The pleasure of playing an electronic instrument

[crazymilk57]

Hey everyone, let me explain myself a bit.

I started my music making hobby more than 10 years ago, quickly using octatrack but I’ve had (not at the same time), a machinedrum, maschine, modular, hardware synths, software synths and so on.

Recently I’ve started playing electric guitar (learning guitar might be more accurate) and I don’t have an elektron box at this time. This made me realize that the feel of the instrument, (not really the feel when you play, like adding groove and bends etc) but more the feeling of your hand touching it, the ‘‘joy’’ it procures make me think about electronics insturments again (more groovebox kind of things and synths).

This way I’m thinking about getting more into hardware, but hardware that can make you feel the music you make, that can make you interact with it, instead of just programming it.

So here is my questions to all of us, which pieces of music make you feel really connected , really bond to, and which equipment doesn’t, and why?

It can simply be some midi controllers, or synths, or elektrons.
It can be simple as the raw material and feel of buttons, encodeur, knob, or more complex as that way you can interact with many face of sound at the same time, like performances modes or anything else.

[darenager]

Tweaking a parameter with a responsive and direct control is somewhat analogous to playing an acoustic instrument with hands or playing a video game, the brain rewards such pursuits.

[Strutter]

Tweaking the FLO depths, especially with the OT is so satisfying and immediate when you’ve got a nice patch going on. It really makes me feel like such small changes make huge differences.

Very immersive.

[Suspect_Frequency]

Rubbing my fingertips in Vaseline and playing my iPad is when I feel most connected.

[crazymilk57]

No matter the synth or material, sensation of knob? encoder? For me twisting knobs on a novation slmkII (my midi keyboard) really makes no connection to me. Lightweight cheap plastic feel. Ugly experience.

[Swaitak]

one knob per function + expressive pedal + aftertouch is the equivalent to a guitar feel to me

[Microtribe]

Connected:
Octatrack. Always has, always will. Its just inviting, it always makes me want to play it more. I like the tactile experience of it.

SH101. The simplicity of the layout and the superb tone of the Sub osc is a pure joy to me.

Moog sub 37 the big filter knob, the expressive keyboard.

Pittsburgh SV1, that massive filter knob, the envelope, the patch points, and the raw sound! Damn I love that thing.

Loads more besides, Im not listing all my gear.

Disconnected: touch screen interefaces, software hosted on a laptop. I do like mirack, but its doesnt feel like an instrument to me.

[MichaalHell]

x post with a post i made a while ago.

I want an instrument which i can feel connected to

Have you ever sat by a piano and played and just lost yourself? There is something about Nice heavy keys that makes me feel connected to the piano. I havent really felt that with synthesizers although I love synthesizers, drum machines and eurorack, there is a disconnect between us. There’s a bridge which I haven’t been able to gap. I’m starting to sell off almost all of my eurorack in order for me to finance that instrument that will make me feel connected to what I’m hearing. I’ve had my e…

it feels like you´re looking for that connection to your instrument.
and for me getting a nice synth with keys really scratched that itch!
i decided upon a Nord Lead 2 as it was one on sale for a very reasonable sum at the time… and i must say that i have had some real moments of loosing myself while playing.
i highly recommend it… to further specify the specification i would opt for something with a large keyboard so that you can play freely.

[darenager]

That is why I specified responsive and direct control

[JamesM]

I get the guitar thing. Being primarily a Bassist, theres nothing that compares to the control you have over the strings. What cuts a close 2nd is a good Piano, and the feel for the keys that only comes with experience. The best fake I’ve come across at a decent price is the Roland pianos and MIDI controllers that use the PHA4 keyboard. The PHA4 keys have an incredibly good feel that outclasses the normal “synth action” keyboards, but obviously there’s nothing like a good synth action keyboard to make you feel connected. Example, the Nord lead A1 failed to make me feel connected to its amazing sound, but the semi weighted keyboards Sequential use make you feel totally connected.
Not to be ignored with the synth action keys, choosing the right velocity curve can make a massive difference for some sounds.

@MichaalHell

Nord Lead 2

And just to avoid confusion/contradiction, the Lead2 has a way better keyboard than the LeadA1. Nord messed up.

[Francis]

What James say. I think it can be similar though. I’m lucky to have a prophet 10 and got to say it’s a lovely instrument to work on. Very tactile and you feel the art machine vibe very strongly. For octatrack it’s more about discovery and hearing the result, getting a cool sound going and that is very rewarding. A lot of gear I’ve tried has been great but I didn’t care for the hands on experience.

[natehorn]

@crazymilk57

For me twisting knobs on a novation slmkII (my midi keyboard) really makes no connection to me. Lightweight cheap plastic feel. Ugly experience.

This is something I find a lot of MIDI controllers get wrong, and I don’t really understand why tbh. It doesn’t seem to be reflected in the price, and it’s not a technical limitation. It feels like they’re marketing to different people, or just don’t know their market that well.

Either the pots feel crap, or the buttons, or the faders - they often end up feeling cheap and plastic, when there’s no reason they should ‘feel’ any different to a proper synth.

Some exceptions of course, but they seem more like outliers.

[sabana]

A piano.

[Fallen_lassen]

I also love my guitar.
But the OP-Z. With the RUMBLE module feels just as good.
You have to feel it to believe it.

[crazymilk57]

I’m glab to hear all your replies but let me add another precision. I get the ‘‘instrument’’ feeling with synths (one knob per function, quality keyboard etc) but this is all about playing a single instrument, (a single timbre in a composition) but what about being the ‘‘conductor’’ of your electronic song.

Instrument or ways of interaction with multiple tracks, maybe playable effects processors?

[MichaalHell]

yeah the rumble module is actually really cool… i like to watch movies on my ipad or phone and use the OP-z/Rumbe module as the audio interface and just let it rumble on my chest… really adds to the watching experience

[chaocrator]

[Bunker]

From experience I’d say a ‘premium’ synth gives me that connection. Whether it’s the higher quality keybeds (Fatar etc), knobs, hardware and of course the sound, those things add up to the overall experience. I’ve owned and played tons of synths over the years but the step up in price and quality of stuff like the Pro 3 and Matriarch is noticeable.

[natehorn]

@crazymilk57

but what about being the ‘‘conductor’’ of your electronic song

I think that some sequencers achieve this - and you are literally (sort of?) taking the role of a conductor in that case.

I think that using Eurorack can be a bit like this too - you’re managing an ecosystem, not just playing an instrument.

[Diefenbaker]

Can we not agree once and for all that there’s really no substitute for learning the fundamentals of an instrument in the traditional way, connecting your body, your brain and your heart with as much passion and practice as possible? If you can’t make music when the power is out, you’re missing what it truly means to be a musician. You just won’t find that in the world of bits and current alone. I think there are a lot of people who don’t want to believe that, and a lot of cheap rationalizations for buying more shit that could be avoided.