ditch things too quickly.

For me, this has been an OB-6 Desktop the last few years. I have a few smaller and more portable synths too like the Circuit and OP-Z, but I always come back to the OB-6 when it's time to get serious and record things in the DAW.

You have an OB6? Im jealous.

Will

@BroCoast said:
Modern polyphonic analog under digital control is shit in my opinion. I don't want it, would prefer to use an iPad.

Really? Moog One? OB-6? Deckard’s Dream? All shit?

I like your music and posts so that's partly me thinking you're insane and partly me genuinely wondering what you mean by shit.

Fingolfinzzz

If it were more practical and not so much work to set up, then I’d prefer dedicated synths to build things up with. That would drive me crazy for gigs though and I’d ultimately prefer something more all in one which would usually end up being my computer and a midi controller or two

Will

@u0421793 said:
I think that there’s another variant to consider in this. Do you want to have many synths running at once, or are you happy to get one synth down on ‘tape’ and play along with it (thus building up a multitrack composition or performance)? Also, are you one person or are you a multiplicity (I think they call those ‘bands’).

I might just be old but this is the first thing I thought of. That is, it isn't a variant — it's the central question if recording music with the gear in question is a primary goal. Also, are you doing this solo or are your a part of band (where you wouldn't need a bass synth or drum machine, for instance)?

Tarekith

@[Deleted User] said:
You have an OB6? Im jealous.

I freaking love that synth, it makes me smile every time I turn it on

u0421793

@syrupcore said:

@u0421793 said:
I think that there’s another variant to consider in this. Do you want to have many synths running at once, or are you happy to get one synth down on ‘tape’ and play along with it (thus building up a multitrack composition or performance)? Also, are you one person or are you a multiplicity (I think they call those ‘bands’).

I might just be old but this is the first thing I thought of. That is, it isn't a variant — it's the central question if recording music with the gear in question is a primary goal. Also, are you doing this solo or are your a part of band (where you wouldn't need a bass synth or drum machine, for instance)?

Well, we’re about the same generation in that regard, but since all that stuff we grew up with, there’s the whole concept of live loopers and whatever’s going on in all that there. For example, Kebu –

There’s other ways to make it now, and it looks a lot of fun.

kobamoto

@AudioGus said:

Good advice. I would also say ignore what other people are doing, become self absorbed and make music primarily for yourself. To hell with the instagram and youtube stats game. Make music for the audience of elves that live in your head!

yep

kobamoto

I have one favorite Synth, but I believe Synthesizers and Beatmachines are to be purchased on a moments Wim with the thoughts about every variable under the sun with the exception of 'should this hardware be purchased in this day and age'... For one because none of my fav synths have a software equivalent, and 2 because even if they did have a software equivalent they wouldn't have a software equivalent that could give the same workflow feeling of the synth in question which is really what makes anything an instrument, it's not the features it's how you interface with it... When it comes to music personally I believe that if you're not doing it how you want to do it that you're doing it wrong. There just simply cannot be anything wrong with a houseful of instruments no matter what kind they are. However... I never overlap on a 1-1 ratio.

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u0421793

Another aspect: I’m not convinced one can achieve mastery over many different boxes in the way one might achieve mastery over the one single powerful one you have (or at least that’s the internal mythology I adhere to, which might turn out to be nonsense).

auxmux

Does one need mastery?

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auxmux

@StudioES said:

@u0421793 said:
Another aspect: I’m not convinced one can achieve mastery over many different boxes in the way one might achieve mastery over the one single powerful one you have (or at least that’s the internal mythology I adhere to, which might turn out to be nonsense).

Especially since each synth's OS and UI is different. Familiarity and muscle-memory helps, but not with Yamaha's rack synths. Try editing the TG77 after the FS1r or TX802. Now on to the Kawai K5 or Kurzweil K2000. My brain needed to reset after each editing session. And I swear staring at a little LCD and pushing buttons for hours made me scatter-brained.

@auxmux said:
Does one need mastery?

There's the academic, experimental, and algortihmic composition crowd. 'Be like Eno and master the DX7'. Max MSP.
But for me, I felt like I had to learn them, otherwise I was wasting my money. Though the Spectralis killed that idea, leaving me utterly defeated, by a groovebox!

I would have never gotten into rack synths if editors specifically Patch Base did not exist. Now they have a common (not similar) UI which makes using and learning them so much better. I really wish manufacturers would make rack synths again but provide iPad editors that make using them easier.

Will

@StudioES said:
I would plan on saving for the big synth but would blow my budget on smaller synths. The problem is that I have little self-control and my desire to have all forms of synthesis is still very strong.

I resemble that remark. As does my basement.

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hogyard

I know I’m not supposed to post specific, but I picked this beauty up today for 20$ in full working order with manual. I feel like the universe threw me a bone. It’s my first working analog synth. May the beeps and boops continue booping forever.

kobamoto

@hogyard said:

I know I’m not supposed to post specific, but I picked this beauty up today for 20$ in full working order with manual. I feel like the universe threw me a bone. It’s my first working analog synth. May the beeps and boops continue booping forever.

wtf where did you find that?

kobamoto

and congrats

auxmux

@StudioES said:

@auxmux said:

@StudioES said:

@u0421793 said:
Another aspect: I’m not convinced one can achieve mastery over many different boxes in the way one might achieve mastery over the one single powerful one you have (or at least that’s the internal mythology I adhere to, which might turn out to be nonsense).

Especially since each synth's OS and UI is different. Familiarity and muscle-memory helps, but not with Yamaha's rack synths. Try editing the TG77 after the FS1r or TX802. Now on to the Kawai K5 or Kurzweil K2000. My brain needed to reset after each editing session. And I swear staring at a little LCD and pushing buttons for hours made me scatter-brained.

@auxmux said:
Does one need mastery?

There's the academic, experimental, and algortihmic composition crowd. 'Be like Eno and master the DX7'. Max MSP.
But for me, I felt like I had to learn them, otherwise I was wasting my money. Though the Spectralis killed that idea, leaving me utterly defeated, by a groovebox!

I would have never gotten into rack synths if editors specifically Patch Base did not exist. Now they have a common (not similar) UI which makes using and learning them so much better. I really wish manufacturers would make rack synths again but provide iPad editors that make using them easier.

So true. Juggling all the different free editors was a pain.
Do you know if Patch Base is the same as Sound Quest's MIDI Quest? I used that on PC after Emagic SoundDiver was discontinued, but MIDI Quest was buggy.

Patch Base is really well designed but doesn't support every single synth out there like SoundDiver or MidiQuest. It supports enough of the classics that I own. Plus there's a Mac version in works.

kobamoto

I need
mellotron 4000D
Moog One
and a prophettttt

I need that

BroCoast

@syrupcore said:

@BroCoast said:
Modern polyphonic analog under digital control is shit in my opinion. I don't want it, would prefer to use an iPad.

Really? Moog One? OB-6? Deckard’s Dream? All shit?

I like your music and posts so that's partly me thinking you're insane and partly me genuinely wondering what you mean by shit.

They're all cool and I am just trolling a little by calling them shit. I am insane though

But I am rather lucky to get to play some nice old synths and I don't think these modern analog poly synths that have a lot more features really sound as good. I actually sold off a lot of stuff to buy a Moog One and I can't bring myself to pay for it. Mostly because I am happy with software/iPad. I'm spending that money on a complete System 100 very soon.

@hogyard said:

I know I’m not supposed to post specific, but I picked this beauty up today for 20$ in full working order with manual. I feel like the universe threw me a bone. It’s my first working analog synth. May the beeps and boops continue booping forever.

Congrats, I love my MG1.

They are quirky bastards but so awesome. Get a keystep if you don't have one already so you can sequence it and have pitch bend.

chockfullofthat

@gusgranite said:
Can anyone recommend a low cost synth with lots of knobs to twiddle for a 10 year old? (And maybe his Dad lol...)

I play Korg Monologue with my 1 year old.
It's my only synth since beside 3 eurorack modules from Mutable (Stages, Plaits, Shades)

chisel316

Anybody who has seen my YouTube performances knows my answer to this question. I use small, 1:1 control hardware synths because I don't like to multitrack.

Peace,
chisel316

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