Synthesizers

[FourLegsGood]

Any of youse guys ever mess with Guitar to MIDI converters? Thinking about picking up a Sonnuss G2M. If I did, what'd be a good analog rack mount I could control on the cheap?

[fresh salad]

Any of youse guys ever mess with Guitar to MIDI converters? Thinking about picking up a Sonnuss G2M. If I did, what'd be a good analog rack mount I could control on the cheap?

What kind of sounds?
Lead? Pads?
What is "cheap"?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Korg-MS2000R-Analog-Modeling-Synthesizer-/160531360741?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item25606a2be5

http://cgi.ebay.com/Oberheim-Matrix-1000-Analog-Synthesizer-Rack-White-Face-/260719794638?pt=Keyboards_MIDI&hash=item3cb41c59ce

[deklin]

the tracking on those things is very dodgy. it won't be like playing your synth with a guitar. at all.
i wish they had sensitivity settings, it seems to just pick up every noise as a note. i have the B2M and it's currently gathering dust.

[fresh salad]

this is cute!

[Bananafish]

Big bump.

I know nothing about synths.

I was thinking about getting a Micron because they're cheap and supposedly versatile, but I've also heard they're a pain to program/use to their full potential.

Could I get anything close to/resembling this on a Micron:




?

I'm not really looking to make anything too complex, more along the lines of simple drones - Spacemen 3/Spectrum/Suicide/39 Clocks/Moon Duo:






(Though it'd also be nice to have something versatile in case I get bored and want to try my hand at being Tangerine Dream).

Should I be looking at analog synths instead?

[can]

man, a friend posted this on facebook a little while ago and i really wish i had the time/money to learn how to use some synth shit

[staple]

something so aesthetically pleasing about analog electronics

[fresh salad]

getting mine back from repair this week

[Bananafish]

Anyone have any advice regarding my post above, re: analog vs digital (Alesis Micron, specifically)?

[fresh salad]

is it just a $$ issue? (dig vs analog)

[Bananafish]

Partially $$$ - I'm curious if the Micron can come close to emulating the tones I'm looking for (see examples above). Also portability. I probably won't need step sequencing or MIDI (not that I really know anything about that), but having them available is always nice.

But above all: tone.

[fresh salad]

you can get close, but... no
Look for a used lil phatty, they usually go for 600-800 on CL

[Bananafish]

Man, they're all at $1000 on ebay.ca.

But - if I'm looking for that layered Spacemen 3/Spectrum sound, should I look for a polyphonic synth (i.e. If I want to tape/hold down a root note on the bottom half of the keyboard and play something else on the top half)?

I didn't realize synths could be monophonic or polyphonic till just now. I'm dumb dumb dumb.

[black sandwich]

yeah go for a polysynth

moog mg1 is pretty similar to this sound, it's a monosynth with an organy-sounding poly voice you can lay on top

will run you $400 - $500 CAD, i never saw them on mtl craigslist but i got mine off ebay (though it arrived in pisspoor shape)

also i'd never heard any of the bands you posted (other than spaceman), sick shit, thanks

[fresh salad]

Man, they're all at $1000 on ebay.ca.

But - if I'm looking for that layered Spacemen 3/Spectrum sound, should I look for a polyphonic synth (i.e. If I want to tape/hold down a root note on the bottom half of the keyboard and play something else on the top half)?

I didn't realize synths could be monophonic or polyphonic till just now. I'm dumb dumb dumb.

dude

[Bananafish]

I guess I answered my own question.

Any recommendations for a polyphonic synth or combos?

Maybe I could get an inexpensive Casio and run it through modulation?

[Ankh]

Maybe I could get an inexpensive Casio and run it through modulation?

I was gonna mention this actually. The MT- 60, 70, and 100 all have a nice thick organ sound

Also, keep an eye out for Crumar synths or a Korg Delta for a polyphonic synth w/ organ section, and you might be able to find them for close to $500

[Bananafish]

Trying to look up Casio on Youtube is impossible.

What's all this circuit bending bullshit?

[Ankh]

What's all this circuit bending bullshit?

Its a red-hot, decade-old scene where you take something decent and cheap and make it awful and expensive.

[fresh salad]

Trying to look up Casio on Youtube is impossible.

What's all this circuit bending bullshit?

you are just trolling this thread aren't you

[deklin]

if you're after polyphonic go for the Juno-106 or even cheaper the Casio CZ1000, but you can't program them easily
you'll probably be able to get a SH-2 for pretty cheap, but they're a bit limited for a first synth

106 is the perfect first synth really as it's totally versatile, sounds great, has MIDI and is fully analogue
if you want monophonic, try a Yamaha CS5 or CS10, they are raw and usually go for cheap enough
I got my CS10 for £205 and it's mint. my friend got his CS5 for like, £120

don't get a Micron, even if you can't get a 106 for the same price, Roland JX3P is a fantastic alternative that tends to fly under the radar and although it's not incredibly programmable (without the PG200) it sounds great and can be quickly edited

[Shred Durst]

man, a friend posted this on facebook a little while ago and i really wish i had the time/money to learn how to use some synth shit

If you liked that, you're gonna love this:

[Bananafish]

Thanks for the advice. Think I'll save up for a Juno 106 and maybe add a Yamaha CS10 down the line.

Came upon a Roland JX8P locally for a little under $300 (not sure if its sold yet) and got really excited, but I'm wary of its programability without the PG800??

[fresh salad]

latest Craigslist score:

[Coca Cola]

Oh no you guys just reminded me that my MT-70 is broken

[pseudozebra]

[deklin]

Thanks for the advice. Think I'll save up for a Juno 106 and maybe add a Yamaha CS10 down the line.

Came upon a Roland JX8P locally for a little under $300 (not sure if its sold yet) and got really excited, but I'm wary of its programability without the PG800??

I'd get the 3P if there was a choice, plus you could probably get a 106 for $450 and it's worth holding out for that
the 8P is cool tho, it does the main riff sound on Aeroplane's remix of Friendly Fires and i THINK the Final Countdown riff was this too?

i just wouldn't pay $300 for it, personally, although there's probably a software programmer you can get to make it more flexible. you can't get one for the JX3P because it was a very early form of MIDI and is unable to receive MIDI CCs.

but yeah 106 is the ultimate for classic analogue sound with very little learning curve

[Bananafish]

This thing sounds pretty sweet - has anyone owned one before? Able to be found for sub-$500?

Consensus seems to be that it's a bit of a toy, and other demos don't sound as good, but this demo makes it sound pretty versatile, I dunno...

[Eugenics]

never owned one, but ive known a buncha people that had em. they used to sell em at radiosnatch, too
they are raw a fuck though and a fun beginners analog synth

[prince polo]

im in the market for a baller drum machine to be used to make

synthpop ala:

http://sofaclub.bandcamp.com/track/actual-video

and RnB ala:

http://soundcloud.com/maxexactly/singer

we finished an album with each project and now we wanna step up our drum programming/sound big time. we used gold baby/808 samples programmed through ableton for the rnb stuff, and a roland r70 drum machine for the synthpop.