synthesizer - it's time to get one

[blavatsky]

+1 on novation stuff again
A-station, xiosynth, x-station,nova are all very capable, especially in your price range.

I would not start with a monosynth, they are great but you'll want a VA or cheap analog poly for pads/chords etc.

[tdae]

yeah i just might have to get the ms2000 because i love culp and his sounds, and he said he uses the ms2000

love what these guys do:
-culp
-sensei himself
-dpeee
-scruffnuk dust
-samiyam

Just get a microkorg. Same sound engine as the MS2000 in a smaller package with far fewer knobs. They really do sound great and can be had on ebay for around and sometimes less than $200.

OG Microkorgs are really nice synths for beginners.

[Rabot]

i know it's not really related but some friend just kinda gave me a really busted Dave Smith Evolver. I gotta clean the heck out of it but I can't wait to use that thing.

[CULP]

True story.
My ms2000 is now broken and gone. Its the first synth that I had die on me so I am officially against the ms2000
the voices all went to shit and the delay knob crackled the sound.
Some overweight guy with hat head in jogging pants offered me $150 for it.
Fck that synth I sold it.

If you are new to synthesis, get a synth with as many knobs as possible for tweaking and learning parameters. A micro korg is off putting. There are too many pages of shit digging. You'll pull your hair out trying to learn what everything does.

[melodious]

If you're looking for something that is much more than just a plain synth like the microkorg that culp was talking about, then i'm going to have to recommend the OP-1. It's definitely cool to start out with considering it does have it's limitations and has only one lfo. It's a sampler and mini daw. It has a line in and everything as well. It is very pricey though, it's normally about 800$. But i'm sure if you look around you can get one for a cheaper price. I was talking to a producer name "Yellow Tangerine" that use his OP-1 for everything and was explaining this to me. Just wanted to share this with you!

[spacetrip]

ya i've looked into the op-1, virtual flannel uses one and kills it! super dope.

just really pricey, and as culp was saying i'm trying to find one with knobs to tweak. i just imagine using knobs for faster experimenting rather than diving into menus n shit

[melodious]

Well then definitely take advice from culp. I envy him when comes to synths, guy's a beast.

[riPaddo]

I've had a MicroKorg, and I pretty much liked it at first. But later on I got bored of it's sound.. I think I haven't really taken the time to actually learn it (I did tweak some things, so not only presets) and was fairly new to synthesis... Still had lots of win with it though.

Now after learning NI Massive, I'm dying to get a hardware synth like a Acces Virus or Nord Lead.

[Rabot]

some people use massive in the same way they use the microkorg, aka tweak the preset.

on the ms2000 (and one the microkorg) you can initialize a patch and that's how, IMO, you learn synthesis.

[blavatsky]

I'm not anti-microkorg, but I agree with these guys - you can do better. Almost everyone starts on one because they are cheap and easy to get a hold of. I had one , sold it and never looked back....

i know it's not really related but some friend just kinda gave me a really busted Dave Smith Evolver. I gotta clean the heck out of it but I can't wait to use that thing.

Evolvers are badass, i recently got a evolver keyboard and it's mind blowing what it can do for 1 voice...

Also saw a Virus mentioned - even if you can get a B or C, they are killer and very knobby

[keiska]

I can recommend ESQ-1.

Dirt cheap, reliable and very easy to program, even tho there isnt any knobs and only couple of sliders. Filter sounds good, recording ''patterns'' is easy, and also very usable in live situation.

Edit: funny fact: its designed by same dude that designed commodore 64's sound chip

[preqwal]

The Microkorg is a bitch to program. Since I got my Alesis dock for my ipad I've just been using it as a midi controller. I'm looking for something with easy access to parameters.

The Mini Brute or Mini MS20 could be a new purchase of mine and dump the microkorg!

[adapter pilot]

There is an app called tb midi stuff that allows you to see all parameters of the microkorg as sliders and knobs. Until I can save up for something knobby it's a decent work around for 5 bucks. I'm also working on controlling the 404 effect parameters with an xy pad, just gotta make the template .

http://www.thiburce.com/TBStuff/?page_id=664

[CULP]

Tb iPad thing would be crazy. So you can edit parameters on the fly with it plugged into the Microkorg? Like some midi sysex real time?
Seems deep. I need to see it demo'd

Esq-1 is a digital synth kind of like the dx7 right...? Never played one, or a dx7.

On a digital note.

I'm looking for a TG33 and have been for 2 years.
If anyone has one laying around send me a MSG. I'm itching to buy one.

It looks like this

http://basicj.sarlok.com/music/kit/yamaha_tg33.htm

A sy22 would be amazing as well but I don't have the room for anymore full size boards.
It's all about the vector control.

[c.y.e.t.w.n.t.]

culp, check your pm when u get chance