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Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:47 am
by dubmonkey
ok so am more of a hands on hardware person,
i dont like clicking the mouse to make beats, jus cnt feel it!,
anyways am lookin at an Access Virus B Desktop Synth,
to use for Leads,bass and sheer wobbles lol,
if not a a "Virus" what other synths can i use to make my leads/wobbles?
please get back to me! thanks

Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:19 am
by subminimal
I own a Novation Superbassstation, it was fairly cheap when I bought it, it´s great for basses, woobling or not. But ofcourse it´s a monosynth. For leads I use Novation Nova, also got that one on a fair price. It´s multitrimbal and is a 16voice poly, it´s a cheaper alternitive to the Virus.
Check these synth out on vintagesynth.com.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:30 am
by gravity
to be honest you should be able to do wobbles and leads with most synths, whats your budget?
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:42 am
by frebentos
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:36 am
by dubmonkey
gravity wrote:to be honest you should be able to do wobbles and leads with most synths, whats your budget?
erm less than £500 i would say,
like the thing that is mad for me is there are no vids ANYWHERE of people using Synths to make Dubstep its like
so at the moment i just know about the Virus, but that range is major pricey lols,
.. like i would say i jus need a good desktop synth like the Virus to do my wobbles i'd say...,
thanks man!

Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:17 pm
by Sharmaji
used moog voyager, used nords, roland 505, microkorg.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:32 pm
by symmetricalsounds
check this one out
http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/products/tetra/
buy it here
http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/84682 slightly over your £500 budget but sure if you shop around you can find a better deal and also got the advantage of being slightly less well-known.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:23 pm
by test_recordings
If you get two oscillator modules, an lfo, a filter and VCA (and maybe wave-shaper and ring mod.) you can do a 'wobble'. I'd advise getting a 'midi to control-voltage converter' so you can use a midi keyboard or a sequencer (some also double as envelope generators, they're better to get if you wana play it with real feel

) Check it's all compatible though, like max control voltage output and acceptance for each
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:26 am
by stappard
I don't REALLY see why you can't use a badass Novation midi controller to be hands-on with lots of softsynths. I know you asked about hardware but I hate to see people splurge money... call me tight

Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 2:06 am
by Tragic_Gash
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:15 am
by b166er
stappard wrote:I don't REALLY see why you can't use a badass Novation midi controller to be hands-on with lots of softsynths. I know you asked about hardware but I hate to see people splurge money... call me tight

+1. The shit we can do nowadays with a decent softsynth, and a good controller? M-Audio's axiom are cool, Akai, Novation. And you really don't gain anything better with hardware vs software. Well true analogue maybe, but I don't believe in all that analogue is superior shit. But its a personal choice. The money you spend on a Virus, even second hand can buy a Zebra and a sweet controller, and have a few hun leftover to buy shit you most likely will throw out!
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 9:16 am
by deadly_habit
alesis micron or ion if you can find one

Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:45 pm
by fiziks
If your looking for leads and raw bass, get a Mopho. It's mono, but that doesn't matter with bass. You have to scroll a bunch of menus as there's not a ton of knobs. Either way, it's a nice analogue synth. It's cheaper than a controller and massive. There's a full knob version coming out too. It all depends on your budget really. That Roland 201 isn't that great. In fact if your not going for analogue, I'd stay with soft synths. If you've got the dough to throw down for a virus, I'd say get a prophet 08 or moog voyager. Actually, if you're planning on spending that much, start a modular system. That's some next level shit though.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:45 pm
by FSTZ
loads of synths on the market under $1000
if you are on a budget but want a polyphonic synth with keys I'd highly reccomend the novation synths
the Xstation is great as well as the xiosynth
they have the same synth engine, just physically configured a little differently
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:12 pm
by Depone
Yeamaha DX7
Or the desktop version called the TX7 uses the same synthesis and sounds, but is harder to program
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:07 pm
by slothrop
Lots of this stuff doesn't seem great for the "hands on" approach, though, more like VSTs with analogue bits (or in some cases, VSTs with digital bits - almost the only thing that the TX7 seems to have going for it is that it's cheaper than FM8).
A decent midi controller or two might be a good call tbh - cheap, gets you more involved in the process than just clicking, and will probably be useful for controlling modules even if you do go the hardware route.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:15 pm
by trypset
whats with all this about just getting controllers and software....he specifically asked for hardware advice, not to be talked out of his ideas...
I say +1 for the Microkorg. It is an entry level synth for around $250-$300 used. I love mine, once you make a few patches on it it is really easy to get what you want out of it.....it can serve as a basic MIDI controller as well. This paired with my ES-1MKII electribe make for some very, computer free fun. I can trip and jam on these all night recording each of their outputs seperately....do I have anything to show for it yet.....no, but the fun I have twisting knobs and morphing sounds from actual instruments is rewarding all in its own right.
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:15 pm
by trypset
sorry double post
Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:51 pm
by Depone
slothrop wrote:Lots of this stuff doesn't seem great for the "hands on" approach, though, more like VSTs with analogue bits (or in some cases, VSTs with digital bits - almost the only thing that the TX7 seems to have going for it is that it's cheaper than FM8).
A decent midi controller or two might be a good call tbh - cheap, gets you more involved in the process than just clicking, and will probably be useful for controlling modules even if you do go the hardware route.
Yeah yeah, the bonus of FM8 is that you can import DX7/TX7 Sounds straight into it. PM me if you want them, i would just like that 'true' 12 bit DX7 sound

Re: Hardware Synth Advice...
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:43 am
by deadly_habit
Depone wrote:slothrop wrote:Lots of this stuff doesn't seem great for the "hands on" approach, though, more like VSTs with analogue bits (or in some cases, VSTs with digital bits - almost the only thing that the TX7 seems to have going for it is that it's cheaper than FM8).
A decent midi controller or two might be a good call tbh - cheap, gets you more involved in the process than just clicking, and will probably be useful for controlling modules even if you do go the hardware route.
Yeah yeah, the bonus of FM8 is that you can import DX7/TX7 Sounds straight into it. PM me if you want them, i would just like that 'true' 12 bit DX7 sound

heh the secret is out