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coolskull
Nov 11, 2007

skimming the specs from the cdm article (which I can't link at the moment) there's no mention of synthesis.

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empty whippet box
Jun 9, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
Thanks for all the EWI info guys, I'm still messing with all of it and learning scales and such on it. But now it suddenly won't play - I don't know what happened. I rebooted my computer(it's a mac, so this doesn't happen that often) and now it simply does nothing at all. I plug it into the USB port and the green light comes on and I open up the software that came with it, and that was all that was required to play around with it on a basic level before, but now it simply does nothing. I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do. The software is Garrison aria. I can't find any volume switch on the instrument or in the software. Before, I just plugged it in and it played. Now, nothing at all.

e: off course the MOMENT I post about it, I figure it out. Never mind! Man I have a lot to learn with this thing.

empty whippet box fucked around with this message at 23:40 on Mar 15, 2017

My Lovely Horse
Aug 21, 2010

Maybe you accidentally changed the MIDI channel either the controller sends on or the software listens to?

e: great but was that the problem? :f5:

My Lovely Horse
Aug 21, 2010

Right, after trying for over a year to coax sounds from my Rhythm Wolf's bass synth that don't give the impression of a fat bumblebee trapped in a jam jar, I'm finally concluding that it's a fruitless endeavour. Trouble is, without the appeal of a built in bass synth, the drum side of things doesn't sound so hot either. There are many people on youtube who can get decent sound out of it but I am not among them. Further trouble: I actually really like the way it handles. Time to finally get into Volcas and use them as sound modules for the Wolf's sequencer? Are there any better ideas? Should I just save myself some trouble and start chucking wads of cash directly out of the window?

WorldWarWonderful
Jul 15, 2004
Eh?

My Lovely Horse posted:

Right, after trying for over a year to coax sounds from my Rhythm Wolf's bass synth that don't give the impression of a fat bumblebee trapped in a jam jar, I'm finally concluding that it's a fruitless endeavour. Trouble is, without the appeal of a built in bass synth, the drum side of things doesn't sound so hot either. There are many people on youtube who can get decent sound out of it but I am not among them. Further trouble: I actually really like the way it handles. Time to finally get into Volcas and use them as sound modules for the Wolf's sequencer? Are there any better ideas? Should I just save myself some trouble and start chucking wads of cash directly out of the window?

When I realized if I kept to buying used I'd be able to sell it for what I paid for it (or make a slight loss for a quick sale) it became easier to find what worked for me, and I never felt like I was wasting money. It also becomes easier to justify upgrading if you've exhausted your options. I went from four less flexible and cheaper synths to two more expensive ones that are much more flexible. The interface and sound work for me.

I have a friend who has about seven cheaper synths that are more singular in voice and purpose and controls it all through ableton. He scours trades and flea markets and has found the setup that works for him.

I might have spent a lot at the beginning, but I've maybe lost fifty bucks on six hundred dollars' worth of purchases just by buying and reselling stuff. The end result is me giving up on trying to save money, but owning two Elektron boxes and being more productive than I've been in the last five years.

Tan Dumplord
Mar 9, 2005

by FactsAreUseless

mrbradlymrmartin posted:

i have 0 empty HP and it feels s o g o o d

Me too, but I already have two modules in the maybe-replace category: Peaks and Kinks. Peaks is compact and useful, but now that I've found its limits, I feel that it's not voltage-controllable like the rest of my system. Kinks is simply not getting any use in my patches, probably because I don't have enough mults (2) and stackcables (0).

Luckily there's a lot of great modules at 12hp. :homebrew:

stillvisions
Oct 15, 2014

I really should have come up with something better before spending five bucks on this.

WorldWarWonderful posted:

I was under the impression that it was samples only - at NAMM, all the videos had Cenk stating it was samples and not synthesis (as he's described the Rtym and Machinedrum). Their use of the words "sound engine" is a bit vague but I figure it just means ADSR, LFOs, and effects and not actual synthesis.
I'd say ROMpler-style synthesis is what they're talking about. Given it's half the price of the RYTM they'd be cutting their own throats if they included that in this one.


My Lovely Horse posted:

Right, after trying for over a year to coax sounds from my Rhythm Wolf's bass synth that don't give the impression of a fat bumblebee trapped in a jam jar, I'm finally concluding that it's a fruitless endeavour. Trouble is, without the appeal of a built in bass synth, the drum side of things doesn't sound so hot either. There are many people on youtube who can get decent sound out of it but I am not among them. Further trouble: I actually really like the way it handles. Time to finally get into Volcas and use them as sound modules for the Wolf's sequencer? Are there any better ideas? Should I just save myself some trouble and start chucking wads of cash directly out of the window?

Most of the good audio I've heard from that family of products only sounded good after being drenched in effects far exceeding the price of the original boxes. I'm of the "if you buy cheap, you buy twice" attitude; mostly because it keeps me from buying all the different mini-boxes and forces me to use the more expensive things that I get instead. Or at least avoid gear creep because it's more fun than having to really dig into one thing. The Volcas do get pretty tempting, however.

I raise my glass to you for fighting so long with the Rhythm Wolf.

AxeBreaker
Jan 1, 2005
Who fucking cares?

I think anything analog under $300 or so is seriously cutting corners somewhere. AD or AHD envelopes instead of ADSR or better, only 1 envelope, very limited routings, only 1 LFO, lousy tuning, only 1 oscillator, all sorts of limiting stuff. The ARP Odyssey I got i has taught me much more than the Volca Bass and Volca keys did. It's pretty deep but it's easier to get my head around than mid priced digitals like the Blofeld or UltraNova which can sound good but take some work. Korg has a lot of good places to start, the various ARP and MS-20 versions, the Minilogue, and the Monologue if you don't mind the AHD envelope. Beyond that maybe the JD-Xi, BassStation II, Pulse II if you have a keyboard and that's about it. There's plenty of good stuff $1000 to $3000 but obviously you really have to want that kind of gear....

It's almost as expensive as a Gibson Les Paul!

Gringostar
Nov 12, 2016
Morbid Hound

stillvisions posted:

Most of the good audio I've heard from that family of products only sounded good after being drenched in effects far exceeding the price of the original boxes. I'm of the "if you buy cheap, you buy twice" attitude; mostly because it keeps me from buying all the different mini-boxes and forces me to use the more expensive things that I get instead. Or at least avoid gear creep because it's more fun than having to really dig into one thing. The Volcas do get pretty tempting, however.

This is a good philosophy and one I didn't have for the first few years which ended up costing more. I will say the volcas are great provided you just get the digital ones. The sample is actually a fantastic drum machine for what it's worth and the FM is a blast.

JamesKPolk
Apr 9, 2009

I really, really like the Keys.

They don't teach much and I hate the form factor and all that. But it's just been instant magic for me every time I've reached for it (much more so than the Beats or Bass).

The best "analog" under 300 is the JX-03. Still only one envelope. But didn't Junos only have one? I feel like the DSI stuff I cut my teeth on spoiled me in that regard. And its ADSR at least.

AxeBreaker
Jan 1, 2005
Who fucking cares?

JamesKPolk posted:

I really, really like the Keys.

They don't teach much and I hate the form factor and all that. But it's just been instant magic for me every time I've reached for it (much more so than the Beats or Bass).

The best "analog" under 300 is the JX-03. Still only one envelope. But didn't Junos only have one? I feel like the DSI stuff I cut my teeth on spoiled me in that regard. And its ADSR at least.

My Keys had an osc go out of tune, so I don't like mine, doubly so since I can't sell it in good conscience. Legowelt called his "Kind of a poo poo synthesizer" and while he tends to be really negative about on things he doesn't like, I agree especially now. Get a drat Mini/Monologue or something else instead. Those extra options add lots of longevity.

That said, everything has some compromises even the classics. That's kind of what gives them their character. The JX-03 looks like a good option for starting out, but the cost of a decent sized midi keyboard or even the mini keyboard brings it close to larger if not better synths.

EDIT: I think DIY stuff is probably the exception to the $300 rule. My current project, Axoloti, is probably < $200 even if you add a case, pots, SD card, etc. I'd never recommend that to a newbie though.

AxeBreaker fucked around with this message at 19:53 on Mar 17, 2017

HerzogZwo
Nov 30, 2000
I noticed that the Volca Sample OKGO edition is like $50 cheaper than the standard one. Is there a reason for that? Is it because it is so ugly?

I mean, you can still replace the samples right?

hug a mexican
Jul 8, 2010

HerzogZwo posted:

I noticed that the Volca Sample OKGO edition is like $50 cheaper than the standard one. Is there a reason for that? Is it because it is so ugly?

I mean, you can still replace the samples right?

functionality should be the same, yeah. i think korg is trying to get rid of them, our local synth-specific shop got a huge batch they've been tossing out for ~$100 a piece. tempting but uhhhhhhh i think i'll just stick with my es-1

byob historian
Nov 5, 2008

I'm an animal abusing piece of shit! I deliberately poisoned my dog to death and think it's funny! I'm an irredeemable sack of human shit!

sliderule posted:

Me too, but I already have two modules in the maybe-replace category: Peaks and Kinks. Peaks is compact and useful, but now that I've found its limits, I feel that it's not voltage-controllable like the rest of my system. Kinks is simply not getting any use in my patches, probably because I don't have enough mults (2) and stackcables (0).

Luckily there's a lot of great modules at 12hp. :homebrew:

wha? you dont like kinks? man it goes into about every patch. kinks + sport modulator is my fave random. i do have five dozen stackcables which helps lol

speaking of great modules at 12 HP, holy cow the sport mod. i hate those dumb buttons (why cant it have toggles like the SSG its based on?) but that thing is so much fun. you can do envelopes (generating and following), sample and hold, and all sorts of crazy lfos. the weird arpeggio type stuff you can get off it is fascinating.

another great module at 12 HP is the pittsburgh filter. it sounds really good and holy poo poo, it looks beautiful. my favorite thing to plug into my visual cortex

Trig Discipline
Jun 3, 2008

Please leave the room if you think this might offend you.
Grimey Drawer

hug a mexican posted:

functionality should be the same, yeah. i think korg is trying to get rid of them, our local synth-specific shop got a huge batch they've been tossing out for ~$100 a piece. tempting but uhhhhhhh i think i'll just stick with my es-1

Thanks jerk, now I have to explain why I have an okgo volca sample to the wife.

MrSargent
Dec 23, 2003

Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's Jimmy T.

Trig Discipline posted:

Thanks jerk, now I have to explain why I have an okgo volca sample to the wife.

We could have an entire thread dedicated to stories of goons explaining to their significant others why they spent hundreds of dollars on gear to make robot noises.

I would be a frequent contributor.

WorldWarWonderful
Jul 15, 2004
Eh?

MrSargent posted:

We could have an entire thread dedicated to stories of goons explaining to their significant others why they spent hundreds of dollars on gear to make robot noises.

I would be a frequent contributor.

Hundreds?

I'm lucky in that my girlfriend actually likes my music. The end result at least. The same pattern on loop for an hour as I add and tweak, however......

MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



I did once have my wife ask me "All these synthesizers do... different things, right?"

I can't say I had a great answer. I think I said "for some people, yeah."

rickiep00h
Aug 16, 2010

BATDANCE


My wife worked at Sweetwater for eight years. I didn't have to explain poo poo to her, but we had a lot of "okay, how can we justify THIS one?" conversations.

Hell, the Brendan Small Thunderhorse guitar was HER idea.

hug a mexican
Jul 8, 2010
i have the exact opposite situation wherein i occasionally experience hoarder-induced panic anxiety with my so going "oh come on you don't have to sell everything but the kazoo you shithead"

i'm not sure it's better than trying to explain why the one big synth has suddenly had a litter of puppies all named volca

byob historian
Nov 5, 2008

I'm an animal abusing piece of shit! I deliberately poisoned my dog to death and think it's funny! I'm an irredeemable sack of human shit!

MrSargent posted:

We could have an entire thread dedicated to stories of goons explaining to their significant others why they spent hundreds of dollars on gear to make robot noises.

I would be a frequent contributor.

theres one already ;)

long-ass nips Diane
Dec 13, 2010

Breathe.


Expected a link to page one of this thread, very disappointed

Trig Discipline
Jun 3, 2008

Please leave the room if you think this might offend you.
Grimey Drawer
Volca Sample got here and I just have no idea where the last two hours went. That is a fun little box.





(that's what he said)

Tan Dumplord
Mar 9, 2005

by FactsAreUseless
It's amazing, isn't it? Too​ bad you can't step sequence the motion sequence parameters. It would make using single-cycle waveforms a bit easier.

crab avatar
Mar 15, 2006

iŧ Kë3Ł, cħ gøÐ i- <Ecl8

sliderule posted:

It's amazing, isn't it? Too​ bad you can't step sequence the motion sequence parameters. It would make using single-cycle waveforms a bit easier.

Actually, you can!

Volca Sample manual posted:

Step editing mode (STEP MODE button lit up)

The buttons will function as step buttons for the sequencer. Pressing a button turns the step for the selected part on or off. Steps that have been turned
on will be played.
In addition, by holding down the step buttons while using knobs compatible with motion recording, the values recorded with the step for that part
can be edited and new motion data can be recorded.

Tan Dumplord
Mar 9, 2005

by FactsAreUseless
Oh, uh......

I retract my complaint ☺️

byob historian
Nov 5, 2008

I'm an animal abusing piece of shit! I deliberately poisoned my dog to death and think it's funny! I'm an irredeemable sack of human shit!

long-rear end nips Diane posted:

Expected a link to page one of this thread, very disappointed

disappointment is my middle name

Gringostar
Nov 12, 2016
Morbid Hound

Trig Discipline posted:

Volca Sample got here and I just have no idea where the last two hours went. That is a fun little box.





(that's what he said)

https://www.retrokits.com/rk-002/

your welcome

My Lovely Horse
Aug 21, 2010

The more I listen to affordable drum machines, the more I think that the one I most like the sound of really is the Drumbrute. Help.

hug a mexican
Jul 8, 2010

My Lovely Horse posted:

The more I listen to affordable drum machines, the more I think that the one I most like the sound of really is the Drumbrute. Help.

do you need help ordering one or what

Sexy Randal
Jul 26, 2006

woah

My Lovely Horse posted:

The more I listen to affordable drum machines, the more I think that the one I most like the sound of really is the Drumbrute. Help.

I have one and it's super fun and cool so you should like buy it

MrSargent
Dec 23, 2003

Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He fits right in there. And that's Jimmy T.
I eventually want a drum machine but told myself the first one I get would be the Roland TR-8. Go big or go home right?

Chainclaw
Feb 14, 2009

I don't know if people like to listen to other people's modular space farts, but if anyone does, I really like that speak and spell style module: https://soundcloud.com/joejoejoejoe-4/deadrobots

byob historian
Nov 5, 2008

I'm an animal abusing piece of shit! I deliberately poisoned my dog to death and think it's funny! I'm an irredeemable sack of human shit!

MrSargent posted:

I eventually want a drum machine but told myself the first one I get would be the Roland TR-8. Go big or go home right?

you misspelled 909


but if you can find a korg er-1 that is a fun little machine

Thorpe
Feb 14, 2007

RELEASE THE KITTIES
I picked up a Volca keys from Craigslist as a baby's first synth sort of thing last month. The guy I bought it from told me this is a black hole of money and I shouldn't get started on synth stuff.

I now have a minilogue sitting on my desk next to the keys. I'm bad at warnings.

hug a mexican
Jul 8, 2010

Chainclaw posted:

I don't know if people like to listen to other people's modular space farts, but if anyone does, I really like that speak and spell style module: https://soundcloud.com/joejoejoejoe-4/deadrobots

i accidentally listened to the whole thing while whipping up coffee so i guess them farts are Good Enough


re: korg er-1 i'd suggest the es-1 instead!! although smartmedia is archaic bullshit getting a korg e-box and being able to load it with whatever drumkits you please is a very powerful tool to never make music with. rolandesque x0x-sequencer is always fun though so you wouldn't go wrong with an er-1 either

VoodooXT
Feb 24, 2006
I want Tong Po! Give me Tong Po!
If anyone still has a Blofeld with jumpy encoders, someone finally figured out what the problem was and how to fix it.

hug a mexican
Jul 8, 2010

wish i'd known this back when before selling off my microkorg xl

Startyde
Apr 19, 2007

come post with us, forever and ever and ever
Debounce caps worked on my blofeld, but good to know.
Tax man says I should spend some money. Now that it's been out a bit, have there been any horror stories with Prophet 6s yet? Thinking about the module.

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dj bobby bieber
Oct 9, 2003

the fanciest whale

Startyde posted:

Tax man says I should spend some money. Now that it's been out a bit, have there been any horror stories with Prophet 6s yet? Thinking about the module.

I had/returned one of the very early KB units. I think the firmware was a bit wonky. It kept crashing, and I didn't feel like buying a MIDI>USB module to update it, so I returned it (didn't feel like I should have to deal with that on a $3k synth). I assume they've fixed all of that.

It sounds absolutely incredible. That or a ProRev2 would be awesome.

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