Anybody have an analog synth?

[nashvillesteve]

I'd love to get one to mess around with at some point in the (distant) future, but I was wondering if this free Analog Real Time Synthesizer software would be good practice... I think it would, but would like to hear from someone who actually uses one that it is a vaguely similar computer based simulation to using the real thing (or not)...

Here is the link:

http://www.arts-project.org/index.html

[Judson]

I dont own one but my friend/bassist/colab partner has one and i have used it a bunch. Im not sure what it is, some old sweedish one, but i see it in mags all the time. In this months issue of future music they have an article about a guy who tweeks synths and he has a wall of synths behind him, well my friends is in the wall and is kind of pricey.

Im just saying that so you know its not a lowsy korean made one or anything... the real deal so to say.

Well I enjoy it to no end, the only problem with the vintage one that adds to its charm really is that if you find a sound and change the settings, turn it off, or bump it even you will never hear that sound again. So its a studio only tool for him.

I started out with a copy of Reason and a Midi controller and got hooked to the sounds possible. I only have one recording ive done with the real thing (oh and its a poly synth). The synth was sent through an old PA speaker overdriven to hell, mic'd then an analog delay between the mic and computer, then reversed. So its not really a good representation of its tone. but you can hear the meat of it i feel. Reason has verry good soft synths, as well as live, and many other programs. I get most of my software from torrents. I run a Pro Tools system and use soft synths more than any other instrament really in most kinds of music i make. (from dub to electronic to folk to experimental).

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=579291 well the song with the synth is Pink Snapper. and forgive my typing, its late, ive been out, my fingers slip.

Hope i could help.

[pureoldsound]

Analog synths are a whole new world to me and they are kind of addicting until you get what you want. But heck tube amps are the same way addicting....

Anyway, Soft synths are a good way to start if you want to get into synths. So far I’ve owned 4 vintage analog synths (Sequential Pro-One (mono Synth), Roland Jupiter 6 w/ Europa upgrade, Oberheim OB-Xa and a Yamaha CS60) I still have the OB-Xa and the CS60.

Synthesis sis not that easy at first you have to do some reading and experimenting to really understand it...I am still learning and there is much more to learn....

If you don't have much experience wit synths my best suggestion is either get that free soft synth or if you want something a bit more realistic sounding to analog get a used Alesis Ion. These are modeling analog synth and they have a bunch of classic sound in there. It is a very good synth to learn from. Here are some demos:

http://www.alesis.com/products/Ion/Demos/

If you want to learn more about the thousands of different synth out there go to this forum:

http://www.vintagesynth.com/

DO NOT GET INTO VINTAGE SYNTH JUST YET……..They are very difficult and costly to maintain. You are going to spend a lot of money on bench hours….Yes they deliver a wonderful sound that modern machines are far from reach but too much money to invest for someone who is learning…Once you learn about them and decided which polyphonic or monophonic synth you want then by all means get a vintage…..or if you have a lot of $$$$$$ go get a dozen of them…Beware of Ebay and vintage synth…Amps have nothing compare to synth on ebay…most of them are in serious need of repairs…I bout own of ebay and spent over $300 on repairs…..Some are gems and are in great shape others are not…Also there are far more scams on synth that there are on amps….so be careful….BTW I;ve seen this more in vintage syth vs new synths….

[retro]

I love synths!

I still use a couple of hybrid hwde. synths like a Waldorf...
I've used voltage controlled synths back in the day.

Reason is a great instrument I think too.

I tend to use a lot of synths. There are many good soft synths and it is a lot of fun for me to paint a landscape with synths to play guitar over.


Here's a nice Win/Mac synth for free.

http://www.greenoak.com/crystal/download.html

[pureoldsound]

There also this cool soft synth..it is an Oberheim OBX...Is not that $$$$$

http://www.sonicprojects.ch/obx/welcome.html

I might get it....

[Kaiser]

I'm interested in synths too, great replies

[pureoldsound]

I tell you I hated them for years...and most of my hate was because they are so difficult to understand...Once you get the hang of it they add color to your music and fill up those gaps where you don't have specific guitar parts to add on...

[tedm]

I have a hybrid Roland D-50, but I agree with what others say, getting into them is a messy hobby, probably expensive too. There's a club around here, and these guys spend way too much money and time on them, IMHO.

[Baby Evil]

I've owned lots of analogues, and sold 'm a couple of years ago to get a Virus B VA synth. Mistake, the VA's just don't cut it.
So recently, I bought a Korg Polysix (great value for money), Solina String Ensemble (apparently one that used to belong to Geoff Downes, and appeared in the Video killed the radio star vid) and MFB Synth lite. Now, those are the sounds I remembered and loved.
Meanwhile, I've found really great VST's, for free : MiniMogue, ARPy2600, Stringer...and I recently bought the Korg Legacy Collection with the MS20ic controller. That packet includes a vst Polysix, and it's so good, I'm selling the Polysix tomorrow.
Live, I'm using a laptop with two controllers for my synthneeds these days.

Jan

[brian marshall]

Ive owned a number of synths over the years, but never a true analog. Playing arround with a jupiter 8 when i was in junior high made me want to be a musician, infact i played keys before i played guitar. Even had a stripped down consumer version of a DX-7 at one point (ick fm synths, at least the early ones sucked unless you were in a slow jam R&B band)

Currently i own an alesis qs6.1, which is about as digital as you can get, and a roland SH32, which is sort of analog modeling.

Some day i think i want a real analog, but i want one of the newer ones, with midi, and stuff like that. im sick of the menus on my QS.

[teddy boy]

I used to have a few: the Arp Axxe, the Roland Juno 106 and the Solina String Ensemble. Really nice! I sold them all to finance some guitar gear. What a shame... especially the Solina. I really liked that one.

Now our keyboardist has a Sequential Circuits Prophet 600, a MacBeth M3X, a Oberheim Matrix 1000 and a Roland Alpha Juno 2 + some other non-analogue stuff, so we're doing allright still I guess.

Yep, get the real stuff instead of the software. You won't regret it! Start looking for a Korg PolySix or a Roland Juno 60. Super sounds there and really easy on the beginner.

[Baby Evil]

Well, I have both the Polysix and its software brother, and I hear no difference.

The Juno 60 is a better starter synth imo, because of the programming interface : it's just the most straightforward you're going to find. The Polysix sounds better (largely thanks to the fx, especially the 'ensemble'), but the knobs react weird : from a given position they alter incrementally, if you want the precise position, you have to turn it up to 10 first.

Jan

[teddy boy]

The Korg Legacy collection? I have that too. It's not so much the sounds, it's more the tweakability. I love to turn knobs! I reckong that is the best way to understand subtractive synthesis. Using the software version if you don't know anything about synths is like shooting in the dark IMO.

[Baby Evil]

Don't you have the MS20ic controller? It's exaclty like the original MS20, complete with patch section, only a bit smaller. It's knob tweaking heaven! It also works on the polysix.

Jan

[jmadill]

I have a Moog Voyager Rack Mount Edition. I love it. It seems to be alive. It is a knob tweaker's paradise. If I were to do it over again, I'd get another Voyager, but would forego the RME for one with a keyboard.

the Moog Little Phatty looks pretty cool, and the "Stage" edition that will ship after the first run of the "Signature" edition are targeted to be around $1k.

I have no experience with the ARTS software, but I also have the Arturia Mini Moog V software, and it does a great job. Doesn't have the "life" that's in the real analog circuits, but it does a good job of emulating the Mini Moog and sounds pretty good.

-jm