Display posts from previous
Sort by

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1901 by Tom Wanderer
Ok...I'm considering an analog synth purchase. I know. I've made it this far without taking the bait but there is something about an old/weird analog synth that is kind of calling to me right now. And I don't know if I'm gonna pick up the phone, but I'm looking at stuff in the $500-$700 range that's not gonna break the bank and I'd like some opinions. The Moog/Realistic Concertmate MG-1 looks kind of amazing. I know about the black foam deterioration and such. The build quality is what I'm getting hung up on. The Yamaha CS-10 also looks interesting, and I love the build quality, and they are readily available with cases, but it also doesn't seem...well...weird enough. I like the two oscillators on the MG-1 and that one can be detuned. I like the ring mod/bell tone and the odd polyphonic organ sound. The CS-10 looks awesome but every demo I've heard sounds more like Miami Vice than anything.

I also don't need a synth.

What say you?
Radio show https://www.wmse.org/program/the-tom-wa ... xperience/
My band https://redstuff.bandcamp.com/
Solo project https://tomwanderer.bandcamp.com/

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1902 by tommy
Get an MS-20 mini. It’s a 2 Osc monosynth that gets plenty weird because of the dual resonant filters. It’s a classic. Sounds pretty much dead on to the original without needing maintenance. The tiny keys kinda suck. But for like $350 used it’s one of the best deals for a classic analog synth I can think of.

I can recommend the Behringer clone of the Pro One too, if you have a MIDI keyboard already. Also gets pretty weird with all the modulation routing. Or get their Prophet 600 clone if you want essentially the same thing with polyphony and patch storage.
self: https://tommiles.bandcamp.com/
old: https://shiiin.bandcamp.com/

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1903 by TylerDeadPine
Tom Wanderer wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2024 9:44 am Ok...I'm considering an analog synth purchase. I know. I've made it this far without taking the bait but there is something about an old/weird analog synth that is kind of calling to me right now. And I don't know if I'm gonna pick up the phone, but I'm looking at stuff in the $500-$700 range that's not gonna break the bank and I'd like some opinions. The Moog/Realistic Concertmate MG-1 looks kind of amazing. I know about the black foam deterioration and such. The build quality is what I'm getting hung up on. The Yamaha CS-10 also looks interesting, and I love the build quality, and they are readily available with cases, but it also doesn't seem...well...weird enough. I like the two oscillators on the MG-1 and that one can be detuned. I like the ring mod/bell tone and the odd polyphonic organ sound. The CS-10 looks awesome but every demo I've heard sounds more like Miami Vice than anything.

I also don't need a synth.

What say you?
You've made the right steps in first admitting what you don't need, and also that we all like old/weird things. Old/weird synths are cool, and limitations are great but if you don't like working on potential problems and you just want to have fun, there's a LOT of great new synths. Quality of life things like usb for backing up/loading is really nice, as is programming software if something has a lot of menus etc.

check out the Yamaha CS-reface, it's less and really fun and has modern things - you might not care as much as someone else about size/keys

maybe losthighway can chime in about the Take5, it's definitely more but you might be able to find one for $900. If I was buying one single synth right now, that would be it

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1904 by Tom Wanderer
Thanks for the responses! That MS-20 mini looks cool. I'll look into that more.

I'm specifically not looking for USB connectivity, digital menus, "virtual analog", saving settings, etc. I don't even need MIDI. I feel like every instrument, amp, pedal, tape machine, mixing board, outboard effect, I've ever purchased has needed attention or repair or been a 'potential problem'. I'm not turned off by that. I have a lot of bizarre old shit that I keep up and running and it's kind of the story of my life.

The Reface looks nice, and I've played and liked the Reface combo organ emulator, but that's not really what I'm looking for. We'll see what happens, I'm gonna keep looking. I have a 90s EHX bass synthesizer pedal and a 70s Cordovox CDX combo organ already...so maybe I'll try fucking around with those together and seeing what happens.

Thanks for the insight though, I'll be listening to all recommendations.
Radio show https://www.wmse.org/program/the-tom-wa ... xperience/
My band https://redstuff.bandcamp.com/
Solo project https://tomwanderer.bandcamp.com/

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1905 by TylerDeadPine
The ms20 suggestion is a good one.

I think I get it - just after working at a stack of vintage broken stuff this weekend and only getting one thing fixed, some things lose their appeal - and on newer synthesizers I’ve been blown away at how good they sound compared to the old stuff. You can get a heat gun and force them out of tune if needed.

I thought I didn’t care about patch storage but I forget things

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1906 by losthighway
TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:35 pm maybe losthighway can chime in about the Take5, it's definitely more but you might be able to find one for $900. If I was buying one single synth right now, that would be it
The Take 5 is radical. Huge caveat around my recommendations as I'm neither a true pianist, nor a seasoned synth person. What I am is a multi-instrumentalist (i.e. a hack on six different instruments), studio rat, synth newb.

My one slight concern when I bought it is if five voices would be too few. As I've been exploring it I find five part harmony is so lush with most of the settings I've enjoyed, you can't really miss a sixth voice. If anything I've discovered what a dangerous weapon it is in overdubs on stuff that already has instruments. I've definitely mucked things up by layering richer chords/tones than the mix has space for. Some settings are meant to be a center piece of a sonic landscape, not an addition.

Overall it's very versatile, fun to fuck with. All what I hear as trademark Prophet/other analog classics type sounds. I could probably spend hours every week becoming a wizard on it, but it still suits me as a tourist.

Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere

1907 by TylerDeadPine
losthighway wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2024 5:57 pm
TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:35 pm maybe losthighway can chime in about the Take5, it's definitely more but you might be able to find one for $900. If I was buying one single synth right now, that would be it
The Take 5 is radical. Huge caveat around my recommendations as I'm neither a true pianist, nor a seasoned synth person. What I am is a multi-instrumentalist (i.e. a hack on six different instruments), studio rat, synth newb.

My one slight concern when I bought it is if five voices would be too few. As I've been exploring it I find five part harmony is so lush with most of the settings I've enjoyed, you can't really miss a sixth voice. If anything I've discovered what a dangerous weapon it is in overdubs on stuff that already has instruments. I've definitely mucked things up by layering richer chords/tones than the mix has space for. Some settings are meant to be a center piece of a sonic landscape, not an addition.

Overall it's very versatile, fun to fuck with. All what I hear as trademark Prophet/other analog classics type sounds. I could probably spend hours every week becoming a wizard on it, but it still suits me as a tourist.
Ah! So glad you feel that way, as do I - my spouse is the real player and can make a big 8 or 16 voice polysynth sound magical, but I can barely make use of more than 4.
I had to learn the same thing about mixing with many voices
Post Reply

Return to “Tech Room”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest