For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
User avatar
By starmanwarz Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:26 pm
So, for the first time in my life I'm thinking about buying a synth. I'm sample heavy but I think a synth would add a lot and open up many possibilities. After all, I dislike VST's and using my computer for music in general so I think that having an extra hardware hands on sound source wouldn't hurt.

I also want to start experimenting with other genres as well (DnB, breakbeat, deep/tech house etc) where I think a synth would have a more primary role and sampling a more secondary one.

I'm thinking that I should start with a mono synth and if it works out I'll probably add a poly in the future. I can't play keys but I can put a few notes together.

I'm looking at the Moog Sub 37. It looks and sounds amazing. Is it a good choice? Anyone here who has one?

So, do you guys use hardware synths? How do you incorporate them in your music? Do they work for sample based hip hop? How essential are they to your setup and what genres are you using them for?
By Christov Sun Apr 30, 2017 5:22 pm
I got a Korg Microkorg and a Arturia Microbrute. Both machines can do amazing things, but I basicly just use them for basslines (and sometimes pads) really. For me it works real nice with my sample based hiphop beats. And, just like yourself, vstI's dont work me either.

But too say I use them for much other than basslines would be lying, so I'm probably just scratching the surface.
User avatar
By Wormhelmet Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:46 pm
I use a lot of hardware synths. Leads, Bass, Pads, Sound fx, sequences, etc

Also for a lot of styles. I use samples too, but like to make my own parts up quite a bit.

Before you buy your first synth, I would have to ask how much you know about sound design.

A synth like the Virus Ti2 has about 7000 presets people have made and are available. A synth like the sub 37 has a very limited number of preset slots you can save in and probably has a very limited number of presets it comes with. It is a fantastic synth for a mono/para analog, but I see it more as a sound designer synth than a performance type synth. It has a small number of keys, small number of presets, lots of knob control for making your own sounds and live performance tweaks or midi event recorded tweaks in your tracks, which is good if you understand subtractive synthesis. On the plus side, if you want to learn how to create sounds, it has plenty of control that gives easy understanding to envelopes and modulation routings.

Something to think about. The ability to play simple lines and learn sound design can be easier with a good synth like that.

If you don't want to create your own sounds or learn about synthesis so much as wanting a synth that has great sounds in abundance already, then it might not be for you.

The Virus happens to be easy to program sounds on too if you have basics down. Or any other very knobby synth with less menu diving aspects. Something like the minibrute pretty much forces you to learn because it has no menu diving or preset storage, so you are essentially creating all your sounds which can be stored by marking paper templates or taking iphone pics or similar.

What do you want the most out of a synth?
User avatar
By starmanwarz Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:05 pm
Christov wrote:I got a Korg Microkorg and a Arturia Microbrute. Both machines can do amazing things, but I basicly just use them for basslines (and sometimes pads) really. For me it works real nice with my sample based hiphop beats. And, just like yourself, vstI's dont work me either.

But too say I use them for much other than basslines would be lying, so I'm probably just scratching the surface.


Yeah that's what I want for my hip hop beats-bass (mostly), pads and leads. And everything else I suppose would be useful for EDM like stuff.
Last edited by starmanwarz on Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By starmanwarz Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:22 pm
Wormhelmet wrote:I use a lot of hardware synths. Leads, Bass, Pads, Sound fx, sequences, etc

Also for a lot of styles. I use samples too, but like to make my own parts up quite a bit.

Before you buy your first synth, I would have to ask how much you know about sound design.

A synth like the Virus Ti2 has about 7000 presets people have made and are available. A synth like the sub 37 has a very limited number of preset slots you can save in and probably has a very limited number of presets it comes with. It is a fantastic synth for a mono/para analog, but I see it more as a sound designer synth than a performance type synth. It has a small number of keys, small number of presets, lots of knob control for making your own sounds and live performance tweaks or midi event recorded tweaks in your tracks, which is good if you understand subtractive synthesis. On the plus side, if you want to learn how to create sounds, it has plenty of control that gives easy understanding to envelopes and modulation routings.

Something to think about. The ability to play simple lines and learn sound design can be easier with a good synth like that.

If you don't want to create your own sounds or learn about synthesis so much as wanting a synth that has great sounds in abundance already, then it might not be for you.

The Virus happens to be easy to program sounds on too if you have basics down. Or any other very knobby synth with less menu diving aspects. Something like the minibrute pretty much forces you to learn because it has no menu diving or preset storage, so you are essentially creating all your sounds which can be stored by marking paper templates or taking iphone pics or similar.

What do you want the most out of a synth?


I don't know much about sound design, only the basics which I've been reading about the past couple of months, since I started my synth research. I have also watched countless videos of various synths and I have a general idea of what's going on.

I am not interested in going through factory presets to find the appropriate one, I want to learn synthesis and make my own sounds. If I get the Sub 37 (which I think has 256 presets) I'll just dive straight into synthesis, ignoring the presets. From what I've seen it looks like a very fun process, one can spend countless hours tweaking. And those fat knobs are begging to be twisted :P :nod:

Anyway, as I've said I don't know how to play keys and have no musical backround, so I'm not looking for a performance synth.

My synth lust began when a minitaur video popped on my YouTube feed, I was hooked. Given it is only a bass synth, I started searching for other synths in that price range (microbrute, BS2, minilogue, monologue and the Sub phatty) but when I came across the Sub 37, something clicked and it was instant love, lol. It currently is out of my price range, given that I've been saving for the MPC X but I will be saving for it and hopefully by the end of summer I'll be getting one. And after that, something like a Novation Peak, maybe? this one also clicked with me :lol:
By Christov Mon May 01, 2017 12:40 pm
starmanwarz wrote:Yeah that's what I want for my hip hop beats-bass (mostly), pads and leads. And everything else I suppose would be useful for EDM like stuff.


Then it basicly depends if you want a machine which you can edit fairly easy or not. My microbrute can be edited fairly easy for instance, but achieving usable results is kinda hard for me. The microkorg on the otherhand is harder to edit, but browding through the patches and tweeking a little achieves what I need pretty fast.

And a moog sub37 is a great synth, but its also a expensive machine. I'd personally start with a cheaper synth to see if a hardware synth works for you. The again, a moog is a great investment. Good luck with your synthquest!
User avatar
By Lampdog Mon May 01, 2017 12:48 pm
Not hardware but becasue I didn't wanna spend so much money I went with ios apps on ipad. Animoog is TERRIFIC. Midi it to my Korg Extreme and I'm a happy camper.

Also have thor, sunrizer, korg ipolysix and magellan.
User avatar
By Wormhelmet Mon May 01, 2017 4:56 pm
starmanwarz wrote:
Wormhelmet wrote:I use a lot of hardware synths. Leads, Bass, Pads, Sound fx, sequences, etc

Also for a lot of styles. I use samples too, but like to make my own parts up quite a bit.

Before you buy your first synth, I would have to ask how much you know about sound design.

A synth like the Virus Ti2 has about 7000 presets people have made and are available. A synth like the sub 37 has a very limited number of preset slots you can save in and probably has a very limited number of presets it comes with. It is a fantastic synth for a mono/para analog, but I see it more as a sound designer synth than a performance type synth. It has a small number of keys, small number of presets, lots of knob control for making your own sounds and live performance tweaks or midi event recorded tweaks in your tracks, which is good if you understand subtractive synthesis. On the plus side, if you want to learn how to create sounds, it has plenty of control that gives easy understanding to envelopes and modulation routings.

Something to think about. The ability to play simple lines and learn sound design can be easier with a good synth like that.

If you don't want to create your own sounds or learn about synthesis so much as wanting a synth that has great sounds in abundance already, then it might not be for you.

The Virus happens to be easy to program sounds on too if you have basics down. Or any other very knobby synth with less menu diving aspects. Something like the minibrute pretty much forces you to learn because it has no menu diving or preset storage, so you are essentially creating all your sounds which can be stored by marking paper templates or taking iphone pics or similar.

What do you want the most out of a synth?


I don't know much about sound design, only the basics which I've been reading about the past couple of months, since I started my synth research. I have also watched countless videos of various synths and I have a general idea of what's going on.

I am not interested in going through factory presets to find the appropriate one, I want to learn synthesis and make my own sounds. If I get the Sub 37 (which I think has 256 presets) I'll just dive straight into synthesis, ignoring the presets. From what I've seen it looks like a very fun process, one can spend countless hours tweaking. And those fat knobs are begging to be twisted :P :nod:

Anyway, as I've said I don't know how to play keys and have no musical backround, so I'm not looking for a performance synth.

My synth lust began when a minitaur video popped on my YouTube feed, I was hooked. Given it is only a bass synth, I started searching for other synths in that price range (microbrute, BS2, minilogue, monologue and the Sub phatty) but when I came across the Sub 37, something clicked and it was instant love, lol. It currently is out of my price range, given that I've been saving for the MPC X but I will be saving for it and hopefully by the end of summer I'll be getting one. And after that, something like a Novation Peak, maybe? this one also clicked with me :lol:


Since you have experience with vst's and not really hardware synths, I'm going to guess that you haven't devolved into preferring pure analog yet. I say devolved because I've met people that will instantly say that any analog synth sounds better than digital or virtual analog, but I really think it depends on the sounds you are going for. Digital and virtual analog can sound extremely good. Wavetable synths are a good example as are grain sampler synths. Hybrid synths sound great too. Digital or sample based oscillators with analog filters sound great. I like to use whatever suits the song. Sometimes that is analog, sometimes digital, but I got a variety for that reason. Also much easier and less costly to use sharc processors to get polyphony and add multitimbrality.

I like multitimbral synths because you can have several tracks set to different midi channels getting different sounds, all from one synth.

Novation Peak looks promising. I think you have your mind made up on the sub37 and if thats the case, buy it. You can always sell or save for a different synth later, but you'll have scratched that itch you got now for the sub37. Sometimes that is important too.

:smoker:

I have probably 20 hardware synths. Some analog, some digital. I had a lot of itches that needed scratching, but I like them all. I use them all too. Not at once, but usually several at a time.

8)
User avatar
By Wormhelmet Mon May 01, 2017 5:00 pm
Lampdog wrote:Not hardware but becasue I didn't wanna spend so much money I went with ios apps on ipad. Animoog is TERRIFIC. Midi it to my Korg Extreme and I'm a happy camper.

Also have thor, sunrizer, korg ipolysix and magellan.


I use iOS synths too. There are a bunch that sound incredible and they are a fairly inexpensive way to get great sounds. I even use the hardware MS20ic controller with my iMS20 app.

I have entire songs done on ipad in Beatmaker 2 and Nanostudio. Lots of potential with iOS apps.
User avatar
By Wormhelmet Mon May 01, 2017 6:34 pm
starmanwarz wrote:
Wormhelmet wrote:I have probably 20 hardware synths.


Damn, the GAS must be strong once you start buying synths :lol:

What am I getting myself into :Sigh: :smoker:


I don't use vst's anymore and 20 includes what I've been collecting over the last 8 years.

Oh yeah, I buy used when possible off ebay and many of the synths $300 or less.

Couple expensive ones, but good deals on the rest.
User avatar
By Lampdog Tue May 02, 2017 2:09 am
Wormhelmet wrote:
Oh yeah, I buy used when possible off ebay and many of the synths $300 or less.

That would be the route I'd go if I choose many hardware synths.
User avatar
By Wal Martian Tue May 02, 2017 5:44 am
I have alot of synths, lots are mono and rack mount. I think I bought my first one after asking for a cheaper moog alternative on these forums. Eventually I settled on a Waldorf Pulse rack for $400 or so off ebay. I slowly built up a little arsenal of rack modules, mostly non analog style like the JV and Mr Rack. I've sold alot and kept some over the years. Now I have a ATC-1 with minimoog cart, a Oberheim Matrix 6R, Motif, Planet Phatt. For keys I have the Roland SH2000, Korg Poly800. I like doing beats with no samples as well as using them with samples.
User avatar
By starmanwarz Tue May 02, 2017 4:11 pm
See, this is what scares me. Having a room full of synths. It's addictive! Currently I'm just looking for a good all around synth to learn synthesis with.
By back2future Wed May 03, 2017 10:57 am
starmanwarz wrote:See, this is what scares me. Having a room full of synths. It's addictive! Currently I'm just looking for a good all around synth to learn synthesis with.


How much do you want to spend? Sorry if I missed that ? The price of the Moog ?

What do you work on ?

I have a bunch of synths. :Sigh:

Mainly Dave Smith Instruments. I got addicted to DSI. So I think my view is one sided.

Pro 2. Prophet 12 Module. OB6 Module. Prophet 6 Module. Tempest. And a Moog Sub Phatty for good measure.

You can never go wrong with a module that has very limited to no menu diving. All the knobs on the front, like a OB6 or Prophet 6 module. Then just Midi up chords in the sequencer and run the module or any synth like a star.