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Getting a Synthesizer


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Of course I've thought of programming, that's the reason I want a synth in the first place, is to learn how to and get more involved in the sounds than just presets. Right now I'm limited to going to Guitar Center and fooling around with the stuff there.

Personally, with the Micron, I find that there aren't enough knobs to classify it as an analog synthesizer. If someone can crank out some awesome sounds from it, which I don't doubt is possible, more power to them, for they are truly talented. I'd need an instruction manual and about a month to get something good to come from it, since I am very new to synthesizing sound. the interface appears very limited, but from what I've heard, the contrary is true. Also, if I were to ever gig with it, I'd have to paint it a different color.

I didn't mean to start a war over what synths were better and if my comments/ opinions instigated a conflict, I'm sorry. I just wanted advice as to what the better choice would be for the application I'm going to use it for.

I also should've put more choices on the poll... oh well, can't edit it now.

Is the Fusion just a ROMpler/synthesizer or is it also a workstation?

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Originally posted by StompBoxLover
Originally posted by packrat
A bit of a stretch to consider the microkorg and the MS2000 to have equivalent functionality in any real sense.

:confused:

 

No, That's what I meant. the MS2000 has knobs to easily control all sorts of things including in real time and an easy interfacer to the step-sequencer (and in fact has the step sequencer at all), and playable keys. The microkorg, obviously has none of this. The same sound engine, sure, but nothing like equivalent functionality.

 

B>

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Originally posted by packrat



No, That's what I meant. the MS2000 has knobs to easily control all sorts of things including in real time and an easy interfacer to the step-sequencer (and in fact has the step sequencer at all), and playable keys. The microkorg, obviously has none of this. The same sound engine, sure, but nothing like equivalent functionality.


B>

 

:idea:

 

alrighty...

 

I misread MS2000 as MS20, too... :D

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Originally posted by Nikolai

Personally, with the Micron, I find that there aren't enough knobs to classify it as an analog synthesizer.

 

Not to harp on you, but

(a) the Micron wouldn't be analog even if it had 10,000 knobs.

(b) the interface has nothing to do with analogness.

 

If interface is important to you, then you need to limit yourself to only those synths. Fortuantely, there are a good number of new, virtual analog synths that meet your criteria for a good interface, not to mention the newer true analog beasts out there (Andromeda, plus the botique manufacturers) that are out of your price range. There are also a plethora of old-school true analog synths that meet your interface requirements that are within your price range.

 

I can think of a few in the sub-$400 range (all used, of course) that can be had via ebay that meet your requirement for interface as well as sound generation based on sine-saw-square wave basic waveforms.

 

VA:

Alesis Ion, Novation KS4, Nord Lead (original), Korg MS2000, Roland JP8000, Roland SH-202 (pending release & street price), Oberheim OB-12. I may have missed a few. But each of those have different strengths and weaknesses, of which you should research. Do you anticipate polyphony being extremely important? How about multitimbral capabilities? Based on descriptions of sound, which do you think fits the most with the music you want to make? If forced to choose between a 3osc synth with 8 voice poly, 4 part multi and a 2osc synth with extra waveforms with 4 voice poly and no multi but built in effects, which would you anticipating wanting more?

 

True Analog and Analog with DCO:

Roland Juno-6, Juno-60, Juno-106, Roland SH-101, Korg Polysix, Sequential Circuts Prophet 600, Yamaha CS-01, Yamaha CS-5, Yamaha CS-15, Akai AX-60, and countless others missed at this early hour. Each again has strengths and weaknesses, though overall the older synths will appear on paper to have fewer choices, but some of the features available on the older synths aren't on newer synths, and of course, there is the eternal "how does it sound debate?"

 

The point is - you need to do more than ask here, you'll need to check the other sites around there and read about the synths' strengths and weaknesses. On paper, the Ion beats the pants off the Juno-60, but there are days I miss the Juno-60 - I miss the dedicated "filter key track" slider [On the ion you need to select the filter via edit, then page over, then select the key track soft button, then turn the parameter edit knob], the dedicated filter polarity switch, and the dedicated switch to route the envelope to the pulse width. Yes, you can do all those on the Ion, and having all the other features are great. You'll probably get a synth after researching all this, and be very happy. Then you'll get another that has a different feature set and you might realize that you wish synth "a" had some features from synth "b". That is what keeps some of us buying new gear - we learn of some feature and have to have it!

 

I like your idea of going with a good interface - that can make or break a synth for me. But that being said, I still miss my old JX-8P as much as the Juno-60 - for some reason that interface didn't bug me too much and the agressive osc. sync. could always be relied on as a lead sound when needed.

 

Good luck - you're at an exciting juncture where everything is new and confusing, and I for one am jealous. Read as much as you can before purchasing any synth - there are tons of websites out there with information. I know it is tempting to ask questions, but sometimes you need to do the research yourself - in your own time - instead of asking. It is harder to read and sift through all the information out there, but what you learn will serve you well in the future.

 

- Bad Chile

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Originally posted by packrat



Did you bother trying a search engine, or looking on a synth site?


B>

 

 

Please check the time I posted that before you harp on me. I was dead tired. I got on, posted, and went to bed.

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Originally posted by Nikolai

Please check the time I posted that before you harp on me. I was dead tired. I got on, posted, and went to bed.

 

 

The harmony central posting interface is relatively clunky. In contrast, almost all of the first page of google hits for that term are immediately relevant, and you should be able to fire off a search trivially.

 

So, again, why not search first?

 

B>

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Originally posted by packrat



The harmony central posting interface is relatively clunky. In contrast, almost all of the first page of google hits for that term are immediately relevant, and you should be able to fire off a search trivially.


So, again, why not search first?


B>

 

 

I did search for it, and I now know what it is. But one dillema - I can't find it anywhere and it's discontinued. The closest I could get is a combo deal on eBay for $2500 (4 keyboards, including the Triton Extreme).

I also asked what the CS6X was because if you search for a synthesizer online, 99 times out of 100 someone is trying to sell it to you and will tell you all of the pro's. If you ask for someone's opinion they will give you the pro's and the con's, and if you get multiple opinions on one synth then you can compare and contrast the pro's and the con's from different people's experiences. That's the very purpose of this thread.

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Originally posted by Nikolai



Please check the time I posted that before you harp on me. I was dead tired. I got on, posted, and went to bed.

 

 

I think some of the apparent hostility is due to the fact that there are an untold number of internet resources out there and questions such as yours pop up all the time. Synthesizers are not an easy thing to get your head around due in part to the jargon and in part due to the wealth of available options. It takes time to respond to a question, and often individuals post information that was gained over the course of years of experience. Simple questions with answers that can easily be found on google that demand answers (including "CS6X? What is that?") appear to be flat out rude, regardless of your intention or time of posting (which I never read, and if I did I sure don't know what shift you work, so as far as I know you might be getting home from work at 6:30am).

 

- BC

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Originally posted by Nikolai

I did search for it, and I now know what it is. But one dillema - I can't find it anywhere and it's discontinued. The closest I could get is a combo deal on eBay for $2500 (4 keyboards, including the Triton Extreme).

 

Then you can keep looking on ebay until one turns up, the way everyone else chasing secondhand gear does.

 


I also asked what the CS6X was because if you search for a synthesizer online, 99 times out of 100 someone is trying to sell it to you and will tell you all of the pro's. If you ask for someone's opinion they will give you the pro's and the con's, and if you get multiple opinions on one synth then you can compare and contrast the pro's and the con's from different people's experiences. That's the very purpose of this thread.

 

And yet, the first page of google shows me:

A yamaha site

A CS6X community

Harmony Central Announcements

yamaha .jp site

Computer music reviews

Vintagesynth page

Yamaha site

futureproducers review/rating site

another community.

 

Of course, there's always the Harmony Central and other review collections which no doubt have numerous comments, both in pro and con for it.

 

All of which are available to you without you having to type in a question, presumably hoping for us to cut & paste the stuff we've typed into those sites already.

 

B>

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Originally posted by Meatball Fulton



About 24 keys are lacking for starters
:D

 

 

If you're not interested in playing piano, it's fine ... You can do quite a bit with the Micron's keyboard ...

 

... And since he was considering a MicroKorg initially, I don't think the Micron's keybed is going to be the deal breaker ...

 

Have a blessed day, Meatball!

 

BTW ... your quote ...

 

"Obedience to the law guarantees freedom"

 

Is that for real?

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Sorry I asked for people's opinions when what I searched for wasn't enough and I wanted more information. Sorry I accidently started hostilities with this thread, I forgot how forums worked and I guess that's why I gave up on them in the first place. Coming here was a mistake. I wanted more opinions than the reviews I was reading on this site, and I wanted comparisons rather than individual reviews from people. Sorry that's too much to ask for without getting flamed.

I have been doing plenty of research on synthesizers, but it doesn't answer every single question I have. That's why I ask.

Sorry for being a newbie musician with lots of questions. We all learn at some point. Think back to when you were starting and how nice it would be if people were nice and didn't treat you like {censored} when you asked a question.

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Yeah ... there's a lot of strange magic around here ...

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much, though ... you didn't do anything wrong, and if you did, oh well ...

 

BTW, what have you tried out, still considering?

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can anyone explain to me the basic process involved in editing sounds on a keyboard such as the micron using a computer? sound design or whatever.

what kind of software do you need?

do you have to run it through cubase or something (I have Digital Performer)?

I assume you hook it up to the computer via the MIDI ports?

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Where would I find said free editing software?

could you explain how it works a little more?

do you plug the keyboard straight in, open the editing software and start meddling straight away, or do you have to fiddle around the get the computer/software to recognise the keyboard?

do you have to run it through another sound editing program such as cubase or something. or does the editing software connect to the keyboard directly?

do you have to run it through a soundcard or whatever?

can you get the software for Mac?

 

explain it to me like I'm a 4 year old.

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