Synthesizers

[Lexi Darling]

Thanks to Guybrush for the thread idea.

Any other synth lovers on here? What are your favorites to play, or ones you like to hear used on records? Specific synth sounds that really tickle your fancy?

I've been into synths since I was around 15 and got heavily into Nine Inch Nails. Bought my first synth (a Microkorg) in 2005 and played synths in some local hobbyist bands. I'm mostly interested in vintage analog synths, but the price and technical headaches limit my ability to engage with that hobby.

I currently own a Novation Ultranova, a vintage Roland D-50, and a Moog Little Phatty. These are the trusted buddies that have all been with me for over 10 years. Here's a pic, the Moog is currently being looked at for repair, so it's just the two right now.



I would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences with synths.

[Janszoon]

I love it!

My only keyboard is a Casio CZ-1000. It's nothing special, but it does have a MIDI output that I definitely used a lot back when I was making music.

[Lexi Darling]

Over the past couple weeks I've been selling some of my music gear, including all of my synths. I'm working on making a concept album right now and I've come to the realization that my hardware synth setup just doesn't mesh very well with my current life schedules. Every time I wanted to record an idea I'd have to:

- Turn on power strip
- plug audio interface into laptop
- plug MIDI controller into laptop
- open Ableton
- get each synth's patches ready

And even more steps usually. So I decided to go all software, all in the box from now on. I hung onto hardware because I love the live performance aspect, but I'm not sure how much time I'll really have to make good use of the performance advantages of the hardware synths at this point. Having to set everything up whenever I got a creative spark was tanking my actual creativity. If I was still living alone, I could justify keeping them. But right now I need music making to be easy and convenient.

So anyway, yesterday I shipped off my Moog, the last of my three hardware synths. It's sad to part with it, I had that baby for a decade and I loved it a lot. But on the plus side I now have about 1000 dollars from selling all three synths and I can splurge on a really nice MIDI controller and VSTs. If anyone experienced in digital music production has any recommendations, I'd love to hear your input!

The Mrs. Waffles will live on.

[Hope]

I got a Casio for my 11th Christmas. Couldn't afford lessons. I was very creative in a very raw way. Unfortunately there were a lot of fart sounds going through the sample.

A good time was had, and I'm sorry everyone. 

[Lexi Darling]

I got a Casio for my 11th Christmas. Couldn't afford lessons. I was very creative in a very raw way. Unfortunately there were a lot of fart sounds going through the sample.

A good time was had, and I'm sorry everyone. 

Ah, nice! I started making my own music when I was the same age. My childhood keyboard was a Yamaha cheapo, it couldn't sample but I did have a little gizmo called a Yak Bak, which was basically the bargain bin version of the Talkboy, and I recorded samples on that, usually sound effects from video games and VHS tapes, and used them in my music.

If I'd thought of it, I'd have sampled farts too, so don't worry haha.

[Hope]

If I'd thought of it, I'd have sampled farts too, so don't worry haha.

For the record it wasn't real farts. Just mouth noises. Lots and lots of mouth noises. 

[Lexi Darling]

For the record it wasn't real farts. Just mouth noises. Lots and lots of mouth noises. 

Gotcha, haha. I'm actually currently working on some electronic music that includes some interesting samples, which is the concept album I mentioned before. Still in the early planning stages. I really want to sample my cat meowing and turn that into some kind of textured sound, but I'd have to find a way to record it without agitating her.