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hi guys,

basically im on the look out for a hardware synth i can have a play around with, nothing too special, just something relatively cheap thats gonna help me learn the basics of outside-the-box synthesis. something that can provide a decent variety of sound would also be nice, but i realise most of the " do anything" workhorse synths are going to be more expensive!

ive had a nosey on ebay, but other than just typing "vintage synth" into the search bar i dont really know where to start looking!
something with built in keys would be preferable, so i can jam without having to run it through the computer, and also use it as a full size midi keyboard.

anyone got any suggestions, either for models to search for, or other forums etc that might be worth checking?

thanks guys!

I have a novation xio synth - its great. built in synth is pretty good, has a few of the standard effects you'd expect. nice workflow to making sounds on it. Not sure how much they go for as I was lucky enough to be given this one but i'm under the impression they are not too expensive, especially the 25 key version. (thats what I have, ideal size).

its also got a really rad touch pad you can assign the X and Y values to differnt properties which is great fun - and novation are giving a Jamiroquai patch bank away for free - which is ideal. Anyone want to start a funk band?



Alesis do a similar style synth/midi controller for similar price, but I know little about that one.

What DAW did you buy ? Most of the DAW's provide you enough standard material to get started right away, and only when you wanna perfectionize your sounds you'll need 'better' plugins/synths.

The alesis micron is pretty cheap, i think its like 4 bills

Project_B wrote:I have a novation xio synth - its great.

yep..

totally agree

it's a soundcard, synth and midi controller

swiss army knife of sound for a decent price

What excactly is your budget?

Micron is a good start, microkorg maybe?

The SH-201 is a little bigger and actualylly not that expensive for the size, and should keep you entertained for a while... it's analog modeling and can do everything you need, minus complex sound synthesis

DjTrainWreck wrote:The alesis micron is pretty cheap, i think its like 4 bills

Saving up for one of these myself maybe it's what you are looking for as well?

reignz wrote:What DAW did you buy ? Most of the DAW's provide you enough standard material to get started right away, and only when you wanna perfectionize your sounds you'll need 'better' plugins/synths.

think you missed the point here mate, but thanks anyway!
im not looking for a VST/Softsynth, im looking for hardware. I use Ableton Live, and whilst Operator is possibly the most awesome peice of music software i have used apart from Live itself, im looking for something with knobs i can twiddle, and also something that is an instrument in its own right, outside of the computer.

thanks for all the suggestions guys, the SH-201 looks incredible, something analogue would be awesome, but unfortunately its a bit out of my price range i think. i was thinking maybe around £200ish tops? but it looks like im gonna have to spend a bit more anyway...

the Xio looks awesome as well, i think thats looking like the most promising option at the minute!

not checked out the mircon or microkorg yet, but ill be sure to have a look, thanks guys!

to be honest, i wouldnt mind something analogue, or a bit old school.. im guessing these would be lacking MIDI connectivity though? that might not be that important, i guess i could just record as audio..

i watched the computer masterclass with The Body Snatchers last night, (definitely worth a watch, quite funny as well, but then you realise they really know what they are talking about) and they mention an old analogue synth they picked up from a junk shop, and its out of tune and doesnt really work properly. because of these things they have real character, and no one else has quite the same sounds. im not looking for something that i can use for simple, "run of the mill" type sounds, as i can make most things i try to make in Operator, but something to "nject some characterand individuality into my tunes, does that make sense?

i guess the only way im gonna find something like this is to go round a few car boots with a bag full of batteries and test some out, i was just wondering if anyone knew anywhere i might be able to pick something like this up, or any old synths that were fairly unique and interesting, but not rediculously expensive. sorry guys, guess my original post wasnt worded very well!

Elkie wrote:

reignz wrote:What DAW did you buy ? Most of the DAW's provide you enough standard material to get started right away, and only when you wanna perfectionize your sounds you'll need 'better' plugins/synths.

think you missed the point here mate, but thanks anyway!
im not looking for a VST/Softsynth, im looking for hardware. I use Ableton Live, and whilst Operator is possibly the most awesome peice of music software i have used apart from Live itself, im looking for something with knobs i can twiddle, and also something that is an instrument in its own right, outside of the computer.

thanks for all the suggestions guys, the SH-201 looks incredible, something analogue would be awesome, but unfortunately its a bit out of my price range i think. i was thinking maybe around £200ish tops? but it looks like im gonna have to spend a bit more anyway...

the Xio looks awesome as well, i think thats looking like the most promising option at the minute!

not checked out the mircon or microkorg yet, but ill be sure to have a look, thanks guys!

to be honest, i wouldnt mind something analogue, or a bit old school.. im guessing these would be lacking MIDI connectivity though? that might not be that important, i guess i could just record as audio..

i watched the computer masterclass with The Body Snatchers last night, (definitely worth a watch, quite funny as well, but then you realise they really know what they are talking about) and they mention an old analogue synth they picked up from a junk shop, and its out of tune and doesnt really work properly. because of these things they have real character, and no one else has quite the same sounds. im not looking for something that i can use for simple, "run of the mill" type sounds, as i can make most things i try to make in Operator, but something to "nject some characterand individuality into my tunes, does that make sense?

i guess the only way im gonna find something like this is to go round a few car boots with a bag full of batteries and test some out, i was just wondering if anyone knew anywhere i might be able to pick something like this up, or any old synths that were fairly unique and interesting, but not rediculously expensive. sorry guys, guess my original post wasnt worded very well!

also check out that dave smith mopho with the keys

if you are looking for an analogue sound... I'd reccomend it

Subside wrote:

DjTrainWreck wrote:The alesis micron is pretty cheap, i think its like 4 bills

Saving up for one of these myself maybe it's what you are looking for as well?

I don't know why ANYONE would get a micron when the mopho is out there. It's a real analog monosynth, and is still easier to program than the micron.

FSTZ wrote:also check out that dave smith mopho with the keys

Sorry bro, I was so incredulous regarding the micron over the mopho, I had to hit that quote button before getting to your post.

nowaysj wrote:

Subside wrote:

DjTrainWreck wrote:The alesis micron is pretty cheap, i think its like 4 bills

Saving up for one of these myself maybe it's what you are looking for as well?

I don't know why ANYONE would get a micron when the mopho is out there. It's a real analog monosynth, and is still easier to program than the micron.

Probably because I have never heard of this Mopho synth thanks for sharing though nice sounding piece of kit!

yeah, marketing continually demonstrates it's value to an enterprise


Also, I've heard of this moog going for ridiculously cheap:

Isturite wrote:The SH-201 is a little bigger and actualylly not that expensive for the size, and should keep you entertained for a while... it's analog modeling and can do everything you need, minus complex sound synthesis

£50 more would get you the gaia sh-01 which, from the looks of it, is the 201s bigger brother.

Also, anyone know how you program the Mopho and the Tetra? do they have software editors for it?

back2onett wrote:Also, anyone know how you program the Mopho and the Tetra? do they have software editors for it?

From what I've been told, you can program them very easily from the front panel. But yes they come with software editors.

I get really really wound up by the way that Roland use names that are slight variant on their classic synths to sell their low-end new things. It just seems like a cheap ploy to make people think they're getting a slight update on an analogue classic when they're actually getting something basically unrelated.

Mopho does look very nice, the only thing that would put me off getting one is that it's still kind of dependent on a computer for actually programming sounds - afaict on the non-keyboard model the parameter knobs are more about performance than sound design - so you wouldn't get one of the big benefits of a hardware synth ie sitting there with no computer playing around with knobs to come up with sounds. But as far as my occasional pokes at fleabay can tell, for £200 you'll be doing pretty well to find something that's real analogue, doesn't sound gash, has keys, has proper knobs etc.

Juno 6 or SH101 might be worth looking out for and there are probably some analogue buffs who can recommend some more obscure stuff. Or look at a second hand VA like an MS2000 or JP8000. But yeah, unfortunately neither of us is the first person to think of this...

nowaysj wrote:

back2onett wrote:Also, anyone know how you program the Mopho and the Tetra? do they have software editors for it?

From what I've been told, you can program them very easily from the front panel. But yes they come with software editors.

I thought the front panel was just for browsing through sounds and adjusting filters, idk it just seems like a few encoders wouldn't be enough to get any real depth into sound design.

When I get the money I've to decide between the tetra or the gaia sh-01, still not sure yet

nowaysj wrote:

back2onett wrote:Also, anyone know how you program the Mopho and the Tetra? do they have software editors for it?

From what I've been told, you can program them very easily from the front panel. But yes they come with software editors.

Really? I'd find trying to program three envelopes and two oscillators by reassigning parameters between nine knobs pretty vexing. But maybe it's something you can get used to...

Think it was last month's em that had an article that dealt with the mopho and tetra, might worth a read.