Anyone here like synths?

hugbot

Been seriously considering splashing my christmas gift money on one. Or maybe a live sampler like a boss sp404 or something. Any fans?

TTony

There are some great synth apps on iPad if you've got one of those. Silly cheap, and take up a lot less space!

hugbot

I've got tonnes, korgs gadget is a lot of fun. I was thinking of something more rugged for live use than carrying an ipad around though.

indiansummer1

i am into them, although i only have one.

i've got an ms-20 mini which i love and has lots of room for exploration (the semi-modular architecture allows you to make some fairly mental sounds but you can obviously play it without using the patchbay for more conventional timbres). 

you can also use it as a processor for external sounds which is cool depending on what kind of music you make. only issues i have with it really are that the build quality isn't the best and the filter is a bit noisy.

out of the rest of the synths around that price range i also liked the arturia minibrute and the microbrute (the sequencer on the latter in particular is really fun), but they're not as versatile as the korg as they only have one oscillator. i've heard people rave about the novation bass station but i wasn't really a fan although i haven't spent much time with it. if you already have a midi keyboard then that opens you up to the option of a seperate synth module from dave smith (mopho) and moog (minitaur) as well as some appealing options on the second hand market (waldorf pulse), but obviously this isn't as convenient as a complete unit.

personally i'd try as many as you can and for your first synth i'd definitely go for one which has one knob per function - this makes things so much more immediate.

ThePrettyDamned

I love whatever it is warpaint used on their newer album.

GavRichList

^ this

GavRichList

I had a Jen SX1000 - affordable vintage synth loveliness.

Bellycaster

I love the Synth sounds Circa 1979 - 1985 used by Artists/Bands such as Gary Numan, Tears for Fears, Thompson Twins etc.

littlegreenman

I have loads, all VST's though. Reckon I could do with getting a smaller controller keybord with a bunch of knobs on to control them better though.

ThePrettyDamned

GavHaus;458436" said:

^ this

Yaaaay.

I want to know what it is, but... One of them dated John frusciante for a while so there is a good chance it's a super rare mega priced vintage piece of unobtainium.

I occasionally search for synths on ebay. I don't think any analogue ones sound truly bad, once you've found a use for it, it's good.

Snap

jeez, yes, I'm mental for synths, always have been, since I was a kid. Was in my first band around 84, we had a Minimoog, a Roland SH101, Korg Polysix, then moved on over the years into the Yamaha Dx7 etc, more synnths than I can remember tbh.

Nowadays, its all on VSts, and I use the Ipad too. My favourite synth these days has to be Alchemy, amazing bit of kit.

In the new year I am going to buy Native Instruments Komplete. indeedy.........

Cacofonix

Alchemy is the bees knees for VST.

You can get a used Korg N or M series for cheap.  If you want to know what it sounds like, listen to the "Best of Spacesounds" album vol 1.  e.g. "Secret Entrance" by AM samurai, or "planet Synth" by Vanello.

What's your budget?  Virus TI is the absolute best (IMHO) of the hardware bunch.

lasermonkey

Love synths!

At the moment I have a Mk I (whiteface) ARP Odyssey (in need of repair), an ARP Omni Mk 2, a Cheetah MS6, Emu Proteus 2000, Roland Jupiter 6 and a Yamaha CS60.

I used to have a Control Synthesis Deep Bass Nine, Korg MS10, Moog Prodigy, Roland D50, Roland SH09 and Roland SH-101, but ended up trading them for guitar tokens. I probably miss the SH-101 most of all. For a simple monosynth, it's incredibly inspiring and pretty much impossible to get a bad sound out of it.

These days I mostly use plugins. I'm a big fan of the GForce stuff and have Oddity, Minimonsta, Virtual String Machine, MTron Pro and have just got the new Oddity2, which is f*%@ing incredible!

The TAL Bassline 101 sounds great too.

suspiciousminds

Before xmas i was given a non working dx27 synth - in the new year i'm hoping to get it looked at.

axisus

I have an ancient Korg 264. I'd like to get some better sounds for recording to be honest.

Hootsmon

cpcompany

Love them.

Got an Elektron Analog 4, Doepfer Dark Energy, Mutable Instruments Anushri and I am 5 modules into my new Eurorack.

The Anushri sounds the best for bass, but the Analog 4 is incredibly good fun (but a steep learning curve).  I also have an Elektron Rytm drum machine which can load samples and also be used as a synth.

If you are after a sampler, try the Octatrack. A lot of people say it's difficult to learn, but it does a lot and is intended for live use. Never used one but I will probably get one at some point.

For software synths, if you get U-He Diva, Zebra and Camel Audio Alchemy then you have got most things covered.

Fretwired

Synths are cool ... these days I have loads of soft synths and a couple of controller keyboards. Far more reliable and less bulky ..

ICBM

I think this is a stealth thread designed to tempt SYNTHMAN back out of hiding and reveal his secret new identity.

ICBM

I like synths too by the way. I spent years on and off trying to find something that would make my guitar sound like a synth, with varying degrees of success...

Emp_Fab

I adore synths.  I remember spending Saturday mornings driving the music shop staff insane by trying out every preset on whatever the latest synth they had was.  I remember the Polysix, the Juno, the Poly-61, 01/W, M1, DX21, DX7 (all hail the mighty DX7 !!).  I used to own a DW8000 which I foolishly sold.  Now I've just got a Korg 707 which I use as a controller for VSTs - of which, Nexus 2 is my current favourite along with the Pro-53.

I wish I was able to play keyboards better than I do.  I love the organic control and expression you have with a guitar but for sheer flexibility and enormity of the sonic landscape, you can't beat a synth.