Has anyone here got rid of their synthesizers and moved onto other musical forms. Whether it be modular or Samplers etc. Or even Daws. I’d be interested to hear how you found the experience of ‘letting go’. I know a few people on youtube have but i’d like to know of first hand experiences. Did you find it liberating? Being free of the most Gaseous of equipment. Or did you really miss it and went back. Either way let me know as i’m often thinking about letting go and decluttering my workspace of keyboards. Cheers.
Yep. All my synth stuff comes from Bitwig’s The Grid now. No regrets. Although I do have an OP-1 reserved and I will use its string synth, but mainly it’ll be used for controlling Bitwig synths with its funky sequencers. And having said all this, I do miss DN from time to time, but I actually create more interesting stuff in The Grid imo
Previous synths owned: AK, DN, Nord Lead 2X, plus some Roland Boutiques like SH-01A, JU-06A and VP-03.
What was the hardest part of the transition Craig? Or was it a breeze
For me, a breeze. I don’t know why but I cannot live without the Elektron sequencer for percussive stuff (and I tried for a month or so recently) but synths are easier to program in a DAW. YMMV
Never!
I have thinned down my collection considerabley. That helped. Made me way more productive, and my GAS reduced to almost zero.
Now I have a small collection of favourite synths a sampler, couple drum machines.
I have a computer with ableton. Long story short. I dont like using a computer to make music.
Also have a drum kit. Drums are my first instrument.
Would never move on from synths. Im down for life!
You still have an Elektron Rhythm?
Can you elaborate on your small set of synths. Which ones were keepers?
Yes, and I’ve used it as a melodic sampler and for some basic DVCO stuff, but in terms of chords, pads, etc, piano roll is the way to go. IMO ofc!
I was thinking exactly the same thing. Just keeping the Rhythm. And a couple of Samplers.
Voice leading is hard off the piano roll
Sure thing.
Synths-
Elektron Digitone.
Moog Sub 37
Moog DFAM.
LYRA 8
Korg MS20 (original)
Roland SH101 (original)
Korg Monotribe.
Sampler-
Octatrack
Drum machines
Roland TR09
Roland TR-8S
Plugins. Gas is a human condition that will re-manifest itself
Thats a tidy set. And nothing too big either.
Lol. So true my friend so true
No synth keys here anymore. We have a piano that can double as midi controller though.
I am going modular hybrid with Expert Sleepers ES-9 and Ableton. Poly synths ITB.
Patchbay for easy external fx routing. OT as sampler and mixer for small setups for travel and the usual experiments.
Keeping Tascam as a lofi bouncing device and mixer but could be on the way out next year.
Changing things feels good!
I got rid of a lot…
And I dont have all my gear set up all the time. I shelve what ever is not being used. And swap things out depending on the project.
Your so right. And i like your set up
Over the summer I had a big sell-off. I knew that I had a move coming up, and it would be a good time to de-clutter. It is a good feeling to de-clutter. I do this in the studio every few years. There are maybe a couple things I hold onto, the rest gets cleared out, and I feel like I get cleared out mentally. At some point the acquisition starts again, and slowly builds, until the next time I clear it all out.
This whole mentality works well for me. I don’t want to be a collector. I keep stuff around that I like to use. And sometimes, I just look at a piece of gear, and if I haven’t used it in a few months, then off it goes to find another happy home. I find gear that I am not enjoying, or using, to feel like dead weight to me. Keep it fresh, and leave room to breath. There a few exceptions. Some things certainly carry a sentimental value. Those pieces tied to memories get a free pass, until they don’t anymore.
Easy or hard or necessary?
Just had this thought the other day. I do like virtual synths like Serum, Avenger, Sylenth1. They’re great to fool around with and come up with interesting sounds.
But I don’t own any hardware synths anymore. It’s easier for me to get the sound I want by sampling, or using a sample from a pack, looping it, putting an envelope on it and playing it like a synth
The Typhon looks really interesting and fun, but so have all the other hardware synths I’ve bought over the last ten years
MAJOR EDIT: There’s an SH-01A on my desk … that’s not going anywhere anytime soon