Electronic Musicians

Post Reply New Topic

I've got a few things ahead of me that I'm trying to sort out - mainly getting myself a good job, getting my last college class out of the way, and if I can ensure I've got my car running well I'm probably going to save up a good $4,000 or so for my real passion (hint - it's not accounting).

What I have right now of course that I've still been dabbling with here and there in my Yamaha RS7000, I've always been a 1-piece musician and I technically could be 2 piece with the Roland VS840-GX but its *so* much easier to just pipe things into the back of computer, throw it down in goldwave, and zip it to mp3 (or, alternatively just using something like Reason over my RS7000 to begin with). One thing I've realized about grooveboxes, I've gone through a chain of them from having a Roland MC-505 back in 1998 when I graduated highschool, selling that for a Novation Nova, realizing I wasn't going to get another piece and selling that for the Emu XL-7, returning that for the Yamaha RM1X (probably my favorite of the pieces I've owned) and now this last one I've mentioned. What I've realized ever since my friend bought a good keyboard is that the authenticity of the sounds and the quality is like 10x better. Of course being a beginning producer I loved an all-in-one piece just so I didn't have to pay for and connect like 3 or 4 things.

Right now, I really want to step my game up. Here's the kind of settup I really want to get going:

- A good keyboard with some really lush sounds (I've played with the Korg Triton, it's ok but I want to aim even farther up)

- A good filter bank and effects bank incase I want to maul some of those sounds

- A good sample program maybe similar to Recycle that's ProTools compatable

- Absynth (what I keep hearing is the ultimate sickbass generator)

- ProTools - something I know is compatable with Absynth, I'd like


My biggest concern is finding something which I can either use real intuitively or, more realistically, something that I can get that intuitive with once I get how to use the programs well. Usually I'm not that bad with the technicals but the *ultimate* creativity killer for me tends to be not having the ability to make the sounds I want or on the flipside having too many technical issues with getting a sampled beat on right (I used to have no problem making my own drum & badd beats from scratch but even the pros don't do that, getting your synth drums in that character is almost impossible, and in the end other people just lap you because they're doing less). So I guess my question is first the keyboard, does anyone recommend anything that at least has a good one or two track sequencer in it which also seems to have real good dynamics in the patches? Also, I've never used Protools before - would I be wasting my money buying an external filterbank or do you think the intuition of just having the knobs at my fingertips still make it worthwhile?

Well you know I don't know much about that stuff, but one thing I did wanna mention (and maybe this is obvious but I thought I'd mention it anyway): Are you looking at new or used equipment? I'd recommend that you go as new as possible - John's had a few different electronic drum modules and with those at least, the newer you go the more realistic the drum sounds are in them. It's amazing, even the difference over a few years. All the other sounds (non-drum) are better too - better quality, newer sounding, more variety and creativity... I know there can be a significant price difference between new and used though so that's a factor too.

Well, that may vary from piece to piece but the one thing I think I have learned for sure over the years - the more features that a single piece has stacked into it (ie those synthesizer/sequencer/sampler/effects box-deals) the less quality each of those features tends to have on average. A good keyboard will be a good keyboard, have a few tracks of sequencing, but not have much of the rest. A good analog modeling will be the same way but will be real skim on realistic sounds and of course like most high-quality keyboards have no sampling capability (save maybe those factory cards you can buy from the maker which has more factory presets to add to the banks). As for newer always being better, I think it really depends what price range your shopping in and on percussion, I definitely doubt I'll be going synth for that anymore unless I'm taking a change of pace and breaking out some trance or techno.

Hey there,

I wouldnt start with ProTools, i think the focus is on real instrument recording. Go for something like Cubase which handles recording and is very good for softsynths.

Or if you want something really intuitive if you play with loops go for Ableton Live. Yep, built for live performances and suited to electronic beat music, because you can make tunes on the fly by just dragging and dropping loop clips from your library. But it also works as a MIDI sequencer and multi track recorder too! Check out the demo.

I started to learn about synthesis and electronic music before xmas, but have kinda slowed down, I couldnt get my head around things, and twiddling random knobs really puts a stop to my creativity and i found it hard to compose. Ive gone back to my guitar for now, but you just reminded me i recently bought a book about synthesis and sound design, i think i will try and get my head round that before I start composing using synths again.

But tech, Ive read your discussions for a while, and its obvious you have a real passion for it, so go for it, free your mind and write some wonderful music, ill look forward to hearing it

Jonny, my only concern about something other than Protools is what about Absynth? I've always thought I'd buy something like Cubase but as I understand it Absynth is only compatable with ProTools and one other program. I need something that can do some really sick grimey reece bass (aka. the hi-pass cycling backwards stuff that people have nicknamed the 'hoover' sound), or other oldskool basslines that are aggressive enough to sound like some robotic demon tossing its cookies in the toilet - almost any synth I come up with and play with can't get that kind of separation or distortion without it blaring too much and cooking the whole track via having to rely on the actual distortion effect too much (and like that dillinja sample I sent you, there's something too that squelch more than just combining saw and wave or triangle and wave, it's almost metallically-callibrated). If you have a chance on Limewire one of two tracks I might recommend for that beyond-synth kind of sound are Refugy by )EIB(, Evol Intent - Corrupt Cops (Noisia rmx) for that 'hoover' reece, and for a certain type of oscillation that I love to death but can never quite get listen to either Locusts by Ed Rush & Fierce or Sonar by Trace - lol not at all trying to build a chore list just that I feel like the sounds I'm trying to make take a very specific set of synthesizer specs (and it would be tough to take any advice diverting me from Absynth unless someone who knows what they're talking about, as you very much seem to, also knows exactly what I'm talking about as well).

Hey, Absynth most certainly does work with Cubase! In fact it will work with anything that hosts VSTis - VSTi being something that was created by the people behind Cubase!

Im not exactly sure what the hoover sound sounds like, but i have come across it during my studies, i know for a fact you can achieve hoover on many synths other than absynth. But rememebr a lot of results are often achieved after the basic synth sound is created. You need to play with effects as well.

Sounds like you have a history with synths, hope you get on better with it then I did!

OMG...did I really title this thread 'Electronic Musians'? Maybe that's more proof that I'm a dumb artistic type...

Since you put it that way I figured I'd go ahead and change it around to 'Electronic Musiscians'

You're in big trouble now, mister. Now you're doing it on purpose - think of all those poor pedantic aspies out there. That kind of spelling is gonna drive them crazy.

(see edit above) we were talking at the same time again. In fact, I think you were interrupting me.

That's all you've got to say for yourself? No apology for interrupting me with that laughing smilie when I was trying to edit my post? How rude!

P.S. Turn Messenger (MSN) on once in awhile. Or maybe you do and I'm just missing you? I'm usually on there at some point every day, but not all day because my sister's using the same computer and she uses Messenger a lot herself.

Today I'm probably gonna be rehearsing for a speech I have in my management class. I have been getting on MSN once in a while lately but it it's mostly been either late at night or at like 9 or 10 AM - I'll admit I tend to turn that and AIM off too quick if I don't see anyone on. I'll see about having myself on Thursday though.

You laugh at me again?? I just can't win.

As for MSN I'm usually on between 9-11am - I'm surprised I haven't seen you. I'm on at other times of day too - usually I sign in anytime I'm gonna be on or near the computer for awhile. Do you know if Eikke's on MSN?

So you have to give a speech? How do you think that's gonna go?