Got my hands on a real synth for the first time (MS2000), it’s a different world!.

Eschatone

Take heed to those GAS warnings..it’s no joke! .. Hardware can be dangerously seductive. (But oh so fun and inspirational)

I finally had to put my foot down and vow to buy no new gear unless I sell something, Hydrasynth being the final capstone to my expensive little adventure. One that started a few years ago with Deepmind 12, followed by Neutron, MS-1, Deluge, Machinedrum, Analog Four, Octatrack, Microfreak … the list goes on.

So far I’ve made it through the last 6 months resisting temptation…Though running out of studio space and being too attached to give up any of my gear, certainly helps the resistance effort.

OnfraySin

iPad is a toy, Synth is an instrument.

So yeah, different world

Liquidmantis

@Eschatone said:
Take heed to those GAS warnings..it’s no joke! .. Hardware can be dangerously seductive. (But oh so fun and inspirational)

I finally had to put my foot down and vow to buy no new gear unless I sell something, Hydrasynth being the final capstone to my expensive little adventure. One that started a few years ago with Deepmind 12, followed by Neutron, MS-1, Deluge, Machinedrum, Analog Four, Octatrack, Microfreak … the list goes on.

So far I’ve made it through the last 6 months resisting temptation…Though running out of studio space and being too attached to give up any of my gear, certainly helps the resistance effort.

But that bi-timbral Hydrasynth Deluxe with the larger keyboard and more polyphony is so sexy! Surely just one more won't hurt.

tsamba

It goes the other way too: once you've played with a hardware synth, it makes the software synths more interesting and fun (and it also becomes easier to appreciate that a $20 software synth is often more capable than a $500 hardware one)! After using a hardware synth, you never really lose that mental image of using its knobs, and that is very useful experience to have when working with software synths, most of which still have interfaces that mimic hardware.

Think this is why it's often older people who didn't grow up with software who end up appreciating it the most. They see it for what it is, and the interfaces are already familiar to them because they learned on hardware.

rs2000

@klownshed said:
Looks like Casio might be coming up with something new...

My first synth was a CZ3000. Loved it. Very easy to programme. I also had a VZ-1. It was totally inscrutable! One of the few bits of audio gear I actually sold!

Casio have a new synth cooking? Now that's interesting news!
The VZ-1 is quite an underrated synth. Not more inscrutable than a DX7. With a PC editor, sound editing turned from nightmare to annoying... which was acceptable back in the days

tahiche

@tsamba said:
It goes the other way too: once you've played with a hardware synth, it makes the software synths more interesting and fun (and it also becomes easier to appreciate that a $20 software synth is often more capable than a $500 hardware one)! After using a hardware synth, you never really lose that mental image of using its knobs, and that is very useful experience to have when working with software synths, most of which still have interfaces that mimic hardware.

Think this is why it's often older people who didn't grow up with software who end up appreciating it the most. They see it for what it is, and the interfaces are already familiar to them because they learned on hardware.

Exactly!. This is why you should if possible get your hands on a real hardware synth to “click” with synthesizer basics.
Should also make us think about the fact that these software synths are emulating, not only sound wise but also the physical elements, units that you’ve never actually used or touched.

cyberheater

@tsamba said:
It goes the other way too: once you've played with a hardware synth, it makes the software synths more interesting and fun (and it also becomes easier to appreciate that a $20 software synth is often more capable than a $500 hardware one)! After using a hardware synth, you never really lose that mental image of using its knobs, and that is very useful experience to have when working with software synths, most of which still have interfaces that mimic hardware.

Think this is why it's often older people who didn't grow up with software who end up appreciating it the most. They see it for what it is, and the interfaces are already familiar to them because they learned on hardware.

I never really thought about it but yes. You are right. I was lucky enough to have a Juno 106 , DX7, Crumar Stratus and a Hammond organ as my main gigging unit back in the day. Nothing beats the immediate feel of how they felt under your finger tips which really makes me appreciate the incredible progress we've made with emulation in the last few year.

I can basically carry that whole rig on my iPad and a back pack. It's quite incredible really. And when I tweak a knob on the virtual hardware, my brain still connects to the real thing.

tsamba

@tahiche said:
Exactly!. This is why you should if possible get your hands on a real hardware synth to “click” with synthesizer basics.
Should also make us think about the fact that these software synths are emulating, not only sound wise but also the physical elements, units that you’ve never actually used or touched.

And with a digital synth, apps are not even "emulating" the synthesis. They are digital synthesizers doing the same thing with digital information. An interface to your speakers accomplishes essentially the same thing that the hardware portion of a digital synth is doing.

Telefunky

@rs2000 said:
Casio have a new synth cooking? Now that's interesting news!
The VZ-1 is quite an underrated synth. Not more inscrutable than a DX7. With a PC editor, sound editing turned from nightmare to annoying... which was acceptable back in the days

Indeed... some VZ banks (there are few out there) show some cool capabilities.
The main annoyance with the VZ familiy is their inability to automatically send/receive midi sysex from the editor software. Dumps have to be activated manually on the front panel. And it can‘t save single patches when you edit - you have to send the whole bank.

klownshed

The new Casio synth is a vocal synthesiser. Looks cool, but not a refresh of PD or any kind of 'proper' synthesiser.

I'm sure it'll be a blast to use, you can enter phrases into it from an iPhone.

tahiche

From what I’m seeing so far I really like the Minilogue XD.
If I’m going to get into hardware, the analog voices seem the right thing to aim for. I love the size and form factor and the “xd” has got the wavetable thing which makes it more versatile. And it’s very reasonably priced. It’s “only” 4 voice polyphonic, but I suck at playing keys so I don’t think I’ll be doing massive pads anyways, probably more layer over layer…
Good choice?

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@OnfraySin said:
iPad is a toy, Synth is an instrument.

So yeah, different world

That is so completely wrong. iPad is an instrument that cannot be replicated by currently available hardware: Geoshred, Samplr, TC-11, and many more that use the touch screen in a creative way.

Telefunky

Exactly ... SamplR, iElectribe and iMS20 sold the sytem to me ages ago.
I notice it time and again when tweaking synths/fx on the desktop DAW.

TC-Data (TC11‘s midi control bro), Oscilab and Aphelian are my favorite midi controllers, mainly for external gear.