New Product from Dave Smith

[Bryan T]

Don't guy buying a new synth when you have'nt already mastered the one you got...

In all seriousness, what does it mean to "master a synth?" I'm on my first synth (the Little Phatty) and occasionally I wonder if I'd get more out of adding another synth of some sort.

[anoteoftruth]

Don't guy buying a new synth when you have'nt already mastered the one you got...

In all seriousness, what does it mean to "master a synth?" I'm on my first synth (the Little Phatty) and occasionally I wonder if I'd get more out of adding another synth of some sort.

Well of course this is just my opinion but.. If you got a Little Phatty now, I'd just say.. dont go buying a DSI Mopho or some other analog monosynth untill you've really learnt the LP in and out. A lot of times people just get caught up in the gathering of gear, and don't realize the full potential of the instruments they have on hand. So I'd just say master it, learn it in and out, learn what it can do and what it can't.. find it's limitations, and then when your looking for new gear, you know exactly what you need and what you want to expand on what you already have..

That being said, if you only have a monosynth, it would'nt hurt to get a nice polysynth companion for it. I bought my LP and Nord Rack at the same time just for that purpose.. any setup will need instruments to compliment eachother, but all I meant to say is.. it's really common for people to get addicted to accumulating gear just for having it. Hell, one dude that introduced me to quite a few synths I had'nt heard about.. he has a insane setup in his home, Voyager, LP, Spectralis, a ton of other synths, mixers, equipment... but when you listen to his music? It's complete garbage.. just incredibly bland and poorly produced.. he spends more time buying and accumulating and boasting about his gear than actually sitting down and creating with it.

I'd say, you got a LP, grab a decent polysynth and bunker down, learn it, push the limits to both, and when you reach their limit, start filling in the blanks with things you need to round out your setup.

[Voltor07]

Don't guy buying a new synth when you have'nt already mastered the one you got...

In all seriousness, what does it mean to "master a synth?" I'm on my first synth (the Little Phatty) and occasionally I wonder if I'd get more out of adding another synth of some sort.

Well of course this is just my opinion but.. If you got a Little Phatty now, I'd just say.. dont go buying a DSI Mopho or some other analog monosynth untill you've really learnt the LP in and out. A lot of times people just get caught up in the gathering of gear, and don't realize the full potential of the instruments they have on hand. So I'd just say master it, learn it in and out, learn what it can do and what it can't.. find it's limitations, and then when your looking for new gear, you know exactly what you need and what you want to expand on what you already have..

That being said, if you only have a monosynth, it would'nt hurt to get a nice polysynth companion for it. I bought my LP and Nord Rack at the same time just for that purpose.. any setup will need instruments to compliment eachother, but all I meant to say is.. it's really common for people to get addicted to accumulating gear just for having it. Hell, one dude that introduced me to quite a few synths I had'nt heard about.. he has a insane setup in his home, Voyager, LP, Spectralis, a ton of other synths, mixers, equipment... but when you listen to his music? It's complete garbage.. just incredibly bland and poorly produced.. he spends more time buying and accumulating and boasting about his gear than actually sitting down and creating with it.

I'd say, you got a LP, grab a decent polysynth and bunker down, learn it, push the limits to both, and when you reach their limit, start filling in the blanks with things you need to round out your setup.

IMHO, and this is just me, I want a good analog monosynth, a polysynth, an organ-based synth that does organ sounds (my Farfisa) and a synth with a variety of piano-like sounds. As well as a drum synth and a modular of 44 spaces. This setup will complete my studio. If this is considered a collection, than so be it, but this will take me wherever I want to go. To each his own, though.

[Fogflip]

I see nothing wrong with accumulating gear i have done it then sold a lot and bought more and so on. Music is in the eye of the beholder it doesn't matter if it sounds awful. If you have fun that is all that matters. I am not a very talented musician but their is something fun in collecting high end gear as each piece is unique even if you don't use it to its full power or "master" it.

[Carey M]

It looks like the Tetra has 2 boards, one on top the other. Maybe the VCA's are hiding underneath the top board?

Oopsie! Yep, I totally missed that.

- CM

[kidgloves2]

The Tetra has me drooling! 4 X multitimberal analog for $800.

I'm buying a Tetra tomorrow.

I think I'm going to cut my gear down to just a little phatty and the tetra. For now.

Btw, is there a good DSI message board that's active? Why doesn't he have one right on his official site?

[Bryan T]

The Tetra has me drooling! 4 X multitimberal analog for $800.

I'm buying a Tetra tomorrow.

Let us know what it is like to use. I watched a video and it looked like you'd spend a lot of time either looking at menus or working with a mouse on the computer.

[Bryan B]

The Tetra isn't my thing, I have already lost a few friends over discussing this.

I think it serves a huge purpose and that is filling a market demand for cheap small things that make sounds better than a Korg Electribe.

I like knobs and some serious sound depth, and I am not seeing either of them with this yet. I don't care about price, size or computer interfacing. Is that so wrong?

[anoteoftruth]

The Tetra has me drooling! 4 X multitimberal analog for $800.

I'm buying a Tetra tomorrow.

Let us know what it is like to use. I watched a video and it looked like you'd spend a lot of time either looking at menus or working with a mouse on the computer.

Yeah that was the only turn off for me too.. give me knobs anyday. haha.

[anoteoftruth]

The Tetra isn't my thing, I have already lost a few friends over discussing this.

I think it serves a huge purpose and that is filling a market demand for cheap small things that make sounds better than a Korg Electribe.

I like knobs and some serious sound depth, and I am not seeing either of them with this yet. I don't care about price, size or computer interfacing. Is that so wrong?

I like the cut of your jib.

I have to admit I would rather have this over a microkorg or something.. and I laughed when you brought up the electribe haha. I got one of those and it sits in its box. haha.

But nothing beats serious sound depth and knobs haha. The last thing I usually care about is a computer interface for my synth.. I got into analog so I could get away from the computer, not right back on it.

[CTRLSHFT]

The Tetra has me drooling! 4 X multitimberal analog for $800.

I'm buying a Tetra tomorrow.

Let us know what it is like to use. I watched a video and it looked like you'd spend a lot of time either looking at menus or working with a mouse on the computer.

Aye, just like the mofo, if you want to program in depth, you need to do so on the editor.

The editor is really nice for what it's worth, but if one is a knobsnob and doesn't want to deal sitting in front of the computer to program, it's not for them. That's where the Prophet 08 should come in anyway.

[Bryan T]

The editor is really nice for what it's worth, but if one is a knobsnob and doesn't want to deal sitting in front of the computer to program, it's not for them.

"Knobsnob" I hadn't realized there was a term for that. That fits me too well. I hope that isn't a bad thing!

[Voltor07]

The editor is really nice for what it's worth, but if one is a knobsnob and doesn't want to deal sitting in front of the computer to program, it's not for them.

"Knobsnob" I hadn't realized there was a term for that. That fits me too well. I hope that isn't a bad thing!

I, too am a knobsnob. If that's so wrong, I don't want to be right!

[EricK]

The whole Idea behind Moog synths is that they are supposed to be connected together to form a huge system.

You can never MASTER anything. Artistic creation is a constantly evolving thing. To say that you should master something before you move on to something else is to intentionally blind yourself to everything else.

Besides,
One synth does something, another does something different. One synth isn't going to do EVERYTHING you want it to. I think its very lame to go somewhere and chastize someone because they own more than 1 of something.

If someone wants to buy 15 synths and not spend a lick of time learning synthesis or music theory thats their perrogative.

I own a host of instruments of all classifications. I have mastered none. I could wait until im 99 to get extremely proficient on say, a Moog, having never known the joy of blowing a sax. Whats the point of that? So I amass instruments and by the time Im 70, ill have over 50 years experience on a host of instruments. If I want a horn track, I record one. If I want a drum fill I record one. If I want a slap bass solo, I record one.

[anoteoftruth]

The whole Idea behind Moog synths is that they are supposed to be connected together to form a huge system.

You can never MASTER anything. Artistic creation is a constantly evolving thing. To say that you should master something before you move on to something else is to intentionally blind yourself to everything else.

Besides,
One synth does something, another does something different. One synth isn't going to do EVERYTHING you want it to. I think its very lame to go somewhere and chastize someone because they own more than 1 of something.

If someone wants to buy 15 synths and not spend a lick of time learning synthesis or music theory thats their perrogative.

I own a host of instruments of all classifications. I have mastered none. I could wait until im 99 to get extremely proficient on say, a Moog, having never known the joy of blowing a sax. Whats the point of that? So I amass instruments and by the time Im 70, ill have over 50 years experience on a host of instruments. If I want a horn track, I record one. If I want a drum fill I record one. If I want a slap bass solo, I record one.

Which is why I start everything off with, "in my opinion".

I'm not chastising anybody. I was just simply stating that in my opinion,
it's better to get to know what you got well before you start collecting and pack ratting. Maybe I was using the word "master" loosely and could've chosen better wording.. I'm not saying become a virtuoso here.. I also never suggested not to accumulate instruments.. If you see one of my past comments, I did mention, learn how to use what you got, and then you will find whats missing and what you need to fill in the gaps.. thats how you learn what to look for next, to round out your studio to best be able to produce the sound your looking for.

And your right, if someone wants to go around buying 15 synths and not learn a thing about them, hey thats their deal. If they just want to look at them and it makes them happy to put them on display, power to them. I won't respect them as a musician, or as someone to give me advice on gear/music... but to each their own.

Tell me if I'm wrong here, I'm just assuming the people on these forums actually use their synths, and are actually musicians? So when I comment, I'm making that assumption.

And about my friend I mentioned.. people are right, music is in the ears of the beholder, different music sounds good/bad to different people.. In my opinion, his was crap.. and in the 3 shows he ever played on stage, he was boo'd off the stage before he could finish, 3 different times.. He has a Voyager rack, sitting on the floor in his closet. Sorry, but as a musician, that to me is a sin. I'm not chastising him, he's a great guy, good friend.. but even he admits he has collectors syndrome and isn't so much a musician as a lover of things tech.