Hello everyone, I’d like to hear some of your experiences with gear change and consistency within your projects.
Here’s my current “problem”: I have a stable set up which I use for two different projects. I try to imagine my set-up as a small band: every machine is specialized in something (bass, lead, pads, kicks, drums…) and gets its own audio out. I have found that it works best for gigs.
With this set-up, I have composed and recorded several songs. I’d come up with a rough balance between the machines and then send it to a professional to finalize the mix/master process.
Now, one of my synth has to be replaced and I cannot simply get the same one. How would you approach this? Do you try finding another synth with matching specs in order to recreate as closely as possible the sounds made on another machine? Or would you embrace change and try to come up with a different sound that still fits in the mix?
It feels like a musical Ship of Theseus. It is inevitable that all of my gear will just break one day. I’ll have to change it in order to perform the same songs.
Of course, there is always the option of giving up gear and going in the box. This is obviously a way more practical approach, but I simply don’t like making music on a computer. Since I’m not a professional musician, fun remains the decisive factor when deciding how to create music.
It sounds like you want something fun. What looks like fun that you can afford? I’d say spend the money on whatever seems the most appealing, even if it doesn’t fill the void, then fill the void out of necessity.
Just sounds more fun that way.
The way you’re doing it feels kinda like you’re shopping for undershirts. Frankly, I can’t think of a way to get less dopamine from a purchase. Might be more responsible though.
Hm, you seem to have a good workflow going that is already quite complex. I’d say try to find something that’s closest to the broken synth that can’t be replaced 1:1. Whether “closest” is mostly about sound, controls, keys, FX, outputs etc. etc. is up to you. What’s the most important aspect for the synth to fill that assigned role in your live set? Better think about that than getting distracted by fact sheets of functions you probably won’t use but giving up something you always use so far.
Replacing it will most likely always be a compromise, so be aware of what’s the most important aspects of the synth for your live set. Maybe it’s more important to have that one knob that does a specific thing well than the core sound, only you can tell. Maybe also think about something annoying/limiting about the broken synth that might be fixed by bringing in a replacement, so you also gain something instead of only losing something.
Remember that the biggest deciding factor in your musical output is you.
No matter what devices you have, you will always like the same kind of tonality and often want to make the same sounds. New devices may give you different inspiration and push you in a direction you might not have thought of, but you will always be pulled in a certain direction by your own feelings.
Same applies for a band - ALL bands change at least some of their gear throughout their lifetime (bar a few rarities like Tom Morello etc), but the change in sound is either reflected as ‘progression’ or just staying with the times. Unless you re-record old music, no one would really compare it side by side though.
In my band, I hava changed amps a few times, changed pedals countelss times, and recently switched my entire setup to a modeller. We’ve also had multiple member changes over the years, but it is still the same ‘band’ with the same ideas of what the band should be.
It depends what it is.
If you mean it’s out of production and hard to find (or now expensive), then find something similar to fill its place.
You will know better than anyone here can tell you about what the important attributes of this synth is/was to you, so start there.
As for the exact details of the replacement problem, here’s the full conundrum.
I’m a very happy owner of a Virus TI 2. Dream synth, dare I say, ultimate synth. I use it in multimode. In this mode, some patches are for bass duties, some patches are for lead duties. Bass patches are routed through outputs 1+2 (yes, I like my bass stereo). Lead patches are routed through outputs 3+4. I tend to use one multi-patch per song.
Here’s the problem. I’m getting audio bleeds randomly. Bass will be sent to outputs 3+4 and leads to outputs 1+2. I have tried to identify where this bug comes from by reading the manual and exploring forums, but it doesn’t seem to be a common problem. Moreover, I have not been able to replicate the bug. In other words, I can’t anticipate when a bleed will happen and why. It’s been a few years and I think I know this machine really well (the only thing I haven’t tried is using it as an effects unit).
It can lead to annoying problems during gigs. It already has in fact! So, I have decided that the Virus will only be used for bass duties and that I’ll have to come up with a dedicated machine for leads. I try to keep my GAS in check, so I don’t have a lot of spare synths on my hands. I do have a Roland S1 and a dreadbox Typhon. I’m currently trying to replicate the leads sounds I was using with the Typhon, but I realized I was not going to be able to always match them. That’s why I’m asking this question here, to see how people who choose at daw-less music making approach deal with this type of situation.
To follow up on my previous post. It’s a “partial” replacement of a Virus TI2. I could try to find one on the second hand market, but I live on a small Island in the middle of the Indian Ocean (Hello fellow elektronauts from La Réunion), and I’m not too keen on having this kind of equipment sent from Europe to here. Especially when dealing with individuals. I always want to try second hand equipment my self.
HOWEVER, it’s very easy to get gear on Thomann. You just have to be okay with a +25% cost + shipping
It seems like you are looking for a lead synth, right? possibly with a structure close to the Virus? I read your message about living in La Réunion and the hassle of finding second-hand gear, but why not try and find a Virus Snow ?
Sure sure, I’m also a firm believer in the “make music, don’t focus on gear” mantra, but if a lead is missing from a song, especilly something which is meant to be a hook, then it becomes a bit of a problem. Hence, my question.
Though, to be clear, I don’t really expect a definitive answer. I know my songs, I know my gear, I’m the only one who can really know what’s good or not. But having the thoughts of a full village of gear nerds might help me in how I approach this problem.
How important is the sound/engine of the Virus for your lead sounds? How important is it to have one multitimbral synth with four outputs to fulfill both tasks / how much harder will it be for you to handle having another synth in your live setup if you use another one just for leads? That’s the questions I’d ask myself. Depending on th answer, I might either use the synths you have like Typhon for leads or get a new multitimbral synth with four outputs. If adding another synth for leads isn’t a problem, definitely cheapest and easiest.
Aint a single person gonna complain about the live patch not being the same as the recorded version. Maybe you might, but no one else cares. Good music is good music, doesnt matter what its made on.
There’s no bloody way Id take my old MS20 out for gigs. I might sample it, or just use something else. But I’m sure as shit not spending much time thinking about it.
I’m going to go with the “use what of have” approach and try to come up with mix appropriate leads on the Typhon. And when the next synths breaks, I’ll figure out something again!
A hardliner utilitarian approach would be to match the workflow and sound from the replaced device and ignore anything fun, inspiring and complex. All these are chaos factors that distract when playing a planned and practiced live set. Not saying it’s a good idea to do this 100% but take it into consideration as it limits your choices and you’ll swap less gear and waste less energy.
I started with the utilitarian approach because the rest is up to taste and proclivity. Can you find another synth that does that lead? Probably but you may have to get a bunch of them and try them out. Why not do that and see where it takes you? Maybe the hudrasynth covers the bases?