The Official Synth (and more) Thread

[markom89]

I had a similar thread up a while back in the effects section that got quite big and popular, but ended up deleting it. Thought I'd start a new one here, where it's a more general section.

Anyone a fan of synths? What are you using and how are you using it? What type of music do you play?

I've been putting off a synth purchase for a couple years now, but lately I've been playing them quite a bit at this great shop in town called Moog Audio. While I've still got a lot to learn, atleast I'm getting there :)

I'd really love to ideally own these pieces of gear to get the types of sounds I want:

Access Virus TI
Elektron Machinedrum
Elektron Monomachine
Moog Voyager

Out of those, I've messed around w/ the Elektron's and the Moog at the store and am amazed at all the stuff one can do with that gear. I write a bunch of electro type tunes on my shitty keyboard and seriously need a nice setup to get all the sounds I want.

Synth lovers unite!

[Warse22]

I play a Nord Stage, which is more of an all-in-one stage keyboard, but still has some AMAZING synth capabilities. Use it mostly for pop, rock and a little fusion jazz.

If you're into electronic stuff, you should check out the Nord Wave. It is crazy cool.

[delayayay]

Marko - as I mentioned in the alt country thread, I'm currently writing and recording a solo album.

I already bought a Jazzmaster for it and now I think I neeeeeeed a Moog.

It's a hard knock life...

[GovernorSilver]

I probably fool around with my Roland VG-99 and Korg M3 the most. Trying to reproduce my Moog Voyager's "Mod Wheel Howler" patch on the M3 before I sell the Moog (it's my least used synth and I REALLY want an Alto Violin).

[Grun]

Still got my VG8. Since you can't get much more than the price of scrap metal for them these days, I still have it and drag it out once in a while for effect. It is actually pretty cool especially the 'non-guitar' based patches.

[Stratobuc]

Roland GR-1 with a Godin Freeway SA for controller.

[imaguy2]

Roland Juno 106 user here. VST synths are getting crazy good too... When I have the cash, my next hardware synth will be a Polivoks.

PS - I hate when guitarists try to sound like a synth instead of just buying a one... Playing a synth is a ton of fun, and opens up many more musical possibilities!!

[Stratobuc]

What's that supposed to mean?

[ZenFly06]

I've been gigging a VG8ex and GR33 through Mackie SRM450s for the last 6 years (along with an H&K zenTera combo).

As for my studio, my main synth is a Korg Triton Extreme 88, VSI's include;

Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Native Instruments Absynth 4
Dimension Pro

and others...

I usually use my keyboard to control the vsi's and the Roland stuff live.

Love synths!

[imaguy2]

What's that supposed to mean?

It wasn't directed at you, or anyone in particular, but I really recommend that guitarists try their hand at the keys. It's impossible to do as much with your guitar running into a synth compared to actually having a keyboard in front of you with the filters, envelopes, etc. all ready for easy manipulation. I understand some guitarists need simple synth-based sounds, but there really is something to be said about having a dedicated synth.

[VisionaryTics]

I toodle around on a MicroKorg. Not terribly good, but I have fun with it.

[Stratobuc]

It wasn't directed at you, or anyone in particular, but I really recommend that guitarists try their hand at the keys. It's impossible to do as much with your guitar running into a synth compared to actually having a keyboard in front of you with the filters, envelopes, etc. all ready for easy manipulation. I understand some guitarists need simple synth-based sounds, but there really is something to be said about having a dedicated synth.


I've had both, and the GR-1 has access to the filters, envelopes, etc. readily available on the front panel. You can do a lot with either format, if you see an opportunity rather than a limitation. Both will do something the other cannot.

[enocaster]

I own and enjoy a:
Moog Rogue
ARP Soloist
Korg MS10
Yamaha PSR-740
Yamaha YC-45D combo-organ/synth
Roland RS-09
Casio SK-1
2 Korg Poly 800's…

Yeah, I like synths!

[harmonicator]

I got a yamaha M08. Lots of cool sounds...B3, Clav, Moog, Rhodes, Prophet, etc.

[GovernorSilver]

It wasn't directed at you, or anyone in particular, but I really recommend that guitarists try their hand at the keys. It's impossible to do as much with your guitar running into a synth compared to actually having a keyboard in front of you with the filters, envelopes, etc. all ready for easy manipulation. I understand some guitarists need simple synth-based sounds, but there really is something to be said about having a dedicated synth.

For MIDI data input, I agree that playing the keyboard directly is less of a hassle than the various MIDI guitar solutions out there, and direct access to the knobs/sliders/wheels/etc. of a keyboard synth can be conducive to good workflow.

The VG-99 is a pretty decent synth in its own right, designed to be played by a guitar. It's got the handy D-Beam, ribbon controller, etc. plus an optional footcontroller (the FC-300) that has two onboard expression pedals with inputs for two more. I went through a period with the band where all my synth sounds came out of this thing.

The Korg M3 is a game changer for me though. Unfortunately, Animal Collective already tried my idea before I did, connecting a MIDI guitar to the M3 as an input device to its KARMA engine: http://midikeyboards.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/animal-collective-turn-to-korg-m3-for-next-album/

KARMA can generate all kinds of chords, percussion, melody lines, etc. based on what you put into it via the keyboard or MIDI guitar. Different chord voicings, MIDI velocity values, etc. affect the behavior in different ways. In a band context, I would probably limit its usage to subtly animated pads and Radiohead/Muse like noises.

[NyteOwl]

I just put an Axon 100 MKII in my rack and am slaving a Roland GR-33 to it, and a Korg N5ex to that. I'll drive the axon with a Brian Moore i8.13 and plan to have a ghost system installed in one of my Blade guitars. I've not tested this configuration yet, but I'm hoping to get some really full sounds by syncing up patches

[markom89]

Yesterday I managed to play around w/ the Dave Smith Prophet '08 for a good while as well as a Moog LP and really dug both, though is it just me or is the Smith a relatively 'thin' sounding synth?

[Dubious]

luv me sum synth

ive got a Roland Juno 60 and a roland SH32.

[GovernorSilver]

Yesterday I managed to play around w/ the Dave Smith Prophet '08 for a good while as well as a Moog LP and really dug both, though is it just me or is the Smith a relatively 'thin' sounding synth?

Not just you, based on what I've read in keyboard forums. "Tame" and "anemic" were among the words I've seen used to describe the Prophet08's filter.

[Ulysses]

Had MiniMoog, Memory Moog, Source, Opus 3, Prophet 5, Pro 1, Jupiter 8, JX-8P, JX-3P, Juno 60, Juno 106, D-50, DX-7 and a few others. The 106 wasn't the best sounding synth of the bunch but usually the first I'd reach for in the studio. Super quick editing and shaping.

[franksguitar]

I occasionally play guitar synth with a Roland ready strat and a GR30 and play keyboards with a Korg Triton

[reverber8]

Yes! Adding some synth stuff can be fun and way cool. I got a Korg R3 about 6 months ago and have started incorporating into some of my songs. I like working in the occasional small synth part in the middle of a song. Very inspiring indeed! Always loved those 70's and 80's Moog solos.

I'm the singer/guitar player for my band and was looking for some new sonic textures to add to our originals. Between my other guitarist we've got all the guitar food groups covered with Fender Jazzmaster/Strats/Teles, Gretsch 6120 & Jets, Ric 330, Epi Casino, SG, ES335, Brian May Red Special and a few others. My Bass player uses a Waterstone 12 string bass and also does the Thunderbird 4 string thing.

I'm finding the Korg R3 does the occasional string pad and Hammond B3 (love the Leslie Mod Wheel thing). But what really does it for me is the poor man's Moog thing. There are a few patches on this thing that nail tones very similar to Wings "Band on the Run" and "Jet" plus some of those little solos that Greg Hawkes played with the Cars. I compared the R3 to the Moog Little Phatty and I thought the R3 was a much better value. The R3 is polyphonic where the Moog isn't.

[mondaythursday]

I have a Korg R3, a Roland Juno 106, a Casiotone 501, a Yamaha YC-20 organ, and a Roland MC-303. I dig them.

[Simon Gee]

Camel Audio Alchemy. There is a group buy at their website, nearly 4000 people have signed up which means its half price, with a lot of extra goodies thrown in. I have their cameleon synth which is cool. And Sculpture that comes with Logic Pro is awesome. I don't have U-he Zebra but would like it. The most interesting and bang-for-buck stuff is in software. IMHO

Is software 'gear'?

[Smakutus]

I have a Roland Juno 6 I mess around on here. It's cool sounding but I wish I had the later one you could program.

Jeff

[chopsley]

I have an old Roland analog guitar synth (G-505 controller, GR-300 synth), similar to what Metheny, Andy Summers, Fripp, Belew, John Abercrombie, etc. used back in the 1980's. Sadly, it's just gathering dust in my closet....

I do some software synth stuff (not live), often using freeware like CSound, Cecilia, and Spear. With some work, you can get some pretty good sounds out of that stuff.

[ThUndeRBirD]

I have a Roland SH-201 and a Waldorf MicroQ Phoenix Edition, pretty great stuff. They are completing each other on recordings pretty well.

[Brooks]

i went thru a guitar synth phase in the early 2000's.
i wrote & recorded my tune "socializing" (w/ the backing of TGPer HHB's excellent band big block dodge); the synth sounds were a VG8ex, the B3 organ sounds were a GR30 played thru a H&K rotosphere (both triggered by fretless guitar, & i also played fretless thru a tube amp).

hear it here; http://music.mp3lizard.com/bbd1/

btw, HHB played a kickass guitar solo, some of his best recorded work IMFO...

i eventually sold all that gear because i stopped using it after that recording.
i'd love to find a fusion band w/ a monster guitarist and play synth guitar again (ala beck and batten).

[ROKY]

I have an Emu Vintage Keys Pro module that has a ton of great synth samples in it
that I run thru other effects like:

Alesis BITRMAN, Alesis PHILTRE,
Moogerfooger Murf,and Moogerfooger Ring Mod,
Ibanez AD202 analog delay,Ibanez HD1000 delay, Roland DEP-5 reverb/delay

Lots of sonic textures to play with in my home studio setup .

Of course I'd love to add a bunch of old analog synths to my collection some day,
but that'll take money and . . . space to store them, which I have precious little of .

[Brad Gregg]

Kurzweil PC3x, Moog Voyager, Doepfer Dark Energy, Nord Rack 2. I also run through Moogerfooger MIDI Murf and Ring Mod; lots of CV options between the Voyager and the Doepfer. Soft synths include Omnisphere, Trilian, Absynth, FM8, Arturia collection (CS80, Modular, Minimoog, 2600, JP8, Prophet), Synthogy Ivory.

Really jonesing for one of the new Oberheim SEM's.

[todd richman]

I am a huge fan of the old beasts like the Jupiter 8, Oberheim 4 voice and OB-X, PPG Wave, Fairlight, Polymoog and the enormous (size and sound) Yamaha CS-80. Some classic music (a lot of prog rock) was made with those. Great thread idea Marko!

[sinner]

I want one of these big units from synthesizers.com in my living room:

http://synthesizers.com/bensys.jpg

[Brad Gregg]

I want one of these big units from synthesizers.com in my living room:

http://synthesizers.com/bensys.jpg

THAT is cool.

[Rick N Boogie]

Cool indeed. Love's me some synth too. Currently, all I've got is a Korg X-50, and some synth bass fx pedals, like the Boss SYB-5. Sold my Moog Little Phatty, and regretted it ever since. Would love to someday have another, or even a Voyager.

[sinner]

Those nice looking modules and wood cabinets from synthesizers.com are my dream rig, but those dreams are distant...currently I'm almost ready to buy a Roland Juno-Di and Roland SH-201, just to get me a taste.

[sinner]

Here's a good one:

dpbrXlnZMRg