Yeah, it's been a while since I wrote anything here... My studio is still going thru a major transformation into one made for creating ambient music... A lot of my analogs have been sold... Sub37 is gone, Prophet '08 is going shortly, PER has been gone for some weeks now... actualy I do not have one single synth with an analog oscillator anymore... I have kept the P12 because it's unique and I won't let that one go, but it's the only tie to DSI I have at the moment... at least until Dave decides to do a sampler synth with analog filters (if).
I do want a true analog polyphonic synth at some point, but I want one that is a lot more programable than the P6 and OB-6, and also something cheaper, as I find those too expensive for what they offer me. I bet that the one I'll get is the new Behringer... it has enough voices, it has FX build in which is CRUCIAL for my work these days, and it's deep in the engine flexibility.
I'm trading my P08 next week for a used Yamaha FS1R and some cash... I lack a fullblown and capable FM synth in my arsenal, and I do not have the patience to wait for Yamaha to throw the Montage into a 1U rack... FS1R is by all means, the most powerful FM synth in hardware... I had it before, and it will serve me well for ambient music.
I still have the Roland VP-9000... and I have actually come to like it's sound... I love the VariPhrase synthesis, which allow me to make lots of organic sounding instruments, FX, vocal phrases etc... but I still want to swap it for a full blown V-Synth XT some day... that will be my next move.
I also like the Nord Modular G1 that I've got... but I want to swap this with a G2 engine some day, simply to get the added option of using build in FX... so I hope to find one of these someday as well.
So currently my future setup would be:
Roland INTEGRA-7:
Mainly for it's SuperNatural synthesis. It's goig to be my go-to synth for orchestral and accoustic sounds, but can do practically anything so it'll be used for pads as well. This modulae sounds REALLY good.
Roland V-Synth XT: Chosen for the VariPhrase synthesis that will allow me to do a lot of different stuff... the best feature is it's ability to change pitch, timr and formant seperately in realtime, as this allow me to use solo voice samples, and create new melodies that sound extremely realistic... but it can also totaly morph and bend any sample, and do a lot of cool pads, as well as mangling drumloops etc... a truly amazing synth with lots of ambient potential.
Waldorf Blofeld:
Taken mainly for it's ability to create user-wavetables, but also it's very deep VA synthesis engine to go with it. It sounds fabulous once you start doing your own sounds, and the ability to use wavetables and samples in it's engine gives some rather unique possibilities that you find in almost no other synth in hardware... the one I know come closest is the Nord Wave.
DSI Prophet 12:
You all know this one... I'm keeping it for two resons, first reason being the really cool semi-modular approach and the second being the analog VCF/VCA. This concept sets it appart from any other synth I know, and it has vast potential. The only grief I have is, that it foes not have the FX sections of the newer P6/OB-6 ... I miss a good reverb on this, but outboard will have to do.
Clavia Nord Modular G2:
Obviously for the modular concept, which gives you endless possibilities, if you're willing to "dive in". It will be used for anything, but also as external processor for other sound sources to go thru.
Yamaha FS1R:
For the FM synthesis and the Formant Shaping synthesis. It's a hard machine to program, but it's loaded with stuff no other synth can do that will be perfect for ambient music. These machines has risen in price recently to unbelivable heights.
Behringer DeepMind12:
Chosen to get those analog oscillators in combi with build in FX and a deep modulation engine... looking forward to more info in this synth, and hope it will get a rack version as well... otherwise I will not get one.
That's it for now... I still have two slots left for something unique in the future... what that'll be I'll just have to wait and see
Ohh... and here is a short demo of what can be done with the VariPhrase technology... I sampled Aragorn directly from youtube, singing "Tinuviel" and created another melodyline from it... the other sounds are from Integra-7 and Blofeld.
http://razmo.ziphoid.com/Tinuviel.mp3It's nothing special... just a small test I did to see where I could go with the VariPhrase technology.