Synth suggestions

Runestrider · Post by **Runestrider** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 7:32 am

I've recently decided to buy myself a synth rather then learn to play guitar, bass, drums, saxaphone, violen etc, etc. but was wondering what exactly I should go for. I'm looking to spend about £300 and am currently looking at the KORG MicroKORG and the Alesis Micron and was just wondering what your thoughts where, or if you haed any other suggestions. Thanks for the help.

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:24 am

Micron or Ion. If you really want to learn about synths and sound design then the Ion would be a good entry synth.

MarkM · Post by **MarkM** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:32 am

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alesis-ion/messages

Here's the Ion and Micron Yahoo group. They can answer more questions. They get beginners' questions quite a lot and are good about answering them.

ebg31 · Post by **ebg31** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:12 am

From what I've read, both instruments can also teach you a lot about modular synthesis, with their "virtual patch" matrixes. That's something that's available in the MS-2000B and is a descendent of the Oberheim MAtrix 6 / 6r, I'm sure.

endocrine · Post by **endocrine** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 3:54 pm

Also, look at the Novation K-Station. It's just a touch more expensive but I'm sure you will never our grow.
-8 notes poly
-lots of knobs
-analog modeling
-EASY to use

When writing patches on the microKorg, I get so frustrated. It takes for ever. It has too much reading. I'm sure it's a similar if not worse scenario with Micron (lets face it, Ions are too expensive). Also, the keys on the micro feel dumb, like a toy+they are too small. The biggest limit of the K-Station is that it only has 2 octaves of keys, but that could be a cheap fix (as little as $30) with a simple midi controller. The Micron has a limited amount of keys too, but they feel better. Over all, I prefer the K-Station.
-Tyler2000-

miket156 · Post by **miket156** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:05 pm

Quote by Endocrine:
---------------------------------------
lets face it, Ions are too expensive
---------------------------------------
Too expensive as compared to what? A MicroKorg, which is a TOY. The MAP has just dropped to 599.00 for the ION, and that's a lot of synth for the money. I realize that if you just don't have any money, ANYTHING is expensive. But sometimes saving for a period of time to get something you really want and will have for a long time is a better option than buying cheap and regretting it. Then you have to buy again.

Check out the OVERPRICED thread about the Voyager. The ION doesn't seem so expensive when you look at what a Voyager costs. And NO, I'm not saying the ION is "as good" as a Voyager, but it is good for what it does and what it costs.

Mike T.

endocrine · Post by **endocrine** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:37 pm

Yes. Too expensive in comparison to the microKorg, and the micron. I'm talking about synths fro the man who this thread is for. I've never played an Ion and I've only played a Micron in the store, but its seems the Ion is out of the price range, and to me the K-Station feels more analog than the Micron.
-T2K-

Lengai · Post by **Lengai** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 5:17 pm

Runestrider,

I'm not sure what style(s) of music you are planning on using the synth for. There are some pretty good synths that you can get in that price range.

Here are some other suggestions:

The DSI Evolver
The Access Virus Rack - Ebay
Technosaurus Microcon II
Roland SH-32
Waldorf Micro Q- Ebay
Waldorf Pulse - Ebay
Oberheim Matrix 6R - Ebay
Korg Wavestation A/D - Ebay
Nord Lead Rack - Ebay

From your post it sounds like a ROM synth is what you are looking for (guitar, bass, drums, saxaphone, violen etc, etc). You could pick up a Roland JV-1010 on Ebay for less than $250 and it has all of the instruments you listed plus more. There's also Emu sound modules like the PlanetPhatt or MoPhatt. Not sure if any of those are what you are looking for in an instrument, but they are all in or well below the price range you specified.

Good luck with your new synth!

Lengai · Post by **Lengai** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 5:22 pm

I forgot the Nord Micro Modular synth, and there's always soft synths. There are oodles of them around and they cost a lot less than hardware synths. Maybe Native Instruments' Reaktor?

killmesara · Post by **killmesara** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 12:51 am

I would stay away from the microKORG if i were you, The vocorder on it sucks, and the little microphone that comes with it is garbage.
If you are shoping for a korg go for the MS2000. Its super affordable and very simple to use, plenty of knobs and it has like 16 banks to store sounds.
the nord micro modular is good too.
what kind of music do you want to create?
Try downloading a synth from some place like sharewaremusicmachine.com
and see if a virtual synth isnt what you are looking for.

herw · Post by **herw** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:49 am

Lengai wrote:I forgot the Nord Micro Modular synth, and there's always soft synths. There are oodles of them around and they cost a lot less than hardware synths. Maybe Native Instruments' Reaktor?

Hi i am new here in this forum.
As i haven't enough money for buying a hardware system i have made a system with the software REAKTOR; it's named MODULAR MINI. I have uploaded in the user library. Perhaps you are interested to download it (it's free).
It is a fully open system with virtual wires . There is a first mini version with several modules:
Midi, 2 oscillators, LFO, Level converter, Dual ring/amplitude modulator, 2 ADSR, 1 amplifier, 1 filter, 1 delay, 1 noise.
The system is planed to be expended to a large system.
Next modules: trautonium (4 suboscillators with multiwaves, dividers can be modulated), flanger, chorus, tube, formant oscillators

ciao herw

Sweep · Post by **Sweep** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:21 am

That looks interesting, so I tried downloading it.

I'm having problems, though. It's on a Native Instruments site and asks for you to log in.

I have a registered NI product, so I was able to log in, but now it says `Please register the software before downloading product-related files.'

Is there somewhere else we can download this from - or is it just me that's getting confused with NI's site? Or is it only free if you already have Reaktor?

herw · Post by **herw** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 12:14 pm

Sweep wrote:That looks interesting, so I tried downloading it.

I'm having problems, though. It's on a Native Instruments site and asks for you to log in.

I have a registered NI product, so I was able to log in, but now it says `Please register the software before downloading product-related files.'

Is there somewhere else we can download this from - or is it just me that's getting confused with NI's site? Or is it only free if you already have Reaktor?

yes - you have to be a reaktor user

ciao herw

(thanks to the administrator for deleting some posts (you know))