Members Bach42t Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I have turned on my XT and played with it once for about 15 minutes after I received it from eBay, and that was Nov. 2009, put it in the box and just now racking it. My Waldorf Phoenix I have only listened to the demos, also only had a year. It sat in my closet for the entire year. More like having a thousand dollars just collecting dust. Things are worse off for my Motif. I have not taken it out of the box since 2007. I have just not had the time or because I did not have adequate space in NY to even set up one 49-key keyboard. I spent probably more time this year scouring to finally get my Trinity fully-loaded all for the self-satisfaction that I had acquired all the options on eBay over a 10 period. I have honestly yet to EVER complete any composition on my Trinity since I purchased new in 1999. I can easily lay orchestral tracks down with my EWQL composer library and use that extensively but I wish I could be a cool guy and do electronic music. Conversely, I spend most of my times gawking at YouTube demos watching folks that have a few small pieces of gear and maybe a controller or a VA and they do phenomenal things. I wish I was them. I appreciate other's abilities to use their gear to its fullest. I am a self-professed hoarder, but it has caught up with me. I am glutton and feel very very guilty. If there was a Waldorf Wave on eBay right now for 10 grand, I could buy it. It would not make me happy though. I am always distracted. Now I need a solder set so I can change the Poly 61's battery. There is always something to maintain.... I guess I am on a rant, just hoping misery loves company and there is someone else out there like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruster Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 If I traded all of my gear for talent, I wouldn't have any gear to play. OTOH, I dig what you're saying; I have the same problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bach42t Posted December 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Thanks for the reply. I just want to learn one thing at a time and I went through an accumilation phase a few years ago and now I look around at what someone else could be using.... might mean the K5000S and the Poly 61 are on the chopping block. I feel overwhelmed with all this stuff that take so much of a learning curve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nillerbabs Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 This clip instantly comes to mind. One simple, restricted synthesizer - loads of great, complex ideas. [video=youtube;F8Kiw4aoex4] That GAS, hardly anyone around here haven't had it. It's not really good for anything in my experience. I myself try to limit myself to purchases that I really, really need... with varying success. Buying stuff feels good until you've had it for a day or two. What lingers is the sensation of improvement through practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Collecting synths is fun, believe me. I'm guilty as well. My advice would be: pick just one keyboard in your collection with a sequencer--such as the Motif ES8 or the Trinity--and commit yourself to finish one tune by the end of January. Make it fun though, and don't work on the song more than an hour at a time unless the creative juices are flowing. I bought a Triton over 10 years ago and wrote more songs with it than any other keyboard in my collection up to that time. It's not that hard creating a great rhythm with the dual arps and then adding tracks to that. I found that once you find a beat or drum pattern you like, inspiration is soon to follow You don't have to be the next Wakeman or Emerson... just start writing a song and finish it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cruster Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Collecting synths is fun, believe me. I'm guilty as well. My advice would be: pick just one keyboard in your collection with a sequencer--such as the Motif ES8 or the Trinity--and commit yourself to finish one tune by the end of January. Make it fun though, and don't work on the song more than an hour at a time unless the creative juices are flowing. You know what, you're on. I'll do it with my K2500. Which means I'll have to re-learn how the frigging on-board sequencer works (it's been a loooong time!). 'Course that means I'll have to put Sonar X1 on the shelf. But, damn, what a great challenge/idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikelpanky Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I'm in: but I'll have to do it with a computer sequencer. But my one synth...I'm going with my new toy: Emu Emax. We need a new thread for the One Synth, One Song, One Month Challenge. (OSOSOM) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ARP Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I agree, I've found that I usually get far more satisfaction from being able to play through a difficult passage than I get from obtaining a new piece of gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ddash Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I completely agree. Whenever I went through a beatblock and couldn't come up with anything I would attribute it with needing better or more gear instead of learning how to play the piano and learning the gear I have. I have honestly wasted thousands of dollars buying new gear that I didn't need. I learned my lesson but every now and then I have to check myself lol. It is funny that I was always instantly inspired when I bought new gear tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chando Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 This story is so sad I think it might not be real... so many great but non-inspiring synths in your collection. If you're real .. my advice is to get a nice monosynth... compose a basic orchestral piece ... and track out the basics on the monosynth(get a cv/gate interface btw)... slap on some effects... you're an electronic musician again... polyphony is over-rated ... but damn is it sweet when you're inspired.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Klaus Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I know what you mean, OP. The musical genres that inspire me the most are prog and metal, and I can't play a decent lick to save my life. Instead, I use my gear to do original sound effects design for films (I'm a film student, and film production is my primary art, so this works pretty swell). I'm getting fairly good at it, but I often wish I could just power up the M3 and rock. And I can't help but feel a bit guilty about the fact that I've got all this great musical gear, but I have yet to use any of it to make actual, you know, music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MuzikB Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Get rid of it all, get a good spec computer (if you don't already have one) and land a DAW with softsynths or just get a workstation. Rebuild and evaluate from there. I'm getting into the habit of every time I GAS for a new piece of hardware, I dive into my softsynths and come back thinking, "Why bother?" There are still only 2 hardware pieces who's sounds I can't copy. Nord Lead 2(X) (Genaral sound) and the Radias (Sweep filter type) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chando Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 monosynth, CV/GATE interface, .. sequence with a DAW. You'll be back to life in no time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Minocan Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 You got Wave XT and mQ ? Superb combo if you ask me. Just learning them %95 will be superb for synthesis I believe. I'm still learning Q, it's very deep. XT even more (more modifiers , more envelopes etc.) Very nice setup of Wavetable and VA there. Is it only GAS that's keeping you from composing? If you can categorize synths according to your sound you want to achieve for, I think you can prevent GAS very easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Well, talent is nice. But talent without technique is like a beer without a bottle opener (I know, dated metaphor). practise practise practise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I often wish I could just power up the M3 and rock. Great keyboard--make full use of it. Find an inspiring combination with KARMA, fire up the sequencer, and you'll have some tunes in no time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 practise practise practise +1 And after that: practice, practice, practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Klaus Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Great keyboard--make full use of it. Find an inspiring combination with KARMA, fire up the sequencer, and you'll have some tunes in no time! KARMA always feels a bit like cheating, though, even after manipulating and customizing the sequences. And it's always more than a bit humbling when I realize that the algorithm has far better chops than I do. But yes, it is incredibly inspiring. I'm also convinced that it's the potential subject of a new media/mixed media scholarly paper that has yet to be written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 KARMA always feels a bit like cheating, though, even after manipulating and customizing the sequences. And it's always more than a bit humbling when I realize that the algorithm has far better chops than I do. It's a start though and offers many options. Obviously you'll want to do some personalized editing once you find something you like. You can radically alter a KARMA combi by just changing the GE and/or program it effects. I've always thought of KARMA as "the rest of the band." We don't always have a studio full of musicians to work with, so KARMA is the next best thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 Whenever people say something like that I think of one thing. Let's assume for instance my (or anyone elses child) wants to get into synths.. you'd say "well, let's get you the cheap one and see if you stick with it first". For some reason, most adults have a double standard about buying their gear. They think it's their money and they can do what they want with it, regardless of how they use it. I think if that's what you would expect out of a child, that's what you should expect out of yourself. I also think people get into the gas / money pit because they don't have clearly defined goals about what they expect from themselves and their gear. There's also the angle that it's impulsive and fulfilling an emotional need that may be worth looking into as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chando Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 what is "talent" btw?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mpresev Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I'm going to be positive and optimistic about this.. With your synths in the closet, let's just pretend that it's your mini stock room of good products to sell.. Now you have a small business and make money and buy things again and sell things and make money.. That's another way of looking at it.. Like Synth real estate:) or you can get this DVD to learn some electronic music since you can afford it.. http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/shop or www.groovebox.com to learn electronic music production or macprovideos.com Your sooo money!!! and you don't even know it!!(umm it means your cool and unlimited). I have turned on my XT and played with it once for about 15 minutes after I received it from eBay, and that was Nov. 2009, put it in the box and just now racking it. My Waldorf Phoenix I have only listened to the demos, also only had a year. It sat in my closet for the entire year. More like having a thousand dollars just collecting dust. Things are worse off for my Motif. I have not taken it out of the box since 2007. I have just not had the time or because I did not have adequate space in NY to even set up one 49-key keyboard. I spent probably more time this year scouring to finally get my Trinity fully-loaded all for the self-satisfaction that I had acquired all the options on eBay over a 10 period. I have honestly yet to EVER complete any composition on my Trinity since I purchased new in 1999. I can easily lay orchestral tracks down with my EWQL composer library and use that extensively but I wish I could be a cool guy and do electronic music. Conversely, I spend most of my times gawking at YouTube demos watching folks that have a few small pieces of gear and maybe a controller or a VA and they do phenomenal things. I wish I was them. I appreciate other's abilities to use their gear to its fullest. I am a self-professed hoarder, but it has caught up with me. I am glutton and feel very very guilty. If there was a Waldorf Wave on eBay right now for 10 grand, I could buy it. It would not make me happy though. I am always distracted. Now I need a solder set so I can change the Poly 61's battery. There is always something to maintain.... I guess I am on a rant, just hoping misery loves company and there is someone else out there like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChipCurtis Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 You can make great music with almost any synth. I went through a GAS buying spree from about '02 to '06, but the need for simplicity, as well as the bad economy, forced me to scale back my toys and stick with the synths I like the most (soundwise), and have the best workflow for me. It was nice for a while to see how this or that synths sounds or feels, but it turns out it was just a distraction from getting any music done. Put some time into developing your talent with the tools you have, it will pay off in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Harmoney Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I always think that it is the lack of gear, or the lack of quality of gear that I have whenever I fall into a creative slump. So, I am constantly prowling CraigsList for deals on new used crap. And through all of this, spending more money than my wife will allow me to, doesn't help, when I know darn well that what I am really lacking, is the amount of time that I practice. Remember, you will only get out of your gear what you put into it. Oh, BTW, are you in a band, or is there a place near where you live that has an Open Mike Night? I have found that in order for me to get off my fat, lazy @$$ and start practicing, I need a goal. Go get with some friends and figure out a "dream set" that you might want to learn and perform it in front of friends or even complete strangers. Just go with you on keys and one other musician, be it a cello player, violinst, or just an acoustic guitarist. Work on one to two songs to do at the next Open Mike. I guarantee, knowing that you have to go up in front of a bunch of critics will inspire you to work your @$$ off and come up with something sensational, even on the gear that you already own. And the applause afterwards, when you finally pull it off? Sweet! Go for it and enjoy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Conbrio Posted December 13, 2010 Members Share Posted December 13, 2010 I guarantee, knowing that you have to go up in front of a bunch of critics will inspire you to work your @$$ off and come up with something sensational, even on the gear that you already own. And the applause afterwards, when you finally pull it off? Sweet! Go for it, brother! Excellent advice. Been there, done that... and enjoyed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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