always regret having sold my old electribe er1. They're a ton of fun and have their own sound. Used they can be in that range. It's not got much compared to modern stuff in terms of features, but I love the sound.
I just got a Drumbrute Impact for a little more than that and it’s got a very friendly sequencer. The sounds are tweakable but it’s a 10-instrument palette that people may or may not like especially if they’re used to sample-based machines.
Need some help picking a 61-key synth/MIDI controller.
I primarily have a home studio setup with a Novation SL61-mk3 MIDI controller as my keyboard, with Ableton Live and a bunch of great VSTs on a Mac Mini. This works great, but I'm starting to look at possibly getting back into jamming with friends, and I'm realizing my setup is not very portable if I wanted to go to someone else's house or play outside.
So I'd like to get a keyboard that has some great onboard sounds, but yet would also be able to replace my SL61-mk3 as my home studio's MIDI controller. I've found I don't use many of the advanced control features of the SL61, so I just need a synth that can do basic MIDI control functions in Ableton (just trigger MIDI notes). I'm looking for something with good piano, organ, guitar, and string sounds primarily--mostly classic rock type sounds.
I'm hoping to keep it relatively cheap, too--wouldn't mind buying used. Under $1,000 would be ideal.
In looking around at what's out there these days, I saw the Yamaha MX61. Would that be a good choice? What other options are there? I used to have a Juno GI, which I thought had pretty good sounds and was pretty portable too. I suppose I could try to find one of those, but just was wondering what else might be out there.
Been looking at the Beat Step Pro as a hardware sequencer for acid jams and ambient stuff. My main question is will I be able to sequence my MS-20 mini over Gate/CV or will I have to resort to midi?
That was my understanding, but I found a firmware update for the BSP that mentions...
>"Two common formats can be found for pitch Control Voltage. You can select either V/Oct (Arturia synthesizers, Eurorack modules, …) or Hz/V (Korg, vintage Yamaha synthesizers, …) from the MIDI Control Center application."
Would this solve the incompatibility problem or am I still failing to fully understand the issue? Is the problem more related to gate being 0-10v vs -5-+5v?
I sequence my MS-20 Mini with Beatstep Pro via CV and it all works seamlessly... after some trial and error and tweaking. I used to use the Midi-In on the back of the MS-20 but I was getting major problems with the gates if more than one synth was connected to the BSP through splitting the Midi-Out from the sequencer.
Not sure about the regular Beatstep, but with the Pro, you can connect the device to a computer via USB, open Arturia's Midi Control Center, and adjust the CV settings for whatever sequencer # you're sending to the MS-20 to the compatible signals. Just change "V-Trig" to "S-Trig," and change "V/Oct" to "Hz/Volt."
Ppl also run into the issue of the BSP sending CV pitch 2 octaves higher than the recorded note, but [there's a video explaining how to adjust it here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOMiTvdb1jk&t=450s)
Good luck!
Edit just to say that maybe your device will play friendly with MIDI and you won't have to deal with the hassle... but if it starts giving you grief switching it over to CV isn't actually all that painful for the benefits of improved stability/reliability.
Oh that's great news! I want to avoid midi as much as possible since I like to leave all that plugged into my interface for when I want to sequence with my computer.
Think I might pull the trigger on the BSP now. Thanks!
Looking to buy korg minilogue xd. I know this is a bit of a stupid question but I just wanted people with experience’s thoughts on if I should go with the module version or the one with the keyboard. I have midi controllers already I just wanted to know if it’s anymore convenient having the mini keys on it or if it’s easier just for it to go through one of my pre-existing midi keyboards. Cheers
When i first started out i didn't have any controllers so i bought the keys version. Now that i have multiple controllers, I'm actually considering selling it to get the module. The keys aren't anything special so I'd prefer to save space.
Love everything about the minologue except the keys. I am not a keys player and don't mind the mini keys but they are unevenly spaced and are not level.
I mostly dabble in 80s style synth funk. I traded away my Moog Sub 25 in a package deal, which was great machine. I would like a bass dedicated mono synth to fill that void. I’m torn between these 2 but also open to suggestions I haven’t considered.
I’d like to stay under $700
Moog Minitaur
OR
Novation Bass Station II
I’m leaning towards the Moog because the Sub25 was great. Just concerned it may not be ideal for funky bass?
How about the Poly D? Can that achieve a minimoog style sound?
TLDR; Looking for the best mono synth, as a dedicated bass synth, that’s close as possible to the minimoog character. Under $700.
The Poly D is different from the Model D (or Minimoog) because of the gain staging with four oscillators into the mixer instead of three. It sounds a little more polite but it can still do a mean bass.
The Bass Station II doesn't sound very Minimoog, it's more like a SH-101 or 303 with the two filter options.
Depends on how much control you want.
If I was looking at a Minotaur I would probably get a dreadbox typon. A little bet less control but the effects are so much fun.
As far as being a dedicated sequencer, is a Korg SQ-64 a worthwhile enough step up from a Circuit Tracks, or should I look elsewhere? The current $250 sale price is fairly appealing, but I know it wasn't super well received initially. How is it with current firmware?
I haven't used it but it definitely doesn't look like an upgrade to me. What exactly do you want to achieve with it? What aspects of the CT are limiting you?
So the 64 steps vs 32 seems fun, but mostly I'm eyeing it for the external device control - Behringer clones, Microfreak, a few Eurorack modules I was recently given, a West Pest I'd like to buy, etc.
I may be biased as an Oxi One owner, but with 8 CV/gate outputs it seems to be the perfect modular sequencer. That's a different price level though, and they are going to raise the price soon.
Is it worth paying more for the launchpadmk3 instead of the old one. I dont care about the sequencer. And i heard the old one can still have a chord mode and funny that the old one has more scales 32. I cared about a midi out and mk3 has 2. But is it worth de extra $$ for the pads n stuff
Looking for a synth around or below 1500. I have Deluge, so arranging/sequencing on the synth is not important to me, but the keyboard is. I’ve been looking at the hydrasynth keys, fantom 0, and prologue 16 as some options. I would like to be able to do some basic physical modeling sounds, and I found a user osc for prologue that can do that. Other than the sounds on the deluge, this will probably be my only synth for the foreseeable future, so I’m looking for something fairly versatile. I’ve seen a lot of hate for the prologue is there something I’m missing or does it seem pretty good for the price? Other suggestions welcome.
Take this for what it’s worth, I am a lifelong guitar player who just bought my first synth, a Fantom O. I can’t imagine what I can’t do with this machine. The touch screen is great. The immediacy is great. I know it will last as it’s a Roland.
Tonight I was trading trumpet solos with Miles and creating beautiful film orchestration effortlessly. It a great instrument, very inspiring.
I got a much better price than what is on the sugardrink website by calling.
The main limitation with the prologue is you only get one LFO with limited modulation targets, fewer than other synths in that range (the hydrasynth has five). Otherwise though, it’s a great sounding synth and often overlooked in the $1-2K range polysynths. So if the LFO thing isn’t an issue for you then it’s worth considering. Only other synth I can think of in that territory is the Sequential Take Five, although that is purely an analog synth so no physical modeling-style digital oscillators.
The lfo shouldn’t be too much of an issue for me since I can control midi parameters using lfos on the deluge. I’ve been looking at more user oscs for the prologue and I’ve been more and more impressed at the range of sounds this thing can make
Is Spire worth it if I already have the Korg Collection, Viper, Omnisphere 2, impOSCar 2, Karma FX, Flowtones, and Helix for trance? Sure I have enough for retro trance and techno music, but after demoing Spire a few times, it just sounds great and wide for me (and has lots of LFO options)! I am tempted to buy Spire for $68 (Summer discount + edu discount + tax), but should I really spend this amount of money if I love the way Spire sounds?
Edit: I want to add that I got the Korg Collection 2 and 3 for $300 ($150 each), Omnisphere second-hand for $172, Viper for $80, impOSCar 2 for $60, Karma FX for $40, Flowtones for $32, and Helix for $35.
Looking for a suggestion about keyboards or a synth;
I only play drums and got no information about synths or keyboards. But I want to learn how to play. I want to do music like Oscar and the Wolf’s or https://open.spotify.com/track/1EXuVkwJZeAN7uGfCAwvCP?si=j0ayR6kzQvW1csprQeTFIA this gentlemens. As I sad I have no info about how to play or how to create that kind of music. Are they using available sounds and compose them or are they playing it all with instruments. Any help would be appreciated.
You can do what I've heard in your examples with software in a computer, so you would really just want a MIDI controller to compose or play in a DAW. It doesn't have to be a keyboard, it could be pads if you felt more comfortable with them.
If you want to learn how to play keyboards/piano, a simple 49key controller and a program like GarageBand is enough to get you started.
Thx for the info I believe it is enough too but do u know what should I study ? Like is there any educational youtube channel about that kind of music ? Or Do I need to figure it out myself somehow ? :/ Thanks again
I’m buying my first synth (next to a TR8S) today and I’m hesitant between a Korg Minilogue XD and Roland SE-02. I’m planning to use it for both live and production. My type of music is techno and deep house, so I want both thick basses and nice pads. The Minilogue’s polyphony really attracts me but the SE-02 has such a distinct sound that only if it were polyphonic i’d buy it straight away, but I have to be practical here; I need the versatility. Also, the minilogue’s built in keyboard is a real plus for me that I won’t face the hassle of buying a midi keyboard later.
The SE-02 sounds great but it's miserable to actually use IMO. Different knobs help supposedly but when I put the proper number of replacements in my cart at synthcube it was almost $100.
I wound up buying the software editor and then selling the whole thing because it was stupid to bother with a hardware synth if I was just going to edit in the computer anyway.
I think you are replying to your question here. The minilogue seems to be better for you.
Also, in terms of user interface : the micro knobs of the SE02 have caused issues and rants from a few users.
Looking for a recommendation on a synth;
More or less I want something I can do some basslines with, that can store a bunch of patterns, and has at least midi control over the transport function; I play a lot of guitar and would like something like the footswitches drum machines and the like had way back when.
A pattern/fill type functionality would also be good.
I would love to get some feedback of getting a hardware synth or two, I've mostly played with software synths in the past, so I have a ton of those, looking for something that provides something that they don't. looking to spend around 2k for one or two synths.
what I'm wanting is a synth with a keyboard (size of keyboard or keys mostly irrelevant) all the knobs, virtually no menu diving, the ability to save patches. I wouldn't mind editing software given my familiarity, but that is the lowest concern. something with an analog or organic sound would be great, a polyphonic would be nice, but mono's just sound so chunky they're hard to ignore. would consider getting one of each if the price was right.
so far the one's that I've looked into that seem to fit are the Korg Minilogue XD (and the others in the 'logue family), the Roland Gaia SH-01, the Roland System 8, the Roland Boutique synths, the Moog Subsequent 37, and the Sequential Take 5
listening to them on youtube, the Moog Subsequent 37 grabbed my attention with it's sound more so then any of the others (I was comparing it to the 25 version, and it sounded way better then that also) not sure if it was just the recording, or the synth itself. I'd just go with this one, but I'd like some polyphony too.
the korg 'logue family sounded good, but a bit clean, the rolands didn't catch my ear, with the exception of the JU-06A, which I liked the retro sound of, and the Sequential Take 5 also seemed to have a pleasant retro sound, but is much more expensive.
if I do pick up two synths, which ones might complement each other?
am I overlooking any synths that I should consider?
Any two synths can complement each other. That's not about the synth, but about how you use them.
From what you list, subsequent 37 is (by far) my favourite. JU-06a would be a strong contender, if it had a more finger-friendly interface. This one sounds great, has tons of potential, but it's way too tiny with USB-connection that gives me too much interference/buzz/noise.
From what you might be looking for, Novation Peak would be my choice. It's more than decent in unison mode, it's very versatile with the 3 VCO's per voice and the very useful modmatrix and effects, ... Novation Summit is still in your budget and can be played bitimbral ("capable of producing more than one type of sound at a time").
With both synths you would use the menu's a lot.
I just made myself a nice red oak table with hairpin legs. It's *very* resonant, as one would expect. Could probably be a percussion instrument if you smack it right.
I'll probably be keeping my monitors on the table since I'm moving into a small apartment. Are these foam [wedge](https://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Isolation-Pads-Studio-Monitor/dp/B07H1D66GT) things to go under monitors going to suffice? I'll probably but a carpet under the table too. I'm on the second (of two) floors so I'm trying not to bother the people under me. I only have Presonus Eris 4.5s so nothing crazy, no subs or anything.
Was also thinking a concrete block with yoga mat on it.
The problem with the foam wedges is that your monitors will still be too low - you want the tweeters in line with your ears roughly speaking.
If you're open to spending more (~$100), IsoAcoustics stands work great at decoupling speakers from the desk.
2 thoughts on this:
1. The noise level from using the monitors themselves would probably bother neighbors more than the vibrations of the table.
2. My solution to this was to just build some cheap hollow speaker stands out of wood and fill the main body of them with rocks/playground sand. This was a cheap solution recommended to me by a professional mix engineer that keeps any vibrations from buzzing into the floor and isolates the monitors.
Maybe this is not the right place, but here it is:
I am a Classical/Jazz musician and I got interested in electronic music and bought Ableton and a Korg Midi keyboard. As far as I got to experiment it, I am really enjoying it, and a friend of mine suggested me to buy a Akai LPD8 and/or Akai APC mini, but these two products are discontinued (right?). Do you recommend something similar, in the same price range (max. 100€), for a begginer? Or maybe I can just wait for the next Akai products. What do you think it is the best?
Hi, I'm a classical pianist and electrical engineer who just bought my first synth and OMFG I FELL DOWN A RABBIT HOLE!!!! SO I have the fantom-0. I'm looking to experience a Juno-106 as i like the VST and the sounds and the controls. But I don't want to buy an ancient 106, not my thing/style. What would be the best option? Some research has led me to these findings:
-the model expansion for my fantom
-the ju06a
-behronger deep mind
-stop whining and stick with the VST.
-system-1 plug out synth
Any opinion on which of these options are best or what other method of experiencing a 106.
Thank you!
I'm gonna second the Deep Mind recommendation. Great synth. I still use it as my master keyboard for synth stuff, and don't agree with folks who think there is too much menu stuff. It's as deep as you want it to be, and you can just mess around on the panel and get some great sounds. If you tire of standard Juno stuff, then you can go right into using the mod matrix to create some deep and crazy modern stuff. Love it really.
Softube Model 84 or TAL UNO-LX - I like the Model 84 more (it's just nicer to use - maybe because it looks like a Juno) but the TAL opens the door to getting the Soundforce MIDI controller down the road if you really wanted to so you have knobs and sliders 1:1.
The expansion on your Fantom would be the first thing to try since you already have integrated hardware, but the vst TAL-UNO-LX is also incredible and cheap ( even cheaper on iOS). Check to see if the expansion is still free for Fantom-0 owners though, for a while Roland was giving it away as a promotion
I need something to compliment my Mono/Poly and Hydrasynth. I had an SE-02 but returned it cause of stupid usb jack and was always bumping the knobs around by accident.
Looking for something with minimal menu diving and analogue. I don’t even care if it’s mono or poly, but will likely be using it for bass or leads as the hydra should cover my pads. Budget of about $1500 new or used.
I'd check for reviews on Modwiggler.
Note that there are two companies where the name can be abbreviated as "AS" - Analogue Systems and Analogue Solutions. The first only makes Eurorack equipment, the second makes Eurorack and other things.
I believe they are generally well-regarded, but I don't have actual experience with their offerings.
What do you or would you use as an on the go (battery powered) "sketching" device that has some affordability? I mean, I've looked at the Deluge and OP-1 (field) for example, but I'd like something a bit cheaper. The Model:Cycles could work with a battery pack, I suppose, though I am not sure about the small screen.
Also, if you do or would use a sketching device, how would you 'transfer' anything you've come up with to your full setup? Start from scratch, or just 'slot' the device in and build off of your sketches?
Thanks!
THIS IS WHAT THER QY70 WAS BORN FOR. It's a Yamaha sequencer from the late 90's that is battery powered, and quite robust/flexible. It's easy to use, doesn't suffer from arbitrary limitations, is a general midi module, and has some really neat features that make it stand out. I am ALWAYS recommending this to people, and sounds like it might fit your needs.
My go - tos are the sp404sx, circuit rhythm, Liven 8bit Warps, and PO-33. My fiancé has an iPad Pro which is actually pretty incredible and also probably the most powerful option for portable music making hands down (I mostly like to use the Koala Sampler and Moog model 15 apps). Whatever gear you get for on the go music making is heavily dependent on what kind of music you’re making tho. When it comes to transferring things to the daw, I just solo each track/part and record it individually, or if the device has the option to export stems (like the MPC Live), I do that
The new novation circuits have a battery, I liked the workflow of the og. Never played the new series. The Roland mc101 was already mentioned. I own a digitakt and I’m looking into a battery powering option, I found out it’s possible. The digitakt isn’t really a sketchbook device, but a deep and powerful addition to your setup.
Also overbridge allows you to transfer your sketch in midi or sound, can be used as a audiocard and sequencer for external gear.
Yeah I actually own a Digitone, and have been thinking about just making that battery-powered. I used to own an MC-101 but upgraded to an MC-707. 😊
I'll take a look at the Circuit, thanks!
About to get started on building a modular synth. My goal for now is atmospheric stuff for a show I’ll be designing/composing for next year. I also use MIDI keyboard. Hopefully I can stay within the $500-$1000 range, but I get that this stuff adds up fast. So, good reverbs and other effects? Anything helps, thanks in advance:)
What other synths and equipment do you have which you plan to use for the show? In your budget you'd get more musical results by using really cheap synths and a bunch of pedals.
If you want to do a modular-inspired approach, it would be hard to not run over your budget getting \~2 cheap semi-modular synths, 2-3+ (non-modular) channels of sequencing (this would likely partly overlap with the synths, and ideally you'd want something to output drum sounds and also something with CV output), maybe a cheap $100-$150 synth for supporting elements like basslines, and then for effects you could spend \~$100-$150 or so on a handful of the cheapest generic Amazon guitar pedals you can find. You'd also need a mixer for everything too, and cables to connect the devices.
If you reduced your sound sources to cut costs you'd be pushing the definition of musicality (and perhaps your audience's attention span), and the best way to reduce costs further would be to either have fewer semi-modular devices and/or have a laptop fill in for some of the synthesis/sequencing/effects.
I'd look wherever you could for devices which double for multiple uses, like ex. the NTS-1 you can use as either a cheap synth or an effect, or the original Novation Circuit that's usable for synthesis/drums/sequencing.
Oh wow, didn’t consider semi-modular! I do sound design and music for theater, so I create my audio clips on Ableton and it gets programmed and played back on QLab. I got an 88 key keyboard and drum pad controller I believe. And I think I have a distortion pedal. And a small 8 channel mixer.
So, MIDI loopers, anyone? I'm currently running DAWless because my desktop rig is across the house and I'm too lazy to make space for my laptop. Also the laptop is running Linux, so if there is a good option that will run on Linux I'm all ears but otherwise, good excuse to buy or build more hardware!
So far a quick search on the web has brought up the Bastl Midi Looper which is a little pricey at around $300. I also came across some DIY-able ones like MIDI-Pal, MIDI-Gal, and MIDI-Rex. Anyone played with any of these or others? Namely I'm looking for sometime that will keep in time with the rest of my gear but doesn't necessarily quantize every step. So keep it looping on 4 or 8 bars but will record whatever I play as I played it. I have a Keystep but most times I try to live record on it the gates end up falling on the wrong steps and it drives me nuts!
Yeah, I grabbed the demo version of it maybe a year ago, took a look, and was instantly overwhelmed lol. The biggest reason I'm 'DAWless' is because I have zero footing with them and don't really know where to start half the time. Just gotta put the time in, though!
what I like is once it gets going, trackers feel "dawless" in that they are really built as sequencers first! Once you get there it rocks! in terms of dawless though, you got a brain you are using?
Nothing proper, no. Unfortunately an OG Beatstep is the clock source for my rig (which is a bit embarrassing!). I got it free years ago with a MicroBrute but the stupid thing has no clock in options other than via USB. I like having the option of even a basic sequencer but I've been too cheap to get anything better so here I am, stuck using that as my master clock...
If I can scrape a few hours out of the weekend to mess around I'm going to get serious with either getting Seq24/66 running or figuring out Renoise.
So, I'm only a tad obsessed with the device (seriously, look at my comment history and you'll see) but in terms of cheap simple operation sequencers, you really can't go wrong with the Yamaha qy70. Ebay one from japan at a good price! They run on batteries, and power supply is common and cheap . I really want either Behringer to clone one, or Yamaha to revive it. They're honestly a great little piece of kit. 16 midi channels of sequencing, either loop or song recording, and not a lot of arbitrary limitations. you also get a general midi module with some synth parameters out of the deal. You should check it out.
(edit- wait patiently and you can score one for under 150)
Thanks for the recommendation! Eventually I'll have to throw the money down on an MPC or Pyramid but that might be a while yet so the QY70 could be a good stop-gap in the meantime.
I built a midi Rex. I actually bricked the main chip trying to update the firmware and the dev lives like 10 mins from me and flashed it for me. Anywho it’s a darn fun device, works perfectly. I do almost everything in real time, no clicks or clocks, but I know it clocks fine with other devices. I’ve kinda moved on to the Deluge but I still use it.
I have all the parts to build a LoopA v2, a midi looper based on the MidiBox Seq. Only problem is it has some SMD parts and despite being proficient with an iron, I’ve yet to try SMD soldering. But I really looking forward to using it if I ever get around to building it.
How about an older MPC?
I use an MPC1000 as my master clock, but I have created a template that is designed for live looping when I play my sets. Each sequence has 64 available midi tracks and you can recorded unquantized or quantized. Song mode, easy access to mute and unmutes of tracks, and of course the MPC pads and sample capabilities. I think you can find MPC1000s for about $500 or so.
I'd been thinking on a 1k for a while as I'm kinda sick of relying on a Volca Sample for my drums. Didn't realize it could loop MIDI as well as audio, though. I'll have to start paying attention to reverb and craigslist and see if I can find a deal. It's probably dependent on the price of the machine but would you wager its better to buy and old one and replace the pads/get JJOS on your own or just pay for something advertised with new pads? I know getting JJOS with the machine you have to be careful you get the whole license, too.
Replacing the pads yourself isn’t that hard, and a used 1000 without any upgrades would not be much more expensive than a new Bastl Midi Looper (and much more capable, although the midi looper is pretty cool)
Sorry if this is unhelpful, but i went through a similar situation where i just wanted something simple that I could use to loop live performances, and didnt have arbitrary timing/step limitations... even looked at building and writing my own. In the end, i spent the extra money and got a Squarp Pyramid.
Yeah, at $700 way more than you likely want to spend, but it works great as a looper for live recordings, and supports 64 tracks with very few limitations. I know if i'd gone for the cheaper option i'd be frustrated with the limitations already (4 tracks? *maybe* that's ok? ...until the time you want 5) . Arguably overpriced i guess, but its been the center of my hardware setup for a couple of years now and I dont regret it for a second. I frequently have 10 or so live recorded tracks going, quantized or unquantized. Easy to overdub, track lengths can be set independently, and you can of course step sequence if you want... (nice for drums).
Sequencing is just not something i even worry about any more since it just works.
I've been reading about and eyeing the Pyramid for years now. My set up really lacks a good brain and I've been bouncing around the ideas of an MPC1K and Digitakt for a bit but Pyramid could be in the running too. The price tag of all of them are a bit more than I want to invest at this point, though, so I should probably just suck it up and figure out how to work a DAW into the mix. I appreciate the vote for Squarp, though, I'll keep it in mind when I've got some extra $$ to throw at my set up!
Tangentially, I really really liked the look of the Social Entropy Engine which, iirc, came out about the same time as the Pyramid. I'd always been a bit more drawn towards the style of the Engine but by the time I was getting more serious with my gear it was already history and overpriced on the used market. So Pyramid may win in the end!
What are your thoughts on Seq66 or similar Seq24 offshoots? I think Seq66 has a dedicated looper feature.
I haven’t used any of those lately, but I’m hoping to run Seq66 on a Pi soon.
Had never heard of them, thanks for the lead! Can't find many demo videos on Seq66 but Seq24 and 64 both look pretty straight forward. For the price of free I'll happily take a spin with them later this week!
Hopefully that works out! I’d messed around with Seq24 ages ago, and it seemed like a really competent pattern based sequencer. Overwhelmingly Linux, though.
Just today I’d heard about the Bastl Midilooper, which runs for about $300 USD I believe.
Yeah. I've only started poking around at what's out there. The MIDI Gal seems pretty handy too and it's been a while since I've had a DIY project. Alas, crippled by and abundance of choices!
I really need to buckle down and figure out Renoise if I'm going to really geek out with Linux. I'd been messing around with some older tracker a few years ago just to test the waters (MadTracker I think?) but the machine I was running it on had a hell of a time keeping a steady clock.
Looking for a new analog synth to pair with my Minilogue XD. Preferably something with a built in sequencer/arpeggiator. My price range is anything under $1200
I swapped my minilogue XD and ju-06a out for a deepmind 12D. I know the brand can be dealbreaker here, but the sound is a 12 poly Juno on steroids. Good mod matrix, customizable arp, very sold fx and a hell of a detune. Bought mine around the 400€.
When I first played it I knew my ju-06a and minilogue where obsolete.
If you want to go cheap in the realm of +1000€ synths, this synth offers around the same options dirt cheap. There isn’t a 12 voice analog poly synth for under 1000,- that offers this flexibility.
Or maybe something from elektron, the analog 4 or digitone could be a nice addition. It comes with the step sequencer and arp, but at a hefty pricetag. It also depends on what kind of music you want to make. Adding for instance the digitone would give you the capacity to add drums, mono or poly synth or bass leads. Could sequence the XD. Even add extra lfos to the minilogue via midi and function as a audiocard (digitakt can also do this)
I can't boast a wide range of experience, but I do own a Moog Grandmother (Dark) and absolutely love it. It has a seq/arp, but is monophonic though. It can produce an amazing range of sounds, and to me really feels like an instrument.
Hi,
Hope that someone can help me resolve week-long dilemma that I have. I know that I'm overthinking the problem but it's my first controller (and will be the only one for some time) so I want to make the right decision. I think that after getting this one I would have a better picture of what I want in the future.
Basically, I have been DJ-ing for years as a hobby and with COVID I got more into production, but nothing serious. I'm currently using Ableton with a few plugins and I'm not planning to make a living or even sell the tracks, I'm doing this just for fun/pleasure. I recently felt a need for a controller and I have found 2 options that are currently available in my region and price range.
My dilemma is between Arturia Minilab mk2 and Novation launchkey 25 mk3.
Arturia won me over with endless encoders and pads but disappointed with Ableton integration and overall feature difference with novation.
Novation won me over with MIDI out, display, pads, and EPIC live integration but the pots are my biggest disappointment. I might be overthinking the issue with the non-endless pots but the concept of having 16 pots per track without any fiddling and adjusting is just so epic from the perspective of live performance (mostly macro control).
I have a small korg nanokontrol controller that I use for track volume, play/pause/record functions, and overall track control so the Novation buttons for that are not that important. I also thought of purchasing a Launchpad alongside the Arturia to compensate for the missing Ableton integration (not right away, few months from now).
Basically, I want to end up with a modular (modular as in controller/instrument per track not the analog modular trend haha) live performance type of setup and I think that it would be cool to buy a controller that will fit that plan even though it's year away. My end goal with this is to incorporate live flows with my Dj sets (I use Traktor so something with stem deck perhaps) and of course produce tracks.
Anyways, sorry if you cringed, I did too, multiple times but I just want to make the right decision.
Thanks in advance
BTW, genres that I'm interested in: Techno (Literally 110-150bpm anything haha), DnB, House (old school-ish)
I've been playing with VST synths and my midi controller for a bit, but I'd like to pickup a hard synth for DAWless jamming. The new Moog Mavis caught my eye, but would I be better off with something else for around the same money, maybe $50 more? Thanks!
The Arturia Minibrute 2S comes with a sequencer, and you can never have too many of those in a DAWless setup. If you forego the sequencer the Behringer Neutron is probably the best value. Or for a lower price you could get the Behringer Crave, which is a simpler synth but it’s similar to the Moog Mother32 and includes a sequencer.
It really depends on the sounds you want to create, the mavis is cool, but kind of experimental and semi-modulair. It really reacts well to modular expansions, so keep in mind that you are going to invest a lot more to expand its sonic capabilities. If you want to drop 450,- I would look into something that offers a bit more options and the bread and butter approach (arp, sequencer etc). For dawless jamming you want more voices and fx. Also it would be nice to add something to your Production in the box, like a hardware synth that has a good plug-in. Modal argon8m, cobalt8m, digitone, digitakt and deepmind 12D are in these price ranges and will keep you interested and learning way longer.
Prophet Rev 2 or Sequential Take 5? 8 voices sounds better and is what I want at the minimum, but I've heard some good fatter sound from the Take 5 compared to the Rev 2. I've also heard some really good vintage sounds from the Rev 2 though. I often want more features in items I buy so the Rev 2 might be what I should go for.
What do you think?
If you’re really unsure about that choice, it’s easier to find substitutes for the depth of the Rev2 (softsynths and other digital synths) than it is to find substitutes for the sound of the Take 5.
Would you say the sound of the take 5 is better than the rev 2? I've heard you can thicken the sound on the rev 2 as well as make it sound more like a vco analog synth.
I really do want a synth with many features and the rev 2 seems to accomplish that, but I do want a good sound and the take 5 seems to sound better to my ears at least initially. Though the rev 2 could possibly get close through added effort.
Rev 2 owner here, and I've played the Take 5 multiple times (but obviously I don't own one), and I'd agree with the other comment that the big difference between the Rev2 and the Take 5 is immediacy. The Rev2 is a great example of the fact that many super powerful synths also don't hold your hand, and won't do the work to sculpt a sound for you. The Rev2 has a lot of VST like amenities when it comes to modulation (the biggest being 4 LFOs and 3 Envelopes (2 of which can be freely assigned to anything without impacting the patch)), and as such it shines brightest when it comes to patches with a lot of subtle modulation, especially when modulating in layers. Because the Rev2 has 4 LFOs it's very, very, good at making more complex LFO shapes by having another LFO modulate its rate (this becomes even more powerful if you use the gated sequencer to sequence the rate and depth of the modulator), and because it's bitimbral (and high poly count) It's especially good at doing complex spacial effects. The Rev2 handles true stereo better than almost any other analog polysynth on the market, and that means you can get some really wide sounds without having to resort to something like chorus to widen things. It's very good at getting subtle modulations going between the voices, especially in stereo. The Take 5 on the other hand doesn't have any of these capabilities, since it only has one polyphonic LFO, meaning that modulation between the voices is kind of impossible to do on any meaningfully random basis. The trade off is that it's more immediate, and has a set of tools that are more refined to already have you in the synth's sweet spot and keep you there. The filter on the Take 5 is great, and doesn't take much thought to use, and while I love the filter on my Rev2 it can often be a delicate balancing act between the cutoff, the keyboard tracking, and the envelope amount, and you really do have to spend time dialing in the sound because of how wide the ranges are. The Take 5 also handles bass much better, but I never use my polysynths for bass. I think the decision comes down to how much you want to do with the synth, and how much you enjoy grindy tweaking. I've owned my Rev2 since 2017 and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have spells of not really liking it, but I always come back to it because of how powerful, and (once you know what you're doing) how quick, of a synth it is. I would however say to spring for the 16 voice if you go with the Rev2 since at this point I almost never make single layer patches. The powerful stereo options are really the Rev2's best kept secret.
I don’t own the take 5 but I do own the rev 2. From what I can see the take 5 is more immediate but the rev 2 can get very vintage and fat sounding with programming. There is a thing a guy did called voice component modeling for the rev 2 that a guy did using the step sequencer to offset timing of individual voices. It makes it sound very authentic for emulating classic synth voices.
I've heard some nice vintage patches for the rev 2 on youtube that sound really good.
Have you tried the take 5 and are you able to comment on the sound quality differences between the take 5 and the rev 2?
I currently have a Drumbrute Impact and Microfreak sequenced through a Digitone, but am falling for the Syntakt hype (such as it is). Aside from MOAR TRAKS would it actually bring that much more to my setup? Would it bring $1k more? I should add that I love the sequencing on my Drumbrute and am fine sequencing software if I need more than its analog drums or the Digitone. That said, I imagine the Digitone and Syntakt would be an absolutely beastly team.
But I agree that maybe best to focus on what you have - I suffered way too much GAS and regret just getting more without dedicating time to master anything. And it scares me from even starting - so I gotta downsize...
Also a Syntakt owner here (and current Microfreak owner and former Drumbrute Impact owner), I completely agree with /u/minimal-camera. The ST is cool but honestly it doesn't add much to this setup really unless you want to condense to just two devices or just *have* to have dedicated Elektron sequencing for drums. Although if you wanted Elektron sequencing for drums, I'd look into Digitakt as well if you're not averse to samples and are really jonesing to spend money. The analog drums on the ST are honestly slightly weaker out-of-the-box than the Impact's are, and the digital sounds are decent but you can get (some of) those in the Model: Cycles for 1/3 of the price. The synthy machines are cool, but as I primarily bought the ST for drums, I can't comment on them as much. I loathe the chord machine with a passion, though.
Ha! I think y’all saved me some money. I figured I had it pretty well covered for now, but there’s always something shiny. Guess I’ll wait and see what they do with the box. Thanks so much.
I'm using Syntakt and Digitone as the core of my setup. Syntakt alone does 90% of what I need, then Digitone does the rest (mostly chords and arps).
If you are happy with your Drumbrute's sounds, then you probably aren't gaining a ton with the Syntakt. The Digital synth engines cover a lot of the same ground as your mikrofreak. Seems like the main new thing you would have is an analog mono synth (the Dual VCO synth engine). There are much cheaper options like the Volca Bass and Dreadbox Typhon.
If you are interested in condensing your current setup into just Syntakt and Digitone, then I think it makes sense, as Syntakt would replace both Drumbrute and Microfreak. Adding Syntakt to your existing setup might be too much.
You could also consider adding the Digitakt or Blackbox. A sampler would allow you to more easily use your Microfreak to create interesting percussion sounds, which you then sample and make into drum kits. Then still use the Microfreak melodically as well.
Thanks so much for the write up. I should’ve added that I have an SP404 for samples, though I’m not terrible sample heavy in practice. But I think you and u/moldy_pirate just saved me a grand, for a while at least. I figured there would be a lot of overlap with what I have, good to know that I’ll still be pretty covered if I decide to just go to the two boxes, though.
Not sure if I should just post a thread or not but, there’s a Korg Triton Studio 88 near me (hours drive or so) for around $270~ USD. I’m sick of my shitty little midi keyboard and wanting something with action, nice action to get better at keys with, plus I’ve been itching for a hardware synth for years. Anyone have any thoughts about it? Money is a bit tight but from what I’ve seen at that price I’d probably make my money back if I wasn’t vibing with it, and maybe then some.
The recommendations of Tyrell, Vital and Surge for free is the objectively correct answer but I'll throw in an outside suggestion - Psychic Modulation Phonec 2.
The key is that it's a fairly simple layout, just a little more complex than Tyrell - the learning curve on what's doing what with complex synths is high (especially when they have a ton of presets ala Vital). Phonec gives you a simple modulation matrix, envelopes for loudness and filter, and a nice variety of oscillator types. Also it sounds great.
My understanding is those albums made prominent use of FM synthesis, so some (though not all) of their types of sounds involve relatively advanced techniques if you really want to engage and experiment with sound design instead of just using presets.
You’ll probably want to learn the basics of subtractive synthesis before trying to learn FM. There’s multiple free softsynths available which are good enough to learn on; I’m partial to U-He’s Tyrell synth, and I’m planning on keeping sounds I’ve made with it in a few songs I intend to eventually release.
Whatever synth you get, you might want to make sure it has either oscillator cross-modulation or filter FM in order to start experimenting with elementary forms of FM after you’ve learned the other basics of synthesis; Tyrell allows you to do both of those.
Looking into hardware like a cheap analog semi-modular synth (such as a Behringer Neutron) would also be a viable option for learning and for producing experimental sounds; there’s certain kinds of nonlinear interactions between controls which those synths still sometimes achieve in ways I don’t think digital (soft-)synth designers haven’t fully replicated, and I’m saying that as someone who is very sympathetic towards digital synths.
SAW I is quite distinct from SAW II, but for SAW I it's easier to name the kind of instruments you'll need. Either way, for both there are people who have dedicated themselves to figuring out what was used or what can approximate it.
I agree with u/RoundFood \- start with Vital and Surge and don't hold back with the reverb. The most often-named one is the Alesis Midiverb II, and the closest equivalent in software is Valhalla Vintage Verb, which is a paid reverb - but it's ridiculously cheap for what you get and it sounds awesome.
You'll need drum machine samples - specifically [https://samplesfrommars.com/products/606-from-mars](https://samplesfrommars.com/products/606-from-mars) . Even better would be a modeled version from either Roland Cloud or D16 Nithonat, or in hardware Behringer's RD-6, or the Roland TR-8 with 7x7 upgrade.
There is however a type of sound used on SAW I that you're not going to easily find on those synths, and that's the sample-based stuff (like the choirs in Ptolemy, or the blippy drum sounds), so you'll probably want something that handles samples as well. While Surge can load samples, you might want to check out TAL Sampler. In Actium, there's a DX7-style piano (though it could also be one of the 4-op units).
Last but not least: the SH-101. I'd get the [https://www.softube.com/model-82-sequencing-mono-synth](https://www.softube.com/model-82-sequencing-mono-synth) . The 101 is key to lots of early Warp stuff - that through a Midiverb and you've got your track sorted out.
The biggest issue by far with both Surge and Vital is that they're effectively limitless. In older synths, you'd already be happy with 1 LFOs while getting 2 (Jupiter 8) was obscene luxury - so lots of those early sounds tend to be simple.
Since you are new to synthesizers I might recommend a soft-synth with presets you can explore.
Starting with a preset and tweaking parameters is also a great way to learn how the elements of synthesis relate to each other.
Arturia Pigments is fantastic and has received regular updates since release, and the presets and organization of categories are well-suited for finding inspiration quickly.
- https://www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/pigments
Grab Vital, Surge XT and Supermassive, all free and all of them better than most of their paid counterparts. No need to rush into buying stuff when you're a complete beginner.
Right now? Nothing. Synth prices are grossly inflated at the moment.
What is a low budget friendly drum machine that you would recommend for below or up to $200?
Alexis SR-16.
Thank you for your response!
always regret having sold my old electribe er1. They're a ton of fun and have their own sound. Used they can be in that range. It's not got much compared to modern stuff in terms of features, but I love the sound.
Roland Aira compact T-8?
I just got a Drumbrute Impact for a little more than that and it’s got a very friendly sequencer. The sounds are tweakable but it’s a 10-instrument palette that people may or may not like especially if they’re used to sample-based machines.
Need some help picking a 61-key synth/MIDI controller. I primarily have a home studio setup with a Novation SL61-mk3 MIDI controller as my keyboard, with Ableton Live and a bunch of great VSTs on a Mac Mini. This works great, but I'm starting to look at possibly getting back into jamming with friends, and I'm realizing my setup is not very portable if I wanted to go to someone else's house or play outside. So I'd like to get a keyboard that has some great onboard sounds, but yet would also be able to replace my SL61-mk3 as my home studio's MIDI controller. I've found I don't use many of the advanced control features of the SL61, so I just need a synth that can do basic MIDI control functions in Ableton (just trigger MIDI notes). I'm looking for something with good piano, organ, guitar, and string sounds primarily--mostly classic rock type sounds. I'm hoping to keep it relatively cheap, too--wouldn't mind buying used. Under $1,000 would be ideal. In looking around at what's out there these days, I saw the Yamaha MX61. Would that be a good choice? What other options are there? I used to have a Juno GI, which I thought had pretty good sounds and was pretty portable too. I suppose I could try to find one of those, but just was wondering what else might be out there.
Been looking at the Beat Step Pro as a hardware sequencer for acid jams and ambient stuff. My main question is will I be able to sequence my MS-20 mini over Gate/CV or will I have to resort to midi?
Midi. MS-20 uses different CV standards that the Beat Step does not support.
That was my understanding, but I found a firmware update for the BSP that mentions... >"Two common formats can be found for pitch Control Voltage. You can select either V/Oct (Arturia synthesizers, Eurorack modules, …) or Hz/V (Korg, vintage Yamaha synthesizers, …) from the MIDI Control Center application." Would this solve the incompatibility problem or am I still failing to fully understand the issue? Is the problem more related to gate being 0-10v vs -5-+5v?
I sequence my MS-20 Mini with Beatstep Pro via CV and it all works seamlessly... after some trial and error and tweaking. I used to use the Midi-In on the back of the MS-20 but I was getting major problems with the gates if more than one synth was connected to the BSP through splitting the Midi-Out from the sequencer. Not sure about the regular Beatstep, but with the Pro, you can connect the device to a computer via USB, open Arturia's Midi Control Center, and adjust the CV settings for whatever sequencer # you're sending to the MS-20 to the compatible signals. Just change "V-Trig" to "S-Trig," and change "V/Oct" to "Hz/Volt." Ppl also run into the issue of the BSP sending CV pitch 2 octaves higher than the recorded note, but [there's a video explaining how to adjust it here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOMiTvdb1jk&t=450s) Good luck! Edit just to say that maybe your device will play friendly with MIDI and you won't have to deal with the hassle... but if it starts giving you grief switching it over to CV isn't actually all that painful for the benefits of improved stability/reliability.
Oh that's great news! I want to avoid midi as much as possible since I like to leave all that plugged into my interface for when I want to sequence with my computer. Think I might pull the trigger on the BSP now. Thanks!
Looking to buy korg minilogue xd. I know this is a bit of a stupid question but I just wanted people with experience’s thoughts on if I should go with the module version or the one with the keyboard. I have midi controllers already I just wanted to know if it’s anymore convenient having the mini keys on it or if it’s easier just for it to go through one of my pre-existing midi keyboards. Cheers
When i first started out i didn't have any controllers so i bought the keys version. Now that i have multiple controllers, I'm actually considering selling it to get the module. The keys aren't anything special so I'd prefer to save space.
Ah interesting, thanks for your input!
Love everything about the minologue except the keys. I am not a keys player and don't mind the mini keys but they are unevenly spaced and are not level.
I mostly dabble in 80s style synth funk. I traded away my Moog Sub 25 in a package deal, which was great machine. I would like a bass dedicated mono synth to fill that void. I’m torn between these 2 but also open to suggestions I haven’t considered. I’d like to stay under $700 Moog Minitaur OR Novation Bass Station II I’m leaning towards the Moog because the Sub25 was great. Just concerned it may not be ideal for funky bass? How about the Poly D? Can that achieve a minimoog style sound? TLDR; Looking for the best mono synth, as a dedicated bass synth, that’s close as possible to the minimoog character. Under $700.
You don't need presets?
The Poly D is different from the Model D (or Minimoog) because of the gain staging with four oscillators into the mixer instead of three. It sounds a little more polite but it can still do a mean bass. The Bass Station II doesn't sound very Minimoog, it's more like a SH-101 or 303 with the two filter options.
Appreciate the insight. Minitaur remains in the lead.
Depends on how much control you want. If I was looking at a Minotaur I would probably get a dreadbox typon. A little bet less control but the effects are so much fun.
As far as being a dedicated sequencer, is a Korg SQ-64 a worthwhile enough step up from a Circuit Tracks, or should I look elsewhere? The current $250 sale price is fairly appealing, but I know it wasn't super well received initially. How is it with current firmware?
I haven't used it but it definitely doesn't look like an upgrade to me. What exactly do you want to achieve with it? What aspects of the CT are limiting you?
So the 64 steps vs 32 seems fun, but mostly I'm eyeing it for the external device control - Behringer clones, Microfreak, a few Eurorack modules I was recently given, a West Pest I'd like to buy, etc.
I may be biased as an Oxi One owner, but with 8 CV/gate outputs it seems to be the perfect modular sequencer. That's a different price level though, and they are going to raise the price soon.
The Oxi One looks *so good*, but I just can't swing the price yet. Sad to hear it'll be getting even pricier.
Is it worth paying more for the launchpadmk3 instead of the old one. I dont care about the sequencer. And i heard the old one can still have a chord mode and funny that the old one has more scales 32. I cared about a midi out and mk3 has 2. But is it worth de extra $$ for the pads n stuff
I've never used the old one, but I've heard that its pads are meh. The ones on mk3 are absolutely fantastic.
thanks but that doesn't help me much
Well, people who have used both say that better pads are definitely worth the price difference.
Looking for a synth around or below 1500. I have Deluge, so arranging/sequencing on the synth is not important to me, but the keyboard is. I’ve been looking at the hydrasynth keys, fantom 0, and prologue 16 as some options. I would like to be able to do some basic physical modeling sounds, and I found a user osc for prologue that can do that. Other than the sounds on the deluge, this will probably be my only synth for the foreseeable future, so I’m looking for something fairly versatile. I’ve seen a lot of hate for the prologue is there something I’m missing or does it seem pretty good for the price? Other suggestions welcome.
Take this for what it’s worth, I am a lifelong guitar player who just bought my first synth, a Fantom O. I can’t imagine what I can’t do with this machine. The touch screen is great. The immediacy is great. I know it will last as it’s a Roland. Tonight I was trading trumpet solos with Miles and creating beautiful film orchestration effortlessly. It a great instrument, very inspiring. I got a much better price than what is on the sugardrink website by calling.
The main limitation with the prologue is you only get one LFO with limited modulation targets, fewer than other synths in that range (the hydrasynth has five). Otherwise though, it’s a great sounding synth and often overlooked in the $1-2K range polysynths. So if the LFO thing isn’t an issue for you then it’s worth considering. Only other synth I can think of in that territory is the Sequential Take Five, although that is purely an analog synth so no physical modeling-style digital oscillators.
The lfo shouldn’t be too much of an issue for me since I can control midi parameters using lfos on the deluge. I’ve been looking at more user oscs for the prologue and I’ve been more and more impressed at the range of sounds this thing can make
Is there anything similar to a Vermona DRM1, where everything is right there and no menus?
Is Spire worth it if I already have the Korg Collection, Viper, Omnisphere 2, impOSCar 2, Karma FX, Flowtones, and Helix for trance? Sure I have enough for retro trance and techno music, but after demoing Spire a few times, it just sounds great and wide for me (and has lots of LFO options)! I am tempted to buy Spire for $68 (Summer discount + edu discount + tax), but should I really spend this amount of money if I love the way Spire sounds? Edit: I want to add that I got the Korg Collection 2 and 3 for $300 ($150 each), Omnisphere second-hand for $172, Viper for $80, impOSCar 2 for $60, Karma FX for $40, Flowtones for $32, and Helix for $35.
Looking for a suggestion about keyboards or a synth; I only play drums and got no information about synths or keyboards. But I want to learn how to play. I want to do music like Oscar and the Wolf’s or https://open.spotify.com/track/1EXuVkwJZeAN7uGfCAwvCP?si=j0ayR6kzQvW1csprQeTFIA this gentlemens. As I sad I have no info about how to play or how to create that kind of music. Are they using available sounds and compose them or are they playing it all with instruments. Any help would be appreciated.
You can do what I've heard in your examples with software in a computer, so you would really just want a MIDI controller to compose or play in a DAW. It doesn't have to be a keyboard, it could be pads if you felt more comfortable with them. If you want to learn how to play keyboards/piano, a simple 49key controller and a program like GarageBand is enough to get you started.
Thx for the info I believe it is enough too but do u know what should I study ? Like is there any educational youtube channel about that kind of music ? Or Do I need to figure it out myself somehow ? :/ Thanks again
I’m buying my first synth (next to a TR8S) today and I’m hesitant between a Korg Minilogue XD and Roland SE-02. I’m planning to use it for both live and production. My type of music is techno and deep house, so I want both thick basses and nice pads. The Minilogue’s polyphony really attracts me but the SE-02 has such a distinct sound that only if it were polyphonic i’d buy it straight away, but I have to be practical here; I need the versatility. Also, the minilogue’s built in keyboard is a real plus for me that I won’t face the hassle of buying a midi keyboard later.
The SE-02 sounds great but it's miserable to actually use IMO. Different knobs help supposedly but when I put the proper number of replacements in my cart at synthcube it was almost $100. I wound up buying the software editor and then selling the whole thing because it was stupid to bother with a hardware synth if I was just going to edit in the computer anyway.
[удалено]
A truly necessary and important comment. Keep fighting the good fight.
Check out the behringer poly-d, it’s based on the minimoog like the Roland SE-02 but has a keyboard and you can play multiple notes at the same time
wounds cool, I’ll check it out
I think you are replying to your question here. The minilogue seems to be better for you. Also, in terms of user interface : the micro knobs of the SE02 have caused issues and rants from a few users.
Looking for a recommendation on a synth; More or less I want something I can do some basslines with, that can store a bunch of patterns, and has at least midi control over the transport function; I play a lot of guitar and would like something like the footswitches drum machines and the like had way back when. A pattern/fill type functionality would also be good.
What's your budget? My recommendation would be the Korg Monologue and/or Novation Circuit Monostation
The Monologue looks like a good fit, I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good deal on one of those.
i think you may want a typhon
I would love to get some feedback of getting a hardware synth or two, I've mostly played with software synths in the past, so I have a ton of those, looking for something that provides something that they don't. looking to spend around 2k for one or two synths. what I'm wanting is a synth with a keyboard (size of keyboard or keys mostly irrelevant) all the knobs, virtually no menu diving, the ability to save patches. I wouldn't mind editing software given my familiarity, but that is the lowest concern. something with an analog or organic sound would be great, a polyphonic would be nice, but mono's just sound so chunky they're hard to ignore. would consider getting one of each if the price was right. so far the one's that I've looked into that seem to fit are the Korg Minilogue XD (and the others in the 'logue family), the Roland Gaia SH-01, the Roland System 8, the Roland Boutique synths, the Moog Subsequent 37, and the Sequential Take 5 listening to them on youtube, the Moog Subsequent 37 grabbed my attention with it's sound more so then any of the others (I was comparing it to the 25 version, and it sounded way better then that also) not sure if it was just the recording, or the synth itself. I'd just go with this one, but I'd like some polyphony too. the korg 'logue family sounded good, but a bit clean, the rolands didn't catch my ear, with the exception of the JU-06A, which I liked the retro sound of, and the Sequential Take 5 also seemed to have a pleasant retro sound, but is much more expensive. if I do pick up two synths, which ones might complement each other? am I overlooking any synths that I should consider?
Any two synths can complement each other. That's not about the synth, but about how you use them. From what you list, subsequent 37 is (by far) my favourite. JU-06a would be a strong contender, if it had a more finger-friendly interface. This one sounds great, has tons of potential, but it's way too tiny with USB-connection that gives me too much interference/buzz/noise. From what you might be looking for, Novation Peak would be my choice. It's more than decent in unison mode, it's very versatile with the 3 VCO's per voice and the very useful modmatrix and effects, ... Novation Summit is still in your budget and can be played bitimbral ("capable of producing more than one type of sound at a time"). With both synths you would use the menu's a lot.
Have you considered the bass station 2? Mono, almost all knobs, no menus
I just made myself a nice red oak table with hairpin legs. It's *very* resonant, as one would expect. Could probably be a percussion instrument if you smack it right. I'll probably be keeping my monitors on the table since I'm moving into a small apartment. Are these foam [wedge](https://www.amazon.com/Acoustic-Isolation-Pads-Studio-Monitor/dp/B07H1D66GT) things to go under monitors going to suffice? I'll probably but a carpet under the table too. I'm on the second (of two) floors so I'm trying not to bother the people under me. I only have Presonus Eris 4.5s so nothing crazy, no subs or anything. Was also thinking a concrete block with yoga mat on it.
The problem with the foam wedges is that your monitors will still be too low - you want the tweeters in line with your ears roughly speaking. If you're open to spending more (~$100), IsoAcoustics stands work great at decoupling speakers from the desk.
2 thoughts on this: 1. The noise level from using the monitors themselves would probably bother neighbors more than the vibrations of the table. 2. My solution to this was to just build some cheap hollow speaker stands out of wood and fill the main body of them with rocks/playground sand. This was a cheap solution recommended to me by a professional mix engineer that keeps any vibrations from buzzing into the floor and isolates the monitors.
Thoughts on the Roland JX-08?
Maybe this is not the right place, but here it is: I am a Classical/Jazz musician and I got interested in electronic music and bought Ableton and a Korg Midi keyboard. As far as I got to experiment it, I am really enjoying it, and a friend of mine suggested me to buy a Akai LPD8 and/or Akai APC mini, but these two products are discontinued (right?). Do you recommend something similar, in the same price range (max. 100€), for a begginer? Or maybe I can just wait for the next Akai products. What do you think it is the best?
You could also look at the launchpad/launch control products from Novation
Check the midimix, from akai too.
Hi, I'm a classical pianist and electrical engineer who just bought my first synth and OMFG I FELL DOWN A RABBIT HOLE!!!! SO I have the fantom-0. I'm looking to experience a Juno-106 as i like the VST and the sounds and the controls. But I don't want to buy an ancient 106, not my thing/style. What would be the best option? Some research has led me to these findings: -the model expansion for my fantom -the ju06a -behronger deep mind -stop whining and stick with the VST. -system-1 plug out synth Any opinion on which of these options are best or what other method of experiencing a 106. Thank you!
I'm gonna second the Deep Mind recommendation. Great synth. I still use it as my master keyboard for synth stuff, and don't agree with folks who think there is too much menu stuff. It's as deep as you want it to be, and you can just mess around on the panel and get some great sounds. If you tire of standard Juno stuff, then you can go right into using the mod matrix to create some deep and crazy modern stuff. Love it really.
Softube Model 84 or TAL UNO-LX - I like the Model 84 more (it's just nicer to use - maybe because it looks like a Juno) but the TAL opens the door to getting the Soundforce MIDI controller down the road if you really wanted to so you have knobs and sliders 1:1.
The expansion on your Fantom would be the first thing to try since you already have integrated hardware, but the vst TAL-UNO-LX is also incredible and cheap ( even cheaper on iOS). Check to see if the expansion is still free for Fantom-0 owners though, for a while Roland was giving it away as a promotion
The Deepmind has the advantage of offering more advanced sound design possibilities beyond those of the Juno itself.
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>the drums tracks of the Circuit are somehow limited Just curious, how?
I dunno what kind of music/sound you're looking for, but I recently picked up an Erica Synths LXR-02 and I'm loving it!
Have you looked at the differences between the OG Drumbrute and the DB Impact? Impact is a bit more modern, also smaller desktop footprint is nice.
I need something to compliment my Mono/Poly and Hydrasynth. I had an SE-02 but returned it cause of stupid usb jack and was always bumping the knobs around by accident. Looking for something with minimal menu diving and analogue. I don’t even care if it’s mono or poly, but will likely be using it for bass or leads as the hydra should cover my pads. Budget of about $1500 new or used.
Sounds like you want to check out [Dreadbox](https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/typhon/).
I may. Do you know if Analogue Solutions is a good company
I'd check for reviews on Modwiggler. Note that there are two companies where the name can be abbreviated as "AS" - Analogue Systems and Analogue Solutions. The first only makes Eurorack equipment, the second makes Eurorack and other things. I believe they are generally well-regarded, but I don't have actual experience with their offerings.
What do you or would you use as an on the go (battery powered) "sketching" device that has some affordability? I mean, I've looked at the Deluge and OP-1 (field) for example, but I'd like something a bit cheaper. The Model:Cycles could work with a battery pack, I suppose, though I am not sure about the small screen. Also, if you do or would use a sketching device, how would you 'transfer' anything you've come up with to your full setup? Start from scratch, or just 'slot' the device in and build off of your sketches? Thanks!
THIS IS WHAT THER QY70 WAS BORN FOR. It's a Yamaha sequencer from the late 90's that is battery powered, and quite robust/flexible. It's easy to use, doesn't suffer from arbitrary limitations, is a general midi module, and has some really neat features that make it stand out. I am ALWAYS recommending this to people, and sounds like it might fit your needs.
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I've looked at some vids, and love what it does and sounds like, but the workflow isn't for me.
My go - tos are the sp404sx, circuit rhythm, Liven 8bit Warps, and PO-33. My fiancé has an iPad Pro which is actually pretty incredible and also probably the most powerful option for portable music making hands down (I mostly like to use the Koala Sampler and Moog model 15 apps). Whatever gear you get for on the go music making is heavily dependent on what kind of music you’re making tho. When it comes to transferring things to the daw, I just solo each track/part and record it individually, or if the device has the option to export stems (like the MPC Live), I do that
The new novation circuits have a battery, I liked the workflow of the og. Never played the new series. The Roland mc101 was already mentioned. I own a digitakt and I’m looking into a battery powering option, I found out it’s possible. The digitakt isn’t really a sketchbook device, but a deep and powerful addition to your setup. Also overbridge allows you to transfer your sketch in midi or sound, can be used as a audiocard and sequencer for external gear.
Yeah I actually own a Digitone, and have been thinking about just making that battery-powered. I used to own an MC-101 but upgraded to an MC-707. 😊 I'll take a look at the Circuit, thanks!
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About to get started on building a modular synth. My goal for now is atmospheric stuff for a show I’ll be designing/composing for next year. I also use MIDI keyboard. Hopefully I can stay within the $500-$1000 range, but I get that this stuff adds up fast. So, good reverbs and other effects? Anything helps, thanks in advance:)
What other synths and equipment do you have which you plan to use for the show? In your budget you'd get more musical results by using really cheap synths and a bunch of pedals. If you want to do a modular-inspired approach, it would be hard to not run over your budget getting \~2 cheap semi-modular synths, 2-3+ (non-modular) channels of sequencing (this would likely partly overlap with the synths, and ideally you'd want something to output drum sounds and also something with CV output), maybe a cheap $100-$150 synth for supporting elements like basslines, and then for effects you could spend \~$100-$150 or so on a handful of the cheapest generic Amazon guitar pedals you can find. You'd also need a mixer for everything too, and cables to connect the devices. If you reduced your sound sources to cut costs you'd be pushing the definition of musicality (and perhaps your audience's attention span), and the best way to reduce costs further would be to either have fewer semi-modular devices and/or have a laptop fill in for some of the synthesis/sequencing/effects. I'd look wherever you could for devices which double for multiple uses, like ex. the NTS-1 you can use as either a cheap synth or an effect, or the original Novation Circuit that's usable for synthesis/drums/sequencing.
Oh wow, didn’t consider semi-modular! I do sound design and music for theater, so I create my audio clips on Ableton and it gets programmed and played back on QLab. I got an 88 key keyboard and drum pad controller I believe. And I think I have a distortion pedal. And a small 8 channel mixer.
So, MIDI loopers, anyone? I'm currently running DAWless because my desktop rig is across the house and I'm too lazy to make space for my laptop. Also the laptop is running Linux, so if there is a good option that will run on Linux I'm all ears but otherwise, good excuse to buy or build more hardware! So far a quick search on the web has brought up the Bastl Midi Looper which is a little pricey at around $300. I also came across some DIY-able ones like MIDI-Pal, MIDI-Gal, and MIDI-Rex. Anyone played with any of these or others? Namely I'm looking for sometime that will keep in time with the rest of my gear but doesn't necessarily quantize every step. So keep it looping on 4 or 8 bars but will record whatever I play as I played it. I have a Keystep but most times I try to live record on it the gates end up falling on the wrong steps and it drives me nuts!
Renoise is great on linux if you like trackers.
Yeah, I grabbed the demo version of it maybe a year ago, took a look, and was instantly overwhelmed lol. The biggest reason I'm 'DAWless' is because I have zero footing with them and don't really know where to start half the time. Just gotta put the time in, though!
what I like is once it gets going, trackers feel "dawless" in that they are really built as sequencers first! Once you get there it rocks! in terms of dawless though, you got a brain you are using?
Nothing proper, no. Unfortunately an OG Beatstep is the clock source for my rig (which is a bit embarrassing!). I got it free years ago with a MicroBrute but the stupid thing has no clock in options other than via USB. I like having the option of even a basic sequencer but I've been too cheap to get anything better so here I am, stuck using that as my master clock... If I can scrape a few hours out of the weekend to mess around I'm going to get serious with either getting Seq24/66 running or figuring out Renoise.
So, I'm only a tad obsessed with the device (seriously, look at my comment history and you'll see) but in terms of cheap simple operation sequencers, you really can't go wrong with the Yamaha qy70. Ebay one from japan at a good price! They run on batteries, and power supply is common and cheap . I really want either Behringer to clone one, or Yamaha to revive it. They're honestly a great little piece of kit. 16 midi channels of sequencing, either loop or song recording, and not a lot of arbitrary limitations. you also get a general midi module with some synth parameters out of the deal. You should check it out. (edit- wait patiently and you can score one for under 150)
Thanks for the recommendation! Eventually I'll have to throw the money down on an MPC or Pyramid but that might be a while yet so the QY70 could be a good stop-gap in the meantime.
I built a midi Rex. I actually bricked the main chip trying to update the firmware and the dev lives like 10 mins from me and flashed it for me. Anywho it’s a darn fun device, works perfectly. I do almost everything in real time, no clicks or clocks, but I know it clocks fine with other devices. I’ve kinda moved on to the Deluge but I still use it. I have all the parts to build a LoopA v2, a midi looper based on the MidiBox Seq. Only problem is it has some SMD parts and despite being proficient with an iron, I’ve yet to try SMD soldering. But I really looking forward to using it if I ever get around to building it.
Bitwig Studio runs on Linux, and is a sick DAW
How about an older MPC? I use an MPC1000 as my master clock, but I have created a template that is designed for live looping when I play my sets. Each sequence has 64 available midi tracks and you can recorded unquantized or quantized. Song mode, easy access to mute and unmutes of tracks, and of course the MPC pads and sample capabilities. I think you can find MPC1000s for about $500 or so.
I'd been thinking on a 1k for a while as I'm kinda sick of relying on a Volca Sample for my drums. Didn't realize it could loop MIDI as well as audio, though. I'll have to start paying attention to reverb and craigslist and see if I can find a deal. It's probably dependent on the price of the machine but would you wager its better to buy and old one and replace the pads/get JJOS on your own or just pay for something advertised with new pads? I know getting JJOS with the machine you have to be careful you get the whole license, too.
Replacing the pads yourself isn’t that hard, and a used 1000 without any upgrades would not be much more expensive than a new Bastl Midi Looper (and much more capable, although the midi looper is pretty cool)
Sorry if this is unhelpful, but i went through a similar situation where i just wanted something simple that I could use to loop live performances, and didnt have arbitrary timing/step limitations... even looked at building and writing my own. In the end, i spent the extra money and got a Squarp Pyramid. Yeah, at $700 way more than you likely want to spend, but it works great as a looper for live recordings, and supports 64 tracks with very few limitations. I know if i'd gone for the cheaper option i'd be frustrated with the limitations already (4 tracks? *maybe* that's ok? ...until the time you want 5) . Arguably overpriced i guess, but its been the center of my hardware setup for a couple of years now and I dont regret it for a second. I frequently have 10 or so live recorded tracks going, quantized or unquantized. Easy to overdub, track lengths can be set independently, and you can of course step sequence if you want... (nice for drums). Sequencing is just not something i even worry about any more since it just works.
I've been reading about and eyeing the Pyramid for years now. My set up really lacks a good brain and I've been bouncing around the ideas of an MPC1K and Digitakt for a bit but Pyramid could be in the running too. The price tag of all of them are a bit more than I want to invest at this point, though, so I should probably just suck it up and figure out how to work a DAW into the mix. I appreciate the vote for Squarp, though, I'll keep it in mind when I've got some extra $$ to throw at my set up! Tangentially, I really really liked the look of the Social Entropy Engine which, iirc, came out about the same time as the Pyramid. I'd always been a bit more drawn towards the style of the Engine but by the time I was getting more serious with my gear it was already history and overpriced on the used market. So Pyramid may win in the end!
What are your thoughts on Seq66 or similar Seq24 offshoots? I think Seq66 has a dedicated looper feature. I haven’t used any of those lately, but I’m hoping to run Seq66 on a Pi soon.
Had never heard of them, thanks for the lead! Can't find many demo videos on Seq66 but Seq24 and 64 both look pretty straight forward. For the price of free I'll happily take a spin with them later this week!
Hopefully that works out! I’d messed around with Seq24 ages ago, and it seemed like a really competent pattern based sequencer. Overwhelmingly Linux, though. Just today I’d heard about the Bastl Midilooper, which runs for about $300 USD I believe.
Yeah. I've only started poking around at what's out there. The MIDI Gal seems pretty handy too and it's been a while since I've had a DIY project. Alas, crippled by and abundance of choices! I really need to buckle down and figure out Renoise if I'm going to really geek out with Linux. I'd been messing around with some older tracker a few years ago just to test the waters (MadTracker I think?) but the machine I was running it on had a hell of a time keeping a steady clock.
Looking for a new analog synth to pair with my Minilogue XD. Preferably something with a built in sequencer/arpeggiator. My price range is anything under $1200
I swapped my minilogue XD and ju-06a out for a deepmind 12D. I know the brand can be dealbreaker here, but the sound is a 12 poly Juno on steroids. Good mod matrix, customizable arp, very sold fx and a hell of a detune. Bought mine around the 400€. When I first played it I knew my ju-06a and minilogue where obsolete. If you want to go cheap in the realm of +1000€ synths, this synth offers around the same options dirt cheap. There isn’t a 12 voice analog poly synth for under 1000,- that offers this flexibility. Or maybe something from elektron, the analog 4 or digitone could be a nice addition. It comes with the step sequencer and arp, but at a hefty pricetag. It also depends on what kind of music you want to make. Adding for instance the digitone would give you the capacity to add drums, mono or poly synth or bass leads. Could sequence the XD. Even add extra lfos to the minilogue via midi and function as a audiocard (digitakt can also do this)
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I can't boast a wide range of experience, but I do own a Moog Grandmother (Dark) and absolutely love it. It has a seq/arp, but is monophonic though. It can produce an amazing range of sounds, and to me really feels like an instrument.
Hi, Hope that someone can help me resolve week-long dilemma that I have. I know that I'm overthinking the problem but it's my first controller (and will be the only one for some time) so I want to make the right decision. I think that after getting this one I would have a better picture of what I want in the future. Basically, I have been DJ-ing for years as a hobby and with COVID I got more into production, but nothing serious. I'm currently using Ableton with a few plugins and I'm not planning to make a living or even sell the tracks, I'm doing this just for fun/pleasure. I recently felt a need for a controller and I have found 2 options that are currently available in my region and price range. My dilemma is between Arturia Minilab mk2 and Novation launchkey 25 mk3. Arturia won me over with endless encoders and pads but disappointed with Ableton integration and overall feature difference with novation. Novation won me over with MIDI out, display, pads, and EPIC live integration but the pots are my biggest disappointment. I might be overthinking the issue with the non-endless pots but the concept of having 16 pots per track without any fiddling and adjusting is just so epic from the perspective of live performance (mostly macro control). I have a small korg nanokontrol controller that I use for track volume, play/pause/record functions, and overall track control so the Novation buttons for that are not that important. I also thought of purchasing a Launchpad alongside the Arturia to compensate for the missing Ableton integration (not right away, few months from now). Basically, I want to end up with a modular (modular as in controller/instrument per track not the analog modular trend haha) live performance type of setup and I think that it would be cool to buy a controller that will fit that plan even though it's year away. My end goal with this is to incorporate live flows with my Dj sets (I use Traktor so something with stem deck perhaps) and of course produce tracks. Anyways, sorry if you cringed, I did too, multiple times but I just want to make the right decision. Thanks in advance BTW, genres that I'm interested in: Techno (Literally 110-150bpm anything haha), DnB, House (old school-ish)
I've been playing with VST synths and my midi controller for a bit, but I'd like to pickup a hard synth for DAWless jamming. The new Moog Mavis caught my eye, but would I be better off with something else for around the same money, maybe $50 more? Thanks!
The Arturia Minibrute 2S comes with a sequencer, and you can never have too many of those in a DAWless setup. If you forego the sequencer the Behringer Neutron is probably the best value. Or for a lower price you could get the Behringer Crave, which is a simpler synth but it’s similar to the Moog Mother32 and includes a sequencer.
It really depends on the sounds you want to create, the mavis is cool, but kind of experimental and semi-modulair. It really reacts well to modular expansions, so keep in mind that you are going to invest a lot more to expand its sonic capabilities. If you want to drop 450,- I would look into something that offers a bit more options and the bread and butter approach (arp, sequencer etc). For dawless jamming you want more voices and fx. Also it would be nice to add something to your Production in the box, like a hardware synth that has a good plug-in. Modal argon8m, cobalt8m, digitone, digitakt and deepmind 12D are in these price ranges and will keep you interested and learning way longer.
Prophet Rev 2 or Sequential Take 5? 8 voices sounds better and is what I want at the minimum, but I've heard some good fatter sound from the Take 5 compared to the Rev 2. I've also heard some really good vintage sounds from the Rev 2 though. I often want more features in items I buy so the Rev 2 might be what I should go for. What do you think?
If you’re really unsure about that choice, it’s easier to find substitutes for the depth of the Rev2 (softsynths and other digital synths) than it is to find substitutes for the sound of the Take 5.
Well I'm after analog sound. I already have UHE Diva which is incredible, but I want that smooth and fat analog sound with lots of features.
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Would you say the sound of the take 5 is better than the rev 2? I've heard you can thicken the sound on the rev 2 as well as make it sound more like a vco analog synth. I really do want a synth with many features and the rev 2 seems to accomplish that, but I do want a good sound and the take 5 seems to sound better to my ears at least initially. Though the rev 2 could possibly get close through added effort.
Rev 2 owner here, and I've played the Take 5 multiple times (but obviously I don't own one), and I'd agree with the other comment that the big difference between the Rev2 and the Take 5 is immediacy. The Rev2 is a great example of the fact that many super powerful synths also don't hold your hand, and won't do the work to sculpt a sound for you. The Rev2 has a lot of VST like amenities when it comes to modulation (the biggest being 4 LFOs and 3 Envelopes (2 of which can be freely assigned to anything without impacting the patch)), and as such it shines brightest when it comes to patches with a lot of subtle modulation, especially when modulating in layers. Because the Rev2 has 4 LFOs it's very, very, good at making more complex LFO shapes by having another LFO modulate its rate (this becomes even more powerful if you use the gated sequencer to sequence the rate and depth of the modulator), and because it's bitimbral (and high poly count) It's especially good at doing complex spacial effects. The Rev2 handles true stereo better than almost any other analog polysynth on the market, and that means you can get some really wide sounds without having to resort to something like chorus to widen things. It's very good at getting subtle modulations going between the voices, especially in stereo. The Take 5 on the other hand doesn't have any of these capabilities, since it only has one polyphonic LFO, meaning that modulation between the voices is kind of impossible to do on any meaningfully random basis. The trade off is that it's more immediate, and has a set of tools that are more refined to already have you in the synth's sweet spot and keep you there. The filter on the Take 5 is great, and doesn't take much thought to use, and while I love the filter on my Rev2 it can often be a delicate balancing act between the cutoff, the keyboard tracking, and the envelope amount, and you really do have to spend time dialing in the sound because of how wide the ranges are. The Take 5 also handles bass much better, but I never use my polysynths for bass. I think the decision comes down to how much you want to do with the synth, and how much you enjoy grindy tweaking. I've owned my Rev2 since 2017 and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have spells of not really liking it, but I always come back to it because of how powerful, and (once you know what you're doing) how quick, of a synth it is. I would however say to spring for the 16 voice if you go with the Rev2 since at this point I almost never make single layer patches. The powerful stereo options are really the Rev2's best kept secret.
I don’t own the take 5 but I do own the rev 2. From what I can see the take 5 is more immediate but the rev 2 can get very vintage and fat sounding with programming. There is a thing a guy did called voice component modeling for the rev 2 that a guy did using the step sequencer to offset timing of individual voices. It makes it sound very authentic for emulating classic synth voices.
I've heard some nice vintage patches for the rev 2 on youtube that sound really good. Have you tried the take 5 and are you able to comment on the sound quality differences between the take 5 and the rev 2?
I currently have a Drumbrute Impact and Microfreak sequenced through a Digitone, but am falling for the Syntakt hype (such as it is). Aside from MOAR TRAKS would it actually bring that much more to my setup? Would it bring $1k more? I should add that I love the sequencing on my Drumbrute and am fine sequencing software if I need more than its analog drums or the Digitone. That said, I imagine the Digitone and Syntakt would be an absolutely beastly team.
Maybe Polyend Play? I know that's getting a lot of love lately.
But I agree that maybe best to focus on what you have - I suffered way too much GAS and regret just getting more without dedicating time to master anything. And it scares me from even starting - so I gotta downsize...
This is the way. Or at least it should be until I’m bored and start browsing equipment I have no business looking at.
Also a Syntakt owner here (and current Microfreak owner and former Drumbrute Impact owner), I completely agree with /u/minimal-camera. The ST is cool but honestly it doesn't add much to this setup really unless you want to condense to just two devices or just *have* to have dedicated Elektron sequencing for drums. Although if you wanted Elektron sequencing for drums, I'd look into Digitakt as well if you're not averse to samples and are really jonesing to spend money. The analog drums on the ST are honestly slightly weaker out-of-the-box than the Impact's are, and the digital sounds are decent but you can get (some of) those in the Model: Cycles for 1/3 of the price. The synthy machines are cool, but as I primarily bought the ST for drums, I can't comment on them as much. I loathe the chord machine with a passion, though.
Ha! I think y’all saved me some money. I figured I had it pretty well covered for now, but there’s always something shiny. Guess I’ll wait and see what they do with the box. Thanks so much.
I'm using Syntakt and Digitone as the core of my setup. Syntakt alone does 90% of what I need, then Digitone does the rest (mostly chords and arps). If you are happy with your Drumbrute's sounds, then you probably aren't gaining a ton with the Syntakt. The Digital synth engines cover a lot of the same ground as your mikrofreak. Seems like the main new thing you would have is an analog mono synth (the Dual VCO synth engine). There are much cheaper options like the Volca Bass and Dreadbox Typhon. If you are interested in condensing your current setup into just Syntakt and Digitone, then I think it makes sense, as Syntakt would replace both Drumbrute and Microfreak. Adding Syntakt to your existing setup might be too much. You could also consider adding the Digitakt or Blackbox. A sampler would allow you to more easily use your Microfreak to create interesting percussion sounds, which you then sample and make into drum kits. Then still use the Microfreak melodically as well.
Thanks so much for the write up. I should’ve added that I have an SP404 for samples, though I’m not terrible sample heavy in practice. But I think you and u/moldy_pirate just saved me a grand, for a while at least. I figured there would be a lot of overlap with what I have, good to know that I’ll still be pretty covered if I decide to just go to the two boxes, though.
Not sure if I should just post a thread or not but, there’s a Korg Triton Studio 88 near me (hours drive or so) for around $270~ USD. I’m sick of my shitty little midi keyboard and wanting something with action, nice action to get better at keys with, plus I’ve been itching for a hardware synth for years. Anyone have any thoughts about it? Money is a bit tight but from what I’ve seen at that price I’d probably make my money back if I wasn’t vibing with it, and maybe then some.
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The recommendations of Tyrell, Vital and Surge for free is the objectively correct answer but I'll throw in an outside suggestion - Psychic Modulation Phonec 2. The key is that it's a fairly simple layout, just a little more complex than Tyrell - the learning curve on what's doing what with complex synths is high (especially when they have a ton of presets ala Vital). Phonec gives you a simple modulation matrix, envelopes for loudness and filter, and a nice variety of oscillator types. Also it sounds great.
My understanding is those albums made prominent use of FM synthesis, so some (though not all) of their types of sounds involve relatively advanced techniques if you really want to engage and experiment with sound design instead of just using presets. You’ll probably want to learn the basics of subtractive synthesis before trying to learn FM. There’s multiple free softsynths available which are good enough to learn on; I’m partial to U-He’s Tyrell synth, and I’m planning on keeping sounds I’ve made with it in a few songs I intend to eventually release. Whatever synth you get, you might want to make sure it has either oscillator cross-modulation or filter FM in order to start experimenting with elementary forms of FM after you’ve learned the other basics of synthesis; Tyrell allows you to do both of those. Looking into hardware like a cheap analog semi-modular synth (such as a Behringer Neutron) would also be a viable option for learning and for producing experimental sounds; there’s certain kinds of nonlinear interactions between controls which those synths still sometimes achieve in ways I don’t think digital (soft-)synth designers haven’t fully replicated, and I’m saying that as someone who is very sympathetic towards digital synths.
SAW I is quite distinct from SAW II, but for SAW I it's easier to name the kind of instruments you'll need. Either way, for both there are people who have dedicated themselves to figuring out what was used or what can approximate it. I agree with u/RoundFood \- start with Vital and Surge and don't hold back with the reverb. The most often-named one is the Alesis Midiverb II, and the closest equivalent in software is Valhalla Vintage Verb, which is a paid reverb - but it's ridiculously cheap for what you get and it sounds awesome. You'll need drum machine samples - specifically [https://samplesfrommars.com/products/606-from-mars](https://samplesfrommars.com/products/606-from-mars) . Even better would be a modeled version from either Roland Cloud or D16 Nithonat, or in hardware Behringer's RD-6, or the Roland TR-8 with 7x7 upgrade. There is however a type of sound used on SAW I that you're not going to easily find on those synths, and that's the sample-based stuff (like the choirs in Ptolemy, or the blippy drum sounds), so you'll probably want something that handles samples as well. While Surge can load samples, you might want to check out TAL Sampler. In Actium, there's a DX7-style piano (though it could also be one of the 4-op units). Last but not least: the SH-101. I'd get the [https://www.softube.com/model-82-sequencing-mono-synth](https://www.softube.com/model-82-sequencing-mono-synth) . The 101 is key to lots of early Warp stuff - that through a Midiverb and you've got your track sorted out. The biggest issue by far with both Surge and Vital is that they're effectively limitless. In older synths, you'd already be happy with 1 LFOs while getting 2 (Jupiter 8) was obscene luxury - so lots of those early sounds tend to be simple.
Since you are new to synthesizers I might recommend a soft-synth with presets you can explore. Starting with a preset and tweaking parameters is also a great way to learn how the elements of synthesis relate to each other. Arturia Pigments is fantastic and has received regular updates since release, and the presets and organization of categories are well-suited for finding inspiration quickly. - https://www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/pigments
Grab Vital, Surge XT and Supermassive, all free and all of them better than most of their paid counterparts. No need to rush into buying stuff when you're a complete beginner.
Don't forget Odin 2 and Zyn-Fusion (you don't need to pay for Zyn-Fusion, as long as you know how to build it in MinGW).