Hello to all!
First post!
Maybe a stupid question, but since Wendy Carlos did Switched On Bach I have been wondering about synthesizers…
Where would it be the best place to start?
Thank you all and happy Sunday!
TRON
Well, I won’t go as far as saying the best or the first. But check out Raymond Scott and Morton Subotnick. Having said that neither one of them used Moog. But that’s ok we can still enjoy 
Dean
start to listen or start to use them ?
Hello!
I meant start to investigate what to buy as simple as possible.
I have most of Subotnick’s output and I love it.
And by the way, I dislike the new preprogramed digital synths.
I’d rather go analog and experiment… I am much more into early Stockhausen music…
Thanks for your answers
TRON
i suppose it depends on your budget but either a Little Phatty or a Voyager is all you need to start for sure you wont go wrong. period 
Cheers,
DL
A Voyager Old School would be a superb place to begin. But at a much more reasonable price, consider the Roland SH 201. This seems to be an excellent introductory synthesizer with the basic functions and at a minimal cost of $600. It also happens to have 10-voice polyphony.
Welcome TRON!
While I think you would love a Moog Voyager Of School etc, you sound like the kind of person that needs to go modular! 
You can start out very small and simple but be warned, you probably won’t be really happy until you have a good sized rack full of modules, (or 3 or 4 racks full! 
)
Modular synths come in many sizes and shapes. I prefer the 5U types. 5U means the modules are 5 rack units high. There are two basic variations of those, the Moog modular standard (sometimes refered to as MU) and the Synth Tech MOTM standard. They are both the same height but the width increments and mounting hole locations are different. Here are some 5U companies/sources to look at:
Moog style:
http://www.cluboftheknobs.com/
http://www.moonmodular.com/
http://www.mos-lab.com/
http://stgsoundlabs.com/
http://www.synthesizers.com/
MOTM style:
http://www.modcan.com/
http://www.oakleysound.com/
http://www.synthtech.com/
(if you are into building electronics there are tons of resources to do so in the MOTM format!)
I own modules by all of the above companies except Modcan and Mos-Lab, so far! 
There are smaller and less expensive formats too, like:
FRAC:
http://www.blacet.com/
http://www.paia.com/
EURO:
http://www.analoguesystems.co.uk/index2.htm
http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm
You also might want to look at the somewhat more expensive and integrated types of modulars like:
Serge:
http://www.carbon111.com/serge_index.html
http://www.serge-fans.com/
(The company that makes them doesn’t seem to have a web site but the above 2 fan sites are very informative and have the company’s phone number)
Buchla:
http://www.buchla.com/
To see a kinds of video demos just do a search on http://www.youtube.com/ for any of the companies listed above (or any synth you are interested in for that matter!)
And, while there are several excellent moduar synth forums, my favorite is: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/index.php
Best of luck and enjoy your synthesizer journey, where ever it leads you!
John L Rice
‘at a much more reasonable price, consider the Roland SH 201. This seems to be an excellent introductory synthesizer with the basic functions and at a minimal cost’.
Please don’t go down this route!!
Hello!
I already built a Paia Fatman and it does noy serve my purpose…
I also built some stuff from a site called “Music from outer Space” with the same results By the way, the owner is very rude.
I also bought a micro or mini Korg and it was too preprogramed…so i returned it.
I want a noise source and reproduce thunder for example, play with VCFs, VCAs, ADSRs etc. It’s not for musical purposes… want is as simple as possible.
This is the site where I have been consulting for almost 2 years looking for information but no luck (apart that looking for components ie expensive and tedious)
http://electro-music.com/
Thanks for your prompt answers!
TRON
Cool! I highly recommend going with the MOTM format then because there is everythting from great basic function modules to the very unique and strange! I’d concentrate on Synth Tech, Oakley and Modcan first for both basics and weird stuff and then see what is out there in the SDIY (Synth Do It Yourself) community. For SDIY, Bride Chamber is a great one-stop-shop for several different designers.
http://www.bridechamber.com/bridechamber.com/Synth_Modules.html
John L Rice
I agree! don’t do it!
Moog Voyager Old School
Hello!
Well this sounds more like what Im’ lookimg for but is a little dear for I am currenly unemployd, but for Xmas I’ll kill to get one
Thanks aging for your kind answers!
TROM
For crazy experimental stuff Reaktor comes to my mind. However, it is a soft synth. Also a used Waldorf Q can get you some wild sounds. However, it is digital. Don’t feel you have to use the presets. Each has all the components you seek, except they are digital. These are all very affordable and do a great job. They are perfect for a beginner who is looking to experiment and create new sounds.
I am one of these guys who doesn’t care if a synth is digital or not: as long as it has unique sounds and is fun to play. Both the above have been (and still are) very instrumental in my music, along with my Moogs.
Edited:
Since you were originally inspired by Wendy Carlos, you might want to start out playing around with the free demo version of Arturia’s Moog Modular V software synth. It won’t cost you anything, will enable you to explore all of the basic synth modules she used, and give you an idea of what is involved in building a patch from scratch. This should then enable you to better understand what’s going on “under the covers” as regards later synth designs, like the Mini Moog, as well as more current synths.
I believe that the demo is fully functional, except that it is gimped in that you won’t be able to save your patches. (The hardware version of this synth would not be able to save patches either!), so you’d really get to experience what Wendy had to do in order to produce those Bach pieces. And even though at first glance it seems really complex, it is actually only as complex as you want it to be, as you are free to use only the modules you wish to use, ignoring the rest!
A Google search should lead you to Arturia’s download page.
No sense spending a pile of money if you’re just interested in exploring possibilities… If you decide you don’t like playing with synths, all it cost you would be the download time for the software! And if you decide you do like it, then you will have cut your teeth on what is for all intents and purposes, a Moog Modular!
Enjoy your explorations!
Bob
Hello!
When I first mentioned Switced on Bach, it was a Wendy Carlos reference. My really favourite albums ore The Beauty in the Beast and Sonic Seasonings…
Just so you all know.
Thanks!
TRON
Hello!
Well, I installed the Arturia Moog V with no problem but I can’t get it to make a single sound…
Strange…
Thanks,
TRON
You will need to set the preferences under File. You need to get your sound card as the audio out. If you have a typical sound card, there might be some latency: a delay in hearing your sound after hitting a key. A sound card with an ASIO driver will improve things quite a bit. You may need to redirect on the IN and Out which is located on the top of the softsynth’s main panel.
I use the Moog Modular V2. It’s a very good softsynth and will give you the basic understanding of working with a modular. I have used it frequently in live performance. The written manual that comes with the purchased softsynth is quite informative.
Hello again:
Preferences has 4 boxes:
Audio Protocol: options Direct X and Asio
Audio Drver: None and Yamaha PCI Audio
Sample rate: 44100 and 4410
Knob Control Knob: Circular, Circular Negative and Linear
How should they be?
Thanks!
TRON
To get the Arturia Moog Modular to make a sound you have to right-click on the VCA gain knob and select the keyboard as your input or something like that – can’t remember exactly offhand. I can check if you’re still stuck. Although I think the presets should be wired to make a sound right off the bat…