http://www.alesis.com/q25

... WTF?

Apart from the Korg Monotron (which was genuinely unexpected and exciting) NOTHING interesting has happened to hardware for AGES. Nobody's innovating. Nobody's ADDING anything (certainly not the big 3 anyway)

Am I

(1) Wrong
(2) Bitter and jaded
(3) Seen all there is to see

Discuss

--------------------
Original artwork and unique devices inspired by vintage technology http://www.thisisobsolete.com

Edited by jellyjim (15/09/10 10:18 AM)

One for the "Keyboards and Synthesizers" thread methinks

Quote Mike Stranks:

---

One for the "Keyboards and Synthesizers" thread methinks

---

yeah maybe

or OT ... but we don't have one of those anymore :-(

--------------------
Original artwork and unique devices inspired by vintage technology http://www.thisisobsolete.com

Quote jellyjim:

---

http://www.alesis.com/q25

... WTF?

Apart from the Korg Monotron (which was genuinely unexpected and exciting) NOTHING interesting has happened to hardware for AGES. Nobody's innovating. Nobody's ADDING anything (certainly not the big 3 anyway)

Am I

(1) Wrong
(2) Bitter and jaded
(3) Seen all there is to see

Discuss

---

To be fair, Alesis did really push the boat out making the 16 voice analogue monster Andromeda in 2000. This resulted in bankruptcy and many changes of ownership.

The fact is that most people are happy with cracked VSTis and the market isn't strong enough to support a massive r&d project into an innovative new synth. Those who have tried - alesis, waldorf, hartmann have all gone to the wall - some multiple times! Now we are stuck with boring regurgitations of 70s synths (moog voyager, curtis-chip-powered dave smith prophet 08, roland's analogue modelling snorefests).

It does seem to be just another controller.

Korg seem to be the only ones with well received hardware at the moment; The Monotron, Kaoss Pad and Microkorg all seemed to have done well.

--------------------
http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

trawling through something like matrixsynth.com the only interesting stuff i find is from small companies and individuals even who are all into the whole diy/hand-made music/maker/circuit bending (call it what you will) scene

monome (now unceremoniously ripped off by the majors and it IS hitting monome sales, kits used to sell out in 5 minutes, latest kit is still available and has been for weeks)

ruin and wessen minicommand (interesting because it's open platform)

are two things that come to mind

hopefully the new elektron thingy will deliver

i know there's LOTS of innovation going on in software particularly iphone/ipad but ... software still leaves me cold

i prefer things focused - that i can strum, prod, twang, stroke, shake, tip, twist, turn etc etc

i'm a musician i want to perform on an instrument ... interact with .. meld with it ... get low down and dirty with it ... take it to dinner .. the movies and maybe back to mine for coffee .. you know?

--------------------
Original artwork and unique devices inspired by vintage technology http://www.thisisobsolete.com

Edited by jellyjim (15/09/10 12:14 PM)

For once we agree, Johnny!

There is - sadly - little or no room for innovation in the MI industry and those who have tried have inevitably bombed.; Not just the Andy but Alesis' Fusion as well. One can cite the early OS problems - fair enough ... up to a point - but even when the things got (pretty much) sorted and the price was dropped, no-one wanted it still. Only when it hit silly prices did people buy it (just out of can't-go-wrong-at-that-price curiosity) and they reacted "F'ck me!! This is a surprisingly top keyboard!". Too late though and it is unlikely that Alesis will ever plough R&D dosh into a major synth ever again. Fortunately, Alesis had a big enough product range to sustain them but Fusion could have killed them dead (again).

People on music tech forums such as this clamour for new and innovative hardware synths but don't buy 'em, opting instead for the 'safe' and generic 'bread and butter' keys like Fantoms and Motifs or, as you say, 80s-alike VAs. As a result, manufacturers can't afford to risk it and want/need surefire, no brainer boxes that will shift.

You'd be surprised how much the massive US music shop franchises like Guitar Center dictate what's made because if they don't like something and won't stock it, that's it. And if it's new and requires specialist training and effort to sell, forget it - they want to shift boxes. They don't want their sales droids (*) sitting down with a customer for an hour showing them some new synth and its exciting new features, they want the customer to come in, ask for something and sales droid to get the xarton from the stock room and run the customer's credit card through the till! They sell what they want to sell and if a manufacturer can't get their product on their shop floor, they've had it. The smaller 'mom and pop' music stores there won't stock them either if GC don't stock 'em so if GC doesn't like your product, you're pretty much buggered!

(*) In some defence of the franchises, they have a huge turnover of staff and they can send their staff on some manufacturer's training course and two weeks later, said spotty oik goes and joins a band and leaves... so they have to train another spotty oik. And so on.

So with that in mind, the Q25 makes perfect sense for Alesis - they can guarantee volume sales which is what businesses need to stay afloat, especially these days and especially in this business where piracy of software is hurting the manufacturers a lot. There was a time when a kid would buy something like an Akai S20 or S01 then upgrade to an S2000 then an S3000XL or S5000, whatever, as they got older. Now, they just get a crack of Kontakt off the torrents or avail themselves of some free thing given away on magazine cover CDs!

All sad but true!

--------------------
Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

Somewhat related.. I thought Yamaha were quite brave to bring out the Tenori-on.. Despite looking like a monome, they are not remotely similar really. And no one had done anything like this before. I think it gets largely forgotten about these days because it's so silly expensive. I think it's pretty cool still though, and I admire Yamaha for actually getting the thing out there, where other manufacturers would have just churned out another generic synth/controller/rompler thing instead..

Paul

--------------------
Paul

Quote hollowsun:

---

For once we agree, Johnny!

---

Quote:

---

There is - sadly - little or no room for innovation in the MI industry and those who have tried have inevitably bombed.; Not just the Andy but Alesis' Fusion as well. One can cite the early OS problems - fair enough ... up to a point - but even when the things got (pretty much) sorted and the price was dropped, no-one wanted it still. Only when it hit silly prices did people buy it (just out of can't-go-wrong-at-that-price curiosity) and they reacted "F'ck me!! This is a surprisingly top keyboard!". Too late though and it is unlikely that Alesis will ever plough R&D dosh into a major synth ever again. Fortunately, Alesis had a big enough product range to sustain them but Fusion could have killed them dead (again).

People on music tech forums such as this clamour for new and innovative hardware synths but don't buy 'em, opting instead for the 'safe' and generic 'bread and butter' keys like Fantoms and Motifs or, as you say, 80s-alike VAs. As a result, manufacturers can't afford to risk it and want/need surefire, no brainer boxes that will shift.

You'd be surprised how much the massive US music shop franchises like Guitar Center dictate what's made because if they don't like something and won't stock it, that's it. And if it's new and requires specialist training and effort to sell, forget it - they want to shift boxes. They don't want their sales droids (*) sitting down with a customer for an hour showing them some new synth and its exciting new features, they want the customer to come in, ask for something and sales droid to get the xarton from the stock room and run the customer's credit card through the till! They sell what they want to sell and if a manufacturer can't get their product on their shop floor, they've had it. The smaller 'mom and pop' music stores there won't stock them either if GC don't stock 'em so if GC doesn't like your product, you're pretty much buggered!

(*) In some defence of the franchises, they have a huge turnover of staff and they can send their staff on some manufacturer's training course and two weeks later, said spotty oik goes and joins a band and leaves... so they have to train another spotty oik. And so on.

So with that in mind, the Q25 makes perfect sense for Alesis - they can guarantee volume sales which is what businesses need to stay afloat, especially these days and especially in this business where piracy of software is hurting the manufacturers a lot. There was a time when a kid would buy something like an Akai S20 or S01 then upgrade to an S2000 then an S3000XL or S5000, whatever, as they got older. Now, they just get a crack of Kontakt off the torrents or avail themselves of some free thing given away on magazine cover CDs!

All sad but true!

---

M Audio bringing out their "radium" soundless keyboard controller was pretty cynical - for those who don't know, "Radium" were THE audio crackers who were responsible for a large majority of pirated audio software. The implication being that no investment in music technology is needed beyond a pc and a midi/usb controller keyboard. Quite prophetic, unfortunately.

Btw, does anyone know what happened to the Neuron VSTi? It was released very controversially at the same time as Hartmann going bankrupt - they blamed the distributors for ripping them off. It was full of bugs, to the point of it being unusable, but it did sound quite magnificent. How come nobody has bought the code off the liquidators and re-released it?

Quote jellyjim:

---

http://www.alesis.com/q25

... WTF?

Apart from the Korg Monotron (which was genuinely unexpected and exciting) NOTHING interesting has happened to hardware for AGES. Nobody's innovating. Nobody's ADDING anything (certainly not the big 3 anyway)

Am I

(1) Wrong
(2) Bitter and jaded
(3) Seen all there is to see

Discuss

---

They are not amazing. (IMHO)

and...
(1) You are not wrong
(2) And not bitter and jaded
(3) But definitely not seen all there is to see

Discussed

--------------------
SoundCloud


Edited by AuralSerenity (15/09/10 09:44 PM)

What is sad, is this:
[Alesis quote]:Tired of keyboard controllers jammed with knobs and sliders you'll never use[end quote].

Why would that ever be a selling point? Surely the whole point of midi controllers is a means of CONTROL, both that of the key variety and that of the tactile, knobular variety. I can understand the need for a cheap and cheerful midi keyboard, but to use such statements is silly.

I'm always on the look out for such small midi keyboards due to the fact that I travel a lot ( albeit my traveling does not involve any exotic destinations and is always from the same A to the same B, I still require a mini board). And so, my Novation Remote 25SL is gorgeous, as it has lots of knobs and a spring loaded joystick + an XY pad, it has no aftertouch, which I need badly for sound design.

This little gizmo, has no knobs, no aftertouch and is boring!. Next please!

[Alesis quote]:
The Q25 pairs compact, essential control with complete MIDI keyboard performance for playing...
[end quote.]

No it does not offer essential control, as even without any knobs, it does not have aftertouch, which IS essential.

Instead, this board should be marketed as: a budged midi controller with minimal spec for those who play with one finger only.

Jellyjim, as you can see I'm reflecting your disappointment, but perhaps from a different angle.

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

Have to agree with Johnny and Hollow sun

Now going back to the Alesis Fusion...man that thing failed for one reason alone, it's god damn ugly and looks like a toy lol One look and most people wouldn't even bother looking further into it..when will the Japanese learn, it's about as nice to look at as a 1980's Nisan Cherry and in this materialistic shallow world looks matter...not even 1000 blue led's could save the Fusion lol
Shame cos it is actually a very good synth, regardless Alesis/Numark got their money back (I would of thought) from the Akai MPC-5000 which is basically a re-packaged Fusion

Edited by vinyl_junkie (11/10/10 12:14 AM)

And in response to Jim's post, I totally agree with you, I haven't got excited over a new bit of gear in years...The Waldorf Blofeld was kind of exciting but it's just a bunch of other Waldorf synths in one box and sold cheap...the slightest bit of gear lust I got was from the Doepfer Dark energy...my mate just got one and also a A-100 system that he's building..both integrated sounds so sweet..Dave Smith's gamout of trash can kiss my **** lol Doepfer kicks their ass, personally I prefer it to the pozer Moog shiz coming out now

Edited by vinyl_junkie (11/10/10 12:18 AM)

Quote himalaya:

---

my Novation Remote 25SL is gorgeous, as it has lots of knobs and a spring loaded joystick + an XY pad, it has no aftertouch, which I need badly for sound design.

---

Hi Raph!

Just had a look at the spec for Novation's 25SL Mk II, and this looks to have everything you desire, including lots of knobs, spring-loaded joysitck, XY pad and aftertouch:

www.novationmusic.com/products/midi_controllers/sl_mkii/Key_Features < br />
I'm tempted to buy one myself for sound design work alongside my 88-key+aftertouch model with no joystick or XY pad!


Martin

--------------------
YewTreeMagic

Hi Martin,

Yes, that Novation is very tempting. I was going to buy the original version, but it didn't fit into my laptop ruck sack and so I had to choose the Remote 25 SL, due to the size vs. features ratio.
At home I use a Roland Xp80, which despite having six octaves has rather weak keys (smaller than usual), but it has one feature which makes it one of the best controllers for me needs: it has TWO data/control sliders just above the pitch/mod stick, which makes it possible to control the pitch/mod stick at the same time as the sliders. It's a very nice arrangement, one which I don't see anywhere else, and for live playing where I want my left hand not to leave the mod stick, it is a God send. I don't even get along with my Yamaha SY77's three wheel design since nowdays I much prefer the pitch to be modulated by a stick, not a wheel.

My Remote comes close to this usability as it has the XY pad (which by the way is not very good quality and lacks resolution), but since it is positioned below the mod joystick, it makes using the two at the same time awkward.

I'm forever waiting for a new performance design/paradigm to take hold and replace the mod wheel/stick design which has gripped all keyboard manufacturers by the throat and doesn't let go!

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

Quote jellyjim:

---

NOTHING interesting has happened to hardware for AGES. Nobody's innovating. Nobody's ADDING anything (certainly not the big 3 anyway)

Am I

(1) Wrong
(2) Bitter and jaded
(3) Seen all there is to see

Discuss

---

Actually, having initially agreed with you, I have to state the opposite now, and show you how much exciting stuff has been manufactured in the past several years, some of which succeed, some of which failed. The list I'm going to show even includes the big three, even though, I do agree that at least Yamaha and Roland have been abandoned by the initiative to create interesting noise makers, leaving Korg to carry the torch.

Here, I would like to prove you wrong

1. The MonoMachine by Electron.
This trully is an innovative instrument. Expensive, yes, but it is here, now, save up and start making cool noises.

2. The Rozzbox Sadly, no longer made, but what a machine in its lifetime! An analog/digital/tube infested instrument from a one man shop. Amazing.

3. DSI Poly-evolver. Do I need to explain the fab factor of this uber synth to synth lovers ? No. Go and buy one now. Support Mr. Smith so his ideas don't meet the same dead end as that of the Rozzboz maker. Since:

4. Here is another innovative synth in the shape of Clavia's NordLead 3, which sadly is no more. A revolutionary interface with enough synthesis potential to last a lifetime of music making.

5. Lets turn our attention to the little guys and MFB, who is slowly starting to create some very cool analogue semi modular synths at very low prices.

6. MFB is quickly being followed by Vermona with their Mono Lancet and Kick synths which will have a modular capability due to extension boxes. Cool, cheap and irresistible.

7. How about Futureretro? Another analogue semi-modular maker at th budged end of the scale.

The above three may not define 'innovative' , yet still offer old ideas in new, cool and inexpensive designs.

Now the big 3! Woohoo!

8. Korg. Where to begin? From the 'no longer made' to the current ones:
- Prophecy
- Z1
- Karma
- M3
- Kaoss-everything
- Microsampler
- MicroKorg
- All the various ElecTribe beat boxes/synths
- Radias
- Microstation - not to be sneered at for its mini keys, as it offers a huge sonic arsenal and portability which would really come useful to visually impaired musicians. I work with a visually impaired musician and know what he requires. This may be the answer to his prayers.

9.Roland.
- V Synth
- AX Synth
- all the little groove/sampler boxes

10. Yamaha.
- The QY range of mini groove boxes was extra cool, with the QY100 being very capable indeed! I've got one, and will keep it for my son when he grows up.

- The SR7000 Groovebox/sequencer. No longer made but already has a cult following.
- TenoriOn
- hmm...nowt else.

These are from the top of my head, and I know there are more. Also, how about the new crop of uber synths like Arturia's Origin and (forgot who makes it) Solaris? Big money, but big sound!
And then Waldorf's rise from the ashes is also worth of note, as Bloefeld, if not that innovative is definitely worthy of note in this thread.

So, the answer to your three question is.

1. Yes, you are wrong.
2. Yes, you are bitter and jaded.
3. No, you have not seen everything yet. For starters, you've yet to see a BigFoot.

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

I knew I forgot to mention a synth:

Waldorf Q!!!

Wow. Save up and buy, make music, be happy:

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/27110-waldorf-q-classic-limited-phoe nix-edition.html

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

The Q is hardly new though is it...over 10 years old, when did it come out 1998/99? Remember how bug ridden it was?
I'll take the rack over the big Q, as nice as it is it's way over priced and built like it was made in some ones garage like all Waldorf's then lol

Re Monomachine: Over priced and sounds rubbish, I know this is personal opinion but I honestly don't get it's hype..same with Machine Drum
Much better synths to buy on the second hand market that actually have soul

The point is, there are still exciting synths/noise makers/beat boxes to last you a life time of creative exploration. Whether Q is ten years old or not is immaterial as few have it and few have explored its depths. It still has a synth engine as relevant and innovative today as when it was released. The MonoMachine regardless of your opinion is something new and original. Both of those examples, show that the hardware world is full of very interesting options, which the original question was asking for.



--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

Edited by himalaya (11/10/10 07:51 PM)

Go modular!!!!!

My modular synth has been the best musical purchase I've ever made (also the most expensive )

Once you've spent a bit of time getting to know your system, it's actually very intuitive to use and because it's modular, you can grow your system as funds permit.

I've gone for an MU (Moog Unit) system by synthesizers.com and I've also got a MU Oakley looping ADSR/VCA in there. There are a number of different modular formats and many manufactures producing modules for each of the formats.

If you live in London, there's a small branch of Schneiders Buero opened up @ Rough Trade, Brick Lane. They've got a fairly large Euro Rack system (doepfer style format) that can be played with.

http://www.schneidersbuero.de/index.php?lang=en&sect=news

IMHO, modular synths are great fun. There's lots of cool stuff out there and It's not all about prog rock

--------------------
my music

Quote Spiked Lunch:

---

IMHO, modular synths are great fun. There's lots of cool stuff out there and It's not all about prog rock

---

What's with this association of modulars with prog?

Keith Emerson was about the only proglodyte with a modular that I can think of (and didn't really exploit it to its full) - the rest pretty much all used MiniMoogs, Odysseys, whatever.

Unless people are confusing Berlin Electronica (Tangs, Shulze, et al) with 'prog'.

--------------------
Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

BTW, Mr Lunch...

Assuming you live in the UK, how was it getting synthesizers.com stuff here from the US?

PM or email me (steve at hollowsun dot com) to avoid dragging this thread seriously off topic.

Cheers

--------------------
Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

+1 for Modular's, Always loved the concept...but scared I would grow a beard and never come out my room (more than normal!) lol

My friend just got a Doepfer Dark Energy and also started building a A-100 system in one of those flight case style racks which integrates to the DE wonderfully.
Got a fancy oscillator, multiplier, mixer, envelope and some fancy LFO's and I tell you what it's great!
The sound is amazing and it's totally open, the only limitation is your imagination and wallet lol
I used to own a Nord Modular...not as fun but still a cool synth, the A-100 and DE is the real deal though, totally fell in love there

Quote hollowsun:

---

Quote Spiked Lunch:

---

IMHO, modular synths are great fun. There's lots of cool stuff out there and It's not all about prog rock

---

What's with this association of modulars with prog?

Keith Emerson was about the only proglodyte with a modular that I can think of (and didn't really exploit it to its full) - the rest pretty much all used MiniMoogs, Odysseys, whatever.

Unless people are confusing Berlin Electronica (Tangs, Shulze, et al) with 'prog'.

---

I personally don't associate modulars with prog - the vids I've seen of Keith playing on his Moog kinda make me cringe!!

I'm pretty surprised at how few musicians actually have modular synths - I think people just don't know about them or think they're too difficult to use.

As far as getting hold of MU stuff closer to home, check out:-

http://lunar-experience.com/home.html
http://www.mos-lab.com/
http://www.cluboftheknobs.com/

And Oakley Sound (UK based) are slowly converting some of there modules into MU => http://www.krisp1.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=8&zeni d=i4gc38hc5a1p17n1n32ivlfp42

Steve, you're welcome to drop me a PM if you want to know more about getting the dotcom into the UK or if you've got any specific questions.

Quote vinyl_junkie:

---

+1 for Modular's, Always loved the concept...but scared I would grow a beard and never come out my room (more than normal!) lol

My friend just got a Doepfer Dark Energy and also started building a A-100 system in one of those flight case style racks which integrates to the DE wonderfully.
Got a fancy oscillator, multiplier, mixer, envelope and some fancy LFO's and I tell you what it's great!
The sound is amazing and it's totally open, the only limitation is your imagination and wallet lol
I used to own a Nord Modular...not as fun but still a cool synth, the A-100 and DE is the real deal though, totally fell in love there

---

Yeah, the Doepfer Dark Energy looks like a great 'gateway drug' into modular synthesis...... Take it and you probably will grow a beard, neglect your personal hygiene, sell your TV and rarely leave the house - but you'll make some good noise in the process.


Mike

--------------------
my music

Quote Spiked Lunch:

---

I'm pretty surprised at how few musicians actually have modular synths - I think people just don't know about them or think they're too difficult to use.

---

I think there may be other reasons like cost and space required (yes, I know of Eurorack format), but for me the main reason modular synths keep me at bay is the ephemeral nature of modularity as it is currently implemented. ( well, cost and space are also what keeps me away, what, with one kid, and another on the way. *shock* lol).

What do I mean by ephemeral ? Well, the best example is my inconsequential miniKorg700. When I was younger, I would get a nice patch on this synth, play it for a while, then, I would want to create another patch, but...what about this gorgeous one I have just created? I will loose it if I change the position of all the dials and knobs. Arrgh!

Now, the situation is exponentially worse on a modular synth. I create a cool patch and then what? Do I keep it patched-in forever worrying that should I change the patching, I will never ever be able to re-create it? Or do I treat each patch as a short lived universe of sound and learn to let it go? Sample it? Bleh!

This actually could be a great Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice: Buddhists create a beautiful and intricate sand mandalas and then destroy it, which symbolises the impermanence of material things. A modular patch has exactly the same existential schematic. ( We better call the local Tibetan Buddhist centre and let them know that they could do their mandalas on a modular synth and at the same time create a sound to shake the Buddha himself. ).

Anyway, my point is, once modular synths allow to store a spaghetti junction of patches galore as a preset, you will see all musos jump on monster Moog Modular 'phone exchanges' like there's no tomorrow. How about that for a theory?

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

Quote himalaya:

---

Quote Spiked Lunch:

---

I'm pretty surprised at how few musicians actually have modular synths - I think people just don't know about them or think they're too difficult to use.

---

I think there may be other reasons like cost and space required (yes, I know of Eurorack format), but for me the main reason modular synths keep me at bay is the ephemeral nature of modularity as it is currently implemented. ( well, cost and space are also what keeps me away, what, with one kid, and another on the way. *shock* lol).

What do I mean by ephemeral ? Well, the best example is my inconsequential miniKorg700. When I was younger, I would get a nice patch on this synth, play it for a while, then, I would want to create another patch, but...what about this gorgeous one I have just created? I will loose it if I change the position of all the dials and knobs. Arrgh!

Now, the situation is exponentially worse on a modular synth. I create a cool patch and then what? Do I keep it patched-in forever worrying that should I change the patching, I will never ever be able to re-create it? Or do I treat each patch as a short lived universe of sound and learn to let it go? Sample it? Bleh!

This actually could be a great Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice: Buddhists create a beautiful and intricate sand mandalas and then destroy it, which symbolises the impermanence of material things. A modular patch has exactly the same existential schematic. ( We better call the local Tibetan Buddhist centre and let them know that they could do their mandalas on a modular synth and at the same time create a sound to shake the Buddha himself. ).

Anyway, my point is, once modular synths allow to store a spaghetti junction of patches galore as a preset, you will see all musos jump on monster Moog Modular 'phone exchanges' like there's no tomorrow. How about that for a theory?

---

Good point/points.

I personally love the fact that there are no presets and that the more complicated patches are more difficult to revisit - although not impossible with the use of digi camera and/or patch sheets.

When I'm using it during a track, I sculpt out something that I think suits rather than run through presets and tweak them to suit (I know just because you have presets, doesn't mean you have to use them). Once I'm happy with a sound, I commit - that's quite liberating in a way but it can mean I have the same patch up for a few days and that can be frustrating if I fancy a little synth jam in the same way that I pick up my guitar.

I like the comparison to the Tibetan Buddhists. In some ways, I approach the synthesizer in a similar way to the guitar. 95% of my guitar playing I make up on the spot and if I don't record my efforts in some way, I will more than likely forget it. I may remember where I put my fingers but the magic of the rhythm has gone.

Also like the guitar, I love the sound of it double tracked with ever so slightly different settings

P.S. I Love the miniKorg700 - the first analogue synth I ever played.

--------------------
my music

I agree with you on the presets issue. Myself, when I create my own music I tend to create sounds in situ, specifically for the track at hand. In fact, when I started with my Yamaha SY77, I would take it as my main objective to create each sound from scratch (oh the masochistic tendencies of mine! ).

BTW, the miniKorg700 is gorgeous, isn't it. Such a simple synth, but so good sounding! I remember Kitaro saying that it used to be his most favorite synth, which explains the fact that it can be heard on pretty much each album he made.

--------------------
www.electric-himalaya.com
VST and hardware synth sound design

People seem to bang on about width, which most workspaces have in relative abundance, but rarely depth, which is often in short supply…especially in-flight

Quote vinyl_junkie:

---

My friend just got a Doepfer Dark Energy and also started building a A-100 system in one of those flight case style racks which integrates to the DE wonderfully.

---

I recently got myself a Dark Energy.. It is indeed niiice!



I got it as I thought it might keep me away from full on modulars, as it's fairly self contained. But of course right away I got wondering about the potential uses I could make of it's patch points..
And then I saw this..



So now im toying with the idea of a similar dwarf modular system

Paul

--------------------
Paul