Gear Obsession

[Gerry Havinga]

Compared to what's common these days, that's actually not a large amount of gear.

It would be interesting to have on this forum a challenge to produce on YouTube one synthesizer piece each member, using a single instrument, start to finish, and with only the usual effects as compliments.  Again, not a competition, but a challenge; and not a demonstration, but an actual complete piece of music.  That would be a fascinating refreshing thread.

Great idea. For myself I would add to that: no sequencing from within a DAW (multi track recording audio is OK). I restrict myself to hardware only: one synth + one sequencer

This might be fun.

[Shaw]

Compared to what's common these days, that's actually not a large amount of gear.

It would be interesting to have on this forum a challenge to produce on YouTube one synthesizer piece each member, using a single instrument, start to finish, and with only the usual effects as compliments.  Again, not a competition, but a challenge; and not a demonstration, but an actual complete piece of music.  That would be a fascinating refreshing thread.

Great idea. For myself I would add to that: no sequencing from within a DAW (multi track recording audio is OK). I restrict myself to hardware only: one synth + one sequencer

This might be fun.

For myself I would add to that: no sequencing from within a DAW (multi track recording audio is OK).

I’m not even certain of the distinction ?!?!


I set up a Logic environment for about 24 tracks of OB-6 (my chosen synth for this challenge)... what’s the difference between a sequence and a multi-track recording???

[Shaw]

This might be fun.

Yes..... this will be fun for sure.......

[Paul Dither]

Therein lies a nice little challenge for all of us on this thread: pick just one instrument, and record a piece of music with it.  Just one.  Any effects or outboard gear is fine... but one instrument (Synth, guitar, whatever).  And share your results here.

I actually find this to be a great strategy. It's something I always did when I got a new synth. It not only helps you in getting to know an instrument really well, but also forces you to get the most out of it.

[Sacred Synthesis]

I was originally thinking of keeping this one-synth challenge restrained to a single pass - meaning, no multi-tracking, but only as much as one could achieve with a single take.  Now THAT would be the most fascinating challenge of all, and would highlight the chosen synthesizer in an exceptional way.  But I suppose most folks would think that's too stringent and would insist on multi-tracking galore.  I won't make an issue out of this, but a single track would make demands on the synthesist and their instrument that multi-tracking would not, and would allow for a crisp clean presentation of the instrument's character and capabilities, un-muddled by layers.  It's that "wall of sound" density that spoils the original intent. 

Perhaps there should be a double challenge - a single track thread and a multi track.

I can think of two complications from my situation.  First, I chain keyboard and module/rack versions for a larger sound.  But because these concern the identical instrument in two forms, I think it should be allowed.  It may be a system, but it's still the one same instrument.  And second: bass pedals.  I always use them.  Even though they concern the same instrument - the Prophet '08 - I think they should not be allowed.  The standard should be that the music must be triggered from a single keyboard and panel.

[Lady Gaia]

The approach I'd take to writing for single-pass recording on an instrument that can handle multiple effects busses and lots of distinct timbres simultaneously would be similar to what I'd do when recording multiple tracks, but on a mono- or bi-timbral instrument it gets to be a very different story.  This latter case is fascinating to think about.

Perhaps there should be different "weight classes" as well?

[Sacred Synthesis]

We could come up with countless distinctions and groupings, but the two that would seemingly allow for the greatest differences would be single and multiple track recordings.

[Razmo]

It could be done... but with a simple monophonic synth like Grandmother, it would quickly become a massive limitation... it depend on what it is you want to portrait... is it a showcase of the synth, or a piece of music done with that synth... I would say, that only making a single track would not at all showcase what the instrument is actually capable of in a musical context if you cannot multitrack it.

I do understand the challenge in completely excluding anything else... that is, multitracking allowed, but no external FX and no post processing in the DAW like EQ/Dynamics etc... just the RAW output of the synth on each track you do... that would force you into being clever and creative, especially with a simple monosynth... like double tracking for stereo effects, several takes for PAD sounds or delayed retakes for simulating delay etc... it can certainly be done... but with that said, an external delay and reverb would certainly give you a lot more flexibility... the source sound is still that one synth.

but it would be fun to try using only multitracking without any external processing...

[Sacred Synthesis]

Rather than be burdened with excessive rules, let's leave the effects issue to the synthesists.

I've set up two threads with guidelines.  Let's just get on with the challenge, and allow this thread to revert back to the topic of gear obsession.

[Razmo]

I need a Matriarch... I really do 

[Sacred Synthesis]

Do you mean a wife or a synthesizer? 

[Razmo]

Do you mean a wife or a synthesizer? 

A wife? That's one of those with drone mode permanently set to "ON" right?

[Sacred Synthesis]

Not necessarily.  There are some very fine models still in production.  I've got a vintage unit that's top-notch.

[Shaw]

Rather than be burdened with excessive rules, let's leave the effects issue to the synthesists.

I've set up two threads with guidelines.  Let's just get on with the challenge, and allow this thread to revert back to the topic of gear obsession.

Yeah... I didn't mean to imply so many rules.  Just record a piece of music with one synth.  For some people that means 1 track, no effects. For others that may be bitimbral synth with a sequencer for 1 track and a 1 track played live.  For other that may be a full 24 track production including effects.  I really wasn't trying to create rules beyond just using 1 synth alone.  Nor was I trying to insinuate a "competition". 


The "challenge" is meant to be a personal one, and I thought it would be a good vehicle for all of us to spend less time looking at synths we don't have and more time recording synths we do have.

[Shaw]

I need a Matriarch... I really do 

Now we are back on topic!

[Razmo]

Actually I am often fascinated with one synth demos... They are usually effected which is fine with me or multitracked because what fascinates me most is the creativeness needed to pull this off, and because it reminds me how much a lot of gear really matters (it does not) ... It is good therapy for me.

Thus I would not mind such a thread to link to other videos from the web, also using only one synth... There are quite a few actually... Maybe even explaining some of the tricks you use when you make a one synth piece.

I dont care what people use in addition to that one synth, as long as all things used are stated so we know all details.

[Razmo]

This one is quite impressive...

[Sacred Synthesis]

The "challenge" is meant to be a personal one, and I thought it would be a good vehicle for all of us to spend less time looking at synths we don't have and more time recording synths we do have.

Yes, that's what I was thinking, too.  It's a challenge to oneself to give up the usual technological crutches we synthesists often lean on and face the music.  And it's a personal challenge as well to put aside the fantasies of what we'd like to own, and instead, work with what we already own.  Thread after thread on these synth forums are essentially elaborate fantacizings about more new gear, with everybody dreaming in type about all the stuff they'd like to own.  That mental mode tends to take on a life of its own.

[Sacred Synthesis]

Thus I would not mind such a thread to link to other videos from the web, also using only one synth... There are quite a few actually... Maybe even explaining some of the tricks you use when you make a one synth piece.

That's a good idea for a separate thread, but if we add it to the one-synth challenge threads, it might predominate.  I mean, I could already add dozens of links to my own recordings, but I won't add even one.  I think this should be a fresh series of new efforts produced entirely by members of this forum. 

[Shaw]

face the music.

Nice turn of phrase.