Hi all. I'm interested in buying my first synth this year, maybe by christmas. I'm after something with a built-in keyboard and smaller than a fullsize ideally (i.e. not 88 key) so I can use it more easily with my existing desk, PC, flat, etc. I will be using it in conjunction with PCs and possibly an aged mac, but I would like some standalone operation if possible.

I'm wanting to shortlist potential synths to use. The microkorg is currently the only thing on my list: I think I'd buy it second hand and my budget is up to about 200GBP with 100-150 being my preferred figure (I am a total beginner, after all). I'm a little concerned by the size of the keys: I do need it semi-portable but I do have big hands I listened to some youtube comparisons of the Korg to the minimoog, and I preferred the Korg's tone in all but the bass lines (I do not think I can afford a minimoog though so that's fairly moot).

Any advice is greatly appreciated. How important would trying out the synth in question be? It seems there arent' as many music shops around as there used to be!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2008 04:28PM by jmtd.

For the record I would say that your best bet if you are a total beginner is Reason. The Thor can destroy the microkorg.

ps don't listen to observer. all programs do is take the creativity factor out of things. think about what's harder to master: taking a pic with a digital camera and fixing it after wards, where you can undo and undo as many times as you want or; taking a picture with a film camera and either getting it right or fucking it up. one of them forces you to get good at something the other one allows any idiot with a memory card and a pirated version of photoshop to be called a "photographer".

kunta kinte posted:

ps don't listen to observer. all programs do is take the creativity factor out of things. think about what's harder to master: taking a pic with a digital camera and fixing it after wards, where you can undo and undo as many times as you want or; taking a picture with a film camera and either getting it right or fucking it up. one of them forces you to get good at something the other one allows any idiot with a memory card and a pirated version of photoshop to be called a "photographer".

I don´t agree with that. Just because it makes things easier it doesn´t mean it´s worse. I mean you can get really cool things out of the synth softs. If someone is too lazy to do their own thinking and just choose the presets it´s a whole different story. If he´s a begginer (such as myself) it´s way batter to be able to undo things.

I would try maybe an older synth but not vintage. By that i mean you can find some good stuff from the late 90s or early 00's for a good price. Try a Korg MS2000. Try a Roland JX305 (it has a sequencer) or something like that. The micro korg keys suck. The software route is fine but if your just starting it would be nice to get your hands on something. Turn, tweak and fiddle your way through. My first synth was a Roland MC-303. Its a groove box but it was a great first synth. The JX305 is the keyboard version of that. I dont know if that is really the best fit but its worth checking out. There is some good stuff out there but you'll be able to get some good prices on stuff from that era used.

Hope this helps a little!

kunta kinte posted:

my point exactly, Edit/undo, edit/undo...that's the mentality of everyone these days. Everyone plays it safe now and as a result the live and artistic element of something is taken out.

You can't learn to skateboard on nintendo wii, and you can't learn to play a synth by replacing it with software.

$5 bucks says if it came down to you doing something live on an actuall synth, you couldn't do all these "really cool things" you say you can do.

Actually almost every sound that i did with my synth soft (i use reason) i made it by just experimenting and never undoing. i use live automation also.

You owe me 5 bucks?

like i said before, i like the sounds of the microkorg, quite a bit... but i wouldnt say it was the easiest synth for beginners....

give rolands sh-201 a try. its pretty easy to grasp... and all of the POTS are right on the panel, so theres basically NO menu diving. its not the most versitile synth on the planet, but it works well at what it does.

actually, if youre interested... click this: [media.roland.com] its a fully interactive demo! its very comprehensive.
damn... now im wishing i had one.

I don't see how Soft Synths limit creativity? They are just software synths. Hook up a midi keyboard and guess what, it's having a rack mounted synth in your computer. Plus being VSTi's they need some kind of host usually, which also will house all of your effects and mastering VST's. So your getting a complete studio package which fits all on a desktop.

Music is about the delivery of art. The idea and execution. Let the artist decide how he wants to go about doing it.

Now for the actual topic at hand.

I played with the MicroKorg for quite a while. I wasn't impressed with it at all. It was neat, but I felt that it was lacking. Keep in mind that if your paying $300 for it, you'll be getting $300 worth of knowledge out of it. Like Observer said, playing with a Nord Lead will give you a lot more in depth knowledge of the various components of synthesis.

Sounds like budget is a concern. One thing I might suggest is picking up a cheap midi controller. Then Ebaying one of the older Electribes that Korg makes. The EA-1 mkII or whatever it is uses pretty much the same sound design as a MicroKorg. It'll teach you sequencing and Midi usage as well...

That setup wont have an arpeggiator or Vocoder (but the MicroKorg's vocoder is shit anyway, it's just a neat little novelty feature really).

Microkorgs keys are cheap also. Not full sized. If your just learning you need to learn on a full sized keyboard in my opinion, eventually your going to graduate from the MicroKorg.

Oh check your pawn shops to. I picked up a Roland XP-50 for $250. That my friend was a steal.

If your dead set on Korg products you can try out the R3. I think it's the current budget synth with full sized keys.

I could rant more but this is already long enough. *lol*

Whoops

I meant to edit the original.

Sorry bout the double post.

Which Nord did you play?

shit. looks like im heading back to the music store to check out this nord. thanks for the heads up.

so whats the deal with the wooden/stone pitch and mod? is there an actual point that? or is it just essentially an aesthetics thing? it seems a little gimmicky to me....



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2008 10:19PM by evelynmachine.

evelynmachine posted:

so whats the deal with the wooden/stone pitch and mod? is there an actual point that? or is it just essentially an aesthetics thing? it seems a little gimmicky to me....

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PJj5y3-1-xw
starting about 20 seconds in, he explains the benefit of the pitch stick over a wheel.


and back to the original question. it all comes down to what kind of sound you're after. look at the bands whose sound you like and see what they're using. don't buy something thats a bit easier to program if you think something else sounds better.

the micro korg is not the deepest synth out there, but it has a sound of its own, and if thats the sound you like then thats the synth you should get. the MS2000 is the exact same synth though, just in a bigger box, with full size keys, knobs for most of the parameters, and a sequencer. learning to program would be easier on that one.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2008 10:19AM by Unreadable.

A Microkorg Looks Great for me.

kunta kinte posted:

ps don't listen to observer. all programs do is take the creativity factor out of things. think about what's harder to master: taking a pic with a digital camera and fixing it after wards, where you can undo and undo as many times as you want or; taking a picture with a film camera and either getting it right or fucking it up. one of them forces you to get good at something the other one allows any idiot with a memory card and a pirated version of photoshop to be called a "photographer".

I agree on your analysis of modern "photographers," but programs make it easier and or faster to produce desired results in somewhat decent quality. Just like in an mp3. BUT! If you want full experience of something (using a film camera, using an analog synth, listening to vinyl records as opposed to their digital counterparts) then analog is the way to go.

It all depends on what you like or even your current mood on which to use. Simple as that.

senateguard33 posted:

kunta kinte posted:

my point exactly, Edit/undo, edit/undo...that's the mentality of everyone these days. Everyone plays it safe now and as a result the live and artistic element of something is taken out.

You can't learn to skateboard on nintendo wii, and you can't learn to play a synth by replacing it with software.

$5 bucks says if it came down to you doing something live on an actuall synth, you couldn't do all these "really cool things" you say you can do.

Ok, Then I want you to only use natural instruments, such as piano, trumpets, brass, etc, and then design your own modulation and frequency boxes (not using any factory or previously produced) and sythesize the natural signals yourself without using a keyboard or any electronic instrument for that matter.

Owned. LOL