Synths and Keys

clockwork green · October 17, 2012, 11:01:14 PM

So I have an original Microkorg and I'm looking to add 1 or two more to things. I'd really like one that did cool piano and organ tones but on a fairly tight budget. Something smaller than 88 keys but not too tiny. I've also been thinking about adding one of these Moog Minitaur's....this klip from the Dwarfcraft people is pretty doomtastic. Any thoughts or recommendations?

eyeprod · October 18, 2012, 05:49:58 PM

those minitaurs seem pretty cool. With a synth module, I would want a midi keyboard with a cv sequencer to go with it. I'd also look into a kaoss pad or something that has an X and Y axis (joystick) that can be assigned to any individual, or group of controls on the synth. That's how you get the most control for weird shit. If that's what you're into. I'm in the process of figuring out how to cheaply piece together something like an EMS Synthi...

clockwork green · October 18, 2012, 07:39:11 PM

I have midi keyboard that I use with my ipad and some of their keyboard apps. I was just looking at the sampling kaoss pad today. I was thinking that I could run both keyboards into my little Behringer mixer and use the KP-3 for sampling both and messing with that. This is for a solo project for me...kinda like the Thrones without drums.

bbottom · October 18, 2012, 07:45:41 PM

Wow that was annoying

jibberish · October 22, 2012, 01:02:07 AM

since you have one kbd that has MIDI out, you can look for modules which are cheaper than the whole kbd. Then you just run the module from the main kbd.

for pianos , find one with a sampled piano library. no synth has ever recreated a good piano sound. old kurzweils were the first to really go nuts with the sampled pianos. maybe those are floating around cheap...

organs are electronic anyway and there are shitloads of great organ patches on many many synths. you would just have to try them out.

btw, i scored a garage sale casio for $20 because it has midi out. now i can use it along with my DX7 to run modules. 2 kbds save on patch changing

practice tip o the day: stratosphere, by Stratovarius is a pure minor key wank, but real fast. i highly recommend it for beefing up your hammer on pull off skills and your tremolo picking and your general accuracy nailing frets all over th eneck. this can be easily played on kbd too . some dude made a youtube...

Mike IQ · October 22, 2012, 01:26:06 AM

I got a Nord Electro 2 used for $700. I realize that's not cheap, but as organ synthesizers go, it's the go-to for most musicians these days, especially for a Hammond sound. Good piano sounds too and lots of built-in effects.

I wish I had more info on cheaper stuff for you, but I thought I'd chime in with my 2 cents. Seems like there are other people here with some suggestions. Good luck!

mortlock · October 22, 2012, 09:50:35 PM

i recently scored an old moog concertmate mg-1. i fucking love it..im running it through a few vintage dod pedals..im getting some awesome HNW sounds out of it.

jibberish · October 23, 2012, 02:30:42 AM

^maybe soundcloud some of your radness. moogs defined phattness in their day, and are still tough to beat

Lumpy · October 23, 2012, 08:28:15 PM

Casio SK1, polyphonic keyboard with sampling capability (1.8 seconds!!!!). 18 dollars on Ebay (score).

lordfinesse · October 23, 2012, 09:32:57 PM

Admittedly I haven't much to add to this, but I'll say that I use a Kurzweil K2500s for recording, and a Korg KP-3 live. Love them both. Carry on then..

FullCustom · October 23, 2012, 09:56:04 PM

Anyone else have an Arp? I really like the Arp Odyssey. I've had one at our shop for years. I had some fun with it before I left work today.

jibberish · October 24, 2012, 02:40:40 AM

Quote from: FullCustom on October 23, 2012, 09:56:04 PM
Anyone else have an Arp? I really like the Arp Odyssey. I've had one at our shop for years. I had some fun with it before I left work today.

i used to. i bought it new in th e70's with my busboy money. i was a fucking retard squared to have sold it. In highschool, a pal was a piano wiz, and since the odyssey was really only 2 notes, he would whip out these little bach things and i would work the sliders. we awed and amazed people with that back in school.
my band director even got the music for "6 wives of henry the 8th"(rick wakeman) for me to showcase my synth with the band. i borrowed my buddy's fender twin reverb for that. we even performed it at state at Bowling green. i was never so scared and juiced at the same time in my life. my buddy STILL has that fucking twin reverb. i saw it last summer when we finally got together after 30 yrs to jam.

i totally had the frankenstein rubberband sounding thing in the middle down cold and making like eagle and hawk cries heh.

mortlock · October 24, 2012, 11:23:00 PM

Quote from: FullCustom on October 23, 2012, 09:56:04 PM
Anyone else have an Arp? I really like the Arp Odyssey. I've had one at our shop for years. I had some fun with it before I left work today.

my bandmate has one..its awesome. its also seen on the back cover of our latest release.
lately hes been using his moog more but the arp is sick..

EddieMullet · October 26, 2012, 07:53:25 AM

I have one of those old Moog Concertmate MG-1s too only drawback is no MIDI.

But if you run it through a Marshall with lots of gain it sounds like the synth intro to Rainbow's "Tarot Woman"

It's more of a toy as I cannot play keyboards for shit and it doesn't stay in tune for shit either you can't play a whole song without it going completely out of tune though I imagine that could be fixed if there's something broken that causes that, mine's really beat up.

FullCustom · October 26, 2012, 02:29:54 PM

I have to hear "Beard Without a Mustache", have to.

mortlock · October 27, 2012, 12:14:58 AM

Quote from: FullCustom on October 26, 2012, 02:29:54 PM
I have to hear "Beard Without a Mustache", have to.

bmail me if you want a copy.. i have a few left..

mortlock · October 27, 2012, 12:17:13 AM

Quote from: EddieMullet on October 26, 2012, 07:53:25 AM
I have one of those old Moog Concertmate MG-1s too only drawback is no MIDI.

But if you run it through a Marshall with lots of gain it sounds like the synth intro to Rainbow's "Tarot Woman"

It's more of a toy as I cannot play keyboards for shit and it doesn't stay in tune for shit either you can't play a whole song without it going completely out of tune though I imagine that could be fixed if there's something broken that causes that, mine's really beat up.

i use it for harsh noise and wall..its great for music like that. it has some fucking heavy sounds.