The Official Sequential/Oberheim Forum
OTHER DISCUSSIONS => General Synthesis => Other Hardware/Software => Topic started by: wearekin on April 16, 2016, 02:46:19 AM
-
I've owned a Nord Lead 2x for around 8 years and this has been my main synth. I've loved it and have no direct experience with any other synth (apart from a brief diversion to the waldorf blofeld - helped me realise that I love a 'knob per function' approach).
The 2x has treated me well and taught me quite a lot, even with its restrictions I found it actually helped me learn a lot.
In the DSI world I've been switching back and forth with all the polysynths currently available. Think that it leads me to the P6 / P8 / OB6 - I like the very different purposes and modulations, limitations and expansiveness within all 3 of these. The P8 though, I am not sure why but that seems to be 'the one'. The shame is I will not be able to try out any of these synths in person before I take the plunge.
Point is - I don't think you can really go wrong, there is no right decision and any of the above would be a beautiful addition.
What was your first DSI, how did it feel in comparison to what you had before? Just intrigued on peoples experiences :)
https://youtu.be/RTWi2c__0LU
-
I flirted with a Sequential Prophet-600 when they were first introduced, and had a fondness for a Sequential Pro-One while they were cheap enough - but my first Dave Smith-designed, DSI-branded piece was the Evolver desktop (which, incidentally, also uses a page-based edit system, as do some of the Waldorf devices that I still own).
When the Mopho / Tetra devices were "discontinued" (though still available through many retailers), I decided to bite the bullet with a poly-chained, five-voice Mopho SE keyboard (monosynth with knobs) + Tetra desktop (multitimbral four-voice) combo. And I'm not done yet - also looking at a Pro-2 and/or OB-6 or Prophet-6.
As far as I see it, there are only two options if you want a maintainable, reasonably reliable analogue poly synth:
- re-imagined versions of classic designs, e.g., Prophet-6, Prophet '08, OB-6
- re-brained (with new microprocessor) classic (and largely inexpensive) designs, e.g., Gligli P600fw for Prophet-600, or the KiwiTechnics-based KIWI-106, KIWI-3P or Kiwisix. These units largely lack the fancy, proprietary displays that later, more expensive units utilized.
The remaining options are ridiculously expensive to acquire, maintain or repair (my background is in service, repair and circuit design) for the average user, with exceptionally poor MIDI implementation. The Korg Minilogue is an exception, though its Achilles' heel is its mini keys.
-
What was your first DSI, how did it feel in comparison to what you had before?
My first DSI instrument was the Prophet '08. After years of working with plugins exclusively (I started off with a Korg Wavestation in the early 90s though) and thinking that it wouldn't be necessary to ever return to hardware again, I got back into hardware around the time the MiniBrute was released. I collected a couple of smaller devices first, since I originally planned on maintaining a very small portable setup only with stuff like the Monotribe, Monotron, and a delay pedal. So it was all just mono synth oriented for a while. While I was investigating what the Analogue Solutions' Leipzig was all about and where one could be purchased, I stumbled across a really nice offer for the Prophet '08. In the end, I couldn't say no and that's how - almost accidently - my journey with DSI began.
While the return to hardware was generally satisfying for me in terms of not having to change parameters with a mouse anymore, the Prophet '08 came with a couple of advances beyond the sheer joy of tweaking front panel controls, one of which being patch memory and the other one being a really deep and complex modulation matrix. At that point I got somehow spoiled by the way DSI set up their engines. I can't really say that the Prophet '08 was necessarily "better" than all of my previous instruments, but what I really like about DSI instruments in general is the way how complex engines and a clear layout are being combined so that it takes almost no time to get into shaping sounds.
From the Prophet '08 on, I went through the Evolvers, the Pro2, up unto the Prophet-6. Throughout this process I couldn't keep them all unfortunately for purely monetary reasons, which also led me to sacrifice my Prophet '08 in favor of the Prophet-6. But that choice doesn't really indicate a judgement about the Prophet '08. They're all fine instruments with a unique character and diverse sonic possibilities. None of them can really replace the other. For now I'm at ease with both extremes of the synth spectrum which I find in the Pro 2 and the Prophet-6, with one being an insane sound design, sequencer, and CV monster (Pro 2), and the other one being a relaxing instant gratification machine that still maintains unexpected sonic variety despite its rather conservative engine by today's standards (Prophet-6).
-
It seems to be the general theme with DSI that people appreciate the combination of depth but quick access to explore. I remember first getting hold of my NL2X and had no real idea what to do with it, I went through presets a lot and found myself not enjoying the sounds at all.
One day I discovered the 'manual mode' which seems a lot like the P6 / OB6 preset button - and started to learn what each function did over time. I bet it was quite exciting to see a band live before presets existed and them essentially improvise their patches throughout a set list!
As a result of using the NL2X I'm not sure about mono synths and how I would feel with one. The Pro 2 looks incredibly interesting, especially given the depth of soundscapes but the mono(para) approach leaves me wondering if I would get the most out of it. Virtual Analogue spoils you with polyphony really, when I first realised the majority of analogue polysynths have generally less than double digits of poly I was thinking 'why????'. Now I understand...
The P8 Bitimbral definitely appeals as I'm used to multi - but the NL has the habit of very bad note stealing, whereas the performances I have heard don't appear to be as invasive when the voices appear...
Anyway I'm waffling - appreciate the responses, its fascinating the little journeys that lead us to where we are :)
Cheers!
-
I bet it was quite exciting to see a band live before presets existed and them essentially improvise their patches throughout a set list!
I was playing in bands way back then, so I can tell you it wasn't so glorious. You absolutely had to have a front man - a singer or guitarist - who could talk to the audience for a few moments in between songs, and it was then that the keyboardist would be racing to re-program and often re-tune his synthesizers. Head phones were absolutely vital, and a Minimoog's A 440 tone was much appreciated as well. It was tough.
-
"Anyone mind if I bring my modular on tour?"
"How about...no"
-
"Anyone mind if I bring my modular on tour?"
"How about...no"
It provides a good place for hiding though.
-
What was your first DSI, how did it feel in comparison to what you had before? Just intrigued on peoples experiences :)
My first DSI instrument was a Mopho Keyboard. Like others here, it caught my attention because of the great modulation capabilities. At the time of my purchase, the short keyboard wasn't an issue because I had a Yamaha SY85 that I used as a master keyboard, but after I sold the Yamaha, the Mopho's keyboard was too small for me. The difference between 37 keys and 32 keys is only five keys, but it's really the difference (for me) between usable and pointless. If the Mopho Keyboard had had 37 keys (or if the SE had been available at the time), I'd probably still have it today. I loved everything else about it, including the crazy logo font and the goldenrod hue. It was a synth that just exuded the joy of life from every pore.
The time of the Mopho is now gone, and I find myself missing it, especially on the sequenced rhythm front. The Evolver's analog section is almost, but not quite, there. Some day, as prices plunge, it may be fun to pick up an old yellow brick, for old time's sake.
-
Back at the end of the 70’s I was gigging with a Moog Prodigy, Hammond 102200 Synth, LE Logan String Melody ii Rhodes Stage 73 and Clavinet D6. That first Moog really kindled my love of that whole analog sound and panel setup. But like it's been said, you really had to plan your set and think in advance of each song change to get your patches set. In fact I think it made me quite conservative with my synth expectations on stage. I'd generally be looking for a lead guitar slayer and a brass stop gap! One thing that was great about the Hammond synth was its ability to hold a note in tune forever! You could setup a drone with a filter sweep at the beginning of a song and it'd still be spot on at the end.. It also did a great French horn! Lol.. Largely because you could drive the LFO osc mod with an envelop to simulate that initial 'burble' on each note. I totally rebuilt a Mini Moog in 1982 from a set of original circuit boards and bits I bought for £30. It proved to be a brilliant experience. I did have to buy a stable osc board though! Playing live with the two Moogs also gave the chance to program one while playing the other. It was about that time I got my hands on a p5. Couldn't afford to buy one back then but we hired one for studio and big gigs. Happy days. Getting programmable synths made a big difference in what you could do on stage. My first poly was a Roland Juno 60 which was fab.. But I think, come the DX7 things had started to become detached. It was all numbers and really not very intuitive. Somehow we'd lost that early sound quality and connectivity. But we were all full of Emulators and Fairlight frenzy.. Much as I loved my p2000 it was a royal pain to program. Sampling is cheating anyway lol.. The p6 is a real connection with what was great back then and an eye opener to where it can go tomorrow. I love it!
-
I don't have the music background experience of most in the forum here. I learned piano as a kid in the 80's but my interest eventually died out. I wanted a synth! But the best I could do was pop the lid on our piano and experiment on the strings.
Fast forward, I bought a Roland Jupiter 80 shortly after it was released (~2011). Love it still. Except for the menu diving. A quality build and dream come true for me. But virtual analog as you all know just doesn't have all the analog character. To satisfy my need for analog and surfaced controls I bought a Tempest. Yeah, you might not have expected that. But my intent was to exploit the synth function and make some beats. Honestly it hasn't worked out so good for me. The Tempest is another very well built instrument that you would expect from Dave Smith. But I'm not a drummer. Etc...
I could have bought an analog instrument from a higher volume manufacturer. But I chose the DSI product because Dave Smith has an impressive history. The components are good quality. Build is solid. Sonically they are rich and a significant part of music history. Functions are for the serious player. Dave puts more into the engineering and less into fancy marketing. He also recognizes the demand for pure analog. Musicians and fans want analog back in their lives. Exceeding customer requirements Dave adds innovative features and improvements to produce instruments for a modern musician. I also think we are lucky to have Dave's enthusiasm behind the re-released instruments from the past. The original design intent isn't lost and innovative features are not spared on these either. Dave seems to be leading the charge in the industry. He is true to the history of the synthesizer and modern enough to stay competitive. That is why I bought a DSI.
-
I don't have the music background experience of most in the forum here. I learned piano as a kid in the 80's but my interest eventually died out. I wanted a synth! But the best I could do was pop the lid on our piano and experiment on the strings.
Fast forward, I bought a Roland Jupiter 80 shortly after it was released (~2011). Love it still. Except for the menu diving. A quality build and dream come true for me. But virtual analog as you all know just doesn't have all the analog character. To satisfy my need for analog and surfaced controls I bought a Tempest. Yeah, you might not have expected that. But my intent was to exploit the synth function and make some beats. Honestly it hasn't worked out so good for me. The Tempest is another very well built instrument that you would expect from Dave Smith. But I'm not a drummer. Etc...
I could have bought an analog instrument from a higher volume manufacturer. But I chose the DSI product because Dave Smith has an impressive history. The components are good quality. Build is solid. Sonically they are rich and a significant part of music history. Functions are for the serious player. Dave puts more into the engineering and less into fancy marketing. He also recognizes the demand for pure analog. Musicians and fans want analog back in their lives. Exceeding customer requirements Dave adds innovative features and improvements to produce instruments for a modern musician. I also think we are lucky to have Dave's enthusiasm behind the re-released instruments from the past. The original design intent isn't lost and innovative features are not spared on these either. Dave seems to be leading the charge in the industry. He is true to the history of the synthesizer and modern enough to stay competitive. That is why I bought a DSI.
Have you got a midi controller to attach to the Tempest?
Then it could act pretty much like a 6 voice DSI Evolver, no drumming involved.
-
Hello BobTheDog. I have tried to use my other synths as controllers for the Tempest. The sounds aren't mapping to all the keys. No I don't have a dedicated controller. Unfortunately I'm a bit weak without solid MIDI knowledge. ::)
Yeah that is what I was hoping for. Awesome voices to be start with. But I must be missing something in the settings or my keyboards are the problem. This topic should get bumped into the Tempest forum so I don't hijack this thread. This might take a couple swings to get sorted out.
Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it. :)
-
Hi,
It should be quite simple to set up, have a look at: https://davesmithinstruments.zendesk.com/entries/21402567-How-to-play-the-Tempest-as-a-polyphonic-synth-from-a-MIDI-keyboard
-
What led me to DSI synths? ... hmm... I read about the Desktop Evolver when it was in it's very early stages of development, and when I was just beginning to worship analogs and hybrids compared to digital synths that I had been using before...
I wanted MIDI control, as I was used to that with my digital synths, so I was looking for something analog with full MIDI specs back then, and honestly... were there any other new modern ones but the Desktop Evolver back then!?
I bought one, and have loved it ever since... that led me to know who Dave Smith really was, and I got the Mopho as soon as it came out as well.
In the beginning I had a hell of a lot of synths, but not any "gems"... was always on the low budget machines and bought used gear mostly... later when I decided to sell most of my gear, and opt for less synths, but bigger gems I sold both Desktop Evolver, Mopho and a Tetra I had gotten later too, and bought P08, P12, PER and Tempest.
As most probably know, I've always had a love/hate relationship with the Tempest, but I learned after buying it NEW twice, that it is like with a woman... one time break up, always break up... "she" is gone now... I miss her, but I know it would not work for us again, I've moved on ;)
I don't know if I'll ever get another DSI instrument... I chose to only have eight synths, and I'm left with only one slot left... maybe DSI... Maybe Waldorf... maybe something else, I don't know, but it has to be special... not just old technology with a few new bells and horns.
-
In 1986 my record company loaned me a Prophet 5, a 16 track and some other gear for 3 years, so I could make demo's,
I fell in love with the Prophet then, but I got married had kids and gave up music, but last year I decided to get back into music,
got a Pro 6 and Tempest...Fantastic machines..I love them
-
What led me to DSI synths?
I do a little home recording and play guitar, bass, and synth as a hobby. I have a Moog Little Phatty so monophonic leads are covered, but I wanted to add a polyphonic analog synth.
I was looking at the Korg Minilogue and was very close to getting one (still on back order) however I switched to the Mopho X4 because you can add additional voices, no mini keys to deal with, and it seems more fully featured. My Mopho X4 arrived a few hours ago and thus far I am thrilled with it.
-
I was in the shop demoing the Moog Sub 37. They just happened to have a DSI Pro 2 sitting underneath it. I didn't take any notice (I didn't know what it was at the time) and after about half an hour on the Moog, I tapped the Pro 2 and liked the sound. I asked about it and realised it was along similar lines to what I wanted out of the Sub 37.
Being new to manual synthesis, I found having a display invaluable to understanding the changes I was making with each parameter change. I found the controls placed more intuitively (e.g. hold button on the left instead of right, volume etc). The extra keys were welcome. And lastly, and something I never see mentioned on forums or reviews, the feel of the keys KILLS the Sub 37. They feel more like larger MS-20 mini keys, whereas the Pro 2 keys feel like full sized robust synth keys. They feel heavier, more solid, more travel, just way better for playing (and I do play as a midi keyboard, as well as using as a mono).
To be brutally honest, I did prefer the Moog sound, but I found the Pro 2 to be so close and yet so much more usable for a relative noob. The form factor is cooler on the Moog, but more practical (portable) on the Pro 2.
So long story short - by accident!
-
And lastly, and something I never see mentioned on forums or reviews, the feel of the keys KILLS the Sub 37. They feel more like larger MS-20 mini keys, whereas the Pro 2 keys feel like full sized robust synth keys. They feel heavier, more solid, more travel, just way better for playing (and I do play as a midi keyboard, as well as using as a mono).
I agree. The Sub 37's keyboard definitely belongs to the cost saving parts.
To be brutally honest, I did prefer the Moog sound, but I found the Pro 2 to be so close and yet so much more usable for a relative noob. The form factor is cooler on the Moog, but more practical (portable) on the Pro 2.
Although the Moog isn't that hard to operate in terms of its front panel design, I'm still amazed by how clearly laid out the far more complex Pro 2 is. You'll definitely enjoy it for years to come.
-
I was fascinated by the Prophet 8 after having seen Inside Synthesis brilliant review but I was never able to afford one. I was really wanting a polyphonic analog synth with good controls. When I saw that they had released the Mopho X4 I bought it since it was affordable for me then and I really like that synth.
After that the collection has grown to include Tempest, Pro 2, Prophet 6 and now the OB-6.
-
Moinmoin,
What lead me to DSI synths (P'08, in my case)...
I played a Rhodes in school band (this was strictly private then) late 70s, went to a larger city to study (electrical engineering) and had a band with a bad bass player. So I switched to bass, which I still play and practice a lot. Kept keyboards (Rhodes, monophonic synth, cheap Organ) for fun and occasional use.
Physics in combination with upper cutoff of human ear dictate, that the lower the pitch, the more overtones fit into human hearing. This forces every bass player who is not def into looking for "the sound" more than fiddling (which remains for the people with lighter strings, SCNR).
Playing bass for some 30+ years, I reached a kind of mental and technical border and took lessons with Peter Sonntag, who to my luck lives in the same city. Taking lessons, talking about music, sound, and our personal experience with music, I mentioned especially analogue, monophonic synthesizers as a very suitable tool to explore everything regarding sound within a kind of "toolbox".
This lead to a spontaneous session during a private party at Peter's home, where You can find everything You may want in order to make music, be it recording or playing in front of ~50 people.
I played nothing but an old Transcendent 2000, 70s monophonic synth with even only one single VCO, but some very handy gizmos.
The decision to go on with Peter and his group found me looking for a tool, that could do everything a "normal" analogue synth can do plus things like saving and recalling patches, being prepared for highly improvisational context from modern jazz to some metal things, ...
The P'08 was the only thing I found suitable regarding specifications. After trying one, "war die Messe gelesen" (German idiom for very definite decision, literally "the holy mass was read/performed")
I am not that much into classical lead sounds and fast keyboard action, but in being that guy, who cares for the melting of different instruments into "band sound" by providing some kind of "overtone-glue". Sorry for these imperfect words, but I cannot write it in words better.
I am still very happy with it, in order to further enhance its sounds I use a Moogerfooger MIDI-MuRF, sometimes a cheap reverb, that's quite it. As both effects are mono, I route them through a mixer taking banks A and B as separate streo inputs (and an organ, and my old Transcendent 2009, and sometimes even a string machine).
I think I will use the P'08 until I stop making music and sounds, which will be as close to the day I'll die I can get with it...
Of course I still play and practice the bass quite a lot, which is why I stop here and get back to it ;)
Martin
-
Such an interesting question, and probably helpful to DSI in their development of future products.
I first walked into a local synth store about 10 years ago with the intention of buying a moog voyager. But this place had EVERYTHING so I tried it all,
I hated the Roland SH101, it sounded like a mosquito.
I tried the DSI mophos, but they felt cold and brassy
I tried the moog voyager and found it had no sequencer or arp. (Nothing did back then!)
I bought the little Phatty stage 2. I felt it was meaty and warm. I would not buy the boxed red back one, only the store display one which sounded better to me.
The staff thought I was crazy. But atleast I had my arpeggiator!
Over the years this store has let me try things side by side, and I've ended up not buying a lot of things I was sure I'd want.
Then the prophet 6 came along. I loved Daves presentation at NAMM, the layout made sense (much better than the little Phatty) and I loved that it had slop, sequencer, arp, the lot!
I tried the prophet 5 in store and was duly impressed, this was the first DSI that sounded analogue to my ears. When I compared the prophet 6 I was impressed.
Once I got the money together I had the choice or prophet 6 over ob-6.
In the end I went with the more familiar sounds of the prophet 6
These in the end were the reasons:
- analogue pathways
- arpeggiator
- sequencer
- separate resonant hi and low pass filters
- digital effects if needed
- great layout of the interface
- no menu diving
- fantastic sound design in the patches
That's why I finally went DSI, also my dad died so I had the money to consider it for the first time in a long time.
-
I'm enjoying reading all of these synth stories!
I have always had the tendency to try to "get the most bang for the buck," which has caused me to make many bad decisions. I bought my first synth in college (1986): a Yamaha FB-01 four operator FM synth with no ability to edit sounds from the front panel. I soon (1987) traded it in for a Yamaha TX-81Z, which was a slightly better four operator FM synth. Still sucked, so I bought some digital effects, and the entire sound still sucked and I never played it. Later I sold it all off.
Years later (1996) I bought an Ensoniq MR-76. Again I could not edit sounds from the front panel. But the sounds were very good and the sequencer was awesome. I played it all of the time, and I'd still have this keyboard if it had not been stolen (2005). To replace it I went fully computer with a Novation X-Station 49 and Logic Pro 7. Never used it. Didn't like the sound of the X-Station or the soft synths. Having to boot up a computer to play music really took away a lot.
In the mean time (2013) I was traveling a lot so I bought a Teenage Engineering OP-1. This is a lot of fun, and I keep it near the bed in case I can't sleep at night. With the OP-1 I started enjoying the sound design part of synthesis. Next I built a Mutable Instruments Ambika, which sounded nice but the UI was very frustrating, especially coming from the very well-designed OP-1.
A year ago I made another bad decision and bought a Yamaha MOXF 6. Nice sounding keyboard, but the user interface made no sense. I played it for a while and then got bored. I remembered that back in my college days I bought the FB-01 because I couldn't afford a Sequential synth, so I sold both the Ambika and the Yamaha to get a DSI Prophet '08.
I think the main reason I chose the Prophet '08 is the price and the fully analog signal path because I have never owned a synth like that before.
I'm with MartinM. I intend to keep this keyboard for the rest of my life. If I get another synth it will be a Prophet 12, probably in module form so I can travel with it.
-
I have always had the tendency to try to "get the most bang for the buck," which has caused me to make many bad decisions.
Amen to that! My first synth was a poly 61 secondhand for $300 but my luck ran dry after that. (Only just put it up for sale this week, my prophet fi ally helped me let go.
As for the prophet being my synth for life, I was going to say the same thing, except someone suggested I do a knob wobble test and I don't think the prophet 6 will last half as long as my korg polysix which is solid as a rock.... I take care of my equipment but I can t see my polysix having lasted 30 plus years of the knobs were that wobbly.
I suppose we shall see!
-
I started as an SCI kid before becoming a DSI adult! My first synth was a Pro One, bought when I was 15. A few years later I traded a DX-7 for a Prophet 5 (rev 2), which the music store was more than happy to part with. In fact, they felt so bad for the trade (Are you SURE you want this dusty old thing?), they threw in a used Roland TR-707! Sadly, I couldn't afford to repair the P5 when it finally died and I sold it for parts. One of the great regrets if my life. Anyway, I'm now a proud Prophet 6 owner. Love it. It's in Berlin where I live and I'm back in California where I'm from. Thankfully, my girlfriend here has a P5, so I'm in-between the best of both worlds. Before I left Berlin I recorded loads of P6 tracks for the album I'm making, and it's fascinating to add P5 to those same songs now. I find it easier to conjure immediate, suited sounds on the P5 - the 6 is fussier for me, filter-wise - but having the two instruments on the same album is thrilling. They play well together. Oh, and I traded my first Pro One for a Micromoog, but then traded that Micromoog for a second Pro One, which I still have. (And I bought my second Micromoog not long back.) No more trading and no more selling for parts!
-
I started really learning more about synths just over a year ago. Previously I had been learning drums, but since I'm in an apartment I couldn't play acoustic, and it was bumming me out to only play my electronic kit because when I would go for lessons I just got so much more out of the acoustic. Prior to that, I grew up with a piano in the house, had learned to play Star Wars as a kid (1981ish), later on played trombone and coronet in middle school band, ditched that for art class and skateboarding, was exposed to so much music through Thrasher Magazine and their Skate Rock compilations, taught myself guitar in 8th grade, took lessons for a few years, pinch-hit on bass for a few bands (I had a knack for it because I was always more into grooves than leads), then got bored with "normal" instruments as I devled more into industrial and around '93 more experimental stuff (COIL, Hafler Trio, Merzbow, Illusion of Safety etc). I never really knew anyone who made that kind of music, or where to begin, and I was a poor philosophy student, so... fast forward 15 years of tech sales, a marriage and divorce, and now I finally have some money and can do what I want with it! :D
So summer before last I Googled "Skinny Puppy synths", and it was all downhill from there. ;D
Ironically, I now realize that a huge part of SP's sound has much less to do with synths proper and much more to do with samples, processed percussion and Oghr's crazy vocals. But in the meantime I discovered that another of my favorites, Lassigue Bendthaus / Atom / Senor Coconut / Uwe Schmidt, used an Oberheim Matrix 1000 on his "Matter" album, so I started searching for OB sounds.
Then later an online friend (Earmonkey Music) put up a Youtube vid of his OB-6, and I surfed that to the Prophet 6/OB6 comparison video. I put it on in the background while I did other stuff, and literally EVERY time a sound made me stop what I was doing to see which one it was, it was the OB6 (I later discovered that is one of Steve Albini's studio tricks; no doubt I am the next Steve Albini). I got lucky with a nice commission check, and here I am. :)
-
Chvrches.
-
Chvrches.
I know, right?!
-
Got a Christmas present called the Sound Gizmo in 1980. Still have it. Bought my first synth in 1986 with paper route money. Casio CZ-3000. (Long gone) Then I grabbed a used Minimoog in 1987 for $100.00. Still have it but it needs some cosmetic love. Fast forward through many synths and samplers to today. I run a small project studio catering to the Hiphop and R&B markets.
Current Hardware Synths:
OB-6 Desktop, Sub 37, Minimoog (Original), Nordlead2, MS-2000, Triton Le
Current Soft Synths:
Nuendo with Nek, Zebra2, Ace, SH-2, MS-20, Monoploy, Monark, Sem V.
The Arturia Sem V is what lead me here. That synth sounds pretty good for a softy and it introduced me to the Sem Filter. Had designs on a Sem Pro and then the OB-6 hit the shelves.
-
Horror soundtracks from the 80s. Mostly John Carpenter's use or both the Prophet 5 and Prophet 10 plus a plethora of other composers and soundtracks (Maniac, Day Of The Dead, Creepshow, The Boogeyman etc). I have a Kurzweil 2600XS as well as a Roland FA-08 and eventually I made the decision to get a Moog Sub 37 which I still use. It was one of the hardest decisions which Prophet to get. While I admired the ability to do splits and layers and five octaves I realizes that a lot of the composers I loved worked with limitations and I felt that through limitations it challenged me to be more creative so I got a Prophet 6. This is when the Canadian dollar was really low so it cost me over $4k CDN due to the exchange rate but it has become my favorite piece of music gear. I've set about to try to create some patches from soundtracks I love and I'll be getting a Youtube video together showcasing these in the near future.
I am excited to see what DSI comes up with next because to be honest, other than the Tempest I haven't really been too blown away by their other gear. I'm more interested in an Oberheim Two Voice Pro over an OB6 for example. I hope that Dave actually steps away from the analog realm and maybe tries to do a modern Prophet VS synth or an FM based synth..I know he did the Poly Evolver in the past but it would be nice to see him do something different again....because other than a modern Prophet with dual keyboards (ala Prophet 10) or something along the lines of an ARP Quadra, I don't really know how much more he can do in the analog realm.
-
I come from a pure computer background, with no musical training. I was introduced to Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis, and Kitaro by an older relative when I was young, and their music is ultimately what sparked my love for synthesizers.
I started my journey with ProTracker on the Amiga A500, and later transitioned to Fast Tracker II on the PC, which in turn led me to realtime software synthesizers, as they became more available (shareware, etc). I have learned synthesizers completely from just trial and error, putting the pieces together in my inquisitive mind.
Propellerheads Reason was brought to my attention and I clicked with it's hardware rack paradigm. It has been my main program since 2004. It was during this time that I somehow learned of DSI and the mono evolver desktop.
Next to the evolver I've also owned the tetra and the PEK. I liked them very much but couldn't fit them into my software environment, since Reason didn't offer audio recording or MIDI sequencing at the time. The PEK in particular had to go because I was bitten by the modular bug at the time, and needed cash to get more modules. ;)
Reason has since then gotten both audio recording and MIDI out, and this have had me looking at hardware again.
I'm waiting to see what NAMM will bring, but the OB 6 and the Prophet 08 are both hot candidates for me. :)
AXS, I believe it had another name then, was one of the early realtime softsynths (for DOS!) that I became acquainted with.
(http://www.resolutionaudio.nl/Gfx/AxsScreenTopLarge.gif)
-
Perhaps worth mentioning as well is that I've done my fair share of patch programming. I've offered two banks of patches for the Tetra (also converted to P'08 and MoPho) on the old dsiforum site. The Tetra banks were posted on this forum as well.
I've also done factory presets for various software plugins, including u-he ACE, Synapse Audio The Legend, Sonic Charge Echobode, as well as factory presets for various Rack Extensions (Rack Extensions are propellerheads plugin format for the Reason platform that was introduced a couple of years ago). :)
-
I'm a guitar & bass player, mostly playing in coldwave bands, so I was very likely to be interested by synths.
My first synth was a Korg MS-2000, a very funny synth, but I was frustrated by it's 4 voices polyphony, then I bought a Nord Rack 2X, and that's what led me to the Prophet sounds.
A few years later, I tried a PEK in a store and I was blown away, but I didn't buy it because 4 voices only. Tried a Prohet'08 later, not very convinced as it was a kinda stripped down PEK, then came the P'12 which fitted perfectly for my need : enough voices, 61 keys, splittable, powerfull, and, last but not least, as FUN to use as my MS ;D
-
My first synthesiser was a Sequential Circuits Pro One that I bought in 1981/2. And now some 35 years later, I have just bought a DSI Pro 2. I have also added an Arturia Drumbrute to my sound making arsenal, and this seems to 'play nicely' with the Pro 2.
For the last few years I have been using 'softies' (Spectrasonics, Native Instruments, etc) in my recordings, so it is like a breath of fresh air to start incorporating some real Analogue (? Hybrid ?) noises into my compositions again !
-
Got my first DSI synth in 2003, a first run Evolver desktop. It's taken me 13yrs to order the upgrade chip, but I really never was too fussed about not have the MIDI CC's or being able to send the sequencer notes out. I also own a Tetra.
I found out about the Evolver via the Waldorf user email forum (amazing forum, I miss it still...). I owned (and still do) a Microwave XTk and a Pulse at that stage. I took to the Evolver easily due to it's matrix interface being the same as used on the Pulse.
My first synth was a "broken" MS-20 in 1988. I paid $12.50 for it and "fixed" it (I made a basic patch) in the first 5min. Since the I have gathered a fairly large collection of gear ranging from more Waldorf synth, a few more Korg boxes, a drummachine or five (the Roland ones have all broken though), some samplers and many sequencers.
Sometimes I make a noise that is musical...
-
I've always been into romplers or so I thought, then I realised that most of the time I'd select a piano patch and load up a few soft synths on top.
I was using Zebra2/Diva/Alchemy more than my actual hardware synth.
I love the sound of Diva and realised that what made it great is that it tries to emulate a zero delay filter...what if I bought a keyboard which had digital oscillators but a real analogue filter?!
So here I am now with a Prophet 12 and loving the fact that my hardware synth will now be a major part of my compositions rather than just selecting a piano on it which I can replace with EW Pianos or other anyway :)
-
I love the sound of Diva and realised that what made it great is that it tries to emulate a zero delay filter...what if I bought a keyboard which had digital oscillators but a real analogue filter?!
What's a zero delay filter?
-
I love the sound of Diva and realised that what made it great is that it tries to emulate a zero delay filter...what if I bought a keyboard which had digital oscillators but a real analogue filter?!
What's a zero delay filter?
https://www.xils-lab.com/pages/Zero-Delay-Feedback-Filters.html
-
I love the sound of Diva and realised that what made it great is that it tries to emulate a zero delay filter...what if I bought a keyboard which had digital oscillators but a real analogue filter?!
What's a zero delay filter?
https://www.xils-lab.com/pages/Zero-Delay-Feedback-Filters.html
Thanks David, from that link 'Oversampling a lot to reduce the delay to a ridiculous time, predictive algorithms, or going a other way, which might seen as preferable for multiple reasons, the most important one being the very heavy CPU cost involved by most of the other solutions.'
DIVA sounds great because it uses predictive algorithms which constantly predict and refine the prediction in real-time but sometimes this comes at an extremely high CPU cost.
My quad core i7 struggles on some sounds so it's nice to be able to get similar and in some cases better sound by pairing DIVA up with a P12.
-
I'm a guitarist by nature, and I began my journey as an electronic technician when a friend told me about job opportunities at Sequential Circuits in 1981. I worked as the Lead Technician for seven years. Only a handful of people know the experience of having a job where you get to test, play and repair synthesizers for a living. I built my own P5 and can visualize waveshapes in my mind from the constant reinforcement of viewing an oscilloscope for those years on the bench. More importantly I've maintained my friendship with the folks from SCI. I saw Dave and Andrew at NAMM and congratulated them for the success of DSI. The booth was very popular, a good sign that tactile synthesis is vital to the modern musician/ composer.
-
The tempest. Superlative transient control, analog signal path, mod matrix. Will eventually get around the p6 and ob6, love that analog sound!
-
What lead me to DSI? My ears! ;D
Seriously though, I grew up on 80s electro/hip-hop/new wave and later industrial (alongside skate rock and thrash), and despite the hype Moog gets, that sound is REALLY driven by the Pro One. Because the Pro One just has a brighter, punchier mid-bass tone and super snappy envelopes, that really serve the bass function better in more sparse productions than even a Model D (I know, blasphemy, but I stand by it).
But it was only by looking at what gear some of my favorites used - Skinny Puppy, Newcleus' "Jam On it", Yaz - all used the Pro One.
Ironically that's the ONE synth I still don't have - despite having like $5k worth of DSI gear. It's also the sound - with U-he's Repro-1 - that finally convinced me that software might be viable.
Sadly, even though I love all DSI/Sequential products, I'm probably going to have to buy the Behringer copy, because none of the DSI monos hit that same spot. And it's not just nostalgia, it's a TONE, just like a Stradivarius is a tone. Sadly Dave isn't interested in it, so as much as I hate to say it, I'll have to give Uli my money.
-
I was learning some music production ITB and decided to get a hardware mono in order to more easily learn synthesis, and to have better resale value than a software plugin. During the first few weeks after deciding to look for a second-hand mono, a MoPho keyboard caught my eye, at a great price and in good condition. I was swept up by how fun this thing was! Since then, I've added a Tetra for the polyphony and combo mode. I may eventually upgrade to a Rev 2, but I am admittedly a bit sentimental about this little yellow keyboard... I don't know what I'll do! :D
-
2005 -- rising from the ashes of the dark age of analog poly synth production -- the Poly Evolver. I had a Nord Lead 3 at the time, but PEK immediately became my muse... the hybrid nature, cool built-in effects, tuned feedback, and stereo architecture made it unlike anything before. Now, fifteen years later, its still one of my favorites. It's in good family with the Rev2 and Pro3 as well :)