I don’t really care about looks but it’s obviously a bonus if aesthetics are nice. Roland often try too hard. The first time I saw the sp555 I hated it, looks like a tacky dj toy. I’ve since gotten used to it. But just give me a non-reflective plain coloured casing with knobs/pads etc + an inoffensive font and I’m happy. The aira series is a disaster visually…
Looks matter a lot to me. In my case, music is just a hobby, and not one I take all that seriously. As such, strictly speaking I don’t need a specific piece of gear. But once in a while I come across something I fall in love with and want to own. Looks plays a big part of that. Heck, even my modular only have modules from one specific brand just because I want a uniform look. Had I been a professional my guess is I would have had a more pragmatic “whatever gets the job done” view of gear, though.
I can safely say I will never own any of the Roland AIRAs simply because of how they look. And in general I’m no fan of all the new gear with mini keys and/or a plasticy toy-feel either.
my Access Virus A is a beauty 
… still own it for 15 years or so.
TR-8 is looking okay … but would never go with the TB-3 … these led pads … grrreerergsgser … looks like a toy.
Would buy a Mother 32 too, so beauty! … but asking myself if I can do nearly the same with a Dark Energy soundwise (without noise and sequencer).
Yes Adam I agree with you interfacing with the machine is everything but the visual element you refer to is ergonomic not cosmetic which is what a lot of people seem to be talking about here.
I also agree with Vos “I would buy the ugliest instrument if it sounds good”
and perversley would get a kick out of knowing i had a tool others dismissed on its looks [the fools]
The stuff I interface seamlessly with is my Synthi AKS, Roland JD800 and an old Rickenbacker bass its early days for me with my OT and AR but i do lose myself in them as well…
I never understood why Elektron didn’t do all printing in white on their black boxes - it would have been more practical to read.
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This is my list of priorities …
- Does it sound excellent
- Is it ergonomically enough to be used as an extension of my body
- Do I - really - need it
- Do I - really - want it
TBH … I do not ignore the look of an instrument, but I would always prefer that old, rusty, and dented horn with it’s devine sound over a golden one with ordinary tone.
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Looks do matter, but you can always just turn the light off. 
For better or worse, the look of a piece of gear can affect how the user perceives it.
I once had a circuit bent instrument with an awful paint job: looked like someone drank green paint and then puked all over it.
The machine made cool sounds, but looked like garbage. I sampled the sounds but kept the machine in a drawer most of the time.
Oh, and the machine smelled weird too. Not sure which was worse: the look or the smell. Smell definitely matters!
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Oh - yesss,
had a second hand box from a VERY strong smoker. I couldn’t bear it and got rid of it asap.
Smell really matters.
There’s no clear line between how your senses interpret your experiences. It’s a matter of subjective triggers within each and every one of us, but we can’t turn off the impression of visuals. We can, however, to some extent decide how they control us and also develop an acquired taste.
One of the reasons why hardware is back in fashion, it’s because it was never out of fashion. It wasn’t a fashion to begin with. What it is, is touch, sight and sense interacting with your mind and your emotions in ways that computers do not. We’ve missed that. We’ve lost a lot of physical interaction with the progress of modern technlogy, and we want it back.
Once we experience this connection of the sense with our instruments, we react accordingly - for some, it’s an almost sensual experience. For others, it doesn’t mean so much. But our senses respond in some way, no matter.
Working with a computer triggers your senses in entirely different ways. Some see the beauty in the visual structure of your song, like a painting evolved, and others enjoy the miniature muscle movements of just creating amazing music with a press, a click and a touch. Just imagine, that with those subtle movements of your hands, something grows that others will hear and enjoy. Others are left blank and can’t relate to the emotional experience of working with a computer.
This stuff matters. You don’t get to decide. Evolution decided for you.
What you can decide, is how it matters, though, and to some extent, how it affects you.
Great post!
I agree about the hardware aspect: not only do looks matter, but touch and the tactile experience involved are important too.
Great post!
I agree about the hardware aspect: not only do looks matter, but touch and the tactile experience involved are important too. [/quote]
Indeed, sound isn’t 100% of the experience.
I like to think that taste is just about the only sense that doesn’t matter (here).
less is more for me, but sometimes yes the sound is so good that you can overlook the visuals. it’s nice when the character of the creators come through in some way in the design. always “feels” better.
i’m def a bit of a fanboy of the swedish design aesthetic. vibes well with me
Well build quality is quite important, and the aesthetics sorta go hand in hand with that, i think. Heavy duty components usually look more pleasing as well, right? 
?
So true, as a machine that isn’t reliable is a major fail.
Trust in the instrument is a key factor for me !
Beer goggles work for instruments too.
I’m not a huge stickler for looks, but that Aira green is just awful. If they’d chosen blue or a different color they might have gotten some of my money, but the look of the entire line really puts me off.
Just a thought but how many people find the aesthetics of a piece of hardware affects what kind of music/sound you create? I was drawn to Elektron gear primarily because of the design, and having owned many other pieces of equipment I keep coming back to them. I honestly think how you perceive something physically influences the sounds you make as much, if not more than the workflow itself…
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