Pretty sick demo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFNQoekyGAs
at 6:20 he's showing how placing different objects on the resonators changes their tone.
I want this so bad.
at 6:20 he's showing how placing different objects on the resonators changes their tone.
I want this so bad.
"Have you ever thought re-patching your modular synth was too easy? Here, now your drum machine can be even harder to recreate the sound you liked last week!"
A joke, but was immediately what jumped out as scary. Not gonna lie, looks like a fun machine, but for that money, I tend to buy stuff I can use and recall old patches with. Although except for the modular obviously :/
Then next week I'm gonna have zero ideas about how to recreate it again :P Already suffering with this with the modular synth, and those are just cables in specific holes.
Your take is obviously a valid one though. I just find it infinitely interesting how there can be so many valid viewpoints about something like this.
As a counter curse I recommend strudel.cc back at you :)
Like you, many people along the years been telling me that I'll love modular synths, and I should try it out VCVRack to get a taste. So I did, maybe once or twice a year. It never felt fun for me, even one bit. Never sure why.
Then at some point I borrow my friend's modular setup as he was going to play in places where he couldn't bring it, and I finally understood what's so fun about it. The hardware is what makes it fun and relaxing for me, not the concepts themselves, and seemingly for me, they don't translate into the digital realm.
I guess the point is: I'm kind of similar to you and I couldn't get into VCVRack but actual real modular synths are fun as hell. Maybe it's the same for you, so don't lose hope if VCVRack ends up not feeling fun :)
Strudel is very cool. Possibilities are endless with music tools
Professionals are usually good at doing both.
I'm sure I'd have a good time playing with it for an afternoon and come up with some sounds I like. And, in principle, I'm all for more ways to create music existing - especially ones which are interactive and tactile. But the reality is, if I bought this device it would end up spending most of its time in the basement graveyard with all the other cool tools that are too narrow, too big, too hard to interface, store/recall patches, etc.
I decided several years ago to refocus on a stack that's purely microphone (or other a/d converted input) + MIDI controllers to a DAW driving infinite layers of internal real-time digital synthesis, analog modeling and effects plug-ins. There are fabulously expressive MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) controllers now which can capture every nuance of input my hands, feet and breath could ever provide. As you highlighted, the feeling that creating in a digital audio workstation is "too easy" or maybe somehow 'soulless' - is all in my head. That lurking suspicion analog circuitry or electro-mechanical waveforms are more authentic or pure is just magical thinking.
Always believing that the next new box's cool-looking tactile input, novel interaction model or unique set of opinionated constraints will unleash my creativity - is just getting in the way of actually sitting down and making myself create with all the insanely powerful, wildly creative, infinitely flexible, hyper-productive digital tools I already have. Being able to save and recall entire racks worth of patching at the press of a button isn't soulless or limiting - unless I let it be. Feeling like I need just-one-more new device to inspire me with its defaults or constrain me with its limits - is the limiting constraint I finally realized was holding me back.
That's true in so many fields.
But as you say, no right or wrong, we all do things under different circumstances and contexts, and what works for someone is wrong for another, and all that :)
Of course, that's what really matters most. I do appreciate that the infinite possibilities, permutations and even extreme convenience all-in-one digital integration provides can become a downside. It really depends on personal style, preferences and goals.
Confronted by all that boundless possibility, I have sometimes found myself freezing up with 'possibility agoraphobia' or just rat-holing into the tweak-cycling you describe. Ultimately, I figured out I have to enforce some discipline on myself - which felt a bit odd since I'm strictly doing this for fun. My realization was that the needed discipline can either be embedded in the tools or style I choose or I can choose to enforce it on myself - which is its own burden. Every approach has its benefits and costs. No free lunch :-).
In a broad sense, I suspect any of the different approaches (all acoustic, analog, digital or some hybrid) represent sweet-spots that balance latitude and constraints in different ways. All that truly matters is finding one that meets us where we are in the moment and feeds our soul.
While the feature is useful, in some senses it's not terribly important to have a sound be exact, because you're giving a performance to the circumstance. Acoustic instruments react to temperature and humidity and all of that - it worked fine for thousands of years of music.
I thought you were going to say the Korg Legacy Collection was the "other end". https://www.korg.com/us/products/software/korg_collection/le...
It's basically every synth Korg ever made up to around 2005 (about 20 in all) as software plug-ins capable of playing the original presets and patches. It even includes all the presets and optional patch library cards and expansions Korg ever offered for each (often worth more than the synth itself).
Some of the greatest albums of all time (and several of my personal favorites) were primarily made with these. And they take zero space, need no maintenance and patch instantly into all my other gear with no ground loops, sampling hiss or MIDI timing issues.
I had an OASYS PCI and synthkit 20 years ago that had incredible physical modeling.
Maybe because I can picture what this would sound like with those OASYS models that it is not impressive at all.
I do always appreciate how daring korg can be though.
Be interested to see how long it takes before Florian gets his hands on one to review for Bad Gear though.
Maybe Venus Theory can run it through its paces as well.
Motor Synth: https://gamechangeraudio.com/motor-synth/
Agreed the Phase8 is a neat synth. Basically like a Rhodes and a EBow had a baby.
without the heavy crushing effects
Has that not always been the appeal.